Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “This Moments Called the Heavenly Court?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen, an ordinary and dissatisfied residential security guard, fantasizes about wealth, romance, and an exciting life while secretly using a dating app called Shake during work.
• He discovers an account called Matchmaker Yue, whose profile claims to belong to a matchmaker from the Heavenly Court. The account features an immortal-looking old man holding the Book of Matchmaking and cites the Cowherd and Weaver Girl as a successful case.
• Curious, Qin Fen reads Matchmaker Yue’s Moments posts. The posts discuss bizarre but seemingly genuine Heavenly Court affairs: population-control problems among immortals, celestial marriage policies, immortal pregnancies, abortion medicine, the Peach Banquet, and various gods’ personal complaints.
• Qin Fen assumes the account belongs to psychiatric patients or scammers, finding the posts ridiculous and entertaining rather than supernatural.
• He is unexpectedly ordered to deliver a package to Room 1803, the apartment associated with a frighteningly attractive female resident whom the other delivery workers compete to reach.
• Upon entering the apartment, Qin Fen finds no one in the living room. He follows a woman’s voice to the bedroom and secretly observes a long-haired woman dressing in a black military-style uniform and sailor cap.
• The woman realizes he has been watching and directly asks whether he has “looked enough” and whether her outfit is attractive, leaving Qin Fen stunned.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen is established as poor, inexperienced, lazy, and romantically frustrated, but also humorous, curious, and bold enough to indulge in inappropriate daydreams and secretly observe the apartment’s resident.
• His disbelief in the Heavenly Court account reveals his practical, skeptical worldview. He treats the strange celestial posts as jokes from mentally ill people rather than evidence of actual immortals.
• Manager Wang is portrayed as strict and resentful, particularly jealous of the opportunity to deliver packages to Room 1803. He forces Qin Fen to make the delivery but warns him not to waste time.
• Matchmaker Yue and the celestial figures are introduced through their Moments posts as comically casual, flawed, and human-like despite their divine identities.
• The woman in Room 1803 is introduced as mysterious and confident. Her deliberate dressing and direct question suggest that she knows Qin Fen is watching and may have intentionally allowed him to see her.

Significant Themes

• Ordinary life versus fantasy: Qin Fen’s grand fantasies contrast sharply with his mundane job and unsuccessful love life.
• The supernatural hidden in modern society: The Heavenly Court appears to operate through smartphones and social media, blending traditional mythology with contemporary technology.
• Comedy through demystification: Gods and immortals discuss mundane problems—population growth, food preparation, boredom, and personal cravings—making the divine world resemble an ordinary workplace or social group.
• Curiosity and accidental discovery: Qin Fen’s boredom and casual use of Shake lead him toward a potentially supernatural world and an encounter with the enigmatic woman.
• Romance and voyeurism: Qin Fen’s desire for romantic excitement drives both his app usage and his fascination with the resident of Room 1803.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen jokes casually with his coworker about Manager Wang’s obsession with delivering packages to Room 1803.
• His interactions with Manager Wang are tense and antagonistic: Wang lectures him, while Qin Fen silently mocks him and gives him the middle finger after he leaves.
• Qin Fen interacts indirectly with Matchmaker Yue and other immortals by reading their Moments, interpreting their conversations as evidence of a psychiatric group rather than a real celestial community.
• At Room 1803, Qin Fen cautiously speaks to the unseen woman and follows her instructions to leave the package on the coffee table.
• After catching him observing her, the woman confronts Qin Fen playfully, asking whether he has seen enough and whether her outfit looks good. The chapter ends on Qin Fen’s shocked reaction, setting up their unusual relationship.

Chapter Summary: “Courier Delivery and the Food God”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen helps his beautiful neighbor, Sun Yating, retrieve a purple flight-attendant costume from a large parcel filled with various custom-made outfits.
• Sun Yating asks him to deliver a freshly worn garment to a client. Qin Fen is embarrassed and suspicious, but eventually leaves with the package.
• She offers him a tip and suggests he make future deliveries, teasing him about whether he is trying to pursue her. Qin Fen refuses the money, though he privately regrets turning it down.
• After leaving, Qin Fen learns that Sun Yating is not struggling financially or involved in anything scandalous: she owns a restaurant, sells custom outfits seasonally, and deliberately arranged the delivery to get closer to him. The supposed client is actually her younger sister.
• While waiting to make the delivery after work, Qin Fen messages the Food God on WeChat, sarcastically criticizing him for being unable to prepare food for the Queen Mother’s birthday banquet.
• The Food God answers, taking Qin Fen for an immensely powerful immortal. He explains that the banquet is too large to manage alone and that magical food creation would ruin the flavor.
• Qin Fen suggests practical modern solutions such as clones, MSG, chicken bouillon, canned food, and Lao Gan Ma. The Food God misunderstands these ordinary products as immortal treasures or beings and begs Qin Fen for guidance.
• Overwhelmed by the absurdity of the conversation, Qin Fen dismisses the Food God as a “psycho” and exits WeChat.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: His embarrassment and moral discomfort are emphasized, but so are his curiosity, poverty, practical thinking, and sense of dignity. Although he refuses the tip, he later regrets it because the money would have been significant. He remains unaware of the supernatural implications of his WeChat conversations.
• Sun Yating: Revealed to be confident, wealthy, playful, and deliberately flirtatious. She has been interested in Qin Fen for some time and uses the courier job as an excuse to tease him and establish a connection.
• The Food God: Becomes increasingly anxious and desperate over the Queen Mother’s banquet. He misunderstands Qin Fen’s modern references, believing him to be a powerful immortal with access to mysterious divine resources.

Significant Themes

• Humor from misunderstanding: The chapter relies on the contrast between Qin Fen’s mundane, modern perspective and the immortals’ literal interpretation of his comments.
• Modern practicality versus divine tradition: Qin Fen approaches the banquet as a logistical problem, while the Food God treats it as a sacred responsibility requiring perfect culinary skill.
• Hidden identities and mistaken assumptions: Qin Fen misjudges Sun Yating’s circumstances, while the Food God grossly overestimates Qin Fen’s power and status.
• Flirtation and social awkwardness: Sun Yating’s teasing exposes Qin Fen’s embarrassment and growing curiosity, while her manipulation of the delivery creates a playful romantic dynamic.
• The gap between poverty and opportunity: Qin Fen’s refusal of the tip reflects his pride, but his later regret highlights his financial struggles.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Sun Yating: Their encounter mixes flirtation, teasing, embarrassment, and practical business. Sun Yating intentionally provokes him while Qin Fen tries to maintain composure and dignity.
• Qin Fen and the Food God: Their exchange is comedic because Qin Fen speaks sarcastically and casually, while the Food God responds with fear and reverence, treating him as an exalted immortal.
• Sun Yating and her unseen sister/client: The sister is revealed to be the true recipient of the outfit, showing that Sun Yating fabricated the delivery arrangement primarily to spend time with Qin Fen.

Chapter Summary: “Beijing Roast Duck? What’s BJ?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Food God struggles to prepare an important banquet for the Queen Mother. He is especially anxious because the Kitchen God is competing with him and may report any failure.
• Food God repeatedly contacts Qin Fen for advice, but Qin Fen initially ignores him. Food God’s messages reveal that he has no idea what “snake spirit sickness,” MSG, or other modern concepts are.
• Qin Fen, a delivery worker at a psychiatric hospital, assumes Food God is merely one of the hospital’s delusional patients. He casually suggests Beijing roast duck as a special banquet dish, partly to entertain himself and partly to test Food God.
• Food God misunderstands “BJ,” believing it might be a location, ingredient, sauce, or special kind of duck. Qin Fen explains the preparation: roast the duck until crisp outside and tender inside, slice it into exactly 108 pieces, and serve it with thin wrappers, scallions, and sauce.
• When Food God asks how to make sweet bean sauce, Qin Fen sends a photograph of a bottle from his refrigerator. The actual bottle mysteriously disappears from Qin Fen’s refrigerator and appears in Food God’s hands in the Heavenly Court.
• Food God is amazed by this apparent act of magical transmission. He mistakes the modern bottle for a powerful artifact and becomes afraid to open it.
• Qin Fen tells him to twist the cap, mocking him as foolish but remembering that Food God is, in his view, mentally ill. Food God interprets even this simple instruction as evidence of Qin Fen’s profound mastery of the Dao.

Character Development

• Qin Fen remains sarcastic, cynical, and unaware that his casual messages are being treated as divine revelations. He enjoys misleading Food God and regards the entire exchange as a way to pass the time.
• Food God becomes increasingly convinced that Qin Fen is an immensely powerful immortal. His anxiety over the banquet drives him to seek Qin Fen’s help, while his lack of familiarity with modern objects makes him appear comically helpless.
• Manager Wang is introduced as jealous and resentful after watching Qin Fen visit Sun Yating. His possessiveness suggests a developing rivalry or conflict with Qin Fen.
• Sun Yating, though absent from the main events, continues to occupy Qin Fen’s thoughts. Qin Fen is attracted to her but defensively dismisses her as a “vixen.”
• The Kitchen God functions as an unseen rival whose presence increases Food God’s pressure and motivates him to pursue Qin Fen’s advice.

Significant Themes

• Miscommunication and cultural misunderstanding: Qin Fen and Food God interpret the same words through completely different worlds. Modern food and packaging seem like mystical concepts to Food God, while Qin Fen mistakes divine beings for psychiatric patients.
• Accidental power and reputation: Qin Fen gains the status of a supreme immortal without intending to, simply because ordinary modern actions appear miraculous in the Heavenly Court.
• Comedy from reversed perspectives: Qin Fen thinks Food God is delusional, while Food God sees Qin Fen as an unfathomably wise immortal. The humor comes from both characters consistently misreading each other.
• Modern technology as magic: WeChat, photography, and digital transmission function like supernatural abilities in Food God’s realm.
• Competition and insecurity: Food God’s fear of the Kitchen God and desire to satisfy the Queen Mother create urgency, while Manager Wang’s jealousy introduces a parallel source of conflict in Qin Fen’s ordinary life.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Food God: Their relationship develops through an absurd mentor-student dynamic. Qin Fen offers casual or sarcastic instructions, while Food God treats every statement as sacred culinary wisdom.
• Qin Fen and Manager Wang: Their indirect interaction is marked by jealousy and hostility, with Manager Wang viewing Qin Fen as a threat to his pursuit of Sun Yating.
• Qin Fen and Sun Yating: Though they do not interact directly in this chapter, Qin Fen’s thoughts reveal his attraction and emotional irritation toward her.
• Food God and his attendants: Food God’s frantic behavior confuses and worries the servants preparing the banquet, emphasizing the pressure surrounding the event.

Chapter Summary: “How Do You Draw Premium Soy Sauce?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen becomes increasingly convinced that the person calling himself the Food God is mentally ill, especially after the man treats Qin Fen’s casual cooking suggestions as divine revelations.
• Sun Yating unexpectedly contacts Qin Fen through WeChat. She identifies him through his signature and their conversation develops a flirtatious tone. She offers to send him a selfie in her changed clothes, and Qin Fen agrees to look at it.
• In Heaven, the Food God prepares a roast duck using Qin Fen’s earlier instructions. He is amazed by the flavor and believes Qin Fen’s advice will help him succeed at the upcoming Peach Banquet.
• The Kitchen God visits and mocks the Food God, implying that he will fail and that the Kitchen God may take over his position at the banquet. The Food God is anxious because, although he now has a specialty dish, he still lacks an innovative staple food.
• The Food God asks Qin Fen for advice. Qin Fen casually suggests cold noodles with sesame oil, scallions, ginger-garlic water, bean sprouts, kelp, chili oil, and premium soy sauce.
• The Food God misunderstands “premium soy sauce,” asking how it should be “drawn” and whether the sauce must be alive. Qin Fen realizes they have almost no shared understanding of ordinary language.
• Qin Fen sends a photograph of a bottle of Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce so the Food God can study it himself. Immediately afterward, the bottle mysteriously disappears from Qin Fen’s kitchen, confirming that the Food God may genuinely possess supernatural abilities.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Remains sarcastic and skeptical, convinced the Food God is a psychiatric patient, but he also shows reluctant sympathy and continues helping him. His casual comments repeatedly have enormous consequences in the immortal world.
• The Food God: Becomes increasingly reverent toward Qin Fen, treating even ordinary cooking advice as profound heavenly wisdom. His confidence rises after successfully making the roast duck, though he remains worried about the banquet’s staple dish.
• Sun Yating: Shows initiative and playful interest in Qin Fen by finding him online and teasing him. Her interaction with him hints at growing romantic or flirtatious tension.
• The Kitchen God: Acts as a rival who hopes the Food God will fail so he can replace him at the Peach Banquet.

Significant Themes

• Miscommunication and perspective: Qin Fen and the Food God interpret the same conversation in completely different ways. Qin Fen sees nonsense and psychiatric delusion, while the Food God sees divine instruction.
• The extraordinary hidden within the ordinary: Everyday items and foods—roast duck, cold noodles, soy sauce, and a supermarket product—become miraculous treasures in the immortal realm.
• Accidental influence and power: Qin Fen does not realize how influential his casual suggestions are, while the Food God regards him as an unfathomably powerful immortal master.
• Competition and innovation: The Peach Banquet creates pressure for the Food God to produce new dishes and defend his status against the Kitchen God.
• Comedy through cultural and conceptual gaps: The chapter’s humor comes from Qin Fen’s mundane assumptions colliding with the Food God’s literal, supernatural interpretation.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and the Food God communicate through WeChat, with Qin Fen growing frustrated by the Food God’s bizarre questions while still answering them.
• Qin Fen and Sun Yating exchange playful messages, with Sun Yating teasing him about how he responds and offering a selfie.
• The Food God and the Kitchen God engage in a tense rivalry. The Kitchen God belittles him and threatens to take over, while the Food God secretly relies on Qin Fen’s guidance to resist him.
• Qin Fen’s photograph of the soy sauce becomes the clearest sign yet that the Food God may truly be an immortal: the physical bottle vanishes from Qin Fen’s world after being transmitted.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen confirms that the supernatural events are real: after he photographs and sends a bottle of light soy sauce through Moments, the bottle disappears from his room and appears in the hands of the recipient.
• He discovers that the recipient is the Food God, who lives in the Heavenly Court and believes Qin Fen is an immensely powerful immortal or even a supreme patriarch.
• Qin Fen realizes his Moments feed is connected to the actual Heavenly Court, not a psychiatric hospital or delusion. The platform allows physical objects—and possibly knowledge—to be transmitted between the Mortal Realm and the immortal world.
• By questioning the Food God, Qin Fen learns that the Mortal Realm and the Earthly Immortal Realm were separated after the “Immortal-Mortal Severance.” Immortals can no longer observe or descend to the Mortal Realm.
• The Heavenly Court has adapted by allowing immortals to marry and have children, compensating for the population shortage caused by the severance.
• Qin Fen discovers that time flows differently between the realms: one day in Heaven is equivalent to a year on Earth.
• He asks the Food God to transmit divine powers and cooking techniques. The divine arts cannot be sent because Qin Fen’s WeChat storage cannot handle files larger than 1G, but the Food God successfully sends him a cookbook containing his culinary knowledge.
• The chapter ends with Qin Fen opening the cookbook and immediately feeling uneasy or distressed, setting up a likely problem with what he has received.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Initially terrified and confused, Qin Fen quickly becomes analytical and opportunistic. Once he realizes the Heavenly Court is genuine, he pretends to be a mysterious supreme immortal, using vague philosophical phrases to reinforce the Food God’s misunderstanding. He also begins considering how to exploit the connection for practical benefits, such as learning divine cooking skills.
• Food God: Completely misinterprets Qin Fen’s identity, escalating from calling him an immortal to a true lord, patriarch, or even an embodiment of the Heavenly Dao. He is awed, submissive, and eager to obey, revealing his limited understanding of the Mortal Realm after the severance.
• The Heavenly Court: It is characterized as a real but isolated immortal society that has suffered major changes since contact with the Mortal Realm was cut off.

Significant Themes

• Fear of the unknown: Qin Fen’s terror comes from witnessing an impossible event he cannot explain. Once he understands the mechanism, fear gives way to curiosity and calculation.
• Misunderstanding and accidental identity: Qin Fen’s ordinary actions are interpreted as profound divine acts, allowing him to gain an exaggerated reputation without possessing any actual cultivation or powers.
• Technology as supernatural power: The WeChat application functions like a divine communication tool, capable of crossing realms and transmitting physical objects. Qin Fen humorously concludes that the app itself may be more powerful than the immortals.
• Isolation between worlds: The Immortal-Mortal Severance has left the Heavenly Court cut off from modern human society, creating ignorance and cultural gaps between the two realms.
• Opportunism and adaptation: Qin Fen quickly attempts to turn the bizarre situation to his advantage, while the Heavenly Court has developed its own social policies to survive its isolation.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and the Food God communicate through Moments, with Qin Fen carefully maintaining his false image of wisdom and authority.
• Qin Fen uses phrases such as “Heaven Rewards Diligence” and “Dao Follows Nature” to sound profound, while the Food God treats them as revelations from the Heavenly Dao.
• Their exchange shifts from fear and suspicion to cooperation: Qin Fen asks questions about the Heavenly Court, and the Food God willingly provides information and sends his cookbook.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen receives a notification claiming his mobile balance is insufficient, despite having adequate credit, data, and Wi-Fi. He realizes the warning is connected to the Heavenly Court rather than ordinary telecommunications.
• He asks the Food God about Heavenly Court currency and learns that immortals do not use money. Their “salaries” consist of immortal techniques, pills, and treasures, while most transactions are based on barter or personal relationships.
• Qin Fen becomes frustrated because he has no idea what the phone requires as a recharge payment. He speculates that it might need electricity, physical strength, willpower, magical power, or immortal energy, but cannot determine the answer.
• Meanwhile, the Food God prepares for the Peach Banquet. Having received light soy sauce and sweet bean paste from Qin Fen, he confidently orders his cooks to begin working. He expects the banquet’s food preparations to give him enough time before the Peaches of Immortality are served.
• Qin Fen continues investigating the phone but eventually decides that the truth will reveal itself later.
• He then resumes messaging Sun Yating, hoping she will resend a promised photograph. Their conversation develops into awkward flirtation and teasing.
• Sun Yating hints that she has just showered and challenges Qin Fen to guess what she is wearing. Qin Fen guesses a flight-attendant-style outfit, but she tells him he is wrong.
• After Qin Fen ends the conversation, Sun Yating reveals that he guessed correctly and sends him photographs of herself wearing a purple outfit. Qin Fen is pleased and studies the images, though his thoughts remain comically focused on her figure.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates his usual mixture of cleverness, frustration, optimism, and social awkwardness. He is troubled by the mysterious Heavenly Court recharge system but refuses to panic permanently, trusting that he will eventually understand it. In his interaction with Sun Yating, he appears inexperienced and overly cautious, attempting to maintain an “upright” image while clearly enjoying her flirtation.
• Food God: Becomes increasingly confident and ambitious after obtaining Qin Fen’s modern condiments. He sees the Peach Banquet as an opportunity to showcase new cuisine and possibly revolutionize Heavenly Court cooking.
• Sun Yating: Reveals herself to be perceptive, playful, and confident. She easily recognizes Qin Fen’s desire to see her photograph and deliberately teases him, enjoying his awkward responses.

Significant Themes

• Clash between modern and immortal societies: Qin Fen expects money and telecommunications systems to operate according to mortal-world logic, while the Heavenly Court relies on barter, relationships, and supernatural resources.
• Unintended consequences and influence: Qin Fen wonders whether his contact with the Heavenly Court will create a “butterfly effect,” while the Food God already intends to use modern ingredients to transform an important immortal banquet.
• Communication and misunderstanding: The mysterious recharge request highlights Qin Fen’s inability to understand the rules of the supernatural connection. His chat with Sun Yating similarly depends on indirect hints, teasing, and misinterpretation.
• Comedy through contrast: Qin Fen’s serious concern over the phone is juxtaposed with the Food God’s excitement about cooking and Qin Fen’s awkward romantic conversation.
• Desire versus restraint: Qin Fen is clearly attracted to Sun Yating but repeatedly tries to behave modestly, creating humorous tension between his thoughts and his outward replies.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and the Food God: Qin Fen asks about Heavenly Court currency and warns the Food God not to reveal his affairs. The Food God respectfully agrees while privately looking forward to using Qin Fen’s ingredients at the Peach Banquet.
• Qin Fen and Sun Yating: Their exchange shifts from hesitant small talk to playful romantic teasing. Sun Yating tests Qin Fen’s reactions, while Qin Fen struggles to respond without seeming vulgar or overly eager. Her final photos confirm that she was intentionally teasing him and that he had guessed correctly.

Chapter Summary: “Treat Me to Beef Buns”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen spends a restless night, excited about the mysterious “recharge” and the opportunities it may bring.
• In Heaven, the Food God prepares for a major banquet, determined to prove his culinary skill. The Seven Fairies summon him to the main hall, while the Kitchen God hints that the coveted Peaches of Immortality may be difficult to obtain.
• In the mortal world, Qin Fen arrives at work and is confronted by Manager Wang, who accuses him of leaving early the previous day and deducts 100 yuan from his pay.
• Qin Fen recognizes that Wang is deliberately targeting him because of his connection with Sun Yating, but he chooses to endure the punishment temporarily while investigating his future options.
• His coworkers support him and joke with him after Manager Wang leaves.
• Sun Yating arrives in an expensive red Mercedes. She learns about Qin Fen’s fine, jokes about compensating him, and teases him suggestively by comparing her own “buns” to the beef bun he is eating.
• She promises to treat him to two buns—or, more generally, a meal—next time before driving away, leaving Qin Fen flustered and privately calling her an “enchantress.”

Character Development

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates patience and practical intelligence by suppressing his anger toward Manager Wang rather than provoking further retaliation. He remains proud and determined to leave once he finds a better opportunity. His awkward reactions to Sun Yating’s teasing reveal both his attraction to her and his relative innocence.
• Food God: Shows renewed ambition and professional pride. Though usually cautious because of his low status in Heaven, he becomes fiercely motivated to prove his culinary superiority.
• Manager Wang: Is established as petty, vindictive, and biased. His punishment of Qin Fen is clearly connected to his hostility toward Sun Yating.
• Sun Yating: Appears confident, playful, and deliberately provocative. At the same time, she respects Qin Fen’s honesty and work ethic, finding his serious, good-natured personality entertaining.
• Kitchen God: Takes on the role of an amused observer, suggesting that political or competitive complications surround the Food God’s attempt to obtain the immortal peaches.

Significant Themes

• Endurance versus dignity: Qin Fen tolerates unfair treatment temporarily, not because he accepts being bullied, but because he is strategically waiting for a better path.
• Professional pride and competition: The Food God’s determination reflects the pride of a master craftsman unwilling to accept being surpassed.
• Power and social hierarchy: Both Heaven and Qin Fen’s workplace are governed by rank, favoritism, and hidden rivalries.
• Humor and flirtation: The chapter uses the contrast between Qin Fen’s straightforward nature and Sun Yating’s suggestive teasing to create comic tension.
• Hope for change: Qin Fen’s interest in the mysterious recharge and the Food God’s excitement about the banquet both suggest that new opportunities may soon alter their circumstances.

Character Interactions

• Food God and the Seven Fairies: They interact formally, with the fairies delivering Her Majesty’s summons to the banquet.
• Food God and Kitchen God: The Kitchen God watches him leave with a knowing smile, implying rivalry or secret expectations.
• Qin Fen and Manager Wang: Their exchange is outwardly polite but internally hostile. Wang attempts to assert authority through an unfair fine, while Qin Fen conceals his anger.
• Qin Fen and his coworkers: His colleagues admire his controlled response and tease him affectionately, showing workplace camaraderie.
• Qin Fen and Sun Yating: Their conversation combines compensation, mutual familiarity, and heavy innuendo. Sun Yating enjoys provoking him, while Qin Fen tries—and fails—to remain unaffected.

Chapter Summary: Heavenly Court God-Chef Competition

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Sun Yating leaves, Qin Fen finishes his work and checks WeChat Moments. He discovers that the app can receive the immortals’ thoughts through some form of primordial-spirit or divine-sense communication.
• Qin Fen scrolls through the immortals’ complaints about the Peach Banquet, especially their boredom with the Queen Mother and Jade Emperor’s repetitive speeches. He is thrilled to see posts from Sun Wukong, who is impatient for peaches and annoyed by the banquet’s formalities.
• The Peach Banquet begins with celestial music, dancing fairy maidens, immortal wine, peaches, clouds, rainbows, and divine birds creating a magnificent atmosphere.
• The Jade Emperor orders the God of Food to serve the banquet dishes. The Stove Lord immediately accuses him of failing to prepare enough food for the immortals, their servants, mounts, and attendants.
• Before the God of Food can defend himself, Sun Wukong interrupts, complaining that his monkey subjects have not been fed. The Jade Emperor is angered, but the Stove Lord claims he has prepared noodles, pancakes, and snacks.
• The Jade Emperor allows the Stove Lord to take charge. His dishes receive polite approval from the immortals, though many admit they are merely familiar foods with minor variations.
• Sun Wukong criticizes the food as repetitive and tasteless, even spitting out a piece after trying it. The immortals agree that the dishes are acceptable but lack originality, while still considering the peaches the banquet’s true attraction.
• Offended by the comparison, the God of Food decides to demonstrate his skill. He creates a table, produces a golden roast duck, and begins carving it with impressive speed. The duck’s aroma immediately fills the hall, setting up a culinary contest between the two divine chefs.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen becomes increasingly fascinated by the Heavenly Court and especially excited by Sun Wukong’s presence. His understanding of WeChat’s supernatural communication function also expands.
• The God of Food initially tries to avoid confrontation but becomes defensive and competitive when the Stove Lord undermines him. The immortals’ criticism ultimately provokes him into publicly showcasing his abilities.
• The Stove Lord acts opportunistically, using the God of Food’s apparent lack of preparation to gain the Jade Emperor’s favor. His confidence rises after his dishes receive approval.
• Sun Wukong remains impulsive, outspoken, and irreverent. He ignores etiquette, steals wine and food, complains openly, and prioritizes feeding his monkey followers over the banquet’s formal proceedings.
• The Jade Emperor is concerned with maintaining the Heavenly Court’s dignity. He is embarrassed by the apparent lack of food, then pleased when the Stove Lord provides a solution, though he continues to distrust the God of Food.
• The immortals are shown as bored and accustomed to celestial delicacies. Even when they praise the food, they admit that repeated dishes have become monotonous.

Significant Themes

• Tradition versus innovation: The banquet’s food is technically good but criticized for being repetitive, emphasizing that excellence without novelty eventually becomes dull.
• Professional rivalry and status: The God of Food and Stove Lord compete not only over cooking but also over influence and recognition in the Heavenly Court.
• Public image and dignity: The Jade Emperor’s reaction shows that appearances and the smooth running of official ceremonies matter greatly in the Heavenly Court.
• Boredom among immortals: Despite their divine status and abundance, the immortals are portrayed as restless and easily dissatisfied because they lack novelty and entertainment.
• Human-like behavior among gods: The immortals complain about meetings, gossip, criticize food, and seek amusement, making the divine world resemble an exaggerated bureaucracy.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen observes the immortals indirectly through their WeChat thoughts, giving him insight into their personalities and dissatisfaction.
• The Stove Lord openly challenges the God of Food before the Jade Emperor, attempting to replace him as banquet chef.
• Sun Wukong disrupts the formal conflict by confronting the Jade Emperor, demanding food for his monkeys and criticizing the banquet’s hospitality.
• The Jade Emperor rewards the Stove Lord’s apparent preparedness and threatens to deal with the God of Food later.
• The immortals compare and evaluate the two chefs’ cooking, unintentionally intensifying the rivalry.
• The chapter ends with the God of Food making a dramatic entrance with roast duck, signaling the beginning of a direct culinary showdown.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Food God showcases extraordinary knife skills, carving a roasted duck into exactly 108 thin slices without using divine magic.
• The immortals are initially confused because the duck is served with its skin and meat together rather than in the familiar style.
• The Food God demonstrates the proper method: placing duck slices, scallions, shrimp, and sweet bean sauce inside a thin pancake, then rolling it into a wrap.
• Sun Wukong tastes the roast duck and immediately becomes obsessed, repeatedly demanding more and trying to monopolize the Food God's attention.
• The Jade Emperor orders the Food God to prepare wraps for everyone. The immortals quickly become enthusiastic, praising the dish’s combination of crisp skin, rich fat, pancake, scallions, shrimp, and sweet sauce.
• The Queen Mother introduces the Peaches of Immortality, expecting them to be the banquet’s main attraction. Instead, the immortals ignore the peaches and continue eating roast duck.
• Even Sun Wukong, traditionally fond of peaches, dismisses them as inferior to the new dish.
• The Kitchen God, whose own banquet dishes are ignored, becomes furious and humiliated. After tasting the roast duck himself, however, he is forced to admit that it is exceptionally delicious.

Character Developments

• The Food God proves that mastery and experience can approach the Dao, earning admiration through culinary skill rather than supernatural power. His confidence also grows as his dish wins over the entire Heavenly Court.
• Sun Wukong reveals his impulsive, shameless, and food-loving nature. His immediate enthusiasm creates comic relief, and he openly supports the Food God against the Kitchen God.
• The Jade Emperor becomes genuinely fascinated by the novel preparation and enthusiastically endorses the dish.
• The Queen Mother is shocked that the Peaches of Immortality are completely overshadowed, revealing how unexpected the roast duck’s appeal is.
• The Kitchen God suffers a severe blow to his pride when his carefully prepared dishes are rejected. Despite his resentment, tasting the roast duck forces him to recognize the Food God’s superiority.
• The other immortals shift from curiosity to enthusiasm, with many expressing a desire for the Food God to prepare the dish again at future banquets.

Significant Themes

• Mastery through experience: The Food God’s knife work shows that repeated practice and accumulated skill can reach a level comparable to the Dao.
• Innovation versus tradition: The roast duck’s unfamiliar presentation defeats the Heavenly Court’s attachment to traditional banquet foods.
• Pleasure overcoming status: Even the legendary Peaches of Immortality cannot compete with an exceptionally enjoyable meal, emphasizing immediate sensory delight over prestige.
• Rivalry and professional pride: The Kitchen God’s humiliation illustrates the conflict between established authority and genuine innovation.
• Food as social influence: The Food God wins allies and admiration through his cooking, while Sun Wukong’s enthusiastic support further elevates his standing.

Character Interactions

• The Food God repeatedly restrains Sun Wukong from grabbing the duck and then patiently teaches him how to eat it.
• Sun Wukong enthusiastically praises the Food God, promises to defend him, and insults the Kitchen God’s food, intensifying their rivalry.
• The Barefoot Immortal, Erlang God, and other immortals jokingly complain that Sun Wukong is eating everything before they can try it.
• The Jade Emperor directly commands the Food God to serve the whole gathering, showing his approval and interest.
• The Queen Mother’s offer of peaches is effectively ignored, creating a humorous contrast between her expectations and the immortals’ obsession.
• The Kitchen God watches his reputation collapse, then privately tastes the roast duck and recognizes that the Food God has genuinely surpassed him.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• During the Peach Banquet, Sun Monkey guards the Food God while eating generously and worrying about feeding his “little ones.”
• The Kitchen God tries to regain attention by offering to cook for the servants, but the Food God reveals he has prepared another dish: cold noodles with seasonings.
• Sun Monkey tastes the noodles and immediately demands more. The Barefoot Immortal and Lord Lao also insist that the dish be shared with everyone.
• The Jade Emperor approves, and the cold noodles become more popular than the Peaches of Immortality. The banquet guests happily eat them, greatly impressing the Jade Emperor.
• As a reward, the Food God receives immortal pills, a Peach of Immortality, and one thousand merit points. The Kitchen God watches jealously.
• In the mortal world, Qin Fen is caught using his phone by Fatty Wang, who threatens to deduct another 500 yuan from his already small salary.
• At the same time, the Food God receives his rewards and credits Qin Fen’s ancestor or divine connection for his success.
• The Food God transfers one thousand units of Heavenly Court credit to Qin Fen. The transfer gives Qin Fen the Food God’s complete cooking knowledge, techniques, and knife skills.
• Qin Fen immediately demonstrates his new abilities by peeling an apple without looking, producing one continuous spiral of peel and stunning Fatty Wang.

2. Character Developments

• The Food God gains confidence and status after his cold noodles become the highlight of the banquet. He is rewarded by the Jade Emperor and becomes deeply grateful to Qin Fen’s divine connection.
• The Kitchen God grows increasingly jealous and frustrated after failing to impress the immortals while the Food God receives praise and rewards.
• Sun Monkey is shown as greedy but generous in his own way, demanding food for himself and his followers while also helping spread the dish among the immortals.
• The Jade Emperor appears pleased and approving, recognizing the Food God’s contribution and rewarding him generously.
• Qin Fen begins the chapter as a financially strained, powerless security guard being bullied by his supervisor. After receiving the Food God’s abilities, he gains confidence and the means to challenge Fatty Wang.
• Fatty Wang is portrayed as petty and domineering, exploiting his authority to punish Qin Fen and deduct money from his wages.

3. Significant Themes

• Talent and recognition: The Food God’s practical contribution earns more appreciation than the traditional Peaches of Immortality, suggesting that genuine skill and usefulness can surpass established prestige.
• Reciprocity and divine exchange: Qin Fen’s assistance enables the Food God’s success, and the Food God repays him with heavenly credit and knowledge.
• Power transformation: Qin Fen’s fortunes begin changing when supernatural abilities enter his ordinary life, giving him an advantage over those who mistreat him.
• Jealousy and rivalry: The Kitchen God’s envy highlights the tension between genuine achievement and resentment over another person’s success.
• Class and economic hardship: Qin Fen’s low wages, rent, and repeated deductions emphasize his vulnerable position and make his newfound abilities especially significant.
• Food as social connection: The cold noodles unite immortals of different ranks, turning the banquet into a genuinely communal celebration.

4. Character Interactions

• Sun Monkey interacts enthusiastically with the Food God, pressuring him for more noodles and prioritizing his followers’ needs.
• The Food God and Kitchen God remain rivals, with the Kitchen God attempting to compete but ultimately being overshadowed.
• The Barefoot Immortal and Lord Lao support Sun Monkey’s desire to share the noodles, encouraging the Food God to serve everyone.
• The Jade Emperor observes the banquet’s success and formally rewards the Food God.
• Fatty Wang confronts Qin Fen over phone use, insults him, and threatens a wage deduction, creating the chapter’s main mortal-world conflict.
• Through the heavenly transfer, the Food God indirectly empowers Qin Fen, allowing Qin Fen to display his new mastery and end the chapter with a confident reversal of their power dynamic.

Chapter Summary: “A Turn for the Better”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fatty Wang unjustly penalizes Qin Fen, adding another deduction to his wages and demanding that he write a self-criticism and apologize.
• Qin Fen remains unnervingly calm, revealing that his apparent composure masks growing anger.
• Instead of apologizing, Qin Fen uses his knife skills to carve “Fuck off!” into an apple and formally quits his job.
• Fatty Wang threatens him with financial consequences, reminding him that Qin Fen may lose his wages and still has rent to pay.
• Sun Yating arrives unexpectedly in a red Mercedes-Benz convertible and witnesses the confrontation.
• Impressed by Qin Fen’s expert, blindfold-like knife work and confident attitude, Sun Yating offers him a new job at her restaurant:
  • 5,000 yuan per month
  • One month’s salary advanced
  • Full social insurance and housing benefits
• Qin Fen accepts immediately and leaves with Sun Yating, humiliating Fatty Wang and shocking his coworker.
• During the drive, Qin Fen realizes that his recent thoughts about attending chef training have unexpectedly become reality.
• He studies the Food God’s latest message and concludes that Merit is the force connecting the human and spiritual realms, since ordinary spiritual energy no longer exists in the human world.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates remarkable knife skills, emotional restraint, and growing self-confidence. He finally stands up to Fatty Wang, quits his exploitative job, and gains a far better opportunity. His realization about Merit also advances his understanding of the supernatural system affecting his life.
• Fatty Wang: Reveals himself as petty, abusive, and vindictive. His confidence collapses when Qin Fen finds a better job, leaving him enraged and powerless.
• Sun Yating: Shows decisiveness, generosity, and strong business judgment. She recognizes Qin Fen’s culinary talent immediately and acts boldly to recruit him. Her teasing and provocative manner also intensify the flirtatious tension between them.
• Qin Fen’s coworker: Understands Qin Fen’s temperament and tries to mediate, but is ultimately stunned and envious when Qin Fen’s situation dramatically improves.

Significant Themes

• Standing up against exploitation: Qin Fen refuses to tolerate unfair treatment and chooses dignity over a low-paying, abusive job.
• Unexpected transformation: His life changes abruptly from financial insecurity to a promising new career, emphasizing the chapter’s title and the idea that fortunes can reverse suddenly.
• Hidden talent and recognition: Qin Fen’s unusual knife skills reveal that he possesses abilities far beyond what his ordinary job suggests.
• Merit as a bridge between worlds: The chapter clarifies that Merit, rather than spiritual energy, links the human realm with the supernatural realm.
• Confidence and attraction: Qin Fen’s calm skill and serious attitude increase Sun Yating’s interest in him, while her wealth, beauty, and bold personality unsettle him.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Fatty Wang engage in a tense power struggle, ending with Qin Fen’s defiant resignation.
• Qin Fen’s coworker attempts to calm both men but recognizes that Fatty Wang’s bullying is pushing Qin Fen toward an explosion.
• Sun Yating decisively intervenes, validates Qin Fen, and rescues him from the situation by offering him employment.
• During the car ride, Sun Yating teases Qin Fen with suggestive remarks, while he becomes increasingly flustered by her confidence and appearance.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Qin Fen discovers a Heavenly Court Moments post from the Land God in charge of the Immortal Herb Garden. The Land God complains that unruly children from powerful immortal families are destroying his garden and abusing him.
• The post includes a recorded image made with the Mysterious Light Technique, revealing that the technique can capture images and transmit them through Qin Fen’s phone.
• Qin Fen suggests distracting the children with something entertaining, remembering how comic books kept him occupied as a child.
• Sun Yating drives Qin Fen to her restaurant, Lotus Pavilion, in Dayang Department Store.
• She introduces Qin Fen to the staff as the restaurant’s new chef. The contracted head chef, Zhang Ye, objects at first but quickly hides his displeasure behind a false smile.
• Qin Fen recognizes Zhang Ye as a potentially dangerous “smiling tiger” and decides not to let the man intimidate him.
• While in the kitchen, Qin Fen checks the Land God’s desperate messages and proposes a more specific solution: setting up a bookstall to occupy the troublesome children.

Character developments

• Qin Fen continues learning how to use the Heavenly Court’s communication system and becomes increasingly comfortable helping immortals through WeChat.
• His childhood memories of his grandfather reveal a sentimental side and explain his practical approach to handling children.
• Qin Fen also demonstrates strong social awareness, quickly identifying Zhang Ye’s outward politeness as insincere.
• The Land God is portrayed as weak, anxious, and oppressed by powerful immortal families. His desperation makes him eager to accept Qin Fen’s help.
• Sun Yating shows herself to be confident and authoritative, asserting ownership of her restaurant and defending her right to hire Qin Fen.
• Zhang Ye appears outwardly cooperative but is clearly displeased by Qin Fen’s arrival, establishing a possible workplace conflict.

Significant themes

• Power imbalance and injustice: The Land God cannot properly punish the children because their influential parents can suppress any complaint.
• Human ingenuity solving supernatural problems: Qin Fen applies an ordinary childhood solution—giving children books or entertainment—to an immortal-world crisis.
• Hidden technology and communication: The Mysterious Light Technique and Heavenly Court Moments expand Qin Fen’s connection to the immortal realm.
• Social perception and deception: Qin Fen’s ability to read expressions helps him detect Zhang Ye’s concealed hostility.
• Nostalgia and family influence: Qin Fen’s memories of his grandfather shape both his personality and his advice.

Character interactions

• Qin Fen exchanges messages with the Land God, Mountain God, and Zhang Fude through Heavenly Court Moments, becoming an unexpected adviser to the troubled Land God.
• Sun Yating and Qin Fen travel together to the restaurant, drawing attention and jealousy from other men.
• Sun Yating publicly introduces Qin Fen as a new employee and firmly confronts Zhang Ye when he challenges her decision.
• Qin Fen and Zhang Ye begin with mutual distrust, though neither openly confronts the other.
• The chapter ends with Qin Fen privately offering the Land God a practical plan: opening a bookstall to distract the destructive children.

Chapter Summary: The Birth of Heavenly Court’s First Batch of Newbies

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Land God of the Heavenly Court’s Immortal Herb Garden becomes desperate after failing to control the unruly children under his care. Many are Innate Divine Beings or descendants of powerful primordial beasts, making them impossible for him to discipline through force.
• Qin Fen suddenly contacts him through WeChat and proposes opening a book stall to occupy the children.
• Qin Fen suggests using illustrated versions of Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West. These stories would appeal to the children while also recounting the glorious exploits of their parents and elders.
• Qin Fen explains that the books could revive old memories among the Heavenly Court’s older generation and gradually loosen the rigid, stagnant atmosphere of the realm. He intends to introduce more modern entertainment and desires into the Heavenly Court.
• Qin Fen asks for 1,000 Merit in exchange for the books. The Land God protests that such a loss would severely affect his annual evaluations and haggles him down to 500 Merit.
• Qin Fen accepts, intending to use the Land God as a long-term customer. He recognizes that the Land God’s position in the Immortal Herb Garden could provide valuable future opportunities.
• Qin Fen leaves the restaurant, buys two sets of children’s comic books from a supermarket, photographs them in a restroom, and sends them through WeChat.
• The transfer consumes significant phone data and reduces Qin Fen’s balance to 683, reminding him that sending materials to the Heavenly Court carries a substantial cost.
• The kitchen apprentices become displeased by Qin Fen’s sudden departure, though Zhang Ye remains calm and simply watches him leave.
• Qin Fen then notices a new post from Matchmaker Yue, who is overwhelmed by orders to increase marriages and population in the Heavenly Court. She complains that the younger generation has no understanding of romance and that incorrectly tying marriage destinies could cause serious consequences.
• Matchmaker Yue admits that one of her earlier mistakes supposedly contributed to the development of male-male romantic customs in the human world, shocking Qin Fen.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen shows increasing confidence and entrepreneurial cunning. He treats the Heavenly Court as a market and experiments with ways to profit from its weaknesses and unmet needs.
• He also demonstrates strategic thinking: the books are not merely entertainment but a way to influence both children and adults, gradually transforming Heavenly Court culture.
• The Land God is revealed to be both helpless and shrewd. Although bullied by the children, he understands the value of Qin Fen’s offer and skillfully negotiates the price. His desperation, however, causes him to focus only on solving the immediate crisis.
• Zhang Ye remains observant and composed, contrasting with the irritated kitchen apprentices.
• Matchmaker Yue appears as an overworked, anxious official whose past mistakes and current responsibilities create comic complications.

Significant Themes

• Modernization and cultural disruption: Qin Fen plans to reshape the conservative Heavenly Court by introducing comics, entertainment, and modern commercial thinking.
• Supply and demand: Qin Fen recognizes that Heavenly Court lacks things the younger generation wants, allowing him to profit by providing them.
• The gap between generations: The children are difficult to control and disconnected from traditional teachings, while the older immortals cling to memories of their past achievements.
• Bureaucratic helplessness: Officials such as the Land God and Matchmaker Yue are burdened by impossible responsibilities and rigid institutional expectations.
• Commerce and negotiation: Merit functions as currency, and Qin Fen’s bargaining with the Land God establishes a business relationship rather than a simple act of charity.
• Destiny and unintended consequences: Matchmaker Yue’s difficulty managing romantic fate highlights the danger of small mistakes producing far-reaching effects.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and the Land God develop a humorous but potentially profitable business relationship, with Qin Fen acting as a confident supplier and the Land God as a desperate customer.
• Their negotiation reveals Qin Fen’s greed and the Land God’s experience with bargaining and official finances.
• Qin Fen’s interaction with the kitchen staff is indirect: his abrupt disappearance frustrates the apprentices, while Zhang Ye quietly observes him without openly objecting.
• Qin Fen reacts to Matchmaker Yue’s public complaint with disbelief and mockery, especially after learning that her past errors may have influenced human romantic customs.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen observes Matchmaker Yue’s memories and realizes that a disastrous disturbance of yin and yang may have originated from one of Yue’s matchmaking mistakes. He jokingly imagines the wrong red threads being assigned to someone like Lord Longyang.
• The Earth God of the Immortal Herb Garden anxiously waits for contact from the mysterious “immortal,” fearing that Qin Fen may be an overwhelmingly powerful and dangerous expert.
• Qin Fen sends two illustrated children’s books to the Earth God, but the Earth God cannot read their simplified Chinese characters.
• After realizing the problem, Qin Fen transfers a traditional–simplified character dictionary. The Earth God interprets this as an artifact of extraordinary wisdom and magical power.
• The Earth God successfully translates the books. Qin Fen then warns him to destroy all copies because they contain “Heaven’s secrets.”
• Terrified, the Earth God converts the books into traditional characters, absorbs the dictionary’s knowledge, and burns the dictionary to ashes.
• The Earth God sends Qin Fen five hundred units of Merit, more than compensating Qin Fen for the transmission fees and leaving him with a much larger phone balance.
• Qin Fen asks about ordinary, inexpensive immortal herbs. The Earth God lists several valuable and common plants, but Qin Fen specifically requests the least valuable one to keep transmission costs low.
• The Earth God sends him a weed from the Immortal Herb Garden. Qin Fen discovers that it is merely foxtail grass, though its remarkable ability to regrow reveals its potentially extraordinary vitality.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen continues exploiting the misconceptions of Heavenly Court immortals. He presents ordinary modern technology as profound divine wisdom while carefully controlling costs and maximizing profit.
• The Earth God becomes increasingly intimidated by Qin Fen. He shifts from calling himself a “little immortal” to referring to himself as a servant and becomes completely convinced that Qin Fen is an unfathomably powerful expert who acts according to Heaven’s will.
• Matchmaker Yue is portrayed as comically dangerous because of his possible role in disrupting the natural order through a matchmaking error.

Significant Themes

• Misunderstanding and reversed perspectives: Qin Fen sees mundane technology and weeds, while the immortals interpret them as incomprehensible heavenly treasures.
• Power created by ignorance: The Earth God’s lack of knowledge allows Qin Fen to appear vastly more powerful than he really is.
• Commercial opportunism: Qin Fen repeatedly charges for transmissions and uses the immortals’ reverence to make a profit.
• The hidden value of ordinary things: Foxtail grass appears worthless, yet its astonishing regenerative vitality hints that it may possess important uses in cultivation or alchemy.
• Heavenly secrets and authority: The Earth God’s fear of violating Heaven’s will shows how deeply celestial hierarchy and taboo shape immortal behavior.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen communicates with the Earth God remotely through his phone, sending books, a dictionary, and eventually a plant.
• Their relationship is based on a comic imbalance: Qin Fen treats the Earth God as a customer, while the Earth God treats Qin Fen as an unknowable divine master.
• Qin Fen’s warning about destroying the books intensifies the Earth God’s fear and obedience.
• The exchange over the “least valuable” herb highlights their contrasting assumptions: Qin Fen wants something cheap and practical, while the Earth God struggles to understand why an expert would request a common weed.

Chapter Summary: “The Legendary Art of Multitasking”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen decides to download the Dogtail Grass divine ability, though he postpones doing so because he worries about exhausting his data.
• He returns to the restaurant, where Zhang Ye assigns him kitchen work after Qin Fen claims that his knife skills are “decent.”
• Qin Fen is told to slice potatoes and lean meat. His hesitation makes the apprentices suspect that he was hired for reasons unrelated to culinary ability.
• While preparing vegetables, Qin Fen becomes absorbed in thoughts about the Heavenly Court, Buddhist School, Demon Tribe, and the separation between immortals and mortals.
• Despite being mentally distracted and not looking at the cutting board, Qin Fen slices potatoes at incredible speed and with perfect consistency.
• His performance shocks the apprentices, who initially believe he is showing off or relying on momentum. Upon examining the shredded potatoes, they realize every piece is uniformly cut.
• Qin Fen effortlessly demonstrates an extraordinary form of multitasking, functioning like a machine while his mind focuses on divine-world politics.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen displays his calm, cautious nature by delaying the download and carefully considering its possible cost. He also reveals that, as the Food God, he possesses instinctive mastery of culinary skills far beyond ordinary human ability.
• His ability to think deeply about supernatural affairs while performing flawless knife work establishes him as someone whose divine talents are becoming naturally integrated into his everyday life.
• Zhang Ye appears outwardly casual but seems skeptical and disdainful of Qin Fen, likely assuming that Qin Fen lacks genuine kitchen ability.
• The apprentices shift from suspicion and mockery to awe and disbelief after witnessing Qin Fen’s precision. Their own years of training are made to seem inadequate by comparison.

Significant Themes

• Hidden ability and underestimated talent: Qin Fen initially appears inexperienced, but his divine nature allows him to perform at an astonishing level.
• Multitasking and divided attention: The chapter emphasizes Qin Fen’s ability to separate physical skill from conscious thought, making his knife work seem almost supernatural.
• Human assumptions versus divine reality: The apprentices judge Qin Fen by ordinary standards, while his Food God abilities operate far beyond normal human limitations.
• The growing conflict among divine factions: Qin Fen’s reflections suggest tension between the Buddhist School and Heavenly Court, with the Demon Tribe and the separation of immortals and mortals hinting at larger unresolved mysteries.
• Comedy through contrast: Qin Fen treats his miraculous ability as routine, while the apprentices react as though they are witnessing something impossible.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Zhang Ye: Zhang Ye assigns Qin Fen a difficult but ordinary kitchen task after Qin Fen modestly claims decent knife skills. His later expression of disdain contrasts sharply with Qin Fen’s actual performance.
• Qin Fen and the apprentices: The apprentices gossip about Qin Fen, question his qualifications, and suspect favoritism. After observing his work, they approach him secretly and inspect the potatoes, becoming completely stunned by their uniformity.
• Qin Fen and the divine world: Although no divine characters appear directly, Qin Fen mentally engages with figures such as the Earth Deity and Matchmaker Yue, contemplating broader tensions within the Heavenly Court while continuing his kitchen work.

Chapter Summary: “Talking Matchmaker Yue into It”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen works in the kitchen, rapidly slicing potatoes while simultaneously thinking and talking. His astonishing speed impresses the other apprentices, especially because he had been multitasking.
• Another apprentice attempts to imitate Qin Fen’s technique, cuts his finger, and leaves to bandage it.
• Qin Fen finishes his assigned task quickly and performs an elaborate knife-catching flourish, unknowingly copying the Food God’s customary gesture.
• After washing up, Qin Fen checks his phone and browses the Heavenly Court’s social network. Posts from immortals praise the Peach Banquet, particularly the Beijing roast duck and cold noodles. The Peaches of Immortality, despite being the banquet’s main attraction, receive comparatively little attention.
• The Food God becomes extremely popular because of his cooking, receiving invitations from many immortals and even being repeatedly summoned by the Jade Emperor to prepare meals.
• Qin Fen notices Matchmaker Yue discussing the difficulty of arranging marriages after the Immortal-Mortal Severance. Yue considers traveling to the Earthly Immortal Realm to observe its festivals and marriage customs.
• Qin Fen deliberately contacts Matchmaker Yue while concealing his identity. He encourages Yue to descend to the mortal realm but warns him to be cautious because of the demons there.
• Qin Fen explains that the Heavenly Court’s sudden legalization of marriage has created confusion: young immortals lack experience, while older generations cling to traditional ideas about parental authority and arranged matches.
• Qin Fen advises Yue to promote “free love,” arguing that genuine relationships should develop naturally through contact and mutual understanding rather than forced arrangements.
• Believing the advice insightful, Matchmaker Yue accepts the idea and prepares for his journey. Qin Fen introduces himself under the false Daoist title “Nature” and gives one final encouragement: Yue should act boldly and judge methods by whether they achieve results.

2. Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates extraordinary physical skill, focus, and efficiency in the kitchen. He also reveals his clever, mischievous side by manipulating Matchmaker Yue through carefully chosen philosophical language while hiding his true identity.
• The apprentices: Become increasingly intimidated by Qin Fen’s abilities. Their reactions emphasize how far beyond normal human standards his speed and coordination are.
• The Food God: Gains enormous popularity after the banquet because of his innovative and delicious dishes, especially roast duck and cold noodles. His culinary reputation now extends even to the Jade Emperor.
• Matchmaker Yue: Begins frustrated and uncertain about how to handle marriage in a newly changed Heavenly Court. Qin Fen’s ideas lead him to reconsider his old reliance on calculations and arranged matches, making him more receptive to personal choice and natural romance.

3. Significant Themes

• Tradition versus change: The Heavenly Court struggles to adapt after marriage, once forbidden, becomes permissible. Both young and old immortals are uncertain how to behave under the new system.
• Free will and genuine love: The chapter contrasts forced or socially arranged marriage with relationships formed through personal choice, emotional understanding, and mutual affection.
• Innovation and cultural exchange: Mortal food, especially Beijing roast duck, becomes a sensation among immortals, showing how new ideas can transform an isolated society.
• Appearance and deception: Qin Fen presents himself as the mysterious Daoist “Nature,” using an impressive persona to make his advice seem profound and authoritative.
• Action over rigid theory: His final saying about any cat that catches mice suggests that practical success matters more than adhering to one fixed method.

4. Character Interactions

• Qin Fen’s spectacular knife work silently affects the surrounding apprentices, who compare him to a superhuman and fail when trying to imitate him.
• Qin Fen observes the Heavenly Court’s reactions to the Food God’s banquet through social-media posts, indirectly revealing the Food God’s rising status.
• Qin Fen and Matchmaker Yue engage in a one-sided but influential conversation. Qin Fen frames his practical advice in philosophical language, while Yue eagerly interprets it as profound wisdom.
• Qin Fen’s guidance reshapes Yue’s outlook: instead of mechanically assigning matches, Yue is encouraged to observe mortal relationships and allow love to develop naturally.

Chapter Summary: “How Are Beef Balls Made?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Matchmaker Yue leaves the Heavenly Court and descends into the Earthly Immortal Realm, reflecting on its ancient yet strangely lifeless atmosphere.
• He recalls Daoist Nature’s practical philosophy: methods matter less than results, and useful ideas should be judged by their effectiveness.
• At Qin Fen’s restaurant, the lunch rush is underway. Qin Fen finishes preparing potatoes and is assigned to help make fresh beef balls stuffed with shrimp for the day’s soup.
• Although Qin Fen has never made beef balls before, he quickly learns by observing the apprentice. Using his exceptional dexterity and culinary instincts, he produces perfectly round, well-filled beef balls with astonishing speed.
• The kitchen staff are shocked that someone claiming to have worked only as a security guard possesses such refined knife skills and cooking ability.
• Qin Fen continues making the beef balls conscientiously, recognizing that his new opportunities—especially through Heavenly Court Moments—may lead to a much more promising future.
• Sun Yating approaches him from behind and teasingly comments on his technique and the way he fills the beef balls. Her suggestive remarks distract Qin Fen, causing him to accidentally bump into her.

Character Developments

• Matchmaker Yue: Becomes more thoughtful and receptive to Daoist Nature’s pragmatic worldview. His reflections suggest he is beginning to question the Heavenly Court’s traditional methods and recognize the need for practical change.
• Qin Fen: Demonstrates extraordinary adaptability, physical control, and hidden culinary talent. He is humble about his abilities but also enjoys using them to surprise others and potentially impress the Food God later.
• Zhang Ye and his apprentice: Initially doubt Qin Fen because of his claimed background as a security guard. Their skepticism turns into astonishment when he effortlessly surpasses their expectations.
• Sun Yating: Continues to act as a playful, flirtatious “enchantress,” deliberately teasing Qin Fen and exploiting his embarrassment for amusement.

Significant Themes

• Practicality over convention: Matchmaker Yue’s thoughts and Qin Fen’s actions both reinforce the idea that real ability and results matter more than status, background, or formal training.
• Hidden talent and transformation: Qin Fen’s seemingly ordinary identity conceals remarkable abilities, reflecting how his connection to the Heavenly Court is changing his life.
• Humor through misunderstanding: The kitchen staff cannot reconcile Qin Fen’s security-guard background with his exceptional skills, while Sun Yating’s suggestive wordplay creates further comic embarrassment.
• Change and stagnation: The Earthly Immortal Realm and Heavenly Court are portrayed as ancient, sincere, but lacking vitality, emphasizing the need for innovation and reform.

Character Interactions

• Matchmaker Yue mentally engages with Daoist Nature’s teachings while traveling through the Earthly Immortal Realm.
• Zhang Ye’s apprentice instructs Qin Fen and supervises him skeptically, only to be overwhelmed by Qin Fen’s superior technique.
• Qin Fen and the kitchen staff interact through a comic reversal: the supposed novice quickly proves himself the most capable person handling the beef balls.
• Sun Yating corners Qin Fen in the kitchen and makes playful, double-edged comments about his “filling” technique, leaving him flustered and physically startled.

Summary: “The Early Days of Heavenly Court Book Rentals”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen works his first day at Sun Yating’s restaurant, New Oriental. While preparing food, he becomes embarrassed when Sun Yating repeatedly teases him with suggestive jokes.
• Sun Yating leaves the kitchen amused, while Zhang Ye—who is jealous of her attention toward Qin Fen—orders Qin Fen to focus on preparing the restaurant’s soup. Although Zhang Ye dislikes Qin Fen, he avoids openly causing trouble because he depends on the job.
• Qin Fen completes his first day peacefully, meets several coworkers—including Xiaomei, Azhen, and He Wen—and receives an advance on his wages. This relieves his immediate financial worries and gives him time to investigate the secrets of the mysterious WeChat connection to Heavenly Court.
• That night, Qin Fen habitually checks Heavenly Court’s Moments on his phone.
• In Heavenly Court, the Land God prepares to deal with a group of unruly young immortals who regularly invade his garden. Since he is weak, low-ranking, and stationed in a remote area, he normally cannot control them.
• The group is led by Li Tingyu, a bold young immortal from an illustrious family. Her companions include Cao Ning, the son of Cao Guojiu, and other children from powerful divine lineages.
• To stop the children from rushing into his garden, the Land God reveals illustrated books titled Investiture of the Gods, featuring stories and images of famous immortals, including Li Tingyu’s beloved third uncle, Nezha.
• Li Tingyu immediately becomes interested, while the Land God privately acknowledges that he is attempting to use the books to gain control over the children’s behavior.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Remains earnest, hardworking, and somewhat socially awkward. His first paycheck advance restores his sense of security and allows him to pursue larger personal goals. Though he dreams of an easy, wealthy, and pleasure-filled life, he is also responsible and willing to work seriously.
• Sun Yating: Shows increasing interest in Qin Fen. Her teasing is flirtatious, but her attraction stems from his sincerity and persistence, especially the memory of him giving her his umbrella while continuing to work in the rain.
• Zhang Ye: Reveals jealousy toward Qin Fen because of Sun Yating’s attention. However, he is practical enough not to sabotage Qin Fen openly.
• The Land God: Demonstrates resourcefulness despite his weakness. Rather than confront the immortal children directly, he devises a clever plan to distract and attract them with books.
• Li Tingyu: Is established as fearless, mischievous, and influential among the children. Although young, she acts as their leader and has a powerful divine family background.
• Cao Ning: Is portrayed as gluttonous and simple-minded, immediately excited by the prospect of eating insects.

Significant Themes

• Sincerity and persistence as sources of attraction: Sun Yating is drawn to Qin Fen because of his serious, dependable nature rather than superficial charm.
• Humor and flirtation: Much of the restaurant section relies on playful sexual innuendo, contrasting Qin Fen’s embarrassment with Sun Yating’s confidence.
• Hard work versus wishful thinking: Qin Fen fantasizes about wealth and freedom, yet his immediate progress comes through honest labor.
• Resourcefulness in the face of weakness: The Land God cannot overpower the children, so he relies on psychology and appealing distractions.
• The intersection of mortal and divine worlds: Qin Fen’s ordinary life is increasingly connected to Heavenly Court through WeChat, allowing everyday items such as books to influence immortals.

Character Interactions

• Sun Yating repeatedly teases Qin Fen while he works, enjoying his embarrassment and testing his reactions. Qin Fen attempts to respond but is consistently outmatched by her verbal playfulness.
• Zhang Ye interrupts the flirtatious exchange and redirects Qin Fen toward his duties, masking his jealousy behind workplace authority.
• The Land God confronts Li Tingyu and the other children at the entrance to his garden. He singles out Li Tingyu as the group’s leader and uses her admiration for Nezha to capture everyone’s attention.
• Li Tingyu suspects the Land God may be scheming, but her fascination with the books prevents her from immediately dismissing him.

Summary: “Heavenly Court’s First Manga Fans”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Tingyu recognizes a figure in Qin Fen’s comic as a unique Heavenly Court immortal with three heads and six arms. The comics depict the events of the Investiture of the Gods, a story familiar to the older immortals but newly fascinating to Heavenly Court children.
• The children become completely absorbed in the illustrated books, crowding together to read them. Their excitement comes from seeing familiar elders and legendary events presented in an entertaining, visual format.
• Cao Ning teases Li Tingyu about the comic’s depiction of her Third Uncle as a lotus-root man. Li Tingyu admits that although the comic may not be fully accurate, much of it matches her family’s accounts.
• Qin Fen, unaware of the children’s reaction, focuses on his new job at Dayang Department Store’s restaurant.
• He arrives early, chats with waitress Xiaomei, and exchanges flirtatious remarks with Sun Yating, who continues teasing him.
• In the kitchen, chef Zhang Ye deliberately assigns Qin Fen an enormous amount of vegetable preparation, hoping to test or embarrass the new employee who threatens his position.
• Qin Fen accepts the challenge and demonstrates extraordinary knife skills. He rapidly peels and cuts potatoes, prepares cucumbers, chops meat, and simultaneously carves a flower pattern into a winter melon.
• The apprentices, Sun Yating, and Zhang Ye are stunned by Qin Fen’s precision and speed. Zhang Ye recognizes that Qin Fen may have reached the rare “Synchronized Winter Melon Bowl” level of knife mastery.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Shows himself to be highly disciplined, hardworking, and confident under pressure. Rather than objecting to Zhang Ye’s unfair workload, he treats it as valuable practice and reveals the advanced culinary abilities inherited from the Food God.
• Li Tingyu: Displays curiosity and embarrassment as the comic exposes details about her family’s history. Her reaction also confirms that the manga contains surprising similarities to Heavenly Court records.
• Cao Ning: Acts as a mischievous child, teasing Li Tingyu and eagerly engaging with the comic’s humorous details.
• Sun Yating: Continues her playful, flirtatious relationship with Qin Fen. She is also genuinely impressed when she witnesses his cooking abilities.
• Zhang Ye: Becomes threatened and jealous as Qin Fen’s talent overshadows the other kitchen workers. His attempt to assert authority instead allows Qin Fen to demonstrate his superiority.
• The apprentices: Shift from skepticism and surprise to admiration as they witness Qin Fen’s seemingly superhuman technique.

Significant Themes

• The power of entertainment and storytelling: The comics transform familiar historical or mythological events into something vivid and exciting, especially for children who find ordinary records dull.
• Cultural transmission across worlds: Qin Fen’s manga introduces Heavenly Court residents to a new form of popular culture, creating an unexpected connection between Earth and the divine realm.
• Talent versus workplace rivalry: Qin Fen’s skill exposes Zhang Ye’s insecurity and shows how genuine ability can overcome deliberate attempts at sabotage.
• Practice and mastery: Qin Fen’s attitude emphasizes that even extraordinary talent grows through constant practice and focused effort.
• Humor and modernity: The chapter contrasts ancient immortals and mythological figures with children enjoying comics, workplace banter, and modern restaurant culture.

Character Interactions

• The Heavenly Court children bond over the comics, while Cao Ning’s teasing causes Li Tingyu embarrassment.
• Qin Fen treats Xiaomei kindly by offering her soy milk, prompting a flirtatious interruption from Sun Yating.
• Sun Yating and Qin Fen exchange suggestive remarks that reveal their playful tension and mutual familiarity.
• Zhang Ye attempts to dominate Qin Fen by assigning him excessive work, but Qin Fen responds calmly and impresses the entire kitchen.
• The apprentices praise Qin Fen’s abilities, increasing Zhang Ye’s jealousy and making him realize that Qin Fen is not merely competent but potentially a culinary master.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen demonstrates extraordinary knife skills by simultaneously carving an intricate winter melon and chopping meat. His upside-down floral carving astonishes the kitchen staff.
• The apprentices praise Qin Fen and begin asking him for instruction, comparing his abilities with those of Zhang Ye, the restaurant’s head chef.
• Zhang Ye grows jealous and threatened, realizing Qin Fen’s knife work may rival his own. He uses his authority to stop the apprentices from fawning over Qin Fen and assigns Qin Fen menial chopping work.
• Qin Fen endures Zhang Ye’s deliberate overwork but decides not to retaliate, viewing the restaurant as only a temporary stop.
• During a quiet period, Qin Fen leaves the kitchen and checks WeChat. He finds Matchmaker Yue struggling to encourage romantic relationships among immortals during the mortal holiday.
• Qin Fen proposes organizing a large, government- or Heavenly Court-sponsored matchmaking event. He suggests mandatory attendance for suitable immortals, random male-female pairings, food, drinks, competitive games, and prizes.
• Matchmaker Yue enthusiastically accepts the idea and names the event the “Ten-Thousand Matchmaking Conference.”

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Reveals himself to be an exceptional knife-work expert, remains composed despite workplace jealousy, and demonstrates practical, modern organizational thinking. His creative matchmaking proposal further establishes him as an innovative problem-solver among the immortals.
• Zhang Ye: Shifts from dismissive confidence to insecurity and hostility after recognizing Qin Fen as a potential rival. He relies on his position as head chef to suppress Qin Fen rather than competing fairly.
• Matchmaker Yue: Becomes increasingly impressed by Qin Fen’s unconventional ideas. His initial confusion about modern concepts gives way to admiration and willingness to implement Qin Fen’s plan.
• The apprentices and coworkers: Initially idolize Qin Fen, but quickly distance themselves after Zhang Ye asserts his authority, revealing the restaurant’s hierarchical and politically cautious atmosphere.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and workplace power: Qin Fen’s talent threatens Zhang Ye’s established position, prompting Zhang Ye to abuse his authority.
• Talent versus status: Qin Fen’s skill earns genuine admiration, but Zhang Ye’s formal authority still determines how others behave.
• Innovation versus tradition: Qin Fen’s modern matchmaking ideas contrast with Matchmaker Yue’s old-fashioned assumptions about festivals and courtship.
• Adaptability and problem-solving: Qin Fen applies practical, large-scale methods to an immortal social problem, showing how mortal ideas can improve Heavenly Court customs.
• Social pressure and romance: The proposed conference reflects the difficulty of forming relationships in a rigid immortal society and introduces a comedic attempt to solve it institutionally.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen’s impressive performance creates immediate admiration among the apprentices but provokes Zhang Ye’s resentment.
• Zhang Ye publicly undercuts Qin Fen by insisting that knife skills alone do not make a chef and ordering him back to work.
• Qin Fen and Matchmaker Yue exchange messages in which Qin Fen guides Yue toward organizing a large matchmaking event.
• Their conversation highlights Qin Fen’s modern perspective and Yue’s traditional worldview, while also deepening their unusual but mutually respectful partnership.