Chapter Summaries

The Jade Emperor ordered Li Jing to proceed against the Old Man of the South Pole, but Li Jing faltered after realizing Qin Fen was behind the school uniforms. As anger over the Academy dispute mounted, Lord Lao appeared and offered to handle the matter.

• The Jade Emperor learned Qin Fen was behind the uniforms, steadied himself, and ordered Li Jing to proceed without holding back.
• Lord Lao appeared in the Jade Emperor’s inner hall and promised to resolve the dispute.
• Qin Fen and the Queen Mother joked about Li Jing’s predicament while Li Jing nervously stalled before the Academy gathering.
• The Academy students and Jiejiao disciples demanded fairness, transparency, and impartiality, intensifying the Heavenly Court’s anger.
• Lord Lao announced that he would handle the matter, and the Heavenly Court recognized his arrival as a Saint’s incarnation.

Lord Lao intervened in the Heavenly Court dispute and canceled the public selection of school uniforms, giving the Jade Emperor a way to strengthen his authority while restoring the Primordial Lord Lineage’s standing. Qin Fen saw Lord Lao’s ruling as an unfair suppression and ended the chapter furious and refusing to accept it.

• Lord Lao silenced the Heavenly Court and sent the Academy students back to their classrooms before appearing in Shen Gongbao’s office.
• The Queen Mother, Chang'e, Tathagata, and Manjushri discussed how Lord Lao’s intervention could help the Jade Emperor gain influence and weaken Dongwang Gong.
• The Jade Emperor welcomed Lord Lao’s move, while Qin Fen worried that Lord Lao’s arrival would turn the dispute against him.
• Lord Lao told Shen Gongbao, Li Jing, and the Immortal Elder not to worry, then canceled the public selection of school uniforms and assigned the matter to South Pole.
• Lord Lao dismissed the Immortal Elder’s concern about the students’ response, and Qin Fen erupted in anger over the ruling.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lord Lao openly intervenes in the school-uniform selection on behalf of the Jade Emperor, declaring that no one may oppose his decision. By acting publicly as the villain, he allows the Jade Emperor to preserve the appearance of fairness.
• The Queen Mother, Chang’e, Shen Gongbao, Zhao Gongming, Wen Zhong, and the other Jiejiao disciples realize they have no practical way to resist. Although the Jade Emperor had promised a fair and open process, Lord Lao’s authority as a Saint’s incarnation overrides everyone.
• The students are devastated because they had hoped to make their own choice. Their disappointment spreads to soldiers, servants, low-ranking immortals, and even official gods, who recognize their own lack of freedom in the school-uniform dispute.
• The growing sorrow throughout Heavenly Court alarms both Lord Lao and the Jade Emperor. Thousand-Mile Eye suggests using the opportunity, but the Jade Emperor refuses to act, saying the time is not yet right.
• Chang’e and the Queen Mother sympathize with the students and worry about Natural Daoist, fearing that he may challenge Lord Lao.
• Qin Fen, appearing as Dongwang Gong/Natural Daoist, publicly questions Lord Lao’s authority. He argues that the election was supposed to be public and asks why Lord Lao is interfering.
• Qin Fen uses poetry and sharp insults to expose Heavenly Court’s authoritarian system, saying he will not bow to power or surrender his dignity.
• He directly accuses Lord Lao of abusing his status and “throwing his weight around,” shocking the entire Heavenly Court.
• The Queen Mother and Yan Emperor hurry to prevent the confrontation from escalating, while Tathagata and Manjushri watch with interest and skepticism. The Jade Emperor, however, laughs because Qin Fen’s defiance is exactly the reaction he was waiting for.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen/Natural Daoist demonstrates his defining refusal to submit. Although he knows Lord Lao vastly outranks him, he chooses to defend the students’ wishes rather than protect himself or seek personal benefits.
• Lord Lao appears calm, absolute, and openly domineering, but Qin Fen’s words unsettle and anger him. His authority is challenged not through force, but through public criticism.
• The Jade Emperor is revealed to be manipulating the situation. He presents himself as fair while using Lord Lao to suppress the election, deliberately waiting for Qin Fen to confront the Saint.
• The Queen Mother becomes increasingly sympathetic toward Qin Fen and the students. She understands the injustice but is terrified that Qin Fen’s stubbornness will lead to disaster.
• The Jiejiao disciples experience humiliation and helplessness. They resent Lord Lao but fear that resisting him could bring punishment upon themselves and their master, Celestial Worthy Lingbao.
• The students, especially Li Tingyu and Little Fatty, shift from disappointment to hope when Qin Fen appears. Their emotional reaction shows how important his defiance is to them.

Significant Themes

• Authority versus individual freedom: The school-uniform dispute becomes a symbol of Heavenly Court’s wider system, in which those below are expected to obey without having a voice.
• Public fairness versus hidden manipulation: The Jade Emperor claims to support a fair process but secretly arranges events to serve his political goals.
• Courage and resistance: Qin Fen’s willingness to challenge a Saint represents the courage to resist oppression even when success seems impossible.
• Suppressed resentment: The grief spreading across Heavenly Court reveals that many immortals are dissatisfied with their lack of autonomy, though fear has taught them to remain silent.
• The symbolic importance of small choices: The uniforms matter because they represent the students’ right to make decisions for themselves, not merely their clothing preferences.

Character Interactions

• The Queen Mother and Chang’e discuss the injustice of Lord Lao’s intervention, while Shen Gongbao and the Jiejiao disciples privately rage at being manipulated.
• The students express their frustration to one another, connecting the uniform decision to the broader experience of adults controlling their lives.
• The Jade Emperor refuses Thousand-Mile Eye’s suggestion to intervene, confirming that he and Lord Lao may be acting according to a larger plan.
• The Queen Mother and Yan Emperor rush toward the confrontation to protect Qin Fen, recognizing that Lord Lao is far more dangerous than the previously troublesome Old Man of the South Pole.
• Qin Fen and Lord Lao engage in a public verbal confrontation. Qin Fen’s poetry and accusations transform the dispute from a procedural disagreement into a direct challenge to Heavenly Court’s hierarchy.
• Tathagata and Manjushri observe Qin Fen’s rebellion as entertainment, believing the outcome is already predetermined, while the students alone retain complete faith in him.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The Twelve Golden Immortals and other Heavenly Court figures watch anxiously as Qin Fen confronts Lord Lao. They believe Qin Fen is effectively courting death by challenging a Saint.
• Qin Fen delivers a passionate declaration condemning oppression, silence, rigid hierarchy, and the abuse of ordinary people. He asserts that he will no longer submit and will determine his own rights.
• His speech deeply moves children, young immortals, and lower-ranking figures, who see him as a symbol of hope and resistance. His words create a powerful ideological disturbance throughout the Heavenly Court.
• The Jade Emperor, Tathagata, Guanyin, Ksitigarbha, and others recognize that Qin Fen’s ideas threaten not only Lord Lao but the Heavenly Court’s entire established order.
• Lord Lao responds by revealing the Taiji Diagram and suppressing the crowd with overwhelming Saint-level pressure. He dismisses Qin Fen’s speech as nonsense and orders the dispute over the Heavenly Court’s design to end.
• Lord Lao places Old Man of the South Pole in charge, with Shen Gongbao assisting, thereby appeasing some of the Jiejiao faction while maintaining control.
• The Queen Mother and Yan Emperor urge Qin Fen to stop before the situation worsens. Though forced into silence, Qin Fen privately vows to overthrow the current order someday.
• Qin Fen then threatens Old Man of the South Pole through his menu and activates a smiling emoji. The chapter ends with the Heavenly Demon, trapped in a black hole, begging Qin Fen not to torment him again.

2. Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Evolves from a rebellious challenger into a symbolic revolutionary figure. Although he originally has personal motives, his speech becomes a sincere defense of the oppressed. He refuses to surrender even when isolated and overpowered.
• Lord Lao: Demonstrates his immense authority and political intelligence. Rather than simply attacking Qin Fen, he uses the Taiji Diagram to silence the court and strategically assigns Shen Gongbao a role to reduce factional resentment.
• Lower-ranking immortals and youths: Their admiration for Qin Fen grows. They recognize their own suffering in his words and begin viewing him as a hero or pioneer.
• The Queen Mother and Yan Emperor: Act cautiously, attempting to restrain Qin Fen and prevent an open catastrophe.
• The Heavenly Demon: Remains terrified of Qin Fen’s unpredictable punishments, providing a comedic contrast to the chapter’s serious political confrontation.
• Old Man of the South Pole: Appears smug and confident after gaining control of the redesign, provoking Qin Fen’s resentment.
• Shen Gongbao: Avoids punishment and accepts his supporting role, choosing not to continue defending Qin Fen directly.

3. Significant Themes

• Resistance against oppression: Qin Fen condemns a society where ordinary people are silenced by status, power, and tradition.
• Freedom and self-determination: His speech emphasizes the right to choose one’s own path rather than accept imposed authority.
• The awakening of collective consciousness: Qin Fen’s words plant the idea that the lower-ranking immortals and younger generation can imagine a better order.
• Power versus ideals: Qin Fen’s ideals inspire many, but Lord Lao’s overwhelming strength demonstrates how difficult it is to challenge entrenched authority.
• Political control and compromise: Lord Lao preserves the existing hierarchy while making limited concessions to prevent factional conflict.
• Isolation of the reformer: Despite inspiring others, Qin Fen receives no direct support and stands alone against the Heavenly Court’s dominant powers.
• Comedy amid tension: Qin Fen’s irreverent behavior and the Heavenly Demon’s panic undercut the otherwise grave political and ideological conflict.

4. Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Lord Lao: Their confrontation is the chapter’s central conflict. Qin Fen attacks the principles underlying Lord Lao’s authority, while Lord Lao uses overwhelming power and institutional control to silence him.
• Qin Fen and the lower-ranking immortals: His speech creates an emotional bond with those who have suffered under the Heavenly Court’s hierarchy, turning him into an unexpected hero.
• Lord Lao and the Heavenly Court: Lord Lao asserts dominance over the entire court, forcing the immortals to bow and accept his decision.
• The Queen Mother and Yan Emperor with Qin Fen: They try to persuade him to stop, recognizing that further defiance could lead to disaster.
• Lord Lao, Old Man of the South Pole, and Shen Gongbao: Lord Lao establishes a new working arrangement between them, using Shen Gongbao’s inclusion to calm political tensions.
• Qin Fen and the Heavenly Demon: Qin Fen’s final menu-based threat triggers the Heavenly Demon’s terrified plea for mercy, ending the chapter on a humorous note.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lord Lao intervenes and ends the Heavenly Court conflict, restoring order and preventing Qin Fen (Big Chef/Natural Daoist) from retaliating against him or Old Man of the South Pole.
• Qin Fen realizes that, despite his influence and schemes, absolute strength still determines the outcome of conflicts. He resolves to cultivate Merit, Fortune, and Dao-related abilities more seriously.
• The Jade Emperor celebrates his apparent victory. Lord Lao’s intervention preserves the Jade Emperor’s authority while weakening Dongwang Gong’s influence and satisfying the interests of the major factions.
• Old Man of the South Pole takes the doll back to his office to dismantle and redesign it. Unknown to him, Qin Fen’s Law of Joy begins affecting his emotions and judgment.
• The Heavenly Demon, reluctant to become involved because of his weakened condition and fear of punishment, merely blows a breath toward the Old Man and theatrically complains before leaving. This unintentionally intensifies the Old Man’s emotional instability.
• As the Law of Joy magnifies his hidden impulses, Old Man of the South Pole becomes increasingly pleased with himself and begins examining the doll in an openly indecent and inappropriate manner. The spectacle is witnessed throughout the Heavenly Court, shocking the immortals and leaving the Jade Emperor speechless.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen/Big Chef: Suffers a major setback but responds by recognizing the limits of strategy and modern influence without sufficient power. His determination to strengthen himself grows, though the Queen Mother suspects he is still suppressing anger and may act again.
• Lord Lao: Demonstrates overwhelming authority and political intelligence. He resolves the crisis while protecting the Jade Emperor, maintaining his own neutrality, and avoiding serious offense to the other major powers.
• Jade Emperor: Gains confidence and satisfaction after reversing his previous political disadvantage. He becomes more vindictive, considering how to eliminate Qin Fen while he is weakened.
• Old Man of the South Pole: His arrogance and prejudice toward Jiejiao disciples are exposed. Under the Law of Joy, his normally restrained behavior collapses, revealing impulses that cause widespread embarrassment.
• Queen Mother: Offers Qin Fen emotional support and understands that his calm response may conceal intense anger. She remains watchful for signs that he will retaliate.
• Yan Emperor: Worries about Qin Fen and agrees that confronting Lord Lao directly would have been disastrous.
• Heavenly Demon: Acts out of self-preservation rather than loyalty, refusing to fully carry out Qin Fen’s plan because he fears further punishment or losing his remaining power.

Significant Themes

• Strength as the ultimate authority: The chapter repeatedly emphasizes that schemes, status, and ideology are meaningless when confronted by overwhelming power.
• Restraint versus suppressed emotion: Qin Fen’s apparent calm may conceal dangerous anger, while Old Man of the South Pole’s forced dignity is stripped away when his hidden desires are amplified.
• Political maneuvering: Lord Lao’s intervention reshapes the balance of power, strengthening the Jade Emperor while limiting Qin Fen and Dongwang Gong.
• Humiliation and reversal: Those who feel victorious can quickly become targets of ridicule. The Jade Emperor and Old Man initially celebrate, but the Old Man’s loss of control turns the situation into a spectacle.
• The dangers of arrogance and prejudice: Old Man of the South Pole’s contempt for Jiejiao contributes to the conflict and ultimately leaves him vulnerable to Qin Fen’s retaliation.

Character Interactions

• The Queen Mother and Yan Emperor discuss Qin Fen’s emotional state, with the Queen Mother warning that his calm words may not reflect his true feelings.
• Qin Fen exchanges a brief reassuring message with the Queen Mother, concealing the depth of his frustration.
• The Jade Emperor privately celebrates his success and discusses future plans to crush Qin Fen.
• The Heavenly Demon complains to the Old Man while pretending to be forced into the situation, indirectly triggering the emotional effect that destabilizes him.
• The watching immortals react with shock and disgust as Old Man of the South Pole behaves indecently toward the doll, while the Jade Emperor is left utterly stunned.

Old Man of the South Pole’s bizarre behavior during the livestream scandalized the Heavenly Court and undermined the concessions Lord Lao had made to protect him. The Jade Emperor was left at a loss as the chapter ended with Lord Lao arriving.

• Matchmaker Yue and Taibai Venus watched Old Man of the South Pole’s behavior and wondered whether someone had manipulated him.
• Immortals across the Heavenly Court condemned Old Man of the South Pole, while Yuding Perfected Person disowned him and criticized his neglect of his duties.
• Old Man of the South Pole said that the experience felt like the real thing, shocking Qin Fen and the other viewers.
• Tathagata sent the Jade Emperor a sarcastic congratulatory message about Old Man of the South Pole teaching physiology.
• The Jade Emperor admitted he did not know what to do, and Thousand-Mile Eye announced Lord Lao’s arrival.

Lord Lao believed his intervention had secured political gains for the Jade Emperor, but the Old Man of the South Pole’s latest scandal exposed how badly the situation had spiraled. The chapter ended with Lord Lao watching the Heavenly Court laugh at the scandal and cursing the Old Man of the South Pole.

• Qin Fen confirmed that the fashion show would proceed and told the Queen Mother to put Luban in charge of preparations and form a Heavenly Court Construction Team.
• The Jade Emperor thanked Lord Lao, who assured him that protecting the Old Man of the South Pole would help him win support from both Jiejiao and the Primordial Lord Lineage.
• The Jade Emperor realized that Qin Fen had gained popularity among lower-ranking immortals while his own political gains had weakened.
• The Jade Emperor showed Lord Lao the Haotian Mirror, where the Old Man of the South Pole boasted about enjoying the doll.
• The Heavenly Court erupted in laughter and disgust, and Lord Lao cursed the Old Man of the South Pole for disgracing himself.

Chapter Summary: Qin Fen Finally Reached a Qualitative Breakthrough

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lord Lao realizes that his attempt to protect Old Man of the South Pole has completely backfired. Instead of gaining the benefits he promised the Jade Emperor, he has become the target of ridicule throughout the Heavenly Court.
• Furious and humiliated, Lord Lao loses control and loudly curses in the Soaring Firmament Palace, shocking the assembled immortals.
• The Heavenly Court erupts in amusement. Tathagata, Manjushri, the Queen Mother, Mount Li Old Mother, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady, Lü Dongbin, and others all comment on Lord Lao’s downfall.
• Tathagata explains that Qin Fen’s success does not come from directly controlling the Heavenly Dao. Rather, Qin Fen possesses extraordinary Fortune, Heavenly Will’s implicit favor, and an uncanny ability to exploit coincidences and loopholes.
• Qin Fen’s chain of schemes is revealed: his earlier actions caused Shen Gongbao to trap Old Man of the South Pole, which created tensions among the Three Teachings. These tensions eventually led Lord Lao, the Jade Emperor, and Yuanshi Tianzun to devise a plan against Qin Fen—only for their own plan to collapse into a massive trap.
• Qin Fen’s companions, including Little Bean and Shorty, recognize that his greatest strength is not direct combat but his ability to create interconnected traps whose consequences even Saints cannot predict.
• Yuanshi Tianzun, watching from beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, realizes that he has also been implicated. Since Old Man of the South Pole is his disciple, the disciple’s disgrace reflects poorly on him as a teacher.
• Yuanshi Tianzun finally loses his temper and publicly orders Old Man of the South Pole to resign from the Heavenly Court and return to Jade Void Palace. He apologizes to the other immortals for failing to discipline his disciple.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Demonstrates a major qualitative breakthrough in his ability to manipulate situations. He no longer needs to confront powerful enemies directly; instead, he turns their schemes, arrogance, and alliances against them. His identity as a “trap god” becomes increasingly clear.
• Lord Lao: Suffers a severe emotional and reputational blow. His confidence in his ability to control events is shattered when his protection of Old Man of the South Pole makes him look foolish before the entire Heavenly Court.
• Old Man of the South Pole: Becomes the central source of embarrassment for both Lord Lao and Yuanshi Tianzun. His earlier divisive behavior is exposed as disastrous, and he is forced to resign.
• Yuanshi Tianzun: Realizes that Qin Fen’s Fortune is far more formidable than expected. His anger reflects both frustration with Qin Fen and shame over his disciple’s conduct.
• Tathagata: Takes great pleasure in Lord Lao’s misfortune, seeing it as poetic justice after previously suffering setbacks himself. He also provides the chapter’s clearest analysis of Qin Fen’s abilities.
• Little Bean and Shorty: Gain a deeper understanding of Qin Fen’s strategic growth. They recognize that his schemes have evolved from simple traps into large-scale chains of causality.
• The Heavenly Court: The immortals shift from watching Qin Fen as a dangerous outsider to recognizing him as an unpredictable force capable of embarrassing Saints and disrupting major powers.

Significant Themes

• “Heavenly Will toys with people”: Even Saints with immense power cannot fully control fate. Their schemes may produce results opposite to what they intend.
• Fortune versus raw strength: Qin Fen’s advantage lies not simply in combat power but in overwhelming Fortune, favorable timing, the support of circumstances, and the inability of others to account for every variable.
• Pride and overconfidence: Lord Lao, the Jade Emperor, and Yuanshi Tianzun underestimate Qin Fen because they believe their authority and planning are sufficient. Their confidence becomes the foundation of their failure.
• Consequences of intervention: Lord Lao tries to suppress the punishment of Old Man of the South Pole and ultimately bears the consequences himself. Protecting the wrong person turns him into a public spectacle.
• Unpredictability and causality: Small actions accumulate into enormous consequences. Qin Fen’s earlier schemes in the Mortal Realm and Heavenly Court eventually converge into a trap that ensnares multiple Saints.
• Reputation and responsibility: A disciple’s actions reflect on his master, while a Saint’s decisions are judged publicly by the entire Heavenly Court.

Character Interactions

• Lord Lao and the Heavenly Court: Lord Lao’s breakdown becomes public entertainment, with immortals openly laughing at his humiliation.
• Tathagata and Manjushri: Tathagata laughs at Lord Lao’s downfall, while Manjushri criticizes him for being excessively gleeful.
• Qin Fen and Little Bean/Shorty: His companions analyze how his traps work and acknowledge that even they cannot predict the chain reactions he creates.
• Lord Lao, the Jade Emperor, and Yuanshi Tianzun: Their attempted cooperation against Qin Fen unintentionally causes their own downfall, exposing the limits of their combined planning.
• Yuanshi Tianzun and Old Man of the South Pole: Yuanshi Tianzun publicly rebukes his disciple and orders him to return to Jade Void Palace, accepting responsibility for failing to discipline him.
• Qin Fen and the Saints: Although Qin Fen never directly defeats a Saint in battle, his schemes force multiple Saint incarnations—and ultimately Yuanshi Tianzun himself—to suffer embarrassment and setbacks.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen’s “sailor uniform” controversy causes unprecedented turmoil in the Heavenly Court. The situation becomes so serious that Primordial Lord is forced to appear publicly.
• Primordial Lord apologizes and distances himself from the incident, claiming he will investigate and ensure justice. His intervention protects the reputation of his lineage and reassures lower-ranking immortals and Jiejiao disciples.
• This move leaves Lord Lao in an awkward position. Since Primordial Lord accepts responsibility and presents himself as reasonable, Lord Lao appears arrogant and unjust for previously shielding the accused.
• Old Man of the South Pole learns of Primordial Lord’s anger and suffers a major emotional blow, coughing up blood before heading to the Soaring Firmament Palace.
• At the palace, Old Man of the South Pole formally resigns as principal of the Heavenly Court Academy. The Jade Emperor pretends to persuade him to stay but privately wants him gone, while Lord Lao resents him for abandoning the situation and leaving Lord Lao exposed.
• Primordial Lord delivers a public speech praising education and urging Old Man of the South Pole to reflect on his mistakes. He also admonishes Lord Lao for shielding others without informing him, presenting himself as a responsible teacher while shifting all blame onto Lord Lao.
• Lord Lao finally loses control and coughs blood onto the Jade Emperor, producing another shocking spectacle throughout the Heavenly Court.
• The Heavenly Dao then announces the creation of the Primordial Heavenly Demon, a Heart Demon comparable to a Saint. Unlike ordinary Heart Demons, it will test even Saints, treating all beings equally.
• The announcement reveals that the Heavenly Dao intends to reform the ancient Celestial Realm through sweeping changes, leaving every powerful figure—including the Three Pure Ones and Tathagata—alarmed and uncertain about the future.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen/Big Chef: Benefits from an unexpected chain of events rather than a deliberate plan. He realizes the uniform issue may finally be resolved and begins considering the large-scale promotion of clothing throughout the Heavenly Court.
• Primordial Lord: Demonstrates political skill by appearing publicly, apologizing, and portraying himself as fair-minded. He protects his reputation while subtly making Lord Lao bear the blame.
• Lord Lao: Becomes increasingly furious and humiliated after Primordial Lord abandons their shared strategy. His frustration culminates in him coughing blood in front of the Jade Emperor.
• Old Man of the South Pole: Takes responsibility—or is forced to accept responsibility—for the academy controversy and resigns as principal. He is physically and emotionally devastated.
• Jade Emperor: Publicly maintains diplomatic composure but privately celebrates Old Man of the South Pole’s departure. He is repeatedly caught in the middle of the Saints’ conflict, even ending up covered in Lord Lao’s blood.
• Queen Mother, Yan Emperor, Tathagata, and other immortals: React with increasing disbelief and amusement as powerful figures are embarrassed, forced to apologize, or made to suffer public humiliation.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and political maneuvering: Primordial Lord’s apology is less an admission of guilt than a strategic effort to preserve his image while shifting blame to Lord Lao.
• Betrayal among allies: The Three Pure Ones’ lack of unity becomes clear as Primordial Lord and Lord Lao abandon their previous understanding and protect themselves at each other’s expense.
• The limits of power: Even Saints are no longer beyond consequences. The Heavenly Dao’s new Primordial Heavenly Demon threatens to test and punish them just like ordinary cultivators.
• Reform and accountability: The academy dispute reflects broader concerns about education, governance, and whether the Heavenly Court’s institutions can fulfill their original ideals.
• Comedic humiliation amid cosmic danger: The chapter balances absurd scenes—such as Lord Lao vomiting blood onto the Jade Emperor—with the ominous revelation of a new force capable of threatening the entire immortal world.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Queen Mother: They discuss the unexpected success of the situation and the future of promoting clothing. Queen Mother suspects Qin Fen had a hidden plan, though he admits the outcome was mostly luck.
• Primordial Lord and Lord Lao: Primordial Lord publicly reprimands Lord Lao for shielding others, while Lord Lao privately condemns him as a treacherous ally who has manipulated events to appear innocent.
• Old Man of the South Pole and the Jade Emperor: Old Man of the South Pole insists on resigning despite the Jade Emperor’s formal attempt to persuade him otherwise.
• Lord Lao and the Jade Emperor: Lord Lao’s suppressed rage erupts physically, with his blood splattering across the Jade Emperor’s face.
• The Heavenly Dao and all major powers: The Dao’s proclamation places Saints, gods, demons, and immortals under the same threat, fundamentally changing the balance of power in the world.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Heavenly Dao announces the emergence of a Primordial Heavenly Demon/Heart Demon with power comparable to a Saint, triggering panic throughout the Three Realms.
• The cause is identified as the “decline of morals,” suggesting that the Heavenly Dao has become dissatisfied with the behavior of the Saints—particularly Old Man of the South Pole and the schemes of Primordial Lord and Lord Lao.
• Saints, previously considered nearly invulnerable, realize they are now vulnerable to a powerful Heart Demon and possibly subject to Heavenly Dao judgment.
• The Heavenly Court, Spirit Mountain, and the Earthly Immortal Realm erupt in fear and anger. Immortals and demons openly curse the Three Pure Ones for creating such a disaster.
• Celestial Worthy Lingbao arrives and furiously condemns Lord Lao and Primordial Lord, resulting in the unprecedented gathering of the Three Pure Ones in the Heavenly Court.
• Lord Lao, overwhelmed by resentment, humiliation, and the reactions of those around him, vomits blood and collapses again. The Jade Emperor orders the imperial physicians to treat him.
• The Jade Emperor worries that Lord Lao’s unstable Dao Heart could lead to a serious loss for the Heavenly Court, even suggesting he may need months of recovery.
• Qin Fen comforts his allies through the group chat, though he remains uncertain about the Heavenly Dao’s true intentions.
• In the void prison, the Heart Demon believes he is about to be eradicated because the Heavenly Dao has created an even more powerful entity. He then realizes that Qin Fen may actually be the Primordial Heavenly Demon, since Qin Fen can absorb his power and control emotions.
• Qin Fen receives a notification that the four original emotional emojis—joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness—have combined to unlock the hidden emoji “Heartbreak.”
• The Heart Demon begins to dissipate, apparently being destroyed, but unexpectedly survives and finds himself imprisoned inside Qin Fen’s phone.
• Massive black energy then flows from Qin Fen into the phone, leaving Little Bean shocked and hinting that the Heart Demon’s power is being absorbed or transformed through the new Heartbreak attribute.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen becomes increasingly identified with the Primordial Heavenly Demon, despite not yet understanding the full nature of his power. His emotional abilities evolve with the activation of the Heartbreak emoji.
• The Heart Demon shifts from despair and resignation to surprise and confusion after surviving apparent eradication. He correctly suspects that Qin Fen is connected to—or may be—the Primordial Heavenly Demon.
• Lord Lao suffers another emotional collapse, showing that even a Saint’s Dao Heart can be destabilized by resentment, embarrassment, and Heavenly Dao pressure.
• Primordial Lord loses the limited respect he had regained after taking responsibility for earlier events. The Heavenly Dao’s announcement causes ordinary immortals to blame him even more intensely.
• Celestial Worthy Lingbao abandons his usual restraint and openly curses the other two Pure Ones, revealing the severity of his anger and anxiety.
• The Jade Emperor becomes increasingly stressed as his strongest ally, Lord Lao, repeatedly faints and vomits blood. He prioritizes Lord Lao’s recovery over political matters such as Qin Fen’s school arrangements.
• Little Bean remains Qin Fen’s bewildered observer, sensing that the situation is not as simple as Qin Fen assumes.

Significant Themes

• Heavenly judgment and moral decline: The Heavenly Dao is no longer passive; it is actively responding to the Saints’ behavior and imposing consequences.
• The vulnerability of the powerful: Even Saints, normally almost immortal and untouchable, can now be threatened through their minds and Dao Hearts.
• Resentment as a destructive force: Lord Lao’s emotional turmoil demonstrates how anger, humiliation, and grievance can directly damage even the strongest cultivators.
• Identity and transformation: Qin Fen’s hidden emotional power suggests he may be becoming something far greater and more dangerous than he realizes.
• Chaos caused by unintended consequences: Qin Fen’s schemes indirectly produce an unprecedented crisis, while the Heavenly Dao magnifies the consequences beyond anyone’s control.
• Power through emotion: The new Heartbreak attribute implies that emotional forces are central to Qin Fen’s growth and may be connected to the origin of the Heart Demon.

Important Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and Little Bean: They discuss the Heavenly Dao’s announcement, with Qin Fen denying responsibility while Little Bean suspects he is connected to the crisis.
• Primordial Lord, Lord Lao, and Lingbao: Lingbao angrily confronts the other two Pure Ones, blaming them for provoking the Heavenly Dao and creating the Primordial Heavenly Demon.
• Lord Lao and the Jade Emperor: Lord Lao’s mind-reading picks up the Jade Emperor’s private complaints, causing another emotional outburst and collapse.
• The Jade Emperor and Thousand-Mile Eye: Thousand-Mile Eye efficiently manages Lord Lao’s medical emergency, though his remark about repeated incidents unintentionally worsens the Jade Emperor’s stress.
• The Heart Demon and the Heavenly Dao: The Heart Demon interprets the Heavenly Dao’s announcement as a death sentence and believes his role has become obsolete.
• The Heart Demon and Qin Fen: The Heart Demon suspects Qin Fen is the Primordial Heavenly Demon, while Qin Fen unknowingly activates the Heartbreak emoji that appears to capture or absorb him.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen’s black aura and dark power suddenly disperse. The negative energy absorbed through the Insightful Eye and the three Heart Demons’ emotional laws is completely extracted from his body by WeChat.
• As a result, Qin Fen’s former Dao-Demon Unity Body becomes a completely pure Pure Yang Body, confusing Little Bean, who had suspected that Qin Fen might be the Primordial Heavenly Demon.
• Inside WeChat, the former Heart Demon discovers that his prison has changed and that a strange seed has formed in his palm. He concludes that the Heavenly Dao has transformed him into the Primordial Heavenly Demon.
• Believing he now controls the Seven Deadly Sins and can eventually surpass his former strength, the Primordial Heavenly Demon vows revenge against Qin Fen and the Natural Daoist. However, he does not realize that he has actually been converted into a “Broken Heart” emoji and remains under the Heavenly Dao’s control.
• Qin Fen receives a flood of Merit top-ups from powerful Jiejiao figures, including Zhao Gongming, Wen Zhong, Thunder Duke, and the Three Xiao. His balance rises to 154,827 Merit.
• Qin Fen realizes the payments are likely rewards from the Jiejiao disciples for his schemes against the Primordial Lord and Lord Lao.
• Since his Merit has once again exceeded 100,000, WeChat announces the release of Heavenly Dao Version 5.0. Qin Fen eagerly agrees to the upgrade, which completes after consuming 100,000 Merit.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Gains a Pure Yang Body after being cleansed of all dark power. He remains bewildered by the unpredictable consequences of his actions but becomes increasingly enthusiastic about WeChat’s gossip-related abilities and upgrades.
• Little Bean: Is confused and fascinated by Qin Fen’s transformation, especially because it overturns the suspicion that he is the Primordial Heavenly Demon.
• The Heart Demon/Primordial Heavenly Demon: Believes he has been reborn into a superior existence destined to control the Seven Deadly Sins. His confidence and hatred toward Qin Fen intensify, though his understanding of the situation is completely mistaken.
• The Heavenly Dao: Appears manipulative and inscrutable, transforming the Heart Demon into an emoji while orchestrating the broader changes.
• Jiejiao disciples: Show their approval of Qin Fen’s schemes by sending him enormous amounts of Merit.

Significant Themes

• Misunderstanding and irony: The Heart Demon interprets his transformation as a glorious rebirth, while the truth is humiliating—he has become an emoji.
• Chaos and unpredictability: Qin Fen’s carefully planned actions produce wildly unexpected results, including the purification of his body and an enormous influx of Merit.
• Power and transformation: The chapter introduces a shift from emotional laws to the Seven Deadly Sins and establishes the potential rise of the Primordial Heavenly Demon.
• Gossip and information as power: Qin Fen’s WeChat system continues to turn divine secrets, privacy, and social reactions into sources of influence and profit.
• Comedic subversion: Grand cosmic developments are undercut by mundane or absurd details, such as the Heavenly Dao turning a demon into a messaging emoji.

Character Interactions

• Little Bean observes Qin Fen’s transformation but cannot understand what caused it.
• The Primordial Heavenly Demon mentally addresses and threatens Qin Fen and the Natural Daoist, unaware that Qin Fen is not responsible for his imprisonment.
• Qin Fen benefits indirectly from the reactions of the Jiejiao disciples, whose Merit donations reward his manipulation of powerful immortals.
• Qin Fen interacts with the Heavenly Dao through WeChat’s update system, eagerly accepting the new version despite its enormous cost.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen receives Sun Yating’s message that she will be home at six and becomes excited by the idea of welcoming her.
• He prepares a meal and waits, only to find Sun Yating arriving with a cold. He teases her about her runny nose before inviting her to eat.
• Meow-Meow, Qin Fen’s talking red myna, arrives and reports that Lan Yibing’s organization has collapsed, Lan has disappeared, and Black Shadow was rescued by Chameleon. Their backer, Yan Bing, is revealed to be an American gambling tycoon from a martial arts family who is fascinated by Chinese antiques and culture.
• Meow-Meow notices Nian, the true divine beast in Qin Fen’s fish tank, and becomes frightened, while Shorty enjoys seeing the myna humbled.
• After dinner, Qin Fen and Sun Yating watch television. Qin Fen offers to help her feel better, but his vague wording causes her to believe he is making a sexual advance.
• The misunderstanding is resolved when Qin Fen reveals that he only intends to perform Gua Sha using a soup spoon. He begins scraping her back while joking that his technique comes from his former experience applying plaster and putty as a “painter.”

Character Developments

• Qin Fen continues to show a playful, mischievous side, enjoying the chance to embarrass Sun Yating. He is also shown to be caring and surprisingly knowledgeable, possessing enough medical experience to treat her cold.
• Sun Yating, normally tough and sharp-tongued, becomes vulnerable and self-conscious because of her illness. Her embarrassment also reveals that she has developed romantic feelings for Qin Fen.
• Meow-Meow proves useful by gathering intelligence but remains comically intimidated by Nian’s superior status as a genuine divine beast.
• Qin Fen’s recent overuse of divine power is subtly revealed to have weakened his reserves and caused dramatic changes in the weather, including cloudiness and rain.

Significant Themes

• Romantic misunderstanding and teasing: Qin Fen’s ambiguous remarks expose Sun Yating’s attraction to him while creating comic tension.
• Hidden abilities and unpredictability: Qin Fen knows far more than others expect, from cooking and medicine to supernatural matters, though he often presents his skills in absurd ways.
• Power and consequences: His recent supernatural actions have drained his divine power enough to affect the natural world.
• Comedy through contrast: Sun Yating’s intimidating personality clashes with her illness and embarrassment, while Qin Fen’s serious care is undermined by his ridiculous jokes.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen teases Sun Yating about her cold and welcomes her to dinner, establishing their familiar and increasingly intimate dynamic.
• Meow-Meow interrupts their meal and jokingly comments on Qin Fen keeping women at home, adding to Sun Yating’s embarrassment.
• Sun Yating misinterprets Qin Fen’s offer to “help” her as a sexual proposition, leading to a humorous exchange about undressing.
• Qin Fen performs Gua Sha while Sun Yating nervously submits to the treatment, and his absurd story about being a plaster worker leaves her exasperated.

Chapter Summary: “Nian Approaches, a Demonic Shadow Emerges”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen finishes scraping Female Hooligan’s back as a treatment for her illness. His hesitant, overly serious manner makes her believe he is about to confess his feelings.
• Instead, Qin Fen asks her to help him arrange leave for a trip to Europe, watch his house, and supervise the donation of one million euros to poor students in mountainous regions.
• Qin Fen plans to attend Paris Fashion Week, help with a royal wedding banquet in Switzerland, and travel abroad for the first time. He regrets that Female Hooligan cannot accompany him, though she secretly decides to follow him later and disrupt his trip.
• Qin Fen advises Female Hooligan to rest, avoid bathing for several days, and drink ginger soup made from ingredients from the Earthly Immortal Realm.
• As winter and the end of the year approach, Nian blows a bubble in the distance, signaling the growing threat connected to the approaching New Year.
• In the Heavenly Court’s Endless Sea, a massive chained black creature confronts the Quasi-Saint Minghe. The creature offers to free Minghe if he helps it escape.
• The creature reveals that it becomes overwhelmingly powerful at the end of each year by gathering the Fortune of the human race. It orders Minghe to find the Star Official on Duty and destroy an egg in his possession before the New Year.
• The creature effortlessly crushes Minghe with the power of laws, shocking him because such power should belong only to Saints or the Heavenly Dao.
• Minghe identifies the imprisoned being as Xi, an ancient and extraordinarily dangerous entity that has been waiting for centuries to break free.

Character Developments

• Female Hooligan becomes emotionally conflicted when she thinks Qin Fen is going to confess. Her disappointment at learning that he only needs practical assistance reveals her hidden romantic expectations and attachment to him.
• Despite her irritation, she agrees to help Qin Fen and secretly resolves to travel to Europe after him, suggesting that she cares about him more than she admits.
• Qin Fen remains oblivious to Female Hooligan’s feelings. He focuses on practical matters, personal travel, and testing whether acts of charity in the Mortal Realm can generate Merit comparable to that of the Heavenly Court.
• Minghe is shown to be powerful but completely outmatched by Xi. His initial arrogance turns to fear and astonishment when Xi demonstrates control over the laws.
• Xi is revealed as a calculating, ancient demonic force whose power is tied to the year’s end, human Fortune, and the Heavenly Laws.

Significant Themes

• Miscommunication and unspoken affection: Female Hooligan misreads Qin Fen’s nervousness as a romantic confession, highlighting the gap between her feelings and his oblivious practicality.
• Charity, Merit, and moral experimentation: Qin Fen treats his donation as an experiment to determine whether good deeds in the Mortal Realm can produce supernatural Merit.
• The cyclical power of the New Year: The approaching end of the year is not merely seasonal; it marks the period when Xi’s power peaks and threatens the balance of the Heavenly Court.
• Fate and the Heavenly Laws: Xi’s strength comes from a power ordained by heaven, suggesting that even the Heavenly Court may be unable to prevent his escape.
• Hidden dangers beneath ordinary life: The domestic scene of medical treatment and travel planning contrasts sharply with the emergence of a cosmic-level threat.

Character Interactions

• Female Hooligan and Qin Fen exchange teasing and awkward dialogue during her treatment. Her sarcasm contrasts with his sincerity and lack of awareness.
• Female Hooligan’s imagined confession creates tension, but Qin Fen’s request for travel assistance abruptly deflates the romantic possibility.
• Qin Fen and Female Hooligan maintain a close friendship, though her concealed feelings make their relationship increasingly complicated.
• Xi bargains with and intimidates Minghe, using his overwhelming strength to force cooperation.
• Minghe’s final recognition of Xi establishes the creature as a notorious ancient threat and sets up the coming conflict before the New Year.

Chapter Summary: “Moments Got Savage: Lord Lao’s Dark Past”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Minghe meets Xi, a Fortune divine beast representing misfortune and calamity. Xi explains that it is destined to escape its prison on New Year’s Eve, when its power reaches its peak under the Heavenly Dao’s rules.
• Xi and Nian are immortal, indestructible divine beasts—Xi embodies misfortune, while Nian represents fortune. Their yearly battle explains the traditions of firecrackers and driving away the “New Year monster.”
• Xi reveals that it has spent centuries accumulating baleful energy and believes that, after escaping, even the Three Pure Ones may be unable to stop it.
• Meanwhile, Qin Fen nervously checks WeChat Moments, expecting gossip about immortals. He discovers that Lord Lao has posted videos revealing details about his private life.
• The first video shows Lord Lao returning to Tusita Palace injured and irritated after a disastrous day. His attendants, Golden Horn and Silver Horn, mention a woman named Jingjing, who had visited and prepared soup for him.
• Lord Lao coldly orders the attendants to send Jingjing away if she returns, prompting Qin Fen to become fascinated by the mystery of their relationship.
• A second post reveals Jingjing to be Hu Xiaojing, an elderly demoness associated with the Gold-Shaking Rope and the Great-Grandmother from Flat-top Mountain.
• Hu Xiaojing nostalgically recalls Lord Lao, quoting romantic poetry and implying a past relationship with him. Qin Fen and Little Bean are horrified and amused by the revelation.
• Qin Fen remembers that Hu Xiaojing was eventually killed by Monkey with a single staff strike, adding an absurd and dark twist to Lord Lao’s hidden past.

Character Developments

• Xi is portrayed as patient, ambitious, and deeply resentful. It views itself as the embodiment of calamity and has been quietly building power for centuries.
• Minghe recognizes the seriousness of Xi’s impending escape and understands that even Saints may be powerless against a Heavenly Dao-enforced destiny.
• Qin Fen becomes increasingly fascinated by immortal gossip. His curiosity overwhelms his caution, and he reacts dramatically to Lord Lao’s apparent romantic history.
• Lord Lao is shown in a more vulnerable and humanized state: physically injured, emotionally distressed, and burdened by memories of the past. However, he remains cold and dismissive toward Jingjing.
• Golden Horn and Silver Horn retain their childlike, comic personalities. Silver Horn innocently exposes information that Lord Lao would prefer to keep secret.
• Little Bean acts as Qin Fen’s humorous companion, sharing his shock and disgust while mocking his obsession with gossip.
• Hu Xiaojing emerges as a bold, nostalgic figure who openly remembers her past attachment to Lord Lao despite her advanced age and grotesque appearance.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus resistance: Xi’s escape is tied to unavoidable laws of the Heavenly Dao, suggesting that even the most powerful beings cannot overturn cosmic destiny.
• Fortune and misfortune: The contrast between Xi and Nian reflects the cyclical balance between disaster and prosperity.
• The hidden personal lives of powerful beings: Lord Lao, normally depicted as detached and emotionless, is revealed to have a strange and embarrassing romantic history.
• Gossip and the collapse of dignity: Moments exposes private secrets that would otherwise remain unknown, turning revered immortals into sources of comedy and scandal.
• The contrast between public image and private reality: Lord Lao appears to practice Supreme Forgetfulness, yet his past suggests he once inspired deep affection—or was involved in a bizarre relationship.

Character Interactions

• Minghe and Xi discuss Xi’s imprisonment, destiny, and planned escape, creating a tense exchange between observer and looming threat.
• Qin Fen and Little Bean banter throughout the chapter, with Little Bean criticizing Qin Fen’s shameless interest in other people’s affairs.
• Lord Lao rebuffs Silver Horn’s suggestion that Jingjing be contacted, revealing his discomfort and apparent desire to bury the past.
• Golden Horn and Silver Horn unintentionally expose Lord Lao’s secrets through their innocent conversation.
• Hu Xiaojing’s recorded message directly addresses Lord Lao with longing and poetic nostalgia, contrasting sharply with Lord Lao’s cold rejection.
• Qin Fen and Little Bean react together with disbelief, disgust, and fascination, turning Lord Lao’s tragic history into comic spectacle.

Chapter Summary: “Lord Lao, You’re Finished”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen reflects on Lord Lao’s past with Hu Xiaojing, questioning how Laozi survived Monkey’s attack and mocking his unwillingness to let Golden Horn and Silver Horn die.
• Angry over Lord Lao’s treatment of Hu Xiaojing, Qin Fen decides to retaliate. With help from his pets, Meow-Meow and Myna/Little Bean, he adds Lord Lao on Moments and initiates a chat.
• Qin Fen disguises himself as an “obscure journalist,” jokingly claiming that he represents justice for women and is exposing the truth.
• Lord Lao immediately realizes that the mysterious person contacting him is powerful. His divination techniques fail, and even the Taiji Diagram cannot block Qin Fen’s mental communication.
• Lord Lao suspects Natural Daoist, a mysterious figure favored by the Heavenly Dao, but Qin Fen refuses to reveal his identity.
• Qin Fen gradually exposes Lord Lao’s hidden history by mentioning Hu Xiaojing, Daming Lake, Flat-top Mountain, and the fox spirit.
• He then asks Lord Lao to make him a belt resembling the Gold-Shaking Rope. Lord Lao recognizes this as an extortion attempt, especially when Qin Fen claims, “I’ve seen it.”
• Realizing that Qin Fen knows his most embarrassing secret, Lord Lao becomes furious and feels threatened. The chapter ends with him rising angrily and preparing to confront the situation.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Displays his vengeful, mischievous, and fearless personality. Although he presents his actions as defending women and exposing injustice, he is clearly enjoying humiliating and pressuring Lord Lao. His ability to conceal himself from Lord Lao’s divination also demonstrates his growing power and confidence.
• Lord Lao: Shifts from calm, calculating confidence to confusion, alarm, and rage. His inability to identify Qin Fen or block the communication leaves him unusually vulnerable. His secret relationship with Hu Xiaojing becomes his major weakness.
• Meow-Meow and Myna/Little Bean: Reinforce Qin Fen’s personality by recognizing that he is planning revenge. Their reactions provide humor and show their familiarity with his tendency to repay insults.
• Hu Xiaojing: Though absent, she becomes central to the conflict. Her past with Lord Lao is used as the leverage Qin Fen needs to intimidate him.

Significant Themes

• Revenge and justice: Qin Fen frames his harassment as justice for Hu Xiaojing and “the public,” though his motives are also personal amusement and retaliation.
• Secrets as power: Lord Lao’s hidden past, normally protected by concealed heavenly secrets, becomes a source of vulnerability once Qin Fen reveals that he knows it.
• Humiliation of the powerful: The chapter comically reverses the power dynamic, reducing the revered incarnation of a Saint to an anxious and angry victim of blackmail.
• Limits of omniscience and control: Lord Lao’s divination and Taiji Diagram fail, suggesting that Qin Fen operates beyond the methods traditionally used to predict or restrain others.
• Mockery of hypocrisy: Qin Fen condemns Lord Lao for abandoning Hu Xiaojing while satirically presenting himself as a righteous journalist seeking truth.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen and his pets exchange sarcastic commentary about Lord Lao’s past and Qin Fen’s plans.
• Qin Fen repeatedly provokes Lord Lao through mysterious messages and loaded references.
• Lord Lao attempts to identify Qin Fen, first suspecting Natural Daoist, but Qin Fen evades every question.
• Their conversation becomes a battle of psychological pressure: Qin Fen calmly reveals more of Lord Lao’s secret, while Lord Lao grows increasingly frustrated and frightened.
• Qin Fen’s request for a magical belt transforms the exchange from teasing into an explicit threat, leaving Lord Lao enraged and humiliated.

Chapter Summary: “Kneel, Lord Lao!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen confronts Lord Lao through an anonymous voice chat, claiming to be a journalist who possesses damaging information about Hu Xiaojing.
• He repeatedly jokes that Lord Lao is trying to “silence” him through murder, deliberately provoking and frustrating Lord Lao while concealing his own location.
• Qin Fen argues that killing Hu Xiaojing would only make her disappearance suspicious and invite investigations by powerful figures such as Primordial Lord, Lingbao, and Tathagata.
• He reveals that he has recorded footage of Hu Xiaojing using the Mysterious Light Technique. Even if people doubt the recording, gossip and curiosity would encourage others to investigate.
• Lord Lao realizes that every possible response—ignoring Qin Fen, killing Hu Xiaojing, or discrediting the footage—could expose him further.
• Qin Fen pretends to uphold journalistic integrity while clearly extorting Lord Lao, demanding more than a dozen gourds of Nine-Turn Golden Elixir.
• Lord Lao offers to provide the elixirs, initially asking Qin Fen to come to Tusita Palace so he can locate and kill him. Qin Fen refuses, insisting that Lord Lao transfer the items remotely.
• When Lord Lao claims he lacks enough elixirs and needs time to prepare them, Qin Fen threatens to release the footage and send it to Tathagata, adding absurd rumors about Hu Xiaojing raising dozens of children.
• Completely cornered, Lord Lao adopts a false appearance of friendliness and offers Qin Fen other valuable possessions instead, while inwardly suffering intense humiliation and resentment.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen demonstrates exceptional cunning, psychological manipulation, and confidence. He uses humor, exaggeration, and carefully constructed threats to keep Lord Lao off balance. Although he calls himself principled, he openly behaves like a skilled extortionist.
• Lord Lao shifts from anger and intimidation to confusion, anxiety, and reluctant submission. His inability to locate Qin Fen leaves him powerless, a striking contrast to his usual confidence and authority as a Saint’s incarnation.
• Tathagata appears briefly in a comic parallel scene. He senses that someone with considerable cultivation is cursing him, unknowingly becoming the target of Lord Lao’s suspicions.
• Hu Xiaojing does not appear directly, but her situation and the footage of her become the central leverage Qin Fen uses against Lord Lao.

Significant Themes

• Powerlessness beneath authority: Despite Lord Lao’s immense status and cultivation, information and public suspicion give Qin Fen the advantage.
• Manipulation and psychological warfare: Qin Fen wins not through force but by making every possible action dangerous for Lord Lao.
• Reputation and gossip: The fear of rumors and investigation proves more threatening than direct exposure, especially among powerful figures.
• Hypocrisy and moral posturing: Qin Fen repeatedly presents himself as an upright journalist while shamelessly demanding rare treasures and inventing scandalous accusations.
• Humiliation of the powerful: The chapter turns Lord Lao, normally an intimidating figure, into a desperate victim forced to negotiate with an unseen “unknown journalist.”

Character Interactions

• The chapter centers on the verbal battle between Qin Fen and Lord Lao. Qin Fen maintains a relaxed, mocking tone, while Lord Lao becomes increasingly furious and distressed.
• Qin Fen continually reinterprets Lord Lao’s statements as threats to murder or silence Hu Xiaojing, forcing Lord Lao to defend himself against accusations he cannot safely address.
• Lord Lao attempts intimidation, negotiation, delay, and deception, but Qin Fen anticipates each move and blocks it.
• Their interaction ends with Lord Lao disguising his rage behind a friendly offer, while privately seething at having been thoroughly outmaneuvered.

Chapter Summary: “Lord Lao Cried”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen explains to Little Bean and Meow-Meow that Saints are not automatically virtuous. “Saint” refers to power, wisdom, status, or origins rather than morality.
• He argues that Lord Lao’s suspicious behavior surrounding Hu Xiaojing and the Journey to the West suggests Lord Lao may have protected or aided a female demon with whom he had a hidden relationship.
• Qin Fen supports this theory by analyzing the Gold-Shaking Rope and the relationship between Lord Lao, Golden Horn, Silver Horn, and the old demon at Flat-top Mountain. He concludes that Lord Lao knew about the Journey to the West’s predetermined events but deliberately remained silent.
• Because Lord Lao had shown killing intent toward Hu Xiaojing, Qin Fen considers warning him and condemns his lack of responsibility.
• Qin then begins bargaining with Lord Lao, mockingly calling his treasured gourd and fan “lousy” and “worn-out.” He attempts to pressure Lord Lao into giving him valuable treasures.
• Lord Lao offers a super-version Nine-Turn Golden Elixir and later presents a strange potted plant, hoping Qin Fen will recognize its value.
• Qin mistakes the plant for kelp and dismisses it, frustrating and humiliating Lord Lao. When Qin threatens to leave and speak with Tathagata instead, Lord Lao finally reveals that the plant is Sui, the ancestor of all Tai Sui, born from the Heavenly Dao.
• Qin immediately connects Sui with other New Year-related beings such as Nian and Xi, joking that his fish tank may become a Lunar New Year-themed collection.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen is shown as clever, shamelessly opportunistic, and confident enough to manipulate even a Saint’s incarnation. Beneath his teasing, he displays sharp reasoning and a strong sense of justice, particularly regarding Lord Lao’s treatment of Hu Xiaojing.
• Lord Lao loses much of his dignified, mysterious image. He becomes increasingly frustrated, anxious, and emotionally overwhelmed as Qin Fen mocks his treasures and bargains aggressively. His desperation reveals both his attachment to rare artifacts and his fear of losing them.
• Little Bean and Meow-Meow initially view Qin Fen as terrifying, almost villainous, but gradually recognize that his accusations about Lord Lao may be logically sound.
• The chapter also reinforces Qin Fen’s apparent closeness to Tathagata, which Lord Lao interprets suspiciously and resentfully.

Significant Themes

• Power does not equal virtue: Qin Fen emphasizes that powerful beings and Saints are still human-like individuals capable of selfishness, wrongdoing, and moral failure.
• The human heart is unpredictable: Qin Fen presents human cunning and hidden motives as more frightening than supernatural power.
• Accountability and moral restraint: Belief in divine observation is portrayed as a way to encourage people to maintain their principles and avoid crossing ethical boundaries.
• Mythological reinterpretation: Qin Fen uses details from Journey to the West to construct an alternative explanation for unexplained relationships and events in the original story.
• Humor through status reversal: A supposedly majestic Saint is reduced to pleading and bargaining while Qin Fen, who appears ignorant of the treasures, controls the conversation.
• Knowledge versus cleverness: Qin Fen lacks familiarity with certain legendary objects, but his bargaining instincts and skepticism allow him to outmaneuver Lord Lao.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen lectures Little Bean and Meow-Meow about Saints, morality, and the hidden truth behind mythological events.
• He confronts Lord Lao over Hu Xiaojing and implicitly accuses him of irresponsibility and concealed wrongdoing.
• Qin Fen repeatedly provokes Lord Lao by insulting or undervaluing his treasures, while Lord Lao desperately tries to preserve their perceived worth.
• Lord Lao attempts to regain control by offering increasingly valuable items, but Qin Fen remains unimpressed until the identity of Sui is revealed.
• The exchange ends with Qin Fen’s renewed interest in collecting mythological beings, while Lord Lao is left emotionally exhausted and humiliated.

Chapter Summary: “Heavenly Dao Divine Tree Sui, Lord Lao’s Heart Shattered”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Fen learns about Sui, a rare Heavenly Dao divine plant related to misfortune, impurity, and baleful energy. Although Sui naturally attracts harmful forces, suppressing it can transform misfortune into good fortune.
• Lord Lao proposes trading Sui to Qin Fen, explaining that it requires powerful treasures—especially Innate Celestial Iron—to control. Ordinary fire is insufficient, and even Samadhi True Fire can only suppress it temporarily.
• Qin Fen negotiates aggressively. In exchange for revealing his Mysterious Light Technique, he demands:
  • The Sui plant
  • A Nine-Turn Golden Elixir
  • Protection for Hu Xiaojing
  • Fifty thousand Merit
• Both Qin Fen and Lord Lao swear Heavenly Dao oaths. Lord Lao believes he has outmaneuvered Qin Fen because he possesses the Eight Trigrams Furnace, one of the few things capable of suppressing Sui.
• Lord Lao secretly expects Sui to cause Qin Fen immense trouble, since Qin Fen lacks the necessary Innate Celestial Iron. He even hopes Sui will reach the Buddhist School and wreak havoc there.
• Instead of keeping the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, Qin Fen sends it to Hu Xiaojing, believing she deserves it because he profited from their cooperation.
• Hu Xiaojing consumes the elixir and unexpectedly ascends into the ranks of immortals. The Heavenly Dao publicly announces her transformation.
• Lord Lao is horrified because Hu Xiaojing will now enter the Heavenly Court, meaning he must see her regularly. Since he swore not to harm her, he cannot eliminate this problem.
• Lord Lao realizes that Qin Fen has technically honored every part of his oath while still ruining Lord Lao’s life. He declares his intention to enter seclusion for centuries.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen demonstrates his usual caution, bargaining skill, and opportunism. He does not fully trust Lord Lao and extracts several guarantees before agreeing to the transaction.
• Qin Fen also reveals a strong sense of fairness and loyalty by giving the valuable Golden Elixir to Hu Xiaojing rather than keeping it for himself.
• Lord Lao is shown as scheming, vindictive, and overconfident. He plans to use Sui to punish Qin Fen but fails to anticipate Qin Fen’s generosity toward Hu Xiaojing.
• Lord Lao’s clever scheme backfires catastrophically when Hu Xiaojing becomes an immortal and is brought into his daily life.
• Hu Xiaojing makes a major advancement by becoming an immortal through the Golden Elixir, despite Lord Lao’s belief that a fox demon without sufficient Merit could not survive the process.
• Silver Horn unintentionally worsens Lord Lao’s despair by casually pointing out that a Nine-Turn Golden Elixir was enough to make Hu Xiaojing immortal.

Significant Themes

• Schemes and unintended consequences: Lord Lao’s attempt to manipulate Qin Fen collapses because Qin Fen acts in an unexpected but technically lawful way.
• The limits of cleverness: Even a Saint can be outmaneuvered when he fails to account for another person’s values and unpredictability.
• Generosity and fairness: Qin Fen’s decision to give the elixir to Hu Xiaojing contrasts sharply with Lord Lao’s selfish and malicious calculations.
• Fate and Heavenly Dao: The repeated appearance of Heavenly Dao treasures around Qin Fen suggests that his connection to the Heavenly Dao—or possibly WeChat’s hidden purpose—is becoming increasingly important.
• Technical honesty versus malicious intent: Qin Fen fulfills his oath exactly, proving that someone can act in good faith while still causing enormous trouble for an enemy.

Character Interactions

• Qin Fen, Little Bean, and Meow-Meow discuss Sui, with the two beasts humorously treating Qin Fen as the true expert in causing misfortune.
• Qin Fen and Lord Lao negotiate under mutual distrust. Qin Fen pressures Lord Lao for additional compensation, while Lord Lao secretly plots to make Sui harm him.
• Qin Fen protects Hu Xiaojing by requiring Lord Lao to swear not to harm her.
• Qin Fen’s gift of the Golden Elixir changes the balance of the conflict: Hu Xiaojing’s ascension places her in Lord Lao’s environment and makes his oath a constant burden.
• Silver Horn’s innocent remarks reveal the simplicity of Hu Xiaojing’s ascension and cause Lord Lao to suffer another emotional breakdown.

Qin Fen discovered that Lord Lao’s gift of Sui had become a source of Fortune after the Eastern Emperor Bell suppressed its baleful aura, strengthening Qin Fen through Nian and the Golden Crow. Meanwhile, Lord Lao was given authority over the Heavenly Court school appointment and weighed the candidates as political maneuvering resumed.

• Qin Fen saw that Sui looked like useless kelp, while its baleful aura flooded his living room and alarmed Little Bean, Meow-Meow, and Nian.
• The Eastern Emperor Bell transformed Sui’s baleful aura into purple mist, which Nian absorbed and converted into Fortune for Qin Fen’s Golden Crow.
• Qin Fen decided to leave Sui as a photo in WeChat and planned to prepare for his coming trip to Europe.
• Golden Horn told Lord Lao that the Jade Emperor had transferred the school appointment matter to him after Emperor Ziwei handed over full authority.
• Lord Lao considered Wenchang, Matchmaker Yue, and Star Lord Wenqu, concluding that Wenqu was the strongest candidate and that the appointment was tied to political maneuvering in the Heavenly Court.

Chapter Summary: “A Trip to Europe Won’t Be Boring”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Heavenly Court has largely returned to normal after recent upheavals. Dongwang Gong has disappeared, Lord Lao is staying home, the school lacks a principal, and the Jade Emperor is still recovering.
• Qin Fen spends several days designing and tailoring clothes using materials from the Earthly Immortal Realm. He produces professional uniforms, school clothes, police and flight-attendant outfits, evening gowns, sweaters, and down jackets for Heavenly Court.
• After arranging his affairs and asking his parents for leave, Qin Fen travels to Three Gorges Airport to begin his first overseas trip—to Europe for Paris Fashion Week.
• He brings Little Bean, Meow-Meow, and Nian along in toy form, while also using talismans whose powers have been absorbed into Solar Star Lord’s divine spark.
• Qin meets Song Jianjun and Fu Qiang before boarding a private charter jet. He is surprised by the plane’s luxurious interior, which includes a karaoke area, bar, bedroom, bathroom, and bathtub.
• Qin discovers that Female Hooligan is also joining the trip. She has arranged for her father to oversee Qin’s student-aid project, ensuring the donated money is protected.
• On the plane, Qin reunites with Song Shaoqing and Fu Qiang, who had planned a pleasure-filled European trip centered on nightclubs and women. Their excitement collapses when they realize Female Hooligan will be accompanying them.
• The group also meets Wei Tianlong, a celebrity invited as a company spokesperson and special model. Qin vaguely recognizes him but cannot remember who he is.
• Female Hooligan asks Wei Tianlong for an autograph, then embarrasses him by questioning rumors that he is married and on his honeymoon. Wei awkwardly denies the rumor after already posing for a selfie.

Character Developments

• Qin Fen: Displays growing calm and self-assurance as he adjusts to his identity as an Imperial Lord and the Mortal Realm’s only deity. He remains humble and ordinary in appearance despite his supernatural status, and he approaches the European trip with indifference rather than excitement.
• Female Hooligan: Demonstrates her independence and resourcefulness by arranging the student-aid project through her influential father. She also reveals a playful interest in celebrities and continues to dominate social situations through blunt, mischievous remarks.
• Song Shaoqing and Fu Qiang: Are portrayed as pleasure-seeking businessmen eager to enjoy Europe’s nightlife. Their confidence and plans are immediately undermined by Female Hooligan’s presence.
• Wei Tianlong: Appears confident and self-important because of his celebrity status, but his vanity and attempted flirtation quickly turn into embarrassment when Female Hooligan challenges him.
• Little Bean, Meow-Meow, and Nian: Remain Qin Fen’s companions, traveling with him in toy form.

Significant Themes

• Contrast between divine power and ordinary life: Qin Fen possesses immense status and supernatural abilities, yet he spends his time designing clothes, traveling, and dealing with awkward social encounters.
• Modernization and cultural exchange: Qin brings Earthly Immortal Realm materials and modern clothing designs to Heavenly Court, blending celestial society with contemporary human fashion.
• Wealth and privilege: The luxurious private jet highlights the extravagant lifestyle of Qin’s wealthy companions and contrasts with his modest, unimpressed personality.
• Appearance versus reality: Wei Tianlong’s celebrity image and handsome appearance are undercut by his insecurity and awkward behavior, while Qin’s plain appearance conceals his extraordinary identity.
• Friendship and comic conflict: The group’s relationships are driven by teasing, embarrassment, and contrasting personalities, suggesting that the European journey will be filled with humorous complications.

Important Character Interactions

• Qin and Female Hooligan reunite at the plane, with Qin reacting helplessly to her unexpected participation.
• Song Shaoqing and Fu Qiang resent Female Hooligan’s presence because she threatens their planned nightlife and romantic adventures.
• Qin fails to recognize Wei Tianlong’s celebrity status, while Wei becomes unsettled by Qin’s lack of interest.
• Female Hooligan first flatters Wei by requesting an autograph, then immediately embarrasses him by questioning his supposed marriage and honeymoon.
• The chapter ends with the group silently mocking Wei’s awkwardness, reinforcing Female Hooligan’s role as the trip’s unpredictable source of trouble.