Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After returning Song Ya, Li Xian concludes that the case contains deliberate inconsistencies. He theorizes that the Seven Withered Flowers may never have abducted Song Ya; instead, someone may have staged the scene and arranged for a substitute to be “rescued” in order to infiltrate Wu Gan’s circle.
• Li Xian suspects the current Song Ya is an assassin or dead soldier whose mission is to prevent Wu Gan from transmitting Fortune, potentially causing Fortune to disperse. Because the plot may also implicate Li Xian, he decides to investigate secretly rather than confront anyone without evidence.
• He publicly pretends to relax and celebrate the case’s resolution, drinking heavily with friends to lower the vigilance of those monitoring him. Once alone, however, he immediately becomes sober and prepares to continue investigating.
• Song the Merchant visits Li Xian privately and reveals that, despite the girl’s identical appearance and knowledge of family matters, he instinctively feels that the Song Ya who returned is not his real daughter.
• Li Xian questions him and becomes more confident in his own suspicions. He asks Song the Merchant to secretly watch Song Ya, prevent her from attending Wu Gan’s birthday banquet if possible, and notify him if she moves.
• Since Li Xian lacks authority and evidence, he plans first to locate the real Song Ya. If that fails, he and Song the Merchant will expose the impostor before she can harm Wu Gan.
• Li Xian asks Yao Yin to gather information on face-changers in Jade City. Her intelligence identifies several practitioners, including Tang Meng’e, known as the “Borrowed-Face Fellow,” who can use living facial skin as a flawless disguise for up to ten days.
• Realizing Tang Meng’e’s technique could explain how the impostor perfectly resembles Song Ya, Li Xian travels overnight to the Ghost Market, a vast underground criminal district described as an upside-down tower with eighteen prison-like levels.

2. Character Developments

• Li Xian becomes more cautious and strategically minded. Rather than relying on official authority or acting impulsively, he conceals his suspicions, manipulates appearances, and pursues evidence independently.
• His martial abilities and physical constitution continue to improve. His cultivation techniques advance, Bone-Sculpting Embryo reaches 29/100 proficiency, and Consumption approaches Peak Mastery at 9912/10000.
• Song the Merchant shifts from joyful relief at recovering his daughter to deep suspicion and anxiety. His paternal intuition becomes an important clue, though Li Xian notices that his regret—especially his blame toward Song Ya’s literary studies—seems unusually intense.
• Yao Yin proves herself a useful intelligence contact, gathering detailed information on obscure criminal specialists despite not knowing the full purpose of Li Xian’s request.
• Xu Shaoqian is portrayed as unreliable and politically constrained. Li Xian believes Xu’s impatience, emotional judgment, and dislike of him would make cooperation dangerous or ineffective.

3. Significant Themes

• Identity and deception: The central mystery concerns whether appearance, memories, and family knowledge are enough to establish a person’s identity.
• Evidence versus intuition: Both Li Xian and Song the Merchant possess strong suspicions but lack proof, forcing them to act indirectly and cautiously.
• Political conspiracy and hidden power: The apparent kidnapping is connected to Wu Gan, Fortune, official rivalries, and possible assistance from powerful figures such as Commandery Princess Anyang’s faction.
• Public appearances versus private truth: Li Xian’s drunken celebration is a deliberate performance masking his continued investigation, reflecting the wider contrast between the public resolution and the concealed conspiracy.
• Limited authority and self-reliance: Li Xian must solve the crisis despite having little institutional power and few established informants.
• The dangers of altering nature: The face-changers’ grotesque methods and warnings suggest that attempts to manufacture beauty or identity carry physical and moral costs.

4. Character Interactions

• Li Xian and Song the Merchant: Their conversation transforms Song the Merchant’s vague paternal unease into a concrete investigative lead. Li Xian tests his sincerity, questions him closely, and recruits him to monitor the suspected impostor.
• Li Xian and Yao Yin: They communicate discreetly at a soup stall, exchanging information without openly discussing the dangerous details of the case. Yao Yin provides the lead to Tang Meng’e.
• Li Xian and Xu Shaoqian: Though they do not meet directly in the chapter, Li Xian’s thoughts reveal distrust and professional tension. Xu has reclaimed official control of the case, leaving Li Xian to work alone.
• Li Xian and his friends: His drinking and revelry with Zhou Qingqing, Yao Yin, and others serve as a calculated disguise, making outsiders believe he has abandoned the investigation.
• Li Xian and the suspected Song Ya: They do not directly confront each other, but Li Xian views her as a possible infiltrator whose ultimate target is Wu Gan.
  The chapter ends with Li Xian arriving at the mysterious Ghost Market, convinced that finding Tang Meng’e—or another expert capable of creating a perfect disguise—may reveal the truth behind Song Ya’s replacement.

Chapter Summary: The Ghost Market and the Conspiracy Against Wu Gan

1. Key Plot Points and Events

Li Xian enters the Ghost Market in Jade City, a lawless underground realm beneath giant meteors. He witnesses Shorty Mo (Mo Zhengtian), a vicious killer with the Soft-Bone Aspect, brutally murder a tall man who had merely looked at him. After Li Xian attempts to leave, Shorty Mo deliberately provokes him, but Li Xian swiftly defeats him using the Pure-Gang Steaming Garment and Heartfire, then seals the Wishful Treasure Sword near his heart meridian to force his obedience.
Li Xian makes Shorty Mo lead him to Tang Meng'e, the face-borrower on the Ghost Market's second level. Initially claiming to want a face borrowed, Li Xian reveals he is from the Gold-Seeking Guard and questions Tang Meng'e about a case. His Tiger-Python Token gains him nothing, but showing a Candle Decree from the Flower Cage Sect changes everything—Tang Meng'e is a Candle Cult remnant and immediately becomes cooperative.
Tang Meng'e reveals that Song Ya's face was removed and changed onto another woman while she was unconscious. Li Xian finds Song Ya lying faceless in Tang Meng'e's pavilion and revives her. Song Ya reveals a massive conspiracy: Commandery Princess Anyang plans to use the divine artifact Benevolence's Lament Sword to seize Wu Gan's Fortune and kill him. Wu Gan (who holds half a dou of Fortune) is the stabilizer of Jade City; if his Fortune is stolen, the Literary Wall will collapse. The false Song Ya is revealed to be Commandery Princess Anyang herself.

2. Character Developments

• Li Xian: Demonstrated sharp situational awareness (noting the candle flame patterns matching the Candle Decree), patience in dealing with provocation, and resourcefulness in wielding both his official identity and Candle Cult connections. He showed restraint initially but decisiveness when attacked.
• Shorty Mo: Introduced as a sadistic killer who murders people for looking at him; immediately becomes submissive and cowardly when his life is threatened. His "Myriad Transformations Art" proves useless against Li Xian's layered approach.
• Tang Meng'e: A pragmatic Candle Cult remnant who runs a face-borrowing business. He is neither purely good nor evil—he takes faces from willing commoners and returns them, avoiding unnecessary killing. He respects the Candle Decree but is disdainful of Flower Cage Sect's low rank.
• Song Ya: Awakens traumatized after having her face stolen, but is calmed and becomes the source of the chapter's critical intelligence.

3. Significant Themes

• Lawlessness and power: The Ghost Market is a lawless gray zone where strength and reputation determine survival; skull-chains of Second Realm martial artists advertise its dangers.
• Fortune (气运) and its backlash: Killing one who bears Fortune invites unavoidable retribution that traces back to the instigator, making the Benevolence's Lament Sword's ability to "seize and occupy Fortune" uniquely dangerous.
• Identity and deception: Faces can be borrowed, stolen, grafted, and changed; the distinction between true identity and appearance is blurred (the false Song Ya is actually Commandery Princess Anyang).
• The Candle Cult's survival: Remnants of the Candle Cult are woven throughout the underworld, communicating by letter and token, awaiting resurgence.
• Mercy versus pragmatism: Li Xian spares Shorty Mo's life for utility rather than executing him; Tang Meng'e avoids killing for business sustainability.

4. Character Interactions

• Li Xian vs. Shorty Mo: Li Xian endures provocation, then ruthlessly defeats and enslaves Shorty Mo through threat of death. Shorty Mo becomes a reluctant but obedient guide.
• Li Xian vs. Tang Meng'e: A layered negotiation—(a) deceptive "face-borrowing" request, (b) official identity revealed (Tiger-Python Token), facing mockery and refusal, (c) Candle Decree revealed, leading to full cooperation. Tang Meng'e warns Li Xian to stay away from Hao Qingshe (another Candle Cult member who contacted him by letter).
• Li Xian and Song Ya: Li Xian soothes her terror and extracts crucial information about the assassination plot.
• Tang Meng'e and Song Ya: Tang Meng'e explains her face was taken unwillingly and offers a pathway to recovery.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xian realizes that Commandery Princess Anyang’s plan is to destabilize Jade City from within by impersonating Song Ya, obtaining the Benevolence’s Lament Sword, and possibly seizing Wu Gan’s Fortune. Without Wu Gan’s Fortune to steady the city, Jade City could descend into chaos and become vulnerable to Great Wu.
• Li Xian finds the real Song Ya in the Ghost Market. She has been brutally disfigured and skinned by Shorty Mo, but willingly agrees to help rescue her master, Wu Gan.
• As they leave the Ghost Market, Li Xian kills Shorty Mo by using the Wishful Treasure Sword to shatter his heart meridians. He decides that Shorty Mo is too vicious to leave alive as a future threat.
• While returning to Westwind Long Road, Li Xian reexamines the case. He notices inconsistencies surrounding Song the Merchant, including his regret over Song Ya’s literary achievements, the suspicious preservation of Song Ya’s room, and the way Song the Merchant repeatedly nudged the investigation forward.
• Li Xian concludes that Song the Merchant is likely an undercover agent working for Commandery Princess Anyang and that Song Ya’s disappearance and identity switch may have been designed partly to test Li Xian’s loyalty.
• At Jujube-Pasture Residence, Li Xian reunites Song Ya with her father. Song the Merchant reacts with genuine grief but avoids asking about the criminal responsible, confirming Li Xian’s suspicions that he knows the truth behind the scheme.
• Li Xian learns that the false Song Ya has gone to Wu Gan’s preliminary birthday banquet. Rather than openly exposing the princess, he decides to conceal his knowledge and appear loyal to her.
• Commandery Princess Anyang removes her disguise and reveals her true identity: Wei Qinghuang. She attends Wu Gan’s banquet openly as his former student.
• At the banquet, Wei Qinghuang reunites with Wu Gan and her hostile fellow disciple, Xu Bai. Wu Gan announces that, after forty-nine years, he may accept another disciple—apparently someone he has only briefly seen.

2. Character Developments

• Li Xian becomes increasingly calculating and politically aware. He initially considers reporting Anyang to Heavenly Pivot, but later recognizes that the situation may be a loyalty test. He chooses to keep his discoveries hidden, hoping to avoid becoming her enemy and possibly gain access to her power and resources.
• Li Xian demonstrates ruthless decisiveness by killing Shorty Mo once he determines that the man cannot be trusted or reformed.
• Song Ya shows courage and loyalty despite losing her face and suffering immense humiliation. Her devotion to Wu Gan remains strong enough that she is willing to risk her life to save him.
• Song the Merchant is revealed as a conflicted figure: probably Anyang’s agent, yet apparently genuinely heartbroken by the suffering of his daughter. His love for Song Ya exists alongside his involvement in the larger political plot.
• Commandery Princess Anyang/Wei Qinghuang is shown to be ambitious, powerful, and highly manipulative. She is not merely plotting against Wu Gan; she is testing her own network of agents and her ability to control events within Jade City.
• Anyang develops an interest in Li Xian’s abilities. She acknowledges his talent in investigation and combat and considers using or cultivating him if he passes her test, though she remains fully prepared to kill him if he opposes her.
• Wu Gan appears benevolent and detached from his disciples’ political conflicts. His possible decision to accept a new disciple suggests that he has taken notice of someone unusual, potentially Li Xian.

3. Significant Themes

• Political intrigue and internal subversion: Jade City’s strength makes direct conquest difficult, so Anyang seeks to weaken it through deception, identity manipulation, and attacks on its symbolic pillars.
• Loyalty versus self-preservation: Li Xian must decide whether to expose Anyang, assist her, or pretend loyalty while protecting himself. The chapter emphasizes that allegiance in this world is often strategic rather than sincere.
• Identity and disguise: The false Song Ya, the real Song Ya’s stolen face, and Anyang’s revealed identity all highlight how appearances can be weaponized.
• Testing and manipulation: Anyang constructs an elaborate scenario to judge Li Xian’s intentions, while Li Xian in turn investigates her hidden motives and attempts to manipulate her expectations.
• Family love amid political schemes: Song the Merchant’s sorrow suggests that genuine affection can survive even when a person is entangled in espionage and betrayal.
• The cost of power and talent: Wu Gan’s Fortune, Anyang’s authority, and Li Xian’s abilities all attract political interest. Talented individuals are treated as potential tools, disciples, or threats.

4. Character Interactions

• Li Xian and Song Ya: He rescues and transports her from the Ghost Market, then questions her about her upbringing to investigate the Song family’s hidden history. Their interaction combines practical cooperation with Li Xian’s continued suspicion.
• Li Xian and Shorty Mo: Their relationship ends in betrayal and execution. Li Xian kills Shorty Mo because he sees no possibility of converting such a cruel enemy into an ally.
• Li Xian and Song the Merchant: Li Xian tests Song the Merchant’s reactions after returning Song Ya, while deliberately hiding his knowledge of the merchant’s likely connection to Anyang. Song the Merchant supplies information about the false Song Ya’s movements.
• Wei Qinghuang and Qingyao: Qingyao questions the wisdom of Anyang personally testing Li Xian and worries about whether he will survive. Anyang explains that the test is also meant to measure her influence over Jade City.
• Wei Qinghuang and Xu Bai: Their reunion is outwardly polite but filled with hostility. Xu Bai distrusts and resents his senior sister, while Anyang responds with cold superiority. Their conflict is restrained only by Wu Gan’s authority.
• Wei Qinghuang and Wu Gan: Their meeting reveals a lingering teacher-disciple bond. Wu Gan is genuinely delighted by her visit, while Anyang uses the occasion both to honor him and to advance her broader plans.
• Wu Gan and his disciples: Wu Gan warns them not to interfere in his possible choice of a new disciple and insists that everyone bear responsibility for their own political ambitions and future actions.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Wu Gan’s birthday banquet takes place. Wei Qinghuang and Xu Bai attend, putting aside their mutual hostility for the occasion.
• Xu Bai gifts a rare East Sea pearl.
• Wei Qinghuang gifts the Benevolence’s Lament Sword — originally forged by the tyrant “Fierce Lord” to slay scholars and seize their Fortune, but the project failed and caused his downfall. It was later reforged into the ornamental Sage-Inviting Sword and given to Wu Gan.
• After the banquet, Wei Qinghuang catches Li Xian spying and confronts him.
• Li Xian suggests the only way to protect her plan is to silence Song Ya and her father. Wei Qinghuang assigns him the task of handling the Song family and returns Song Ya’s face, promising money, resources, and future support — but only under her control.
• Wei Qinghuang visits her nephew Wei Chu, who has prepared an extravagant dinner, including the rare Red-Body Blue-Eyed Fish.
• Wei Chu asks to join the dangerous Thirty-Two True Guards; Wei Qinghuang refuses and promises to arrange a safer path to promotion, possibly using Li Xian as his subordinate.
• Li Xian returns Song Ya to the Ghost Market, reattaches her face, and fabricates a reason to dismiss the matter.
• Li Xian reflects on his situation and plans his next move. He counts his earnings from selling Enlightenment Cicadas: over 12,000 taels of silver, giving him his first real capital.
• He plans to rent a shop and buy more goods, especially with the Nature Sect arriving in Jade City.
• The last Yellow Cicada merges with the red vertical birthmark between Li Xian’s brows, emitting a gold-red halo.

2. Character Developments

• Li Xian: Gains financial footing and begins to maneuver from the open into the shadows. He feigns submission but inwardly resents Wei Qinghuang’s contempt and vows revenge. His cautious, calculating nature grows.
• Wei Qinghuang: Displays her strategic cruelty: she deliberately humiliates “lowly” people to keep them loyal, citing Silver-Faced Lang Xu Cheng as a warning. She is ruthless but cherishes useful talent.
• Wei Chu: Devoted and infatuated with his aunt, eager to prove himself, but still treated as a child. He feels no jealousy toward Li Xian, seeing him as insignificant.
• Qingyao: Begins to question Wei Qinghuang’s harsh treatment of Li Xian, quietly sympathetic, but cannot voice her doubts.

3. Significant Themes

• Status and Hierarchy: The constant refrain of “lowly life” reinforces Jade City’s rigid social structure and the idea that even talent is worthless without noble birth.
• Control and Loyalty: Wei Qinghuang believes humiliation and reminders of inferiority are necessary tools to control ambitious subordinates.
• Masks and Deception: Li Xian hides his true feelings behind outward obedience; Song Ya’s face is physically swapped and restored, mirroring the theme of identity as disguise.
• Ambition and Strategy: Li Xian transforms survival into entrepreneurship, turning a debt of 90,000 taels into a growing fortune and planning his rise through Body ranks.
• Profound Fortune: The lore of the Benevolence’s Lament Sword shows how Fortune resists tyranny and how attempting to seize it brings ruin.

4. Character Interactions

• Wei Qinghuang & Xu Bai: Exchange tense pleasantries at Wu Gan’s banquet, concealing old grudges.
• Wei Qinghuang & Li Xian: A dangerous power play. She threatens, tests, humiliates, and then partially trusts him. He performs deference while plotting future repayment.
• Li Xian & Qingyao: He lightly scratches her hand while she holds him at knifepoint, flustering and offending her.
• Wei Qinghuang & Wei Chu: Warm, intimate family bond — but Wei Chu’s admiration borders on romantic obsession, while she sees him only as a beloved nephew to protect.
• Qingyao & Wei Qinghuang: A quiet moment where Qingyao questions the commandery princess’s methods, but is quickly overruled.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Golden Cicada evolves into a Golden Cicada Eye, merging with the red mole on Li Xian’s brow. This grants him heightened perception, photographic memory, deeper martial comprehension, and the ability to perceive the natural principles within his own body and the world.
• Through the cicada’s memories, Li Xian gains insight into the four seasons, Heaven and Earth, and the cyclical nature of martial arts, strengthening his understanding of techniques such as the Four Seasons, Layered Moon Palm.
• The red mole is revealed to be a form of Heaven Communion, a minor aspect derived from Li Xian’s Perfect Aspect. It can enhance martial arts and potentially evolve further when exposed to compatible powers.
• Li Xian begins keeping the transformed Golden Cicada as a pet and feeds it dew. Its connection also allows him to sense a much more powerful Golden Cicada somewhere to the northwest.
• During the ninth month, Wu Gan’s birthday banquet passes peacefully. Li Xian’s reputation continues to grow after killing the Seven Withered Flowers and rescuing Song Ya.
• Song Ya and her father visit Li Xian. Song Ya, grateful for his rescue and affected by their past experiences together, develops shy romantic feelings for him. Her father worries that she may become emotionally involved with Li Xian, who is connected to Commandery Princess Anyang.
• Li Xian rents a shop from Song the Merchant and establishes Dew Cicada Shop, selling Enlightenment Cicadas, Mountain-Treasure Tea, Bitter Ginseng, dew, and related services. He hires two attendants and gradually sets the business on a stable footing.
• He continues working as a Gold-Seeking Guard, primarily pursuing criminals, while also practicing martial arts and accumulating military merit.
• Li Xian studies medicine under Yao Baishun and helps treat a patient suffering from Ice-Cold Raging Fire Palm. Together they insert 365 needles within three breaths, saving the patient and earning Li Xian widespread praise.
• He joins Bai Qinghao, Su Kuo, Deng Fan, and others in polo matches, quickly developing basic proficiency and strengthening his relationships within the Gold-Seeking Guard.
• Li Xian continues cultivating the Demonic Sound Soul-Shaking Melody, advancing to Demonic Fire’s Wild Dance. This technique transforms musical rhythm into destructive waves of demonic fire capable of fighting multiple enemies.
• He combines several martial arts simultaneously and receives further instruction in the Body-Unity Technique from Li Hengfeng, who is imprisoned on Evil-Quelling Island. Their relationship develops into genuine friendship.
• His Bone-Sculpting Embryo reaches the next stage, completing the second advancement of the Second Martial Realm.
• Realizing that a Mud Body is essential for gaining social status, expanding his business, acquiring property, and accessing important resources, Li Xian begins considering ways to earn the required merit.
• Before he can devise a plan, Lei Chong informs him that he has been awarded Mud Body status as a special exception for his military achievements, his rescue of Song Ya, and his role in ensuring Wu Gan’s successful birthday celebration. Li Xian suspects Commandery Princess Anyang arranged the promotion.

Character Development

• Li Xian becomes increasingly perceptive, disciplined, and versatile. The Golden Cicada Eye deepens both his martial understanding and his ability to observe the world. He balances military service, business, medicine, martial cultivation, and social relationships.
• He also becomes more politically astute, recognizing that reputation, connections, and formal status are crucial to advancement in Jade City.
• Song Ya recovers physically and begins developing romantic feelings for Li Xian, though her shyness prevents her from expressing them openly.
• Song the Merchant remains grateful to Li Xian but becomes concerned about his daughter’s attachment to him and Li Xian’s connection to Anyang.
• Yao Baishun grows deeply fond of Li Xian, viewing him almost as a grandson because of Li Xian’s humility, loyalty to medicine, and refusal to abandon his original ambitions.
• Li Hengfeng and Li Xian develop mutual trust through their prison conversations and shared interest in martial arts.
• Lei Chong becomes increasingly threatened by Li Xian’s rising reputation, influence, and ability to win people’s loyalty.
• Bai Qinghao, Su Kuo, Deng Fan, and Li Xian’s former comrades treat him with sincere respect and draw him further into their circle through polo and camaraderie.

Significant Themes

• Unity of humanity and nature: Li Xian’s Golden Cicada insight reveals the body as a miniature Heaven and Earth, with organs, blood, bones, and meridians reflecting natural cycles.
• Perception shapes understanding: The chapter emphasizes that different beings can observe the same world yet experience it completely differently.
• Growth through integration: Li Xian advances by combining martial arts, medicine, music, business, social relationships, and military service rather than following a single path.
• Reputation and social power: In Jade City, prestige and official recognition are nearly as important as strength. Li Xian’s compassion, public achievements, and relationships steadily build his influence.
• Maintaining one’s original purpose: Despite wealth, rank, and growing fame, Li Xian continues practicing medicine and martial arts, earning Yao Baishun’s admiration.
• Hidden political influence: Li Xian’s promotion demonstrates how powerful allies—especially Commandery Princess Anyang—can shape his opportunities, even when he earns recognition through his own abilities.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Xian and the Golden Cicada form a unique spiritual connection, allowing the cicada to become the eye on his brow.
• Song Ya’s visit reveals her gratitude and emerging affection for Li Xian, while Song the Merchant quietly tries to prevent the relationship from deepening.
• Li Xian and Yao Baishun cooperate in a difficult medical procedure, demonstrating complementary styles and strengthening their mentor-student bond.
• Li Xian joins Bai Qinghao, Su Kuo, Deng Fan, and others in polo, reinforcing his acceptance within the Gold-Seeking Guard.
• Li Xian regularly visits Li Hengfeng in prison, protecting him from mistreatment while learning martial secrets and building a friendship.
• Lei Chong remains outwardly professional but inwardly resentful, watching Li Xian’s growing status with alarm.
• Li Xian’s unexpected promotion to Mud Body strongly suggests that Commandery Princess Anyang continues to support and influence his rise.

Chapter Summary: Li Xian Obtains a Mud Body and Meets Wu Gan

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xian gains a "Mud Body": After rescuing Song Ya and pledging himself to Commandery Princess Anyang, her behind-the-scenes arrangements inflated a minor deed into great merit. Li Xian successfully molds a Mud Body figurine, becoming Jade City's "Faceless Mud Body Gentleman." This grants him "authority and weight" — his death would now trigger thorough investigation, protecting him from Lei Chong's machinations.
• Mud Body Temple mechanics explained: The temple purges the bloody stench from Mud Bodies through incense offerings. Each of the eight jade walls has grooves holding Mud Bodies. A "Clan-Patronage Wall" displays family-held Mud Bodies (e.g., the Yao Clan's thirty-four; Su Susu nearing Bronze Body, Su Kuo near the bottom). From Mud to Bronze Body is a small step for those who live long enough.
• Li Xian's covert service: Since September, Li Xian has exchanged letters with Commandery Princess Anyang through Mud Sparrows, aiding her networks by covering for her operatives in the Gold-Seeking Guard.
• Wu Gan's recruitment: For over ten days, a servant boy pasted strange notices on Li Xian's door claiming "the famed master Wu Gan wishes to accept a disciple." Li Xian finally confronts the boy, learns he was paid, and follows him to Ghost Street to uncover the truth.
• The meeting with Wu Gan: At a desolate haunted house, Li Xian meets the real Wu Gan. Wu Gan reveals he deliberately recruited only Li Xian because he found him "very hard to weigh."

2. Character Developments

• Li Xian: His internal monologue shows he is pragmatic and survival-driven — maneuvering between Commandery Princess Anyang, the Great Martial Dynasty, and other factions while remaining loyal only to himself. He acknowledges his debt to "Madam" (Wen Caishang) for his martial foundation. He is also revealed as naturally romantic and sensual, restraining himself only due to danger and an un-purged toxin. He is cautious, calculating, and initially suspicious of Wu Gan's strange methods.
• Wu Gan: A literary master holding half a dipper of Fortune. He is forthright about his motivations — he has forty-three disciples and delayed a forty-fourth out of superstition (forty-four was inauspicious). His reason for choosing Li Xian is not virtue or talent but that Li Xian is "hard to weigh" through his Fortune-based judgment.
• Commandery Princess Anyang: Though absent, her off-page machinations (arranging Li Xian's merit, testing him through dangerous tasks) advance the plot.

3. Significant Themes

• Weighing and judgment: Wu Gan's Fortune allows him to weigh matters like a "weighing rod." Li Xian, however, resists being weighed — a unique quality that attracts Wu Gan.
• Literary vs. martial cultivation: Wu Gan explains literary men cannot attain immortality. Fortune is a heavy burden needing return. He recounts the ancient "war" — a literary plea to Heaven for longevity during the Great Ding era that failed, leaving behind the Heaven-Questioning Treatise.
• Survival amid power games: Li Xian's philosophy — "seeming loyal and seeming treacherous, all for the sake of survival" — illustrates the necessity of navigating multiple factions in a rotten dynasty.
• Parasites of power: Li Xian reflects that great clans foster talent but inevitably breed parasites that gnaw at foundations.

4. Character Interactions

• Li Xian and the servant boy: Li Xian uses the Tiger-Python Token to intimidate the boy into revealing his employer, then follows him to Wu Gan's doorstep rather than punishing him.
• Li Xian and Wu Gan: Their dialogue is a test of wits. Li Xian initially accuses Wu Gan of being a disguised thief, then questions why such a master would recruit disciples via strange means. Wu Gan counters that he is simply "posting notices" like any schoolteacher. He challenges Li Xian's overly calculating nature, saying accepting a disciple rests on "willing or unwilling" and "fated or unfated." Li Xian's suspicion persists even as he enters, hoping to clarify the matter.
• Wu Gan's exposition: Wu Gan reveals his recruitment motive — he has "never seen someone like" Li Xian, who proves hard to weigh. This frames Li Xian as an unpredictable, unique figure worthy of a master's attention.

Chapter Summary: "Jiyin Painting School Reveals Its True Face; Xiangrong Seeks Help; the Young Master Is Fickle"

Key Plot Points and Events

1. Li Xian becomes Wu Gan's disciple in painting — Wu Gan offers to teach Li Xian any of the scholarly arts; Li Xian chooses painting. That very night he begins instruction in the Jiyin Painting School and achieves Proficiency in one hour due to his Skillful Hands, Double Pupils eyesight, and prior foundation.
2. Nature Sect friends depart Jade City — Zhou Qingqing, Wei Qingfeng, Qiao Qing, Lu Qingguan, and Yao Yin prepare to return to their sect. Li Xian holds a farewell banquet and rides out with them beyond the city gates.
3. Li Xian reveals his true face — At his friends' urging, Li Xian removes his mask, stunning everyone with his extraordinary handsomeness (contrary to rumors of ugliness). He explains the necessity of hiding his appearance in Jade City's complicated circumstances.
4. Gifts exchanged — Li Xian gives sweet jujube wine; Zhou Qingqing presents the Cicada-Herding Canon, compiled by the Nature Sect disciples, to help Li Xian manage his shop.
5. Dew Cicada Shop performance — After one month of business, the shop earns 5,700 taels of silver—steady but not booming. Li Xian refuses to reveal his supply sources to inquiring merchants.
6. Name-lending rights — As a Mud Body realm cultivator, Li Xian gains the right to lend his name to shops, but Commandery Princess Anyang controls all his name-registration slots, revealing her pervasive reach into commercial and official circles.
7. Tao Xiangrong's summons — Li Xian hears a mystical flute melody guiding him to a boat where Tao Xiangrong's maid, Liang Xiaoshi, awaits. After a brief confrontation (Liang Xiaoshi blocks him with palm force; Li Xian tries to leave; Tao Xiangrong uses qin music to entangle him with willow branches), Li Xian agrees to board.

Character Developments

• Li Xian: Gains a genuine master for the first time; his painting skill advances rapidly. He reflects on his isolation in Jade City after his friends leave. He shows strategic caution regarding Commandery Princess Anyang, recognizing he must "wait quietly for the right moment" to escape her control. He displays a playful, capricious side in his interaction with Tao Xiangrong's maid.
• Wu Gan: Revealed as founder of the Jiyin Painting School; a generous teacher who imparts his art without reservation; delighted by Li Xian's talent.
• Tao Xiangrong: Demonstrates formidable skill (qin-based sound martial arts); desperate enough to use unusual methods and force to secure Li Xian's help.
• Yao Yin: Shows attachment to Li Xian, blushing and stammering; admits she dislikes that others now know his true face; tearfully warns him to be careful.
• Zhou Qingqing: Becomes flustered and shy after seeing Li Xian's true face, losing her usual forthright demeanor.

Significant Themes

• Mentorship and growth: Li Xian's first true master-student relationship, emphasizing the value of proper guidance versus self-teaching.
• Appearance vs. reality: The mask hides an extraordinarily handsome face, subverting rumors; Li Xian must conceal his identity for survival.
• Parting and impermanence: "No feast beneath heaven lasts forever"—the melancholy of martial world farewells and uncertainty of reunion.
• Power and control: Commandery Princess Anyang's pervasive influence; Li Xian's vulnerability as a pawn without backing.
• Sound as power: Flute and qin melodies serve as martial arts techniques, guiding, restraining, and communicating.
• Strategic ambiguity: Li Xian's vacillation (feigning anger to leave, then returning) as a negotiating tactic.

Character Interactions

• Li Xian & Wu Gan: Master-disciple dynamic; Wu Gan teaches with "unreserved" generosity while Li Xian learns with "whale-drinking" hunger.
• Li Xian & Nature Sect disciples: Warm friendship; his face reveal causes shock, stammering, and playful teasing; Yao Yin's jealousy that others now share her secret knowledge of his looks.
• Li Xian & Liang Xiaoshi: Mild conflict; her casual disrespect clashes with his pride; he uses her rudeness as an excuse to leave, forcing Tao Xiangrong to act.
• Li Xian & Tao Xiangrong: Begins with a test of wills—her qin manipulation versus his defiance—ending in mutual amusement and his unexpected agreement to meet.

Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xian is summoned by the courtesan Tao Xiangrong onto her boat after he tries to avoid her. He reluctantly boards, using agility skills to cross the water.
• Tao Xiangrong first tries charm and small talk: she asks his age, whether he is married, and offers to act as matchmaker. Li Xian deflects by claiming he is ugly, unwanted, and uninterested in romance.
• She then admits she needs his help. Li Xian bluntly asks whether it is a private commission and what payment is offered, refusing to work for free.
• Tao Xiangrong reveals that after the famous Peach Banquet at Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower, she lost an important possession: her Longevity Lock.
• She gives a detailed account of the Peach Banquet, hoping Li Xian can identify a suspect.
• Li Xian insists he needs more information about the lost item itself before he can investigate. Tao Xiangrong finally states that the lost item is her Longevity Lock.

2. Character Developments

• Li Xian: Pragmatic, cautious, and resistant to charm. He keeps his distance emotionally, uses self-deprecating humor as armor, and treats the matter as a business transaction rather than a favor. He is sharp-witted and unwilling to be manipulated by Tao Xiangrong’s beauty or status.
• Tao Xiangrong: Revealed as a powerful woman who is used to being courted and obeyed. This time she is forced into the unusual position of pleading for help. She shows exceptional martial skill when she easily intercepts Li Xian as he tries to leave. Her composed, flirtatious facade hides a pressing concern.
• Liang Xiaoshi: Tao Xiangrong’s attendant. Loyal but disdainful of Li Xian, she openly insults him and believes he should be grateful for the chance to serve Tao Xiangrong. Her attitude highlights the class tensions between high-status figures and “lowly” constables.

3. Significant Themes

• Beauty as power and distraction: Tao Xiangrong uses her allure to probe and persuade, but Li Xian remains unmoved.
• Status vs. usefulness: Liang Xiaoshi looks down on Li Xian despite needing him; Tao Xiangrong must humble herself because his skills are suited to the task.
• Transaction vs. obligation: Li Xian insists on clear terms—payment for service—rather than being drawn into social debts or romantic traps.
• Masks and deception: Li Xian hides behind his supposed ugly face and rough demeanor, while Tao Xiangrong hides her true urgency behind flirtation.

4. Character Interactions

• Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong: A verbal duel of flirtation and deflection. She tries to soften him with compliments and offers of matchmaking; he counters with self-mockery and blunt questions. She apologizes when he is insulted and eventually treats him more seriously.
• Li Xian and Liang Xiaoshi: Openly hostile. Liang Xiaoshi sneers at his nickname “handsome sideburns, ugly face” and says Xu Shaoqian is superior. Li Xian calmly offers to leave, forcing Tao Xiangrong to intervene and make Liang Xiaoshi apologize.
• Tao Xiangrong and the banquet guests (recounted):
  • Mountain-Moving Elder and True Tiger Daoist weep upon hearing her qin playing, then argue over whose dead beloved was the better musician. They compose competing qin pieces for Tao Xiangrong to perform.
  • Tao Kulin, an Earth List master, demonstrates the Peach-Gazing Art and invites her to practice a combined palm technique with him; she refuses, then drinks with him to avoid offending him.
  • Heavenly Star Elder watches and follows her secretly; when she confronts him, he leaves and avoids her afterward.
  • Lin Beijian, a young swordsman, performs a sword dance for her, invites her to drink, and says he will visit her again in a few days.
    The chapter ends with the mystery of the Golden Longevity Lock introduced but unresolved.

Chapter Summary: Investigation of the Longevity Lock

Key Plot Points

• Li Xian discovers that Li Hengfeng told Tao Xiangrong about his investigative abilities, prompting her to secretly commission him to find her stolen Longevity Lock—a golden lock she wears around her right ankle that extends lifespan and wards off disaster. Given her tragically short fate, the lock is vital to her survival.
• Tao Xiangrong presents Li Xian with the lock's chain, and he accepts the case, demanding 5,000 taels of silver as an advance (an Immortal Peach was promised as final payment). Liang Xiaoshi protests the price, but Tao Xiangrong agrees.
• Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong visit the Heaven of Immortal Peaches (23rd heaven of Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower), where the lock vanished during the Immortal Peach Feast. The banquet scene has been preserved intact.
• Li Xian has Tao Xiangrong replay the Nanling Battle-Breaking Melody she performed at the feast. Through musical analysis, he identifies suspicious behavior in Mountain-Moving Elder (Guanlong Circuit) and True Tiger Daoist (Longxiong Circuit)—both claimed to have heard the tune in their youth, yet the piece is only common in southern regions, not their mountain territories. He deduces they lied to impress her.
• Li Xian further identifies Heavenly Star Elder of Southern Heaven Sect—a sect known for seeking lifespan-extending items—as another prime suspect with supporting physical traces.
• Li Xian proposes Tao Xiangrong host another banquet, inviting all suspects individually while he hides and observes.
• Tao Xiangrong invites Li Xian to stay at her private residence during the investigation, teasing that a "dignified Great Gold Steward" shouldn't fear that "big sister will eat you."

Character Developments

• Li Xian: Demonstrates exceptional deductive reasoning and deep scholarship (musicology, regional customs). He is pragmatic—demanding upfront payment—guarded around Tao Xiangrong, and treats her with unusual indifference rather than fawning admiration. His confidence borders on arrogance but is backed by genuine skill.
• Tao Xiangrong: Shifts from initial distance/disdain toward Li Xian to genuine respect and fascination. Her curiosity is piqued by his unusual behavior (not being swayed by her beauty). She reveals depth beyond beauty—intelligent, strategic, and willing to cooperate. Her playful teasing at the end signals growing romantic interest.
• Liang Xiaoshi: Protective companion; skeptical of Li Xian's worth but silenced by his reasoning.

Significant Themes

• Detective work through micro-analysis: Li Xian solves puzzles through small details (a tune's regional origin, subtle traces, behavioral inconsistencies)—the "see the subtle, know the obvious" approach.
• Class and status barriers: A "mere Gold Steward" navigating elite society; Li Xian's abilities transcend his rank.
• Fate, lifespan, and mortality: The Longevity Lock represents the ongoing theme of short fates and the struggle against death.
• Professional boundaries vs. attraction: Li Xian tries to maintain detachment while Tao Xiangrong grows increasingly interested in him.

Character Interactions

• Li Xian & Tao Xiangrong: The core dynamic—professional investigator and client developing warmth. She goes from calling him "Little Brother Li" to "Young Hero Li" (initial distance) to playfully inviting him to her residence. He treats her as a puzzle to solve, not an object of desire, which intrigues her.
• Li Xian & Liang Xiaoshi: Brief friction over the commission fee; ends with Liang Xiaoshi speechless.
• Li Xian's methodology: He walks Tao Xiangrong through his reasoning step-by-step, teaching her his deductive process, which builds her confidence in him.

Chapter Summary: "Captivating Charm, Xiangrong Takes the Offensive, Call Me Sister, Hiding Jade in a Golden House"

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Li Xian agrees to visit Tao Xiangrong's residence after she invites him to discuss the investigation of her stolen Longevity Lock.
• She takes him to Peach Residence in Fire-Glow Garden, Rosy Cloud Heaven — a secluded estate with seven towers, three gardens, an Ice-Fire Pool, and the auspicious beast Xuan Xi.
• Tao Xiangrong flirts with Li Xian, teasing about bathing together; he deflects and is given a guest room.
• Li Xian practices martial arts in a quiet garden — combining the Heavenly Pivot Saber Method, Stone-Pushing Palm, and Human-Garment Art. Tao Xiangrong secretly watches and is impressed by his grace and bearing.
• Tao Xiangrong presses him to call her "Sister" instead of "Miss Tao," teasing and threatening to spread rumors about him if he refuses. He eventually gives in.
• They plan a strategy to find the Longevity Lock: Tao Xiangrong will host banquets for various heroes, while Li Xian hides behind a curtain and observes.
• They draft three invitation letters to Lin Beijian, Zheng Tianxiong, and Wang Sanjue, tailoring each to the recipient’s desires.
• The next day, Zheng Tianxiong visits, boasts of his power and martial arts; Tao Xiangrong feigns admiration but finds him dull. Wang Sanjue also comes and focuses on food and flattery.
• After each meeting, Li Xian emerges from hiding, eating leftover food and discussing the case with Tao Xiangrong. The two grow increasingly comfortable and entertained by each other.

2. Character Developments

• Li Xian: Pragmatic and guarded, he becomes less stiff as the chapter progresses. He shows skill, wit, and composure, but is wary of Tao Xiangrong’s seduction and her dangerous admirers. Despite his earlier resolve, he begins to engage with her more warmly.
• Tao Xiangrong: Outwardly flirtatious and playful, she reveals deeper loneliness and a longing for someone with true charisma. Despite being courted by famous heroes, she finds Li Xian uniquely interesting and attractive. Her curiosity and admiration for him grow.

3. Significant Themes

• Beauty as both allure and danger: Tao Xiangrong’s charm attracts suitors but also complicates Li Xian’s task.
• Performance vs. authenticity: Heroes at the banquet show off wealth, power, and martial arts, but Tao Xiangrong sees through them; Li Xian’s natural style impresses her more.
• Seduction and power dynamics: Tao Xiangrong uses flirtation as a form of control, while Li Xian tries to keep boundaries without being rude.
• Strategy and patience: The "boiling frog" approach to luring suspects via social pressure and invitations.

4. Character Interactions

• Li Xian & Tao Xiangrong: The core dynamic — witty banter, teasing, and growing mutual fascination. She takes the "offensive" with flirtation; he resists but gradually softens.
• Tao Xiangrong & Zheng Tianxiong: She listens graciously while internally bored by his boasting.
• Tao Xiangrong & Wang Sanjue: She entertains him with patience, using food and flattery to manage the conversation.
• Li Xian’s inner thoughts: He repeatedly compares her to other threats (Princess Anyang, Lei Chong, Xu Shaoqian) and remains cautious of becoming entangled.
  This chapter advances the investigation plot while deepening the chemistry between Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong, blending mystery, humor, and romance.

Summary

Key Plot Points / Events

• Li Xian is hiding behind a curtain while Tao Xiangrong interviews visiting martial-world heroes to clear them of suspicion in a strange case (the “Peach Banquet” investigation).
• First suspect cleared: Wang Sanjue of Longxiong Circuit. After he leaves, Li Xian eats the leftovers of an elaborate eight-dish feast.
• Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong make a wager: he claims superior knowledge of eating/drinking. He demonstrates intricate methods of combining and sequencing dishes (e.g., chewing Liuli Translucent Paste to the seventeenth bite, then drinking Dragon-Phoenix Soup). Tao Xiangrong loses and playfully gives him a handkerchief with her lip-print as “the most valuable rouge in the world.”
• Second suspect cleared: Lin Beijian of Wanghe Circuit. Tao Xiangrong entertains him with conversation and a moonlit sword dance before sending him away.
• Over the next several days, the two settle into a routine: mornings and early afternoons are spent interviewing and clearing suspects; evenings are spent walking, discussing clues, and Li Xian practicing martial arts while Tao Xiangrong watches.
• By the fourth day, they plan to invite Mountain-Moving Elder and True Tiger Daoist to the banquet next.
• Their private meeting is interrupted when Xu Shaoqian — Li Xian’s direct superior — bursts into Cloud-Dream Pavilion, bangs on the door, and refuses to leave until Tao Xiangrong opens it. Li Xian remains hidden inside, putting both his case and his position at risk.

Character Developments

• Li Xian: Sharp-witted, self-assured, and skilled in both unconventional martial arts and refined culinary knowledge. He grows increasingly comfortable with Tao Xiangrong, but also more guarded about his official position. He stays disciplined in daily martial training and keeps his composure when danger arrives.
• Tao Xiangrong: Clever, seductive, and methodical in interviewing suspects. She becomes genuinely fond of Li Xian, repeatedly seeking his company and enjoying their banter. She shows protectiveness when Xu Shaoqian appears, attempting to deflect him without revealing Li Xian.
• Xu Shaoqian: Introduced as an intrusive, emotionally aggressive suitor. His arrival threatens to expose Li Xian’s secret investigation and creates romantic/sexual jealousy.

Significant Themes

• Investigation and concealment: Li Xian hides in plain sight while Tao Xiangrong plays hostess; their collaboration depends on secrecy and controlled performance.
• Romantic tension and flirtation: The extended daily intimacy, feeding each other, the lip-print wager, and Tao Xiangrong’s teasing “bad little brother” name build a slow-burn attraction.
• Sensuality and refinement: Food, wine, beauty, and eating become vehicles for seduction and intellectual contest.
• Risk and propriety: Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong increasingly blur boundaries between professional partnership and personal attachment; Xu Shaoqian’s arrival crystallizes the danger.

Character Interactions

• Li Xian ↔ Tao Xiangrong: Dominant relationship. Their dialogue is playful, competitive, increasingly intimate, and occasionally flirtatious; she feeds him and he feeds her; she gives him her lip-print handkerchief; they discuss the case while sharing meals and strolls.
• Tao Xiangrong ↔ Wang Sanjue: Cleared through witty conversation; he is distracted by her beauty, allowing her to manipulate the exchange.
• Tao Xiangrong ↔ Lin Beijian: Cleared through courteous but cautious talk, followed by a sword dance performance that Tao uses to flatter and dismiss him.
• Xu Shaoqian ↔ Tao Xiangrong / Li Xian: Offstage intrusion — he demands entry, Tao tries to send him away, and Li Xian stays hidden, setting up an imminent confrontation.

Summary

Key plot points / events

• Xu Shaoqian, infatuated with Tao Xiangrong, forces his way into Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower after hearing rumors she has been hosting banquets for male heroes. He secretly tests the room for a hidden man, especially behind the curtains, but finds no one.
• Tao Xiangrong explains the banquets were for discussing insights from the Immortal Peaches and asks him to keep it secret. Reassured, Xu leaves happily.
• It is then revealed that Li Xian was hiding beneath Tao Xiangrong’s voluminous Fragrant-Bloom Skirt the whole time. He emerges drenched in her perfume, and they exchange flirtatious banter.
• The next day, Tao Xiangrong and Li Xian spring a trap on Mountain-Moving Elder at a banquet. Tao interrogates him about past deeds; he slips up and is revealed as an impostor.
• Li Xian leaps out, Tao disables the man with tea droplets, and they capture him.
• The impostor confesses: he is a thief called “Ghost Thief,” who impersonated Mountain-Moving Elder. With his child accomplice, he used a Gold-Swallowing Ant controlled by music to bite through the golden lock on Tao Xiangrong’s ankle during the earlier Peach Banquet. He also mentions a fellow thief, Li Hengfeng.

Character developments

• Li Xian: Resourceful and cunning, he correctly deduces that Mountain-Moving Elder may be an impostor and helps plan the trap. He also shows his playful, teasing side after hiding under Tao Xiangrong’s skirt.
• Tao Xiangrong: Displays sharp intelligence and composure, easily managing Xu Shaoqian’s jealousy and later interrogating the fake elder. She uses flirtation as a weapon, but her growing ease and intimacy with Li Xian suggest genuine feeling beneath her calculated charm.
• Xu Shaoqian: Driven by obsessive love and jealousy, he behaves rashly and loses dignity, but is easily soothed by Tao Xiangrong’s explanations. His gullibility contrasts with Li Xian’s cleverness.
• Ghost Thief: A clever but unlucky impostor; his confession finally reveals the truth behind the stolen lock.

Significant themes

• Deception and hidden identities: The thief impersonates a famous hero; Li Xian hides under a skirt; rumors conceal the real purpose of the banquets.
• Jealousy vs. strategy: Xu Shaoqian’s emotional, impulsive jealousy is outplayed by Tao Xiangrong and Li Xian’s calm, calculated scheme.
• Intimacy and power play: Tao Xiangrong’s use of her skirt to hide Li Xian is both a practical tactic and a form of flirtatious control; their banter blurs romance and manipulation.
• Truth revealed through questioning: The mystery is solved not by force, but by careful testing and psychological pressure.

Character interactions

• Xu Shaoqian and Tao Xiangrong: One-sided pursuit; Tao gently deflects Xu’s suspicion, asks him to keep a secret, and subtly contrasts him with Li Xian.
• Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong: Playful, conspiratorial, and flirtatious. She hides him under her skirt; he teases her; they work seamlessly together to capture the thief.
• Tao Xiangrong and Li Xian vs. Ghost Thief: Tao lures him into revealing his ignorance; Li Xian captures him; the thief’s confession ties the theft back to Li Hengfeng, hinting at a deeper connection to Li Xian.

Chapter Summary: "Clever Use of Divine Might, Twists and Turns, Facing the Earth List, Longevity-and-Blessing Heaven Worship"

Key Plot Points

1. Interrogation of Mountain-Moving Elder: Li Xian uses his intimidating "Dread Might" aura (partially revealed Double Pupils and Divine-Ghost Malevolent Garment) to terrify Mountain-Moving Elder into confession. The elder claims he and his son True Tiger Daoist merely impersonated the real Mountain-Moving Elder and True Tiger Daoist. Their plan had seemed successful—Tao Xiangrong's music did summon the Gold-Swallowing Ants—but then the Golden Lock vanished without a trace, and he suffered a martial-arts backlash. He swears he never stole it.
2. Binding and Imprisonment: Li Xian binds Mountain-Moving Elder with the Gold-Binding Cord (Tiger-Python Rope), folding him into a human ball. Tao Xiangrong then produces Nine-Black Paste, which is boiled into a gelatinous substance. Mountain-Moving Elder is stuffed into a stone vat and sealed within the black gel—only his head exposed, all five senses blocked—making escape impossible.
3. Capture of True Tiger Daoist: Li Xian tracks down and captures Mountain-Moving Elder's son, who confirms the father's story exactly. He is likewise sealed in a stone vat.
4. Deduction: Since the two impostors are cleared, Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong conclude the true culprit must be Heavenly Star Elder—a genuine Earth List expert (rank 63, Yunan Circuit) from the Southern Heaven Sect, who left traces during the birthday banquet.
5. Strategy Discussion: Tao Xiangrong explains that confronting a true Earth List master is far more dangerous than dealing with opportunists. The Southern Heaven Sect is powerful and united; provoking them would bring endless trouble to the Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower's extensive business network. Li Xian proposes stealing the lock back rather than openly accusing him.
6. The Plan: Tao Xiangrong recruits Tao Kulin (the Longxiong Circuit hero, Earth List rank 70) to attend a banquet and physically restrain Heavenly Star Elder, while Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong infiltrate Azure-Cage Residence to search for the stolen lock. A Heaven-Watching Person is also notified as a potential arbiter.
7. Infiltration of Azure-Cage Residence: Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong use a map to scout Heavenly Star Elder's estate. Li Xian spots two guardian beasts: a Southern-Heaven Crocodile Dragon and a giant snow-white python. Tao Xiangrong hypnotizes them with her Wind-Chime Bracelet's sound-based martial art.
8. Discovery: They find a book on artifact forging describing the Golden Longevity Bell—a treasure that delays death and increases blessings when rung. To forge it, one needs a special "bell heart" material. The Southern Heaven Sect is known for premature deaths, and Heavenly Star Elder stole the Longevity Lock specifically to forge this bell and cultivate the Longevity-and-Blessing Heaven-Worshiping Art.
9. Battle Erupts: The two guardian beasts awaken (a distant shrill cry breaks the hypnosis) and attack simultaneously—the Crocodile Dragon from the ground, the python spraying venom from above. Li Xian uses his Pure-Gang Steaming Garment and Intent-Infused Heartfire to drive them back.
10. Tao Kulin Arrives: His voice booms from afar. Heavenly Star Elder mocks Tao Kulin's lower Earth List ranking (70 vs. 63), then demonstrates his power—a single snort causes rows of trees to snap and topple.

Character Developments

• Li Xian: Shows his signature investigative methodology—psychological intimidation over torture, cautious binding techniques (keeping distance, binding limbs first), and clever strategy. He internally notes he should help the two impostors later if they're Li Hengfeng's friends, and laments missing his painting lessons with his teacher. His Double Pupils abilities and combat fire techniques continue to develop.
• Tao Xiangrong: Growingly fascinated (and wary) of Li Xian's mysterious abilities, thinking he's "far craftier and more troublesome than the likes of Xu Shaoqian." She reveals her pragmatic, business-oriented nature: she genuinely worries about her tower's tens of thousands of employees being dragged into jianghu conflict. Her "gentle and winding" persuasion of Tao Kulin shows diplomatic skill.
• Mountain-Moving Elder / True Tiger Daoist: Their story is humanized—they were opportunists who impersonated famous names, genuinely thought the plan succeeded, but lost the prize they never actually had. Their terror is vividly rendered.
• Heavenly Star Elder: Established as a formidable, arrogant Earth List master who treats the entire scheme as "a child's trick," and whose power is dramatically demonstrated (snorting trees apart).

Significant Themes

• Appearance vs. Reality: The fake Mountain-Moving Elder was "caught" for a crime the real culprit committed; the person who seemed most guilty (the impostor) is innocent of the actual theft.
• The Power Structure of Jianghu: Earth List rankings carry political weight; even a "righteous" accusation cannot easily overcome status and sect backing. The strong can flout rules the weak must obey.
• Discretion vs. Confrontation: Tao Xiangrong repeatedly emphasizes measured responses—avoiding all-out war with the Southern Heaven Sect, resolving matters quietly rather than through open conflict.
• Crime and Investigation: Li Xian's methodical approach—examining footprints/dust, identifying frequently used rooms, searching for hidden compartments—reflects a detective's mindset applied to the wuxia world.

Character Interactions

• Li Xian ↔ Tao Xiangrong: Their partnership deepens. He openly admires her kindness and uses "my sister" flattery, which pleases her. She in turn appreciates his skill but grows increasingly suspicious of his true origins, vowing privately to investigate him thoroughly after this case.
• Li Xian ↔ Mountain-Moving Elder: A masterful interrogation showing Li Xian's psychological warfare—his imposing aura terrifies the old man into truthful confession without physical torture.
• Tao Xiangrong ↔ Tao Kulin: She "gently and winding" explains the situation; he agrees readily after three hearty laughs, clearly swayed by her beauty and reputation, but also genuinely eager to test himself against a higher-ranked expert.
• Tao Kulin ↔ Heavenly Star Elder: Their verbal sparring escalates into a confrontation, with Heavenly Star Elder asserting his superior Earth List rank (63 vs. 70) and demonstrating terrifying martial power, setting up the next conflict.

Summary: Chapter — "Tao Xiangrong's Short Life, Beauty's Ill Fate"

Key Plot Points

• Tao Kulin had agreed to delay Sun Chengxi (Heavenly Star Elder, an Earth List expert from Yunan Circuit) while Tao Xiangrong searched his residence for a stolen golden object (the golden lock).
• Sun Chengxi realizes the trap mid-banquet and rushes back; Tao Kulin tries to stop him but is half a notch inferior in martial arts and fails.
• The two engage in a massive martial arts battle that utterly destroys Azure-Cage Residence's courtyard. Tao Kulin shows signs of defeat.
• Monk Ci Ming, a crimson-robed Heaven Guardian of Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower, descends and separates them with the defensive Chaotic Heaven Grand Origin Art.
• Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong emerge from the residence—their search for the golden lock was unsuccessful.
• Tao Xiangrong reveals her secret: the golden object locks her life in place. She is only forty but more than half her lifespan has passed; without the object, she will soon die.
• Sun Chengxi denies theft. Monk Ci Ming offers the True-Heart Scripture (Questioning Scripture + Answering Scripture) as a truth test. The Questioning Scripture inflicts knife-like pain on the questioner; the Answering Scripture inflicts needle-piercing pain if one lies.
• Tao Kulin, who could ask on Tao Xiangrong's behalf, refuses after learning of her short life—he judges the cost of offending Sun Chengxi isn't worth a fleeting beauty.
• Sun Chengxi smugly gives the time of one incense stick to find someone willing.
• Li Xian volunteers to recite the Questioning Scripture, driven not by attraction or profit but by contrarian defiance.

Character Developments

• Tao Kulin: Begins as a chivalrous hero moved by beauty, but is exposed as calculating and self-interested. His heroism was "gain and loss calculation" all along; he backs out when the price becomes personal.
• Sun Chengxi: Vicious, shameless, and arrogant. Denies the theft defiantly, taunts the others, and threatens to kill Li Xian. Agrees to the scripture challenge only with mocking contempt.
• Tao Xiangrong: Reveals her tragic vulnerability—short-lived, her beauty fading like an epiphyllum. Shows quiet dignity and sadness at Tao Kulin's abandonment. Earlier, she genuinely protected Li Xian from Sun Chengxi's kill strike, revealing sincerity beneath her scheming.
• Li Xian: Acts out of "three parts wickedness"—others won't do it, so he will. His decision is neither beauty-driven nor profit-driven, but a foolish, stirring defiance that contrasts with Tao Kulin's prudence.
• Monk Ci Ming: A peacemaker bound by a vow never to harm anyone, somewhat naive but well-meaning, offering the scripture as a fair resolution.

Significant Themes

• Beauty's Ill Fate: The title theme—extraordinary beauty paired with a short, tragic life. Tao Xiangrong's radiance is fleeting; heroes admire her only while it costs them nothing.
• Hypocrisy of Chivalry: The martial world's "heroes" are revealed as self-serving. Tao Kulin's willingness to help evaporates the moment he calculates the cost. The chapter questions what true heroic spirit actually is.
• Truth and Testing: The True-Heart Scripture embodies the difficulty of obtaining truth; the questioner suffers, and liars suffer. Truth is bought with pain.
• Self-Interest vs. Selflessness: Every character weighs personal cost; only Li Xian acts without regard for gain.
• The Ranking System: The chapter extensively details the martial world's four rankings (Heroes' List, Beauty Ranking, Divine Artifact Ranking, Crimson List) and their Heaven/Earth/Mortal tiers, illustrating how reputation shapes status and expectations.

Character Interactions

• Tao Kulin vs. Sun Chengxi: A prolonged, spectacular battle; Sun Chengxi is superior. Tao Kulin's loss humbles him (internally admits he must avoid Sun in the future).
• Monk Ci Ming: Intervenes, absorbs both combatants' strikes, and mediates—vowing never to harm anyone, relying on presence and the threat of other Heaven Guardians.
• Tao Xiangrong → Li Xian: She stands in front of him when Sun Chengxi attacks, sparking Li Xian's realization that she has genuine sincerity toward him.
• Sun Chengxi → Tao Xiangrong: Cruelly mocks her shortened lifespan and insinuates she's simply no longer worth pursuing.
• Tao Kulin → Tao Xiangrong: He awkwardly withdraws his support; her quiet "Xiangrong understands" carries deep disappointment and loneliness.
• Li Xian's internal shift: He initially wants nothing to do with Tao Xiangrong after this case ends, but her earnest protection and Tao Kulin's cowardice move him—so he steps forward with "I can recite the Questioning Scripture."

Chapter Summary

Title: Disposition Compelled, Xiangrong's Heart Stirred, Humiliation into Rage, a Sword Came from the East

1. Key Plot Points

• Tao Xiangrong seeks to recover her stolen Golden Lock from Sun Chengxi.
• Tao Kulin refuses to chant the Questioning Scripture after learning Tao Xiangrong has only a short life ahead.
• Unexpectedly, Li Xian volunteers to recite the scripture.
• Li Xian endures terrible torment: sword wounds, blade wounds, flames, and ice appear on his body as he chants.
• Sun Chengxi is forced to recite the answering scripture and eventually admits stealing the Golden Lock.
• Humiliated and enraged, Sun Chengxi attacks Li Xian, but Ciming Monk protects him with the Chaotic Heaven Grand Origin Art.
• Sun Chengxi uses an Art Path to summon rain and secretly mixes palm-force “rain” to kill Li Xian.
• Li Xian escapes with Tao Xiangrong’s help, then outwits Sun Chengxi repeatedly using the Golden Light Technique.
• At the end, Sun Chengxi steps on a drunken Wine Elder, who suddenly grabs his ankle.

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2. Character Developments

• Li Xian: Acts not out of love or pity, but from natural disposition and a sense of right. Shows remarkable willpower, endurance, and quick thinking under extreme danger.
• Tao Xiangrong: Initially manipulative, she grows genuinely worried and attached to Li Xian. She stops caring about the Golden Lock and only wants him safe.
• Sun Chengxi: A respected “hero” exposed as a thief and liar. His rage from public humiliation drives him to abandon all pretense and try to murder Li Xian.
• Tao Kulin: Despite being hired to help, he withdraws out of self-interest when the risk becomes too great.
• Ciming Monk: Compassionate and protective, but limited—his invincible defense cannot stop Sun Chengxi’s indirect attacks.

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3. Significant Themes

• Truth comes at a cost: The Questioning Scripture literally wounds the body—truth is painful and dangerous to pursue.
• Appearance vs. reality: A “great hero” can be a thief; a seemingly cold man can show true courage.
• Compassion vs. self-interest: Li Xian acts for others despite personal cost; Tao Kulin prioritizes his own safety.
• Beauty and mortality: Tao Xiangrong’s beauty is tied to her short life; her fate moves others in different ways.
• Power and helplessness: Even an invincible martial art cannot stop everything; cleverness and evasion become survival tools.

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4. Character Interactions

• Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong: She is surprised he volunteers. Her feelings shift from calculating charm to genuine care and worry.
• Li Xian and Sun Chengxi: Li Xian openly challenges and humiliates Sun Chengxi, forcing a confession, then becomes Sun’s target for murder.
• Ciming Monk and Li Xian: Ciming admires Li Xian’s spirit and protects him, but cannot fully save him from Sun’s tricks.
• Tao Kulin and the group: He hesitates and withdraws when confrontation with Sun becomes too dangerous.
• Sun Chengxi and the Wine Elder: Sun kicks the drunkard away, but the elder unexpectedly seizes his ankle—setting up a new twist.

Summary

Key Plot Points

• Li Xian is relentlessly pursued by Sun Chengxi, a genuine hero on the Heroes Ranking. Using the advanced “Golden Light Technique,” Li Xian repeatedly escapes—clashing with Sun seven times and using the technique nineteen times—but each escape leaves him more seriously injured by Sun’s bizarre palm and claw attacks.
• Li Xian flees into the Crimson Smoke Tower and, hearing rumors of a mysterious “wine rat,” heads to the wine cellar hoping to find the legendary Wine Elder.
• He finds the drunken Wine Elder, but cannot wake him. Li Xian then devises a desperate plan: he splashes fine wine around the cellar and threatens to set it ablaze, baiting Sun Chengxi to follow him inside.
• Sun Chengxi enters, steps on and attacks Wine Elder, but the drunk old man effortlessly counters him. A bizarre, crude brawl follows—Wine Elder slips between Sun’s legs, kicks at his groin, spits wine, and renders every sophisticated martial art useless while calmly drinking wine.
• Sun Chengxi demands Wine Elder’s identity. Wine Elder casually summons the legendary “Purple Qi Comes from the East Sword” from the Divine Artifact Ranking. Sun recognizes the sword and the man, drops to his knees in terror, and begs for mercy.
• Bored by Sun’s cowardice, Wine Elder lets the sword fly away and leaves. Shortly afterward, Monk Ci Ming, Tao Xiangrong, and other Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower experts arrive, preventing Sun Chengxi from killing Li Xian. Monk Ci Ming demands an explanation from Sun.

Character Developments

• Li Xian: Resourceful and quick-witted; though badly injured, he keeps his mind sharp and uses deception and the environment to survive.
• Sun Chengxi: Proud and raging at first, but his “hero’s courage” shatters completely once he realizes Wine Elder’s true identity. He becomes pathetic and groveling.
• Wine Elder: Reveals himself as a hidden supreme expert. He is playful, wine-obsessed, seemingly crude, but overwhelmingly powerful. He loses interest in fighting someone who kneels too easily.

Significant Themes

• Pride before a fall: a celebrated hero reduced to a soft-legged coward.
• Hidden identity and the contrast between appearance and true power.
• Simplicity overcoming sophistication: crude, street-brawl-like moves dismantle refined martial arts.
• Wine and drunkenness as a mask for profound wisdom and strength.

Character Interactions

• Li Xian & Wine Elder: Li Xian asks for help, promises fine wine, then is ignored—until Wine Elder is provoked by Sun.
• Sun Chengxi & Wine Elder: Sun goes from contemptuous violence to stunned recognition, then total submission before the divine sword.
• Sun Chengxi & Li Xian: A chase of seven deadly encounters, marked by Sun’s fury and Li Xian’s narrow escapes.
• Sun Chengxi & Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower: Their arrival checks Sun’s revenge and sets up the next confrontation.

Summary of the Chapter

Key Plot Points

• Sun Chengxi, a rogue “hero,” is caught after stealing Tao Xiangrong’s golden artifact. When confronted by Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower’s guards and Li Xian’s bold maneuvers, he realizes he cannot win and agrees to negotiate.
• During the confrontation, Li Xian endures a fake “Questioning Scripture” spell—actually the Buddhist Asura Scripture—which inflicts real-looking wounds on him, shocking everyone.
• Sun Chengxi is forced to publicly confess his theft, compensate all involved parties, and leave Jade City forever.
• Li Xian collapses from injuries but is taken back by Tao Xiangrong, who personally treats his wounds.
• Tao Xiangrong gives Li Xian a precious Five-Elements Primordial-Mixture Elixir, which he consumes. It strengthens his organs and triggers a sudden state of profound enlightenment.
• While Li Xian is unconscious in enlightenment, Tao Xiangrong succumbs to curiosity and removes his mask, despite his reputation as “Ugly Face.”

Character Developments

• Li Xian: Shows reckless bravery, sharp wit, and moral conviction. He refuses to back down from Sun Chengxi, recites a painful scripture to force the truth, and later gains accidental benefits from the elixir. His Pure Yang Body and unique constitution hint at hidden potential.
• Tao Xiangrong: Develops genuine romantic feelings for Li Xian. Her earlier detached, teasing attitude shifts into tender concern, possessiveness, and growing attraction. She takes personal care of him, gives him a rare elixir, and finally dares to remove his mask—signaling deep emotional investment.
• Sun Chengxi: Crushed in prestige, forced to confess and abandon the city. His arrogance is humbled, revealing his cowardice when cornered.

Significant Themes

• Appearance vs. reality: The “True-Heart Scripture” is a lie; the mask hides unknown truth; true worth lies in courage and character, not status or looks.
• Courage and sacrifice: Li Xian endures pain to protect others and uphold justice, earning respect despite his lowly “Faceless Mud Body” identity.
• Romance and vulnerability: Tao Xiangrong’s heart trembles as she sees past Li Xian’s low birth and ugly mask, beginning to value him as a person.
• Unexpected rewards of daring: Li Xian’s audacity leads to both physical injury and a rare elixir that amplifies his power.

Character Interactions

• Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong are central: she calls him “little brother,” teases him, then tenderly nurses him. Her playful touches and flushed reactions show growing desire and affection.
• Monk Ci Ming reveals the “Questioning Scripture” was a fabricated trick; he praises Li Xian’s exceptional talent, further intriguing Tao Xiangrong.
• Sun Chengxi’s negotiations are handled by the tower’s Four Heaven-Guarding figures; he is left spiteful but powerless.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

1. The Mask Revealed: Tao Xiangrong, unable to contain her curiosity, carefully removes Li Xian's Silver Face mask while he sleeps. Contrary to all rumors of ugliness, she discovers he is extraordinarily handsome—"like a Mystic Immortal"—with a red mark between his brows. She falls deeply in love with him at first sight but replaces the mask afterward.
2. Secret Kept: Tao Xiangrong sternly warns her maid Liang Xiaoshi to never speak of Li Xian's true appearance, threatening punishment even though she has tolerated Xiaoshi's past indiscretions. She rewards her household with silver and begins preparing Eight Immortals Soup for Li Xian's recovery.
3. Li Xian Awakens: After two days of deep meditation, Li Xian wakes with enhanced strength, having fully absorbed the Five-Elements Primordial-Mixture Elixir. His Consumption skill improves to 12/50,000 Peak Mastery, allowing him to double beneficial effects and reduce harmful ones by 80%. His Five-Elements Esoteric Escape also deepens from his insights.
4. The Golden Lock Mystery: Tao Xiangrong reveals the recovered "Golden Lock" is actually a golden hairpin—Sun Chengxi stole the wrong item. The real Golden Lock remains missing, and she believes her shortened lifespan is inevitable fate.
5. Li Xian's Deduction: Li Xian reasons that the Golden Lock was stolen earlier than anyone realized—during Tao Kulin's mist-creating display at the banquet, before Sun Chengxi even arrived. He correctly identifies the moment of theft and reveals the truth.
6. The True Thief Caught: Li Xian summons a Golden Crane and whispers instructions to it. The crane retrieves the real Golden Lock, proving Li Xian's brilliance and restoring Tao Xiangrong's hope.

Character Developments

• Tao Xiangrong transforms from a calculating, experienced seductress into a genuinely infatuated woman. Her strategic cunning remains, but now serves genuine love rather than mere amusement. She becomes vulnerable, jealous of her secret, and determined to win Li Xian's heart despite her shortened lifespan.
• Li Xian demonstrates his intelligence, confidence, and growing power. He solves a mystery that baffled everyone else, showing he is not just a schemer but sharp addition, and his physical strength increases significantly. He remains somewhat oblivious to Tao Xiangrong's deeper feelings.
• Liang Xiaoshi is established as a potential weak point—she has previously leaked information for profit and is now warned, creating dramatic tension for future betrayals.

Significant Themes

• Appearance vs. Reality: The stark contrast between Li Xian's rumored ugliness and his actual beauty serves as a central irony—people believe what they hear rather than what they see.
• Fate vs. Agency: Tao Xiangrong initially accepts her shortened lifespan as inescapable fate, but Li Xian's intervention demonstrates that determined effort and intellect can challenge what seems predetermined.
• Love and Vulnerability: Tao Xiangrong, who has always controlled romantic entanglements from a position of power, finds herself truly and powerless in the face of genuine feeling—joy mingled with sorrow over her limited time.
• Secrecy and Trust: The chapter underscores how secrets (Li Xian's face, the Golden Lock's location, Tao Xiangrong's genuine feelings) create the narrative's tension.

Character Interactions

• Tao Xiangrong and Li Xian: Their dynamic shifts subtly—she moves from big-sister affection toward romantic pursuit, while he maintains brotherly innocence, admiring her beauty but failing to grasp her deeper intentions. Their banter is playful, with her teasing and him deflecting her advances ("That will not do" when she suggests anything is possible as a reward).
• Tao Xiangrong and Liang Xiaoshi: A master-servant relationship laced with implicit threats, revealing Tao Xiangrong's protectiveness over Li Xian's secret and her willingness to discard her long-serving maid if needed.
• Li Xian and the Golden Crane: A unique interaction showing Li Xian's affinity with extraordinary creatures—the crane understands him and readily helps, hinting at his unusual destiny and charm over living things.

Chapter Summary: The Complete Truth; Love Like Raging Tides

Key Plot Points

• The Golden Lock Mystery Solved: The Peach Banquet theft is explained—a Golden Crane, playful by nature, inadvertently stole the Golden Lock after a Gold-Swallowing Ant (controlled by Mountain-Moving Elder) gnawed it loose. The crane carried it away unseen amid clouds and chaos.
• Li Xian's Unique Ability: Having consumed Lü Dongzhi's elixir, Li Xian possesses Crane Speech and the Turbidity-Avoidance trait, allowing him to communicate with crane beasts.
• Recovery and Resolution: Li Xian befriends the Golden Crane through play, retrieves the Golden Lock, and returns it to Tao Xiangrong, concluding the Peach Banquet affair.
• Tao Xiangrong's Gifts: She rewards Li Xian with 5,000 taels of silver, an Immortal Peach, and a "secret token" granting free entry to Peach Residence.
• Li Xian's Plea: He asks Tao Xiangrong to spare Mountain-Moving Elder and True Tiger Daoist, pending confirmation of their connection to Li Hengfeng (the phantom thief who once helped Li Xian).
• Backstory Revealed: Li Xian explains his origin as a physician from Miraculous Healers Pavilion who captured Li Hengfeng, earned a probationary position under Colonel Xu Shaoqian, and seeks to rise as a Gold-Seeking Guard.
• Tao Xiangrong's Scheme: She meets with Xu Shaoqian to subtly obtain Li Xian's case files (disguised among others), beginning her deeper investigation of Li Xian.

Character Developments

• Li Xian: Displays charm, strategic thinking, and loyalty. His ability to connect with cranes and his playful nature contrast with his ambitious, calculating side. He shows gratitude for past kindness (Li Hengfeng, Xu Shaoqian).
• Tao Xiangrong: Falls deeply in love with Li Xian. Her characteristic composure cracks—she becomes dreamy, possessive, and scheming to learn more about him. Her methods of seduction and manipulation become more deliberate.
• Golden Crane: Revealed as an innocent catalyst rather than a malicious thief; develops affection for Li Xian.
• Xu Shaoqian: Remains oblivious, misinterpreting Tao Xiangrong's interest as romantic attention toward himself.

Significant Themes

• Fate vs. Coincidence: The theft resulted from layered coincidences; Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong's bond seems destined.
• Appearances vs. Reality: Li Xian's "ugly" mask vs. his true nature; the crane's innocent mischief causing massive consequences.
• Loyalty and Gratitude: Li Xian's sense of obligation shapes his decisions (protecting Li Hengfeng's associates).
• Ambition and Social Climbing: Li Xian's rise from physician to Gold-Seeking Guard through risk and wit.
• Desire and Restraint: Tao Xiangrong's growing passion vs. her calculated approach to "taming" Li Xian.

Character Interactions

• Li Xian & Golden Crane: Playful bond formed through shared games (stone-throwing), leading the crane to gift a feather (symbolizing life-entrustment) and allowing head touches (great intimacy).
• Li Xian & Tao Xiangrong: Their farewell is tender and flirtatious. She tests him with teasing; he responds with humility masking hidden depth. Her physical reaction to his touch reveals her vulnerability.
• Tao Xiangrong & Liang Xiaoshi: Shows Tao Xiangrong's uncharacteristic loss of composure and her maid's concern.
• Tao Xiangrong & Xu Shaoqian: She manipulates his infatuation to obtain case files while maintaining aloofness; he misreads her interest entirely.
• Li Xian & Tao Xiangrong (backstory): His explanation blends gratitude, ambition, and mutual attraction as he persuades her to show mercy.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points & Events

• Li Xian leaves Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower after spending seven intimate days with Tao Xiangrong. He returns to ordinary life, buys street snacks, and reflects on the contrast between celestial pleasures and mortal warmth.
• He returns to Jujube-Pasture Residence, tends to his horse Binds the Wind and Golden Cicada, and sends a letter to Wei Qinghuang explaining his absence as an investigation.
• Li Xian reviews his gains: martial arts have improved across many techniques; he now holds an Immortal Peach (Sky Peach) from the Peach Banquet. He decides not to eat it immediately, suspecting its form may hold a hidden mystery.
• He checks on his shop, Dew Cicada Shop, and rewards/trains his employees, Little Chao and Little Wu. He also visits Miraculous Healers Pavilion, where Yao Baishun praises his medical skill and gifts him a medical scripture.
• At Marquis Wu Station, Bai Qinghao tells him about upcoming polo and cuju competitions; Li Xian becomes interested and later solves a minor case.
• Li Xian visits Evil-Quelling Island to see Li Hengfeng, bringing wine and food. He asks about the Ghost Thief father and son; Li Hengfeng admits past brotherhood with them but says Li Xian may do as he pleases.
• Li Xian goes to Tao Xiangrong and negotiates the release of the Ghost Thief father and son. She agrees, but makes him promise to come whenever she asks if her treasures are ever stolen again.
• The Ghost Thief father and son (Tian Yuan and Tian Hu) are freed from sealed jars and, fearing punishment, offer to serve Li Xian. He instead makes them his informants.
• By mid-to-late October, Li Xian accumulates enough military merit (2,579 points) to exchange for the Divine Mist Intent-Transformation Technique, completing the Pivot-Shadow Transformation School—a combination of Heavenly Pivot Saber Method, Suffering Body Scripture, Stone-Pushing Palm Method, Demonic Sound Mind-Seizing Melody, and the new technique.

Character Developments

• Li Xian: Shows growing confidence and social maneuvering; balances flirtation with firm martial resolve. Expands his network, gains informants, and completes his first full martial school.
• Tao Xiangrong: Clearly infatuated with Li Xian; uses her power to tease and test him, but also genuinely softens toward him. She has privately discovered he is the Guilt Sword of Deathwish Valley, and grows more intrigued.
• Li Hengfeng: Offers deep loyalty and friendship to Li Xian, even declaring he would risk his life for him.
• Ghost Thief father and son (Tian Yuan & Tian Hu): Terrified and broken after imprisonment; they turn from criminals to informants, beginning a path of redemption.

Significant Themes

• Worldly vs. transcendent: Li Xian prefers the living warmth of mortal streets to celestial perfection.
• Martial cultivation and completion: Combining multiple arts into a new school represents growth through accumulation and synergy.
• Relationships as negotiated bonds: Tao Xiangrong and Li Xian’s connection is built on playful bargaining and hidden leverage.
• Redemption and second chances: Former thieves are given a chance to reform when they could have been executed.

Character Interactions

• Li Xian & Tao Xiangrong: Teasing, seductive, and strategically charged; she insists he call her “Sister” and extracts a future promise from him.
• Li Xian & Li Hengfeng: Hearty, brotherly drinking session; Li Hengfeng pledges loyalty.
• Li Xian & Bai Qinghao / Lei Chong: Casual camaraderie; discussion of upcoming competitions.
• Li Xian & Little Chao / Little Wu / Yao Baishun: Warm, mentoring relationships; he teaches practical skills and is respected as a physician.
• Li Xian & Ghost Thieves: Mercy granted, leading to new loyalty and a hidden intelligence network.