Chapter Summaries

Key events

• The group has exhausted their Gu Insects, needles, and the Mirror of a Hundred Demons’ energy. With the Ghost Infants closing in, they doubt they can keep moving much longer.
• Shen Lang volunteers to slow the pursuers with his Bone Flute, despite warning that his mental strength may fail. The others run while he plays.
• After roughly another incense stick’s time, Shen Lang’s playing falters and he collapses. Ye Qianfan catches him, carries him over his shoulder, and continues running.
• Without the flute’s restraint, the Crying Children and Ghost Infants quickly surround the group. Li Pu laments that he never got to return home and show off his achievement of joining the Demon-Quelling Office.
• Shang Xueli has a way to save herself, but using it would mean conceding defeat in the assessment—something her pride resists.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Lang shows selflessness by risking his remaining strength to protect the others.
• Ye Qianfan responds decisively, catching and carrying Shen Lang while urging the group onward.
• Li Pu uses humor and regret to face the apparent danger, revealing that his family is dead and that he longed to prove himself to his village.
• Shang Xueli remains determined to endure rather than use her escape method and admit defeat.
• The group chooses action over argument, trying to make Shen Lang’s sacrifice count.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and loyalty: Shen Lang puts the group’s survival ahead of his own.
• Pride and recognition: Shang Xueli’s refusal to concede and Li Pu’s wish for public acknowledgment both show how strongly status and validation matter to them.
• Courage in desperation: Even as their resources fail and escape seems unlikely, the group keeps moving.

Key events

• As the group flees through the Crying Child Cave, Ye Qianfan uses the Mirror of a Hundred Demons to summon a huge black fish. It bites its way through the cave and terrifies the Crying Children, helping clear a path.
• The Ghost Infants pursue them from behind, now unrestrained without Shen Lang’s flute music. Near the exit, Shang Xueli releases her Mother Gu, which transforms into a glowing butterfly and drives the Crying Children back long enough for the group to escape.
• The three survivors reach a distant riverbank with Shen Lang still unconscious on Ye Qianfan’s back. Shang Xueli believes her Mother Gu has died and laments the damage to her cultivation.
• Li Pu questions whether their exhausted group can face the River God. Ye Qianfan turns Shang Xueli’s rebuke back on Li Pu: if he has nothing helpful to say, he should keep quiet.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan remains resourceful and determined, gambling on the Mirror’s power and urging the group onward even when danger closes in.
• Shang Xueli sacrifices her Mother Gu to help everyone escape. Her grief and anger reveal how deeply her Gu is tied to her lifelong cultivation. She sharply rejects Li Pu’s unhelpful consolation.
• Li Pu is exhausted and pessimistic, voicing doubts about their next mission. His attempt to comfort Shang Xueli fails, and Ye Qianfan echoes her criticism.
• The trio cooperate under pressure, but exhaustion and loss strain their patience with one another.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and cost: Shang Xueli’s intervention saves the group but may set back her cultivation.
• Resourcefulness under danger: Improvised use of the mirror and Mother Gu creates a chance to escape.
• Words versus support: The chapter contrasts empty consolation and defeatist talk with practical help, captured by its title’s refrain.

Key events

• Ye Qianfan and his companions return to Riverside Town at dusk and find the Pavilion Chief’s concubine waiting anxiously outside the office.
• She asks whether the Pavilion Chief returned with them. Ye Qianfan says he has no idea where the man is.
• Li Pu tries to flirt with the concubine, offering to keep her company for the night. Shang Xueli scolds him, and their teasing escalates into an argument.
• Ye Qianfan cuts the exchange short, reminding them that they must deal with the River God that night or risk being trapped or killed.
• Shang Xueli asks how they will find the River God. Li Pu redirects attention to the concubine, prompting Shang Xueli to snap that she has only just lost her husband.
• The concubine overhears this and demands to know what happened to the Pavilion Chief. Shang Xueli tries to avoid answering, while Li Pu blames her for letting the secret slip.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan remains practical and detached, refusing responsibility for the Pavilion Chief’s whereabouts and steering the group back to their urgent mission.
• Li Pu is shamelessly flirtatious and irreverent, repeatedly provoking Shang Xueli even as the situation grows dangerous.
• Shang Xueli is focused on the River God and impatient with Li Pu’s behavior, but her careless remark accidentally alarms the concubine.
• The concubine shifts from worrying about the Pavilion Chief’s absence to fearing for her own safety and demanding the truth.

Significant themes

• Danger beneath comic banter: The group’s playful bickering contrasts with the looming threat of the River God.
• Secrecy and uncertainty: The Pavilion Chief’s unexplained absence—and what the companions know about it—creates tension.
• Self-preservation: The concubine’s concern appears driven less by affection than by fear of being left vulnerable after dark.

Chapter summary

As night approaches, Ye Qianfan leaves the unconscious Shen Lang in the Pavilion Chief’s concubine’s care, ordering her to keep him inside and warn him not to disrupt the plan if he wakes. The concubine quickly accepts the arrangement after seeing Shen Lang’s refined appearance. Li Pu complains that Shen Lang is unconscious and therefore cannot enjoy her company; Ye rebukes him for treating an official assignment like a brothel visit.
With darkness falling and the Human-Skin Ghosts expected to appear, Shang Xueli objects to the sleeping arrangements. She refuses to share a room with Li Pu, while Li Pu insists he should be able to pursue the concubine and claims Ye belongs with him. Shang and Li each grab one of Ye’s arms and demand that he choose between them. Ye ends the argument by ordering all three to stay in one room.
Shang blushes at the suggestion, and Li misreads it as sexual innuendo, earning another rebuke. Ye clarifies that they will share the room as bait for the River God; when it comes, Shang and Li are to hide on the roof and ambush it.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan stays focused on the mission despite his companions’ bickering. He manages Shen’s safety, lays out the bait plan, and uses blunt authority to control Li Pu and Shang Xueli.
• Li Pu is openly lustful and provocative, especially toward the concubine, and competes possessively with Shang for Ye’s attention. His crude jokes repeatedly frustrate Ye.
• Shang Xueli is practical about the danger but also openly dislikes sharing a room with Li Pu. Her rivalry with him escalates into a comic tug-of-war over Ye.
• The concubine accepts Ye’s decision without much resistance, preferring the prospect of sharing a room with the handsome Shen Lang to being near the Pavilion Chief.
• Shen Lang, though unconscious and largely absent from the action, becomes the focus of the concubine’s attention and is kept out of the impending danger.

Themes

The chapter mixes comic rivalry and crude humor with the urgency of supernatural danger. It also highlights Ye’s responsibility and tactical thinking: the group’s awkward sleeping arrangement is not romantic but a deliberate attempt to lure the River God and prepare an ambush.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan explains why he expects the False River God to attack: the Station Chief’s room showed signs of water, the False River God appears unaffected by Door Gods, and unlike the Human-Skin Ghost, it eats people. He suspects it poisoned and then consumed the Station Chief.
• Ye concludes that killing the False River God is their best chance to stop the real River God from entering the world; otherwise, the group may have to flee.
• That night, Ye serves as bait in the Station Chief’s room while Li Pu and Shang Xueli hide above. When the False River God pumps gray poison gas through the window, Ye signals them. Shang Xueli confirms she understands; Li Pu avoids the gas by breathing through a gap in the roof.
• The creature enters after waiting for the poison to work, but the group drops a net over it. Ye attacks with his sword while Li reinforces the net with needle and thread.
• The plan quickly falters: Ye’s blade barely penetrates the monster’s exceptionally tough hide, and the False River God breaks the sword and begins tearing through the net. Li calls on Ye to find another solution.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye demonstrates careful deduction and tactical leadership, volunteering as bait because his unusual nature makes him more resistant to the creature’s poison and bite.
• He is also motivated by concern for his surviving companions, having already lost more than half the original team.
• Shang and Li trust Ye’s reasoning and follow his plan. Shang uses her ability to hold her breath, while Li improvises to avoid inhaling the poison.
• Their coordinated trap shows teamwork, but the monster’s strength leaves them in immediate danger.

Significant themes

• Reason against the supernatural: Ye pieces together physical clues and differences between monsters to anticipate the attack.
• Sacrifice and responsibility: Ye accepts the greatest risk to protect his teammates.
• Limits of human power: The False River God’s toughness and strength overwhelm weapons and restraints, highlighting the danger posed by supernatural forces.

Ye Qianfan’s team traps the fake River God by pouring Fire Oil over it, then setting the room alight. Ye Qianfan holds the creature off long enough for Shang Xueli and Li Pu to get outside and chain the door shut. As the monster screams and batters the door, Ye Qianfan leaves it behind and rushes to rescue the others before the wooden buildings catch fire.
The operation briefly revives the rivalry between Shang Xueli and Li Pu: she kicks him out of the room and admits she has long wanted to hit him; he threatens to report her. They put the argument aside to follow Ye Qianfan’s orders. Shang is surprised that he obtained Fire Oil from the Military School, while Li Pu recognizes how the trap works.
Meanwhile, Shen Lang wakes in another room beside a scantily dressed woman who claims she has been waiting for him all night. Confused and alarmed, he pushes her away, unable to understand how he ended up there after passing out in the Crying Child Cave.
Key themes: improvisation and teamwork under pressure; the need to prioritize survival over personal disputes; and the story’s blend of danger, mystery, and comic misunderstandings.

Plot points and events

• Shen Lang wakes beside the Pavilion Chief’s concubine, both of them naked, and fears he may have slept with her while unconscious. She threatens to report him, then turns tearful.
• Shang Xueli and the others burst in to warn that the Patrol Constables have set the false River God alight. Seeing Shen Lang and the concubine together, they react with embarrassment and teasing.
• Shen Lang dresses and helps the concubine up, explaining that she cared for him all night and he does not want to leave her behind with a guilty conscience.
• The burning monster breaks loose and attacks people amid the panic. Smoke, flames, and confusion overwhelm the Pavilion Office.
• Ye Qianfan leads the group out through the back gate. They cannot risk stopping to help the villagers, and the expected Human-Skin Ghosts do not appear; the town seems strangely normal.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Lang is embarrassed and uncertain about what happened, but chooses compassion toward the concubine rather than abandoning her.
• The concubine shifts from accusation to distress, then appears delighted when Shen Lang helps her.
• Shang Xueli is mortified by the scene and quickly turns away; Li Pu responds with crude teasing, while Ye Qianfan stays focused on getting everyone out.
• Ye Qianfan makes a pragmatic choice to prioritize the group’s escape over rescuing others.

Significant themes

• Conscience and responsibility: Shen Lang acts to avoid leaving someone who cared for him in danger, even amid uncertainty and embarrassment.
• Survival amid chaos: The group’s escape takes priority as the monster attacks indiscriminately.
• Uncertainty and deception: Shen Lang cannot tell what happened while unconscious, and the absence of the usual ghosts makes the apparently ordinary night unsettling.

Key plot points

• Ye Qianfan and the others escape the burning Pavilion Office as the Heavenly River Cult arrives, led by its Hall Master. The cultists believe the River Demon is still inside and are desperate to preserve it for their upcoming Divine Descent Ritual.
• A blazing creature charges out. The Hall Master mistakes it for a Fire Demon and orders three archers to attack with explosive water-filled fishbone arrows. Their blasts badly injure it, but it keeps advancing and kills the archers when their arrows explode on impact.
• The Hall Master summons numerous tattooed Human-Skin Ghosts, each carrying a lamp. They cover the creature and extinguish its flames, causing it to collapse.
• A cultist’s compass points to the fallen creature. The Hall Master realizes the badly burned, nearly unrecognizable body is the River Demon—and is shocked that it has been burned despite fire being its supposed weakness.
• A subordinate then points out the Nuo Masters near the Pavilion Office, suggesting they are responsible.

Character developments and interactions

• The Hall Master shifts from frantic concern for the River Demon to fear of the charging creature, then to stunned disbelief when he recognizes it. He uses his forces aggressively but remains focused on recovering the demon for the ritual.
• The compass-bearing cultist questions the Hall Master’s assumptions and identifies that the fallen creature may be the River Demon.
• The cultists act under the Hall Master’s commands, first firing on the creature and then sending the Human-Skin Ghosts to stop it.
• Ye Qianfan and his companions are present as witnesses, but the excerpt does not show their actions after escaping.

Significant themes

• Mistaken identity and failed certainty: The cultists misread the River Demon as a Fire Demon, and their assumptions about its vulnerability prove unreliable.
• Violence backfires: The cult’s explosive weapons kill its own archers, while its effort to save the demon leaves it badly damaged.
• Power and control: The Hall Master commands weapons and supernatural servants, yet events quickly overwhelm his plans.

Key plot points and events

• The Heavenly River Cult Hall Master orders his followers and the Human-Skin Ghosts to kill Ye Qianfan and his companions.
• Ye offers to hold the attackers back so the others can escape, but Shen Lang, Li Pu, and Shang Xueli refuse to abandon him. Shang says she needs a little more time to prepare something that could save them.
• Ye buys time by claiming he may be able to revive the River Demon—the cult’s hoped-for vessel for the River God. The Hall Master agrees to delay their execution for one hour.
• Using the Mirror of a Hundred Demons, Ye secretly sends a Black Flood Dragon into the River Demon’s charred corpse. The body briefly twitches and opens its eyes, convincing the cultists that the creature has revived—before it goes still again.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan shows a mixture of self-preservation and concern for his companions: he offers to distract the enemy, then risks a dangerous bluff to create time.
• Shen Lang, Li Pu, and Shang Xueli stand by Ye rather than flee. Shang hints that she has a plan, while Ye takes on the task of stalling the cult.
• The Hall Master’s hatred makes him eager for revenge, but his devotion to the River God makes him willing to negotiate when Ye offers hope of the River Demon’s return.
• The cultists’ fervor turns to excitement when the corpse moves, though the apparent revival is only temporary.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and solidarity: The companions choose to face danger together.
• Deception and survival: Ye exploits the cult’s beliefs to buy time.
• Faith and fanaticism: The cultists interpret a brief movement as proof of divine favor.
• Hope under pressure: Shang’s undisclosed preparations and Ye’s gambit offer a narrow chance of escape.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan pretends to test whether the River Demon can be revived. Its corpse moves, convincing the Hall Master that revival might be possible.
• Ye claims the ritual requires privacy because it involves secret Puppet Sect techniques. The Hall Master refuses to let him work alone, so Ye threatens to accept death rather than break his sect’s rules.
• The Hall Master, who respects religious devotion, agrees to keep the cultists nearby but has Human-Skin Ghosts cover a bamboo framework around the corpse, trapping Ye inside while guarding against escape.
• Ye’s real motive is to retrieve a piece of golden bone he and the Daoist discovered inside the River Demon. He needs to cut open the corpse, which he cannot do while the Heavenly River Cult watches.
• Shen Lang and Li Pu worry about the trap and suggest fighting or fleeing. Ye reassures them that he will survive, then asks Shang Xueli whether she can handle what comes next.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan uses a convincing performance—invoking loyalty to his sect—to manipulate the Hall Master and buy time for his plan.
• The Hall Master is suspicious and angry at first, but his own devotion makes him respect Ye’s apparent willingness to die for his beliefs. He compromises by containing him rather than stopping the ritual outright.
• Shen Lang and Li Pu remain wary of the Human-Skin Ghost enclosure and fear Ye may be in danger.
• Ye and Shang Xueli share an unresolved moment: his final question suggests he is relying on her for an important part of the plan.

Significant themes

• Deception and performance: Ye’s staged revival and fabricated ritual are tools for concealing his true goal.
• Faith and loyalty: The Hall Master’s religious convictions make him vulnerable to Ye’s appeal to sect rules.
• Trust under pressure: Ye’s companions question the plan, while his confidence—and his reliance on Shang Xueli—hints at a larger strategy.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan enters a tent made of Human-Skin Ghosts, pretending to conduct a ritual while secretly searching the River Demon for its Golden Bone. The Daoist can sense the bone is inside but cannot locate it, so Ye begins cutting the demon apart.
• Outside, the Heavenly River Cult watches the tent. The sounds of slashing and splashing blood make the supposed ritual look suspicious, but the Hall Master insists they wait out the agreed half-hour.
• Shang Xueli reveals that she sent a message to the Demon-Quelling Office and expects rescuers before dawn, though she cannot be certain when they will arrive. Her companions doubt the plan and worry Ye will be killed if help does not come.
• As the incense burns down, the group discusses who might stay behind to hold off the cultists if they must flee. Shen Lang argues that his mental attacks make him the best candidate to delay them.
• When the incense goes out, the Hall Master orders the Human-Skin Ghosts away. The tent is revealed to contain the River Demon, dismembered nearly beyond recognition: Ye has searched it thoroughly but still has not found the Golden Bone.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan keeps up the appearance of cooperation while exploiting the ritual’s time limit to search the demon. His persistence turns the promised ceremony into a grisly dissection.
• Shang Xueli tries to reassure the others that the Demon-Quelling Office will rescue them, but her uncertainty undermines their confidence.
• Shen Lang grows angry at Shang Xueli’s seemingly unreliable plan, then volunteers to sacrifice himself so the others can escape.
• Li Pu calms the argument and offers to hold off the cultists, but Shen Lang counters that his mental abilities make him more suited to the task.
• The Hall Master grows increasingly doubtful, yet clings to the hope of gaining divine power and honors the agreement until the incense expires.

Significant themes

• Deception and stalling: Ye’s apparent ritual is a cover for his real objective, while the group tries to buy time for outside help.
• Trust under pressure: Shang Xueli’s confidence conflicts with the others’ doubts, testing the group’s unity.
• Sacrifice and loyalty: Li Pu and Shen Lang are willing to risk themselves for their companions.
• Desperation and diminishing hope: The cult’s faith in the River Demon’s revival fades as the deadline approaches—and Ye’s grisly search produces no visible success.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan reveals that the River Demon had swallowed the golden skull, which became lodged in its intestines. He had to dismantle the creature to find it, and concludes that golden bone can accelerate the growth of demons and ghosts.
• The Heavenly River Cult’s Hall Master realizes Ye Qianfan has not resurrected the River Demon and orders his archers to fire on the group.
• Shen Lang prepares to use his Bone Flute to distract the attackers and offers to stay behind with Ye Qianfan. Before he can act, a large volley of arrows kills the Hall Master and strikes many cultists—but leaves the group untouched.
• Soldiers from the Military School arrive, protect the group, and arrest the remaining cultists. The mission ends successfully: Ye Qianfan has captured several Crying Children and gained a large piece of golden bone.
• Shang Xueli invites Ye Qianfan and Shen Lang to join the Heavenly Suppression Office. Shen Lang declines, preferring the Demon-Quelling Office. Li Pu asks to join but is rejected as unqualified.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan stays irreverent under pressure, shrugging off the failed “resurrection” and treating the discovery of the skull as a valuable gain.
• Shen Lang demonstrates loyalty to Ye Qianfan by choosing to face danger beside him, even as he prepares to use his flute.
• Shang Xueli is relieved to be rescued and takes charge of the aftermath, ordering the cultists arrested. Her earlier confidence in help arriving is tempered by her concern that it might come too late.
• Li Pu lashes out at Shang Xueli when help seems absent, then eagerly seeks recognition and a place in the Heavenly Suppression Office. His rejection leaves him defensive and boastful.
• The group’s argument gives way to solidarity when danger becomes imminent; their rescue arrives just before they must fight.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and brotherhood: Shen Lang is willing to risk his life rather than abandon Ye Qianfan.
• Unexpected rescue and fate: The group escapes the archers’ attack through the sudden arrival of reinforcements.
• Power, merit, and ambition: The rival offices distinguish themselves by their work and benefits, while Li Pu’s rejection highlights the standards required to join the elite organization.
• Golden bone and supernatural growth: Ye Qianfan’s discovery suggests these relics can nourish or accelerate the cultivation of nearby supernatural beings.

Key plot points and events

• After the River God incident, Commandery Princess Shang Xueli invites Ye Qianfan to join the powerful Heavenly Suppression Office, hoping to recruit the investigator who uncovered and thwarted the Heavenly River Cult’s plan.
• Ye refuses, citing personal reasons and loyalty to Shen Lang. Shen also declines, though he privately knows that joining would expose his hidden identity.
• Shang accepts their decision but leaves the door open for them to join later.
• The survivors return through the Passage Well to the Demon-Quelling Office. As Ye arrives, an angry man confronts him, accusing him of paying with counterfeit banknotes and nearly getting him in trouble with the authorities.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan shows sound judgment by avoiding an organization where his secret could be discovered. He presents his refusal as loyalty to Shen, though he tells Shen he has his own reasons.
• Shen Lang feels guilty, mistakenly believing Ye is sacrificing a better opportunity for his sake; he also refuses because the Heavenly Suppression Office would expose his identity.
• Shang Xueli reveals her high status and talent-scouting role. Though surprised by the refusals, she respects their choice and offers future help.
• The chapter ends on a comic, abrupt confrontation that hints Ye’s earlier dealings have created trouble.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and personal ties: Ye frames his decision around staying with Shen, while their mutual concern strengthens their bond.
• Self-preservation and hidden identity: Both men recognize that advancement could bring dangerous scrutiny.
• Power and opportunity: The Heavenly Suppression Office’s prestige makes its offer tempting, but status alone cannot outweigh the risks.

Plot points and events

• After emerging from the Passage Well, Ye Qianfan is confronted by the physician who previously took a bribe to let him into the Demon-Quelling Office assessment.
• The physician explains that Ye’s banknote was forged. He has already distributed the expected bribe among others and is now out of pocket—and nearly got caught when he tried to cash it.
• Ye’s companions, Li Pu and Shen Lang, ask what is wrong. Ye reassures them and sends them on ahead.
• Unable to repay the money immediately, Ye offers to pay from his future salary. The physician refuses, explaining that most of the bribe went to other people.
• Ye claims he has nothing valuable to hand over. He has hidden the Mirror of a Hundred Demons inside himself, while the golden bone has become part of his body; the only visible item of value is his Demon Fang Dagger.
• The physician proposes a substitute: Ye must find life-and-death grass for a pill he is refining. He says the herb can be found in the dangerous Former Dynasty Tomb.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye remains cheeky and unrepentant, treating his debt as the physician’s problem to solve and bluffing that he cannot pay. At the same time, he is careful to conceal his most valuable possessions.
• The physician shifts from demanding repayment to bargaining for an errand, but his suggestion sends Ye toward a perilous place.
• Li Pu and Shen Lang show concern for Ye, reflecting the bond formed after their shared ordeal. Ye keeps them out of the dispute.

Significant themes

• Debt and power: Ye jokes that owing a large debt can put the creditor in the position of having to court the debtor.
• Corruption and consequences: The physician’s bribe-taking implicates a wider network, while the forged payment leaves him facing the cost of his own scheme.
• Concealment and survival: Ye protects his unusual treasures by keeping them hidden, even as he must bargain with what little others can see.
• A new danger: The debt is transformed into a mission that points directly toward the Former Dynasty Tomb.

Key plot points and events

• A physician offers to clear Ye Qianfan’s debt to Eunuch He if Ye retrieves two stalks of life-and-death grass from the Former Dynasty Tomb. He’ll also pay fifty taels of gold for each extra stalk.
• Though Ye doubts the offer and worries about the danger, the Daoist tells him to accept. Ye agrees, and the physician says he’ll arrange the assignment.
• Back at the Demon-Quelling Office, Shen Lang and Li Pu hear about Ye’s debt. Shen offers a jade pendant to help, but Ye declines, explaining that he has already arranged a way to settle the debt.
• Shen explains that life-and-death grass grows only in certain tombs and is exceptionally difficult to collect: it must remain shielded from light and air, then be sealed in a bamboo tube with special water within an hour of exposure.
• Ye reveals that the physician directed him to the Former Dynasty Tomb. Shen and Li Pu react with alarm, realizing Ye may have been manipulated into a dangerous mission.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan initially resists taking on a risky job, but trusts the Daoist’s judgment and accepts. He also shows independence by refusing Shen’s valuable pendant once he has a plan to repay his debt.
• The physician appears pleased that Ye has accepted, suggesting he may have ulterior motives.
• Shen Lang demonstrates loyalty and brotherly concern by offering his jade pendant, then warns Ye about the herb’s difficult requirements.
• Li Pu is curious about a chance to earn money and tries to join in, but learns the task is far more hazardous and complicated than he expected.
• The exchange among Ye, Shen, and Li Pu mixes friendly teasing with genuine concern, especially once the Former Dynasty Tomb is named.

Significant themes

• Trust and hidden motives: The physician’s convenient offer and satisfaction raise suspicion, while Ye relies on the Daoist’s guidance.
• Friendship and loyalty: Shen’s offer shows that he considers Ye a brother, even though Ye declines the help.
• Risk behind reward: The promised gold and debt relief come with a dangerous expedition and demanding conditions.
• Knowledge as protection: Shen’s herbal knowledge reveals why the mission is difficult and foreshadows the danger of the tomb.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan learns that Nuo Masters must complete missions worth ten stars each month to receive their full salary and allowance. Higher-grade missions offer more stars but are riskier and take longer, so most people prefer quick, low-grade assignments.
• Ye’s intended mission—the Former Dynasty Tomb, where he hopes to find Life-and-Death Grass—is a difficult Grade B mission. Teams may officially include up to five people for such missions; mission rewards are divided among participants, while easier missions are often privately claimed.
• Li Pu’s research impresses Shen Lang, who welcomes him onto their team. Ye confirms that Li Pu will join them rather than attempt the tomb alone.
• Shen Lang gives Ye a piece of the Divine Wood they had discussed. The group plans to turn in their Riverside Town mission, then accept the Former Dynasty Tomb mission.
• At the Demon-Quelling Office, Ye reports that their Station Chief died in service. When the clerk learns their assignment was Riverside Town—the site of trouble caused by the Heavenly River Cult—he searches for its case file.
• The clerk discovers that Riverside Town’s mission has been upgraded from Grade C to Grade B, explaining why its file is no longer on the Grade C shelves.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan remains focused and composed, intent on finding the Life-and-Death Grass and willing to tackle a dangerous mission. He agrees to take Li Pu along.
• Li Pu proves resourceful by gathering information about mission rules and opportunities. His enthusiasm for joining Ye’s team highlights his trust in Ye’s strength.
• Shen Lang is friendly and teasing, praising Li Pu’s knowledge and contributing the Divine Wood branch Ye needs.
• The administrative clerk’s attitude changes from casual dismissal to respect and surprise when he hears about Riverside Town and the Station Chief’s death.

Significant themes

• Risk, reward, and bureaucracy: Mission ranks determine danger, duration, team size, and merit, while monthly quotas shape Nuo Masters’ choices.
• Cooperation and trust: The group shares information, resources, and risk rather than pursuing difficult missions alone.
• Escalating danger: Riverside Town’s promotion from Grade C to Grade B signals that the group’s completed assignment was more serious than its original classification suggested.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan and his companions return from Riverside Town, where their Station Chief was killed by the River Demon. They helped stop a Heavenly River Cult ritual that nearly brought an Outerworld Fiend into the Great Yao Kingdom, with crucial support from the Demon-Quelling Army.
• An official, initially dismissive of rumors that newcomers defeated the threat, learns the account from Ye Qianfan and accepts it after hearing the details.
• The Riverside Town mission has been raised to Grade B. Each member receives five star points and must earn five more that month.
• The official advises the newcomers to take safer Grade D or E missions, but Ye Qianfan reveals that his team has chosen the Grade B Former Dynasty Tomb mission. Two teams have already died there, prompting the grade increase.
• The official allows them to proceed only if they assemble a voluntary team of five, forbidding coercion or fraudulent registration. Ye Qianfan leaves to find two more members.
• Afterward, the clerk questions why the official imposed the team requirement. The official explains that he is trying to protect them from overconfidence and prevent another needless loss of young Nuo Masters.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan is cautious about attracting attention to himself. He downplays his team’s role in Riverside Town and credits the Demon-Quelling Army, partly to avoid scrutiny that might expose his identity as an “evil spirit.” Despite this modesty, he is determined to pursue the dangerous tomb mission.
• The official shifts from disbelief to acceptance when he hears the newcomers’ firsthand account. His stern advice and team rule come from concern, informed by decades of watching inexperienced Nuo Masters die after early successes.
• The clerk relays the rumors, supports the newcomers’ capability, and presses the official to explain his restrictions.
• The official and clerk’s exchange contrasts the clerk’s focus on allowing capable teams to act with the official’s hard-earned caution.

Significant themes

• Humility versus overconfidence: Ye Qianfan avoids taking undue credit, while the official warns that early victories can distort newcomers’ sense of their strength.
• Duty and protection: The official’s strict requirement is presented not as bureaucratic obstruction but as an attempt to keep young practitioners alive.
• Truth versus rumor: The official insists on verifying reports, and Ye Qianfan’s firsthand explanation clarifies what happened in Riverside Town.
• Risk and ambition: The team’s decision to accept a mission that has already killed two groups shows their willingness to face danger, despite warnings.

Key plot points and events

• An official doubts Ye Qianfan can assemble the five people required for the dangerous grade B Former Dynasty Tomb mission, believing both recruits and veterans will avoid it.
• Ye returns with four teammates: Shen Lang and Li Pu, who came with him from Riverside Town, and brothers Ye Tiandi and Ye Shiguang.
• The brothers say they belong to the Spirit-Seeking Sect, which the official dismisses as part of the notorious Thieves’ Sect. They explain that they seek an ancient written record, not valuables.
• The official tries to block the mission, mainly because he fears Ye Qianfan will die. Ye offers to supervise the brothers and have them swear an oath against stealing from the tomb.
• With his objection effectively removed, the official approves the mission and gives Ye the case file. The group begins examining it and realizes why the mission is grade B.

Character developments

• Ye Qianfan proves resourceful and observant: he identified the brothers’ interest in the grade B missions and recruited them quickly. He also takes responsibility for their conduct to secure approval.
• The official is less concerned with protecting the tomb than with preventing Ye from taking a perilous mission; once he can no longer justify refusing, he relents.
• Ye Tiandi and Ye Shiguang show composure under suspicion and clarify that their goal is research rather than theft.
• Clerk Hu quietly supports Ye, giving him a thumbs-up after the mission is approved.

Significant themes

• Risk and determination: Ye persists despite the mission’s danger and others’ doubts.
• Trust and reputation: The brothers’ sect name makes them suspect, so they must defend their intentions.
• Duty and personal concern: The official uses procedural objections to try to protect Ye.
• Oaths and accountability: Ye invokes a supernatural pledge as a way to reassure the official.

Character interactions

• The official challenges the brothers’ affiliation and tries to prevent the mission; they answer calmly, while Ye vouches for them.
• Ye respectfully presents his team and negotiates for approval.
• Clerk Hu remains discreetly on Ye’s side, while the official ultimately accepts that he cannot stop the group.

Key plot points and events

• After reading the case file, the team discovers that the Grade B mission concerns Tomb-Keeper Village, not the Former Dynasty Tomb itself. Li Pu complains about the misleading title.
• Ye Qianfan warns the Spirit-Seeking Sect brothers, Ye Tiandi and Shiguang, not to abandon the team or investigate the tomb on their own during the mission. They agree to follow his orders, with any tomb exploration postponed until afterward.
• To reinforce the agreement, Ye Qianfan uses a firestone-coated talisman to make it appear to ignite through supernatural power. He claims his Puppet Sect’s talisman arts are formidable and offers the brothers talisman-ash water as a pledge. Shen Lang drinks first, then Shiguang and Ye Tiandi follow.
• The group travels through the Demon-Quelling Office’s Passage Well to Tomb-Keeper Village, a settlement formed over generations by the exiled descendants of former-dynasty officials and palace servants.
• Though the village has grown into a busy town with active docks and markets, Ye Qianfan senses a faint gray haze of death-related qi throughout it.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan demonstrates caution and leadership, setting firm rules because he distrusts the newcomers and recognizes the danger of a Grade B mission. He also relies on a practical trick rather than genuine magic to secure cooperation.
• Ye Tiandi and Shiguang are determined to reach the tomb for a text connected to their sect, but agree to stay with the team and delay their own investigation.
• Shen Lang backs Ye Qianfan publicly by drinking the talisman water first, helping persuade the brothers to cooperate.
• The brothers’ eagerness to pursue the tomb makes Ye Qianfan wary; his staged supernatural display temporarily convinces them of his authority.

Significant themes

• Trust and control: The team’s safety depends on cooperation, but Ye Qianfan believes promises alone are unreliable.
• Appearance versus reality: The mission’s title misrepresents its subject, and Ye Qianfan’s “magic” is a deliberate deception using firestone.
• Buried history and inherited exile: Tomb-Keeper Village’s inhabitants descend from people banished by the former dynasty, yet their community has endured and prospered.
• Unease beneath prosperity: The bustling village appears ordinary, but the gray death-qi hints at hidden danger.

Summary

• Ye Qianfan and his companions arrive in a village beside a mausoleum. A tea-stall owner, who has been waiting for officials from the Demon-Quelling Office, confirms their identity and offers to take them to the village chief.
• At the village chief’s imposing, recently renovated residence, Steward Chen initially opens the small side entrance. On seeing Ye’s official uniform, he changes his manner and arranges for the grand main gate to be opened.
• Chen berates the tea-stall owner for bringing the visitors to the side door, apparently using him to impress the officials. Ye intervenes, saying the choice was his, and prevents the old man from being blamed.
• As Ye and the others enter the courtyard, they find it filled with dense gray mist, despite the bright sunlight outside.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan is alert and authoritative, but also fair-minded: he recognizes the old man’s deference as a consequence of social status and refuses to let Chen exploit him.
• The tea-stall owner is respectful and nervous around those in power, instinctively using the entrance he considers appropriate for himself.
• Steward Chen is deferential toward important officials but condescending toward the old man, revealing his concern with appearances and status.
• Ye’s intervention briefly shifts the exchange: Chen stops scolding the old man and pays him off before ushering the officials inside.

Significant themes

The excerpt contrasts social hierarchy and human dignity, showing how class shapes even the doors people feel entitled to use. It also highlights performative deference and hints at a supernatural mystery through the unexplained mist inside the courtyard.