Chapter Summaries

Summary of “Du Tiange’s End”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Du Tiange defeats several elite opponents in rapid succession:
  • He wounds Black Dragon so severely that Black Dragon falls from the high-rise.
  • He kills Golden Tiger with a single finger strike to the brow.
  • He kills Flash Kill by tearing open his neck.
  • He catches and nearly kills the already injured Night Lord.
• Khun Sa suddenly appears and lands a devastating punch on Du Tiange. Although Du Tiange’s body and armor are exceptionally durable, the blow shatters his internal organs and leaves him fatally wounded.
• Du Tiange escapes using his winged armor, but Khun Sa’s punch has damaged both him and the armor. He can no longer fly properly and is forced to travel at low altitude.
• Khun Sa and others pursue him, but Lin Xiaosu tracks his route through his Temporal Reversal ability. Du Tiange crosses into Daxia and eventually crashes near Gongchun Mountain.
• Lin Xiaosu and Blue Demon locate Du Tiange hiding in a cave. Lin reveals that he and Blue Demon had disguised themselves as Du Tiange and destroyed Taye’s forces, causing Khun Sa to seek revenge and unknowingly injure Du Tiange. Their plan used Khun Sa as a “borrowed knife.”
• Blue Demon offers Du Tiange a chance to survive in exchange for information about Hydra’s upper ranks. Du Tiange refuses to accept a diminished existence and instead pretends to cooperate.
• At the last moment, he detonates the explosive function of his protective armor. The blast destroys the cave and kills him completely.
• Afterward, Blue Demon notes that Du Tiange’s death also removes a clue about the unknown Hydra figure who had used him to target Lin Xiaosu.

Character Developments

• Du Tiange is shown as extraordinarily powerful, killing or overwhelming multiple elite fighters in succession. However, his confidence and pride cannot overcome Khun Sa’s unexpected strength or Lin Xiaosu’s strategy. Even while dying, he retains his pride and refuses to become a living corpse or surrender Hydra’s secrets. His final act is one of defiance and control over his own death.
• Khun Sa reveals himself as an Awakened with terrifying physical strength. His single punch is powerful enough to rupture Du Tiange’s organs, establishing him as far more dangerous than the others had realized.
• Lin Xiaosu demonstrates strategic brilliance and exceptional tracking ability. He anticipates Du Tiange’s movements, uses Khun Sa’s anger against him, and completes the plan without wasting a move.
• Blue Demon gains renewed admiration for Lin Xiaosu after witnessing both his planning and tracking. She also shows her own ruthlessness by attempting to extract information from Du Tiange.
• Du Tiange’s enemies—Black Dragon, Golden Tiger, Flash Kill, and Night Lord—are overwhelmed, emphasizing the enormous gap between Du Tiange and ordinary elite combatants.

Significant Themes

• Strategy over brute force: Du Tiange’s immense combat ability is defeated by a carefully constructed plan rather than direct confrontation.
• Pride and dignity: Du Tiange would rather die than survive as a helpless “living corpse” or betray Hydra’s secrets.
• The danger of hidden strength: Khun Sa’s true ability is underestimated until his sudden punch changes the entire battle.
• Fate and manipulation: Du Tiange realizes that his downfall resulted from several interconnected forces—Lin Xiaosu and Blue Demon’s scheme, Khun Sa’s revenge, his own past choices, and possibly his brother’s actions.
• The ruthlessness of Hydra’s upper ranks: Blue Demon observes that people who rise within Hydra possess extraordinary willpower, clear ambitions, and fanatical determination.

Important Character Interactions

• Du Tiange and Khun Sa: Their confrontation shifts from Du Tiange’s apparent dominance to Khun Sa’s shocking counterattack. Khun Sa’s punch becomes the decisive injury that makes Du Tiange’s escape impossible.
• Lin Xiaosu and Blue Demon: They work together closely, with Lin providing the plan and tracking while Blue Demon observes and supports him. Their mutual reaction to Du Tiange’s self-destruction shows their awareness of the danger.
• Lin Xiaosu and Du Tiange: Lin reveals the deception behind the entire incident, allowing Du Tiange to understand how he was manipulated and cornered.
• Blue Demon and Du Tiange: Blue Demon offers cooperation as a last chance, but Du Tiange rejects her terms and uses the conversation to prepare his final attack.
• Lin Xiaosu and Blue Demon after Du Tiange’s death: They recognize that although Du Tiange is dead, the larger mystery remains: someone within Hydra had directed him to hunt Lin Xiaosu, but that person’s identity is now harder to uncover.

Chapter Summary: “Peacock Valley, Land of the Gu Miao”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Xiaosu explains to Blue Demon that Du Tiange’s attempt to kill him was part of a carefully designed scheme connected to Changsheng Group.
• Du Qi, Du Tiange’s only brother, had deliberately provoked Lin Xiaosu at South Lake, later targeting Lin’s mother and detective agency. Lin originally believed this was meant to lure him into committing murder.
• Lin realizes the plan had two layers:
  1. If he killed Du Qi unlawfully, the law would be used against him.
  2. If he killed Du Qi legally or in self-defense, Du Tiange would avenge his brother and pursue Lin personally.
• Lin suspects Li Ziyi, the daughter of Changsheng Group’s Li Changsheng and reportedly the company’s true strategist, of designing the scheme. Blue Demon orders a nationwide investigation into her, though they acknowledge she may be difficult to capture.
• Lin returns safely to Gongchun Mountain Outpost after tracking a Gene Human beyond the border. His brother Lin Xiaoyang and the soldiers had feared he was dead because his phone was unreachable.
• Lin says goodbye to the outpost. The soldiers, who regard him as a comrade and teacher, formally salute him. Deputy Captain Li Zhiwei promises to turn their future breakthroughs and achievements into a victory report for Lin.
• At dawn, Lin reunites with Blue Demon by the South River. She reveals that her main mission was rescuing him, but she also has a secondary investigation for which she asks his help.
• The secondary mission concerns the murder of Qianlong Warrior No. 196 and the extermination of the Dong Brothers’ entire family—nineteen people in total—after the brothers returned to their Miao hometown to investigate the original death.
• Evidence points to an exceptionally powerful Gu Art practitioner and possibly to Chu Tiankuo, a former Qianlong traitor and No. 37 Hidden Dragon Gold Medal holder.
• Blue Demon describes Chu Tiankuo, the “Thousand-Faced Killing God,” whose mastery of disguise, psychology, and acting enabled him to assassinate a heavily guarded target by disguising himself as the man’s twelve-year-old daughter.

Character Developments

• Lin Xiaosu demonstrates increasing strategic insight. He reassesses his past conflict with Du Qi and recognizes the sophistication behind what initially seemed like a crude provocation.
• He also shows strong loyalty and emotional influence at Gongchun Mountain Outpost. Though he refuses to remain, he leaves knowing the soldiers have gained strength and confidence from his guidance.
• Lin Xiaoyang reveals deep brotherly concern, having been tormented by the possibility that Lin Xiaosu had died during his mission.
• Blue Demon becomes both Lin’s rescuer and potential collaborator. She uses her authority decisively by ordering the investigation into Li Ziyi, while also teasing and negotiating playfully with Lin.
• Li Ziyi is established as a hidden antagonist or person of interest: intelligent, elusive, and potentially responsible for manipulating the Du family conflict.
• Chu Tiankuo is introduced as a terrifying former ally and master assassin whose abilities may connect the current Gu Art case to Qianlong’s internal betrayal.

Significant Themes

• Layered schemes and hidden motives: Apparent revenge may conceal carefully calculated political or criminal strategies.
• Family, grief, and manipulation: Du Tiange’s unusual attachment to his brother becomes the weapon used against Lin Xiaosu.
• Comradeship and loyalty: Lin’s farewell to the soldiers emphasizes bonds forged through shared danger rather than formal rank or blood relation.
• Duty versus personal life: Lin leaves the outpost despite the soldiers’ affection, recognizing that both he and they must return to their respective responsibilities.
• Tradition versus modern power: The Southern Frontier contains ancient Shamanic and Gu Arts alongside Qianlong’s modern organizations and genetic or martial abilities.
• Identity and deception: Chu Tiankuo’s disguise techniques highlight how appearance, psychology, and performance can be more dangerous than physical strength.
• A new beginning: The breaking dawn symbolizes Lin’s return, the outpost’s future success, and the beginning of a new investigation.

Important Character Interactions

• Lin Xiaosu and Blue Demon: They analyze Li Ziyi’s possible role, exchange flirtatious banter about payment and “a beauty saving a hero,” and agree to work together on the Southern Frontier mission.
• Lin Xiaosu and Lin Xiaoyang: Their reunion combines relief, affection, and reprimand, with Lin Xiaoyang criticizing Lin’s recklessness while clearly fearing for his safety.
• Lin Xiaosu and the outpost soldiers: The soldiers call him “Master,” express their wish that he stay, and salute him as a comrade when he departs.
• Blue Demon and Qianlong: Her authority as a high-ranking figure allows her to issue a nationwide investigation order and take command of the response to the Dong family massacre.
• Lin Xiaosu and the emerging Chu Tiankuo mystery: Lin is particularly struck by Chu’s disguise abilities, signaling that the investigation will involve deception, infiltration, and possibly a traitor within Qianlong.

Chapter Summary: Moon-Spirit Holy Matron of Witch God Mountain

Key Plot Points and Events

• Blue Demon explains the difficulty of the Disguise Art: practitioners can perfect their own disguises but cannot reliably identify one another’s true forms. This makes locating Chu Tiankuo extremely difficult, even if they know he is somewhere in the Southern Frontier.
• She identifies Wu-Gu as the mission’s greater danger. The former most powerful Wu-Gu practitioner, Yi Gu—the “Miao Borderlands War God”—died the previous year, leaving the identity of the new Witch God uncertain.
• Yi Gu’s daughter, Yi Xiang, is introduced as the likely heir to his knowledge. After returning from university, she became the revered “Moon-Spirit Holy Matron,” earning near-religious devotion throughout the Miao Borderlands.
• Lin Xiaosu proposes that Blue Demon disappear completely so Chu Tiankuo will feel safe enough to emerge. Lin will investigate the Dong Brothers’ massacre himself, effectively using himself as bait for an assassination attempt.
• Blue Demon agrees but jokingly raises Lin’s payment from one hundred thousand to two hundred thousand yuan. Lin also jokes about possibly flirting with Yi Xiang, prompting Blue Demon to reluctantly say she will ignore it if necessary for the mission.
• The murder site is revealed to be Peacock Valley beneath Witch God Mountain. Lin is startled because he previously discovered that Black Chicken Jade from Witch God Mountain and Solomon’s Seal from Peacock Valley contained mysterious energy from another world and had helped heal his brother.
• Blue Demon gives Lin Qianlong’s information on Chu Tiankuo, the massacre, and the Miao Borderlands. Since Lin’s Dragon Eye authorization does not cover Qianlong’s confidential files, he must rely on her materials.
• After separating, Blue Demon disguises herself as a village girl and humorously emphasizes her exaggerated breasts, recalling Lin’s earlier comments about her disguise abilities.
• Lin takes a taxi toward Witch God Mountain. The driver, a local native, explains that the region is poor and many residents have left for the cities, though some—including Yi Xiang—returned to preserve and improve their homeland.
• The driver praises Yi Xiang’s miraculous medical abilities. She has treated more than a thousand villagers for free, discovered rare medicinal herbs, and even used Gu Arts to restore movement to a man paralyzed for over a decade.
• As Lin reaches Witch God Mountain, he sees its seven-colored mist and learns that some of it contains deadly miasma. The driver also warns him not to enter the inner Gu Miao strongholds, where attractive outsiders may be targeted with a Love Gu.
• Lin jokes that being forced to remain in the mountains with a wife might solve his financial and romantic problems, then gets out of the taxi and begins his investigation.

Character Developments

• Lin Xiaosu demonstrates strategic thinking by volunteering to act as bait and investigate the massacre alone. His curiosity about Peacock Valley deepens because of its connection to the otherworldly energy he discovered in medicinal materials.
• He remains irreverent and humorous despite the danger, joking about Blue Demon’s appearance, payment, romantic temptation, and the possibility of being trapped by a Love Gu.
• Blue Demon proves both cautious and adaptable. She recognizes the limits of disguise techniques and the threat posed by Wu-Gu practitioners, agrees to conceal herself, and supports Lin’s risky plan while continuing her playful concern over his romantic behavior.
• Yi Xiang is established indirectly as a powerful, compassionate, and mysterious figure. Her medical and Gu Arts abilities, combined with her popularity among the villagers, suggest that she may possess Yi Gu’s true inheritance.
• The taxi driver provides a grounded local perspective, contrasting outsiders’ fascination with Witch God Mountain against the villagers’ view of it as a poor but meaningful homeland.

Significant Themes

• The danger of the unknown: The true nature of Wu-Gu and the identity of the new Witch God are unknown, making the mission more frightening than a conventional confrontation.
• Appearance versus reality: Disguise Arts, hidden identities, and the contrast between outsiders’ myths and locals’ everyday understanding of Witch God Mountain reinforce the uncertainty surrounding the region.
• Tradition and modernization: Many villagers leave the mountains for education and urban opportunities, while people like Yi Xiang return to preserve traditional knowledge and serve their communities.
• Power hidden within the ordinary: Materials viewed as folk remedies may contain otherworldly energy, while seemingly impoverished mountains conceal deadly mists, ancient Gu Arts, and powerful practitioners.
• Risk and sacrifice: Lin knowingly places himself in danger as bait, accepting that the mission may require personal sacrifice.
• Humor amid danger: Lin and Blue Demon’s banter provides comic relief and reveals their familiarity, while also highlighting how they cope with serious threats.

Important Character Interactions

• Blue Demon and Lin debate the mission’s dangers and strategy, ultimately agreeing that she will hide while Lin investigates.
• Their discussion of Lin potentially flirting with Yi Xiang reveals Blue Demon’s possessiveness and her promise to protect Changye’s interests, even while negotiating around her own “bottom line.”
• The taxi driver gives Lin valuable local knowledge about Yi Xiang, the Miao communities, the poisonous mist, and the dangers of entering the inner strongholds.
• Lin’s joking conversation with the driver shows his willingness to treat supernatural threats casually, though the driver’s warnings establish that the danger is very real.

Chapter Summary: “Teaching in the Mountains”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Xiaosu arrives at a remote hotel near Witch God Mountain Primary School in the Miao Borderlands.
• Unlike ordinary Qianlong agents, he checks in under his real identity. This is deliberate: because the Dong Brothers’ massacre occurred six months earlier, Temporal Reversal cannot help him investigate it. He therefore plans to use himself as bait to attract Chu Tiankuo, an enemy likely to react violently to his presence.
• Before beginning the investigation, Lin Xiaosu rests and recovers from his exhausting missions in Gongchun Mountain Outpost. After sleeping through the afternoon, he feels mentally refreshed.
• He meets Hu Die, a volunteer teacher staying at the hotel. Their first interaction is friendly and humorous, centered on the hotel cook’s terrible preparation of expensive wild game.
• Hu Die explains that she became a teacher because her own childhood teacher, Deng, supported her education and medical expenses. Teacher Deng asked her to one day pass that kindness on, inspiring Hu Die to become a volunteer teacher herself.
• Hu Die also cares for Little Moon, an orphaned village child whose parents died in a factory accident and whose grandfather died from grief. Little Moon became attached to Hu Die, calling her “Mom,” so Hu Die decided to raise her.
• During their conversation, Lin Xiaosu subtly asks about the Moon-Spirit Holy Matron, the mysterious young woman associated with Witch God Mountain. Hu Die warns him not to take too much interest, describing the woman’s deep knowledge of witchcraft and Gu Arts and her supposed ability to control poisonous insects and wild beasts with a flute.

Character Developments

• Lin Xiaosu: Demonstrates strategic boldness by exposing his true identity as bait for Chu Tiankuo. He also recognizes the importance of rest and deliberately pauses before acting. His interaction with Hu Die reveals a gentler, more reflective side, especially in his appreciation of her compassion and sense of duty.
• Hu Die: Is established as selfless, resilient, and deeply influenced by gratitude. Though she came from poverty, she became a volunteer teacher to continue Teacher Deng’s legacy. Her decision to care for Little Moon shows that her commitment to helping others extends beyond formal teaching.
• Little Moon: Is portrayed as an affectionate, vulnerable child traumatized by the loss of her family. Her attachment to Hu Die reflects both her need for security and the maternal bond Hu Die has chosen to provide.
• Chu Tiankuo and the Moon-Spirit Holy Matron: Neither appears directly, but both are developed through discussion. Chu Tiankuo is characterized as ruthless and prideful, while the Moon-Spirit Holy Matron is presented as powerful, mysterious, and potentially dangerous.

Significant Themes

• Passing on kindness: Teacher Deng’s generosity inspires Hu Die, who in turn supports her students and raises Little Moon. The chapter emphasizes how compassion can continue across generations.
• Fate and karmic connection: Hu Die believes her meeting with Little Moon reflects fate and Karma, while Lin Xiaosu acknowledges that such connections can bring good into the world.
• Duty versus personal risk: Lin Xiaosu willingly places himself in danger to advance the investigation, using his own identity as bait.
• Rest and renewal: The chapter stresses that physical and mental recovery are essential, especially for someone engaged in demanding investigative work.
• Mystery and hidden power: The remote mountain setting, Witch God traditions, and rumors surrounding the Moon-Spirit Holy Matron introduce an atmosphere of supernatural danger.

Character Interactions

• Lin Xiaosu and Hu Die quickly develop an easy, humorous rapport through their discussion of the hotel’s food.
• Hu Die introduces Lin Xiaosu to Little Moon, guiding the child to greet him politely. Little Moon’s curiosity creates a warm, family-like moment.
• Lin Xiaosu and Hu Die bond over ideas of kindness, teaching, fate, and responsibility.
• Their conversation also serves a strategic purpose: Lin Xiaosu casually questions Hu Die about the Moon-Spirit Holy Matron, gathering information without revealing his true investigative goals.

Summary

Lin Xiaosu lies awake reflecting on the two contrasting images of Yi Xiang, the Moon-Spirit Holy Matron. The taxi driver described her as radiant and saintly, while Hu Die portrayed her as a mysterious, immensely powerful, and dangerous Miao witch skilled in Gu Arts, able to command insects and beasts. Although Hu Die warned him not to pursue Yi Xiang, Lin Xiaosu decides that her danger makes her more important to investigate. He suspects that Yi Xiang may be connected to the destruction of the Dong family, whose members were victims of an unusually powerful Wu-Gu, and notes that both Yi Xiang’s graduation and Chu Tiankuo’s arrival in the Miao Borderlands occurred three years earlier.
The next morning, Lin Xiaosu leaves the outer village and enters the more isolated inner village. He observes the region’s primitive paths and peaceful natural environment, then meets two tea-picking girls who identify Yi Xiang as the Moon-Spirit Holy Matron. They warn him not to enter her family’s courtyard because Yi Xiang’s mother strongly dislikes Han people and might attack him. They direct him toward the mountains, where Yi Xiang is likely gathering herbs.
Lin Xiaosu finds Yi Xiang at the foot of a dangerous, moss-covered cliff. Rather than climbing herself, Yi Xiang directs her white cat, Little Tiger, to collect a flower from the cliff. The cat understands verbal instructions, recognizes directions and colors, and carefully breaks the flower at its stem instead of uprooting it. However, it lands awkwardly on its buttocks after jumping down, prompting Yi Xiang to scold it affectionately and check whether it is hurt. This scene confirms the driver’s claim that Yi Xiang can gather herbs from places ordinary people cannot reach, while also revealing her gentle, humorous relationship with the animal.
Yi Xiang initially denies being a “Holy Matron,” calling herself an ordinary Miao woman, though her fluent Mandarin and university education distinguish her from the villagers. Before Lin Xiaosu can learn more, a village girl arrives urgently to report that Uncle Long Two has fallen, appears seriously injured, and may have been poisoned. Yi Xiang immediately abandons the conversation and races home, where villagers bring the dark-green, barely conscious man to her courtyard for treatment.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Lin Xiaosu: Becomes increasingly determined to approach Yi Xiang despite warnings. His investigation links her to the Dong family tragedy and possibly Chu Tiankuo, suggesting that his journey is moving toward a confrontation or alliance with her.
• Yi Xiang: Is shown as capable, intelligent, secretive, and compassionate. Her control over Little Tiger demonstrates unusual skill, while her concern for the injured villager reveals responsibility toward her community.
• Hu Die: Although absent from the chapter’s main events, her earlier warnings continue to influence Lin Xiaosu and establish Yi Xiang’s dangerous reputation.
• Little Moon: Appears briefly as a lively, happy child whose teacher, Hu Die, has effectively become a maternal figure.
• Tea-picking girls: Help Lin Xiaosu locate Yi Xiang but also caution him about the hostility of Yi Xiang’s mother.
• Yi Xiang and Lin Xiaosu: Their first meeting is interrupted before meaningful information can be exchanged. Yi Xiang remains wary and dismissive of her title, while Lin Xiaosu openly identifies her as the person he seeks.
• Yi Xiang and Little Tiger: Their interaction is affectionate and comic, combining strict commands with genuine concern.

Significant Themes

• Contrasting identities and hidden truths: Yi Xiang is viewed simultaneously as holy, dangerous, powerful, and ordinary, emphasizing the gap between reputation and reality.
• Investigation and fate: Coincidences surrounding Yi Xiang, Chu Tiankuo, and the Dong family suggest that Lin Xiaosu’s path is connected to her.
• Human-nature cooperation: Yi Xiang’s bond with Little Tiger allows her to overcome physical limitations and reflects her unusual relationship with the natural world.
• Community responsibility: Despite her mysterious reputation, Yi Xiang responds immediately to a villager’s poisoning, portraying her as a protector of the Miao community.
• Cultural boundaries and prejudice: Lin Xiaosu’s status as an outsider and Han person creates tension, particularly because of Yi Xiang’s mother’s hostility toward Han people.

Chapter Summary: “White Turtle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yi Xiang is called to treat her injured older brother, referred to as Second Uncle, who fell in Peacock Valley. His swollen leg and waist reveal that he has been afflicted not merely by physical injury but by a deadly poison.
• Yi Xiang summons Xiaowu, an enormous snow-white turtle. Contrary to its species, the turtle moves with incredible speed and leaps onto the stretcher.
• Xiaowu bites Second Uncle’s nose and draws the poison from his body. Lin Xiaosu’s extraordinary vision reveals that the apparent black vapor is actually a swarm of tiny poisonous insects being sucked out through the turtle’s mouth.
• As the poison leaves Second Uncle, his body deflates while the turtle darkens from white to black. Once the treatment is complete, Xiaowu staggers away as if intoxicated.
• During Second Uncle’s violent convulsions, Lin Xiaosu steadies the stretcher and restrains him, preventing further damage to his broken bones.
• Yi Xiang applies a paste made from unusual herbs to Second Uncle’s ribs. He regains consciousness, and Yi Xiang confirms that his poisoning has been cured, though his broken ribs will require time to heal.
• After the villagers carry Second Uncle home, Yi Xiang invites Lin Xiaosu into her courtyard. There, she serves him mountain tea and explains the strange plants and materials surrounding her home.
• Lin Xiaosu examines the courtyard, noticing that its ancient wooden structures repel insects. Yi Xiang explains that the furniture is made from extinct “Sparrow Essence” wood, while the tree in the courtyard is a Snake Tree whose fruit can cure snake venom.

Character Developments

• Yi Xiang is established as a highly skilled healer and the respected “Holy Maiden” of Miao Village. Despite her extraordinary abilities, she dislikes being treated as a sacred or distant figure and insists that she is still the Yi Xiang the villagers have known since childhood.
• Lin Xiaosu demonstrates both courage and curiosity. He willingly drinks Yi Xiang’s tea despite local warnings about Gu poison and jokes flirtatiously with her, showing his fearlessness and helping ease the tension between them.
• Lin Xiaosu’s unusual perception becomes more important: he can see the poisonous insects inside Second Uncle’s body and recognize that Xiaowu possesses abilities far beyond a normal turtle.
• Xiaowu is revealed to be an extraordinary spirit-like creature. Its impossible speed and ability to absorb poison suggest a connection to the mysterious powers of the Miao people and their former Witch God.
• The villagers’ deep respect and gratitude toward Yi Xiang reinforce her importance within the community, though her relationship with them remains personal rather than merely ceremonial.

Significant Themes

• Traditional healing and supernatural medicine: The chapter blends herbal remedies, poisonous insects, magical creatures, and inherited knowledge into a distinctive healing tradition.
• The extraordinary hidden within nature: The turtle, Snake Tree, medicinal plants, and insect-repelling wood all overturn ordinary expectations about animals and the natural world.
• Tradition and identity: Yi Xiang’s discomfort with being called the Holy Maiden reflects the tension between inherited spiritual status and her desire to remain an ordinary person connected to her community.
• Trust versus superstition: Lin Xiaosu deliberately ignores warnings about Yi Xiang’s courtyard and tea, trusting his own judgment and treating the dangers of Miao culture with humor rather than fear.
• The mysteries of the Miao Borderlands: The ancient objects, extinct wood, poisonous creatures, and possible legacy of the Witch God suggest that Yi Xiang’s home contains deeper secrets.

Character Interactions

• Yi Xiang and Second Uncle: Yi Xiang treats him with skill and urgency, while he and his family depend on her as both healer and spiritual protector.
• Yi Xiang and the villagers: The villagers revere her as the Holy Maiden, but she gently rejects the title and maintains a familiar, affectionate relationship with them.
• Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang: Their interaction shifts from cautious cooperation to relaxed conversation. Lin Xiaosu thanks her for revealing her healing method, jokes about drinking her tea, and openly compliments her beauty. Yi Xiang responds with amusement, calling him not quite a good man.
• Lin Xiaosu and Xiaowu: Lin Xiaosu is fascinated and disturbed by the turtle’s bizarre abilities, recognizing that it possesses powers no ordinary turtle should have.
• The chapter ends with Lin Xiaosu noticing that Yi Xiang’s courtyard is full of ancient, possibly supernatural objects and suggesting that they move to a newer bamboo house, hinting at his caution beneath his outward boldness.

Chapter Summary: “The Stubborn Ox Refuses All Advice”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Xiaosu accepts Yi Xiang’s invitation to visit her bamboo building and share a meal. The building overlooks the mountains, river, and tea gardens, creating a peaceful and intimate setting.
• While exploring Yi Xiang’s home, Lin discovers a jar filled with venomous creatures—spiders, centipedes, and snakes—fighting one another. He realizes that Yi Xiang’s family practices Gu arts.
• Yi Xiang explains that Gu cultivation is essentially an ancient form of genetic modification. Like modern technology, it is not inherently evil; its morality depends on how people use it.
• Yi Xiang warns Lin repeatedly not to approach Peacock Valley, describing it as extremely dangerous. Lin agrees not to go, but secretly heads there at sunset.
• Lin enters Peacock Valley at night, deliberately hoping to lure out Chu Tiankuo or another enemy. He visits the golden acacia tree where Qianlong agent No. 196 and the entire Dong family were previously massacred.
• When no assassin appears, Lin investigates the valley’s unusual energy. He discovers that many plants, trees, and fish contain Exotic Energy, suggesting that its source lies somewhere within Peacock Valley.
• A mysterious flute begins playing, and an enormous swarm of venomous insects emerges from the grass. Controlled by the flute, the insects surround and attack Lin.
• Although Lin’s Rejuvenation Technique protects him from ordinary poison, the sheer number of insects forces him to flee. He escapes the valley, but witnesses a peacock being stripped of its feathers, flesh, and skin by the swarm.

Character Developments

• Lin Xiaosu: Remains confident, reckless, and highly resistant to advice. He deliberately enters a forbidden location at the most dangerous time, believing his abilities and awareness of his enemies give him an advantage. His investigation also shows his growing interest in understanding Exotic Energy rather than merely fighting opponents.
• Yi Xiang: Becomes more open and hospitable toward Lin, inviting him to eat and sharing her knowledge of Gu arts. She is intelligent, educated, and thoughtful, offering a rational interpretation of traditions outsiders regard as mysterious. Her concern for Lin’s safety reveals genuine care.
• Chu Tiankuo: Does not appear, but remains a looming threat. Lin expects him to attack and interprets his absence as possible hesitation or fear.
• The unknown Gu master: Is introduced indirectly through the flute and insect swarm. This figure possesses formidable control over poisonous creatures and represents a potentially greater danger than Chu Tiankuo.

Significant Themes

• Technology and morality: Yi Xiang’s comparison between Gu arts and genetic modification challenges the idea that a technique is inherently good or evil. The person using it determines whether it becomes healing or destructive.
• Recklessness versus wisdom: Lin repeatedly ignores Yi Xiang’s warnings, embodying the “stubborn ox” of the title. His confidence helps him confront danger, but also brings him directly into an overwhelming attack.
• Information and preparation: Lin believes that knowing his own abilities—and understanding the weaknesses of his enemies—can offset danger. The chapter emphasizes that battles often depend on what each side knows about the other.
• Nature’s hidden power: Peacock Valley appears beautiful and peaceful, yet its plants, animals, and insects are connected to mysterious Exotic Energy. Beauty and danger coexist beneath the valley’s tranquil surface.
• Human control over living things: The Gu master’s ability to command millions of venomous insects demonstrates the terrifying consequences of manipulating nature.

Character Interactions

• Lin and Yi Xiang develop a relaxed rapport while discussing music, university life, Gu arts, and village traditions.
• Yi Xiang treats Lin warmly and warns him several times about Peacock Valley, but Lin gives her assurances he does not intend to keep.
• Lin’s eventual encounter is not with Chu Tiankuo but with an unseen flute-playing Gu practitioner, turning the valley into a battlefield controlled through sound and poisonous creatures.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Xiaosu confronts a massive swarm of venomous insects in Peacock Valley while hearing mysterious flute music.
• Rather than fleeing or searching directly for the flutist, he uses a pebble to knock down a hidden mechanical flying bug. The insects, attracted by hormones released from the device, follow it and form a huge ball around it.
• Using his Heavenly Insight Eye and Temporal Reversal, Lin Xiaosu traces the mechanical bug’s origin back to the Miao Village.
• The “Ghost Flute Insect Control” is revealed to be a technological deception: the flute music was prerecorded, and the insects were attracted by female ant hormones rather than controlled by supernatural Wu-Gu arts.
• The next morning, Lin Xiaosu visits Yi Xiang again and admits that he stayed overnight in Peacock Valley.
• He also confesses that he lied about being a tourist: he is actually a detective investigating the massacre of seventeen members of the Dong Brothers’ family.
• Lin Xiaosu reveals that Wu-Gu was connected to the massacre and that someone deliberately directed suspicion toward Yi Xiang by associating her with the flute and insect attacks.
• He concludes that the true enemy is attempting to manipulate him and Yi Xiang into fighting each other, allowing the enemy to attack from the shadows and frame Yi Xiang for Lin’s death.

Character Developments

• Lin Xiaosu demonstrates exceptional intelligence, composure, and investigative skill by deciphering the insect attack’s scientific mechanism. His breakthrough gives him the first meaningful lead in the Miao Borderlands case.
• He becomes more honest with Yi Xiang, revealing both his true identity and his investigation, which signals growing trust between them.
• Yi Xiang becomes increasingly emotionally attached to Lin Xiaosu, anxiously watching for his return and feeling relieved when he visits her home. She is also frightened when he reveals that he entered Peacock Valley.
• Yi Xiang is shocked and distressed to learn that she has been framed as a possible Wu-Gu murderer. Her family reputation and her father’s legacy make her especially vulnerable to suspicion.
• Lin Xiaosu openly defends Yi Xiang, explaining that the apparent evidence against her actually convinced him that she was being targeted.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: The apparently supernatural flute and insect-control technique are revealed as carefully designed technological tricks.
• Reason and observation overcoming deception: Lin Xiaosu succeeds by noticing inconsistencies and using his Heavenly Insight Eye to identify the real mechanism behind the attack.
• Manipulation and misdirection: The enemy seeks to create conflict between powerful individuals instead of confronting Lin Xiaosu directly.
• Trust amid suspicion: Despite Yi Xiang’s apparent connection to the attacks, Lin chooses to trust her and shares critical information with her.
• Tradition versus modern science: Ancient Wu-Gu beliefs are used as a disguise for mechanical devices and biological methods.

Character Interactions

• Yi Xiang anxiously welcomes Lin Xiaosu back, while he casually enters her home and accepts the noodles she prepares.
• Lin’s teasing admission that he ignored her warning and stayed in Peacock Valley contrasts with Yi Xiang’s genuine fear for his safety.
• Their conversation shifts from domestic familiarity to serious investigation when Lin reveals his detective identity.
• Yi Xiang worries that Lin suspects her, but he reassures her that the “Ghost Flute” incident actually proves someone is trying to frame her.
• Lin ultimately presents the larger conspiracy: the enemy wants Yi Xiang and Lin to become enemies so that both can be manipulated and one can be killed under false pretenses.

Chapter Summary:

Qianlong Traitor Chu Tiankuo

Key Plot Points and Events

• After deciphering the “Ghost Flute Insect Control” technique, Lin Xiaosu realizes that Chu Tiankuo, the former leader of Qianlong, had known about his arrival in the Miao Borderlands from the beginning.
• Lin deduces Chu’s strategy: manipulate him into attacking Yi Xiang, creating a conflict between two powerful sides. Chu could then assassinate Lin and frame Yi Xiang for the crime.
• Lin explains that Yi Xiang’s strength comes not only from her witchcraft inheritance but also from her allies and the support of the 300,000 people of the Miao Village.
• While walking through the village, Yi Xiang reveals the tragic history of her family:
  • Her older sister fell in love with a Han Chinese painter who abandoned and humiliated her after she became pregnant.
  • Unable to endure the betrayal, her sister committed suicide.
  • Their father wanted revenge, but obeyed her final wish not to seek it. He later burned down her house and destroyed the family’s seven ancestral witchcraft books.
  • Yi Xiang returned to care for her devastated parents. Her father later died in what was supposedly an accident while gathering herbs.
• Yi Xiang and Lin encounter a woman disguised as Yi Xiang’s mother in a mountain shelter.
• Lin immediately recognizes that the woman is not Yi Xiang’s mother but Chu Tiankuo, the “Thousand-Faced Killing God.”
• Chu drops the disguise and confirms his identity, revealing himself as the mastermind behind the destruction of the Dong family.

Character Developments

• Lin Xiaosu demonstrates exceptional deductive ability, recognizing that Chu’s elaborate scheme mirrors his own tactics and uncovering Chu’s disguise.
• Yi Xiang gains a deeper understanding of her position and influence within the Miao Village. She also exposes the emotional wounds caused by her sister’s death, her father’s despair, and her mother’s hatred of Han Chinese.
• Chu Tiankuo is revealed as a highly calculating, powerful, and deceptive former Qianlong leader. His ability to impersonate Yi Xiang’s mother shows the extent of his skill and preparation.
• Yi Xiang’s mother and father are portrayed as people transformed by grief: her mother became hostile toward Han Chinese, while her father lost faith in the value of their ancestral powers after his daughter’s death.

Significant Themes

• Schemes and counter-schemes: Chu attempts to manipulate opposing forces against each other, but Lin recognizes the pattern and turns the trap back on him.
• The meaning of power: Yi Xiang’s influence comes from her homeland, heritage, relationships, and community—not merely personal combat ability.
• Grief and trauma: The family’s behavior is shaped by the sister’s betrayal and suicide, particularly the mother’s hatred and the father’s loss of faith.
• Betrayal and misplaced trust: The sister’s tragic romance mirrors the larger dangers of trusting appearances, a theme reinforced by Chu’s disguise.
• Identity and deception: Chu’s transformation from a seemingly familiar village woman into a terrifying powerhouse emphasizes how appearances can conceal danger.
• Justice versus revenge: The sister’s final request not to seek revenge contrasts with the ongoing violence and manipulation surrounding her family.

Important Character Interactions

• Lin and Yi Xiang discuss Chu’s strategy and Yi Xiang’s hidden strength within the Miao Village.
• Yi Xiang confides in Lin about her sister’s death and her family’s painful history, deepening their mutual understanding.
• Lin encourages Yi Xiang to confront her mother’s prejudice, but their encounter instead exposes the enemy’s deception.
• Lin directly challenges the disguised Chu, forcing him to abandon his impersonation.
• Chu acknowledges Lin’s abilities while revealing himself as the true enemy behind the Dong family massacre.

Chapter Summary: “A White Cat’s Killing Claw”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Xiaosu explains how he identified the disguised Ama as Chu Tiankuo, a wanted Qianlong traitor. He cites three major flaws in Chu’s ghost-flute insect-control scheme:
  1. The mechanical insect used advanced Qianlong technology.
  2. Its control signal had a traceable chain leading back to Yixiang Old House.
  3. Chu had to remain close enough to ambush Lin and Yi Xiang, making him the only plausible culprit.
• Lin also points out Chu’s behavioral habits, especially his hostility toward Han people and his unusual willingness to let Lin enter the courtyard.
• Chu admits that he had impersonated Yi Xiang’s Ama for a year. He also confesses to murdering Yi Xiang’s Apa by pushing him off a cliff.
• Yi Xiang learns that her Ama is still alive, because her Life-Bound Gu remains active. Chu reveals that he has imprisoned her and attempts to force Yi Xiang to choose between killing Lin and saving her mother.
• Lin counters by revealing that he has already located Ama inside a hollow ancient tree. Yi Xiang rushes to rescue her.
• Chu attacks Lin, leading to a fierce battle between the two highly skilled fighters. After more than a hundred exchanges, Chu falls into a disadvantage but escapes toward Yi Xiang in an attempt to take her hostage.
• Just as Chu is about to seize Yi Xiang, her seemingly harmless white cat kills him with a single claw strike to the forehead.
• Blue Demon arrives too late to participate in the battle, witnessing that Chu has been killed by the cat rather than Lin.
• Yi Xiang retrieves her severely weakened mother from the tree hollow. Using a Gu insect and the aid of a white turtle, she removes a parasitic worm from Ama and restores her condition.
• Yi Xiang thanks Lin and asks him to return the next day because she has something important to discuss. Lin returns to the inn and goes to sleep.

Character Developments

• Lin Xiaosu demonstrates his exceptional detective abilities, revealing that he had understood Chu’s identity and plan long before exposing him. He also shows confidence in both his martial ability and his talent for locating missing people.
• Chu Tiankuo is fully exposed as a calculating murderer and master of disguise. His confidence collapses as Lin dismantles his scheme, and his final attempt to use Yi Xiang’s emotions against her fails.
• Yi Xiang experiences devastating revelations about her family: her Apa was murdered, and the person she trusted as her Ama was an impostor. Despite her emotional conflict, she remains determined to save her mother.
• Yi Xiang’s Ama is revealed to have survived imprisonment, though she has been reduced to a frail, skeletal condition and infected with a parasitic worm.
• The white cat undergoes a striking transformation in the characters’ understanding of it. Once treated as an ordinary pet, it reveals terrifying power by killing Chu with one claw.
• Blue Demon is shown to have been secretly observing the operation while disguised as a village girl, though she arrives only after the decisive battle.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus deception: Chu’s year-long impersonation shows how thoroughly appearances can conceal betrayal, while Lin’s investigation gradually exposes the truth.
• Family loyalty and impossible choices: Chu weaponizes Yi Xiang’s love for her mother, forcing her to confront the conflict between justice and the desire to save a loved one.
• The cruelty of hidden violence: Yi Xiang discovers that both her parents’ lives were shaped by murder, imprisonment, and deception.
• Detective reasoning versus technological assumptions: Lin’s success comes from combining observation, logic, knowledge of human habits, and supernatural abilities—not merely from advanced technology.
• The danger of underestimating the seemingly harmless: Chu fails to recognize the white cat as a threat, and this overlooked creature ultimately decides his fate.
• Miao Gu arts and cultural mystery: The Life-Bound Gu, healing insects, and the turtle’s extraction of the parasitic worm emphasize the chapter’s supernatural and culturally rooted elements.

Important Character Interactions

• Lin Xiaosu and Chu Tiankuo: Their confrontation begins as a battle of deduction and develops into a high-level martial duel. Lin exposes Chu’s scheme, while Chu attempts to manipulate Lin and Yi Xiang through threats.
• Chu Tiankuo and Yi Xiang: Chu reveals the murder of her Apa and the imprisonment of her Ama, then tries to exploit Yi Xiang’s filial devotion. His manipulation instead fuels her fury.
• Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang: Lin protects Yi Xiang by finding her mother before Chu can use her as leverage. He later carries Ama to safety and helps restore her.
• Yi Xiang and her Ama: Their reunion is emotional and deeply traumatic, as Yi Xiang finds her mother alive but severely weakened.
• Chu Tiankuo and the white cat: The cat, which Chu once casually touched and underestimated, unexpectedly becomes his executioner.

Chapter Summary

Plot and key events

Under a clear, star-filled sky, Lin Xiaosu confronts Hu Die on the rooftop. He reveals that he has realized she is a Gene Human working for Hydra, not merely a poor village teacher. He explains how her carefully chosen words—especially her repeated use of “I heard”—manipulated him into suspecting Yi Xiang and provoking conflict between them. Her warnings about poisonous insects and Yi Xiang’s flute were part of a deliberate scheme.
Hu Die confirms Lin’s suspicions by referring to Qianlong, information an ordinary teacher should not possess. Believing Lin is without backup, she launches a surprise attack using a poisoned spike hidden on her foot and later blade-like nails. Lin easily counters and restrains her, admitting that he intentionally gave her an opportunity to attack so she would reveal her true intentions.
Their struggle is interrupted when Little Moon enters and sees them on the floor. They awkwardly pretend they are playing a game. After helping Little Moon turn on the television, Hu Die returns to the rooftop and asks Lin to settle the matter elsewhere. Lin refuses to fight immediately, saying that while violence should be hidden from Little Moon, conversation is not cruel.
Hu Die explains that she cannot betray the organization despite hating it. Her loyalty is not enforced by a control chip, but by her desire to protect her missing younger brother, Hu Chi. She reveals that he was taken to an island for genetic modification, and the organization promised she could see him when he turns sixteen. The chapter ends with Lin identifying the operation as the Blood Spear Project.

Character developments

• Lin Xiaosu demonstrates sharp deductive ability, emotional control, and physical superiority. He has moved from suspicion to certainty regarding Hu Die’s identity and manipulation, yet he remains willing to hear her personal history rather than simply condemn her.
• Hu Die is exposed as a highly trained Gene Human and psychological manipulator. However, her deception is shown to coexist with genuine trauma and affection. Her actions are driven less by loyalty to Hydra than by desperation to recover her brother.
• Little Moon provides an innocent interruption that briefly humanizes the confrontation and prevents the scene from becoming openly violent.
• Hu Chi, though absent, becomes central to Hu Die’s motivations and moral conflict.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and the ambiguity of truth: Hu Die mixes accurate information with lies, using phrases such as “I heard” to influence Lin while avoiding responsibility.
• Loyalty versus morality: Hu Die despises the organization but remains trapped by her responsibility to her brother.
• Trauma and lost faith: The murder of Teacher Deng destroys Hu Die’s idealized belief in teachers, leaving her brother as her only emotional anchor.
• Appearance versus reality: The peaceful rooftop setting contrasts with the hidden identities, covert schemes, and lethal abilities of the characters.
• Humanity amid conflict: Lin and Hu Die’s decision not to fight violently in front of Little Moon shows that even enemies retain limits and concerns shaped by compassion.

Character interactions

Lin and Hu Die engage in a tense battle of deduction and psychological pressure. Lin exposes her manipulation, while Hu Die tests whether he is vulnerable enough to kill or escape. Their physical confrontation is interrupted by Little Moon, forcing them to conceal their hostility. Afterward, their relationship shifts from direct combat to a reluctant conversation, with Lin pressing Hu Die to reconsider her allegiance and Hu Die explaining the personal bond that prevents her from betraying Hydra.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Xiaosu confronts Hu Die about her connection to Hydra’s Blood Spear Project, which turns gifted children into living weapons through brutal survival experiments.
• He challenges her faith in Hydra with three questions:
  1. Can her younger brother truly survive the Blood Spear Project?
  2. If he survives, will he still be the same person?
  3. Will Hydra actually honor its promise to return him?
• Hu Die is shaken because she recognizes that Hydra has likely been using her brother as bait to keep her obedient.
• Lin Xiaosu offers her an alternative: he and Qianlong intend to destroy Hydra’s secret bases, giving him a genuine chance of finding her brother.
• Hu Die accuses Lin Xiaosu of using her as well, but he admits it while emphasizing the difference: his goals could truly fulfill hers, whereas Hydra has no reason to release her.
• Lin Xiaosu explains that he is giving her a chance because of Little Moon, whom Hu Die has protected and guided.
• Hu Die realizes that Little Moon is not merely someone she saved; the child has also become her own source of redemption.
• Meanwhile, Liu Qianxun and Li Ziyi flee the Southern Frontier after both of their plans against Lin Xiaosu fail:
  • Their first plan involved using Du Tiange to kill him, but Du Tiange died instead.
  • Their second plan lured Lin Xiaosu into Baili Miao Village, expecting him to die, but he killed the village’s deadly former assassin and survived.
• They reach a major city under new identities. Li Ziyi decides to seek help from a mysterious teacher, whom she claims is far beyond Lin Xiaosu’s abilities.
• The chapter closes with the peaceful morning after the confrontation, while Lin Xiaosu walks through the tea gardens and village life continues as normal.

Character Developments

• Hu Die: Her emotional defenses collapse as she confronts the possibility that Hydra has manipulated her. She begins to consider betraying or abandoning Hydra and recognizes her bond with Little Moon as a path toward redemption.
• Lin Xiaosu: Reveals a more compassionate and strategic side. Though he openly admits he wants to use Hu Die, he offers her a sincere opportunity to achieve her personal goal while helping destroy Hydra.
• Little Moon: Though mostly off-page, she becomes the moral center of the chapter. Her pure affection for Hu Die influences Lin Xiaosu’s judgment and gives Hu Die hope.
• Liu Qianxun and Li Ziyi: Their confidence is damaged by repeated failures. Li Ziyi remains composed but recognizes the seriousness of Lin Xiaosu’s abilities and turns to a powerful teacher for assistance.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation versus genuine opportunity: Hydra uses Hu Die’s brother as an unattainable promise, while Lin Xiaosu offers a goal that could realistically be achieved.
• Redemption: Hu Die may have committed terrible acts, but her relationship with Little Moon suggests she is not beyond saving.
• Identity and transformation: The Blood Spear Project raises the question of whether a child subjected to cruelty can remain the same person.
• Trust and moral ambiguity: Lin Xiaosu does not pretend to be selfless; the difference is that his interests can align with Hu Die’s instead of exploiting her indefinitely.
• Hope amid darkness: Little Moon’s innocence provides emotional salvation for Hu Die and influences others to see her as more than her crimes.
• Chess and strategy: The failed plots and Hu Die’s possible shift in allegiance suggest that the larger conflict is being reshaped by unexpected moves.

Important Character Interactions

• Lin Xiaosu and Hu Die engage in a psychologically intense confrontation, with him dismantling her faith in Hydra and offering a conditional alliance.
• Hu Die’s relationship with Little Moon is portrayed as mutually redemptive: Hu Die saved the child during her darkest moment, while Little Moon gives Hu Die a reason to change.
• Liu Qianxun and Li Ziyi discuss their defeat, revealing the extent of their preparations and their growing concern about Lin Xiaosu.
• Li Ziyi introduces the existence of a formidable teacher, setting up a future threat or confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Gu Arts as Chains”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Xiaosu returns to Yi Xiang’s courtyard to check on her mother, who survived nearly a year trapped in a tree hollow.
• Yi Xiang explains that her mother was preserved by two things:
  • Her Life-Bound Gu, which sustained her life force.
  • A rare forbidden insect called the Corpse-Raising Gu, which kept her in a state between life and death.
• The Corpse-Raising Gu is connected to the massacre of the Dong Brothers’ family and therefore may belong to the second murderer who worked with Chu Tiankuo.
• Yi Xiang reveals that she can stimulate the Gu to return to its master, but the insect is extraordinarily fast and nearly impossible to follow.
• Lin Xiaosu confidently agrees to pursue it, using his Divine/Heavenly Insight Eye to track it even after it disappears into the wilderness.
• To keep up, Lin Xiaosu carries Yi Xiang across mountains and ravines. Their pursuit becomes an unexpectedly intimate experience, causing Yi Xiang considerable embarrassment and awakening romantic feelings.
• Yi Xiang’s powerful white cat, Little Tiger, briefly mistakes Lin Xiaosu’s departure with Yi Xiang for an attack or abduction, but returns home when Yi Xiang commands it.
• The Corpse-Raising Gu leads them to Corpse God Mountain, a feared place associated with forbidden corpse-related Gu arts.
• The chapter ends when they arrive at a grave-filled slope that Yi Xiang recognizes as the Gu family ancestral grounds, suggesting the Gu family may be connected to the revived Corpse Gu lineage.

Character Developments

• Lin Xiaosu demonstrates confidence in his tracking abilities and deepens his investigation into the Dong family massacre. His willingness to carry Yi Xiang also reveals growing closeness and playful romantic chemistry between them.
• Yi Xiang provides crucial knowledge about Life-Bound Gu and the Corpse-Raising Gu. Although initially doubtful that Lin Xiaosu can follow the insect, she becomes increasingly emotionally affected by their physical closeness.
• Yi Xiang’s mother is confirmed to be recovering, thanks to the Life-Bound Gu and the Corpse-Raising Gu.
• Little Tiger, Yi Xiang’s seemingly ordinary white cat, is revealed to be extremely dangerous, capable of terrifying even powerful figures. Its protective instincts toward Yi Xiang are emphasized.
• Little Turtle/Xiaowu accompanies Yi Xiang during the pursuit, adding a familiar and slightly playful presence.

Significant Themes

• Life and death: The Life-Bound Gu and Corpse-Raising Gu blur the boundary between living and dead, introducing the moral and spiritual dangers of interfering with natural death.
• Knowledge and hidden traditions: Qianlong’s records lack important information about Gu arts, showing that ancient or secret lineages remain beyond official investigation.
• Chains of causality: The chapter’s title reflects how one clue leads to another—the mother’s survival points to the Corpse-Raising Gu, which points to its owner, the massacre, and ultimately Corpse God Mountain.
• Forbidden knowledge and legacy: The history of Gu Shan and the destruction of the Corpse Gu lineage suggests that supposedly extinct practices may have survived in secret.
• Trust and intimacy: Yi Xiang must trust Lin Xiaosu to carry her through dangerous terrain, while their pursuit creates romantic tension beneath the urgency of their mission.

Important Character Interactions

• Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang discuss the mechanics and dangers of Life-Bound Gu, establishing a deeper exchange of knowledge.
• Yi Xiang entrusts Lin Xiaosu with the pursuit of the Corpse-Raising Gu, strengthening their cooperation.
• Lin Xiaosu carries Yi Xiang through the mountains, leading to playful teasing and obvious mutual attraction.
• Little Tiger’s aggressive reaction highlights its loyalty to Yi Xiang and adds a humorous obstacle to Lin Xiaosu’s intentions.
• Their arrival at the Gu ancestral grounds shifts the mood from playful intimacy back to mystery and danger, pointing toward the next stage of the investigation.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang locate the central, nearly buried gravestone in the Gu family cemetery. The grave belongs to Gu Shan, the forbidden master of Corpse Gu arts.
• A Corpse-Raising Gu burrows into Gu Shan’s grave, raising the possibility that Gu Shan is not dead but has continued cultivating forbidden arts underground.
• Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang enter the hidden tomb beneath the gravestone and are immediately surrounded by vast numbers of corpse insects and Corpse-Raising Gu.
• Yi Xiang’s turtle, Xiaowu, emits life-giving light that destroys the insects, demonstrating its power to counter death-related Gu arts.
• They reach a blood-red coffin, from which an old, corpse-like man emerges. He reveals himself to be Gu Shan.
• Gu Shan recognizes Yi Xiang as a descendant of the Witch God line and explains his hatred: fifty years earlier, Yi Xiang’s grandfather and the seven great witch schools destroyed the inheritance of Corpse God Mountain.
• Gu Shan attacks with blood snakes, but Lin Xiaosu easily cuts them apart with his dagger.
• Gu Shan then releases his Life-Bound Gu, a powerful green centipede. Lin Xiaosu blocks it, but the centipede wraps around his dagger and threatens him.
• Yi Xiang summons the Witch God Gu: Blood Butterfly, forcing Gu Shan’s Life-Bound Gu back.
• Yi Xiang declares that, under the rules of Life-Bound combat, one Gu must kill the other. She warns Gu Shan that her Blood Butterfly is the superior Life-Bound Gu and urges him to surrender.

2. Character Developments

• Yi Xiang moves from fear and uncertainty to confidence. Though she has mainly used her Gu to heal rather than fight, she proves capable of wielding the legendary Blood Butterfly and directly challenges Gu Shan.
• Lin Xiaosu remains calm, decisive, and protective. He supports Yi Xiang, enters the tomb despite the danger, destroys Gu Shan’s initial attacks, and trusts Yi Xiang to confront the Life-Bound battle.
• Gu Shan is revealed to be alive and still deeply consumed by hatred over the destruction of his school. His reaction to Xiaowu and the Blood Butterfly also shows his fascination with rare, powerful Gu.
• Xiaowu, Yi Xiang’s turtle, is established as an extraordinary artifact capable of transforming life and death and neutralizing corpse-based Gu arts.

3. Significant Themes

• Life versus death: Xiaowu’s vitality directly opposes the corpse insects and Gu Shan’s death-centered techniques, while the Blood Butterfly represents life, transformation, and rebirth.
• The persistence of the past: Gu Shan’s survival preserves old grudges and threatens to revive conflicts believed to have ended fifty years earlier.
• Inheritance and generational hatred: Yi Xiang is targeted not for her own actions, but because of her grandfather’s role in destroying Gu Shan’s lineage.
• Change versus tradition: Gu Shan criticizes Lin Xiaosu for fighting outside the Gu Path, while Lin Xiaosu argues that “the times have changed,” emphasizing the clash between old Gu arts and newer methods.
• Transformation and emergence: Yi Xiang’s Blood Butterfly, emerging from her brow like a butterfly from a cocoon, symbolizes her transition into a true combatant and heir to the Witch God tradition.

4. Character Interactions

• Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang cooperate closely, with Lin Xiaosu protecting her and encouraging them to face the danger together.
• Yi Xiang relies on Xiaowu’s life-giving power, while Lin Xiaosu is astonished by the turtle’s abilities.
• Gu Shan and Yi Xiang confront one another as representatives of two rival inheritances: Corpse God Mountain and the Witch God line.
• Lin Xiaosu exposes the historical motives behind Gu Shan and Chu Tiankuo’s scheme, revealing that both he and Yi Xiang were intended targets.
• The chapter ends with Yi Xiang taking the initiative in the confrontation, placing Gu Shan’s Life-Bound Gu at a decisive disadvantage and setting up the battle’s outcome.

Chapter Summary: Lifebound Blood Butterfly

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gu Shan dismisses Yi Xiang’s threat, arguing that although the Lifebound Blood Butterfly is exceptionally powerful, Yi Xiang lacks the cultivation to control its full strength.
• He activates the Miao Borderlands technique Blood Sacrifice of the Lifebound, using his own blood and nearly a century of cultivation to strengthen his green centipede Lifebound Gu.
• Yi Xiang’s Blood Butterfly battles the centipede. Though she has far less experience, her higher-ranked Gu proves extraordinarily destructive, leaving the supposedly indestructible centipede covered in wounds.
• Gu Shan releases countless Corpse-Raising Gus, the same parasites that had been implanted in Yi Xiang’s mother. The swarm overwhelms the underground tomb.
• Lin Xiaosu attempts to kill Gu Shan by throwing a dagger into his forehead, following the principle that killing a Gu Path practitioner should cause their Gu techniques to collapse. However, Gu Shan survives because his true life force is bound to his Lifebound Gu.
• When the centipede attacks Yi Xiang’s Blood Butterfly, Lin Xiaosu intervenes and allows it to burrow into his arm. He secretly uses the Spatial Secret Realm within his body to draw the centipede inside, where spatial turbulence destroys it.
• The moment the Lifebound Gu dies, Gu Shan and all of his Corpse-Raising Gus die as well. His body collapses, revealing that he had effectively become one with his Lifebound Gu.
• Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang escape the tomb and return to the surface. His injury heals almost instantly, and the graveyard appears untouched, making the battle seem almost unreal.
• Back in Miao Village, Yi Xiang cares for Lin Xiaosu and prepares baths and clean clothes. Lin Xiaosu notices Yi Xiang’s mother lying in bed and encounters Little Tiger, who remains suspicious and defensive toward him.

Character Developments

• Yi Xiang demonstrates courage and growing mastery of the Blood Butterfly, despite having only cultivated the Gu Path for a short time. Her fear for Lin Xiaosu shows how deeply she values and trusts him.
• Lin Xiaosu reveals a new and dangerous application of his Spatial Secret Realm. Rather than confronting Gu Shan’s overwhelming Gu techniques directly, he identifies the Lifebound Gu as the true weakness and sacrifices his own safety to destroy it.
• Gu Shan is exposed as a being sustained by his Lifebound Gu rather than an ordinary living human. His confidence and cruelty ultimately lead to his defeat when Lin Xiaosu discovers the unconventional way to kill him.
• Little Tiger appears protective of its master and wary of Lin Xiaosu, even after the latter saves Yi Xiang.

Significant Themes

• Different paths reaching the same destination: Lin Xiaosu reflects that Genetic Modification, Ancient Martial Arts, and the Gu Path all achieve superhuman results through different methods.
• Unconventional strength and strategy: Lin Xiaosu wins not through superior cultivation or brute force, but by recognizing the special rules governing Gu Shan’s existence and exploiting his Spatial Secret Realm.
• Sacrifice and protection: Lin Xiaosu risks his life to save Yi Xiang’s Blood Butterfly, while Yi Xiang remains primarily concerned with his injuries afterward.
• Life and identity: Gu Shan’s existence blurs the boundary between person and Gu. His true “self” is the Lifebound Gu, making his death dependent on destroying that bond.
• The hidden nature of power: A battle of immense supernatural force occurs beneath an ordinary graveyard, unnoticed by the outside world.

Character Interactions

• Gu Shan taunts Yi Xiang and attempts to seize her Lifebound Blood Butterfly.
• Yi Xiang warns Lin Xiaosu to retreat, but he refuses and attacks Gu Shan directly.
• Lin Xiaosu intercepts the centipede’s attack to protect Yi Xiang, causing her intense fear and emotional distress.
• After the battle, Yi Xiang checks Lin Xiaosu’s hand, and he reassures her that he was never truly injured.
• Lin Xiaosu carries Yi Xiang home when she becomes weak, while she holds Little Tiger.
• At Yi Xiang’s courtyard, both care for each other’s condition, and Lin Xiaosu begins to encounter the more personal side of her family life through her mother and suspicious pet.

Chapter Summary: A Song Flew at Midnight

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Xiaosu tries to enter Yi Xiang’s home but is stopped by Little Tiger, whose loyalty and protectiveness amuse him.
• After Yi Xiang finishes bathing, she tells Lin Xiaosu that her mother is still recovering and will not wake fully until the following day. Yi Xiang washes Lin Xiaosu’s clothes, indirectly suggesting that he may stay another night.
• Lin Xiaosu admires the peaceful scenery of the Miao village while Yi Xiang reflects on how deeply his arrival has disturbed her previously tranquil life.
• That evening, over tea, Yi Xiang explains the origins and unusual abilities of Little Tiger and Xiaowu:
  • She found Xiaowu in Peacock Valley and later discovered Little Tiger traveling with a small turtle.
  • Little Tiger can locate medicinal herbs and manipulate knots.
  • Xiaowu can absorb poisonous vapors and convert them into life-giving energy, helping Yi Xiang save many villagers.
• Lin Xiaosu reveals that he plans to leave the next day. His official mission—eliminating the traitor Chu Tiankuo and the Gu Arts master Gu Shan—has been completed.
• His personal investigation into the strange energy connected to Solomon’s Seal and a possible passage to the Primordial World remains unresolved, forcing him to depart for now.
• When Yi Xiang asks whether he will return, Lin Xiaosu teasingly asks whether she cannot bear to see him leave. Embarrassed, she answers indirectly by singing him a tender song about waiting a thousand years for her dreamlike brother and wondering whether he will remember her.
• Unknown to them, Yi Xiang’s mother has already awakened and silently listens to the song, watching the two figures in the bamboo house with pain, conflict, and deep emotion.
• The next morning, Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang awaken to noises from the kitchen. Yi Xiang realizes her mother has recovered much sooner than expected and is already cooking—meaning she may discover that Yi Xiang and Lin Xiaosu spent the night together in the bamboo house.

Character Developments

• Lin Xiaosu remains playful and flirtatious, but his attraction to Yi Xiang makes him more self-conscious than usual. He also demonstrates restraint and propriety by sleeping on the floor rather than taking advantage of the situation.
• Yi Xiang moves from peaceful healer to emotionally conflicted young woman. Lin Xiaosu’s kindness, strength, and role in restoring her family have awakened romantic feelings she fears may repeat her deceased sister’s tragic experience.
• Yi Xiang’s mother is revealed to have awakened earlier than expected. Her silent observation suggests she understands the emotional relationship developing between Lin Xiaosu and her daughter and feels both pain and conflicted emotion.
• Little Tiger and Xiaowu are established as intelligent, almost mystical animal companions rather than products of Gu Arts. Their abilities reinforce Yi Xiang’s connection to healing and the natural world.

Significant Themes

• Love versus caution: Yi Xiang struggles between her growing affection for Lin Xiaosu and her fear of repeating her sister’s passionate but tragic choice.
• Tradition and propriety: The pair’s decision to sleep on the floor reflects social boundaries, respect, and Lin Xiaosu’s unwillingness to exploit Yi Xiang’s feelings.
• Healing and nature: Yi Xiang’s medical abilities, her animal companions, and the village’s pristine environment emphasize harmony between people and the natural world.
• Departure and longing: Lin Xiaosu’s imminent departure creates a bittersweet atmosphere, while Yi Xiang’s song becomes a poetic confession of affection and fear of being forgotten.
• Family and hidden observation: The mother’s silent presence introduces tension, suggesting that the developing relationship will soon face familial judgment.

Character Interactions

• Lin Xiaosu humorously clashes with Little Tiger while Yi Xiang reassures the animal that he is family.
• Yi Xiang cares for Lin Xiaosu by washing his clothes, preparing food, and sharing the story of her animal companions.
• Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang exchange indirect romantic signals, especially when he teases her about missing him and she responds through song instead of words.
• Yi Xiang’s mother quietly watches and listens to the pair, creating an emotional triangle based on secrecy, concern, and impending confrontation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yi Xiang urgently tries to get Lin Xiaosu away from her home before her mother can serve him breakfast or tea. Although her mother behaves unusually kindly, Yi Xiang refuses the hospitality and insists Lin Xiaosu must leave for his flight.
• As they depart, Lin Xiaosu realizes that the food and tea were likely intended to carry a gu curse. Yi Xiang confirms this indirectly, explaining that her mother’s gentle behavior concealed a firm decision to bind him.
• Yi Xiang explains an important Miao custom: a young woman’s bamboo house is essentially equivalent to her bed. By entering Yi Xiang’s bamboo house several times, Lin Xiaosu unintentionally appeared to her mother to have become Yi Xiang’s romantic partner.
• Her mother’s actions were motivated by fear that Yi Xiang would suffer the same fate as her older sister, who had been abandoned by a cruel man. The mother intended to use gu magic to prevent Lin Xiaosu from leaving.
• Yi Xiang admits that she loves Lin Xiaosu and feels unable to marry anyone else because he is leaving. She confesses her feelings while escorting him along the road.
• At the Miao people’s Husband-Waiting Platform, Yi Xiang describes women who wait for men who once brought meaning and color into their lives. Lin Xiaosu reassures her that he will return, not merely to investigate another case, but specifically to visit Peacock Valley.
• Yi Xiang is delighted, becomes more physically affectionate, and embraces him around the waist as they continue riding.
• Instead of immediately returning, the two spend the day touring Taichong with Little Tiger. They visit a botanical garden, Peacock Garden, and Snack Street.
• They enter Stone Workshop Street, where people gamble on jade-bearing stones. Yi Xiang warns Lin Xiaosu that the practice is dangerous and often fraudulent, but he is intrigued and decides to investigate.
• Lin Xiaosu recognizes the sellers’ stories about sudden wealth as deliberate marketing designed to manipulate tourists. He then uses his Heavenly Insight Eye to examine a rough stone and detect a crack extending deep inside it.

Character Developments

• Yi Xiang becomes more emotionally open. Previously restrained and cautious, she finally confesses her love because Lin Xiaosu’s departure may be her last chance to speak honestly.
• Yi Xiang also demonstrates courage and protectiveness by refusing her mother’s breakfast and tea, despite appearing rude, in order to save Lin Xiaosu from being cursed.
• Lin Xiaosu shows his perceptiveness by recognizing the hidden danger in her mother’s behavior. He also realizes how his ignorance of Miao customs unintentionally created a romantic misunderstanding.
• Lin Xiaosu responds compassionately to Yi Xiang’s confession and promises to return, transforming their relationship from implied affection into an openly acknowledged romantic connection.
• Their physical closeness increases after his promise, with Yi Xiang confidently holding him while riding.
• Lin Xiaosu’s investigative instincts remain active even during their outing. His skepticism toward commercial manipulation and his supernatural perception draw him toward the stone-gambling mystery.

Significant Themes

• Cultural misunderstanding: Lin Xiaosu’s ignorance of Miao customs causes innocent actions—entering Yi Xiang’s bamboo house—to carry serious romantic implications.
• Love and emotional risk: Yi Xiang chooses to confess despite cultural reserve and the possibility of rejection, preferring temporary vulnerability to lifelong regret.
• Protection and sacrifice: Yi Xiang risks appearing cold to protect Lin Xiaosu from her mother’s curse, while her mother’s drastic actions stem from a desire to prevent her daughter from being abandoned.
• Hope versus painful memory: The Husband-Waiting Platform symbolizes both the sorrow of women who wait for unworthy men and the hope that love may still justify taking such a risk.
• Manipulation and greed: The stone vendors exploit dreams of sudden wealth by highlighting rare successes while concealing the many people who lose everything.
• Tradition and modern life: Ancient Miao beliefs and customs coexist with motorcycles, flights, tourism, commercial marketing, and modern investigative methods.

Character Interactions

• Yi Xiang anxiously tries to protect Lin Xiaosu from her mother, while Lin Xiaosu lightly jokes about the possibility of being attacked before recognizing the real danger.
• Yi Xiang’s mother acts warmly toward Lin Xiaosu but covertly intends to curse him, revealing the conflict between hospitality, tradition, and fierce maternal protection.
• Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang discuss the meaning of her bamboo house and the consequences of his earlier visits, leading to his embarrassed realization that her family considers them a couple.
• Yi Xiang openly expresses her love and resentment at his impending departure. Lin Xiaosu answers with a sincere promise to return.
• Their relationship becomes visibly more intimate during the ride and their sightseeing trip.
• At Stone Workshop Street, Yi Xiang acts cautiously and protectively, while Lin Xiaosu remains curious and analytical, setting up the next investigative development.

Chapter Summary: “Little Tiger Caused Trouble”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Xiaosu discovers that the Silver Fish in his Sea of Consciousness has evolved alongside his Heavenly Insight Eye. It can now enter stones and reveal their complete internal structure, allowing him to identify valuable jade hidden inside.
• This ability developed after Lin Xiaosu used it repeatedly to help his companions locate the activation points for Rejuvenation True Qi. It became even more powerful after he destroyed Gu Shan’s Life-Bound Gu.
• While visiting a stone market with Yi Xiang, Little Tiger jumps onto a shelf and knocks down a stone, breaking it.
• The stall owner demands thirty thousand yuan, claiming that the stone had been priced at that amount. Lin Xiaosu recognizes the situation as a likely scam, since the stone appears to have been broken previously, but he pays anyway to settle the dispute.
• Rather than leaving, Lin Xiaosu examines hundreds of stones at the stall and selects three. The owner claims they are worth a total of eighteen thousand yuan, but Lin Xiaosu insists on paying only five thousand. The owner accepts, believing he has profited again.
• Onlookers assume Lin Xiaosu has been cheated twice and criticize his attitude of trying to “recover his losses” through further gambling on stones.
• Lin Xiaosu reveals that he is not gambling blindly. Using his special ability, he identifies one stone as old jadeite with an Ice-Clear Base. Though it contains a Human-Shaped Crack and cannot be used for bracelets, it can produce many valuable pendants and plaques worth more than one hundred thousand yuan.
• To prove his claim, Lin Xiaosu immediately cuts the stone open with a dagger.

Character Developments

• Lin Xiaosu: Demonstrates increasing mastery of his Heavenly Insight Eye and the Silver Fish. He remains calm and confident despite being publicly scammed, deliberately allowing the owner to underestimate him. His apparent stubbornness is actually strategic confidence based on his supernatural ability.
• Yi Xiang: Shows her honesty and sense of responsibility. She is distressed that Little Tiger caused the damage and feels guilty when Lin Xiaosu pays thirty thousand yuan. Her trust in Lin Xiaosu remains strong, and she becomes excited when he says the selected stone can recover their losses.
• Little Tiger: Acts impulsively and mischievously, causing the central conflict by knocking down the stone. Though frightened at first, it becomes alert and aggressive when Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang are threatened.
• The stall owner: Uses the market’s rules to pressure Yi Xiang and Lin Xiaosu into paying an inflated price. He grows increasingly pleased when Lin Xiaosu appears willing to buy more stones, failing to realize that Lin Xiaosu has identified their true value.
• The bystanders: Assume Lin Xiaosu is naïve, wealthy, and being exploited. Their reactions emphasize how convincing the scam appears and how unusual Lin Xiaosu’s confidence seems.

Significant Themes

• Hidden knowledge versus outward appearances: Lin Xiaosu appears to be an inexperienced customer, but his supernatural insight gives him an advantage no one else can perceive.
• Greed and exploitation: The stall owner manipulates market rules and local power dynamics to force an unfair payment.
• Confidence and misjudgment: The crowd mistakes Lin Xiaosu’s calm strategy for foolish stubbornness, while the owner mistakes his generosity for ignorance.
• Risk and gambling: The chapter explores the mindset of stone gambling, especially the dangerous belief that one can recover previous losses. Lin Xiaosu challenges this idea because his choices are based on genuine knowledge rather than chance.
• Responsibility and loyalty: Yi Xiang takes responsibility for Little Tiger’s actions, while Lin Xiaosu protects her from the consequences and handles the confrontation himself.

Character Interactions

• Yi Xiang apologizes to the owner and offers to pay after Little Tiger breaks the stone, while Lin Xiaosu challenges the owner’s suspicious demand.
• Several men support the stall owner and intimidate Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang, prompting Yi Xiang to suggest calling the police.
• Lin Xiaosu pays the thirty thousand yuan, easing the immediate confrontation but making Yi Xiang feel guilty.
• He then deliberately continues doing business with the owner, confusing Yi Xiang, the spectators, and the other merchants.
• Lin Xiaosu reassures Yi Xiang that he can recover their losses and reveals the true value of one selected stone, ending the chapter as he cuts it open to prove his claim.

Chapter Summary: “Toppling the Stall”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After being pressured and overcharged by Boss Zeng and the local vendors, Lin Xiaosu reveals his true strength. He produces a dagger from thin air and cleanly cuts open a jadeite rough stone, frightening the vendors who had previously threatened him.
• The first stone contains high-quality Icy Clear-Base Jade with a distinctive Human-Shaped Crack, exactly as Lin Xiaosu predicted before cutting it. The crowd is astonished by his seemingly supernatural ability to see through the stone.
• Lin Xiaosu sells the jade immediately for 80,000 yuan—the exact amount he spent on the stones and the money Boss Zeng extorted from him—refusing higher offers and ensuring he recovers his costs.
• He accurately predicts that the second stone contains Yellow-and-Green Jade with ice-grade texture and translucency. After cutting it open and proving himself correct, he sells it to the old man for only 100,000 yuan, despite receiving a 200,000-yuan offer.
• Lin Xiaosu refuses to sell the third stone, identifying it as High-Ice Jade with Spring-Band Color suitable for bracelets. He agrees to let the old man process it for free.
• The old man reveals that he is Zhou Xiaoyu, owner of Snow Jade Pavilion, the largest jewelry company in Southern Sichuan. He has been testing or observing Lin Xiaosu’s abilities and offers him assistance.
• The third stone is cut open, revealing flawless, million-yuan jade. Boss Zeng realizes that his stall has produced an incredible fortune for Lin Xiaosu, but his potential customer boom is destroyed when Lin publicly declares that all of Zeng’s remaining stones are worthless.
• Lin Xiaosu leaves with Yi Xiang and Little Tiger, then accepts Zhou Xiaoyu’s invitation to visit Snow Jade Pavilion.
• The chapter ends with the crowd accepting Lin’s judgment completely. Because he is now regarded as a “god of stone gambling,” Boss Zeng’s entire inventory—and effectively his business—is ruined.

Character Developments

• Lin Xiaosu: Demonstrates overwhelming martial ability, extraordinary jade-appraising skills, confidence, generosity, and calculated revenge. Rather than simply confronting Boss Zeng violently, he turns the situation into a public demonstration that recovers his money, earns enormous wealth, and destroys the boss’s reputation and livelihood.
• Yi Xiang: Her earlier frustration disappears as she watches Lin Xiaosu reverse their misfortune. She becomes proud and delighted, viewing him as an extraordinary “brother” unlike anyone else.
• Boss Zeng: Changes from an arrogant, exploitative vendor into a frightened and desperate businessman. His initial excitement over the attention brought to his stall collapses when Lin Xiaosu exposes the rest of his stock as worthless.
• The old man/Zhou Xiaoyu: Reveals himself as a powerful jewelry-industry figure rather than an ordinary customer. He treats Lin Xiaosu with respect, buys his jade, offers processing services, and appears interested in building a relationship with him.
• The surrounding vendors and crowd: Their confidence turns to fear and awe once Lin Xiaosu displays his abilities. The crowd transforms him into a legendary figure, while the vendors recognize that they cannot challenge him physically.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and reversal of power: Lin Xiaosu initially appears submissive, but his restraint conceals overwhelming power. He completely reverses the situation when he chooses to act.
• Justice and unconventional revenge: Instead of merely retaliating against Boss Zeng, Lin exposes the consequences of the boss’s greed in front of everyone. His revenge is strategic, public, and economically devastating.
• Skill versus exploitation: Boss Zeng relies on local status and intimidation, while Lin Xiaosu relies on genuine ability. The chapter contrasts dishonest profiteering with mastery and fair dealing.
• Generosity and integrity: Lin repeatedly sells valuable jade below market price, honoring his stated intention to recover only his costs and helping those who treated him respectfully.
• Reputation and public belief: Once Lin proves his accuracy three times, the crowd accepts his words as unquestionable truth. His reputation becomes powerful enough to determine the fate of an entire market stall.
• Wealth and opportunity: The chapter highlights how quickly knowledge and skill can transform inexpensive rough stones into million-yuan assets, while also showing how public perception controls commercial success.

Important Character Interactions

• Lin Xiaosu and Boss Zeng: Their conflict moves from intimidation and extortion to public humiliation and economic destruction. Lin’s final warning turns the crowd away from Zeng’s stall.
• Lin Xiaosu and Yi Xiang: Lin reassures Yi Xiang after their earlier setback by showing that he has recovered their money. His request to hold Little Tiger adds warmth and playfulness to their relationship.
• Lin Xiaosu and Zhou Xiaoyu: Zhou repeatedly shows respect for Lin’s abilities, buys his jade, offers free processing, and eventually reveals his identity. Their interaction suggests the beginning of a potentially important alliance.
• Lin Xiaosu and the crowd: He deliberately performs in public, using the audience to validate his predictions and amplify the impact of his revenge. The crowd’s astonishment helps establish his legend.
• Lin Xiaosu and Little Tiger: Their brief exchange provides comic relief. Though Little Tiger caused the original trouble, Lin affectionately forgives him and takes him along when leaving.

Chapter Summary: “A Deal at Snow Jade Pavilion”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Lin Xiaosu’s remarkable jade-identification performance, he and Yi Xiang are brought to the luxurious Snow Jade Pavilion south of Taichong.
• Boss Zhou personally receives Lin and asks for his surname and hometown. Lin deliberately gives his full address, allowing Yi Xiang to understand that he wants her brother to know where he can be found.
• Boss Zhou offers Lin a formal consultant position with Snow Jade Pavilion. Lin recognizes that Boss Zhou’s earlier high bid on an inferior piece of jade was intended to establish goodwill and lead to this offer.
• Lin refuses a salaried position because he dislikes obligations and hidden ties. Instead, he agrees to appraise difficult jade for Snow Jade Pavilion through the Phoenix City Detective Agency for 50,000 yuan per assessment.
• The pavilion’s craftsmen finish four high-ice-grade spring-color jade bracelets from the material Lin acquired. Lin is impressed by their beauty. Additional jewelry will be completed later.
• Lin and Yi Xiang leave the pavilion and return to the stone market, where she has parked her motorcycle. Lin plans to travel home that night, so Yi Xiang will not need to make a difficult decision about staying with him.
• Lin gives Yi Xiang one of the valuable bracelets, insisting that she deserves it because she brought him the jade and helped make the discovery possible.
• He places the bracelet on her wrist and compliments her appearance. Yi Xiang then hugs him for the first time, using Little Tiger’s earlier mistake as a playful excuse. Lin eventually embraces her in return.
• Yi Xiang leaves for home on her motorcycle with Little Tiger. Lin watches her disappear into the mountain scenery.
• A mysterious driver offers Lin a direct ride to Phoenix City. Once he enters the car, the driver reveals herself as Blue Demon.
• Blue Demon teases Lin about his apparent romantic involvement with Yi Xiang and accuses him of pretending their relationship is innocent. Lin denies any improper relationship and defends Yi Xiang’s reputation.
• Their banter turns to Blue Demon’s age and appearance. Lin flatters her by saying she looks much younger than thirty, and she jokingly admits that the compliment has influenced her.
• Blue Demon challenges Lin to explain why he promised to return to Yi Xiang. Lin answers that his real objective is Peacock Valley, leaving Blue Demon shocked and curious.

Character Developments

• Lin Xiaosu: Demonstrates sharp judgment, independence, and business insight. He refuses to become tied to Snow Jade Pavilion but creates a profitable arrangement that preserves his freedom. His gift and emotional response toward Yi Xiang reveal genuine affection, though he continues to deny that their relationship is romantic.
• Yi Xiang: Becomes more emotionally open and hopeful about Lin. She recognizes his deliberate disclosure of his hometown as a gesture meant for her and her brother. Receiving the bracelet deeply affects her, and she takes the initiative to hug him, signaling growing intimacy.
• Boss Zhou: Shows respect for Lin’s talent and strategic generosity. He successfully turns their encounter into a valuable long-term business relationship.
• Blue Demon: Appears sharp-tongued, observant, and amused by Lin’s romantic situation. Although she claims she will ignore the matter, her teasing reveals strong curiosity and familiarity with Lin’s personal affairs.

Significant Themes

• Freedom versus obligation: Lin rejects a formal position because he does not want to be controlled by titles, salaries, or favors, choosing a flexible arrangement instead.
• Mutual benefit and strategic trust: Boss Zhou’s goodwill and Lin’s expertise create a partnership that benefits both parties without binding either side too tightly.
• Unspoken affection: Lin and Yi Xiang communicate through indirect gestures—the full address, the bracelet, the hug, and Lin’s promise to return—rather than openly declaring their feelings.
• Appearance versus reality: Lin insists that he and Yi Xiang are innocent despite their obvious intimacy, while Blue Demon humorously exposes the gap between his words and his behavior.
• Value and judgment: The jade business reflects the importance of insight, precision, and avoiding costly mistakes; Lin’s unique ability gives him immense practical value.

Character Interactions

• Lin and Boss Zhou: Engage in a respectful negotiation. Lin identifies the motives behind Boss Zhou’s earlier actions, refuses the formal consultant role, and settles on a per-assessment agreement.
• Lin and Yi Xiang: Share their most emotionally intimate moment so far. Lin gives her a precious bracelet, embraces her, and promises to return; Yi Xiang responds with affection and visible reluctance to part.
• Lin and Blue Demon: Exchange sarcastic, flirtatious, and confrontational banter. Blue Demon mocks Lin’s closeness with Yi Xiang, while Lin deflects her accusations with denials and compliments.
• Lin and Little Tiger: Little Tiger remains a playful link between Lin and Yi Xiang, serving as the humorous justification for both the bracelet and Yi Xiang’s hug.