Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Audience with His Majesty”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During a thunderstorm, the palace foxes—Little White and Big Fox—become terrified. Little Fox collapses and appears lifeless, prompting the maids to summon Princess Ye Buhui.
• Ye Buhui discovers that Little Fox is still breathing and has merely fainted. When Little Fox awakens, she finds herself in an opulent palace chamber.
• Little Fox realizes she may have been transported into the past or into a vision of the Dragon Palace’s former glory. She recalls that the palace’s magnificence reflects the power of its master.
• A maid addresses her as the Green Hill Lord, the title belonging to the chief of the Qingqiu Fox Tribe. This confirms that Little Fox is inhabiting the body or identity of Hu Xiyan, the newly appointed fox leader.
• Before she can investigate further, her body begins acting independently. She is taken to meet the Dragon Lord and formally greets him as “Your Majesty.”
• In a parallel sequence, Su Ziji descends through darkness into a brilliant, ancient Dragon Palace. He recognizes it as the complete palace he saw during a previous inheritance experience, though it appears even more powerful and magnificent.
• Su Ziji transforms into human form and discovers that he is dressed in imperial robes. The palace demons greet him as “Your Majesty,” suggesting that he has entered the role or era of the ancient Dragon Lord.
• He observes that the Great Demons serving in the palace possess overwhelming power, far exceeding even the strongest demons of the present age.

Character Developments

• Little Fox/Hu Xiyan: Awakens in a mysterious palace and quickly deduces that she has entered a past era or inherited memory. Rather than panic at becoming “someone else,” she sees the situation as an opportunity to learn the truth about the Dragon Palace. Her body’s loss of autonomy creates uncertainty about whether she is witnessing history, possessing Hu Xiyan, or being controlled by a supernatural force.
• Ye Buhui: Demonstrates genuine concern and affection for the foxes. Her immediate response to Little Fox’s apparent collapse emphasizes the emotional importance of the animals to her and the Prince.
• Su Ziji: Gains a direct view of the Dragon Palace at its peak and begins to understand the vast difference between the ancient Dragon Lord’s era and the weakened present. His confusion over his transformation and imperial clothing suggests that he is being drawn into the identity or inheritance of the former Dragon Lord.
• The Dragon Lord: Remains visually obscured, appearing as a powerful dragon who transforms into an emperor-like figure. His presence conveys immense authority and mystery.

Significant Themes

• Power and manifestation: The Dragon Palace physically reflects its master’s strength. Its grandeur demonstrates the ancient Dragon Lord’s near-unmatched power, while its later decline symbolizes the weakening of the Dragon lineage.
• Past and inheritance: Both Little Fox and Su Ziji encounter a glorious earlier version of the Dragon Palace, suggesting that inherited memories, visions, or time-crossing experiences are central to their destinies.
• Identity and possession: Little Fox occupies or experiences Hu Xiyan’s identity, while Su Ziji may be assuming the role of the ancient Dragon Lord. Both struggle to distinguish their own selves from inherited roles.
• Decline of the Demon Race: The powerful Great Demons of the past contrast sharply with later figures such as Zhou Xuan, emphasizing how severely demonic power has diminished over the centuries.
• Loyalty and affection: Ye Buhui’s concern for the foxes contrasts with the grand political and supernatural events, grounding the chapter in personal bonds.

Character Interactions

• The maids communicate their fear over the foxes’ condition and seek Ye Buhui’s help.
• Ye Buhui personally checks Little Fox’s breathing, showing her protective relationship with the animals.
• Little Fox interacts with a palace maid who recognizes her as the Green Hill Lord and prepares to attend her.
• Little Fox’s body formally receives the Dragon Lord, establishing a connection between the Qingqiu Fox Tribe and Dragon Palace authority.
• Su Ziji is welcomed by the palace’s Great Demons, who unanimously recognize him as their sovereign, reinforcing the possibility that he has entered the Dragon Lord’s position or era.

Summary of “A Familiar Feeling”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji awakens within another strange illusion, where he appears as a dragon sovereign ruling over a court of Great Demons. Without fear or confusion, he instinctively behaves like a ruler and commands them to rise.
• He recognizes one of the court officials as Hu Xiyan, the Green Hill Fox whom he previously met in the human world. She appears in the role of an important Dragon Palace minister, though Su Ziji can perceive her fox-demon nature through his Dragon Eyes.
• Hu Xiyan is also confused by the situation. Since the Dragon Lord should supposedly be the only dragon, she wonders why another dragon—Su Ziji—has appeared and is treated as the sovereign.
• As she leads him through the palace, an unseen female consciousness teasingly warns her not to spy on “His Majesty.” This suggests that the body or identity Hu Xiyan occupies contains another consciousness.
• Hu Xiyan brings Su Ziji to an elegant private retreat, where a mysterious, beautiful woman awaits him. The woman behaves as though she is intimately familiar with the dragon sovereign, and Su Ziji’s body responds to her with affectionate familiarity.
• During their conversation, the woman reveals that the dragon ruler has altered Heaven’s Mandate, created an age of prosperity, and gained control over the world’s spiritual currents. She asks whether he is tired of his realm and throne and whether she or their child can persuade him to stay.
• Su Ziji feels an unexpected emotional response—sorrow, guilt, and the urge to comfort her—suggesting that the consciousness of the dragon he inhabits has a deep relationship with her.
• Before he can respond, a burst of flame violently interrupts the scene, destroying the courtyard’s rockery and breaking the emotional connection.
• The mysterious woman transforms into the unmistakable form of Zhou Yao, shocking both Su Ziji and Hu Xiyan. Her anger reveals that she had been close to succeeding in some unknown purpose before the interruption.
• The flames then transform into Lady Three Caverns, who formally greets Su Ziji as “Prince Dai.” She realizes that she has entered a dreamlike scene involving Su Ziji and Hu Xiyan and becomes suspicious of the situation.
• Su Ziji, now able to speak and act more freely, questions how Lady Three Caverns managed to intrude into his dream, since he is supposedly the dignified Prince Dai and should not be vulnerable to such interference.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Becomes increasingly aware that the illusion is connected to a powerful former identity or consciousness. He instinctively assumes the authority of a dragon emperor and experiences unfamiliar emotions toward the mysterious woman, suggesting a hidden past or connection.
• Hu Xiyan: Is revealed to be connected not only to the Green Hill Fox of the illusion but also to the real woman Su Ziji previously met. She remains confused and cautious, losing control of her body at times and reacting with alarm to the changing identities around her.
• The mysterious woman/Zhou Yao: Initially appears as a gentle, intimate companion of the dragon sovereign, possibly his consort and the mother of his child. Her transformation into Zhou Yao reveals that the dream’s figures may be disguises, projections, or manifestations of other people’s consciousnesses. Her anger implies a personal stake in Su Ziji’s dream.
• Lady Three Caverns: Forces her way into the illusion through fire and interrupts the mysterious woman’s plan. Her formal greeting shows her familiarity with Su Ziji’s identity as Prince Dai, while her surprise indicates that she did not expect to find him in such a strange and intimate dream.
• The dragon sovereign’s consciousness: Though not directly identified, it appears to influence Su Ziji’s body and emotions. Its memories and relationships surface spontaneously, especially in the presence of the mysterious woman.

Significant Themes

• Identity and reincarnation: Su Ziji’s body, memories, and behavior belong partly to another identity, blurring the distinction between himself and the dragon sovereign.
• Dreams and reality: The illusion behaves like a world with its own history and emotional truth, yet outside figures such as Lady Three Caverns can intrude into it.
• Familiarity amid strangeness: Repeated faces and altered identities create a sense that Su Ziji is encountering people and relationships from a forgotten or transformed past.
• Power and mortality: Despite ruling a prosperous realm and controlling the spiritual currents, the dragon sovereign laments his short remaining lifespan, raising the conflict between worldly power and inevitable death.
• Emotional bonds and attachment: The mysterious woman’s plea that Su Ziji stay for her and their child suggests that even the most powerful ruler is bound by love, guilt, and responsibility.
• Interference and unfinished revelations: The arrival of Lady Three Caverns prevents Su Ziji from discovering what would have happened had he accepted the woman’s appeal, leaving the dream’s true meaning unresolved.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji commands the Great Demons as their sovereign, establishing his instinctive authority in the illusion.
• He recognizes Hu Xiyan, while she struggles to understand his presence as a second dragon.
• The mysterious woman speaks to Su Ziji with intimate familiarity and attempts to draw him back to his realm and family.
• Su Ziji emotionally responds to her despite not consciously knowing her.
• Lady Three Caverns interrupts their exchange, causing the woman to reveal herself as Zhou Yao before disappearing.
• Lady Three Caverns then formally addresses Su Ziji as Prince Dai, and he challenges her for invading his dream.

Chapter Summary: “How Dare This Lady Three Caverns”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lady Three Caverns appears in Prince Dai—Su Ziji’s—dream and boasts that, as a deity, entering dreams is easy for her.
• She attempts to intimidate Su Ziji into releasing the people of Water Cloud Shrine and building her a golden statue. She threatens to trap him in nightmares if he refuses.
• Su Ziji remains unmoved, recognizing that her threats are exaggerated and that she likely cannot truly harm him.
• A white Young Dragon enters the dream and exposes Lady Three Caverns’s lie, declaring that deities cannot normally enter the dreams of nobles so easily.
• Lady Three Caverns is shocked to discover that the Young Dragon is actually a Dragon Lord. She realizes Su Ziji has powerful connections and that she has badly misjudged him.
• After her threats fail, Lady Three Caverns tries seduction and invokes the legendary “clouds and rain of Wu Mountain,” suggesting a romantic arrangement with Su Ziji.
• Su Ziji rejects her coldly and explains that Water Cloud Shrine is connected to Prince Lu and has been condemned by imperial decree. He refuses to reverse the order against it.
• Lady Three Caverns reveals that the Heaven Gate has recently opened wider, temporarily weakening restrictions and making dream-entry possible—even for powerful beings such as Dragon Lords.
• Su Ziji suspects that the Heaven Gate’s increased opening may be connected to his recent advancement and may signal major changes in the world.
• Desperate, Lady Three Caverns threatens to expose Su Ziji’s connection to the Dragon Lord and claims this could make him a target of demons, especially because the Emperor of Great Zheng opposes cooperation with the Demon Race.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates composure, political awareness, and confidence in his hidden authority. He sees through Lady Three Caverns’s threats and seduction, firmly upholding the imperial decree against Water Cloud Shrine.
• Lady Three Caverns: Begins arrogant and threatening but quickly becomes unsettled when her bluff is exposed. She shifts from intimidation to seduction, then to bargaining and finally to threats of political exposure. Her desperation reveals that the destruction of her shrine could seriously weaken or kill her.
• The Young Dragon: Displays loyalty and intelligence by defending Su Ziji and immediately identifying Lady Three Caverns’s deception. Its presence reveals Su Ziji’s connection to a genuine Dragon Lord.
• Little Fox: Is astonished by Lady Three Caverns’s audacity, recognizing that a mortal imperial descendant possesses far greater authority and protection than the Wild God understands.

Significant Themes

• The true power of imperial authority: Su Ziji’s status as the Son of Heaven gives him strength and protection that even deities may fail to understand.
• Misjudgment and hidden power: Lady Three Caverns mistakes Su Ziji for an ordinary mortal prince and suffers because she cannot perceive his full nature.
• Political authority versus folk religion: The shrine’s popular worship and Lady Three Caverns’s self-proclaimed divine status cannot override an imperial decree.
• Deception and failed manipulation: Lady Three Caverns cycles through threats, seduction, negotiation, and blackmail, but Su Ziji remains emotionally and politically unmoved.
• A changing supernatural world: The widening Heaven Gate appears to be weakening boundaries between realms, allowing easier access to dreams and potentially heralding a major transformation in the world.

Character Interactions

• Lady Three Caverns attempts to negotiate with and seduce Su Ziji, but he responds with contempt and rejects both her offers and her assumptions.
• The Young Dragon openly challenges Lady Three Caverns and sides with Su Ziji, exposing her false claim about dream invasion.
• Su Ziji uses Lady Three Caverns’s lack of official investiture and political understanding against her, emphasizing that her title is merely a popular designation.
• Lady Three Caverns ends the confrontation by threatening to reveal Su Ziji’s relationship with the Dragon Lord, raising the stakes from a personal dispute to a possible political and demonic conflict.

Chapter Summary: A Mere Mortal Prince

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji confronts Lady Three Caverns inside the Dragon Palace, dismissing her threats and challenging her belief that she can escape merely by leaving the dream.
• He reveals that the Dragon Palace is not an ordinary dream. Although it is largely constructed from his subconscious, he possesses considerable authority within it and can seal its exits.
• At Su Ziji’s command, demon soldiers and a Great Demon appear to capture and execute Lady Three Caverns.
• Lady Three Caverns fights back with a crimson cord that multiplies into numerous strands, destroying many demon soldiers. However, the demons repeatedly reform from smoke, making them effectively impossible to eliminate.
• The demon forces injure Lady Three Caverns several times. Though her divine body heals quickly, each successive wound takes longer to repair, gradually draining her strength.
• The intense battle destabilizes the Dragon Palace. A side hall collapses, signaling that the dream is beginning to awaken and that its restrictions may soon weaken.
• Lady Three Caverns hopes to escape as the dream deteriorates, but the dream’s collapse is too slow compared with the damage she is receiving.
• The Great Demon transforms into a tiger and unleashes a devastating wind blade, splitting Lady Three Caverns in two. Before she can recover, the demons impale her from every direction, causing her incarnation to explode.
• The Young Dragon immediately devours the resulting fireworks, preventing Lady Three Caverns from escaping or transmitting useful information.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates unexpected authority and control within the Dragon Palace. Though he calls himself a “mortal prince,” his command over the dream and its formidable demons suggests a deep connection to the Dragon Lord and the Demon Race. His initial confidence becomes serious concern when he realizes the dream is collapsing.
• Lady Three Caverns: Begins arrogant and enraged after being threatened by a mortal, but quickly becomes alarmed by Su Ziji’s power and the strength of the dream demons. Her confidence deteriorates into desperation as she realizes she cannot escape or outlast the battle. Her final words reveal that the defeated figure was only an incarnation.
• The Young Dragon: Acts as a powerful and obedient ally to Su Ziji. Its swift consumption of Lady Three Caverns’s remnants suggests that it may prevent her from sending information back to her true self.
• The Great Demon: Reveals itself as a highly capable combatant, eventually transforming into a tiger and delivering the decisive attack against Lady Three Caverns.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: Su Ziji’s description as a “mere mortal prince” contrasts sharply with the supernatural authority he displays. Lady Three Caverns’s assumptions about dreams and mortals repeatedly prove false.
• Dreams as manifestations of power: The Dragon Palace is not merely an illusion but a space shaped by Su Ziji’s mind and authority. Within it, dream creations possess strength comparable to beings in reality.
• The vulnerability of divine beings: Although gods can endure and heal from severe injuries, their power is finite. Sustained damage and energy consumption can eventually overcome even a divine incarnation.
• Control and entrapment: The sealed doors and windows symbolize Su Ziji’s control over the environment and Lady Three Caverns’s inability to escape once she has entered.
• Consequences of underestimating others: Lady Three Caverns enters casually, believing Su Ziji to be only a mortal prince, and regrets failing to recognize the danger sooner.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Lady Three Caverns exchange hostile threats, with Su Ziji calmly challenging her while she responds with anger and contempt.
• Su Ziji commands the demon forces to attack her, turning their confrontation into a battle of authority and endurance.
• Lady Three Caverns attempts to overwhelm the demons and reach Su Ziji, but their endless regeneration and coordinated attacks keep her trapped.
• The Great Demon serves as Su Ziji’s principal combatant, ultimately defeating Lady Three Caverns when her defenses weaken.
• The Young Dragon reinforces Su Ziji’s side by consuming the remnants of Lady Three Caverns’s destroyed incarnation.

Chapter Summary: “Not Worth It”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Little Fox awakens after her mysterious experience at the Dragon Palace. Ye Buhui and several maidservants care for her, while Big Fox lies nearby, also safe.
• A clap of thunder makes Little Fox instinctively tremble, and Ye Buhui comforts her warmly. While resting in Ye Buhui’s arms, Little Fox reflects on what she witnessed:
  • Lady Three Caverns’ incarnation collapsed into fireworks that the Young Dragon Lord absorbed.
  • An Azure Dragon spoke with Lady Three Caverns and the Young Dragon Lord, but Little Fox could not hear the conversation clearly.
  • The Azure Dragon seemed familiar, yet Little Fox cannot determine its identity or relationship to the Young Dragon Lord.
  • She also wonders why her half of the Rosewood Pendant showed no reaction.
• The scene shifts to Water Cloud Shrine after a brutal battle. Corpses of shrine members and government soldiers cover the grounds, with rain mixing with the blood.
• Constable Chief Shi Chengyan, covered in blood and consumed by grief and rage, hunts down two surviving temple priests who have surrendered.
• When one priest tries to flee, Shi severs his arm and later kills him despite another constable chief’s protests. He then kills the second priest as well.
• It is revealed that three of Shi Chengyan’s men died in the assault, including his seventeen-year-old nephew. Water Cloud Shrine had used powerful bows against the government forces, killing elite constables during the initial attack.
• Shi orders Constable Chief Liu to report that Water Cloud Shrine has been completely destroyed. He then demands that prepared dog’s blood be brought so he can personally defile the shrine’s divine statue, despite the religious and political consequences.

Character Developments

• Little Fox: Remains physically vulnerable but mentally alert and increasingly suspicious. She carefully analyzes the Dragon Palace events, especially the identities and connections of the Azure Dragon and Young Dragon Lord. Her questions suggest that she is gradually uncovering a larger hidden mystery.
• Ye Buhui: Demonstrates tenderness and protectiveness toward Little Fox, soothing her fear and providing a sense of safety.
• Big Fox: Shows concern for Little Fox and relief when she wakes, reinforcing the protective bond between the two foxes.
• Shi Chengyan: Is revealed as deeply affected by the deaths of his subordinates, especially his young nephew. His grief drives him into excessive, nearly uncontrolled violence, blurring the line between justice and revenge.
• Constable Chief Liu: Acts as a voice of restraint and procedure. He recognizes that the surrendered priests should be taken prisoner and worries that Shi’s actions will provoke divine or political repercussions.

Significant Themes

• Grief turning into vengeance: Shi Chengyan’s loss transforms him from a law officer into a merciless executioner.
• Justice versus revenge: The chapter questions whether punishment remains legitimate when it is driven by personal rage rather than law.
• The danger of acting on emotion: Shi’s decision to kill surrendered prisoners and desecrate the shrine may create consequences beyond the original battle.
• Mystery and hidden identities: Little Fox’s memories introduce unresolved questions about the Dragon Lord, the Azure Dragon, the Young Dragon Lord, and the Rosewood Pendant.
• Comfort amid fear and violence: The gentle scene between Little Fox and Ye Buhui contrasts sharply with the massacre at Water Cloud Shrine, highlighting both tenderness and brutality.
• The cost of conflict: The deaths of soldiers, temple members, and Shi’s nephew show how political or religious confrontations destroy individuals on every side.

Character Interactions

• Ye Buhui comforts Little Fox physically and verbally after the thunder frightens her, strengthening their affectionate relationship.
• Little Fox and Big Fox communicate through chirps, expressing mutual concern and relief.
• Shi Chengyan ignores the pleas of the surrendered priests and kills them despite their attempts to seek mercy.
• Constable Chief Liu confronts Shi’s brutality, urging him not to kill prisoners and reminding him that capturing them would still count as merit.
• Liu later reluctantly accepts Shi’s orders but warns, implicitly, that personally splashing dog’s blood on the divine statue is dangerous and “not worth it.”

Chapter Summary: “Heaven Gate Opens”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Chengyan, furious over the death of his nephew and other family members, personally leads the attack on Water Cloud Shrine.
• Armed with enchanted black dog’s blood—capable of breaking a god’s vital essence—he enters the shrine despite Chief Liu and the other constables’ fear.
• The goddess statue manifests a terrifying female voice and threatens the intruders, but Shi Chengyan overcomes his fear and splashes it with the blood.
• The statue splits apart and collapses. An incense-smoke form escapes, cursing Shi Chengyan and threatening his descendants.
• Shi Chengyan attempts to strike the escaping smoke, but his sword has no effect. However, thunder appears to weaken the smoke as it flees.
• Su Ziji, staying at an inn, senses the curse and realizes the goddess has survived in some form. He concludes that the Divine Shrines are deeply entrenched and will be difficult to eliminate.
• Su Ziji and Prefect Tan Ping visit the devastated shrine, where they find numerous corpses and extensive bloodshed.
• Tan Ping introduces Shi Chengyan, who explains the goddess’s manifestation and escape.
• Impressed by Shi Chengyan’s courage and abilities, Su Ziji appoints him to a Subordinate Ninth Rank position within Shuntian Prefecture.
• Examining the shattered statue, Su Ziji notices lingering spiritual light and wonders whether reaching Level 20 has broken a supernatural restriction known as the “Heaven Gate.”

Character Developments

• Shi Chengyan transforms his grief into decisive, almost reckless courage. Although initially shaken by the goddess’s manifestation, his anger over his family’s deaths drives him to destroy the statue personally.
• His actions reveal him as a formidable constable with strong resolve, combat instincts, and unusual resistance to supernatural intimidation.
• Su Ziji remains calm and strategically minded amid the slaughter. He recognizes that destroying a shrine’s statue does not necessarily destroy the god behind it and becomes more cautious about the campaign against the Divine Shrines.
• Su Ziji also begins investigating his own advancement, suspecting that reaching Level 20 has opened or broken a major spiritual barrier.
• Prefect Tan Ping is initially alarmed by the consequences of attacking the shrine but gains confidence in Su Ziji’s authority and Shi Chengyan’s value.

Significant Themes

• Grief and vengeance: Shi Chengyan’s rage over his relatives’ deaths motivates him to confront a supernatural power directly.
• Faith versus authority: The destruction of the shrine represents the government’s challenge to religious institutions that have influence across every social class.
• The limits of victory: Though the statue is destroyed, the goddess escapes as smoke, showing that defeating the visible manifestation of a god is not the same as eliminating its true power.
• Courage against the supernatural: Shi Chengyan’s determination inspires respect and demonstrates the importance of human resolve in confronting divine threats.
• Spiritual advancement and hidden barriers: Su Ziji’s discovery of the statue’s spiritual light hints that his own cultivation or power system is entering a new stage.

Important Character Interactions

• Shi Chengyan and Chief Liu: Chief Liu understands Shi Chengyan’s grief but fears the danger of attacking the goddess. Shi Chengyan ignores his hesitation and takes responsibility for the act himself.
• Shi Chengyan and the goddess: The goddess attempts to intimidate him through a manifestation and curse, but he responds with defiance and destroys her statue.
• Shi Chengyan and Su Ziji: Su Ziji recognizes his courage and rewards him with an official appointment, turning a low-ranking but capable constable into a formal ally.
• Su Ziji and Tan Ping: Tan Ping reports the shrine’s destruction and witnesses Su Ziji’s composed reaction. Su Ziji’s confidence reinforces Tan Ping’s belief in his military and political capabilities.
• Su Ziji and the escaping goddess: Though they do not confront each other directly, Su Ziji perceives the curse and understands that the Divine Shrines remain a serious threat.

Gui Junxi and Lady Three Caverns joined forces after the authorities declared them wanted, while Zhou Yao confronted the woman who claimed to be her past life. The woman revealed that she sought to return to life and told Zhou Yao that there were no immortals in their world.

• Gui Junxi discovered Lady Three Caverns in his bronze mirror and considered subduing her to make up for his losses.
• A night watchman announced that Water Cloud Shrine would be sealed, Lady Three Caverns was an evil god, and Gui Junxi was wanted; Gui Junxi and Lady Three Caverns agreed to join forces.
• At Xinping Temple, Zhou Yao demanded to know what the woman had intended to do in the Dragon Palace.
• The woman said she had hoped the Azure Dragon would agree to let her return to life and regain her divine rank.
• The woman told Zhou Yao that no immortals or eternal life existed, and Zhou Yao questioned whether the Biographies of the Immortals were wrong.

Zhou Yao woke after speaking with the woman merging with her and felt an irresistible pull toward the southwest. She decided to leave Xinping Temple and urged the princess to see Prince Dai before departing.

• The woman told Zhou Yao that their merging was irreversible and directed her to go southwest to claim her former self's legacy.
• Zhou Yao tested her growing power and reflected on how her feelings for Shao were fading as the southwest drew her onward.
• The temple maids feared Zhou Yao after several attendants fell ill and noticed an uncanny gust of wind before she emerged from her room.
• Zhou Yao told the princess she planned to go home the next morning, then suggested that the princess see Prince Dai about possible changes in herself.
• The princess accepted Zhou Yao's suggestion after studying her for a long while.

Chapter Summary: “Sparrows Within the Residence”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After spending the night handling the Yu family’s case, Su Ziji leaves with Prefect Tan Ping at dawn. Tan Ping is left reflecting on the political significance of Prince Dai’s intervention: Su Ziji has moved from being an idle noble to an active force in the Capital’s political landscape.
• During the ride home, Su Ziji considers the danger of exceeding his current status. He knows inventions such as cement or mass-produced noodles could greatly benefit society, but introducing them too openly might provoke imperial suspicion or political retaliation. He concludes that even good intentions must be restrained by one’s position and circumstances.
• He also plans to use his recent assignment as a foundation for expanding the influence of Literary Heart Carving Dragon, while ordering Lu Fengyun to monitor developments across the realm as the Gate of Heaven and Earth continues opening and relations between humans and nonhumans potentially change.
• Upon returning to the Prince’s Residence, Su Ziji notices Luo Jiang and Bo Yan, now dressed as a Subordinate Ninth Rank military official. His residence has clearly begun producing results and elevating its members.
• Su Ziji meets with Wild Daoist, Jian Qu, Cen Rubai, and Wen Xunpeng. They congratulate him on successfully completing his first major assignment.
• After recounting the night’s events, Su Ziji decides that the growing number of affairs requires a more formal internal structure. He begins assigning clear responsibilities among his advisers.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates increasing political awareness and caution. Though capable of introducing major technological and economic improvements, he understands that acting too boldly could make him appear threatening. His successful assignment gives him greater confidence and authority, prompting him to organize his residence as a genuine political and administrative power.
• Prefect Tan Ping: Recognizes Su Ziji as a new participant in the Capital’s political struggle. His fatigue and unease show that he understands the implications of Prince Dai gaining direct influence over Shuntian Prefecture.
• Wild Daoist/Lu Fengyun: Receives Su Ziji’s strongest administrative appointment, becoming responsible for the residence’s overall affairs and intelligence network. This confirms Su Ziji’s trust and recognition of his long service.
• Jian Qu: Is entrusted with advising on the Imperial Feather Guards and overseeing the residence’s economic industries. His responsibilities expand beyond military matters, requiring him to study economics.
• Cen Rubai: Is assigned control of businesses connected to the martial world, matching his extensive contacts there. His continuing loyalty to the former Crown Prince—and now to Su Ziji as the Crown Prince’s son—is acknowledged indirectly.
• Bo Yan: His promotion to a Subordinate Ninth Rank military post marks his social and professional transformation from wandering martial figure to respectable official.
• Luo Jiang: Appears alongside Bo Yan, suggesting her continued involvement in the residence’s developing network, though she has little direct interaction in the chapter.
• Wen Xunpeng: Remains the only adviser whose duties have not yet been assigned by the chapter’s end, creating anticipation for his future role.

Significant Themes

• Power constrained by political identity: Su Ziji understands that actions must match one’s official status. Reforms that would be beneficial under an emperor could be dangerous for a prince who is already viewed with suspicion.
• Organization as the foundation of influence: The residence is evolving from an informal group into a structured institution. Su Ziji’s statement that even a small sparrow possesses all five organs reflects his belief that a small organization must still have complete systems and divisions of responsibility.
• The growth of political power: Su Ziji’s assignment allows him to gain influence over officials and institutions, marking his transition into an active player in the Capital’s power struggle.
• Pragmatism versus idealism: Although Su Ziji wants to improve roads, commerce, and society, he prioritizes survival and gradual progress over reckless reform.
• Loyalty and inherited allegiance: Cen Rubai’s loyalty to Su Ziji is tied to the latter’s identity as the Crown Prince’s son, showing how political loyalties can pass through bloodlines and historical obligations.
• Preparation for larger changes: The Gate of Heaven and Earth, the possibility of shifting human–nonhuman relations, and the spread of Literary Heart Carving Dragon hint that the residence’s organization is being built in preparation for broader future upheavals.

Character Interactions

• Tan Ping and Su Ziji share a respectful but unequal interaction: Su Ziji can return to rest, while Tan Ping must manage the investigation’s consequences. Their exchange highlights Su Ziji’s growing authority.
• Su Ziji observes Bo Yan and Luo Jiang without interrupting them, showing his awareness of the residence’s changing personnel and status.
• The four advisers greet Su Ziji collectively, emphasizing their unity and shared investment in his success.
• Su Ziji treats Wild Daoist with particular familiarity, asking whether he has eaten and recognizing his long service before assigning him overall authority.
• His appointments to Wild Daoist, Jian Qu, and Cen Rubai are tailored to their individual abilities, demonstrating both strategic leadership and personal trust.
• The chapter ends before Su Ziji assigns Wen Xunpeng a position, leaving the residence’s administrative structure incomplete.

Chapter Summary: This Man Was Too Vicious

Key Plot Points and Events

• Prince Dai assigns Wen Xunpeng to continue managing documents and the Capital Gazette, recognizing his knowledge of the capital and talent for writing.
• Su Ziji emphasizes that the Gazette is a crucial tool for shaping public opinion. He orders Wen to influence other newspapers as well, while avoiding making the Capital Gazette appear too closely tied to Prince Dai.
• Wen presents an article concerning the campaign against Water Cloud Shrine. Su instructs him to have other newspapers publish similar material first, with the Capital Gazette following later to provide deeper coverage.
• Wen reveals that he has already arranged for the article to appear in the established Residence Bulletin under the name of a respected old scholar, making the campaign seem more independent and credible.
• Su then orders Wen to draft a memorial to the emperor praising the contributions of the Daoist and Buddhist Schools in suppressing illicit worship.
• The advisers realize this will force those religious factions into political alignment with Prince Dai. Even if they do not openly pledge loyalty, other factions will view them as Prince Dai’s supporters.
• Wild Daoist suggests allowing the Daoist and Buddhist Schools to recommend future targets for suppression, thereby spreading responsibility and dividing the political danger.
• Wen proposes recruiting provincial graduates and other scholars through newspaper articles supporting the suppression of illicit worship. Once they publicly participate, they will be politically tied to Prince Dai and unable to withdraw safely.
• Bo Yan secretly overhears the discussion using his enhanced hearing and is horrified by the advisers’ strategy. He realizes that many innocent people may be drawn into the political struggle without understanding the consequences.

Character Developments

• Wen Xunpeng gains confidence and feels accepted within Prince Dai’s circle. His ability to plan several steps ahead proves that he is far more capable than Prince Qi recognized.
• Wen also reveals a ruthless political intelligence. He understands how to manipulate public opinion, exploit respected figures, and trap neutral parties into supporting Prince Dai.
• Su Ziji/Prince Dai demonstrates strategic subtlety. Rather than allowing his own newspaper to lead the campaign, he intends to conceal its origins and make the movement appear broad and spontaneous.
• Su increasingly appreciates Wen’s abilities and privately wonders how Prince Qi could have discarded such a talented adviser.
• Wild Daoist shows that he is equally calculating, immediately recognizing how to use the religious schools as both participants and scapegoats.
• Bo Yan becomes deeply disturbed by what he hears. Although he originally entered Prince Dai’s residence to target Wen Xunpeng, he begins to question whether Prince Dai may be more worthy of loyalty than Prince Qi.
• Luo Jiang appears to be recovering emotionally or physically after meeting Prince Dai, which Bo Yan notices with concern.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and propaganda: Newspapers are presented as powerful instruments for creating public sentiment and disguising political agendas.
• Entrapment through public action: A person can be forced into political allegiance simply by making a seemingly harmless public statement.
• The cost of factional politics: Those who join Prince Dai’s campaign may lose their wealth, status, and even lives if they later attempt to withdraw.
• Strategic ruthlessness: Prince Dai’s advisers do not merely defeat enemies; they create situations in which people have no safe way to remain neutral.
• Loyalty and merit: Wen’s defection highlights how political leaders may lose valuable talent through mistrust or poor judgment, while Prince Dai gains strength by recognizing and using that talent.
• Moral ambiguity: Suppressing illicit worship may be a legitimate cause, but the advisers’ methods transform it into a tool for coercion and faction-building.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji reassures Wen by entrusting him with the Capital Gazette, then tests and praises his plans.
• Wen and Su quickly discover that they share similar strategic thinking, strengthening Wen’s sense of belonging in Prince Dai’s circle.
• Wen, Su, and Wild Daoist collaborate on a layered plan involving newspapers, religious institutions, imperial memorials, and scholarly opinion.
• Wild Daoist immediately approves of Wen’s ruthlessness, creating mutual respect between the two advisers.
• Bo Yan contrasts his private horror with the advisers’ calm enthusiasm, judging Wen to be especially dangerous.
• Bo Yan’s observation of Luo Jiang’s recovery leads into a more personal exchange, as he gently asks whether she has been feeling better.

Chapter Summary: A Tangled Heart

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luo Jiang presents herself as having accepted her mother’s apparent death, saying that people must move forward and live well to comfort those they have lost. In reality, her mother is still alive because Prince Dai secretly rescued her, but Luo Jiang intends to keep this hidden—even from Bo Yan—to avoid attracting the Imperial City Office’s surveillance.
• Bo Yan is relieved by Luo Jiang’s improved mood but suspects Prince Dai’s involvement and feels jealous and emotionally pained.
• Luo Jiang confronts Bo Yan about secretly working for Prince Qi while serving in Prince Dai’s Residence. She warns that trying to serve both sides will eventually expose him.
• She argues that Bo Yan’s martial-world brothers may not remain loyal forever. Though they have shared hardship, they may resent that Bo Yan now enjoys official status and comfort while they continue risking their lives for dangerous missions.
• Bo Yan defends his brothers’ loyalty, insisting they have survived life-and-death situations together, but Luo Jiang forces him to confront the possibility that wealth, time, and unequal circumstances could change their relationship.
• Bo Yan reflects on his conflicting loyalties. He accepted Prince Qi’s assignment for money and the hope of gaining a patron, but Prince Dai unexpectedly valued him and granted him a legitimate Subordinate Ninth Rank position—an extraordinary opportunity for someone from the martial world.
• Luo Jiang urges him to abandon dangerous mercenary work and protect the official future he has gained.
• Prince Dai emerges from the small hall and casually gives Luo Jiang another sword manual after learning she has mastered the previous one.
• The manual is the famous Gale Sword Technique, a supreme art created by the renowned swordsman Ye Wenliu. Bo Yan is astonished that Prince Dai possesses and gives away such a treasured manual so casually.
• Bo Yan realizes that Prince Dai’s resources have enabled Luo Jiang’s rapid growth in martial arts, deepening his sense of envy, admiration, and emotional conflict.

Character Developments

• Luo Jiang appears calmer and more mature after her mother’s rescue, but she remains guarded and calculating about protecting the secret. She demonstrates practical judgment by warning Bo Yan about the dangers of divided loyalties.
• Bo Yan becomes increasingly torn between his martial-world obligations, loyalty to his brothers, Prince Qi’s employment, and the secure official future offered by Prince Dai. His jealousy toward Prince Dai and his unresolved feelings for Luo Jiang become more apparent.
• Prince Dai (Su Ziji) is shown as powerful and generous, possessing rare martial arts manuals and freely cultivating Luo Jiang’s abilities. His confidence and resources contrast sharply with Bo Yan’s precarious position.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty versus self-interest: Bo Yan must decide whether loyalty to Prince Qi and his brothers outweighs the opportunity for advancement under Prince Dai.
• The fragility of brotherhood: Luo Jiang questions whether bonds formed through shared hardship can survive unequal wealth, status, and opportunity.
• Secrecy and political danger: Luo Jiang’s mother’s survival must remain hidden because Imperial surveillance could expose the truth and create serious consequences.
• Social mobility and identity: Bo Yan’s official appointment offers a rare escape from the limitations placed on martial-world outsiders.
• Love, jealousy, and emotional uncertainty: Bo Yan cares deeply for Luo Jiang but senses that her attachment to Prince Dai—or at least her dependence on him—may be growing.
• Power and privilege: Prince Dai’s ability to bestow a legendary sword manual casually emphasizes the immense advantages of imperial status and wealth.

Character Interactions

• Luo Jiang and Bo Yan have an intimate but tense conversation in which she offers sincere advice while exposing the weaknesses in his current situation.
• Bo Yan reacts defensively when she questions his brothers’ loyalty, revealing how deeply he values his past relationships and code of honor.
• Luo Jiang’s concern for Bo Yan is genuine, but Bo Yan senses that it may not be romantic, leaving him hurt and uncertain.
• After their conversation, both respectfully greet Prince Dai. Prince Dai treats Luo Jiang with special attention, giving her the Gale Sword Technique, while Bo Yan watches in astonishment and emotional turmoil.

Chapter Summary: “Times Have Changed”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter contrasts the difficulty of rising through martial arts with the more accessible path of scholarly study. Bo Yan’s family is wealthy, but because it lacks a prestigious martial tradition, he could learn only second-rate techniques.
• Through exceptional talent and relentless effort, Bo Yan elevated his saber skills to the first-rate level, but he has now reached a serious bottleneck with no obvious path forward.
• Bo Yan is struck by Luo Jiang’s rapid improvement. Once weaker than him, she can now fight him to a draw and even gain a slight advantage.
• Su Ziji gives Luo Jiang a secret martial manual, apparently recognizing and encouraging her potential.
• Su Ziji assigns Bo Yan a seemingly simple task: go outside and listen to what people are saying about him, then report back.
• Su Ziji also permits Wen Xunpeng, who has recently taken office, to choose assistants from the residence.
• After leaving, Bo Yan struggles with an important conflict: Wen Xunpeng is secretly his assassination target, but his growing loyalty and attachment to Prince Dai’s household make him hesitate to carry out the order.
• Outside the residence, Bo Yan experiences the social power of his new official position. Shopkeepers and passersby treat him with respect, awe, and envy—very differently from how they regarded him as a martial wanderer.
• He reflects that his former life in the martial world offered freedom but little social honor, whereas official status gives him dignity, influence, and the possibility of elevating his family.
• Bo Yan recognizes that he genuinely enjoys being admired as an official, making the thought of abandoning his position increasingly painful.
• He arrives at a teahouse and waits for several martial-world brothers he has summoned. The chapter ends when they arrive and greet him enthusiastically as “Big Brother.”

Character Development

• Bo Yan: Experiences a major internal shift. He begins questioning his former identity as a martial wanderer and realizes that status, respect, and the chance to honor his family matter deeply to him. His conflict over assassinating Wen Xunpeng becomes more serious because he now feels invested in Prince Dai’s household.
• Luo Jiang: Shows rapid martial advancement and strong determination. She eagerly takes the secret manual and appears eager to study it, suggesting that she may soon surpass Bo Yan.
• Su Ziji: Demonstrates strategic awareness by giving Luo Jiang a valuable opportunity and assigning Bo Yan a task that may test his loyalty, judgment, or usefulness. He also treats Wen Xunpeng as a legitimate member of the household by allowing him to recruit assistants.
• Wen Xunpeng: Though less prominent in the chapter, his new official position is reinforced, while Bo Yan’s secret mission against him becomes increasingly complicated.

Significant Themes

• Social status and changing identity: Official rank transforms how ordinary people perceive Bo Yan, revealing the power of hierarchy in society.
• Martial ability versus institutional power: Individual skill and freedom in the martial world are contrasted with the authority, respect, and security offered by government office.
• Ambition and family honor: Bo Yan realizes that his true goal was not merely martial mastery but improving his family’s social standing and bringing honor to his ancestors.
• Loyalty versus duty: Bo Yan’s assigned assassination mission conflicts with his growing attachment to Prince Dai and his new official life.
• Change and opportunity: The chapter’s title reflects Bo Yan’s realization that his circumstances—and his own desires—have fundamentally changed.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji gives Luo Jiang the secret manual and assigns Bo Yan an intelligence-gathering task.
• Su Ziji encourages Wen Xunpeng to select staff from the residence.
• Luo Jiang warns Bo Yan to think carefully about what she has said, leaving him to wrestle with his choices.
• Bo Yan interacts with a former acquaintance at a shop, witnessing firsthand how official clothing changes their relationship.
• Shopkeepers, vendors, and the teahouse owner treat Bo Yan with exaggerated deference because of his rank.
• Bo Yan summons his former martial brothers, who arrive at the teahouse and greet him warmly, setting up a likely confrontation between his old martial-world identity and his new official role.

Chapter Summary: “Redeeming Merit for One’s Crimes”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Yan meets with his former brothers from Gathering Cloud Stronghold, who are impressed by his new position as a Subordinate Ninth Rank military officer in Prince Dai’s Residence.
• Their reunion begins warmly and humorously, but the mood changes when Xiong Yi recalls their deceased eldest brother, Yan Zongyun.
• Yan Zongyun had tried to abandon banditry and enter the legitimate military path, but a corrupt Hundred-Household Officer betrayed and killed him and many of his followers. Bo Yan later took revenge by killing the officer and his entire family.
• Bo Yan explains his dilemma: he has accepted an assassination assignment from Prince Qi’s Residence, but completing it could expose him, destroy his new official career, and force him to flee the Capital.
• His brothers advise him to abandon the assignment. They argue that Prince Dai values him personally, while Prince Qi would merely treat him as a disposable martial-world killer.
• Bo Yan is deeply conflicted. He wants to preserve his official status and recognizes that his brothers are acting out of concern, but abandoning the contract would violate his personal code of honor.
• He reminds them that they have already killed people connected to Prince Dai’s Residence, burned property, and committed other crimes against Prince Dai’s interests. Simply switching sides may therefore be impossible.
• Xiong Yi proposes a solution: they should kill Sun Bolan, the counselor from Prince Qi’s Residence who assigned them the mission. By offering Sun Bolan’s death as a service, they might redeem their crimes and persuade Prince Dai to forgive and accept them.

Character Developments

• Bo Yan: Becomes increasingly torn between loyalty to his old principles, the contract with Prince Qi, and the opportunity for advancement under Prince Dai. He has begun to value legitimate status and stability, yet feels guilty about betraying his word and fears Prince Dai’s reaction to his past crimes.
• Xiong Yi: Emerges as the most thoughtful and strategic of the group. His education allows him to assess their political predicament and devise the idea of redeeming their crimes through a major act of merit.
• Jiang Bo and Deng Yunxing: Show genuine concern for Bo Yan’s future. They openly encourage him to abandon Prince Qi’s assignment and remain with Prince Dai, emphasizing that Prince Qi would not truly value him.
• Yan Zongyun: Though dead, his fate shapes the chapter’s emotional and moral background. His failed attempt to reform demonstrates the dangers former bandits face when society refuses to accept them.

Significant Themes

• Redemption and social stigma: The group wants to leave their criminal past behind, but their history continues to limit their opportunities. The chapter questions whether former criminals can truly reform when authorities refuse to trust them.
• Loyalty versus self-preservation: Bo Yan’s commitment to keeping his word conflicts with the need to protect his life, career, and future.
• Political patronage and class prejudice: Powerful figures generally view martial-world wanderers as expendable tools. Prince Dai’s unusual willingness to recruit and promote Bo Yan makes his support especially valuable.
• Merit as a path to forgiveness: Xiong Yi’s proposal reflects the idea that past crimes may be erased—or at least outweighed—by a valuable service to a powerful authority.
• Brotherhood and moral responsibility: The brothers’ advice shows that their bond is based less on empty rhetoric than on genuine concern for one another’s survival.

Character Interactions

• The meeting begins with playful teasing, especially between Bo Yan and Jiang Bo, which helps the group overcome their initial awkwardness.
• Xiong Yi’s mention of Yan Zongyun unites the group in shared grief and reminds them of their troubled past.
• Bo Yan confides in his brothers about his political predicament, treating them as trusted advisers.
• The brothers collectively pressure him to reject Prince Qi’s mission, arguing that Prince Dai offers a rare opportunity.
• Bo Yan counters that their previous crimes against Prince Dai make acceptance unlikely, prompting regret and silence.
• Xiong Yi finally shifts the discussion from despair to strategy by suggesting they kill Sun Bolan and use that achievement to seek forgiveness.

Bo Yan agreed to kill Sun Bolan and expose spies in Prince Dai’s residence so he and his surviving brothers could secure a future. After hearing that Prince Dai had destroyed Water Cloud Shrine, Bo Yan hurried to carry out the plan before complications arose.

• Xiong Yi and the other brothers urged Bo Yan to kill Sun Bolan and seek positions in Prince Dai’s residence.
• Bo Yan agreed, deciding to report several spies in the residence as well.
• A Wenlin Gazette report said Prince Dai had sent Shuntian Prefecture to destroy Water Cloud Shrine, where Shen San had been hiding.
• Bo Yan listened to the townspeople praise Prince Dai’s raid, then told his brothers to act immediately and kill Sun Bolan.

Bo Yan listened as people debated Prince Dai’s raid on the Water Cloud Shrine, then met with Xiong Yi and Jiang Bo to plan an attack on Sun Bolan. He went to the Feng Family Tavern to meet Sun Bolan while his allies prepared to kill the two guards, leaving Sun Bolan waiting uneasily in a private room.

• Bo Yan heard people across six taverns discuss Prince Dai’s raid, with most praising it and some questioning its methods and consequences.
• Xiong Yi told Bo Yan that Sun Bolan had come to the Feng Family Tavern with only two guards from Prince Qi’s Residence.
• Bo Yan ordered Xiong Yi and Jiang Bo to kill the guards while he met Sun Bolan, and insisted they leave no one able to escape.
• Bo Yan’s men took positions around the Feng Family Tavern, and Bo Yan went upstairs alone to approach Sun Bolan.
• Sun Bolan waited in the private room with barely touched food and wine, troubled by his recent failures and a twitching eyelid.

Chapter Summary: “A Cornered Dog Leaps the Wall”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sun Bolan reads the Residence Bulletin and is enraged by articles praising Prince Dai, particularly the piece “Sweep Away the Foul Wind.” He regards the writers’ support of Prince Dai as a dangerous political shift.
• He worries that Prince Dai’s reputation will grow if more scholars follow the Bulletin’s example. Sun Bolan plans to suppress the newspapers and punish or kill the authors as a warning to others.
• Sun Bolan reviews the recent political troubles affecting the imperial princes:
  • Prince Qi has been implicated by the Great Demon.
  • Prince Shu has been criticized over a border-state incident.
  • Prince Lu has suffered the greatest downfall after the Water Cloud Shrine affair: his mother, Consort Wei, was executed, and he was demoted to commandery-prince status.
• Bo Yan arrives at Sun Bolan’s summons. Sun Bolan is already angry with him for failing to assassinate Wen Xunpeng after infiltrating Prince Dai’s residence.
• Sun Bolan humiliates and threatens Bo Yan, reminding him that he is a commoner whose official standing depends on Sun Bolan’s recommendation. He also claims to possess enough evidence and political influence to have Bo Yan executed.
• Rather than submit, Bo Yan calmly says the matter must be “settled once and for all.” Realizing that Bo Yan has been pushed beyond obedience, Sun Bolan tries to call for help.
• Bo Yan draws a concealed short blade and kills Sun Bolan by stabbing him through the heart.

Character Developments

• Sun Bolan: His confidence and political ruthlessness are revealed. He believes Prince Dai can be contained through intimidation, censorship, and preemptive attacks. However, his arrogance blinds him to Bo Yan’s growing resentment, ultimately causing his death.
• Bo Yan: He shifts from a coerced subordinate into an independent and dangerous actor. Years of humiliation, exploitation, and threats eliminate his remaining moral hesitation, and he chooses assassination as a means of securing his future.
• Prince Dai: Though he does not appear directly, his refusal to speak in the Grand Secretariat contrasts with the growing public support for him. His political influence is expanding indirectly through events such as the Bulletin’s praise and the failures of rival princes.
• Prince Qi and the other princes: Their political positions weaken as scandals and imperial punishment accumulate, creating an increasingly unstable struggle for power.

Significant Themes

• Political reputation and public opinion: The Residence Bulletin’s praise of Prince Dai threatens the established political strategy against him, showing how written commentary can influence court power.
• Oppression creating rebellion: Sun Bolan treats Bo Yan as disposable, but his cruelty drives Bo Yan to retaliate. The chapter’s title reflects how a cornered person may become unexpectedly violent.
• Arrogance and miscalculation: Sun Bolan assumes Bo Yan will endure any abuse because of his vulnerable position. His failure to recognize Bo Yan’s transformation leads directly to his death.
• Power, leverage, and loyalty: Sun Bolan believes control comes from secrets and political connections, while Bo Yan demonstrates that such control is fragile when a subordinate has nothing left to lose.
• The shifting political balance: Prince Dai’s influence rises while Prince Qi, Prince Shu, and especially Prince Lu suffer setbacks, suggesting that the existing power structure is beginning to collapse.

Important Character Interactions

• Sun Bolan reacts angrily to the Bulletin’s writers, viewing their praise of Prince Dai as betrayal and a threat.
• The residence guard’s contempt toward Bo Yan reinforces Bo Yan’s resentment and awareness of his low status.
• Sun Bolan verbally abuses Bo Yan, calling him a “stink bug” and “dog,” while reminding him of his dependence on Prince Qi’s Residence.
• Bo Yan’s restrained response—followed by his sudden attack—reverses their power relationship. The man Sun Bolan considers a controllable servant becomes the one who ends his life.

Chapter Summary: “A Laughable Death”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Yan brutally kills Sun Bolan in a private room at the Feng Family Tavern after Sun threatens him on behalf of Prince Qi’s Residence.
• Bo Yan’s companions bring in the bodies of Sun’s two guards. Jiang Bo disguises the smell of blood with spilled wine so the murders will not immediately be discovered.
• Bo Yan orders Sun Bolan’s head cut off and takes it, concealed in a food box, to Prince Dai’s Residence.
• At Wen Xunpeng’s courtyard, Bo Yan presents Sun’s head as a “gift.” Wen is initially confused, then recognizes the corpse and laughs at Sun’s downfall.
• Bo Yan explains that Sun Bolan threatened to expose Bo Yan’s past work for Prince Qi unless Bo Yan killed Wen. Bo Yan claims he acted out of loyalty to Prince Dai and killed Sun in righteous anger.
• He also reveals that Sun’s two guards were killed and their bodies left in the Feng Family Tavern, an establishment backed by Prince Qi.
• Bo Yan kneels and asks Wen to speak favorably on his behalf to Prince Dai, framing the killing as both an act of loyalty and a request for protection.

Character Developments

• Bo Yan becomes more decisive and ruthless. He is willing to murder Sun Bolan to protect himself and Wen, but he also carefully manipulates the aftermath by creating a convincing story and seeking Wen’s support.
• Bo Yan’s loyalty to Prince Dai is emphasized. Whether entirely sincere or partly strategic, he presents himself as someone who will not betray the person who rescued and promoted him.
• Wen Xunpeng shows composure, intelligence, and political awareness. Though shocked by the severed head, he quickly understands Bo Yan’s motives and recognizes that the account is only partly truthful.
• Wen’s attitude toward Bo Yan appears to soften or at least become more favorable, since Bo Yan has removed a powerful enemy and claims to have acted for Wen’s sake.
• Sun Bolan, previously protected by Prince Qi’s influence, is reduced from an intimidating political threat to a powerless corpse, highlighting the sudden reversal of his fortunes.

Significant Themes

• Revenge and retribution: Sun Bolan, who used political power to threaten others, dies violently and unexpectedly.
• Loyalty versus self-interest: Bo Yan presents the murder as loyalty to Prince Dai and Wen, but he is also clearly protecting himself from exposure and retaliation.
• Political power and vulnerability: Sun’s connection to Prince Qi once made him untouchable, yet that protection cannot save him when circumstances shift.
• Manipulation and survival: Bo Yan combines violence with deception, concealing the murder, crafting a politically acceptable explanation, and asking Wen to intercede for him.
• The irony of downfall: Wen finds Sun’s death “laughable” because a man who once forced Wen to submit and leave Prince Qi’s faction is ultimately killed by someone of much lower status.

Character Interactions

• Bo Yan and Sun Bolan: Their confrontation is entirely one-sided. Sun expects Bo Yan to remain obedient, but Bo Yan turns on him and kills him.
• Bo Yan and Jiang Bo’s group: They cooperate efficiently in killing the guards, concealing the crime, and transporting Sun’s head.
• Bo Yan and Wen Xunpeng: Bo Yan approaches Wen submissively, presents the head, confesses his alleged motives, and asks for protection. Wen listens skeptically but recognizes the political value of the act.
• Wen Xunpeng and Sun Bolan: Although Sun is absent, Wen’s reaction reveals their hostile history. Wen sees Sun’s death as ironic justice for the humiliation and pressure Sun previously imposed on him.
• Bo Yan and Prince Qi’s Residence: The murders represent an open challenge to Prince Qi’s influence, especially because the bodies are left in a tavern associated with Prince Qi.

Bo Yan reported suspected spies to Wen Xunpeng and was brought with him to meet Prince Dai. Master Hui Dao praised Prince Dai and Ye Buhui’s noble fates, then revealed that Wen Xunpeng and Bo Yan had both been destined to die.

• Bo Yan told Wen Xunpeng that Zheng Huai and Pang Si might be spies, and Wen promised to speak for him before Prince Dai.
• Wen Xunpeng and Bo Yan reached the inner courtyard and overheard Master Hui Dao praise Prince Dai’s and Ye Buhui’s auspicious destinies.
• Su Ziji called Wen Xunpeng and Bo Yan into the hall so Master Hui Dao could examine them.
• Master Hui Dao said both men had originally borne signs of death and that one should already have died according to his fate.

Perfected Hui Dao explained to Su Ziji that fate set some limits, while human effort could change other prospects, and hinted that Wen Xunpeng and Bo Yan had promising destinies. Princess Xinping arrived at Prince Dai’s residence late at night, but Zhou Yao stepped out of her cart, and Su Ziji noticed she had undergone a profound change that might be tied to memories of a past life.

• Perfected Hui Dao told Wen Xunpeng and Bo Yan that they showed signs of a high minister’s and a great general’s destiny, respectively.
• Perfected Hui Dao explained to Su Ziji that fate included both unchangeable advantages and opportunities people could claim through effort.
• A guard reported that Princess Xinping had arrived outside the residence in an ox cart, and Su Ziji went out to meet her.
• Zhou Yao stepped down from the cart instead of Princess Xinping, and Su Ziji noticed that she had completely concealed her spiritual energy.
• Su Ziji wondered whether Zhou Yao’s swift advancement and changed aura meant she had awakened memories from a past life.

Chapter Summary: “Afraid It May Bring You Great Harm”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji considers how cultivators might recover memories from a previous life, including through reincarnation arrangements, prophetic planning, or storing memories in a fragment of the soul.
• He suspects Zhou Yao may have regained her former cultivation or identity through one of these methods. Although she still possesses exceptional beauty and bearing, her former immortal aura has disappeared, and Su Ziji confirms that the change is unrelated to her Blackwood Bracelet.
• Princess Xinping arrives late at Prince Dai’s Residence after escorting Zhou Yao home. She appears thinner, weaker, and much less lively than before.
• Xinping’s visit is emotionally motivated rather than official. She has missed Su Ziji but is hurt by his restrained, indifferent manner and prepares to leave quickly.
• Su Ziji stops her and gives her a rosewood box, instructing her to open it only after returning. Inside is another Blackwood Bracelet, identical to Zhou Yao’s, leaving Xinping confused.
• A mysterious shadow attempts to track the bracelet’s scent but finds that it has suddenly vanished, suggesting the bracelet or its power may possess unusual concealment properties.
• After Xinping departs, Hui Dao True Person warns Su Ziji that Princess Xinping may bring him “great harm.” Su Ziji dismisses the warning, assuming it refers to romantic entanglement.
• Bo Yan confesses his past crimes, including killing one of Su Ziji’s men and deceiving him. He also reveals that he killed Sun Bolan and two guards from Prince Qi’s Residence.
• Su Ziji forgives Bo Yan’s offenses because he confessed honestly and orders him to bring several trusted brothers into the Prince’s Residence, provided they obey its rules.
• Su Ziji assigns Bo Yan to protect Wen Xunpeng. Bo Yan enthusiastically swears to defend him with his life.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Remains perceptive and cautious, especially regarding reincarnation, Zhou Yao’s transformation, and the Blackwood Bracelets. Though emotionally distant toward Xinping, he shows concern by giving her a bracelet and offering Bo Yan a chance to redeem himself.
• Princess Xinping: Has become physically frail and emotionally subdued. Her lingering attachment to Su Ziji is clear, but his coldness causes her pain. Receiving the second bracelet gives her a new mystery to investigate.
• Zhou Yao: Appears more ordinary than in her former state, having lost her ethereal immortal aura. Her true identity, cultivation, and connection to the bracelet remain uncertain.
• Hui Dao True Person: Acts as a cautious adviser. His warning implies he senses a serious danger surrounding Xinping, though Su Ziji misunderstands the nature of the threat.
• Bo Yan: Demonstrates remorse and loyalty by confessing his crimes. He is rewarded with trust and responsibility, beginning a possible transition from outlaw to trusted subordinate.
• Wen Xunpeng: Becomes the person placed under Bo Yan’s protection, indicating that he may be important or vulnerable.

Significant Themes

• Reincarnation and recovered memories: The chapter explores how past-life identities and cultivation knowledge may return, raising doubts about Zhou Yao and Xinping.
• Hidden power and mystery: The Blackwood Bracelets, disappearing spiritual traces, and the shadow’s failed tracking suggest a larger concealed scheme.
• Emotional restraint and unresolved attachment: Xinping’s pain contrasts with Su Ziji’s controlled behavior, highlighting the consequences of their complicated relationship.
• Redemption and loyalty: Bo Yan’s confession and Su Ziji’s forgiveness show that honesty and future service can partially overcome past wrongdoing.
• Misinterpretation: Hui Dao’s warning is ambiguous, and Su Ziji assumes it concerns lust or romance, while the reader is encouraged to suspect a more serious supernatural or political danger.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Princess Xinping: Their brief reunion is tense and emotionally charged. Xinping seeks closeness but feels rejected; Su Ziji responds indirectly by giving her the bracelet.
• Su Ziji and Zhou Yao: Their exchange is minimal, but Su Ziji carefully observes her altered aura and suspects a major secret.
• Hui Dao True Person and Su Ziji: Hui Dao offers a cryptic warning about Xinping before leaving, foreshadowing future danger.
• Su Ziji and Bo Yan: Su Ziji listens to Bo Yan’s confession, forgives him, and tests his loyalty by assigning him to protect Wen Xunpeng.
• Bo Yan and Wen Xunpeng: Their formal protector relationship begins, with Bo Yan pledging absolute loyalty.