Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Apologizing for One’s Crime”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At dusk, Su Ziji travels by ox cart from Prince Dai’s Residence to the Imperial Palace after being summoned by the Emperor.
• He observes that the Capital City remains active because the night curfew has been pushed later, but the streets are heavily patrolled. Imperial soldiers are especially concentrated near the palace, suggesting that the Emperor has placed the entire city under surveillance.
• Su Ziji realizes that the Capital has become a trap. The Emperor is likely searching not only Wanglu Ward but also watching city gates and escape routes for nobles and powerful cultivators who may have “Entered the Dao.”
• During the journey, patrol soldiers describe strange disappearances and express fear about the increasingly ominous atmosphere in the city.
• Su Ziji connects these disturbances to the Dragon Aura reaching its peak, the awakening of ghosts and gods, and the coming Spiritual Revival. He anticipates that the succession struggle will eventually bring demons and Mountain Goblins into the Capital and across the empire.
• At the palace, Su Ziji brings a wooden box containing a scripture he claims to have copied for the Empress. After the eunuch confirms that it contains no weapon, he is allowed inside.
• The chief eunuch, Ma Shunde, is reading memorials aloud on the Emperor’s behalf, which surprises Su Ziji because it suggests Ma Shunde possesses unusual influence and may function like an inner chancellor.
• The Emperor confronts Su Ziji about the order to shut himself away and reflect on his faults. Rather than defend himself, Su Ziji immediately admits guilt for allowing his servants to move books into the Prince’s Residence and thereby betray the Emperor’s trust.
• His submissive apology pleases the Emperor, whose anger visibly lessens.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates political awareness and self-control. He understands the seriousness of the Emperor’s investigation and prepares to use humility and contrition to buy time rather than offer explanations that could endanger him. He also reveals broader knowledge of the supernatural changes affecting the world.
• The Emperor: Is portrayed as increasingly suspicious and fearful despite retaining absolute authority. His old age has made him wary of his descendants, whom he views as potential threats.
• Ma Shunde: Gains importance through his ability to read memorials for the Emperor. Su Ziji recognizes that this unusual privilege may indicate considerable political power.
• Palace and city guards: Their unease reflects the growing instability and supernatural disturbances throughout the Capital.

Significant Themes

• Imperial power and surveillance: The Emperor’s will transforms the Capital into a “great net,” showing how centralized authority can control movement and create widespread fear.
• Political submission and survival: Su Ziji’s immediate confession illustrates how apology and obedience can be used strategically in court politics.
• Fear beneath authority: Though the Emperor commands the empire, his suspicion reveals insecurity and fear of rivals.
• Supernatural upheaval: Strange disappearances, the awakening of ghosts and gods, and the coming Spiritual Revival suggest that political conflict is unfolding alongside a much larger cosmic transformation.
• Appearance versus reality: Su Ziji’s outward humility conceals his calculations, while the Emperor’s harsh authority masks deep apprehension.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji interacts cautiously with the patrols and palace eunuchs, using his status as Prince Dai to pass through security while reassuring them about the wooden box.
• His encounter with Ma Shunde is silent but significant: Su Ziji studies the eunuch’s privileged position, while Ma Shunde remains formally deferential.
• The central interaction is between Su Ziji and the Emperor. The Emperor expects an explanation, but Su Ziji instead offers a direct apology and accepts punishment. This unexpected submission changes the Emperor’s attitude from suspicion and displeasure to mild approval.

Su Ziji left the palace after the emperor accepted his request to send handwritten scriptures to the empress. The empress found a line in the scriptures that visibly affected her, though she concealed her reaction and praised the gift.

• The emperor forgave Su Ziji for his offense and agreed to deliver his scriptures to the empress.
• Su Ziji sensed decay in the emperor and realized the Lesser Restoration Elixir was losing its effect.
• An old eunuch inspected the scriptures and confirmed that they contained no alterations or hidden messages.
• The emperor sent the scriptures to the empress, while Ma Shunde recognized the returning old eunuch and worried about the emperor's secrecy.
• The empress received the scriptures, noticed a particular line, and hid her reaction while telling the eunuch she liked the gift.

The empress deciphered Prince Dai's secret message, warning that past events were repeating, and investigated the emperor's actions toward her grandson. She realized the emperor might kill Prince Dai's unborn child to refine an elixir, creating a blood debt that could drive Prince Dai into conflict with him.

• The empress discovered Qin Liusheng's coded message in the scripture and read that the events of those years were repeating.
• The empress summoned Yu Han and ordered him to retrieve intelligence on Prince Dai and investigate recent events.
• Yu Han gathered reports, and the empress learned how extensively the emperor had harmed her grandson.
• One of Yu Han's adopted sons reported that the emperor planned to refine an elixir using the seven-aperture exquisite heart of Prince Dai's unborn child.
• The empress feared the emperor would kill both Afu and his great-grandson, leaving Prince Dai with a grave blood debt against him.

The empress resolved to contact Eunuch Zhao and give Prince Dai a chance to seize a narrow opening against his enemies. At Prince Dai’s Residence, Su Ziji discovered his Profound Origin Pill lacked its crucial concealment effect, but Hui Dao’s news about the completed grand formation sparked an idea.

• The empress recalled her dead son, recognized Prince Dai as his only child, and decided to ask Eunuch Zhao whether he remembered the kindness she and the crown prince had shown him.
• The empress judged that Eunuch Zhao still had influence in the palace and wondered whether Prince Dai possessed the Heaven’s Mandate to seize his one opportunity.
• Su Ziji successfully refined Profound Origin Pills, but found that their ability to transform and conceal spiritual traces had failed, so he swallowed one to test its effects.
• Fox reported that the search of Wanglu Ward was nearly complete and Prince Dai’s Residence was the only place left to search.
• Hui Dao told Su Ziji that the grand formation in the residence was complete, and Su Ziji suddenly seemed to understand something.

Chapter Summary: “Wanglu Ward”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Late at night, Wanglu Ward is unusually quiet and tense. The gloomy weather and deserted streets reflect the political unease spreading through the Capital City.
• Chief Eunuch Ma Shunde and the Daoist Huo Wuyong leave the residence of a Fourth Rank court official after conducting an intimidating investigation. The official and his entire household are left kneeling in fear, suggesting that the search was coercive and politically serious.
• Ma Shunde is frustrated because Huo Wuyong has refused to explain the true purpose of their assignment. The official reason given for their investigation is clearly a pretext.
• After several residences in Wanglu Ward have been searched, Ma Shunde asks whether Prince Dai’s Residence is the next target. Huo Wuyong’s failure to deny this alarms him.
• Ma Shunde realizes that the investigation may involve a member of the imperial family, making the assignment far more dangerous than he initially believed.
• He insists that they should seek the Emperor’s permission before searching Prince Dai’s Residence. Huo Wuyong is puzzled, believing that the earlier imperial decree already grants sufficient authority.

Character Developments

• Ma Shunde is shown as ambitious, politically cautious, and deeply anxious about his position. Though newly elevated to chief eunuch, he knows he lacks the Emperor’s strongest trust and therefore wants to understand the assignment well enough to protect himself and gain merit.
• His fear and suspicion grow as he realizes the investigation may target Prince Dai. He initially channels his anger toward Huo Wuyong, but his caution ultimately overcomes his personal dislike and ambition.
• Huo Wuyong remains secretive and emotionally severe. He follows the Emperor’s orders without revealing their purpose, even to a senior palace official. His blunt certainty contrasts with Ma Shunde’s concern over political procedure.
• Huo’s lack of sensitivity to court intrigue becomes apparent: he treats the existing imperial decree as straightforward authorization, while Ma Shunde understands the potentially explosive consequences of acting against a prince.

Significant Themes

• Political paranoia and impending crisis: The oppressive weather, deserted streets, and silent residences symbolize a capital awaiting upheaval.
• Power and insecurity: Even high-ranking officials are helpless before imperial authority, while Ma Shunde’s newly acquired status provides little real security.
• Secrecy and trust: Huo’s refusal to disclose the assignment creates tension and demonstrates how information is itself a form of power.
• The danger of imperial politics: Investigating a prince is fundamentally different from searching ordinary officials; one misstep could result in catastrophic consequences.
• Self-preservation versus loyalty: Ma Shunde wants to serve the Emperor, but he also seeks enough information to avoid becoming expendable.

Character Interactions

• Ma Shunde presses Huo Wuyong repeatedly for information, attempting to assert his status and secure his own safety.
• Huo remains evasive, frustrating Ma Shunde and reinforcing the imbalance between them.
• When Prince Dai becomes the suspected target, their opposing approaches become clear: Ma Shunde urges caution and renewed authorization, while Huo sees no need to complicate the Emperor’s original order.
• Their exchange leaves the central mystery unresolved: who or what is truly being investigated, and why might Prince Dai’s Residence be involved?

Chapter Summary: “Hard to Speak Of”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ma Shunde refuses to continue investigating Prince Dai’s Residence without a formal imperial decree, adequate manpower, and carefully arranged procedures. He warns Huo Wuyong that acting recklessly could bring disastrous consequences.
• After Ma Shunde departs, Huo Wuyong realizes that searching the residence could implicate Prince Dai’s family—possibly even the Princess Consort or young heir—and provoke a deadly conflict with Prince Dai’s faction.
• Fearing that he alone will bear the blame if the investigation goes badly, Huo Wuyong orders his subordinate to summon several influential Daoists and officials from inspection agencies. Since these people helped report the original information, he intends to make them share responsibility and opposition.
• The chapter then shifts to the imperial palace, particularly the isolated Cold Palace area where Zhao Eunuch now lives.
• Although Zhao Eunuch appears outwardly disgraced and impoverished, his private courtyard and room remain comfortable, supplied with fine food, incense, and other luxuries. His mood is also more relaxed than it once was.
• A young eunuch arrives carrying a gift and asks to speak privately. Zhao recognizes him as a servant of Liu Cairen, suggesting that Liu Cairen has an important and sensitive message.
• The chapter ends as the young eunuch hesitantly prepares to reveal the matter, which appears connected to Liu Cairen’s desperate position in the palace.

Character Developments

• Huo Wuyong becomes increasingly cautious and politically calculating. Rather than charging directly into Prince Dai’s Residence, he recognizes the potential consequences and seeks allies or co-conspirators to protect himself.
• Ma Shunde is shown as experienced and self-protective. He avoids becoming involved in a dangerous investigation unless the Emperor’s authority and proper procedures shield him from blame.
• Zhao Eunuch appears to have adapted well to his fall from power. Though officially disgraced, he retains influence, comforts, and the ability to attract young eunuchs seeking protection or advancement.
• Liu Cairen is introduced as a neglected and vulnerable palace woman. Her lack of favor, children, and prospects has left her desperate for some form of security.
• The young eunuch messenger displays fear and hesitation, emphasizing the danger of the information he has come to deliver.

Significant Themes

• Political self-preservation: Officials are less concerned with truth than with avoiding blame and ensuring they are not left alone to face the consequences.
• Dangerous investigations and factional conflict: Searching a prince’s residence could trigger a struggle between powerful political groups, turning a legal inquiry into a life-or-death confrontation.
• Appearance versus reality: The Cold Palace looks desolate from outside, yet Zhao Eunuch’s courtyard is comfortable and well maintained. His apparent loss of status has not erased his influence.
• Silenced desires and hidden palace suffering: Liu Cairen’s situation reflects the loneliness and helplessness of women trapped in the imperial harem, where even gaining the Emperor’s attention is nearly impossible.
• Secrets and indirect speech: Important matters cannot be spoken openly. Messages must be delivered through hesitant servants and private conversations because revealing them directly could be dangerous.

Character Interactions

• Ma Shunde and Huo Wuyong clash indirectly: Ma warns Huo against acting without proper authorization, while Huo resents being left to shoulder the risk alone.
• Huo Wuyong uses the Hundred-Household Officer to summon Daoists and inspection officials, attempting to bind them to the investigation and share responsibility.
• Zhao Eunuch receives the young eunuch from Liu Cairen with cautious interest. His recognition of the messenger immediately establishes that the visit concerns a confidential palace matter.
• The young eunuch’s reluctance and Zhao’s composed questioning create suspense, leading into the revelation of Liu Cairen’s secret request.

Chapter Summary: A Heart Reduced to Ashes

Key Plot Points and Events

• A young eunuch, claiming to be one of Talent Liu’s attendants, secretly approaches Zhao Eunuch with a question from an unknown source: whether he still remembers the favor once shown to him by the Empress and the Crown Prince.
• The question shocks Zhao Eunuch because it invokes a secret pledge of loyalty he made years ago, when the Empress helped him survive the harsh conditions of palace life.
• Zhao Eunuch recalls that he once swore absolute loyalty to the Empress and Crown Prince, but later regretted the oath. He had considered confessing to the Emperor several times, yet feared that admitting divided loyalty would lead to his death.
• He orders two trusted eunuchs, A-Mu and A-Lin, to investigate or handle the matter. He then gives the messenger a generous reward and instructs him to report a particular response.
• As the young eunuch leaves, Zhao Eunuch’s men stab and kill him. His body and the blood are swiftly removed, demonstrating the palace’s efficient concealment of violence.
• Zhao Eunuch receives a written message. After reading it, he becomes deeply alarmed and realizes that the Empress’s sudden action may signal the revival of old Crown Prince-related events.
• The chapter ends with Zhao Eunuch reflecting on the “heart ailment” that has lasted for decades. He had believed the secret was buried because everyone connected to it had died and the Empress, having lost her son, had no remaining power to act. He now fears that her seemingly dead hopes may not be dead after all.

Character Developments

• Zhao Eunuch: His composed exterior collapses when his past is mentioned. He is revealed to be fearful, opportunistic, and burdened by guilt over betraying or concealing his former oath. His decision to murder the messenger shows both his ruthlessness and his desperate need to regain control.
• The young eunuch: Initially confident and obedient, he becomes frightened when Zhao Eunuch reacts violently. His excitement over receiving valuable gold blinds him to the danger, and he is killed before he can benefit from the reward.
• The Empress: Though she never appears directly, her influence dominates the chapter. Her past kindness, political strength, and long-suppressed grief are established, while her recent message suggests that she may be preparing to act.
• A-Mu and A-Lin: They are shown as loyal, efficient agents who carry out Zhao Eunuch’s orders without hesitation or visible emotion.

Significant Themes

• Buried secrets and political consequences: Past loyalties and crimes can remain hidden for years but may suddenly return to threaten those involved.
• Fear and survival in the palace: Palace life is portrayed as a system that destroys the vulnerable and forces people to choose between loyalty, betrayal, and self-preservation.
• The cost of divided loyalty: Zhao Eunuch’s oath to the Empress conflicts with his service to the Emperor, leaving him trapped by the impossibility of being trusted by either side.
• Power disguised as weakness: The Empress appears to have lost everything, but her message suggests that grief and silence may have been preparation rather than surrender.
• Institutionalized violence: The swift killing and cleanup of the messenger show how murder has become an ordinary, almost administrative tool within the palace.

Character Interactions

• The young eunuch confronts Zhao Eunuch with the reminder of his former allegiance, triggering Zhao’s panic and anger.
• Zhao Eunuch uses wealth to reassure and dismiss the messenger, then has him killed once he is no longer useful.
• Zhao’s silent cooperation with A-Mu and A-Lin reflects the unquestioning hierarchy and mistrust governing palace relationships.
• The written message creates an indirect connection between Zhao Eunuch and the Empress, reviving the political conflict surrounding the dead Crown Prince.

Chapter Summary: “A Message for Prince Dai”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Empress sends Zhao Eunuch a secret message, clearly demanding that he intervene to protect Prince Dai’s unborn child. Zhao realizes the message is both repayment for the Empress and a threat: if he refuses and the child is harmed, she may expose their past connections and bring him down.
• Zhao Eunuch considers the danger of being discovered by the Emperor. Although the Emperor has favored him, Zhao knows that the Emperor would sacrifice even trusted servants—and has already been willing to punish or eliminate members of the imperial family. Zhao fears being condemned not as a loyal servant, but as a traitor connected to the former Crown Prince and Empress.
• After weighing his options, Zhao decides to act indirectly. He sends the Emperor a previously prepared self-reproach memorial, claiming that he misses His Majesty and sincerely regrets his past conduct.
• Zhao also sends a message to Prince Dai, though he hesitates before doing so, revealing how dangerous and emotionally difficult this decision is.
• At Prince Dai’s Residence, True Person Hui Dao and his Daoist disciple complete a powerful feng shui grand formation. The formation is created by burying ritual objects and adjusting various features of the estate according to time, direction, materials, and spiritual power.
• Hui Dao explains that the residence’s ancient noble foundations and Prince Dai’s “Innate Realm noble aura” make it especially suitable for the formation. The formation is intended to protect the residence, particularly the Princess Consort and her unborn child.
• The young Daoist praises Prince Dai for spending enormous sums—roughly a third of the residence’s resources—to protect his wife and heir. Hui Dao agrees that the prince’s devotion is unusual.
• Hui Dao senses that the unborn child possesses extraordinary fortune and may be destined to become an heir rather than merely a princess. He concludes that the child could greatly aid Prince Dai’s future ambitions, raising the possibility that Prince Dai is deliberately concealing his strength while preparing for a greater struggle.

Character Developments

• Zhao Eunuch is shown as calculating but deeply fearful and conflicted. He remains loyal to the Emperor, yet understands that blind loyalty could lead to an unjust and humiliating death. His decision to contact both the Emperor and Prince Dai marks a cautious attempt to protect himself while repaying the Empress’s past favor.
• The Empress demonstrates political leverage and ruthlessness. Even without appearing directly, she forces Zhao Eunuch into action by reminding him that she can expose dangerous secrets if her grandson dies.
• True Person Hui Dao appears knowledgeable, methodical, and perceptive. Beyond his mastery of feng shui, he recognizes the political and supernatural significance of the unborn child.
• The young Daoist novice is innocent and talkative, admiring Prince Dai’s devotion to his family and providing a more emotional perspective on the prince’s actions.
• Prince Dai is portrayed as protective, wealthy, and strategically mysterious. His investment in the formation shows his concern for his family, while his apparent immersion in elixir refinement may conceal broader ambitions.

Significant Themes

• Political loyalty versus survival: Zhao Eunuch must choose between serving the Emperor unquestioningly and protecting himself from the consequences of imperial suspicion.
• Power through family and lineage: The unborn child’s fortune suggests that imperial succession depends not only on princes but also on future heirs.
• Hidden intentions and strategic concealment: Both Zhao Eunuch and Prince Dai act indirectly, hiding their true motives while maneuvering within a dangerous political environment.
• Feng shui, destiny, and human effort: The grand formation combines the land’s natural potential, Prince Dai’s noble aura, spiritual power, and deliberate human planning.
• Devotion as political strength: Prince Dai’s love for his wife and child is not merely personal; protecting them may also secure his future claim to power.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Eunuch mentally responds to the Empress’s threatening message and ultimately orders his subordinates to contact both the Emperor and Prince Dai.
• Zhao’s eunuchs obey him respectfully, showing that he retains a hidden network of influence despite having been replaced by Ma Shunde.
• Hui Dao instructs his novice while explaining the deeper principles behind the formation.
• The novice praises Prince Dai’s treatment of his family, prompting Hui Dao to reflect on the child’s extraordinary destiny.
• The chapter ends with Hui Dao questioning whether Prince Dai’s pursuit of elixir refinement is genuine or a deliberate cover for hiding his ambitions.

Hui Dao sensed an ominous pressure after completing the great array at Prince Dai’s Residence, then discovered the scent of superior pills and coughed up blood. As a thunderstorm broke over the residence, he wondered whether he had become entangled in a great affair.

• Hui Dao agreed that the pregnant princess consort deserved careful protection, then felt a growing tightness in his chest and decided to return to his quarters.
• Hui Dao encountered Zeng Nianzhen and recognized that the man’s bearing suggested a powerful official or general, not a martial-world drifter.
• Hui Dao detected the fragrance of superior pills near the residence’s paths and suspected that Prince Dai had secretly refined them.
• Hui Dao coughed up blood as thunder and heavy rain began, then looked toward the princess consort’s quarters and wondered if he had entered another great affair.
• Hui Dao remained standing in the downpour while his acolyte tried to pull him toward shelter.

Chapter Summary: “Giving His Word”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hui Dao realizes that Prince Dai’s recently strengthened King Aura is likely connected to the Princess Consort’s unborn child. The child’s birth could give Prince Dai a legitimate chance to compete for the throne.
• He concludes that Prince Dai is facing a decisive, dangerous turning point: success could lead to imperial power, while failure would destroy his remaining prospects.
• Hui Dao understands that his backlash resulted from becoming entangled in Prince Dai’s destiny while helping construct the residence’s great formation.
• He discovers that the formation’s “corner” is concealed beneath a large ornamental rock. By damaging the jade beneath it, he could create a hidden flaw in the formation and escape the backlash without openly betraying Prince Dai.
• However, Hui Dao chooses not to damage the formation yet. His desire to avenge his master outweighs his immediate self-interest, revealing a much darker and more calculating side beneath his former harmless appearance.
• Meanwhile, Zeng Nianzhen arrives at the Prince’s Residence and meets Prince Dai, Su Ziji, in the pill-refining room.
• Su Ziji asks whether Zeng Nianzhen can be trusted. The question evokes memories of the late Crown Prince, whom Zeng Nianzhen once served.
• Zeng Nianzhen pledges absolute loyalty and promises to sacrifice his life if necessary.
• Su Ziji orders him to protect the Princess Consort. If danger arises, Zeng must escort her and the unborn heir through an underground passage and flee the capital immediately.
• Zeng accepts the command, recognizing it as a chance to fulfill the duty he had failed to perform for the Crown Prince in the past.

Character Developments

• Hui Dao undergoes a major moral and emotional reveal. He is perceptive enough to understand the political importance of the unborn child and clever enough to manipulate the formation for his own protection. His cold smile and predatory imagery show that he is secretly driven by vengeance.
• Su Ziji/Prince Dai demonstrates foresight and caution. He understands that the coming conflict may become deadly and prioritizes the Princess Consort and heir’s survival over his own safety.
• Zeng Nianzhen proves his defining trait: unwavering loyalty to those to whom he has given his word. His emotional response shows that he views Su Ziji as the continuation of the Crown Prince’s legacy.
• Su Ziji gains a deeper appreciation for the loyalty inherited from his father’s former followers. He reflects on how the Crown Prince could have possessed such devoted allies yet still have been driven to death.

Significant Themes

• Destiny and political legitimacy: The unborn child may transform Prince Dai’s position and determine whether he can contend for the throne.
• Loyalty and promises: Zeng Nianzhen’s oath is portrayed as binding and sacred, even when fulfilling it may cost him his life.
• Inheritance and legacy: Su Ziji benefits from the Crown Prince’s past relationships and reputation, while Zeng sees him as the continuation of his former lord.
• Vengeance versus self-preservation: Hui Dao could protect himself by sabotaging the formation, but his desire for revenge keeps him involved in the dangerous political struggle.
• Hidden identities and appearances: Hui Dao’s seemingly humble exterior conceals a ruthless nature, while Su Ziji’s quiet demeanor masks decisive strategic planning.
• The repetition of history: The crisis mirrors the Crown Prince’s earlier downfall, but Su Ziji now has the opportunity to alter that outcome with the help of his father’s loyalists.

Character Interactions

• Hui Dao interacts briefly with his Daoist disciple, who misunderstands his interest in the formation’s stone corner and assumes he is checking for construction errors.
• Zeng Nianzhen passes Hui Dao without recognizing his importance, while Hui Dao remains a potentially dangerous hidden influence within the residence.
• Su Ziji and Zeng Nianzhen share the chapter’s central emotional exchange. Su’s question about trust awakens Zeng’s memories of the Crown Prince, leading to a renewed oath of service.
• Su’s command and Zeng’s acceptance establish a protective bond centered on the Princess Consort and unborn heir, while also symbolically allowing Zeng to complete the duty he was denied in the past.

Chapter Summary: “Deep in the Night”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji orders Zeng Nianzhen to protect the Princess Consort and the unborn Heir if Prince Dai’s Residence comes under attack.
• Zeng Nianzhen urges Su Ziji to flee with them, arguing that Su Ziji is too valuable to remain behind. Su Ziji refuses, explaining that his disappearance would immediately alert the Emperor and bring the imperial secret police down on the residence.
• Su Ziji believes he must remain for at least a day and night to delay the authorities and give the Princess Consort and Heir time to escape by water and reach the coast.
• To reassure Zeng Nianzhen that he is not helpless, Su Ziji demonstrates that he can release Sword Qi, effortlessly cutting through a living branch with his hand.
• Su Ziji further reveals that, if necessary, he can escape using exceptional horses, a powerful bow, and a Fangtian Halberd. Zeng Nianzhen remains concerned about the danger of being surrounded but recognizes that Su Ziji is far more capable than the late Crown Prince had been.
• A palace messenger arrives late at night, creating an immediate sense of danger. He reveals that a Great Demon has secretly killed and injured people, causing widespread panic.
• The Emperor has ordered Huo Wuyong and Eunuch Ma Shunde to investigate the incident. The messenger also delivers a prescription from Zhao Eunuch, implying that it contains a hidden warning or message Su Ziji will understand.
• The messenger quickly departs after completing his errand, while Su Ziji sends Zeng Nianzhen to escort him out.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji is shown to be strategic, self-sacrificing, and highly aware of the political surveillance surrounding him. He intends to risk remaining behind so that the Princess Consort and Heir can escape safely.
• He also reveals unexpected martial strength. His mastery of Sword Qi demonstrates that he is not merely a political or scholarly figure but a formidable fighter capable of surviving an imperial crackdown.
• Zeng Nianzhen proves deeply loyal and protective. His concern for Su Ziji conflicts with his duty to obey orders, especially because he still carries guilt over failing to protect the Crown Prince in the past.
• Zeng’s opinion of Su Ziji changes as he witnesses his martial ability. Although still aware that even a powerful fighter can be overwhelmed by an army, he gains greater confidence in Su Ziji’s chances of escape.
• Zhao Eunuch emerges as a cautious political player. His secret warning suggests that he may be attempting to help Su Ziji, likely because the Empress has begun moving against him.
• The palace messenger is nervous and careful, suggesting that the information he carries is dangerous and that Zhao Eunuch is taking a significant risk by sending it.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and responsibility: Su Ziji is prepared to endanger himself to protect his wife and unborn child.
• Loyalty versus obedience: Zeng Nianzhen struggles between following Su Ziji’s orders and refusing to abandon him.
• Political surveillance and conspiracy: The residence is filled with spies, and even a brief unexplained absence could trigger imperial intervention.
• Hidden strength: Su Ziji’s calm, scholarly image conceals considerable martial power and preparation.
• The limits of individual power: Even Su Ziji recognizes that martial skill alone may not overcome a large imperial force, emphasizing the importance of timing, escape routes, and strategy.
• Impending crisis: The nighttime visit, the Great Demon incident, and the Emperor’s investigation suggest that a wider political and supernatural upheaval is about to begin.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Zeng Nianzhen debate whether Su Ziji should flee or remain behind. Their exchange reveals mutual respect, loyalty, and concern.
• Su Ziji’s Sword Qi demonstration reassures Zeng Nianzhen while also subtly asserting his authority and competence.
• The palace messenger delivers Zhao Eunuch’s warning but avoids extended conversation, emphasizing the secrecy and urgency of the situation.
• Zeng Nianzhen acts as Su Ziji’s trusted guard and intermediary, receiving the prescription before passing it to him and escorting the messenger away.

Chapter Summary: The Pool Water Was Too Clear

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After Zeng Nianzhen leaves with the man in black, Su Ziji reflects on Zhao Eunuch’s unexpected support and the Empress’s connection to him. He interprets this alliance as a crucial advantage in his larger political plans.
• Zhao Eunuch’s gift is revealed to be the formula for the Great Restoration Elixir. Su Ziji already knows most of the formula, but the prescription’s requirement for the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart of someone newly Entering the Dao serves as a warning that people connected to the Emperor may soon arrive.
• Su Ziji considers interrupting the pill refinement to prepare for the impending danger, but decides not to ruin the nearly completed batch. Instead, he summons True Person Hui Dao.
• Before Hui Dao arrives, Su Ziji orders Zeng Nianzhen to go to the Old Vice Minister’s Residence and kill Gui Junxi, whose connection to a strange black-red aura appears significant.
• Zeng Nianzhen encounters Hui Dao on the way. He detects concealed killing intent on the old Daoist but judges that it is not directed maliciously toward Su Ziji.
• Hui Dao enters the alchemy chamber and observes that Su Ziji is refining extremely high-grade pills. Su Ziji gives him one to test, and Hui Dao confirms that it is nearly comparable to rare life-saving medicines such as the Jade Pivot Elixir Tea and Lesser Restoration Elixir.
• Hui Dao praises Su Ziji’s pill-refining ability, recognizing that it places him among the world’s finest alchemists.
• Su Ziji then abruptly asks about Hui Dao’s master and the technique that once saved the Founding Emperor from an attack. Hui Dao freezes, leaving the chapter on a tense note.

2. Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Becomes increasingly calculating and decisive. He recognizes the political value of Zhao Eunuch’s favor, correctly interprets the elixir formula as a warning, and begins preparing countermeasures while maintaining control over the alchemy process. His questioning of Hui Dao suggests he is probing the Daoist’s hidden knowledge and possible connections.
• Zeng Nianzhen: Demonstrates absolute obedience by accepting the order to assassinate Gui Junxi without asking for an explanation. His exceptional sensitivity to killing intent also reveals his caution and perceptiveness.
• Hui Dao: Appears physically weakened after helping establish a formation, but remains deeply loyal—or at least firmly bound—to Su Ziji. He trusts Su Ziji enough to consume an unfamiliar pill immediately. His reaction to the question about his master indicates that he may be concealing important information.
• Zhao Eunuch: Though absent from the chapter, his influence becomes more significant. His gift and apparent support suggest that he is maneuvering within the imperial power structure.

3. Significant Themes

• Political intrigue and hidden alliances: Su Ziji’s relationship with Zhao Eunuch and the Empress expands the network of forces surrounding him, while the Emperor’s possible intervention creates an atmosphere of imminent danger.
• Knowledge as power: The elixir formula, Hui Dao’s inherited techniques, and Su Ziji’s questions all show how secret information can determine survival and political advantage.
• Trust and control: Hui Dao’s unquestioning obedience contrasts with the possibility that he still hides secrets. Su Ziji relies on others while constantly testing their loyalty.
• Premonition and preparation: The formula, the ominous aura, Hui Dao’s killing intent, and Su Ziji’s unease all point toward an approaching conflict.
• Surface calm concealing danger: The elegant alchemy setting and polite exchanges mask assassination orders, political threats, and buried histories.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Zhao Eunuch: Zhao Eunuch indirectly offers support through the elixir formula, creating a potentially valuable but dangerous alliance.
• Su Ziji and Zeng Nianzhen: Su Ziji gives Zeng a secretive assassination order; Zeng accepts without hesitation, showing their clear hierarchy and his complete obedience.
• Zeng Nianzhen and Hui Dao: Their brief encounter is marked by mutual observation. Zeng detects Hui Dao’s hidden killing intent, while Hui Dao worries that his secret may have been exposed.
• Su Ziji and Hui Dao: Their relationship combines authority, trust, and suspicion. Su Ziji rewards Hui Dao with a powerful pill and praises his condition, but then immediately tests him with a pointed question about his master’s past. The chapter ends as Hui Dao’s composure breaks, implying that Su Ziji has touched on a dangerous secret.

Su Ziji questioned Hui Dao about the spell that had diverted the founding emperor’s calamity, and Hui Dao gave him his master’s True Talisman and explained how it worked. Su Ziji activated it, learning an incomplete version of Shifting Form, Replacing Wood and redirecting his ominous aura into the talisman as his plan to seize the throne advanced.

• Su Ziji asked whether Hui Dao’s master had diverted the founding emperor’s calamity, and Hui Dao confirmed that he had.
• Hui Dao gave Su Ziji the True Talisman his late master had left behind and explained that it could draw curses and Daoist arts away from its user.
• Su Ziji absorbed the talisman’s knowledge and learned an incomplete version of Shifting Form, Replacing Wood, raising his Crimson Palace True Inscription Elixir Method to Level 14.
• Su Ziji infused the talisman with his aura, causing it to imitate him and take on the ominous aura that had surrounded him.
• Hui Dao saw the talisman’s effects and realized that Su Ziji’s ominous aura had shifted onto it.

Chapter Summary: “A Great Debt of Gratitude”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji confirms with True Person Hui Dao that the protective formation in Kuiqiao Ward has been completed. Combined with the Prince’s Residence’s formation, it should protect Su Ziji and his heir from evil influences.
• While walking through the residence, Su Ziji praises Hui Dao for his service and rewards him with one hundred taels of silver. He hints that even greater rewards—and the merit of “following the dragon” if Su Ziji rises to power—await him.
• Hui Dao leaves with renewed hope. His ultimate goal is to help Su Ziji reach the throne so he can restore his deceased master’s reputation and avenge those who once persecuted him.
• Alone with Little Fox, Su Ziji reveals his uncertainty and fear about an irreversible strategic move. He asks her to secretly place the True Talisman on Prince Qi and give five taels of silver to one of Qi’s retainers.
• Little Fox initially hesitates because approaching Prince Qi is extremely dangerous for a demon fox, but the promise of Su Ziji’s “great debt of gratitude,” along with a mysterious reaction from her half Rosewood Pendant, persuades her to accept.
• Su Ziji then gives Big Fox a separate mission: deliver five taels of silver to a man with a mole at the Wei Family Inn and monitor him until he reaches Kuiqiao Ward.
• Su Ziji reflects that Zeng Nianzhen has likely already begun acting, suggesting that several parts of his larger plan are unfolding simultaneously.
• The chapter ends with thunder and a torrential downpour, creating an ominous atmosphere and signaling that events are about to accelerate.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Presents himself as gracious and generous by rewarding Hui Dao, but remains calculating and politically focused. He admits to fear and hesitation, revealing a more vulnerable side beneath his confident exterior. Nevertheless, he accepts that he has no alternative but to proceed with his dangerous plan.
• Hui Dao: Becomes more firmly committed to Su Ziji’s cause. His loyalty is driven not only by ambition but also by a desire to clear his late master’s name and settle old grievances.
• Little Fox: Shows unusual courage and loyalty. Although she recognizes that infiltrating Prince Qi’s circle could cost her life, she accepts the mission because of her gratitude toward Su Ziji and the potential value of his future favor.
• Big Fox: Appears increasingly comfortable around Su Ziji and is willing to carry out a simpler intelligence-gathering task. Her humorous suspicion that the five-tael ingots bring trouble adds levity while emphasizing Su Ziji’s habit of using small payments to manipulate events.

Significant Themes

• Debt and reciprocity: The chapter centers on different forms of gratitude, reward, and obligation. Su Ziji rewards Hui Dao, while Little Fox risks her life in exchange for a promised future favor.
• Political strategy and sacrifice: Su Ziji’s plan depends on covert actions, informants, talismans, and dangerous sacrifices. He recognizes that his chosen path may not be strategically perfect but believes it is his only viable option.
• Fear versus determination: Su Ziji and Little Fox both experience fear, yet each ultimately acts despite it. Courage is portrayed not as the absence of fear but as the willingness to proceed while afraid.
• Revenge and restoration: Hui Dao’s loyalty reflects the enduring power of past injustice. His support of Su Ziji is tied to restoring his master’s honor and punishing former enemies.
• Fate and auspicious timing: Su Ziji interprets the coordination of events—and perhaps the storm—as signs that Heaven is favoring his plans.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Hui Dao: Their polite conversation masks a clear hierarchy. Su Ziji uses praise and financial reward to reinforce Hui Dao’s loyalty while hinting at future political benefits.
• Su Ziji and Little Fox: Their relationship combines trust, affection, and political necessity. Su Ziji gently persuades her to undertake a perilous mission, while Little Fox weighs her gratitude against the danger.
• Su Ziji and Big Fox: Their interaction is more casual and practical. He assigns her a low-risk surveillance task, and she responds with wary humor about the ominous five-tael ingots.
• Su Ziji and the unseen conspirators: His thoughts about Zeng Nianzhen and Prince Qi reveal that the chapter is part of a larger coordinated maneuver involving multiple agents and hidden objectives.

Summary: “Acting on Imperial Orders”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During a cold, stormy night in Kuiqiao Ward, rumors circulate about the abandoned Assistant Minister’s Residence, where the former household was executed. The eerie atmosphere and supposed ghostly sounds heighten the sense of impending violence.
• A group of elite armored soldiers, led by Zeng Nianzhen, secretly surrounds and breaks into the Assistant Minister’s Residence. They kill the gatekeeper before he can raise an alarm.
• The soldiers are acting under Prince Dai’s orders, with instructions to kill everyone in the residence without exception. They begin silently infiltrating the compound.
• At Prince Dai’s own residence, another armed group arrives under the authority of the Imperial City Office. They publicly announce that they are acting on imperial orders and bring ox carts, cavalry, eunuchs, Daoists, and additional soldiers.
• Chief Eunuch Ma Shunde emerges from one cart carrying an imperial edict. The other contains Huo Wuyong, a Daoist “True Person.” Five additional men in blue robes accompany them.
• Huo Wuyong urges Ma Shunde to wait for Liu True Person, suggesting that acting prematurely could be dangerous or improper. Ma refuses, insisting that he is carrying out an official assignment.
• Ma Shunde angrily condemns Liu Zhan for failing to appear, accusing him of cowardice and disloyalty. Because Ma possesses an imperial edict, Huo Wuyong is unable to challenge him openly.

Character Developments

• Zeng Nianzhen is portrayed as a disciplined and ruthless military commander. His soldiers act with precision, silence, and overwhelming efficiency, demonstrating that this is a carefully planned purge rather than a simple raid.
• The gatekeeper Zhang represents an ordinary person caught in political violence. His brief attempt to investigate the disturbance ends in a swift, helpless execution.
• Ma Shunde displays growing confidence and arrogance because he possesses imperial authority. He uses the edict to dominate the others and openly insults Liu Zhan.
• Huo Wuyong appears cautious and politically aware. He recognizes that Liu Zhan’s absence may complicate matters and tries to delay the operation, but his influence is limited once Ma reveals the imperial mandate.
• Liu Zhan/Liu True Person is characterized indirectly through others’ reactions. His absence suggests caution, hesitation, or divided loyalties, while Ma portrays it as betrayal.
• The various armored soldiers and eunuchs reveal the power imbalance between military force, imperial bureaucracy, and Daoist authority.

Significant Themes

• Imperial authority and political violence: The imperial edict provides legal justification for a deadly operation, showing how official power can transform murder into “duty.”
• Fear and oppression: The storm, darkness, rumors of ghosts, and silent soldiers create an atmosphere in which terror is both supernatural and political.
• Loyalty versus self-preservation: Ma condemns Liu for protecting himself rather than serving the state, raising questions about whether obedience to authority is genuine loyalty or dangerous opportunism.
• Factional conflict: The uneasy interactions among eunuchs, Daoists, soldiers, and officials suggest rival power networks competing under the surface of imperial command.
• The helplessness of ordinary people: Zhang and the frightened pedestrians have no understanding of the larger conflict but are exposed to its consequences.
• The use of appearances: The imperial procession, armed escorts, and formal declarations project legitimacy, while the killings and secret infiltration reveal the brutality beneath official ceremony.

Character Interactions

• The two pedestrians spread fearful rumors about the executed household, establishing the residence’s ominous reputation.
• Zeng Nianzhen silently directs his soldiers, emphasizing military discipline rather than verbal command.
• Zhang’s encounter with the infiltrators ends before he can communicate with anyone, highlighting the raid’s secrecy.
• Ma Shunde and Huo Wuyong immediately clash over whether to proceed or wait for Liu Zhan.
• Ma uses Liu’s absence to pressure and discredit him, while Huo, despite his reservations, retreats into silence because the imperial edict gives Ma superior authority.
• The contrasting attitudes of the eunuchs and Daoist soldiers reflect mutual disdain and the broader rivalry between court officials and religious or military factions.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ma Shunde arrives at Prince Dai’s Residence in the middle of the night with an imperial envoy and heavily armed soldiers.
• Using imperial authority, the soldiers force the residence gates open and surround the estate. Ma Shunde claims they are hunting a “great bandit,” but his real goal is to search the prince’s residence under the cover of the imperial order.
• The gatekeeper attempts to delay the soldiers, but Ma Shunde refuses to wait for Prince Dai to receive them personally. He orders the troops to seal off the residence, creating a frightening military presence.
• Ma Shunde hopes the sudden raid will catch Prince Dai unprepared. He also sees the opportunity as a chance to destroy Prince Dai politically because of the prince’s association with Zhao Eunuch, whom Ma Shunde previously opposed.
• Huo Wuyong accompanies Ma Shunde despite recognizing that the operation may create serious political enemies. He feels unable to resist because Ma Shunde could retaliate by accusing him of disloyalty.
• The commotion awakens the entire residence, turning it from darkness into chaos and illumination.
• Nearby, Liu Zhan watches the encirclement from the top floor of a tavern. The scene reminds him of the earlier military suppression of the Crown Prince twenty years before.
• Liu Zhan learns that the Emperor possesses a Clear Spirit Eight-Leaf Grass, which helps him connect the current events to the Emperor’s pursuit of the Great Reversion and the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart.
• He refuses to join the operation, believing involvement will bring disastrous consequences. He predicts that the cultivators participating in the raid bear the “visage of a violent death.”
• Liu Zhan recalls that those who helped bring about the Crown Prince’s downfall eventually met tragic ends, interpreting this as a warning about karmic consequences.
• At the end, Liu Zhan notices an unexpected development: Prince Qi has left his residence in the middle of the night.

Character Developments

• Ma Shunde is shown as ruthless, opportunistic, and vindictive. Although he has no direct feud with Prince Dai, he intends to exploit the imperial raid to eliminate a potential enemy and strengthen his own position.
• Huo Wuyong appears cautious and politically trapped. He understands the danger of the operation but follows Ma Shunde to avoid being framed or punished.
• Liu Zhan emerges as perceptive, historically informed, and wary of political struggles. Rather than become involved, he prioritizes survival and avoids what he sees as a karmically doomed conflict.
• The gatekeeper represents the helplessness of ordinary servants caught in a power struggle. His attempt to stall the envoy fails, and he is terrified by the soldiers’ overwhelming force.
• Prince Dai remains offstage and apparently asleep, but the raid places him under immediate threat.
• Prince Qi’s unexplained nighttime departure introduces a new and potentially important player in the unfolding political crisis.

Significant Themes

• Imperial authority versus princely power: The soldiers treat the emperor’s command as superior to the status of a prince, demonstrating the absolute reach of the imperial court.
• Political opportunism and betrayal: Ma Shunde uses a legitimate imperial mission to pursue a personal vendetta and consolidate power.
• Karma and historical repetition: Liu Zhan recognizes the raid as resembling the Crown Prince’s downfall, suggesting that those repeating past political crimes may suffer similar consequences.
• Fate and violent death: The idea that participants bear a fatal physiognomy reinforces the chapter’s ominous atmosphere and suggests that political intrigue may lead to literal destruction.
• Knowledge versus entanglement: Liu Zhan understands more than the others but deliberately avoids acting, showing that insight does not necessarily mean intervention.
• Hidden motives: Almost every major action has a concealed purpose—the “bandit hunt” masks a search, the alchemical ingredients conceal the Emperor’s ambitions, and the nighttime movements hint at deeper schemes.

Character Interactions

• Ma Shunde dominates the encounter with the gatekeeper, refusing courtesy and asserting the authority of the imperial mission.
• The soldiers act as extensions of Ma Shunde’s will, surrounding the residence and intimidating everyone inside.
• Huo Wuyong silently follows Ma Shunde, recognizing the danger but lacking the freedom to oppose him.
• Liu Zhan consults a trusted Daoist about the Emperor’s medicinal ingredients and explains why he will not participate in the raid.
• Liu Zhan’s reflections connect the present operation to the earlier Crown Prince incident and frame the current participants as potential victims of the same cycle.
• The final mention of Prince Qi’s departure shifts attention toward a larger network of political actors and raises the stakes beyond Prince Dai’s immediate crisis.

Big Fox watched a covert meeting at the Wei Family Inn, where an innkeeper received intelligence that a senior eunuch had led armored soldiers to search Prince Dai's Residence. After burning the message, the innkeeper reflected on Wei's former glory and rejected False Zheng's claim to replace it.

• Big Fox followed a white fox to the Wei Family Inn and watched a man in a rain cape arrive with a coded request for wine and food.
• The man in the rain cape passed a slip of paper to the innkeeper, who revealed its writing with candle heat and learned of the search at Prince Dai's Residence.
• The innkeeper investigated a noise outside, found a five-tael ingot of official silver, and kept it.
• The innkeeper burned the intelligence and remembered the conquests of Shizu of Great Wei, lamenting the empire's decline and insisting False Zheng could never replace Wei.

Chapter Summary: “Who Could Break In”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The innkeeper, a descendant of a former Wei minister, secretly supports the restoration of Great Wei and has waited twenty years for the opportunity to aid the Great Wei Crown Prince. Hearing that Prince Dai is being searched for and suspecting a connection to Prince Qi, he rushes into the rain to investigate so he can report useful information.
• At Prince Qi’s heavily guarded residence, Little Fox infiltrates through a hole she dug during a previous visit. The residence has become far more secure, with hidden mechanisms, spiritual traps, and armed guards designed partly to prevent Demon Race intrusions.
• Guided by the trembling Rosewood Pendant inside her, Little Fox detects dangerous formations and avoids several concealed traps. She abandons the direct route to the main courtyard and takes a side path, only to discover hidden spiritual lights and mechanisms there as well.
• While hiding, Little Fox hears an urgent messenger report that something has happened at Prince Dai’s Residence. The news causes Prince Qi’s household to mobilize, creating confusion and movement that may provide her with an opportunity to enter the main courtyard.
• Little Fox cleverly distracts a scholar by placing silver beside the road and making a stone strike nearby. The scholar picks up the silver and proceeds into the main courtyard, unknowingly allowing Little Fox to follow him past the guards.
• The chapter ends ironically as the scholar senses that something may have followed him but dismisses the idea, believing that no one could infiltrate a residence protected by hundreds of soldiers and powerful experts.

Character Developments

• The innkeeper is shown to be a fervent loyalist of Great Wei. His long-held political convictions and eagerness to serve reveal him as an active, potentially important player rather than a passive innkeeper.
• Little Fox demonstrates caution, intelligence, and resourcefulness. She remembers the residence’s layout, relies on her instincts and the Rosewood Pendant to detect danger, patiently waits for an opening, and uses a small deception to bypass security.
• The scholar appears unsuspecting and somewhat careless. His status as a familiar adviser lets him pass freely, but his decision to keep the silver and dismissal of his uneasy feeling unknowingly help Little Fox penetrate the residence.
• Prince Qi’s household is portrayed as vigilant and well-prepared, with elaborate defensive mechanisms and trained guards, though its security is vulnerable to Little Fox’s small size and cleverness.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and political restoration: The innkeeper’s devotion to Great Wei emphasizes the continuing struggle over rightful rule and the idea of the “Heaven’s Mandate.”
• Cunning versus force: Little Fox succeeds not through combat but through stealth, patience, observation, and manipulation of circumstances.
• Hidden dangers: The residence’s invisible threads, concealed mechanisms, and spiritual formations show that apparent safety can conceal deadly threats.
• Overconfidence and blind spots: The scholar’s belief that no one could break into Prince Qi’s Residence contrasts sharply with Little Fox’s successful infiltration.
• Opportunity amid chaos: The emergency at Prince Dai’s Residence disrupts normal security and gives Little Fox the opening she needs.

Character Interactions

• The innkeeper internally connects the search for Prince Dai with Prince Qi and decides to investigate.
• Little Fox interacts indirectly with the residence’s guards and mechanisms, carefully avoiding detection.
• She manipulates the scholar by planting silver and creating a sound, causing him to approach the main courtyard and inadvertently carry her past the guarded entrance.
• The urgent messenger’s report triggers the movement of personnel inside the residence, changing the security situation and creating the opportunity for Little Fox’s advance.

Chapter Summary: “Unable to Wait”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Prince Qi summons his advisers to discuss the Emperor’s sudden search of Prince Dai’s residence by Ma Shunde.
• The court cannot understand why the Emperor would investigate Prince Dai so abruptly, especially after granting him extraordinary favor and rapidly elevating him from Marquis to Duke to Prince.
• The advisers debate possible explanations, including the unlikely possibility that Prince Dai is harboring a major thief. They conclude that the search may signal a larger political upheaval in the capital.
• Jiang Yu suggests that Prince Qi personally investigate the situation, using his relationship as Prince Dai’s uncle as a justification.
• Jiang immediately regrets speaking so boldly, realizing that Prince Qi may interpret the suggestion as an opportunity to act. His fears are confirmed when Prince Qi decides to go at once.
• Although the advisers are uneasy about the risks, none can dissuade Prince Qi after he has made up his mind.
• Prince Qi dresses in full princely attire and gathers more than one hundred armored guards—two-thirds of his allotted household troops—before setting out for Prince Dai’s residence.
• He is eager to witness Prince Dai’s humiliation, viewing the Emperor’s search as a public blow against a political rival.

Character Developments

• Prince Qi: His impatience, arrogance, political ambition, and confidence are emphasized. He believes his status and armed escort make him nearly untouchable, and he imagines himself suited for the throne. His eagerness to see Prince Dai suffer reveals both rivalry and spite.
• Jiang Yu: Though normally cautious and politically calculating, he impulsively proposes that Prince Qi investigate in person. He quickly recognizes that he has made a dangerous mistake and becomes anxious about the consequences.
• Zhao Buwei: He notices Jiang Yu’s unusual boldness and sarcastically praises him, implying that Jiang’s suggestion may lead to disaster rather than reward.
• Prince Dai: He never appears directly, but his sudden investigation and apparent fall from favor become the chapter’s central political mystery.

Significant Themes

• Political uncertainty and hidden danger: The unexplained search suggests that a major crisis may be unfolding within the imperial court.
• The danger of careless speech: Jiang Yu’s single impulsive suggestion immediately creates potential danger, showing how advisers must carefully control their words around powerful rulers.
• Ambition and overconfidence: Prince Qi’s belief that his rank, guards, and appearance make him destined for the throne reveals his inflated self-image.
• Rivalry and schadenfreude: Rather than worrying primarily about the political implications, Prince Qi is excited by Prince Dai’s misfortune.
• Appearances and power: The elaborate robes, armed escort, and formal procession emphasize how status and intimidation shape court politics.

Character Interactions

• Prince Qi presses his advisers for an explanation of the search, while they cautiously speculate about the Emperor’s motives.
• Jiang Yu breaks from his usual restraint and recommends that Prince Qi investigate personally.
• Prince Qi accepts the idea immediately, overriding Jiang’s attempt to retract it.
• Zhao Buwei mockingly congratulates Jiang for his unexpected boldness, leaving Jiang frustrated and worried.
• Prince Qi interacts briefly with his servants and guards as they prepare him for departure, reinforcing his commanding presence and eagerness to confront the unfolding situation.

Chapter Summary: “Execution”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gui Junxi, hiding in the Old Vice Minister’s Residence, suffers from worsening Yin-energy contamination caused by his dealings with ghosts and gods. He senses that something is wrong when he hears faint screams and discovers that the candle flame has turned an unnatural green.
• Realizing that intruders have entered, Gui Junxi retreats through a concealed passage to an underground chamber containing an altar. He begins preparing a ritual or spell.
• Zeng Nianzhen and a group of armored soldiers from Prince Dai’s residence break into the chamber. Zeng attacks before Gui Junxi can complete his incantation.
• Gui Junxi sacrifices his own blood to activate the chamber’s defenses. Thousands of ghosts and gods emerge as black mist and attack the intruders.
• The ghosts attempt to possess the soldiers, but talismans and Prince Dai’s King Aura initially protect them. Gui Junxi recognizes the attackers as Prince Dai’s men and realizes that Prince Dai has prepared specifically to eliminate him.
• The ghosts eventually possess several soldiers and force them to attack Zeng Nianzhen. Gui Junxi reveals that the ghosts come from thirty shrines destroyed across the capital and that the underground chamber has become a hell-like trap.
• Zeng activates a jade talisman, triggering a larger plan. A grand formation manifests across the area as a gigantic Profound Tiger in the sky.
• The formation suppresses and destroys the ghosts and gods, freeing the possessed soldiers. Gui Junxi recognizes that it was designed specifically to execute supernatural beings and attempts to escape.
• Zeng catches him at the hidden exit, severing his arm and then beheading him. He takes Gui Junxi’s head and orders the soldiers to withdraw.
• As they flee, the Profound Tiger disappears, while the residence erupts with black mist and the dying ghosts repeatedly cry out Prince Dai’s name.

Character Developments

• Gui Junxi: Demonstrates considerable occult power, quick judgment, and confidence in his supernatural defenses. However, his reliance on ghosts and gods leaves him vulnerable to the specialized formation prepared by Prince Dai. His arrogance collapses when he realizes he has been deliberately lured into a trap, ending in his death.
• Zeng Nianzhen: Establishes himself as an exceptionally powerful martial artist whose swordsmanship can resist supernatural entities. He remains calm and decisive throughout the battle, following Prince Dai’s strategy rather than being overwhelmed by Gui Junxi’s defenses.
• Prince Dai: Although absent, he emerges as a highly strategic and formidable political force. His soldiers are equipped with talismans, and his forces have prepared a formation specifically designed to destroy Gui Junxi and the gathered ghosts.
• The armored soldiers: Initially protected from possession, they are temporarily turned into weapons against Zeng. Once the formation is activated, the ghosts are expelled and the soldiers recover.

Significant Themes

• Human power versus supernatural power: Gui Junxi’s ghosts and gods appear overwhelming, but disciplined martial skill, talismans, and a carefully designed formation can counter them.
• Preparation and strategy: The battle is won not through brute force alone but through Prince Dai’s advance planning and Zeng Nianzhen’s ability to execute that plan.
• Overconfidence and entrapment: Gui Junxi assumes his underground hell and summoned spirits will guarantee victory, failing to recognize that his enemies have deliberately prepared for his methods.
• Political power and hidden conflict: The supernatural confrontation reflects a larger struggle among powerful princes. Prince Dai’s willingness to destroy thirty shrines and deploy elite forces shows the scale of the political conflict.
• Corruption through Yin energy: Gui Junxi’s physical and spiritual deterioration suggests that his association with ghosts and gods has made him increasingly vulnerable and may have contributed to his downfall.

Character Interactions

• Gui Junxi confronts Zeng Nianzhen when the latter identifies him in the underground chamber; Gui Junxi attempts to stall while completing his ritual.
• Zeng interrupts the ritual with a direct attack, forcing Gui Junxi to use blood magic prematurely.
• Gui Junxi identifies Zeng’s divine-level swordsmanship and realizes that the attackers belong to Prince Dai.
• Gui Junxi uses possessed soldiers and the gathered ghosts against Zeng, taunting the intruders and claiming they will all die in his supernatural “underworld.”
• Zeng counters by activating Prince Dai’s hidden formation, suppressing Gui Junxi’s ghosts and overturning the battle.
• Their final confrontation ends with Zeng killing Gui Junxi and taking his head as proof of the execution.