Chapter Summaries

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

Key Plot Points and Events

• On a rainy night, Liu Zhan and a middle-aged Daoist investigate unusual disturbances in the Imperial City.
• Liu Zhan discovers that the formation in Kuiqiao Ward has shifted. The formation was designed to suppress the ghosts and gods left behind after the demolition of a Divine Shrine, making its movement a serious and ominous development.
• He then notices Prince Qi approaching Prince Dai’s Residence in the form of a Flood Dragon surrounded by red, armor-like qi. His aura destroys or suppresses nearby ghosts and resentful spirits.
• Prince Qi’s sudden appearance, the disturbance in Kuiqiao Ward, and the Imperial investigation of Prince Dai all occur at once. Liu Zhan suspects these events are connected, but he hesitates to divine the truth because he senses that doing so would exact a dangerous price.
• At Prince Dai’s Residence, Imperial City Office guards surround the compound under Ma Shunde’s command. The residence is illuminated, and its servants and guards are thrown into panic.
• Ma Shunde enters under an umbrella and demands to see Prince Dai, who is supposedly asleep. His sarcastic remark about Prince Dai being “broad-minded” emphasizes the seriousness of the imperial action.
• The residents recall the recent destruction of Prince Lu’s household, where many people were killed or removed after the residence was surrounded. They fear that Prince Dai’s staff may suffer the same fate.
• Some guards consider hiding or escaping, but they realize that the compound is completely surrounded and that any attempt to flee could make them appear to be rebels or criminals.
• A Deputy Squad Leader urges the guards to remain loyal and die in service of Prince Dai. However, most hesitate because the surrounding troops represent the Emperor’s authority.
• Zhao Ba proposes that, since they cannot escape, they might “redeem their crimes through merit,” apparently suggesting that they could turn against or expose Prince Dai. Another guard immediately silences him, warning that betraying their master would also lead to death.

Character Developments

• Liu Zhan becomes increasingly wary and fearful. His observations show his strong supernatural abilities, but his refusal to divine the situation reveals that even he recognizes the danger surrounding the night’s events.
• Prince Qi is presented as a powerful and mysterious figure. His Flood Dragon manifestation, red protective aura, and ability to annihilate nearby spirits establish his intimidating supernatural strength.
• Ma Shunde acts with confidence and authority. His sarcastic attitude toward Prince Dai suggests that he knows the imperial action is justified and that Prince Dai’s position is precarious.
• The residence guards and servants shift from ordinary loyalty to frightened self-preservation. Their willingness to serve Prince Dai weakens once they realize the Emperor may have condemned him.
• The Deputy Squad Leader represents uncompromising loyalty, insisting that retainers should die alongside their lord.
• Zhao Ba introduces the possibility of betrayal or cooperation with the authorities, showing how fear can cause loyalty to collapse.

Significant Themes

• Imperial authority versus personal loyalty: The guards struggle between serving Prince Dai and obeying the Emperor, whose authority ultimately determines whether Prince Dai remains legitimate.
• Fear and self-preservation: The panic throughout the residence shows how quickly loyalty erodes when individuals believe their lives and families are at risk.
• Guilt and redemption: Zhao Ba’s idea of “redeeming crimes through merit” suggests that those implicated in Prince Dai’s actions may seek survival by helping the authorities.
• Fate, coincidence, and hidden causality: Liu Zhan questions whether the simultaneous supernatural and political disturbances are connected, suggesting that larger forces are arranging events.
• The danger of forbidden knowledge: Liu Zhan’s reluctance to divine the truth highlights the cost of uncovering heavenly secrets.
• Political purges and collective punishment: The memory of Prince Lu’s residence, where many servants died despite not necessarily being responsible for his crimes, creates a climate of terror.

Character Interactions

• Liu Zhan and the middle-aged Daoist discuss the shifting formation and Prince Qi’s arrival, with Liu Zhan remaining guarded and unwilling to explain all his suspicions.
• Ma Shunde confronts the steward of Prince Dai’s Residence and immediately establishes dominance over the frightened household.
• The residence workers exchange rumors and reassurance, but their conversation reveals widespread fear after hearing what happened to Prince Lu.
• The Deputy Squad Leader reprimands Zhao Ba and the other guards for considering escape, urging them to uphold their duty.
• Zhao Ba challenges that attitude by suggesting they could gain merit through cooperation, but another guard stops him, warning that betrayal would be fatal.
  The chapter ends with Prince Dai’s residence surrounded, the household divided between loyalty and survival, and several supernatural disturbances hinting that a much larger crisis is unfolding.

Chapter Summary: “A Strong Premonition”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Imperial armored soldiers arrive at Prince Dai’s Residence during a storm, surrounding it and forcing their way inside.
• Retired commander Sun Ping is awakened by his youngest son, who urges the family to flee. Sun Ping rejects the idea, reminding his sons of the Prince’s past kindness and financial aid.
• Sun Ping puts on his armor and takes up his weapon, joining the defense alongside his eldest and second sons. His youngest son hesitates, revealing his fear and unwillingness to risk his life.
• Other loyal retainers, including Qin Ying and Bo Yan, hurry toward the main courtyard to stand with Prince Dai. Bo Yan is especially relieved to find Luo Jiang, since the two may be able to escape together if the residence falls.
• Although the residence contains roughly three hundred people, only about thirty gather in the main courtyard, and barely more than ten are truly prepared to fight to the death.
• Su Ziji reflects bitterly on the weakness of loyalty under an imperial decree. He compares his situation with the earlier downfall of Prince Lu and the Crown Prince, emphasizing that imperial legitimacy outweighs personal allegiance.
• Zeng Nianzhen arrives after secretly arranging men in the residence’s escape tunnel. Su Ziji prepares to give him further orders as the enemy draws closer.
• Ye Buhui comes out of the inner room and realizes the seriousness of the attack despite Su Ziji’s attempt to reassure her. The scene recalls the night her father died in Linhua County and when she and Su Ziji married beside his corpse.
• Ye Buhui accepts that she may have to live or die with Su Ziji, but she fears most for the unborn child she carries. Her long-suppressed sense of impending disaster returns with renewed force.

Character Developments

• Sun Ping demonstrates fierce loyalty and gratitude toward Su Ziji, choosing resistance despite his age and retirement. His two older sons follow his example, while his youngest son’s cowardice creates a painful contrast.
• Sun Ping’s youngest son is torn between fear and filial loyalty. His hesitation suggests that imperial authority has frightened or divided even those personally indebted to the Prince.
• Bo Yan remains determined to stand with the Prince, partly because his past actions—especially killing Prince Qi’s man—leave him no safe alternative. His concern for Luo Jiang reveals his attachment to her.
• Su Ziji appears calm and controlled, even while facing possible destruction. He recognizes the limits of his influence and values the small group willing to remain loyal.
• Ye Buhui reveals her emotional vulnerability. She remains devoted to Su Ziji but is haunted by memories of earlier violence and fears that she and her unborn child may not survive.
• Zeng Nianzhen proves reliable, having completed Su Ziji’s earlier orders and prepared men for the coming confrontation.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty versus survival: Many residents abandon or avoid the Prince when faced with an imperial force, while a small core chooses loyalty despite almost certain danger.
• The power of imperial legitimacy: Su Ziji recognizes that an imperial decree can erase personal loyalty and make resistance seem illegitimate or hopeless.
• Gratitude and moral obligation: Sun Ping’s decision to fight is rooted in the help Su Ziji once gave his family, showing how personal kindness can inspire enduring loyalty.
• Courage and cowardice within families: Sun Ping and his older sons stand together, while the youngest son’s fear exposes the different ways people respond to danger.
• Trauma and recurring violence: Ye Buhui’s memories of her father’s death mirror the present crisis, suggesting that political upheaval repeatedly destroys private happiness.
• Family and sacrifice: Ye Buhui’s pregnancy intensifies the stakes. Her willingness to share Su Ziji’s fate conflicts with her desperate hope to protect their unborn child.

Important Character Interactions

• Sun Ping confronts and rebukes his youngest son, insisting that the family honor its debt to Prince Dai.
• Sun Ping joins Qin Ying and other retainers, forming a small but determined defensive group.
• Bo Yan’s relief at finding Luo Jiang highlights their trust and mutual reliance.
• Su Ziji acknowledges the loyalty of those gathered, while implicitly judging those who failed to appear.
• Su Ziji and Zeng Nianzhen coordinate preparations for the coming battle through the residence’s hidden tunnel.
• Ye Buhui confronts Su Ziji about the crisis emotionally, though he tries to shield her from the truth. Her memories and fears establish the chapter’s ominous mood and foreshadow possible tragedy.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• As armed soldiers break into Prince Dai’s residence, Su Ziji realizes the long-anticipated crisis has arrived.
• He gives Ye Buhui a newly refined pill intended to stabilize her pregnancy, though he has not had time to confirm its effects. She trusts him and swallows it.
• Su Ziji orders Zeng Nianzhen to escort Ye Buhui toward the residence’s secret underground passage, but instructs them to wait for his signal.
• He uses Ye Buhui’s jade pendant, which emits the Light of Entering the Dao, to determine whether she can safely remain or must escape. If the light fades, she may be brought out for inspection; if it remains, she must flee through the passage.
• Ye Buhui tenderly helps Su Ziji put on a robe despite the danger. Their farewell is quiet but emotionally intense, emphasizing their mutual trust.
• After Ye Buhui departs, Su Ziji reflects on the Crown Prince’s earlier failure to risk rebellion against the emperor. Unlike the Crown Prince, Su Ziji declares that he is willing to kill the ruler if necessary.
• He goes outside to confront the imperial envoy, Ma Shunde, who has forced open the residence gates and entered with armored soldiers.
• Ma Shunde claims to be acting under an imperial decree to search for a sorcerer allegedly collaborating with Monsters and stealing imperial treasures. He refuses to immediately produce the decree, using the threat of delay and suspicion to pressure Su Ziji.
• Though the situation could easily become an accusation of armed resistance, Su Ziji chooses to cooperate outwardly. He orders the Wild Daoist to gather everyone in the residence for inspection.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji reveals his calm strategic thinking and willingness to take drastic action. He protects Ye Buhui while preparing to confront the imperial authorities, and his statement that he does not mind killing the ruler marks a decisive contrast with the Crown Prince.
• Ye Buhui demonstrates complete trust in Su Ziji. Though confused by his instructions, she obeys without protest and shows affection by caring for him before leaving.
• Zeng Nianzhen suppresses his hatred and killing intent because of his duty to protect Prince Dai and the Princess Consort. He follows Su Ziji’s orders even without fully understanding them.
• Ma Shunde is portrayed as cunning, arrogant, and politically dangerous. By entering without displaying the decree, he attempts to provoke or trap Su Ziji into appearing disloyal.
• Huo Wuyong recognizes the political peril of the confrontation and understands that either resistance or excessive submission could damage Su Ziji.

Significant Themes

• Trust amid danger: Ye Buhui’s unquestioning faith in Su Ziji strengthens their emotional bond during a potentially final farewell.
• Political manipulation and legitimacy: Ma Shunde uses the supposed imperial decree as both legal authority and a weapon of intimidation, while Su Ziji must avoid giving the court grounds to accuse him of rebellion.
• Sacrifice and moral choices: The chapter contrasts the Crown Prince’s refusal to kill his father with Su Ziji’s readiness to commit regicide if necessary.
• Protection and hidden power: The Light of Entering the Dao symbolizes spiritual protection, but its fading condition reflects the vulnerability of those caught in the coming calamity.
• Impending catastrophe: The storm, the title’s imagery, and the sudden military intrusion create a sense that political upheaval is about to erupt.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui share a tender but ominous farewell, with his instructions and her care for him revealing deep marital trust.
• Su Ziji directs Zeng Nianzhen in protecting Ye Buhui and coordinating their escape, showing his reliance on loyal allies.
• Su Ziji confronts Ma Shunde in a tense exchange of authority: Ma invokes imperial power, while Su maintains composure and avoids openly challenging the throne.
• The Wild Daoist carries out Su Ziji’s order to gather the residence’s inhabitants, setting the stage for the imperial inspection.

Ma Shunde and Huo Wuyong searched everyone in Prince Dai's Residence for a master thief while secretly using magical instruments to detect someone who had entered the Dao. After finding no one, they demanded to inspect the princess consort, and Su Ziji went to bring her out.

• Ma Shunde and Huo Wuyong gathered the residents of Prince Dai's Residence for an imperial search, while Hui Dao arrived with his attendant.
• Huo Wuyong used a concealed magical instrument to check Prince Dai, then searched the assembled residents with several Daoists.
• The search found no one who had entered the Dao, and Huo Wuyong feared the person might be the princess consort or her unborn heir.
• Ma Shunde demanded that the princess consort be inspected, and Huo Wuyong said he was acting under imperial orders.
• Su Ziji agreed to bring out the princess consort and warned that he would not let Ma Shunde and Huo Wuyong off if they found nothing.

Su Ziji confirmed that Ye Buhui’s entering-the-Dao aura had vanished and let the imperial envoys examine her, leaving them with no evidence for their accusations. As the confrontation grew tense, a fox’s cry reached Su Ziji, and he understood its meaning.

• Huo Wuyong worried about the consequences of offending Su Ziji while waiting for the search to continue.
• Zeng Nianzhen silently told Su Ziji that Gui Junxi had already been killed.
• Su Ziji checked Ye Buhui’s Blackwood Bracelet and confirmed that the pill had erased her entering-the-Dao aura.
• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui met the imperial envoys, who examined her with magical artifacts but detected nothing.
• Su Ziji prepared to confront the envoys when he heard a fox’s cry and understood its message.

Chapter Summary: “How Dare You All”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Prince Dai openly allows Prince Qi’s investigators to search his residence for the “great bandit,” presenting himself as cooperative and confident.
• Ma Shunde realizes the investigation has failed to expose Prince Dai and may instead have offended him. One Daoist investigator, fearing Prince Dai’s retaliation, insists that the residence be thoroughly searched.
• Huo Wuyong reluctantly orders the search. The Daoists use mystical techniques to detect hidden life forces and spiritual energy, but no evidence is found.
• Hui Dao senses that the disastrous aura previously surrounding Prince Dai’s Residence has suddenly shifted elsewhere, signaling an imminent catastrophe.
• Meanwhile, Liu Zhan races through the capital toward Kuiqiao Ward, using an imperial command token to pass the checkpoints. Another Daoist follows him, demanding an explanation, but Liu Zhan is too alarmed to respond.
• Liu Zhan witnesses a white mist forming into a Profound Tiger, which is struck by a black light emerging from underground. The light gathers additional red forces from abandoned shrines, revealing that the suppressed power of a “hundred gods” is erupting.
• He realizes the upheaval could endanger the entire capital, the imperial dynasty, and every alchemist involved. Before he can act, lightning reveals Prince Qi’s hundred-person ceremonial procession approaching.
• The black-red force breaks through the Profound Tiger and the capital’s protective restrictions, transforming into a fireball aimed directly at Prince Qi.
• Liu Zhan attempts to divert it with a blood-essence spell, but the attack only veers slightly before crashing into Prince Qi’s carriages.
• The impact kills the horse and two guards, overturns the carriage, and leaves Prince Qi thrown onto the road with a severe head injury. Liu Zhan rushes forward, asking whether the prince is alive, while the frightened crossbowmen prepare to fire.

Character Developments

• Prince Dai: Remains composed and seemingly transparent during the search, but his icy gaze makes clear that he recognizes the insult and may retaliate later.
• Ma Shunde: Becomes uneasy and realizes that the operation has politically damaged his side rather than Prince Dai.
• The anxious Daoist investigator: His fear of being exposed drives him to demand a thorough search, showing how self-preservation motivates the investigation.
• Huo Wuyong: Is placed in an impossible position between imperial orders and Prince Dai’s displeasure. He reluctantly obeys, aware that either outcome could bring consequences.
• Hui Dao: Demonstrates heightened spiritual sensitivity by recognizing that the calamitous aura has moved away from Prince Dai’s residence.
• Liu Zhan: Acts decisively and courageously, recognizing the danger of the hundred gods’ awakening and racing to prevent catastrophe. His urgency causes him to ignore questions and take extraordinary measures to protect Prince Qi.
• Prince Qi: Is suddenly transformed from a powerful political figure arriving with ceremony into a vulnerable target of a supernatural attack, ending the chapter injured and possibly unconscious.

Significant Themes

• Political danger and unintended consequences: The investigation meant to weaken Prince Dai instead risks creating political hostility and exposing the investigators.
• The limits of authority: Imperial tokens and official commands allow Liu Zhan through checkpoints, but they cannot fully stop the supernatural disaster.
• Supernatural forces breaking containment: The awakening of the abandoned shrines’ hundred gods suggests that suppressed spiritual powers are returning with potentially catastrophic consequences.
• Urgency versus uncertainty: Characters must act without understanding the full situation. Liu Zhan recognizes the danger but cannot determine why the event coincides with Prince Qi’s arrival.
• Public power and hidden threats: The grand procession and military escort contrast sharply with the unseen spiritual forces that effortlessly devastate it.

Character Interactions

• Prince Dai cooperates with Ma Shunde, Huo Wuyong, and the Daoists while subtly intimidating them through his calmness and cold stare.
• Ma Shunde and Huo Wuyong share the realization that the search has become politically disastrous.
• The frightened Daoist pressures Huo Wuyong to continue the inspection because he fears being blamed.
• Hui Dao’s supernatural perception parallels Liu Zhan’s discovery, linking the events at Prince Dai’s residence to the catastrophe elsewhere.
• Liu Zhan ignores the pursuing Daoist’s questions because of the emergency.
• Liu Zhan confronts Prince Qi’s procession only after the supernatural attack has begun, attempting to warn and protect the prince but arriving too late to prevent the strike.

Chapter Summary: “All Have Rebelled”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Prince Qi suddenly collapses in the rain, causing panic because imperial law holds his guards responsible if their commanding general dies.
• Liu Zhan approaches, but the captain of Prince Qi’s personal guards refuses to trust him without the emperor’s supreme authority token.
• Several guards—Gan Shi, Jiang Cheng, and Xue Liang—suddenly attack their comrades. Liu Zhan realizes they have been controlled by the Ghost-God Bewitching Art.
• The captain kills the possessed guards immediately, since drawing weapons against Prince Qi constitutes treason under imperial law. The surviving guards secure Prince Qi, move him indoors, and send for a physician.
• The scene shifts to Prince Dai’s Residence, where Ma Shunde’s large-scale search has found nothing suspicious. The true objective was likely to locate the Daoist Sect’s target, the Seven-Aperture Heart, though the official excuse was searching for a disguised thief.
• Ma Shunde considers planting evidence and arresting a servant to save face, but Huo Wuyong recognizes that such a transparent tactic would anger the Emperor further.
• Huo Wuyong publicly admits that the search found nothing, apologizes to Prince Dai, and promises to seek forgiveness later, reducing some of the hostility in the residence.

Character Developments

• Liu Zhan demonstrates alertness and courage by identifying the supernatural control affecting the guards and warning the captain.
• The captain of Prince Qi’s guards proves decisive and ruthless, immediately killing the corrupted guards to protect Prince Qi and uphold imperial law. However, Liu Zhan’s remark suggests that his brutality cannot undo the danger already caused.
• Ma Shunde becomes increasingly anxious and frustrated after the failed search. His instinct is to manipulate events and fabricate success, revealing his political opportunism.
• Huo Wuyong displays greater caution and judgment. He understands the seriousness of failing to find the Seven-Aperture Heart and refuses to use a clumsy deception that could worsen their position.
• Prince Dai and Princess Dai remain outwardly composed and untouched by the investigation, while their household maintains tense silence under imperial scrutiny.

Significant Themes

• Imperial law and political danger: A prince’s collapse places everyone nearby in mortal danger, showing how rigid and unforgiving the empire’s hierarchy is.
• Loyalty versus suspicion: Even a known figure such as Liu Zhan cannot approach Prince Qi without the proper authority, emphasizing how fear and protocol override personal trust.
• Manipulation and hidden agendas: The search for a “great thief” is merely a cover for a deeper investigation into the Seven-Aperture Heart.
• Supernatural influence and betrayal: The guards’ sudden rebellion suggests that disloyalty may not always be voluntary, complicating ideas of guilt and responsibility.
• Pragmatism in political survival: Huo Wuyong’s restrained apology contrasts with Ma Shunde’s desire to fabricate evidence, showing different approaches to preserving power after failure.

Important Character Interactions

• Liu Zhan and the guard captain: Their exchange begins with distrust but becomes cooperative when Liu Zhan warns of the attack.
• The guard captain and the possessed guards: The captain responds to their rebellion with immediate lethal force, following imperial law rather than attempting to investigate their motives.
• Ma Shunde and Huo Wuyong: Ma Shunde silently urges Huo Wuyong to plant evidence, but Huo rejects the idea because it would expose their failure and provoke the Emperor.
• Huo Wuyong and Prince Dai: Huo publicly bows and apologizes after the unsuccessful search, attempting to ease tensions and preserve the relationship between the Daoist investigators and Prince Dai’s household.

Chapter Summary: “Unable to Leave the Boat”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Huo Wuyong immediately apologizes to Prince Dai and the Princess Consort after failing to find the “great thief.” Su Ziji accepts the apology with restrained sarcasm, easing the tension and allowing Huo to avoid becoming a direct enemy.
• Ma Shunde is furious at Huo’s surrender because the failed search could damage his standing with the Emperor and allow his rival, Zhao, to suppress him again. He considers provoking the accompanying Daoists into continuing the conflict.
• Before Ma can act, an Imperial City Office messenger arrives with shocking news: Prince Qi has been assassinated.
• The officials and soldiers abandon Prince Dai’s Residence at once and rush to investigate. The sudden departure unintentionally clears Prince Dai’s residence of suspicion, since the authorities have searched it thoroughly without finding anything.
• After the officials leave, Sun Ping dismisses the guards and sends everyone back to their duties. He advises Prince Dai and the Princess Consort to return indoors and rest.
• Su Ziji secretly reflects on the attack. He has used [Shifting Form, Replacing Wood] to make Prince Qi appear to possess Prince Dai’s aura, then manipulated events so that Prince Qi would leave his residence and become the target of supernatural vengeance.
• Su Ziji also wonders whether a separate scheme intended to frame Cao Yiyan has succeeded, though he suspects the rushed plan may contain flaws.
• Hui Dao, visibly shaken and physically weakened, departs with his disciple. Once back in his courtyard, he coughs up blood and asks to inspect a basin of water.
• After examining the water, Hui Dao sorrowfully concludes that he and his disciple Mengxi are now trapped in the unfolding conflict and will likely never be able to escape it.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji demonstrates political composure and strategic ruthlessness. He maintains a polite exterior toward Huo Wuyong while secretly orchestrating Prince Qi’s downfall through deception and supernatural manipulation.
• Huo Wuyong proves pragmatic and cautious. He quickly apologizes to avoid provoking Prince Dai, prioritizing survival and political protection over pride.
• Ma Shunde becomes increasingly desperate and ambitious. His concern is less about justice than preserving his influence with the Emperor and avoiding a return to obscurity.
• Hui Dao is revealed to be deeply frightened and physically affected by recent events. His blood loss and ominous divination suggest that he understands the danger surrounding the characters better than most.
• The household guards and retainers are left shaken, especially those who failed to support the loyalists during the crisis. Their uncertainty hints at possible future accountability.
• Ye Buhui receives Su Ziji’s care after the ordeal, reinforcing their close relationship and his concern for her well-being.

Significant Themes

• Political survival and shifting alliances: Huo Wuyong’s apology and Ma Shunde’s anger show how officials constantly calculate whether others are enemies, allies, or threats.
• Manipulation and deception: Su Ziji’s use of altered auras, staged movements, and supernatural substitution demonstrates how appearances can be weaponized.
• Consequences beyond human control: Su Ziji initiates the plan against Prince Qi but admits that he can no longer determine whether Prince Qi will live or die once supernatural forces are involved.
• The fragility of power: The assassination of Prince Qi creates an even greater crisis than the attack on Prince Dai, showing how quickly the political order can be destabilized.
• Entrapment and inevitability: Hui Dao’s final remark about being unable to “leave this boat” suggests that once characters become involved in the struggle, escape is no longer possible.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Huo Wuyong: Su Ziji accepts Huo’s apology with veiled sarcasm, signaling that the matter is not forgotten but need not become an open feud.
• Ma Shunde and Huo Wuyong: Ma privately condemns Huo as useless and considers using others to continue the confrontation.
• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui: Su personally helps Ye Buhui recover, showing tenderness beneath his otherwise calculating demeanor.
• Su Ziji and Hui Dao: Su expresses concern for Hui Dao’s health, unaware—or at least not openly acknowledging—how deeply the night’s supernatural events have affected him.
• Hui Dao and Mengxi: The disciple supports his weakened master and obeys his strange request to bring water. Hui Dao’s final lament reveals his fear that both of them are now irreversibly caught in the conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Still Breathing”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A violent storm breaks out as Hui Dao reflects on Prince Dai’s chances and interprets the thunder as a sign that Heaven’s balance is shifting.
• Hui Dao explains that the Wild Gods who rebelled and dared to kill a king have suffered divine retribution. More than half were destroyed almost immediately, demonstrating the overwhelming power of Heaven.
• Su Ziji, standing beneath the eaves, realizes that the consequences of destroying the Divine Shrine have already eliminated most of the hostile gods. He believes the remaining ones will soon perish, leaving the political situation easy for someone to control.
• His thoughts are interrupted when a maid reports that the Princess Consort’s pregnancy has been disturbed. Su Ziji immediately rushes inside, abandoning his reflections.
• Meanwhile, the tavern where Prince Qi was attacked has been converted into a heavily guarded medical site. Physicians, Daoists, soldiers, and attendants work to preserve the prince’s life.
• Zhao Eunuch arrives by imperial order. His sudden public reappearance causes speculation that the balance of power in the palace may be changing again and that he is regaining influence.
• Ma Shunde, who had been present when Prince Qi was attacked, fears the Emperor may blame him despite his claimed innocence. He tries to take credit for protecting Prince Qi, but he is clearly intimidated by Zhao Eunuch.
• Zhao Eunuch enters Prince Qi’s room and confirms that the prince is still breathing, though barely. He demands a clear assessment to report to the Emperor.
• Liu Zhan explains that Prince Qi has taken a life-saving pill and is no longer in immediate danger, though the final prognosis must come from an imperial physician.

Character Developments

• Hui Dao appears increasingly confident in the supernatural and political consequences of the gods’ defeat. His comments suggest faith that Prince Dai still has a chance and that Heaven favors the current upheaval.
• Su Ziji shows satisfaction at the success of his destruction of the Divine Shrine, believing it has weakened the opposing divine forces. However, his confidence is immediately replaced by alarm when he hears about the Princess Consort’s endangered pregnancy, revealing that personal and dynastic concerns remain deeply important to him.
• Zhao Eunuch emerges from deliberate seclusion and resumes an active role in palace affairs. His urgency and authority suggest that he is once again becoming a major political force.
• Ma Shunde is revealed as nervous and politically vulnerable. He attempts to portray himself as Prince Qi’s protector but fears being sacrificed to appease the Emperor.
• Prince Qi remains unconscious or severely incapacitated, but his continued breathing and the effects of Liu Zhan’s medicine mean that he survives the assassination attempt.
• Liu Zhan acts as both spiritual practitioner and medical caretaker, using a life-saving pill to stabilize Prince Qi.

Significant Themes

• Heavenly retribution and cosmic justice: The destruction of the Wild Gods is presented as immediate punishment for violating the natural and moral order.
• The relationship between fate and political power: The storm and the gods’ defeat are linked to Prince Dai’s prospects, suggesting that supernatural forces influence human succession struggles.
• Survival amid political danger: Prince Qi’s faint breathing symbolizes the fragile continuation of both his life and the political order surrounding him.
• Power and suspicion within the palace: Zhao Eunuch’s return demonstrates how quickly authority can shift, while Ma Shunde’s fear reflects the dangers of imperial blame.
• Divine and human medicine: Daoist pills and ordinary physicians work side by side, blending supernatural cultivation with practical healing.

Character Interactions

• Hui Dao speaks with Mengxi, reassuring the frightened novice and explaining the significance of the gods’ defeat.
• Su Ziji’s private thoughts are interrupted by the maid’s urgent report, shifting his focus from cosmic developments to his family’s immediate crisis.
• Zhao Eunuch and Ma Shunde exchange guarded, probing remarks. Ma tries to defend his actions, while Zhao subtly asserts his superior authority.
• Zhao Eunuch confronts the medical and Daoist attendants over Prince Qi’s condition.
• Liu Zhan gives Zhao Eunuch a cautious but reassuring report: Prince Qi remains alive and is temporarily out of danger, though his recovery is uncertain.

Chapter Summary: “Life Out of Danger”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Imperial Physician Xu arrives at the tavern with medicine for the unconscious Prince Qi. He administers the decoction, and Prince Qi swallows it, showing a slight flush that suggests his condition has stabilized.
• Xu diagnoses that Prince Qi has no fatal external injuries, but severe internal damage caused by “yin-cold.” Liu Zhan’s Swift Rescue Pill saved his life, yet Prince Qi’s vital energy and underlying foundation have been harmed.
• Zhao Eunuch realizes the political consequences: although Prince Qi may survive, his damaged health could seriously weaken his position in the succession struggle. He also suspects that Prince Dai’s Residence, which was being searched that same night, may be connected to the attack.
• Zhao orders the physician to remain with Prince Qi and protect him, then rides back to the imperial palace to report to the Emperor.
• Ma Shunde decides to follow Zhao Eunuch. He fears that, as one of the eunuchs responsible for Prince Qi’s safety, staying behind could leave him vulnerable to punishment or blame.
• Zhao, Ma, and their attendants enter the palace and are admitted directly to the Emperor’s chambers, showing the seriousness of the incident.
• The Emperor learns that Prince Qi is alive but still unconscious. He then summons Ma Shunde and instructs Zhao Eunuch to remain.
• The Emperor’s chamber contains a screen listing members of the imperial family, with many names—including the Crown Prince’s—crossed out in vermilion, hinting at a wider political crisis or succession-related danger.
• Ma Shunde kneels anxiously before the Emperor. The Emperor assures him that Prince Qi’s misfortune is not his fault, but orders him to recount everything about the search for the “great thief.”

Character Developments

• Prince Qi: Survives the immediate crisis but suffers damage to his vital energy and foundation. His physical recovery is uncertain, and his political future is now severely weakened.
• Zhao Eunuch: Remains controlled and politically perceptive. He quickly recognizes the implications of Prince Qi’s injuries and suspects the incident may be connected to Prince Dai’s Residence. Despite having recently been treated coldly, he continues to act as the Emperor’s trusted and composed servant.
• Ma Shunde: Reveals his fear and vulnerability. Though anxious and physically unaccustomed to riding at speed, he chooses to follow Zhao to the palace because he understands that his survival depends on staying close to the Emperor and defending himself against possible blame.
• Imperial Physician Xu: Acts cautiously but responsibly, providing a clear diagnosis despite the danger of making an official medical statement. Zhao reassures him that an accurate report will protect him from punishment.
• The Emperor: Appears grave, restrained, and deeply concerned. His marked screen and brief questions suggest that he is dealing with a larger imperial conspiracy or succession crisis.

Significant Themes

• Political power and vulnerability: Prince Qi’s survival does not guarantee his political recovery; physical injury directly affects his ability to compete for the throne.
• Court intrigue and suspicion: The timing of Prince Qi’s attack alongside the inspection at Prince Dai’s Residence raises doubts about coincidence and suggests possible manipulation by rival factions.
• Fear and responsibility under absolute rule: Eunuchs and officials understand that their fate depends entirely on the Emperor’s judgment. Even those who may be innocent can be punished for failing to protect a royal figure.
• Appearance versus inner anxiety: Zhao Eunuch maintains perfect composure, while Ma Shunde’s nervous behavior exposes the fear beneath the formal court etiquette.
• Life and political death: Although Prince Qi is physically out of immediate danger, the damage to his “foundation” may amount to a political death sentence.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhao Eunuch and Imperial Physician Xu: Zhao presses Xu for a clear diagnosis, while Xu cautiously explains Prince Qi’s condition. Zhao reassures him that truthful, competent work will protect him.
• Zhao Eunuch and Ma Shunde: Ma follows Zhao to the palace for protection and accountability. Zhao expects this but neither welcomes nor rejects it, simply allowing him to come.
• Zhao Eunuch and the Emperor: Zhao delivers the medical report with calm obedience, reaffirming his position as the Emperor’s trusted confidant.
• The Emperor and Ma Shunde: The Emperor’s reassurance briefly eases Ma’s fear, but his command to explain the search for the great thief makes clear that Ma is still being examined as a witness to the night’s events.

Chapter Summary: “Destroy Their Worship”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ma Shunde reports to the Emperor that he and Huo Wuyong searched the capital and Prince Dai’s Residence but found no sign of the “great thief.”
• The Emperor questions whether Prince Dai’s Residence was being searched when Prince Qi was attacked. Ma Shunde hesitates, making him appear suspicious, while Huo Wuyong answers for him and confirms the coincidence.
• The Emperor grows contemplative during a storm and interprets the attack on Prince Qi as an affront to the imperial authority and possibly to Heaven’s mandate.
• He orders the immediate destruction of the temples and worship connected to the offending ghosts and gods.
• Huo Wuyong is appointed to supervise the Daoist Sect’s cooperation in carrying out the order.
• Before Zhao Eunuch can leave to draft the decree, news arrives that Princess Dai has gone into premature labor.
• The Empress learns of the forced search of Prince Dai’s Residence and Prince Qi’s attack. She suspects the events may be connected to a larger scheme but concludes that Princess Dai was probably near her due date.
• The Empress sends all the spiritual medicines from her private treasury to Prince Dai’s Residence.

Character Developments

• Ma Shunde: Becomes vulnerable after hesitating to answer the Emperor. He realizes that his failure to report the timing immediately may provoke imperial suspicion and fears punishment.
• Huo Wuyong: Demonstrates composure and political cunning by answering the Emperor before Ma Shunde can explain himself. Though this protects him from being implicated, it earns Ma Shunde’s resentment and risks angering Prince Dai.
• The Emperor: Reveals his volatile, absolute authority. Rather than quietly investigating the supernatural forces involved, he responds to the attack by ordering the destruction of their temples and public worship.
• Zhao Eunuch: Recognizes Ma Shunde’s mistake and understands that the Emperor’s anger will likely strengthen his own position while harming Ma Shunde and the capital’s divine shrines.
• The Empress: Remains observant and politically calculating. She notices the suspicious timing of the night’s events but prioritizes protecting Princess Dai and the unborn child.

Significant Themes

• Imperial power versus spiritual authority: The Emperor insists that no supernatural being or religious institution may challenge the authority of the throne.
• Suspicion and political danger: In the imperial court, even hesitation can appear incriminating; silence and timing are as dangerous as direct disobedience.
• Collateral punishment: The Emperor’s decree targets not only the attackers but potentially every divine shrine in the capital, showing how broadly royal anger can spread.
• Heaven’s mandate and interpretation: The storm and the Emperor’s reflections suggest a struggle between earthly rule and heavenly or supernatural forces.
• Hidden schemes and uncertainty: The attack, the search of Prince Dai’s Residence, and Princess Dai’s premature labor may be connected, but no one yet understands the full plan.

Character Interactions

• Ma Shunde and Huo Wuyong: Huo’s intervention prevents Ma Shunde from giving a hesitant explanation but leaves Ma Shunde feeling betrayed and resentful.
• The Emperor and Ma Shunde: The Emperor’s questioning places Ma Shunde under suspicion, even without direct evidence.
• The Emperor and Huo Wuyong: The Emperor entrusts Huo with implementing the crackdown, signaling confidence in his ability and usefulness.
• The Emperor and Zhao Eunuch: Zhao immediately accepts the order to draft the decree, gaining an opportunity to regain influence.
• The Empress and her attendants: She interrogates them about the events, weighs their implications, and orders aid to be sent to Prince Dai’s household.

Su Ziji’s son was born safely, and Su Ziji absorbed Heaven’s Mandate from the Great Xu crown prince’s line, strengthening his king aura. At the Earl’s Residence, Xie Zhenqing sensed that Heaven’s ordained course had changed and ordered Hong Dao to ensure Yu Qianzhi discovered more evidence in the tomb.

• Su Ziji waited anxiously as Ye Buhui gave birth, then learned that mother and son were safe and rewarded the household staff.
• Su Ziji held his newborn son and accepted the prompt to absorb Heaven’s Mandate from the Great Xu crown prince’s line, raising his Heaven’s Mandate from 10 to 11.
• Hui Dao observed that Su Ziji’s king aura had suddenly grown stronger, while the storm intensified.
• Xie Zhenqing woke coughing blood and concluded that Heaven’s ordained course had changed and disrupted his plans.
• Xie Zhenqing accused Ji Zicheng of betraying their pact and ordered Hong Dao to add more items to the tomb so Yu Qianzhi would discover them within the next few days.

Xie Zhenqing worried that Hong Dao might undermine his plans, but revealed he could not kill him because Hong Dao was the Earl's Residence's legitimate son and Xie had taken his place through an illusion. At Changping Mountain, Yu Qianzhi led an excavation through the Long'an Emperor's mausoleum and uncovered a hidden chamber door.

• Xie Zhenqing sent Hong Dao away with a sheet of paper and fretted that his disciple remained distrustful of him.
• Xie Zhenqing revealed that Hong Dao was the Earl's Residence's legitimate son and that he had used illusion to replace him, so killing Hong Dao would expose the secret.
• Yu Qianzhi and Imperial City Office troops reached the mausoleum's fourth level, where he ordered them to keep digging for a hidden chamber and warned them not to take burial goods.
• An officer explained that Deputy Hundred-Household Officer Wei had accidentally exposed the secret passage while relieving himself, and Surveyor Mu had noticed the damaged wall.
• The excavation revealed a reddish-gold door, and Yu Qianzhi ordered everyone to step back.

Chapter Summary: “Return to the Capital at Once”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Imperial City Office continues excavating the Long’an Emperor’s mausoleum, reaching a hidden chamber on the fourth level.
• The chamber is filled with powerful yin energy. Even after being ventilated, it causes the search party to become ill, though their protective talismans lessen its effects.
• The eastern and western tomb chambers contain only valuable funerary objects and a coffin believed to hold a concubine buried as an attendant. No documents or spiritual treasures are found.
• Yu Qianzhi is under pressure because the Emperor expects him to uncover the secret behind Long’an Emperor’s pursuit of immortality and elixirs. The main tomb had previously been opened, resulting in deaths and the appearance of an ominous dragon shadow.
• Deputy Hundred-Household Officer Wei Qi discovers that part of a wall is hollow. When pushed, it opens to reveal a secret treasury.
• Inside are immense quantities of gold, silver, jade, porcelain, bronze, lacquerware, and other treasures, along with a jade table holding three important objects:
  1. Long’an Emperor’s private imperial seal, “Master of Jin Yuan”
  2. A glass bottle containing two apparent elixir pills
  3. A booklet
• Yu Qianzhi briefly examines the booklet and becomes visibly alarmed. Its contents concern matters dangerous enough to cost lives.
• He orders the group to take only these three objects and return to the capital immediately so he can report directly to the Emperor.

Character Developments

• Yu Qianzhi remains cautious and politically calculating. He refuses to enter the dangerous chamber first, sends Wei Qi and others ahead, and relies on protective talismans and imperial authority.
• His concern over failing the Emperor grows, revealing the pressure he faces and his awareness that the Emperor will not accept excuses.
• After discovering the booklet, Yu Qianzhi’s composure breaks. His urgent command shows that the discovery is far more significant—and dangerous—than ordinary treasure.
• Wei Qi proves useful and brave despite his fear, locating the hidden mechanism and opening the secret chamber. His possible descent from the former Wei imperial clan adds historical and supernatural significance to his role.
• The colonel acts as both subordinate and observer. Yu Qianzhi recognizes that the Emperor has sent him partly to monitor the excavation and does not fully trust him.
• The search party members are portrayed as capable but vulnerable men whose exposure to the mausoleum’s yin energy and karmic consequences may damage their health and futures.

Significant Themes

• The danger of disturbing the dead: Even lawful excavation of an imperial mausoleum carries supernatural consequences, including yin contamination, illness, karma, and possible death.
• Power and political surveillance: Yu Qianzhi and the colonel observe one another, reflecting the Emperor’s distrust and the political tension surrounding the mission.
• Immortality and forbidden knowledge: The elixirs and booklet suggest that Long’an Emperor’s pursuit of immortality involved perilous secrets.
• Treasure versus true significance: Although the hidden chamber contains enormous wealth, Yu Qianzhi ignores it in favor of the seal, elixirs, and booklet.
• Historical legacy and bloodline: Wei Qi’s possible connection to the former dynasty hints that ancestry and imperial blood may influence supernatural events.
• Duty versus self-preservation: The officials obey orders despite knowing the mausoleum is dangerous, while Yu Qianzhi attempts to balance imperial duty with survival.

Character Interactions

• Yu Qianzhi commands the colonel and Wei Qi while maintaining emotional distance from both.
• The colonel questions Yu Qianzhi’s confidence, but Yu reassures him that they will continue searching until the objective is found.
• Yu Qianzhi privately suspects the colonel is monitoring him on the Emperor’s behalf, creating mutual distrust.
• Wei Qi’s discovery earns Yu Qianzhi’s immediate attention and leads to the opening of the hidden treasury.
• After seeing the booklet’s contents, Yu Qianzhi decisively overrides the group’s curiosity and orders everyone to take only the three crucial items and return to the capital.

Chapter Summary: “Fear”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During a violent autumn storm, Yu Qianzhi leaves the Imperial Mausoleum in haste, carrying a heavily wrapped booklet. He orders his men to prepare horses and depart within fifteen minutes.
• Before leaving, Yu Qianzhi commands that the government office be notified and that the mausoleum be placed under an additional ring of guards. No one is permitted to enter without imperial authorization; trespassers are to be killed.
• At Prince Qi’s Residence, security has been dramatically increased, with guards stationed throughout the compound—many of them newly replaced.
• Prince Qi lies unconscious after sustaining mysterious injuries. His princess consort anxiously waits with several imperial physicians, while their young son watches in fear and confusion.
• One young physician predicts that Prince Qi will soon awaken and stakes his position on that claim. When the deadline nearly passes, Prince Qi finally regains consciousness.
• Prince Qi is initially disoriented and weak. He cannot sit up despite exerting himself, causing him to fear that he may be paralyzed. The physicians reassure him that he has injured his vital energy but is not permanently disabled.
• Prince Qi asks how he was injured. After everyone hesitates, Zhao Buwei kneels and explains that the ghosts and gods of a sealed shrine supposedly rioted and attacked him.
• Prince Qi finds this explanation absurd, since the shrines were sealed by Prince Dai rather than himself. His disbelief gives way to intense fear and anger over what the incident might signify.

Character Developments

• Yu Qianzhi appears decisive, alarmed, and highly cautious. His urgent departure and strict orders suggest that he possesses important or dangerous information connected to the Imperial Mausoleum.
• Prince Qi Zhang awakens physically weakened but mentally sharp. His first reactions reveal his pride, authority, suspicion, and fear of losing his physical power or political position.
• The princess consort is deeply distressed but remains forceful and commanding, threatening the physicians when Prince Qi does not wake on schedule.
• The young imperial physician demonstrates professional courage by making a risky prediction, despite his low rank and fear of being blamed.
• Zhao Buwei behaves submissively, accepting responsibility and presenting the supernatural explanation only after Prince Qi demands answers.
• Prince Qi’s child underscores the family’s vulnerability: he cannot understand the situation but recognizes that his father is gravely ill.

Significant Themes

• Fear of the unknown: The storm, haunted mausoleum, sealed shrines, and unexplained injury create an atmosphere of supernatural dread.
• Political danger and secrecy: Yu Qianzhi’s guarded booklet, the restricted mausoleum, and Prince Qi’s attack imply a larger conspiracy or crisis involving the imperial court.
• Powerlessness: Prince Qi, normally physically formidable and politically influential, is reduced to helplessness in bed, exposing his fear of losing control.
• Reason versus superstition: The explanation involving “ghosts and gods” sounds ridiculous to Prince Qi, yet its possible implications are terrifying enough that he cannot dismiss it entirely.
• Institutional fear and self-preservation: The physicians and attendants hesitate to speak because they fear punishment, showing how dangerous truth-telling is around powerful nobles.

Character Interactions

• Yu Qianzhi gives the commandant firm orders, establishing his authority and urgency.
• The princess consort pressures the imperial physicians and later comforts Prince Qi, while also managing their frightened child.
• The physicians cautiously assess Prince Qi’s condition and reassure him after he fears paralysis.
• Prince Qi interrogates those around him with growing anger when no one explains his injury.
• Zhao Buwei kneels before Prince Qi and offers the supernatural explanation, triggering the prince’s disbelief and rising terror.
• Prince Qi’s reaction to the explanation shifts the scene from domestic concern over his recovery to broader anxiety about an extraordinary threat to the imperial order.

Chapter Summary: “A Shudder”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Prince Qi awakens after being violently attacked by ghosts and gods while traveling through the capital. The assault has killed or injured many of his guards and left him seriously wounded.
• He is enraged and baffled because the attack appears to have been intended for Prince Dai, whose sealed Divine Shrine was connected to the incident.
• Zhao Buwei explains the preliminary finding: the ghosts and gods likely recognized aura rather than appearance and mistook Prince Qi for Prince Dai. Since Prince Qi had taken over the matter involving Prince Dai’s shrine, they identified him as their enemy.
• Prince Qi realizes that he had voluntarily taken on Prince Dai’s assignment in hopes of gaining an advantage, only to suffer the calamity meant for Prince Dai.
• He demands to know where Jiang Yu is. Jiang Yu had suggested the plan that led Prince Qi to leave his residence, so Prince Qi accuses him of being a spy and initially intends to execute him.
• Remembering how his former adviser Wen Xunpeng had abandoned him after being treated harshly, Prince Qi suppresses his anger. He decides that executing Jiang Yu immediately would damage morale and instead orders him released from the household prison, questioned, and—if innocent—fined one year’s salary.
• Prince Qi then demands punishment for the shrine’s ghosts, gods, and attendants. Zhao Buwei tells him that the Emperor has already responded forcefully by ordering a purge of the nearby Divine Shrine.
• Hearing soldiers confiscating property and people screaming outside, Prince Qi feels temporarily relieved.
• He then reflects on Prince Dai’s apparent good fortune: Prince Dai had sealed the shrine without suffering harm, while Prince Qi took over the task and was attacked in his place. Fearing that Heaven might favor Prince Dai, Prince Qi becomes terrified that his supporters will lose confidence in him and defect.
• Overwhelmed by rage, insecurity, and dread, Prince Qi collapses.

Character Developments

• Prince Qi: His arrogance and fury remain prominent, but the crisis exposes his insecurity. He is humiliated by having suffered on Prince Dai’s behalf and becomes deeply anxious about Prince Dai’s possible destiny. He also shows a calculated ability to restrain himself, choosing political stability over immediate revenge against Jiang Yu.
• Zhao Buwei: He acts as a cautious adviser and intermediary, explaining the incident, soothing Prince Qi, and reminding him of the Emperor’s retaliation. His fear of Prince Qi’s temper is evident.
• Jiang Yu: Though absent from the scene, he becomes the target of Prince Qi’s suspicion because his advice led to the disastrous mission. His fate is temporarily spared.
• Prince Dai: He does not appear directly, but his influence dominates the chapter. His prior actions and extraordinary apparent fortune make Prince Qi fear that Heaven favors him.
• Wen Xunpeng: Mentioned as a warning from the past. His departure reminds Prince Qi that mistreating capable subordinates can weaken his political position.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of ambition: Prince Qi’s attempt to seize Prince Dai’s opportunity results in him bearing Prince Dai’s danger.
• Heavenly mandate and fortune: The attack makes Prince Qi question whether Prince Dai possesses Heaven’s favor, threatening his confidence in his own claim to power.
• Political calculation versus personal rage: Prince Qi wants Jiang Yu executed but restrains himself to preserve loyalty and stability.
• The fragility of authority: Even a prince of the imperial blood can be attacked, humiliated, and abandoned if his supporters begin to doubt his legitimacy.
• Misidentification and unintended consequences: The ghosts and gods attack the wrong person, turning Prince Qi’s opportunism into an absurd and devastating disaster.
• Fear beneath arrogance: Prince Qi’s repeated insistence that he is “Prince Qi” reveals how insecure he feels when his status fails to protect him.

Character Interactions

• Prince Qi angrily questions Zhao Buwei, who responds deferentially and carefully explains the mistaken-identity theory.
• Prince Qi blames Jiang Yu for persuading him to act, but his advisers’ fearful reactions and memories of Wen Xunpeng lead him to moderate his punishment.
• The Emperor indirectly reassures Prince Qi by launching a violent purge of the shrine responsible for the attack.
• Prince Qi’s thoughts about Prince Dai become increasingly obsessive, transforming political rivalry into fear that Prince Dai is favored by Heaven and may attract Prince Qi’s followers.

Chapter Summary: “Heirs”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ma Shunde arrives at Prince Qi’s Residence under the emperor’s orders to check on the wounded prince.
• Outside the residence, soldiers are violently suppressing and arresting people connected to a nearby Divine Shrine. Several are covered in blood and appear destined for execution, demonstrating the emperor’s fury after the assassination attempt on Prince Qi.
• Inside the residence, Ma Shunde hears servants calling desperately for Prince Qi to awaken and fears that the prince’s condition has suddenly worsened.
• He finds Prince Qi alive but weak and unconscious, while the princess consort personally feeds him medicine. Several imperial physicians are attending him.
• Ma Shunde privately questions Imperial Physician Xu Yingjie, threatening him with imperial authority until Xu agrees to reveal the truth.
• Xu explains that Prince Qi’s injury is not immediately fatal but has severely damaged his physical foundation. Possible consequences include weakened limbs, a shortened lifespan, and serious damage to his “vital yang”—in other words, his ability to father children.
• Ma Shunde realizes that Prince Qi may become effectively impotent. This could prevent him from producing more heirs and severely undermine his prospects of eventually becoming emperor.

Character Developments

• Ma Shunde: Initially focused on carrying out the emperor’s order, he becomes increasingly alarmed as he discovers the seriousness of Prince Qi’s condition. His usual indirect and calculating manner gives way to blunt questioning and visible emotional shock. He also understands the political consequences of the injury more clearly than anyone else present.
• Prince Qi: Though unconscious and physically weakened, his condition becomes even more politically precarious. His injuries may have permanently damaged both his health and his ability to produce heirs.
• Imperial Physician Xu Yingjie: Presented as frightened and cautious, caught between obeying Ma Shunde and avoiding Prince Qi’s vengeance. His reluctance to speak emphasizes Prince Qi’s intimidating power even while incapacitated.
• The princess consort: She is shown caring directly for Prince Qi, feeding him medicine herself, suggesting personal concern and active involvement in his recovery.
• The emperor: Though absent, his anger dominates the chapter. His response to the assassination attempt is severe and indiscriminate, while his concern for Prince Qi drives Ma Shunde’s visit.

Significant Themes

• Imperial power and collective punishment: The violent purge outside the residence shows how the emperor’s anger can destroy many lives, even when guilt is uncertain.
• Health as political legitimacy: Prince Qi’s body is not merely a personal concern; his injuries threaten his authority, future, and eligibility to rule.
• The importance of heirs: The possibility that Prince Qi may be unable to father children poses a direct threat to dynastic continuity. His small number of existing children makes the danger even greater.
• Masculinity and political vulnerability: The potential loss of sexual function is treated as a profound political disability, comparable to physical disfigurement and a sign that Heaven may not favor a ruler.
• Fear and secrecy: Xu Yingjie’s terror of speaking openly illustrates the dangerous atmosphere surrounding Prince Qi and the way power suppresses truth.

Character Interactions

• Ma Shunde is formally received by an official of Prince Qi’s Residence, who is intimidated by Ma’s stern demeanor.
• Ma questions Xu Yingjie privately, using imperial authority to force him to disclose Prince Qi’s medical condition.
• Xu warns that revealing the truth could anger Prince Qi and endanger both himself and Ma Shunde.
• The princess consort tends to Prince Qi while the physicians observe and treat him.
• The chapter ends with Ma Shunde contemplating the dynastic implications: if Prince Qi cannot produce heirs, his already weak succession line may make it impossible for him to ascend the throne.

Chapter Summary: Heaven’s Will

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Prince Qi is injured by Ghost-God Aura, Imperial Physician Xu Yingjie and Eunuch Ma Shunde travel to the palace to report the condition to the Emperor.
• Xu Yingjie fears punishment because the injury may have damaged Prince Qi’s “yang energy,” potentially affecting his ability to father more children. He worries that the Emperor might blame or even silence the physicians.
• On the way, they pass Prince Dai’s Residence, where firecrackers are being set off because the Princess Consort has given birth to a male heir. This sharply contrasts Prince Dai’s growing fortune with Prince Qi’s misfortune.
• In the Imperial Study, the Emperor first hears of Prince Dai’s heir, then learns that Prince Qi has survived but may have suffered permanent damage to his reproductive vitality.
• Xu Yingjie explains that Prince Qi was assaulted by Ghost-God Aura, whose yin and cold qualities damaged his vital foundation. Although True Person Liu Zhan prevented the injury from becoming fatal, Prince Qi’s future fertility remains uncertain.
• The Emperor realizes that Prince Qi’s existing two sons and daughter may not be enough to secure the succession, given the high mortality among imperial children.
• He considers whether Prince Qi can still compete for the throne and briefly contemplates silencing everyone who knows of the injury, but recognizes that the physicians have already shared the diagnosis and that the truth cannot easily be hidden.
• Comparing Prince Qi’s repeated misfortunes with Prince Dai’s continuing good fortune, the Emperor wonders whether Heaven itself has determined Prince Qi is not meant to rule.
• Just as the Emperor appears ready to abandon Prince Qi as a succession candidate, Academician Yu arrives with a golden token and an urgent matter to report.

Character Developments

• Xu Yingjie becomes increasingly fearful and remorseful. He recognizes that his earlier ambition and desire for advantage have drawn him into a dangerous political crisis.
• Ma Shunde remains practical and politically alert, but the news deeply unsettles him. He understands that Prince Qi’s injury may destroy the prince’s claim to the succession.
• The Emperor shifts from relief at Prince Qi’s survival to despair over the possible loss of his fertility. His thinking becomes increasingly political, as he weighs personal affection against the stability of the imperial line.
• Prince Qi, though absent from the chapter, suffers a potentially devastating blow to both his health and political future.
• Prince Dai gains a major advantage through the birth of an heir, reinforcing the perception that fortune favors him.
• Zhao Eunuch silently observes the Emperor and correctly suspects that the Emperor may be preparing to give up on Prince Qi’s candidacy.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus human ambition: The Emperor interprets the contrasting fortunes of Prince Qi and Prince Dai as evidence of “Heaven’s Will.”
• Political importance of heirs: Prince Qi’s ability to father children is treated not merely as a personal matter but as a central condition of imperial succession.
• The fragility of power: A single injury can transform Prince Qi from a leading candidate into a liability.
• Fear and self-preservation: Xu Yingjie’s anxiety reflects the dangers faced by officials who possess politically sensitive knowledge.
• Appearance versus reality: Prince Dai’s public celebration appears wholly joyful, but some household members display forced smiles, hinting at concealed complications.
• Imperial pragmatism: The Emperor’s affection for Prince Qi competes with his responsibility to ensure a stable and secure succession.

Important Character Interactions

• Ma Shunde and Xu Yingjie: Ma Shunde commands Xu Yingjie to accompany him to the palace, while Xu Yingjie silently struggles with fear and regret.
• Ma Shunde and the young eunuch: Ma Shunde orders the eunuch to investigate Prince Dai’s celebration, learning that an heir has been born.
• The Emperor and Ma Shunde: The Emperor demands an immediate report on Prince Qi, and Ma Shunde passes responsibility to Xu Yingjie when the diagnosis becomes too serious.
• The Emperor and Xu Yingjie: Under pressure, the Emperor forces Xu Yingjie to explain the medical consequences of Prince Qi’s injury. Xu Yingjie gives a cautious but ominous assessment.
• The Emperor and Zhao Eunuch: Zhao Eunuch silently interprets the Emperor’s despair, recognizing that the Emperor may be reconsidering Prince Qi’s suitability as heir.
• The Emperor and the competing princes: Though neither Prince Qi nor Prince Dai is present, the Emperor constantly compares their fortunes, with Prince Dai’s newborn son making Prince Qi’s position appear increasingly hopeless.

Yu Qianzhi returned to the capital with two pills and a sealed parcel recovered from a secret chamber in the Long'an Emperor's Mausoleum. The emperor suspected the pills might be the Great Restoration Elixir and agreed to let Eunuch Zhao test one, while Ma Shunde watched anxiously.

• The emperor summoned Yu Qianzhi after learning that he had come to report on the Long'an Emperor's Mausoleum.
• Yu Qianzhi dismissed the other attendants and told the emperor he had found a secret chamber containing a sealed yellow silk parcel and a jade vial with two pills.
• The emperor examined the pills, smelled their medicinal fragrance, and wondered whether they were the Great Restoration Elixir.
• Eunuch Zhao volunteered to test a pill, and the emperor agreed after considering Zhao's age and usefulness.
• Eunuch Zhao took a pill from the vial and asked the emperor for a jade knife before swallowing it.

Chapter Summary: “Ineffective”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The Emperor orders Ma Shunde to fetch a jade knife so the mysterious pill can be tested.
• Zhao Eunuch cuts the pill open, sees that it is blood-red inside, and swallows only half of it, claiming that half is enough to determine whether it is poisonous.
• The pill quickly produces visible effects: Zhao Eunuch appears younger and more vigorous, suggesting that the medicine is genuine.
• The Emperor eagerly consumes the remaining pill and sends the other half of the second pill to the Empress.
• The Emperor then asks Yu Qianzhi to investigate the supernatural assassination attempt against Prince Qi. More than twenty guards were killed, and Prince Qi nearly died.
• Yu Qianzhi argues that ordinary ghosts and gods should not possess such power. He subtly blames Prince Dai’s aggressive actions for provoking the attack and explains that the ghosts and gods may have mistaken Prince Qi for Prince Dai because they judged by aura rather than appearance.
• After taking the pill, the Emperor sees little apparent change in himself. His frustration and suspicion grow, and he begins to wonder whether the pill Zhao Eunuch tested was genuine while his own was counterfeit.
• Zhao Eunuch becomes anxious, while Ma Shunde privately rejoices at the possibility that Zhao Eunuch will fall from favor.
• The Emperor notices the sealed yellow-silk wrapping and questions whether Yu Qianzhi opened it. Yu insists that, because it was a relic from the Imperial Mausoleum, he never dared inspect it and had kept it sealed from the moment he received it.

2. Character Developments

• Zhao Eunuch: Demonstrates caution and political intelligence by testing only half the pill. The medicine makes him look younger, temporarily increasing his advantage over Ma Shunde, but his position becomes precarious when the Emperor experiences little effect.
• The Emperor: Reveals both impatience and deep concern about his declining health. He shows unusual affection toward the Empress by sending her the remaining pill, yet remains suspicious and ruthless toward his attendants.
• Ma Shunde: Becomes envious of Zhao Eunuch’s rejuvenation and hopes the Emperor will punish him if the pill he tested proves different from the Emperor’s. His rivalry with Zhao Eunuch intensifies.
• Yu Qianzhi: Carefully balances honesty, Daoist principles, and political maneuvering. He conceals his deeper understanding of the growing spiritual currents and subtly shifts blame toward Prince Dai while warning the Emperor to respect ghosts and gods.
• Prince Qi and Prince Dai: Though absent, both become central to the political and supernatural conflict. Prince Qi is the victim of the attack, while Prince Dai is indirectly blamed for provoking the divine backlash.

3. Significant Themes

• Power and political survival: The attendants constantly assess how the pill’s effects may alter their standing with the Emperor.
• Suspicion and uncertainty: The Emperor immediately considers the possibility of deception or counterfeit medicine when the expected effects fail to appear.
• Mortality and the desire for rejuvenation: The pill’s ability to restore youth exposes the Emperor’s anxiety about aging and death.
• The tension between the mortal and supernatural realms: Yu Qianzhi explains that humans and ghosts or gods should not interfere freely with one another, suggesting that the boundaries between realms are weakening.
• Manipulation through interpretation: Yu Qianzhi uses the supernatural incident to influence the Emperor’s view of Prince Dai, demonstrating how explanations can serve political agendas.
• Partial loyalty and concealed motives: Zhao Eunuch’s compassion toward the Empress is immediately restrained by his awareness of the Crown Prince’s fate, showing how personal feeling is suppressed by court politics.

4. Character Interactions

• The Emperor and Zhao Eunuch engage in a tense display of trust: Zhao Eunuch tests the pill for him, but the Emperor later suspects that he may have manipulated the test.
• Zhao Eunuch and Ma Shunde remain locked in rivalry, with Ma Shunde waiting for any opportunity to discredit him.
• The Emperor questions Yu Qianzhi about the attack on Prince Qi, while Yu carefully answers without revealing what he knows about the changing spiritual conditions.
• Yu Qianzhi’s explanation satisfies the Emperor only partially; his words ease the Emperor’s anger toward the supernatural forces but increase suspicion toward Prince Dai.
• The Emperor’s treatment of the Empress contrasts with his conduct toward his officials, revealing a rare trace of tenderness beneath his otherwise cold and calculating nature.