Chapter Summaries

Shen Leyan, a sickly outer-sect disciple who wanted to avoid cultivation, helped his fellow disciples bring supplies to a fire-damaged village. He sensed an unseen presence near the burned ruins and again inside the cottage where the injured were sheltered.

• Shen Leyan woke on a donkey cart and learned that the outer-sect disciples might earn another chance to have their Spiritual Roots tested, though he said he did not want to cultivate.
• Shen Leyan recalled that the unfinished novel's Immortal-Demon War would bring the Cloud Radiance Sect to ruin and that his damaged system, Xiao Du, had only a one-percent chance of being repaired.
• Shen Leyan and the other disciples distributed grain and herbs to villagers whose homes had burned, and his senior brother went to treat the injured.
• As they walked through the village, Shen Leyan felt a sinister chill rising from the ruins, but his senior brother noticed nothing and said the sect's cultivators had detected no Demons.
• Inside the cottage with the injured, Shen Leyan felt the chill return and noticed something blowing against his neck.

Shen Leyan tried to convince his senior brother that a Demon was in the village, but the senior brother dismissed his account. After the system hinted that the village was dangerous, Shen Leyan planned to return to the sect, but a sudden storm made leaving unsafe.

• Shen Leyan urged his senior brother to report the suspected Demon and leave the village, but his senior brother accused him of making up the story.
• Shen Leyan helped the Cloud Radiance Sect disciples care for the injured while he considered the village's unexplained fire and the Demon that had teased him.
• Xiao Du told Shen Leyan its repairs were incomplete and its chance of success had fallen to 0.5%, then refused to explain further.
• Shen Leyan decided to return to the sect after finishing his work because he feared the unknown presence would target him.
• A violent thunderstorm began just as Shen Leyan prepared to ask permission to leave, forcing him to stay in the village.

Shen Leyan found a village cellar for shelter and began suspecting the circumstances of the fire that had injured the villagers. When cries of another fire came from outside, he stopped his senior brother from opening the cellar, pointing out that the injured villagers could not speak or cry.

• Shen Leyan gave Goudan sweets in exchange for learning that the village cellar entrance was in the courtyard.
• Shen Leyan and his senior brother went into the cellar and prepared to spend the night there.
• Shen Leyan questioned how so many villagers had been injured in the fire when their homes were close to the fire shelter.
• Shen Leyan and his senior brother heard shouts of another fire and a child crying outside the cellar.
• Shen Leyan stopped his senior brother from lifting the cellar cover, reminding him that the injured villagers’ throats had been damaged and they could not make those sounds.

Shen Leyan and his senior brother were trapped in a burning village with charred villagers attacking them, so Shen Leyan used a system reward to send a plea for help to Lu Yuanyi. Lu Yuanyi arrived in a blaze of sword light and extinguished the fire.

• Shen Leyan and his senior brother hid in a cellar as demonic voices outside grew louder and cracked the bluestone slab above them.
• The slab shattered, revealing charred villagers who attacked them and said Shen Leyan's otherworldly soul tasted the best.
• Shen Leyan called on Xiao Du, refused spiritual roots as compensation, and demanded a Voice Transmission Talisman.
• Shen Leyan sent a message to Lu Yuanyi asking him to come kill the demon setting fire to the village.
• Lu Yuanyi descended in a brilliant sword light that split the flames apart and extinguished the fire.

Shen Leyan and the Cloud Radiance Sect disciples discovered that the village’s recurring fires were an illusion created to keep the dead villagers’ souls from fading away. The village chief revealed that he had hidden gunpowder beneath the ancestral hall and was determined to save his son’s soul.

• A remnant of the Jiangxue Sword led Shen Leyan and his senior brother from the vanished fire to the village ancestral hall.
• Shen Leyan’s senior brother brought more than twenty Cloud Radiance Sect disciples, who found the village chief and other villagers praying before blood-red spirit tablets and accused them of evil rites.
• When the incense went out and the tablets turned ordinary, the village chief mourned his son and the villagers wept with him.
• Shen Leyan recalled that the dead son’s resentment had trapped the village souls, whose recurring fires consumed new lives to keep them from disappearing.
• The village chief grabbed Shen Leyan’s trouser leg and revealed that he had buried gunpowder beneath the ancestral hall, vowing to save his son.

Shen Leyan stalled the old village chief, who threatened the Cloud Radiance Sect disciples with hidden gunpowder, by provoking him with increasingly outrageous claims about his son. A gentle voice from outside then addressed the village chief, offering to spare lives if he released the disciples safely.

• The old village chief threatened to detonate gunpowder and demanded that Shen Leyan remain behind because he believed Shen Leyan could keep his son's soul from dissipating.
• Shen Leyan urged his senior brother and the other Cloud Radiance Sect disciples to leave while he kept the village chief occupied.
• Shen Leyan clung to the village chief's leg and mocked his son's illusion, then claimed the dead son had been spying on him because he was attracted to him.
• The village chief grew furious as Shen Leyan suggested his son might marry him as a ghost and call the village chief Dad.
• A gentle voice outside asked the village chief to send the Cloud Radiance Sect disciples out safely, saying it had no intention of taking lives.

Shen Leyan talked the old village chief into releasing him, then escaped the ancestral hall and rejoined the Cloud Radiance Sect disciples. Zheng Ziheng heard Shen Leyan’s thoughts and decided to ask his master about the strange ability after they returned to the sect.

• Shen Leyan warned the old village chief that the Cloud Radiance Sect would destroy his son’s soul and punish the villagers, then persuaded him to let Shen Leyan go.
• Shen Leyan escaped the ancestral hall and met Zheng Ziheng, who had arrived with the Outer Sect disciples.
• Shen Leyan tried to stay unnoticed and pretended to be too weak to answer questions from his fellow disciples.
• Zheng Ziheng secretly sent Shen Leyan a healing elixir as compensation from the sect.
• Zheng Ziheng heard Shen Leyan’s thoughts about the elixir’s value and the coming Immortal-Demon War, and resolved to ask his master how to stop hearing them.

Zheng Ziheng stopped the village chief from blowing up the ancestral hall and led the disciples back to the Cloud Radiance Sect. On the way, he learned that Shen Leyan had a Wind Spiritual Root and realized his junior brother was trying to avoid having it tested.

• Zheng Ziheng used a water spell to remove the village chief and another villager from the ancestral hall, then disabled the buried gunpowder.
• Zheng Ziheng told the village chief to choose whether to turn himself in or take his own life, and led the Cloud Radiance Sect disciples back to the sect.
• Shen Leyan worried about avoiding the Spiritual Root test, while Zheng Ziheng mistakenly thought he was disheartened about his aptitude.
• Zheng Ziheng overheard Shen Leyan reveal that he had a Wind Spiritual Root and stared at him as though he were a treasure.
• Shen Leyan noticed Zheng Ziheng holding the donkey's reins and watching him, then nervously asked what was wrong.

After Zheng Ziheng invited Shen Leyan to a spiritual root test, Shen Leyan worried about being forced to cultivate, while his voice-transmission mishap made him the subject of rumors across the Cloud Radiance Sect. The disciples returned from the village fire, leaving Shen Leyan exhausted and embarrassed by his new notoriety.

• Zheng Ziheng questioned Shen Leyan about his background, and Shen Leyan awkwardly claimed he had recently reviewed the sect rules.
• Zheng Ziheng told Shen Leyan he would conduct the spiritual root tests and urged him to attend after noticing his nimble movements.
• Shen Leyan asked whether someone with a spiritual root could choose not to cultivate, and Zheng Ziheng reassured him before leaving in a fluster.
• The disciples returned to the Cloud Radiance Sect at dawn, and Zheng Ziheng excused them from lessons so they could rest.
• Patrolling disciples speculated about Shen Leyan's identity and his voice transmission that had broken through the Mountain-Guarding Array and alerted the sect.

Shen Leyan returned to his quarters and learned that the Voice Transmission Talisman had broadcast his plea for help across the Cloud Radiance Sect. After Xiao Du explained why the talisman had done so, a Spirit-Testing Stone flew toward Shen Leyan’s room.

• Shen Leyan’s roommates questioned him about the talisman that had called for Sect Master Lu Yuanyi and explained how the whole sect had heard it.
• Shen Leyan recounted the village fire incident, attributing the talisman to his deceased parents, then slept through most of the day.
• Shen Leyan woke, ate the lunch his roommates had left, and asked Xiao Du why the talisman had broadcast to the sect.
• Xiao Du explained that the mountain-protecting formation had blocked the outside spell and that Lu Yuanyi’s powerful cultivation had forced the talisman to broadcast instead.
• Disciples in the corridor saw a Spirit-Testing Stone fly from the Spirit Perch Pavilion toward Shen Leyan’s room.

The Spirit-Testing Stone developed sentience, flew to Shen Leyan’s courtyard, and identified him as having a Supreme Single Spiritual Root. Zheng Ziheng subdued the stone and took it back to the Spirit Perch Pavilion, while Shen Leyan accepted that the sect would soon learn his secret.

• The Spirit-Testing Stone flew from the Spirit Perch Pavilion to Shen Leyan’s courtyard after sensing a Supreme Single Spiritual Root.
• The stone landed on Shen Leyan’s scallions, then its little-girl projection accused him of having the rare Spiritual Root.
• Shen Leyan denied the claim and shut himself inside, while Zheng Ziheng arrived and reassured the disciples that the newly sentient stone might be mistaken.
• Zheng Ziheng silenced and bound the stone, then explained that the sect would handle the incident.
• Shen Leyan thanked Zheng Ziheng and acknowledged that he could not keep the Spiritual Root secret from the sect.

Shen Leyan bargained with the Spirit-Testing Stone to conceal his Supreme Single Spiritual Root and prepared an unusual feast for her. He returned to the dormitory, where Chen Jing asked about his Spiritual Root test.

• Zheng Ziheng told Shen Leyan that the sect elders would learn he had a Spiritual Root, but promised to protect his privacy and let him choose whether to cultivate.
• The little girl revealed that Lu Yuanyi had lured her to the Cloud Radiance Sect with candied hawthorn, and Shen Leyan offered her new foods in exchange for keeping quiet about his Spiritual Root.
• The little girl agreed to deny knowing about Shen Leyan's Wind Spiritual Root, even if Lu Yuanyi questioned her.
• Shen Leyan bought ingredients for a hot pot and other unfamiliar dishes, then carried them back to his dormitory.
• Chen Jing helped Shen Leyan with his supplies, and Shen Leyan asked how his Spiritual Root test had gone.

Shen Leyan celebrated Chen Jing’s new Inner Sect opportunity with a hot pot dinner, then met the transformed Spirit-Testing Stone, Qingli, and brought her back to eat. Qingli’s careless remarks hinted at her true nature, but Shen Leyan covered for her as they began the meal.

• Chen Jing told Shen Leyan that his Mixed Spiritual Root would let him enter the Inner Sect next month, and they prepared hot pot together.
• Shen Leyan left the courtyard to find the Spirit-Testing Stone after she failed to arrive for their meal.
• Shen Leyan met the transformed Spirit-Testing Stone, who called herself Qingli and said she had convinced Lu Yuanyi that she had misidentified a Supreme Single Spiritual Root.
• Shen Leyan reassured Qingli and returned with her to the courtyard, where he introduced her to Chen Jing as a new junior sister.
• Qingli enjoyed Shen Leyan’s snow mochi and said she would only eat offerings he made, so Shen Leyan distracted her with beef before Chen Jing could question the remark.

Shen Leyan, Chen Jing, and Qingli shared Hot Pot before Lu Yuanyi arrived and joined their meal. Afterward, Lu Yuanyi confirmed he had come because he had heard about the Single Spiritual Root and asked Shen Leyan if he had bought Qingli’s silence with dinner.

• Shen Leyan invited Chen Jing and Qingli to visit him for tasty food after they entered the Inner Sect and began Grain Avoidance.
• Qingli sensed powerful Spiritual Power nearby, and Lu Yuanyi arrived at their courtyard shortly afterward.
• Qingli accused Lu Yuanyi of coming to steal her Hot Pot, while Shen Leyan served him the remaining beef rolls.
• Shen Leyan, Qingli, and Lu Yuanyi competed to eat the Hot Pot as Chen Jing bowed to Lu Yuanyi and left.
• Shen Leyan thanked Lu Yuanyi for breaking the burning-village illusion and asked if he had come because he heard about the Single Spiritual Root.
• Lu Yuanyi confirmed he had come for that reason and asked Shen Leyan whether he had bought Qingli off with the meal.

Shen Leyan reassured Lu Yuanyi that he had no interest in cultivation or demonic arts, and Lu Yuanyi accepted his choice to remain in the Outer Gate. Before leaving, Lu Yuanyi offered him a Wind Spiritual Root technique for escaping, but Shen Leyan refused because he feared he could never repay the Cloud Radiance Sect.

• Shen Leyan explained that Qingli had helped conceal his Single Spiritual Root in exchange for a meal, and Lu Yuanyi said he could remain in the Outer Gate without cultivating.
• Lu Yuanyi revealed that he had come after smelling Shen Leyan's cooking and to check whether Shen Leyan had turned to demonic arts.
• Shen Leyan warned Lu Yuanyi to beware of evil cultivators who seemed righteous but were corrupt inside.
• At the courtyard gate, Lu Yuanyi gave Shen Leyan the Azure Shadow Profound Art, a Wind Spiritual Root technique meant only for fleeing.
• Shen Leyan was tempted by the promise that the art could let him outrun anyone, but refused the manual because he felt he could not repay the Cloud Radiance Sect.

Shen Leyan accepted the Azure Shadow Profound Art as compensation for the sect’s dangerous misinformation, then discovered he lacked the Spiritual Power to use it. Qingli offered to teach him the basics and agreed to carry his message to Zheng Ziheng.

• Shen Leyan checked the Sect Regulations, confirmed the Heaven Tier art was owed as compensation, and accepted the Azure Shadow Profound Art from Lu Yuanyi.
• At Cicada Song Pavilion, Zheng Ziheng asked Lu Yuanyi about Shen Leyan, and Lu Yuanyi praised the junior disciple’s personality.
• Qingli explained how to open acupoints with Spiritual Power, learned Shen Leyan had never cultivated, and promised to bring him a Basic Spiritual Power Circulation Art the next day.
• Shen Leyan asked Qingli to speak to Zheng Ziheng for him, and she set off for Cicada Song Pavilion carrying his Taro Milk Tea.

Shen Leyan proposed opening a hot pot restaurant to earn money for the Cloud Radiance Sect, and Zheng Ziheng agreed to submit his business plan to the sect’s leaders. Zheng then asked Shen Leyan to help deal with the disciples’ rampant rumors, prompting Shen to ask whether the sect had a newspaper.

• Shen Leyan, Zheng Ziheng, and Qingli searched for a quiet place to talk before settling on the roof of the Spirit Perch Pavilion.
• Shen Leyan asked whether the Cloud Radiance Sect was short on money, and Zheng Ziheng confirmed that the sect’s expenses were high.
• Shen Leyan proposed opening a restaurant focused on hot pot, with desserts, drinks, and rare-beast meat, and explained how it could earn money and provide work for Outer Sect disciples.
• Zheng Ziheng agreed to pass Shen Leyan’s written business plan to the sect master and elders for review.
• Zheng Ziheng told Shen Leyan that disciples had been spreading rumors about Qingli, the Spirit Perch Pavilion elder, and Shen Leyan’s parentage.
• Shen Leyan asked whether the Cloud Radiance Sect had a newspaper, and Zheng Ziheng said it did not.

Shen Leyan proposed a sect newspaper and gained approval to open a restaurant, while Lu Yuanyi learned that a prophecy warned of an Immortal-Demon War. Shen Leyan prepared the restaurant and continued cultivating as the renovations began.

• Shen Leyan suggested that Zheng Ziheng create a newspaper for the Cloud Radiance Sect, with the Law Enforcement Hall reporting verified news and an elder reviewing it.
• Zheng Ziheng took Shen Leyan back by sword flight, and Shen Leyan spotted the Nine Stars Pavilion glowing above a mountain.
• Elder Xuanji divined that the Immortal-Demon War would devastate living beings and warned Lu Yuanyi that his fate star was flickering.
• Lu Yuanyi questioned Elder Xuanji about the prophecy and the possibility that a disciple without cultivation could divine the Heavenly Secrets.
• Three days later, Shen Leyan heard that Lu Yuanyi had approved his restaurant plan and that disciples were preparing the newspaper.
• Shen Leyan bought ingredients, tested Demonic Beast meat, and studied Spiritual Power while Qingli supervised the restaurant renovations and Zheng Ziheng taste-tested Hot Pot.

Shen Leyan finished preparing his restaurant and used a recorded hot pot tasting to invite Sect Master Lu Yuanyi to its opening. Lu Yuanyi watched the recording in silence, leaving his response uncertain.

• Shen Leyan, Zheng Ziheng, and Qingli named the restaurant's hot pot dishes and seasonings, then made menus for the newly renovated restaurant.
• Shen Leyan asked Zheng Ziheng to invite Lu Yuanyi to make a conspicuous appearance at the restaurant's opening, and Zheng Ziheng recorded Shen Leyan's invitation with a Reflection Stone.
• Zheng Ziheng showed Lu Yuanyi the recording, in which Shen Leyan demonstrated hot pot and offered him a free meal at the opening.
• Lu Yuanyi remained impassive after the recording ended, and Zheng Ziheng asked whether his master had anything to say.

Chen Jing discovered the Cloud Radiance Sect’s new newspaper, which advertised Shen Leyan’s restaurant and spread other sect news. As the restaurant prepared to open, Shen Leyan cultivated overnight, then braced for a flood of customers when classes ended.

• Zheng Ziheng told his master that Shen Leyan had invited him to the restaurant, but his master refused to go after failing to catch a fish.
• Chen Jing attended his first Inner Sect class and learned that the Enforcement Pavilion was distributing a newspaper featuring restaurant advertisements and sect stories.
• Chen Jing agreed to visit the new restaurant with a senior brother after class the next day.
• Shen Leyan prepared the restaurant, limited opening-day service to thirty-five tables, and cultivated his Spiritual Power overnight.
• At nine the next morning, Shen Leyan, Qingli, and the restaurant workers stood ready as dozens of disciples flew toward the restaurant after class.