Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: The Big Chef Discovers a Loophole in the Heavenly Dao

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen receives another Heavenly Dao reward after helping Little White Dragon and the Western Sea Dragon Tribe. Instead of directly increasing Little White Dragon’s strength, the reward causes the Dragon Gate to descend three inches, benefiting the entire tribe.
• Qin Fen also receives a Boost Pack containing 5,000 Merit, raising his balance to 8,561. He realizes that direct participation in events may prevent the Heavenly Dao from blocking his connection and may provide a faster way to earn Merit.
• Reflecting on his previous “guidance,” Qin Fen notices that all three incidents ultimately led someone to make a Great Vow. He concludes that the Heavenly Dao must follow specific standards when granting rewards.
• He questions Daoist Sea Cloud about whether making a Great Vow guarantees success. Sea Cloud explains that the Heavenly Dao can see whether a vow is sincere, feasible, and capable of producing meaningful results; empty promises receive no reward.
• Sea Cloud realizes that Qin Fen’s questions indirectly guided Little White Dragon into making a genuine Great Vow to develop Haitian City. Qin Fen’s seemingly casual plans—improving population, industry, education, and production—have aligned with the Heavenly Dao’s preference for actions with broad, lasting benefits.
• Daoist Sea Cloud leaves after explaining the Heavenly Dao’s judgment. Qin Fen suddenly understands the “loophole”: he does not need to make a Great Vow himself. By guiding others into making sincere vows and carrying them out, he can still gain Heavenly Dao rewards.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Becomes increasingly aware that his actions can manipulate the Heavenly Dao’s reward system. Although he considers himself an ordinary, profit-minded mortal, his practical schemes unintentionally produce large-scale benefits. He begins to recognize a reliable method for earning Merit through indirect guidance.
• Little White Dragon: Gains an opportunity to revitalize the Western Sea Dragon Tribe. His decision to develop Haitian City becomes a genuine Great Vow, giving him greater responsibility and a new purpose.
• Daoist Sea Cloud: Moves from admiration to near disbelief. He interprets Qin Fen’s actions as the work of a Saint or at least a supreme expert, even though Qin Fen is unaware of the profound impression he creates. Sea Cloud is increasingly exhausted by Qin Fen’s apparent innocence and unpredictable reasoning.
• The Chancellor/Old Turtle: Suffers humiliation after the Heavenly Dao repeatedly interferes, but becomes so desperate for the Dragon Tribe’s success that he accepts and even welcomes Heaven’s treatment.
• The Third Prince: Is overwhelmed with excitement because the Dragon Gate’s descent gives the Western Sea Dragon Tribe a long-awaited chance to prosper.

Significant Themes

• Unintended greatness: Qin Fen’s selfish or practical motives produce consequences far more noble and influential than he realizes.
• The Heavenly Dao and Merit: Merit is awarded not for empty declarations but for sincere intentions backed by feasible actions and broad social impact.
• Misunderstanding and irony: Others view Qin Fen as a hidden Saint or supreme strategist, while he sees himself as a lazy, ordinary chef trying to make money.
• Indirect influence: One can shape the world not only through personal action but by inspiring others to make meaningful commitments.
• Practicality versus lofty ideals: Qin Fen’s plans arise from profit, efficiency, and problem-solving, yet they are interpreted as grand moral and civilizational goals.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen questions Daoist Sea Cloud about the nature of Great Vows, forcing Sea Cloud to explain how the Heavenly Dao evaluates them.
• Sea Cloud recognizes that Qin Fen’s questions guided Little White Dragon into making the vow that triggered the reward, while Qin Fen remains unaware of how profound his influence appears.
• Little White Dragon and the Third Prince react with shock when Sea Cloud admits uncertainty, since they assumed his guidance and knowledge were deliberate and authoritative.
• Qin Fen’s unseen thoughts contrast sharply with Sea Cloud’s interpretation: Qin Fen believes he is improvising for profit, while Sea Cloud believes he is executing a carefully designed plan to manipulate the Heavenly Dao.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen realizes that the Heavenly Dao recognizes different forms of merit. Figures such as Tang Sanzang, Ksitigarbha, and Guanyin earned Heavenly Dao rewards through different methods, proving that there is no single path to merit.
• Qin Fen decides not to obsess over earning merit. He will accept opportunities when they arise, but will not force matters.
• The Third Prince agrees to cooperate fully with Qin Fen, now that the Heavenly Dao has effectively endorsed Qin Fen’s plan. The old turtle, embarrassed by Qin Fen’s reward and earlier defeat, pretends not to hear the conversation.
• Qin Fen leaves to eat with Female Hooligan. Their teasing develops into a humorous but friendly exchange, with Qin Fen deliberately refusing to talk while eating.
• In the golf club locker room, the Sea-Calming Divine Pearl’s image on Qin Fen’s phone begins downloading rapidly, reaching eighty percent. At the same time, the actual pearl in a locker loses its radiance and becomes indistinguishable from an ordinary glass marble.
• A thief enters the locker room intending to steal a wine flask from locker 139. Because the locker-number tags have been switched, he breaks into the wrong locker and finds a suitcase containing large amounts of U.S. currency and an ornate sandalwood box.
• The thief triggers the club’s alarm and flees with the suitcase. Security guards and police begin investigating the break-in.
• Lan Yifeng receives news that his antique-smuggling operation has failed, but then learns that his associate Fatty has supposedly obtained the wine flask he wanted.
• Lan Yifeng believes the loss may be a blessing in disguise: the flask could help him gain Yan Bing’s favor, while the Luminous Pearl might allow him to recover financially.
• Returning to the club, Lan Yifeng is questioned by security guards. He initially claims his locker is number 140, but then realizes the switched tags mean the robbed locker—number 139—was actually his. The chapter ends with him recognizing that he, not Bayonet, may be the true victim of the misunderstanding.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Gains a clearer understanding of Heavenly Dao merit and becomes more confident in his plans. His casual, blunt personality remains evident, especially in his unintentional humiliation of the old turtle and his playful silence at dinner.
• The Third Prince: Becomes fully willing to follow Qin Fen, reassured that even the Heavenly Dao supports Qin Fen’s actions.
• The Old Turtle: Suffers another emotional blow after Qin Fen’s reward confirms his superiority. He adopts an attitude of helpless avoidance, pretending not to hear anything.
• Female Hooligan: Shows familiarity and loyalty toward Qin Fen by waiting for him and eating without paying. Their banter suggests a comfortable, increasingly friendly relationship.
• Lan Yifeng: Experiences rapid emotional swings—from despair over his failed operation to relief when he hears the wine flask was obtained—before realizing that the locker mix-up may have ruined him instead.
• The Thief/Fatty: Acts confidently and greedily, believing he has finally stolen the correct target, but his success is based entirely on the switched locker labels.

Significant Themes

• Different paths to merit: Heavenly Dao rewards are based on meaningful results and valid vows rather than one fixed method.
• Irony and unintended consequences: Nearly every character acts on mistaken assumptions, especially the thief and Lan Yifeng.
• Fate versus planning: Qin Fen’s schemes benefit from Heavenly Dao approval, while Lan Yifeng’s careful arrangements collapse because of a simple locker-number switch.
• Greed and deception: The theft, antique-smuggling operation, and pursuit of the wine flask all revolve around money, profit, and manipulation.
• Humor amid danger: Qin Fen’s casual remarks and the old turtle’s embarrassment contrast with the criminal tension surrounding the stolen items.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen indirectly humiliates the old turtle by mentioning his own Heavenly Dao reward, though he does so without deliberate malice.
• Qin Fen and the Third Prince establish a cooperative relationship, with the prince promising to follow Qin Fen’s guidance.
• Qin Fen and Female Hooligan engage in lighthearted domestic banter during and after their meal.
• The thief communicates with his cousin and Lan Yifeng’s associates while carrying out the robbery.
• Lan Yifeng’s interactions with Fatty give him false confidence that the wine flask has been secured.
• Security guards confront Lan Yifeng and expose the consequences of the switched locker numbers, setting up the chapter’s final twist.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen attends a yoga session with Female Hooligan but quickly abandons the difficult partner exercises, complaining that yoga is painful and unenjoyable. He buys grilled sausages and watches her practice instead.
• While checking his phone, Qin Fen notices that the Sea-Calming Divine Pearl’s progress has unexpectedly risen to eighty percent. He becomes suspicious of the unreliable process and wonders why the Buddhist School has remained inactive despite the apparent crisis.
• He assigns Nie Xiaoqian and the weakened Black Mountain Demon to handle the preparations for Lanxiang Technical College. Qin Fen relies on Black Mountain Demon’s reputation and strength to deter possible troublemakers.
• Feeling increasingly confident as the Dongre King and as a successful organizer, Qin Fen decides that he only needs to oversee major affairs rather than manage every detail himself.
• He contacts Queen Mother after realizing that they have not spoken for some time. Queen Mother is busy leading the female immortals, who have become unusually motivated by new technologies, face masks, needlework, and other productive activities.
• Queen Mother is also troubled by recent developments: Luban and another figure have attained enlightenment, the Heavenly Dao has reappeared, and the Western Sea appears to be preparing for action.
• Qin Fen sends Queen Mother a grilled sausage. She initially mistakes the unexpected object for something suspicious, but after tasting it, admits that it is reasonably good.
• Qin Fen hints that he intends to introduce Mechanism Arts and productivity-related projects into the Heavenly Court, using Haitian City as a testing ground. Queen Mother recognizes that his seemingly casual plans usually conceal ambitious schemes.
• Their exchange ends with Qin Fen offering to send her grilled sausages regularly. Both realize that the conversation sounds strangely flirtatious, though Qin Fen internally jokes that he has once again ended up flirting with Queen Mother.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Displays his usual laziness, opportunism, and confidence. He delegates effectively, trusts the deterrent value of Black Mountain Demon’s reputation, and sees Haitian City as a base for expanding his influence. He also continues trying to cultivate a useful relationship with Queen Mother, though his casual friendliness repeatedly creates unintended romantic undertones.
• Queen Mother: Becomes increasingly familiar with Qin Fen and less suspicious of his harmless gestures, even while remaining wary of his hidden motives. She is shown as an effective leader who has helped mobilize the female immortals toward education, technology, and productive work.
• Nie Xiaoqian: Gains a more important administrative role by being entrusted with the practical establishment of Lanxiang Technical College.
• Black Mountain Demon: Serves as Qin Fen’s chief source of authority and intimidation. Even at half strength, he is powerful enough to suppress ordinary demons and ensure that Qin Fen’s plans proceed smoothly.
• Female Hooligan: Reveals a forceful, intense approach to yoga, contrasting sharply with Qin Fen’s dislike of the activity and preference for relaxation and food.

Significant Themes

• Productivity and modernization: Qin Fen aims to transfer successful Mortal Realm methods into the Heavenly Court, suggesting an emerging conflict between traditional cultivation-based society and technological or industrial development.
• Networking and influence: Qin Fen consciously builds relationships with powerful figures, treating personal connections as strategic resources.
• Delegation and leadership: His growing status allows him to manage through organization and authority rather than doing every task himself.
• Suspicion versus trust: Queen Mother expects every action by Qin Fen to conceal a scheme, yet their long familiarity gradually makes her more willing to trust him.
• Humor through cultural contrast: The Heavenly immortals encounter ordinary modern objects—such as grilled sausages—with unfamiliarity, creating comedy while emphasizing the gap between the Mortal Realm and the Heavenly Court.
• Changing roles for women: Queen Mother’s leadership encourages female immortals to leave domestic seclusion, learn practical skills, and participate in technology and public affairs.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Female Hooligan: Their familiarity makes partner yoga awkward. Her aggressive practice contrasts with his reluctance, and he abandons her to eat sausages while she silently watches his self-satisfied behavior.
• Qin Fen, Nie Xiaoqian, and Black Mountain Demon: Qin Fen gives them responsibility for establishing Lanxiang Technical College, demonstrating his reliance on capable subordinates and Black Mountain Demon’s intimidating reputation.
• Qin Fen and Queen Mother: Their conversation combines strategic maneuvering, mutual suspicion, and increasing familiarity. Qin Fen hints at his productivity plans while pretending merely to be bored and wishing to chat.
• Queen Mother and the grilled sausage: Her first taste of the Mortal Realm food softens her attitude and gives the exchange an unexpectedly intimate, humorous tone.

Chapter Summary: “Queen Mother’s Warning, a Loyal Dog Searches for Its Master”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen chats with Queen Mother, shamelessly teasing her until she becomes furious and orders him to leave. He abruptly disappears from the conversation, further irritating her.
• Queen Mother warns Qin Fen that Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear have been monitoring the Western Sea, suggesting that powerful figures may be investigating his activities.
• Qin Fen realizes the Western Sea is attracting serious attention but remains confident because he operates publicly under the identity Dong Re while keeping Natural Daoist separate. His plans and infiltration of the Heavenly Court remain difficult to trace.
• Afterward, Qin Fen watches Female Hooligan spar with an unfamiliar fighter, then drives home with her. She intends to stay at his residence for several days.
• At Qin Fen’s courtyard, he discovers that Little Bean has followed him across the sea. The dog immediately claims the property as his territory and behaves provocatively toward Female Hooligan.
• Little Bean explains that he traveled by disguising himself as a lifeless toy on trains and airplanes. Qin Fen is especially angry to learn that the dog ate his valuable Foxtail Grass.
• Qin Fen allows Little Bean to stay but threatens him not to repeat his obscene behavior.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Remains irreverent, shameless, and confident, but Queen Mother’s warning causes him to become serious and cautious about the growing attention on the Western Sea. He also reveals a practical side by maintaining separate identities and protecting his larger plans.
• Queen Mother: Though normally dignified and composed, she is repeatedly provoked into anger by Qin Fen’s behavior. She demonstrates her concern for him by warning him about surveillance and appears curious about his intentions.
• Female Hooligan: Acts casually and confidently, deciding to stay at Qin Fen’s home. She enjoys Little Bean’s antics and is comfortable enough to playfully fend him off.
• Little Bean: Shows extraordinary loyalty and resourcefulness by tracking Qin Fen over a vast distance. He is shameless, territorial, mischievous, and willing to use absurd disguises and gestures to get what he wants.
• Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear: Though they do not appear directly, their surveillance signals that Qin Fen’s activities are becoming visible to major Heavenly Court powers.

Significant Themes

• Shamelessness and comic irreverence: Qin Fen’s teasing and Queen Mother’s frustration create much of the chapter’s humor, while Little Bean’s behavior mirrors Qin Fen’s own lack of restraint.
• Loyalty and attachment: Despite being troublesome, Little Bean’s determined journey shows his strong attachment to Qin Fen and refusal to be abandoned.
• Secrets and identity: Qin Fen’s use of multiple identities emphasizes the importance of concealment as his plans expand.
• Growing danger beneath the comedy: The playful scenes contrast with the serious implication that the Western Sea and Qin Fen are being watched by powerful forces.
• Territory and belonging: Little Bean’s marking of Qin Fen’s courtyard humorously reflects his desire to establish a place beside his master.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Queen Mother exchange sarcastic messages, with Qin Fen provoking her until she warns him about the Western Sea.
• Queen Mother tries to question Qin Fen about his plans, but he disappears before answering, leaving her annoyed and intrigued.
• Qin Fen and Female Hooligan return home together, with her casually asserting that she will stay with him.
• Female Hooligan plays with Little Bean, while Qin Fen attempts to control the dog and is embarrassed by its behavior.
• Qin Fen interrogates Little Bean about his journey, then reluctantly forgives him after the dog begs for mercy.

Chapter Summary: “A Good Dog Is One That Brings Prosperity”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lan Yifeng, desperate after losing his Luminous Pearl and other valuables, calls Fatty to ask about the wine jug he needs to appease Yan Bing and secure a possible alliance with a wealthy young master.
• Fatty learns from his cousin Skinny that the wine jug is missing from locker 139. Instead, Skinny found only money and an apparently ordinary glass ball.
• Skinny realizes the “Luminous Pearl” has stopped glowing and assumes its owner must be an idiot for valuing such a useless bead. Despite his doubts, he keeps it, hoping it may still be valuable.
• Fatty orders Skinny to search Qin Fen’s house, believing Qin Fen may have received the wine jug because he possessed the locker key.
• Skinny sneaks into Qin Fen’s villa at night with a shotgun, intending to steal the wine jug. While spying through the window, he overhears Qin Fen and a woman making suggestive remarks.
• Skinny imagines that the pair are engaged in an intimate encounter, only to discover that they are merely making a cake and struggling with whipped cream in the kitchen.
• A small Chihuahua, Little Bean, catches Skinny trespassing. After urinating on his shoe, the dog bites him painfully and silently prevents him from calling for help.
• Skinny drops the glass ball during the attack, and Little Bean snatches it and runs away, leaving Skinny humiliated and empty-handed.

Character Developments

• Lan Yifeng becomes increasingly desperate and frustrated. With his resources gone, he views the wine jug as his final opportunity to recover his situation.
• Fatty grows frantic and aggressive, pressuring Skinny to retrieve the wine jug and threatening him with severe consequences if he fails.
• Skinny is revealed as greedy, opportunistic, and easily distracted. Although he is initially focused on the theft, his voyeuristic imagination causes him to lose focus. He ultimately becomes the victim of both Qin Fen’s household and the Chihuahua.
• Qin Fen appears domestic and unexpectedly playful, attempting to bake a cake while openly arguing with the female hoodlum. His ordinary behavior contrasts sharply with Skinny’s exaggerated assumptions.
• Little Bean is established as an unusually intelligent and viciously effective guard dog. Despite its tiny size, it successfully detects, attacks, and robs the intruder.

Significant Themes

• Comic reversal and misunderstanding: Skinny misinterprets innocent baking noises as sexual activity, creating humor through the gap between expectation and reality.
• Greed and failed schemes: Lan Yifeng, Fatty, and Skinny are all driven by desperation and profit, but their plans repeatedly collapse.
• Appearances versus reality: The supposedly priceless Luminous Pearl looks like a worthless glass ball, while the harmless-looking Chihuahua proves to be the most dangerous obstacle.
• Humiliation and poetic justice: Skinny enters intending to rob Qin Fen but is bitten, frightened, and robbed by a tiny dog.
• Domestic calm versus criminal chaos: Qin Fen’s peaceful cake-making contrasts with the frantic pursuit of stolen treasures outside his home.

Character Interactions

• Lan Yifeng pressures Fatty over the missing wine jug, while Fatty relies on Skinny to recover it.
• Fatty and Bayonet argue over the missing items and conclude that Qin Fen may possess the wine jug.
• Skinny eavesdrops on Qin Fen and the female hoodlum, misreading their cake-making conversation as an intimate encounter.
• Qin Fen and the female hoodlum bicker humorously over how to prepare the cake, revealing a comfortable but argumentative partnership.
• Little Bean confronts Skinny directly, first marking him, then biting him and stealing the mysterious glass ball.

Chapter Summary: “Dogs Bring Wealth, the Dragon King Was Moved”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Little Bean chases down the skinny thief who stole the glass bead. He bites both of the man’s feet and repeatedly urinates on him to mark his territory, leaving the thief immobilized, humiliated, and terrified.
• Qin Fen and Female Hooligan hear the commotion but assume Little Bean is merely playing outside. Their conversation turns to naming the dog, with “Wangcai” suggested because dogs supposedly bring wealth.
• Inside, Female Hooligan tries to smear cream on Qin Fen’s face. Qin Fen detects the sneak attack with his enhanced perception and retaliates by biting her finger. The unexpected intimacy embarrasses both of them.
• Little Bean returns and drops the stolen glass bead at Qin Fen’s feet. Although the bead is covered in saliva, Female Hooligan jokes that the dog has already brought wealth, making “Wangcai” an auspicious name.
• Little Bean’s strength is revealed to have increased dramatically after consuming Foxtail Grass, an immortal herb. He is confident enough to defeat ordinary opponents, though he remains wary of Qin Fen because of the mysterious purple aura and increased Merit surrounding him.
• Little Bean accidentally activates the Dragon King’s WeChat interface through voice input. The Dragon King, having returned to the Western Sea, learns from the Third Prince about Qin Fen’s appearance before Heavenly Dao and the lowering of the Dragon Gate.
• The Western Sea Dragon King concludes that Qin Fen is an extraordinary “Natural Immortal” whose favor could greatly benefit the Western Sea. He urges the Third Prince to cultivate a close relationship with Qin Fen and promises his support.
• Overhearing Qin Fen and Female Hooligan discuss expanding the Lotus Pavilion and Qin Fen’s efforts to accumulate Merit, the Dragon King assumes Qin Fen is pursuing a profound cultivation plan. Moved by gratitude and eager to repay him, the Dragon King decides to help.

Character Developments

• Little Bean: Demonstrates remarkable power, intelligence, territorial aggression, and loyalty. His confidence has grown after absorbing Foxtail Grass, though he instinctively recognizes Qin Fen’s increasing strength and chooses to behave around him.
• Qin Fen: Remains relaxed and mischievous, but his enhanced senses and growing aura of Merit suggest that his power and spiritual significance are rapidly increasing. His playful bite of Female Hooligan reveals a more teasing and intimate side.
• Female Hooligan: Shows her playful, flirtatious relationship with Qin Fen. Her attempted prank backfires, leaving her embarrassed and briefly flustered.
• The Skinny Man: Is reduced from a dangerous thief to a helpless, comic victim after being bitten and humiliated by Little Bean.
• Western Sea Dragon King: Becomes deeply impressed by Qin Fen and shifts from curiosity to reverence. He recognizes Qin Fen as a potentially transformative ally for the Western Sea.
• Third Prince/Little White Dragon: Gains his father’s confidence and is reminded that verbal gratitude is insufficient; he must actively maintain a valuable relationship with Qin Fen.

Significant Themes

• Merit and destiny: Qin Fen’s growing Merit attracts Heavenly Dao’s attention and causes others to interpret his actions as part of a grand spiritual or cosmic plan.
• Misunderstanding and comic exaggeration: Ordinary conversations and jokes are interpreted by the Dragon King as profound statements about cultivation, producing dramatic misunderstandings.
• Power hidden beneath ordinary appearances: Qin Fen appears mortal and casual, but his aura and influence suggest extraordinary abilities. Likewise, Little Bean appears to be a tiny Chihuahua but possesses frightening strength.
• Reciprocity and alliances: The Dragon King believes the Western Sea must repay Qin Fen’s assistance, emphasizing gratitude as a means of securing future prosperity.
• Wealth and auspiciousness: The repeated joke that “dogs bring wealth” links Little Bean’s theft of the bead to the Western Sea’s expected rise in fortune.

Important Character Interactions

• Little Bean humiliates the skinny thief while Qin Fen and Female Hooligan unknowingly discuss the incident indoors.
• Qin Fen and Female Hooligan engage in a playful prank that turns unexpectedly intimate when Qin Fen bites her finger.
• Little Bean presents the bead to Qin Fen, prompting jokes about his ability to bring wealth.
• The Dragon King and the Third Prince discuss Qin Fen’s status, the lowered Dragon Gate, and the future of the Western Sea.
• The Dragon King overhears Qin Fen’s conversation with Female Hooligan and misinterprets mundane remarks as evidence of an immense cultivation scheme, motivating him to offer assistance.

Chapter Summary: “The Dragon King Goes Crazy Again, Original Emojis Appear”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen discovers two unusual notifications on his phone:
  • The Western Sea Dragon King has topped up 5,000 Merit, raising Qin Fen’s balance to 13,546.
  • Another Sea-Calming Divine Pearl has been detected nearby, and Qin Fen is instructed to photograph it.
• A forced 10,000-Merit deduction unlocks a new “original emoji” category, reducing Qin Fen’s balance to 3,546. Qin Fen is furious at the phone’s exploitative, non-consensual charges.
• Little Bean repeatedly paws at a glass marble on the floor, leading Qin Fen to realize that it may be the missing Sea-Calming Divine Pearl.
• Qin Fen tricks Female Hooligan into taking care of Little Bean and pretends to go to the bathroom so he can secretly photograph the pearl.
• Once photographed, the glass marble mysteriously disappears. The phone confirms that the Sea-Calming Divine Pearl has finished downloading, but says it currently has no functions and that two more pearls remain scattered elsewhere.
• Qin Fen investigates the newly unlocked emoji tab and discovers that it contains only one emoji: an image of the Sea-Calming Divine Pearl.
• He initially believes the entire process was a scam, but then receives a message from Venerable Uncoded, who reports feeling watched.
• Connecting this with his earlier conversation with Queen Mother, Qin Fen identifies the watchers as Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear.
• Angry and eager to retaliate, Qin Fen starts a video call with the two Heavenly Court observers and sends them the Sea-Calming Divine Pearl emoji. The “emoji” manifests as a real attack, smashing their windows and revealing the Pearl’s unexpected practical function.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen becomes increasingly irritated by the phone’s mysterious system, especially its forced deductions and lack of explanations. However, his frustration shifts into excitement and aggression once he realizes the Pearl can be used as a weapon.
• He also shows greater cleverness and opportunism by using Female Hooligan as a distraction and exploiting the phone’s new feature against his enemies.
• Little Bean demonstrates extraordinary abilities and loyalty. His discovery of the Pearl confirms that he is no ordinary dog, but a descendant of the Howling Celestial Hound with an exceptional sense of location.
• Female Hooligan remains teasing and easily annoyed by Qin Fen’s indifference, though she continues to assist him without understanding his real intentions.
• Venerable Uncoded acts as an informant by alerting Qin Fen to the surveillance.
• Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear, confident in their ability to observe the mortal realm, are caught off guard by Qin Fen’s counterattack.

Significant Themes

• Exploitative supernatural technology: The phone behaves like an unscrupulous service provider, charging Qin Fen without consent and withholding useful information.
• Hidden value and unexpected utility: The Sea-Calming Divine Pearl appears useless at first, but its emoji form turns out to be a powerful weapon.
• Cunning and retaliation: Qin Fen responds to surveillance and manipulation not through patience, but by turning the system’s own tools against those who wronged him.
• Comedic contrast between the mundane and the divine: Ancient treasures, Heavenly Court figures, and cosmic powers are presented through familiar modern devices, notifications, emojis, and video calls.
• Karma and interconnectedness: Qin Fen senses a connection between the Sea-Calming Divine Pearl and the original emoji system, suggesting that the phone’s features may be linked through deeper supernatural rules.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen banters with Female Hooligan, ignoring her jokes while using her to occupy Little Bean.
• Little Bean’s interaction with the pearl leads Qin Fen to the treasure’s location.
• Qin Fen’s conflict with the unseen phone system drives much of the chapter’s humor and frustration.
• Venerable Uncoded’s message connects Qin Fen to the surveillance activities of Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear.
• Qin Fen then directly confronts the two observers through a video call, using the newly unlocked Pearl emoji to launch a surprise attack.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen deliberately targets the Heavenly Court’s intelligence agents, Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear, to distract them from investigating Haitian.
• His broader goal is to buy time for Haitian’s situation and protect the Heavenly Court project, believing that increased attention from the Heavenly Court, Demon Tribe, and Buddhist School will eventually force Haitian’s problems into the open.
• Using the Sea-Calming Divine Pearl through his mysterious “expression” ability, Qin Fen repeatedly smashes the immortals’ windows with streaks of silver-white light.
• Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear are unable to see, hear, or trace the attacker. Their confusion quickly turns into fear, and they speculate that the culprit may be a powerful expert, a ghost, or even a Demon Tribe conspiracy.
• The two immortals abandon their surveillance of Haitian. Thousand-Mile Eye leaves to investigate while Wind-Following Ear remains behind to guard their home.
• Qin Fen realizes that his prank has caused more alarm than intended. He admits that he was merely testing the magical treasure, though he privately laments that such a powerful innate treasure has effectively been reduced to a window-smashing “expression.”

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates strategic thinking, ruthlessness, and mischievous creativity. He is willing to create chaos and inconvenience others to protect Haitian and advance the Heavenly Court project. Despite his confidence, he underestimates how seriously the immortals will interpret his actions. His momentary guilt toward Wind-Following Ear reveals a humorous conscience beneath his scheming nature.
• Thousand-Mile Eye: Initially focused on monitoring Haitian, he becomes startled and increasingly suspicious when the mysterious attacks begin. His inability to detect the attacker undermines his confidence and leads him to imagine a major conspiracy. He ultimately takes personal responsibility and leaves to investigate.
• Wind-Following Ear: Suffers repeated damage to his home and becomes frustrated, nervous, and miserable. Though he tries to remain cautious and rational, he is just as easily drawn into conspiracy theories. His reaction to Qin Fen’s explanation shows that he recognizes the chef’s shamelessness.
• The two immortals: Their close cooperation is emphasized. They quickly coordinate their response, but their shared confusion causes them to overinterpret the harmless prank as a potentially dangerous political or supernatural incident.

Significant Themes

• Misdirection and strategic sacrifice: Qin Fen uses a small, absurd disturbance to divert attention from a more important objective.
• The power of mystery: Because the attackers cannot identify Qin Fen or understand his method, they fill the gaps with increasingly elaborate theories. Uncertainty makes his actions appear far more threatening than they are.
• Bureaucratic and political paranoia: The Heavenly Court’s agents interpret even window-smashing as a possible sign of invasion, espionage, or political maneuvering, reflecting a world where “nothing is trivial.”
• Comedy through misunderstanding: Qin Fen sees the incident as a childish prank and practical distraction, while the immortals perceive it as a potentially grave conspiracy.
• Improvisation and unintended consequences: Qin Fen’s simple plan succeeds, but the exaggerated reactions of Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear show how easily a small action can spiral beyond its creator’s expectations.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen indirectly manipulates Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Following Ear, using repeated attacks to force them to abandon Haitian’s investigation.
• The two immortals rely heavily on each other’s abilities—sight and hearing—but neither can detect the source of the attacks, making their partnership ineffective against Qin Fen’s method.
• Their discussion escalates from confusion to mutual suspicion, with each reinforcing the other’s belief that a larger conspiracy is underway.
• After Thousand-Mile Eye leaves, Qin Fen continues communicating with Wind-Following Ear, provoking an angry internal reaction and highlighting the chef’s teasing, irreverent relationship with his unwilling target.

Chapter Summary: “Shameless Mortals, Defeated Even Gods”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen accidentally—or seemingly repeatedly—smashes the windows of Wind-Following Ear’s residence while testing the Sea-Calming Divine Pearl.
• Although Qin Fen apologizes and offers to restore the damage, Wind-Following Ear recognizes that this has happened several times and is furious. However, Qin Fen’s polite attitude prevents him from openly confronting him.
• Qin Fen initiates a conversation, claiming to be bored and lonely. Wind-Following Ear reluctantly agrees to chat, hoping to prevent further destruction.
• Qin Fen immediately questions Wind-Following Ear about humiliating historical events, including:
  • Being defeated by Sun Wukong during the Journey to the West.
  • Being defeated and killed by Erlang God during the Investiture of the Gods.
  • What it felt like to be placed on the Investiture of the Gods after death.
• Wind-Following Ear becomes increasingly distressed as Qin Fen repeatedly brings up his painful past. He realizes Qin Fen is less a cultivation enthusiast than an shameless gossip.
• When Wind-Following Ear tries to redirect the conversation toward magical treasures, Qin Fen demonstrates his treasure again, smashing another window. Wind-Following Ear repairs it with magic but becomes even more exasperated.
• Unable to tolerate Qin Fen’s questions, Wind-Following Ear attempts to leave. Qin Fen continues speaking to him from a great distance, demonstrating the overwhelming gap between their abilities.
• Qin Fen’s final question concerns the Heavenly Court’s new policy allowing immortals to marry: he asks what Wind-Following Ear does when his superhuman hearing picks up married immortals having sex. The question leaves Wind-Following Ear utterly mortified.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Reveals himself as mischievous, shameless, socially insensitive, and intensely curious about gossip. He uses apparent politeness and harmless conversation to torment Wind-Following Ear while testing the limits of his magical treasure. Despite his ridiculous behavior, his power is clearly immense.
• Wind-Following Ear: Begins cautious and irritated but tries to remain civil because Qin Fen is far stronger and can destroy his property effortlessly. As the conversation continues, he becomes increasingly humiliated and helpless, ultimately fleeing rather than continuing the exchange.

Significant Themes

• Power and helplessness: Wind-Following Ear is a powerful immortal, but Qin Fen’s strength and unpredictable behavior leave him unable to retaliate or even escape the conversation.
• Humor through irreverence: Famous mythological battles and divine figures are treated as embarrassing personal gossip rather than grand historical events.
• Politeness masking aggression: Qin Fen repeatedly apologizes and offers to repair the windows, but his “courtesy” only makes his provocations more frustrating.
• The absurdity of immortal life: Even gods and immortals are vulnerable to embarrassment, old grudges, social awkwardness, and vulgar questions.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen deliberately exploits Wind-Following Ear’s sensitive hearing and painful memories.
• Wind-Following Ear attempts several strategies—polite conversation, changing subjects, discussing magical treasures, and finally fleeing—but none work.
• Their interaction is a comic power imbalance: Qin Fen treats the encounter as entertainment, while Wind-Following Ear desperately tries to preserve his dignity and property.

Plot points and events

• Chef Qin uses relentless, deliberately provocative questions to drive Wind-Following Ear into a furious outburst. When Wind-Following Ear finally curses him from his cloud, other immortals mistake the shouting for a disturbance and threaten to punish or challenge him.
• Meanwhile, the injured skinny man sneaks into Qin Fen’s upstairs storage room, hoping to steal a valuable wine flask. He finds more than ten identical flasks, however, and cannot tell which—if any—is genuine.
• Qin Fen returns from the bathroom and tells Sun Yating to get food for Little Bean from the basement wine cellar. Hidden nearby, the skinny man is delighted to learn the real valuables may be downstairs.

Character developments and interactions

• Wind-Following Ear goes from embarrassed and exasperated to openly enraged. His attempt to confront Qin Fen is thwarted by the attention and complaints of other immortals.
• Qin Fen shows his mischievous, psychologically manipulative side, enjoying how easily his questions unsettle Wind-Following Ear. He also casually directs Sun Yating to feed the picky Little Bean.
• The skinny man shifts from greedy excitement to panic when he finds the flasks indistinguishable, then regains hope after overhearing Qin Fen. His thoughts reveal ambitious, extravagant fantasies about wealth.
• Sun Yating asks Qin Fen for help with Little Bean, whose refusal to eat anything she offers causes a practical interruption to the skinny man’s scheme.

Significant themes

• Humiliation and misfortune: Both Wind-Following Ear and the skinny man feel that they are always the ones suffering, though for very different reasons.
• Greed and uncertainty: The skinny man’s plan depends on identifying the genuine flask, but Qin Fen’s collection of lookalikes leaves him unable to choose.
• Power through words and misdirection: Qin Fen unsettles an immortal with questions and confounds a thief with duplicated objects, demonstrating how words and simple tricks can exert control.

Plot points

• A masked, skinny thief sneaks into Qin Fen’s house, intent on stealing the Clear Spring Dew flask. He carries a gun but is inexperienced and wary of Qin Fen and the Chihuahua, Little Bean.
• While he waits for an opportunity, a phone call from his cousin nearly exposes him. Female Hooligan hears a noise and goes downstairs with Qin Fen to investigate.
• Female Hooligan asks about a basement room. The thief expects her to approach so he can ambush them, but Qin Fen steers her away, claiming the room contains only boxes.
• Once the pair leave, the thief believes his chance has come. Little Bean then shuts and locks the room’s metal door—and also closes the basement entrance—trapping him in darkness.
• The chapter ends with a brief author’s note about traveling for a family birthday and possibly updating less often.

Character developments and interactions

• The skinny thief is greedy and increasingly overconfident, interpreting every coincidence as luck. His fixation on the flask makes him careless, and he is ultimately outsmarted.
• Qin Fen stays calm and guarded, concealing his work uniforms and preventing Female Hooligan from entering the room. He is also shown chatting with his Heavenly Court contacts.
• Female Hooligan is curious about Qin Fen’s basement and lightly teases him about how he spends his time. She chooses games over swimming.
• Little Bean proves far more capable and cunning than an ordinary Chihuahua, quietly trapping the intruder while mocking him.
• The thief’s cousin checks in by phone, briefly distracting him and heightening the risk of discovery.

Significant themes

• Greed and overconfidence: The thief mistakes fortunate timing for guaranteed success.
• Irony and comic reversal: He waits for an ambush opportunity, only to be ambushed by circumstances—and a tiny dog.
• Competence hidden beneath appearances: Little Bean’s size belies his strength and intelligence, while Qin Fen’s casual manner masks careful planning.

Plot points and events

• A skinny burglar is trapped in a locked, soundproof basement after searching for a valuable wine flask. With no phone signal, little battery, and only two shotgun shells, he panics and tries shouting for help, but no one hears him.
• Meanwhile, Qin Fen and Female Hooligan play a zombie game together. Their relationship remains hard to define, and she is more frightened by the game than he is.
• Little Bean notices Qin Fen’s phone and investigates it. A message from Wind-Following Ear arrives, prompting Qin Fen to insult the god while still focused on the game.
• Angered by Qin Fen’s taunts, Wind-Following Ear threatens retaliation. Little Bean accidentally activates the phone’s lightning function, summoning Purple Firmament Divine Thunder and terrifying itself.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Fen remains obliviously chaotic: his ordinary actions have a way of causing serious trouble for others, and he casually insults Wind-Following Ear without realizing—or caring—how the god will react.
• Female Hooligan and Qin Fen share a companionable but undefined closeness as they play together.
• Little Bean shows its intelligence and curiosity by reading the phone’s message, then accidentally unleashes its powerful magic.
• Wind-Following Ear goes from relieved that Qin Fen has disappeared to furious when Qin Fen’s message reaches him.
• The burglar shifts from greed and confidence to growing fear as he realizes he is trapped.

Significant themes

• Unpredictable luck and misfortune: Qin Fen’s presence seems to create chaos, often harming people around him without deliberate intent.
• Comic contrast: The burglar’s desperate predicament unfolds alongside Qin Fen’s carefree gaming and casual banter.
• Everyday objects with extraordinary power: The phone is both a communication device and, through Little Bean’s mistake, a trigger for divine lightning.

Chapter Summary: Heavenly Dao Has Gone Berserk

Key Plot Points and Events

• During a peaceful family hot-pot dinner, the Heavenly Dao suddenly manifests above the Heavenly Court, covering the sky with dark clouds and thunder.
• The appearance is immediately recognized as a sign of heavenly punishment rather than a reward: the legendary Purple Firmament Divine Thunder has returned.
• Immortals, demons, and Buddhas panic across the Three Realms. Li Jing, traumatized by previous encounters with the divine thunder, flees from his family in terror, desperately hoping he will not be targeted.
• Taibai, Matchmaker Yue, the Jade Emperor, and countless others react with alarm and speculate about who has committed an offense severe enough to attract the Heavenly Dao’s attention.
• The Heavenly Dao ultimately targets Wind-Following Ear. He insists internally that he has been law-abiding and has done nothing deserving punishment, but the thunder descends regardless.
• Wind-Following Ear is struck by the Purple Firmament Divine Thunder. Though everyone expects him to die, he survives, left numb, dazed, battered, and wearing an enormous afro after the attack.
• The Heavenly Dao disappears as abruptly as it appeared, leaving behind violent winds and torrential rain. Wind-Following Ear eventually realizes he is alive and breaks down in relieved tears.

Character Developments

• Li Jing: His earlier encounters with heavenly punishment have left him deeply traumatized. His immediate instinct is to abandon his family and hide, revealing how terrified he is of the Heavenly Dao.
• Wind-Following Ear: He becomes the unfortunate target of the punishment. His panic, disbelief, and repeated insistence that he has obeyed the law highlight his helplessness before Heaven’s arbitrary power. Surviving the strike leaves him emotionally overwhelmed.
• Taibai: Despite normally being composed and involved in administrative matters, he collapses in fear when he senses the thunder, showing that even powerful immortals dread the Heavenly Dao.
• Jade Emperor: He reacts with shock and helpless curiosity, treating the event almost like another unpredictable incident affecting his court.
• Ksitigarbha: He takes secret satisfaction in seeing someone else suffer, since he has recently been frustrated by the Heavenly Dao’s rewards and feels relieved not to be the only one treated harshly.
• Guanyin, Manjushri, and Tathagata: Their confusion emphasizes that even Buddhist figures cannot understand or predict the Heavenly Dao’s behavior.
• Nezha and the others: They recognize and silently pity Li Jing’s lingering trauma.

Significant Themes

• The Heavenly Dao’s unpredictability: Heaven rewards and punishes without warning or explanation, making everyone feel powerless.
• Fear of arbitrary authority: The thunder is terrifying not only because of its strength, but because no one knows why Wind-Following Ear was chosen or whether they might be next.
• Comic exaggeration of divine terror: The chapter combines cosmic destruction with mundane reactions—family dinner, office discussions, gaming, and complaints about disturbing people’s sleep.
• Shared anxiety and helplessness: Immortals, demons, Buddhas, and rulers all react with the same fear, suggesting that no one is above the Heavenly Dao.
• Relief through survival: Wind-Following Ear’s survival transforms the scene from apparent tragedy into dark comedy, with his battered appearance and tears providing the chapter’s punchline.

Character Interactions

• Li Jing’s family witnesses his panic but does not intervene, instead recognizing that his fear is a lasting consequence of previous punishment.
• Taibai and Matchmaker Yue are discussing Heavenly Court affairs when the thunder interrupts them; Matchmaker Yue realizes Taibai is frightened but also that he is probably not the target.
• The Jade Emperor and the Heavenly Court immortals collectively speculate about the victim, treating the event as both horrifying and morbidly fascinating.
• The Buddhist figures debate the contradiction between the Heavenly Dao’s recent rewards and its sudden punishment, but none can provide an explanation.
• Wind-Following Ear’s internal pleas to the Heavenly Dao contrast with the complete indifference of Heaven, reinforcing the one-sided relationship between mortals and cosmic authority.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After spending much of the day gaming, Qin Fen notices the female thug going upstairs to wash up and deliberately overinterprets her wording and mannerisms.
• He warns Little Bean not to touch his phone, then contacts Wind-Following Ear through a video call.
• The call reveals Wind-Following Ear standing alone in a violent storm, having just survived a strike from the Heavenly Dao. He is crying from relief and exhaustion.
• Qin Fen misunderstands the situation, praising Wind-Following Ear’s dramatic appearance and comparing it to heroic poetry.
• To “comfort” him, Qin Fen sings inspirational lines from Sailor, but Wind-Following Ear only becomes more furious and miserable because Qin Fen trivializes the lightning strike.
• When Wind-Following Ear tries to end the call, Qin Fen deliberately continues harassing him, using poetry, jokes, and references to his earlier humiliation by the monkey.
• Qin Fen then asks intrusive questions about the private lives of immortals, including the Jade Emperor, Queen Mother, and Chang’e.
• Terrified that further anger or conversation might cause another Heavenly Dao punishment, Wind-Following Ear finally begs Qin Fen to tell him what he wants so he can be released.
• Qin Fen’s first demand is another outrageous question about whether Wind-Following Ear has overheard immortals having sex, setting up future events.

2. Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Displays his usual shamelessness, mischievousness, and manipulative intelligence. He intentionally applies the same psychological harassment strategy he used on Thousand-Mile Eye: drive the target into desperation before negotiating for benefits.
• Wind-Following Ear: Becomes increasingly frightened and helpless. He concludes that Qin Fen is more dangerous than an ordinary powerful enemy because Qin Fen’s presence seems to bring inexplicable disasters, including Heavenly Dao punishment.
• Little Bean: Continues to mirror Qin Fen’s warped reactions and enthusiastically agrees with his mockery, reinforcing the humorous “like master, like pet” dynamic.
• Female thug: Appears only briefly but remains a source of Qin Fen’s lecherous speculation and comic misunderstandings.

3. Significant Themes

• Misfortune and karmic consequences: Wind-Following Ear suffers a chain of disasters after provoking Qin Fen, making Qin Fen appear like a walking jinx.
• Power through psychological manipulation: Qin Fen does not need to fight; he overwhelms Wind-Following Ear through relentless speech, embarrassment, and uncertainty.
• Humor through dramatic contrast: Wind-Following Ear experiences a terrifying supernatural ordeal, while Qin Fen treats it as an artistic performance and responds with pop-song encouragement.
• The limits of “man conquering heaven”: Wind-Following Ear realizes that resistance is useless when both Qin Fen and the Heavenly Dao seem to be working against him.
• Foreshadowing and escalation: The final intrusive question establishes a new line of comedic conflict and hints that Qin Fen’s negotiations with the immortals will become even more outrageous.

4. Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Little Bean: They share an exaggerated, irreverent perspective, jointly admiring Wind-Following Ear’s storm-struck appearance and treating his suffering as entertainment.
• Qin Fen and Wind-Following Ear: Their conversation is one-sided psychological torment. Qin Fen believes he is being friendly and negotiating, while Wind-Following Ear experiences every comment as cruel provocation.
• Qin Fen and the absent immortals: By asking about the Jade Emperor, Queen Mother, and Chang’e, Qin Fen threatens Wind-Following Ear with potentially dangerous gossip and demonstrates his lack of reverence for divine authority.
• Overall dynamic: Qin Fen holds all the power because Wind-Following Ear cannot retaliate without risking further punishment, forcing him to surrender and beg for mercy.

Key events

• Wind-Following Ear, worn down by Qin Fen’s pestering and frightened by the risk of another lightning strike, refuses to help him eavesdrop. Qin admits he has little interest in the immortals he knows and says he wants information about the Demon Tribe.
• Their conversation ends when Wind-Following Ear eagerly takes Qin’s hint that it is late and flies home. Qin immediately suggests they set a time to talk again, leaving Wind-Following Ear horrified.
• Qin considers exploiting Wind-Following Ear’s excellent hearing by sending him irritating songs, but decides the prank would be childish.
• Female Hooligan calls Qin to help her after her shower. He imagines increasingly suggestive possibilities, then refuses, claiming he is busy with work and low on money. In truth, he is preparing to send a song to Wind-Following Ear.
• As Wind-Following Ear finally enjoys the peace of heading home, Qin’s next message arrives: he has an excuse to end the conversation, but only postpones it.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Fen remains shamelessly persistent and playful, treating annoyance as a tactic. He is also distractible and lecherous in his private thoughts, though he backs away when Female Hooligan actually calls for help.
• Wind-Following Ear shifts from angry resistance to desperate avoidance, visibly relieved when he thinks the exchange is over. His fear of Qin’s unpredictable behavior keeps him compliant.
• Little Bean silently judges Qin’s proposed musical torment and is baffled when Qin turns down Female Hooligan’s request.
• Qin’s interactions with Wind-Following Ear are a comic contest of persistence and escape; his interaction with Female Hooligan reveals the gap between his fantasies and his actual behavior.

Significant themes

• Mortal–immortal comedy: Qin uses a phone and everyday schemes to unsettle powerful immortals.
• Relentless pestering and powerlessness: Wind-Following Ear’s supernatural abilities do little to protect him from Qin’s social harassment.
• Fantasy versus reality: Qin imagines a seductive situation with Female Hooligan but ultimately avoids responding.
• Self-justification: Qin frames his planned prank as cultural work, exposing his comic talent for rationalizing selfish behavior.

Plot points and events

• Qin Fen’s taunting words stir an unnatural anger in Wind-Following Ear. Although he realizes the fury does not feel like his own, he cannot contain it.
• Black flames and black lightning erupt around him, and the sky over the Heavenly Court darkens. The Jade Emperor recognizes the disturbance as an Extraterritorial Celestial Demon—a rare and dangerous manifestation of an immortal’s Heart Demon Tribulation.
• The immortals fear that Wind-Following Ear is facing the Five Declines of Heaven and Man. If he fails to overcome the trial, he may become a demon forever or perish.
• The court’s leaders can offer little help because the tribulation is internal. Han Xiangzi plays soothing music, while the Queen Mother, Li Jing, and Taibai urge the unknown victim to hold fast to his Dao.
• Thousand-Mile Eye reaches Wind-Following Ear and sees him surrounded by black lightning. A demonic presence reveals that it has watched Wind-Following Ear since childhood and has finally found its chance to claim him.

Character development and interactions

• Wind-Following Ear shifts from hurt and anger to alarm as he recognizes that his rage is unnatural. His attempt to resist the emotion begins, but the demon’s influence overwhelms him.
• Thousand-Mile Eye is terrified for his closest friend but is powerless to intervene.
• The Jade Emperor and Queen Mother respond with urgency, yet acknowledge the limits of their authority over a Heart Calamity. Other immortals offer encouragement, concern, or music, but none can directly help.
• The demon speaks to Wind-Following Ear through his Primordial Spirit, making clear that the apparent anger is part of a long-awaited attack.

Significant themes

• Inner trials and self-mastery: The danger comes from within, and Wind-Following Ear must preserve his identity and convictions.
• The importance of one’s Dao: The immortals emphasize that staying true to one’s inner path is essential to surviving the calamity.
• Limits of power: Even the Heavenly Court’s strongest figures cannot easily intervene in a spiritual trial.
• Merit as protection: Merit is identified as the only natural defense against Extraterritorial Celestial Demons, though the chapter does not establish whether Wind-Following Ear has enough to resist.

Chapter Summary: Chef Qin Defiantly Battles the Heavenly Demon

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Upper Grotto Eight Immortals, the Jade Emperor, Queen Mother, and Golden Whiskers arrive after discovering that Wind-Following Ear is being attacked by an Extraterritorial Celestial Demon.
• Qin Fen realizes that his earlier actions may have unintentionally triggered Wind-Following Ear’s Heart Demon Tribulation. Feeling guilty, he becomes determined to help.
• Lü Dongbin explains that Heavenly Demons cannot be permanently destroyed because they exist as part of the Heavenly Dao’s trials. Wind-Following Ear must overcome the demon himself or risk falling into the demonic path.
• Queen Mother uses the Merit supreme treasure, the Heaven-Measuring Ruler, to attack the demon. However, the Heavenly Demon resists with black lightning.
• The demon reveals that it planted a seed of demonic influence in Wind-Following Ear long ago, exploiting his anger and desires. It has been waiting for him to become a righteous god before harvesting that influence.
• Thousand-Mile Eye is spared because he once expelled his demonic aura and impurities, while Wind-Following Ear failed to do so.
• Wind-Following Ear’s Dao Heart collapses, black qi surrounds him, and he begins transforming into a demon. Queen Mother declares that even Tathagata or the Three Pure Ones could no longer reverse the process.
• As the Heavenly Court despairs, the demon feeds on their negative emotions and grows stronger.
• Qin Fen refuses to accept Wind-Following Ear’s fate. Realizing that the demon has entered Wind-Following Ear’s Primordial Spirit, he uses WeChat’s Primordial Spirit Transmission at maximum volume.
• The bizarre, highly irritating audio penetrates the Heavenly Demon’s consciousness. The demon is suddenly overwhelmed and angrily demands to know who is disrupting its attack, ending the chapter on a comedic cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen shifts from careless amusement to genuine responsibility. He feels remorse for contributing to the crisis and decides to fight the Heavenly Demon despite having no conventional power against it.
• Wind-Following Ear is revealed to have been influenced by demonic forces for centuries. His long-standing anger and eventual Dao Heart failure place him on the verge of becoming a demon.
• Thousand-Mile Eye demonstrates deep loyalty and emotional attachment to Wind-Following Ear, desperately seeking every possible way to save his friend.
• Queen Mother acts decisively with the Heaven-Measuring Ruler but is forced to admit the limits of even her supreme treasure.
• Lü Dongbin, the Jade Emperor, Li Jing, Han Xiangzi, and Nezha acknowledge the severity of the tribulation and the limits of outside intervention.
• Golden Whiskers reacts with secretive satisfaction, suggesting that Wind-Following Ear’s corruption benefits the Demon Tribe, though the timing appears to surprise him.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus personal struggle: The Heavenly Demon claims Wind-Following Ear was destined to fall because of the seed planted in him, while Qin Fen challenges the idea that fate should be accepted without resistance.
• The limits of external salvation: Even powerful immortals and treasures cannot save someone whose Dao Heart has already surrendered; ultimately, the tribulation must be overcome internally.
• Guilt and responsibility: Qin Fen’s reckless behavior has unintended consequences, but his remorse motivates him to act.
• Negative emotions as fuel: The Heavenly Demon grows stronger by feeding on fear, despair, sorrow, and anger, making collective hopelessness part of the danger.
• The contrast between cosmic seriousness and absurd comedy: A terrifying metaphysical crisis is interrupted by WeChat’s ridiculous audio, turning Qin Fen’s mundane technology into an unexpectedly effective weapon.

Character Interactions

• Thousand-Mile Eye repeatedly appeals to Lü Dongbin, Queen Mother, and the Jade Emperor to save Wind-Following Ear.
• The immortals debate whether the Heavenly Demon can be destroyed and conclude that it can only be resisted.
• Queen Mother directly confronts the Heavenly Demon with the Heaven-Measuring Ruler, but the demon mocks her efforts.
• The Heavenly Demon taunts Thousand-Mile Eye by explaining why he survived while Wind-Following Ear did not.
• Nezha urges Li Jing to seek help from his master and grandmaster, but Li Jing insists that Wind-Following Ear’s Dao Heart has already changed.
• Qin Fen silently vows to help Wind-Following Ear, then directly disrupts the demon through Primordial Spirit Transmission.
• The chapter ends with the Heavenly Demon reacting in bewilderment and fury to the strange audio attack.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Heavenly Demon invades Wind-Following Ear’s Primordial Spirit and is on the verge of completely corrupting his Dao heart, which would turn him into a demon.
• The Heavenly Demon’s process is suddenly interrupted when Qin Fen enters the Primordial Spirit realm and begins loudly singing the song Uneasy.
• The song disrupts both Wind-Following Ear and the Heavenly Demon. Wind-Following Ear can no longer hear the Heavenly Demon’s psychological manipulation, while the Heavenly Demon is unable to remove or block the song.
• The immortals observing from the Heavenly Court are bewildered by the Heavenly Demon’s increasingly strange expressions and furious roars. They speculate that he may have gone mad or suffered some kind of backlash.
• Qin Fen directly addresses the Heavenly Demon through the Primordial Spirit, casually insulting him and claiming to be his “long-lost real father.”
• The Heavenly Demon is horrified that someone has entered his own domain and spoken to him. He attempts to locate and threaten Qin Fen, but his soul-searching ability fails completely.
• While taunting the Heavenly Demon, Qin Fen studies how the demon operates. He realizes that the Heavenly Demon relies on guidance, provocation, confusion, and the amplification of a person’s negative thoughts to corrupt their Primordial Spirit.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen demonstrates his characteristic recklessness, humor, and confidence, but also reveals strategic intelligence. He does not merely disrupt the Heavenly Demon; he analyzes its methods and prepares a way to protect Wind-Following Ear.
• The Heavenly Demon shifts from absolute confidence to frustration, bewilderment, and fear. Accustomed to dominating the Primordial Spirit realm, it is shaken by Qin Fen’s ability to invade its mind and interfere with its power.
• Wind-Following Ear remains largely silent, but his situation changes dramatically: the corruption of his Dao heart is halted, giving him a chance to resist demonic transformation.
• Thousand-Mile Eye shows deep concern and hope for his brother, focusing entirely on Wind-Following Ear’s survival.
• The Jade Emperor, Queen Mother, Li Jing, Nezha, and the Eight Immortals are left confused and astonished as they watch the normally terrifying Heavenly Demon behave erratically.

Significant Themes

• Subversion of power: The Heavenly Demon, normally the supreme expert in manipulating Primordial Spirits, is defeated in his own domain by an unconventional and seemingly ridiculous tactic.
• Humor as a weapon: Qin Fen’s terrible singing and shameless insults become an effective form of spiritual interference, turning comedy into a means of saving someone from demonic corruption.
• Knowledge and adaptability: Qin Fen’s ability to observe and understand the Heavenly Demon’s methods allows him to counter it instead of relying solely on brute force.
• Mental corruption and resistance: The chapter explores how evil thoughts are magnified through manipulation, while outside interference can disrupt the process and restore a victim’s ability to resist.
• The limits of absolute confidence: The Heavenly Demon believes its authority is unquestionable, but its unfamiliarity with Qin Fen’s methods leaves it vulnerable and terrified.

Character Interactions

• The immortals observe and speculate about the Heavenly Demon’s bizarre behavior, with Nezha and Li Jing reacting humorously to its distorted expression.
• The Heavenly Demon attempts to manipulate Wind-Following Ear, but Qin Fen’s singing drowns out its words and blocks communication.
• Qin Fen communicates directly with the Heavenly Demon, taunting it and challenging its status.
• The Heavenly Demon threatens to find and devour Qin Fen, but its search fails, intensifying its panic.
• Qin Fen effectively turns the Heavenly Demon’s own mental battlefield against it, protecting Wind-Following Ear while humiliating the demon.

Chapter Summary: Qin Fen vs. the Heavenly Demon

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Heavenly Demon attempts to invade Wind-Following Ear’s Primordial Spirit and corrupt his Dao Heart, intending to make him fall completely into the demonic path.
• Qin Fen secretly interferes through Primordial Spirit Transmission. Although the Heavenly Demon cannot locate Qin Fen’s spirit, Qin Fen can perceive his thoughts and continuously distracts him with outrageous insults.
• The Heavenly Demon becomes increasingly frustrated. He recognizes that Qin Fen’s provocations are meant to disrupt his concentration, but Qin Fen’s relentless mockery leaves him unable to retaliate effectively.
• Determined to finish the corruption, the Heavenly Demon uses his final method: a black wind that begins dragging Wind-Following Ear toward demonic transformation. Wind-Following Ear’s Dao Heart has already weakened, and becoming a demon appears imminent.
• Just as the Heavenly Demon prepares to succeed, Qin Fen suddenly uses Myriad Laws Imprisonment, silencing and immobilizing him. The Heavenly Demon can no longer speak, corrupt Wind-Following Ear, or use any of his powers.
• Qin Fen then sends a one-hundred-yuan red packet, which manifests as a powerful golden beam and strikes Wind-Following Ear’s brow.
• The golden Merit disperses the black demonic aura and rescues Wind-Following Ear. The Heavenly Demon suffers a devastating backlash and disappears.
• The intervention leaves the immortals bewildered because the Heavenly Dao appears to reward Wind-Following Ear during a Heart Demon Tribulation—something considered completely unprecedented.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates that, although he is generally weak compared with immortals and Buddhas, he possesses unusual and highly effective abilities against the Heavenly Demon. His unconventional tactics—trash talk, mental interference, imprisonment, and Merit distribution—allow him to completely reverse the situation.
• The Heavenly Demon: Begins confidently, believing he is in total control, but gradually loses his composure. Qin Fen’s insults and mysterious resistance make him feel as if he is the one undergoing a Heart Demon Tribulation. By the end, he is helpless, humiliated, silenced, and defeated.
• Wind-Following Ear: Nearly loses his Dao Heart and falls into demonic corruption. After being rescued, he is confused but deeply grateful to Qin Fen, whom he privately recognizes as a bizarre yet powerful senior.
• The Jade Emperor and Queen Mother: Show concern for Wind-Following Ear and react with shock at the Heavenly Dao’s inexplicable intervention.
• The Buddhist and Heavenly Court figures: Tathagata, Ksitigarbha, Guanyin, Manjushri, Li Jing, Nezha, and the Eight Immortals are left speechless, unable to explain how or why the Heavenly Dao rewarded the rescue.

Significant Themes

• Unorthodox strength: Qin Fen wins not through conventional combat but through psychological disruption, humor, and unexpected supernatural techniques.
• Role reversal: The Heavenly Demon, normally the tormentor in a Heart Demon Tribulation, becomes the one tormented and mentally destabilized.
• Defiance of established rules: Qin Fen’s existence and abilities appear to violate the normal limits of Primordial Spirit control and Saint-level techniques.
• The unpredictability of the Heavenly Dao: The Dao behaves irrationally by suppressing the Heavenly Demon and granting Merit at a moment when it should have supported the tribulation.
• Humiliation as a weapon: Qin Fen’s insults are not merely comedic; they disrupt the Heavenly Demon’s concentration and ultimately contribute to his defeat.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen repeatedly calls himself the Heavenly Demon’s “father,” provoking the demon while claiming superior insight into his thoughts and spirit.
• The Heavenly Demon attempts to dismiss Qin Fen as a petty distraction, but his increasing anger proves that the psychological attacks are working.
• Wind-Following Ear remains largely unaware of the full exchange but is the direct target of the Heavenly Demon’s attack and Qin Fen’s rescue.
• The Heavenly Court and Buddhist figures observe the battle from below, shifting from sorrow over Wind-Following Ear’s impending fall to astonishment at his sudden salvation.
• After recovering, Wind-Following Ear silently thanks Qin Fen as “Senior Homebody,” even while feeling embarrassed by the strange and humiliating method used to save him.

Key plot points and events

• Wind-Following Ear survives his Heart Demon Tribulation after the Heavenly Demon appears and is defeated. The Heavenly Court’s major figures depart once the crisis is over.
• Golden Whiskers realizes the demon’s premature appearance has ruined a long-running plan: the conspirators meant to turn Wind-Following Ear—and then Thousand-Mile Eye—into demons, gaining powerful allies and weakening the Heavenly Court.
• Qin Fen’s meddling unintentionally brought the Heavenly Demon out early. His WeChat-based merit and red packets prove especially effective against it, though Qin Fen admits he was lucky and has little ability to fight directly.
• Believing Qin Fen deliberately tested and then saved him, Wind-Following Ear sends him 3,000 merit. He and Thousand-Mile Eye then decide to avoid Qin Fen and hide in Haitian City—the very place Qin Fen had hoped to steer them.
• Back at home, Qin Fen eats chips with Female Hooligan. Distracted, he reaches for the chips but accidentally touches her chest, ending the chapter on an awkward cliffhanger.

Character developments

• Qin Fen recognizes that his playful interference nearly caused a disaster. He feels genuine guilt when Wind-Following Ear praises and rewards him, and resolves not to meddle with him again.
• Wind-Following Ear emerges from the tribulation with a changed view of Qin Fen, interpreting his actions as deliberate, protective guidance.
• Thousand-Mile Eye remains annoyed with Qin Fen but is persuaded that his brother’s interpretation may be right. The brothers ultimately agree to keep their distance.
• Golden Whiskers becomes more convinced that an unseen ally is helping the Heavenly Court, though he does not realize Qin Fen’s role was largely accidental.

Significant themes

• Unintended consequences: Qin Fen’s attempt to create a distraction derails a centuries-old scheme and triggers events he never planned.
• Misunderstanding and reputation: The brothers interpret Qin Fen’s blundering as profound foresight, while he is mortified by their praise.
• Chance, merit, and power: Qin Fen’s unusual merit-based WeChat abilities defeat a threat he could not handle through combat.
• Hidden schemes: The Heavenly Court’s political landscape grows more mysterious as competing forces work behind the scenes.

Character interactions

• The Queen Mother, Eight Immortals, and Jade Emperor leave after Wind-Following Ear is safe; Golden Whiskers privately reflects on the failed conspiracy.
• Wind-Following Ear tells Thousand-Mile Eye that Qin Fen may have engineered events to save him. Qin Fen overhears their praise and suffers through the misunderstanding.
• Wind-Following Ear’s gratitude reaches Qin Fen through a merit deposit, deepening Qin Fen’s guilt.
• Qin Fen and Female Hooligan share a casual snack before his distracted, accidental touch creates the closing gag.