Chapter Summaries

Chapter 411 / Epilogue ① Summary

• Aftermath of the four-city crisis: The Cultivation Realm begins holding the responsible sects accountable. Pill Fragrance City, Mingxuan City, and Rongyuan City suffered serious but repairable damage, while Pagoda City was devastated after Wen Chishan, corrupted by a Heart Demon and manipulated by a Demon Seed, seized control. The city suffered immense casualties, and its Spiritual Ore Vein was nearly destroyed.
• Accountability of the major sects: The Blissful Union Sect is blamed for allowing Wen Chishan’s descent to cause widespread destruction. Bitter Crossing Temple is also condemned because Wen Chishan’s Heart Demon had appeared while he was still under its supervision. The temple had concealed or delayed action out of hope that its gifted Buddhist Son could be saved, ultimately contributing to Pagoda City’s tragedy. Bitter Crossing Temple publicly reveals the truth, closes its gates for self-reflection, temporarily withdraws from the Five Major Sects, and dedicates its accumulated merit to helping Pagoda City recover.
• Repairing Pagoda City: Divine Venerable Buddha Lotus moves the Lotus Pond to Pagoda City so it can replace the damaged Spiritual Ore Vein’s function and help restore the city’s spiritual environment. Because Pagoda’s people believe in Buddhism and Bitter Crossing Temple offers substantial aid, public anger is largely restrained.

Fates of the affected characters

• Bushi returns to Bitter Crossing Temple and enters seclusion after gaining an opportunity from the Spirit Ore. His efforts to defend Pagoda City earn him widespread respect.
• True Lord Siren, Wen Chishan’s master, is deeply traumatized by Wen Chishan’s death and the events in the Illusory Realm.
• Wen Zhiyi, despite being Wen Chishan’s disciple and suffering vicious rumors, chooses to remain in the Blissful Union Sect rather than resign or join the Rogue Cultivator Alliance. His past sacrifices and innocence are expected to restore his reputation over time.
• The characters remain puzzled by how Wen Chishan’s Nascent Soul and Heart Demon cooperated to take over his body without anyone noticing, suggesting that the incident may have involved an unusual and frightening form of corruption.
• Wen Xu’s emotional development: Wen Xu reflects on how different his life is from the past. Once isolated and embittered, he is now grateful for entering the Cultivation Realm, meeting Bian Chunchou and Chen Zui, joining Yonglu Mountain, becoming his master’s disciple, and reaching the Nascent Soul realm. Despite the dangers he has endured, he feels that life is steadily improving and that he is no longer alone.
• Closing interaction: Wen Xu, Bian Chunchou, and Chen Zui sit together above Juyong Hall, joking about whether they will return the following year. Chunchou loudly insists that they will, invoking their playful identity as the “Ridge Beasts,” while Chen Zui quietly agrees. Sect Master Gu catches them trespassing and orders them down, but the three immediately scatter in well-practiced fashion, leaping into the sky beneath brilliant rosy clouds.
• Major themes: The epilogue emphasizes accountability for institutional negligence, the consequences of protecting talent at the expense of ordinary lives, public judgment and eventual redemption, and the possibility of recovery after catastrophe. It also ends on themes of gratitude, companionship, freedom, and the hopeful sense that the future can become better than the past.

Chapter Summary — Page 702

• Wen Chishan’s downfall: The characters discuss how Wen Chishan’s Nascent Soul and Heart Demon could overpower his original self and cultivate to Spirit Transformation. Wen Xu theorizes that Wen Chishan’s practice of the Emotionless Dao caused him to sever too much of his humanity, weakening his original consciousness and allowing the Nascent Soul and Heart Demon to seize control. This reinforces the danger and psychological instability associated with the Emotionless Dao.
• Banter among the characters: Bian Chunchou jokes that Wen Xu was fortunate not to cultivate the Emotionless Dao, since many practitioners might fail or “not graduate.” Chen Zui takes the metaphor literally and questions whether Bian actually sleeps, prompting a humorous argument. Bian becomes frightened when Chen picks up his blade and hides behind Wen Xu, emphasizing his cowardly, playful personality.
• Rumors about Bian and Shi Yijian: Chen reveals that the sect is spreading rumors that Bian Chunchou and Shi Yijian share a romantic or unusually intimate relationship. The gossip supposedly began after Lin Congcong saw Bian’s position on the Prodigies Ranking and accepted that he could no longer compete, tearfully giving the pair his blessing. The former love triangle is therefore said to have ended.
• Lin Congcong’s character development: Lin, once resentful that his hard work and talent did not bring him the same success as others, became convinced after the Crisis of the Four Cities that true achievement sometimes required risking one’s life. He now accepts Bian’s superiority and can address him calmly as Senior Brother, showing growth from jealousy to maturity.
• Bian’s defensive reaction: Bian is embarrassed and distressed by the rumors, insisting that his relationship with Shi is only a close fellow-disciple bond. When Chen asks whether Shi has become more important than Chen and Wen Xu, Bian hurriedly reassures them that they are still the people most important to him. His increasingly desperate explanations make him sound comically like an unfaithful lover.
• Different personalities and relationships: Chen is blunt and literal, Wen Xu is calm and teasing, while Bian is emotionally expressive and easily flustered. Bian asks Wen Xu to help teach Chen not to believe gossip, but Wen Xu dryly suggests that the rumors are already too widespread and advises Bian to enter seclusion for several years. Bian rejects the idea, declaring that prolonged closed-door cultivation does not suit him.
• Bian keeps his promise: Despite worrying that his visit will fuel the rumors, Bian still goes to see the recovering Shi Yijian at sunset because he promised to do so. His sense of responsibility overrides his embarrassment. Predictably, the visit becomes further “evidence” of their supposed romance, leading Bian to jokingly wish he could sue the disciples for defamation.
• Major themes: The chapter combines comic misunderstandings with darker reflections on identity and cultivation. It explores the dangers of suppressing or severing one’s emotions, the importance of personal growth and accepting one’s limitations, and the contrast between genuine bonds and the exaggerated stories created by gossip.

Chapter 412: Extra ② — Summary

Plot and events

After resolving his affairs in Mingxuan City, Zheng Jin returns to Yonglu Mountain and immediately enters seclusion, hoping to secretly break through and later impress his master. His advancement to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage succeeds smoothly, and he emerges expecting praise and rewards. Instead, he discovers that despite advancing, he remains sixth on the Prodigies Ranking because three of his junior grand-uncles have risen dramatically after their exploits in Pagoda City and the Crisis of the Four Cities. His master and Zhi Lianshan both advise him to “look on the bright side,” pointing out that he has at least not fallen in rank.

Character developments

Zheng Jin experiences a rare blow to his pride. Although initially bitter about remaining sixth, he gradually acknowledges that Wen and the other newly ranked geniuses earned their breakthroughs through life-and-death battles, unlike his more cautious recent cultivation. This leads him to reflect on how increased strength has made him less willing to take risks. Zhi Lianshan, now ranked fourth after previously holding first place, also accepts his fall in status with relative composure. He has been occupied with rebuilding Pill Fragrance City and has received many anxious messages from his younger brother, Lianshui, whom he has unintentionally neglected.

Character interactions

Zheng Jin first speaks with his Artifact Refining Peak Master, who teasingly consoles him and sends him to help Junior Brother Wen refine materials obtained in Rongyuan City. He then visits Zhi Lianshan, and the two commiserate over their rankings while drinking spiritual tea. They joke about Wei Zhou, the Spirit-Seizing Sword wielder, being surpassed by several Yonglu Mountain cultivators and imagine Zheng Jin hiding behind the current first-ranked genius if Wei Zhou challenges him. Their conversation shifts to the astonishing possibility that the top three prodigies could reach Spirit Transformation before age one hundred.

Themes

The chapter explores pride, comparison, and the unstable nature of fame within the cultivation world. Zheng Jin’s disappointment highlights how extraordinary the new generation has become: even a successful breakthrough cannot guarantee advancement in status. It also emphasizes the difference between cautious, steady cultivation and breakthroughs forged through dangerous experiences. Finally, the widespread certainty that the top geniuses will achieve unprecedented accomplishments reflects the Cultivation Realm’s growing fascination with them.

Additional revelation

Zhi Lianshan shows Zheng Jin Shadow Recording Stones documenting the Crisis of the Four Cities. Zheng Jin is stunned by the prodigies’ strength, particularly Wen’s performance, and realizes that Wen is shown without his blindfold—meaning the entire Cultivation Realm now knows that his blindness was only an act.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zheng Jin asks Zhi Lianshan how the cultivation world reacted to Little Martial Granduncle’s habit of disguising himself and pretending to be blind.
• Zhi explains that the public quickly accepted the eccentric behavior. Many cultivators began copying him, believing blindfolding oneself symbolized inner purity and focused cultivation. The trend even created a profitable market for blindfold ribbons.
• Surplus ribbons were placed in Bian Chunchou’s restaurant, which became highly successful because of his status as the second-ranked figure on the Prodigies Ranking.
• Wen Xu and Bian Chunchou arrive after learning Zheng Jin is visiting. Bian immediately asks Zheng to repair the Shu Household’s Creation Giant Tree.
• Zheng initially assumes they want him to repair Windfold, but panics when he sees the severely damaged Creation Giant Tree. He attempts to flee, recognizing that repairing such an ancient and powerful artifact is far beyond his abilities.
• Bian flatters and physically restrains Zheng, while Little Martial Granduncle also helps prevent his escape. Zheng angrily questions how Bian damaged the tree and whether the Shu Household knows.
• Bian admits they are trying to restore it before the Shu Household discovers what happened. Zheng refuses to be manipulated, though the comedic chase makes their interaction appear absurdly intimate.
• Meanwhile, the cultivation world is experiencing a surge of interest in Yonglu Mountain. Following the resolution of the Crisis of the Four Cities, Wen Xu and his companions have greatly enhanced the sect’s reputation.
• Langyuan City is crowded with prospective disciples preparing for Yonglu Mountain’s Mountain Examination. The sect’s prestige and applicant numbers have reached unprecedented levels, despite its official ranking remaining unchanged.

Character Developments

• Zheng Jin is shown as curious and fond of gossip, but also practical and self-aware. He recognizes that repairing the Creation Giant Tree is an impossible responsibility and firmly resists Bian’s flattery.
• Zhi Lianshan appears relaxed, amused, and somewhat mischievous. He enjoys sharing gossip and deliberately leaves Zheng to deal with the others’ request.
• Bian Chunchou is shamelessly flattering, persistent, and opportunistic. He relies on praise and physical force to pressure Zheng into helping repair the tree.
• Little Martial Granduncle is revealed to have embraced his eccentric public image, even assisting Bian in restraining Zheng. His influence is so great that people imitate his behavior without question.
• Wen Xu has become one of the most respected young cultivators after the Four Cities crisis. His reputation has helped elevate Yonglu Mountain’s standing and attract new disciples.
• Zheng Jin, Wen Xu, Bian Chunchou, and the others are increasingly recognized as influential figures of the younger generation.

Significant Themes

• Hero worship and blind imitation: Cultivators copy Little Martial Granduncle’s blindfolded disguise and invent philosophical justifications for it, revealing how easily eccentric behavior becomes a trend when associated with genius.
• Reputation and institutional prestige: The achievements of a few exceptional disciples dramatically improve Yonglu Mountain’s reputation, drawing applicants from across the cultivation world.
• Responsibility versus flattery: Zheng’s refusal to repair the Creation Giant Tree highlights the danger of accepting tasks merely because others praise one’s talent.
• Comedy amid serious cultivation matters: Ancient artifacts, sect reputation, and major crises are juxtaposed with gossip, commercial success, exaggerated compliments, and slapstick physical struggles.
• Public image and hidden identity: Little Martial Granduncle’s deliberate disguise contrasts with his immense fame, showing how legends can become detached from their true identities.

Character Interactions

• Zheng and Zhi share a relaxed but gossip-heavy conversation, with Zheng increasingly stunned by the public’s devotion to Little Martial Granduncle.
• Bian treats Zheng as the solution to a desperate problem, flattering him while trying to force him into repairing the Creation Giant Tree.
• Zheng and Bian engage in a humorous chase, while Little Martial Granduncle unexpectedly sides with Bian and helps restrain Zheng.
• Wen Xu remains comparatively composed, quietly observing the others and recognizing Zhi Lianshan’s amusement and manipulative streak.
• The chapter ends by shifting from the characters’ private comedy to the wider impact of their achievements on Yonglu Mountain and the cultivation world.

Chapter 705 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• New applicants to Yonglu Mountain discuss their ambitions of rising from the Outer Sect to the Inner Sect and possibly becoming disciples of the sect’s powerful figures.
• Some applicants boldly fantasize about becoming disciples of the three famous young prodigies—Wen Xu, Bian Chunchou, and Chen Zui—or even their disciples’ disciples. Others mock these ideas as unrealistic.
• Many applicants also hope to become disciples of the mysterious Divine Venerable, though this is dismissed as even more impossible.
• The applicants’ enthusiasm is fueled by Yonglu Mountain’s unusually strong recruitment class, which includes numerous geniuses and at least ten cultivators with Single Spiritual Roots.
• Unknown to the gossiping applicants, Wen Xu, Bian Chunchou, and Chen Zui are nearby and overhear everything. Bian Chunchou jokes about whether they have become old enough to take disciples.
• The three eventually leave the city and return to their respective peaks. Because of their immense fame, the Sect Master no longer has them help manage the recruitment crowds; their presence would create even more disorder.
• Sect Master Gu Wufang discusses recruitment with a Nascent Soul elder. He publicly claims he would take a disciple with qualities resembling the three prodigies, but the elder recognizes that Gu is effectively setting impossible standards.
• Privately, Gu Wufang genuinely wants to accept a disciple so that he can train Yonglu Mountain’s next successor, retire from sect affairs within two hundred years, and devote himself to cultivation.

Character Developments

• Wen Xu is portrayed as emotionally detached and uninterested in romantic or master-disciple relationships unless required to inherit his master’s legacy. His past in the Mortal Realm explains why he avoided marriage and close attachments.
• Bian Chunchou remains lively, sarcastic, and socially perceptive. He jokes about Wen Xu’s age and mocks Chen Zui, while also recognizing how difficult it would be for Chen to teach disciples.
• Chen Zui remains straightforward, oblivious, and intensely focused on cultivation. He misunderstands the conversation about disciples and assumes they are discussing whether his own master will accept more students.
• Gu Wufang appears outwardly proud and evasive, but his private thoughts reveal practical ambitions: he sincerely wants a capable successor and hopes eventually to step down as Sect Master.
• The applicants reveal the enormous influence of the three prodigies, whom newer cultivators now view as nearly unattainable models of talent and status.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and distance: The three prodigies have become so famous that ordinary disciples can only speculate about them, unaware that they are close enough to hear the gossip.
• Aspirations versus reality: Applicants dream of extraordinary advancement, but the chapter humorously emphasizes how unlikely it is for them to attract the attention of the sect’s strongest figures.
• Legacy and succession: Gu Wufang’s desire to find a disciple reflects the responsibility of preserving Yonglu Mountain’s future and passing on its leadership.
• Different standards of greatness: Although Gu wants talented disciples, Wen Xu, Bian Chunchou, and Chen Zui represent such exceptional qualities that they have become unrealistic benchmarks.
• Mortality and cultivation: The contrast between ordinary Mortal Realm expectations—early marriage, children, and age—and the long lifespans and delayed milestones of cultivators adds humor and highlights the different values of the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Applicants debate whether becoming disciples of the three prodigies or the Divine Venerable is possible, alternately encouraging and ridiculing one another.
• Bian Chunchou teases Wen Xu about being considered old enough to have disciples and jokes about Mortal Realm marriage customs.
• Wen Xu reflects on his lack of interest in marriage and his reluctance to take disciples.
• Bian Chunchou asks Chen Zui whether he intends to accept disciples, but Chen misunderstands the question, prompting further teasing.
• Wen Xu silently considers intervening as the senior figure when Bian Chunchou mocks Chen.
• Gu Wufang and the recruitment elder exchange polite but pointed remarks, with the elder seeing through Gu’s exaggerated standards and recognizing that the Sect Master is unlikely to find a disciple who meets them.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• After failing to find a suitable disciple for Sect Master Peak, Gu Wufang becomes convinced that his overly high standards are justified because his future disciple will inherit Yonglu Mountain.
• He even visits Radiant Buddha Temple to pray for help, but the monks reject him, leaving him furious.
• Yonglu Mountain holds its Mountain Examination, consisting of three trials. Eight candidates pass, prompting Gu Wufang to search eagerly for an apprentice.
• Despite widespread betting that Gu Wufang would successfully recruit one of the candidates, all eight prove unsuitable or are claimed by other elders first. Gu returns disappointed, clutching the apprentice-taking gift he had prepared.
• His luck changes when he encounters a filthy little beggar in the mortal world. She asks him for food, and Gu offers to take her back to the mountain in exchange for becoming his disciple.
• After cleaning her up, he discovers she is a girl with an exceptional Spiritual Root ideally suited to his cultivation path. Delighted, Gu accepts her as his disciple and sends a large donation to Radiant Buddha Temple, crediting the Bodhisattvas for finally answering his prayers.
• Meanwhile, Cheng Wei is beaten by Wen Xu and another friend because his disciple has become too outstanding. He claims to enter seclusion to recover, but secretly sends out a strand of Divine Sense to visit Wen Xu’s birthplace in the Mortal Realm.
• Cheng Wei must persuade Qi, the Boundary Sea guardian, to let him pass. He argues that Wen Xu’s contribution to resolving the Demon Seed crisis deserves consideration.
• Since the Demon Seeds have receded, the Cultivation Realm is expected to enjoy roughly five hundred years of peace. With permission grudgingly granted, Cheng Wei enters the Mortal Realm disguised as an ordinary person.
• Seeing the mortal world firsthand makes Cheng Wei deeply angry on Wen Xu’s behalf. He reflects on Wen Xu’s neglected childhood and blames the emperor and empress who abandoned him.
• After drinking harsh mortal wine and brooding over Wen Xu’s suffering, Cheng Wei impulsively travels toward Shengjing City, apparently intending to avenge his disciple by confronting or even desecrating the remains of Wen Xu’s former imperial family.

Character Development

• Gu Wufang: His pride and high standards initially lead to frustration, but his chance encounter with the beggar reveals a compassionate side. Finding a disciple perfectly suited to him restores his confidence and fulfills his long-held desire.
• The new disciple: Though introduced as a helpless beggar, she is revealed to possess extraordinary talent and becomes Gu Wufang’s long-awaited successor.
• Cheng Wei: His shameless, willful personality remains intact, but his actions show how deeply protective and emotionally invested he is in Wen Xu. Learning more about Wen Xu’s past transforms detached curiosity into fierce resentment toward those who harmed him.
• Wen Xu: He does not appear directly in the chapter’s main events, but his influence is central: his success has earned the Cultivation Realm peace, and his difficult past inspires Cheng Wei’s protective anger.

Significant Themes

• Fate and unexpected fortune: Gu Wufang’s carefully planned search fails, while his ideal disciple appears unexpectedly in the form of a beggar.
• Mentorship and succession: The chapter emphasizes the importance of finding a worthy successor and the responsibilities masters feel toward their disciples.
• Protective familial affection: Cheng Wei’s outrage shows that his relationship with Wen Xu has developed beyond teacher and student into something resembling family.
• Contrasts between worlds: Cheng Wei’s visit highlights the difference between the Cultivation Realm and the Mortal Realm, especially the mortal world’s hardships and social injustice.
• Humor and irreverence: Gu’s complaint that the Bodhisattvas “wronged” him, Cheng Wei’s shameless bargaining, and the author’s mock dialogue with the Bodhisattva provide comic relief amid more serious emotional material.

Character Interactions

• Gu Wufang and Radiant Buddha Temple: Their relationship is initially hostile and comedic, but Gu later interprets his successful discovery of a disciple as divine assistance and rewards the temple.
• Gu Wufang and the beggar girl: Their brief exchange becomes the foundation of a master-disciple bond. Her trust and willingness to follow him contrast with his initial uncertainty.
• Cheng Wei and his two friends: They beat him after his disciple’s exceptional performance, prompting him to pretend to enter seclusion.
• Cheng Wei and Qi: Their conversation is antagonistic but familiar. Qi criticizes Cheng Wei’s shameless reliance on his master and disciple, yet ultimately allows him through because of Wen Xu’s achievements.
• Cheng Wei and Wen Xu’s past: Although Wen Xu is absent, Cheng Wei’s emotional reaction demonstrates how strongly he identifies with and defends his disciple.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cheng Wei, intoxicated and acting on impulse, transforms into a dragon and releases a roar that shakes the capital awake. He then enters the imperial mausoleum, only to discover that the former emperor’s coffin is empty—evidence that Little A-Xu had already taken precautions.
• The dragon’s roar severely damages the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, which had only recently been restored after years of disuse.
• Emperor Zhou Jia interprets the dragon’s roar as a possible sign that his younger brother, Wen Xu, has returned. Although he longs to see him, Zhou Jia understands that Wen Xu will remain hidden if he does not wish to be found.
• Zhou Jia reflects on the past eight years: he has secured the throne, but only because Wen Xu sacrificed himself. His sense of guilt and gratitude motivates him to work tirelessly as emperor.
• After court, Zhou Jia visits his mother, Empress Dowager Lu, who has been imprisoned in a ruined palace for eight years. She lives in terrible physical and emotional misery, yet remains unwilling to die.
• Zhou Jia asks whether she regrets the schemes that destroyed their family. Before she can answer, Cheng Wei appears.
• Cheng Wei reveals that he is not Wen Xu but Wen Xu’s master, using a face resembling Wen Xu’s. He gives Zhou Jia a bottle of Youth-Preserving Elixirs as a gift because Zhou Jia is Wen Xu’s twin and received Wen Xu’s Imperial Destiny.
• Cheng Wei explains that Wen Xu has not yet come out of hiding after creating such a disturbance. He also recognizes that the golden light surrounding the dynasty is probably connected to its Dragon Vein and is particularly harmful to the Demon Seed.
• Empress Dowager Lu mistakes Cheng Wei for Wen Xu and begs him to take her to the Immortal Realm, revealing that she still clings to fantasies of escaping her punishment and living comfortably.

Character Developments

• Cheng Wei: Remains impulsive, irreverent, and confident. He is fiercely protective and proud of Wen Xu, casually causing a supernatural crisis while believing he has done nothing wrong. His ability to judge people shows that he sees Empress Dowager Lu as beyond redemption, while finding Zhou Jia relatively acceptable.
• Zhou Jia: Has become a hardened, capable emperor after eight years of governing. The youthful softness he once possessed has disappeared, replaced by discipline and political strength. Despite this, he still carries affection, guilt, and longing for Wen Xu, whose sacrifice made his reign possible.
• Empress Dowager Lu: Has physically deteriorated and suffered greatly, but her pride, hatred, selfishness, and fear of death remain intact. Rather than expressing remorse, she blames her children and clings to the hope of escaping her punishment.
• Wen Xu: Does not appear directly, but his influence dominates the chapter. His preparations, sacrifice, power, and relationship with Cheng Wei shape nearly every major event.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and familial debt: Zhou Jia’s reign depends on Wen Xu’s sacrifice, creating a bond of gratitude mixed with sorrow and estrangement.
• Consequences of ambition: Empress Dowager Lu’s pursuit of power has left her alive but utterly ruined, showing the destructive cost of imperial greed.
• Regret versus self-justification: Zhou Jia wonders whether his mother feels remorse, but her hatred suggests she remains unwilling to accept responsibility.
• Power and hidden influence: Wen Xu’s unseen actions, the Imperial Destiny, and the Dragon Vein continue to shape the mortal realm even in his absence.
• Humor amid tragedy: Cheng Wei’s casual behavior, teasing remarks, and mistaken identity create comic relief against the grim backdrop of political suffering and familial betrayal.

Character Interactions

• Cheng Wei and Zhou Jia: Their meeting begins with Zhou Jia’s shock at seeing someone resembling Wen Xu. Cheng Wei quickly establishes the difference between himself and Wen Xu, then treats Zhou Jia with unexpected generosity by giving him the elixirs.
• Zhou Jia and Empress Dowager Lu: Their strained encounter exposes the collapse of their mother-son relationship. Zhou Jia seeks evidence of regret, while Lu responds through hatred and self-pity.
• Cheng Wei and Empress Dowager Lu: Lu mistakes Cheng Wei for Wen Xu and begs for rescue. Cheng Wei dismisses her hopes, recognizing that she is still selfish and unwilling to confront her wrongdoing.
• Zhou Jia and Wen Xu: Though Wen Xu is absent, Zhou Jia’s memories and gratitude reveal a deep emotional attachment complicated by the knowledge that they can never have a normal brotherly relationship.

Summary of Extra ⑤

The chapter opens with Zhou Jia bidding farewell to Cheng Wei after receiving a pill bottle. Zhou asks Cheng Wei to tell his imperial brother that he will govern the Great Sheng Dynasty responsibly. Cheng Wei, who has secretly left the Immortal Realm, refuses to carry the message because doing so would reveal his unauthorized visit and embarrass him before his disciple.
Immediately after leaving the palace, Cheng Wei encounters Jun Zhaoying and Wushan, who have tracked him to the Mortal Realm. Jun captures him while Wushan blocks his escape, threatening to report his misbehavior to Cheng Wei’s disciple. Cheng Wei quickly abandons any guilt and accuses the pair of coming to the Mortal Realm to seek disciples themselves, proudly insisting that his disciple, Little A-Xu, is uniquely talented. Since Jun and Wushan’s thoughts have essentially been exposed, they respond by beating Cheng Wei again. The exchange is playful and emphasizes Cheng Wei’s boastful, shameless personality and the affectionate rivalry among the dragons. The author’s note jokes that Cheng Wei later intends to complain to his disciple about being bullied.
The second part follows Bian Chunchou, who suddenly awakens in his former modern-world life. He finds his two old university roommates beside him and realizes that he appears to have returned from the Cultivation Realm. Although he remembers Wen Xu-Xu, Chen Zui-Zui, and his adventures after transmigrating, those memories begin to blur and disappear. His roommates assume that he is exhausted from laboratory work, while Bian suspects that his return may be an illusion or a secret-realm trial.
He gradually resumes his ordinary life, working in the laboratory during the latter half of his senior year and eventually receiving his graduation certificate. Despite remembering trivial details from childhood, he can no longer clearly recall Wen Xu-Xu or the other people from the Cultivation Realm, suggesting that the world—or some force behind his return—is erasing those memories. He decides to travel before entering the workforce and quickly organizes a trip to a popular primeval forest.
During the trip, Bian gets separated from his tour group after wandering into a strange bank of mist. Believing he may have entered a supernatural domain or dangerous tomb, he panics when someone places a hand on his shoulder. He tries to flee, joking that his laboratory-tainted body would make an unappealing ghost sacrifice, but the mysterious person’s grip is impossibly strong. After struggling unsuccessfully, Bian calmly gives up, ending the chapter on a suspenseful cliffhanger.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Cheng Wei: Remains mischievous, vain, and fiercely proud of his disciple. He shifts instantly from guilt to indignation when confronted by Jun and Wushan.
• Zhou Jia: Shows responsibility and loyalty by promising to govern well and reassure his imperial brother.
• Jun Zhaoying and Wushan: Act as Cheng Wei’s pursuers and comic antagonists, jointly restraining and punishing him while apparently sharing his interest in finding talented disciples.
• Bian Chunchou: Demonstrates adaptability and humor while coping with the shock of returning to modern life. His fading memories create emotional uncertainty and suggest that his connection to the Cultivation Realm is being forcibly suppressed.
• Bian and his roommates: Their familiar banter contrasts sharply with Bian’s secret memories of another world, highlighting his alienation from his former life.
• Bian and the mysterious figure: Their brief encounter introduces danger and suspense, implying that his return to the modern world may not be permanent or natural.

Significant Themes

• Comedic rivalry and found-family bonds: The dragon characters express affection through teasing, boasting, and mock violence.
• Responsibility and loyalty: Zhou Jia’s farewell reflects his determination to fulfill his political duties.
• Memory and identity: Bian’s inability to remember his Cultivation-Realm companions raises questions about whether his experiences were erased, suppressed, or deliberately hidden.
• Reality versus illusion: Bian repeatedly questions whether his modern life is genuine or another trial.
• The instability of transmigration: His abrupt return—and subsequent encounter in the forest—suggests that crossing between worlds has consequences and may not be under his control.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

Bian Chunchou is discovered in a mysterious, fog-shrouded place by Wen Xu and Chen Zui-Zui, who have been searching for him after he vanished inside a secret realm. They traced his aura through the Boundary Sea with help from the Dragon Venerable and the old boatman. Chunchou, however, has lost his memories of them and believes they are strangers from his modern world who happen to share familiar names. Their ancient clothing, weapons, and lack of common sense lead him to suspect they are bizarre “cosplayers” or even transmigrators.
Wen Xu quickly realizes that Chunchou is not in the Cultivation Realm and that something unusual has happened to him. Rather than forcing him to remember, he asks Chunchou to show them his “hometown.” Chunchou agrees involuntarily and spends the remaining time before beginning work traveling around the modern world with them. The three adapt surprisingly well, obtaining temporary identification and blending into society, especially due to Wen Xu’s intelligence.
As Chunchou grows closer to them, he begins having strange dreams and sensing that his modern life is incomplete. He eventually asks Chen Zui-Zui about their past, and the suppressed memories gradually return. Chunchou remembers that he originally came from the Cultivation Realm, but the Heavenly Dao sent him back to his original world after he completed his mission. Because he could not bear to leave his friends and Yonglu Mountain, the Heavenly Dao made a wager with him and caused him to forget. Now Wen Xu and Chen Zui-Zui have found him and come to take him back to their sect.

Character developments

• Bian Chunchou shifts from confused suspicion to emotional recognition. Although he initially believes Wen Xu and Chen Zui-Zui are strangers, he instinctively trusts them and feels guilty about forgetting them. His dreams and conversations gradually restore his memories and reveal that his bond with them remains strong despite the memory loss.
• Wen Xu demonstrates patience, perceptiveness, and emotional consideration. He notices immediately that Chunchou has changed but avoids pressuring him, allowing him to recover his memories naturally.
• Chen Zui-Zui remains blunt and straightforward, but his concern for Chunchou is obvious. His simple storytelling helps unlock Chunchou’s suppressed memories.
• The trio’s relationship is reaffirmed as one of deep friendship and familial loyalty, with Wen Xu and Chen Zui-Zui willing to cross realms and make difficult bargains to retrieve Chunchou.

Significant themes

• Identity and memory: Chunchou’s forgotten past raises the question of whether identity comes from memory or from enduring emotional bonds. Even without remembering his friends, he instinctively trusts and feels attached to them.
• Home and belonging: The modern world is Chunchou’s original home, but the Cultivation Realm has also become home through his friendships and experiences. His eventual choice reflects the tension between birthright and chosen family.
• Friendship and loyalty: Wen Xu and Chen Zui-Zui’s search demonstrates their refusal to abandon Chunchou, while Chunchou’s memories reveal how deeply he values them.
• The influence of fate and the Heavenly Dao: The Heavenly Dao’s intervention suggests that Chunchou’s separation was part of a larger cosmic arrangement, while the friends’ reunion challenges that separation.

Character interactions

Chunchou repeatedly misinterprets Wen Xu and Chen Zui-Zui’s identities and behavior, creating humorous contrasts between his modern perspective and their cultivation-world origins. Wen Xu responds gently to his confusion, while Chen Zui-Zui reacts with blunt disbelief. Their tour of the modern world allows the three to rebuild their companionship before Chunchou’s memories return. The chapter ends with Chunchou recognizing that they have come to retrieve him and directly asking Wen Xu whether he has come to take him back, setting up an emotional reunion and decision.

Chapter Summary

• Plot/Event: Wen Xu-Xu asks Bian Chunchou whether he is willing to leave his hometown. Chunchou responds emotionally but humorously, saying he would gladly leave rather than remain an immortal or be forced into exhausting corporate work.
• Character Development: Wen Xu-Xu, usually controlled and reserved, openly displays strong emotion. Bian Chunchou wipes away tears, revealing his own mixed feelings while maintaining his sarcastic, practical personality.
• Character Interaction: The exchange between Wen Xu-Xu and Bian Chunchou shows mutual understanding and emotional closeness. Chunchou’s joking response lightens what could otherwise be a sentimental farewell.
• Themes: The ending emphasizes friendship, emotional restraint breaking down, the courage to leave one’s familiar life, and the contrast between idealized immortality and mundane but relatable work.
• Ending Note: The author announces that all extra chapters are complete and reassures readers that Wen Xu-Xu, Bian Chunchou, and Chen Zui-Zui will continue their journey. The author also says they will take a short break but continue writing.