Chapter Summaries

• Key events: At the Beast-Tamer Guild in Monte City, Ye Chuqi receives a warm welcome, though the staff are much more interested in her Starhorn Horse, Starry, and Little White Fox. Starry is overwhelmed by their attention and tries unsuccessfully to hide behind Ye Chuqi. Little White makes its dislike of strangers clear, so the staff keep their distance. Ye Qinglan arrives with his powerful Lion Owl, immediately drawing the branch head’s respect. Ruft recognizes Ye Chuqi as the eldest Miss Ye, explains that the guild can certify her companions and provide other services, and offers to have them assessed while she waits. Ye Chuqi hesitates, concerned that the staff might provoke her animals and get hurt.
• Character developments: Ye Chuqi is observant and protective of her companions. She appreciates Ruft’s sincere regard for beasts and becomes more favorably disposed toward the guild. The chapter also shows that Starry’s timidity around enthusiastic strangers contrasts with its confidence and forcefulness when defending itself. Little White remains aloof and fiercely protective of its personal space; only Ye Chuqi can handle it.
• Interactions: Ye Chuqi’s presence reassures Starry, while Little White’s warning demeanor keeps people away. Ye Qinglan’s arrival calms the scene and makes clear to Ruft that he has come to accompany Ye Chuqi. Ruft treats Ye Qinglan with deference, then welcomes Ye Chuqi and offers practical help. Ye Chuqi’s concern prompts Ruft to reassure her that the staff know how to handle beast companions and that her animals should remain calm if no one provokes them.
• Themes: The chapter highlights the genuine affection Beast Tamers have for their companions, while showing that animals’ trust and boundaries must be respected. It also contrasts appearances with reality: Starry and Little White may look cute or harmless, but both can be dangerous when threatened.

Plot points

• Ye Chuqi reassures Starry and Little White before they are taken for certification. Little White confidently heads off on his own, amusing Ye Chuqi and puzzling the onlookers.
• At the Beast-Tamer Guild’s guest lounge, Ruft describes the extensive care and wellness services available for Beast Companions. Ye Chuqi is overwhelmed by the sales pitch but asks whether the Guild can treat congenital deficiencies.
• Ruft confirms that the Guild has no effective solution for Xiao Nuo, the Red Wind Mercenary Group’s young Lion Owl. His condition limits his potential and shortens his life, though the Guild continues researching ways to improve his health.
• Troubled by Xiao Nuo’s situation, Ye Chuqi asks whether an old, legendary formula might offer a cure or extend his life. Ruft has not considered this possibility but agrees to pass it to the Guild’s senior members.
• Ye Chuqi then asks to consult the Guild’s books herself. Ruft explains that Beast Tamers may borrow from the Library, but the Guild has never established whether a non-member like her may enter.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi’s concern for Starry and Little White shows her protective affection; her joking warning about enduring mistreatment also hints at her readiness to defend them.
• Her concern for Xiao Nuo deepens into determination to help. Rather than accepting the Guild’s limits, she proposes investigating legends and volunteers to search for clues.
• Ruft is professional and conscientious: he explains the Guild’s work, admits what it cannot do, and is willing to relay Ye Chuqi’s suggestion despite his doubts.
• Ye Qinglan recognizes the potential value of Ye Chuqi’s idea, while San San laughs at the Guild’s extravagant services and Big Black Fish appears tempted by them.

Significant themes

• Care and responsibility: Ye Chuqi feels compelled to help vulnerable companions, not merely those under her own care.
• Hope versus limitation: The Guild’s research offers modest help, while the possibility of lost knowledge opens a more uncertain path.
• Challenging convention: Ye Chuqi questions both the Guild’s assumptions about treatment and its unwritten rules about who may use its Library.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qinglan persuades Ruft to let Ye Chuqi into the Beast-Tamer Guild’s Library. Ye Chuqi rapidly flips through history books so San San can record their contents and learn about the world.
• Ye Qinglan watches her and concludes that she simply loves reading, taking her unusual behavior at face value.
• Starry and Little White complete their Beast Companion certifications. Staff praise Starry’s value and caution Ye Chuqi to protect her; Little White passes despite his impatience.
• Ye Qinglan explains that most guild employees are not certified Beast Tamers. Ruft is one, but his strengths lie in administration and dealing with people rather than practical skill.
• Ye Chuqi finds Joshua waiting by the Beast Stable. Ye Qinglan disapproves of his weakness and plans to send him for training once his poisoning is cured.
• The group receives expensive, detailed certification tags for the Beast Companions, which record their information and images.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi is eager to learn about her new world and relies on San San to absorb information. She is amused—and slightly pressured—when Ye Qinglan interprets her frantic page-turning as a love of reading.
• Ye Qinglan supports Chuqi’s request and treats her peculiar habits with calm acceptance. His judgment of Joshua is blunt and practical: he thinks Joshua needs to become stronger rather than remain a burden.
• San San is enthusiastic about gathering knowledge, imagining itself as Chuqi’s indispensable companion.
• Joshua recognizes Ye Qinglan’s contempt and understands that it stems from his inability to keep up with Chuqi.
• The guild staff show genuine concern for Beast Companions, especially valuable ones, and encourage Chuqi to care for them patiently.

Significant themes

• Learning and adaptation: Gathering knowledge is essential to understanding an unfamiliar world.
• Care and protection: Beast Companions are treated as precious beings who need protection and patient handling.
• Strength and usefulness: Ye Qinglan measures Joshua by his ability to protect and support Chuqi.
• Status and expertise: Working at the guild does not make someone a Beast Tamer; certification and practical ability distinguish true specialists from support staff.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qinglan gives Ye Chuqi a beautiful, carefully chosen Spatial Ring containing gifts he had saved for her over the years—birthday and holiday presents he kept buying while hoping they would reunite. Ye Chuqi is moved by the proof of how deeply her family missed her.
• Joshua reflects on his eventful journey and his new opportunity. He decides to follow Ye Chuqi, trusting she will look after him.
• Ye Chuqi tells Ye Qinglan she plans to visit more cities, explore local customs and libraries, and eventually see the Imperial Capital Academy. She does not mention returning to the Ye Family. She asks Ye Qinglan to let Bai Fenghua know she is safe; he agrees without pressing her about her plans.
• The chapter recounts major recent news: the Rahu Mercenary Corps caused a Beast Tide that devastated the Adventurers’ Camp; the Nine-Leaf Green Flower disappeared after Ye Chuqi was presumed killed; and Duke Fulton brought evidence of the “Noble Blood Vial” crimes to the palace. Rumors implicate the Rahu Corps in the abductions and murders of girls, possibly including the princess of the Thirteen Misty Islands, raising the threat of political fallout.
• Ye Chuqi enjoys listening to adventurers trade news in lively taverns. When she brings Ye Qinglan and Joshua to one, Ye Qinglan’s imposing presence quiets the room. Joshua is relieved that attention shifts away from him.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qinglan shows the depth of his devotion through years of gifts and respects Ye Chuqi’s independence, allowing her to share her plans without demanding she return home.
• Ye Chuqi is touched by her family’s long-standing grief but remains intent on traveling and learning before deciding what comes next.
• Joshua grows more comfortable relying on Ye Chuqi and accepts a dependent, companion-like role.
• Ye Chuqi and Ye Qinglan share a tender reunion, balanced by her desire for autonomy. Ye Chuqi and Joshua travel together, while Ye Qinglan’s striking bearing contrasts with Joshua’s unobtrusive manner.

Significant themes

• Family separation and enduring love: Ye Qinglan’s saved gifts embody years of hope and sorrow.
• Independence and respect: Ye Chuqi chooses her own path, and Ye Qinglan does not force a decision about returning.
• Rumor, justice, and political danger: News of the Blood Vial crimes suggests powerful perpetrators may soon face consequences.
• Public presence and social contrast: Ye Qinglan’s aristocratic authority changes the atmosphere around him, while Joshua is easily overlooked.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi takes Ye Qinglan and Joshua to visit City Lord Yuges, hoping to consult his extensive collection of rare and ancient books for a way to treat Xiao Nuo’s Congenital Deficiency.
• She assumes Old Barnard will soon treat the city’s important patient, thanks to his expertise and the Leaf Pearl.
• Yuges welcomes the visitors after hearing of Ye Chuqi’s role in helping Barnard and the Red Fang Mercenary Corps. He already knows she has exceptional talent in potion-making and Alchemy.
• When Barnard laments that Ye Chuqi won’t pursue those fields, she explains that she is committed to being a Sword Cultivator.
• Ye Chuqi asks to examine Yuges’s collection, including unique editions. She promises to handle the books carefully and argues that finding a treatment could benefit both Demon Beasts and humans.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi remains resourceful and persistent, using her reunion with Ye Qinglan and her connection to Barnard to gain access to the collection. She playfully attributes her growing habit of “pinning things” on others to a possible mystical effect.
• Ye Qinglan is respectful toward Yuges and quietly pleased by the reunion with his sister.
• Yuges shows warmth and curiosity toward Ye Chuqi, while his age, magical rank, and civic authority give him an imposing presence.
• Barnard remains impressed by Ye Chuqi’s abilities and frustrated that she refuses to become a potion-maker or alchemist.
• Ye Chuqi’s earnest case intrigues Yuges, who recognizes that she wants access even to rare, one-of-a-kind books.

Significant themes

• Personal calling: Ye Chuqi chooses the sword despite her aptitude for other disciplines.
• Knowledge in service of others: Her search for ancient texts is driven by the hope of treating Congenital Deficiency.
• Persistence and persuasion: She carefully presents her request and appeals to both Yuges’s love of books and the potential broader benefit of her research.

Key plot points and events

• Yuges is impressed by Ye Chuqi’s confidence and ambition. He agrees to give her access to the City Lord’s library and provides a catalog covering both that collection and his private books.
• Uneasy about accepting such a generous favor, Ye Chuqi offers to help Yuges in return and asks Barnard whether his work on the antidote is progressing.
• Barnard asks her how to increase a medicine’s potency using the same herbs. Ye Chuqi realizes he fears a single Leaf Pearl may not be strong enough to remove the poison completely.
• She suggests combining the effects of multiple Leaf Pearls. Yuges confirms this is possible, but explains that none has been found despite the long-running quest.
• Ye Chuqi reveals that she already found a Leaf Pearl in the Lost Forest and took it while adventurers and High-Rank Magic Beasts were about to fight over it. Barnard is stunned.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi shows ambition, resourcefulness, and generosity. Though she insists her alchemy and medical skills are limited, she identifies Barnard’s concern and offers a practical solution—and a rare ingredient.
• Yuges admires Ye Chuqi’s boldness and humorously indulges her request for books. Their exchange is warm and playful, while Ye Chuqi’s offer to help reflects her discomfort at receiving favors without giving something back.
• Barnard has grown healthier and more energetic after following Ye Chuqi’s advice to take medicine and exercise. He values her unconventional ideas, even as he is surprised by her suggestion and revelation.

Significant themes

• Knowledge and ingenuity: Ye Chuqi’s unconventional thinking opens new possibilities for Barnard’s treatment.
• Reciprocity and kindness: She wants to repay Yuges’s generosity and ease the burden of those working to save someone important.
• Ambition and confidence: Ye Chuqi’s desire to read widely reflects the same bold drive that Yuges admires in her.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi confirms that she has the Nine-Leaf Green Flower, which she secretly took from the crowded battlefield. Its disappearance explains why she vanished and later returned.
• Yuges realizes the theft will draw the attention of powerful factions, even if they avoid confronting her openly. He is struck by the scale of her courage and confidence.
• Ye Chuqi insists that the Leaf Pearl she gave Yuges was not a gift: she earned it as a reward for helping Bai Fenghua rescue students from the Lost Forest, and she expects fair compensation.
• She reveals that the Leaf Pearl has mutated and is far more potent than an ordinary specimen. Yuges and Barnard confirm its exceptional quality.
• Ye Chuqi offers Yuges the Leaf Pearl he already has to make up the difference, noting that this one is strong enough for Barnard’s needs. Barnard rushes off to use it to make an antidote.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi shows herself to be daring, self-assured, practical, and sharp in negotiations. She also values people who demonstrate genuine kindness.
• Yuges shifts from underestimating Ye Chuqi to recognizing both her audacity and the value of what she has done. He thanks her sincerely.
• Barnard is overwhelmed by the mutated Leaf Pearl and hurries to prepare the antidote.
• Ye Qinglan is troubled that Bai Fenghua allowed Ye Chuqi to undertake such a dangerous plan, though the chapter does not show him confronting Bai.
• Ye Chuqi and Yuges exchange playful banter over whether the Pearl is a gift and whether she can call herself a “little cub.” Yuges also observes that she has taken good care of Barnard; she explains that she helped him because he is a good person.

Significant themes

• Courage and confidence: Ye Chuqi’s successful theft reveals a boldness far beyond what others had assumed.
• Fair reward and value: She argues that hard work and superior quality deserve proper compensation.
• Kindness and reciprocity: Ye Chuqi helps Barnard because she recognizes his care and dedication, not merely for personal gain.
• Power and consequences: Possessing the Nine-Leaf Green Flower brings potential danger from the major factions, even as it demonstrates her remarkable ability.

• Key events: Ye Chuqi and Ye Qinglan spend several days studying in the City Lord’s Library. Meanwhile, Alchemist Barnard completes the antidote he has been working on, but collapses from exhaustion after three days of nonstop work. The potion has been delivered to its intended recipient, and its effect is still being awaited. Yuges summons Ye Chuqi, hoping she can help Barnard, whose condition is deteriorating.
• Character developments: Ye Chuqi becomes more comfortable around Ye Qinglan, though she still struggles to call him “brother.” Ye Qinglan shows genuine warmth and quietly looks after her, making sure she eats and sleeps. Barnard’s devotion to his work is revealed to have cost him what may be the last of his strength. Yuges, who recognizes Barnard’s value and importance, is willing to do whatever he can to save him.
• Character interactions: Ye Chuqi invites Ye Qinglan to accompany her to the Library and thoughtfully provides refreshments while she studies. He patiently stays with her, but firmly interrupts her reading for meals and sleep. Later, Yuges pleads with Ye Chuqi to help Barnard. She warns that saving him may mean continued pain, but Yuges insists Barnard still has unfinished business and would choose to keep going.
• Themes: The chapter contrasts devoted service with its personal cost: Barnard’s determination to help others has pushed his fragile body to its limit. It also explores mortality, asking whether prolonging life is worthwhile if it brings suffering. Alongside these heavier questions, Ye Chuqi and Ye Qinglan’s growing ease with each other highlights the gradual formation of family bonds.

Chapter Summary

Ye Chuqi agrees to try to prolong the dying Barnard’s life, but makes clear that she cannot guarantee success and must work in complete privacy. She believes ordinary Spiritual Liquid or the Spirit Spring cannot help his exhausted body. Her only possible approach is to combine acupuncture with Medicine Cultivation techniques and use Spiritual Liquid to provide temporary vitality—if it works, Barnard may gain only six months to a year.
Since Ye Chuqi knows nothing about acupuncture and has no needles, she asks San San, the space spirit with extensive Medicine Cultivation knowledge, to take control of her body and treat Barnard. San San is startled and worries that Ye Chuqi might think it wants to possess her. Ye Chuqi reassures it, reminding it that it once controlled her body only to save her life and encouraging it to pursue its dream of becoming a Medicine Cultivator.
Ye Chuqi enters the space as a consciousness, using a new ability San San developed after the space evolved. Meanwhile, San San cautiously adjusts to controlling Ye Chuqi’s body, nervous because this time Ye Chuqi is conscious and watching. It eventually steadies itself, preparing to attempt the treatment.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Ye Chuqi shows compassion and resolve, willing to trust San San with her body despite the risks. She also encourages San San’s confidence and independence.
• San San is anxious about controlling a human body and about being misunderstood, but accepts the responsibility of trying to save Barnard.
• Barnard is not present in the scene, but his determination to keep living—and his friendship with Yuges—motivates the rescue attempt.
• Yuges and Ye Qinglan are present as people Ye Chuqi informs of the conditions for her attempt.

Significant Themes

• Trust and shared agency: Ye Chuqi and San San rely on one another in an intimate, high-stakes way.
• Hope amid limits: The proposed treatment cannot restore Barnard to health, but may grant him precious time.
• Courage and self-belief: Ye Chuqi pushes San San to act on its knowledge despite its lack of practical experience.
• Compassion and sacrifice: Ye Chuqi risks surrendering control of her body to help someone else.

Plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi uses Spiritual Power, a formation, and spiritual needles to treat the gravely ill old Mr. Barnard, guiding him to absorb the Spirit Spring gradually.
• While San San controls the treatment, Ye Chuqi meditates in her space to recover. The Nine-Leaf Green Flower’s fragrance has helped heal about half her injuries, and San San experiments with soaking the flower in Spiritual Liquid.
• San San successfully completes the formation. Mr. Barnard’s color and breathing improve; he still needs time to adjust to the Spiritual Energy circulating through his body before he wakes.
• Ye Chuqi returns to her own body and jokes about letting San San use it again. San San objects, insisting it wants a body of its own and that Ye Chuqi should not treat her body so casually.
• When Ye Chuqi opens the door, she finds Ye Qinglan, Lord Yuges, and the physicians waiting outside. Lord Yuges appears to have stayed up all night; the exhausted physicians have dozed off in their chairs.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi regains strength and confidence, but remains relaxed—even careless—about risking or lending her body. She readily reassures San San when it becomes upset.
• San San shows strong medical skill and takes pride in successfully treating Mr. Barnard. Its wish for a body of its own is underscored by its frustration at being offered Ye Chuqi’s instead.
• Their affectionate, teasing exchange reveals a close bond: San San scolds Ye Chuqi because it worries about her, while Ye Chuqi trusts it deeply.
• Ye Qinglan and Lord Yuges demonstrate concern by waiting through the night; the physicians’ presence reflects the seriousness of Mr. Barnard’s condition.

Significant themes

• Care and responsibility: Healing requires sustained attention, and San San’s anger comes from concern for Ye Chuqi’s safety.
• Trust and boundaries: Ye Chuqi’s willingness to share her body contrasts with San San’s insistence that her wellbeing—and its own desire for independence—matter.
• Healing and ingenuity: San San adapts Spiritual Power and the formation to create an effective treatment, while the Nine-Leaf Green Flower offers a possible aid to Ye Chuqi’s recovery.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Chuqi stabilizes the critically ill old Mr. Barnard, but warns Yuges that she has only bought him six months to a year. He must rest, avoid strain, and receive careful care; she cannot extend his life indefinitely without leaving him physically and mentally diminished.
• Yuges and the other physicians examine Barnard. Ye Chuqi explains that he will likely sleep for several days, then leaves his recovery and the fulfillment of his remaining wishes to Yuges.
• Ye Qinglan insists that Ye Chuqi rest after the night’s work. After a day, she returns to reading—this time in Yuges’s enormous private library, an underground palace filled with books, including many originals. San San wants to read them all, so Chuqi tells it to prioritize.
• Ye Qinglan waits outside the library and makes sure Chuqi eats and rests.
• Several days later, Yuges reports that Barnard has awakened, as has the person who received the Antidote Potion. He arranges a small dinner so the group can meet.
• While preparing, Chuqi realizes she still does not know who the poisoned person is. Yuges sends her an elaborate formal gown, modified so she can move more easily.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi shows skill and compassion, setting honest limits rather than prolonging Barnard’s life at any cost. She remains practical and curious, eagerly exploring the library while keeping San San’s enthusiasm in check.
• Yuges is relieved by Barnard’s reprieve but must face how little time remains and the responsibility of helping him resolve his regrets. His invitation to Chuqi into his private collection—and his tailored gown for her—suggests trust and consideration.
• Ye Qinglan acts protectively, shielding Chuqi from the crowd’s pressure, then making sure she recovers and keeps to a healthy routine.
• Chuqi’s exchange with Yuges is direct and serious; her lighthearted thoughts about the library and the gown contrast with the gravity of Barnard’s condition.

Significant themes

• Mortality and limits: Healing can postpone death, but cannot always restore a life or erase its natural end.
• Care and responsibility: Barnard’s remaining time becomes an opportunity for Yuges to attend to his wishes.
• Knowledge and obsession: Yuges’s vast collection and San San’s eagerness to read it highlight the allure—and excess—of gathering knowledge.
• Protection and trust: Qinglan’s attentive care and Yuges’s access to his private library show different forms of regard for Chuqi.

Key plot points and events

• Lord Yuges gifts Ye Chuqi an elaborate white gown decorated with golden-red maple leaves, platinum thread, crystal shoes, and jewelry. Touched, she accepts it but chooses to wear her everyday clothes to dinner.
• Chuqi tells Yuges she would prefer an outfit styled like Ye Qinglan’s military uniform. Yuges offers to commission a similar design, and she gratefully accepts.
• At a small dinner, Chuqi meets Governor Dinan, Yuges’s old friend and Monte City’s economic overseer. Dinan is recovering from long-term poisoning. Barnard insists that Dinan is doing well despite his pallor.
• Yuges says Barnard will remain in Monte City, where the City Lord’s Residence will care for him. Barnard hopes to finish revising his alchemy book and leave his knowledge behind.
• Chuqi considers whether to stay in Monte City or move on. Ye Qinglan tells her someone is looking for her.
• Outside the residence, Chuqi finds Xiaojiu. Seeing his wounded expression makes her realize she feels guilty for having left him alone.

Character developments

• Ye Chuqi is moved by Yuges’s thoughtful gift and, by calling Ye Qinglan her brother, signals growing acceptance of their sibling relationship. She also shows sensitivity toward Barnard and Dinan, while recognizing she may have neglected Xiaojiu.
• Ye Qinglan is quietly pleased when Chuqi calls him her brother, viewing it as a meaningful step in their reconciliation.
• Barnard has gained perspective after nearly dying. He appears more at peace and has chosen to devote his remaining time to completing his alchemy work.
• Yuges continues to show consideration toward Chuqi, while arranging practical support for Barnard.
• Xiaojiu appears hurt by Chuqi’s absence, despite trying to hide it behind a stubborn demeanor.

Significant themes

• Family and belonging: Chuqi’s words and preferences show her growing closeness with Ye Qinglan.
• Care expressed through actions: Yuges’s gift, the siblings’ concern for others, and the city’s support for Barnard reveal different forms of consideration.
• Legacy and acceptance: Barnard chooses to preserve his knowledge, while his calm suggests he has come to terms with his circumstances.
• Responsibility and emotional ties: Chuqi’s encounter with Xiaojiu brings her neglected bond with him back into focus.

Character interactions

• Chuqi and Yuges share a warm exchange over the gift; her request for a uniform-inspired outfit reflects Ye Qinglan’s influence.
• Chuqi checks on Barnard with a gentle touch, while he responds with reassuring good humor.
• Yuges explains Barnard’s future arrangements and respects his wish to finish his book.
• Ye Qinglan alerts Chuqi that someone is waiting; Chuqi’s reunion with Xiaojiu immediately shifts her mood from uncertainty to guilt.

Key plot points and events

• Xiaojiu arrives at the city lord’s residence battered and disheveled, having learned from Bai Fenghua that Ye Chuqi has returned.
• He explains that he waited for her after the Nine-Leaf Green Flower incident, trained, and periodically sought news—but she never came back.
• Ye Chuqi apologizes sincerely for leaving him behind. Xiaojiu says he forgives her, partly because he knows he cannot beat her, and she promises not to abandon him again.
• Ye Chuqi offers to cook Xiaojiu a good meal. Ye Qinglan reacts sharply, and Xiaojiu greets him respectfully as Ye Chuqi’s older brother.
• Joshua returns and immediately locks eyes with Xiaojiu. To defuse their hostility, Ye Chuqi introduces them as fellow disciples: Xiaojiu is Joshua’s senior, and Joshua her junior. She insists Joshua call her “senior sister,” not teacher.
• Joshua’s poison-cleansing is nearly complete; the magical forces in his body now follow their course almost automatically. He enjoys Ye Chuqi patting his soft, golden-sheened hair and smugly shows off to Xiaojiu.

Character developments

• Ye Chuqi recognizes that she neglected Xiaojiu and offers both an apology and a promise to keep him with her. She treats Joshua and Xiaojiu as members of the same circle.
• Xiaojiu reveals how much he relied on Ye Chuqi’s promise and how hurt he was by her absence. Though resentful, he is relieved by her return and eager to regain his place beside her.
• Joshua is increasingly comfortable with Ye Chuqi and pleased by her affection, but he becomes jealous when he learns she named Xiaojiu herself.
• Ye Qinglan watches Ye Chuqi’s affectionate reunion with Xiaojiu with a sharp, protective gaze.

Character interactions

• Ye Chuqi and Xiaojiu reconcile through her apology, his grudging forgiveness, and her promise not to leave him behind again.
• Ye Chuqi’s care for Xiaojiu—especially her offer of a meal—draws Ye Qinglan’s scrutiny.
• Xiaojiu and Joshua begin as rivals, each wary of the other’s closeness to Ye Chuqi. Ye Chuqi assigns them senior-junior roles to encourage unity, but their competitive glances continue.

Significant themes

• Abandonment, loyalty, and forgiveness: Xiaojiu’s long wait underscores the cost of Ye Chuqi’s absence, while her apology and promise begin to repair their bond.
• Belonging and family-like bonds: Ye Chuqi brings both boys into a shared “fellow disciple” relationship.
• Jealousy and competition: Xiaojiu fears losing his special place, while Joshua reacts possessively to signs of Ye Chuqi’s history with him.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qinglan tells Ye Chuqi that she has a younger brother, Ye Shiyi. Their mother, devastated after Chuqi vanished, initially rejected the infant; a family elder raised him. Shiyi grew up quiet and obedient, longing for his mother, who only recently began to feel remorse.
• Chuqi asks whether she should visit home. Qinglan welcomes the idea but recognizes that she may still feel little connection to the Ye Family or this world. He agrees she can return whenever she is ready, and they decide not to alert the family until they are close.
• Qinglan notices that the Bai Family has secretly assigned a female Shadow Guard to follow Chuqi. Chuqi and San San already know someone is watching, but she has not confronted the guard.
• Yuges asks Chuqi for the Nine-Leaf Green Flower. She refuses because she needs it to heal her injuries. Yuges accepts her answer and explains that someone else had asked him to make the request. Chuqi knows her return is no secret and worries about causing trouble; Qinglan suspects others are trying to pressure her indirectly.

Character development and interactions

• Chuqi’s willingness to call Qinglan “brother” and consider visiting home signals growing, cautious acceptance of her family. Her concern for Yuges also shows her consideration for others, even as she firmly protects what she needs.
• Qinglan is protective and perceptive: he reassures Chuqi, respects her pace, and recognizes the pain endured by both Shiyi and their mother. His anger is directed at whoever targeted the Ye Family, not at his vulnerable relatives.
• Shiyi is introduced as a neglected but gentle child, while the mother’s guilt and difficulty reconnecting with him reveal a family still healing.
• Yuges respects Chuqi’s refusal, while the unseen Bai Shadow Guard reflects the Bai Family’s continuing vigilance around her.

Significant themes

• Family and belonging: Chuqi’s possible return is meaningful, but belonging cannot be demanded; she must approach it at her own pace.
• Grief and its aftermath: The family’s past loss harmed both the grieving mother and the child born afterward.
• Protection and boundaries: The Bai Family watches over Chuqi, while Chuqi sets a clear boundary around the flower she needs.
• Hidden pressure and power: The indirect request suggests that others may be testing or exploiting Chuqi despite her powerful family connections.

Key plot points

• Yuges asks Ye Qinglan to help obtain a Nine-Leaf Green Flower for Ambrose. Ye Qinglan recognizes his former commander but, focused on his newly returned sister, says he will handle the request without concern.
• Bai Fenghua summons Ye Chuqi to the Imperial Capital to resolve matters in person.
• The Bai Family Shadow Guard who had been secretly watching Ye Chuqi delivers the summons and asks whether Ye Chuqi wants her to stay. Ye Chuqi reluctantly lets her remain rather than send her back.
• The Shadow Guard explains that guards receive names from their masters. Ye Chuqi names her Xiao Wu, and Xiao Wu returns to the shadows after establishing a discreet presence beside her.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qinglan is increasingly devoted to Ye Chuqi, considering giving up his military career and postponing his family responsibilities to stay with her. His affection is shown through his eagerness for her approval and delight when she speaks sweetly to him.
• Ye Chuqi is kindhearted but uneasy about having a Shadow Guard follow her, especially because the arrangement might expose her secrets. Xiao Wu’s emotional appeal persuades her to keep the guard.
• Xiao Wu proves perceptive and skilled at securing a place at Ye Chuqi’s side. She gently uses her apparent vulnerability to win Ye Chuqi’s sympathy, then keeps watch without imposing herself.
• Ye Qinglan and Ye Chuqi share a warm, teasing sibling dynamic. Xiao Wu and Ye Chuqi begin forming a bond, while Xiao Wu’s request for a number-name prompts playful jealousy from the other named companions.

Significant themes

• Family affection and personal loyalty outweigh duty or career ambitions for Ye Qinglan.
• The chapter explores the tension between protection and independence: Ye Chuqi is offered security but worries about the cost to her privacy.
• Naming symbolizes belonging and recognition, while the chapter’s humor softens the more serious issues of loyalty, vulnerability, and obligation.

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Wu tries to build a closer bond with Ye Chuqi, but finds it difficult because Ye Chuqi often seems distracted. Xiao Wu does not realize that Ye Chuqi is frequently focused on San San or mentally inside her personal space.
• Ye Chuqi worries about using a Teleportation Array after a previous bad experience. Ye Qinglan reassures her, though she insists she is merely curious about the journey.
• The group travels from Monte City to the Imperial Capital by Teleportation Array. Ye Qinglan pays for everyone, including Xiao Bu, whose enormous size makes the array feel cramped and unsettles the staff. Starry affectionately thanks Xiao Bu, while Xiaojiu and Joshua decide not to.
• The teleportation goes smoothly. Ye Chuqi grips Ye Qinglan’s arm so tightly that she nearly hurts him, revealing her unusual strength.
• In the Imperial Capital, staff recognize Ye Qinglan and his Lion Owl, Xiao Bu. Ye Qinglan’s special status allows him to bring Xiao Bu into the city freely. The staff also welcome Ye Chuqi and notice Xiao Wu and Starry.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Wu wants to be recognized and accepted by Ye Chuqi, but her hidden, watchful manner makes her easy to overlook.
• Ye Chuqi remains anxious about teleportation despite denying it, and her reflexive grip on Ye Qinglan shows both her fear and her considerable physical power. She later responds politely to the Imperial Capital staff.
• Ye Qinglan reassures Ye Chuqi, covers the group’s travel costs, and remains protective of her.
• Xiao Bu is treated generously by Ye Qinglan and receives Starry’s friendly affection.
• The teleportation staff are initially alarmed by Xiao Bu’s size, then recognize Ye Qinglan and greet the returning party professionally.

Significant themes

• Trust and closeness: Xiao Wu’s effort to connect with Ye Chuqi contrasts with the established understanding among long-time Shadow Guards.
• Protection and care: Ye Qinglan’s reassurance and willingness to pay for everyone reflect his concern for the group.
• Power hidden beneath appearances: Ye Chuqi’s near-crushing grip reveals strength that others might not expect.
• Status and privilege: Ye Qinglan’s favor with the Emperor and Special Permit let him travel with Xiao Bu openly, regardless of the inconvenience or cost.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qinglan and Ye Chuqi arrive in the Imperial Capital with Xiao Bu, a giant flying beast. Xiao Bu heads off to play at Griffin Camp, where his visits encourage the Imperial Griffin Legion’s Griffins to train harder.
• The Ye and Bai families have adjoining estates and a close, multigenerational bond. Ye Chuqi worries that staying there will alert her family, but Ye Qinglan reassures her that they already know and have been giving her space until she is ready to meet them.
• At the Imperial Capital Academy, Kang Nan—an admiring student of Ye Qinglan and a pupil of Bai Fenghua—meets the pair and leads them to Bai.
• Ye Chuqi learns that Bai’s request concerns Big Black Fish: Bai’s friend Marcus, an academy teacher and Wind Grand Mage specializing in Space Magic, disappeared while testing a spell. His laboratory now contains a mysterious Spatial Vortex, and the teachers are trying to keep its entrance stable while they search for him.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chuqi remains uneasy about facing her family, though arriving in the capital suggests she may be moving toward reconciliation. She quickly understands that Bai’s appeal is connected to Big Black Fish’s unusual spatial ability.
• Ye Qinglan is protective and gentle with Ye Chuqi, reassuring her about her family while handling the journey calmly. He also remains unmoved by the students’ admiration.
• Xiao Bu is revealed as playful beneath his composed manner. He enjoys visiting the Griffins and provoking them, though his presence benefits their training.
• Kang Nan is visibly awed by Ye Qinglan but regains his composure to guide the visitors to Bai.
• Bai Fenghua seeks Ye Chuqi’s help because the crisis may require Big Black Fish’s rare spatial powers.

Significant themes

• Family, trust, and readiness: Ye Chuqi’s family waits for her to choose when to reconnect rather than forcing a meeting.
• Power used for good: Xiao Bu’s playful visits inspire the Griffins to improve, while Big Black Fish’s ability may help resolve a dangerous disappearance.
• Community and loyalty: The Ye and Bai families’ long friendship, and the academy teachers’ efforts to preserve Marcus’s route back, show the strength of enduring bonds.

Key plot points and events

• The attempt to enter the Spatial Vortex fails: its turbulent interior tears apart anything that tries to pass through. Though Marcus is confirmed alive, no one can tell where he is.
• A Grand Mage’s divination suggests Marcus has only a slim chance of survival. The vortex is becoming increasingly unstable, and a spatial storm is forming inside it.
• Ye Chuqi summons Big Black Fish. With San San translating, it explains that it can estimate where the vortex leads, but cannot guarantee Marcus arrived there.
• Ye Chuqi warns that the vortex may soon expand and consume its surroundings. Big Black Fish asks to use the Spatial Bluestone stabilizing the entrance; the Grand Mage agrees.
• Big Black Fish swallows the bluestone and briefly holds the entrance open while tracing the vortex’s spatial remnants. It quickly finishes, then sweeps its tail to scatter the vortex. A wisp of the storm escapes and tears through the Laboratory.
• Ye Qinglan shields Ye Chuqi, but she notices that his expression is deeply troubled.

Character developments

• Ye Chuqi stays focused and practical, relaying Big Black Fish’s warnings and negotiating for the bluestone. Her confidence in the fish’s abilities shows how much she trusts it.
• Big Black Fish demonstrates impressive spatial skill and boldness, risking itself to help locate Marcus. It is also more perceptive and capable than before.
• The Grand Mage reluctantly accepts the risk of surrendering the bluestone, trusting Big Black Fish to manage the vortex.
• Ye Qinglan instinctively protects Ye Chuqi, though his reaction hints at an undisclosed concern.

Significant themes

• Risk and sacrifice: The group must choose between pursuing Marcus and preventing the vortex from endangering everyone nearby.
• Uncertainty: Big Black Fish can estimate the vortex’s destination, but cannot know whether Marcus reached it safely.
• Trust and cooperation: Ye Chuqi, Big Black Fish, San San, and the mages combine their abilities to respond to a crisis.
• Growing capability: Big Black Fish’s progress reflects how experience and companionship have made it more capable and adventurous.

Character interactions

• Ye Chuqi’s blunt question about Marcus’s survival unsettles the waiting teachers, but Bai Fenghua reassures her.
• San San translates Big Black Fish’s findings and clarifies that it wants Spatial Bluestone rather than Spiritual Liquid.
• Ye Chuqi conveys the warning and request to Bai Fenghua and the Grand Mage, who ultimately permits Big Black Fish to act.
• Ye Qinglan protects Ye Chuqi from the escaping spatial storm, prompting her to notice his troubled expression.

Plot points and events

• A Spatial Vortex appears, reminding Ye Qinglan of the one that took infant Ye Chuqi from him. Fearing she might be lost again, he pulls her into his arms and shields her as the vortex vanishes and the storm worsens.
• Ye Chuqi comforts him with a hug and a gentle pat. She understands his lingering pain but resolves privately to take care of herself.
• Using information from Big Black Fish, Ye Chuqi marks a likely place where the vortex emerged: a region in the far north, near the Bai family’s ancestral home. The group plans to search there for the missing Teacher Marcus, though they cannot be certain he came out at that location.
• Big Black Fish is pleased to have helped and wants to spend more time outside with Ye Chuqi. Bai Fenghua arranges a special permit so it can accompany her despite not yet being certified.
• While meeting the Beast Tamer teacher who arranges the permit, Ye Chuqi openly studies his horned, humanlike appearance. Her intense curiosity embarrasses him, and he flees.
• Bai Fenghua encourages Ye Chuqi to explore Imperial Capital Academy on her own, while keeping Ye Qinglan behind so she can experience campus without his admirers crowding around them. Despite his concerns, Ye Qinglan agrees to respect her independence.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qinglan reveals how deeply Ye Chuqi’s childhood disappearance still wounds him. His protectiveness comes from fear of losing her again, but he tries to balance that instinct with respect for her wishes.
• Ye Chuqi responds with warmth and reassurance, while maintaining her independence and resolve to look after herself.
• Big Black Fish gains recognition as a useful companion and eagerly seeks greater closeness with Ye Chuqi.
• Bai Fenghua acts as a practical mediator, arranging the permit and encouraging Ye Chuqi to explore.
• Ye Chuqi’s fascination with the unfamiliar Beastfolk teacher creates a brief comic encounter.

Significant themes

• Family, separation, and lingering trauma: Ye Qinglan’s fear persists even after Ye Chuqi’s return.
• Protection versus independence: He wants to keep her safe but allows her room to choose.
• Belonging and acceptance: Big Black Fish’s wish to be included reflects its desire for companionship.
• Curiosity and unfamiliarity: Ye Chuqi’s encounter with the Beastfolk highlights her interest in the world around her.

Plot and events

Ye Chuqi tours the Imperial Capital Academy with Kang Nan, while Xiaojiu tags along out of curiosity. Joshua, who once dreamed of attending the academy, is now content simply to visit: Ye Chuqi has already helped him become a Magic Apprentice. The campus is relatively quiet because students are waiting for assessment results after field training.
Kang Nan explains the academy’s demanding culture and his own recent success: his team completed the Lost Forest assignment without casualties, earned excellent evaluations, and secured him a likely recommendation to the Imperial Capital Legion. Their tour is interrupted by Jules, a fellow student who mocks Kang Nan for supposedly ingratiating himself with Ye Chuqi and threatens that bringing her onto campus could damage his record. Jules is jealous of Kang Nan’s achievements and has a history of sabotaging teammates. He rushes toward Kang Nan, who instinctively moves to shield Ye Chuqi—then realizes she hardly needs protection.

Character developments and interactions

• Kang Nan has grown from a struggling student into a confident, successful candidate for the Legion, yet remains humble and warm around Ye Chuqi. His instinct to protect her reveals both his loyalty and how easily her small appearance obscures her strength.
• Ye Chuqi observes the academy with skepticism and remains composed when Jules confronts them.
• Joshua has shifted from longing to enroll to appreciating how far Ye Chuqi’s guidance has brought him.
• Jules emerges as Kang Nan’s resentful rival: manipulative, competitive, and eager to provoke him. Their history of failed sabotage fuels his hostility.
• Xiaojiu is largely indifferent to the academy, while Little White accompanies Ye Chuqi.

Themes

The chapter highlights the academy’s harsh meritocracy: prestigious family ties cannot substitute for ability or effort, and admission is difficult while being forced out is easy. It also explores rivalry and resentment, contrasting Kang Nan’s fair conduct with Jules’s habit of harming others for advantage. Finally, it emphasizes appearances versus reality—Ye Chuqi looks vulnerable, but Kang Nan’s protective reflex may be unnecessary.