Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen meets two women, Big Balloon and Xiao Hua, at a café after shopping and collecting promotional souvenirs from a car show.
• He humorously struggles to understand their luxury-brand conversation, emphasizing his down-to-earth background.
• Sun Yating unexpectedly arrives and teases Qin Fen about admiring the women. Her intimidating presence immediately changes the mood, and both women become nervous around her.
• Song Shaoqing also appears, joking that Qin Fen has arranged a secret meeting without inviting them. The gathering becomes a five-person meal, after which Big Balloon and Xiao Hua leave.
• Xiao Hua reveals that she worked as an exhibitor for an adult-products company and had taken various items from the exhibition.
• Back at his seaside villa, Qin Fen sends “toys” and clothes to Nie Xiaoqian and sends the Dragon King a mysterious package, claiming it will solve the Western Sea’s troubles.
• The Dragon King and Dragon Queen open the package and mistake a Victoria’s Secret bra for a protective armor-like garment, interpreting it as a “Heart-Protecting Mirror.”

Character Developments

• Qin Fen remains confident and humorous, enjoying his increased popularity while still viewing himself as a practical, ordinary man. He is also shown leveraging modern goods to influence supernatural figures.
• Sun Yating continues to display a forceful, teasing, and intimidating personality. Her arrival exposes Qin Fen’s flirtatious situation and establishes her dominance over the other women.
• Song Shaoqing acts as a mischievous third wheel, teasing Qin Fen but also recognizing the apparent chemistry between Qin Fen and Sun Yating.
• Big Balloon and Xiao Hua are attracted to Qin Fen but become uncomfortable and intimidated when Sun Yating and Song Shaoqing join them. Xiao Hua’s adult-products job adds to the chapter’s comic sexual humor.
• The Dragon King and Dragon Queen remain completely unfamiliar with modern products, interpreting ordinary lingerie through the lens of their supernatural world.

Significant Themes

• Cultural misunderstanding and comic interpretation: Modern products are repeatedly misunderstood by supernatural characters, especially the Dragon King and Dragon Queen.
• Qin Fen’s growing status: His busy social life and ability to send valuable or mysterious objects suggest that his influence is expanding.
• Humor through contrast: Qin Fen’s rustic, practical mindset clashes with luxury consumer culture, fashion, flirtation, and supernatural grandeur.
• Romantic and sexual teasing: The chapter uses suggestive jokes, jealousy-like tension, and playful banter to explore Qin Fen’s relationships with women.
• Modernity invading the supernatural world: Everyday goods become magical or significant when introduced to figures from another realm.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen flirts indirectly with Big Balloon and Xiao Hua but is embarrassed and challenged by Sun Yating’s arrival.
• Sun Yating and Qin Fen exchange sharp, suggestive remarks, showing their combative familiarity and possible romantic tension.
• Song Shaoqing joins in with teasing, while Qin Fen resents her interruption.
• Big Balloon and Xiao Hua bond over Xiao Hua’s adult-products exhibition work.
• The Dragon King and Dragon Queen enthusiastically reinterpret a bra as protective armor, highlighting their affectionate but naïve dynamic.

Chapter Summary: “Making a Fortune Amid Chef Qin’s Agonized Balls”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen returns home and relaxes by the pool, believing that his troubles have temporarily subsided.
• A WeChat notification reveals that the Western Sea Dragon King has misunderstood the condoms Qin Fen sent him as specially designed “Heart-Protecting Mirrors.”
• The Dragon King and Dragon Queen praise the condoms’ design and plan to have better versions manufactured. Grateful for Qin Fen’s supposed assistance, the Dragon King sends him 1,000 units of currency.
• Qin Fen discovers that the gift bags distributed among his acquaintances were accidentally mixed up:
  • The Dragon King received condoms but believes they are protective armor.
  • Female Hooligan received condoms and discusses their flavors and whether couples need to use them.
  • The leather-clad girl has Qin Fen’s model car, while her condoms were apparently passed elsewhere.
  • Big Balloon admits she also has condoms and makes an ambiguous comment about liking fruit-flavored ones.
• Qin Fen realizes that he may have given a box of condoms to Nie Xiaoqian, claiming they were toys.
• He urgently video-calls her to prevent further embarrassment, but arrives too late. Nie Xiaoqian has opened one, stretched it, and blown it up, believing it to be a balloon-like toy.
• The chapter ends with Qin Fen overwhelmed by embarrassment while Nie Xiaoqian innocently compares the inflated condom to a peach.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: His temporary relaxation is destroyed by a series of misunderstandings. He becomes increasingly mortified as he traces the wrongly distributed gifts, but chooses not to correct the Dragon King’s interpretation because doing so could cause even greater embarrassment.
• Western Sea Dragon King: Demonstrates complete confidence in his mistaken belief that condoms are protective battle equipment. He interprets Qin Fen’s accidental gift as a thoughtful favor and rewards him financially.
• Dragon Queen: Initially skeptical, she ultimately confirms that the “Heart-Protecting Mirror” is convenient and functional, reinforcing the misunderstanding.
• Nie Xiaoqian: Her body continues becoming more corporeal due to Qin Fen’s gift of Merit. She remains innocent and unfamiliar with modern objects, treating the condom as an entertaining toy.
• The various women around Qin Fen: Their mixed-up gifts create increasingly suggestive misunderstandings, adding to Qin Fen’s panic and humiliation.

Significant Themes

• Cross-cultural and cross-world misunderstanding: Modern products are interpreted through supernatural and ancient perspectives, producing absurd results.
• Unintended consequences: Qin Fen’s simple act of distributing gifts spirals into a chain of embarrassing misunderstandings.
• Innocence versus adult implication: Nie Xiaoqian’s genuine curiosity contrasts sharply with the sexual meaning Qin Fen knows the object carries.
• Humor through embarrassment: The chapter relies on escalating confusion, double meanings, and Qin Fen’s increasingly desperate reactions.
• Unexpected fortune: Qin Fen’s accidental “invention” earns him money, showing how mistakes can unexpectedly become profitable.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen observes the Dragon King and Dragon Queen discussing and testing the supposed protective device.
• He exchanges increasingly awkward messages with Female Hooligan, the leather-clad girl, and Big Balloon while trying to determine where the gifts ended up.
• His video call with Nie Xiaoqian reveals the final and most embarrassing misunderstanding: she treats the condom as an inflatable toy while Qin Fen watches helplessly.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen discovers that Nie Xiaoqian and another woman accidentally exchanged bags. As a result, Xiaoqian receives condoms while Qin Fen mistakenly gives the Dragon King an eye mask.
• Xiaoqian innocently inflates and plays with a condom, completely misunderstanding its purpose. Qin Fen is embarrassed and struggles to explain without revealing the truth.
• Qin Fen tells Xiaoqian to leave Black Mountain before its inhabitants realize she has escaped. He instructs her to travel to the city, find the owner of Great God Skewers, Fine Ghost, and identify herself as Qin Fen’s assistant.
• He also orders Xiaoqian to safeguard the mysterious “toy” in the box and to inform the Third Prince that she has brought an item intended for the Dragon King.
• After Xiaoqian departs, Qin Fen contacts the Western Sea Dragon King to warn him that a delivery is on its way to Haitian.
• Qin Fen then contacts Taibai and Matchmaker Yue to discuss the Western Sea’s population problem. They ask him for a solution to overpopulation.
• Qin Fen criticizes them for lacking imagination and proposes that population control requires both practical measures and ideological guidance. However, instead of immediately explaining the method, he demands three thousand Merit.
• Taibai is confused by the connection between population control and Merit, while Matchmaker Yue recognizes Qin Fen’s blatant attempt to profit from the situation.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates his usual shameless opportunism, psychological awareness, and ability to improvise. He is embarrassed by Xiaoqian’s innocent behavior but also carefully manages her escape and uses the situation to advance his business and influence. His demand for three thousand Merit reveals that he is becoming increasingly direct and mercenary in negotiations.
• Nie Xiaoqian: Remains naïve, playful, and trusting. She misunderstands the condom completely, treating it as an entertaining magical object. Despite her innocence, she understands that Qin Fen is trying to protect her and agrees to follow his instructions.
• Taibai: Continues to act polite and diplomatic, even when Qin Fen insults him. He is eager to obtain a population-control solution but becomes bewildered by Qin Fen’s price.
• Matchmaker Yue: Shows sharper awareness of Qin Fen’s schemes than Taibai. He finds Qin Fen’s bluntness amusing and immediately recognizes that the request for Merit is a business transaction.
• The Third Prince and Daoist Sea Cloud: Their reputations are expanded through Taibai and Matchmaker Yue’s discussion. Daoist Sea Cloud is presented as a brilliant, unconventional thinker whose ideas have strongly influenced the Third Prince.

Significant Themes

• Miscommunication and cultural confusion: The condom incident creates comedy through the gap between Qin Fen’s modern knowledge and Xiaoqian’s ancient, supernatural worldview.
• Manipulation and commerce: Qin Fen repeatedly turns knowledge, assistance, and even basic advice into opportunities to earn Merit.
• Innovation versus conventional thinking: Population control is framed as a problem requiring new ideas rather than simple imitation of Heavenly Court policies.
• Trust and dependence: Xiaoqian accepts Qin Fen’s instructions because she trusts him, while Taibai and Matchmaker Yue reluctantly depend on his superior knowledge.
• Comedy through contrast: Qin Fen’s modern, practical mindset clashes with the innocence and customs of immortals and ghosts, producing much of the chapter’s humor.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Xiaoqian’s exchange centers on her innocent experimentation with the condom. Qin Fen tries to redirect her without explaining its actual purpose and eventually sends her away for her safety.
• Qin Fen gives Xiaoqian detailed instructions about her role as his assistant, the delivery to the Dragon King, and the need to protect the mysterious item.
• Qin Fen, Taibai, and Matchmaker Yue discuss population control. Taibai remains courteous, Matchmaker Yue mocks and analyzes Qin Fen’s behavior, and Qin Fen confidently insults them before offering help—for a fee.
• The chapter also establishes Qin Fen’s indirect connection to the Third Prince and Daoist Sea Cloud, whose unconventional ideas are influencing policy in the Western Sea.

Chapter Summary: “That Infuriating Feint and Backstab”

Plot points and events

Qin Fen negotiates with Taibai Venus and Matchmaker Yue over a valuable item, demanding Merit before handing it over. Taibai agrees to pay 3,000 Merit, which is transferred through the mysterious Merit Stele and added to Qin Fen’s account, raising his balance to 18,249 Merit. Qin reflects that Merit is difficult to accumulate because every function, transmission, and upgrade in his system consumes it.
After receiving payment, Qin deliberately delays sending the item. Taibai grows increasingly anxious because he believes the Jade Emperor is waiting for the result. When Taibai politely urges him to hurry, Qin bluntly says he cannot—and then reveals that he has already arranged for the item to be delivered to the Dragon King. He immediately logs out, leaving Taibai and Matchmaker Yue stunned and furious.

Character developments

• Qin Fen demonstrates his calculating, shamelessly opportunistic side. He is straightforward about wanting profit and refuses to be pressured by status, persuasion, or appeals to righteousness. His “feint and backstab” shows that he intends to profit from every interested party.
• Taibai Venus is shown as politically experienced and patient, but Qin’s tactics push him into helpless frustration. He realizes that Qin is even harder to deal with than the famously troublesome Monkey.
• Matchmaker Yue proves himself a cautious old fox who avoids taking sides, though he secretly enjoys seeing Taibai suffer.
• Taibai and Yue are revealed to have been trying to use Qin’s item to benefit the Heavenly Court while also exploiting the Dragon King’s situation. Qin outmaneuvers both of them.

Character interactions

Qin and Taibai engage in a tense commercial negotiation disguised as polite immortal conversation. Taibai attempts to maintain dignity and uses flattery, while Qin responds with blunt demands and refuses to cooperate until paid. Matchmaker Yue remains largely on the sidelines, avoiding responsibility and silently mocking Taibai. The chapter ends with both officials uniting in anger after realizing Qin has taken payment from them while also selling access to the Dragon King.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes profit, manipulation, and transactional relationships. Qin treats immortals, the Heavenly Court, and powerful officials as customers rather than authorities. It also satirizes bureaucratic dignity: beneath their formal titles, Taibai and Yue are just as calculating and self-interested as Qin. The Merit system further introduces the theme of endless resource consumption, as even substantial rewards quickly disappear into upgrades and operating costs.

Chapter Summary: Sea Fishing! Ksitigarbha Arrives at the Western Sea

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen reflects on his long-term ambitions while waiting for the Dragon King’s experiment and the eventual harvest. He realizes that the Water Tribe includes not only intelligent aquatic demons but also vast numbers of ordinary sea creatures whose populations are increasing as humanity declines.
• Inspired by the stars, Qin Fen develops a new theory: if individual skills are like stars, then mastering and integrating every skill might create a “starry sky” of abilities and allow him to approach the true Dao. He believes that, unlike figures such as the Food God and Weaver Girl, he may be able to combine all the necessary talents.
• Qin Fen also begins fantasizing about accumulating immeasurable Merit, possibly surpassing even powerful immortals and ancient figures such as Nüwa and the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.
• After dreaming about this future, Qin Fen wakes to a call from Song Shaoqing, reminding him that he has arranged a sea-fishing trip with old comrades.
• Meanwhile, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva arrives in the Western Sea disguised as an old man. He observes a nearby city with apparent interest and then disappears.
• In the Crystal Palace, the Dragon King is restless and irritable after Black Mountain’s earlier disturbance. Upon learning that Ksitigarbha has arrived to see him, his mood immediately improves, and he orders that the Bodhisattva be invited in.
• Qin Fen reaches the fishing site but discovers he forgot to bring a fishing rod. He finds a rental shop, but there is a long queue.
• Attempting to pay a young woman to let him cut in line leads to an absurd misunderstanding. Qin Fen offers her 300, and her blunt acceptance makes the conversation sound indecent. A nearby man worsens the situation by joking about a “threesome.”
• Qin Fen and the young woman clarify the innocent arrangement, but Song Shaoqing overhears the exchange and spits out his beer in disbelief at Qin Fen’s ability to create bizarre situations wherever he goes.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Becomes increasingly ambitious and philosophical. He moves beyond merely pursuing wealth or survival and begins aiming to perfect every skill, approach the Dao, and accumulate extraordinary Merit. At the same time, he remains comically impractical in ordinary matters, such as forgetting his fishing equipment and mishandling a simple queue.
• Dragon King: His irritability reveals the pressure caused by Black Mountain’s disturbance. However, Ksitigarbha’s arrival immediately reassures him, suggesting that he views the Bodhisattva as a potentially important ally or solution.
• Ksitigarbha: Makes a mysterious entrance in disguise, showing interest in the Western Sea and its nearby city. His motives remain unclear, creating anticipation for his meeting with the Dragon King.
• Song Shaoqing: Acts as Qin Fen’s companion and reacts with stunned amusement to Qin Fen’s socially awkward behavior.
• Young woman at the rental shop: Practical and straightforward, she accepts Qin Fen’s payment without overthinking it, though she becomes angry when the nearby man turns the situation into an obscene joke.

Significant Themes

• Skill and the Dao: The chapter explores whether perfect mastery and integration of all skills can allow a mortal to approach the Dao.
• Merit and transcendence: Qin Fen dreams of obtaining immeasurable Merit and surpassing the established hierarchy of immortals, gods, demons, and monsters.
• Humanity and nature: The decline of the human population is linked to the unchecked growth of aquatic life, suggesting future ecological and political consequences.
• Power and hidden agendas: Ksitigarbha’s arrival and the Dragon King’s reaction hint at larger movements among supernatural forces.
• Comedy through misunderstanding: Qin Fen’s ambitious inner world contrasts with his mundane and ridiculous social mishaps, producing much of the chapter’s humor.

Important Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and the Dragon King remain indirectly connected through the Dragon King’s experiment and Qin Fen’s planned harvest.
• Ksitigarbha’s arrival prompts the Dragon King to shift from anger and anxiety to eager hospitality.
• Qin Fen’s negotiation with the young woman is misinterpreted by a crude bystander, creating a comic confrontation.
• Song Shaoqing’s discovery of the exchange reinforces his view that strange incidents naturally follow Qin Fen.

Chapter Summary: “Water Flyboard, Big Chef Was Doomed”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen and Song Shaoqing leave the beach after an embarrassing misunderstanding caused by a woman loudly asking whether someone was going to “put it in.” Their exchange attracts suggestive comments from onlookers, forcing them to flee in embarrassment.
• Song Shaoqing takes Qin Fen to a yacht where two elderly men fish while the younger group relaxes. Qin Fen quickly becomes bored with fishing.
• Qin notices people on another yacht using a Water Flyboard, a water-powered extreme-sports device that lifts riders into the air. Zhang Jiang explains how it works and notes that it requires excellent balance and body control.
• The nearby yacht turns out to be hosting a live episode of CCTV’s Impossible Challenge. A Chinese team from Sea Province is competing against a team from Miami in a three-person flyboard handstand challenge.
• The Chinese contestants want to prove that, despite China’s late start in the sport, they can compete successfully. The American representative, an experienced club owner, appears confident and implicitly dismissive of the Chinese team.
• Qin Fen becomes interested in trying the flyboard. He and Zhang Jiang go below deck to obtain the equipment, while Song Shaoqing and Female Hooligan remain distracted by the televised challenge. The two older men abandon fishing and go inside to play chess because of the commotion.
• Rather than immediately trying the device himself, Qin asks Zhang Jiang to demonstrate it first, revealing that he intends to observe and learn secretly.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen is shown as curious, easily bored, and eager to try new experiences. He is also somewhat shameless and cunning: although he claims to be interested in playing, he pushes Zhang Jiang to demonstrate first so he can learn how the equipment works.
• Song Shaoqing remains energetic and socially bold, leading Qin to the yacht and enthusiastically joining the spectators. He is also amused by Qin’s earlier embarrassment.
• Zhang Jiang acts as the knowledgeable and experienced guide. He understands the technical difficulty of flyboarding and becomes the reluctant demonstrator for Qin.
• The local Chinese team displays determination and national pride, hoping to prove themselves against more experienced foreign competitors.
• The American representative presents himself with confidence and subtle arrogance, creating a competitive atmosphere between the two teams.
• The elderly fishermen are pushed aside by the younger generation’s excitement and ultimately retreat to play chess.

Significant Themes

• Curiosity and adventure: Qin’s boredom with traditional fishing contrasts with his immediate attraction to the thrilling flyboard sport.
• Competition and national pride: The event frames the Chinese and American teams as rivals, with each side seeking to prove the superiority of its experience and ability.
• Youth versus tradition: The energetic younger characters pursue novelty and entertainment, while the older men prefer fishing and chess.
• Humor and embarrassment: Qin’s awkward escape from the suggestive misunderstanding establishes the chapter’s comic tone, which continues through his evasive attempt to make Zhang demonstrate the flyboard.
• Skill, balance, and hidden ability: The flyboard challenge emphasizes physical control and training, while Qin’s observational approach hints that he may possess unusual talent or adaptability.

Character Interactions

• Qin and Song flee together after the beach crowd misinterprets the woman’s provocative remark, with Song laughing at Qin’s humiliation.
• Song introduces Qin to the yacht group and takes him out to sea.
• Zhang explains the flyboard’s mechanics and difficulty to Qin, then is persuaded to demonstrate it.
• Song and Female Hooligan watch the televised competition together, oblivious to Qin and Zhang’s disappearance.
• The Chinese and American teams exchange polite interview responses, though their opposing motives create clear tension: China seeks recognition, while the American side projects superiority.
• Qin’s final interaction with Zhang reveals his playful manipulation, as he pretends merely to be evaluating the sport while covertly learning from Zhang’s setup.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang Jiang demonstrates the flyboard first, showing strong balance, control, and confidence despite not matching the skill of the foreign competitors.
• The Impossible Challenge contestants and cameras notice him, and host Xiao Sa praises his impressive performance while interviewing the local and foreign team captains.
• Qin Fen jokingly takes Zhang Jiang’s place on the flyboard. The board rises too quickly, causing him to lose control, fly off, and crash into the water in an undignified dive.
• Qin Fen angrily accuses Zhang Jiang of setting him up, unaware that the television cameras are recording and broadcasting his outburst nationwide.
• Xiao Sa humorously announces that the day’s challenge is a one-minute one-handed handstand, making Qin Fen’s failed attempt seem even more ridiculous to viewers and judges.
• Despite Song Shaoqing’s teasing and the spectators’ mockery, Qin Fen swims back toward the flyboard, determined to try again.
• Sun Yating recognizes that Qin Fen has stopped fooling around and entered his intensely focused state—the same state he displayed during other seemingly impossible tasks.
• The foreign representatives imply that Chinese participants are inexperienced and that few people in China understand the sport. Their polite comments reveal clear condescension.
• The host conceals his displeasure and formally begins the challenge.

2. Character Developments

• Zhang Jiang is shown as disciplined, experienced, and composed. He handles the flyboard competently and becomes an object of admiration, though he also unintentionally sets Qin Fen up for embarrassment.
• Qin Fen shifts from playful arrogance to fierce determination. His initial failure exposes his lack of experience with the device, but rather than retreating, he immediately tries again. His serious expression signals the emergence of his extraordinary abilities.
• Sun Yating demonstrates deep insight into Qin Fen’s personality. Unlike everyone else, she understands that his apparent foolishness has given way to the focused state in which he often accomplishes the impossible.
• Song Shaoqing takes great pleasure in Qin Fen’s humiliation, seeing the accident as rare proof that Qin Fen cannot do everything. Their interaction reveals a teasing, antagonistic relationship.
• Xiao Sa remains a professional host, turning Qin Fen’s mishap into entertaining television while diplomatically handling the foreign team’s insulting remarks.
• The foreign captain and expert reveal confidence bordering on contempt, treating Chinese ability in the sport as inferior and inexperienced.

3. Significant Themes

• Failure versus perseverance: Qin Fen’s spectacular fall becomes humorous, but his immediate decision to try again emphasizes that failure should not end one’s efforts.
• Appearance versus reality: Qin Fen looks incompetent at first, yet Sun Yating knows that his serious state may lead to an extraordinary reversal.
• National pride and hidden condescension: The foreign competitors’ polite comments mask their belief that Chinese participants are incapable of matching them, creating tension before the official challenge.
• Humor and humiliation: Qin Fen’s embarrassment provides comic relief and makes the televised competition more entertaining, while also testing his pride.
• The contrast between experience and instinct: Zhang Jiang succeeds through practice and control, whereas Qin Fen may rely on his unusual instinctive abilities once he fully concentrates.

4. Character Interactions

• Zhang Jiang instructs and then replaces himself with Qin Fen, whose immediate crash leads to furious accusations.
• Song Shaoqing repeatedly mocks Qin Fen and encourages him to repeat his embarrassing dive; Qin Fen responds bluntly despite Song’s status.
• Sun Yating silently interprets Qin Fen’s changing demeanor and recognizes his hidden potential.
• Xiao Sa interacts with both team captains, drawing out their evaluations while managing the broadcast’s comedic and competitive tone.
• The local captain offers a charitable explanation for Qin Fen’s failure, while the foreign representative uses the incident to suggest Chinese inexperience.
• The chapter ends with the host launching the official challenge, setting up the expected clash between the Chinese and foreign teams.

Chapter Summary: “Chef Qin Strikes, Captivating Everyone”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Team China begins its flying-board challenge, with each team receiving two attempts.
• The first Chinese contestant loses his balance after Chef Qin—Qin Fen—shouts at Zhang Jiang and dramatically spins into the water. His fall becomes a source of widespread amusement.
• The second Chinese contestant attempts the challenge under immense pressure but also falls shortly before succeeding, eliminating China from the challenge.
• The two American contestants perform the routine simultaneously and with impressive coordination. They successfully complete the challenge and finish with synchronized breakdance-style handstand freezes.
• The judges prepare to vote the Americans into the Hall of Fame, clearly impressed by their performance.
• Before the decision is announced, Qin Fen unexpectedly begins balancing on a flying board himself. Despite appearing inexperienced and nearly falling several times, he remains on the board and performs an astonishing backflip.
• Qin once again steals attention from the official contestants and completely derails the live program. He challenges Sun Yating to throw him a Rubik’s Cube, declaring that he intends to continue the stunt.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen/Chef Qin: Continues to serve as the chapter’s chaotic comic force. He is impulsive, fearless, oblivious to the fact that he is live on television, and seemingly capable of extraordinary physical feats despite repeatedly presenting himself as a beginner. His antics escalate from accidental distraction to deliberately taking over the event.
• The Chinese contestants: Show determination but are unable to overcome the challenge, especially after the pressure of having only one attempt remaining.
• The American contestants: Demonstrate confidence, discipline, and technical skill through their synchronized routine and impressive finishing move.
• The judges and hosts: Shift from encouraging Team China to admiring the Americans, then become stunned and distracted by Qin Fen’s unexpected performance. Sa Ning in particular struggles to maintain control of the broadcast.
• Sun Yating: Recognizes Qin Fen’s tendency to turn ordinary events into spectacles and immediately fears that he will cause the show to go off course.

Significant Themes

• Comedy through disruption: Qin Fen’s interruptions repeatedly undermine the formal structure of the competition and transform it into an unpredictable spectacle.
• Skill versus apparent incompetence: The American contestants succeed through preparation and coordination, while Qin Fen appears clumsy yet suddenly performs feats even more difficult than the official challenge.
• Pressure and public performance: The Chinese contestants struggle under the weight of national expectations, while the live audience becomes emotionally invested in their success.
• The unpredictability of talent: Qin Fen’s seemingly impossible balance and backflip suggest that extraordinary ability can emerge from the least expected person.
• Entertainment overtaking competition: Although the Americans officially win, Qin Fen becomes the true center of attention, demonstrating his ability to captivate everyone around him.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen loudly criticizes Zhang Jiang’s handling of the flying board, distracting the first Chinese contestant and causing him to fail.
• The judges—Dong Qing, Hua Jian, and Song Shaoqing—encourage Team China and later prepare to approve the Americans’ Hall of Fame qualification.
• Sa Ning repeatedly reacts with disbelief and embarrassment at Qin Fen’s comments and behavior, especially because the show is being broadcast live.
• Qin Fen’s antics amuse the judges, staff, contestants, and television viewers, while the Americans’ success is temporarily forgotten.
• Qin calls out to Sun Yating for a Rubik’s Cube, pulling her and the entire production further into his improvised performance.

Chapter Summary: “Chef Qin Was Just That Fucking Absurd”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen unexpectedly becomes the center of attention during a televised flyboard challenge.
• Though he had struggled to stand on the flyboard moments earlier, he suddenly performs advanced maneuvers, including backflips and controlled jumps.
• While balancing on the unstable flyboard, Qin Fen simultaneously manipulates a seven-by-seven Rubik’s Cube with one hand. The cube repeatedly scrambles and solves at remarkable speed.
• His performance completely overshadows the official challenge, stunning the American competitors, judges, host, staff, and television audience.
• The American team, thoroughly intimidated, abandons the competition and leaves without attempting to enter the Hall of Fame.
• The show’s production team panics because both the successful and unsuccessful challengers have effectively withdrawn, leaving the program without a proper conclusion.
• The host attempts to invite Qin Fen onto the show for an interview, hoping to salvage the broadcast.
• Qin Fen ignores the invitation, swims back toward his boat, and leaves with Song Shaoqing, unaware that he has become an overnight sensation.
• Before departing, Qin Fen raises his middle finger at Zhang Jiang, clearly signaling that his performance was meant as a personal challenge to the soldier king.

2. Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates extraordinary adaptability, physical control, and stubborn pride. By combining Fine Manipulation, Dynamic Vision, and Dual-Mindedness, he reaches a state where his movements become instinctive and almost perfectly natural. His actions also reveal that he is not seeking fame; he is focused solely on defeating Zhang Jiang.
• Zhang Jiang: Though he does not directly participate in the scene, he becomes Qin Fen’s primary motivation. Qin’s entire display is intended to prove himself after Zhang previously provoked or mocked him.
• Song Shaoqing: Recognizes how absurdly difficult Qin Fen is to compete with and realizes that ordinary contests with him would be pointless. He is impressed and amused by Qin’s dominance.
• The Host and Production Team: Shift from ridicule and confusion to desperation. They recognize Qin Fen as the only person capable of rescuing the failed broadcast, but cannot make him cooperate.
• The American Team: Their confidence collapses after witnessing Qin Fen’s performance. They leave to practice and return later, having been psychologically overwhelmed.

3. Significant Themes

• Unexpected greatness among ordinary people: Qin Fen appears to be a random chef and inexperienced participant, yet surpasses trained professionals with ease.
• National pride: His performance becomes an unplanned demonstration that Chinese ability can match or exceed foreign expertise, especially after the Americans initially looked down on China.
• Absurdity and unpredictability: Qin Fen’s presence constantly derails normal events. A formal televised competition becomes entirely about an unregistered passerby.
• Skill approaching instinctive perfection: Qin Fen’s combined abilities allow him to move beyond conscious calculation, suggesting the beginning of a path toward martial or technical mastery.
• Pride and defiance: Qin Fen’s motivation is personal rather than public. His refusal to cooperate with the show and his gesture toward Zhang Jiang emphasize his stubborn, confrontational nature.
• Fame without intention: Qin Fen becomes nationally famous precisely because he is indifferent to the cameras and unaware of the impact he is making.

4. Character Interactions

• Qin Fen silently competes with Zhang Jiang through his flyboard performance, ending with an insulting gesture after returning to the water.
• Song Shaoqing observes Qin’s display and comments on how impossible it would be to compete with him, later helping him leave by signaling the boat to depart.
• The host tries to recruit Qin Fen for a televised interview, but Qin deliberately ignores him after remembering that the staff had laughed at his initial struggles.
• The American competitors and Chinese spectators react in opposite ways: the Americans are stunned and discouraged, while Chinese viewers become excited and patriotic.
• The production staff desperately attempts to use Qin Fen to save the program, but his refusal makes the broadcast even more chaotic and memorable.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chef Qin completes the Impossible Challenge’s flyboard stunt, humiliating the American flyboard expert and turning an “impossible” feat into reality.
• Despite the show’s enormous publicity and the host’s invitation to appear on television, Qin Fen refuses to participate and abruptly leaves. His indifference shocks the production crew, especially because the episode’s ratings and social-media attention explode.
• Qin Fen returns to the boat furious after realizing that the flyboard’s speed had been deliberately adjusted to make the challenge more dangerous. He decides to confront Zhang Jiang, the Soldier King responsible for the setup.
• Qin Fen goes to retrieve a talisman before fighting, knowing that Zhang Jiang is a formidable opponent even though he is determined to retaliate.
• Zhang Jiang willingly accepts the challenge, eager to finally compete with Qin Fen after repeatedly being overshadowed by him.
• Qin Fen activates the Six Ding and Six Jia talismanic power, spending 200 Merit. The power fuses into his body and enhances his already unusual Dynamic Vision.
• The chapter ends as Zhang Jiang launches a powerful, extremely fast punch. Qin Fen catches it effortlessly and taunts him for being too slow.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen/Chef Qin: His personality is emphasized as fiercely independent, stubborn, and uninterested in fame or conventional success. He values his own ambitions over television exposure and reacts decisively when deceived. His combat abilities are also revealed to be far greater than the others expected, adding to his reputation as an unpredictable all-rounder.
• Zhang Jiang: Though embarrassed by Qin Fen’s earlier accomplishments and treatment, he remains proud and confident as the Soldier King. He actively seeks a fight to prove himself, showing competitiveness and courage.
• Song Shaoqing: He becomes increasingly exasperated and astonished by Qin Fen’s behavior. Although he enjoys watching the confrontation, he also worries that Qin Fen may be seriously hurt and tries to prevent the fight.
• Female Hooligan: She remains amused and unsurprised by Qin Fen’s unpredictability. Her familiarity with his personality allows her to anticipate that Zhang Jiang is about to suffer.
• The television crew: The producer and director are left bewildered by the episode’s unprecedented success and by Qin Fen’s refusal to capitalize on it.

Significant Themes

• Rejecting fame and social expectations: Qin Fen considers celebrity status meaningless compared with his personal goals, mocking society’s obsession with television exposure and popularity.
• The unpredictability of extraordinary people: Qin Fen repeatedly defies normal expectations, transforming impossible challenges into easy victories and behaving in ways no one can anticipate.
• Pride and competition: Zhang Jiang’s wounded pride and desire to challenge Qin Fen drive the chapter’s main conflict.
• Hidden power and underestimated ability: Qin Fen appears to be merely a chef to the observers, but his physical skill, talismanic powers, and enhanced perception reveal that he is far more dangerous than he seems.
• Humor through contrast: The serious reactions of the television staff and spectators contrast with Qin Fen’s casual attitude, reinforcing the absurdity of his behavior.

Character Interactions

• The television crew is baffled when Qin Fen ignores the host and walks away, while Song Shaoqing and Female Hooligan discuss how impossible and irritating he can be.
• Song Shaoqing attempts to calm the situation and prevent Qin Fen and Zhang Jiang from fighting, but Zhang Jiang refuses to back down.
• Qin Fen and Zhang Jiang exchange confident provocations before facing off.
• During the opening exchange, Zhang Jiang attacks with a full-force punch, but Qin Fen catches it with one hand and immediately establishes his superiority.

Chapter 291 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen shocks everyone by effortlessly outmatching Zhang Jiang, the “king of soldiers,” in speed, strength, reflexes, and combat awareness.
• When Zhang Jiang attacks, Qin Fen retreats in perfect coordination, seizing Zhang Jiang’s hand and using his superior strength to drag him forward.
• Qin Fen deliberately exploits the wet deck—water left behind by his soaked body—to make Zhang Jiang lose his footing and crash onto the deck.
• Although Qin Fen insists the fall was accidental, everyone recognizes that he manipulated the situation on purpose.
• Qin Fen mockingly tells Zhang Jiang to mop the floor, then returns with a mop and repeatedly emphasizes how dangerous the slippery surface is.
• Zhang Jiang suffers bruising, a bleeding mouth, a bitten tongue, loose teeth, and a numb chin, but the psychological humiliation affects him even more than the injuries.
• After one final taunt from Qin Fen, Zhang Jiang is left completely frustrated and helpless, unable to retaliate because he cannot defeat Qin Fen.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates overwhelming physical ability, instinct, tactical intelligence, and environmental awareness. He also reveals a vindictive, mischievous side, taking pleasure in humiliating Zhang Jiang after defeating him.
• Zhang Jiang: His confidence as the “king of soldiers” is shattered. He realizes that Qin Fen not only surpasses him physically but also completely overwhelms him in combat judgment and battlefield awareness.
• Song Shaoqing: Becomes increasingly stunned by Qin Fen’s abnormal abilities and concludes that Qin Fen is best avoided whenever possible.
• Female Hooligan: Recognizes Qin Fen’s deliberate trap immediately and reacts with a mixture of amusement, disbelief, and exasperation at his shameless behavior.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming superiority: Qin Fen’s strength, reflexes, and adaptability place him far beyond the others’ expectations.
• Combat intelligence and environmental awareness: Victory comes not just from power but from noticing and exploiting one’s surroundings.
• Humiliation as psychological warfare: Qin Fen’s teasing after the fight deepens Zhang Jiang’s defeat, turning a physical victory into a complete mental one.
• Comedic shamelessness and revenge: Qin Fen disguises deliberate mockery as concern, repeatedly “helping” Zhang Jiang in ways that make the humiliation worse.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Zhang Jiang engage in a brief but completely one-sided confrontation, with Qin Fen controlling Zhang Jiang’s movement from beginning to end.
• Song Shaoqing and Female Hooligan sympathize with Zhang Jiang but can do little besides watch and internally criticize Qin Fen.
• Qin Fen repeatedly addresses Zhang Jiang with false concern, offering the mop and warning him about slipping, while everyone understands that these gestures are calculated taunts.
• The chapter ends with Qin Fen satisfied that he has fully repaid his grudge, while Zhang Jiang is left injured, enraged, and emotionally defeated.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen drives Sun Yating home after a relaxing day with their friends. Their awkward romantic tension continues, though Sun Yating remains calm while Qin Fen overthinks her remarks and gestures.
• On a rainy road, they encounter an old man lying in front of their car, apparently pretending to have been hit. Qin Fen quickly realizes the man is likely a scammer because his physical condition and pulse do not match his performance.
• Instead of confronting him directly, Qin Fen pretends to suffer a severe heart attack and sends Sun Yating to retrieve medicine. Alarmed that the situation might expose him, the old man immediately gets up and flees.
• Qin Fen explains that his extraordinary eyesight allowed him to detect the old man’s normal pulse and lack of genuine symptoms. Sun Yating is amused and exasperated by his elaborate method.
• Qin Fen takes Sun Yating to the nursing-home villa. She announces that she intends to stay at his home for several days because Song Shaoqing’s behavior has become irritating, leaving Qin Fen worried about the temptation and disruption to his solitary life.
• Once home, Qin Fen reads a message saying that his attempt to contact the Dragon King failed; the Third Prince received the item instead. He also learns that troops are being mobilized in Haitian City. Angered, Qin Fen suspects Ksitigarbha’s involvement and vows to settle the matter later.
• After Qin Fen shuts himself inside, two men sneak toward a nearby villa. They are trying to recover a valuable wine pot that was mistakenly sold to Qin Fen instead of a fake. The seller angrily blames his companion for giving away the genuine treasure.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen is shown as perceptive, crafty, and unwilling to suffer a loss. His advanced abilities let him analyze the apparent accident, while his mischievous deception exposes the scammer. However, he remains comically inexperienced and easily flustered by Sun Yating’s ambiguous remarks.
• Sun Yating displays trust, composure, and growing familiarity with Qin Fen. She follows his instructions without questioning him, recognizes his eccentricity, and openly decides to stay with him, suggesting increasing comfort and intimacy.
• The old man is revealed to be an experienced con artist who abandons the act as soon as Qin Fen pretends to have a medical emergency.
• Qin Fen’s messenger provides important information about the Dragon King and military movements, deepening the political and criminal tension surrounding Qin Fen.
• The two thieves/sellers introduce a new comic conflict: they are attempting to steal back a rare wine pot after accidentally selling the authentic item.

Significant Themes

• Cunning versus deception: Qin Fen defeats a scam by using a more convincing performance than the scammer.
• Trust and companionship: Sun Yating’s willingness to support Qin Fen and move into his home reflects their developing bond.
• Humor amid danger: Romantic embarrassment, wordplay, and the failed roadside scam contrast with the more serious threats involving Ksitigarbha, the Dragon King, and troop movements.
• Hidden value and mistaken identity: The wine pot’s true worth is unknown to Qin Fen, while its sellers recognize too late that they have given away a genuine treasure.
• Escalating conflict: The Dragon King’s absence and military mobilization suggest that larger forces are moving behind the scenes.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Sun Yating share playful but awkward romantic tension throughout the drive. She teases him unintentionally—or possibly deliberately—while he interprets her every word suggestively.
• They cooperate in exposing the fake accident, with Sun Yating sincerely trying to help and Qin Fen manipulating the situation.
• Sun Yating’s decision to stay with Qin Fen creates the possibility of increased intimacy and domestic conflict.
• Qin Fen’s unseen allies report on the Dragon King, while Qin Fen responds with anger and a threat toward Ksitigarbha.
• The two thieves argue over the wine pot, with the taller man scolding his companion for selling their genuine treasure and ordering him to steal it back.

Chapter Summary: “Haitian Upheaval, Big Chef’s Fury”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen learns from Nie Xiaoqian that the Dragon King has refused to receive her, despite their friendship. He interprets this as evidence of a larger conspiracy.
• Qin Fen suspects Ksitigarbha is manipulating the situation. He believes Ksitigarbha wants to exploit tensions between the Western Sea Dragon King and Black Mountain Demon, ultimately weakening the Dragon Tribe’s influence.
• Ksitigarbha reveals his broader strategy to Fa Hai:
  • The Buddhist School intends to infiltrate and absorb the Heavenly Court’s and Daoist School’s influence in the Earthly Immortal Realm.
  • By befriending the Dragon Tribe and connecting Buddhist influence with popular customs—similar to the Ghost Festival—the Buddhist School can share in the Human Tribe’s fortune and offerings.
  • Black Mountain Demon is to be used as a weapon against the Western Sea Dragon King.
• Ksitigarbha gives Fa Hai Guanyin’s Willow Branch, a weapon especially dangerous to Black Mountain because it can suppress ghosts and counter his absorption of resentful yin energy.
• Fa Hai is ordered to provoke Black Mountain and force him into open conflict.
• Black Mountain Demon suddenly attacks Haitian City, publicly declaring that he and the Dragon King will fight until one of them dies.
• Panic spreads throughout the city. Demons flee, Water Tribe soldiers mobilize, and Fine Ghost and Nie Xiaoqian fear that Haitian City will be destroyed.
• Black Mountain orders his forces to surround the city and kill without restraint, setting up the chapter’s coming battle.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: His anger intensifies after recognizing the political manipulation behind the Dragon King’s behavior. He shifts from observation to active opposition, deciding that anyone obstructing his plans is an enemy.
• Ksitigarbha: Revealed as a calculating strategist rather than merely a compassionate Buddhist figure. He seeks long-term expansion through infiltration, alliances, religious influence, and control of mortal faith.
• Fa Hai: Demonstrates loyalty and courage but is portrayed as inexperienced in political schemes. He follows Ksitigarbha’s orders and becomes the direct agent provoking Black Mountain.
• Black Mountain Demon: Normally cautious and reclusive, he is pushed into a violent, uncompromising state. His attack shows the destructive side of his pride and resentment.
• Dragon King: Though absent, his refusal to meet Nie Xiaoqian suggests he is being influenced by territorial ambitions or outside manipulation.
• Nie Xiaoqian and Fine Ghost: Their fear emphasizes the vulnerability of ordinary residents caught between powerful factions.

Significant Themes

• Political and religious manipulation: Ksitigarbha treats conflicts, alliances, and local customs as tools for expanding Buddhist influence.
• Power struggles and territorial ambition: The Dragon Tribe, Buddhist School, Daoist School, Heavenly Court, and Demon Tribe all compete for influence in the Earthly Immortal Realm.
• Collateral damage: Ordinary demons and Water Tribe members are endangered by conflicts initiated by high-level powers.
• Righteousness versus pragmatism: Fa Hai worries about innocent Water Tribe members, while Ksitigarbha dismisses such concerns in favor of strategic objectives.
• Anger and retaliation: Qin Fen’s fury and Black Mountain’s violent response show how personal grudges can escalate into major political crises.
• Survival of the fittest: Qin Fen views the conflict as morally complex, with every faction acting according to its own survival and interests.

Important Character Interactions

• Qin Fen analyzes Nie Xiaoqian’s report and connects the Dragon King’s behavior to Ksitigarbha’s possible scheme.
• Ksitigarbha reassures and instructs Fa Hai, explaining the Buddhist School’s plans and supplying him with the Willow Branch.
• Fa Hai questions the morality of fighting in Haitian City, but ultimately accepts his mission.
• Black Mountain’s declaration of war directly challenges the Dragon King and throws Haitian City into chaos.
• Fine Ghost and Nie Xiaoqian discuss fleeing, recognizing that without the Dragon King present, they have little protection.

Chapter Summary: “Demons in Frenzy, Black Mountain Against the Dragon Tribe”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Black Mountain Demon launches a massive assault on Haitian City with an overwhelming army of Little Demons.
• The Water Tribe defenders are badly outnumbered and lack a powerful expert capable of confronting Black Mountain Demon. General Tiger Shark reluctantly orders a defense, knowing retreat would leave him and his family with nowhere to go.
• The Little Demons quickly breach the city walls using their natural abilities. Haitian City descends into chaos as the defenders collapse, and some demons begin looting, burning, and attacking civilians.
• Qin Fen, watching the destruction through a phone connection, realizes that his Great Mountain Stronghold business and Great Sage Skewers shop have been ruined. His anger intensifies as he sees ordinary demons—whom he considers no different from humans—suffering in the invasion.
• A white dragon appears in the sky: Little White Dragon, the Western Sea Dragon King’s Third Prince. His arrival brings clouds and heavy rain, extinguishing the fires and temporarily halting the battle.
• The Water Tribe and many demons believe the Third Prince has arrived to save them, but Qin Fen remains furious at the Dragon King for having followed Ksitigarbha’s plans and allowing the crisis to happen.
• The chapter ends with Black Mountain Demon mocking Little White Dragon as merely a “little loach,” setting up the confrontation between the two powerful figures.

Character Developments

• General Tiger Shark: Reveals himself to be courageous but trapped by circumstance. He chooses to defend Haitian City because fleeing would doom his reputation, family, and future among the Water Tribe.
• Crab Commander: Initially terrified and uncertain, he gains admiration for Tiger Shark’s apparent resolve, though the general’s decision is actually forced by desperation.
• Qin Fen/Big Chef: His concern shifts from personal business losses to moral outrage. Seeing innocent demons caught in the war awakens intense anger and reinforces his belief that all living beings deserve to live peacefully.
• Little White Dragon: Enters as a dramatic symbol of hope and Dragon Tribe authority. His arrival immediately changes the battlefield, though his ability to defeat Black Mountain Demon remains uncertain.
• Black Mountain Demon: Demonstrates overwhelming confidence and dominance, treating the Water Tribe’s defenses and even Little White Dragon with contempt.
• Fine Ghost and Nie Xiaoqian: Their brief interaction reflects the widespread fear and hope among the ordinary fighters, who look to the approaching dragon prince for salvation.

Significant Themes

• The destructive nature of war: Haitian City’s fall shows how quickly order collapses when violence reaches ordinary communities.
• Power and survival: The chapter emphasizes that battles between armies are secondary to confrontations between high-level experts in the Earthly Immortal Realm.
• Forced courage and responsibility: Tiger Shark’s decision to fight is not heroic freedom but the result of having no viable alternative.
• Moral equality: Qin Fen’s anger comes from recognizing that demons, like humans, need food, safety, and a peaceful life.
• Hope versus overwhelming power: Little White Dragon’s arrival briefly restores hope, but Black Mountain Demon’s mocking response suggests that the crisis is far from over.
• Consequences of political manipulation: Qin Fen blames the Dragon King and Ksitigarbha for creating the circumstances that allowed the attack to happen.

Character Interactions

• Tiger Shark and the crab commander discuss how to respond to the invasion; Tiger Shark orders a last stand despite privately believing it is hopeless.
• Qin Fen reacts angrily to the destruction of his business while communicating by phone and witnessing the battle remotely.
• Fine Ghost reassures Nie Xiaoqian when Little White Dragon arrives, reflecting the defenders’ collective hope.
• The Water Tribe welcomes the Third Prince’s appearance, while Qin Fen reacts with resentment rather than relief.
• Black Mountain Demon directly confronts and insults Little White Dragon, establishing the coming clash between the demon lord and the Dragon Tribe prince.

Chapter Summary: Black Mountain’s Ferocious Flames! Ksitigarbha’s Divine Might

Key Plot Points and Events

• Little White Dragon angrily attacks Black Mountain Demon after being insulted, but he is quickly overwhelmed by Black Mountain’s superior power.
• Black Mountain unleashes the Bliss Heaven Method, summoning enormous demonic winds and dark clouds. His strength is shown to be far beyond Little White Dragon’s and even comparable to a terrifying Great Demon.
• The Dragon King joins his son in battle, while the Water Tribe rises from the sea to support them. The confrontation becomes a formal standoff between the Water Tribe and the assembled demons.
• Black Mountain merges with his Dharma manifestation and activates the Dark Mandala Formation. Empowered by Great Sage Bliss, his black mist transforms into freezing black flames, causing the sea to recede and freeze.
• His overwhelming aura paralyzes nearly everyone in Haitian. The demons, Water Tribe, and even powerful figures such as the Third Prince lose the will to resist. Nie Xiaoqian and Fine Ghost despair as the city seems doomed.
• The Dragon King realizes that Black Mountain is being strengthened by Great Sage Bliss and fears that the Western Sea will be destroyed. He also regrets trusting Ksitigarbha and worries that his alliance with the Buddhist School will provoke the Heavenly Court.
• At the crisis point, Ksitigarbha arrives in a spectacular display of golden light, Buddhist chants, and divine power. His presence suppresses the battlefield and restores hope among the Water Tribe.
• The Dragon King, Little White Dragon, and the Water Tribe formally greet Ksitigarbha. His arrival makes him appear to be the Western Sea’s savior.
• Ksitigarbha declares that he will capture Black Mountain, intending to defeat his rival, earn Merit, and win control and influence over the Western Sea.
• From the sidelines, Taibai and Matchmaker Yue recognize the political danger: if Ksitigarbha saves the Western Sea, the Dragon King will effectively side with Buddhism and risk angering the Jade Emperor.
• Chef Qin silently resents Ksitigarbha, believing that the Bodhisattva is exploiting the crisis and claiming Merit that should belong to him.

Character Developments

• Little White Dragon: His anger and courage are evident, but the battle exposes the enormous gap between his power and Black Mountain’s. He is forced to rely on his father and later submits respectfully to Ksitigarbha.
• Dragon King: He shifts from confidence to panic and regret. He realizes that political alliances and dependence on stronger powers may cost the Western Sea its independence.
• Black Mountain Demon: He reveals frightening new power, especially after receiving Great Sage Bliss’s support. His transformation into a being surrounded by freezing black flames establishes him as the dominant threat.
• Ksitigarbha: He appears calm, benevolent, and divinely powerful, but his private thoughts reveal a calculating and vindictive figure. He intends to use the battle to destroy Black Mountain, gain Merit, and secure the Western Sea’s loyalty.
• Chef Qin: Though absent from the battlefield, he remains emotionally invested and increasingly hostile toward Ksitigarbha, viewing him as someone stealing both credit and rewards.
• Taibai and Matchmaker Yue: Their concern highlights the larger political consequences of the confrontation. They understand that neither the Heavenly Court nor the Buddhist School can intervene without creating serious complications.
• The minor characters and armies: The Little Demons and Water Tribe move from hostility and confidence to terror and helplessness under Black Mountain’s aura, then regain hope when Ksitigarbha appears.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and helplessness: Black Mountain’s transformation demonstrates how absolute strength can crush not only bodies but also courage and resistance.
• Political alliances and betrayal: The Dragon King’s alliance with Ksitigarbha may save the Western Sea in the short term while making it politically dependent on Buddhism.
• Competing interests behind apparent heroism: Ksitigarbha’s rescue looks compassionate, but his thoughts reveal that he is pursuing Merit, revenge, and influence.
• Regret and responsibility: The Dragon King recognizes that his earlier choices created the current crisis, but regret cannot undo the consequences.
• Faith and psychological influence: Ksitigarbha’s chants calm the demons and reduce their hostility, showing that spiritual power can control hearts as effectively as physical force.
• Merit as a source of conflict: The struggle is not merely about survival; it is also about who will receive recognition, authority, and supernatural Merit.

Important Character Interactions

• Little White Dragon and Black Mountain clash directly, with Black Mountain humiliating and defeating him.
• The Dragon King joins his son, creating a father-and-son alliance against Black Mountain.
• The Dragon King’s resentment toward Ksitigarbha deepens because the Bodhisattva arrives late, yet still positions himself as the savior.
• Ksitigarbha and Black Mountain confront each other as bitter rivals. Ksitigarbha seeks revenge for Black Mountain’s earlier attack and intends to capture him.
• Chef Qin internally challenges Ksitigarbha, accusing him of taking the Western Sea’s Merit and failing to repay past debts.
• Taibai and Matchmaker Yue discuss the danger of intervening, emphasizing the conflict’s implications for the Heavenly Court and Buddhist School.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ksitigarbha manifests in the sky and unleashes his Buddha’s Radiant Illumination across Haitian City. The light severely harms the demons and corrodes Black Mountain Demon’s body.
• Ksitigarbha declares that he will subdue Black Mountain, while the Dragon King mistakenly believes the Bodhisattva will protect the Water Tribe. In reality, Ksitigarbha ignores the collateral damage so he can focus on defeating Black Mountain.
• Black Mountain retaliates with the Myriad Ghost Soul-Eating Banner, summoning countless vengeful spirits and demonic music. His attack clashes with Ksitigarbha’s Buddha light, creating a battlefield of simultaneous torment—described as a combination of freezing hell and purgatory.
• The weaker demons and members of the Water Tribe collapse in agony. Little Drillwind and other demons beg their king for help, but Black Mountain is too occupied defending himself to save them.
• Their cries spread through Haitian City, prompting both nearby demons and the Water Tribe to kneel and call for the mysterious “Dongre King” to protect them.
• The rumors surrounding Great Sage Skewers lead the immortals to realize that the supposed “Dongre King” is likely Natural Daoist—Chef Qin’s feared identity. Matchmaker Yue recognizes that Qin Fen may be the only person capable of stopping both Ksitigarbha and Black Mountain.
• Qin Fen finally intervenes, invoking the vomiting expression. The demons immediately suffer violent nausea, while space itself begins to twist and tear apart, signaling the arrival of a major new force.

Character Developments

• Ksitigarbha is shown to be far less compassionate in practice than his title suggests. He prioritizes defeating Black Mountain over protecting the Dragon King’s forces and becomes enraged because of his past conflicts with Black Mountain.
• Black Mountain Demon responds recklessly, using his strongest and most sinister weapon despite the danger to his own followers. He is confused by Ksitigarbha’s anger but remains determined to fight to the death.
• The Dragon King realizes too late that he has made a disastrous alliance. His forces are being destroyed by both sides, and his desperate requests for mercy are repeatedly ignored.
• Matchmaker Yue understands the true danger posed by Qin Fen and regrets the situation, recognizing that Natural Daoist is potentially more terrifying than either combatant.
• Qin Fen shifts from passive observer to decisive protector. His intervention is motivated by the suffering of the demons and Water Tribe, and he uses his bizarre but overwhelmingly effective ability to disrupt the battle.

Significant Themes

• Collateral damage caused by powerful beings: The weak suffer while Ksitigarbha and Black Mountain pursue their personal conflict.
• The gap between appearance and reality: Ksitigarbha’s gentle smile and title as a compassionate Bodhisattva contrast sharply with his ruthless actions.
• Rumor and reputation: Qin Fen’s reputation as a Great Sage-level demon king has spread far beyond his knowledge, allowing desperate demons and the Water Tribe to place their hopes in him.
• Desperation creating belief: Facing destruction, the inhabitants of Haitian City unite in prayer, effectively summoning attention to Qin Fen’s presence.
• Absurdity amid catastrophe: Despite the apocalyptic battle, the narration uses exaggerated humor—especially the vomiting ability—to undercut the grandeur of the immortals and demons.

Character Interactions

• Ksitigarbha and Black Mountain exchange threats while each accuses the other of being unjust and aggressive.
• The Dragon King repeatedly begs Ksitigarbha to show mercy, but Ksitigarbha dismisses him with false reassurance.
• The Dragon King asks Matchmaker Yue and Taibai for help, but they can offer no solution against such powerful opponents.
• The demons and Water Tribe collectively cry out to Qin Fen, treating him as a legendary protector.
• Matchmaker Yue identifies Qin Fen’s impending intervention, while Taibai reacts with alarm at the possibility of another Great Sage-level figure entering the conflict.
• Qin Fen’s arrival abruptly interrupts the struggle between Ksitigarbha and Black Mountain, leaving the battlefield on the verge of a new upheaval.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The bullet-screen function activates, allowing Qin Fen—Chef Qin—to interfere indirectly with the confrontation.
• Qin challenges Ksitigarbha’s simplistic division between “humans” and “demons,” asking what truly defines humanity, righteousness, and evil.
• Fa Hai unexpectedly supports Qin by declaring that a demon with a human heart is no longer truly a demon, while a human with a demon’s heart becomes a “human-demon.” He falsely attributes the vulgar philosophical statement to the Buddha.
• Ksitigarbha is enraged because Fa Hai’s words undermine his authority and contradict his rigid demon-hunting ideology.
• The Heavenly Dao appears to enforce the comedic effect of Qin’s intervention: demons and Water Tribe members alike begin vomiting whenever Fa Hai repeats the statement. This humiliates Ksitigarbha and makes it clear that almost no one supports him.
• Ksitigarbha attempts to manipulate the Water Tribe against Black Mountain by portraying Qin and the demons as deceivers, but the Water Tribe also vomits, further ruining his efforts.
• Frustrated and humiliated, Ksitigarbha decides to attack Black Mountain directly, believing that defeating him will restore control and silence opposition.
• He transforms into a wrathful Vajra and prepares a devastating Buddhist attack. The others fear that the resulting clash will destroy Haitian City.
• Matchmaker Yue and Taibai protect the city, while the Dragon King orders the Water Tribe to retreat and joins the defense with the Third Prince.
• Qin Fen, amused by Ksitigarbha’s attempt to seize the advantage, prepares to unleash his own ultimate move against him.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen/Chef Qin: Demonstrates greater confidence and cunning. Rather than relying on his kitchen knife, he uses the bullet-screen function and the Heavenly Dao to humiliate Ksitigarbha psychologically and politically.
• Ksitigarbha: His arrogance and rigid worldview are exposed. He becomes increasingly frustrated as demons, immortals, and the Water Tribe refuse to support him. His loss of control leads him to abandon persuasion and resort to violence.
• Fa Hai: Shows stubborn loyalty to Qin’s philosophical ideas. Though his wording is crude and absurd, he genuinely believes the principle is correct because the Heavenly Dao previously validated it.
• Black Mountain Demon: Gains confidence from Ksitigarbha’s humiliation and recognizes that Qin’s arrival has dramatically shifted the situation in his favor.
• Matchmaker Yue and Taibai: Move from observers to active defenders of Haitian City. Matchmaker Yue also realizes that Qin is probably responsible for the supernatural vomiting.
• Dragon King and Third Prince: Initially reassured by Qin’s presence, they quickly become alarmed by the impending battle and take responsibility for protecting the Water Tribe and the city.

Significant Themes

• The distinction between good and evil: Qin challenges the idea that identity alone determines morality. Being a demon does not necessarily make someone evil, and being human does not guarantee righteousness.
• Authority versus truth: Ksitigarbha relies on religious status and labels rather than engaging with Qin’s argument. His authority weakens when others refuse to accept his definitions.
• Appearance versus inner nature: The chapter emphasizes that a person’s heart and actions matter more than whether they are human, demon, immortal, or Buddhist.
• Humor as power: Qin’s absurd interventions turn a dangerous confrontation into a public humiliation for Ksitigarbha. Comedy becomes a weapon that disrupts authority and changes the balance of power.
• Unity against oppression: Demons, the Water Tribe, and immortals do not necessarily share the same goals, but their rejection of Ksitigarbha’s arrogance temporarily unites them.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Ksitigarbha: Qin repeatedly provokes and undermines Ksitigarbha without revealing himself, while Ksitigarbha grows increasingly desperate to find someone to punish.
• Qin Fen and Fa Hai: Qin’s earlier teachings influence Fa Hai, who boldly repeats them in an outrageous form and defends them against Ksitigarbha.
• Fa Hai and Ksitigarbha: Fa Hai unintentionally—or perhaps stubbornly—destroys Ksitigarbha’s argument by claiming that the Buddha supports Qin’s philosophy.
• Ksitigarbha and Black Mountain: Ksitigarbha redirects his anger toward Black Mountain, using him as a scapegoat and preparing to eliminate him by force.
• Ksitigarbha and the Water Tribe: He tries to exploit their hatred of Black Mountain, but their involuntary vomiting makes his appeal fail completely.
• The defenders of Haitian City: Matchmaker Yue, Taibai, the Dragon King, and the Third Prince cooperate to shield the city from the destructive battle about to begin.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen, facing the imminent destruction of Haitian City, uses one of his strangest abilities: a WeChat red packet. He puts 500 into it and sends it to Black Mountain Demon as a “tip.”
• Ksitigarbha and Black Mountain Demon are preparing powerful attacks against each other. Their clash threatens to kill countless demons, Water Tribe members, and other bystanders.
• The appearance of Qin Fen’s red packet triggers the Heavenly Dao, which manifests over the battlefield in overwhelming golden light. Everyone, including Ksitigarbha, Matchmaker Yue, Taibai, the Dragon King, and the Third Prince, is forced to stop fighting and submit to its majesty.
• The Heavenly Dao’s power neutralizes the battlefield: black mist and ghosts disperse, Black Mountain Demon’s treasures become useless, and Ksitigarbha’s Buddha light is melted away.
• Instead of punishing Black Mountain Demon, the Heavenly Dao grants him a massive amount of Merit in response to Qin Fen’s tip. This shocks everyone, since Black Mountain Demon is a soul-devouring demon who seemingly deserves no reward.
• The Merit purges Black Mountain Demon’s karmic obstacles and transforms him into a Merit Body, making him immune to techniques and difficult to harm without incurring severe Karmic Force.
• The Heavenly Dao’s intervention also separates the two beings fused within Black Mountain Demon: the evil and resentful Black Mountain essence becomes a black-robed clone, while Ming Tingxia becomes a bald Merit Body.
• Ksitigarbha immediately recognizes that the newly separated black-robed clone can still be attacked. He launches a palm strike at it, apparently intending to claim the benefits for himself.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen continues to demonstrate his unpredictable and deliberately absurd nature. He weaponizes a harmless-looking red packet as a means of manipulating the Heavenly Dao and frustrating Ksitigarbha.
• Ksitigarbha shifts from confidence to complete bewilderment and frustration. His ultimate attack is rendered useless, and he is enraged that a demon receives the Merit he has spent ages seeking.
• Black Mountain Demon goes from expecting death to believing he has been extraordinarily fortunate, only to suffer a painful transformation as the Merit and karmic purification violently separate him into two entities.
• Ming Tingxia is restored as a distinct being through the Heavenly Dao’s intervention, becoming the bald Merit Body.
• Matchmaker Yue, Taibai, the Dragon King, and the Third Prince are stunned and frightened by the Heavenly Dao’s appearance and by Qin Fen’s bizarre manipulation of cosmic laws.

Significant Themes

• Absurdity and unpredictability: Qin Fen’s nonsensical methods produce consequences far beyond normal logic, turning a red packet into a tool capable of influencing the Heavenly Dao.
• The limits of divine authority: Even powerful figures such as Ksitigarbha must immediately submit when the Heavenly Dao appears.
• Merit versus morality: The chapter humorously challenges conventional ideas of justice when a demon receives enormous Merit through Qin Fen’s intervention.
• Karma and cosmic law: The Heavenly Dao can remove Karmic Force, grant protection, and separate beings according to deeper spiritual principles.
• Power through unconventional means: Qin Fen does not overpower his opponents directly; instead, he exploits the rules of the world in a way no one else anticipates.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen indirectly antagonizes Ksitigarbha by tipping Black Mountain Demon, undermining Ksitigarbha’s attempt to defeat him and gain Merit.
• Ksitigarbha reacts with disbelief when the Heavenly Dao rewards the demon and later explains the significance of Black Mountain Demon’s separation.
• Black Mountain Demon, initially terrified of Ksitigarbha, becomes temporarily delighted by the Merit before suffering its painful consequences.
• The surrounding immortals and demons collectively react with fear, confusion, and disbelief, while Ksitigarbha ultimately attempts to exploit the situation by attacking the newly formed black-robed clone.

Chapter Summary: “Snatch It If You Want, Qin Fen Snatches Red Packets”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Heavenly Dao forcibly separates the Black Mountain Demon from Ming Tingxia, splitting their opposing forces of merit and karmic evil. This drastically weakens Black Mountain, reducing him from a being capable of fighting the Dragon King and his son together to one who can likely face only one opponent.
• Ming Tingxia immediately flees, abandoning Black Mountain. Seeing the opportunity, Ksitigarbha attacks and destroys the weakened demon with a Buddhist technique, causing the wronged souls within Black Mountain’s body to escape before the demon disappears completely.
• Ksitigarbha expects a substantial Merit reward for eliminating Black Mountain, but Qin Fen secretly snatches 2,800 Merit from the Heavenly Dao’s red packet, raising his balance to 20,231.
• When Ksitigarbha’s Merit Golden Light appears, it shrinks dramatically, leaving him with only a tiny reward. The Heavenly Dao’s cryptic statement about not forcing what fate has not granted further humiliates him.
• Qin Fen then uses the Heavenly Dao’s chat system to interfere in the Buddhist faction. He argues that demons and humans should not be judged solely by race and that good and evil should be determined by one’s actions and the people’s approval.
• His words deeply affect Fa Hai, who realizes that demons can also be good and that cultivating virtue is more important than species. Fa Hai leaves to travel and temper himself.
• Ksitigarbha attempts to recruit Ming Tingxia—now calling himself the Buddhist “Wuse”—to Spirit Mountain, but Wuse refuses. Ksitigarbha is left embarrassed and frustrated, prompting him to depart.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Becomes increasingly skilled at manipulating events from behind the scenes. He profits from Ksitigarbha’s victory, steals the Merit reward, and uses philosophical arguments to weaken Ksitigarbha’s influence over Fa Hai and Ming Tingxia.
• Ksitigarbha: Shows himself to be opportunistic and ambitious, viewing Black Mountain’s defeat as a chance to gain several political and strategic advantages. His repeated loss of Merit and inability to control his fellow Buddhists damage his pride and authority.
• Black Mountain Demon: Is forcibly reduced to his original strength after being separated from Ming Tingxia and is subsequently destroyed by Ksitigarbha.
• Ming Tingxia/Wuse: Reveals his lack of loyalty by fleeing when Black Mountain weakens. He rejects Ksitigarbha’s invitation to Spirit Mountain, suggesting that he values his independence and personal desires over formal Buddhist affiliation.
• Fa Hai: Experiences a major change in outlook. Influenced by Qin Fen’s argument, he abandons rigid racial distinctions between humans and demons and begins a journey of self-cultivation.
• The Dragon King and his faction: Remain hostile toward Ksitigarbha after recognizing that he intended to exploit the situation for his own benefit.

Significant Themes

• Merit, karma, and manipulation: The chapter humorously contrasts genuine achievement with the ability to exploit the Heavenly Dao’s reward system.
• Good and evil beyond species: Qin Fen challenges the Buddhist tendency to label demons as inherently evil, emphasizing that conduct—not race—determines morality.
• Political opportunism: Ksitigarbha’s rescue of the situation is motivated partly by plans to strengthen his position, recruit allies, and undermine rival factions.
• Free will versus authority: Fa Hai and Ming Tingxia both reject Ksitigarbha’s control, showing that religious status does not guarantee obedience.
• Humor through humiliation: Ksitigarbha’s grand expectations are repeatedly undercut by Qin Fen’s Merit theft, the Heavenly Dao’s mockery, and the refusal of his supposed allies.

Important Character Interactions

• Heavenly Dao and Black Mountain: The Heavenly Dao separates Black Mountain and Ming Tingxia, fundamentally changing the battle.
• Ksitigarbha and Black Mountain: Ksitigarbha takes advantage of Black Mountain’s weakened state and delivers the killing blow.
• Qin Fen and Ksitigarbha: Qin Fen benefits from Ksitigarbha’s victory while secretly stealing his reward and sabotaging his reputation.
• Qin Fen and Fa Hai: Through arguments about equality and morality, Qin Fen causes Fa Hai to reconsider his beliefs and leave Ksitigarbha.
• Ksitigarbha and Ming Tingxia/Wuse: Ksitigarbha attempts to recruit Wuse to Spirit Mountain, but Wuse bluntly refuses, further humiliating him.
• Qin Fen and the observers: His unconventional statements entertain or bewilder Matchmaker Yue, Taibai, the Dragon Prince, and others, while also disrupting the Buddhist faction’s unity.

Chapter Summary: “Upgrade! Official Account Appears, Baldy Pledges Allegiance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After witnessing the Demon King’s overwhelming strength, Ksitigarbha abandons his plan to cause further trouble and retreats into the ground.
• Taibai and Matchmaker Yue leave to report the incident to the Jade Emperor.
• With the crisis over, Haitian City begins rebuilding, and the Demon Tribe celebrates its survival.
• The Dragon King apologizes to Qin Fen for previously acting foolishly. Qin Fen advises him to stand firm on matters of principle, subtly warning him about choosing sides between major factions.
• The Heavenly Dao rewards Qin Fen with 10,000 Merit for saving the demons and Water Tribe members. His Merit rises above 30,000, triggering an upgrade to WeChat’s Heavenly-tier Version 3.0.
• The Dragon King and the White Dragon King further repay Qin Fen by transferring 3,000 and 2,000 Merit respectively.
• Qin Fen spends 30,000 Merit on the upgrade, only to discover that the new version appears almost identical to the old one. The sole obvious addition is a “Heavenly Court Official Account,” which may allow him to broadcast messages to the entire Heavenly Court.
• The Sea-Calming Divine Pearl photo still cannot be uploaded despite the apparent signal, causing Qin Fen to angrily mock the unreliable system.
• Ming Tingxia, the weakened bald stone demon, asks Qin Fen for work in Haitian City. Qin Fen agrees to employ him as a security guard at his restaurant.
• Qin Fen learns that Ming Tingxia’s Dharma name is Wuse, despite his cultivation of Bliss Heaven. He jokingly renames him “Uncoded,” which Ming Tingxia sincerely accepts as a meaningful new Dharma name.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Gains substantial Merit and upgrades his system, though he remains frustrated by its poor functionality and misleading advertising. He also expands his influence by hiring Ming Tingxia and potentially gains a powerful broadcasting tool through the Official Account.
• The Dragon King: Shows gratitude and political awareness by apologizing to Qin Fen and offering Merit as compensation. His actions suggest increasing respect and willingness to maintain an alliance with Qin Fen.
• Ming Tingxia/Uncoded: Having lost much of his former power, he abandons the ambition of being a Demon King and seeks an ordinary livelihood. His loyalty to Qin Fen becomes clear when he asks to work under him.
• Ksitigarbha: Becomes cautious after realizing Qin Fen’s hidden strength may rival the level of a Great Sage. Rather than risk confrontation, he retreats.
• Taibai and Matchmaker Yue: Act as Heavenly Court representatives, leaving promptly to report the events to the Jade Emperor.

Significant Themes

• Power and political alignment: Qin Fen’s reminder to the Dragon King emphasizes that survival depends on choosing the correct side while remaining principled.
• Merit and reciprocity: Qin Fen is rewarded by both the Heavenly Dao and the Dragon Kings, showing how good deeds and political favors generate tangible benefits.
• Technology as influence: The new Heavenly Court Official Account may allow Qin Fen to communicate with or annoy the entire Heavenly Court, turning a modern social-media function into a powerful supernatural tool.
• Humor through contrast: Grand spiritual events are repeatedly undercut by Qin Fen’s complaints about customer service, bad signal, software upgrades, and subscription problems.
• Identity and belonging: Ming Tingxia’s rejection of his unsuitable Dharma name and acceptance of “Uncoded” symbolize his transition from an isolated demon to Qin Fen’s subordinate and ally.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and the Dragon King establish a stronger relationship through apology, political advice, and mutual financial support.
• Qin Fen’s interactions with the Dragon King’s family and the Water Tribe reinforce his role as Haitian City’s protector.
• Qin Fen and Ming Tingxia develop a humorous master-subordinate relationship. Qin Fen offers him employment and casually renames him, while Ming Tingxia treats the joke as profound wisdom.
• Qin Fen’s unseen relationship with the Heavenly Court continues through the Merit system and the newly unlocked Official Account, suggesting future large-scale interactions with the immortals.