Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Bowing His Head in Submission”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Wen Xunpeng, a former adviser to Prince Qi, visits Su Ziji, the Duke of Dai, and declares his intention to become Su’s adviser.
• Su Ziji does not immediately accept him. He demands a concrete “token of allegiance” rather than trusting empty promises.
• Wen reveals that a secret organization connected to the Crown Prince’s death twenty years earlier is now targeting Su Ziji using the same method.
• Wen explains that he was recruited when he was young and impoverished, then placed in Prince Qi’s residence to conduct surveillance. He remained involved because refusing would have meant death.
• He identifies Yu Qianzhi, now a respected Daoist figure and Fifth Rank Academician, as someone who had once been planted near the deceased Crown Prince.
• Wen further reveals that Gui Junxi was placed near Prince Lu, and that powerful military officials Zhao Yan and Gao Zhuo are secretly Prince Lu’s supporters.
• Su realizes he has seriously underestimated Prince Lu, who appears politically inactive but possesses considerable hidden influence.
• Wen admits he has never discovered who truly leads the organization.
• After Prince Qi recently killed one of his advisers in anger, the organization ordered Wen to take action. Fearing that obedience would lead to his death, Wen has come to Su as a desperate bid for survival.
• Wen hands Su a written note containing further information.

2. Character Developments

• Su Ziji demonstrates political caution and sharp judgment. He refuses to accept Wen merely on reputation and demands proof of loyalty. However, Wen’s revelations deeply shock him and force him to reconsider his assessment of the succession struggle.
• Su also recognizes his own strategic error: he had overlooked Prince Lu because of the latter’s seemingly passive behavior.
• Wen Xunpeng is presented as intelligent, experienced, and deeply embittered. Though he once served Prince Qi and participated in surveillance, he portrays himself as someone trapped by coercion rather than genuine loyalty.
• Wen’s composure and willingness to reveal dangerous secrets establish the seriousness of his defection. His plea is motivated by both political calculation and fear for his life.
• Prince Qi emerges as suspicious, ruthless, and volatile. His killing of an adviser suggests that Wen’s position has become increasingly dangerous.
• Prince Lu is recharacterized from an apparently uninvolved prince into a hidden political force with strategically placed allies.
• Yu Qianzhi and Gui Junxi are revealed to have concealed histories tied to the secret organization.

3. Significant Themes

• Loyalty and betrayal: Wen’s move from Prince Qi to Su raises questions about whether loyalty formed under coercion can be trusted.
• Political maneuvering and hidden power: The chapter emphasizes that court influence is often concealed, and seemingly insignificant figures may be strategically placed agents.
• Survival under oppression: Wen’s life illustrates how political factions trap talented individuals and make resistance nearly impossible.
• Appearances versus reality: Prince Lu’s apparent lack of ambition hides substantial influence, while respectable figures such as Yu Qianzhi may possess dark and secret pasts.
• The burden of the past: The conspiracy surrounding the Crown Prince’s death continues to shape present political struggles two decades later.
• Trust and proof: Su’s demand for a token of allegiance reflects the difficulty of distinguishing sincere submission from opportunistic betrayal.

4. Character Interactions

• Su initially teases Wen about pledging himself to a rival prince, but becomes serious when Wen confirms his intentions.
• Their conversation shifts from cautious testing to mutual strategic assessment: Su demands evidence, while Wen offers dangerous intelligence.
• Wen’s revelations cause Su to reassess both his enemies and his own judgment.
• Although Su remains wary, he recognizes that Wen’s information is too valuable to dismiss.
• The chapter ends with Wen formally presenting written evidence, leaving the nature of his next demand—and the full scope of the conspiracy—unresolved.

Wen Xunpeng sought refuge with Su Ziji, who accepted him just before the imperial decree arrived. Su Ziji was enfeoffed as Prince Dai, and the chapter ended with officials and officers offering their congratulations.

• Wen Xunpeng explained that he wanted to escape the organization and serve Su Ziji, who accepted him as a retainer.
• Su Ziji and his retainers gathered to receive the imperial decree.
• The emperor enfeoffed Su Ziji as Prince Dai, granting him a revenue estate of ten thousand households.
• Su Ziji donned his princely ceremonial robes and Nine-Tassel Crown as Ye Buhui helped him dress.
• Su Ziji's retainers and guests bowed to him and offered congratulations, while Wild Daoist felt his lineage's hope of supporting a True Dragon drawing nearer.
• Xu Wei greeted the newly appointed Prince Dai with congratulations.

Chapter Summary: Demonic Fortune’s Aid

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji’s elevation from Duke of Dai to Prince Dai shocks and unsettles many political figures.
• Xu Wei, who had previously dismissed Su Ziji’s prospects and supported Prince Qi, is forced to kneel before him. Though jealous and intimidated, Xu Wei convinces himself that Prince Dai will eventually be destroyed unless he becomes emperor, and resolves to gain merit by supporting the future victor in the succession struggle.
• Luo Jiang also kneels to Prince Dai and becomes confused about the Emperor’s intentions. She wonders whether her assignment was connected to the Emperor’s increasing favor toward Su Ziji.
• At the Yu Residence, Yu Qianzhi learns of the enfeoffment after emerging from his alchemy chamber. He immediately fears that Su Ziji may investigate their past conflict, since Yu once refused to help Ji Zizong and even attacked him.
• Yu briefly considers sending a coded message to Gui Junxi at Prince Lu’s Residence, but abandons the idea, deciding that acting out of panic could expose him. Instead, he travels to Jingping Temple to seek help from Liu Zhan of the Yin Temple Sect.
• Liu Zhan explains that the Emperor has recently strengthened the Yin Temple Sect, appointing members as Herb-Gathering Envoys and granting the temples greater authority to deal with demons threatening the capital.
• Yu attempts to persuade Liu Zhan that Prince Dai’s remarkable rise is not due to Heaven’s Mandate, but to “Demonic Fortune.” He points to the two fox spirits residing in Prince Dai’s household as suspicious evidence.

Character Developments

• Xu Wei: His arrogance toward Su Ziji collapses after Prince Dai’s promotion. Although fear and jealousy consume him, he remains politically ambitious and decides to wait for an opportunity to support the winning prince.
• Luo Jiang: Her uncertainty about Su Ziji’s rise deepens. She begins reconsidering the Emperor’s motives and whether her own assignment was connected to Prince Dai’s growing influence.
• Yu Qianzhi: His calm and scholarly composure gives way to anxiety and desperation. He recognizes that Su Ziji’s advancement threatens decades of political planning and fears personal retribution for his earlier actions. Rather than confront the danger directly, he seeks to manipulate the Yin Temple Sect against Prince Dai.
• Liu Zhan: He is portrayed as confident and relatively unconcerned by Prince Dai’s rise. His loyalty to the Yin Temple Sect and hostility toward demons make him a potential ally for Yu’s scheme.
• Su Ziji: Though he appears only briefly, his promotion demonstrates his rapidly expanding imperial favor and political power. His rise causes fear among former opponents and speculation about supernatural assistance.

Significant Themes

• Political ambition and survival: Characters reassess their loyalties as Su Ziji’s status rises, treating imperial politics as a dangerous struggle in which alliances determine survival.
• The instability of fortune: The chapter contrasts Heaven’s Mandate with the possibility of Demonic Fortune, questioning whether success comes from legitimate destiny, political favor, or supernatural interference.
• Fear of retribution: Yu Qianzhi’s anxiety shows how past betrayals can become dangerous when a former victim gains power.
• Appearances versus hidden motives: Public promotions, coded messages, secret alliances, and concealed supernatural influences suggest that political events have deeper causes than they initially reveal.
• Human and demonic entanglement: The Emperor’s support of the Yin Temple Sect and the suspected presence of spirit foxes around Prince Dai highlight the increasingly blurred boundary between imperial politics and the supernatural world.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji passes Xu Wei without acknowledging the latter’s inner turmoil, while Bi Xin speaks with him nearby, emphasizing Xu Wei’s loss of status.
• Yu Qianzhi’s concern about Su Ziji leads him to consider contacting Gui Junxi, though he ultimately withdraws from that plan.
• Yu and Liu Zhan meet at Jingping Temple. Their conversation begins with the Yin Temple Sect’s expanding authority before shifting to Prince Dai’s suspicious rise.
• Yu attempts to influence Liu Zhan by framing Prince Dai as a beneficiary of demonic forces, exploiting the Yin Temple Sect’s hostility toward demons to encourage opposition against him.

Chapter Summary: “You Sure Dare to Say It”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Qianzhi meets Liu Zhan at Jingping Temple to discuss the succession struggle and the growing influence of Prince Dai, Su Ziji.
• Yu argues that Su Ziji’s sudden rise is highly unnatural. Although Su Ziji is only the Crown Prince’s son and should have been barred from returning to the Eastern Palace, his fortune has become overwhelming.
• The two discuss the possibility that Prince Dai carries “Demonic Fortune,” especially given Prince Qi’s increasing brutality and his suspected connection with the Demon Race.
• Yu warns that if Su Ziji ultimately ascends the throne while carrying Demonic Fortune, those who failed to stop him—including Yu and Liu—could be destroyed.
• Yu reveals that he has chosen to support the seemingly insignificant Prince Lu rather than Prince Qi or Prince Shu.
• Liu is surprised, since Prince Lu has little reputation, influence, or visible support. Yu dismisses Prince Qi as violent and Prince Shu as cold and hypocritical.
• Liu uses a mysterious bronze mirror and his own vital blood to examine Prince Lu. He detects that Prince Lu may be a “Hidden Dragon,” but concludes that this alone is insufficient: all the princes possess some potential, and Prince Lu still lacks public esteem and political momentum.
• Liu hesitates to cooperate because involvement in the succession struggle carries enormous risks for both himself and the Yin Temple Sect.
• Yu asks Liu to hear his reasoning before rejecting the proposal. He begins arguing that succession depends less on Heaven’s decree than on the Emperor’s will, since the Emperor’s affection will ultimately yield to political power.

Character Developments

• Yu Qianzhi: Reveals a more calculating and politically committed side. His usual composure gives way to urgency because he genuinely fears the consequences of Su Ziji’s possible demonic nature. He is willing to manipulate Liu through partial truths and bold speculation, but also understands that meaningful cooperation requires revealing his true allegiance to Prince Lu.
• Liu Zhan: Remains cautious, disciplined, and protective of his sect’s interests. Although he initially challenges Yu’s claims, he is unsettled by the possibility that Su Ziji carries Demonic Fortune. His examination of Prince Lu shows his supernatural abilities and his willingness to investigate, but he refuses to commit without stronger evidence.
• Prince Lu: Though absent, he becomes more important through Yu’s revelation. He is presented as an obscure potential contender whose hidden qualities may be greater than publicly believed.
• Prince Dai/Su Ziji: His meteoric rise and possible connection to Demonic Fortune make him the central threat motivating Yu and Liu’s discussion.
• Prince Qi and Prince Shu: Prince Qi is characterized as increasingly violent and possibly influenced by the Demon Race, while Prince Shu is portrayed as outwardly controlled but fundamentally hypocritical.

Significant Themes

• Heaven’s will versus human power: The chapter questions whether destiny, fortune, or “Hidden Dragon” status truly determines political outcomes, emphasizing instead the Emperor’s decisions and human manipulation.
• Political risk and uncertainty: Supporting a claimant promises great rewards but may lead to ruin, especially when the true nature of each prince remains unclear.
• Appearance versus hidden potential: Prince Lu’s lack of reputation may conceal real ability, while more prominent princes may be dangerous or morally compromised.
• Fear of demonic corruption: The possibility that a future ruler carries Demonic Fortune raises the stakes beyond ordinary political rivalry, turning succession into a struggle for the survival of the court and its factions.
• Truth, secrecy, and strategic disclosure: Yu does not reveal everything, but he knows that cooperation requires enough honesty to make Liu take him seriously.

Character Interactions

• Yu confronts Liu with the possibility that they have underestimated Prince Dai and allowed a demonic threat to grow.
• Liu responds sharply, warning Yu to control his words, but his later questions reveal that Yu’s argument has affected him.
• Yu and Liu share a cautious, adversarial negotiation: both are Daoists concerned about the Demon Race, yet neither trusts the other completely.
• Liu tests Yu’s chosen candidate with the blood-activated bronze mirror, while Yu observes the ritual and becomes wary of how much Liu may have discovered.
• After Liu declines to cooperate, Yu persuades him to listen further by appealing to the Emperor’s decisive role in determining the succession.

Chapter Summary: “Offending Heaven”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Qianzhi argues that Emperor suspicion has destroyed or weakened talented heirs, including Princes Qi and Shu and now Prince Dai. Prince Lu, whose abilities seem ordinary, may ironically have the best chance of inheriting the throne.
• He suggests that Prince Dai’s extraordinarily rapid rise may be supported by “Demonic Fortune,” implying that some demonic force has been aiding him.
• Liu Zhan rejects the idea that Prince Dai directly orchestrated the disasters involving Clear Garden Temple and Prince Qi. He considers such manipulation beyond Prince Dai’s known abilities and refuses to act without evidence.
• Yu Qianzhi reframes the issue: Prince Dai may not have caused those events himself, but his improbable success could indicate hidden supernatural assistance. He urges Liu Zhan to investigate rather than immediately attack him.
• Liu Zhan eventually agrees to request an audience with Prince Dai and use a secret method to detect whether Demonic Fortune is present. He recognizes that, if Prince Dai is relying on demons, his victory could lead to the destruction of Yin Temple Sect, whose entire tradition is built on slaying demons.
• Their agreement is immediately followed by a violent peal of thunder during the persistent rain. Both True Persons interpret the coincidence as ominous, suddenly feeling awe and unease before Heaven.
• At Prince Dai’s residence, the celebrations have ended. Ye Buhui cares for her drunken husband, Su Ziji, removing his formal clothes and settling him into bed.
• Ye Buhui reflects on their humble past in Linhua County and marvels that Su Ziji has risen from scholar and Top Scorer to the Crown Prince’s son and now Prince Dai.
• After Ye Buhui leaves, an invisible ring of white light spreads across Su Ziji’s body, suggesting that a hidden power or transformation is taking place.

Character Developments

• Yu Qianzhi reveals himself as politically perceptive, patient, and manipulative. He has apparently cultivated this argument for years and successfully exploits Liu Zhan’s fear of demonic influence and the destruction of his sect.
• Liu Zhan remains skeptical and principled, refusing to accept an accusation without proof. However, his loyalty to Yin Temple Sect and hatred of the Demon Race ultimately compel him to investigate Prince Dai.
• Prince Dai/Su Ziji is shown publicly as a newly elevated, widely celebrated prince who drinks heavily out of genuine happiness. His final connection with the mysterious white light makes his rise appear increasingly supernatural or suspicious.
• Ye Buhui is portrayed as caring, practical, and emotionally devoted. She balances mild irritation at Su Ziji’s drunkenness with pride and understanding at his success.
• Prince Qi is further condemned as a traitor for colluding with the Demon Race, while Prince Lu’s apparent mediocrity is established as a possible political advantage.

Significant Themes

• Power and paranoia: The Emperor’s suspicion of capable heirs creates a political environment where talent itself becomes dangerous.
• Fate versus human influence: The characters debate whether the princes’ fortunes result from Heaven, political schemes, or supernatural intervention.
• The danger of extraordinary success: Prince Dai’s rapid rise is treated as evidence that “miracles” may conceal a greater force.
• Heaven and moral retribution: The chapter’s title and the ominous thunder emphasize the belief that violating Heaven’s order brings consequences.
• Institutional survival versus truth: Liu Zhan’s decision to investigate is motivated not only by justice but by the survival of Yin Temple Sect and its Daoist lineage.
• Hidden identity and supernatural power: The unexplained white light around Su Ziji hints that his true nature or abilities remain concealed.

Important Character Interactions

• Yu Qianzhi and Liu Zhan: Their conversation is a battle of persuasion. Yu Qianzhi carefully pressures Liu Zhan into investigating Prince Dai, while Liu Zhan repeatedly challenges the logic and danger of the proposal.
• Liu Zhan and Prince Dai: Though they do not meet in the chapter, Liu Zhan plans to examine Prince Dai using a secret technique, setting up a likely confrontation.
• Ye Buhui and Su Ziji: Their domestic scene contrasts with the political intrigue. Ye Buhui’s affectionate care and memories of their past reveal the personal side of Su Ziji’s transformation.
• Yu Qianzhi and the unseen political forces: Yu Qianzhi’s suspicion reflects a larger struggle among the imperial family, the Daoist sects, and the Demon Race, with Prince Dai becoming the next central target.

Chapter Summary: “Dragon Transformation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The two foxes sense an unusually powerful surge of Golden Olive energy near Su Ziji’s sleeping quarters and rush into his room.
• Inside, they discover a spectacular phenomenon: golden and silver olives are raining down in moonlike radiance and vanishing as soon as they hit the floor.
• The foxes immediately begin devouring the olives, briefly abandoning their usual quarrel in favor of competing for food. More olives continue to appear, far beyond the normal amount.
• Their consumption sends a massive influx of experience to Su Ziji, jolting him partially awake despite his drunkenness.
• The Rosewood Pendant’s values rise rapidly, allowing the Coiling Dragon Heart Method to absorb the “Seed of Humanity.”
• Su Ziji’s cultivation advances to Level 17, and his Heaven’s Mandate increases from 9 to 10, reaching its apparent limit.
• During a violent thunderstorm, Su Ziji is transported to the Dragon Palace. He discovers that the palace has been partially restored and that Water Demons are continuing its reconstruction.
• Instead of appearing as a human or carp, Su Ziji finds that he has transformed into a fully mature golden dragon, complete with powerful claws and a long tail.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Experiences a major breakthrough in power and status. The Seed of Humanity strengthens his cultivation, but the Heaven’s Mandate reaches a mysterious ceiling. His transformation into an adult golden dragon marks a dramatic advancement in his nature and abilities.
• Big Fox: Becomes more sensitive to the Golden Olives after consuming them repeatedly. He is astonished by the unprecedented quantity but eagerly joins the feeding.
• Little Fox: Demonstrates greater experience and speed in catching the olives. Her competitive and impulsive nature remains prominent, though her appetite quickly overrides her irritation toward Big Fox.
• The foxes as a pair: Their rivalry continues, but their shared hunger allows them to reconcile instantly and cooperate—at least temporarily.

Significant Themes

• Power and transformation: Su Ziji’s advancement from human or carp into an adult golden dragon symbolizes a profound evolution in identity and strength.
• Limits of destiny: Although Su Ziji expects Heaven’s Mandate to continue increasing, it stops at 10, raising questions about whether he has reached the limit of a kingly destiny or encountered a deeper restriction.
• Accumulation and reward: The Golden Olives represent spiritual energy and the results of Su Ziji’s growing influence, particularly his investment as Prince Dai and the formation of the Seed of Humanity.
• Hidden supernatural forces: The foxes move unnoticed through the busy residence, while ordinary servants remain unaware of the spiritual events occurring around them.
• Contrasting scales of life: The mundane preparations for a large royal banquet take place alongside miraculous phenomena, highlighting the gap between ordinary human affairs and the supernatural world.

Character Interactions

• Big Fox and Little Fox: They begin with mutual teasing and nearly resume their quarrel, but the appearance of countless Golden Olives instantly redirects their attention. Their interaction reveals a humorous rivalry built on shared greed and instinctive cooperation.
• Su Ziji and the foxes: Though he notices their activity, Su Ziji ignores them while focusing on the information from his cultivation system. Unintentionally, the foxes’ consumption fuels his breakthrough.
• Su Ziji and the Dragon Palace: His return to the palace reveals his changing relationship with the dragon realm. The restored structures and working Water Demons suggest his influence is gradually rebuilding the palace, while his new dragon body indicates that he is becoming increasingly connected to its true power.

Chapter Summary: Fish and Dragons Danced Through the Night

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji transforms into a dragon, retaining his human consciousness while beginning to experience the dragon’s instincts and abilities. He discovers that flying, controlling water vapor, and summoning rain and thunder become increasingly natural.
• A young white dragon, Ji Jun, emerges from the Dragon Palace and happily joins Su Ziji in flying and playing through the storm. Their interaction suggests immediate familiarity and affection.
• As the two dragons dance beneath the thunderclouds, Su Ziji’s power manifests as a miraculous rain. Golden and silver olives fall from the sky, and the ruined Dragon Palace reconstructs itself.
• Flowers, trees, strange grasses, mist, and fragrant vegetation appear throughout the palace grounds. The Dragon Palace’s former blessing—an ability to enlighten and nurture demons—seems to have returned.
• The Dragon Palace’s Demon Race is initially shocked by the appearance of a second dragon but quickly celebrates the event, interpreting it as a blessing from the Dragon Lord.
• In Prince Shu’s Residence, Gui Junxi observes the violent storm and wonders whether it is a heavenly omen connected to Prince Dai’s recent investiture. He worries that Heaven may favor Prince Dai and anxiously awaits news from his agents.
• At a remote Daoist temple, the temple master also interprets the storm as a sign of Heaven’s changing course. He speculates that Ji Zizong may possess Heaven’s Mandate and could become a crucial figure in the future.
• The temple master reflects on a mysterious “third mark” on his body, which has begun glowing and heating up again. He fears that it may indicate a life-threatening calamity approaching him.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji becomes more fully connected to his dragon identity. Although he maintains his human reason and memories, his dragon instincts—especially his affinity for water, rain, and thunder—begin influencing him more strongly.
• Ji Jun displays clear joy and trust toward Su Ziji, eagerly flying and playing with him. Their bond appears instinctive and deeply harmonious.
• Gui Junxi becomes increasingly uneasy about political and supernatural developments. His concern that Prince Dai may be favored by Heaven reveals both his ambition and his fear of losing influence.
• The Daoist temple master shows himself to be a strategist concerned with destiny, prophecy, and hidden forces. His confidence is shaken when the mark on his arm reacts, suggesting that events may be moving beyond his control.
• The Dragon Palace demons shift from suspicion to hope when they witness the restoration of their home and the return of its ancient blessing.

Significant Themes

• Transformation and identity: Su Ziji’s change into a dragon forces him to balance human consciousness with instinctive, supernatural nature.
• Heavenly omens and destiny: The storm is viewed by multiple characters as evidence that Heaven is responding to political events and possibly selecting a future ruler or chosen figure.
• Renewal and restoration: The Dragon Palace’s ruins rebuilding themselves symbolize the revival of an old power and the restoration of hope to the Demon Race.
• Power beyond human control: Both Gui Junxi and the temple master struggle to interpret events that may be governed by forces greater than political schemes or calculated plans.
• Harmony and belonging: The effortless play between Su Ziji and Ji Jun, along with the demons’ joyful reaction, suggests Su Ziji’s growing acceptance within the Dragon Palace.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Ji Jun: They fly, circle, and play together in the storm, establishing a joyful and affectionate connection between the two dragons.
• Su Ziji and the Dragon Palace demons: Though they do not interact directly, Su Ziji’s rain and restoration profoundly affect them, causing the demons to accept him as one of their own.
• Gui Junxi and the man in black: Gui Junxi repeatedly questions him about missing news, revealing Gui’s impatience and the man’s role as a silent informant or agent.
• The Daoist temple master and the wandering Daoist: Their conversation is interrupted by the storm, allowing the master to privately reveal his deeper concerns about Ji Zizong, Heaven’s Mandate, and the mysterious mark.
• The temple master and the unseen forces surrounding Zhou Xuan: The master considers triggering a backlash against Zhou Xuan but is distracted and alarmed when his remaining mark begins reacting ominously.

Chapter Summary: “Qingqiu Seeks Refuge”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A sudden, violent thunderstorm erupts over Coiling Dragon Lake, forcing all pleasure boats to return to shore. The storm’s unnatural strength causes people to fear that either a Monster or the Dragon Lord is responsible.
• A Cultivated Talent briefly sees what appears to be a group of travelers—and several Foxes—moving along the lakeshore. The figures vanish after Third Aunt Hu uses a concealment spell.
• The Foxes are revealed to be survivors of Green Hill’s devastating calamity. More than nine-tenths of their tribe has been lost, leaving this group of over a dozen as the largest remaining concentration of Green Hill Foxes.
• Third Aunt Hu observes that spiritual energy is rapidly increasing around Coiling Dragon Lake. She suspects that the Dragon Palace, once connected to Green Hill, is preparing to revive.
• Because other Demon Race clans are seeking Green Hill’s treasures, Third Aunt Hu argues that the Foxes must find powerful protection. She proposes that the Qingqiu Fox Tribe formally seek refuge with the Dragon Palace.
• The surviving Foxes debate the proposal. Some support it because Green Hill was historically a vassal of the Dragon Palace; others hesitate because the clan leader, Xiyan, is absent and should normally make such an important decision.
• Concluding that the tribe’s survival takes priority, Third Aunt Hu assumes authority and decides to act. Using a jade token and an incantation, she opens a hidden passage through the lake.
• The Foxes transform into their original forms and enter the passage. Shortly afterward, a terrifying, scale-covered humanoid creature arrives at the lakeshore, suggesting that they may have been pursued or discovered.

Character Developments

• Third Aunt Hu emerges as a decisive and responsible leader. Although frightened by the storm and heavenly power, she puts the tribe’s survival first and accepts the burden of making a decision in the absent clan leader’s place.
• Hu Shijiu remains cautious and deferential, admitting that she will follow the group’s judgment rather than take a firm position.
• The surviving Green Hill Foxes are shown to be exhausted, vulnerable, and divided, but still capable of acting collectively in a crisis.
• The Cultivated Talent shifts from casual skepticism and irritation about the storm to terror after glimpsing the Foxes, reinforcing the danger of supernatural events to ordinary humans.

Significant Themes

• Survival and adaptation: The Foxes must abandon old independence and seek protection after their tribe is nearly destroyed.
• Leadership during crisis: With the clan leader absent, Third Aunt Hu chooses practical action over strict adherence to traditional authority.
• Decline and revival: Green Hill has fallen, while the Dragon Palace appears poised to return, suggesting a broader cycle of destruction and resurgence.
• The supernatural and human fear: The storm, Dragon Lord, hidden Foxes, and monstrous pursuer blur the boundary between ordinary society and the supernatural world.
• Political alliance and protection: Refuge with the Dragon Palace is not merely spiritual or symbolic; it is a strategic necessity because rival Demon Race clans covet Green Hill’s treasures.

Character Interactions

• Human scholars and pleasure-seekers react nervously to the storm, with one Cultivated Talent criticizing it before being warned not to offend the Dragon Lord.
• Third Aunt Hu reprimands and guides the younger Foxes, especially after one nearly exposes the group’s presence.
• She presents the refuge proposal to the surviving Foxes, listens to differing opinions, then overrides objections by invoking the urgency of their circumstances.
• The Foxes ultimately accept her leadership and follow her through the concealed entrance to the Dragon Palace’s domain, while the arrival of the scaled creature creates an ominous cliffhanger.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• A mysterious, incredibly fast monster investigates the abandoned Fox Tribe settlement and discovers that the foxes have fled to the Dragon Palace for protection.
• The monster notices the extraordinarily dense spiritual energy surrounding Coiling Dragon Lake and realizes that the Dragon Palace may be responsible for the Demon Race’s revival.
• This revelation challenges the previous doubts many demons held about the young Dragon Lord’s ability to restore the Demon Race.
• In the capital, Su Ziji awakens in Prince Dai’s Residence and practices the Wind and Rain Follow Me technique. He confirms that his powers are far stronger within the Dragon Palace, where he can command wind and rain through its authority.
• Su Ziji reflects on his ability to transform into a dragon through the Coiling Dragon Secret Art and concludes that his human status and the Dragon Palace’s development are interconnected.
• He recognizes Zhou Xuan, a Quasi-Demon King-level Great Demon, as his greatest threat and decides to eliminate him before Zhou Xuan can endanger his family and subordinates.
• Su Ziji recalls how the restored Dragon Palace has become a treasure-filled spiritual center. Its energy has strengthened the Water Palace’s demon soldiers and begun transforming nearby aquatic creatures into demons.
• After sensing that spiritual energy is recovering much faster, Su Ziji leaves with Big Fox and Little Fox to kill a demon.
• The foxes had apparently been misbehaving and eating Golden Olive in his room. Su Ziji uses their dependence on him—and his knowledge of their suspicious behavior—to make them accompany him.
• Big Fox reluctantly abandons the remaining food while trying to catch up, ending the chapter with an exasperated complaint that Su Ziji is being mean.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji grows more powerful and self-aware. He can now undergo Dragon Transformation and manipulate thunder and water-based techniques, though his strongest abilities remain tied to the Dragon Palace.
• He becomes increasingly strategic and cautious, recognizing that his position as Prince Dai demands decisive action rather than reliance on luck.
• His concern for his wife, daughters, and followers motivates his decision to target Zhou Xuan before the demon can gather allies.
• Little Fox remains obedient and dependent on Su Ziji, following him despite not understanding the mission.
• Big Fox is portrayed comically as food-obsessed and somewhat careless, but she still follows Su Ziji because of their dependence on him.

Significant Themes

• The revival of the Demon Race: The Dragon Palace’s growing spiritual energy suggests that the Demon Race may be entering a new era of prosperity.
• Interconnection between humans and demons: Su Ziji realizes that mortal status, demonic power, and the Dragon Palace are linked rather than strictly separate.
• Power and responsibility: As Su Ziji’s authority expands, he must protect those under his care and eliminate emerging threats.
• Transformation and growth: Su Ziji’s dragon form and the evolution of aquatic creatures reflect broader changes in the world.
• Comic relief amid danger: The foxes’ food-related antics contrast with the serious political and supernatural developments.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji confronts the foxes’ suspicious behavior but recruits them for his mission instead of immediately punishing them.
• Little Fox quickly follows him, while Big Fox struggles to leave her food behind.
• Their dependence on Su Ziji creates a humorous power dynamic: he controls their access to safety and resources, while they provide loyal—but often confused—companionship.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• In the rainy night, Su Ziji escapes through a secret passage with Little Fox and another fox.
• Because Capital City is under martial law, patrols and soldiers make rooftop travel dangerous. Su Ziji uses a mysterious technique that transforms his body into an indistinct mist, allowing him and the foxes to pass unseen.
• Near the city wall, they observe more than a thousand Black-Armored Guards preparing to leave the capital. These elite cavalrymen have been ordered by the Emperor to hunt and kill a Great Demon that has violated the city.
• Su Ziji realizes he has arrived just before the military operation begins. He remains concealed as the troops depart through the city gate.
• The scene shifts to Jingping Temple, where Yu Qianzhi watches and hears the Black-Armored Guards leaving. He worries that the Great Demon crisis may affect Liu Zhan’s loyalty and the larger political struggle surrounding Prince Dai.
• Yu Qianzhi reasons that Prince Dai’s astonishing rise—from examination student to prince—may be connected to the awakened Dragon Palace at Coiling Dragon Lake and possibly to Demonic Fortune.
• He intends to use the Yin Temple Sect’s hostility toward demons and the Emperor’s suspicion as weapons against Prince Dai, effectively arranging for the Emperor to destroy him.
• Yu Qianzhi then detects an abnormal and sudden increase in spiritual energy. A talisman confirms the surge, alarming him because it breaks the previously predictable pattern of spiritual revival.
• Liu True Person appears, and Yu Qianzhi asks for his explanation.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates a previously unknown ability to obscure or transform his body into mist. His skill and confidence have increased, enabling him to move through a heavily guarded city without detection. He also shows awareness of the political and military danger surrounding the Great Demon.
• Little Fox and the other fox: Remain curious and loyal companions. They are confused by Su Ziji’s strange technique but quickly follow him and adapt to the danger.
• Yu Qianzhi: Reveals himself as a calculating political strategist. He is actively plotting against Prince Dai and is willing to manipulate both the Yin Temple Sect and the Emperor to eliminate him. However, the sudden spiritual-energy surge unsettles him and exposes his fear that events are escaping his control.
• Liu True Person: Has not yet explained the phenomenon but is established as someone knowledgeable enough for Yu Qianzhi to consult.

Significant Themes

• Concealment and hidden power: Su Ziji’s mist technique reflects the chapter’s emphasis on secret movements, concealed identities, and abilities that defy ordinary understanding.
• Political manipulation: Yu Qianzhi treats religious hostility, imperial authority, and suspected demonic connections as tools in a broader power struggle.
• Fear of the unknown: Both the military and Yu Qianzhi respond to forces they do not fully understand—the Great Demon, Prince Dai’s mysterious fortune, and the accelerating spiritual revival.
• Fate, fortune, and legitimacy: Prince Dai’s rapid rise is interpreted as evidence of extraordinary fortune, possibly tainted by the Demon Race, raising questions about whether power comes from destiny, corruption, or hidden alliances.
• A changing world: The unexpected acceleration of spiritual energy suggests that the revival is entering a new and unpredictable stage.

Character Interactions

• Little Fox repeatedly tries to get Su Ziji’s attention, while he silently urges her to remain quiet.
• Su Ziji signals the foxes to hide when they reach the city wall, coordinating their escape.
• The Black-Armored Guards receive orders from their commander to divide into groups and use signal fireworks while hunting the Great Demon.
• Yu Qianzhi reflects on Liu Zhan’s wavering position and Prince Dai’s possible connection to demonic forces.
• At the end, Yu Qianzhi consults Liu True Person about the sudden spiritual-energy surge, setting up the next development.

Chapter Summary: “All Are Fated to Us”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Liu Zhan and Yu Qianzhi discuss the sudden acceleration of Spiritual Revival. They suspect it is connected to the awakening of the Dragon Lord within the Demon Race.
• Liu Zhan recognizes that Spiritual Revival benefits both human cultivators and demons, making it a dangerous “double-edged sword” for the Yin Temple Sect. Concerned about the Demon Race’s growing power, he decides to accompany Yu Qianzhi to congratulate Prince Dai and investigate the situation.
• At Xinping Temple, servants gossip about Zhou Yao’s unsettling transformation. Although she once seemed warm and human, she has recently become unnervingly cold and frightening.
• Zhou Yao secretly incapacitates the maids with a spreading mist and leaves the room, revealing that she has not been asleep. A mysterious voice—or another consciousness within her—explains that they were originally one entity and are gradually fusing because of Dao transformation and cultivation.
• The voices speculate that another person may share their origin or fate. Princess Xinping and Ye Bu Hui are considered possible candidates, but Dragon Aura conceals them and no clear resonance is detected.
• A Giant Eagle arrives, and Zhou Yao rides it away through the rain. The inner voice warns that someone connected to them is about to fight a life-or-death battle.
• Zhou Yao reaches a temple where the monks have been massacred, apparently for sheltering the Great Demon Zhou Xuan. Nearby, over a hundred cavalrymen are attempting to suppress a powerful black shadow, but the battle is actually a one-sided slaughter by the Great Demon.
• Zhou Yao is disturbed by the brutality, but the consciousness within her insists that she must become accustomed to such violence now that she has entered the Dao and begun fusing with it.
• Zhou Yao then sees a figure approaching through the mist, accompanied by two foxes. The mysterious voice identifies both Zhou Xuan and this newcomer as people “fated” to them.

Character Developments

• Liu Zhan: Becomes more alarmed by the implications of Spiritual Revival and moves from speculation to action, deciding to investigate Prince Dai’s situation personally.
• Yu Qianzhi: Successfully persuades Liu Zhan to join him and is pleased that the older cultivator has committed to the investigation.
• Zhou Yao: Has changed dramatically since opening the path of Entering the Dao. She is more beautiful but emotionally vacant, frighteningly calm, and capable of incapacitating others without hesitation. Her identity and will are increasingly intertwined with a second consciousness.
• The mysterious consciousness within Zhou Yao: Reveals knowledge of their shared origin and the incomplete fusion between them. It is detached, mocking, and intent on forcing Zhou Yao to accept violence and their new existence.
• Zhou Xuan: Though not directly shown in detail, he is depicted as an overwhelmingly powerful Great Demon capable of destroying a large cavalry force.
• The cavalry and monks: Their deaths demonstrate the brutality of the conflict surrounding demons and those suspected of aiding them.

Significant Themes

• Spiritual Revival as a threat as well as an opportunity: The revival may empower humanity, but it could strengthen the Demon Race even more.
• Identity and fusion: Zhou Yao’s transformation raises questions about whether she remains an individual or is becoming part of another larger entity.
• Fate and connection: The repeated suggestion that Zhou Yao, Zhou Xuan, and the approaching figure are “fated” hints at a deeper supernatural relationship.
• Humanity versus monstrosity: Zhou Yao’s growing detachment and Zhou Xuan’s slaughter blur the boundary between human and demon.
• The cycle of persecution and violence: The monks are killed for sheltering Zhou Xuan, while the cavalry’s attempted retaliation leads to their own massacre, showing how fear and vengeance perpetuate destruction.
• Hidden powers and concealed identities: Dragon Aura masks possible connections, while Zhou Yao’s inner transformation remains unknown to those around her.

Important Character Interactions

• Liu Zhan and Yu Qianzhi debate the meaning of Spiritual Revival and agree to visit Prince Dai.
• The temple maids discuss Zhou Yao’s disturbing behavioral change shortly before she renders them unconscious.
• Zhou Yao mentally interacts with the mysterious consciousness, which explains their incomplete fusion and challenges her reluctance to witness violence.
• Zhou Yao observes the aftermath of the monks’ massacre and the cavalry’s failed attack on Zhou Xuan.
• The chapter ends with Zhou Yao and the inner consciousness recognizing Zhou Xuan and the approaching, fox-accompanied figure as beings connected to their destiny.

Chapter Summary: Heaven’s Will Aids Me

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Yao observes Prince Dai—revealed to be Su Ziji—approaching Clear Garden Temple through the mist, accompanied by two fox demons from Green Hill.
• The temple has become a massacre site. A hundred armored soldiers and many monks lie dead, apparently killed by the Great Demon Zhou Xuan.
• Su Ziji analyzes the battlefield and concludes that Zhou Xuan, despite winning, must be severely wounded and depleted. Zhou Xuan had prioritized killing the Daoist who threatened him before slaughtering the soldiers, revealing his ferocious, instinct-driven nature.
• Su Ziji’s cultivation of the Coiling Dragon Heart Method has reached Level 17, allowing him to sense Zhou Xuan’s approximate location and recognize him as a future threat.
• Guided by the foxes, Su Ziji enters the temple and reaches the main hall, where Zhou Xuan is meditating and healing.
• Zhou Xuan immediately senses danger and assumes Green Hill Foxes are responsible, but Su Ziji reveals himself and dispels the mist.
• Zhou Xuan is shocked to discover that the mysterious attacker is Duke of Dai. He is especially astonished that Su Ziji can cultivate Daoist arts despite being a Dragon Scion, since people of such status normally possess a repulsive force that prevents them from doing so.
• Realizing that Su Ziji possesses both King Aura and Daoist cultivation—making him an exceptionally valuable target—Zhou Xuan welcomes the encounter, believing that “Heaven’s will” has delivered the perfect sacrifice for his transformation into a Demon King.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji / Prince or Duke of Dai: Demonstrates increased cultivation, sharper spiritual perception, strategic intelligence, and formidable killing intent. He has secretly arranged events to confront Zhou Xuan and is now confident enough to enter the temple alone.
• Zhou Xuan: Reveals his terrifying strength by killing more than a hundred soldiers and numerous monks, but the battle leaves him gravely wounded and weakened. His demonic instincts and hatred overwhelm caution, yet he remains perceptive enough to sense hidden threats. Upon seeing Su Ziji, his ambition intensifies.
• Zhou Yao: Watches Su Ziji with complex, unspoken emotions. She recognizes his identity and understands his connection to the fox demons, while also being unsettled by the magnitude of his killing intent.
• The Green Hill Foxes: Serve as guides and companions to Su Ziji, confirming his close and mysterious relationship with the Demon Race.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identities and concealed power: Su Ziji’s mist, Daoist abilities, and alliance with fox demons conceal the extent of his capabilities until the confrontation.
• Predestination and ambition: Zhou Xuan interprets Su Ziji’s appearance as Heaven aiding his rise to Demon King status.
• Humanity versus demonic instinct: Zhou Xuan’s brutal retaliation shows his violent nature gaining control, while Su Ziji approaches the conflict with calculation and purpose.
• The cost of victory: Although Zhou Xuan wins the battle, his injuries and depleted Demonic Power leave him vulnerable to a new enemy.
• Threat and destiny: Su Ziji’s growing perception identifies Zhou Xuan as a future calamity, setting up an inevitable confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Yao silently observes Su Ziji’s arrival and recognizes him despite his concealment.
• Su Ziji’s relationship with the two fox demons is portrayed as intimate and master-like, emphasizing his connection to Green Hill.
• Su Ziji and Zhou Xuan exchange a tense verbal confrontation in the main hall. Zhou Xuan first mistakes Su Ziji’s presence for a Green Hill illusion, then reacts with surprise and excitement when Su Ziji reveals himself.
• Their meeting shifts from a hidden ambush to a direct confrontation, with both recognizing the other as a major threat—and, in Zhou Xuan’s eyes, an opportunity.

Chapter Summary: “Blow This Dog of a Human to Death”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji reveals himself before the injured Great Demon Zhou Xuan, accompanied by two obedient Green Hill Foxes. Zhou Xuan is surprised that Su has managed to subdue members of such a proud and aristocratic demon clan.
• Su bluffs that he has received an imperial decree and has officially become Prince Dai. Zhou Xuan believes him, sensing a powerful increase in Su’s kingly aura.
• Zhou Xuan decides to kill Su and devour his king’s fate, hoping to advance from a quasi-Demon King to a true Demon King. He interprets Su’s arrival as a sign of Heaven’s will.
• Su proposes that, as two “kings,” they should not fight like ordinary beasts but should observe formal rites before beginning combat. Zhou Xuan, who has studied the Human Path and values such etiquette, agrees.
• During the formal exchange, Su uses the Rosewood Pendant to accept Zhou Xuan’s instruction in [Golden Crow Shines on the Sun]. He instantly gains deep insight into Zhou Xuan’s cultivation method and uses it to strengthen several of his own techniques, especially [Coiling Dragon Heart Method].
• Su realizes that Zhou Xuan’s technique contains knowledge even the Dragon Lord may not have understood. He intends to kill Zhou Xuan quickly before the temporary insight fades, preserving enough understanding to advance his own cultivation further.
• The battle begins. Su appears to know Zhou Xuan’s attacks in advance and severely wounds him with a sword infused with the Yin Temple Sect’s direct-line Daoist arts.
• Zhou Xuan realizes he has been deceived and suspects a trap or betrayal. Abandoning the agreed “kingly rites,” he transforms into a Golden Crow and launches a devastating attack at Su.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates strategic cunning, using Zhou Xuan’s pride and sense of etiquette against him. He remains calm and calculated, turning the formal duel into an opportunity to copy and exploit Zhou Xuan’s cultivation method. His ability to combine information, deception, and combat skill becomes even more apparent.
• Zhou Xuan: Reveals his ambition to become a Demon King by devouring Su’s kingly fate. Though powerful and experienced, he is overconfident and vulnerable to manipulation. His respect for human etiquette allows Su to create the opening he needs, and Zhou Xuan’s confidence collapses once he realizes Su can counter his techniques.
• The Green Hill Foxes: Continue to show complete obedience to Su, reinforcing his unusual authority and control over powerful demons. Little Fox correctly senses that Zhou Xuan has fallen into Su’s trap.
• Zhou Yao: Observes the confrontation from above on a Giant Eagle. Like the foxes, she intuitively recognizes that Su has deceived Zhou Xuan, despite not understanding the exact nature of the trick.

Significant Themes

• Cunning versus brute force: Su defeats Zhou Xuan not through direct strength alone, but through deception, preparation, and superior use of information.
• The danger of pride and ambition: Zhou Xuan’s desire to become a Demon King blinds him to Su’s true intentions.
• Ritual and civilization versus savagery: The formal exchange before combat reflects the demons’ study of the Human Path and contrasts with Zhou Xuan’s eventual return to desperate, beastlike violence.
• Knowledge as power: Su’s ability to learn from Zhou Xuan’s technique immediately transforms the encounter into both a battle and a cultivation opportunity.
• Fate and manipulation: Zhou Xuan believes Heaven has brought Su to him so that he may rise, but this interpretation is itself part of the trap.

Character Interactions

• Su and Zhou Xuan engage in a formal, respectful exchange before battle, each bowing and acknowledging the other as a king.
• Su manipulates Zhou Xuan into accepting a conventional duel, while secretly using the opportunity to copy his technique.
• The two foxes observe the battle and recognize that Zhou Xuan has been deceived.
• Zhou Yao watches from the sky and shares the same uneasy impression, suggesting that Su’s scheme is visible through instinct even when its details are not.
• After being wounded, Zhou Xuan accuses Su of knowing his moves and possibly having a traitor among his allies, then abandons formal conduct and attacks with overwhelming Golden Crow firepower.

Chapter Summary: “Swinging the Blade at the Weak”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The injured Golden Crow, Zhou Xuan, gains a major advantage by staying airborne and attacking Su Ziji from above with continuous Demon Fire.
• The mysterious voice explains that exploiting an enemy’s weakness is sound strategy, whether in human warfare or among Monsters.
• Su Ziji struggles against Zhou Xuan’s vast accumulated spiritual power and recognizes that the demon’s long lifespan gives it a strength advantage he cannot overcome through endurance.
• Realizing he must eliminate the Golden Crow’s aerial advantage, Su Ziji retreats into the main hall and sets a trap.
• Zhou Xuan eagerly destroys the hall, believing Su Ziji has cornered himself. When it attacks, Su Ziji first uses a spear as a feint, then follows with a hidden lightning spear-shadow.
• The lightning attack pierces Zhou Xuan’s body, severely injuring it and draining its Demonic Power. Zhou Xuan attempts to flee while threatening to kill Su Ziji and his entire family.
• Su Ziji is nearly exhausted after using the powerful Spear Lightning Strike and worries that Zhou Xuan will escape overseas and become an even greater long-term threat.
• Zhou Yao arrives riding a Giant Eagle and offers Su Ziji a chance to pursue the fleeing demon. He immediately accepts and mounts the eagle.
• The two Foxes miss the chance to board but chase after them on the ground.
• Despite the Golden Crow’s natural speed, its injuries allow the Giant Eagle to close the distance. Zhou Xuan realizes with alarm that Su Ziji is pursuing it.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates tactical intelligence by abandoning direct combat and using deception to overcome Zhou Xuan’s aerial advantage. He successfully lands a devastating attack but is left nearly powerless, revealing the limits of his current cultivation against an ancient Sky Demon.
• Zhou Xuan: Shifts from arrogant hunter to desperate fugitive after being pierced by the lightning spear. Its survival instinct takes over, though it remains vengeful and threatens Su Ziji’s family.
• Zhou Yao: Reappears in a dramatically transformed state, possessing a mysterious aura and commanding a Giant Eagle. She now actively assists Su Ziji rather than merely observing, suggesting that her connection to the mysterious voice has deepened.
• The mysterious voice: Remains detached, insisting that the battle is part of the combatants’ destiny and refusing to intervene directly. It nevertheless guides Zhou Yao at the crucial moment.
• The Foxes: Continue loyally following Su Ziji, though their inability to board the eagle forces them to pursue from the ground.

Significant Themes

• Exploiting weakness over confronting strength: The chapter emphasizes the principle of attacking an enemy where it is vulnerable rather than meeting its greatest advantage head-on.
• Strategy versus raw power: Su Ziji cannot match Zhou Xuan’s accumulated strength, but clever planning allows him to injure a much stronger opponent.
• The danger of unresolved threats: Su Ziji recognizes that allowing Zhou Xuan to escape would leave him under constant threat, highlighting the difficulty of defending against long-lived, mobile enemies.
• Destiny and intervention: The mysterious voice frames the battle as destined while still manipulating events indirectly through Zhou Yao.
• The limits of cultivation and endurance: Rapid advancement does not erase the advantages of age, accumulated power, and species-specific abilities.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Yao and the mysterious voice debate whether to help Su Ziji, with the voice teasing her attempt to disguise her concern for him as concern for “Zhou Xuan.”
• Su Ziji and Zhou Xuan engage in a battle of tactics: Zhou Xuan relies on altitude and overwhelming attacks, while Su Ziji uses concealment and a layered feint.
• Zhou Xuan taunts and threatens Su Ziji while fleeing, strengthening their personal enmity.
• Zhou Yao offers Su Ziji transportation without demanding explanation, and he immediately trusts her enough to follow.
• The chapter ends with Zhou Yao and Su Ziji united in pursuit, while Zhou Xuan realizes the injured hunter has become the hunted.

Chapter Summary: The Sun in the Night Sky

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Xuan, transformed into an injured Golden Crow, flees through the night with Zhou Yao and Su Ziji pursuing him on a Giant Eagle. He repeatedly curses them as “Demon traitors,” believing they are aiding Prince Dai, though his insults are repetitive and ineffective.
• Zhou Xuan’s injuries and dwindling Demonic Power make it clear that he cannot survive a prolonged chase. He suddenly stops and prepares what appears to be a desperate final attack by burning his essence blood.
• Su Ziji anticipates a powerful technique and prepares to combine his spear with thunder borrowed from the storm clouds. However, Zhou Xuan tricks him by pretending to attack before abruptly fleeing in the opposite direction.
• Su Ziji throws his spear after Zhou Xuan, infusing it with lightning. Zhou Yao then uses an unseen power to activate or manipulate the Golden Seal, which suppresses Zhou Xuan after he has escaped several li.
• Zhou Xuan realizes that the Golden Seal is connected to a Dragon Lord’s decree and is horrified that Zhou Yao possesses such authority. Su Ziji’s spear pierces him, and lightning detonates inside his body, killing him.
• At the moment of death, Zhou Xuan transforms into a radiant miniature sun. The explosion illuminates the surrounding area as though it were daytime and releases five streams of fiery power.
• These streams are distributed among those connected to Zhou Xuan: the largest enters Zhou Yao, one enters Su Ziji and appears to pass into another space, two go to the pursuing foxes, and the final stream disappears before later descending somewhere nearby.
• Su Ziji notices that Zhou Yao has changed after absorbing the largest portion and begins questioning her connection to the Demon Race. He also observes that the phenomenon has stopped the rain and awakened or alarmed people at Xinping Temple.

Character Developments

• Zhou Xuan: His desperation and exhaustion expose his ruthless survival instinct. Though badly wounded, he remains cunning, using a false attack to create an opening for escape. His death causes a mysterious transfer of power, suggesting that his influence may continue beyond his physical destruction.
• Su Ziji: He becomes increasingly determined to eliminate Zhou Xuan, recognizing that the demon’s willingness to flee makes it more dangerous than a straightforward opponent. He demonstrates growing control over thunder and the Yin Temple Sect’s Thunder Method, while becoming more suspicious of Zhou Yao.
• Zhou Yao: She remains emotionally detached from Zhou Xuan’s accusations and reveals unexpectedly powerful abilities. Her manipulation of the Golden Seal is decisive in Zhou Xuan’s death, and absorbing the largest share of his final power hints at a deeper, possibly supernatural connection to the Demon Race.
• The Foxes: The two foxes receive portions of Zhou Xuan’s residual power, establishing that they are also linked to the unfolding supernatural transformation.

Significant Themes

• Deception and strategy: Zhou Xuan’s feigned attack and attempted escape show that survival depends on trickery as much as strength.
• Ambiguous identity and loyalty: The repeated accusation of “Demon traitor” contrasts with Zhou Yao’s belief that she is still human, despite her powers and connections becoming increasingly demonic.
• Power beyond death: Zhou Xuan’s death does not end his influence; his energy is divided among several characters, suggesting inheritance, transformation, or a wider supernatural consequence.
• Hidden authority: The Golden Seal and the Dragon Lord’s decree imply a hierarchy of powers and ancient forces that Su Ziji does not yet fully understand.
• Light emerging from darkness: Zhou Xuan’s death literally turns night into day, symbolizing both destruction and the birth or awakening of new powers.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Xuan verbally condemns Su Ziji and Zhou Yao as traitors while fleeing from them, though Zhou Yao remains indifferent to his insults.
• Su Ziji and Zhou Xuan engage in a battle of anticipation: Su Ziji prepares for a final attack, while Zhou Xuan deceives him with a feint.
• Zhou Yao intervenes at the critical moment by using the Golden Seal to suppress Zhou Xuan, enabling Su Ziji’s spear to strike.
• After Zhou Xuan’s death, Su Ziji studies Zhou Yao’s transformation and begins to suspect that their connection is more complicated than he previously believed.

After Zhou Xuan was eliminated, Master Xie sensed that his power was changing and prepared to deal with the people living at the Taoist temple. As he gathered the gifted orphans he had adopted, Li Xin and Yan Xiao fled, while Master Xie began explaining why he had chosen them and hinted that their time had come.

• A red light struck the temple after Zhou Xuan was eliminated, and Master Xie felt power surge through him as the bloody mark on his arm faded.
• Master Xie ordered Xiao Can to summon everyone and told his disciple Hong Dao to guard the temple gate so no one could escape.
• Li Xin and Yan Xiao sensed danger, questioned Xiao Can, and used stomachaches as excuses to slip away.
• Master Xie gathered the temple's young residents and explained that his path of physiognomy let him identify gifted people, then regretted that their time had come.

Xie regained his youth and revealed that he had raised the temple orphans as sacrifices for a ritual. After killing them and the two who had fled, he prepared to activate the temple’s formation.

• Xie grew younger beneath the lanterns and told the orphans he needed them to fetch what he lacked.
• Xie stabbed the youth at the front, then killed the fleeing orphans, including Xiao Can.
• Xie pursued two youths who tried to fight back with magic and a bamboo flute, killing them as well.
• Hong Dao entered and reported that he had killed the two who had escaped earlier.
• Xie explained that the temple was a vast formation and the deaths were nourishment for his ritual.

Chapter Summary: “Ten Thousand Demons, Will You Not Submit?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Zhang reveals that the Taoist temple’s courtyard is the eye of a blood-based formation. The corpses and blood of the slain demons have been deliberately arranged to activate it.
• He orders Hong Dao to collect the bodies outside the temple and prevent anyone from interfering. Although Xie briefly sighs over the deaths and the damage to his relationship with Hong Dao, he insists the sacrifice was necessary.
• Xie explains his decades-long plan involving the Dragon Lord and the Crown Prince. Twenty years earlier, he used the backlash from the Emperor’s attempted killing of the Crown Prince to split off three blood marks from the Dragon Lord’s essence.
• These blood marks possessed the potential to compete for the Demon King’s throne. Zhou Xuan was the only one to reach that level, but Xie has now killed all three, severing the Dragon Lord’s ancient shackles and freeing himself.
• Having achieved his long-term goal, Xie declares, “Ten thousand demons, will you not submit?” A black-red, dragon-like shadow rises from the blood formation and echoes his words.
• The declaration spreads across a vast region and exerts overwhelming pressure on the Demon Race. Demons in many locations involuntarily kneel, tremble, or lose control of their transformations.
• At Pinewhite Mountain, a fish demon experiences terror and briefly reverts to his monstrous fish-headed form, believing that a new Demon King may have appeared.
• In Huochun County, an Examination Demon disguised as a minor clerk is similarly overwhelmed. He shifts uncontrollably between human and tiger forms, while other hidden demons are exposed when they suddenly kneel before humans.
• The chapter closes by describing the restored Dragon Palace, whose growing Water Tribe population and increasing spiritual energy suggest that major changes are occurring among the dragons as well.

Character Developments

• Xie Zhang fully reveals himself as a calculating strategist who has planned for decades. His apparent hesitation gives way to satisfaction and confidence once his scheme succeeds.
• He has moved beyond acting merely as an ally or subordinate: by breaking the Dragon Lord’s restraints, he appears to have claimed immense authority over the Demon Race and possibly positioned himself as a Demon King.
• Hong Dao remains loyal enough to obey Xie, but his emotional reaction shows that the killings have deeply shaken him. His relationship with Xie is likely permanently damaged.
• The Dragon Lord is shown to have been constrained for centuries by layered bonds. Xie’s ritual removes these shackles, though it is unclear whether this benefits or threatens the Dragon Lord.
• The ordinary demons are portrayed as instinctively recognizing a superior kingly presence. Their terror demonstrates the vast power and authority behind Xie’s proclamation.

Significant Themes

• Power gained through sacrifice: Xie’s freedom and rise to power depend on the deaths of others, including people close to him.
• Long-term manipulation and ambition: The chapter emphasizes Xie’s patience, strategic planning, and willingness to shape events over decades.
• Freedom versus bonds: Xie views the Dragon Lord’s ancient shackles as obstacles, while severing them also changes the balance of power among dragons and demons.
• The instinctive hierarchy of the Demon Race: The demons’ involuntary submission suggests that kingship is not merely political but carries a supernatural authority embedded in their nature.
• The cost of ambition: Xie achieves his objective but loses Hong Dao’s trust and possibly creates new dangers by unleashing such power.

Character Interactions

• Xie Zhang and Hong Dao: Xie gives Hong Dao orders while privately acknowledging that the massacre will create a rift between them. Hong Dao obeys, but his suppressed grief and shock reveal his conflicted feelings.
• Xie Zhang and the Dragon Lord: Though the Dragon Lord is not physically present, Xie addresses him directly, explaining how he manipulated the Dragon Lord’s essence and used the blood marks to accomplish his plan.
• Xie Zhang and the Demon Race: His proclamation, amplified by the dragon-like shadow, functions as a supernatural command. Demons across the region respond by kneeling or losing control of their forms.
• Demons and humans: The forced submission of hidden demons exposes them to ordinary humans, producing confusion and panic when their monstrous identities suddenly become visible.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Dragon Palace shelters the displaced Green Hill Foxes, who remain uneasy under the watch of the Water Tribe because of the foxes’ connection to the former Land Demons’ attack.
• Third Aunt Hu regrets that the Qingqiu Fox Tribe did not seek refuge with the Dragon Lord earlier, believing their tragedy might have been avoided. She also worries about Little Fox, now the Green Hill Master, but hides her distress to protect the surviving foxes’ morale.
• A powerful, mysterious voice repeatedly demands, “All Monsters, why do you not submit?” Its pressure overwhelms the foxes and forces them toward submission. Third Aunt Hu survives only because the Dragon Palace protects her.
• A red light delivers a Golden Seal to the sleeping Young Dragon. The new seal resonates with another seal already stored in the palace, producing a brilliant reaction and apparently amplifying or confirming their connection.
• The same voice reaches the Young Dragon and attempts to force it to kneel. Though briefly confused because the voice resembles its mother’s aura, the Young Dragon recognizes that its mother would never treat it cruelly. It rejects the command, asserting its identity as the Dragon Lord.
• At Xinping Temple, a strange fog surrounds the area and several maids collapse, later losing their memories of what happened.
• Zhou Yao suffers severe pain when the voice enters her mind, while Su Ziji only faintly perceives it and is largely unaffected.
• Little Fox and Big Fox crash through Zhou Yao’s window. Both unexpectedly grow additional tails—Little Fox reaching four tails and Big Fox reaching three—while also experiencing pain and confusion.
• Little Fox’s arrival temporarily relieves Zhou Yao’s suffering. Su Ziji picks her up, but Zhou Yao’s condition suddenly changes: her eyes become unnaturally alluring, and she addresses Su Ziji formally as if she were a subordinate consort speaking to a monarch.

Character Developments

• Third Aunt Hu is shown as grieving, regretful, and protective. Despite her fear and exhaustion, she suppresses her emotions to maintain the foxes’ stability.
• The Young Dragon demonstrates growing self-awareness and authority. It resists supernatural coercion and firmly identifies itself as the Dragon Lord, especially when the force violates its understanding of maternal love.
• Little Fox and Big Fox undergo a major transformation as new tails suddenly manifest, suggesting a rapid increase in their power or a connection to the strange voice and Golden Seals.
• Zhou Yao is revealed to be particularly vulnerable to the mysterious influence. Her personality and appearance seem to shift at the end of the chapter, implying that another consciousness or identity may be acting through her.
• Su Ziji remains observant and cautious. He notices that Zhou Yao is affected far more deeply than he is and hesitates to touch her because of propriety, though he does intervene when Little Fox appears.

Significant Themes

• Authority versus submission: The repeated command challenges the independence of monsters and dragons, while the Young Dragon’s refusal emphasizes legitimate authority and self-determination.
• Identity and recognition: The Young Dragon distinguishes its true mother from a false imitation based on her behavior, suggesting that genuine relationships depend on compassion rather than merely shared aura or power.
• Refuge and regret: The Green Hill Foxes’ exile highlights the consequences of delayed decisions and the insecurity of displaced peoples seeking protection.
• Transformation and hidden power: The Golden Seals’ resonance and the foxes’ sudden tails indicate that dormant powers are awakening.
• Possession and altered consciousness: Zhou Yao’s change raises the possibility that the mysterious force can invade or control minds, blurring the boundary between a person’s true identity and an imposed one.

Character Interactions

• The Water Tribe watches the Green Hill Foxes suspiciously, reflecting lingering mistrust between former enemies.
• Third Aunt Hu internally worries about Little Fox while concealing her concern from the other foxes.
• The mysterious voice affects the foxes, the Young Dragon, Zhou Yao, and—more weakly—Su Ziji, linking their experiences.
• The Young Dragon resists the force directly, rejecting its attempt to imitate the motherly aura it recognizes.
• Su Ziji observes Zhou Yao’s suffering and later picks up Little Fox, whose presence helps alleviate Zhou Yao’s pain.
• The chapter ends with Zhou Yao, apparently altered, addressing Su Ziji as “Your Majesty,” creating a disturbing contrast with their earlier relationship and setting up a major mystery.

Chapter Summary — I Never Expected It

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Yao suddenly addresses Su Ziji as though he were a supreme emperor, calling him “Your Majesty” and referring to herself as his consort.
• Her demeanor changes dramatically. She appears possessed or transformed, displaying an unfamiliar beauty, authority, and intense emotional attachment to Su Ziji.
• Zhou Yao accuses him of abandoning her after declaring that their fate had ended. She describes him as an emperor whose virtue can alter heaven and destiny, suggesting a connection from another life or a hidden identity.
• Su Ziji is confused and insists that she has mistaken him for someone else. However, when he looks into her eyes, he becomes entranced and unconsciously responds as though he truly shares her past.
• Under Zhou Yao’s influence, Su Ziji says that he never expected to see her again and addresses her affectionately. The Little Fox realizes that something is wrong and tries to wake him, while the Big Fox restrains her to prevent them from provoking Zhou Yao.
• The transformed Zhou Yao recognizes the Little Fox and calls her “my dear,” further implying that she knows Su Ziji and the foxes from an unknown shared history.
• A powerful voice suddenly demands that all demons submit. The interruption breaks Zhou Yao’s hold over Su Ziji, allowing him to regain control and retreat from her.
• Enraged at losing control of the situation, the possessed Zhou Yao attacks or reacts toward the source of the voice. She then stiffens, staggers, and spits blood, causing the mysterious aura around her to disappear.
• Zhou Yao returns to normal but has no clear understanding of what happened. The mysterious voice in her mind is gone.
• Su Ziji concludes that Zhou Yao had likely been controlled or possessed, but remains highly suspicious and refuses to approach her again.
• He prepares to leave with both foxes. The Little Fox is upset but cooperates, while the Big Fox quietly comforts her despite still suffering from the effects of the shout.
• Although Su Ziji initially leaves, he ultimately turns back, suggesting that he still has unfinished business with Zhou Yao.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Becomes increasingly cautious after realizing that he can be mentally influenced. He questions whether his words and feelings were truly his own, recognizing the danger posed by Zhou Yao’s mysterious power.
• Zhou Yao: Is revealed to possess—or be temporarily overtaken by—another consciousness or powerful entity. In this state, she displays deep love, resentment, and familiarity toward Su Ziji. After returning to normal, she is confused and vulnerable.
• Little Fox: Shows strong concern for Su Ziji and tries to free him from the apparent possession. Though frightened and physically hurt, she remains loyal.
• Big Fox: Displays unusual maturity and protectiveness by stopping Little Fox from acting recklessly and later comforting her. She too is affected by the mysterious voice and continues to endure pain.
• The Mysterious Possessing Entity: Demonstrates knowledge of Su Ziji, Zhou Yao, and the foxes, implying a complicated connection involving reincarnation, destiny, or a previous world.

Significant Themes

• Identity and possession: The chapter questions whether a person’s words, memories, and emotions truly belong to them when an outside force can control their mind.
• Past lives and hidden connections: Zhou Yao’s familiarity with Su Ziji suggests that their relationship may originate from another lifetime or reality.
• Fate versus personal choice: References to destiny, fate ending, and changing heaven imply that the characters may be caught in a larger predetermined struggle.
• Romantic debts and misunderstanding: Su Ziji is burdened by emotions and accusations connected to a relationship he does not remember, creating both humor and tension.
• Power and vulnerability: Despite his ambition and wariness, Su Ziji is briefly powerless against Zhou Yao’s influence, while Zhou Yao herself is controlled by an even greater force.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Yao confronts Su Ziji with affection and resentment, while he responds with confusion and alarm.
• The possessing entity manipulates Su Ziji into temporarily accepting Zhou Yao’s version of their shared past.
• Little Fox attempts to protect Su Ziji, but Big Fox restrains her to avoid provoking the powerful Zhou Yao.
• Big Fox later comforts Little Fox, revealing a more caring and responsible side.
• Su Ziji keeps his distance from Zhou Yao after she returns to normal but ultimately turns back, indicating that he is not yet willing to abandon the mystery.