Chapter Summaries

Key plot points

• Chen Shu’s cultivation has reached a bottleneck: he can feel his Spirit Sea Lock loosening, but further gains from ordinary training would be tiny and slow. He decides a breakthrough potion is the practical choice.
• The chapter explains that modern potions make early-tier breakthroughs highly reliable, while their usefulness diminishes after the Third Tier. Higher-tier advancement is rarer and discouraged by the risks of Spirit Decline Syndrome and limited practical rewards.
• After breakfast with Ning Qing, Chen Shu visits his older sister, Chen Banxia, at her apartment. She is asleep on the sofa, and he startles her by slamming the door.
• Banxia asks why Ning Qing did not come, teasing Chen Shu about their supposed romance. He checks that Banxia lives alone, prompting her to punch him for mistrusting her.
• Banxia offers to buy him a First-to-Second-Tier breakthrough potion if he cooks. Chen Shu negotiates for cash, mentioning a discount coupon, and she agrees.
• Chen Shu discovers that Banxia mostly relies on convenience foods, then cooks an elaborate meal. He wakes her when it is ready.

Character developments

• Chen Shu is pragmatic about cultivation, weighing the small benefits of slow training against the time saved by a potion. He remains playful, cheeky, and fond of teasing his sister, but is also a capable cook.
• Chen Banxia is affectionate and generous toward her younger brother, though lazy and teasing. Her youthful appearance contrasts with her age of twenty-five and her pharmacology studies.
• Ning Qing appears only briefly, but her childhood bond with Chen Shu—and Banxia’s interest in whether they are a couple—remains a source of family teasing.

Character interactions

• Chen Shu and Banxia trade jokes and suspicion: she questions his relationship with Ning Qing, while he investigates whether she has a roommate or partner.
• Banxia rewards Chen Shu’s cooking with an offer to fund his breakthrough potion, while he tries to turn the offer into cash.
• Their playful bickering shows their close, comfortable sibling relationship.

Significant themes

• Pragmatism and progress: Modern technology makes cultivation more accessible, but breakthroughs become increasingly difficult at higher tiers.
• Time versus marginal gains: Chen Shu accepts a small sacrifice in potential Spirit Sea capacity in exchange for faster advancement.
• Family intimacy: Banter, food, and teasing reveal affection more strongly than overt sentiment.
• Everyday modern life: Cultivation exists alongside hotels, shared bikes, pharmacology labs, discount coupons, and convenience meals.

Plot points and events

• Chen Shu has lunch with his older sister, Chen Banxia, who wakes up eagerly for his cooking and complains that food in the Jade Capital is poor. They eat, drink, and tease each other.
• Banxia tries to persuade Chen Shu to stay for dinner, but he plans to leave. He encourages her to cook more and eat better; she counters that she can manage her own health as a certified pharmacist and Fourth-Tier cultivator.
• Banxia transfers him 30,000 yuan for a Second-Tier advancement potion and tells him to ask for money whenever he needs it. Chen Shu accepts, pleased by her generosity, and considers the much higher price of a later-tier potion.
• That evening, Chen Shu visits Ning Qing with a watermelon. They discuss her university registration and his hope that she’ll make a few friends and connect with her dormmates.
• Ning Qing says she has Chen Shu, but he gently explains that she should have other people to rely on, too. She agrees to try.
• Their relaxed evening turns into teasing when Chen Shu comments on her appearance and repeatedly tries to touch her leg. When he asks to put it “on his tab” and raise his credit limit, Ning Qing removes him from the room and says good night.

Character developments

• Chen Shu is comfortable accepting his sister’s help and shows care through practical advice about her meals and health. With Ning Qing, he is playful and physically familiar, but also genuinely concerned that she not become socially isolated.
• Chen Banxia reveals an affectionate, generous side beneath her argumentative manner. She enjoys being looked after and helping her brother, and offers financial support without making a fuss.
• Ning Qing remains reserved and self-contained, relying strongly on Chen Shu. She is willing to consider his advice about making friends, while firmly setting limits when his teasing goes too far.

Significant themes

• Family care and mutual support: Chen Shu looks after Banxia’s well-being, while she supports his advancement with money.
• Independence and social connection: Chen Shu wants Ning Qing to build relationships beyond him, while respecting that the choice is hers.
• Affection through teasing: The siblings’ banter and Chen Shu’s playful exchanges with Ning Qing express familiarity and warmth.
• Boundaries and trust: Ning Qing’s final response makes clear that closeness does not mean unlimited access.

Character interactions

• Chen Shu and Banxia trade jokes and arguments over food, drinking, cooking, and money; their bickering is affectionate, and Banxia’s transfer demonstrates her care.
• Chen Shu and Ning Qing share a quiet, intimate evening, discussing her future at university before slipping into flirtatious teasing. Ning Qing tolerates some of his antics but decisively ends them when he persists.

Key events

• Chen Shu and Ning Qing split up at the edge of University City so each can register at their own school. Before parting, Chen Shu reminds Ning Qing to look after herself, be kind to friends, eat regularly, and keep her distance from other guys—then jokingly promises to do the same with women. Ning Qing’s dry replies reveal their comfortable, teasing relationship.
• Chen Shu walks from Ling’an Academy to Yujing University, taking in the landscaped campus grounds. The narration explains that the two historic universities—and many others—draw on the expertise and support of powerful religious sects, now regulated but still influential in cultivation education.
• At Yujing, Chen Shu registers in the Traditional Cultivation College’s Spell Principles Studies program, completes the paperwork, and receives his campus card and supplies. A senior shows him around the large campus and guides him to his apartment-style dorm.
• Chen Shu meets his roommate, Meng Chunqiu, a local student in the Literature College’s ancient literature program. Meng has an unusually feminine appearance and wears makeup, but introduces himself as a man. He encourages Chen Shu to choose the bedroom beside his, and the two begin getting acquainted.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Shu is affectionate and protective toward Ning Qing, though he expresses it through humor and jealousy. At school, he is curious, observant, and eager to learn the campus layout. He readily accepts Meng’s friendly overtures.
• Ning Qing remains reserved and deadpan, but her request that Chen Shu say goodbye to her shows she also values their parting. Her jokes keep their farewell warm rather than sentimental.
• Meng Chunqiu presents himself as sociable, confident, and somewhat theatrical, sweeping back his hair and joking about his local connections. He quickly treats Chen Shu as a friend and offers to help him adjust.
• Chen Shu and Meng establish an easy roommate rapport through introductions, choosing adjacent rooms, and light conversation. Chen Shu’s hesitation about Meng’s appearance gives way to accepting his explanation without making it an issue.

Significant themes

• Parting and attachment: Chen Shu and Ning Qing separate for university, balancing independence with mutual care.
• Tradition within modern institutions: Universities combine contemporary registration and campus life with old gardens, historic buildings, and the continuing influence of religious orders.
• New beginnings and community: Chen Shu’s arrival marks the start of university life, with seniors, campus routines, and a new roommate helping him settle in.
• Appearance and identity: Meng’s feminine presentation initially surprises Chen Shu, but their introduction emphasizes that appearance does not determine who someone is.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Shu and Meng Chunqiu meet their new dormmate, Jiang Lai, a modest student from the Jade Capital studying modern combat in the Martial Arts College. The three introduce themselves and discuss their studies: Chen is in Traditional Cultivation, while Meng studies arts.
• Chen Shu learns that Teacher Shi Qian will teach his Spell Principles class, then spots a large delivery waiting at the parcel station. He cleverly persuades Meng and Jiang Lai to join him on a campus tour—really to help collect the packages. Meng eagerly leads the way, and the three set off together.
• At Ling’an Academy, Ning Qing meets her roommate Zhang Suannai, a confident, joking sophomore from the Sword Sect. Zhang recommends that Ning take room two, warns her that room one may leak, and offers to take her to the cafeteria.
• Zhang’s teasing—including calling herself “Grandma” and casually patting Ning’s shoulder—irritates Ning, who restrains herself from responding violently, following Chen Shu’s advice to be gentler. Zhang admits that people often want to hit her and that avoiding such beatings motivates her cultivation.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Shu is sociable and quick-witted, using humor and flattery to draw others into helping him. He treats Jiang’s martial ability as a potential source of protection.
• Jiang Lai is shy, humble, and eager to be polite. Though highly capable in combat, he says he is good at “taking beatings,” suggesting self-deprecation and a willingness to help.
• Meng Chunqiu is theatrical and enthusiastic, bonding with Chen through mock-formal manners and historical chatter. He takes charge of the campus tour.
• Ning Qing remains reserved and stern, but consciously tries to show more patience. Zhang’s boundary-pushing behavior tests that effort.
• Zhang Suannai is exuberant, physically confident, and deliberately provocative. Her irreverence contrasts with her serious commitment to cultivation.

Significant themes

• First impressions and friendship: Awkward introductions quickly develop into playful camaraderie among the male roommates, while Ning and Zhang’s pairing begins with a clash of temperaments.
• Self-control and personal growth: Ning works to restrain her anger; Zhang channels the threat of conflict into motivation to grow stronger.
• Contrasting cultivation paths and personalities: The chapter juxtaposes scholarly spell study, martial combat, and the Sword Sect’s legacy, while using the characters’ different temperaments for humor.

Key plot points

• Ning Qing and her roommate Zhang Suannai head to the cafeteria. Zhang’s nonstop questions and blunt comments irritate Ning, though Zhang pays for her meal when she learns Ning’s campus card is not yet active.
• Ning messages Chen Shu, who is also settling into campus life. They compare meals and discuss their roommates; Ning calls Zhang annoying, while Chen advises her to give the relationship time—or switch dorms if it does not work out.
• Back at the dorm, Zhang waits eagerly for their final roommate to arrive. Ning proposes a wager: if the newcomer arrives today, Zhang must accept having a cat and stop bothering her. Zhang guesses “today,” but Ning predicts “tomorrow.”
• Ning checks the west-facing balcony, pleased that it would suit her plan to grow roses. She heads to collect a package and hints that she owns a spatial item, while also perceptively guessing that Zhang has one.
• Chen returns from the parcel station with roommates Jiang Lai and Meng Chunqiu, who helped carry his many purchases. He unpacks, arranges his room, and plans a few more comforts.
• That evening, Chen video-calls Ning. They tease each other about whether she misses him. Ning says she does not yet, but expects she might in a couple of days. She explains that her dorm is still nearly empty: Zhang is waiting outside for a roommate who will not arrive that day.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Qing remains quiet, direct, and hard to draw into conversation, but she shows dry humor and sharp insight into Zhang. She is already making plans for her balcony and is comfortable teasing Chen.
• Zhang Suannai is energetic, talkative, and eager to befriend Ning, though her intrusive questions and showiness test Ning’s patience. She also acts generously by paying for lunch and offering to help with packages.
• Chen Shu is settling into campus life and readily accepts help from his roommates. His affectionate, playful video call with Ning shows their close bond; she responds plainly rather than pretending to be coy.
• Jiang Lai and Meng Chunqiu help Chen carry his large collection of parcels, establishing an initially helpful connection among Chen’s roommates.

Significant themes

• New beginnings and adjustment: The students are furnishing rooms and navigating unfamiliar roommates and routines.
• Personality and boundaries: Zhang’s eagerness clashes with Ning’s reserve, while Ning tries to set limits without being cruel.
• Affection expressed differently: Chen is openly playful and affectionate; Ning is candid and understated, not “playing hard to get.”
• Comfort and personal space: The characters make their dorm rooms—and, for Ning, the balcony—feel like their own.

Key plot points and events

• Ning Qing video-calls her younger sister, Xiaoxiao, and learns that their parents are away and Xiaoxiao is managing on her own. She asks for her scooter, several plants, and her cat Peach to be shipped to her, but Xiaoxiao refuses to send Peach, claiming the cat wants to stay with her.
• Their roommate Zhang Suannai continues waiting for the dorm’s supposed third resident, even after registration has ended. Ning Qing tells her to wait later, but Zhang remains convinced the new roommate will arrive.
• Ning Qing spends the morning reading On Planes, a work by the renowned scholar Lord Ouyuangong, whose research into the universe inspired her to attend Ling’an Academy. She also follows Chen Shu’s advice to eat lunch on time.
• Chen Shu learns that formal classes begin the next day. His college will hold an entrance test that afternoon and a class meeting that evening, where students will receive textbooks and elect a class representative. He dreads the test and the attention his abilities might attract.
• With the weather cooling after heavy rain, Meng Chunqiu tries to recruit Chen Shu and Jiang Lai for an impromptu autumn-poetry session. Both politely evade him, leaving Chen Shu to realize their balconies connect in inconvenient ways.

Character developments

• Ning Qing remains reserved and practical, but her requests for Peach and the plants reveal her attachment to the comforts and relationships of home. She is also intellectually absorbed by the mysteries of the universe.
• Xiaoxiao is independent and matter-of-fact, while quietly resisting her sister’s plans—especially the idea of sending Peach away.
• Zhang Suannai is restless and eager for companionship. Her anticipation of the new roommate leads her to imagine welcoming them and taking them around campus, though she fails to recognize that no one else is coming.
• Chen Shu is reluctant to deal with school formalities and attention, preferring to avoid both the entrance test and Meng Chunqiu’s poetry invitation.
• Meng Chunqiu is sociable and romantic about the change of season, but his enthusiasm for poetry is not shared by his housemates.

Significant themes

• Distance and family bonds: Ning Qing and Xiaoxiao’s awkward call shows affection expressed through practical questions, teasing, and disagreement.
• Loneliness and expectation: Zhang Suannai’s vigil and imagined welcome suggest her desire for connection, even as reality undermines her expectations.
• Different kinds of curiosity: Ning Qing is drawn to cosmic mysteries, while others focus on social routines, tests, or poetry.
• Everyday humor: The characters’ deadpan exchanges and mismatched expectations turn ordinary dorm life into comedy.

Character interactions

• Ning Qing and Xiaoxiao’s conversation is stiff but affectionate; their disagreement over Peach is the clearest sign of their contrasting priorities.
• Zhang Suannai repeatedly tries to engage Ning Qing, who remains mostly indifferent while gently correcting her assumptions.
• Chen Shu avoids Meng Chunqiu’s invitation, and Jiang Lai likewise declines, illustrating the gap between Meng’s poetic enthusiasm and his roommates’ more pragmatic temperaments.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Shu undergoes a routine Spirit Sea test at Yujing University. The testing machine produces confusing results, so the teachers retest him on a second machine; both struggle to make sense of his data.
• His posted results show a perfect Spiritual Power Aptitude score of 1,000/1,000, but both the quality and quantity of his spiritual power register as 3f, the lowest level within the Third Tier. The unusual combination leaves the cause unexplained.
• At his first class meeting, Chen Shu hears classmates gossiping about the mysterious student whose test baffled the teachers. They speculate about the student’s appearance, unknowingly describing Chen Shu.
• The class assistant, Xia Yunyun, introduces the university and campus life. No one initially volunteers to be class president, but Wang Weixin gives a modest, persuasive speech and wins the class over.
• Chen Shu messages Qingqing during the meeting. They trade teasing remarks and begin playing chess; after Qingqing accuses him of pretending to disconnect because he is losing, he sends a jokingly indignant reply.

Character developments

• Chen Shu is revealed to have extraordinary aptitude, though his low Third Tier readings make his abilities mysterious. Despite this, he is more annoyed by the inconvenience and attention than excited by his score, reflecting his laid-back, slacker nature.
• Wang Weixin presents himself as less academically gifted than his classmates but sociable and eager to help. His confidence and tact make him an effective candidate for class president.
• Qingqing comes across as terse and teasing, while maintaining a playful rapport with Chen Shu.
• Xia Yunyun seems inexperienced and uncertain while guiding the class meeting.

Significant themes

• Talent versus measurable achievement: Chen Shu’s perfect aptitude contrasts sharply with his low recorded spiritual power, suggesting that conventional tests may not fully explain exceptional ability.
• The burdens of standing out: Chen Shu’s unusual results attract attention and extra scrutiny, which he treats as an irritating hassle rather than a triumph.
• Humility and social skill: Wang Weixin acknowledges his limitations honestly and turns them into a reason to serve his classmates.
• Everyday comedy: Academic testing, classroom gossip, and Chen Shu’s dry banter create humor around the gap between his remarkable potential and his casual attitude.

Character interactions

• The testing teachers grow puzzled by Chen Shu’s repeated results and exchange machines, while Chen Shu awkwardly suggests he might be an unusual genius.
• Wang Weixin’s speech wins his classmates’ applause; Chen Shu privately admires his speaking skill.
• Two classmates gossip about the mysterious test-taker and briefly suspect Chen Shu might be interested in men after he eagerly asks how handsome the rumored student was.
• Chen Shu and Qingqing exchange short, playful messages during separate class meetings, teasing one another and arranging to play chess.

Key plot points and events

• Xia Yunyun distributes the first-semester timetable and textbooks, explains how to use the school timetable app, and reminds students to choose a martial arts elective.
• Chen Shu skims Beginner Cultivation but finds it dull. He later attends a history lecture, learns that attendance is not being taken, and decides to skip history classes.
• Ning Qing sends Chen Shu her timetable. They arrange to meet, and he visits her at Ling’an Academy the next day.
• Chen Shu and Ning Qing have a playful lunch at her campus cafeteria. They tease each other, share food, and stroll together before she walks him to the gate.
• In his afternoon cultivation class, Chen Shu learns that most students have not yet opened their Spirit Seas. Those who qualify must get an official examination to receive free opening medicine; the remaining students will practice in a meditation room next week.
• Teacher Fu Jia conducts an intensive class on opening the Spirit Sea. Afterward, Chen Shu asks how to obtain the latest Third-Tier Cultivation Art. Fu simply gives him a copy and says he can ask for the fourth-tier art when he reaches that rank.
• Teacher Fu notices Chen Shu’s Spirit Sea may be damaged. She advises him to have it examined and says repair medicine taken during a future advancement may help.

Character developments

• Chen Shu is casual about classes he considers unimportant, but takes cultivation seriously and listens attentively despite already having opened his Spirit Sea. His surprise at receiving the cultivation art reveals how little he trusts that useful resources will be offered freely. He also learns that his Spirit Sea may have been harmed.
• Ning Qing shows affection in her understated, literal manner. She admits she could not wait for Chen Shu, makes plans to explore campus food with him, and appears comfortable spending time together.
• Teacher Fu Jia initially seems stern and demanding, but proves generous, attentive, and genuinely invested in her students’ safety and progress.
• Wang Weixin takes responsibility as class monitor and is assigned to tally students’ entrance-test results.

Significant themes

• Education and access: The university provides cultivation resources and instruction as part of its responsibility to students, rather than making them navigate needless fees and bureaucracy.
• Careful cultivation: Progress should not be rushed; mistakes can damage the Spirit Sea, and students are urged to seek expert guidance.
• Different approaches to learning: Chen Shu dismisses history but recognizes that even foundational cultivation lessons may offer valuable insights.
• Affection in everyday life: Chen Shu and Ning Qing express closeness through teasing, shared meals, and quiet plans for the future.

Character interactions

• Xia Yunyun gives practical guidance to the new students, while Wang Weixin assists with class organization.
• Chen Shu and Ning Qing banter about his attempted prank, her cafeteria choices, and her promise to explore food with him over time.
• Teacher Fu sets firm expectations for the class, then responds directly to Chen Shu’s questions, provides the cultivation art, and warns him against handling possible Spirit Sea damage on his own.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Back at the dorm, Chen Shu receives a genuine Third-Tier cultivation method and a Fourth-Tier spiritual art from Yujing University. He is pleased that applying to the university has paid off, but still needs money for a potion to advance from Second Tier to Third Tier.
• He considers several ways to raise money, then asks Mr. Cat through an online forum about possible jobs. When offered work involving an Escort Ship’s spiritual-power cannon system, Chen Shu admits he lacks the required knowledge and logs off.
• In class, Chen Shu attends lessons on spell development and introductory runes. His elderly rune instructor explains the levels of runes, the lone known Fourth-Level Rune—left by the Sacred Ancestor and able to absorb energy—and the history of rune-discovery machines. Chen Shu knows the mysterious rune is inside the Crystal he wears.
• In Bai City, Ning Ji’s younger sister is isolated at home while her family is away. She asks her father to let her attend school in Jade Capital so she can live with her sister, but he dismisses the request as difficult to arrange.
• At school, classmates notice Ning Ji’s distress and ask about her disappearance over the summer. The Class Monitor approaches her, but she tells him to stop talking to her. As he begins to realize what may be behind her anger, she punches him.

Character developments

• Chen Shu is resourceful and ambitious, but his need for advancement money makes him consider ethically questionable options, including exploiting Qingqing or informing on a fellow countryman. He remains cautious about taking work beyond his expertise.
• Ning Ji’s younger sister shows how deeply she misses her sister: after days of loneliness, she finally voices a wish to move to Jade Capital. Her restraint gives way to visible anger when she feels dismissed by her father and confronted at school.
• The Class Monitor appears genuinely concerned at first, but his attempt to understand Ning Ji’s mood leads him to recognize a possible past offense—just as she attacks him.
• The rune instructor is portrayed as an enthusiastic scholar whose curiosity about undiscovered knowledge remains strong despite his age.

Significant themes

• Ambition and the cost of progress: Chen Shu’s cultivation goals depend on money, forcing him to weigh legitimate options against dubious schemes.
• Knowledge and the unknown: The lecture presents runes as discoveries that emerge over time, while the unique Fourth-Level Rune hints at a mystery directly tied to Chen Shu’s Crystal.
• Loneliness and family neglect: Ning Ji’s sister is materially provided for but emotionally isolated, and her father’s dismissal deepens her sense of abandonment.
• Communication and resentment: Her silence hides distress until frustration erupts into confrontation.

Character interactions

• Chen Shu contacts Mr. Cat about work, but declines when the available job requires skills he does not have.
• In class, the instructor shares rune history while Chen Shu privately connects the lecture’s legendary Fourth-Level Rune to the Crystal around his neck.
• Ning Ji’s sister directly asks her father to help her reunite with Ning Ji; he refuses, leaving her alone and upset.
• At school, classmates probe Ning Ji’s absence, and the Class Monitor tries to comfort her. She rejects his attention and punches him when he seems to identify the source of her anger.

Key plot points and events

• Qingqing confronts Chen Shu after Xiaoxiao knocks a classmate unconscious on her first day of school. Chen Shu admits he had told Xiaoxiao to hit the boy, who had been pestering her about dating and had gathered other students. He sees the incident as justified and expects the school to handle any consequences.
• Chen Shu explores the university library, where he searches for obscure historical material and checks out two books. Back at the dorm, he buys milk and considers getting cooking equipment.
• Meng Chunqiu invites Chen Shu to join a poetry club. Chen Shu declines and suggests asking Jiang Lai instead; Meng Chunqiu privately laments that his roommates lack literary refinement.
• Chen Shu enrolls in archery for his physical-combat elective.
• In Shi Qian’s popular Fundamentals of Spell Principles class, students are offered a choice of which topic to study first: a simplified Thousand Mechanisms Art, the modern foundation for integrating and automating spells, or spiritual-power conversion, a practical skill for powering devices.
• Chen Shu favors the Thousand Mechanisms Art, since conversion methods are easier to obtain elsewhere. Shi Qian’s detailed lesson strengthens Chen Shu’s theoretical foundations. After class, Shi Qian invites Chen Shu to eat with him.

Character developments

• Chen Shu remains irreverent and pragmatic: he approves of Xiaoxiao’s violence, enjoys hunting for overlooked knowledge, and chooses subjects for their usefulness and rarity. Despite his considerable self-study, he recognizes gaps in his spell-theory education.
• Qingqing is protective of Xiaoxiao and disapproves of Chen Shu’s influence, though she admits the incident was not serious and plans to confront him.
• Meng Chunqiu reveals his romantic, self-important attachment to poetry and feels isolated among his supposedly uncultured roommates.
• Shi Qian comes across as relaxed, generous, and unusually approachable, trusting students’ judgment about attendance and offering help outside class. He also has a personal connection to Chen Shu from years earlier.

Significant themes

• Knowledge and access: University libraries preserve vast resources, including overlooked historical clues and advanced theory, even where some material is restricted.
• Tradition and modernity: The Thousand Mechanisms Art represents modern cultivation’s capacity to integrate and automate spells, while spiritual-power conversion reflects its practical ties to everyday technology.
• Personal judgment and authority: Shi Qian favors trust over strict attendance policing; Chen Shu likewise acts according to his own moral judgment, even when it leads to violence.
• Youthful ambition and belonging: Students pursue cultivation and practical skills, while Meng Chunqiu’s poetic ideals set him apart from his peers.

Character interactions

• Qingqing challenges Chen Shu over Xiaoxiao’s actions; his teasing praise and refusal to take the matter seriously frustrate her.
• Chen Shu and Meng Chunqiu exchange playful, mismatched views on poetry and club life.
• Shi Qian treats his students informally, but singles Chen Shu out after class for a warm reunion and a meal invitation.

Key plot points and events

• Over dinner, Chen Shu tells Teacher Shi Qian that he has reached the Second Tier and is close to advancing to the Third. Shi praises his progress and agrees to give him the complete Thousand Mechanisms Art early.
• Shi warns that Ancient Cultivation is risky and offers more practical advice: Chen Shu should find paid cultivation commissions to help fund an Advancement Potion. He promises to recommend an agency.
• After dinner, Chen Shu spots Ning Qing waiting for him. They trade teasing remarks, then walk around the academy’s sports field. She says things with her roommates are improving and mentions possibly moving off campus.
• In class, Ning Qing attends Lord Ouyuangong’s lecture on cosmic radiation and spiritual power. He reflects on life’s rarity and urges students to value both the universe and the everyday beauty around them. He also gives them permission to skip class for more important experiences.
• After class, Zhang Suannai comes to collect Ning Qing and chatters as they walk together. Ning Qing notices Lord Ouyuangong quietly admiring the osmanthus blossoms, then leaves, thinking about the ways others have taught her to appreciate the world.

Character development and interactions

• Chen Shu is candid with Shi Qian about his cultivation and finances, while remaining playful and flirtatious with Ning Qing. Their banter suggests ease and familiarity.
• Shi Qian acts as a supportive mentor: he recognizes Chen Shu’s talent, trusts him with advanced material, and offers practical help, even while cautioning him about his chosen path.
• Ning Qing remains reserved, but shows signs of adapting to dorm life and is willing to spend time with Chen Shu and Zhang Suannai. Her quiet attention to Ouyuangong’s words and the blossoms hints at growing appreciation for small, present moments.
• Zhang Suannai continues to press cheerfully for Ning Qing’s attention, while Ning Qing responds with dry bluntness. Their contrasting personalities make their interaction playful despite Ning Qing’s protests.
• Lord Ouyuangong emerges as a thoughtful, dignified teacher nearing the end of his life. His advice shapes Ning Qing’s reflections, even though she is already familiar with the lesson’s academic content.

Significant themes

• The rarity and value of life: Ouyuangong frames existence and human connection as extraordinary miracles.
• Finding beauty in ordinary moments: The lecture, the osmanthus blossoms, and Ning Qing’s memories of Chen Shu’s cakes all emphasize learning to notice everyday wonders.
• Different paths and their costs: Chen Shu’s commitment to Ancient Cultivation is set against its risks and the practical advantages of modern cultivation.
• Connection and companionship: Chen Shu’s mentorship, his teasing closeness with Ning Qing, and Zhang Suannai’s persistent friendliness all show how relationships help people navigate life.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Shu and Ning Qing discuss her upcoming practice of the Stillheart Way, a month-to-six-month discipline requiring silence, no writing, and almost no communication. She plans to practice while living in her dorm and insists Chen still visit—and sing to her. He jokes about disrupting her practice, but she warns she can defend herself without failing.
• Chen shows Ning around his university. They have lunch together, then part ways.
• Chen returns to find roommates Jiang Lai and Meng Chunqiu discussing campus clubs. Meng has joined the Poetry Society, Jiang the Martial Arts Society, while Chen declines to join anything.
• Meng proposes a countryside outing to enjoy autumn and write poetry, but Chen and Jiang both choose work instead: each needs to earn money. Meng laments their lack of interest in poetry and romantic pursuits.
• Chen continues studying the complex Thousand Mechanisms Art, which Teacher Shi Qian supplied. His unusually strong soul makes inscribing its runes easier.
• On Sunday, Chen visits May Commission Company, a reputable agency that assigns legal jobs to full-time and part-time workers. After a brief interview, Second-Tier Chen signs a part-time agreement. He prefers online assignments, avoids tutoring unless it pays well, and makes clear that high pay is a priority.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Qing shows her serious commitment to self-discipline, but her teasing threats and familiarity with Chen reveal a playful, comfortable bond. She expects him to remain part of her life during the practice.
• Chen Shu balances affection and humor with practical ambition. He accepts Ning’s eccentric practice on her terms, continues his magical studies, and takes concrete steps to earn money.
• Jiang Lai remains focused on training and, like Chen, prioritizes earning a living over leisure.
• Meng Chunqiu embraces poetry and the beauty of autumn, but feels out of step with his pragmatic roommates.
• Chen and his roommates trade views on clubs, work, and poetry, highlighting their different temperaments and priorities.

Significant themes

• Discipline and self-observation: Ning’s Stillheart practice aims to create distance from the world and deepen perception.
• Practicality versus idealism: Chen and Jiang choose income over a poetic outing, while Meng values art and beauty.
• Independence and work: Chen’s commission-company job reflects the need to support oneself, even while pursuing cultivation.
• Intimacy through teasing: Chen and Ning’s playful banter shows closeness beneath their mock threats.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Shu returns to the dorm humming a song. Meng Chunqiu, who is posing dramatically on the balcony, asks him to identify it, but Chen Shu has forgotten the lyrics.
• Chen Shu receives a paid job from Manager Wang: optimize the civilian version of the Bodyguard Divine Light spell. Though the fee is modest and the request to improve its defense is dismissed as unrealistic, Chen Shu completes the work that afternoon. He reduces the Rune count by 16.8% and improves the spell’s activation speed.
• Manager Wang acknowledges Chen Shu’s work but refuses to increase his share, offering instead to recommend him to other clients. Chen Shu accepts, hoping a growing reputation will lead to better jobs and access to newer spells.
• Ning Qing and Zhang Suannai collect three flowering plants. Zhang carries the boxes and eagerly helps open them; Ning Qing tends the plants and then leaves without telling Zhang where she is going.
• Ning Qing retrieves a motorbike and travels to view a rental house. The courtyard and rent suit her, and she plans to move in at the start of the next month.
• Ning Qing asks Professor Ou to support her upcoming Silence Meditation, explaining that she will attend class but be unable to speak, write, or otherwise communicate. He agrees and asks her to tell him when the practice ends.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Shu shows confidence in his Spell Principles expertise and works quickly, while deliberately limiting how much improvement he gives for the low fee. He is practical about building a reputation and future opportunities.
• Manager Wang recognizes Chen Shu’s ability and tries to cultivate him, though he keeps the payment low and offers referrals rather than a larger share.
• Meng Chunqiu remains theatrical and persistent, seeking the song Chen Shu was humming even after Chen claims to have forgotten it.
• Zhang Suannai is energetic, strong, and eager to accompany Ning Qing, while Ning Qing finds her intrusive and responds with terse answers. Their balconies connect, prompting Zhang to jokingly claim part of Ning Qing’s flowers as her own.
• Ning Qing is independent and reserved. She quietly makes plans for a new home and prepares to withdraw from communication for cultivation, but explains her needs respectfully to Professor Ou.
• Professor Ou responds warmly and supports Ning Qing’s request, while wondering whether her silence is truly for cultivation or partly to avoid speaking in class.

Significant themes

• Skill, labor, and fair compensation: Chen Shu’s talent is clear, but clients may undervalue his work; he balances restraint with the long-term value of referrals.
• Independence and boundaries: Ning Qing makes her own arrangements and keeps Zhang at a distance, while still communicating clearly when she needs others’ cooperation.
• Solitude and connection: Ning Qing seeks a period of silence, yet Professor Ou values the chance to exchange ideas with her. The chapter also contrasts her reserve with Zhang’s sociability and Meng Chunqiu’s persistent curiosity.

Key plot points and events

• Ning Qing packs a small suitcase and tells Zhang Suannai she has rented a place off campus. She clarifies that it is for weekends and that she will still live in the dorm most of the time.
• Zhang Suannai assumes Ning Qing may be leaving because she is difficult to live with, then disguises her worry with jokes about having the room to herself. Once reassured, she energetically offers to carry Ning Qing’s suitcase and comes along to see the new place.
• Chen Shu’s previous contract is confirmed complete. The client gives him a five-star review, bringing his account earnings up by 3,000.
• Wang Yang offers Chen Shu a one-day bodyguard job for an entertainer attending a recorded Mid-Autumn Gala. The role pays 2,000 before tax and requires Repulsion Art. Chen Shu accepts, despite not knowing the spell.
• Rather than buy the spell instructions, Chen Shu decides to invent an improved version, Impact Art, which can also perform Repulsion Art’s function.
• After several days of work, Chen Shu consults Professor Shi about a slight mismatch between Impact Art’s expected and actual force. Shi identifies interference between certain high-level runes and advises replacing them with Second-Level Runes.
• Shi is impressed by the sophistication of Chen Shu’s independently designed spell and recognizes him as a prodigy with an unusual interest in ancient cultivation methods.

Character development and interactions

• Ning Qing shows growing consideration for others: she notices Zhang Suannai’s anxiety and explains her plans to reassure her. She also reflects that she has begun taking other people’s feelings into account.
• Zhang Suannai masks insecurity with bravado, but her concern about Ning Qing leaving reveals her attachment. Once reassured, she returns to her lively, teasing manner and offers practical help.
• Chen Shu remains money-minded and pragmatic, but is confident enough to turn a small job requirement into an opportunity to develop a more advanced spell. He seeks expert feedback when he encounters a technical problem.
• Professor Shi moves from caution to admiration as he sees the depth of Chen Shu’s spell design, while still emphasizing the responsibility involved in using powerful magic.
• Chen Shu and Wang Yang discuss the job through messages, with Wang Yang teasing him for focusing on pay. Chen Shu and Shi Qian have a mentor-student exchange grounded in technical advice and respect.

Significant themes

• Consideration and companionship: Ning Qing’s explanation eases Zhang Suannai’s unspoken fear, while Zhang’s offer to help shows their bond.
• Innovation and expertise: Chen Shu’s decision to create Impact Art rather than learn the basic spell highlights his unconventional creativity and technical skill.
• Responsibility and restraint: Shi’s warning that a spell is a cultivator’s “sword” frames spellcraft as power that must be used carefully.
• Practical ambition: Chen Shu accepts work primarily for the money, yet approaches it with ingenuity, turning a simple job into a chance to advance his craft.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Shu’s modified Impact Art now works almost as efficiently as theory predicts. It is less destructive than Tracer Technique, but much more flexible: he can vary its force or sustain a gentle push, even using it to shield himself from rain.
• Ning Qing sends Chen Shu the address of her cultivation residence but does not reply when he messages her. He takes this as an invitation to visit on the weekend.
• Chen Shu accepts a temporary bodyguard job for singer Cao Shengying, working alongside fellow guard Lu Xing. Their main task is to use repulsion spells to manage fans and make the singer’s arrival and departures look orderly.
• The work is mostly uneventful, giving Chen Shu time to relax and observe how difficult life is for lesser-known performers. Cao Shengying is busy with rehearsals, promotion, and worries about finding good songwriters.
• At an online music event, Chen Shu enjoys a range of performances and hears two songs he wrote in his previous life—“Across the Ocean to See You” and “Rice Field”—performed by other singers. He feels embarrassed about how the songs were adapted, but also moved by hearing familiar music in this world.
• After the show, Chen Shu accompanies Cao Shengying backstage. Two performers, Wen Han and Highness Cinnabar, notice that he resembles a songwriter they know. They stop him and call him by the names of the original songs’ creators, Li Zongsheng and Jay Chou, apparently recognizing him at the same time.

Character developments

• Chen Shu continues to demonstrate practical skill with magic, while his reluctance to capitalize on his songwriting talent remains a source of self-deprecating humor. Hearing his old songs performed also stirs nostalgia and emotion.
• Ning Qing is shown as focused and somewhat socially inattentive, but considerate enough to arrange lodging and send Chen Shu her address before beginning cultivation.
• Cao Shengying comes across as polite and hardworking, though her career is demanding and she feels frustrated by the difficulty of finding strong material.
• Wen Han and Highness Cinnabar are revealed to have worked with Chen Shu as a songwriter and to suspect that the bodyguard is actually him.

Significant themes

• Talent versus pride: Chen Shu could earn money as a songwriter but has avoided relying on that ability, even when short of cash.
• The pressure of entertainment work: Minor performers face tight schedules, limited income, and the need to maintain appearances.
• Identity across worlds: The familiar songs connect Chen Shu to his former life, producing both humor and a quiet sense of longing.
• Practicality and versatility: Impact Art is less powerful than a combat spell, but its controlled, adaptable uses make it valuable in everyday situations.

Character interactions

• Chen Shu and Lu Xing cooperate professionally, following Sister Huang’s instructions and helping manage fans.
• Chen Shu exchanges messages with Ning Qing, but her silence leaves him to interpret her address as an invitation.
• Chen Shu observes Cao Shengying’s working life from the sidelines and appreciates her performance and courtesy.
• Backstage, Wen Han and Highness Cinnabar independently recognize similarities between Chen Shu and their songwriter—then, after realizing they share the same suspicion, confront him with the names of the famous songwriters associated with the songs he heard performed.

Key plot points and events

• At a gala, Wen Han and Highness Cinnabar recognize Chen Shu’s voice and suspect he is connected to singers Li Zongsheng and Jay Chou. Chen invents a story that both are reclusive cultivators from his hometown, and that he sells their songs for them.
• Cinnabar readily believes him, while Wen Han gradually stops questioning the tale. When Chen claims one “fellow townsman” needs money after an accident and another needs funds to get home, both offer to help. Cinnabar also asks about obtaining more songs for her singing career.
• Chen returns to work as Cao Shengying’s bodyguard. After the event, he and Lu Xing part ways, and Chen rides back to school. He calculates that his recent jobs have brought in nearly 20,000 yuan, but he is still short of the 130,000 needed for his usual cultivation breakthrough potion.
• The next morning, Chen visits Ning Qing at her new courtyard home, bringing her a leaf. He looks around, comments on her efforts to make the place feel like home, and talks incessantly as if he belongs there.
• Chen teases Ning Qing by asking to touch her leg, then places his hand on her knee and rubs it. She stays calm and does not stop him; he appears more interested in provoking her than in seducing her.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Shu maintains a composed bodyguard persona in public but is playful and shameless with Ning Qing. He is willing to fabricate stories and “sell out” his fellow townsfolk to earn money, though he frames it as helping them. His main priority remains financing cultivation.
• Highness Cinnabar is trusting and enthusiastic, moved by the supposed hermits’ noble conduct. She hopes to sing more positive, artistic songs and promises to improve her voice.
• Wen Han is initially suspicious but, out of respect for Cinnabar and sympathy for the supposed fellow townsmen, stops pressing Chen and offers help.
• Ning Qing remains quiet and unreadable. Her stillness contrasts with Chen’s chatter and antics; she neither responds verbally nor reacts visibly when he touches her.
• Cao Shengying thanks Chen and Lu Xing for their work and expresses interest in hiring them again. Chen and Lu part amicably after completing the assignment.

Significant themes

• Deception and opportunism: Chen uses an elaborate, implausible cover story to turn his songs into a source of income, while others respond according to their own beliefs and sympathies.
• Money and cultivation: Earning money is practical necessity for Chen, since advancement in cultivation requires expensive resources.
• Intimacy through contrast: Chen’s incessant teasing and Ning Qing’s silence suggest a familiar, comfortable bond, even when their emotional responses are very different.
• Public image and responsibility: Cinnabar’s royal family supports her entertainment career so long as her work remains uplifting, reflecting the management of public reputation and influence.

Key plot points and events

• Ning Qing remains determinedly silent and motionless, watching the sky while Chen Shu complains about her prolonged discipline.
• Chen Shu braids her hair, recalling how he used to do it when they were children. He teases her about her silence and shares that he met Highness Cinnabar, the singer of “Rice Fragrance.”
• Ning Qing produces her Huaiqin, prompting Chen Shu to play and sing two songs. She listens quietly, but the second song moves her enough to speak and admit that her heart stirred. Her period of silence has therefore ended.
• After Chen Shu refuses to sing more, Ning Qing grabs his wrist with surprising strength and says they should settle their accounts.
• Back at his dorm, Chen Shu writes down and registers the copyright for “The Way You Look,” a song remembered from his previous life. He sends a sample to Wen Han, who likes it and arranges for his agent to discuss the details the next day.

Character developments

• Ning Qing tries to master her feelings through silence and the Clear Heart Mantra, believing she has grown accustomed to Chen Shu. His singing reveals that she has not: she is still emotionally affected by him. She speaks again, calmly acknowledging her failure.
• Chen Shu is playful and affectionate, using teasing and music to engage Ning Qing. He also begins turning memories from his former life into an opportunity to earn money through songwriting.

Significant themes

• Emotional restraint versus genuine feeling: Ning Qing’s discipline cannot prevent her heart from responding to Chen Shu’s song.
• Shared history and intimacy: The familiar braid and childhood memories show the depth of their bond.
• Memory, creativity, and opportunity: Chen Shu draws on his past-life recollections to create work in his present life.
• Quiet companionship: The unhurried afternoon emphasizes their comfort and closeness.

Character interactions

• Chen Shu teases Ning Qing as he braids her hair, while she silently accepts his care.
• Their shared childhood memory softens Ning Qing’s expression and connects them without either needing to explain much.
• Chen Shu sings for Ning Qing; she listens, then breaks her silence to ask about the second song and confess that it stirred her heart.
• Their affectionate exchange turns playfully physical when Ning Qing seizes his wrist after he stops singing.
• Chen Shu contacts Wen Han about his new song, setting up a potential professional collaboration.

Key events

• On August 12, Chen Shu continues struggling to find paid work; Wen Han has accepted his song but still has not paid him.
• Xiaoxiao video-calls Chen Shu. He checks that she is eating properly in Bai City, learns she is mostly living on potatoes and buns, and gently urges her to eat better. She admits she feels lonely only by changing the subject. They joke about Ning Qing’s “Stillheart Way,” and Chen Shu encourages Xiaoxiao to tease her sister while she is meditating.
• Meng Chunqiu invites Chen Shu and Jiang Lai to admire the nearly full moon. He tries to compose a poem, but gets only two lines before fishing for praise. He also proposes drinking wine, but both companions refuse.
• Chen Shu asks Jiang Lai about martial training and decides to watch him practice at Martial Cultivation Hall No. 3 the next afternoon. Meng Chunqiu says he will come too.
• The conversation reveals that Meng has perfect cultivation talent but prefers literature and poetry. Chen Shu also has a perfect score, undercutting Meng’s boast. Jiang Lai’s mood dims: he chose the Martial Artist path because he could not open a Spirit Sea.
• Alone on the balcony, Chen Shu reflects on the Ninth Tier, beings beyond it, and the Sacred Ancestor’s apparent route home. Holding the Crystal and gazing at the moon, he wonders why the Sacred Ancestor has not returned—and when the moon will light his own way home.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Shu shows continued concern for Xiaoxiao, balancing teasing with practical care. His curiosity about Jiang Lai’s training hints at a possible new interest, while his final thoughts reveal deeper knowledge and longing connected to the Crystal and the Sacred Ancestor.
• Xiaoxiao is eating poorly and appears lonely, though she avoids saying so directly. Her playful rapport with Chen Shu offers her a moment of warmth.
• Meng Chunqiu remains theatrical and eager for appreciation, but reveals genuine talent and a strong preference for literature over cultivation. His interaction with Chen Shu becomes a friendly contest of boasts.
• Jiang Lai is diligent and committed to training, yet quietly regrets that he could not pursue the Spirit Sea path. He is embarrassed by the idea of familiar people watching him practice.
• The three roommates share light teasing and conversation, but their different priorities—poetry, martial training, and cultivation—keep the scene grounded in their distinct personalities.

Significant themes

• Care beneath humor: Chen Shu’s jokes with Xiaoxiao mask sincere concern for her wellbeing and loneliness.
• Different paths to fulfillment: Meng values literature over power, Jiang Lai trains despite disappointment, and Chen Shu weighs cultivation against his own aims.
• The pull of the past and home: The moon links the present to ancient times and to the Sacred Ancestor, while Chen Shu’s closing question turns that image into a personal longing for return.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Shu spends the morning repairing the Runes of the Thousand Mechanisms Art in his Spirit Sea, then optimizes his Bodyguard Divine Light spell, especially its unreliable automatic activation.
• He and Meng Chunqiu visit Martial Cultivation Hall No. 3 to meet Jiang Lai. They watch Jiang Lai dominate several sparring partners with impressive strength, speed, technique, and experience.
• After class, the three head back together. Chen Shu reveals that their detour includes collecting his packages, and the others help carry them.
• Chen Shu has bought kitchenware and ingredients, intending to make dumplings and mooncakes. Back at the dorm, he prepares pork-and-cabbage and pork-and-mushroom fillings and teaches Meng Chunqiu and Jiang Lai to wrap dumplings.
• Their dumplings vary in quality: Jiang Lai’s are acceptable, Meng Chunqiu’s are awkward but made with great enthusiasm, and Chen Shu’s are neat and uniform. Chen Shu boils the beginners’ misshapen dumplings and plans to freeze the rest; he intends to give his own dumplings to his sister and “girlfriend who isn’t dating” him.

Character developments

• Chen Shu shows himself to be practical and self-directed, refining his spell, cooking, and quietly taking charge of the group’s evening. His teasing reveals an easygoing, playful side.
• Jiang Lai is revealed to be a highly capable fighter, far stronger and more experienced than his classmates suggest. He is also modest and eager to help, especially when food is involved.
• Meng Chunqiu is curious, sociable, and willing to try unfamiliar things. Though clumsy at dumpling-making, he enjoys the process and takes pride in his attempts.

Significant themes

• Personal adaptation and improvement: Chen Shu customizes his spell to suit his own abilities, while Jiang Lai’s skill reflects practical combat experience.
• Camaraderie through ordinary activities: Shared errands and cooking bring the roommates closer.
• Contrasts between appearance and ability: Jiang Lai’s baby face hides formidable martial skill; Meng Chunqiu’s ambiguous appearance is a recurring source of others’ uncertainty.
• Finding enjoyment in daily life: Chen Shu’s cooking offers a counterbalance to cultivation, study, and work.

Character interactions

• Chen Shu and Meng Chunqiu exchange playful banter, including over the unexpected parcel pickup and Meng’s dumpling photos.
• Chen Shu and Jiang Lai speak warmly about the sparring; Chen Shu admires Jiang Lai’s abilities, while Jiang Lai responds modestly.
• During cooking, Chen Shu teaches both roommates and jokes about their skills. Meng embraces the task enthusiastically, while Jiang Lai joins in readily, keen to share the meal.

Key plot points and events

• On the evening of the thirteenth, Chen Shu receives 22,000 yuan from Wen Han’s studio for selling the lyrics and music to a song. He feels guilty about selling a masterpiece from his fellow townsman, but needs the money for a Second-Tier Breakthrough Potion.
• The next morning, Chen Shu makes mooncakes and packs dumplings for Ning Qing and his older sister, Chen Banxia. Meng Chunqiu watches him bake and gets to try a fresh mooncake.
• Chen Shu meets Ning Qing at the school gate and gives her food. Their playful exchange turns on Chen Shu’s confidence that he can anticipate her thoughts and on her lingering watchfulness as he leaves.
• Chen Shu visits Chen Banxia, wakes her by smacking her cheek, then placates her with mooncakes and dumplings. He promises to make more dumplings and chili oil, and agrees to come back for dinner the next day, possibly bringing Ning Qing.
• Chen Banxia is delighted and transfers him another 10,000 yuan, despite his protests. Chen Shu checks potion prices and decides to wait until the next day, when the official site’s Mid-Autumn discount begins.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Shu is resourceful and caring, using cooking to look after people close to him while continuing to pursue the money he needs. His banter with both Ning Qing and Chen Banxia shows his teasing, self-assured side.
• Ning Qing remains quiet and difficult to read, but pays close attention to Chen Shu. Their brief exchange suggests she is still thinking about how well he seems to understand her.
• Chen Banxia quickly shifts from indignation at being woken by a slap to being deeply touched by her brother’s food and attention. Her gift of money reveals her affection and willingness to support him.
• Meng Chunqiu sees a new, careful and domestic side of Chen Shu while watching him make mooncakes.

Significant themes

• Family and affection expressed through practical care: Chen Shu’s food and Chen Banxia’s money are both ways of showing love.
• Financial pressure and ambition: Chen Shu’s song payment and Banxia’s gift bring him closer to affording the potion, while he carefully waits for a discount.
• Playful intimacy and familiarity: Teasing, food-sharing, and knowing glances deepen the relationships among the characters.