Chapter Summaries

Jiang Yuechu learned that someone in the Heavenly Court was blocking her promotion and pushing for an investigation, but she focused on collecting her Merit reward. Meanwhile, Fairy Zi Ling continued her leisurely travels and ended the chapter startling something nearby.

• Long Zhi told Jiang Yuechu that the Heavenly Court had issued her Merit reward but opposed her promotion and proposed sending her to the Celestial Administration Office for questioning.
• Jiang Yuechu admitted she had several enemies, including a local City God and the Greedy Wolf Star Lord, then asked Long Zhi for her reward.
• Fairy Zi Ling wandered through Cloud Province, punished bullies and extortionate boatmen, and called herself the Purple-Frost Swordswoman.
• Fairy Zi Ling read a storybook and declared that its righteous swordswoman was just like her, startling something nearby.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zi Ling Immortal Maiden encounters a grimy man fleeing through the woods with a bloodstained bundle. Assuming he is a murderer or thief, she theatrically confronts him as the “Purple-Frost Swordswoman.”
• The man immediately kneels and begs for mercy, but before Zi Ling can question him, a bedraggled young monk arrives, claiming that the bundle contains his possession, the Myriad Dharma Tumi.
• The monk explains that the man stole the bundle while he was washing by the river. The man instead insists that it is an ancestral treasure—an “immortal herb” capable of prolonging life and reviving the dead.
• Zi Ling eagerly volunteers to judge the dispute, enjoying the chance to act as a heroic, justice-dispensing swordswoman.
• She takes possession of the bundle and asks both parties to explain its nature. The monk reveals that the Myriad Dharma Tumi is an extremely sinister object: even slight contact causes the body to rot, while inhaling its aura can lead to bleeding and the dissolution of flesh and bone.
• Realizing the object is dangerous and seeing the thief’s panic, Zi Ling forces him to prove his claim by eating it. Terrified, he confesses that he stole the item and admits that it belongs to the monk.

Character Developments

• Zi Ling Immortal Maiden displays a playful, theatrical personality and a strong desire to play the role of a righteous heroine. Although initially treating the incident like an entertaining opportunity for chivalry, she becomes alert and cautious when she senses the monk’s powerful cultivation.
• Her confidence and love of praise are emphasized when she is delighted by the monk’s flattering description of her “righteous qi.” She nevertheless demonstrates practical intelligence by testing the thief’s story rather than relying only on appearances.
• The young monk appears physically helpless and disheveled, but his aura reveals him to be a powerful Painting Realm cultivator. He is honest, earnest, and deeply concerned about preventing the dangerous object from causing a massacre.
• The thief is cowardly and opportunistic. He first surrenders to Zi Ling, then becomes emboldened when he thinks she may not act. His lies collapse instantly once he is challenged to use the supposedly miraculous “immortal herb.”

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: The monk looks weak and miserable despite possessing formidable cultivation, while the thief’s claim that the bundle is a life-saving treasure conceals its deadly nature.
• Justice and theatrical heroism: Zi Ling’s pursuit of justice is genuine but mixed with vanity and a love of dramatic performance. The chapter humorously contrasts heroic posturing with practical case-solving.
• Greed and deception: The thief’s desire to profit from the mysterious bundle leads him to steal it and fabricate an ancestral connection.
• Power hidden beneath humility: The monk’s unassuming appearance masks great strength, reinforcing the danger of judging people by their outward condition.
• Buddhist and Heavenly Court tensions: Zi Ling recognizes the monk as connected to a legitimate Buddhist sect within the Heavenly Court’s domain, highlighting the uneasy relationship between the two broader factions.

Character Interactions

• Zi Ling intimidates the thief through her immortal aura and dramatic accusations, causing him to kneel before her.
• The monk respectfully appeals to Zi Ling as a potential judge, while the thief tries to exploit her hesitation and authority.
• Zi Ling enjoys the monk’s praise and adopts an exaggeratedly solemn judicial persona.
• Through questioning and a final bluff—ordering the thief to eat the supposedly beneficial object—Zi Ling exposes his lie. His immediate confession confirms the monk’s ownership and allows her to claim a successful act of chivalrous justice.

Chapter Summary: “Journey to Great Marsh Township”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zi Ling rescues Little Monk Kongming from a mortal thief who has stolen his belongings. Although Kongming is secretly a Painting Realm cultivator, he refuses to use force because he fears killing the man and accumulating karmic consequences.
• Kongming explains that he belongs to Taining Temple, a Buddhist-affiliated institution that submitted to the Heavenly Court long ago, rather than to the hostile Buddhist Sect. He is traveling to Great Marsh Township on Heavenly Court orders to investigate a traitorous demonic monk of the Buddhist Sect.
• Intrigued by the chance to undertake a major mission and prove herself, Zi Ling insists on accompanying Kongming. Despite his concern for her safety, she forcibly—and confidently—takes him along.
• The narrative then shifts to Lingwater Commandery’s City God Temple, where Jiang Yuechu, Long Zhi, and Chen Zheng collect their reward for a previous case.
• Long Zhi explains the Heavenly Court’s reward system. Merit is stored in Gathering-Merit Flasks, with one full flask equaling ten strands, or one “gui.” These merit points serve as valuable currency among cultivators.
• Jiang Yuechu realizes that the reward for the dangerous Great Marsh Township case is only one gui, while a string of Buddhist beads from a previous encounter contains roughly three gui. This causes her to reconsider her earlier judgment that the Wandering Void Sea cultivator was poor.
• The chapter ends with Long Zhi asking Jiang Yuechu what she intends to do next.

Character Developments

• Zi Ling displays her impulsive, proud, and justice-seeking personality. She is eager to take on an important mission, partly because she wants to prove herself to her senior brother and be treated as an equal.
• Kongming is shown to be compassionate, patient, and somewhat naïve. Despite his powerful cultivation, he avoids violence and tries to resolve conflicts through reason. His humility and gentle temperament contrast sharply with Zi Ling’s aggressive confidence.
• Jiang Yuechu gains a better understanding of the real value of Merit. Her previous assumptions about wealth and rewards are corrected when she compares official compensation with the value of the Buddhist relics.
• Long Zhi acts as an informative and practical guide, explaining the Heavenly Court’s administrative and financial systems.
• Chen Zheng remains stern and quiet, serving as a watchful presence during the group’s departure.

Significant Themes

• Compassion versus force: Kongming’s refusal to attack even a mortal thief reflects Buddhist principles of mercy and concern over karmic consequences.
• Justice and personal ambition: Zi Ling frames her desire to accompany Kongming as an act of justice, but her motivation also includes pride and the wish to prove her capabilities.
• Institutional authority and religious conflict: The distinction between Taining Temple and the demonic Buddhist Sect shows how allegiance to the Heavenly Court shapes identity and determines whether a religious group is viewed as legitimate or dangerous.
• Merit as material wealth: The chapter emphasizes that spiritual merit has become a practical currency, especially for high-level cultivators. Its value is not merely religious but economic and political.
• Misjudgment and changing perspective: Jiang Yuechu’s realization about the value of the Buddhist beads illustrates how limited knowledge can lead to mistaken conclusions.

Character Interactions

• Zi Ling dominates her exchange with Kongming, teasing him for being bullied by a mortal and then deciding on her own authority to escort him.
• Kongming responds respectfully and cautiously, repeatedly trying to dissuade Zi Ling from joining him while maintaining his calm and courteous nature.
• Jiang Yuechu and Long Zhi interact through an explanation of the Sky-Patrol Bureau’s reward system, with Long Zhi clarifying how cultivators can submit reports and collect Merit throughout the Nine Provinces.
• Jiang Yuechu’s silent reaction to the reward prompts Long Zhi to ask about her next plans, setting up the continuation of the Great Marsh Township storyline.

Chapter Summary: The Arhat’s Wrath

Key Plot Points and Events

• After resolving the crisis in Great Marsh Township, Long Zhi asks Jiang Yuechu whether she will return to Cloud Province Prefecture and lie low, since the Buddhist Sect may retaliate for her killing of one of its Wandering Void Sea Venerables.
• Jiang Yuechu refuses to return. Although the assignment is technically complete, she believes the Buddhist Sect’s actions in Great Marsh Township conceal a larger scheme.
• More importantly, she sees an opportunity to pursue additional assignments, gain Dao Cultivation and Merit, and fight Buddhist Sect members—enemies she can kill without the moral and political complications associated with Heavenly Court officials.
• Long Zhi gives Jiang Yuechu a communication talisman, promising to come to her aid if she encounters danger. Chen Zheng also offers his support, acknowledging that he and Long Zhi owe their lives to her after the battle.
• Jiang Yuechu departs alone and disappears into the crowds of Lingwater Commandery.
• Long Zhi senses that Jiang Yuechu possesses extraordinary potential. She believes that, provided Jiang Yuechu survives, she will one day rise high enough to command the attention of the entire Heavenly Court.
• Meanwhile, at the Buddhist Sect’s Golden Summit, an Arhat learns of the death of one of the sect’s Venerables and a Dharma-protecting spirit beast. He views this as the final insult after years of retreating before the Heavenly Court.
• The Arhat orders two powerful monks to leave the mountain and retaliate. He declares that, with the Buddhist Son having completed his seclusion, the Buddhist Sect’s larger plan is about to begin and the Nine Provinces will soon be reminded of its power.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu: Demonstrates her independence, fearlessness, and opportunistic nature. Rather than retreat after killing a Buddhist Venerable, she deliberately remains in hostile territory to investigate further and seek more opportunities for advancement.
• Long Zhi: Shows genuine concern and affection for Jiang Yuechu by offering her a communication talisman and promising assistance. She also recognizes Jiang’s unusual courage and talent, predicting that she may eventually become a major figure in the Heavenly Court.
• Chen Zheng: Expresses gratitude and respect toward Jiang Yuechu for saving his and Long Zhi’s lives. His interaction with Long Zhi also reveals that he notices her emotional attachment to Jiang.
• The Buddhist Arhat: Emerges as a vengeful and politically calculating leader. His anger reflects both personal outrage and frustration at the Buddhist Sect’s declining influence.
• The Buddhist Sect: Shifts from a defensive posture to active retaliation, signaling that its long-term plans are entering a new stage.

Significant Themes

• Ambition versus safety: Jiang Yuechu rejects the safer choice of returning home, valuing growth, Merit, and investigation over temporary security.
• Rising power and destiny: Long Zhi’s prediction frames Jiang Yuechu as someone destined to transcend her current rank and influence the wider world.
• Political and religious conflict: The chapter emphasizes the growing struggle between the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Sect, particularly over territory, authority, and Incense-Fire Power.
• Consequences of violence: Jiang Yuechu’s victory at Great Marsh Township triggers a major Buddhist response, showing that individual battles can affect the balance between powerful factions.
• Hidden schemes: The unresolved Buddhist Sect plot suggests that the events in Great Marsh Township were part of a broader plan connected to the Buddhist Son’s emergence.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuechu and Long Zhi: Long Zhi urges caution and offers practical protection, while Jiang Yuechu calmly rejects retreat but accepts the talisman as a gesture of trust.
• Jiang Yuechu and Chen Zheng: Chen Zheng joins Long Zhi in thanking Jiang for saving their lives, reinforcing the respect she has earned.
• Long Zhi and Chen Zheng: Chen notices Long Zhi continuing to watch Jiang after her departure, subtly exposing Long Zhi’s concern and admiration.
• The Arhat and the two monks: The Arhat’s speech transforms their anger into an official mission of revenge, tying Jiang Yuechu’s actions to the Buddhist Sect’s impending resurgence.

Chapter Summary: Toad Immortal Lord

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zi Ling and the monk Kongming travel through the dangerous, mist-covered Great Marsh Township in Lingwater Commandery.
• Kongming explains that they are searching for his former martial uncle, Jing Ye, a once-talented monk of Taining Temple who defected after becoming corrupted by demonic influence.
• Jing Ye is believed to have reached at least the Flowing Elixir Realm and possibly the Wandering Void Sea Realm, making him a highly dangerous target.
• The true reason Taining Temple wants Jing Ye captured is that he stole the Great Compassion Glazed Pearl, a supreme treasure capable of actively absorbing merit. Zi Ling recognizes the pearl’s enormous value and decides not to retreat.
• She boldly promises Kongming that she will help capture Jing Ye, despite privately worrying about the difference between their cultivation levels.
• Elsewhere, the chapter introduces the Toad Immortal Lord, a demonic creature worshipped by starving villagers on a remote ridge.
• For a century, the Toad Immortal Lord has manipulated local disasters—causing droughts, floods, and plague, then appearing to “save” the people so they will worship it and provide incense-fire power.
• Because it lacks a treasure capable of gathering merit, its cultivation progresses slowly. Frustrated by the villagers’ poverty, it demands that they offer up the healthiest child.
• An elderly villager pleads with it to show mercy, explaining that the people are already suffering from repeated disasters and can no longer afford further offerings.
• The Toad Immortal Lord responds cruelly, declaring that the villagers are expendable and threatening to kill the old man as an example to anyone who questions it.

Character Developments

• Zi Ling: Initially carefree and boastful, she becomes wary after learning that Jing Ye may be in the Wandering Void Sea Realm. However, her greed and ambition are awakened by the Great Compassion Glazed Pearl, leading her to recommit to the mission. She relies on confidence and the possibility of escape through her hidden protective techniques.
• Kongming: Reveals his personal connection to Jing Ye and the shame and sorrow caused by his former martial uncle’s betrayal. He remains respectful and grateful toward Zi Ling, accepting her promise of help without realizing her internal hesitation.
• Jing Ye: Although absent from the chapter, he is established as a powerful fallen monk whose betrayal and possession of the pearl drive the main quest.
• Toad Immortal Lord: Is shown as manipulative, greedy, and violently tyrannical. It disguises exploitation as divine protection and views human lives solely as sources of incense-fire power.

Significant Themes

• False divinity and exploitation: The Toad Immortal Lord creates disasters in order to appear merciful when it resolves them, turning desperate villagers into unwilling worshippers.
• Greed and ambition: Zi Ling’s interest in the mission shifts when she learns of the pearl’s ability to absorb merit, showing how treasure can overcome fear.
• Powerlessness of ordinary people: The villagers have no protection from either natural disasters or supernatural forces and are forced to submit to the being exploiting them.
• Moral corruption: Jing Ye’s fall and the Toad Immortal Lord’s abuse of worship both illustrate how spiritual power can be distorted by selfish desire.
• Merit and authority: The chapter contrasts ordinary containers of merit with treasures that can actively gather it, explaining why such artifacts are strategically important to powerful institutions like the Heavenly Court.

Character Interactions

• Zi Ling teases Kongming and questions him about Jing Ye, while Kongming solemnly recounts his martial uncle’s history.
• Kongming’s description of Jing Ye’s cultivation causes Zi Ling to reassess the danger, but she hides her uncertainty and encourages him instead.
• Zi Ling’s promise to help earns Kongming’s sincere gratitude, strengthening their traveling partnership.
• The Toad Immortal Lord interacts with the villagers through fear and coercion rather than genuine protection.
• The old man’s plea exposes the villagers’ desperation, but the Toad Immortal Lord interprets compassion as defiance and prepares to punish him publicly.

Chapter Summary: “Quietly Enter the Village, No Shooting”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu travels through the desolate Southern Ridge while searching for a Sky-Patrol assignment involving demons.
• She discovers that the assignment concerns a dangerous beast living in Withered Horse Ravine. Because the location is remote and the dossier gives only vague directions, she initially has difficulty finding it.
• A tiny demon approaches her, causing Jiang Yuechu to briefly consider killing him. She realizes, however, that he is likely an official of the Heavenly Court rather than a rogue demon.
• The demon identifies himself as the Southern Ridge Earth God, a low-ranking local immortal official.
• He confirms that Jiang Yuechu has come to eliminate the beast in Withered Horse Ravine and warns her not to proceed.
• The Earth God explains that the beast has remained in the Sky-Patrol Bureau’s records for years because it possesses powerful backing. It was supposedly released in Southern Ridge by an influential figure and has been allowed to terrorize the area with impunity.
• Although the Earth God is responsible for protecting the region, he has been powerless to stop it and has been forced to tolerate its violence.
• He subtly suggests that the beast could be eliminated through an apparently accidental event, such as heavenly lightning or a mountain fire, allowing everyone to avoid directly provoking its powerful backer.
• Jiang Yuechu understands the implication and agrees to proceed covertly. The Earth God begins leading her toward Withered Horse Ravine.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu demonstrates caution and suspicion, reflecting her awareness that she has made enemies and may be targeted by hidden factions. Despite recognizing the danger surrounding the assignment, she refuses to retreat and shows confidence in handling politically sensitive situations.
• Her attitude toward the Earth God shifts from immediate hostility to guarded cooperation after she realizes he is a Heavenly Court official.
• The Southern Ridge Earth God is introduced as timid, cautious, and apparently low-ranking, but he also possesses a strong sense of justice. His frustration reveals that he deeply resents being forced to watch the beast harm local people.
• Though unable to confront the beast openly, the Earth God is eager to help Jiang Yuechu find a way to eliminate it.

Significant Themes

• Power and impunity: The beast’s continued existence illustrates how influential connections can protect criminals or monsters from punishment.
• Bureaucratic helplessness: Official records and assignments exist, but powerful figures can render the system ineffective. The Earth God bears responsibility without possessing the authority to act.
• Justice through indirect means: Open confrontation is too dangerous, so justice must be achieved through secrecy, plausible deniability, and carefully staged “accidents.”
• Caution versus resolve: Jiang Yuechu recognizes the risks but chooses to continue, showing that prudence does not mean cowardice.
• The gap between appearances and reality: The assignment appears to be a convenient opportunity, but its availability is actually evidence of hidden danger and political complications.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuechu initially treats the approaching Earth God as a possible enemy, while he anxiously tries to prove that he is not a rogue demon.
• Their conversation establishes a cautious but useful alliance: Jiang Yuechu needs directions, while the Earth God needs someone capable of removing the beast.
• The Earth God warns her about the beast’s powerful backer, while Jiang Yuechu quickly infers the political danger behind the assignment.
• By the end of the chapter, both understand that the beast must be eliminated quietly, without openly provoking the figure protecting it.

Fairy Zi Ling and Kongming traveled through Withered Horse Ravine on their way to find the traitorous Martial Uncle Jing Ye. After a giant toad attacked them, an unseen force struck it into the ground.

• Zi Ling realized Kongming did not know the way to Great Marsh Township and took charge of finding directions.
• Zi Ling learned the route from a mountain spirit and decided to fly, but Kongming refused because it conflicted with his Bitter Zen practice.
• Zi Ling carried Kongming into the sky, where a giant blue-black toad suddenly attacked them and knocked them into the wilderness.
• Zi Ling countered the toad's next strike with a sword formation and pulled Kongming out of danger.
• The toad threatened them, but an unseen attacker slammed its massive body deep into the ground.

Jiang Yuechu ambushed the Toad Immortal Lord and overwhelmed him with physical strength despite her inkfall realm cultivation. As the Nanling Earth God and Zi Ling joined the fight, the Toad Immortal Lord unleashed his Dao Painting, and Jiang Yuechu drove him back into the ground.

• Jiang Yuechu appeared and smashed the Toad Immortal Lord into a crater, shocking Zi Ling and Kongming with her strength.
• Jiang Yuechu grabbed the Toad Immortal Lord and slammed him into a peak before pummeling him with powerful punches.
• The Toad Immortal Lord sent waves of water at Jiang Yuechu, retreated, and unfurled his Dao Painting.
• The Nanling Earth God bound the Toad Immortal Lord with willow branches and urged Zi Ling and Kongming to attack.
• Zi Ling formed a silver-white sword dragon to assist Jiang Yuechu, who kicked the Toad Immortal Lord's skull and sent him plunging downward.

Jiang Yuechu killed the Cinnabar Flow Great Demon in Withered Horse Ravine and met Zi Ling, a personal disciple of the Greedy Wolf Star Lord, whose arrival made her suspect a connection to her assignment. When the Lingshui City God arrived and questioned her, Jiang Yuechu shifted attention to Zi Ling.

• Jiang Yuechu beat the Cinnabar Flow Great Demon to death and collected its corpse in her Storage Bag.
• Zi Ling thanked Jiang Yuechu, introduced herself as the Greedy Wolf Star Lord's personal disciple, and asked her name and master.
• The Nanling Earth God warned Jiang Yuechu that people from the Lingshui City God had arrived, but she chose to stay and revealed that she was a Ninth-Rank Sky-Patrolling Guard.
• Jiang Yuechu and Zi Ling introduced themselves, and Zi Ling was delighted at the prospect of befriending her.
• The Lingshui City God arrived with celestial soldiers, asked where Lady Long and Lord Chen were, and questioned Jiang Yuechu about the disturbance.
• Jiang Yuechu denied responsibility and stepped aside to reveal Zi Ling.

Jiang Yuechu tried to conceal that she had killed the Cinnabar Flow Great Demon by crediting Zi Ling, who then credited the bewildered monk Kongming instead. The Lingshui City God accepted the fabricated account as a dangerous Heavenly Court and temple dispute, leaving Kongming trapped with praise for a deed he never performed.

• Jiang Yuechu told the Lingshui City God that Zi Ling had slain the demon, while presenting her own middle Inkfall realm cultivation as proof she could not have done it.
• The Lingshui City God suspected Zi Ling's reaction meant the killing was part of a hidden contest among powerful Heavenly Court figures.
• Zi Ling mistook Jiang Yuechu's false modesty for a lesson in heroic selflessness and redirected the credit to Kongming of Taining Temple.
• Zi Ling claimed Kongming had destroyed the demon with Buddhist power, leaving Kongming dumbfounded and unable to correct her.
• Jiang Yuechu asked whether the City God understood, and he agreed to report that Kongming had killed the demon and deserved a reward.

Chapter Summary: “A Visitor from the Buddhist Sect”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Young monk Kongming is mistakenly credited with redeeming the toad demon of Withered Horse Ravine, despite insisting that he never attacked or subdued it.
• The Lingshui City God deliberately accepts this convenient explanation rather than investigate the truth. He plans to report that Kongming defeated the demon, thereby protecting himself from responsibility.
• Jiang Yuechu recognizes that the confusion surrounding the demon could benefit her. She hopes the powerful forces behind the incident will clash with Greedy Wolf Star Lord or Taining Temple, giving her time to strengthen herself.
• Zi Ling invites Jiang Yuechu to accompany her and Kongming to Great Marsh Township, where they must capture a Buddhist monk who defected from the Buddhist Sect.
• Jiang Yuechu agrees, viewing the journey as an opportunity to investigate the Buddhist Sect and acquire resources while using Zi Ling and Kongming’s identities as cover for any trouble she causes.
• In Great Marsh Township, the Water Marsh Sect has canceled the Thousand-Rain Grand Rite without explanation. Disappointed visitors begin leaving, including ordinary people who had brought sick relatives for help.
• Inside the Water Marsh Sect, the elders panic because the sect master and a venerable figure have died, while their secret cooperation with the Buddhist Sect and withholding of Incense-Fire Power may soon be exposed.
• The elders argue over whether to flee, disband the sect, or remain and face punishment. Their fear intensifies when two Buddhist Sect monks arrive undetected, demonstrating overwhelming cultivation.

Character Developments

• Kongming: Remains honest and anxious, unwilling to accept praise for an act he did not perform. His strict Buddhist upbringing makes him particularly troubled by the false attribution.
• Lingshui City God: Reveals himself as cautious and self-protective. Rather than seek the truth, he chooses the explanation least likely to endanger him and hastily reports the matter upward.
• Jiang Yuechu: Becomes increasingly calculating and opportunistic. She sees political confusion as protection and plans to exploit the journey to Great Marsh Township for cultivation, investigation, and personal gain.
• Zi Ling: Continues to admire Jiang Yuechu as a heroic and accomplished senior. She enthusiastically recruits her as a companion, believing the trip will help her learn righteous demon-slaying skills.
• Water Marsh Sect Elders: Shift from authority figures to frightened survivors as they confront the consequences of their sect’s crimes and alliances.

Significant Themes

• Self-preservation and scapegoating: Officials and cultivators prioritize avoiding blame over discovering the truth, allowing Kongming to become an unwilling scapegoat.
• Political chaos as opportunity: Jiang Yuechu understands that conflicts among powerful factions can conceal her actions and create room for her growth.
• Consequences of corruption: Water Marsh Sect’s secret dealings with the Buddhist Sect and misuse of Incense-Fire Power now threaten the entire sect.
• Power and hidden identities: The arrival of the Buddhist monks emphasizes the danger of concealed strength, as even Painting Realm elders cannot sense them approaching.
• Appearance versus reality: Kongming is praised for a feat he did not accomplish, while the Water Marsh Sect’s public silence conceals a serious internal crisis.

Character Interactions

• Kongming repeatedly tries to correct the City God, but the City God interrupts him and publicly attributes the demon’s defeat to him.
• The City God respectfully withdraws after saluting Jiang Yuechu and Zi Ling, eager to report the incident and avoid further involvement.
• Zi Ling persuades Jiang Yuechu to join her and Kongming’s mission to Great Marsh Township; Jiang Yuechu accepts for strategic reasons rather than out of altruism.
• The Water Marsh Sect elders argue bitterly over whether to flee or disband, exposing their fear and distrust.
• The chapter ends with two Buddhist Sect monks entering the sect’s main hall, leaving the elders stunned and signaling an imminent confrontation.

Summary: “Return to Great Marsh Township”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Two Buddhist Sect monks, Jueming and Juechen, arrive at the Water Marsh Sect’s headquarters while its elders are arguing about whether to disband.
• Juechen takes the seat of honor and confronts an elder who had advocated disbandment. When the elder tries to explain himself, Juechen kills him instantly with a burst of golden power, demonstrating the Buddhist Sect’s overwhelming strength.
• Jueming reprimands Juechen for acting excessively and killing an ally without permission. He explains that they were sent by the Arhat to investigate the death of Jing Ye and reassure the Water Marsh Sect that the Buddhist Sect has not abandoned it.
• Jueming promises that the sect’s grand rite may proceed as planned once Jing Ye’s murderer is captured, and that the Water Marsh Sect can continue receiving the land’s Incense-Fire Power and Merit.
• Although the elders publicly proclaim loyalty and promise to help, they remain terrified and distrustful after witnessing Juechen’s brutality. Jueming then orders them to recount everything that happened on the day of Jing Ye’s death.
• Meanwhile, Jiang Yuechu, Zi Ling, and Kongming travel through the sky toward Great Marsh Township using wind-riding techniques.
• Zi Ling mocks Kongming for abandoning his earlier insistence that flying violated his ascetic Buddhist principles. Kongming awkwardly claims that obeying an urgent mission is an acceptable exception.
• Zi Ling imitates Jiang Yuechu’s aloof demeanor, but Jiang notices and calls her out, leaving Zi Ling embarrassed.

Character Developments

• Juechen is shown to be extremely powerful, impulsive, and ruthless. He kills a Painting Realm elder without hesitation, revealing his contempt for weakness or disloyalty.
• Jueming serves as the more composed and disciplined counterpart to Juechen. He values strategy and restraint, reprimanding his junior and attempting to maintain the Water Marsh Sect’s cooperation.
• The Water Marsh Sect elders shift immediately from internal rebellion to outward submission. Their declarations of loyalty are driven by fear rather than renewed faith in the Buddhist Sect.
• Kongming is revealed to be sincere but easily pressured. Despite his strict preaching, he abandons his principles when Jiang Yuechu gives him a single intimidating look, then invents a theological justification.
• Zi Ling remains playful, irreverent, and observant. She enjoys teasing Kongming and imitating Jiang Yuechu, though her confidence collapses when Jiang catches her.
• Jiang Yuechu continues to project authority and composure. Her simple glance is enough to control Kongming, while her dry response to Zi Ling reveals her awareness and mild exasperation toward the younger woman.

Significant Themes

• Power enforced through fear: The Buddhist Sect claims mercy and protection, but Juechen’s execution shows that its authority rests heavily on intimidation.
• Hypocrisy and hollow loyalty: The Water Marsh Sect publicly praises the Buddhist Sect while privately fearing and distrusting it, suggesting that their allegiance is coerced.
• Mercy versus brutality: Jueming’s restrained approach contrasts sharply with Juechen’s violence, highlighting differing methods within the Buddhist Sect.
• Pragmatism versus rigid doctrine: Kongming’s abandonment of his “feet on the ground” principle illustrates how practical necessities can override ideological commitments.
• Comedic relief amid political danger: Zi Ling’s teasing and embarrassment provide humor after the grim execution and tense confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Juechen and the Water Marsh Sect: His interrogation and execution establish a relationship based on fear and submission.
• Jueming and Juechen: Jueming acts as the senior disciplinarian, correcting Juechen while still relying on his strength.
• Jueming and the Water Marsh Sect: He offers reassurance, but his calm promises cannot erase the threat represented by his companion.
• Zi Ling and Kongming: Their exchange is teasing and antagonistic, with Zi Ling exposing the inconsistency between Kongming’s teachings and actions.
• Zi Ling and Jiang Yuechu: Zi Ling admires and imitates Jiang’s detached bearing, but Jiang’s straightforward observation punctures the imitation and embarrasses her.

Chapter Summary: “What Was the Point?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu learns from Zi Ling that Buddhism still exists throughout the Nine Provinces under the Heavenly Court’s authority. Some Buddhist factions submitted to the Heavenly Court long ago, paying tribute in Incense-Fire Power while retaining their religious traditions.
• Kongming explains that Taining Temple, his sect, is one such subordinate Buddhist institution. Its mission in Great Marsh Township is not merely to capture a renegade monk, but to recover the Great Compassion Glazed Pearl, a supreme treasure stolen by his martial uncle, Jing Ye.
• The pearl can absorb Incense-Fire Power and Merit, converting them into tangible cultivation resources. Because such treasures can continuously gather Merit, the Heavenly Court strictly controls them and rarely permits sects to possess one.
• Jiang Yuechu realizes that Jing Ye may have been the gray-robed Buddhist Venerable she previously killed in Great Marsh Township. She suspects the string of Buddhist beads he carried may actually be the Great Compassion Glazed Pearl.
• She decides not to reveal or surrender the possible treasure, reasoning that its former owner is dead and that she can investigate its identity later.
• Meanwhile, the Water Marsh Sect reports to the Buddhist representatives Juechen and Jueming about the mysterious group. The elders describe one woman and two companions but know nothing about their identities.
• The elders claim that the woman, apparently only at the Early Inkfall Realm, crushed a Cinnabar Flow Great Demon and killed a Buddhist Venerable from the Wandering Void Sea Realm. Juechen and Jueming find this impossible to believe, but the elders insist the woman’s cultivation aura was genuinely at the Inkfall level.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu remains outwardly calm and practical, but becomes increasingly interested in the Great Compassion Glazed Pearl after recognizing its possible connection to her recent kill. Her willingness to conceal the treasure shows her opportunism and growing confidence in handling powerful forces.
• Kongming demonstrates sincerity and caution by explaining Taining Temple’s situation himself before Zi Ling can embellish it. His concern centers on restoring his sect’s stolen treasure and dealing with the betrayal of Jing Ye.
• Zi Ling eagerly takes the opportunity to display her knowledge and impress Jiang Yuechu. She explains the political relationship between Buddhism and the Heavenly Court, as well as the importance of Incense-Fire Power.
• Juechen and Jueming are skeptical and frustrated by the Water Marsh Sect’s report. They cannot reconcile the woman’s apparently low cultivation with her extraordinary combat achievements.

Significant Themes

• Political compromise and religious control: Buddhist sects can preserve their traditions only by submitting to the Heavenly Court and obeying its laws concerning Merit and Incense-Fire Power.
• Power through Merit: Incense-Fire Power is treated as a form of cultivation, making artifacts that can collect it enormously valuable and politically sensitive.
• Hidden identities and uncertain appearances: Jing Ye’s transformed appearance makes him difficult to identify, while Jiang Yuechu’s inability to distinguish between monks adds a humorous complication.
• The gap between cultivation level and actual strength: Jiang Yuechu’s ability to defeat vastly stronger opponents challenges conventional assumptions about power and creates suspicion among outside observers.
• Ownership and morality: Jiang Yuechu casually justifies keeping the possible treasure because its previous owner is dead, highlighting her pragmatic and self-interested outlook.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuechu questions Zi Ling about the status of monks under the Heavenly Court, prompting Zi Ling to explain the Buddhist factions’ submission.
• Zi Ling attempts to answer Jiang Yuechu’s questions, but Kongming repeatedly intervenes to give the more accurate account of Taining Temple’s mission.
• Jiang Yuechu listens carefully and internally connects Jing Ye with the Buddhist Venerable she killed, while concealing her suspicions from both companions.
• At the Water Marsh Sect, the elders’ testimony clashes with Juechen and Jueming’s expectations. Their disbelief emphasizes how abnormal Jiang Yuechu’s apparent strength is.

Chapter Summary: “Delivered to Their Doorstep”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Water Marsh Sect elders report that Jiang Yuechu, an Inkfall Realm cultivator, killed a Wandering Void Sea Buddhist Venerable. Jueming and Juechen struggle to understand how someone two major realms weaker could accomplish such a feat.
• Although frightened, the two Buddhist Venerables decide they cannot retreat without testing Jiang Yuechu’s strength. Returning without a fight would anger the Arhat who ordered them to investigate.
• The sect receives unexpected visitors: Kongming, an eminent monk from Taining Temple; Fairy Zi Ling, disciple of the Greedy Wolf Star Lord; and Jiang Yuechu.
• The elders suspect the visitors have come seeking the Great Compassion Glazed Pearl and fear that the Heavenly Court may be investigating the Water Marsh Sect’s crimes.
• When the disciple reveals that Jiang Yuechu is among the visitors, the elders recognize her as the terrifying cultivator responsible for the recent violence. They are shaken by memories of her crushing Cinnabar Flow’s demon bones and killing a Buddhist Venerable with one punch.
• Jueming and Juechen realize that Jiang Yuechu has delivered herself directly to the sect rather than fleeing. Believing this gives them an opportunity to confront her, they order the visitors to be admitted.
• Jiang Yuechu, Zi Ling, and Kongming wait outside the sealed mountain gate. The gate eventually opens, and the visitors are invited into the main hall.

Character Developments

• Jueming and Juechen: Initially fearful and uncertain, they regain confidence when Jiang Yuechu appears at their doorstep. Their pride and fear of punishment push them to confront her despite the danger.
• Water Marsh Sect elders: Their terror deepens when they confirm Jiang Yuechu’s identity. They are clearly traumatized by witnessing or hearing about her overwhelming strength.
• Jiang Yuechu: Remains calm, detached, and confident. She deliberately returns to the Water Marsh Sect, suggesting that she either fears no retaliation or has a specific purpose there.
• Fairy Zi Ling: Attempts to appear imposing as the Greedy Wolf Star Lord’s disciple but becomes awkward when ignored. She remains blunt and haughty toward the Water Marsh Sect.
• Kongming: His presence, as an eminent monk of Taining Temple, adds authority and tension to the delegation, though he does not speak directly in the excerpt.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and defiance: Jiang Yuechu’s ability to kill a stronger opponent challenges the established hierarchy of cultivation realms.
• Fear versus pride: The Buddhist Venerables recognize the danger but cannot retreat because of institutional expectations and fear of punishment.
• Political tension: The meeting brings together the Buddhist Sect, Taining Temple, the Greedy Wolf Star Lord’s faction, and the Water Marsh Sect, suggesting broader conflicts over the Great Compassion Glazed Pearl.
• The hunter becoming the hunted: Jueming and Juechen believe Jiang Yuechu has walked into their trap, while the chapter strongly implies that her calm return may instead place them in danger.
• Reputation and psychological pressure: Jiang Yuechu’s past actions are enough to terrify the elders even though she emits no aura.

Character Interactions

• Jueming and Juechen privately discuss whether to confront Jiang Yuechu and exchange glances as they reassess the situation.
• The Water Marsh Sect disciple reports the visitors, while the elders react with suspicion and fear.
• The elders identify Jiang Yuechu and confirm her identity to the Buddhist Venerables.
• Jiang Yuechu and Zi Ling wait outside the gate; Zi Ling comments on the sect’s strange behavior, while Jiang Yuechu remains silent and observant.
• After initially delaying the visitors, the Water Marsh Sect opens its gates and invites them inside, setting up the impending confrontation.

Chapter Summary: Where Is Jing Ye, Exactly?

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the grand hall of the Water Marsh Sect, the sect’s cultivators anxiously await the return of Zi Ling, fearing that she may bring another attack from the Heavenly Court.
• Two powerful Buddhist Sect venerables, Juechen and Jueming, are present. Their presence offers the Water Marsh Sect protection, though the sect members remain deeply traumatized by Zi Ling’s previous actions.
• Zi Ling enters with Jiang Yuechu and Kongming, initially pretending to be confident. However, she is immediately alarmed upon realizing that both Buddhist Sect figures are genuine Wandering Void Sea cultivators.
• Kongming unexpectedly steps forward and asks whether the two men belong to the Buddhist Sect. He then repeatedly demands to know the whereabouts of Martial Uncle Jing Ye.
• Juechen interprets Kongming’s question as deliberate provocation, apparently believing that Zi Ling’s group killed Jing Ye. He attacks Kongming in fury.
• Kongming reveals that he, too, is a Wandering Void Sea cultivator. He summons a massive Buddha phantom and withstands Juechen’s assault, shocking both the Buddhist Sect and his own companions.
• Before Juechen can launch another attack, Jueming stops him and engages Kongming verbally, mocking Taining Temple for submitting to the Heavenly Court.
• Kongming acknowledges the historical disgrace of Taining Temple’s submission but explains that he has come only under his master’s orders to find Jing Ye. He insists that Taining Temple does not wish to become involved in any other conflict.

Character Developments

• Zi Ling: Her self-assured entrance collapses when she notices the two Wandering Void Sea cultivators. Her fear reveals that her earlier arrogance is partly a façade, though she is also surprised by Kongming’s hidden strength.
• Jiang Yuechu: Remains calm and composed despite the overwhelming power in the hall, suggesting that she either trusts Kongming completely or possesses confidence in a larger plan.
• Kongming: Experiences the chapter’s greatest transformation. Initially appearing timid and unreliable, he reveals himself to be a powerful Wandering Void Sea cultivator. His calmness, restraint, and willingness to endure insults demonstrate both strength and discipline.
• Juechen: Reacts explosively to Kongming’s mention of Jing Ye, interpreting it as an accusation or insult. His anger drives him to attack immediately.
• Jueming: Acts as the more controlled and calculating of the two Buddhist venerables. He halts Juechen’s attack and uses Taining Temple’s history to undermine Kongming psychologically.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength beneath appearances: Kongming’s timid exterior conceals immense power, emphasizing that outward weakness can be deceptive.
• Historical guilt and inherited conflict: Taining Temple’s submission to the Heavenly Court continues to shape how other Buddhist cultivators judge it, even though Kongming personally had no role in that decision.
• Miscommunication and unresolved mystery: The repeated question about Jing Ye suggests that both sides possess radically different understandings of what happened to him.
• Power versus restraint: Juechen responds to tension with violence, while Kongming remains calm and focused on his objective.
• Sect loyalty and political survival: Kongming’s explanation highlights the difficult choices sects make between preserving their existence and maintaining ideological purity.

Important Character Interactions

• Zi Ling and Jiang Yuechu: Zi Ling looks to Jiang Yuechu for reassurance, but Jiang’s unshaken composure only makes Zi Ling more puzzled.
• Kongming and Juechen: Their confrontation shifts from verbal tension to a direct clash of Buddhist power, revealing Kongming’s true cultivation.
• Kongming and Jueming: Jueming’s insults target Taining Temple’s submission, while Kongming responds honestly but firmly, refusing to be distracted from his mission.
• Kongming and the Water Marsh Sect: His appearance creates a dramatic reversal: the sect members fear the newcomers, but Kongming’s strength prevents an immediate massacre.
• The Buddhist Sect and Jing Ye’s fate: The heated reaction to Kongming’s question establishes Jing Ye’s whereabouts as the central unresolved mystery and the likely cause of the confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Battle Against Juechen”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Taining Temple delegation confronts Jueming and Juechen at the Water Marsh Sect, seeking information about Jing Ye.
• Juechen reveals that Jiang Yuechu killed Jing Ye, a late Cinnabar Flow cultivator who had reached the Wandering Void Sea. Kongming and Zi Ling are shocked, having believed such a feat impossible for Jiang Yuechu.
• Jueming and Juechen decide to attack rather than retreat, intending to kill the group and reclaim the Great Compassion Glazed Pearl.
• Kongming engages Juechen, but Juechen’s superior physical cultivation allows him to withstand Kongming’s attack and move directly toward Jiang Yuechu.
• Juechen underestimates Jiang Yuechu because of her apparent Inkfall Realm cultivation. She strikes him with a magma-infused fist, severely injuring him, then smashes him into the ground and crushes part of his face.
• Juechen activates the Buddhist Sect’s Four Gods of Buddhist Gate Mountain technique, drawing on the power of Heavenly King Dhritarashtra. His body becomes reinforced with silver-white energy, and he clashes directly with Jiang Yuechu.
• The collision destroys the already-damaged main hall. Jiang Yuechu’s arm is badly broken, but she remains standing, astonishing Juechen because his enhanced Wandering Void Sea strength should have overwhelmed her.
• A Scarlet Fire Spirit Phoenix suddenly attacks Juechen, tearing through his defenses and sending him flying. The creature appears to be Jiang Yuechu’s summoned or controlled companion.
• Recognizing that she cannot match Juechen’s empowered physical strength directly, Jiang Yuechu prepares another strategy. She closes her eyes and begins calming her aura while relying on her remaining Dao Essence and a unit of Merit.
• Zi Ling watches in confusion, unable to understand why Jiang Yuechu is not fleeing or preparing for a conventional battle.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu: Demonstrates overwhelming combat ability despite her apparent low cultivation realm. She remains calm and fearless even after suffering a serious arm injury. Her battle experience and hidden resources become increasingly evident, particularly through her use of magma-infused attacks, the Flame Phoenix, Dao Essence, and Merit.
• Juechen: Begins the fight arrogant and confident, believing Jiang Yuechu can be easily suppressed. His confidence turns to shock and uncertainty after she severely injures him and survives his strongest physical attack.
• Kongming: Initially doubts the claim that Jiang Yuechu killed Jing Ye, but immediately joins the battle against Juechen. He is forced to defend himself when Jueming attacks alongside Juechen.
• Jueming: Acts decisively and ruthlessly, coordinating with Juechen to launch a surprise assault. His presence makes the confrontation significantly more dangerous.
• Zi Ling: Remains bewildered by Jiang Yuechu’s strength and unconventional behavior, especially when Jiang Yuechu closes her eyes instead of retreating during the battle.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and mistaken identity: Jiang Yuechu’s apparent Inkfall Realm cultivation conceals power capable of challenging Wandering Void Sea experts.
• Arrogance and underestimation: Juechen assumes Jiang Yuechu is weak because of her cultivation level, allowing her to land a devastating first attack.
• Strength versus technique and resources: Although Jiang Yuechu cannot fully match Juechen’s enhanced physical power, she compensates through special techniques, summoned creatures, Dao Essence, and Merit.
• Calm under pressure: Jiang Yuechu’s fearlessness and deliberate composure contrast with Juechen’s growing shock and Zi Ling’s confusion.
• The limits of conventional cultivation: The battle suggests that realm distinctions do not fully determine combat ability, as Jiang Yuechu repeatedly exceeds what her cultivation should permit.

Character Interactions

• Jueming and Juechen coordinate their attack after exchanging a silent glance, revealing their shared intent to eliminate the opposing group.
• Kongming confronts Juechen but is intercepted by Jueming, forcing him into a defensive battle.
• Juechen directly taunts and challenges Jiang Yuechu, only to be brutally counterattacked.
• Jiang Yuechu and Juechen engage in a destructive fist-to-fist clash, with neither gaining an immediate decisive advantage.
• The Scarlet Fire Spirit Phoenix intervenes on Jiang Yuechu’s behalf, disrupting Juechen at a critical moment.
• Zi Ling observes Jiang Yuechu’s actions with growing disbelief, setting up further revelations about Jiang Yuechu’s true abilities.

Jiang Yuechu raised Nine Refinements of the Golden Crow to the Supreme Realm and used its power to defeat and kill Juechen. Jueming fled after witnessing Juechen’s death, leaving Jiang Yuechu standing over the battlefield.

• Jiang Yuechu consumed Merit to raise Heart-Intent Qi Primordial Unity Technique to major mastery, then spent her remaining Dao Cultivation to advance Nine Refinements of the Golden Crow to the Supreme Realm.
• Juechen tore apart Jiang Yuechu’s Scarlet Fire Spirit Phoenix and attacked her, but her new dark-golden flames burned away his silvery-white energy.
• Jueming recognized Jiang Yuechu’s overwhelming strength and warned Juechen to retreat.
• Jiang Yuechu brutally kicked Juechen into the ground, then crushed his skull after he declared himself a disciple of the Buddhist Sect’s Subduing Tiger Arhat.
• Jueming shouted in fury at Juechen’s death, then transformed into a streak of golden light and fled.

Jiang Yuechu pursued Jueming after defeating the two Buddhist Sect Venerables, while considering the limits of her growing reliance on Dao Cultivation and resolving to protect herself and the Great Tang. The Scarlet Fire Spirit Phoenix sensed Jueming ahead, and Jiang Yuechu ordered it to catch him.

• Jiang Yuechu's defeat of the Buddhist Sect Venerables left the Water Marsh Sect elders terrified, while Kongming and Zi Ling suspected she was a reincarnated immortal.
• Jiang Yuechu decided to pursue Jueming before her borrowed strength faded and left Kongming and Zi Ling to guard the others.
• Jiang Yuechu reflected that her enemies were growing stronger and her old techniques were becoming less effective, and resolved to avoid mistakes that could endanger the Great Tang.
• The Scarlet Fire Spirit Phoenix sensed Jueming's aura ahead, and Jiang Yuechu ordered it to catch him.

Chapter Summary: Shameless Wretch

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jueming flees Great Marsh Township after witnessing Inkfall kill a Wandering Void Sea cultivator. Alarmed by Inkfall’s power and the Buddhist Sect’s lost foundation in the township, he intends to report the incident to the Subduing Tiger Arhat.
• During his escape, Jueming is pursued by Jiang Yuechu riding the Scarlet Fire Spirit Phoenix, also known as Red Erlang. Jueming is shocked because he had previously seen the phoenix torn apart by Juechen, yet it now appears completely unharmed.
• Realizing he cannot outrun the phoenix, Jueming decides to fight to the death. He consumes a jade Bodhi seed, a secret medicine granted by the Arhat that temporarily lends him a portion of the Arhat’s power.
• The medicine dramatically increases Jueming’s strength and speed but irreversibly damages his body and destroys his future cultivation prospects.
• Jiang Yuechu recognizes that Jueming is attempting a suicidal final battle. Instead of confronting him, she orders Red Erlang to turn around and flee.
• Jueming, having already sacrificed his cultivation by taking the medicine, is forced to pursue them. Despite his enhanced power, he cannot catch Red Erlang, whose natural speed is superior.
• Jiang Yuechu deliberately keeps just out of reach, occasionally allowing Jueming to close the distance before ordering Red Erlang to accelerate again.
• As the medicine’s effects fade, Jueming suffers severe backlash and loses speed. Jiang Yuechu then stops and sends a small fireball toward him.
• When Jueming effortlessly disperses the fireball, Jiang Yuechu calmly concludes that he can still move and orders Red Erlang to retreat again, leaving Jueming humiliated and furious.

Character Developments

• Jueming: Changes from a composed Buddhist cultivator into a desperate, enraged figure. His fear of the threat posed by Jiang Yuechu and Inkfall drives him to sacrifice his cultivation and possibly his future in the Dao. His anger and pride are further shattered when Jiang Yuechu refuses to grant him the glorious death-match he expects.
• Jiang Yuechu: Demonstrates exceptional calm, tactical intelligence, and psychological control. Rather than meeting Jueming’s enhanced strength directly, she exploits the temporary nature of his power, exhausting and humiliating him.
• Red Erlang / Scarlet Fire Spirit Phoenix: Establishes himself as extraordinarily fast and completely obedient to Jiang Yuechu. His speed is the key factor preventing Jueming from forcing a confrontation.
• Inkfall and Juechen: Though absent from the immediate chase, their earlier confrontation shapes the chapter. Inkfall’s killing of a Wandering Void Sea cultivator and Juechen’s apparent destruction of the phoenix reveal the scale of recent upheavals.

Significant Themes

• Humiliation versus dignity: Jueming prepares for a heroic self-sacrifice, but Jiang Yuechu denies him the dignity of a final battle, turning his resolve into absurd humiliation.
• Power and strategy: Superior strength is not enough when an opponent can control the battlefield. Jiang Yuechu defeats Jueming through timing, speed, and patience rather than direct force.
• The cost of desperation: Jueming’s secret medicine offers temporary power at the price of permanent bodily and spiritual damage, emphasizing how fear and pride can lead characters to destroy themselves.
• Subversion of expectations: The chapter repeatedly overturns assumptions—especially the phoenix’s apparent resurrection and Jiang Yuechu’s decision to flee rather than fight.
• Buddhist Sect’s threatened plans: Jueming’s panic reveals that the changes in Great Marsh Township may endanger a major Buddhist Sect scheme connected to the Buddhist Son and the region’s Incense-Fire Power.

Character Interactions

• Jueming and Jiang Yuechu: Their interaction is primarily a chase and psychological contest. Jueming repeatedly demands that Jiang Yuechu stop and fight, while she ignores him and manipulates his desperation.
• Jiang Yuechu and Red Erlang: Their silent cooperation shows strong trust. A tap or light touch is enough for Red Erlang to understand whether to flee faster or maintain distance.
• Jueming and the Arhat: Though the Arhat never appears, Jueming’s use of the Arhat’s secret medicine demonstrates the authority and significance of their relationship. The medicine represents both the Arhat’s support and the devastating price of serving the Buddhist Sect’s cause.

Chapter Summary: “Who Told You to Use My Things?”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu finds Jueming, a Buddhist Sect Venerable, severely weakened by the backlash of his secret medicine.
• Jueming attempts to threaten her by invoking the Buddhist Sect’s power, but Jiang Yuechu ignores him and kills him instantly by crushing his neck.
• She obtains forty-seven Dao Essence, raising her total Dao Cultivation to ninety-three Dao Essence.
• Jiang Yuechu searches Jueming’s corpse, finds several storage pouches and miscellaneous items, then burns the body completely with the Nine Refinements of the Golden Crow, leaving no evidence behind.
• She reflects on the power of her Dao Painting, especially its ability to manifest Red Erlang repeatedly. Even if the demon is killed, she can restore him through flames.
• Jiang Yuechu realizes that a large number of demon manifestations could overwhelm future enemies through sheer numbers, and she considers demons more dependable than people.
• She returns to the Water Marsh Sect riding Red Erlang.
• The scene shifts to the Heavenly Court, where the pig demon general Tianpeng and a fish-headed immortal complain about shortened holidays and the burdens of official duties.
• In the Soaring Firmament Hall, officials report growing Buddhist Sect activity and rumors that a Buddhist Son may soon enter the world. The Celestial Venerable orders increased surveillance.
• A low-ranking, long-bearded immortal official unexpectedly skips the normal chain of command to report that his disciple—the Lord of Cloud-Dream Palace—was killed.
• He reveals that the murderer not only escaped punishment but was later appointed to the Heavenly Court’s Sky-Patrol Bureau, suggesting a serious abuse of authority or hidden political conflict.

2. Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu becomes more ruthless, efficient, and confident. She kills Jueming without hesitation, calmly claims his belongings, and destroys his corpse to prevent future complications.
• Her understanding of Red Erlang and the Dao Painting develops significantly. She recognizes that the Painting Realm grants him an almost immortal, renewable existence and begins imagining how an army of manifested demons could transform her combat strategy.
• Jiang Yuechu’s distrust of people deepens. She explicitly concludes that demons and monsters may be more reliable than human allies because they can be repeatedly revived and controlled.
• Jueming is reduced from a threatening Buddhist Venerable to a helpless victim of his own secret medicine and Jiang Yuechu’s overwhelming strength.
• Tianpeng, the boar demon heavenly general, is established as outspoken, irreverent, and politically careless, though he becomes nervous when his words attract the Celestial Venerable’s attention.
• The long-bearded immortal official shows courage and desperation by bypassing protocol to seek justice for his slain disciple.

3. Significant Themes

• Power and ownership: Jueming’s mistaken belief that his trump card belongs to him is mocked when Jiang Yuechu claims that he used “her things,” emphasizing her growing dominance over powerful resources.
• Pragmatism and ruthlessness: Jiang Yuechu prioritizes efficiency, conceals evidence, and treats battle spoils and Dao Essence as practical gains rather than moral issues.
• Reliability versus humanity: The chapter contrasts unreliable people with obedient, revivable demons, reflecting Jiang Yuechu’s increasing alienation from ordinary relationships.
• Accumulation of power: Her Dao Painting offers the possibility of building an overwhelming demon army, shifting her from individual combat toward strategic, large-scale warfare.
• Political corruption and hidden conflict: The Heavenly Court’s reaction to the death of the Lord of Cloud-Dream Palace hints that official systems are compromised and that someone influential protected or recruited the killer.
• Growing Buddhist Sect threat: Reports of secret Buddhist activity and a possible Buddhist Son entering the world establish an expanding danger beyond Jiang Yuechu’s immediate battles.

4. Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuechu and Jueming: Jueming curses and threatens her, but Jiang Yuechu responds with calm mockery, kills him, loots his corpse, and destroys it.
• Jiang Yuechu and Red Erlang: She regards Red Erlang as a highly dependable combat companion, pats him affectionately, and commands him to return with her. Their interaction shows his complete obedience and her increasing reliance on him.
• Tianpeng and the fish-headed immortal: Tianpeng complains loudly about Heavenly Court regulations, while the fish-headed official repeatedly warns him to be cautious. Their exchange provides comic relief while revealing the oppressive political atmosphere.
• The officials and the Celestial Venerable: The court officials behave cautiously and deferentially, especially when the Celestial Venerable issues orders or silently rebukes Tianpeng.
• The long-bearded official and the Heavenly Court: He breaks protocol to accuse the system of allowing his disciple’s killer to evade punishment and join the Sky-Patrol Bureau, setting up a likely investigation or confrontation in the next chapter.