Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Transmigrated and Poisoned”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi awakens in an unfamiliar wilderness, suffering from intense heat and agonizing pain.
• A beautiful woman in white, Song Miaomiao, gives her a Heart-Clearing Pill. The pill temporarily suppresses the effects of the poison.
• Miaomiao reveals that Song Zhizhi had attempted to drug her with Spring Day Powder, but was poisoned by her own scheme.
• Song Zhizhi recognizes the names “Song Miaomiao” and “Spring Day Powder” from a cultivation novel she read before sleeping.
• She realizes she has transmigrated into that novel and become its vicious supporting villainess, who originally targeted the heroine out of jealousy.
• The poison requires Song Zhizhi to find a man and “harmonize yin and yang” within three hours, or she will die in unbearable agony.
• She recalls the original Song Zhizhi’s fate: after failing to harm the heroine, she was abandoned and later encountered an injured demonic cultivator who drained her vitality, eventually killing her.
• Seeing her unfamiliar, exceptionally beautiful hand confirms that she has taken over the original character’s body.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi: Initially confused and frightened, she quickly becomes terrified upon recognizing the setting and her identity. Her cautious, timid personality is emphasized, as is her instinct for self-preservation. She understands that she must act immediately to avoid the original character’s tragic fate.
• Song Miaomiao: Introduced as the heroine and as a cool, morally composed figure. Although she is angry at Song Zhizhi’s attempted scheme, she still gives her medicine and warns her to change her behavior, showing restraint rather than cruelty.

Significant Themes

• Transmigration and fate: Song Zhizhi is forced into the life and doomed storyline of a fictional villainess.
• Consequences of wrongdoing: The poison is presented as the direct backlash of Song Zhizhi’s attempt to harm the heroine.
• Survival and self-preservation: The chapter centers on Song Zhizhi’s urgent need to escape the fate assigned to her by the original novel.
• Identity and transformation: Her unfamiliar body and altered circumstances establish the conflict between her modern identity and the role she must now inhabit.

Character Interactions

• Song Miaomiao confronts Song Zhizhi over the attempted poisoning and gives her a Heart-Clearing Pill.
• Their exchange establishes the original hostility between the two women while also showing Miaomiao’s relative fairness.
• Song Zhizhi remains largely passive during the encounter, focused on understanding her situation and recalling the novel’s plot.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi realizes Song Miaomiao has abandoned her with Spring Day Powder poisoning her. Song Miaomiao leaves behind seven Clearheart Pills, which only temporarily suppress the poison.
• Song Zhizhi calculates that the pills will give her roughly three hours to find a man who can detoxify the poison. She chooses to flee deeper into the forest rather than risk being captured and “harvested” by demonic cultivators.
• The pills gradually become less effective, and Song Zhizhi eventually reaches a cliff with no apparent escape. She considers jumping to avoid dying painfully from the poison but cannot bring herself to do it.
• Just as she resigns herself to death, an injured young man mysteriously falls from the sky. He is unconscious and badly wounded, but Song Zhizhi decides to give him healing pills in hopes that he may awaken and save her.
• The medicine stops his bleeding, but he remains unconscious. When the Spring Day Powder surges back stronger than before, Song Zhizhi becomes increasingly weak, feverish, and disoriented.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi: Demonstrates fear, practicality, and moral hesitation. Though desperate to survive, she refuses to take advantage of an unconscious, severely injured man and instead gives him healing medicine. Her transmigration-related frustration and desire to return home become more pronounced.
• Song Miaomiao: Her abandonment of Song Zhizhi confirms her cruelty and willingness to leave her sister to die.
• The injured young man: Introduced as a mysterious, handsome, cold-looking figure. His identity and significance remain unknown, but his arrival presents Song Zhizhi’s only possible chance of survival.

Significant Themes

• Survival versus dignity: Song Zhizhi must choose between a painful death, suicide, or an intimate act necessary to survive.
• Betrayal and abandonment: Song Miaomiao’s actions leave Song Zhizhi isolated and desperate.
• Moral boundaries under pressure: Even in extreme circumstances, Song Zhizhi struggles to preserve her sense of decency.
• Fate and absurdity: Her wish for a man to “fall from the sky” is immediately fulfilled, reflecting the exaggerated logic of the cultivation world and possible “protagonist treatment.”
• Transmigration and helplessness: Song Zhizhi resents being forced into the suffering of a fictional character and longs to return to her former life.

Character Interactions

• Song Miaomiao indirectly harms Song Zhizhi by poisoning and abandoning her, leaving behind only a temporary remedy.
• Song Zhizhi encounters the unconscious injured man, examines him, gives him healing medicine, and hopes he can become her means of survival. Their direct relationship has only just begun, ending with Song Zhizhi’s condition worsening while he remains unconscious.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi, overwhelmed by the effects of Spring Day Powder, considers throwing herself off a cliff to escape the unbearable pain and agitation caused by the drug.
• The injured man accompanying her unexpectedly wakes and stops her before she can reach the edge. His intervention causes both of them to fall, worsening his unhealed wound.
• Still under the drug’s influence, Song Zhizhi clings to him and behaves impulsively, drawn to his cool scent and body heat. The man is visibly flustered and repeatedly reminds her that men and women should maintain proper distance.
• Realizing that something is wrong, the man asks whether she has consumed poison. He restrains her with spiritual power, closes her loosened clothing, and creates a large block of ice to cool her and ease her symptoms.
• The ice helps Song Zhizhi regain some awareness. She remembers her earlier actions and becomes deeply embarrassed.
• She explains that she was poisoned by Spring Day Powder and claims there is no antidote, implying that only an intimate solution can cure it. The man sincerely offers to help, apparently unaware—or possibly pretending not to know—what the poison entails.

2. Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi: Her desperation initially drives her toward suicide, but her survival instinct returns when the man intervenes. Although the drug causes her to act boldly and without restraint, she becomes ashamed and self-conscious once her mind clears. She also begins assessing the man’s character, recognizing his restraint and apparent integrity while subtly considering how his willingness to help might benefit her.
• The injured man: Despite severe wounds and memory problems, he acts protectively and honorably. He prevents Song Zhizhi from harming herself, avoids taking advantage of her vulnerable state, preserves her modesty, and uses his limited spiritual power to ease her suffering. His awkwardness and blushing reveal a shy, inexperienced side beneath his otherwise composed, noble appearance.

3. Significant Themes

• Self-control versus loss of control: Song Zhizhi’s actions are governed by the drug, contrasting sharply with her embarrassed reaction once her consciousness returns.
• Moral restraint and propriety: The man repeatedly emphasizes the boundary between men and women and refuses to exploit Song Zhizhi’s condition.
• Desperation and survival: Song Zhizhi’s willingness to die reflects the extremity of her suffering, while the man’s rescue introduces hope and a possible solution.
• Trust and ambiguity: Song Zhizhi sees the man as upright and trustworthy, but her explanation of the poison may conceal ulterior motives. His amnesia also creates uncertainty about his identity and intentions.
• Romantic tension: Physical proximity, embarrassment, and mutual vulnerability establish an early attraction framed by awkwardness and strict social boundaries.

4. Character Interactions

• The man physically stops Song Zhizhi from jumping, injuring himself further in the process.
• Under the drug’s influence, Song Zhizhi embraces, nuzzles, and kisses or lightly bites him, while he responds with panic, embarrassment, and repeated attempts to restore distance.
• He restrains her only to prevent further harm, covers her exposed clothing, and creates ice to calm her condition.
• Once lucid, Song Zhizhi thanks him and explains her situation. He earnestly offers assistance, creating tension because he appears not to understand the dangerous implications of the “only cure” she hints at.

Chapter Summary

Song Zhizhi, suffering under the effects of the lethal aphrodisiac Spring Day Powder, proposes dual cultivation with the upright man who rescued her. He refuses at first, embarrassed and unwilling to take advantage of her while they are unmarried. Knowing that the poison will kill her within three hours, Song Zhizhi pretends to accept death and asks him to carry her to the cliff so she can die quickly.
This is actually a calculated tactic. Song Zhizhi does not want to die and deliberately appeals to the man’s compassion and guilt, gambling that his moral nature will prevent him from watching her perish. Her strategy succeeds: after hesitating, he lifts her into his arms and carries her down the mountain to an abandoned hunter’s cabin, declaring that he will detoxify her.
The man reveals himself as Xie Xiuji, a twenty-year-old senior disciple of True Person Liu Yi from the Heavenly Feather Sect. He cleans the dusty cabin with spiritual power and places Song Zhizhi on the bed. Although visibly affected by her beauty and the medicine’s influence, Xie Xiuji remains extremely restrained, carefully removing only her outer robe without touching her skin. He then formally introduces himself and asks for her name and home.
Song Zhizhi is briefly startled by the name “Xie Xiuji,” suggesting that she may recognize him from her previous knowledge or memories, but the poison overwhelms her before she can recall why. The chapter ends as she loses consciousness or clarity, leaving the promised detoxification—and the nature of their future relationship—unresolved.

Character Development and Interactions

• Song Zhizhi is shown to be resourceful, pragmatic, and strongly determined to survive. Though physically weakened, she uses emotional manipulation and strategic self-sacrifice to influence Xie Xiuji.
• Xie Xiuji is established as honorable, shy, compassionate, and highly self-controlled. He is attracted to Song Zhizhi but refuses to exploit her vulnerability, ultimately choosing to save her despite his embarrassment.
• Their interaction begins with distrust and awkwardness but develops into a tense, intimate dynamic shaped by mutual dependence: Song Zhizhi needs his help to live, while Xie Xiuji is emotionally compelled to protect her.

Significant Themes

• Survival versus morality: Song Zhizhi is willing to use deception to survive, while Xie Xiuji struggles to preserve his principles while saving her.
• Compassion and emotional manipulation: His sense of duty and empathy make him vulnerable to her carefully chosen words.
• Forbidden or socially improper intimacy: The proposed dual cultivation creates tension between romantic/physical desire and moral restraint.
• First impressions and hidden identity: Xie Xiuji appears to be a key figure whose name Song Zhizhi may already know, hinting at deeper connections to the story’s original world or her past.

Chapter Summary: “He Was Deceived”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Under the influence of Spring Day Powder, Song Zhizhi urges Xie Xiuji to act quickly. Believing he has compromised her, Xie Xiuji solemnly promises to take responsibility and propose marriage to her parents.
• Their initial hesitation gives way to passionate kissing and intimacy inside the secluded wooden cabin. Xie remains gentle and inexperienced, while Song Zhizhi, overwhelmed by the medicine, takes the initiative.
• Xie asks whether he may call her “Zhizhi,” and she agrees without truly registering the question. They spend the night together.
• The next day, Song Zhizhi awakens embarrassed and physically exhausted. She recalls Xie’s introduction and realizes that he is the infamous future Demon King from the novel she has entered.
• Fearing that the cruel, powerful Xie Xiuji will eventually kill her once he regains his memories, Song Zhizhi quietly dresses and escapes into the forest.
• She believes she has protected herself by giving Xie the address from her pre-transmigration life, an address that cannot realistically be found in the vast cultivation world.
• Unbeknownst to Song Zhizhi, Xie remains in the cabin, suffering from a disturbing dream in which he is Sword Venerable Mingxiao, a powerful Mahayana cultivator responsible for protecting the Human Realm.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi: Acts impulsively while drugged, then becomes pragmatic and fearful once she recognizes Xie’s identity. Her instinct for self-preservation leads her to deceive him with a false address and flee rather than risk becoming his future victim.
• Xie Xiuji: Displays a serious sense of responsibility, immediately offering marriage after believing he has wronged Song Zhizhi. His younger self is shown as upright, inexperienced, gentle, and easily flustered, contrasting sharply with the ruthless Demon King he will supposedly become.
• Xie’s memories: Although he currently remembers only his life before age twenty, fragments of another identity and future life begin to surface through dreams, suggesting that his lost memories may soon return.

Significant Themes

• Deception and self-preservation: Song Zhizhi protects herself by lying about her identity and whereabouts, while Xie is unaware that she recognizes his future.
• The contrast between innocence and destiny: Xie’s sweet, restrained behavior conflicts with his reputation as a future tyrant, raising questions about whether his fate is fixed.
• Memory and identity: Xie’s partial amnesia and dream of being Sword Venerable Mingxiao hint at a complicated past and the possibility that his restored memories will transform him.
• Transmigration and foreknowledge: Song Zhizhi’s knowledge of the novel’s future gives her an advantage, but it also makes ordinary interactions dangerous because she knows what Xie may become.

Character Interactions

• Xie tries to formalize their relationship by promising marriage, while Song Zhizhi—too affected by the medicine to listen—interrupts him and urges him to continue.
• Their physical interaction begins awkwardly but becomes mutually passionate, with Song initially taking control and Xie responding with increasing confidence and tenderness.
• Xie’s use of the intimate name “Zhizhi” signals his growing affection, though Song agrees without fully understanding the moment.
• Afterward, Song treats Xie as a potential threat rather than a lover, secretly leaving him before he awakens and ensuring that he has no reliable way to find her.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The world contains two hostile intelligent races: humans and demons. Humans exploit demons as commodities, while demons treat humans as prey and cultivation resources.
• Ten thousand years earlier, the demons nearly destroyed humanity. A powerful cultivator sacrificed himself to create a seal that imprisoned them in the Far Western Lands, which became known as the Demon Realm.
• The Sword Sect’s Red Cloud Peak has guarded this seal for generations, but after ten millennia it has begun to weaken.
• A Mahayana-level tiger demon recently escaped. Xie Xiuji—secretly the Sword Venerable Mingxiao—fought and killed it, but suffered catastrophic injuries, losing his cultivation and memories temporarily.
• While vulnerable, he was attacked by a Demonic Cultivator, who tore out his Spiritual Root and immortal bones and damaged his Innate Dao Body. Righteous sects then exploited him, draining his heart’s blood to refine pills.
• Because the Sword Sect’s life lamp showed he was still alive, they did not kill him; instead, they cast him into the Demon Realm. Driven by resentment, he used forbidden methods to rebuild himself with demon bones and a Demon Core, becoming a Half-Demon.
• Xie Xiuji’s prophetic dream relives this future suffering. Song Zhizhi’s voice suddenly interrupts the dream and prevents him from developing a heart demon.
• Upon awakening, Xie Xiuji remembers his true identity and realizes that Song Zhizhi saved him from the fate shown in the dream. He also remembers promising to marry her.
• Song Zhizhi has disappeared. Xie Xiuji tracks down and annihilates a group of Demonic Cultivators, worsening his injuries, then contacts the Sword Sect’s Sect Master for help.
• Half a month later, the Sect Master reports that Song Zhizhi’s claimed address—755 Tongxing Street—does not exist in either the cultivation world or the mortal realm. Xie Xiuji concludes that she may have deceived him, including possibly lying about her name.

2. Character Developments

• Xie Xiuji/Sword Venerable Mingxiao: His true age, identity, and status are revealed. Previously believed to be a young, amnesiac disciple, he is actually a centuries-old Sword Venerable and guardian of Red Cloud Peak. His prophetic dream leaves him traumatized and furious at those who would exploit him. Despite his normally emotionless nature, Song Zhizhi awakens gratitude, concern, romantic responsibility, and eventually suspicion.
• Song Zhizhi: She remains absent and mysterious. Her intervention saves Xie Xiuji’s life and prevents his descent into a heart demon, but her sudden disappearance and possibly false information make him question her motives and identity.
• The Sword Sect Sect Master: He is relieved to learn Xie Xiuji is alive and immediately assists him, investigating Song Zhizhi and preparing to bring the injured Sword Venerable back to the sect.

3. Significant Themes

• Exploitation and moral hypocrisy: Both humans and demons treat the opposing race as resources, while supposedly righteous cultivators exploit Xie Xiuji for personal advancement.
• Fate versus intervention: The dream reveals a possible future, but Song Zhizhi’s actions alter that fate, suggesting destiny can be changed.
• Identity and memory: Xie Xiuji’s recovered memories dramatically transform his understanding of himself, his relationship with Song Zhizhi, and the events around him.
• Betrayal and trust: Xie Xiuji feels indebted to Song Zhizhi but becomes suspicious when she vanishes and her address proves nonexistent.
• Suffering and transformation: His torture and forced fusion with demonic power show how extreme suffering can reshape both body and identity.
• Unexpected emotional attachment: Song Zhizhi affects the normally detached Xie Xiuji deeply, making him honor a marriage promise despite uncertainty about her intentions.

4. Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi’s voice reaches Xie Xiuji during his prophetic nightmare, calming him and pulling him away from a heart demon.
• After remembering that she saved him, Xie Xiuji decides not to retract his promise to marry her, believing that she suffered more than he did during their encounter.
• The Sect Master responds immediately to Xie Xiuji’s message, retrieves him, and investigates Song Zhizhi’s whereabouts.
• When the Sect Master cannot locate Song Zhizhi, Xie Xiuji shifts from gratitude and concern to suspicion, while the Sect Master becomes curious about the woman capable of provoking such strong emotions in the normally detached Sword Venerable.

Chapter Summary: “Cultivation Drowsiness”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi, having transmigrated into a cultivation novel, spends half a month studying the original host’s memories and understanding the world’s cultivation system.
• The cultivation levels range from Qi Refining to Ascension. The strongest known cultivator is Sword Venerable Mingxiao, a powerful Mahayana sword cultivator of the Sword Sect.
• Song Zhizhi learns that the original host was born with incompatible Dual Water-Fire Spiritual Roots and has reached only the fifth level of Qi Refining at eighteen.
• By contrast, her cousin and rival, Song Miaomiao, possesses a rare Mutated Ice Spiritual Root and has reached the peak of Qi Refining, earning widespread praise as a once-in-a-thousand-years genius.
• The original host, jealous and resentful after years of comparison, attempted to drug Song Miaomiao with Spring Day Powder. The plan backfired, implicating Song Zhizhi after her transmigration.
• Song Zhizhi realizes the original host was likely manipulated by someone who supplied the expensive drug, though she acknowledges that the original host was still responsible for her actions.
• Unable to safely return to the Song Household and lacking the strength to protect herself, Song Zhizhi decides to continue the original host’s plan and compete in the Sword Sect’s disciple selection tournament.
• She chooses the Sword Sect partly because it is distant from the Heavenly Feather Sect, where Xie Xiuji—a man she feels guilty about encountering—resides.
• After arriving in Ten Thousand Swords City, Song Zhizhi rents a modest room. Exhausted from her journey, she falls into a deep sleep and dreams of birds calling her “Mama.”
• Upon waking, she sees a nest of fledglings outside her window, suggesting that the dream was inspired by the nearby birds.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates practical judgment and self-awareness. She accepts her transmigration, evaluates the original host’s situation objectively, and recognizes both the manipulation behind the drugging incident and the original host’s personal guilt.
• She becomes determined to survive independently, conceal herself from past complications, and build a future through the Sword Sect.
• The original host is revealed as a hardworking but deeply insecure girl whose inferiority complex grew from constant comparisons with Song Miaomiao. Her resentment pushed her toward wrongdoing.
• Song Miaomiao is established as a naturally gifted cultivation genius whose brilliance unintentionally intensifies the original host’s humiliation and isolation.
• Sword Venerable Mingxiao is introduced as an immensely powerful but reclusive figure, while hints of his personal interest in his junior brother’s romantic life add a humorous tone.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and social comparison: The original host’s bitterness stems from being repeatedly diminished beside Song Miaomiao.
• Manipulation and responsibility: Song Zhizhi recognizes that the original host may have been used, but she does not excuse the harm she intended to cause.
• Survival and reinvention: Song Zhizhi must create a new identity and path after transmigrating into a dangerous world.
• Talent versus effort: The contrast between Song Zhizhi’s difficult cultivation and Song Miaomiao’s exceptional aptitude highlights the unfairness of innate ability.
• Lighthearted domestic imagery: The dream of birds calling Song Zhizhi “Mama” foreshadows the story’s gentle, humorous “raising children” tone.

Character Interactions

• The central relationship at this point is the strained comparison between Song Zhizhi and Song Miaomiao. Though they grew up together, social praise for Miaomiao has created resentment and emotional distance.
• Song Zhizhi’s avoidance of Xie Xiuji shows that their past interaction—or her actions while inhabiting the original host’s body—has left her embarrassed and anxious about future encounters.
• Sword Venerable Mingxiao’s junior brother is indirectly mentioned through gossip about his romantic life, adding a playful connection to the broader cast without directly advancing the plot.

Chapter Summary: River Lantern Wishes

Plot and Events

• After dreaming of birds, Song Zhizhi leaves leftover rations by her window, then goes out for breakfast in Ten Thousand Swords City.
• While eating, she overhears locals discussing the increasingly frequent Sea Demon Tides in Extreme Sea City. They fear that, since the Demon King has fallen, another Human-Demon War may soon occur.
• Song Zhizhi realizes that the events leading to the major war of the original novel may already be unfolding. She knows the Human-Demon War will begin in approximately ten years and understands that she must become stronger and gain the protection of a sect.
• She returns to the inn and cultivates intensely in preparation for the Sword Sect selection, which will take place in half a month.
• Her cultivation progresses far faster than expected. Although the original owner’s Dual Water-Fire Spiritual Roots made cultivation extremely difficult, Song Zhizhi reaches the barrier of the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining after only one night and expects to break through to the Sixth Layer soon.
• Her rapid progress is accompanied by an alarming increase in hunger. She eats several large meals and becomes weak and dizzy if she misses one. Unable to find a Healing Cultivator in the city, she examines herself and finds nothing obviously wrong, deciding to seek medical help after entering the Sword Sect.
• During the Wanning Festival, the city is illuminated with lanterns. A vendor introduces Song Zhizhi to the tradition of releasing river lanterns, which are believed to carry wishes to the Dao of Heaven.
• Song Zhizhi reflects on the festival’s connection to the ancient Human-Demon War and the future collapse of the barrier between the Human and Demon Realms. She knows the coming war will last centuries, devastate the Cultivation World, and eventually lead to the rise of the heroine, Song Miaomiao.
• She joins the crowds by the moat to release a lantern. The chapter ends as another festival-goer prays for the safety of their father.

Character Development

• Song Zhizhi becomes more determined and pragmatic after learning that the Sea Demon Tides have already intensified. Her fear of death motivates her to work relentlessly toward entering the Sword Sect.
• She demonstrates growing awareness of her unusual condition: her cultivation speed resembles that of someone with a Single Spirit Root, despite the original owner’s poor aptitude, while her appetite has become abnormally large.
• Song Zhizhi remains cautious and self-reliant. Rather than ignoring the changes, she investigates them and plans to consult an expert once she has access to one.
• Her knowledge of the original novel gives her an advantage, but it also leaves her burdened by the knowledge that war is inevitable and that she cannot easily convince others of what she knows.

Significant Themes

• Foreknowledge and fate: Song Zhizhi knows the world’s future, but her arrival and choices may already be altering it.
• Survival and self-improvement: The approaching war forces her to prioritize cultivation, security, and entry into a powerful sect.
• The cost of power: Her accelerated cultivation may be beneficial, but the accompanying hunger suggests that strength may come with hidden consequences.
• Hope amid impending disaster: The joyful Wanning Festival celebrates an ancient victory even as Song Zhizhi knows a new war will eventually destroy that peace.
• Unintended change: The narration hints that one small action by Song Zhizhi has already affected the future, potentially changing the fate of the future Demon King and the course of the story.

Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi listens to other diners discuss the worsening Sea Demon Tides, which alerts her to the approaching danger.
• She briefly interacts with a street vendor who explains the meaning of river lanterns and encourages her to buy one.
• At the moat, she observes festival-goers of all ages releasing lanterns and praying for the safety and success of their loved ones.

Chapter Summary

• Song Zhizhi’s prayers and wishes: At the river, Song Zhizhi hears locals praying to the Dao of Heaven. She releases several lotus river lanterns and wishes to return to Earth, transmigrate again, and become wealthy, but each lantern quickly goes out. When she wishes to become the strongest woman in the Cultivation World, the lantern nearly extinguishes but stubbornly remains lit, suggesting an unusual connection to her fate or destiny.
• Mysterious voices at the river: As Song Zhizhi prepares to leave, an eerie voice rises from the moat, claiming, “You’ve finally returned” and saying that “we’ve waited for you.” Frightened by the misty, deserted surroundings and suspecting ghosts or supernatural beings, Song Zhizhi runs back toward the city.
• Mingxiao senses danger: On Red Cloud Peak, Sword Venerable Mingxiao detects a demonic aura near the mountain’s foot. Though an elder from Medicine Peak questions whether his senses are mistaken, Mingxiao trusts his instincts and decides to investigate, fearing that a demon capable of bypassing his Divine Sense could threaten the Sword Sect. His accurate premonition also suggests that something important is unfolding nearby.
• The nighttime battle: After returning to her inn and cultivating, Song Zhizhi falls asleep. She wakes after hearing a scream and sees a white-robed young man fighting a merfolk outside the city. The merfolk summons a massive tidal wave from the moat, but the young man effortlessly splits it in two with a powerful sword strike. Song Zhizhi is awed by the display and feels the scene leave a lasting impression on her.
• Possible familiarity: Although she cannot see the swordsman’s face, Song Zhizhi senses that his clothing and physique seem familiar. She cannot identify him, partly because white robes are extremely common among male cultivators. His identity remains unresolved, but the encounter appears significant.

Character Development and Interactions

• Song Zhizhi remains timid, homesick, and easily frightened, yet her wish to become the strongest hints at an emerging determination or a fate beyond her current self-perception. Her encounters with the voices, the strange lantern, and the swordsman deepen her uncertainty about the world.
• Sword Venerable Mingxiao is shown as perceptive, cautious, and responsible despite being injured. His decision to investigate the demonic aura reflects his concern for the Sword Sect.
• Mingxiao and the Medicine Peak elder interact as trusted fellow cultivators: the elder treats Mingxiao’s wounds and warns him not to worsen them, while Mingxiao insists on investigating the possible threat.
• The white-robed swordsman and the merfolk engage in a dramatic supernatural battle, establishing the swordsman’s extraordinary strength and the merfolk as a potentially dangerous presence.

Significant Themes

• Fate and destiny: The lantern that remains lit only for Song Zhizhi’s wish to become the strongest suggests that her future may be governed by forces beyond her understanding.
• Alienation and homesickness: Song Zhizhi longs for the familiar safety and convenience of Earth and feels insecure in the cultivation world.
• Fear versus courage: Though Song Zhizhi is terrified and flees from the mysterious voice, she is nevertheless drawn to and fascinated by the extraordinary events around her.
• Hidden identities and supernatural mysteries: The voices, possible demonic aura, merfolk, and familiar swordsman introduce unresolved mysteries that imply Song Zhizhi’s arrival may be connected to larger events.

Chapter Summary: “Selection Begins”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the white-robed cultivator kills or drives away the merfolk, he briefly senses Song Zhizhi’s presence. Fearing recognition, she quickly shuts the window and hides.
• The man is revealed to be Sword Venerable Mingxiao. He suspects the familiar aura belongs to Song Zhizhi, but a voice transmission from the Sword Sect’s master summons him to deal with a Sea Demon Tide in Extreme Sea City before he can investigate.
• Unable to sleep after witnessing his sword strike, Song Zhizhi cultivates through the night. She repeatedly studies and imitates his opening stance, sword angle, and use of force, gaining insight and accelerating her spiritual-energy circulation.
• The following day, she encounters a couple arguing in the inn. Zhang Xing is accused of cheating on his fiancée, Chang Fei, with his junior sister Bai Qian.
• Zhang Xing uses manipulative insults and excuses to undermine Chang Fei, claiming he only comforted Bai Qian and belittling Chang Fei for having a Triple Spirit Root.
• Song Zhizhi intervenes, exposes Zhang Xing’s behavior, and encourages Chang Fei to end the engagement. Chang Fei regains her resolve, slaps Zhang Xing, and decides to ask her father to annul the marriage.
• Zhang Xing threatens Song Zhizhi but leaves after she warns him that fighting is forbidden in Ten Thousand Swords City and that enforcers are nearby.
• After several days of cultivation, Song Zhizhi breaks through from the Sixth to the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining on the morning of the Sword Sect’s disciple selection.
• The Sword Sect’s selection begins. Anyone aged fifteen or older may participate regardless of Spiritual Root, including those with Five Spirit Roots. The Sect’s protective formation is temporarily removed, revealing its nearby, majestic mountain gates and many sword-flying disciples.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi becomes more cautious after sensing the white-robed man’s power and deliberately avoids being discovered by him.
• Her observation and imitation of Mingxiao’s sword technique lead to a meaningful cultivation breakthrough, demonstrating her strong comprehension and determination.
• She shows a strong sense of justice by defending Chang Fei and refusing to tolerate emotional manipulation or abuse.
• Chang Fei develops from hurt and uncertain to decisive and self-respecting, choosing to abandon her unfaithful fiancé.
• Sword Venerable Mingxiao is shown to possess exceptional sensitivity and remembers Song Zhizhi despite only briefly sensing her presence. His sense of duty takes priority when the Sect Master calls him away.
• Zhang Xing is established as arrogant, manipulative, and status-conscious, relying on family influence and emotional intimidation.

Significant Themes

• Strength and self-improvement: Song Zhizhi’s dedication to cultivation and her breakthrough emphasize her desire to become stronger.
• Observation and learning: She gains insight by studying Mingxiao’s sword strike, showing that mastery can begin through careful observation.
• Self-respect and independence: Chang Fei’s decision to end her engagement reflects the importance of refusing toxic relationships.
• Justice and courage: Song Zhizhi intervenes despite the risk of making an enemy, standing up for someone being mistreated.
• Fate and selection: The chapter begins the Sword Sect’s selection process, marking a major turning point in Song Zhizhi’s cultivation journey.

Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi and Mingxiao: They do not meet directly, but Mingxiao senses her presence, while she secretly watches and learns from his swordsmanship.
• Song Zhizhi and Chang Fei: Song Zhizhi offers blunt but supportive advice, helping Chang Fei recognize Zhang Xing’s manipulation and regain confidence.
• Song Zhizhi and Zhang Xing: Their confrontation establishes Song Zhizhi’s fearlessness and Zhang Xing’s hostility toward anyone who challenges him.
• Zhang Xing and Chang Fei: Their argument exposes the imbalance in their relationship, with Zhang Xing attempting to control Chang Fei through insults, family pressure, and insecurity.
• Mingxiao and the Sword Sect: His obedience to the Sect Master’s summons highlights his role as a powerful but dutiful member of the Sect.

Chapter 11 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Sword Sect begins its five-day new disciple selection, consisting of two trials:
  1. Questioning Heart Road, a 999-step mountain path. Those who reach the summit within two days can become Outer Sect Disciples.
  2. Heart-Trial Stone, which determines eligibility for the Inner Sect.
• Song Zhizhi eagerly joins the selection, excited by the possibility of eventually achieving Sword Flight.
• Upon stepping onto the Questioning Heart Road, she is separated from the other candidates and confronted by illusions every hundred steps.
• The illusions reveal painful memories, buried desires, and emotional weaknesses:
  • Her childhood abandonment and ostracization.
  • Being mocked for possessing Dual Water-Fire Spiritual Roots.
  • An alternate life in which she has loving parents, a rare Ice Spiritual Root, and becomes a celebrated prodigy.
• Song Zhizhi recognizes the illusions for what they are and refuses to be distracted by them. She continues climbing while many other candidates become trapped in their emotional fantasies or traumas.
• By the end of the first day, she has passed the 500-step watershed, where most participants have already stopped.
• At the 600th step, the trial attempts to tempt her with numerous handsome men, eventually taking the form of a battle-worn man resembling Xie Xiuji.
• Rather than being deceived, Song Zhizhi is irritated by the imitation and dismisses the illusion with sarcastic comments. Her lack of interest allows her to overtake everyone ahead of her and become the first person to pass the 600th step.
• Her performance is observed by the Sword Sect disciples and elders through the Water Mirror.

Character Development

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates strong self-awareness, emotional control, and determination. She is not controlled by either her painful past or her former dreams.
• She distinguishes herself from the original body’s memories, recognizing that the life of a gifted, loved prodigy is not her own current desire.
• Her reaction to the romantic illusion reveals her practical, irreverent personality. Even physical attraction and the appearance of Xie Xiuji cannot overcome her distrust and annoyance toward him.
• Her unexpected sleepiness provides comic relief and shows that mundane habits from her former life remain with her despite entering the cultivation world.
• The Sword Sect’s elder emphasizes that the trial is not merely a test of cultivation but of mental strength and one’s ability to preserve the heart while pursuing the Dao.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation of the mind: True cultivation requires overcoming inner weaknesses, not merely accumulating spiritual power.
• Facing the past: Song Zhizhi succeeds because she acknowledges painful memories without allowing them to define or control her.
• Desire versus reality: The trial uses idealized memories and romantic temptation to expose what candidates long for, while Song Zhizhi proves she can distinguish genuine desires from illusions.
• Identity and self-determination: Song Zhizhi refuses to inherit the original body’s dreams or emotional wounds unquestioningly.
• Perseverance and emotional clarity: Progress on the Questioning Heart Road depends on continuing forward despite fear, regret, loneliness, or temptation.

Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi has little direct interaction with the other candidates, but their contrasting reactions to the illusions highlight her unusual composure.
• The Sword Sect disciples introduce the selection and later observe the candidates through the Water Mirror.
• The teaching elder uses the trial to instruct existing disciples, explaining that cultivation repeatedly tests the heart.
• Song Zhizhi confronts the illusion wearing Xie Xiuji’s face, rejecting its false affection and ordering it out of her way. This encounter reflects her unresolved discomfort and distrust regarding the real Xie Xiuji while also showing that she cannot be easily manipulated by romantic appeals.

Chapter Summary: Reaching the Summit of the Questioning Heart Road

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi reaches the six-hundredth step of the Questioning Heart Road and decides to stop for the night. Instead of meditating or continuing, she sets up bedding and falls asleep, shocking and amusing the onlookers.
• Many cultivators criticize her, believing she has underestimated the road’s difficulty and will fail to complete the remaining four hundred steps. They compare her unfavorably with Sword Venerable Mingxiao, who once climbed the road in less than twenty hours.
• Sword Venerable Mingxiao notices Song Zhizhi sleeping through the Water Mirror and is startled that she has come to the Sword Sect. He spends the entire night watching her rather than cultivating.
• At dawn, Song Zhizhi wakes, cleans herself with a spell, takes a Fasting Pill, packs away her bedding, and resumes climbing.
• The illusions become increasingly realistic. At the seven-hundredth step, she is placed in a modern college entrance examination hall. Recognizing inconsistencies—especially her completely blank answer sheet—she sees through the illusion and breaks free.
• She quickly advances through the next stages, reaching the nine-hundredth step in only two hours. Her unexpected progress astonishes the spectators, who begin to reconsider their earlier doubts about her.
• The nine-hundredth step introduces the road’s most difficult trial: an illusion testing human nature. Song Zhizhi loses her sense of identity and awakens in a stormy, desolate forest, where armed figures rush toward her shouting for her to be killed.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates unusual composure, confidence, and adaptability. Her decision to sleep is not laziness but reflects her ability to conserve energy and remain calm under pressure.
• She proves highly perceptive by identifying flaws in the examination illusion and refusing to be trapped by it.
• Her rapid ascent transforms her image from an object of ridicule into a serious and promising candidate for the Sword Sect.
• Sword Venerable Mingxiao becomes visibly distracted by Song Zhizhi’s presence. His concern and attraction deepen as he watches her sleep and awakens conflicted memories of their past intimacy.
• Mingxiao struggles to reconcile his responsibilities and thoughts of a future bond-forming ceremony with his unresolved feelings toward Song Zhizhi.

Significant Themes

• Appearances versus reality: Song Zhizhi’s apparent idleness conceals strategic self-control, while the Questioning Heart Road’s illusions challenge one’s ability to distinguish truth from falsehood.
• Self-knowledge and identity: The examination illusion tests whether Song Zhizhi understands herself well enough to recognize an artificial reality. The nine-hundredth-step trial threatens that identity directly.
• Defying expectations: Song Zhizhi overturns the crowd’s assumptions by progressing rapidly after being dismissed as incapable.
• Emotional conflict: Mingxiao’s disciplined cultivation is disrupted by memories and feelings he cannot suppress.
• Human nature under pressure: The final illusion shifts from testing intelligence to testing instinct, morality, and the ability to respond when surrounded by apparent enemies.

Character Interactions

• The spectators discuss and criticize Song Zhizhi, then gradually become impressed as she catches up to the leading candidates.
• Sword Venerable Mingxiao observes Song Zhizhi secretly through the Water Mirror, forming a one-sided interaction filled with concern, attraction, and internal conflict.
• Song Zhizhi confronts the illusions of the Questioning Heart Road rather than other characters directly. The chapter ends as armed attackers approach her in the illusion, setting up the next stage of her trial.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi remembers that she is a Half-Demon caught in the Human-Demon War. After human cultivators kill her demon mother, she attempts to find her human father.
• Her identity is exposed, and human cultivators pursue her, calling for her execution and offering an earth-grade cultivation technique as a reward for killing her.
• Fleeing through the forest, Song Zhizhi exhausts her spiritual power and collapses in a hidden cave.
• She awakens in the home of Zhu Nanjia, a shy young herbalist who found her unconscious and arranged for her wounds to be treated.
• Song Zhizhi remains in Zhu Nanjia’s village for six months, gradually recovering and finding peace in the quiet life there. She develops an instinctive sense of familiarity, trust, and guilt toward Zhu Nanjia.
• Cultivators eventually discover that she is a Half-Demon. They attack the village, stab Song Zhizhi, and seize Zhu Nanjia for sheltering her, intending to bring him before the Heavenly Punishment Platform.
• As Song Zhizhi is about to be killed, time appears to stop. A mysterious voice offers her a sword called Slaying Immortals, claiming it can defeat anyone if tempered with the resentful souls of one hundred people.
• The voice urges her to kill everyone in the village—exactly one hundred villagers and cultivators—in exchange for overwhelming power.
• Instead of accepting the scenario, Song Zhizhi recognizes it as an artificial and melodramatic illusion. She mocks the voice’s poor “acting,” drops the sword, and refuses to participate.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi begins as a frightened fugitive driven solely by survival, but her time with Zhu Nanjia restores her sense of peace and humanity.
• Her experiences reveal the injustice and prejudice directed toward Half-Demons, while her refusal to slaughter innocent people demonstrates strong moral judgment and self-awareness.
• Song Zhizhi also shows unusual insight: despite the illusion’s convincing details, she detects its contrived logic and breaks through its manipulation.
• Zhu Nanjia is introduced as a compassionate, humble, and somewhat bashful healer. He risks punishment by sheltering Song Zhizhi and becomes emotionally important to her.
• The mysterious voice functions as a manipulator, attempting to exploit Song Zhizhi’s fear, resentment, and desire for revenge.

Significant Themes

• Prejudice and persecution: Humans treat demons and Half-Demons as inherently evil, condemning Song Zhizhi despite her having harmed no one.
• The “original sin” of birth: The voice’s claim reflects the world’s belief that Half-Demons are guilty merely because of their heritage.
• Survival versus morality: Song Zhizhi is offered an easy path to power through mass murder but refuses to sacrifice innocent lives.
• Illusion and manipulation: The chapter contrasts genuine suffering with a fabricated revenge fantasy designed to control Song Zhizhi.
• Compassion and trust: Zhu Nanjia’s kindness gives Song Zhizhi a temporary refuge from the violence of the wider world.

Character Interactions

• Song Zhizhi is hunted and verbally condemned by human cultivators, establishing the hostility between humans and Half-Demons.
• She forms a cautious but increasingly trusting relationship with Zhu Nanjia, whose embarrassment and kindness make him seem strangely familiar to her.
• The cultivators attack both Song Zhizhi and Zhu Nanjia, treating his protection of her as proof of guilt.
• The mysterious voice attempts to tempt Song Zhizhi into revenge, but she turns the interaction around by criticizing its unrealistic narrative and refusing its offer.

Chapter Summary: “Someone Eavesdrops”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhizhi emerges from the Questioning Heart Road and discovers that she has reached the Sword Sect’s mountain gate first. This differs from the original novel, where Song Miaomiao was supposed to rank first, making Song Zhizhi wonder whether she has already altered the storyline.
• She registers with Meng Ping, a Sword Sect disciple, who acknowledges her as a future junior sister. Song Zhizhi then begins meditating while waiting for the other candidates.
• The Sword Sect’s peak masters secretly observe her behavior and discuss whether she might make a suitable disciple. They praise her calmness, self-discipline, and willingness to cultivate immediately, though they jokingly argue over who might claim her.
• Song Miaomiao arrives soon afterward. Seeing Song Zhizhi already there surprises her and motivates her to work harder, believing that she has fallen behind after becoming less diligent.
• Song Miaomiao and Song Zhizhi begin cultivating near each other. Their intense efforts inspire more than a hundred other candidates to meditate as well, creating a large gathering around them.
• Meng Ping announces the next stage: the Heart-Trial Stone. Candidates who pass its dangerous trial within three days can enter the inner sect. Those unwilling to risk injury to their divine consciousness may instead join the outer sect.
• Most candidates immediately declare that they will attempt the trial. Song Zhizhi briefly considers withdrawing but decides against standing out or isolating herself.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi: Successfully reaches the summit first, demonstrating perseverance and self-control. She remains wary of changing the original plot and tries to keep a low profile. Her guilt over the original host’s mistreatment of Song Miaomiao makes her behave awkwardly and cautiously around her.
• Song Miaomiao: Initially surprised to see Song Zhizhi, she interprets Song Zhizhi’s first-place finish as evidence that she has become complacent. Her competitive determination returns, and she resolves to cultivate harder. She also notices that Song Zhizhi’s personality seems different from before.
• Meng Ping: Acts as the Sword Sect’s welcoming and supervising disciple. He registers the newcomers and explains the rules and dangers of the Heart-Trial Stone.
• The peak masters: Their interest in Song Zhizhi grows because of her temperament and discipline. Their discussion establishes that she may become highly sought after as a potential disciple.

Significant Themes

• Changing fate and altering the original plot: Song Zhizhi’s unexpected first-place finish suggests that her actions as a transmigrated person are already reshaping the novel’s events.
• Perseverance and competition: Song Miaomiao’s reaction emphasizes cultivation as a constant struggle in which failing to advance means falling behind.
• Self-discipline and hidden talent: Song Zhizhi earns the peak masters’ attention not through boasting, but through quietly cultivating whenever she has free time.
• Risk versus caution: The Heart-Trial Stone presents a choice between pursuing inner-sect status despite danger or safely settling for the outer sect.
• Guilt and reconciliation: Song Zhizhi’s embarrassment and unease around Song Miaomiao reflect her awareness of the original host’s harmful behavior and her desire not to repeat it.

Character Interactions

• Meng Ping formally welcomes Song Zhizhi as a future fellow disciple and later addresses all candidates about the Heart-Trial Stone.
• The peak masters debate Song Zhizhi’s potential while secretly observing her, with several expressing interest in taking her as a disciple.
• Song Zhizhi and Song Miaomiao meet again after a month apart. Song Zhizhi attempts a friendly greeting, but Song Miaomiao remains suspicious and retreats because Song Zhizhi’s changed behavior feels unnatural.
• Their silent rivalry inspires the surrounding candidates to cultivate more intensely, turning their personal competition into a collective race for advancement.

Chapter Summary: Let Her Sleep

Plot and events

After becoming the first person to reach the summit of the Sword Sect’s trial, Song Zhizhi is confronted by Feng Yulong, an arrogant young man who believes she has taken the first-place position that should have been his. Because Feng is a petty and vindictive character, Song tries to deny being Song Zhizhi, hoping to avoid becoming his target. Her denial only enrages him further.
Before Feng can escalate the confrontation, Liu Changfei—whom Song previously helped in Ten Thousand Swords City after discovering her lover’s betrayal—arrives and publicly defends Song. Liu reveals that she is the daughter of the City Lord of Medicine King City and warns Feng not to provoke her. Feng ultimately backs down, though he threatens Song and vows to settle the matter later.
Song realizes that Liu Changfei is connected to the future plot of the original novel. Liu is destined to become the wife of Zhang Xing, the unfaithful man Song previously exposed. In the original timeline, Liu would die young, and Zhang Xing would inherit control of Medicine King City. Song understands that her intervention may have changed Liu’s fate, but she does not reveal the truth. Instead, she advises Liu to choose a man of good character and never settle for someone merely handsome.
Unknown to Song, Sword Venerable Mingxiao overhears her advice through a Water Mirror. He interprets her comments about avoiding handsome men with poor character as possibly referring to him and wonders whether Song considers him inadequate. Embarrassed, he recalls their previous encounter and privately resolves to improve himself. The chapter ends with Meng Ping gathering the disciples and preparing to distribute high-grade spiritual stones.

Character developments

• Song Zhizhi becomes the unexpected target of a conflict originally meant for the heroine, highlighting how her presence has disrupted the novel’s original storyline. She remains cautious and avoids unnecessary confrontation, but she also shows compassion by trying to protect Liu Changfei from her predetermined tragic fate.
• Feng Yulong is established as narrow-minded, arrogant, and easily humiliated. His grudge against Song is intensified by her denial and Liu’s intervention.
• Liu Changfei becomes Song’s ally and friend. She is outspoken, confident, and fiercely protective, repaying Song’s earlier kindness.
• Sword Venerable Mingxiao reveals a jealous, self-conscious, and unexpectedly comedic side. He is deeply affected by Song’s words and worries that she sees him as lacking, even while insisting internally that he is “good.”
• Song Zhizhi’s interference has already altered Liu Changfei’s future, suggesting that more characters’ destinies may diverge from the original novel.

Themes

• Changing fate and rewriting the original story: Song’s actions are preventing Liu from following her tragic canonical future and causing conflicts originally intended for other characters to shift onto her.
• Friendship and mutual loyalty: Song and Liu’s relationship develops through reciprocal assistance, with both women defending and encouraging each other.
• Appearances versus character: Song emphasizes that a handsome appearance is meaningless without good character, contrasting Zhang Xing’s superficial charm with his betrayal.
• Jealousy and miscommunication: Mingxiao’s reaction shows how easily Song’s general advice can be misunderstood when filtered through personal insecurity.
• Social power and protection: Liu’s family influence forces Feng to retreat, showing how status and connections affect interactions within the cultivation world.

Important interactions

• Feng confronts Song over the lost first-place position.
• Liu interrupts and defends Song, threatening Feng on her behalf.
• Song thanks Liu, leading them to formally become friends.
• Song subtly warns Liu about choosing reliable partners, unknowingly referring to her future with Zhang Xing.
• Mingxiao secretly overhears Song and becomes troubled by the possibility that she dislikes or doubts him.

Chapter Summary

• Activating the Heart-Trial Stone: While waiting for the Heart-Trial Stone to activate, Liu Changfei chats with Song Zhizhi about food and restaurants until Song becomes unexpectedly hungry. Song suspects her fasting pills are counterfeit, since they should suppress hunger for three days.
• The Fasting Pill misunderstanding: Liu Changfei becomes outraged at the possibility of fake medicine and promises to investigate. She discovers the pills came from Chunhui Workshop, a reputable business owned by her family. After inspecting and tasting one, Liu realizes the pill is genuine; the unusual hunger must be related to Song Zhizhi herself rather than the medicine.
• The sword-art trial begins: The Heart-Trial Stone transports Song Zhizhi into a dark isolated space and announces that she must comprehend the Sword Sect’s basic Heavenly Profound Sword Art within thirty-six double-hours. The trial tests comprehension and sword talent.
• Song Zhizhi’s breakthrough: Initially, Song has no strong desire to enter the inner sect and refuses to risk damaging her Divine Sense by forcing the technique. However, after watching the sword phantom, she recalls the mysterious sword strike she witnessed outside Ten Thousand Swords City. Drawing on that memory, she begins practising and gradually overcomes an obstruction in her meridians. A subtle adjustment to the final movement allows her to master the entire technique.
• Trial results: Song completes the sword art in twenty-four double-hours and passes the trial. However, Song Miaomiao ranks first, comprehending it in only sixteen double-hours due to her Innate Sword Heart and Ice Spirit Root. Song Zhizhi sincerely congratulates her, surprising the usually aloof Song Miaomiao, who awkwardly replies.
• Aftermath and Mingxiao’s appearance: Exhausted from prolonged sword practice, Song Zhizhi takes another fasting pill and falls asleep near the trial site. She briefly imagines smelling the familiar cool scent of Xie Xiuji, though she assumes it is only an illusion because he should be at the Heavenly Feather Sect. Meng Ping explains to Mingxiao that Song has likely exhausted her Divine Sense. Mingxiao observes the sleeping Song Zhizhi and responds with an apparent scoff.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Song Zhizhi demonstrates strong natural comprehension and persistence, despite lacking the ambition and confidence of the other candidates. Her connection to the earlier mysterious sword strike hints at hidden talent or a significant lineage.
• Liu Changfei shows loyalty, righteousness, and concern over fraudulent medicine, while the revelation that Chunhui Workshop belongs to her family adds a humorous misunderstanding.
• Song Miaomiao remains exceptionally gifted and competitive, but Song Zhizhi’s friendly congratulations briefly unsettle her emotionally.
• Mingxiao notices that Song Zhizhi’s sword movements resemble those of “Mingxiao” or someone associated with him and reacts with suspicion toward her bloodline. His later attention to her sleeping figure suggests growing interest, though he masks it with indifference.
• Meng Ping acts protectively or considerately toward Song Zhizhi by explaining the reason for her exhaustion.

Significant Themes

• Hidden talent and bloodline: Song Zhizhi’s sword technique unexpectedly reflects the style of a powerful figure, suggesting secrets about her origins.
• Effort versus innate ability: Song succeeds through observation, memory, and perseverance, while Song Miaomiao’s innate gifts allow her to finish first.
• Humor amid cultivation trials: The fake-medicine misunderstanding and Song’s hunger provide comic relief before the serious test.
• Unspoken emotional tension: Song’s memories of Xie Xiuji and Mingxiao’s scrutiny introduce romantic and mysterious undertones.

Chapter Summary: “She’s Pregnant”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sword Venerable Mingxiao discovers Song Zhizhi asleep in the carriage. Although Meng Ping worries he will be displeased, Mingxiao quietly tells him to let her sleep and covers her with an expensive Cloud Quilt.
• Mingxiao’s usually cold expression softens as he watches Song Zhizhi sleep, shocking Meng Ping and revealing his concealed affection.
• Song Zhizhi wakes the next day beneath the unfamiliar quilt. Its luxurious Merfolk Silk fabric and faint icy fragrance lead her to wonder who covered her.
• She initially suspects Song Miaomiao, but Miaomiao denies doing it and explains that the quilt is extremely valuable. Song Zhizhi subconsciously recalls the scent of Xie Xiuji, yet dismisses the possibility that he could have been present.
• The Heart-Trial Stone selection concludes. Seven disciples qualify for the inner sect: Song Miaomiao, Song Zhizhi, Feng Yulong, Fang Zheng, Kong Xing, Zhong Jing, and Pei Yuqing. All others are assigned to the outer sect.
• Song Zhizhi recognizes that the major storyline remains unchanged despite her interference, though she has successfully altered smaller events.
• Liu Changfei enthusiastically thanks Song Zhizhi for helping her remain in the Sword Sect. Her admission provides important background about the Liu Household’s declining position and its exploitative marriage alliance with the Zhang Household.
• Liu Changfei warns Song Zhizhi about Feng Yulong, who has entered the inner sect after his family used a Spirit-Washing Pill to transform his dual spiritual roots into a single spiritual root.

Character Developments

• Mingxiao: His actions contradict his cold reputation. Covering Song Zhizhi with his personal Cloud Quilt and looking at her tenderly suggest growing affection, even if he does not express it openly.
• Song Zhizhi: She remains oblivious to Mingxiao’s care and instinctively dismisses the possibility that Xie Xiuji—or someone connected to him—could have helped her. She also realizes that her actions can meaningfully change individual lives, even if they cannot overturn the main plot.
• Meng Ping: He is astonished to witness Mingxiao’s rare gentleness and smile.
• Song Miaomiao: She shows honesty by refusing to claim credit for giving Song Zhizhi the quilt and demonstrates knowledge of its immense value.
• Liu Changfei: Her gratitude and excitement reveal how deeply Song Zhizhi’s intervention has affected her future. She now sees joining the Sword Sect as a chance to protect and support her family.
• Feng Yulong: He is established as a talented but petty rival whose improved spiritual roots and entry into the inner sect make him a potential threat.

Significant Themes

• Hidden affection and emotional contradiction: Mingxiao’s behavior reveals feelings that conflict with his outwardly indifferent personality.
• Dramatic irony: The reader can recognize the likely identity of Song Zhizhi’s benefactor, while Song Zhizhi misunderstands the clues.
• Individual influence versus predetermined fate: Although the main plot appears intact, Song Zhizhi’s actions have already changed Liu Changfei’s life and created meaningful personal consequences.
• Family vulnerability and political marriage: The Liu Household’s dependence on the Zhang Household illustrates how power, protection, and marriage are used to exploit weaker families.
• Social hierarchy and cultivation resources: Entry into the inner sect, spiritual roots, and rare treasures such as the Cloud Quilt all reflect the importance of status, wealth, and talent in the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Mingxiao silently cares for the sleeping Song Zhizhi, while Meng Ping witnesses his unexpected tenderness.
• Song Zhizhi questions Song Miaomiao about the quilt, creating a humorous misunderstanding.
• Liu Changfei embraces Song Zhizhi and credits her with saving her future, strengthening their friendship.
• Liu Changfei also cautions Song Zhizhi about Feng Yulong, signaling possible conflict within the inner sect.

Page 18 Summary

• Song Zhizhi’s mysterious condition is diagnosed: Liu Changfei examines Song Zhizhi after discovering that the Fasting Pills themselves are normal. She senses an unusual, powerful yang force in Song Zhizhi’s Dantian and detects a faint heartbeat within it. Liu reveals that Song Zhizhi is about one month pregnant, carrying Xie Xiuji’s child from their single encounter.
• Song Zhizhi reacts with shock: She is bewildered because she previously took a contraceptive decoction, not knowing that mortal medicine is ineffective on cultivators. Her recent fatigue, hunger, and depleted spiritual energy are explained by the pregnancy. Since she has no prior romantic experience and is unmarried, she is overwhelmed and uncertain about what to do.
• A secret is established: Song asks Liu Changfei to keep the pregnancy confidential. Liu swears not to tell anyone and promises to help Song whenever necessary, strengthening their friendship and trust.
• The disciples arrive at the Main Peak: After Liu departs, Meng Ping escorts Song Zhizhi and six others through a Teleportation Array to the Main Peak. He introduces the Spirit-Testing Stone, which measures both spiritual roots and special physiques for the elders’ disciple selections.

Spiritual-root testing begins

• Pei Yuqing is revealed to have Metal-Fire Dual Spiritual Roots.
• Fang Zheng has Water-Wood Dual Spiritual Roots.
• Kong Xing has Water-Earth Dual Spiritual Roots.
• Zhong Jing has Water-Wood Dual Spiritual Roots.
• Feng Yulong possesses a prestigious single-element Water Spiritual Root.
• Feng Yulong provokes the sisters: Pleased with his result, Feng compares himself to Song Zhizhi and Song Miaomiao, implying that their achievements on the Questioning Heart Road and Heart-Trial Stone may not translate into superior spiritual roots. Song Zhizhi ignores his challenge and steps forward for her own test. The page ends as the Spirit-Testing Stone emits an intense red light, leaving the nature of her spiritual root unresolved.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Song Zhizhi: Moves from physical confusion to emotional shock upon learning she is pregnant, then regains composure and takes practical steps to protect her secret.
• Liu Changfei: Demonstrates emerging medical and spiritual expertise, compassion, and loyalty toward Song Zhizhi.
• Feng Yulong: Reveals pride and competitiveness by openly provoking Song Zhizhi and Song Miaomiao.
• Song Zhizhi and Liu Changfei: Their interaction deepens their friendship through medical trust and Liu’s promise of confidentiality.
• Song Zhizhi and Feng Yulong: Their rivalry becomes more apparent as Feng attempts to challenge her accomplishments.

Significant Themes

• Unexpected responsibility: Song Zhizhi must suddenly confront motherhood and the consequences of her relationship with Xie Xiuji.
• The limits of mortal knowledge: Ordinary contraceptive medicine cannot protect cultivators, highlighting the differences between mortal and cultivation worlds.
• Friendship and trust: Liu’s support provides Song with emotional protection during a crisis.
• Competition and talent: The spiritual-root test establishes the disciples’ hierarchy and sets up further rivalry over innate ability and recognition.

Chapter Summary: Apprenticeship Ceremony

Plot Points and Events

• During the Spirit-Testing Ceremony, Song Zhizhi is unexpectedly revealed to possess a Single Fire Spiritual Root and an Innate Exotic Fire constitution, despite the original host supposedly having Dual Water-Fire Spiritual Roots.
• The Spirit-Testing Stone produces an enormous fiery display, including the image of a phoenix reborn from flames. Song Zhizhi recognizes the phoenix’s cry as strangely familiar.
• While being tested, Song Zhizhi breaks through from the Seventh to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining. She senses another life within her body sharing in her joy, leaving her emotionally unsettled.
• Song Miaomiao undergoes the test next and is revealed to possess a Single Mutated Ice Spiritual Root and an Innate Sword Heart, an even rarer and more prestigious aptitude.
• The result causes the elders in the great hall to compete intensely for the right to accept Song Miaomiao as a disciple. Several elders argue over which sword technique best suits her.
• The elders realize that Sword Venerable Mingxiao, who also has an Ice Spiritual Root, would be their greatest rival. They discuss hiding Song Miaomiao’s talent from him, but he unexpectedly arrives and overhears them.
• Mingxiao declares that he has no interest in an Innate Sword Heart, confusing the other elders about which disciple has attracted his attention.
• Meng Ping brings the seven new inner-sect disciples into the hall, and the apprenticeship ceremony is about to begin. Song Zhizhi suppresses her unease and begins studying the elders to determine whom she might choose.

Character Developments

• Song Zhizhi: Her identity and abilities become even more mysterious. She discovers that her current Spiritual Root differs from the original host’s, gains an unexpected cultivation breakthrough, and senses a second consciousness or life within herself. Her encounter with the phoenix suggests a deeper connection to her origins or hidden power.
• Song Miaomiao: She establishes herself as the outstanding genius of the new disciples, surpassing even Song Zhizhi’s impressive test result. Her Innate Sword Heart makes her the center of attention among the elders.
• Meng Ping: He becomes increasingly excited by the appearance of multiple exceptional disciples and openly praises both Song sisters, though he is especially stunned by Song Miaomiao’s talent.
• Feng Yulong: He grows jealous when Meng Ping’s attention shifts entirely to Song Miaomiao. Seeing Song Zhizhi distracted, he appears to begin forming a malicious plan.
• Sword Venerable Mingxiao: He makes his first appearance at the end of the chapter. Though he claims no interest in Song Miaomiao, his gaze lingers on Song Zhizhi, suggesting that she may be the disciple who has caught his attention.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and destiny: Song Zhizhi’s unexpected Spiritual Root and phoenix manifestation imply that her transmigration has altered her fate or awakened a concealed inheritance.
• Exceptional talent and competition: The chapter emphasizes the rarity of Single Spiritual Roots, Mutated Ice Roots, Innate Exotic Fire, and Innate Sword Hearts, showing how such gifts influence status and rivalry within the sect.
• Jealousy and ambition: Feng Yulong’s resentment and the elders’ scramble to claim Song Miaomiao reveal how talent creates both admiration and hostility.
• Contrasting inner and outer emotions: Although Song Zhizhi achieves a breakthrough and receives praise, she feels confused and troubled rather than triumphant, suggesting unresolved secrets within her.
• First impressions and romantic setup: Mingxiao’s arrival, his unexplained interest in Song Zhizhi, and the author’s note indicate that the leads’ formal meeting is imminent.

Character Interactions

• Meng Ping praises Song Zhizhi after her breakthrough and then tests Song Miaomiao, assuming the two may be related because of their similar names and origins.
• Song Miaomiao’s result shifts Meng Ping’s attention away from Feng Yulong, intensifying Feng’s jealousy.
• The elders argue over which one should become Song Miaomiao’s master, each promoting their own sword technique.
• The elders fear Mingxiao will claim Song Miaomiao, but he enters unexpectedly and dismisses their concern by saying he is uninterested in an Innate Sword Heart.
• Mingxiao silently observes Song Zhizhi rather than Song Miaomiao, hinting that their future relationship may be more significant than the elders expect.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• The Sword Sect’s Sect Master Mingxu and eight elders gather to recruit new disciples.
• Song Zhizhi notices a mysterious white-robed young man seated near the Sect Master. His concealed appearance, elegant hands, and voice all feel strangely familiar to her, though she initially dismisses the possibility that he could be Xie Xiuji.
• As expected from the original novel, the elders begin competing intensely for Song Miaomiao, whose Innate Sword Heart makes her an exceptionally talented candidate. Their argument nearly escalates into a fight.
• Sword Venerable Mingxiao intervenes, creating a Sword Qi Barrier and insisting that Song Miaomiao choose her own master.
• Contrary to the original plot, Song Miaomiao chooses the previously unmentioned Unadorned Sword Lord rather than joining Purple Bamboo Peak. This confirms that the story’s events are already deviating from the original novel.
• The mysterious white-robed figure then asks Song Zhizhi whether she is willing to join Red Cloud Peak. His voice triggers a powerful memory in her: the same voice once connected to a promise of marriage.
• The spiritual energy hiding his face disperses, revealing that he is Xie Xiuji, the major villain from the original story.
• Sect Master Mingxu recognizes Song Zhizhi’s name as belonging to the young woman who had previously taken his junior brother’s virginity and then disappeared. He is surprised to discover that she is only eighteen and at the eighth level of Qi Refinement, rather than a powerful cultivator.

Character developments

• Song Zhizhi: Becomes increasingly suspicious of the mysterious elder’s identity. Her physical and emotional reactions—racing heartbeat, relief, shock, and touching her abdomen—suggest that Xie Xiuji’s presence is deeply connected to her memories and current circumstances. She is also shaken by the unexpected changes to the original plot.
• Xie Xiuji/Sword Venerable Mingxiao: Reveals himself to Song Zhizhi as the supposedly distant and upright Sword Sect figure. He notices her earlier expression of relief and wonders whether she has recognized him, showing that he is carefully observing her reactions.
• Song Miaomiao: Displays calmness and confidence under pressure. Rather than passively accepting the elders’ competition, she makes her own choice and selects Unadorned Sword Lord, establishing her independence and altering the expected storyline.
• Feng Yulong: Becomes resentful and envious of Song Miaomiao, believing she has stolen the attention that should have gone to him. His jealousy also reveals an inflated view of his own talent.
• Sect Master Mingxu: Recognizes Song Zhizhi’s identity and begins to understand her connection to his junior brother, though he is astonished by her young age and low cultivation.

Character interactions

• The elders openly compete and argue over Song Miaomiao, each promoting their own peak, techniques, or suitability as her master.
• Mingxiao restrains the elders and transfers the decision to Song Miaomiao.
• Song Miaomiao rejects the expected choices and names Unadorned Sword Lord as her master.
• Mingxiao directly addresses Song Zhizhi and invites her to Red Cloud Peak, prompting the revelation of his identity.
• The chapter creates a tense connection between Song Zhizhi and Xie Xiuji: she recognizes him through his voice and appearance, while he studies her reactions without fully revealing what he knows.

Significant themes

• Deviation from fate and the original narrative: Both Song Miaomiao’s unexpected choice and Xie Xiuji’s appearance demonstrate that the story is no longer following its predetermined plot.
• Recognition and hidden identities: Song Zhizhi gradually identifies Xie Xiuji through subtle clues—his hands, voice, manner, and finally his face—while his concealed identity creates suspense.
• Choice and agency: Song Miaomiao exercises personal agency by choosing her own master instead of following the path expected by the original novel.
• Jealousy and self-perception: Feng Yulong’s resentment highlights his insecurity and exaggerated belief in his own importance.
• Romantic tension and concealed history: Xie Xiuji’s invitation and the remembered marriage promise hint at an unresolved relationship with Song Zhizhi, while the pregnancy and emotional developments remain deliberately hidden for later chapters.