Recaps

After Zhang Siyu left, Lu Ming struggled to take over the bathhouse’s spirit-washing work and badly mishandled Squirrel Spirit’s bath. By evening the shop had settled down, but Wen Ning and Lu Ming both admitted they missed Zhang Siyu.

• Zhang Siyu left before dawn, leaving Wen Ning a brief note, and Wen Ning put it away without knowing how to face her.
• Lu Ming tried to bathe Squirrel Spirit while Sparrow Spirit and the little sparrows mocked him, and he pulled fur from Squirrel Spirit’s tail.
• Wen Ning told Lu Ming that customer complaints would mean wage deductions, but Lu Ming realized Wen Ning had never paid him wages at all.
• Wen Ning told Squirrel Spirit to wash again and instructed Lu Ming to dry him with towels, promising the bath would be free if Lu Ming wrung him out again.
• Lu Ming used three towels to fluff Squirrel Spirit’s tail, and Squirrel Spirit paid for the bath before leaving.
• Lu Ming told Wen Ning he missed Zhang Siyu and wanted her to return to wash squirrels, and Wen Ning said he should tell her himself.

Wen Ning and Lu Ming went to the Heavenly Court after Wen Zhong summoned Wen Ning, only to learn that a former Heavenly Court worker named Golden Turtle had founded a monster organization called Black Sèhuì. Wen Zhong explained that Golden Turtle had been banished to the Mortal Realm after stealing the Queen Mother's peonies and causing trouble at the Moon Palace.

• Wen Ning received Wen Zhong's summons and brought Lu Ming with him to the Heavenly Court.
• At the Thunder Department, Bai Lu warned Wen Ning that something serious had happened and urged him to see Wen Zhong.
• Wen Zhong told Wen Ning that Black Sèhuì was led by Golden Turtle, a former Heavenly Court employee.
• Wen Zhong explained that Golden Turtle had been banished after getting drunk, stealing three of the Queen Mother's peonies, and trying to visit Chang'e at the Moon Palace.
• Wen Zhong recalled that the Jade Rabbit knocked Golden Turtle unconscious with a pestle before the theft and misconduct were discovered.

Wen Ning agreed to go undercover for Wen Zhong to investigate a situation and help Golden Turtle earn a chance to return to the Heavenly Court. He recruited Lu Ming for the trip, bargaining over his pay as they headed for the Southern Heavenly Gate.

• Wen Zhong told Wen Ning to go undercover, explaining that a successful assignment could help bring Golden Turtle back and earn him a chance to redeem himself.
• Wen Ning agreed to the mission but told Wen Zhong he would withdraw if it became dangerous.
• Wen Ning overheard Lu Ming boasting to Bai Lu about working at the shop, then told him they were going on another work trip.
• Lu Ming agreed to join after negotiating with Wen Ning for two hundred and fifty yuan, but Wen Ning deducted fifty after Lu Ming tried to raise the amount.
• Wen Ning headed toward the Southern Heavenly Gate as Lu Ming ran after him, demanding an explanation.

Wen Ning and Lu Ming entered a northeastern mountain forest to investigate a monster stronghold and pretended they had come to join Master Jin. After rabbit spirits welcomed them and described the stronghold’s benefits, Lu Ming accidentally introduced Wen Ning as a human monster.

• Wen Ning and Lu Ming reached the border mountains, where two rabbit spirits mistook them for recruits seeking to join Master Jin.
• Lu Ming grew antlers to convince the rabbit spirits that he and Wen Ning were monsters, and they agreed to escort the pair to the stronghold.
• The rabbit spirits praised Master Jin’s stronghold for offering insurance, a housing fund, meals, and shared rooms.
• Wen Ning touched Rabbit Spirit A’s ears, angering him until Wen Ning apologized and called him Brother Necktie.
• When Rabbit Spirit B asked what kind of monster Wen Ning was, Lu Ming blurted out that Wen Ning was a human monster.

Wen Ning and Lu Ming reached Golden Turtle’s stronghold and were interviewed for work. After Golden Turtle accepted them, they filled out employment forms and learned they would start work the next day.

• Wen Ning smacked Lu Ming on the head, then claimed he had been swatting a mosquito as Rabbit Spirit A and Rabbit Spirit B led them to the courtyard.
• Rabbit Spirit A brought Wen Ning and Lu Ming inside to meet Master Jin, who interviewed them about their work and background.
• Wen Ning described himself as a deer keeper and called Lu Ming the most disobedient deer on his farm.
• Golden Turtle gave Wen Ning and Lu Ming employee registration forms and told them to rest before starting work the next day.
• Lu Ming asked Wen Ning who to list as his emergency contact, and Wen Ning told him to put down his name because he still owed Lu Ming an allowance.

Wen Ning and Lu Ming passed Master Jin’s interview and joined a mountain stockade that turned out to have only seven members in total. Wen Ning planned to investigate the group the next day, but could not contact Wen Zhong because the remote location had no network signal.

• Master Jin accepted Wen Ning and Lu Ming after their interview and sent Rabbit Spirit A to escort them to their quarters.
• Wen Ning and Lu Ming discovered that Rabbit Spirit A and Rabbit Spirit B shared their dormitory and managed the stockade’s daily operations.
• Rabbit Spirit B revealed that the stockade had seven members, including the newcomers, Master Jin, the two rabbit spirits, Weasel Spirit, and Hedgehog Spirit; Frog Spirit had recently left.
• Wen Ning and Lu Ming privately questioned why the Thunder Department had treated the tiny group as a major threat, and Wen Ning resolved to meet Weasel Spirit and Hedgehog Spirit the next day.
• Wen Ning tried to message Wen Zhong under his quilt, but the message failed because the mountain location had no network signal.

Wen Ning found Old Huang living in Master Jin’s stronghold and learned that its members were searching for someone with a Five-Star Mark on their foot. Rabbit Spirit A then took Wen Ning to patrol the mountain, while Lu Ming was ordered to chop firewood.

• Wen Ning recognized Old Huang outside the kitchen and quietly told him he was on an undercover mission from the Heavenly Court.
• Old Huang said he had joined Master Jin’s group months earlier and revealed that its members were looking for someone with a Five-Star Mark on their foot.
• Rabbit Spirit A interrupted them, and Old Huang and Wen Ning pretended they had been discussing the stronghold’s rules.
• Rabbit Spirit A ordered Lu Ming to chop firewood and took Wen Ning to learn the mountain patrol routes.

Wen Ning accompanied Rabbit Spirit A on a mountain patrol, where they helped an injured old man while searching for someone with a five-star mark on their foot. Rabbit Spirit A said Master Jin wanted the person brought back but did not know what would happen afterward, leaving Wen Ning questioning whether the organization needed an undercover agent.

• Rabbit Spirit A explained that their patrol involved helping people and checking for someone with a five-star pattern on their foot.
• Rabbit Spirit A and Wen Ning found an old man who had twisted his ankle while gathering firewood.
• Rabbit Spirit A asked to inspect the old man's feet, found no markings, and helped him back to the village with his basket.
• Rabbit Spirit A told Wen Ning that Master Jin wanted the person brought back but had no further instructions.
• Wen Ning wondered whether the monster organization needed an undercover agent.

Wen Ning and Rabbit Spirit A found Hedgehog Spirit and Old Huang detaining a tour group in the clearing and checking every visitor’s feet on Master Jin’s orders. The tourists passed inspection without finding any star marks, and Hedgehog Spirit continued checking the line.

• Wen Ning and Rabbit Spirit A heard a commotion and found a tour group surrounded by Hedgehog Spirit and Old Huang.
• Hedgehog Spirit explained that he had brought the tourists back after they entered the territory, and Rabbit Spirit A told Wen Ning that Master Jin had ordered foot inspections.
• Rabbit Spirit A persuaded a little girl that the inspection was a treasure hunt game, and Hedgehog Spirit began checking the tourists’ feet one by one.
• Hedgehog Spirit cleared each tourist he examined, and none of their soles had a star mark.

Hedgehog Spirit inspected the last tourist’s foot, yanked out its thick hair, and confirmed he had no Five-Star Mark. Wen Ning and Lu Ming discussed Master Jin’s search before Rabbit Spirit A caught them whispering and lectured them about unity.

• Hedgehog Spirit pulled a clump of hair from the middle-aged man’s foot and found no mark underneath.
• The tourists left, and Old Huang told Wen Ning that another hairy-footed visitor had once had his nails cut with scissors.
• Wen Ning told Lu Ming that Master Jin was seeking someone with a Five-Star Mark on the sole and that reporting the clue counted as progress.
• Rabbit Spirit A caught Wen Ning and Lu Ming whispering, then told them to avoid forming cliques and explained that Master Jin permitted quiet complaints behind his back.

Wen Ning confronted Master Jin about the undercover mission and learned that Master Jin had known his identity from the start. Master Jin explained why he was searching for his former master and said he would return to the Heavenly Court once he found him.

• Lu Ming complained to Wen Ning that their undercover work was dragging on and urged him to move things forward.
• Wen Ning went to Master Jin and asked when he had discovered Wen Ning's identity.
• Master Jin said Heavenly Venerable Wen had told him and explained that he needed Wen Ning to help find someone with a Five-Star Mark on his sole.
• Master Jin recounted how his master had raised him, how a Heavenly Tribulation erased his memories, and how he later recovered them.
• Master Jin said he had searched for his former master for years and would return to the Heavenly Court once he found him.

Wen Ning learned that Master Jin’s former master had been reincarnated and was living a settled life, but Master Jin chose not to visit him. Master Jin disbanded the Black Sèhuì and prepared to return to the Heavenly Court with Wen Ning.

• Wen Ning went to the Underworld, where Judge Lu found that Shen Tengteng had reincarnated as Zhao Ping'an and was running a braised-food shop.
• Wen Ning told Master Jin about Zhao Ping'an, and Master Jin decided that knowing he was well was enough.
• Master Jin gathered the spirits and announced that the Black Sèhuì was disbanded, telling them they could choose what to do next.
• Rabbit Spirit A and Rabbit Spirit B hugged Master Jin, while Old Huang and Hedgehog Spirit showed their affection.
• Wen Ning told Lu Ming that the assignment was over, and Master Jin left with Wen Ning for the Heavenly Court.

Wen Ning brought Jin Big Tooth back to the Thunder Department, where he reunited with Wen Zhong and learned why Wen Zhong had sent him to resolve Jin’s burden. With Jin’s Heavenly Court post set to be restored, Wen Ning and Lu Ming headed back to the shop, planning to reopen for business.

• Lu Ming asked Master Jin his real name, and Master Jin introduced himself as Jin Big Tooth.
• Wen Ning brought Jin Big Tooth and Lu Ming to the Thunder Department, where Wen Zhong welcomed Jin back.
• Wen Zhong teased Jin about getting knocked out at the Moon Palace, and Jin laughed and promised to drink less.
• Wen Zhong explained that Wen Ning had been sent to investigate quietly and earn merit by dispelling a deity’s inner demons.
• Wen Zhong said he would arrange for Jin to return to his post, and Jin thanked Wen Ning.
• Wen Ning promised to pay Lu Ming’s travel expenses when they reached the shop and said he would reopen for business.

After returning from the mountains, Wen Ning and Lu Ming unwound at a bathhouse before Wen Ning took in the spirit of Mr. Gu, who had been sent by the Ghost Messengers. Mr. Gu explained that he wanted Wen Ning to protect his devoted second son from his estranged eldest and youngest sons, who had returned after his death to claim his estate.

• Wen Ning brought Lu Ming to a bathhouse, making Lu Ming pay with his business trip allowance.
• After they returned to the shop, Wen Ning sensed the spirit of an old man outside and invited him in.
• Mr. Gu told Wen Ning that the Ghost Messengers had directed him to seek help with his final wish.
• Mr. Gu recounted how his eldest and youngest sons had moved overseas and neglected him, while his second son, Gu Jianjun, cared for him for years.
• Mr. Gu said he wanted his estate to go to Gu Jianjun, but he died before making a will.
• Mr. Gu explained that his eldest and youngest sons had returned from overseas soon after his funeral, and he feared they would take the estate from Gu Jianjun.

Old Mr. Gu asked Wen Ning to ensure his inheritance went to his devoted second son, Gu Jianjun, rather than his greedy eldest and youngest sons. Wen Ning agreed and went with Lu Ming to the funeral home, where he found Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming confronting Gu Jianjun over the estate.

• Old Mr. Gu begged Wen Ning to help Gu Jianjun receive the inheritance, and Wen Ning promised to protect it from his two brothers.
• After Old Mr. Gu vanished, Wen Ning told Lu Ming they would investigate the brothers and stop them if they cared only about money.
• The next morning, Wen Ning and Lu Ming went to Old Mr. Gu’s funeral home and found Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming demanding an equal share of the estate.
• Gu Jianguo grabbed Gu Jianjun by the collar and demanded the property deed and bank card, while Gu Jianming shoved him.

Wen Ning intervened when Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming attacked Gu Jianjun over their father’s inheritance in the mourning hall. He declared that Uncle Gu had entrusted him with handling his final affairs and challenged the brothers’ right to inherit.

• Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming demanded the inheritance and accused Gu Jianjun of hiding their father’s assets.
• Gu Jianjun said their father had left him the house and savings, then defended the pouch containing the property deed and bankbook as his brothers attacked him.
• The brothers’ fight disrupted the mourning hall, while Uncle Gu’s Soul watched helplessly and grew weaker.
• Wen Ning ordered the brothers to stop and rebuked them for neglecting their father and assaulting Gu Jianjun beside the coffin.
• Wen Ning said Uncle Gu had entrusted him with handling his final affairs and questioned whether Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming deserved any inheritance.

Wen Ning used his supernatural power to scare Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming out of the funeral hall after they challenged his claim that Gu Jianjun’s father had asked him to protect his son. Gu Jianjun still wanted to share the inheritance with his brothers, but Wen Ning promised to handle the matter without hurting them and left the funeral hall.

• Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming dismissed Wen Ning’s claim and threatened him, while Gu Jianjun also doubted that his father had entrusted him with anything.
• Wen Ning unleashed a frightening display of Law Power, making Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming kneel, beg for mercy, and flee the funeral hall.
• Gu Jianjun thanked Wen Ning and asked how he had known his father; Wen Ning said he had come because the father feared Gu Jianjun would be bullied.
• Wen Ning told Gu Jianjun that his father wanted all the properties and savings to go to him, but Gu Jianjun said he would rather give his brothers a share to keep the peace.
• Wen Ning promised to make the brothers give up their claims willingly and assured Gu Jianjun he would not hurt them, then left the funeral hall.

Wen Ning took Uncle Gu to the Underworld so Judge Lu could address Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming’s neglect and mistreatment of their father. Judge Lu summoned the brothers, heard their excuses, and ordered them lashed, while Uncle Gu watched.

• Uncle Gu chose to leave with Wen Ning, accepting that his bond with Gu Jianjun in this life had ended.
• Wen Ning brought Lu Ming and Uncle Gu to the Underworld and told Judge Lu how Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming had neglected their father and fought over his property.
• Judge Lu issued orders for a Ghost Messenger to bring Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming’s souls to the Underworld.
• Judge Lu confronted the brothers, and Gu Xiaoyi described how Gu Jianjun had cared for him during five years of illness.
• Judge Lu ordered thirty lashes for the brothers, and Ghost Messengers began whipping their souls as they cried for mercy.

Uncle Gu pleaded with Judge Lu to spare his sons, and the Underworld Court ruled that Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming had no claim to Gu Xiaoyi’s property. After the brothers were sent back to the living world with twelve years deducted from each lifespan, Wen Ning and Lu Ming returned to the bathhouse before dawn.

• Uncle Gu knelt before Judge Lu and pleaded for Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming to be spared, and Judge Lu stopped the beating.
• Judge Lu ruled that Gu Xiaoyi’s property belonged to Gu Jianjun and warned Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming not to harass him or contest the inheritance.
• Uncle Gu left for the Bridge of Helplessness after warning his sons to behave, and Judge Lu ordered the brothers sent back to the living world.
• Judge Lu told Wen Ning that Gu Jianguo and Gu Jianming each had twelve years deducted from their lifespan for being unfilial.
• Wen Ning and Lu Ming left the Judge’s Hall and returned to the bathhouse, where Wen Ning sent Lu Ming to rest before dawn.

Feng Dema was reassigned from the Heavenly Court to Wen Ning's shop after harassing women while mistaking their rejections for dates. Wen Ning let him stay, and Feng Dema began work bathing Sparrow Spirit's lice-ridden family as Sparrow Spirit revealed he was divorcing his wife.

• Feng Dema arrived at Wen Ning's shop and said he had been reassigned there after Broom Star caught him dating.
• Feng Dema explained that he had mistaken women's rejections and threats for romantic interest, and Broom Star told Wen Ning he had caused trouble by asking women out near the Heavenly Court's restroom.
• Wen Ning agreed to let Feng Dema stay, and Lu Ming warned him to obey orders and not flirt with customers.
• Sparrow Spirit brought his family to the shop for baths, and Feng Dema misunderstood Lu Ming's meaningful look before starting to bathe them.
• Sparrow Spirit told Lu Ming that he and his wife were in the middle of a divorce.

Lu Ming agreed to buy the Sparrow Spirit a three-bedroom bird’s nest in exchange for keeping his secret stash hidden from Wen Ning. The Sparrow Spirit recounted how he won his wife, while Feng Dema decided he wanted to learn singing to find a wife; the chapter ended with Lu Ming stopping him from practicing on a frightened sparrow.

• The Sparrow Spirit asked Lu Ming to buy him a bigger bird’s nest and revealed he had seen Lu Ming’s hidden cash.
• Lu Ming agreed to buy one three-bedroom nest if the Sparrow Spirit kept quiet about his money stash.
• Feng Dema asked how the Sparrow Spirit had won his wife, and Lu Ming explained that he met his singing teacher after a failed blind date.
• The Sparrow Spirit said his wife fell for his sincerity and persistence, prompting Feng Dema to ask about singing lessons.
• Feng Dema suggested practicing on the little sparrow he had washed, but Lu Ming stopped him.

Gong Kai visited Wen Ning’s shop to announce that he and Hu Jiumei were getting married, having accepted that she was a fox spirit. He invited everyone to the wedding a month later, while Feng Dema wondered how to find a wife.

• Gong Kai visited Wen Ning’s shop and announced that he and Hu Jiumei were getting married.
• Gong Kai explained that Hu Jiumei had told him she was a fox spirit and that he had no reservations about marrying her.
• Gong Kai gave Wen Ning a wedding invitation for a ceremony planned a month later and welcomed everyone from the shop.
• Feng Dema asked Gong Kai for advice on finding a wife, and Gong Kai told him to treat her well.
• Gong Kai left to continue preparing for the wedding, while Feng Dema pondered marriage and Lu Ming suggested asking his uncle to arrange one.

Gong Kai and Hu Jiumei celebrated their wedding with Wen Ning, Lu Ming, and Feng Dema at a courtyard restaurant. The chapter ended with Gong Kai promising to protect Hu Jiumei for the rest of his life.

• Wen Ning, Lu Ming, and Feng Dema arrived at Gong Kai and Hu Jiumei's wedding, where Hu Jiumei welcomed them and received Feng Dema's handmade paper cranes.
• Gong Kai and Hu Jiumei exchanged vows and toasted Wen Ning, thanking him for helping them come together.
• Feng Dema sang enthusiastically and off-key for the newlyweds, making the guests laugh and earning Hu Jiumei's heartfelt thanks.
• Hu Jiumei shared affectionate moments with Gong Kai and told Lu Ming she trusted Gong Kai never to bully her.
• Gong Kai promised the wedding guests that he would protect Hu Jiumei for the rest of his life.

Wen Ning found Zhou Guangfu, a frail beggar who had come to his shop because he sensed Wen Ning could help him. Zhou Guangfu introduced himself and began explaining the story behind his carefully saved money, leaving his request unfinished.

• On the way back to the shop, Wen Ning stopped Lu Ming from shooing away the beggar sitting at the entrance.
• Wen Ning saw that the beggar was near death and invited him inside to rest.
• Lu Ming and Feng Dema opened the shop, and Feng Dema brought the old man hot tea with rock sugar.
• After resting, the man introduced himself as Zhou Guangfu and said he had walked several hundred li from the east because he believed the three men could help him.
• Zhou Guangfu counted 2,149 yuan from his battered bag and began recalling how he used to eat cheap noodles at a shop owned by Liu.

Zhou Guangfu told Wen Ning how Liu Dazhu had once helped him and asked him to help return the money he owed. Wen Ning agreed to search for Liu Dazhu the next morning, while Zhou Guangfu stayed the night, appearing gravely ill but determined to repay his debt.

• Zhou Guangfu recalled how Boss Liu secretly fed him and later left a note saying he did not need to repay the noodles.
• Zhou Guangfu asked Wen Ning to find Liu Dazhu so he could give him the money, and Wen Ning agreed to investigate the old market with Lu Ming the next morning.
• Zhou Guangfu described Liu Dazhu's mole, northern accent, and love of garlic, and Wen Ning wrote down the details.
• Wen Ning arranged for Zhou Guangfu to sleep in the back room, and Feng Dema gave him wedding candy.
• Wen Ning suggested a hospital visit, but Zhou Guangfu declined, saying he wanted to repay Liu Dazhu before his life ended.
• Zhou Guangfu told Feng Dema the candy was sweeter than any he had tasted, and Feng Dema promised to bring him more.