Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Fortunes and Misfortunes Entangled, Their Outcome Hard to Foretell” (Part 2)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xue Baizhi and True Person Cangyuan confront the revelation that Jade Sun Mountain’s two foundational sword arts—the Returning Wind Withered Snow Sword Qi and the Lesser Yang Radiant Light Sword Qi—may have originated from Heavenly Demons.
• Although this secret could severely damage the sect’s reputation, Cangyuan and Xue Baizhi recognize that the greater danger is its effect on the sect’s disciples. If they lose faith in their cultivation, the entire sect could become spiritually corrupted without any direct demonic attack.
• Xue Baizhi concludes that Zuo Lengchan’s possible connection to the branch that abandoned Jade Sun Mountain long ago makes him a serious threat. Her concern for the sect turns into killing intent.
• Cangyuan orders Xue Baizhi to visit the forbidden ground, the Hundred Ghosts Grotto, and seek the aid of Senior Lake Guardian. The guardian is secretly Xuanying, the ancient sword companion of the White Emperor, rather than an ordinary Tribulation Dharma cultivator.
• Before going to the forbidden ground, Xue Baizhi receives two additional missions:
  1. Find Little Su Che, the Yellow Heaven Sect’s World Walker, reveal the hidden crisis, and secure Yellow Heaven Sect’s support. This would likely bring Divine Firmament Sect into Jade Sun Mountain’s alliance as well.
  2. Travel to Jiankang to investigate rumors that someone in the Southern Dynasty palace knows the Grand Two Forms Dust Sword, an art inherited from the Ancient White Emperor. Mastering it could greatly strengthen Jade Sun Mountain and help Xue Baizhi protect the sect.
• Cangyuan warns that the reappearance of the Ancient Netherworld will cause every major power to compete for its treasures and lost texts. Jade Sun Mountain, though weaker than the other factions, may become a target because of its reputation.
• He encourages Xue Baizhi to preserve her faith in the sect’s righteous tradition despite possible demonic corruption in its inheritance.

Character Developments

• Xue Baizhi is shaken by the possibility that her entire cultivation path was built upon demonic manipulation. Nevertheless, she overcomes her doubt and chooses responsibility, loyalty, and action. Her concern shifts from personal advancement to preserving the faith and future of the younger disciples.
• True Person Cangyuan demonstrates strategic wisdom and deep loyalty to Jade Sun Mountain. He does not deny the sect’s troubled history but insists that its centuries of righteous conduct remain meaningful. He entrusts Xue Baizhi with missions critical to the sect’s survival.
• Senior Lake Guardian/Xuanying is revealed to be an extraordinarily rare sword spirit and former weapon companion of the Ancient White Emperor. His continued protection of Jade Sun Mountain is based on an old karmic bond rather than ordinary sect allegiance.
• Zuo Lengchan is framed as a potential existential threat. His suspected ties to the sect’s separated branch suggest that the current crisis may involve both internal betrayal and demonic influence.
• Little Su Che becomes an important potential ally because of his authority within the Yellow Heaven Sect and his role at the Mysterious Capital Palace gathering.

Significant Themes

• Faith versus corruption: The greatest danger is not merely that the sect’s techniques may be tainted, but that disciples will lose confidence in their own path and become vulnerable to inner demons.
• Reputation versus true virtue: Cangyuan and Xue Baizhi distinguish public reputation from the deeper “Dao heart.” The sect’s name may be damaged, but its long history of defending justice still has genuine value.
• Inheritance and hidden history: Jade Sun Mountain’s legacy contains both greatness and possible contamination. The characters must decide how to preserve what is righteous without blindly trusting the past.
• Fortune and misfortune: The Ancient Netherworld’s appearance could destroy Jade Sun Mountain or provide the opportunity to restore its foundations and rise stronger than before.
• Duty and sacrifice: Xue Baizhi accepts dangerous missions not for personal glory, but to protect the sect, its disciples, and the wider Central Land.
• Unity against common enemies: The Mystic Gate sects share ancestral roots and must cooperate against the Devil Sect and Outer Heavenly Demons, despite their political differences.

Character Interactions

• Xue Baizhi and Cangyuan: Their exchange is that of a trusted master and disciple. Cangyuan tests and guides her, while Xue Baizhi accepts his commands with seriousness and resolves to bear the sect’s burden.
• Xue Baizhi and the sect’s ancestors: Though they do not interact directly, the ancestral tablets symbolize her connection to Jade Sun Mountain’s past and her determination not to disgrace its founders.
• Xue Baizhi and Senior Lake Guardian: Their future meeting is presented as crucial. She must seek his support without damaging the old karmic relationship that has kept him loyal to the sect.
• Xue Baizhi and Little Su Che: Their previous favorable impression lays the foundation for her upcoming attempt to win his political and sectarian support.
• Jade Sun Mountain and other Mystic Gate sects: Cangyuan emphasizes the need to unite with Yellow Heaven Sect, Divine Firmament Sect, and Mysterious Capital Palace as the Ancient Netherworld creates new conflict.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• True Person Cangyuan reveals a troubling past incident to Xue Baizhi, whose doubts and confusion are gradually resolved. Despite acknowledging flaws in Jade Sun Mountain’s inheritance and Dao path, she reaffirms her loyalty and agrees to travel immediately to Jiankang to carry out her mission.
• Cangyuan worries over Jade Sun Mountain’s uncertain future, especially whether the reappearance of the Ancient Netherworld will bring fortune or disaster.
• In Jiankang, Su Che climbs Mount She with Lu Bai, Zhu Yi, and Dark Jade Tablet. Their destination is Mind-Stilling Temple, the Yellow Heaven Sect’s lower temple, which Su Che now oversees as its abbot.
• The travelers’ physical conditions are emphasized: Lu Bai remains nearly blind after torture, Zhu Yi suffers from irreversible loss of vitality, and the uninjured but physically weak Dark Jade Tablet struggles to keep pace.
• Su Che deliberately allows Lu Bai to recover slowly rather than immediately restoring his eyesight, hoping the enforced quiet will help Lu Bai settle his mind and reassess his future.
• Mount She is depicted as a spiritually rich and historically significant mountain containing Buddhist temples and relics connected to the former Imperial Preceptor, Lion Azure Lotus Perfected Tathagata, who later fell into the demonic path.
• At a Buddhist temple, a novice refuses Su Che’s group entry because the temple is holding a special rite. A large, aggressive monk then approaches and threatens to drive them away by force.

Character Developments

• Xue Baizhi moves from suspicion and emotional turmoil to clarity and firm resolve, accepting her responsibility to Jade Sun Mountain.
• True Person Cangyuan appears burdened by anxiety about the sect’s fate, balancing his confidence in its righteous legacy with fear of the dangers ahead.
• Su Che demonstrates authority and patience. He is attentive to his companions’ conditions and uses Lu Bai’s blindness as an opportunity for spiritual reflection rather than rushing to cure him.
• Lu Bai adapts to his impaired vision by relying on smell and other senses. His blindness leads him to perceive natural details more deeply, suggesting inner growth through suffering.
• Zhu Yi remains physically weakened and pale, bearing lasting consequences from his past injuries.
• Dark Jade Tablet provides a contrast to the martial artists: although uninjured, his lack of cultivation leaves him exhausted and vulnerable.
• The Buddhist monks, particularly the older bearded monk, are introduced as hostile and obstructive, creating immediate tension at the temple entrance.

Significant Themes

• Fortune and disaster: The return of the Ancient Netherworld may either save or endanger Jade Sun Mountain, reflecting the uncertainty of turbulent times.
• Tradition versus imperfection: Jade Sun Mountain’s flawed inheritance does not erase its long history of defending the righteous path.
• Recovery and transformation through suffering: Lu Bai’s blindness, though tragic, enables him to experience the world with greater sensitivity and clarity.
• Spiritual authority and institutional conflict: Su Che’s role as abbot of Mind-Stilling Temple contrasts with the Buddhist temple’s refusal to receive him, hinting at broader religious or sectarian tensions.
• The persistence of life: Even in winter, Mount She retains hidden vitality, symbolizing endurance beneath apparent decline.

Character Interactions

• Cangyuan and Xue Baizhi share a serious master-disciple discussion about the sect’s future and her upcoming mission.
• Su Che checks on Lu Bai’s ability to continue, while Lu Bai reflects on how blindness has changed his perception.
• Su Che explains Mount She’s history and significance to his companions as they climb.
• The young novice politely but firmly refuses the group’s request to enter the temple.
• The older monk interrupts, replacing the novice’s courtesy with open intimidation and threatening violence against Su Che’s party.

Chapter Summary: “Asking the Way on the Mountain Brings Disaster” (Part 2)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Che and Lu Bai arrive at a Buddhist temple on Mount She, seeking help for Lu Bai’s injured eyes. The guest-receiving monk initially refuses them, claiming the temple is closed because an important palace delegation is expected.
• Su Che responds sarcastically and secretly bribes the monk with a piece of fine red gold. The monk, realizing the visitors may be illicit salt merchants from the martial world, changes his attitude and allows them inside—but insists they leave quickly.
• The monk assigns the young novice Yuan Zhen to guide them through the temple while he prepares for the palace guests.
• Inside, Su Che discovers that the temple’s spirit wall, originally inscribed with “Namo Fundamental Teacher Buddha,” has mysteriously acquired four bloody characters: “Heaven Will Destroy the Remnant Liang!”
• The message appears to be a political and potentially rebellious declaration against the Liang dynasty. The temple monks panic, fearing the consequences if the palace delegation sees it.
• The monks attempt to scrub away the words, but the characters cannot be removed. When the palace party is announced to be arriving, the guest-receiving monk orders the wall itself to be demolished.
• Su Che watches the destruction with quiet amusement, though he is disappointed that Yin-Yang Dharma King is absent and cannot appreciate the illusion behind the phenomenon.

Character Developments

• Su Che remains outwardly polite and good-tempered but reveals his sharp temper, cunning, and willingness to manipulate others. He uses bribery and an assumed identity to gain entry, then appears to take pleasure in embarrassing the arrogant monks.
• Lu Bai continues to admire Su Che deeply, interpreting even his personal grievances as acts of moral reform carried out for the people. His loyalty causes him to overestimate Su Che’s altruism.
• The guest-receiving monk is shown as worldly, calculating, and hypocritical. Though he presents himself as detached and compassionate, he is easily influenced by gold and status, fawning over powerful visitors while dismissing ordinary travelers.
• Yuan Zhen, the young novice, is frightened by the supernatural inscription and looks to Su Che for reassurance, suggesting that he sees Su Che as a dependable protector.
• Dark Jade Tablet and Zhu Yi provide comic commentary, inventing exaggerated explanations for Su Che’s motives and portraying him as either a reforming saint or a Daoist temple master defending his territory.

Significant Themes

• Hypocrisy and corruption within religious institutions: The monks claim spiritual detachment but are concerned with money, political safety, social status, and avoiding blame.
• Power and political instability: The temple’s fear of both the palace and the remnants of the former dynasty reflects the dangerous uncertainty of the new emperor’s reign.
• Appearance versus reality: Su Che pretends to be a salt merchant, while the monks pretend to embody Buddhist compassion. The bloody inscription further undermines the temple’s sacred image.
• Satire of worldly religion: The temple’s destruction of its own sacred wall to conceal a political message shows how quickly religious ideals yield to practical self-preservation.
• Mischief and manipulation: Su Che’s actions blur the line between righteous intervention and personal retaliation; he dislikes the monk’s arrogance and uses the situation to teach the temple a lesson.

Character Interactions

• Su Che and the guest-receiving monk exchange polite but hostile remarks, with Su Che’s sarcasm exposing the monk’s arrogance before the bribe restores superficial cordiality.
• Su Che and Lu Bai discuss his motives, revealing Lu Bai’s unwavering faith in Su Che’s moral character and Su Che’s amusement at being idealized.
• Su Che interacts briefly with Yuan Zhen as the novice guides him through the temple; the young monk becomes increasingly alarmed by the supernatural writing.
• The temple monks collectively react to the inscription, shifting from authority and confidence to panic as they try unsuccessfully to erase it.
• The chapter ends with the monks destroying their own spirit wall, symbolizing the temple’s loss of dignity and the triumph of fear over faith.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• At the Buddhist temple on Mount She, the guest-receiving monk realizes that the appearance of the treasonous words “Heaven Will Destroy the Remnant Liang” on the screen wall could bring disaster upon the entire temple. He orders the surrounding monks to contain Su Che and his companions, intending to keep them under watch until an important guest finishes worshipping.
• Su Che calmly accepts the monk’s invitation to the guest hall, but his illusion arts have already deceived the monks. He soon leaves the temple with Zhu Yi and Lu Bai, having no intention of being detained.
• Su Che explains that he came to Mount She for three reasons: to arrange the future of Lu Bai and Zhu Yi, to inspect the remains of Old Lion’s ancient ritual ground, and—most importantly—to visit Mind-Stilling Temple, the Yellow Heaven Sect’s hidden mortal-world foundation.
• Before departing, Su Che leaves the Buddhist monks additional written remarks criticizing their attachment to worldly desires and their inability to see through his illusions.
• Su Che and his companions discuss Buddhist cultivation and the decline of Old Lion, an Ancient Buddha who fell into the devil path and ultimately perished.
• Deep in Mount She, Su Che discovers a mysterious stone path marked by the character “Still.” The path evokes a strong sense of familiarity, suggesting it shares the same Dao lineage as Yellow Heaven.
• He instructs Zhu Yi and Lu Bai to wait behind and proceeds alone. He reaches the secluded Mind-Stilling Temple, a humble but spiritually profound Daoist sanctuary integrated with the mountain’s earth veins.
• At the gate, he meets Lu Chuan, an elderly Daoist and the temple master. Lu Chuan has cultivated a Reverted Elixir and is clearly a surviving member of the Yellow Heaven Sect’s mortal arrangements, though his lifespan is nearly exhausted.
• Lu Chuan welcomes Su Che as the newly appointed temple master and asks whether the mysterious rope given to him previously is still useful, implying an important connection to Su Che’s past and future plans.

Character Developments

• Su Che: Demonstrates confidence, composure, and mastery of illusion arts. He continues investigating the Yellow Heaven Sect’s hidden legacy and assumes responsibility for its mortal-world temple. His reaction to Mind-Stilling Temple shows that he is beginning to recognize deeper connections between his present identity and his Dao inheritance.
• Zhu Yi and Lu Bai: Remain loyal aides who accompany Su Che but respect the boundaries he sets when he enters the sect’s private grounds. Zhu Yi openly praises Su Che, while both join him in mocking the Buddhist temple’s hypocrisy.
• The Buddhist monks: Their outward courtesy masks fear and self-preservation. Faced with political danger, they prioritize suppressing witnesses rather than confronting the meaning of the prophetic words.
• Lu Chuan: Introduced as an aged but capable Yellow Heaven cultivator. Though physically near death, he is relieved and delighted that the long-awaited temple master has finally arrived.

Significant Themes

• Secrecy and political danger: The words predicting the destruction of the Liang regime are treated as a potentially catastrophic political threat, showing how religious institutions are forced to navigate imperial authority.
• Appearance versus reality: The monks appear powerful and respectable but cannot see through Su Che’s illusions. Likewise, the seemingly crude Mind-Stilling Temple conceals profound spiritual and geomantic power.
• Decline and inheritance: The Buddhist temple represents a deteriorated religious institution clinging to past prestige, while Mind-Stilling Temple preserves a quieter, more authentic inheritance despite its obscurity.
• The costs of worldly attachment: Su Che criticizes the Buddhist monks’ entanglement with fame, wealth, desire, and political survival, suggesting that such attachments erode the will to pursue transcendence.
• Lineage and recognition: Su Che’s sense of familiarity on the mountain path indicates a spiritual resonance with the Yellow Heaven Sect’s legacy and hints that his connection to it is deeper than a formal appointment.

Character Interactions

• The guest-receiving monk politely attempts to control Su Che, but Su Che silently reverses the power dynamic through illusion and departs at will.
• Zhu Yi flatters Su Che’s abilities and criticizes the monks, while Su Che responds with humorous observations about Buddhist institutions and Old Lion’s fall.
• Su Che separates from Zhu Yi and Lu Bai before entering Mind-Stilling Temple, preserving the secrecy of the sect’s inner matters.
• Lu Chuan greets Su Che respectfully, recognizes him as the newly appointed temple master, and references the previously given rope, establishing a connection to earlier events and creating anticipation for its significance.

Chapter Summary: Asking After One’s Origins Within Mind-Stilling Temple (Part One)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Che meets Daoist Luchuan at Mind-Stilling Temple and recognizes that the yellow rope which once saved Little Fox had been made by Luchuan. Because of this past kindness, Su Che feels indebted to him.
• Su Che attempts to address Luchuan as a fellow Daoist, but Luchuan firmly rejects the familiarity. Due to Yellow Heaven Sect’s strict hierarchy, Su Che is technically Luchuan’s grand-uncle-master, despite being much younger in cultivation experience.
• Su Che reflects on the strange difference between their cultivation and seniority: both are at the Reverted Elixir realm, and Luchuan may even be stronger, but Su Che’s lineage grants him exceptionally high status.
• Su Che recalls Mind-Stilling Temple’s place within Yellow Heaven Sect. Unlike the sect’s main gate in the Outer Void, Mind-Stilling Temple is located in the mortal world and functions largely as a liaison with the imperial court.
• The chapter explains that Mind-Stilling Temple is effectively a place of exile for Yellow Heaven Sect disciples who have violated certain rules. Its current leadership descends from Fairy Lingyun, who is connected to Little Fox’s lineage.
• Luchuan’s “transgression” was not an act of violence or betrayal. After repeatedly experiencing the mortal world, he lost the desire to pursue immortality and no longer found longevity meaningful.
• Because abandoning cultivation is considered a heart demon within the Mystic Gate, Luchuan was sent to the mortal world rather than allowed to remain at the sect’s main gate.
• Su Che observes that Luchuan has accepted death peacefully, but privately concludes that the old Daoist is unlikely to overcome his heart demon. He mourns the probable waste of Luchuan’s lifetime of cultivation.

Character Developments

• Su Che: Demonstrates gratitude, humility, and sensitivity toward his elders despite his elevated sect status. He also shows growing philosophical insight, recognizing both the tragedy and dignity in Luchuan’s acceptance of death. His awareness of his previous incarnation makes him somewhat embarrassed and emotionally guarded.
• Daoist Luchuan: Is portrayed as respectful and disciplined, adhering strictly to sect hierarchy. His central development is philosophical rather than physical: he has rejected the traditional cultivation goal of longevity and calmly accepted mortality. This gives him a kind of freedom, but also leaves him trapped by a heart demon.
• Little Fox and Su Che’s past: Their earlier relationship is indirectly reinforced through the yellow rope, revealing that Luchuan’s kindness once helped protect Little Fox and indirectly contributed to Su Che’s survival.

Significant Themes

• Seniority versus cultivation: Sect rank and lineage can outweigh age, experience, or actual strength. Su Che’s high standing creates an awkward contrast with Luchuan’s greater worldly experience.
• Longevity as the foundation of cultivation: Every major tradition—Daoist, Buddhist, Sword, and Devil sects—ultimately seeks transcendence, freedom from heaven and earth’s laws, and eternal life.
• The heart demon of abandoning the path: In this world, stopping halfway is not considered a neutral choice. Losing the desire for advancement becomes a spiritual obstacle capable of destroying one’s cultivation.
• Freedom versus surrender: Luchuan has overcome the fear of death, which could be seen as liberation, yet his acceptance also represents surrender and spiritual stagnation.
• Exile and marginalization: Mind-Stilling Temple reflects Yellow Heaven Sect’s distance from the mortal world and serves as a place for disciples whose spiritual conditions make them unsuitable for the main sect.
• The tragedy of unrealized potential: Luchuan was once a promising cultivator with a chance to approach the Longevity Realm, but his disillusionment has caused his entire path to wither.

Character Interactions

• Su Che expresses goodwill toward Luchuan because of the old Daoist’s past assistance.
• Luchuan maintains formal distance, repeatedly emphasizing Su Che’s superior sect seniority and refusing to treat him as an equal.
• Their interaction is outwardly polite but emotionally layered: Su Che feels gratitude and sympathy, while Luchuan responds with rigid adherence to tradition.
• Su Che’s internal reflections transform the encounter from a simple reunion into a meditation on cultivation, mortality, and the consequences of losing one’s purpose.

Chapter Summary: “Asking After One’s Origins Within Mind-Stilling Temple” (Part 2)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chuan gives Su Che a detailed tour of Mind-Stilling Temple, explaining its hidden formations, ritual spaces, pill and merit chambers, and the Reception Tower used by the Yellow Heaven Sect to communicate with or receive disciples from the lower realm.
• The temple’s powerful formations quietly embody the sect’s laws, enhancing Yellow Heaven techniques while suppressing outsiders’ abilities.
• Su Che visits the Founders’ Hall and observes spirit tablets honoring the Supreme Dao Ancestor and five figures from the Ancient Heavenly Court. The absence of a tablet for the Yellow Heaven Dao Ancestor reinforces his suspicion that the Yellow Heaven Sect is descended from the Ancient Heavenly Court.
• Su Che asks Lu Chuan to clarify the events surrounding his former identity’s crippling injury in Jiankang City.
• Lu Chuan explains that White Deer Grotto had been hunting people believed to possess Overlord Destiny Patterns, with tacit support from the imperial court. However, the sect avoided openly targeting powerful families or members of the imperial line, instead operating according to political compromises.
• Su Che’s former self possessed the Sixfold Azure Dragon destiny, but White Deer Grotto and the court agreed to treat it as false so long as he remained a dissolute, politically harmless wastrel.
• On the day of his downfall, several suspicious “coincidences” occurred: Su family protectors were diverted, White Deer Grotto disciples were nearby, Old Su was drawn away by a northern confrontation, demons occupied the Imperial Demon Hunters, and a White Deer Grotto expert happened to be present to seize Su Che’s destiny while preserving his life.
• Su Che realizes the attack was carefully orchestrated rather than accidental. White Deer Grotto both ruined him and saved his life, allowing it to avoid a direct feud with the Su Family.
• He reflects that, without his possession of the body, Zhongyuan’s intervention, and Yulizi’s recruitment into the Yellow Heaven Sect, the matter would likely have ended with no chance of redress.

Character Developments

• Su Che: Demonstrates increased confidence and political awareness. Now powerful enough to investigate old grievances, he begins untangling the hidden causes behind his former body’s tragedy and recognizes the complex web of fate, factional interests, and manipulation that shaped his life.
• Lu Chuan: Acts as a knowledgeable guide and reluctant informant. Though he hints that Su Che’s unusual descent into the mortal world differed from normal sect procedures, he remains respectful and provides a measured account of the past.
• White Deer Grotto: Is revealed as calculating and politically sophisticated. It manipulates both the court and the Su Family, ensuring that Su Che is neutralized without provoking a larger conflict.
• Old Su and the Su Family: Their past restraint becomes understandable: because White Deer Grotto preserved Su Che’s life and framed the incident as a regrettable excess by juniors, the family had reason to endure the insult rather than declare open war.
• Yulizi and Zhongyuan: Though not present directly, their earlier actions are shown to have been crucial turning points that enabled Su Che to escape the fate originally arranged for him.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus manipulation: The supposed Overlord Destiny Pattern is used as both a political justification and a weapon, while Su Che’s survival depends on a chain of seemingly accidental interventions.
• Political compromise and hidden power: Major factions publicly uphold principles but privately negotiate limits, protections, and scapegoats to preserve stability.
• Identity and origins: Su Che’s investigation into his former life reveals that understanding one’s past is essential to resolving lingering karmic debts.
• Coincidence and causality: The chapter emphasizes that too many precisely timed events cannot be dismissed as chance; hidden actors shape history through coordinated actions.
• Transformation: Su Che’s former self was deliberately reduced to a harmless wastrel, but his rebirth and cultivation have overturned that arrangement.
• Institutional continuity: The Founders’ Hall and its tablets suggest the Yellow Heaven Sect’s deep connection to the Ancient Heavenly Court and its surviving legacy.

Character Interactions

• Su Che and Lu Chuan: Their conversation combines formal respect with underlying tension. Lu Chuan subtly reminds Su Che that his arrival did not follow ordinary sect procedures, while Su Che ignores the provocation and presses directly for answers.
• Su Che and his former identity: Su Che mentally reconstructs the victimization of the former Third Young Master, treating the old events as both personal trauma and an unresolved karmic matter.
• White Deer Grotto and the Su Family: Their relationship is shown as one of hostile cooperation. White Deer Grotto arranged Su Che’s downfall but preserved his life, using that mercy to prevent the Su Family from retaliating.
• White Deer Grotto and the imperial court: Both benefited from suppressing the potential threat represented by the Sixfold Azure Dragon destiny, while avoiding actions that would destabilize powerful political families.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Che reviews Old Daoist Lu Chuan’s account of past events and decides that Lu Chuan is the most reliable source for uncovering the truth. Questioning Old Su directly might sound accusatory, while Old Su could also distort the story.
• Lu Chuan suggests that Su Che consult the Metropolitan City God of Jiankang, a powerful State-Tutelary deity who has watched over the region for centuries and may know the hidden history behind the old conflicts.
• Su Che decides to build a temporary residence northeast of Jiankang and asks Lu Chuan to relay any future orders from the sect.
• Before leaving Mount She, Su Che gathers information from Lu Chuan about nearby sects, cultivation forces, and hidden local affairs not recorded in the Imperial Demon Hunters’ official files.
• On the way down the mountain, Su Che encounters a procession of arrested monks. Princess Jia’an had visited Mount She to worship at a temple, only for her guards to discover walls covered with treasonous writing. Believing the monks were trying to curry favor with Old Su, she ordered the temple raided and its inhabitants imprisoned.
• The incident causes temples throughout Mount She to close, while monks flee with their valuables. Su Che privately views the chaos as an unexpectedly successful result of his earlier prank, which has effectively cleansed the mountain of corrupt religious establishments.
• Su Che also suspects that Princess Jia’an may be connected to Zhongyuan’s hidden scheme, since one of Zhongyuan’s targets came from the imperial palace. He resolves to investigate the palace further.
• Outside Jiankang, Su Che studies the capital’s structure through Mystic Gate techniques. He observes its three-part division: Terrace City, containing the palace and military facilities; two surrounding inner sections; and the outer areas where nobles and commoners live.
• He creates an elaborate illusory thatched hut northeast of the city, making it appear completely real with bamboo fencing, moss, butterflies, a chessboard, and spiderwebs.
• After changing from luxurious clothing into Daoist robes, Su Che meditates through the night and launches a Mystic Talisman into the heavens using the Secret Register of the Yin Heaven of Zhoujue. Azure qi conceals the talisman, completing his trap.
• The chapter ends with Su Che waiting to see what powerful beings—his “golden fish”—will be drawn to the bait.

Character Developments

• Su Che becomes increasingly strategic and manipulative. Rather than confronting enemies directly, he gathers intelligence, creates carefully designed bait, and prepares to lure hidden powers into revealing themselves.
• He demonstrates greater confidence in his mystical abilities, using illusion to construct an apparently real dwelling and employing advanced talismanic techniques to extend his influence into the heavens.
• Su Che also shows political awareness. He recognizes Princess Jia’an as a possible connection to Zhongyuan’s plans and begins considering how to probe the imperial palace.
• Old Daoist Lu Chuan is established as a trustworthy, neutral witness with extensive knowledge of the region’s sects, gods, and hidden forces.
• Princess Jia’an is portrayed as decisive, suspicious, and ruthless. Her immediate imprisonment of the monks shows both her authority and her readiness to use force.
• Zhu Yi and Lu Bai continue to serve as Su Che’s capable subordinates, with Zhu Yi successfully gathering information through deception.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus rumor: Su Che seeks a witness whose account is not distorted by personal loyalties or incomplete knowledge. The chapter emphasizes the difficulty of recovering hidden truths from competing narratives.
• The value of local and divine knowledge: Official records cannot uncover every secret, while long-standing divine guardians such as the Metropolitan City God possess perspectives unavailable to mortal investigators.
• Bait, traps, and indirect confrontation: Su Che consistently acts through schemes rather than open conflict, setting traps to force hidden opponents to expose themselves.
• Illusion and reality: The magically created hut embodies the blurred boundary between falsehood and truth. Though illusory, it functions as a real environment so long as Su Che’s power sustains it.
• Political and religious corruption: The arrest of the monks and the flight of corrupt temple leaders suggest a broader cleansing of Mount She, while also showing how religious institutions can become entangled with political power.
• Order amid chaos: Despite the unstable and violent era, the Jiankang City God preserves a small region of safety and prosperity, representing righteous authority and social stability.

Character Interactions

• Su Che and Lu Chuan: Their conversation is respectful and strategic. Su Che relies on Lu Chuan’s neutrality and knowledge, while Lu Chuan points him toward the Metropolitan City God as the best source of truth.
• Su Che and Lu Bai/Zhu Yi: Su Che directs them to return home and inform Little Fox, while Zhu Yi independently investigates the arrested monks by posing as a traveling merchant.
• Su Che and Princess Jia’an: They do not meet directly, but their actions intersect. Her crackdown on Mount She affects Su Che’s plans, and he begins to view her as a possible participant in Zhongyuan’s larger scheme.
• Su Che and the Metropolitan City God: They have not yet met, but Su Che is already planning how to lure the deity into revealing what he knows.
• Su Che and his unseen adversaries: By releasing the concealed Mystic Talisman, Su Che initiates an indirect confrontation, inviting powerful hidden forces to react to his presence.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• In Jiankang, Su Che activates the Mystic Talisman and uses the Secret Art of the Heaven of Yin’s Extinction. The technique produces a frightening vision of ghosts and demons across the northeastern part of the city, including ghost brides, yakshas, mountain sprites, grotesque melon sellers, ox-headed fiends, and wailing children.
• These apparitions are not real spirits but manifestations of Su Che’s Daoist art. Ordinary people perceive them only briefly, though the more closely they look, the more convincing and terrifying the illusions become.
• The Censorate’s Circuit Inspectors observe the demonic cloud and debate its significance. Rather than investigating seriously, they joke about the collapsing Great Liang dynasty, rebellion, and the supposed “chicken” crowing at dawn. They eventually submit a report to the Imperial Demon Hunters.
• The Imperial Demon Hunters already know about Su Che’s actions and deliberately choose to ignore them unless he causes real trouble. Their attention is focused on suppressing rebels within Jiankang, especially those believed to be hiding in the Censorate.
• At a military camp outside Jiankang, Marshal Wei Huaiwen receives the Censorate’s report on yellow silk. He initially sees it as an amusing minor incident, but quickly realizes it may carry a deeper meaning connected to Su Che and Lady Xie. He writes a brief instruction on a bamboo slip, prompting the army to mobilize scouts, officers, and troops for renewed war preparations.
• On a pleasure boat on the Qinhuai River, Lady Xie is apparently trapped by a heavily made-up woman. The woman taunts her for falling into their trap. Lady Xie remains silent and instead watches the ominous demonic cloud spreading across the sky.

Character Developments

• Su Che demonstrates considerable mastery of mystical arts. His technique is powerful enough to affect the appearance of an entire area and unsettle both civilians and supernatural officials, even though he is not directly present in the scene.
• The Circuit Inspectors are portrayed as cynical, irreverent, and politically detached. Although they recognize the signs of disorder and national collapse, they respond with jokes and bureaucratic paperwork rather than meaningful action.
• The Imperial Demon Hunters reveal their practical priorities. They tolerate Su Che because they regard him as an ally or at least a protected figure, while concentrating on more urgent threats such as rebels.
• Wei Huaiwen shows sharp political and military instincts. Beneath his casual irritation and humor, he recognizes that the report may signal a larger operation. His immediate mobilization suggests he is alert to hidden meanings and prepared for conflict.
• Lady Xie remains composed despite being trapped. Her silence and attention to the sky suggest that she understands the significance of Su Che’s supernatural display or expects it to alter her situation.
• Lady Xie’s captor is introduced as confident and mocking, emphasizing that she believes she has gained the upper hand.

Significant Themes

• The decline of a dynasty: Jiankang is described as a once-glorious capital nearing the end of Great Liang. The appearance of ominous supernatural phenomena mirrors the political disorder and widespread rebellion.
• Bureaucratic decay and cynicism: Officials recognize danger but treat it as routine or a source of jokes, illustrating how institutions have become numb and ineffective during national collapse.
• Hidden meanings and political maneuvering: A seemingly minor report contains implications that Wei Huaiwen understands. Information, coded through official procedures and military communication, becomes a weapon.
• Reality versus illusion: Su Che’s visions are false, yet they produce genuine fear and political consequences. The chapter suggests that appearances can be as powerful as physical events.
• Power amid disorder: Although the dynasty is failing, powerful individuals and factions continue to operate strategically, using supernatural arts, military force, and deception to pursue their goals.

Character Interactions

• The Circuit Inspectors interact through sarcastic banter, mocking the court, the rebels, and the signs of dynastic collapse while formally passing responsibility to the Imperial Demon Hunters.
• The Imperial Demon Hunters indirectly acknowledge Su Che’s protected status by choosing not to interfere with his actions.
• Wei Huaiwen’s relationship with Su Che is characterized by teasing familiarity and suspicion. He plans to use the report to embarrass Su Che’s father, yet also recognizes that the event may require military action.
• Lady Xie faces a direct psychological confrontation with her captor, who taunts her about being deceived. Lady Xie refuses to respond, maintaining composure and silently focusing on the ominous cloud, implying that an unseen connection or countermeasure may already be in motion.

Chapter Summary: “Lower the Jade Hook to Fish for a Golden Toad” (Part 2)

Key Plot Points and Events

• A seductive woman from the Devil Sect, Yan’er, confronts Lady Xie, who has been captured and restrained with bone needles and cursed Heavenly Demon script.
• Yan’er reveals that Lady Xie was once the leader of the Ministry of Rites under Devil King Jun Tian Guang Yue, one of the powerful Five Divisions of Heavenly Demons. Lady Xie later betrayed him and reincarnated into the present world.
• Yan’er intends to deliver Lady Xie to the Devil Sect patriarch, hoping to earn enough merit to reach the Longevity Realm. She claims Lady Xie’s weakened primordial spirit makes her especially vulnerable to Devil Sect techniques.
• Lady Xie argues that Yan’er’s sect is fundamentally exploitative: its founder, Wrathful Heaven Qudu Bili, used his disciples to test and refine his own system of laws. She warns Yan’er that the sect has produced many Six Desires Heavens but no other Free and Unfettered Heaven.
• Lady Xie proposes exchanging two treasures or people desired by Wrathful Heaven—the Six Heavens Yin Instrument and Ling Weiyang’s true spirit—for her freedom. Yan’er rejects the idea, insisting that both are nearly impossible to find.
• Lady Xie identifies the person at Qingyun as Ling Weiyang’s sole true spirit, not one of his artificial “shadow bones.” This revelation makes the figure far more valuable and dangerous, since even Jun Tian seeks to possess him.
• Yan’er continues torturing Lady Xie through a silver ring on her wrist and orders her to travel north.
• The scene then shifts to Jiankang City’s City God Temple, one of the capital’s busiest and most spiritually powerful locations. Its offerings and worshippers generate an immense reservoir of incense and Wishing Power.
• Within a lotus-shaped Divine Kingdom above the temple, the City God’s ghost officials report that every member of the temple’s staff has returned safely.
• The red-robed ghost judge orders them to remain inside and guard the gates because a demon is causing trouble outside the city. The City Gods have also been told not to visit, suggesting that a larger supernatural conflict is unfolding.

Character Developments

• Lady Xie: Her past is revealed as a former high-ranking Heavenly Demon and leader of the Ministry of Rites. Though physically and spiritually weakened by repeated reincarnations, she remains perceptive, proud, and strategically minded. She recognizes Ling Weiyang’s true identity and attempts to manipulate Yan’er by offering valuable targets in exchange for freedom.
• Yan’er: She emerges as a cruel, ambitious Devil Sect cultivator who hides malice beneath seductive beauty and playful speech. Her desire to attain the Longevity Realm drives her willingness to betray or capture Lady Xie. Despite her confidence, the revelation about Ling Weiyang’s true spirit briefly unsettles her.
• Ling Weiyang: Though largely absent from the scene, his importance increases significantly. His true spirit is revealed to be present at Qingyun, making him a target of both the Devil Sect and Jun Tian.
• The City God and ghost officials: They are shown as cautious and disciplined, retreating behind the temple’s defenses rather than risking exposure to the demon operating outside the city.

Significant Themes

• Power, captivity, and exploitation: Yan’er’s treatment of Lady Xie reflects the Devil Sect’s broader practice of using others as tools for advancement.
• Reincarnation and spiritual decline: Lady Xie’s many reincarnations have weakened her primordial spirit, while Ling Weiyang’s ability to divide and reincarnate his true spirit demonstrates a contrasting form of supernatural persistence.
• Political and cosmic betrayal: Lady Xie’s defection from Jun Tian Guang Yue suggests a much older conflict involving the collapse of the Ancient Heavenly Court and the division of power among the devils.
• Knowledge as leverage: Information about Ling Weiyang and the Six Heavens Yin Instrument becomes a potential bargaining weapon, even though Lady Xie’s freedom remains uncertain.
• The mortal and supernatural worlds: Jiankang’s bustling market and sincere worshippers exist alongside hidden Divine Kingdoms, ghost bureaucracies, and demonic schemes, emphasizing how spiritual conflict operates beneath ordinary human life.
• Stillness versus confrontation: The City God’s officials choose defensive inaction, hoping the demon will eventually stop, while Yan’er and Lady Xie remain locked in an active struggle for control.

Character Interactions

• Lady Xie and Yan’er: Their exchange combines threats, mockery, torture, and attempts at negotiation. Yan’er treats Lady Xie as both an elder sister and a prisoner, while Lady Xie responds with contempt and strategic warnings.
• Lady Xie and Ling Weiyang: Although they do not interact directly, Lady Xie’s recognition of his true spirit indicates prior knowledge of his nature and elevates their connection within the larger plot.
• Yan’er and Ling Weiyang: Yan’er initially dismisses the possibility of finding Ling Weiyang’s true spirit, but Lady Xie’s revelation forces her to reconsider his importance.
• The City God and his officials: The ghost judge commands his subordinates to remain within the temple and avoid the danger outside, revealing an institutional response to the demonic threat.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• An unusual azure cloud hangs over Jiankang City, absorbing roughly 70–80% of the moonlight and Moonlight Essence that would normally spread across the city.
• No official authority intervenes: the City God has closed its gates, the Censorate ignores the matter, the army is occupied, and the Imperial Demon Hunters do nothing.
• At a private gathering, several scholar-officials discuss the phenomenon over wine and hotpot. They recognize that the person behind it is Su Che, the “Third Young Master Su,” who is only at the Reverted Elixir realm yet possesses extraordinary power.
• The officials compare Su Che’s influence with that of the powerful Wei and Su families, joking that the two newly risen houses now “stand five feet from heaven.”
• Yu Ze, a politically connected Palace Attendant and Su Che’s former superior, argues that the older aristocratic clans should not challenge him. Su Che is an exceptional Mystic Gate cultivator, rumored to be the reincarnation of the Primordial Azure Emperor and a direct disciple of the Yellow Heaven Sect.
• Yu Ze suggests that Su Che’s ambitions will eventually carry him beyond Jiankang, just as great geniuses and sword immortals cannot be permanently confined to family or court politics.
• The conversation turns suspicious when someone notes that Su Che could gather Moonlight Essence anywhere but has chosen to do so above the capital. Yu Ze warns that Su Che’s deliberate “commotion” likely conceals a scheme intended to trap or exploit someone.
• The officials agree to restrain their younger relatives and avoid provoking Su Che during the dynasty’s ongoing political upheaval.

Character Developments

• Yu Ze emerges as pragmatic, politically perceptive, and conciliatory. Though connected to the ruling power structure, he understands Su Che’s capabilities and urges the aristocrats to tolerate him rather than provoke a conflict.
• Su Che is not present directly, but his reputation grows throughout the chapter. His ability to draw away most of Jiankang’s Moonlight Essence demonstrates power vastly beyond what his cultivation level would suggest. He is also portrayed as cunning and potentially dangerous.
• Master/Elder Ge acknowledges that Su Che’s abilities are far beyond those of an experienced Reverted Elixir cultivator, revealing both admiration and anxiety.
• The gathered scholar-officials shift from resentment and envy toward reluctant acceptance. They recognize that their families cannot compete with Su Che directly and decide to protect themselves through restraint.
• The aristocratic clans are portrayed as proud but insecure, threatened by the rapid rise of the Su and Wei families and by the appearance of a new, overwhelming genius.

Significant Themes

• The rise of new powers: The Su and Wei families’ emergence challenges the old aristocratic order.
• Power versus status: Su Che’s actual strength outweighs conventional clan prestige, rank, and political pedigree.
• Resignation before genius: Ordinary political actors can only endure and accommodate someone whose abilities place him beyond their reach.
• Hidden motives and strategic caution: Su Che’s moonlight gathering is treated not as simple cultivation but as a possible trap, emphasizing his reputation for schemes and calculated disruption.
• The difficulty of abandoning worldly desires: Though the officials are cultivators capable of avoiding mortal food, they still enjoy wine, meat, luxury, and political ambition.
• Generational and political transition: The old clans fear being overshadowed as the new imperial power structure and newly risen families reshape the court.

Character Interactions

• Yu Ze acts as the central mediator between the resentful scholar-officials and the powerful Su family.
• The officials criticize Su Che indirectly, using jokes about “standing five feet from heaven” to express resentment toward the Su and Wei families.
• Yu Ze counters their complaints by reminding them that earlier great clans, such as the Wang and Xie families, were once newly risen themselves.
• Master Ge provides expert confirmation of Su Che’s extraordinary cultivation ability, strengthening the group’s unease.
• Yu Ze lightens the tense discussion with humor about Elder Ge’s young wife, creating a brief moment of camaraderie.
• By the end, the officials accept Yu Ze’s advice and agree to discipline their younger family members rather than risk confrontation with Su Che.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Che continues his attempt to provoke powerful or righteous figures in Jiankang City by drawing down and refining vast amounts of Moonlight Essence.
• He hopes this will attract ghost envoys from Metropolitan City God, hostile noble clans, Circuit Inspectors, or other “righteous” cultivators, giving him an excuse to challenge them and investigate the city’s hidden power structure.
• Despite cultivating throughout the night—and eventually for more than ten days—not a single opponent responds. Su Che becomes frustrated, joking that fishing is worse than staging a collision scam.
• Rather than abandon the plan, he sends the condensed Moonlight Essence directly toward Metropolitan City God’s City God Temple.
• The Moonlight Essence enters Metropolitan City God’s sixteen-petaled Lotus Divine Kingdom without resistance. Su Che then openly demands an explanation for the deity taking what he gathered.
• Inside the Divine Kingdom, the ghost officials reveal that Metropolitan City God anticipated Su Che’s scheme and prepared a countermeasure. They intend to avoid direct conflict by appearing reasonable and cooperative.
• Judge Cui, one of Metropolitan City God’s principal officials, emerges to meet Su Che. He claims the Moonlight Essence was taken accidentally and immediately offers it back, along with an apologetic and submissive attitude.
• Su Che recognizes this as a calculated move: Metropolitan City God has avoided giving him any justification for open confrontation while demonstrating that he is experienced, cautious, and politically shrewd.

Character Developments

• Su Che: His confidence and cleverness remain intact, but his frustration grows as his bait fails to attract anyone. He shifts from trying to lure out opponents indirectly to making a direct challenge. His prolonged absorption of Moonlight Essence also strengthens and refreshes his body, deepening his cultivation.
• Metropolitan City God: He is revealed to be highly prepared and politically sophisticated. Rather than meet Su Che’s provocation with force, he neutralizes it through strategic submission and apparent generosity.
• Judge Cui: Introduced as one of Metropolitan City God’s right-hand officials, he possesses powerful Divine Path cultivation and carries a formidable iron mace. Despite his strength, he behaves courteously and humbly, serving as a diplomatic shield for his master.
• The ghost officials: They show confidence in their preparation and mock Su Che’s assumption that he has caught them unprepared. Their coordination suggests a disciplined and organized divine administration.

Significant Themes

• Provocation versus restraint: Su Che tries to force others into revealing themselves, but Metropolitan City God counters by refusing to react emotionally or aggressively.
• Political maneuvering and plausible deniability: The City God avoids giving Su Che a clear grievance. By returning the Moonlight Essence and apologizing, he removes the basis for Su Che’s accusations.
• Patience and cultivation: Su Che’s failed scheme still benefits him physically and spiritually, showing that apparent failure can produce gains.
• Arrogance and humility: Su Che reflects on the danger of arrogance, while Judge Cui’s exaggerated humility becomes a strategic weapon rather than genuine submission.
• Fishing as metaphor: Su Che’s repeated comparison of his plan to fishing emphasizes the frustration of waiting for opponents to take the bait and the difficulty of forcing hidden powers into action.

Character Interactions

• Su Che’s indirect challenge to Jiankang’s cultivators receives no response, highlighting the city’s caution and the absence of easy targets.
• Observers—including Circuit Inspectors, Imperial Demon Hunters, and military scouts—monitor Su Che’s movements, expecting violence and worrying that his confrontation with Metropolitan City God could escalate.
• Su Che confronts Metropolitan City God’s officials by accusing them of taking his Moonlight Essence.
• Judge Cui responds with extreme politeness, returning the Essence and offering to accept punishment. This interaction transforms Su Che’s attempted confrontation into a delicate contest of wit and political control.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Che confronts Judge Cui after discovering that the Metropolitan City God’s faction had anticipated his arrival and prepared a large quantity of Moonlight Essence. Their preparations allowed them to neutralize his accusation without direct conflict.
• Realizing that his intentions have been exposed, Su Che abandons his initially aggressive approach and adopts a more restrained, orthodox posture as Yellow Heaven Sect’s representative.
• Judge Cui formally apologizes, claiming that Su Che’s actions resulted from a misunderstanding. He offers to let Su Che keep the Moonlight Essence and emphasizes their supposed solidarity.
• Su Che asks to meet the Metropolitan City God, but Judge Cui repeatedly blocks the request, explaining that his master is supposedly in seclusion—or, more accurately, traveling in the Eastern Sea at the Dragon Lord’s invitation.
• Su Che then asks to borrow two investigative treasures:
  • The World-Illuminating Mirror, which can reveal past events in Jiankang City.
  • The Illuminating Register, which records important events in the city.
• Judge Cui claims the mirror is with the Metropolitan City God in the Eastern Sea and that thieves recently stole or damaged portions of the register.
• These explanations appear suspicious to both sides. Judge Cui suspects Su Che arranged the theft and confrontation as part of a larger scheme, while Su Che suspects the City God’s faction is deliberately concealing information.
• The chapter ends with Su Che wondering whether an unseen party has constructed a trap designed to lure him into taking the next step.

Character Developments

• Su Che demonstrates greater maturity and political awareness after returning from Yellow Heaven. He recognizes that, as an orthodox representative, he can no longer rely openly on reckless or purely self-serving tactics.
• He shifts from confrontation to diplomacy, using courtesy, status, and carefully worded requests to probe the Metropolitan City God’s defenses.
• Su Che’s suspicions deepen: he realizes that the resistance he encounters may not simply be defensive obstruction but part of a larger, hidden plan.
• Judge Cui remains outwardly respectful and conciliatory, but his internal suspicion of Su Che grows. He believes Su Che may have engineered the theft and the current confrontation to target the Metropolitan City God’s household.
• Judge Cui also reveals himself as a skilled political representative, carefully deflecting Su Che’s requests while maintaining a polite façade.
• The Metropolitan City God, though absent, becomes an increasingly important and ambiguous figure. His preparations suggest foresight and possible involvement in past or present schemes.

Significant Themes

• Political maneuvering and hidden agendas: Both sides use courtesy and procedural excuses to conceal their real intentions.
• The relationship between power and morality: Su Che reflects on the principle of “Dao and Virtue,” arguing that the morality of an action depends partly on one’s circumstances, position, and degree of power.
• Orthodoxy versus opportunism: Su Che’s return from Yellow Heaven forces him to moderate his behavior and act according to the public responsibilities of an orthodox representative.
• Appearance versus reality: Judge Cui’s smiles and apologies conceal suspicion, while claims of seclusion, travel, theft, and damaged records may all be strategic fabrications.
• Information as power: The World-Illuminating Mirror and Illuminating Register symbolize control over history, evidence, and truth. Whoever possesses or controls them can shape the interpretation of past events.
• The unseen manipulator: The chapter repeatedly raises the possibility that neither Su Che nor the City God is fully in control, and that a third party is secretly arranging events.

Character Interactions

• Su Che and Judge Cui engage in a polite but tense exchange. Their words are courteous, yet each carefully tests the other’s claims.
• Su Che attempts to turn the conversation toward meeting the Metropolitan City God, but Judge Cui repeatedly redirects him with explanations designed to prevent direct contact.
• Su Che’s requests for the mirror and register function as probes: he is testing whether the City God’s faction possesses evidence about the past.
• Judge Cui responds with technically plausible excuses, but the inconsistencies make both characters more suspicious of one another.
• Their interaction ends without resolution, leaving Su Che uncertain whether he has exposed a conspiracy, walked into one, or become part of a conflict controlled by someone else.

Chapter Summary: “Who Wove the Net, Unaware”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Che realizes that the Metropolitan City God’s meeting may be part of a larger scheme. Since White Deer Grotto is his most obvious enemy, unseen forces may be trying to provoke him into clashing with the Jiankang City God first.
• Because the City God is a powerful Longevity Realm figure and knows Jiankang thoroughly, such a confrontation would allow White Deer Grotto to “borrow strength” against Su Che.
• Rather than openly confront Judge Cui or the City God, Su Che chooses to withdraw. He creates a talisman and asks Judge Cui to deliver it as a future gift.
• Judge Cui privately notices that Su Che’s talisman is terribly drawn and appears almost useless by ordinary talismanic standards.
• After returning to the City God’s Divine Kingdom, Judge Cui is summoned by the Metropolitan City God, who has observed the entire exchange through their divine connection.
• The City God identifies Su Che’s crude talisman as a No Delusion Talisman, interpreting it through the Daoist “No Delusion” hexagram as a sign of sincerity, righteousness, and benevolent intent—not a threat.
• The City God concludes that Su Che is not responsible for the suspicious people who had appeared earlier and does not intend to attack them.
• In response, he orders Judge Cui to send Su Che the selected Clear Register in seven days, along with a basket of fire plums, symbolically returning goodwill for goodwill.

Character Developments

• Su Che demonstrates strategic caution and political intelligence. He recognizes that an apparently simple encounter may be an attempt to manipulate him into fighting on someone else’s terms.
• He also shows restraint: despite admiring the hidden planner’s cleverness, he refuses to act rashly and leaves without escalating the situation.
• Judge Cui begins the scene fearful of provoking Su Che, following strict instructions to avoid conflict. After successfully navigating the encounter, he becomes pleased by the praise of the other ghosts, though his confidence is quickly interrupted by the City God’s summons.
• The Metropolitan City God is revealed as perceptive, experienced, and capable of interpreting symbolic gestures. He sees beyond the talisman’s poor craftsmanship to understand Su Che’s actual intention.
• The City God also corrects Judge Cui’s simplistic interpretation of past injustice, emphasizing that suffering often results from the ruler’s confusion and brutality rather than merely the actions of a treacherous subordinate.

Significant Themes

• Invisible manipulation and political strategy: Su Che understands that enemies may try to use powerful factions against one another rather than confronting him directly.
• Restraint versus aggression: Both Su Che and the City God avoid turning suspicion into open conflict, allowing diplomacy to prevail.
• Appearance versus essence: Although Su Che’s talisman looks like worthless “ghost writing,” its deeper meaning is valuable. The City God judges its intent and symbolism rather than its form.
• Sincerity and righteous action: The “No Delusion” symbolism emphasizes acting truthfully, following the natural order, and nurturing rather than deceiving or destroying.
• The limits of divine power: The City God’s grand Divine Kingdom is described as an elaborate construct based on incense, devotion, illusion, and formations—impressive but ultimately founded on emptiness.
• Reciprocity and diplomacy: The exchange of talisman, register, and fire plums reflects the principle of answering goodwill with goodwill.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Che and Judge Cui: Su Che maintains a polite but strategically distant attitude, giving Judge Cui the talisman and departing without confrontation. Judge Cui remains wary but fulfills his role.
• Judge Cui and the other ghosts: The ghosts flatter Judge Cui for handling the dangerous encounter with Su Che, temporarily boosting his pride.
• Judge Cui and the Metropolitan City God: The City God questions him, interprets the talisman, and gives him instructions for responding to Su Che.
• Su Che and the Metropolitan City God, indirectly: Though they do not speak directly in the chapter, their exchange becomes a symbolic diplomatic conversation: Su Che sends a No Delusion Talisman, and the City God responds with the Clear Register and fire plums.

Summary of “Qinhuai Night Duel Reveals Clues (Part One)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Metropolitan City God reflects on the central dilemma of Divine Path cultivation: gods depend on believers’ Incense and Fire Prayer Power, but that same power reshapes them according to public belief.
• He recalls a Buddhist cultivator who achieved a Golden Body but was gradually transformed by popular worship. Originally a wrathful, three-headed, six-armed male deity, he became associated with wisdom, wealth, childbirth, and marriage, eventually changing into a female form and losing his original identity.
• The Metropolitan City God recognizes that he faces a similar crisis. Believers imagine him as a virtuous founding minister and brilliant strategist, while he remembers his true past as an ambitious warlord who might have seized the throne if circumstances allowed.
• He fears that rejecting the public image will destroy his divine form, while accepting it will reduce him to a puppet shaped entirely by Wishing Power.
• Su Che confirms that the Unfounded Talisman he sent remains within the City God’s residence. He realizes the City God has likely accepted his gesture of goodwill, then travels to the Qinhuai River.
• The Qinhuai is crowded with pleasure boats, spectators, gamblers, merchants, and entertainers. The celebrated Zhu Hua Troupe and its head courtesan, Zhen Ping’er, are present, but public attention is focused on a sword duel taking place on the river.
• A woman from Jade Sun Mountain, wielding the Ying-Slaying Sword, faces a burly rogue cultivator known for his broad sword and ghostly black qi.
• Su Che observes that both fighters are newly Sixth Grade cultivators, but the rogue cultivator’s swordsmanship is much more advanced. Though their cultivation levels are comparable, he predicts that the Jade Sun Mountain disciple will soon lose.
• A merchant explains that Princess Ning’an organized the contest, suggesting that unaffiliated rogue cultivators may be fighting desperately to gain recognition or secure patronage.
• Hearing Ning’an’s name, Su Che becomes suspicious again, connecting her to “Gushe,” the mysterious figure associated with the Mount Zhong Association.

Character Developments

• Metropolitan City God: His internal conflict becomes clearer. He is neither the pure, loyal minister worshiped by the people nor fully willing to abandon his original ambitions and personality. His struggle illustrates the danger of becoming trapped between personal identity and public expectation.
• Su Che: He demonstrates his skill at manipulation and observation by secretly attaching divine sense and Elemental Magnetism to the talisman. He also shows expertise in judging swordsmanship and remains alert to political clues, particularly anything involving Princess Ning’an.
• The Buddhist predecessor: Though absent from the present action, his tragic fate serves as a warning about the destructive consequences of Divine Path worship.
• The two duelists: The Jade Sun Mountain disciple appears inexperienced despite her prestigious background, while the rogue cultivator displays superior combat instincts, technique, and understanding of sword principles.
• Princess Ning’an: She does not appear directly, but her role as organizer of the contest deepens the mystery surrounding her motives and strengthens Su Che’s suspicion that she may be Gushe.

Significant Themes

• Identity versus public perception: Divine practitioners risk being transformed into whatever their believers imagine them to be.
• The cost of power: Incense and worship provide strength but also impose constraints, potentially erasing the cultivator’s original self.
• History versus legend: Popular accounts turn violent, ambitious warlords into idealized founders and loyal ministers, revealing how societies reshape history to fit moral expectations.
• Authenticity and compromise: The Metropolitan City God must choose between preserving his true nature and surviving within the Divine Path.
• Reputation and spectacle: The Qinhuai sword contest shows how combat, fame, gambling, and social status are intertwined.
• Experience versus institutional prestige: The rogue cultivator’s practical skill surpasses that of the famous sect disciple, suggesting that real combat experience can outweigh pedigree.
• Hidden motives: Ordinary entertainment may conceal political schemes, and Su Che’s attention to Ning’an hints that the duel could be connected to a broader investigation.

Important Character Interactions

• The Metropolitan City God silently wrestles with his relationship to his believers and the false image they have created.
• Su Che probes the City God’s residence through the Unfounded Talisman, creating an indirect connection and testing whether the City God accepts his goodwill.
• The wealthy merchant and his servant discuss the duel and its betting odds, providing insight into the fighters’ reputations and Princess Ning’an’s involvement.
• Su Che observes the duel and compares the combatants’ cultivation and swordsmanship, positioning him as an expert spectator.
• Ning’an’s name links the public sword contest to Su Che’s ongoing suspicions about Gushe and the Mount Zhong Association.

Summary: “Qinhuai Night Duel Reveals Clues (Part Two)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Che deduces that Gushe of the Mount Zhong Association is probably Princess Ning’an, the current emperor’s younger sister and a highly respected Grand Princess. Her sword duels on the Qinhuai River are part of a public search for talented cultivators to serve Great Liang.
• A duel takes place between a down-and-out swordsman and a young woman from Jade Sun Mountain. The swordsman uses sinister black qi and overwhelms her despite her defensive sword techniques.
• After defeating her, the swordsman attempts to kill her, prompting the intervention of Young Hero Qi Tan, a celebrated local swordsman known publicly for his righteousness.
• Su Che quickly recognizes that Qi Tan’s rescue is likely staged. Qi Tan’s swordsmanship appears weaker than both duelists’, suggesting he secretly paid the down-and-out swordsman to create a dramatic opportunity for himself to appear heroic and impress the Jade Sun Mountain woman.
• Qi Tan offers the injured woman shelter on his pleasure boat and acts gallantly, while the down-and-out swordsman pretends to apologize and prepares to continue the performance.
• Su Che introduces himself to a wealthy merchant as Zuo Lengchan, claiming to be a swordsman from Songyang. He then decides to disrupt the staged duel.
• Taking on an altered appearance, Su Che flies over the river and loudly challenges the swordsman for insulting Jade Sun Mountain. He claims a close friendship with Chu Yuan of Jade Sun Mountain and insists that the insult cannot go unanswered.
• Qi Tan and the down-and-out swordsman attempt to delay Su Che and preserve their planned duel, but Su Che directly accuses them of coordinating their actions, asking what they are “up to.”

Character Developments

• Su Che: Demonstrates sharp observational skills, political awareness, and skepticism. He identifies Princess Ning’an’s likely identity, sees through Qi Tan’s false heroism, and deliberately adopts a provocative persona to interfere with the scheme. His confidence and theatricality increase as he manipulates the situation.
• Princess Ning’an/Gushe: Though she does not appear directly, her influence becomes clearer. The Qinhuai duels are revealed to be part of her effort to recruit capable cultivators for the state.
• Qi Tan: His public image as a righteous “young heroic swordsman” is exposed as largely performative. He is less skilled than he appears and seems to rely on a carefully arranged rescue to gain admiration.
• The down-and-out swordsman: Revealed as a ruthless fighter and probably an accomplice in Qi Tan’s staged performance. He is dangerous enough to overpower the Jade Sun Mountain cultivator but becomes confused by Su Che’s unexpected intervention.
• The Jade Sun Mountain girl: She is defeated and nearly killed, then becomes the object of Qi Tan’s carefully staged rescue. Her embarrassment and gratitude suggest that Qi Tan’s plan is beginning to influence her.
• Zhu Qi: The wealthy merchant serves as Su Che’s observer and conversational partner. His enthusiasm for the duel provides Su Che with an opportunity to learn about the Qinhuai sword matches and the surrounding political context.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: Qi Tan’s heroic reputation conceals weakness and manipulation, while Su Che’s seemingly casual role as a spectator masks his ability to read people and control events.
• Political power and recruitment: Princess Ning’an’s sword duels show how the court uses public contests to identify and attract talented rogue cultivators.
• Reputation and performance: The duel functions as theater, with fighters, rescuers, and spectators all participating in the construction of heroic identities.
• True versus false righteousness: Qi Tan performs compassion for admiration, while Su Che’s intervention—though theatrical in its own way—directly challenges injustice and hypocrisy.
• Unconventional swordsmanship: Su Che emphasizes that “all things beneath heaven and earth may serve as swords,” reinforcing his rejection of rigid forms and conventional martial assumptions.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Che and Zhu Qi discuss the duel and the purpose behind Princess Ning’an’s contests. Su Che uses the conversation to conceal his identity while testing Zhu Qi’s knowledge.
• Qi Tan and the Jade Sun Mountain girl interact as rescuer and rescued, but Su Che recognizes their exchange as part of Qi Tan’s attempt to cultivate a heroic image.
• Qi Tan and the down-and-out swordsman communicate through their staged duel and exchanged glances, revealing their apparent cooperation.
• Su Che confronts the down-and-out swordsman, claiming Jade Sun Mountain’s honor and refusing to wait for the fake duel to conclude.
• Su Che openly challenges both men’s performance, shifting the scene from a controlled spectacle into a potentially genuine confrontation.

Chapter Summary: Qinhuai Night Duel Reveals Clues (Part Two)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Princess Ning’an observes the Qinhuai Sword Contest from a pleasure barge with Zhen Ping’er and the South Sea Sect elder Gongshu Yun. She explains that the contest is designed not only to gather talented individuals and calm Jiankang’s unrest, but also to weaken the political alliance between Wei Huaiwen and Su Gui.
• Ning’an and Gongshu Yun assess the contestants. They dismiss Qi Tan’s swordsmanship as flashy but lacking a proper sword heart, while recognizing the unknown rogue cultivator—Su Che disguised as “Zuo Lengchan”—as possessing greater potential.
• At Ning’an’s command, Gongshu Yun orders Qi Tan to duel Zuo Lengchan. Qi Tan unleashes the seven swords of his inherited Sword Case, using the Yin-Yang and Five Elements sword techniques.
• Su Che avoids every attack with ease, mocking Qi Tan’s lengthy displays and comparing his fiery sword techniques to ordinary cooking fires. He secretly uses a Twofold Elemental Magnetism technique to perceive and subtly disrupt the trajectories of Qi Tan’s swords.
• Qi Tan eventually uses all seven swords, but Su Che counters with a powerful display of swordsmanship. His freezing slash destroys every sword and strikes Qi Tan directly, leaving the spectators stunned.
• Su Che announces himself as “Zuo Lengchan of Songyang” and challenges the heroes of Jiangdong to test his blade.
• A disciple of Jade Sun Mountain recognizes Su Che’s techniques as the sect’s supreme arts, including Returning Wind Withered Snow Sword Qi and Lesser Yang Radiant Light Sword Qi. Su Che confirms that he knows these arts but claims to belong not to Jade Sun Mountain, but to a mysterious “Jade Sun Orthodoxy,” alongside Chu Yuan.
• Gongshu Yun invites Su Che aboard Princess Ning’an’s barge, granting him the contest’s highest reward and an audience with the princess.
• The Jade Sun Mountain disciple becomes alarmed, realizing that Su Che’s claims may be connected to the sect’s recent mountain closure and the apparent leakage of its supreme techniques. Su Che privately reveals that his claim is deliberately intended to cause trouble for Chu Yuan.

Character Developments

• Princess Ning’an: Demonstrates political intelligence and a keen eye for talent. She values sword-heart and genuine ability over reputation, but remains wary of Su Che because his origins are unclear. Her interest in him grows after seeing his mastery of elemental magnetism and advanced sword techniques.
• Su Che / Zuo Lengchan: Reveals extraordinary composure, tactical skill, and mastery of swordsmanship. Rather than directly overpowering Qi Tan at first, he humiliates him by effortlessly evading his attacks and exposing the weaknesses of his reliance on external swords. Su Che also shows his cunning by falsely linking himself to a “Jade Sun Orthodoxy” in order to implicate or damage Chu Yuan.
• Qi Tan: His confidence and reputation collapse during the duel. Although he possesses powerful inherited swords and has trained diligently, his dependence on flashy techniques and magical weapons leaves him helpless against Su Che’s countermeasures.
• Gongshu Yun: Acts as Ning’an’s evaluator and representative. He quickly recognizes the sophistication of Su Che’s technique and advises Ning’an to stop the fight before Qi Tan suffers further humiliation, showing both discernment and concern for political consequences.
• Zhen Ping’er: Primarily observes the exchange, but her comments and reactions reflect her growing awareness of the differing quality among Jiangnan’s cultivators.
• Jade Sun Mountain disciple: Develops suspicion and anxiety after recognizing Su Che’s techniques. She intends to report the matter to her sect.

Significant Themes

• True skill versus outward display: Qi Tan possesses impressive weapons and visually spectacular techniques, but Su Che’s calm precision and deeper understanding prove superior.
• Sword heart and sincerity: Ning’an and Gongshu Yun emphasize that genuine swordsmanship depends on clarity, courage, and an unwavering will rather than mere technical brilliance.
• Political manipulation through talent: The contest is a political instrument for Ning’an, who seeks to recruit capable figures and disrupt rival alliances.
• Identity and deception: Su Che’s use of the name Zuo Lengchan and his invented Jade Sun Orthodoxy demonstrates how false identities can be used to manipulate sects and create conflict.
• Knowledge as power: Su Che’s understanding of Twofold Elemental Magnetism allows him to neutralize Qi Tan’s weapons before they can reach him, showing that insight and technique can overcome superior-looking force.
• Reputation and public perception: The spectators immediately associate Su Che with Jade Sun Mountain, illustrating how famous sects shape public opinion and how easily rumors can spread.

Important Character Interactions

• Ning’an and Gongshu Yun discuss the relative merits of Qi Tan and the unknown swordsman, with Gongshu recognizing Su Che’s superior potential.
• Gongshu Yun formally challenges Su Che on Qi Tan’s behalf, acting under Ning’an’s authority.
• Su Che repeatedly provokes Qi Tan during the duel, undermining his composure while avoiding his attacks.
• Ning’an questions Gongshu about Su Che’s technique and becomes increasingly suspicious of his background.
• The Jade Sun Mountain disciple confronts Su Che about his knowledge of the sect’s supreme arts. Su Che responds with deliberate arrogance and claims affiliation with the mysterious Jade Sun Orthodoxy.
• Gongshu Yun invites Su Che to meet Princess Ning’an, bringing him directly into the political sphere.
• Su Che’s final private thought reveals that his entire claim was a calculated move against Chu Yuan, turning the duel into the beginning of a larger scheme.

Chapter Summary: Ling Zhenzi Reveals His Shadow, Demonic Traces Appear (Part One)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Che follows Gongshu Yun’s summons to a concealed pleasure barge on the night waters.
• The barge is lavishly decorated like a golden dragon-fish and protected by a talisman that makes it easy for surrounding people to overlook.
• Gongshu Yun introduces himself as a representative of the South Sea Sect, while Su Che continues using the identity “Zuo Lengchan,” claiming affiliation with the mysterious Jade Sun Orthodoxy.
• Gongshu Yun, suspicious of Su Che’s mastery of Jade Sun Mountain’s two supreme sword arts, challenges him to a test.
• Su Che launches Returning Wind, Withered Snow Sword Qi, deliberately aiming past Gongshu Yun toward the pleasure barge. Gongshu Yun is forced to block the attack to protect those aboard.
• Although Gongshu Yun’s greater experience allows him to dissolve Su Che’s sword qi, he is deeply unsettled by its orthodox nature and extraordinary density.
• Taking advantage of the clash, Su Che slips past Gongshu Yun and boards the pleasure barge.
• Inside, he meets Princess Ning’an and three powerful companions: the masked swordsman Ling Zhenzi, the Witch Sect cultivator High Person Jialeng, and an inscrutable young woman.
• Su Che recognizes Ling Zhenzi as a dangerous swordsman whom he has encountered twice before, though previously under circumstances where Ling Zhenzi remained hidden.
• The chapter ends with Su Che directly asking the masked Daoist to reveal his name.

Character Developments

• Su Che / Zuo Lengchan: Demonstrates increasing confidence and tactical cunning. Rather than engage Gongshu Yun in a prolonged fight, he uses a provocative sword strike and the resulting distraction to enter the barge. His knowledge of obscure figures and sects reinforces the credibility of his assumed identity.
• Gongshu Yun: Initially acts as a gatekeeper and challenger, but becomes wary of Su Che’s power and mysterious origins. He recognizes that Su Che’s sword technique is genuinely connected to Jade Sun Mountain, making the false identity more difficult to dismiss.
• Princess Ning’an: Revealed as the host of the gathering and as someone capable of recruiting several highly unusual and powerful figures. Her calm, refined presence contrasts with the danger surrounding her companions.
• Ling Zhenzi: Established as a major hidden threat. He has crossed paths with Su Che before and possesses exceptional killing arts and sword qi. His presence creates a direct personal and strategic conflict.
• High Person Jialeng: Introduced as a renowned Rogue Cultivator secretly practicing the foreign and bloodline-centered Witch Sect arts, despite his monk-like appearance.
• The young woman: Her cultivation cannot be assessed, but Su Che senses that something about her is unnatural or unsettling, suggesting concealed danger.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identities and deception: Su Che’s assumed identity as Zuo Lengchan and the Jade Sun Orthodoxy is convincing enough to unsettle genuine experts, but it also draws attention from those connected to Jade Sun Mountain.
• Power concealed beneath appearances: The pleasure barge’s concealment talisman, Ling Zhenzi’s masked face, Jialeng’s false religious appearance, and the young woman’s unreadable aura all emphasize that appearances cannot be trusted.
• Strategic combat over brute force: Su Che wins entry through timing, misdirection, and psychological pressure rather than overpowering Gongshu Yun.
• Competing cultivation traditions: The chapter contrasts Jade Sun Mountain sword arts, South Sea cultivation, and the mysterious Witch Sect, highlighting the wider and more dangerous cultivation world beyond the Central Land.
• Past encounters resurfacing: Su Che’s earlier meeting with Ling Zhenzi gains new significance now that the hidden swordsman is revealed to be connected to Princess Ning’an’s group.

Character Interactions

• Su Che and Gongshu Yun: Their polite conversation masks mutual suspicion. Gongshu Yun challenges Su Che, while Su Che responds with a sword strike that forces Gongshu Yun to reveal his strength and allows Su Che to bypass him.
• Su Che and Princess Ning’an: Princess Ning’an greets him respectfully, suggesting that she either invited him knowingly or is prepared to treat him as a significant figure.
• Su Che and High Person Jialeng: Su Che immediately exposes Jialeng’s Witch Sect origins and mocks his monk-like appearance, demonstrating both his knowledge and willingness to provoke powerful opponents.
• Su Che and Ling Zhenzi: Their meeting is charged with concealed history. Su Che recognizes Ling Zhenzi from previous encounters and addresses him directly, setting up the chapter’s central confrontation.

Chapter Summary: Ling Zhenzi Appears, Demon Tracks Revealed (Part Two)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Che, disguised as Zuo Lengchan, verbally clashes with High Person Jialeng, mocking the Witch Sect’s rumored methods of bloodline purification. His sharp retort nearly provokes Jialeng into attacking.
• Gongshu Yun intervenes, warning that Su Che possesses the rare Returning Wind Withered Snow Sword Qi and should be left for Jade Sun Mountain to handle.
• Princess Ning’an remains silent, apparently testing whether Su Che can manage the danger himself. Su Che, in turn, watches her to judge whether she is a capable leader or merely posing as one.
• The masked Daoist reveals himself as Ling Zhenzi, a rogue cultivator from the Eastern Sea. He praises Su Che’s wit and subtly protects him from immediate conflict.
• High Person Jialeng warns Su Che that Jade Sun Mountain will hunt him because of the sword technique. Su Che counters by threatening to copy and distribute hundreds of manuals, even claiming he would blame Jialeng for possessing them. This terrifies both Jialeng and Gongshu Yun, who fear Jade Sun Mountain’s retaliation.
• Ling Zhenzi privately recognizes Su Che as a valuable political asset. He suspects that Su Che may genuinely be connected to Jade Sun Mountain and considers using him to establish the supposedly fictional “Jade Sun Orthodoxy.”
• Ling Zhenzi also reveals his allegiance to a greater demonic power, Lord Bai Ze, and hopes eventually to lure Su Che into demonic paths.
• Zhen Ping’er, an unnaturally perfect and possibly disguised woman, breaks the tension with laughter. She invites Su Che and the others to continue the conversation on her painted boat.
• Princess Ning’an warns Su Che that Jade Sun Mountain has many cultivators operating around Jiankang and that he should be cautious.
• Su Che realizes that Ling Zhenzi and Rakshasa Sea may be connected to the faction that once manipulated the underground caverns beneath Jiankang.
• Ling Zhenzi announces that Rakshasa Sea is seeking a calamity-bringing demon named Zhu Yan, who has entered the Central Land. He proposes that everyone cooperate to hunt her, offering generous compensation. His glance toward Princess Ning’an suggests that the proposal has political implications beyond the stated demon hunt.

Character Developments

• Su Che/Zuo Lengchan: Demonstrates fearless wit, aggressive confidence, and a willingness to threaten powerful sects through unconventional means. He deliberately tests Princess Ning’an while recognizing Ling Zhenzi as a potentially important connection to Rakshasa Sea.
• Ling Zhenzi: Emerges as a calculating and dangerous demonic agent. He admires Su Che’s temperament and sees him as a tool for creating a powerful “Jade Sun Orthodoxy,” while secretly planning to corrupt or recruit him.
• High Person Jialeng: Is easily provoked by Su Che’s insults and becomes visibly enraged. Despite his hostility, he is unnerved by Su Che’s ability to create trouble for the Witch Sect.
• Gongshu Yun: Acts more cautiously than Jialeng, understanding the political danger Su Che represents. He fears that being associated with Su Che could bring Jade Sun Mountain’s destruction upon the South Sea Sect.
• Princess Ning’an: Shows restraint and political awareness. Rather than directly defending Su Che, she gives him a veiled warning about Jade Sun Mountain’s reach, indicating that she understands the risks surrounding him.
• Zhen Ping’er: Appears charming and fearless, but her excessive perfection suggests disguise or supernatural alteration. Her invitation may conceal ulterior motives.
• Lord Bai Ze: Though absent, he is portrayed as Ling Zhenzi’s powerful master and a far-sighted Demon God manipulating events across time and space.

Significant Themes

• Words as weapons: Su Che’s verbal attacks are nearly as dangerous as his swordsmanship, allowing him to intimidate stronger opponents and reshape political situations.
• Identity and manufactured legitimacy: The fabricated Jade Sun Orthodoxy may become politically real if enough powerful figures accept or exploit it.
• Manipulation and hidden agendas: Nearly every character is pursuing a concealed objective, especially Ling Zhenzi, who presents cooperation while planning Su Che’s eventual corruption.
• Political danger and sect power: Jade Sun Mountain’s influence is so great that even rumors of possessing its secret techniques could provoke devastating retaliation.
• Testing loyalty and leadership: Su Che evaluates Princess Ning’an’s ability to command, while she subtly evaluates whether he can survive the dangers he has provoked.
• Demons beneath appearances: Zhen Ping’er’s artificial beauty and Ling Zhenzi’s hidden allegiance reinforce the chapter’s concern with disguises, deception, and concealed identities.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Che and Jialeng: Their hostile exchange establishes Su Che’s provocative nature and Jialeng’s short temper.
• Su Che and Gongshu Yun: Gongshu Yun treats Su Che as a serious threat but tries to redirect the conflict toward Jade Sun Mountain.
• Su Che and Ling Zhenzi: Their first meaningful interaction is outwardly cordial but strategically charged. Ling Zhenzi praises Su Che while already considering how to exploit him.
• Su Che and Princess Ning’an: They communicate indirectly, each testing the other’s judgment. Her warning confirms that she understands the dangers surrounding his assumed identity.
• Ling Zhenzi and Princess Ning’an: His proposal to hunt Zhu Yan, accompanied by a significant glance, suggests that he is trying to draw the imperial faction into Rakshasa Sea’s plans.
• Zhen Ping’er and the group: Her invitation to a private gathering offers another layer of intrigue and may provide an opportunity for alliances, interrogation, or betrayal.

Chapter Summary: “The Harmony of Yin and Yang Is the Proper Way (Part 1)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Che realizes that the Rakshasa Sea’s plan to hunt a Zhu Yan likely concerns Lady Xie’s maid, Zhu’er, suggesting that the Rakshasa Sea may be moving against Lady Xie despite their apparent alliance.
• Ling Zhenzi invites Su Che, Gongshu Yun, and Lengjia to participate in the hunt. He reveals that the Zhu Yan is still immature, and that a Void Step cultivator from the Rakshasa Sea will supervise the operation.
• Su Che agrees to join in exchange for a suitable set of swords. Gongshu Yun also participates, while Zhen Ping’er and Princess Ning’an negotiate rewards from the Rakshasa Sea.
• Princess Ning’an dismisses Su Che because disciples from Jade Sun Mountain may be nearby. Su Che leaves and travels through the Qinhuai River and then the Yangtze River using water escape.
• The narration explains how Su Che’s father, Old Su, once killed a tyrannical Flood Dragon and reorganized the Yangtze’s demons under the Imperial Demon Hunters. The system uses officially recognized demons to control other demons and prevent floods and disorder.
• Su Che arrives at Canglang Water Palace, where Lady Snow’s aquatic followers greet him with great respect. Lady Snow has received an official court title, and her subordinates have likewise gained recognized divine positions.
• Azure Flood Dragon and the other water demons express gratitude toward Su Che, believing that following him will open the way to greater authority and territory.
• Su Che learns that Lady Snow is waiting for him in a private chamber, setting up their next meeting.

Character Developments

• Su Che: Demonstrates caution and political awareness by recognizing the possible conflict between the Rakshasa Sea and Lady Xie. He accepts the dangerous hunt for personal gain, specifically seeking powerful swords. He also continues to cultivate influence among demons and divine officials.
• Ling Zhenzi: Acts as the organizer of the Zhu Yan hunt and openly discloses the presence of a Void Step overseer, showing both confidence and a willingness to recruit capable allies.
• Gongshu Yun and Lengjia: Both weigh the risks of the hunt. Gongshu Yun questions whether their group can control the Zhu Yan, while Lengjia is wary of whether the rewards will justify the danger.
• Zhen Ping’er: Uses her painted barge as the meeting place and jokingly demands compensation, revealing her practical and opportunistic nature.
• Princess Ning’an: Remains unreadable and politically composed. She accepts the possibility of receiving a gift from the Rakshasa Sea but maintains control over the situation by sending Su Che away.
• Azure Flood Dragon and the aquatic demons: Their attitudes toward Su Che shift from submission to enthusiastic loyalty. They now see him as a powerful patron who can provide them with advancement beyond the limited Canglang Waters.
• Lady Snow: Though absent from the public greeting, she has clearly strengthened her position by obtaining official recognition and is expecting a private discussion with Su Che.

Significant Themes

• Alliance and betrayal: The Rakshasa Sea’s hunt for a Zhu Yan may reveal a hidden break with Lady Xie, emphasizing the instability of political alliances.
• Risk and reward: The characters accept a dangerous mission because it offers access to rare treasures, weapons, medicines, and advancement.
• Power through political networks: Su Che’s influence extends beyond personal strength; both humans and demons see association with him as a path to status and opportunity.
• Control through incorporation: Old Su’s policy of granting official titles to demons illustrates how authority can stabilize dangerous forces by bringing them into the governing system rather than destroying them all.
• Ambition and social mobility: The aquatic demons, once minor creatures struggling for survival, now dream of controlling larger waterways through their connection to Su Che.
• Public authority versus private motives: Official titles, divine offices, and political courtesies conceal personal ambitions, rivalries, and possible conspiracies.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Che negotiates with Ling Zhenzi over joining the Zhu Yan hunt, while Gongshu Yun questions the mission’s feasibility.
• Zhen Ping’er demands a reward for hosting the meeting, and Ling Zhenzi promises gifts not only to her but also to Princess Ning’an.
• Princess Ning’an orders Su Che to leave, and Su Che responds with exaggerated obedience, showing their formal but politically charged relationship.
• Su Che is ceremonially welcomed by Azure Flood Dragon and the other officials of Canglang Water Palace.
• Azure Flood Dragon praises Su Che and explains how the court’s recognition has transformed Lady Snow and her followers.
• The chapter ends with the revelation that Lady Snow is waiting privately for Su Che, implying that their relationship and shared political interests will be central to what follows.

Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Su Che visits the Canglang Water Palace, one of his holdings, where Lady Snow has prepared a bridal chamber to welcome him.
• The two consummate their relationship and discuss recent developments in the cultivation world.
• Lady Snow reports that several powerful water demons from the Eastern Sea have traveled through the waterways toward Dongting Lake. Although none have reached the Longevity Realm, several possess Void Step cultivation and have concealed their presence effectively.
• Su Che orders Lady Snow to keep the aquatic races vigilant, warning that major changes and possible conflict may soon affect the world. He refuses to rely on Grand Preceptor Su for assistance, insisting that he must handle his own responsibilities.
• Lady Snow expresses both concern for Su Che’s safety and a desire for him to face more trouble so that he will remember her and visit more often. Their exchange reveals both affection and her insecurity about their infrequent meetings.
• After sharing wine with Lady Snow, Su Che leaves the palace and travels through the water veins to the Qinhuai River, eventually arriving at the Zhu Hua Troupe’s pleasure barge.
• There, Ling Zhenzi, High Person Jialeng, and Gongshu Yun are waiting. Ling Zhenzi has recently fought Zhu Yan, an ancient Primordial Aberration skilled in military calamity arts, and suffered a minor injury.
• The group has been unable to locate Zhu Yan through ordinary investigation. Ling Zhenzi reveals that Zhu Yan is actually hidden underground beneath the Qinhuai River and invites the others to follow him.
• Su Che, Gongshu Yun, and High Person Jialeng enter the river using their respective techniques.

Character Developments

• Su Che: Demonstrates affection toward Lady Snow but maintains emotional restraint and refuses to let her demean herself. He becomes increasingly cautious about looming upheaval and shows independence by declining to seek outside aid. His hidden identity and ability to move unnoticed remain central to the surrounding suspicion.
• Lady Snow: Reveals her deep attachment to Su Che, mixing flirtation, longing, and vulnerability. She is willing to use self-deprecation to keep him close, but Su Che reassures her of her worth. She also proves politically capable, managing the water demons and accepting responsibility for protecting the palace.
• Ling Zhenzi: Has been wounded by Zhu Yan but remains composed and confident. He is increasingly suspicious of Su Che’s identity and secretly investigates him, suspecting that “Zuo Lengchan” may be concealing a deeper origin.
• High Person Jialeng: Acts generously by publicly explaining Su Che’s absence and helping remove suspicion from him. Su Che views him favorably despite his unattractive appearance.
• Gongshu Yun: Shows concern about the possible disturbance and frustration at being unable to discover Zhu Yan’s whereabouts, reflecting the difficulty of investigating threats in the crowded Central Land.

Significant Themes

• Yin and yang, intimacy, and cultivation: The chapter presents physical union as part of the balance between yin and yang, linking romance and sexual intimacy to Daoist cultivation.
• Affection versus responsibility: Lady Snow desires Su Che’s companionship, while Su Che remains focused on broader dangers and his obligations.
• Self-reliance: Su Che believes dependence on powerful allies is not a viable path and insists on confronting threats through his own abilities.
• Hidden danger: Powerful forces operate beneath the surface, concealed from ordinary perception. The unseen Eastern Sea demons, Zhu Yan’s underground refuge, and Su Che’s concealed identity all reinforce this motif.
• The coming of upheaval: Su Che senses that the world is approaching major change, creating tension and foreshadowing future conflict.
• Appearance and suspicion: Characters repeatedly misjudge or investigate one another, especially Ling Zhenzi’s uncertainty about Su Che’s true identity and the contrast between Jialeng’s appearance and his honorable conduct.

Character Interactions

• Su Che and Lady Snow share a playful but emotionally sincere reunion, combining flirtation, intimacy, concern, and mutual dependence.
• Su Che advises Lady Snow on protecting the water palace while she urges him to visit more often and take better care of himself.
• Su Che reunites with Ling Zhenzi, Gongshu Yun, and High Person Jialeng on the pleasure barge.
• Ling Zhenzi and Gongshu Yun discuss the mystery of Zhu Yan’s location, while Jialeng reassures them that Jiankang’s attention is diverted elsewhere.
• The group ultimately joins forces to pursue Zhu Yan beneath the Qinhuai River.