Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Essence of the Classics”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Wenshao evaluates the classical essay written by Su Ziji and is astonished by its quality. He realizes that Su is not merely seeking the Fang family’s influence but possesses genuine scholarly talent.
• Fang Wenshao compares the students’ performances:
  • Zhang Sheng barely qualifies as an Examination Student.
  • Yu Lü and Fang Xi are expected to pass the examination for Examination Student and may have a chance in the prefectural examination.
  • Su Ziji’s writing is far above the others and is approaching the standard of a Provincial Graduate.
• Fang Wenshao predicts that Su Ziji should pass the prefectural examination unless he encounters unusually bad luck or biased examiners.
• During the banquet, Fang Wenshao shares valuable advice about the prefectural and provincial examinations. The gathering ends with the guests staying overnight at the Fang residence.
• Afterward, Fang Wenshao confesses to his wife that he had initially mistaken Su Ziji for someone seeking influence. He now regrets that his son, Fang Xi, did not befriend Su earlier.
• The next morning, Fang Xi visits Yu Lü and invites him—and indirectly Su Ziji—to stay with the Fang family while preparing for the prefectural examination. Yu Lü recognizes the possible intention behind the invitation and politely declines, explaining that their travel arrangements have already been made and Su may not accept the offer.
• Su Ziji leaves the Fang residence with the others. Fang Xi shows him around Three-Autumn Ferry, a prosperous commercial town dominated by the Fang and Zheng clans, both renowned for their scholarly traditions.
• Su Ziji develops an even better impression of Fang Xi and Fang Wenshao, especially because Fang Wenshao’s experience has helped him rapidly improve his knowledge of the classics.
• Upon reaching the county seat, Fang Xi gives Su Ziji a purse of money, presenting it as repayment for Su’s help and as financial support for his upcoming examination journey.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: His scholarly ability is recognized as genuinely exceptional. Although he feels guilty because his rapid progress comes partly from acquiring Fang Wenshao’s experience, he remains modest and grateful. He also becomes more favorably disposed toward the Fang family.
• Fang Wenshao: His view of Su changes dramatically—from suspicion that Su is opportunistically seeking patronage to admiration for a true scholarly prodigy. He begins to regard Su as someone who could elevate the Fang family’s status.
• Fang Xi: He becomes increasingly warm and proactive toward Su and Yu Lü. His invitation to stay with the Fang family suggests a desire to deepen their relationship, while his gift of money demonstrates gratitude and possible investment in Su’s future.
• Yu Lü: He remains perceptive and cautious. He understands Fang Xi’s motives and avoids committing himself or Su Ziji to an arrangement that might create obligations.
• Fang Zhengshi: She facilitates the gathering by reminding her husband to serve dinner and quietly observes the growing connection between Fang Wenshao and Su.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus patronage: Su Ziji is initially suspected of seeking influence, but his true scholarly ability proves that talent—not merely connections—is driving his advancement.
• The value of experience and mentorship: Fang Wenshao’s accumulated knowledge enables Su to improve rapidly, while Fang’s examination advice provides practical guidance.
• Family prestige and scholarly competition: The Fang family worries about falling behind the Zheng family, whose Presented Scholar gives it greater social standing. Su may represent an opportunity to restore the Fang family’s prominence.
• Reciprocity and social obligations: Fang Xi’s invitation and financial gift show how favors, gratitude, and relationships operate within scholarly and family networks.
• Youthful potential: Su’s age makes his accomplishments especially remarkable, leading Fang Wenshao to believe that his future could extend far beyond the prefectural examination.

Character Interactions

• Fang Wenshao praises Su’s essay and gives him examination advice, creating a stronger mentor-like bond.
• Yu Lü and Zhang Sheng react with surprise to Su’s sudden improvement, confirming how far he has advanced.
• Fang Wenshao and Fang Zhengshi discuss Su’s potential and the missed opportunity of forming a relationship with him earlier.
• Fang Xi invites Yu Lü and Su to stay with his family, but Yu Lü declines tactfully.
• Fang Xi gives Su travel money, strengthening their relationship and suggesting that he hopes to maintain Su’s friendship and support his future success.

Chapter Summary: “Hold Back”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Xi urges Su Ziji to accept ten taels of silver, emphasizing their fathers’ friendship and their own growing relationship. Su accepts without false modesty, recognizing that the money will cover his expenses for the upcoming Prefectural Examination.
• Su Ziji reflects confidently on the examination system. Although corruption exists, he believes talented candidates can still rise through the Imperial Examinations. With his mastery of the Four Books and Five Classics at Level 7, he expects to pass and become a Cultivated Talent.
• Wild Daoist witnesses Fang Xi giving Su money and realizes that Su has gained the protection of the influential Fang Family. He regrets having made Su an enemy and worries that Su’s growing connections will make him difficult to suppress.
• Wild Daoist reports the situation to Zhang Dacuo, explaining that Su is close to Fang Xi and has received several taels of travel money.
• Zhang Dacuo becomes alarmed. He had planned to sabotage Su’s Prefectural Examination by having him injured or disfigured, but the Fang Family’s influence makes such an attack dangerous.
• Wild Daoist advises Zhang Dacuo to withdraw from the conflict. He warns that the Su Family’s ancestral graves conceal something unusual and that Mount Tong Temple should bear responsibility for the trouble it created.
• Zhang reveals that his men already dug up the Su Family’s graves, resulting in the deaths of two of his brothers. Because grave desecration is an unforgivable blood feud, he believes Su will eventually investigate and expose them.
• Rather than retreat, Zhang concludes that Su must be killed. However, he agrees that Mount Tong Temple must share the risk and take action instead of leaving his gang to handle the matter alone.

2. Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Shows a major change from his former life. Instead of rejecting help out of pride, he pragmatically accepts Fang Xi’s gift and plans to repay him later. His confidence in passing the examinations reflects his restored memories and improved abilities.
• Fang Xi: Demonstrates generosity, directness, and loyalty. He treats Su as a genuine friend and acts on his father’s instructions without making the offer overly formal or complicated.
• Wild Daoist/Lu Fengxian: Becomes increasingly cautious and regretful. He recognizes Su’s rising influence and senses that the Su Family’s ancestral graves conceal a dangerous secret. His advice reveals that survival matters more to him than loyalty to Mount Tong Temple.
• Zhang Dacuo: Initially considers retreating because of the Fang Family’s influence, but his fear of being exposed and his involvement in the grave desecration drive him toward a more ruthless decision. He chooses escalation over reconciliation.
• Fang Family: Though largely offstage, the family’s status as a Provincial Graduate household connected to the Zheng Family makes it a powerful source of protection for Su.

3. Significant Themes

• Pragmatism versus pride: Su’s willingness to accept financial help marks his rejection of the rigid pride that harmed him in his former life.
• Power and social connections: The Fang Family’s support instantly changes Su’s position and makes his enemies reconsider attacking him.
• The examination system and merit: Su acknowledges corruption but maintains that genuine talent can still succeed, reinforcing his confidence in his own abilities.
• Consequences of past actions: Zhang’s earlier attack on the Su Family’s ancestral graves has created an irreversible blood feud and now threatens his survival.
• Self-preservation and responsibility: Wild Daoist urges caution, while Zhang’s fear and sunk-cost thinking push him toward further violence.
• Hidden supernatural forces: The strange condition of the Su Family graves suggests that deeper spiritual or metaphysical forces are involved in the conflict.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Fang Xi: Their friendly exchange strengthens their relationship. Fang Xi offers financial assistance, and Su accepts it sincerely while promising repayment.
• Wild Daoist and Su Ziji: Wild Daoist observes Su from a distance and reassesses him as a politically protected figure rather than an isolated scholar.
• Wild Daoist and Zhang Dacuo: Wild Daoist reports Su’s connection to the Fang Family and urges Zhang to abandon the conflict. Zhang listens but ultimately refuses to retreat.
• Zhang Dacuo and Mount Tong Temple: Zhang blames the temple for initiating the trouble and decides it must participate directly, since his gang can no longer bear the danger alone.
• Su Ziji and his enemies: Although Su is not present during the final discussion, his rising prospects and possible success in the examinations force Zhang and Wild Daoist to make urgent decisions about how to deal with him.

Chapter Summary: “Little Girl”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji returns home in an ox cart provided by the Fang family and finds Ye Buhui waiting angrily outside. She has spent nearly an hour looking for him and is upset that he was absent.
• Ye Buhui gives him a meat pie she bought for him and returns the chess manual she borrowed. Her apparent irritation masks genuine concern and affection.
• She invites Su Ziji to her family’s home for a celebratory meal with her father, since Su’s own household has not arranged a celebration for his passing the Examination Student exam. Su accepts and promises to come that afternoon.
• Su returns the chess manuals to his study, reflecting on their sentimental value because they belonged to his deceased father. He also wonders whether Ye Buhui might participate in a chess tournament, which could improve her reputation and marriage prospects.
• On the way to Ye Bookshop, Su encounters the friendly butcher, Boss Zhang, who remembers Su’s father and gives him a piece of braised pig head meat to help strengthen his frail body.
• At the bookshop, Su finds Ye Buhui arguing with Tan An, a young constable. Tan An objects to her frequent association with Su, warning that gossip could damage her marriage prospects.
• Ye Buhui angrily defends her right to choose her own companions and insults Tan An’s interference. Embarrassed when Su witnesses the exchange, she explains what happened after Tan An leaves.
• Su teases Ye Buhui by saying she is still “just a little girl,” despite her growing age and the social expectations surrounding marriage.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Becomes more emotionally considerate toward Ye Buhui, deliberately avoiding the pride and indifference that hurt her in the past. He recognizes her soft-hearted nature and accepts her invitation warmly. His thoughts also show his continuing adjustment to his unfamiliar new life and his reliance on Ye’s family for emotional familiarity.
• Ye Buhui: Reveals strong concern for Su beneath her sharp temper. She brings him food, returns his chess manual carefully, and arranges a family celebration for him. Her fierce defense of their relationship shows her independence, while her embarrassment in front of Su exposes her romantic sensitivity.
• Tan An: Appears possessive and socially concerned about Ye Buhui’s reputation. His warnings suggest either personal interest in her or an overprotective attitude, but his behavior is presented as intrusive and unreasonable.
• Boss Zhang: Demonstrates the warmth and familiarity of the local community. His kindness toward Su is partly motivated by his memories of Su’s father.

Significant Themes

• Affection hidden beneath hostility: Ye Buhui’s anger, threats, and teasing conceal her care for Su, illustrating how emotional concern is expressed indirectly through their banter.
• Community and belonging: Su feels alienated in the unfamiliar world around him, but Ye Buhui’s family and local acquaintances provide him with a sense of warmth and connection.
• Social expectations and marriage: Tan An’s warning highlights the importance of reputation, gender roles, and appropriate relationships for unmarried women.
• Memory and inheritance: Su’s care for his father’s chess manuals reflects his attachment to family memories and the past.
• Personal freedom versus social judgment: Ye Buhui resists Tan An’s attempt to regulate her friendships, asserting her independence against conventional expectations.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui: Their relationship is affectionate and teasing, marked by her fiery temper and his patient amusement. Su increasingly understands and accommodates her feelings.
• Ye Buhui and Tan An: Their confrontation centers on Ye’s freedom to associate with Su. She strongly rejects Tan An’s interference and makes clear that he has no authority over her.
• Su Ziji and Boss Zhang: Their brief encounter emphasizes Su’s connection to his father and the kindness of the local community.
• Su Ziji and Tan An: Although they barely speak, Tan An’s disappointment upon seeing Su reveals the tension surrounding Su’s closeness to Ye Buhui.

Chapter Summary: “Coughing Blood”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji visits Ye Buhui and her father, Ye Weihan, at their bookshop for a celebratory meal. The lavish feast reflects the Ye family’s gratitude and affection toward him.
• Ye Weihan asks Su Ziji to accompany Ye Buhui to the prefectural city for the upcoming grand Chess Path tournament. Buhui, only fourteen, has already qualified, and Ye Weihan believes she must compete now rather than wait another three years.
• The tournament progresses from county-level competitions to the prefectural city, provincial capitals, and eventually the Capital City. Chess is highly respected in this world, and exceptional players may gain fame or even official positions.
• Su Ziji readily agrees to protect and accompany Buhui, seeing the journey as a chance to repay the Ye family for years of support.
• Ye Weihan encourages his daughter to become self-reliant and earn recognition through chess, especially as she approaches adulthood and her hairpin ceremony.
• He offers Su Ziji ten taels for his journey to the Prefectural Examination, but Su Ziji refuses because the Fang Family has already given him travel money. He explains that accepting the Fang Family’s goodwill may help establish a future relationship.
• During the meal, Ye Weihan suddenly suffers a violent coughing fit and coughs blood into a handkerchief. Ye Buhui panics and begins crying.
• Su Ziji remains calm, helps organize Ye Weihan’s care, and rushes to Doctor Zhao’s clinic. Doctor Zhao recognizes the seriousness of the situation and hurries back with him.
• Doctor Zhao identifies Ye Weihan’s illness as consumption, likely tuberculosis, and warns that the blood coughing indicates a grave decline. Su Ziji asks whether Ye Weihan can still recover.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates gratitude, responsibility, and emotional maturity. He accepts the duty of escorting Buhui and immediately acts decisively during the medical crisis. His refusal of Ye Weihan’s money shows sensitivity to the family’s financial hardship and his desire not to exploit their kindness.
• Ye Buhui: Revealed to be a gifted young chess player preparing to enter a major competition. Although usually fierce and proud around Su Ziji, she becomes deeply vulnerable when her father’s illness worsens, showing her strong emotional dependence on him.
• Ye Weihan: Acts as both a supportive father and a benefactor to Su Ziji. Despite his declining health, he focuses on securing Buhui’s future and encouraging her to become capable of supporting herself. His coughing blood exposes how serious his illness has become.
• Doctor Zhao: Establishes himself as a trusted and competent local physician. His immediate response and familiarity with Ye Weihan’s condition emphasize the urgency of the crisis.

Significant Themes

• Gratitude and repayment: Su Ziji’s relationship with the Ye family is shaped by years of support, and he seeks to repay them through protecting Buhui and honoring their trust.
• Family love and sacrifice: Ye Weihan prioritizes his daughter’s future despite his failing health, while Buhui’s panic reveals how deeply she loves and fears losing him.
• Coming of age and independence: Buhui’s chess tournament symbolizes her transition toward adulthood and the need to establish an identity and livelihood of her own.
• Health and mortality: Ye Weihan’s sudden coughing of blood transforms the celebratory meal into a crisis, reminding the characters that their plans may be threatened by illness and limited medical knowledge.
• Social advancement through talent: Chess and the examinations offer paths to reputation, status, and opportunity, particularly for Buhui as one of the few avenues available to women.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui maintain their familiar, slightly combative dynamic, but the tension gives way to cooperation during Ye Weihan’s emergency.
• Ye Weihan treats Su Ziji as a trusted younger family member, entrusting him with Buhui’s safety and offering him financial assistance.
• Ye Weihan and Buhui share a tender but emotionally difficult exchange: he urges her to make something of herself, while she becomes overwhelmed by the thought of losing him.
• Su Ziji and Doctor Zhao work together efficiently, with Su Ziji providing urgency and Doctor Zhao supplying medical knowledge.

Chapter Summary: Chess Player

Key Plot Points and Events

• Doctor Zhao diagnoses Ye Weihan’s illness as advanced and difficult to cure, estimating that he may have only one or two years left even with treatment. He privately urges Su Ziji to persuade Ye Buhui to prepare for the possibility of his death.
• On the way back to Ye Bookshop, Su Ziji spots Constable Tan An watching them. He feels sudden resentment toward Tan, though he knows Tan is not responsible for Ye Weihan’s illness.
• Tan An’s fellow constable mocks his continued pursuit of Ye Buhui, pointing out that she has no interest in him and may prefer Su Ziji, an Examination Student. Tan remains confident that she will eventually marry him.
• At the bookshop, Ye Buhui anxiously waits while Doctor Zhao examines her father. Doctor Zhao gives her a cautiously reassuring explanation, and she calms somewhat, though she senses the seriousness of the illness.
• Su Ziji fetches the medicine. While he is gone, Ye Weihan reflects on his condition and reveals that his family was once wealthy or influential but had their household confiscated. He believes his survival has already been a blessing.
• Ye Weihan reminds Su Ziji of the kindness the Ye family showed the Su family during its own troubles. Su Ziji acknowledges this debt and sincerely promises to repay it.
• Su Ziji leaves so he can study with his classmates and investigate the supernatural mysteries involving ghosts and gods. He also resolves to protect Ye Buhui for as long as he lives.
• At the inn, Su Ziji meets Yu Lü and overhears guests discussing an upcoming prefectural chess competition, which will be held on a pleasure boat. Yu Lü declines to participate, preferring to concentrate on his studies.
• The chapter ends by noting that chess competitions parallel the examination system, progressing from county to prefecture, province, and the Capital City. Su Ziji considers chess a potentially suitable career for Ye Buhui, since women cannot take the Imperial Examinations.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji becomes more emotionally invested in Ye Buhui and her father. His concern goes beyond repaying an old kindness: he openly decides to protect Buhui. He also shows growing jealousy or hostility toward Tan An and continues pursuing both academic advancement and supernatural knowledge.
• Ye Buhui briefly breaks down over her father’s illness but regains composure and returns to caring for him. Her brusque manner toward Su Ziji hides genuine concern, especially when she pushes him to leave so he will not be late for his studies.
• Ye Weihan remains outwardly calm but understands that his illness may be fatal. He reveals more about the Ye family’s fallen status and expresses gratitude toward Su Ziji.
• Tan An is shown to be stubborn and self-confident in his pursuit of Buhui, refusing to accept her rejection. His determination contrasts with her clear lack of interest.
• Yu Lü is established as practical and academically focused, unwilling to spend valuable time on a chess competition.
• Doctor Zhao acts compassionately, softening the truth for Ye Buhui while privately warning Su Ziji of the danger.

Significant Themes

• Illness, mortality, and preparation: Ye Weihan’s worsening condition introduces the possibility of death and forces the characters to confront the fragility of their future.
• Repayment of kindness and loyalty: Su Ziji’s determination to help the Ye family comes from their past support of his family, emphasizing moral debt and gratitude.
• Love and hidden affection: Buhui’s sharp words conceal concern for Su Ziji, while Tan An’s persistent pursuit demonstrates the difference between genuine affection and possessive infatuation.
• Social status and fallen fortunes: The Ye family’s confiscated household and Tan An’s official position highlight the importance of rank, employment, and reputation in society.
• Women’s limited opportunities: Since Ye Buhui cannot pursue the Imperial Examinations, chess is presented as one of the few respectable paths through which she might develop talent and support herself.
• Duty versus personal ambition: Su Ziji balances caring for the Ye family, preparing for examinations, and investigating supernatural matters.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Doctor Zhao: Doctor Zhao entrusts Su Ziji with the grim truth about Ye Weihan’s condition and asks him to prepare Buhui indirectly.
• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui: Their exchange reveals a familiar, teasing relationship. Buhui acts impatient and forceful, but her behavior reflects concern for him and her father.
• Su Ziji and Ye Weihan: They share a sincere conversation about illness, past hardship, and mutual kindness. Ye Weihan urges Su Ziji to prioritize his studies.
• Tan An and the constable: The constable ridicules Tan’s obsession with Buhui, while Tan insists that her rejection is only temporary.
• Su Ziji and Yu Lü: They discuss the chess competition and the relative value of pursuing chess versus focusing on scholarly studies.

Chapter Summary: “Ghosts and Gods”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji visits Yu Lü at an inn, where Zhang Sheng soon returns after going out. Zhang has brought wine, food, and books, turning their intended study gathering into a relaxed drinking and reading session.
• Zhang reads several essays written by his father, including descriptions of Fang City and a scenic hall beside the Wan River. The three scholars discuss the texts and analyze their meaning.
• Su Ziji demonstrates an unexpectedly deep understanding of the essays. Yu Lü recognizes that Su’s interpretations resemble teachings from Yu Lü’s uncle, Fang Wenshao, and is astonished by how quickly Su’s literary ability has advanced.
• Su reflects that his recent studies of the Fang Family’s manuscripts have raised his Four Books and Five Classics progress to Level 6, bringing him close to Level 7. He believes passing the upcoming Prefectural Examination is essential for gaining status and protecting himself from his enemies.
• The conversation turns to whether ghosts and gods truly exist. Yu Lü explains that the sages’ rejection of “strange forces and disordered gods” does not deny Heaven or legitimate divine powers; instead, it condemns improper or heterodox worship.
• Yu Lü and Zhang Sheng reveal that Fang Xi’s recent affliction resembles an earlier disaster suffered by Zhang Yu, a gifted scholar who became mentally impaired after denouncing an illicit deity. The Master of the Prefectural Academy eventually removed the calamity, but Zhang Yu lost his chance at further academic advancement.
• The illicit deity’s temple was later demolished with official support because it had harmed a scholar. Su Ziji realizes that this was the same event he had heard about previously, prompting him to reconsider the nature of the dangers surrounding Fang Xi and his own family.
• Yu Lü urges Su and the others to leave soon for the prefectural city, both to secure lodging and to avoid seasonal illness. Su agrees that they will depart the next day or two.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Shows remarkable intellectual growth, advancing from a mediocre level to nearly Level 7 in his classical studies. He remains modest about his talent but is increasingly confident that he can pass the Prefectural Examination. His questions about ghosts and gods also reveal his growing suspicion that supernatural forces are connected to recent events and threats against him.
• Yu Lü: Continues to act as the serious, practical scholar of the group. He is impressed and somewhat humbled by Su’s rapid progress, acknowledging that Su has surpassed him academically. He also provides cautious, informed explanations about divine retribution and examination-related calamities.
• Zhang Sheng: Appears sociable, carefree, and fond of drinking, but becomes earnest when discussing scholarship. Despite his casual behavior, he wants to keep pace with his friends and is deeply impressed by Su’s abilities. His family connection to Zhang Yu gives him a personal perspective on the dangers of illicit worship.
• Fang Wenshao/Fang Xi: Though absent, Fang Wenshao’s writings and teachings strongly influence the gathering. His literary reputation confirms Su’s progress, while Fang Xi’s supernatural misfortune remains the central mystery behind the discussion.

Significant Themes

• Scholarship as survival and advancement: Su views academic success not merely as personal achievement but as his best route to power, protection, and escape from enemies.
• The supernatural and moral order: The chapter distinguishes between proper reverence for Heaven and dangerous, illegitimate worship. Divine powers appear to operate within a moral and political hierarchy.
• Talent versus effort and instruction: Su’s rapid improvement suggests both exceptional natural ability and the importance of access to great scholars’ writings.
• The dangers of arrogance and defiance: Zhang Yu’s downfall is linked to his youthful pride and aggressive denunciation of a deity, suggesting that intellectual confidence without caution can invite disaster.
• Friendship and scholarly companionship: The three men combine drinking, study, debate, and mutual encouragement. Their friendship provides both emotional support and practical preparation for the examination.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Sheng’s cheerful drinking contrasts with Yu Lü’s seriousness, while Su Ziji comfortably balances both approaches.
• Yu Lü openly praises Su’s interpretations and admits that Su has surpassed him, strengthening their relationship through mutual respect.
• Zhang Sheng reinforces Yu Lü’s assessment, attributing Su’s success to talent and expressing admiration rather than resentment.
• Su questions Yu Lü and Zhang Sheng about supernatural incidents, using their personal knowledge to investigate Fang Xi’s condition and the broader dangers he may face.
• The group ends by agreeing to travel together to the prefectural city, combining their scholarly ambitions with practical companionship.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After speaking with Su Ziji, Yu Lü, and Zhang Sheng, Su Ziji declines Zhang Sheng’s ox cart and walks through the busy streets of Linhua County.
• He senses that someone is following him. Although he cannot identify the watcher, he suspects the person may belong to Boss Zhang’s faction and resolves to remain cautious.
• Su Ziji reflects on his ambitions. He believes that merely becoming a Cultivated Talent will not give him enough power to confront Boss Zhang; he intends to become a Provincial Graduate and eventually destroy the gang leader. He even considers assassinating Boss Zhang if necessary.
• The person watching Su Ziji is revealed to be the Wild Daoist, who is hiding in Shen Family Tavern. The Daoist is deeply intimidated by Su Ziji’s presence and recognizes him as someone who might have become a great ruler in a chaotic era.
• However, the Wild Daoist believes that the current peaceful age has changed the “Mandate of Heaven,” making such ambitions impossible. Since he is already tied to Boss Zhang, he fears retaliation but decides to prepare for possible danger by secretly sending a warning letter.
• The next morning, Su Ziji prepares to leave for the prefectural city and carefully checks his belongings. He is especially focused on memorizing taboo names so he will not repeat his previous mistake during the Prefectural Examination.
• At his door, Su Ziji finds a mysterious drawing warning that Mount Tong Temple will use sorcery to curse him. Although he once dismissed witchcraft as superstition, his recent experiences with ghosts and supernatural forces make him take the threat seriously.
• Su Ziji concludes that securing official status is his highest priority. He plans to hide in the Prefectural Academy after reaching the prefectural city, where he will be safer from Mount Tong Temple and other enemies.
• At Ye Bookshop, Ye Buhui tells her seriously ill father, Ye Weihan, that she will not attend the chess tournament in the prefectural city because his illness has worsened and he has begun coughing blood.
• Ye Weihan argues that she should still go, suggesting he can stay at Zhao Family Clinic while she is away. Their conversation is interrupted when Su Ziji arrives.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Becomes increasingly cautious and politically ambitious. He recognizes that official status is essential for protecting himself and gaining the power to oppose Boss Zhang and Mount Tong Temple. His attitude toward supernatural threats has also changed from skepticism to wary acceptance.
• The Wild Daoist: Reveals himself as perceptive and politically knowledgeable. He views Su Ziji as an unusually formidable figure but feels trapped by his alliance with Boss Zhang. His decision to send a warning shows that he is not entirely loyal to Boss Zhang and is beginning to hedge against future danger.
• Ye Buhui: Demonstrates strong filial devotion, prioritizing her father’s health over her own opportunity to compete in the chess tournament. She is also frustrated and resentful when others minimize the seriousness of his illness.
• Ye Weihan: Despite his worsening condition, he remains concerned about his daughter’s future and urges her not to sacrifice her opportunity for his sake. His physical weakness contrasts with his determination and concern for her.
• Boss Zhang and Mount Tong Temple: Though they do not appear directly, both are established as continuing threats to Su Ziji.

Significant Themes

• Power and official legitimacy: Su Ziji sees academic success and government status as the safest path to power, protection, and revenge.
• The supernatural versus rational thought: Su Ziji’s growing belief in ghosts and sorcery shows how his understanding of the world is changing.
• Fate and the Mandate of Heaven: The Wild Daoist reflects on how the peaceful era limits the rise of ambitious, warlord-like figures.
• Loyalty and self-preservation: The Wild Daoist’s secret warning reveals the conflict between serving Boss Zhang and protecting himself from the consequences of Boss Zhang’s actions.
• Family duty and personal ambition: Ye Buhui’s decision to remain with her father contrasts with Ye Weihan’s insistence that she pursue her own future.
• Hidden threats and surveillance: Su Ziji is watched in secret, while the warning letter suggests that unseen factions are actively plotting against him.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and the Wild Daoist: Their brief, indirect encounter is psychologically significant. Su Ziji senses he is being watched, while the Wild Daoist is frightened by Su Ziji’s imposing presence and secretly warns him.
• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui: Su Ziji arrives at the bookshop just as Ye Buhui is upset about her father’s condition. She gives him a displeased glare, likely because his arrival interrupts the tense family discussion.
• Ye Buhui and Ye Weihan: Their exchange highlights their mutual affection. Ye Buhui wants to care for her father, while Ye Weihan tries to prevent his illness from limiting her opportunities.
• The Wild Daoist and Boss Zhang: Though Boss Zhang is absent, the Daoist’s thoughts show that their relationship is coercive and dangerous. He feels bound to Boss Zhang but is already preparing to protect himself from him.

Chapter Summary: “A Slip of the Tongue”

Plot Points and Events

• Ye Weihan explains to Su Ziji why he wants his daughter, Ye Buhui, to accompany Su Ziji to the prefectural city and enter the chess tournament. His illness is worsening, and he fears Buhui will soon have few opportunities left before marriage.
• He hopes she can earn the title of “chess player,” which would give her skills, status, and a form of financial security. Since the family cannot provide a substantial dowry, her chess ability could protect her if her future marriage failed.
• Ye Buhui overhears part of this discussion and is deeply saddened. Su Ziji encourages her to participate, assuring her that her father is not in immediate danger and would be heartened by her success.
• Su Ziji arranges for Ye Weihan to stay at Doctor Zhao’s clinic, where he can receive regular care while the young people travel.
• Ye Buhui prepares for the journey, changing into practical travel clothes. Su Ziji briefly notices her changed appearance and is embarrassed by his own reaction.
• As they leave the struggling Ye Bookshop, Buhui questions whether she is useless because she is her father’s only daughter and cannot help preserve the family business. Su Ziji explains that the shop’s decline is due to changing economic conditions rather than her failure.
• Buhui considers praying at Mount Tong Temple or Three Mountains Temple for her father’s recovery. Su Ziji warns her that Three Mountains Temple is associated with forbidden and dangerous worship.
• In an unguarded moment, Su Ziji tells her that she could theoretically cultivate into an immortal or god and save her family herself. Buhui takes the idea seriously, while Su Ziji realizes he may have said something dangerously provocative in a world where supernatural beings exist.
• At the inn, they meet Yu Lü, who has arranged transport by ox cart and boat. The group plans to travel upriver directly to Coiling Dragon Lake, where the prefectural chess tournament is being held.

Character Development

• Ye Weihan is shown as practical, loving, and deeply concerned about his daughter’s future. Even while ill, he focuses on giving Buhui independence and protection in a society where marriage and dowry determine a woman’s security.
• Ye Buhui moves from resistance and grief toward accepting responsibility. She feels guilty about her inability to help her father and still views herself through the limitations placed on daughters, but her interest in cultivation suggests a growing sense of possibility and ambition.
• Su Ziji demonstrates compassion and sound judgment by supporting both Ye Weihan’s medical care and Buhui’s tournament opportunity. However, his careless statement about becoming an immortal reveals that his old-life knowledge and personality sometimes override his caution.
• Yu Lü appears reliable and considerate, taking responsibility for the group’s travel arrangements and treating Buhui warmly.

Significant Themes

• Women’s security and social expectations: The discussion of dowry, marriage, and the chess title shows how women needed independent resources or status to protect themselves.
• Parental love and sacrifice: Ye Weihan’s plan is motivated by his fear of leaving Buhui vulnerable after his death.
• Gender inequality: Buhui believes she could have supported the family if she had been born a son, reflecting the restrictions placed on daughters.
• Changing times and economic decline: Su Ziji explains that the bookshop’s problems result from increased competition and a changing economy, not personal incompetence.
• Faith versus practical action: Buhui seeks divine help for her father, while Su Ziji urges caution and emphasizes ability and self-reliance.
• The danger of careless speech: The chapter’s title refers to Su Ziji’s accidental suggestion that Buhui might become an immortal, a statement that could attract supernatural consequences.

Character Interactions

• Ye Weihan and Su Ziji: Ye Weihan entrusts Su Ziji with Buhui’s future, while Su Ziji respects his reasoning and agrees to help.
• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui: Their relationship becomes more emotionally open. Su Ziji comforts her insecurity, encourages her participation in the tournament, and inadvertently awakens her interest in cultivation.
• Ye Buhui and her father: Though their private conversation is not shown, Buhui’s tears and changed attitude indicate that she is affected by his concern and sacrifices.
• Su Ziji and Yu Lü: Their interaction is cooperative and practical, with Yu Lü providing the logistical support needed for the journey.
• Yu Lü and Ye Buhui: Yu Lü immediately treats her like a younger sister, helping establish a welcoming atmosphere for her first major journey away from home.

Chapter Summary: “Encounter Again”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji, Ye Buhui, Yu Lü, and their bookboy travel by hired boat toward the prefectural city, where Su will take the Prefectural Examination and Ye Buhui will participate in the chess tournament.
• During the journey, Su visits Ye Buhui’s cabin and finds her deeply absorbed in a chess position derived from the Yu family’s chess manual. She criticizes him for recognizing the position without properly studying the manual.
• Su and Ye exchange awkward but increasingly familiar concern: Ye asks whether he is well, while Su advises her to rest during the long voyage. Their interaction ends with playful irritation when Su ruffles her hair and leaves her shouting after him.
• Su studies on the boat and gains experience through his mysterious system, moving closer to leveling up.
• Later, he hears qin music coming from a strange pleasure boat concealed in suddenly appearing fog. Suspecting a supernatural encounter, he watches cautiously.
• Su overhears Hu Xiyan and her Third Aunt discussing a mysterious “Heavenly Secret” they are trying to locate, possibly a fated person connected to a rosewood pendant.
• Su and Hu Xiyan recognize each other across the fog. Their second accidental meeting leaves both unsettled, though they cannot speak directly before the pleasure boat rapidly disappears.
• Third Aunt Hu explains that Coiling Dragon Lake was once the hidden residence of a dragon lord and that the upcoming chess tournament may help them find the person they seek.
• After the fog vanishes, Su confirms that neither boatman witnessed anything unusual, suggesting that only he perceived the supernatural boat and conversation.
• Su briefly wonders whether his system allows him to perceive things beyond ordinary human senses, but he sets the mystery aside to focus on the examination, Ye’s tournament, and earning the title of Cultivated Talent.
• The party enters Coiling Dragon Lake and sees the brightly lit “Chess Fleet,” seven pleasure boats linked together for the tournament.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Becomes more protective of Ye Buhui and shows growing curiosity about supernatural phenomena and Hu Xiyan. He remains cautious, practical, and focused on his larger goals despite his interest in the strange encounter. His system continues granting experience through reading.
• Ye Buhui: Reveals her intense dedication to chess and her sharp, irritable personality. At the same time, she shows concern for Su Ziji, suggesting that she is gradually becoming more comfortable with him.
• Hu Xiyan: Is visibly shaken by encountering Su again and wonders whether he may be connected to her fate or “ill-fated bond.” She remains outwardly composed while secretly examining the significance of their repeated meetings.
• Third Aunt Hu: Acts as Hu Xiyan’s knowledgeable guide, explaining the supernatural history of Coiling Dragon Lake and emphasizing the importance of finding their mysterious destined person.
• Yu Lü: Suffers mild seasickness but otherwise remains a quiet companion during the journey.

Significant Themes

• Fate and recurring encounters: Su and Hu Xiyan meet again by chance, raising questions about destiny, tribulation, and whether their connection is supernatural.
• The hidden supernatural world: The fog, pleasure boat, dragon legend, Heavenly Secret, and rosewood pendant reinforce that extraordinary beings and forces exist beneath ordinary life.
• Duty versus curiosity: Su is intrigued by Hu Xiyan and the strange boat but deliberately prioritizes the examination and Ye Buhui’s tournament.
• Talent and cultivation through learning: Chess, reading, examinations, and Su’s experience system all emphasize the value of study and mastery.
• Protection and responsibility: Su’s promise to prevent Ye Buhui from being bullied reflects his growing sense of responsibility toward her.

Character Interactions

• Su and Ye argue over chess, exchange concern about one another’s health, and develop a teasing, familiar dynamic.
• Su’s affectionate gesture of patting Ye’s head provokes her exaggerated anger, showing their increasing ease with one another.
• Su and Hu Xiyan share a silent but emotionally charged recognition across the fog, while their companions remain unaware.
• Hu Xiyan and Third Aunt discuss the search for a fated person and the ancient dragon lord associated with Coiling Dragon Lake.
• Su questions the boatmen about the strange encounter, but their denial confirms that the supernatural event was visible only to him.

Chapter Summary: “Chess Tournament”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui arrive by boat at a lavish pleasure barge hosting a seven-day chess tournament. The tournament includes four days of preliminary matches, followed by two later rounds and a final banquet.
• Ye Buhui registers as the chess player, while Su Ziji is listed as her unrelated companion. She confidently climbs aboard the barge without assistance, briefly teasing Su Ziji by offering to pull him up.
• Manager Hu, one of the barge’s organizers, guides them to the competition area. He shows unusual interest in Su Ziji and probes him with indirect questions, arousing Su Ziji’s suspicion.
• Su Ziji notices a smaller pleasure barge carrying the mysterious young woman he previously encountered in the mist. She also recognizes him, viewing their repeated meetings as an inescapable “cursed fate.”
• Ye Buhui becomes jealous and irritated when she sees Su Ziji watching the young woman. She pinches him and accuses him of having suspicious thoughts, while also interrupting Manager Hu’s questioning by drawing Su Ziji into conversation.
• In the competition cabin, the other contestants initially assume Su Ziji is the player. They are surprised and dismissive when they discover that the actual contestant is Ye Buhui, a girl not yet fifteen.
• Ye Buhui silently vows to defeat those who look down on her.
• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui meet Zhang Modong, a well-regarded young chess player and Cultivated Talent. His respectful attitude toward them attracts others and helps establish Su Ziji’s social standing.
• When another contestant criticizes Su Ziji for accompanying Ye Buhui instead of concentrating on the upcoming Prefectural Examination, Su Ziji cleverly turns the criticism back on him. He points out that the man is not even a Cultivated Talent and advises him to focus on his own studies.
• The chapter ends with Su Ziji hearing a mysterious young girl’s soft laughter. No one else appears to notice it, suggesting a potentially supernatural or hidden presence.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Remains observant, composed, and quick-witted. He notices Manager Hu’s suspicious behavior and avoids revealing too much. He also demonstrates social confidence and verbal sharpness by humiliating the meddling contestant without losing his calm.
• Ye Buhui: Shows independence and confidence by climbing onto the barge herself. Although easily irritated and outwardly childish, she is perceptive enough to notice Manager Hu’s probing. Her jealousy toward Su Ziji’s attention to another girl reveals growing emotional attachment, while her pride in Su Ziji suggests she sees them as allies.
• Manager Hu: Appears courteous and ordinary but behaves suspiciously, focusing more on Su Ziji than on Ye Buhui, the registered chess player. His hidden interest implies that he may know or suspect something about Su Ziji.
• The mysterious green-cloaked girl: Her repeated encounters with Su Ziji trouble her, and she considers their connection an ominous fate. She is also involved in a separate task: inspecting the pleasure barges.
• Zhang Modong: Introduced as a polite, respected, and socially influential chess player. He treats Su Ziji and Ye Buhui courteously and becomes more welcoming after learning of Su Ziji’s academic achievements.
• The unnamed critic: Represents the arrogance and insecurity of people who judge others while failing to meet their own standards. He is silenced by Su Ziji’s pointed rebuttal.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus ability: The other contestants judge Ye Buhui by her youth and gender, underestimating her before seeing her actual chess skill.
• Hidden motives and suspicion: Manager Hu’s probing, the mysterious girl’s repeated appearances, and the unexplained laughter create an atmosphere of concealed agendas and possible supernatural intrigue.
• Pride and recognition: Ye Buhui’s determination to defeat those who belittle her reflects her desire to prove herself. Su Ziji’s academic reputation also shapes how others treat him.
• Jealousy and emotional attachment: Ye Buhui’s irritation at Su Ziji watching another girl hints at feelings she does not fully understand.
• Self-discipline and hypocrisy: The argument over the Prefectural Examination contrasts genuine responsibility with the critic’s hypocritical tendency to lecture others while neglecting his own shortcomings.
• Social status and scholarly culture: The gathering reveals the importance of examination ranks, family background, and reputation among scholars and chess players.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui: Their relationship is playful but increasingly affectionate. She teases, pinches, and argues with him, while he patiently tolerates her moods and quietly looks after her.
• Su Ziji and Manager Hu: Manager Hu subtly investigates Su Ziji, but Su Ziji responds cautiously and gives evasive answers, establishing mutual suspicion.
• Su Ziji and the green-cloaked girl: They recognize one another from their previous encounter, and their repeated meetings deepen the sense of a mysterious connection.
• Ye Buhui and the other contestants: Their dismissive reactions provoke her competitive spirit, though she restrains herself publicly.
• Su Ziji and Zhang Modong: Zhang’s courtesy and Su Ziji’s scholarly background lead to a respectful and potentially useful acquaintance.
• Su Ziji and the unnamed critic: Su Ziji defeats the critic in conversation by exposing the contradiction between his advice to others and his own lack of achievement.
• Su Ziji and the unseen laughing girl: The final unexplained laugh introduces a new mystery and suggests that someone—or something—may be observing the gathering.

Chapter Summary: Underground Secret Chamber

Key Plot Points and Events

• A middle-aged organizer announces the beginning of the chess tournament and reminds participants that bets must be placed before the matches start.
• Su Ziji decides to wager all five taels of silver he possesses on Ye Buhui, despite her inability to stop him. He then returns to silently study from a book rather than watching the board.
• Ye Buhui becomes determined to win, while Hu Xiyan observes Su Ziji with amusement and suspicion. She wonders whether his confidence reflects unusual destiny or simple foolishness.
• Hu Xiyan’s maid suggests that Su Ziji might be the person connected to Hu Xiyan’s mysterious fate and the Rosewood Pendant. Hu Xiyan rejects the idea because the pendant has shown no reaction, though she remains troubled by her inability to locate the heavenly secret supposedly hidden in Linhua County.
• The chapter shifts to Mount Tong Temple, where Zhang Dacuo secretly enters an underground chamber to meet Daoist Shen.
• Zhang explains that he failed to capture Su Ziji. Although Su Ziji’s previous patrons have left, he has gained the protection of Provincial Graduate Fang and the powerful Fang Family of Three-Autumn Ferry, making an attack too dangerous.
• Daoist Shen realizes that Su Ziji is likely the person he has been searching for. He believes the fortune or power once associated with Su Ziji’s grave has entered Su Ziji himself and intends to seize it for a larger plan.
• Shen accepts Zhang’s explanation, allowing Zhang to relax, though the sinister atmosphere of the underground chamber reveals that Shen’s plans are far from harmless.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates confidence—or recklessness—by betting all his money on Ye Buhui. His calm return to studying suggests discipline and composure despite the high stakes surrounding him.
• Ye Buhui: Becomes more serious and determined, seeing the tournament as an important opportunity to prove herself. Su Ziji’s bet also implicitly gives her emotional support.
• Hu Xiyan: Continues investigating Su Ziji and the hidden destiny in Linhua County. Though she dismisses the possibility that he is her fated partner, she is clearly intrigued and increasingly unsettled by the mystery surrounding him.
• Zhang Dacuo: Appears powerful but is intimidated by Daoist Shen and the underground chamber. He is cautious, practical, and eager to avoid blame after failing to eliminate Su Ziji.
• Daoist Shen: Reveals himself as a manipulative and potentially evil figure. He is now convinced that Su Ziji possesses the fortune he seeks and becomes more determined to capture him.

Significant Themes

• Fate and hidden destiny: Hu Xiyan’s search for the heavenly secret and the Rosewood Pendant’s lack of reaction suggest that fate may be operating in unexpected ways.
• Fortune and power: Su Ziji’s apparent transformation from a doomed figure into someone protected by influential families hints that fortune has shifted toward him.
• Risk and confidence: Su Ziji’s all-or-nothing bet contrasts with Zhang Dacuo’s cautious calculations, raising questions about whether Su’s actions are foolish or guided by extraordinary confidence.
• Hidden evil beneath appearances: Mount Tong Temple appears peaceful and welcoming to worshippers, but beneath it lies a frightening secret chamber and Shen Cheng’s sinister cultivation or conspiracy.
• Protection and political influence: Su Ziji’s connections with the Fang Family make him difficult to attack, showing how social status and powerful alliances can determine survival.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji ignores Ye Buhui’s attempt to stop him and bets on her, creating a mixture of annoyance and encouragement between them.
• Hu Xiyan and her maid discuss whether Su Ziji is connected to Hu Xiyan’s fate, revealing Hu Xiyan’s growing interest in him.
• Zhang Dacuo reports to Daoist Shen and tries to justify his failure, while Shen interrogates him about Su Ziji’s new protection.
• Shen’s response confirms that Su Ziji has become the central target of his plans, establishing a dangerous conflict between them.

Chapter Summary: “Blood Fiend Break”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Cheng demands that Zhang Dacuo return the money he received for a failed task. Believing Shen Cheng intends to settle the matter peacefully, Zhang brings the payment back in banknotes.
• Sensing danger, Zhang refuses to approach Shen directly and leaves the money on the ground. Shen reveals that he has lured Zhang into a trap and prevents him from escaping.
• Shen activates a sinister technique that burrows into Zhang’s mind, causing overwhelming pain and taking control of his body. Zhang is forced to enter a hidden stone chamber.
• Inside, eighteen people—including Zhang—are assembled on an altar. Shen explains that Zhang carries remnants of “Dragon Aura,” inherited from the fallen Great Wei dynasty’s lingering fate.
• Shen claims this aura once helped Zhang survive the destruction of the Flying Fish Gang and later enabled him to become a county gang leader. He now intends to use Zhang and the other sacrifices to break Su Ziji’s fate.
• Shen performs a blood-sacrifice ritual. The eighteen victims are compelled to “volunteer,” and their combined blood essence forms a deadly blood-red arrow that is launched toward its target.
• At Coiling Dragon Lake, Hu Xiyan and her younger relative Hu Shijiu are aboard a painted pleasure boat. Hu Xiyan is already troubled by events surrounding the Rosewood Pendant and her search for the person connected to it.
• The blood arrow suddenly strikes the boat. Hu Xiyan is unable to defend herself in time, suffers a severe backlash, and coughs up blood as the vessel begins to sink.

Character Developments

• Shen Cheng is revealed as ruthless, calculating, and deeply knowledgeable about fate, dynastic destiny, and sacrificial magic. His apparent willingness to accept failure is merely a deception intended to capture Zhang.
• Zhang Dacuo demonstrates caution by sensing Shen’s murderous intent, but he is ultimately powerless against Shen’s mind-control technique. His hidden connection to the remnants of Great Wei’s “dragon and snake” fate gives him greater supernatural significance.
• Hu Xiyan is shown to be connected to the Rosewood Pendant and to be searching for a destined person. Despite her strength, she is caught off guard by Shen’s attack and seriously injured.
• Hu Shijiu, a young fox spirit and Hu Xiyan’s relative, displays a playful, childish personality. She can transform between human and fox-spirit forms but lacks Hu Xiyan’s maturity and seductive cultivation.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and deception: Shen disguises murder as a financial settlement, exploiting Zhang’s assumptions about their previous dealings.
• Fate and inherited destiny: Zhang’s survival, status, and power are linked to residual Dragon Aura from Great Wei, suggesting that fallen dynasties continue to influence the present.
• Sacrifice and coercion: Shen’s ritual depends on people being forced into “willing” sacrifice, exposing the hypocrisy behind his claim to follow Heaven’s Mandate.
• Old powers in a changing world: Former dragons and snakes have lost their chance to rise and now survive in diminished forms, such as gang leaders or obscure supernatural figures.
• Conflict between fate and free will: Shen seeks to manipulate or destroy Su Ziji’s destiny, while the victims of his ritual are stripped of all control over their own bodies.

Character Interactions

• Shen and Zhang’s former business relationship collapses when Shen manipulates Zhang and uses him as a sacrifice.
• Shen dominates Zhang through supernatural control, turning him from a wary negotiator into an unwilling participant in the ritual.
• Hu Xiyan and Hu Shijiu share a familial, affectionate relationship. Hu Shijiu’s childish appetite and questions contrast with Hu Xiyan’s secretive concerns.
• The blood arrow links Shen’s ritual directly to Hu Xiyan, shifting the chapter from Zhang’s capture to the immediate threat against the Fox Tribe and the Rosewood Pendant’s mystery.

Chapter Summary: “Demon Court”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Xiyan awakens in a magnificent palace protected by half of the Rosewood Pendant. The palace is filled with intense spiritual energy, jade architecture, dragon carvings, and flourishing spirit plants, leading her to suspect that she has entered the legendary Dragon Palace.
• A Shell Maiden identifies Hu Xiyan as a fox demon of the Hu Family and orders her to help serve the guests at a banquet. Hu Xiyan is shocked that the Shell Maiden has transformed so completely that no trace of her original shell-like form remains.
• As she is led through the palace, Hu Xiyan encounters numerous demons from both aquatic and terrestrial races. Many are powerful Great Demons, and all move openly through the palace in an organized society.
• The palace’s courtly structure and the demons’ standardized official robes convince Hu Xiyan that this is essentially the ancient Demon Court restored to its former glory. She even recognizes the legendary Dragon-whiskered Tiger, once a high minister of the old Demon Court.
• A chess tournament is announced. Hu Xiyan discovers that the human chess players from the painted pleasure boat—including the young scholar she had noticed before—have also been brought to the palace. She wonders whether the Demon Court has deliberately abducted them and whether it intends to defy the human imperial court.
• The narrative shifts to Su Ziji, who awakens to find himself and the other passengers from the boat inside the same palace. He is confused, unsure whether the palace is real or a dream.
• When someone cries out after recognizing the demons, the Great Demons in the upper hall turn their attention toward the humans, raising the immediate threat of confrontation.

Character Developments

• Hu Xiyan: Her initial confusion develops into profound shock and anxiety as she realizes the palace contains a flourishing, highly organized demon civilization thought to have vanished centuries ago. Her knowledge of demon history allows her to recognize the significance of the Dragon Palace-like setting, the Great Demons, and the Dragon-whiskered Tiger.
• Su Ziji: He is introduced as one of the transported human chess players. Though bewildered and frightened, he finds some reassurance in Ye Buhui’s presence when she clutches his hand. His perspective confirms that the humans were forcibly brought to the palace.
• Shell Maiden: She appears to be a trusted palace attendant with enough status to direct other demons. Her complete transformation and familiarity with the court reinforce the mystery surrounding the palace.
• The Great Demons: They are portrayed not as isolated monsters but as members of a sophisticated hierarchy, complete with ranks, official clothing, rituals, and political organization.

Significant Themes

• The return of a lost golden age: The palace suggests that the ancient Demon Court, once believed to be extinct, may still exist or has somehow been recreated.
• The decline and oppression of demons: Hu Xiyan contrasts the palace’s prosperity with the weakened state of modern demons, who are hunted or forced into hiding by humans, alchemists, and the imperial court.
• Reality versus illusion: Both Hu Xiyan and Su Ziji question whether the palace is real, a dream, or a supernatural realm beyond ordinary time and space.
• Power and political conflict: The presence of humans inside a demon court hints at a dangerous clash between the demon world and the human imperial order.
• Hidden history and transformation: The Shell Maiden’s impossible transformation and the survival or reappearance of legendary demons suggest that long-buried secrets about the Demon Court are beginning to surface.

Character Interactions

• The Shell Maiden finds Hu Xiyan and recruits her as a servant, guiding her through the palace and exposing her to its astonishing inhabitants.
• Hu Xiyan serves wine to various Great Demons, including the Dragon-whiskered Tiger, while silently observing and identifying them.
• Hu Xiyan notices the human chess players from the boat and connects their presence to the palace’s mysterious chess tournament.
• Su Ziji awakens beside Ye Buhui; her grasping his hand provides him with brief emotional support amid the confusion.
• The humans’ terrified reaction to the demons draws the attention of the entire upper hall, setting up a likely confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Dragon Lord”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui discover that they have been transported from a pleasure boat on Coiling Dragon Lake to a vast, terrifying palace inhabited by supernatural beings.
• A demon official orders guards to drag away a man who causes a disturbance, revealing that the captives are being strictly controlled and that speaking out may be dangerous.
• Su Ziji realizes that the situation is real rather than a dream. A strange force prevents the students from crying out, suggesting powerful supernatural restraints.
• He warns Ye Buhui that they may have been abducted by Monsters and advises her to remain quiet and avoid drawing attention.
• The palace appears grand enough to rival or surpass an imperial palace, convincing Ye Buhui that it is likely the lair of Monsters rather than a human or immortal residence.
• The abducted chess players react differently: some panic, some remain cautious, and others believe they have been granted an opportunity to meet immortals.
• A middle-aged scholar enthusiastically assumes they are in the Dragon Palace and asks a shell-adorned maidservant to let them meet the ruler. Instead, she tells him that they must compete in chess to gain an audience.
• Armored soldiers escort the group into an upper hall, where other captives are already seated before partially completed chessboards.
• Su Ziji recognizes Zheng Yingci among the captives but notices that Yu Lü and Zhang Sheng are absent.
• The players realize that some of the robes in the hall belong to a previous dynasty, suggesting that people from different historical periods—or even the dead—may have been gathered there.
• The Dragon Lord appears behind a curtain. The Shell Maiden announces that all 111 chess players have been brought to the palace, with sixteen entering the upper hall and the rest competing below.
• Su Ziji confirms that the palace belongs to the Water Tribe beneath Coiling Dragon Lake. The captives are ordered to bow before the Dragon Lord.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates alertness, caution, and responsibility. He quickly recognizes the danger, protects Ye Buhui, and tries to interpret the supernatural situation rationally. His concern for her safety reflects his growing sense of duty toward her.
• Ye Buhui: Initially confused, she proves observant and perceptive. Her knowledge of ritual and social hierarchy helps her understand that the palace’s grandeur is suspicious and politically transgressive. Although frightened, she trusts Su Ziji and instinctively stays close to him.
• Zheng Yingci: Appears experienced and composed compared with the other captives. He seems to be independently assessing the situation and may be planning to test the Water Palace’s defenses.
• The middle-aged scholar: Represents reckless optimism. His belief that the abduction is an “immortal opportunity” causes him to overlook the danger.
• The Shell Maiden: Presents a cheerful but unsettling contrast to the palace’s sinister nature. Her playful manner conceals the fact that she is enforcing the Dragon Lord’s rules.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: The palace resembles an immortal residence, but the behavior of its inhabitants reveals a predatory and threatening environment.
• Human ignorance in a supernatural world: The captives struggle to understand where they are and what rules govern their survival.
• Courage versus recklessness: Su Ziji’s cautious silence contrasts with the scholar’s impulsive enthusiasm, showing that bravery without judgment can be dangerous.
• Power and hierarchy: The Dragon Lord’s authority is emphasized through ritual, armed guards, enforced silence, and demands for submission.
• Chess as a test or mechanism of control: The captives’ skills are being used to determine who may approach the Dragon Lord, suggesting that intellect and competition are central to their fate.
• Protection and trust: Su Ziji and Ye Buhui’s physical closeness and mutual reliance become an important source of reassurance amid the supernatural threat.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui quietly discuss their situation, with Su Ziji warning her to remain inconspicuous.
• Ye Buhui teasingly pinches Su Ziji after noticing his unusual look toward her, briefly bringing humor and familiarity into the tense scene.
• Su Ziji repeatedly holds Ye Buhui’s hand to calm and protect her.
• The middle-aged scholar addresses the Shell Maiden, mistakenly treating her as an immortal and provoking the group’s entry into the chess competition.
• Su Ziji notices Zheng Yingci and considers whether he is deliberately probing the palace’s situation.
• The Shell Maiden and the Dragon Lord establish the captives’ subordinate position, culminating in the group’s forced obeisance.

Chapter Summary: “Killing Chess Match”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Dragon Lord orders a group of renowned chess players to sit for an endgame in which everyone must play black. The first person to solve it will receive a substantial reward.
• The promised reward—possibly immortal pills, wealth, or magical treasures—tempts many of the mortal guests to volunteer.
• Su Ziji stops Ye Buhui from immediately playing and urges her to observe the people who arrived earlier. Their pale, terrified expressions reveal that the chess match is far more dangerous than it appears.
• A middle-aged scholar who claims to have encountered an immortal volunteers first. Although the endgame initially looks ordinary, an invisible opponent begins playing against him, transforming the board into an impossibly complex and dangerous contest.
• After roughly a dozen moves, the scholar realizes he cannot win and surrenders. The Dragon Lord declares that he has made thirteen losing moves and exceeded the permitted limit.
• Several enormous man-eating fish appear and violently kill and devour the scholar. The Shell Maiden cleans the blood from the hall and coldly orders the next contestant to play.
• Horrified guests attempt to flee, but Monster officials declare their escape and disrespect toward the Dragon Lord to be capital crimes. The fleeing people are killed as well.
• Su Ziji realizes that the Dragon Palace never intended to let anyone leave freely. He notices the Hu Family’s young lady among the captives, raising questions about how and why she was brought there.
• When no one volunteers for the next game, a Monster official selects the examination student who had earlier spoken rudely on the pleasure boat. Terrified and nearly in tears, he is forced to sit before the chessboard.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji demonstrates caution, intelligence, and protective instincts. He recognizes the danger before the others do, restrains Ye Buhui, shields her from the aftermath, and quickly understands that attempting to escape is futile.
• Ye Buhui shows trust in Su Ziji by obeying his warning despite her desire to seek the Dragon Lord’s rumored treasures and medicines.
• The middle-aged scholar shifts from confident ambition to despair. His belief that he can win the reward collapses under the pressure of the supernatural chess game, and his surrender ultimately results in execution.
• The other chess players and captives move from greed and excitement to panic once they witness the punishment. Their terror exposes how powerless the mortals are within the Dragon Palace.
• The examination student is forced into a humiliating and terrifying confrontation with the chessboard, becoming the next potential victim.
• The Dragon Lord and the Monsters are established as cruel, arbitrary, and completely dominant over the human guests.

Significant Themes

• The danger behind temptation: Promises of immortality, wealth, and magical rewards lure the mortals into ignoring obvious danger.
• Powerlessness before supernatural authority: The Dragon Lord’s rules are absolute, and even surrender or attempted escape cannot guarantee survival.
• Appearances versus reality: The chessboard looks like a simple endgame, but it conceals an invisible opponent and deadly consequences.
• Fear and survival: The chapter emphasizes the difference between those who think calmly under pressure and those who react impulsively.
• Cruel spectacle and arbitrary justice: The Dragon Lord treats the contestants’ deaths as part of a formal game, while the Monsters enforce obedience through immediate violence.
• Trust and protection: Su Ziji’s bond with Ye Buhui becomes significant as he uses his judgment to keep her from becoming an early victim.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji prevents Ye Buhui from taking the first available seat, warning her to study the earlier players.
• Ye Buhui accepts his judgment because she considers him trustworthy.
• The middle-aged scholar’s confident behavior contrasts with the silent dread of the earlier arrivals, who understand the game’s danger.
• The Dragon Lord communicates through the Shell Maiden, announcing the rules and punishment while remaining detached from the violence.
• Monster officials compel the guests to participate and kill those who try to escape.
• Su Ziji notices the Hu Family’s young lady among the captives, suggesting a possible future connection or hidden reason for her presence.
• The examination student, previously connected to Su Ziji through his rude behavior on the pleasure boat, is selected against his will and forced to face the deadly game.

Chapter Summary: “Gift of a Chess Manual”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A demon official announces that everyone must solve an assigned chess endgame within the time of one incense stick or face severe punishment.
• Ye Buhui is assigned a board and becomes frightened. Su Ziji encourages her to play seriously while he searches for a way to help.
• Su Ziji is the only person without a chessboard or seat, attracting the attention of the Dragon Lord.
• He explains that he is an examination student from Linhua County and not a chess player. The Dragon Lord recognizes that he is unusual but allows him to sit at the lowest seat and observe.
• Su Ziji notices that several people in the hall—including Hu Xiyan—are not participating as chess players. He suspects that the Rosewood Pendant is connected to his own presence there.
• While watching Ye Buhui struggle with her profound endgame, Su Ziji observes that the Dragon Lord repeatedly studies a stack of chess manuals alongside the board positions.
• A player who deliberately stalls is killed by piranhas, demonstrating the danger of failure. Another player later gives up but is allowed to withdraw, revealing that survival is not limited to winning.
• Realizing that the Dragon Lord may be seeking the solution to a chess manual rather than simply entertaining herself through slaughter, Su Ziji boldly suggests that he and Ye Buhui study the position together.
• He claims Ye Buhui is his younger sister and asks the Dragon Lord to grant them the relevant chess manual. The Dragon Lord agrees, giving them a possible chance to survive.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji shifts from nervous observer to active strategist. Though he is not a chess player, his sharp observations, courage, and willingness to risk himself for Ye Buhui allow him to find a potential escape from the deadly trial.
• Ye Buhui begins terrified and overwhelmed by the difficult endgame, but she shows courage and loyalty by publicly agreeing to work with Su Ziji.
• The Dragon Lord is revealed to appear as a young girl while possessing the authority, discernment, and menace of an ancient powerful being. Her curiosity toward Su Ziji makes her unpredictable, but she also appears genuinely interested in the chess manual.
• Hu Xiyan is established as another suspicious outsider who, like Su Ziji, may have entered through a Rosewood Pendant. She immediately recognizes that Su Ziji is unusual.
• The chess players are shown to be desperate and resentful, especially toward Su Ziji, whose special treatment contrasts with their life-threatening positions.

Significant Themes

• Courage under pressure: Su Ziji acts despite knowing that a wrong answer could make him the next victim.
• Ingenuity over conventional skill: Although Su Ziji lacks chess expertise, observation and deduction enable him to challenge the situation.
• Trust and loyalty: Su Ziji risks himself to save Ye Buhui because of the Ye Family’s past kindness, while Ye Buhui trusts his plan despite her fear.
• Hidden motives and appearances: The Dragon Lord looks like a child but is clearly dangerous; the apparently decorative demons behave like puppets; and the true purpose of the chess trial remains concealed.
• Survival through cooperation: The chapter suggests that solving the trial may require collaboration rather than individual victory.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji reassures Ye Buhui and urges her to endure the game.
• The Dragon Lord interrogates Su Ziji about his identity, then grants him unusual access and hospitality.
• Su Ziji and Hu Xiyan quietly question one another, each suspecting the other of being connected to the mysterious Rosewood Pendants.
• Su Ziji studies the Dragon Lord’s behavior and directly challenges her by asking whether she cannot understand the chess manual.
• He signals to Ye Buhui, presents her as his “younger sister,” and persuades her to join him.
• The Dragon Lord ultimately grants Su Ziji’s request for the chess manual, creating the chapter’s central opening for escape.

Chapter Summary: Coiling Dragon Secret Art

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Dragon Lord and the Great Demons suddenly focus on Su Ziji and Ye Buhui’s game, revealing that the game is far more important and difficult than Su Ziji first assumed.
• The Shell Maiden gives Ye Buhui a mysterious chess manual. After studying it under intense pressure, Ye Buhui memorizes it and gives it to Su Ziji, apparently hoping he can use it to survive or preserve its knowledge.
• Su Ziji discovers through the Rosewood Pendant that the “chess manual” is actually the Coiling Dragon Secret Art. When he accepts it, its knowledge is transferred directly into his mind, revealing both the principles of the Chess Path and the Dragon Lord’s legacy.
• While Su Ziji is absorbing the inheritance, Ye Buhui returns to the board and begins the game herself. Despite the terrifying pressure surrounding the board, she boldly places her first stone.
• Su Ziji realizes that the Dragon Lord and the Great Demons are only lingering afterimages rather than living beings, and that the chess game is actually the sealing mechanism of the area. The seal can only be unraveled by someone who masters the Coiling Dragon Secret Art.
• Ye Buhui’s first several moves succeed, and after seven stones the game reaches a critical turning point. She must choose her next move carefully, knowing that a mistake could permanently eliminate the path to survival.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji shifts from observing the game to recognizing his responsibility for Ye Buhui’s survival. He is deeply moved by her willingness to entrust him with the inheritance, but refuses to accept the possibility of standing by while she dies.
• He also gains a major advancement when the Rosewood Pendant transfers the Coiling Dragon Secret Art to him. The inheritance grants him a sudden, comprehensive understanding of the Chess Path and the Dragon Lord’s hidden legacy.
• Ye Buhui demonstrates remarkable courage, discipline, and chess talent. Although overwhelmed by the manual and the oppressive gaze of the game, she memorizes its contents and immediately returns to the board rather than surrendering.
• Her actions reveal both self-sacrifice and trust in Su Ziji. She appears willing to give him the only chance to continue the legacy, even if doing so costs her life.
• The Great Demons’ attitude changes from indifference to intense attention as Ye Buhui begins making successful moves.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and responsibility: Ye Buhui risks herself to preserve the inheritance and give Su Ziji a chance to survive, while Su Ziji struggles with the moral burden of accepting that sacrifice.
• Inheritance and hidden knowledge: The apparent chess manual is revealed to be a profound legacy, showing that knowledge can carry the will and power of its creator across time.
• Courage under pressure: Ye Buhui succeeds not because fear disappears, but because her determination allows her to act despite overwhelming psychological pressure.
• Appearance versus reality: The Dragon Lord and Great Demons seem present and alive, but Su Ziji discovers they are only temporal afterimages. Likewise, the chess game conceals a larger function as a sealing formation.
• Fate and critical choices: Every move carries consequences, and survival depends on recognizing the correct path through uncertainty.

Character Interactions

• The Great Demons observe Su Ziji and Ye Buhui with growing interest, while the demon official suppresses the spectators’ whispers.
• Ye Buhui gives the Coiling Dragon Secret Art to Su Ziji, indirectly placing her trust and hopes in him.
• Su Ziji silently resolves not to abandon her, partly out of loyalty to Ye Buhui and partly out of respect for her father, Uncle Ye.
• Though Su Ziji intends to guide Ye Buhui after mastering the inheritance, she acts independently and begins the game before he can intervene.
• The Dragon Lord remains silent and impassive at the head of the hall, watching as Ye Buhui approaches the decisive stage of the game.

Chapter Summary: “Breaking the Deadlock”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji asks the Dragon Lord for permission to join Ye Buhui in solving the chess endgame, arguing that they are siblings whose fates are linked. The Dragon Lord agrees.
• Rather than studying the board directly, Su Ziji recites the entire chess manual. His recitation becomes a powerful cultivation technique, accompanied by golden light and faint thunder.
• The Great Demons, Hu Xiyan, the Shell Maiden, Zheng Yingci, and Zhang Modong recognize the significance of Su Ziji’s technique. Several frightened chess players take advantage of the guards’ inaction and flee.
• Su Ziji’s recitation gives Ye Buhui sudden enlightenment. She sees the solution to the previously impossible endgame and places the decisive black stone, “breaking the deadlock.”
• The palace begins violently shaking. Most humans escape, while Su Ziji, Ye Buhui, Zheng Yingci, and Zhang Modong remain.
• The Dragon Lord tests the remaining chess players:
  • Zhang Modong accepts that his fate will only allow him to become a Provincial Graduate. The Dragon Lord rewards him by sending a Ninth-Rank quail into his body, after which he disappears.
  • Zheng Yingci, despite possessing considerable Fortune, failed to solve the game. The Dragon Lord gives him a jade ruyi as compensation, and he also vanishes.
• The Great Demons congratulate the Dragon Lord, revealing that they have waited many years for this moment. Seal-script formations appear beneath them, suggesting that the palace and its events may be connected to the past or may be only partly real.
• Ye Buhui is enveloped by the transformed chessboard. The Dragon Lord explains that Ye carries a trace of her bloodline and is awakening her “spiritual spark.”
• After the awakening ends, Su Ziji catches the unconscious Ye Buhui and confirms that she is unharmed.
• When Su Ziji asks the Dragon Lord to send them home, she simply refuses, leaving him shocked and uncertain about what she intends next.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates that his knowledge of the chess manual is actually a powerful cultivation technique. His loyalty and willingness to risk himself for Ye Buhui are emphasized, as is his growing ability to recognize the deeper supernatural nature of the palace.
• Ye Buhui: Overcomes the impossible chess position through Su Ziji’s guidance and awakens a hidden spiritual inheritance connected to the Dragon Lord’s bloodline.
• Dragon Lord: Reveals greater interest in Ye Buhui and confirms their blood connection. She rewards and judges the remaining players according to their talents and fate, while retaining control over Su Ziji and Ye Buhui’s fate.
• Zheng Yingci: Shows caution and respect toward the Dragon Lord, but his failure to solve the game means he loses the opportunity to gain her direct favor.
• Zhang Modong: Accepts his limited destiny without resentment and receives a supernatural reward. His disappearance suggests he has been returned or transported elsewhere.
• The Great Demons and Shell Maiden: Their intense reactions reveal that Su Ziji’s technique and Ye Buhui’s awakening fulfill a long-awaited event.

Significant Themes

• Breaking through impossible limitations: Ye Buhui’s deadlocked chess game symbolizes a seemingly hopeless situation that can be overcome through insight, cooperation, and inherited power.
• Knowledge as cultivation: Su Ziji’s recitation transforms intellectual learning into a mystical technique, showing that understanding can have direct spiritual force.
• Fate and personal acceptance: The Dragon Lord assigns each person a destiny, while Zhang Modong demonstrates peace with his limited future and Zheng Yingci receives only a lesser reward.
• Bloodline and inheritance: Ye Buhui’s awakening suggests that dormant ancestry can determine a person’s opportunities and power.
• Reality versus illusion: The palace may be a preserved moment from the past, a half-real space, or a dreamlike phenomenon, creating uncertainty about whether the deaths and events are truly occurring.
• Control and hidden motives: Although the chess game is solved, the Dragon Lord remains in command, and her refusal to release Su Ziji and Ye Buhui implies that the true trial has not yet ended.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui cooperate closely, with his recitation enabling her breakthrough.
• The Dragon Lord observes and evaluates everyone, granting permission, rewards, and judgments according to their abilities and fate.
• Su Ziji’s protective response toward Ye Buhui contrasts with the Dragon Lord’s detached but possessive interest in her bloodline.
• Zheng Yingci respectfully addresses the Dragon Lord and accepts her reward despite disappointment.
• The Great Demons’ congratulations to the Dragon Lord confirm that Ye Buhui’s awakening and the game’s resolution were long anticipated.
• The chapter ends with Su Ziji directly challenging the Dragon Lord’s authority by asking to leave, only to discover that solving the game has not freed them.

Summary of “Fulfilling a Promise”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji discovers that the seemingly young Dragon Lord is not truly childlike; her eyes reveal immense age and experience.
• Outside the protective ring, powerful winds destroy the Dragon Palace’s preserved prosperity. Palaces collapse, people are reduced to ash, and the entire illusion-like scene begins to decay.
• Su Ziji initially suspects that the phenomenon is time reversing, but the Dragon Lord explains that even a Heavenly Emperor could not reverse time. The destruction is instead caused by an Against-the-Wind, a force that eliminates anomalies once the Dragon Lord’s sealed realm is opened.
• The Dragon Lord reveals the history of the Sealing Recess. She foresaw a great calamity and sealed within it the Dragon Palace’s former prosperity, the shadows of her ministers, and a fragment of her Primordial Spirit.
• The seal was intended to preserve the Dragon Palace until her Dragon Maiden could inherit the Coiling Dragon Secret Art. However, a treacherous minister altered the protective formation into a prison, leaving the Dragon Maiden trapped and slowly weakening for centuries.
• The Dragon-Serpent Blood Sacrifice briefly weakened the seal. The Dragon Lord used a chess manual and a chess match to send out the inheritance, hoping someone capable would unravel it. Unexpectedly, Su Ziji directly acquired the complete essence of the Coiling Dragon Secret Art.
• Because Su Ziji received the inheritance intended for the Dragon Maiden, he has formed a powerful karmic bond with the sealed realm and must remain behind unless he fulfills the Dragon Lord’s request.
• The Dragon Lord asks Su Ziji to transmit the entire Coiling Dragon Secret Art to the Dragon Maiden. In exchange, she promises to help him escape through Spirit Transformation, lend him power, and enable him to return instantly to confront the enemy responsible for the Dragon-Serpent Blood Sacrifice.
• Su Ziji accepts without hesitation, pledging himself to the promise. Before the Dragon Lord can explain further, Heaven’s thunder interrupts her, and she orders him to take Ye Buhui and leave immediately.
• As he departs, Su Ziji notices the young miss of the Hu Family still trapped in the same location.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji demonstrates increasing insight by recognizing the significance of the collapsing realm and correctly identifying that it preserves events from centuries earlier, even though his initial theory about time reversal is wrong.
• He remains compassionate, disturbed by the deaths of those caught in the Against-the-Wind, but also practical and determined to protect himself and Ye Buhui.
• Su Ziji quickly understands that obtaining the secret art has created an obligation. Rather than resisting, he willingly accepts responsibility and makes a formal promise to the Dragon Lord.
• The Dragon Lord is revealed as a tragic and powerful figure. Despite retaining only a fragment of her Primordial Spirit, she has waited centuries for her Dragon Maiden and remains determined to prevent her extinction.
• Her calmness in the face of destruction reflects both her immense age and her acceptance that the sealed world is ending. Nevertheless, her emotional investment in the Dragon Maiden becomes clear.
• Ye Buhui remains dependent on Su Ziji, who protects her while navigating the collapsing palace.
• The Dragon Maiden does not appear directly, but her imprisonment and fading existence become central to Su Ziji’s new mission.

Significant Themes

• The inevitability of decay: Once the seal is opened, the preserved prosperity cannot survive. The Against-the-Wind restores the world’s natural order by erasing what should no longer exist.
• Human fragility: The Dragon Lord compares people to duckweed drifting in the vastness of heaven and earth, emphasizing how powerless individuals are before cosmic forces.
• Responsibility and fate: Su Ziji’s accidental acquisition of the inheritance binds him karmically to the Dragon Maiden’s fate. His choices, rather than destiny alone, determine whether he fulfills that obligation.
• Promises and trust: The chapter’s central conflict is resolved through Su Ziji’s vow. The Dragon Lord trusts the value of a promise, while Su Ziji accepts the burden because of his honor and practical need for escape.
• The consequences of betrayal: The treacherous minister’s alteration of the formation condemns the Dragon Maiden to centuries of imprisonment, showing how one act of betrayal can distort an entire legacy.
• Cosmic limits: Even the Dragon Lord cannot oppose Heaven completely. Thunder interrupts her explanation, suggesting that greater forces restrict both knowledge and action.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji questions the Dragon Lord about the collapsing scene, leading her to explain the nature of the Against-the-Wind and the history of the Sealing Recess.
• The Dragon Lord informs Su Ziji that his acquisition of the secret art has displaced the Dragon Maiden’s inheritance and created a karmic debt.
• Su Ziji responds by offering his service, and the Dragon Lord proposes a bargain: he must pass on the complete secret art, while she helps him escape and defeat his enemy.
• Their exchange shifts from suspicion and negotiation to mutual trust, sealed by Su Ziji’s solemn promise.
• The Dragon Lord’s final order—to take Ye Buhui and leave—shows that, despite using Su Ziji for her purpose, she also recognizes the urgency of protecting him and his sister from the collapsing realm.

Chapter Summary

At Mount Tong Temple, a young woman prays for her ailing father and makes a generous donation. She and her maid leave after Daoist Shen fails to appear for a promised divination. On the journey home, their normally gentle ox becomes agitated, and the weather suddenly darkens, creating an ominous atmosphere. The young woman defends Shen, assuming he must have had an important reason for his absence, though she herself senses that something is wrong.
Meanwhile, Su Ziji rapidly travels to the temple with the help of the Dragon Lord’s Primordial Spirit. His supernatural movement is accompanied by dark clouds and impending lightning, and he must act quickly before the dangerous power supporting him brings disaster. The temple’s spiritual barrier blocks his way, but he tears an opening through it and enters. He realizes that Shen is probably hidden in a secret underground chamber and that Shen’s earlier attack was likely disrupted by backlash rather than deliberately abandoned.
In the underground chamber, Shen Cheng lies injured on an altar while eighteen Blood Corpses violently attack him. The corpses, recently refined from people who hated Shen in life, have escaped his control and are driven by instinctive resentment. Shen had prepared an array and a ritual artifact—the Five-Colored Heart-Piercing Annihilation Flag—to keep them at bay, but the protective barrier is weakening. If it fails, the corpses will tear him apart.
Shen awakens, mocks the Blood Corpses, and begins reasserting control over them. He recalls that his Blood Baleful Intent was meant to target Su Ziji, using ancestral bones to locate him, but the attack inexplicably veered off course and caused severe backlash. He suspects Su’s connection to the former dynasty’s imperial bloodline may be far more powerful than expected, though he cannot understand why. With no time to investigate, Shen uses the ritual flag to suppress the corpses, succeeding at the cost of further damage to his vitality and several years of recovery.
Despite his injuries, Shen remains committed to True Person Cao’s campaign to eliminate the former dynasty’s Dragon Aura by hunting down its surviving bloodlines. He frames his actions as a duty to the court and the realm, even while admitting that he lacks Cao’s lofty ideals. The chapter ends with Shen rationalizing his participation in this violent political and supernatural purge.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Su Ziji demonstrates growing supernatural power and urgency. The Dragon Lord’s Primordial Spirit allows him to travel rapidly and breach Mount Tong Temple’s defenses, but it also causes dangerous disturbances in nature.
• Shen Cheng is revealed to be severely weakened by backlash from his failed attack. His control over the Blood Corpses is fragile, forcing him to sacrifice his health to survive.
• The Blood Corpses retain no true souls, but their hatred and resentment remain powerful enough to rebel against their creator.
• Su Ziji and Shen Cheng do not directly meet in the chapter, but their conflict drives the events. Shen’s failed attempt to target Su leaves him injured, while Su arrives to investigate the consequences.
• The young woman’s conversation with her maid contrasts ordinary religious faith and suspicion with the hidden supernatural struggle unfolding around them.

Significant Themes

• Hidden conflict beneath ordinary life: Worshippers and travelers remain unaware of the dangerous battle taking place beneath the temple.
• Backlash and the cost of power: Shen’s supernatural techniques harm him as much as they harm his enemies, while Su’s borrowed power brings ominous consequences.
• Resentment surviving death: The Blood Corpses’ hatred persists even after their souls are gone, making them dangerous and uncontrollable.
• Duty versus morality: Shen justifies persecution of former-dynasty descendants as service to the court, revealing how political loyalty can be used to excuse brutality.
• Fate and ominous signs: The disturbed ox, sudden storm, and gathering lightning foreshadow the escalating supernatural conflict.