Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Mo Xie asks Qin Zhan about the blood-red monster he encountered. Qin identifies it as the Red Demon but initially refuses to explain further, warning that the danger is beyond a Beginner Mage. He reveals that a Scroll he gave Mo Xie contains what he knows—though Mo Xie never read it, mistaking it for a private farewell letter.
• Qin assures Leng Lingling that he has seriously wounded the Red Demon and expects it to need several years to recover. Lingling, shaken by her father’s near-death, refuses to leave his side that night.
• Leng Qing takes Mo Xie to the Azure Sky Hunter Agency, gives him a room and some of her father’s clothes, then stays up with him downstairs.
• Over drinks, Leng Qing thanks Mo Xie for saving her father and describes the close bond between Qin Zhan and Lingling. She explains that Qin taught Lingling to hunt from a young age, and that Lingling—despite being a child—is already a Hunter Master.
• Leng Qing reveals that the sisters know little about the Red Demon, but their father has returned badly injured from fighting it before. They had feared for him all day. Exhausted and emotional, she falls asleep at the counter.

Character developments

• Mo Xie learns that his Scroll contains information about the Red Demon, and sees more clearly the personal cost of Qin Zhan’s dangerous pursuit.
• Qin Zhan recognizes the limits of Mo Xie’s abilities and withholds details to protect him. His near-fatal encounter also makes him promise not to act recklessly.
• Leng Lingling reveals a vulnerable, frightened side beneath her maturity and skill: she is deeply afraid of losing her father.
• Leng Qing lets down her usually composed exterior, expressing gratitude and sharing her family’s fears and affection.

Significant themes

• Family bonds and fear of loss: Qin Zhan’s danger deeply affects both daughters, especially Lingling.
• Protection and responsibility: Qin shields Mo Xie from dangerous knowledge, while his daughters worry over his choices.
• Courage and recklessness: Qin’s determination to defeat the Red Demon has put him and his family through repeated fear.
• Trust and emotional openness: Leng Qing’s conversation with Mo Xie shows gratitude and growing personal vulnerability.

Character interactions

• Qin and Lingling share a tender moment as he comforts her and she refuses to leave him.
• Leng Qing escorts Mo Xie home with her, provides for his comfort, and later confides in him.
• Mo Xie listens quietly as Leng Qing describes her family, offering her space to speak after a frightening and exhausting day.

Plot points and events

• Leng Qing wakes at the counter with a blanket over her shoulders and discovers Mo Xie making breakfast. He explains that he slept on the sofa so he could make sure she was safe.
• The family gathers for breakfast. Leng Qing and Qin Zhan are impressed by Mo Xie’s cooking, and Mo Xie has also prepared food for the hospital.
• Qin Zhan jokingly offers to marry his eldest daughter to Mo Xie as thanks. Leng Qing blushes and protests; Mo Xie points out that he is only sixteen.
• Before leaving, Mo Xie signs a poster for Leng Lingling, who is delighted.
• After Mo Xie departs, Qin Zhan and Song Qiming discuss his guarded manner, suspecting that his cheerful friendliness hides a deeper, more cautious side. Someone secretly listens to their conversation.

Character developments and interactions

• Leng Qing is touched by Mo Xie’s thoughtfulness and seems flustered by his domestic kindness and Qin Zhan’s matchmaking joke.
• Mo Xie shows care for the family through his overnight watch and breakfast, while inwardly reflecting that his actions may have saved them. He remains guarded despite his warmth.
• Qin Zhan is grateful and increasingly familiar with Mo Xie, offering him his support and asking him to call him “Uncle Qin.”
• Leng Lingling remains affectionate toward Mo Xie and shyly asks him for an autograph.
• Song Qiming and Qin Zhan recognize that Mo Xie’s friendly demeanor may be a mask and speculate that past hardship made him wary.

Significant themes

• Care and gratitude: Mo Xie’s quiet acts of service deepen his connection with the family.
• Hidden vulnerability: Others sense a guarded nature beneath his easygoing exterior.
• Family and belonging: The shared breakfast and teasing create a warm, domestic atmosphere.
• Awkward affection: Leng Qing’s embarrassment hints at emerging romantic tension, though Mo Xie’s age makes Qin Zhan’s joke especially incongruous.

Key plot points and events

• In late July, Mo Xie arrives in Ningbo after traveling through the Imperial Capital and Demon Capital. His concerts went well, but his investigation into the Zu and Qin clans turned up no useful leads.
• Before continuing to Hangzhou, he chooses Shanghe Street—a redeveloped tourist town—as a place to rest.
• In Upper River Town, a local resident warns him that Shanghe Street is supposedly haunted by a witch. The area’s residents began behaving unpredictably about two years earlier: crying, becoming violent, and later remembering nothing.
• The rumors drove locals away, and the once-thriving destination declined. Despite the warning, Mo Xie decides to investigate for himself.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie is portrayed as considerate, giving an elderly woman his bus seat, and as calm and self-assured despite her concern about his unusually covered-up appearance.
• He remains frustrated that trouble seems to follow him, but curiosity and a preference for firsthand evidence outweigh his desire to avoid it.
• An old man gives Mo Xie directions and explains Shanghe Street’s troubled history. His sadness reflects his personal attachment to the place, where he once lived.
• Mo Xie briefly considers whether a Demon Beast might be causing the strange behavior, showing his investigative instincts.

Significant themes

• Rumor versus truth: Mo Xie refuses to accept the “witch” story without investigating.
• Community and decline: Fear empties Shanghe Street and damages a place that once brought prosperity.
• Rest disrupted by mystery: Mo Xie seeks quiet, but the unexplained events draw him toward another investigation.

Plot points and events

• Mo Xie walks along deserted Shanghe Street and finds a clean, operating inn beside an overgrown-looking neighborhood.
• He meets Ding Yumian, who runs the inn with her grandmother. She is excited that he wants to stay, but briefly worries because he appears under eighteen.
• Mo Xie shows his ID and calls his father, Mo Jiaxing, who confirms he can stay and asks Ding Yumian to look after him. Mo Xie books a room for three days.
• Recognizing her name, Mo Xie privately identifies Ding Yumian as a Psychic Element Calamity Victim whose newly awakened magic may have caused the earlier rumors branding her a “demon girl.” He decides not to interfere and simply enjoy his stay.
• Ding Yumian later brings word that her grandmother has made lunch. She is flustered when Mo Xie answers the door shirtless and retreats downstairs.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie is observant and self-assured. Though he recognizes the danger surrounding Ding Yumian, he chooses to keep his distance for now. His easy manner puts her at ease, and he accepts her family’s hospitality.
• Ding Yumian is initially wary of a strange visitor, then becomes visibly delighted when he books a room. She is conscientious about the inn’s rules and welcoming toward him, but his appearance makes her bashful.
• Mo Jiaxing supports his son’s stay over the phone and encourages Ding Yumian to look after him.
• Ding Yumian and her grandmother share responsibility for the inn: the grandmother prepares lunch while Ding handles the booking.

Significant themes

• Appearances and reputation: The deserted street and rumors of a “demon girl” conceal a functioning inn and a young woman whose frightening reputation may stem from uncontrolled magic rather than malice.
• Isolation and hospitality: In an otherwise empty neighborhood, the inn offers warmth and welcome.
• Foreshadowing: Mo Xie’s knowledge of Ding Yumian’s hidden magical condition hints that his supposedly uneventful visit may become more complicated.

• Key events: Mo Xie shares dinner with Ye Xinlan (“Grandma Ye”) and learns that the inn has lost its visitors because of rumors about Ding Yumian being a witch. Later, he asks Ding to guide him around the nearby nature park. She shows him its scenic spots and her favorite place: a lake with a wooden bridge. When she mentions she is bad at fishing, Mo Xie quickly catches a fish and promises her a feast.
• Character development: Mo Xie is considerate and resourceful. He eats gratefully, notices Ding’s discomfort about the inn’s decline, and decides to help however he can. Ding, usually shy, becomes animated and joyful in the familiar woods, where animals respond to her greetings—revealing the wonder and pleasure she finds in her psychic abilities.
• Character interactions: Grandma Ye warmly questions Mo Xie over dinner and explains the family’s hardship. Moie persuades Ding to accept payment for guiding him, despite her initial offer to do it for free. As they explore, Ding eagerly shares places she loves and takes his hand in her excitement. Their playful exchange over fishing ends with her amazed by his catch.
• Themes: Compassion and quiet generosity; the harm caused by rumors and isolation; finding unexpected joy in hardship; and the healing comfort of nature and connection with living things.

• Plot: After an evening of fishing, Mo Xie and Ding Yumian return to the inn with buckets of fish. Ding Yumian is delighted that she caught her own bucket using Mo Xie’s lessons. Mo Xie offers to cook dinner for her and Grandma Ye, but Yumian insists on helping. Her attempt to catch a fish in the kitchen turns into a comic struggle, so Mo Xie guides her hands as he demonstrates how to prepare it. She becomes distracted by their closeness and, flustered when he looks at her, asks to help with chopping instead.
• Character developments: Ding Yumian shows she is a quick learner and takes pride in becoming more self-reliant. Her enthusiasm extends to cooking, though she has little experience. Mo Xie is patient and considerate: he teaches her practical skills rather than using her Psychic Element to make fishing easier, wanting her to enjoy her success. Yumian’s bashful reaction hints at growing romantic feelings.
• Character interactions: Mo Xie teases Yumian affectionately, and she protests while blushing. Grandma Ye warmly praises Yumian’s catch and thanks Mo Xie for caring for her granddaughter; Yumian immediately denies needing to be looked after. In the kitchen, Mo Xie helps Yumian prepare the fish, bringing them unexpectedly close.
• Themes: The chapter emphasizes self-reliance, learning through experience, and the satisfaction of earning success. Its gentle humor and domestic setting also highlight care, family warmth, and the emerging intimacy between Mo Xie and Ding Yumian.

Key plot points and events

• Mo Xie cooks a lavish dinner for Grandma Ye and Ding Yumian. Grandma praises his cooking and hints that he would make a good husband for her granddaughter; Yumian is too absorbed in the food to notice.
• That night, Mo Xie and Yumian sit together on the courtyard roof beneath the stars. She thanks him for giving her grandmother a happy meal and remarks that he seems to have changed.
• Mo Xie admits that his friendly manner can be a mask: he keeps his heart closed to most people and is accustomed to being alone.
• Yumian explains that her parents died fighting Demon Beasts. After her Psychic Element awakened, she struggled to control it, and its influence over people’s emotions led to rumors branding her “the Witch.” Though she has the potential to advance, she resents her Magic and has stopped wanting to cultivate.
• Mo Xie reassures her that her early lack of control does not define her. He urges her to use her power to protect Grandma and what she cherishes, then asks whether she wants Shanghe Street to become lively again. When she says yes, he treats that answer as a decision and interrupts her before she can explain further.
• Grandma calls them down for watermelon, ending their conversation.

Character developments

• Mo Xie reveals his guarded, lonely side and explains that protecting his loved ones is the reason he trains. His encouragement suggests he sees Yumian’s power as something she can choose to use constructively.
• Ding Yumian opens up about her grief, fear, and shame surrounding her Psychic Element. Mo Xie’s words rekindle her sense of purpose: protecting her grandmother and restoring the street.
• Grandma Ye remains warm and appreciative, using dinner to tease Yumian about Mo Xie.

Significant themes

• Family and protection: Love for family gives both Mo Xie and Yumian a reason to persevere.
• Power and responsibility: Magic is not inherently a curse; its value depends on how its wielder chooses to use it.
• Loneliness and trust: Mo Xie’s confession and Yumian’s vulnerable story bring them closer.
• Hope and renewal: Yumian’s wish to revive Shanghe Street hints at a shared purpose and a possible future for the quiet, troubled town.

Character interactions

• Mo Xie’s attentive cooking earns Grandma Ye’s praise and delights Yumian, who admires him.
• On the roof, Mo Xie and Yumian exchange personal confessions; he comforts her with a playful hair-ruffle, and she reacts with embarrassed irritation.
• Their serious conversation turns toward restoring Shanghe Street, but Grandma Ye’s call cuts it short.

Plot points and events

• Mo Xie wakes before dawn and discovers the inn’s front doors are locked. He wakes Ding Yumian so she can let him out.
• He reminds her of his promise to revive Shanghe Street and says he has a plan. Though doubtful that the street can be saved, Ding Yumian agrees to accompany him.
• They hike up a mountain in the dark with flashlights. Ding Yumian struggles with the climb, and Mo Xie advises her to build her stamina for future encounters with Demon Beasts.
• At the summit, Mo Xie sets up a camera to film the sunrise. His idea is to post videos of the area’s scenery online and attract visitors.
• They watch the sunrise together, and Ding Yumian is captivated by its beauty.

Character development

• Mo Xie is determined to keep his promise and approaches Shanghe Street’s revival with optimism and initiative. He also shows concern for Ding Yumian, encouraging her and feeling sympathy for what he believes she will endure in the future.
• Ding Yumian begins the morning sleepy and self-conscious, then warms to Mo Xie’s company. She remains uncertain about his plan but responds with genuine excitement to the sunrise. The chapter also reveals her pride in her distinctive hairstyles and her lack of physical training.

Themes

• Keeping promises and taking action: Mo Xie treats his commitment to restore the street as something to follow through on.
• Hope and renewal: The sunrise mirrors the possibility of a fresh start for Shanghe Street.
• Beauty and connection: Sharing the mountain view brings the two characters closer.

Character interactions

• Mo Xie’s cheerful confidence contrasts with Ding Yumian’s initial guilt and skepticism. He comforts her with reassurance and a gentle gesture, while she opens up through playful exchanges about her hair and their hike.
• Their shared admiration of the sunrise ends the outing on a warm, hopeful note.

Plot points and events

• Mo Xie and Ding Yumian spend the morning taking photos and footage around a scenic area. Mo Xie decides the material needs something more, especially for a planned “revival” project.
• He takes Ding Yumian to a clothing store and asks her to model several outfits, without initially explaining his plan.
• After some grumbling, Ding Yumian cooperates. Mo Xie gives her feedback on the outfits and suggests stockings and shoes to complete each look.
• As the fashion session continues, Ding Yumian grows interested and starts choosing additional clothes herself.

Character developments

• Mo Xie is resourceful and confident in his creative judgment, but blunt enough to upset Ding Yumian. He also shows a thoughtful eye for styling.
• Ding Yumian begins confused and irritated by Mo Xie’s unexplained request. His approval makes her shy and pleased, and trying on clothes gradually becomes something she enjoys.

Character interactions

• Mo Xie’s stern manner briefly silences Ding Yumian, though she still pouts and challenges his remarks.
• Ding Yumian looks to him for approval, and his compliment lifts her spirits—until an awkward joke about her looking prettier “with clothes on” embarrasses her.
• They settle into a cooperative rhythm, with Mo Xie offering styling advice and Ding Yumian listening and experimenting.

Significant themes

• The chapter emphasizes appearance and presentation: Mo Xie believes the photos need an added visual element, while the clothing and styling transform the shoot.
• It also shows growing comfort and trust between the pair, as Ding Yumian moves from reluctant cooperation to genuine enthusiasm.

Key plot points and events

• Mo Xie films Ding Yumian dancing in several locations to create a promotional video for Shanghe Street, hoping to revive the struggling scenic area.
• Ding Yumian is so camera-shy that she repeatedly freezes and becomes discouraged. Mo Xie bluntly snaps her out of her self-doubt, then reminds her to recall how confident she felt while showing him around the previous day.
• Encouraged, Ding Yumian asks to try again and completes the dance. Mo Xie continues filming her throughout the afternoon.
• Back at the hotel, Ding Yumian says she will repay Mo Xie for the clothes he bought her. He accepts her insistence.
• Mo Xie edits the footage and plans to post it online. To counter rumors that Shanghe Street is dangerous, he asks Qin Zhan to comment publicly that there are no Demon Beasts there. Qin agrees, though he notes that Mo Xie is using a favor for a seemingly small matter.
• Qin Zhan’s computer contains files about the “Shanghe Street Demoness Incident.” Leng Qing arrives and confirms that she will return to the Judgment Hall at Lingyin Temple the next day.

Character developments

• Ding Yumian moves from embarrassment and insecurity toward greater confidence, ultimately choosing to try again rather than give up. Her insistence on repaying Mo Xie also shows growing independence and resolve.
• Mo Xie is a teasing but supportive mentor: his rough approach contrasts with his genuine concern for Ding Yumian. He is also committed to saving Shanghe Street and willing to spend a valuable favor to help it.
• Qin Zhan trusts Mo Xie and agrees to help, while recognizing the importance Mo Xie attaches to the street.
• Leng Qing is preparing to return to her duties at the Judgment Hall.

Significant themes

• Confidence through encouragement: Ding Yumian’s progress comes when she reconnects with her own authentic confidence.
• Independence and dignity: Ding Yumian’s determination to repay the clothing reflects her desire to stand on her own.
• Community and reputation: Mo Xie uses his influence and relationships to counter rumors and support Shanghe Street’s revival.
• Care expressed through teasing: Mo Xie’s brusque humor masks sincere support for Ding Yumian.

Character interactions

• Mo Xie coaches Ding Yumian through her anxiety, balancing teasing, physical humor, and earnest reassurance.
• Ding Yumian responds to his help but also asserts herself by insisting on repaying him.
• Mo Xie asks Qin Zhan to publicly support his campaign; Qin agrees because he trusts him.
• Leng Qing checks in with her father about Mo Xie’s call before confirming her departure plans.

Key events

• Mo Xie posts a video promoting Shanghe Street’s scenic area. It features Ding Yumian dancing through changing outfits and scenery, and quickly attracts millions of views.
• Viewers praise the location and speculate about the dancer and the rumored Witch. They recall that the Cold Hunter King had denied the rumors.
• Mo Xie believes the video will bring visitors—and eventually residents and businesses—back to Shanghe Street. Satisfied that he has fulfilled his promise, he begins packing to leave.
• Ding Yumian discovers she is the girl in the video and is amazed by how radiant and confident she appears. Mo Xie encourages her and compliments her beauty.
• When he says he is leaving, Ding Yumian is distressed. She clings to his shirt and asks him to stay until after lunch. Mo Xie agrees.
• At lunch, Ding Yumian can barely eat until Mo Xie serves her. Grandma Ye recognizes her feelings and warns her that she must seize her chance before Mo Xie slips away. Ding Yumian then runs to her room.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie is pleased that his social-media post may restore Shanghe Street. Though he does not seem to grasp the depth of Ding Yumian’s attachment, he responds gently to her plea and comforts her.
• Ding Yumian begins to see herself as beautiful and capable through the video, but Mo Xie’s impending departure reveals how strongly she has grown attached to him. Her quiet affection turns into an urgent fear of losing him.
• Grandma Ye understands her granddaughter’s feelings and nudges her to act rather than let the moment pass.
• The chapter’s central interaction is the contrast between Mo Xie’s matter-of-fact plan to leave and Ding Yumian’s emotional reluctance to let him go.

Significant themes

• Seizing the chance: Grandma Ye’s advice gives the chapter its message: important feelings may need to be acted on before an opportunity disappears.
• Confidence and self-image: The video helps Ding Yumian recognize a brighter, more confident side of herself.
• Parting and attachment: A brief companionship has become deeply meaningful to Ding Yumian, making an ordinary goodbye painful.
• Community renewal: Mo Xie’s post may revive Shanghe Street by attracting visitors and encouraging the return of local life.

Key plot points and events

• Mo Xie speaks with Jiang Ya and Lin Jiayu, confirming he will leave for Hangzhou that night and expects to return in about a week. He promises to treat them both to a meal when he gets back.
• Ding Yumian asks Mo Xie to take another walk with her. They visit the lakeside, where she reflects on Shanghe Street’s restoration and how the previous three days have been the happiest she has felt in two years.
• Mo Xie reassures her and comforts her, though she playfully objects when he pats her head and insists she is older.
• Ding Yumian asks to call him “Little Evil,” a nickname associated with her grandmother. She then asks him to make the most of life with her and suggests they take a photograph before he leaves.
• As the camera takes a second picture, Ding Yumian kisses Mo Xie on the cheek.

Character developments

• Mo Xie is preparing to leave but makes time for Ding Yumian. He responds warmly to her vulnerability and offers reassurance, though he does not fully recognize the depth of her feelings.
• Ding Yumian moves from gratitude and growing comfort with Mo Xie to recognizing that she loves him. The approaching separation makes her sadness and affection more apparent; she chooses to preserve the moment with a photo and a kiss.
• Jiang Ya and Lin Jiayu show their fondness for Mo Xie through their eager call, especially Lin Jiayu’s playful request for a meal.

Significant themes

• Parting and remembrance: The photographs preserve a meaningful moment before Mo Xie leaves.
• Healing and renewed happiness: Ding Yumian connects the restored street and her time with Mo Xie to recovery from a long period of loneliness.
• Making the most of life: Her plea becomes both a shared promise and an expression of her desire to cherish their time together.
• Unspoken affection: Ding Yumian’s feelings deepen while Mo Xie remains largely unaware of their full significance.

Character interactions

• Mo Xie shares an affectionate, easygoing exchange with Jiang Ya and Lin Jiayu over the phone.
• With Ding Yumian, he offers comfort and accepts her nickname, while she alternates between playful teasing and vulnerable sincerity.
• Ding Yumian expresses her attachment indirectly through the photo request, then openly with a kiss on the cheek.

Summary

This is an author’s note celebrating the novel’s move to paid publication. The author shares that they began writing on January 1, 2024, and that the book went premium on March 1—an outcome that still feels unreal to them.
They explain that the story began as a fanfic inspired by the original novel and thank readers for their encouragement, votes, tips, and continued support. Acknowledging that some parts may be imperfect, the author asks for readers’ patience and promises to keep improving their writing and bringing their imagined world to life.
The author also thanks editor Penglai for supporting them as a first-time contracted novelist. To mark the premium launch, they promise a 10,000-word update on the first day and at least 4,000 words daily afterward, while asking readers to subscribe, follow, favorite, and continue supporting the book.

Character and relationship notes

There are no fictional plot developments or character interactions in this note. It focuses on the author’s relationship with readers and editor: the author expresses gratitude, humility, and a renewed commitment to both.

Significant themes

• Gratitude for reader and editor support
• Humility and acknowledgment of imperfect work
• Creative ambition and perseverance
• Personal agency, echoed in the closing wish that everyone become “masters of our own lives”

Plot points and events

• At a Judgment Hall meeting, Chief Judge Tang Zhong assigns officers to investigate a creature attack in Japan and to kill an Advanced Mage targeted by the Hall.
• He asks Tang Yue about her search for the Black Vatican in Bo City. She has found traces, but the leads repeatedly go cold.
• Tang Zhong reassures her that the Black Vatican’s long-standing presence makes the investigation difficult, and encourages her to focus on strengthening her cultivation.
• Tang Zhong also asks whether Mo Xie will join the Judgment Hall. Tang Yue reports that he is considering it but does not currently intend to join.
• Leng Qing hears Mo Xie’s name and wonders how he and Tang Yue know each other. After the meeting, she catches up with Tang Yue, and the two plan to have afternoon tea.
• Before Leng Qing can ask about Mo Xie, he calls Tang Yue and reveals he is nearby. He removes his disguise and greets her; Leng Qing recognizes him, leaving Tang Yue surprised that they know each other.

Character developments

• Tang Yue is revealed to have recently become an Advanced Mage at age twenty. Though frustrated by her stalled investigation, she regains her composure after Tang Zhong’s encouragement.
• Tang Zhong shows confidence in Tang Yue and hopes to groom her as his successor. He is also willing to let Mo Xie decide for himself about joining the Hall.
• Leng Qing, newly returned from National Team work, is curious about Mo Xie’s connection to Tang Yue but has no chance to ask before he appears.
• Mo Xie arrives in Hangzhou for business and takes the opportunity to visit Tang Yue.

Significant themes

• Duty and uncertainty: The Judgment Hall confronts dangerous cases while pursuing elusive leads.
• Mentorship and growth: Tang Zhong balances high expectations for Tang Yue with reassurance and patience.
• Loyalty versus independence: Mo Xie’s potential recruitment is discussed, but his choice is respected.
• Unexpected connections: The chapter’s meeting-room discussion turns into an unforeseen reunion that raises questions about the characters’ shared past.

Character interactions

• Tang Zhong questions and encourages Tang Yue, while the other officers watch as she reports on Mo Xie.
• Tang Yue and Leng Qing reunite warmly, linking arms and reminiscing about their work and ambitions.
• Mo Xie’s arrival delights Tang Yue, but his recognition by Leng Qing surprises them both and prompts Tang Yue to ask how they know each other.

Plot points and events

• Mo Xie, Tang Yue, and Leng Qing meet at a café near Lingyin Temple. While Mo Xie fetches their coffee, Tang Yue and Leng Qing compare how they first met him.
• Leng Qing explains that Mo Xie saved her father, the Cold Hunter King. Tang Yue is startled by the revelation and uneasy at the tenderness Leng Qing shows Mo Xie.
• The three share coffee and cake, and their conversation warms. Mo Xie learns Leng Qing served on the National Team, which was eliminated in the round of sixteen; he reassures her that making the team was an achievement in itself.
• Leng Qing leaves for work, disappointing Tang Yue, who had hoped to spend the afternoon with her. Mo Xie’s suggestion that Tang Yue leave too earns him an angry glare and an awkward attempt to reassure her.
• Mo Xie reveals that he will be in Hangzhou for about a week and asks Tang Yue to star in the music video for his new song, If Only.... After reading his lyrics and script, she is surprised by their mature, heartbreak-filled tone but agrees to help.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Yue feels jealous or possessive when she sees Leng Qing’s affection for Mo Xie, though she does not fully understand the feeling. She is also affectionate and playful with him, and readily agrees to support his project.
• Leng Qing shows deep gratitude and warmth toward Mo Xie because he saved her father. She remains modest about her National Team experience despite her disappointment at the team’s loss.
• Mo Xie is considerate—bringing dessert for the women and encouraging Leng Qing—but awkward around Tang Yue. He trusts her enough to ask her to star in his video.
• The café conversation reveals the two women’s different connections to Mo Xie, while Tang Yue and Mo Xie’s teasing, flustered exchange underscores their familiar closeness.

Significant themes

• Gratitude and loyalty shape Leng Qing’s bond with Mo Xie.
• Jealousy and unspoken affection emerge in Tang Yue’s reaction to Leng Qing.
• The chapter also touches on disappointment and resilience, as Leng Qing reflects on the National Team’s loss, and on Mo Xie’s surprising creative maturity through his song.

Plot points

• The chapter opens with an unidentified young man playing piano while a woman in white repeatedly asks whether he can play. He answers “No,” leaving their tense encounter unresolved.
• Mo Xie’s music-video preview goes viral, with fans praising its emotional impact, discussing his songwriting, and shipping him with the female lead.
• At Hangzhou Railway Station, Mo Xie says goodbye to Tang Yue, who is staying behind to return to the Judgment Hall and continue cultivating. He surprises her with a hug before boarding the train to Bo City.
• Back home, Ye Xinxia confronts Mo Xie about the women in the music video, especially Tang Yue. He explains their involvement, and she eventually forgives him—for now.
• While unpacking, Mo Xie finds a photo of himself with Ding Yumian and reflects on her hopeful smile. He wonders whether preserving that smile might be worthwhile, then puts the photo away and joins the family for dinner.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie remains composed and playful: he accepts the online attention without engaging, initiates an affectionate farewell with Tang Yue, and becomes uneasy under Xinxia’s questioning. His private reflection suggests renewed concern for Ding Yumian.
• Tang Yue is caught off guard by Mo Xie’s hug and shyly returns it, revealing affection beneath her usual poise.
• Ye Xinxia appears sweet but is jealous and suspicious about Mo Xie’s closeness with Tang Yue; her confrontation has a teasing, possessive edge.
• Mo Fan recognizes the tension between the couple and discreetly leaves Mo Xie to handle it.
• The opening piano scene presents an unnamed pair in a strained exchange, hinting at an unresolved emotional history.

Significant themes

• Love, jealousy, and intimacy: Mo Xie’s affectionate gestures toward Tang Yue prompt Xinxia’s jealousy.
• The emotional power of art: Fans connect deeply with Mo Xie’s song and video, while the opening piano scene links music to unspoken tension.
• Memory and hope: The photograph of Ding Yumian—and Mo Xie’s wish to preserve her smile—suggests that the past still shapes his choices.

Key plot points and events

• The students return to Tianlan Magic High School after summer vacation.
• Mo Fan reunites affectionately with Zhou Min on campus. The other students are surprised to see their admired class monitor dating him, but accept that Mo Fan’s achievements make him a fitting match.
• Mo Xie teases the couple by calling Zhou Min his “sister-in-law.” Zhou Min shyly agrees, and Mo Fan’s friends congratulate them; Zhao Kunsan jokingly laments that Mo Fan has left the ranks of the single.
• Mo Xie draws a crowd when he arrives in class, as classmates want to discuss his summer concert appearance and ask for photos and autographs.
• Teacher Xue Musheng tells Mo Fan and Mu Bai, both tied for second in the Annual Assessment, to collect the Stardust Magic Tool after school. He separately escorts Mo Xie to Principal Zhu’s office.
• Principal Zhu welcomes Mo Xie with tea, then reveals that he has called him in to ask for his help. The chapter ends before he explains what he needs.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Fan and Zhou Min openly confirm their relationship, showing their closeness and Zhou Min’s growing confidence in it.
• Mo Xie is pleased for the couple and helps keep the group moving, though his popularity makes him the center of attention at school.
• Zhang Xiaohou and Mu Bai offer sincere congratulations, while Zhao Kunsan reacts with comic jealousy.
• Principal Zhu treats Mo Xie warmly and approaches him personally, suggesting he trusts or values Mo Xie’s assistance.

Significant themes

• Romance and belonging: Mo Fan and Zhou Min’s relationship becomes public and is welcomed by their friends.
• Reputation and status: Mo Fan’s and Mo Xie’s achievements shape how classmates respond to them.
• A transition into new responsibilities: The school year begins with assessments and resources on the horizon, while Principal Zhu’s request hints at a new challenge for Mo Xie.

Key plot points and events

• Principal Zhu asks Mo Xie to persuade Snow Peak Mountain Station to host Tianlan Magic High School’s two-month field training trip. The station is reluctant because it received an Orange Alert the previous year.
• Mo Xie initially pretends he lacks influence, but Principal Zhu points out that the station previously sent him a letter and arranged leave for him.
• Rather than accept a favor, Mo Xie negotiates for the school’s Earth Sacred Spring training slot. He proposes that Mo Fan still compete against Mu Yuang, but that Mo Xie receive the slot if Mo Fan wins.
• Principal Zhu agrees, and Mo Xie calls his mentor, Zhan Kong, who approves the trip. Mo Xie confidently assures him that Mo Fan can win.
• Just as Mo Xie is about to rest, Mo Fan rushes in to report that the Stardust Magic Tool the school gave him has broken.

Character developments

• Mo Xie shows himself to be pragmatic and confident: he turns Principal Zhu’s request into a concrete bargain, while expressing strong faith in Mo Fan’s abilities.
• Principal Zhu is accommodating but constrained by existing arrangements and the influence of Bo City’s prominent families.
• Mo Fan remains off-page for most of the chapter, but his upcoming contest is central to Mo Xie’s plan. His sudden report about the broken tool sets up a new problem.
• Zhan Kong comes across as informal and forgetful, but readily grants Mo Xie’s request.

Significant themes

• Negotiation over favors: Mo Xie prefers a clear exchange to owing or being owed.
• Family loyalty and confidence: He seeks the Earth Sacred Spring slot for himself but relies on Mo Fan to win it.
• Institutional inequality: The slot has long gone to prominent families’ children, and Mo Fan’s conflict with the Mu Family has shaped the competition.
• Training through danger: The field trip is intended to test students’ composure against real Demon Beasts.

Character interactions

• Mo Xie and Principal Zhu bargain over the field trip and the Earth Sacred Spring slot.
• Mo Xie and Zhan Kong speak casually, revealing their mentor–student relationship and Mo Xie’s connection to Snow Peak Mountain Station.
• Mo Xie’s confidence in Mo Fan contrasts with Mo Fan’s abrupt, anxious entrance and troubling news about his magic tool.

Plot points and events

• Mo Fan’s Little Loach Pendant absorbs all the energy from a school Stardust Magic Tool, leaving it useless. Worried he’ll have to answer for the damage, he tells his older brother, Mo Xie.
• Mo Xie takes the pendant and brings out his own Qilin Pendant. The two relics react to each other: the Qilin Pendant glows gold, while the Little Loach Pendant turns green and shines azure.
• Their light beams strike Mo Xie’s forehead, sending his consciousness into a vast, star-filled space.
• Inside, he sees the illuminated Qilin and Azure Dragon, along with three unlit Sacred Totems: the White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. Mist hides what lies beyond them.
• Mo Xie returns to the room. The Qilin Pendant then transfers a golden mark to the Azure Dragon Pendant, and matching Qilin and Azure Dragon marks appear on Mo Xie’s forehead.

Character developments

• Mo Fan is panicked about the damaged magic tool, but Mo Xie calmly reassures him and takes responsibility for handling the problem.
• Mo Xie shifts from playful amusement to focused curiosity as the pendants reveal a mysterious connection. He quickly reasons that the remaining Sacred Totems, or their vessels, may need to be found and activated.

Character interactions

• Mo Fan confesses to Mo Xie and shows him the pendant; Mo Xie teases him briefly before offering help.
• The Qilin and Azure Dragon Pendants interact with one another, triggering Mo Xie’s vision and leaving marks on both the pendant and Mo Xie himself.

Significant themes

• Hidden power and discovery: An apparently ordinary pendant is revealed to be tied to a larger supernatural system.
• Connection and awakening: The two pendants’ synchronized response suggests that the Sacred Totems are linked.
• Unanswered mysteries: Three Totems remain dark, and the mist conceals what lies beyond them, setting up Mo Xie’s next investigation.

Key plot points and events

• Mo Xie sees both Qilin and Azure Dragon marks appear on his forehead. He feels a mysterious bond with Mo Fan’s Azure Dragon Pendant, despite the pendant already being bound to Mo Fan, but decides not to dwell on it.
• He identifies the pendant as a Growth-Type Stardust Magic Tool: it can absorb Spirit Essences and other magic tools to become stronger.
• Mo Xie demonstrates by releasing a Spirit Essence from an Undead Vessel. The pendant absorbs it, changes in appearance, and advances from Mortal Level to Spirit Level—improving Mo Fan’s cultivation even outside meditation.
• Mo Fan dreams of powering it up with more Spirit Essences, but Mo Xie warns that each costs five million and urges him to focus on training and winning a match in two years. The prize is a chance to cultivate at the Earth Sacred Spring.
• The school’s field-training request is approved. Mo Xie has also given the school a replacement Stardust Magic Tool, which he regrets having to pay for.
• As Mo Xie leaves the principal’s office, someone pulls him into a room and teasingly reproaches him for not visiting in two days.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Xie remains practical and protective: he explains the pendant’s abilities, tempers Mo Fan’s excitement, and encourages him to prioritize realistic goals. His own connection to the pendant raises a new mystery.
• Mo Fan is thrilled by the pendant’s potential and eager to hunt Demon Beasts for Spirit Essences. After Mo Xie reminds him of the stakes, he renews his determination to win the match for his brother’s sake.
• The brothers’ teasing exchange shows their affection: Mo Xie jokes darkly about Mo Fan dying, while Mo Fan protests and Mo Xie reassures him that he believes in him.
• The closing encounter introduces an unidentified, flirtatious woman who appears to have a familiar relationship with Mo Xie.

Significant themes

• Power and its cost: The pendant can grow, but rare Spirit Essences are extremely expensive, so potential does not guarantee progress.
• Ambition balanced by discipline: Mo Fan’s excitement is redirected toward training and a concrete, attainable goal.
• Brotherly care and obligation: Mo Fan wants to repay Mo Xie, while Mo Xie supports him but tries to keep him grounded.
• Unresolved supernatural mystery: Mo Xie’s unexpected bond with the pendant hints at a deeper connection yet to be explained.