Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Li Mo takes Feng Sheng from the onlookers, cutting short their hopes of hearing more gossip. The pair are then summoned to the Council Hall by their master, Fu Shouci.
• Fu Shouci explains that Feng Chen plans to marry Lü Rongrong, who is secretly connected to remnants of the Demon Clan. He instructs Feng Sheng to expose something suspicious to her family—or, failing that, to prevent the marriage.
• The group cannot openly discuss or spread what they learned about Lü Rongrong, and they worry that accusations against the respected Immortal Silence Tower would be dismissed without evidence.
• Bai Wuxia proposes discreetly involving the Two Arts Sect, which already has a hostile relationship with the Immortal Silence Tower, and bringing the Feng Family into the pressure. Fu Shouci approves.
• Li Mo is assigned to accompany Feng Sheng to the Feng Family. Before they leave, Fu Shouci, the Peak Masters, and Xiao Jixue equip them with protective techniques, formations, talismans, and pills.

Character developments and interactions

• Feng Sheng is eager for gossip but shifts into a serious role as she prepares to confront her family about Lü Rongrong.
• Li Mo commits to protecting his junior sister and remains calm and dependable. Lü Rongrong’s past attempt to force herself on him still troubles him.
• Fu Shouci takes a cautious, practical approach: gather evidence, prevent the marriage if necessary, and put the disciples’ safety first.
• Bai Wuxia offers a strategic plan that uses existing rivalries to expose the Immortal Silence Tower.
• Jiang Mei jokes that Li Mo’s good looks might help persuade Lü Rongrong. Fu Shouci rebukes her, while Li Mo reacts with disgust.
• Xiao Jixue has apparently been able to share the information about Lü Rongrong despite the restrictions affecting the others, and he supports the mission by supplying useful items.

Significant themes

• Secrecy and evidence: The group must uncover the truth without being able to make direct accusations.
• Protection and responsibility: Senior disciples and masters prepare to safeguard Feng Sheng and Li Mo.
• Political strategy: Existing conflicts between powerful factions may be used to investigate the Immortal Silence Tower.
• Humor amid danger: Gossip, teasing, and Jiang Mei’s joke provide levity against the serious threat.

Key plot points and events

• After returning from the Council Hall, Xiao Jixue finds Tang Yan reading about spirit medicines beneath a peach tree. Seeing him makes Xiao’s heart race, though he cannot explain why.
• Tang Yan says he is reviewing alchemy because he currently cannot cultivate. Xiao interprets his casual remark as hidden sorrow and promises to find a way for him to cultivate again; his affection for Tang Yan rises sharply.
• Xiao invites Tang Yan to watch a small competition at Artifact Peak. Disciples follow them, expecting gossip, and arrive prepared with snacks.
• Xiao notices Tang Yan looking at their food and produces an elaborate spread, including Peach Blossom Wine he brewed himself. Tang Yan enjoys it, recognizes its familiar taste, and recalls someone from his former life who was similarly attentive.

Character developments

• Xiao Jixue grows increasingly affectionate and protective toward Tang Yan, though he remains unaware of what his feelings mean. He also notices Tang’s preference for red robes and plans to prepare more of them.
• Tang Yan is puzzled by Xiao’s unexplained devotion. His response to Xiao’s wine reveals that it connects to memories of a considerate person from his past.

Significant themes

• Unrecognized romantic feelings: Xiao’s affection deepens even as he struggles to understand his racing heart.
• Care and misinterpretation: Xiao reads sadness into Tang Yan’s matter-of-fact words and responds with earnest reassurance.
• Memory and continuity: The wine links Tang Yan’s present relationship with Xiao to a familiar kindness from his former life.
• Gossip and communal curiosity: The disciples turn an ordinary outing into a spectacle, treating Tang Yan as a source of entertainment.

Character interactions

• Xiao reassures Tang Yan about restoring his cultivation and invites him out; Tang accepts eagerly.
• At Artifact Peak, Xiao anticipates Tang’s needs by bringing food and wine, while Tang compliments the wine and agrees to take more.
• The disciples trail the pair and settle in to watch the competition—and the anticipated gossip.

• Plot: At the inn, Tang Yan overhears Wei Lianyi greet her friend Li Qingrong. His inner monologue reveals that Qingrong is destined for a disastrous marriage to Peng Liangyi: she will fund his rise, only for him to seize her family’s power, kill her relatives, cripple her, and sell her into prostitution. Forewarned, Qingrong leaves quietly to deal with him before those events can happen. After Tang Yan finishes his thoughts, the system announces that it has detected its most explosive gossip yet, leaving everyone eager to hear it.
• Character developments: Qingrong shifts from a cheerful guest enjoying a meal to a coldly determined woman ready to change her fate. Tang Yan remains unaware that others can hear his thoughts and casually exposes the danger facing her. Wei Lianyi is concerned for her friend and checks whether she can manage alone.
• Interactions: Qingrong and Lianyi share a warm, trusting friendship. Qingrong reassures Lianyi before departing. Tang Yan’s revelations—and the gathered listeners’ reactions—turn a convivial meal into a tense scene.
• Themes: The chapter contrasts apparent romance with exploitation and betrayal, while emphasizing the power of foreknowledge to alter fate. It also plays the grim revelations for comedy through Tang Yan’s blunt slang and the crowd’s insatiable appetite for gossip.

Plot points and events

• Tang Yan arrives at Artifact Peak’s minor competition with Xiao Jixue. Elder Han Zhongjin, an accomplished artifact refiner overseeing the event, approaches them and takes an unusual interest in Tang Yan.
• Xiao Jixue steps between Han and Tang, then warns Tang to keep his distance, saying Han makes him uneasy.
• Wei Lianyi also reacts strongly to Han’s presence. Suspecting he may be a demonic spy, she quietly leaves to report to the Law Enforcement Hall.
• The competition begins, with Han set to assess three disciples who can refine Superior Magical Treasures. Meanwhile, Tang Yan asks his system for the promised explosive gossip.
• The system reveals that Han is a man who mutilates male cultivators. Tang Yan’s horrified thoughts are heard by everyone nearby—including the spectators and people secretly watching from the void. Their shock disrupts the gathering, though the contestants have shut off their senses to avoid losing focus.
• Just as Tang Yan asks whether Han has done something even worse, the system confirms there is more to the story, leaving everyone terrified and eager to hear the rest.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Yan shifts from curious gossip-seeker to genuinely horrified at the revelation. His private questions expose the secret to the crowd.
• Xiao Jixue is protective and wary: he shields Tang from Han, warns him away, and shows a brief, involuntary blush when Tang speaks close to his neck.
• Han Zhongjin appears refined and respected, but his scrutiny of Tang and the unease he inspires make him seem suspicious and threatening.
• Wei Lianyi trusts her instincts and acts on her suspicion by going to the Law Enforcement Hall.
• Fu Shouci and the other hidden observers claim they are merely passing by, but join the gathering for gossip; the revelation leaves them badly shaken.

Significant themes

• Gossip as a disruptive force: Tang’s thoughts turn a formal competition into a spectacle and spread startling information through the sect.
• Appearance versus reality: Han’s scholarly demeanor contrasts sharply with the allegations about him.
• Trust and vigilance: Xiao’s warning and Wei’s response emphasize the need to be cautious around unsettling figures.
• Growing affection: Xiao’s subtle physical reaction hints at feelings for Tang that he has not openly acknowledged.

Key plot points and events

• After learning that Han Zhongjin may be behind the Ten Thousand Swords Sect’s string of missing male disciples, Sect Leader Fu Shouci and others listen for more of Tang Yan’s unspoken thoughts.
• Tang Yan’s system reveals an even more disturbing rumor: Han allegedly preserves the body parts he removes and keeps them at a secret base outside the sect.
• The revelations stun the crowd, including disciples in the competition arena. Those who have not sealed their senses hear the gossip; others remain unaware.
• Han, oblivious to the accusations, mistakes the disciples’ fearful glances for admiration. He puffs up proudly and surveys the male disciples as though assessing potential targets.

Character developments

• Fu Shouci grows increasingly convinced that Han is connected to the disappearances and wants to hear the full extent of his alleged crimes.
• Han’s disciples Liu Yunsheng and Jiang Xiao are horrified to discover that their gentle, respected master may be a depraved criminal. Liu’s reaction hints that he has begun to suspect Li Jiang may also be involved or at risk.
• Tang Yan is overwhelmed by the escalating revelations, while the system shares his disgust.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Han’s refined, scholarly image clashes sharply with the monstrous conduct attributed to him.
• Fear and suspicion: The missing male disciples and the crowd’s new knowledge turn ordinary attention into panic and covert scrutiny.
• Dark comedy through dramatic irony: Han interprets terrified looks as admiration and unknowingly behaves like a predator surveying victims.

Character interactions

• Fu Shouci confers with Jiang Mei, Xu You, and others, who agree Han’s behavior and lack of reaction to Tang Yan’s thoughts make him a likely suspect.
• Tang Yan and the system exchange shocked, sarcastic comments about Han’s alleged habits.
• Liu Yunsheng and Jiang Xiao silently grapple with the collapse of their trust in their master, while the male disciples try to avoid attracting Han’s attention.

Plot points and events

• Tang Yan’s mind-reading revelations expose Han Zhongjin, an esteemed Artifact Peak elder, as a serial predator who disguises himself as a beautiful woman to lure male disciples away, assault them, and castrate them.
• Han’s crimes stem from unrequited love: after his male friend rejected him because he loved a woman, Han tried to trap the friend and his beloved in a secret realm and kill her. An accidental injury there left Han impotent, which Tang Yan interprets as the reason he became perverse.
• Several disciples have vanished because of Han. The newest missing disciple may still be alive in Han’s secret hideout.
• Fu Shouci decides to lure Han out and capture him. Bai Wuxia, Jiang Mei, and the others agree to help seal off escape routes, since Han’s cultivation and escape technique make him dangerous.
• At the chapter’s end, Tang Yan wonders how to warn his master and quietly tugs Xiao Jixue’s sleeve.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Yan continues uncovering scandalous secrets, moving from disbelief to grim concern as he realizes the danger is immediate.
• The Artifact Peak disciples are mortified that their peak is associated with multiple unusual figures, while other disciples react with shock, horror, and renewed determination to protect themselves.
• Bai Wuxia and Wei Lianyi arrive eager for gossip, but are stunned by the revelations. Fu Shouci and the other leaders shift from shock to coordinated action.
• Han notices disciples looking at him strangely but cannot understand why. Meanwhile, Liu Yunsheng and Jiang Xiao lose interest in their contest as the scandal spreads.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and corruption: Han’s rejected affection turns into cruelty, and his respected standing concealed years of abuse.
• The danger of unchecked authority: His rank, strength, and reputation helped him hide his crimes.
• Collective protection and justice: The sect’s leaders unite to stop him and rescue the missing disciples.
• Dark comedy amid horror: The disciples’ shocked reactions and protective preparations contrast with the gravity of Han’s crimes.

Key plot points and events

• Tang Yan quietly tells Xiao Jixue that the sect’s leaders suspect Han Zhongjin of being involved in a missing Artifact Peak disciple’s disappearance. Xiao confirms they are investigating.
• Tang Yan’s inner thoughts reveal the truth: Han is a Demon Clan mole who abducts talented male cultivators and feeds them to an Evil Being. He is raising the creature to attack the Ten Thousand Swords Sect in the future, and an entire village and an organization support him.
• The leaders and disciples learn this through Tang Yan’s thoughts. Bai Wuxia nearly confronts Han, but Jiang Mei persuades him to stay hidden so Han cannot escape.
• Tang Yan also reveals that Han’s eldest disciple was a victim and that Li Jiang helped conceal the crime. Han’s other disciples, Liu Yunsheng and Jiang Xiao, are innocent—but Han has plans to target them, too.
• Han casually orders Liu Yunsheng to leave the sect in a few days, apparently creating an opportunity to abduct him. Knowing the leaders are watching Han, Liu agrees without revealing his fear.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Yan and Xiao Jixue share a private, intimate moment. Tang Yan blushes when Xiao leans close; Xiao finds his embarrassment endearing, and his affection for Tang Yan rises.
• Xiao, the sect leaders, and the disciples shift from suspicion to fury once they learn the scale of Han’s crimes. They must conceal their reaction to avoid warning him.
• Liu Yunsheng and Jiang Xiao are terrified when they realize their master intends to prey on them. They cover their distraction with excuses, while Han remains unsuspecting.
• The other Artifact Peak disciples feel relieved that they did not become Han’s disciples.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and abuse of authority: Han exploits the trust and vulnerability of his own disciples.
• Hidden knowledge and vigilance: Tang Yan’s thoughts expose a threat that the leaders must investigate discreetly.
• Justice versus strategy: The leaders’ anger is strong, but they restrain themselves to prevent Han from escaping and endangering more people.
• Growing affection: Xiao’s fondness for Tang Yan deepens through their small, personal interactions.

Key plot points and events

• After hearing the shocking revelations about Han Zhongjin, Tang Yan loses interest in the artifact-forging competition. Xiao Jixue offers to take him back to Purple Dawn Peak, and they leave.
• With Tang Yan and Xiao Jixue gone, Sect Leader Fu Shouci and several senior figures emerge from hiding and confront Han Zhongjin. They lure him to the Artifact Peak Hall by claiming they want to discuss a missing disciple.
• Fu Shouci attacks when Han Zhongjin tries to flee. Although Han Zhongjin is a powerful fighter, the others have sealed the area, and Fu Shouci eventually knocks him down. Bai Wuxia captures him in a special golden net.
• Fu Shouci accuses Han Zhongjin of involvement in the Artifact Peak disciple’s disappearance and offers to prove his guilt with a Soul-Searching Technique. Han Zhongjin denies the accusation, but the others do not believe him.
• Concerned that Han Zhongjin might resist a soul search by someone of equal cultivation, the group decides to take him to Grandmaster Xu Yi on Pill Peak to conduct it. Han Zhongjin remains bound and secretly searches for a way to escape.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Yan has had enough of the day’s startling gossip and eagerly accepts Xiao Jixue’s offer to leave. Xiao Jixue is attentive to Tang Yan’s comfort and realizes he should obtain a spirit-stone-powered flying artifact for him.
• Fu Shouci shifts from a mild, reassuring manner to decisive force once Han Zhongjin is isolated. He is convinced by information from “Little Five” that Han is dangerous and cannot be trusted.
• Han Zhongjin initially maintains a refined, innocent appearance, then panics when confronted. He denies wrongdoing, invokes his standing as an elder, and continues plotting escape.
• Bai Wuxia and the other seniors coordinate with Fu Shouci, help contain Han Zhongjin, and recommend that Xu Yi perform the soul search. Han Zhongjin’s disciples, Liu Yunsheng and Jiang Xiao, silently hope he will be kept from harming anyone again, revealing how quickly their trust in him has collapsed.

Significant themes

• Deception and exposure: Han Zhongjin’s respectable façade begins to crumble as the sect acts on evidence against him.
• Collective justice and caution: The leaders work together to restrain him and choose a safer way to investigate rather than risk a dangerous confrontation.
• Shattered loyalty: Even Han Zhongjin’s recent disciples have already lost faith in him.
• Contrasting moods: Tang Yan and Xiao Jixue’s quiet departure gives way to a tense, coordinated effort to bring Han Zhongjin to account.

Plot points and events

• Fu Shouci restrains Han Zhongjin, who rages and threatens to report him to Grandmaster Xu Yi. Fu silences him with a pair of socks.
• Xu Yi performs Soul Searching and discovers that Han abducted and tortured cultivators, kept a secret estate where an Evil Being was fed human flesh and blood, and acted on instructions from an unknown contact—likely connected to the Demon Clan.
• Horrified by what he sees, Xu Yi reduces Han to a witless, crippled husk and destroys his cultivation, but leaves him barely alive so his death will not alert the estate’s occupants through a possible soul lamp.
• That night, Fu Shouci leads an assault on the concealed town where the estate is located, bringing two powerful Dao Venerables to prevent anyone from escaping. Jiang Mei and the Formation Peak elders break the town’s concealment formation, revealing its blood-soaked nature.
• The sect’s forces defeat the town’s defenders by dawn. In the estate, they find a display of severed male body parts, which Fu Shouci burns.
• Xiao Jixue finds the missing disciple Qiu Ling alive, though tortured. A search uncovers more than a hundred captives. Fu kills the Divine Incarnation-stage Evil Being, and the group rescues a blind, mentally muddled man from its prison.

Character developments and interactions

• Han’s cultivated, scholarly image collapses as his panic and cruelty are exposed. Soul Searching leaves him incapacitated, and Xu Yi’s fury makes his punishment especially brutal.
• Xu Yi, normally a formidable and controlled grandmaster, is shaken and disgusted by the revelations. He directs the raid but warns Fu not to ask him to perform Soul Searching again.
• Fu Shouci moves from investigating Han to leading a coordinated rescue and purge. He remains focused on recovering victims and eliminating the threat.
• Jiang Mei proves her expertise by identifying and helping break the town’s concealment formation. Xiao Jixue demonstrates his combat skill and later reports Qiu Ling’s recovery to Fu.

Significant themes

• Hidden corruption and appearances: Han’s respectable reputation concealed extreme depravity.
• Justice and protection: The sect acts decisively to stop the abuse, destroy the Evil Being, and rescue captives.
• Horror beneath tranquility: The town’s idyllic exterior masks bloodshed and concealment.
• The cost of cruelty: Victims survive with lasting physical and psychological damage, while the perpetrators’ crimes provoke both justice and revulsion.

Plot points and events

• After hearing that Peng Liangyi had been insulting and exploiting her, Li Qingrong storms into Su Yue City with ten Divine Incarnation guards and a hidden Body Integration expert.
• Peng Liangyi’s parents claim he has left on an errand, but Li suspects he is at the Drunken Red Pavilion and goes there.
• The madam reveals that Peng has been secretly spending lavishly at the brothel for months, including ordering ten women at once, while paying her to keep quiet.
• Li overhears Peng boasting that he only stays with her for her resources and status. He and his friends also express misogynistic beliefs and plot to use marriage to seize control of Azure City.
• Li kicks open the door, rejects Peng’s excuses, and knocks him out of the upstairs room and onto the street. She then beats him while the crowd and brothel staff cheer her on.

Character developments

• Li Qingrong is shown as proud, forceful, and fiercely independent. She responds to betrayal with decisive violence and makes clear that she—not Peng—would hold power in any marriage.
• Peng Liangyi is exposed as a deceitful, opportunistic hypocrite: he lives off Li’s resources, secretly frequents the brothel, and dreams of controlling her position.
• Peng’s parents try to placate Li but cannot stop her or protect their son.
• The brothel madam and onlookers shift from curiosity to enthusiastic support for Li once Peng’s behavior is revealed.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and comeuppance: Peng’s secret behavior and schemes are exposed, and he faces immediate consequences.
• Power and gender: Peng expects a wife to obey and wants to take advantage of Li’s status, while Li asserts her authority and rejects those assumptions.
• Public humiliation and spectacle: The confrontation becomes entertainment for the surrounding crowd, who openly take Li’s side.

Character interactions

• Li confronts Peng’s parents, bypasses their excuses, and pursues him to the brothel.
• Peng tries to charm Li and excuse his conduct as ordinary male socializing; she refuses to listen and attacks him.
• Peng’s friends flatter his ambitions, while the women at the brothel privately despise him.
• The crowd, madam, and brothel workers encourage Li as she beats Peng.