Chapter Summaries

Jiang Yuechu defeated the Crimson-Blood Demon Emperor after the black-robed man tricked him and escaped. She then drew the remnant souls of the two slain Demon Emperors out of the black mist and prepared to absorb them.

• The Crimson-Blood Demon Emperor stopped beating Niu Ben and gently groomed him as a five-dragon formation appeared overhead.
• The black-robed man urged the Crimson-Blood Demon Emperor to fight Jiang Yuechu, then vanished as the five-colored torrent struck.
• The torrent swallowed the Crimson-Blood Demon Emperor, and the battle ended with a notification awarding 643,133 years of dao cultivation.
• Jiang Yuechu released her dragon transformation and told Niu Ben she was fine.
• Jiang Yuechu used black mist and chains to seize the remnant souls of Demon Emperor Qianyu and the Crimson-Blood Demon Emperor, then dragged them toward herself.

Jiang Yuechu subdued the remnant souls of two Demon Emperors, absorbed the power and primordial spirit fragments left behind, and advanced to the fourth tower-climbing level. She rejoined Niu Ben and Wang Ziyu and told them to leave for the Lu Clan.

• Jiang Yuechu used the Black Heaven Body-Forging Scripture and the demon souls in her acupoints to overwhelm Demon Emperor Qianyu and the Crimson-Blood Demon Emperor’s remnant souls.
• Jiang Yuechu discovered that their white mist and blood qi had become powers within her body, then used Ten Thousand Demons Devour Heaven to absorb the scattered primordial spirit fragments.
• Jiang Yuechu broke through from the third to the fourth tower-climbing level and decided to save her dao cultivation for the journey to the Lu Clan.
• Niu Ben and Wang Ziyu reacted with disbelief at Jiang Yuechu’s rapid advancement, and she landed before them and told them to go.

The Lu Clan hosted its Treasure Gathering Fair at Perched Phoenix Ridge, using its alliance with Azure City Mountain to enforce its authority over arriving cultivators. The fair drew attention with rumors that the Lu Clan would auction treasures from a fallen Chessmaster Realm cultivator’s cave abode.

• An elder told his young companion that the declining Lu Clan had secured its position by becoming Azure City Mountain’s watchdog and relying on its genius Lu Changfeng.
• At the Lu Clan gates, the steward demanded an entrance fee from everyone, including a demon, and ordered guards to throw out a Burning Lamp Realm Martial Sage who refused to pay.
• The crowd entered the lavish plaza after the steward warned that the Lu Clan would show no mercy to anyone who disrupted the fair.
• The elder explained that the Lu Clan’s main attraction was an auction of treasures from its own stores, reportedly including items from a fallen Chessmaster Realm cultivator’s cave abode.

Jiang Yuechu entered the Lu Clan’s Treasure Gathering Fair with Wang Ziyu and Niu Ben, hoping to find a way to obtain the clan’s Golden Body Method without provoking Azure City Mountain. At a stall, she learned that its owner, Zhou, offered a high-grade magic treasure to anyone who would kill Wang Canglan and rescue the Elixir Cauldron Sect’s disciples, leaving her poised to hear more about the perilous request.

• Jiang Yuechu asked Wang Ziyu about the Southern Dipper Six-Star Formation guarding Perched Phoenix Ridge as they approached the Lu Clan’s fair.
• The Lu Clan’s steward welcomed Jiang Yuechu, Wang Ziyu, and Niu Ben, then secretly alerted the clan head and elders to the unusual visitors.
• Jiang Yuechu browsed the fair and became interested in a pair of high-grade magic treasure gauntlets that stirred her Crimson Crescent Blade.
• The stallholder Zhou offered to give away the gauntlets in exchange for killing Wang Canglan, a powerful prodigy of the Pure Yang Lineage, prompting the other cultivators to flee.
• Jiang Yuechu approached Zhou despite Wang Ziyu’s warning, and Zhou explained that Wang Canglan had ordered two Great Demons to enslave the Elixir Cauldron Sect and force its members to refine pills for five hundred years.

Jiang Yuechu declined to attack the Pure Yang Lineage’s favored Wang Canglan but offered to help Stallholder Zhou rescue the Elixir Cauldron Sect. After leaving White Jade Square, she learned that Niu Ben wanted to go to Spirit Mountain to save his eldest sister, who had been captured there.

• Stallholder Zhou told Jiang Yuechu that Taiyuan and Blue Fox, two later Tower-Climbing Realm Demon Emperors backed by the Pure Yang Lineage, were holding the Elixir Cauldron Sect at Spirit Mountain.
• Jiang Yuechu refused to risk attacking Wang Canglan but offered to help rescue the sect’s people, while Stallholder Zhou said he only wanted revenge and needed time to consider her offer.
• Jiang Yuechu and her companions browsed the Lu Clan’s Treasure Gathering Fair before she decided to make contact with the Lu Clan.
• Niu Ben asked Jiang Yuechu to let him leave after their business was settled so he could go to Spirit Mountain and save his eldest sister.
• Niu Ben explained that his eldest sister had gone to Spirit Mountain for the Great Marsh’s honor and was now trapped there, and he insisted he could not abandon her.

Jiang Yuechu brought Wang Ziyu and Niu Ben to the Lu Clan’s inner estate to ask for something, and the Lu Clan’s elder led them in to meet Lu Changfeng. The elder mistook Jiang Yuechu for a promising marriage prospect for the young master and considered the advantages she might bring the clan.

• Jiang Yuechu told Niu Ben they would discuss helping him after the Lu Clan matter was settled, while considering whether the Myriad Demon Marsh could become a potential ally against Spirit Mountain.
• Eight Lu Clan guards stopped Jiang Yuechu, Wang Ziyu, and Niu Ben at the vermilion gate until a gray-robed elder ordered them to stand down.
• The elder invited Jiang Yuechu inside, explaining that the Lu Clan’s young master wanted to meet her.
• Jiang Yuechu entered the Lu Clan’s lavish inner estate with Wang Ziyu and Niu Ben following behind her.
• The elder judged Jiang Yuechu’s beauty, cultivation, and bearing, and considered her a suitable wife for Lu Changfeng and a valuable ally for the Lu Clan.

Chapter Summary: “Lu Changfeng”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu, accompanied by Niu Ben and Wang Ziyu, is escorted by an elderly Lu Clan servant to a secluded floating pavilion on Perched Phoenix Ridge.
• The servant repeatedly hints that Lu Changfeng, the Lu Clan’s celebrated prodigy, has shown Jiang Yuechu special courtesy and may be interested in her.
• Lu Changfeng receives them while playing the zither. Although initially appearing aloof and uninterested, he immediately notices Jiang Yuechu.
• The servant attempts to separate Niu Ben and Wang Ziyu from the meeting, presumably to leave Lu Changfeng alone with Jiang Yuechu. Lu Changfeng unexpectedly orders all three visitors to remain together.
• After the servant leaves, Wang Ziyu secretly warns Jiang Yuechu through a telepathic technique that something is wrong with the Lu Clan. He suspects the clan may intend for Lu Changfeng to seduce or “bore into” Jiang Yuechu, though his crude wording creates an awkward moment.
• Lu Changfeng invites them to sit and serves tea, engaging Jiang Yuechu in polite conversation about Perched Phoenix Ridge, Azure City Mountain, and the Lu Clan’s history.
• The conversation quickly becomes a negotiation. Lu Changfeng alludes to the treasures and resources available through the Lu Clan’s Treasure Gathering Fair, while Jiang Yuechu directly states that she has come for a specific cultivation method.
• She names the Golden Body Method, surprising Lu Changfeng. He had expected her to seek valuable treasures, medicines, or powerful techniques—not what he considers an old, worthless manual gathering dust in the ancestral hall.

2. Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu remains calm, restrained, and difficult to impress. She ignores the servant’s insinuations about Lu Changfeng’s interest and refuses to be distracted by his elegant surroundings or cultivated demeanor. Her direct request reveals her practical and determined nature.
• Lu Changfeng is introduced as an exceptionally gifted and aristocratic young master, possessing refined manners, confidence, and an imposing presence. However, his composure briefly falters when Jiang Yuechu asks for the Golden Body Method, revealing that her request is unexpected.
• Wang Ziyu demonstrates caution, intelligence, and hidden ability. Despite his childlike appearance, he can use a highly concealed soul-transmission technique and immediately senses that the Lu Clan may harbor ulterior motives.
• Niu Ben appears intimidated by Lu Changfeng’s status and presence, contrasting with Wang Ziyu’s calmness and Jiang Yuechu’s composure.
• The old servant acts as a subtle manipulator, exaggerating Lu Changfeng’s attention toward Jiang Yuechu and attempting to arrange a private meeting between the two.

3. Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: The Lu Clan presents elegance, hospitality, and refined cultivation, but Wang Ziyu senses hidden danger beneath the surface.
• Power and social maneuvering: The servant’s remarks and Lu Changfeng’s conduct function as attempts to establish status and influence. Jiang Yuechu counters this by speaking plainly and refusing to follow their implied script.
• Hidden strength: Wang Ziyu’s innocent appearance conceals formidable abilities, while Jiang Yuechu’s quiet demeanor masks firm resolve.
• Value and perspective: Lu Changfeng views the Golden Body Method as useless and obsolete, whereas Jiang Yuechu evidently considers it important. This highlights how the usefulness of a resource depends on the seeker’s goals.
• Manipulation and autonomy: The chapter contrasts the Lu Clan’s efforts to control the meeting with Jiang Yuechu’s insistence on stating her purpose directly and maintaining control of the negotiation.

4. Character Interactions

• The old servant attempts to flatter Jiang Yuechu and suggest Lu Changfeng’s romantic interest, but she responds with polite indifference.
• Lu Changfeng silently observes Jiang Yuechu before addressing the group, creating an atmosphere of controlled authority.
• Wang Ziyu secretly communicates with Jiang Yuechu, warning her not to trust the Lu Clan and providing both tactical advice and comic vulgarity.
• Lu Changfeng’s decision to keep Niu Ben and Wang Ziyu present disrupts the servant’s presumed plan for a private encounter.
• Jiang Yuechu and Lu Changfeng engage in a restrained but pointed verbal exchange: he speaks indirectly about the Lu Clan’s resources, while she immediately identifies and states her true objective.
• The chapter ends with Lu Changfeng concealing his surprise at her request, suggesting that the Golden Body Method may be more significant—or more unusual—than he initially admits.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu and her companions negotiate with Lu Changfeng for the Lu Clan’s secret Incense-and-Fire Golden Body Method.
• Lu Changfeng explains that the technique was once the foundation of the Lu Clan’s power, but its dependence on incense-fire made it dangerously flawed. After losing access to that power, the clan abandoned the method and turned to orthodox cultivation under Azure City Mountain.
• Although the Golden Body Method is no longer useful to the Lu Clan, Lu Changfeng emphasizes its ancestral importance and initially implies that an expensive exchange will be necessary.
• Jiang Yuechu admits she has no valuable treasures to offer, leaving her to wonder whether she may have to take the technique by force.
• Lu Changfeng unexpectedly offers the method—and even the clan’s cultivation insights—for a seemingly simple favor: he wants to have a private meal and conversation with the “little brother” accompanying Jiang Yuechu, Wang Ziyu.
• Wang Ziyu initially assumes Lu Changfeng is targeting Jiang Yuechu and angrily interrupts, only to realize that Lu Changfeng is actually interested in him. Horrified and embarrassed, he protests that he is only a child.
• Jiang Yuechu finds the request trivial and agrees on his behalf, while Wang Ziyu desperately resists. She physically carries him away to “persuade” him, leaving Lu Changfeng happily preparing the meal.
• Niu Ben recognizes the awkward situation and follows Jiang Yuechu and Wang Ziyu out.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu: Remains calm, practical, and focused on obtaining the Golden Body Method for the Great Tang. She is prepared to negotiate, threaten, or fight if necessary, but readily accepts Lu Changfeng’s harmless request. Her deadpan reaction to Wang Ziyu’s embarrassment highlights her bluntness and lack of concern for his protests.
• Lu Changfeng: Presents himself as dignified and cautious while exaggerating the value of the Golden Body Method. Beneath his polished demeanor, he is openly captivated by Wang Ziyu and eagerly arranges the private meeting. His behavior shifts from businesslike negotiation to obvious excitement.
• Wang Ziyu: Shows strong protective feelings toward Jiang Yuechu, immediately assuming Lu Changfeng has improper intentions toward her. He then becomes mortified when he discovers that Lu Changfeng’s interest is directed at him. His indignation, embarrassment, and frantic resistance provide the chapter’s main comedic tension.
• Niu Ben: Though usually slow to react, he eventually understands the unusual nature of Lu Changfeng’s request and quietly withdraws with the others.

Significant Themes

• The dangers of unstable power: The Incense-and-Fire Path once brought the Lu Clan glory but ultimately became a liability because its strength depended on an external source that could be severed.
• Tradition versus practicality: The Lu Clan reveres the Golden Body Method as an ancestral treasure even after abandoning the path it represents.
• Negotiation and hidden motives: The apparent high-stakes exchange turns out not to involve wealth or cultivation resources, but a personal and unexpected request.
• Comedic misunderstanding: Wang Ziyu’s assumption that Jiang Yuechu is being targeted is overturned, creating an embarrassing reversal.
• Power and agency: Jiang Yuechu controls the situation physically and decisively, disregarding Wang Ziyu’s protests while ensuring the negotiation proceeds.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Changfeng and Jiang Yuechu engage in a polite but strategic negotiation over the Golden Body Method.
• Wang Ziyu interrupts to defend Jiang Yuechu, only to become the actual focus of Lu Changfeng’s request.
• Jiang Yuechu casually accepts the invitation on Wang Ziyu’s behalf and carries him away when he objects.
• Lu Changfeng’s eager reaction and Wang Ziyu’s panic establish a humorous contrast between romantic interest and unwilling embarrassment.

Jiang Yuechu forced Wang Ziyu to attend Lu Changfeng’s banquet, where Lu Changfeng recognized him as Wu Shisan’s disciple and revealed that he wanted to use his presence to protect the Lu Clan’s prized item. The chapter ended with Lu Changfeng offering the item and any other reward in exchange for Wang Ziyu spending the night in the pavilion so news of their connection would spread.

• Jiang Yuechu threatened to strip Wang Ziyu and deliver him to Lu Changfeng unless he attended the banquet, and he reluctantly agreed.
• Lu Changfeng served Wang Ziyu wine, but Wang refused and threatened him with his master’s retaliation.
• Lu Changfeng identified Wang Ziyu as Wu Shisan’s disciple from rumors about his appearance and cultivation.
• Lu Changfeng explained that the Lu Clan had brought back an item from a Chessmaster Realm expert’s cave abode, attracting powerful watchers, and that Azure City Mountain would not intervene unless the clan faced extermination.
• Lu Changfeng asked Wang Ziyu to spend the night in the pavilion so word of his connection to Tai’a would deter the Lu Clan’s enemies, offering the prized item and any other requested reward.

Wang Ziyu agreed to seek the Lu Clan’s help in bringing Jiang Yuechu’s homeland onto the path of Incense-Fire Power, revealing how much he and his master valued her. As Jiang Yuechu waited outside, the Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor crashed into Perched Phoenix Ridge and demanded that the Lu Clan bow.

• Wang Ziyu told Lu Changfeng he wanted the Lu Clan to help Jiang Yuechu’s homeland switch to the path of Incense-Fire Power.
• Wang Ziyu explained that Jiang Yuechu was worth befriending, prompting Lu Changfeng to consider the opportunity.
• Jiang Yuechu waited outside the pavilion while Niu Ben speculated wildly about what was happening inside.
• The Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor descended onto Perched Phoenix Ridge, and Lu Clan cultivators surrounded him.
• The Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor revealed himself and demanded that the Lu Clan bow.

The Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor arrived at Perched Phoenix Ridge and demanded that the Lu Clan hand over an item, overwhelming its guards with his demonic pressure. As the Treasure Gathering Fair’s visitors gathered to watch, Jiang Yuechu charged toward him, leaving Lu Changfeng and Wang Ziyu stunned.

• The Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor ordered the Lu Clan elders to kneel and surrender an item, while dismissing their warning about the Manor Lord.
• Niu Ben explained to Jiang Yuechu that the Demon Emperor acted independently of the Myriad Demon Marsh’s Manor Lord, and she confirmed he had no connection to Niu Ben.
• Wang Ziyu and Lu Changfeng left the suspended pavilion and discussed the danger posed by the Demon Emperor and others seeking the item.
• Jiang Yuechu suddenly launched herself toward the Demon Emperor, surprising Lu Changfeng while Wang Ziyu said he would get used to her behavior.
• Cultivators at White Jade Square rushed toward the commotion, and an elderly cultivator identified the demon as Chixiao, the Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor of the Myriad Demon Marsh.

Jiang Yuechu intervened when the Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor attacked the Lu Clan, and the two began fighting at Perched Phoenix Ridge. The Lu Clan powered the Southern Dipper Six-Star Formation to support her, leaving Jiang Yuechu standing inside the demon fire as her strength and regeneration surged.

• The onlookers watched the Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor threaten the Lu Clan, while Stallholder Zhou recognized Jiang Yuechu when she appeared.
• Jiang Yuechu denied belonging to the Lu Clan and challenged the Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor, then struck his face with a lightning-wrapped fist.
• The Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor abandoned his flesh, revealed his enormous Primordial Spirit, and trapped Jiang Yuechu inside a net of demon fire.
• A Lu Clan elder ordered the clan to activate the Southern Dipper Six-Star Formation, and the formation's starlight poured into Jiang Yuechu as the elders attacked the demon.
• Jiang Yuechu recognized the formation's support, stopped dodging, and let the demon fire engulf her.

Jiang Yuechu overwhelmed the Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor in a brutal close-quarters battle, shrugging off his magical treasures and pinning down his Primordial Spirit. The chapter ended with her arm plunged through the wolf’s head as the watching cultivators stared in disbelief.

• Jiang Yuechu activated Defiant Battle and kicked the Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor’s Primordial Spirit into a mountainside.
• The Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor attacked Jiang Yuechu with nine flying swords, a golden seal, and a sea of demon fire.
• Jiang Yuechu knocked away the swords and seal, then used streams of white mist to evade the Demon Emperor’s charge.
• Jiang Yuechu seized the Demon Emperor’s wolf head, slammed him into the ground, and punched him until he could barely whimper.
• Jiang Yuechu drove her glowing arm through the Demon Emperor’s Primordial Spirit’s head while cultivators watched in shock.

After killing the Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor, Jiang Yuechu unlocked the Heavenly Demon Martial Training Forge and absorbed the demon’s remaining power, advancing to the sixth layer of the Tower-Climbing Realm. Lu Gexian thanked her on behalf of the Lu Clan and presented her with the demon’s treasures and a Void-Containing Pouch.

• Jiang Yuechu unlocked the Heavenly Demon Martial Training Forge after her Dao Cultivation exceeded three million years, and considered reforging her unused Divine Abilities.
• Jiang Yuechu absorbed the remnant soul and demonic power, advancing from the fifth to the sixth layer of the Tower-Climbing Realm.
• Lu Gexian approached Jiang Yuechu and thanked her for saving the Lu Clan from disaster.
• Lu Gexian presented Jiang Yuechu with the Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor’s golden seal and nine flying swords.
• Lu Gexian noticed Jiang Yuechu’s damaged robes and offered her a Void-Containing Pouch, which she accepted and inspected.

After Jiang Yuechu killed the Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor, the Lu Clan welcomed her and learned she had come seeking the Golden Body Method. She explained that she wanted it for the fortunes of Great Tang, a mortal dynasty far east of the Great Marsh.

• Jiang Yuechu accepted the golden seal and nine flying swords from Lu Gexian, who asked where she came from; she answered, "Great Tang."
• Lu Changfeng, Wang Ziyu, and Niu Ben arrived at the crater, and Lu Changfeng apologized to Jiang Yuechu for his earlier hospitality.
• The Lu Clan elders thanked Jiang Yuechu for killing the demon and offered to help with her request.
• Lu Changfeng revealed that Jiang Yuechu sought the Golden Body Method, prompting Lu Gexian to warn her that the method brought serious dangers.
• Jiang Yuechu assured Lu Gexian that she understood the risks and wanted the method for Great Tang; Wang Ziyu explained that Great Tang was a mortal dynasty far east of the Great Marsh.

Jiang Yuechu secured the Lu Clan’s support for the Great Tang’s transition to the Incense-and-Fire Divine Path, while the young emperor ordered statues of her made for the kingdom’s temples. Lu Gexian explained that the Golden Body Method could let Jiang Yuechu benefit from worship and create enduring, powerful avatars.

• Lu Gexian agreed that the Lu Clan would devote its strength to helping the Great Tang adopt the Incense-and-Fire Divine Path.
• The young emperor decided that Jiang Yuechu should be enshrined as the Great Tang’s divine protector and ordered Golden Body Dharma Forms made in her likeness for every temple.
• Jiang Yuechu met with Lu Gexian and stated that she had come to discuss the Incense-and-Fire Divine Path.
• Lu Gexian described the path’s limits, including its dependence on territory and the risks of impure wish force, as well as its rapid cultivation and the benefits statues could grant their likenesses.
• Lu Gexian explained that the Golden Body Method could produce an avatar with seventy to eighty percent of its cultivator’s strength that would endure as long as incense and offerings continued.

Chapter Summary: Sparrowhawk Zhou’s Dilemma

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Jiang Yuechu and the Lu Clan leave Perched Phoenix Ridge, the Lu Clan seals the ruined summit and orders spectators to disperse.
• A few opportunistic cultivators try to remain behind to collect pieces of the slain Demon Emperor’s body. A Lu Clan disciple angrily rebukes them, making clear that the clan’s courtesy toward Jiang Yuechu does not mean it is weak or easily exploited.
• Stallkeeper Zhou remains behind, deeply shaken by Jiang Yuechu’s ability to resist the Primordial Spirit of a Later Tower-Climbing Realm Demon Emperor with her bare fists.
• Her power revives Zhou’s faint hope of eventually taking revenge on Wang Canglan, the powerful Pure Yang prodigy responsible for the suffering of Zhou’s fellow disciples, wives, and children.
• Zhou considers offering Jiang Yuechu his top-grade Dharma treasure—his gauntlets—in exchange for Wang Canglan’s death. However, he recognizes that such a treasure is nowhere near enough to purchase the life of one of the Five Luminary Imperial Thrones. His “trade” is therefore partly a self-deception that gives him a reason to continue living.
• Inside the Lu Clan hall, Jiang Yuechu and the clan leaders discuss her request for knowledge concerning the path of Incense-Fire Power.
• Lu Gexian agrees to help but asks for several days’ delay. The Lu Clan must first conclude its Treasure Gathering Fair and resolve the dangers surrounding the treasure Lu Changfeng obtained from a Chessmaster Realm expert.
• He also promises to prepare a complete explanation of the Lu Clan’s knowledge, methods, and materials related to Incense-Fire Power rather than giving Jiang Yuechu incomplete or careless guidance.
• Jiang Yuechu accepts the delay without complaint and shows no interest in the mysterious treasure, increasing Lu Gexian and Lu Changfeng’s respect for her.
• The Lu Clan moves Jiang Yuechu and her companions to a secluded courtyard and promises her the highest level of hospitality.
• After Lu Changfeng leaves, Niu Ben relaxes, believing the crisis has ended, while Wang Ziyu warns that the Lu Clan may be treating Jiang Yuechu as a protective talisman rather than merely as an honored guest.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu: Demonstrates extraordinary strength, restraint, and pragmatism. She remains calm despite the surrounding power struggles, accepts the Lu Clan’s practical concerns, and refuses to exploit its vulnerability or seize its treasures by force.
• Stallkeeper Zhou: His despair briefly gives way to hope after witnessing Jiang Yuechu’s strength. At the same time, his insecurity and guilt become clearer: revenge is the only purpose keeping him alive, yet he doubts he possesses anything valuable enough to obtain it.
• Lu Gexian: Presents himself as cautious, diplomatic, and sincere. He delays Jiang Yuechu’s request while offering detailed reasons and promising meaningful assistance.
• Lu Changfeng: Continues serving as the Lu Clan’s representative and personally arranges Jiang Yuechu’s accommodation, suggesting a shift toward greater respect and caution.
• Niu Ben: Shows relief after the immediate danger passes, reflecting a more straightforward and optimistic view of the situation.
• Wang Ziyu: Remains perceptive and suspicious, recognizing that the Lu Clan’s hospitality may be motivated by fear and self-interest.

Significant Themes

• Hope amid despair: Jiang Yuechu’s power gives Zhou the first realistic glimpse of hope he has had in years.
• The cost of revenge: Zhou’s desire to kill Wang Canglan is so overwhelming that it has become the justification for his continued existence, yet he understands how impossible the goal is.
• Power and hierarchy: The Lu Clan’s treatment of Jiang Yuechu illustrates the difference between genuine respect and submission to overwhelming strength. Its harshness toward opportunistic spectators reinforces the clan’s authority.
• Pragmatism and restraint: Jiang Yuechu’s refusal to seize what she wants by force contrasts with the greed of the spectators and earns the Lu Clan’s admiration.
• Hidden motives and political calculation: The Lu Clan’s hospitality may be sincere, but Wang Ziyu suspects it is also an attempt to use Jiang Yuechu as protection against enemies drawn by the Chessmaster Realm treasure.
• Responsibility in cultivation: Lu Gexian emphasizes that Incense-Fire Power requires careful knowledge and preparation, suggesting that spiritual power can become dangerous when pursued recklessly.

Character Interactions

• The Lu Clan disciples intimidate and dismiss treasure-seeking spectators, defending the clan’s authority.
• Zhou silently reflects on Jiang Yuechu’s strength and imagines asking her to avenge him, though he doubts he can offer a worthwhile exchange.
• Jiang Yuechu and Lu Gexian negotiate respectfully over the timing and preparation of the Incense-Fire Power teachings.
• Lu Gexian instructs Lu Changfeng to provide Jiang Yuechu with exceptional treatment, and Changfeng personally escorts her group to their courtyard.
• Niu Ben expresses relief once they are settled, but Wang Ziyu challenges that assumption, warning Jiang Yuechu that the Lu Clan may be relying on her as a shield.

Jiang Yuechu agreed to protect the Lu Clan and learned that the Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor’s treasures came from the distant Star-Suppressing Hanhong Lineage. A cultivator who agreed to her conditions arrived, leaving Wang Ziyu worried she would go to Spirit Mountain.

• Jiang Yuechu told Wang Ziyu she would guard the Lu Clan for a few days because they had been sensible about her request for a technique.
• Jiang Yuechu asked Wang Ziyu to examine the golden seal and nine flying swords she had taken from the Crimson Heavens Demon Emperor.
• Wang Ziyu identified the treasures as work of the Star-Suppressing Hanhong Lineage and warned that using them could provoke the grotto-heaven.
• A Lu Clan disciple reported that a cultivator who knew Jiang Yuechu had arrived and agreed to her conditions.
• Wang Ziyu realized the cultivator was the pill seller and feared Jiang Yuechu would go to Spirit Mountain, but she ordered the disciple to let him in.

The Third Master heard that a Demon Dragon had killed Demon Emperor Qianyu and the Crimson-Blood Demon Emperor, and weighed whether to pursue the True Dragon alone or seek an alliance. He chose to invite the White-Eyed Demon Emperor and the Nine-Baby Demon Emperor to discuss the opportunity.

• The black-robed Demon Emperor reported that the Eleventh Master and the Crimson-Blood Demon Emperor had died, and identified the True Dragon as their killer.
• The black-robed Demon Emperor described the Demon Dragon’s power, including its destruction of Demon Emperor Qianyu’s Flowing-Hong Spear and its devouring of his primordial spirit.
• The Third Master considered the risks of pursuing the True Dragon alone and the cost of sharing the opportunity with Spirit Mountain’s two higher-ranked Demon Emperors.
• The Third Master ordered the black-robed Demon Emperor to invite the White-Eyed Demon Emperor and the Nine-Baby Demon Emperor to discuss the True Dragon’s emergence.

Chapter Summary: “Elixir Cauldron Sect’s Request”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Stall Owner Zhou, revealed to be Zhou Xuan, visits Jiang Yuechu in desperation. He has decided to gamble the fate of the entire Elixir Cauldron Sect on her protection.
• He asks Jiang Yuechu to rescue the sect from oppression by the Pure Yang Lineage and other hostile forces, offering a pair of valuable orange-yellow gloves as payment.
• Jiang refuses to accept the gloves before completing the task, surprising Zhou with her fairness and lack of arrogance.
• Zhou then kneels and makes a bolder request: he begs Jiang to shelter the entire sect, offering to relocate them, become her vassals, and serve her indefinitely.
• Wang Ziyu objects, warning that protecting the sect would force Jiang to confront the Pure Yang Lineage directly. Jiang silences him and asks Zhou why she should accept such a burden.
• Zhou explains that the sect possesses thousands of years of alchemical heritage. Though not powerful in direct combat, its members can refine healing medicines, cultivation pills, life-extending medicines, and even poison pills.
• He reveals that the sect once had more than three thousand alchemists, including over a dozen elders capable of refining medicines for Tower-Climbing Realm cultivators.
• Jiang considers the request for a long time, then agrees to protect the sect. However, Zhou realizes that safely transporting thousands of people to Great Tang will be extremely difficult and has no concrete plan.
• Jiang nonetheless accepts responsibility, declaring that the Elixir Cauldron Sect will henceforth become Great Tang’s Elixir Cauldron Sect and must refine pills exclusively for Great Tang. She begins imposing conditions concerning loyalty.

Character Developments

• Zhou Xuan moves from hesitation and self-doubt to firm resolve. He recognizes that the sect’s current enslavement leaves him no choice but to risk everything on Jiang’s mercy and power.
• His willingness to kneel, surrender the sect’s independence, and offer its services shows both his desperation and his dedication to preserving its people.
• Jiang Yuechu demonstrates fairness, practicality, and authority. She refuses advance payment, carefully evaluates the sect’s usefulness, considers the logistical problems involved, and ultimately accepts the burden without arrogance.
• Her agreement marks a major expansion of her responsibilities and suggests that she is willing to take bold political action for Great Tang.
• Wang Ziyu acts as the cautious voice of reason. He understands both the benefits of acquiring the sect and the danger of provoking Wang Canglan and the Pure Yang Lineage, but ultimately leaves the decision to Jiang.

Significant Themes

• Desperation and survival: Zhou’s request reflects the sect’s dire condition after centuries of exploitation as pill slaves. Survival matters more than pride, independence, or personal safety.
• Trust and moral character: Jiang’s refusal to take payment before completing the task distinguishes her from the arrogant and exploitative cultivators Zhou has encountered.
• The value of noncombat abilities: Although the Elixir Cauldron Sect lacks martial strength, its alchemical knowledge makes it strategically invaluable to Great Tang.
• Sacrifice and political risk: Sheltering the sect means confronting powerful enemies and abandoning neutrality. Jiang must weigh the sect’s usefulness against the danger of war.
• Loyalty and allegiance: The sect’s rescue comes with a political transformation: it will no longer exist independently, but will belong to Great Tang and serve its interests.

Character Interactions

• Zhou approaches Jiang as a supplicant, but Jiang treats the exchange as a fair transaction rather than exploiting his desperation.
• Wang Ziyu challenges Zhou’s request and warns Jiang against taking on an entire sect, but Jiang asserts control over the conversation.
• Zhou negotiates by presenting the sect’s alchemical capabilities as compensation for Jiang’s protection.
• Jiang’s questioning forces Zhou to confront the practical difficulties of relocation, yet her eventual acceptance gives him hope.
• The chapter ends with Jiang establishing a new relationship between Great Tang and the Elixir Cauldron Sect—one based on protection in exchange for exclusive service and absolute loyalty.