Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• At the crash site, twenty-year-old Jun Wangchen saves the most critically injured victims using exceptional traditional Chinese medical skills, including the Thunderfire Divine Needles. No one dies: twelve people have minor injuries, six are seriously injured, and two were initially critical.
• Bai Ren is moved by Jun’s skill and sees him as new hope for traditional Chinese medicine, which he feels has been diminished by the dominance of Western medicine.
• After finishing treatment, Jun speaks with Bai Ziyi, who brings him tissues. She asks how he learned the supposedly lost technique; he says he was fortunate to receive instruction from someone who knew it.
• Jun urges Bai Ziyi to preserve compassion in medicine and treat patients without regard to wealth. She takes his advice seriously, and they grow more familiar while discussing medicine.
• As police and reporters arrive, Jun quietly leaves to avoid publicity. Bai Ziyi conceals his identity, but Mengmeng—the girl he saved—shows a drawing of him and insists that it depicts the hero.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen is established as a gifted, selfless young doctor who treats saving lives as a responsibility, not an opportunity for recognition. He is modest about his achievements and uncomfortable with fame.
• Bai Ziyi admires Jun deeply but sees her feelings as respect rather than romance. Her brief, flustered exchange with him reveals her admiration; his advice reinforces her commitment to ethical care.
• Bai Xiaofei teases his sister about Jun, prompting her to scold him and send him to help assess patients.
• Mengmeng expresses her gratitude and admiration through her drawing, viewing Jun as a hero rather than merely the stick figure the reporter sees.
• Bai Ziyi gently defends Mengmeng’s drawing, affirming its emotional meaning.

Significant themes

• The value and potential revival of traditional Chinese medicine.
• Selfless service, medical compassion, and the duty that comes with ability.
• Humility and the choice to avoid public acclaim.
• How a child’s sincere perspective can reveal the meaning behind an imperfect image.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen arrives at the heavily guarded Jinling Special Zone to take the Martial Artists’ Association assessment. After a strict security check, a soldier escorts him to the association hall.
• He joins a crowded group of candidates awaiting the day’s final assessment. Two brothers nearby discuss the promised housing and the exam’s demanding standards: speed, strength, and reflexes.
• Examiner Wang Yu, an imposing black-tier martial artist, organizes candidates into groups and explains the first test: a punch must register at least 500 kg of force. Anyone who fails must leave immediately.
• Many candidates are eliminated. One passes with 501 kg, showing how narrow the threshold is.
• When Jun’s turn comes, other candidates mock him for his youth and seemingly poor punching technique. He remains composed, punches the tester, and produces a startling result: 1,000 kg.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen is calm under pressure. He obeys the guards’ instructions, listens attentively, and ignores the candidates’ taunts. His unexpected score reveals that his strength far exceeds their expectations.
• Examiner Wang Yu is stern and authoritative, enforcing the rules without explanation. Though initially unimpressed by Jun’s punch, he is shocked by the result.
• The two brothers illustrate the candidates’ different outlooks: the younger is excited and confident after advancing to the middle human tier, while the older is cautious after failing twice despite being late-stage human rank.
• The candidates and deputy examiners underestimate Jun, treating him as inexperienced; their ridicule turns to astonishment when his score appears.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus ability: Jun’s age and unpolished-looking punch lead others to dismiss him, but his result overturns their assumptions.
• Harsh standards and competition: The association’s demanding test quickly eliminates many hopefuls, emphasizing how difficult membership is.
• Security and protection: The special zone’s strict controls reflect the association’s power and its role in safeguarding martial artists and their families.

Key events

• Jun Wangchen’s punch registers 1,000 kg, far above the standard, impressing examiner Wang Yu, who ranks him among the top three prodigies he has seen.
• The first assessment eliminates sixty candidates. The forty remaining begin the speed test, which requires 35 m/s over 100 meters.
• Liu Hai narrowly passes at 35.2 m/s after more than ten previous attempts. Zhang Yi fails at 34.5 m/s.
• Of the forty candidates, only ten—including Jun—pass the speed assessment.
• During his run, Jun’s Groundhog Phone falls. He turns back to retrieve it but still finishes at 36.5 m/s, passing despite the detour.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains composed under pressure and shows extraordinary strength and speed. His willingness to risk failing rather than leave the phone behind reveals how deeply he values it.
• Wang Yu moves from astonishment to strong admiration, recognizing Jun as a genuine prodigy and potential asset to the Association.
• Liu Hai’s persistence pays off with a narrow pass, while Zhang Yi reacts bitterly to falling just short.
• Other candidates first hope Jun will fail when he doubles back, but their relief turns to shock and awe when he passes.

Significant themes

• Exceptional ability and competition: Jun’s performances set him far apart, while the strict thresholds eliminate most candidates.
• Persistence and pressure: Liu Hai’s repeated attempts and desperate run show the determination required to qualify.
• Personal priorities and loyalty: Jun’s instinctive choice to recover his phone shows that what matters to him can outweigh even a major opportunity.
• Respect earned through performance: Jun’s skill changes how both the examiner and his fellow candidates view him.

Plot points and events

• The third and final Martial Artists’ Association assessment tests reflexes. Candidates must stay inside a red circle while dodging 1,000 rubber bullets fired in ten seconds; fewer than 50 hits means passing.
• The standard is exceptionally demanding, reflecting the Association’s expectation that candidates be at least peak Human Tier.
• Liu Hai is hit 100 times and fails. Yang Song, whose movement skills help him evade the barrage, is hit 30 times and becomes an official member.
• By the time Jun Wangchen is called, only three candidates have passed. He enters the test calmly, closes his eyes, and dodges every bullet. His zero-hit result amazes the candidates and examiners.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen reveals that his second-rank alchemist’s soul power lets him sense nearby bullets and respond precisely without sight. His performance establishes him as far beyond the other candidates.
• Wang Yu warns Jun not to step outside the circle and recognizes the significance of his soul power, realizing Jun has awakened an unusual ability.
• Liu Hai leaves disappointed after failing, while Yang Song celebrates his success. Their contrasting outcomes heighten the pressure on those still waiting.
• The other candidates and examiners react with disbelief and admiration as Jun’s feat becomes clear.

Significant themes

• Exceptional standards and perseverance: The Association’s tests eliminate nearly everyone, demanding abilities far beyond ordinary human limits.
• Talent and hidden abilities: Jun’s success comes not simply from physical reflexes but from his previously unrevealed soul power.
• Competition and unequal outcomes: Candidates face the same trial, but their results range from failure to remarkable achievement.

Key plot points

• Jun Wangchen easily passes the Martial Artists’ Association assessment, outperforming the tests designed for peak-human-tier martial artists. Only four of one hundred candidates qualify.
• After the other new members leave, Examiner Wang Yu privately asks Jun to stay and identifies him as an alchemist.
• Wang Yu offers Jun a place on a dangerous escort mission: the Zhou Family will transport important goods from Jinling City to Yinling City, and mercenaries will protect the shipment through a forest.
• The reward is a rare natural treasure that enhances soul power. Jun accepts, hoping to gain experience and advance from second-rank to third-rank alchemist. He also believes he can escape extreme danger with Shifting Form, Changing Shadow.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains composed despite revealing exceptional strength. He is practical about joining the Association and accepting risk, while also using humor and flattery to build goodwill with Wang Yu.
• Wang Yu recognizes Jun’s ability and recruits him because of his strength, soul power, and alchemical skills. He is candid about the mission’s danger, but impressed by Jun’s confidence.
• Their conversation shifts from a serious recruitment discussion to comic banter as Jun shamelessly praises his own good looks and “humility.” Wang Yu ends the meeting amused and exasperated.

Significant themes

• Hidden capability and ambition: Jun’s calm exterior masks power well beyond the assessment’s requirements, while his goals drive him toward greater challenges.
• Risk versus reward: The rare soul-enhancing treasure makes a dangerous mission worthwhile to Jun.
• Self-presentation and humor: Jun uses exaggerated confidence and jokes to manage relationships and leave a favorable impression.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen visits the Jinling Great Pharmacy to obtain ingredients and use its alchemy room to prepare healing pills before escorting a shipment to Yinling City.
• Pharmacy owner Feng Mei welcomes him and explains that his earlier help gave her access to the Feng family’s scripture repository, where she has been studying charm arts.
• During the pharmacy’s seventh-anniversary celebration, Jun helps customers identify medicinal ingredients and draws admiring attention. Feng Mei watches him with growing affection, though she doubts he could return her feelings.
• Three men disrupt the celebration, claiming one of them found a fly in a medicinal cake. Feng Mei offers to refund their purchases and replace the cakes, but they demand a million in compensation.
• Feng Mei recognizes their claim as a likely extortion attempt and challenges it, citing her experience and customers who recently ate the cakes. The men threaten to wreck the store and damage its reputation if she calls the police.
• As Feng Mei prepares to negotiate, Jun interrupts with a sarcastic remark questioning the supposed victim’s brothers’ story, setting up a confrontation.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains composed and helpful, using his alchemical knowledge to assist customers. His boastful inner monologue about his looks contrasts with his outward courtesy. He also quietly approves of Feng Mei’s attempt to handle the dispute responsibly.
• Feng Mei is grateful to Jun and increasingly attracted to him, but feels resigned about winning his affection. When the troublemakers threaten her business, she shifts from gracious host to a firm, experienced owner, though their intimidation leaves her under pressure.
• The three men act as aggressive bullies, using a fabricated—or at least suspicious—complaint to extort money and frighten customers. Jun’s final comment challenges their story, while Feng Mei stands up to them despite the risk.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus substance: Jun’s comic self-admiration contrasts with his genuine knowledge, courtesy, and helpfulness.
• Unrequited affection: Feng Mei admires Jun but assumes his excellence places him beyond her reach.
• Integrity under pressure: Feng Mei tries to protect both her customers and the pharmacy’s reputation without yielding immediately to intimidation.
• Public trust and reputation: The extortionists exploit customers’ fears, showing how easily a business’s standing can be threatened.

Chapter summary

Key events

• Three men, led by a tattooed troublemaker, accuse Feng Mei’s pharmacy of selling medicinal cakes containing a fly—apparently as a pretext to harass the shop.
• Jun Wangchen intervenes, mocking them before swiftly disarming the tattooed man and demonstrating his skill with the dagger. The men try to flee, but Jun blocks the exit.
• Jun exposes their lie by forcing the tattooed man to vomit: the absence of food shows he never ate a medicinal cake. When the man attacks again, Jun intimidates and repeatedly punches him until he admits the accusation was fabricated.
• Jun demands compensation for the damaged ingredients and frightened customers. The three men pay 100,000 before leaving.
• Jun gives half the money to the customers, reassures them about the shop’s standards, and warns potential troublemakers. He then advises Feng Mei to hire security.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen proves both highly capable and shamelessly theatrical: he protects the shop with force, quick thinking, and relentless humor, while presenting himself as innocent and exceptionally handsome.
• Feng Mei is grateful and increasingly moved by Jun’s protection. She begins to wonder whether he may be the destined partner foretold to bring her happiness, though she doubts someone so outstanding could truly be hers.
• The tattooed man and his companions go from aggressive and confident to frightened, humiliated, and financially punished.

Character interactions

• Jun’s teasing insults and physical dominance sharply reverse the power dynamic between him and the three men.
• Feng Mei tries to protect Jun at first, but he takes charge and later reassures her with his concern for her safety.
• Jun addresses the customers directly, using the confrontation to restore their confidence and sharing the compensation with them.

Significant themes

• Protecting integrity and reputation: Jun defends the pharmacy against a fabricated accusation.
• Justice and deterrence: The troublemakers are exposed, forced to compensate the shop and customers, and warned against repeating their behavior.
• Humor and bravado: Jun’s comic self-praise and absurd excuses contrast with his genuine skill and resolve.
• Care and possible romance: Jun’s simple concern for Feng Mei’s wellbeing deepens her feelings and ties the encounter to her belief in a destined partner.

Plot points and events

• After treating Feng Mei’s friends, Jun Wangchen finishes refining healing pills. Feng Mei fusses over him warmly and invites him to dinner, but he declines so he can return to campus.
• On the ride back, he checks Mushroom TV and discovers his buffet livestream has topped the trending list. The recording has hundreds of thousands of comments, and his follower count has surged to five million in just three days. His video has also spread beyond the platform.
• Jun enjoys the absurd and suggestive comments, but notices that his growing fame has attracted trolls who call his livestreams fake and accuse him of hiring a woman from an earlier broadcast.
• Gao Jianli contacts him about the “Lingering Melodies” manual Jun bought. Gao offers to give it to him as a gift, then explains that his wife, A Ke, was separated from her seven lower souls during a failed reincarnation. He asks Jun to find them in the mortal world.
• Jun agrees to try, though he cannot promise success. Gao provides A Ke’s headband, which will tremble when her seven lower souls are within a hundred meters. Jun accepts it and learns “Lingering Melodies.”
• Before he can inspect the headband further, his friend Ke JiusI calls: the booked singer for a masquerade at Xiao Yun’s bar has been hospitalized, and he needs Jun to perform at the last minute. Jun agrees to help for only half an hour.
• Jun asks his driver to hurry to Jinling University’s back street, eventually persuading him with a cash offer.

Character developments and interactions

• Feng Mei becomes more openly affectionate and attentive toward Jun; he notices her warmth but jokingly attributes it to his own looks and charm.
• Jun’s popularity rises dramatically, but he sees that fame brings skepticism and abuse alongside enthusiastic fans.
• Gao Jianli’s devotion to A Ke is revealed through his thousand-year effort to reunite with her. Jun is moved by his story and agrees to help, partly out of sympathy and partly to repay Gao for the useful manual.
• Jun remains willing to help friends despite having other plans. His banter with Ke JiusI is teasing and familiar, though he sets a firm limit on how long he can stay.
• Jun’s exaggerated self-confidence and comic inner monologue continue to contrast with his genuine generosity.

Significant themes

• Fame and scrutiny: Jun’s sudden online success brings both admiration and harsh accusations.
• Devotion and reunion: Gao’s plea presents love as enduring across time, death, and reincarnation.
• Reciprocity and compassion: Jun helps Gao out of sympathy and gratitude, rather than expecting a reward.
• Comedy and self-parody: Jun’s vanity, the outrageous comment section, and his bargaining with the driver keep the chapter’s supernatural and emotional elements lighthearted.

Plot and key events

• Jun Wangchen arrives at the Blue Night Charm Bar, where Ke JiusI has summoned him to help prepare for a masquerade beginning in twenty minutes. Proprietress Sister Yun introduces him to the hired percussionists and asks what he plans to perform.
• The musicians had expected a heroic song and a sentimental ballad. Jun decides he can handle both styles, but proposes presenting his swordsman song as rap. Though the group has no rapping experience, he gives them a quick, playful lesson in rhythm and rhyme.
• Jun then performs an original rap while playing the percussion instruments. Its energetic rhythm and forceful delivery captivate the room. The lyrics evoke the bold, wine-loving spirit of Li Bai and combine wandering-swordsman imagery with tenderness and longing.
• The song ends to enthusiastic applause. Jun names it “Green Lotus Sword Song.”
• Asked why rap resonates, Jun explains that it gives ordinary workers a direct way to express hardship, loneliness, and hopes for a better life. His words move the waitresses, many of whom recognize their own struggles in his description.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen demonstrates musical versatility, confidence, and a gift for teaching. Beneath his showmanship, he shows empathy for people living on low wages and far from home, revealing a reflective, compassionate side.
• Ke JiusI is exuberant and comic, but quickly obeys Sister Yun when she hints she might interfere with his romantic prospects. He is proud of Jun’s performance.
• Sister Yun manages the bar and its people with teasing authority. Initially concerned that rap might not suit the students, she is won over by Jun’s performance and lyrics.
• The musicians move from uncertainty to fascination, quickly adopting Jun’s simple approach to rap and becoming impressed by his talent.
• The waitresses respond most deeply to Jun’s social commentary, seeing their own economic insecurity and exhaustion reflected in his words.

Significant themes

• Music as expression and release: Rap offers people a way to voice feelings they cannot show in their everyday lives.
• Class hardship and empathy: The chapter highlights the isolation, financial pressure, and repetitive labor faced by migrant and low-wage workers.
• Artistic versatility and connection: Jun’s unconventional performance brings the group together and crosses social boundaries.
• Weariness beneath resilience: The closing image suggests that people may keep smiling while carrying deep fatigue and sorrow.

Plot points and events

• As the Blue Night Charm Bar’s masquerade ball begins, Jun Wangchen agrees to perform first so he can leave promptly for an urgent assignment.
• Introduced by Ke JiusI, Jun performs a solo guitar love song. Ke records the performance at Jun’s request, since Jun wants to answer online critics who reduce his talents to eating.
• The song moves the audience to tears and silence. Afterward, Jun urges everyone to cherish the people close to them before time and separation make it too late.
• Jun leaves early. Sister Yun reassures the disappointed crowd by promising he can be invited back. At the exit, a music student asks how he creates such moving melodies. Jun replies, “Others play melodies, but I tell stories!”

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen reveals a tender, sorrowful side that contrasts with the bold, heroic song he performed earlier. He deliberately records the performance as a response to his detractors, but his closing remarks show that the song’s central purpose is emotional rather than promotional.
• Ke JiusI supports Jun’s need to leave early, introduces him to the audience, and records the song as requested.
• Sister Yun smoothly turns the crowd’s disappointment into interest in future visits, prompting Jun to joke privately that she has effectively tied him to the bar.
• The audience shifts from excited anticipation to deep, personal engagement; many cry, and one listener thanks Jun aloud. The student’s final question gives Jun a chance to express his artistic philosophy.

Significant themes

• Music as storytelling: Jun’s performance conveys memories, longing, heartbreak, and regret rather than merely showcasing technical skill.
• Love, loss, and time: The song stresses that affection can fade, relationships can end, and people may recognize what they have lost only too late.
• Cherishing others: Jun’s direct message to the audience urges them to value the people beside them while they still can.
• Shared emotional experience: Listeners find their own histories in the song, turning a public performance into a moment of collective reflection.

Plot points and events

• After leaving the Blue Night Charm Bar, Jun Wangchen prepares for the Zhou Family’s escort mission and reviews the route to Yinling City, wondering why the family is transporting its goods by carriage instead of plane.
• At Stone Horse Plaza, he sees the busy mercenary market and learns that the road between Jinling and Yinling is dangerous, making escorts necessary.
• The Zhou Family’s caravan stands out: its guards are peak human-tier martial artists, led by a formidable middle-to-late yellow-tier old man. It is waiting for one final escort.
• Jun identifies himself as the mercenary sent by Martial Artists’ Association examiner Wang Yu, but he has forgotten his Martial Artist Card after changing clothes. The caravan’s mercenaries use this to dismiss him as an impostor and mock his youth and appearance.
• A bearded mercenary escalates the insults with vulgar remarks about Jun’s mother. Jun’s killing aura briefly chills the area, then he strikes the man with a single punch, crushing his chest and leaving him gravely injured. The onlookers realize Jun is far stronger than he looks.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen begins composed and courteous, but repeated humiliation pushes him into anger. His swift, devastating response reveals both a ruthless edge and strength at least in the early yellow tier.
• The old caravan leader remains observant and initially recognizes that Jun may be concealing his abilities. After sensing Jun’s killing intent and witnessing the punch, he is deeply surprised.
• The bearded mercenary goes from swaggering ridicule to being violently overpowered; his fate is left uncertain.
• The plaza groundskeeper, a former mercenary injured on duty, reflects the lasting human cost of escort work.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Jun’s youthful, refined appearance leads others to underestimate him, while his concealed power contradicts their assumptions.
• Prejudice and respect: The mercenaries judge Jun by age and looks rather than evidence, and their mockery turns a practical dispute into a violent confrontation.
• The danger of mercenary life: The former mercenary’s memories and the hazardous route underscore the risks behind seemingly routine escort jobs.
• Power and restraint: Jun tolerates repeated insults at first, but the attack shows how quickly contempt can trigger lethal force.

Character interactions

• The groundskeeper patiently explains mercenary work to a child, drawing on his own painful experience.
• Mercenaries compete for escort jobs, while the Zhou Family’s personnel maintain strict control over their caravan.
• Jun’s polite explanation and missing card lead to suspicion and ridicule; his confrontation with the bearded man abruptly changes the crowd’s view of him.

Chapter summary

• Jun Wangchen proves his strength: After a bearded member of the Zhou Family insults his mother, Jun knocks him unconscious with one punch. He had wanted to kill the man but holds back to avoid jeopardizing his commission to obtain a rare Soul Power-enhancing treasure. Zhou De, recognizing that Jun is a powerful Yellow Tier martial artist, apologizes for his relative and asks Jun to escort the family convoy to Yinling City. Jun agrees.
• Jun earns the group’s respect: On the journey, the mercenaries keep their distance, but Ahu—the straightforward man who had also mocked Jun—offers a sincere apology. Jun recognizes his honesty and accepts it. When Ahu asks why someone so capable works as a mercenary, Jun says that hardship and trials help people grow more than a sheltered life. Zhou De and the others agree.
• Jun hears rumors about himself: Ahu and Zhou De recount the remarkable deeds of a young celestial master who defeated the Yin Ghost at Jinling Manor and impressed the city’s feng shui experts. The master is around Jun’s age and from his district. Jun listens silently, amused by the praise, without revealing that they are talking about him.
• The convoy’s easy journey seems suspicious: As the group enters a dangerous forest, the mercenaries assume their numbers will deter any attack. Jun is less convinced, especially because the mission’s reward is unusually valuable. He notices Zhou De’s growing vigilance and learns from Ahu that the Zhou Family has a feud with the Wang Family, whom the Zhou crippled years earlier.
• A hidden purpose comes to light: Jun scans the carriage with his Soul Power and discovers it is empty, despite the family’s precautions. Ahu says the trip is connected to the Zhou Family’s eldest daughter, who has suffered from an incurable illness for over ten years and has been sent to Yinling City for secret treatment.
• An ambush begins: Zhou De senses danger and stops the convoy. Jun detects murderous intent nearby and prepares himself. Black-robed attackers emerge from the forest and block the road, announcing that they have been waiting for Zhou De.

Character developments and interactions

Jun comes across as controlled and perceptive: he restrains his fury for practical reasons, recognizes Ahu’s genuine remorse, and remains alert while the others relax. Ahu shifts from mocking Jun to admiring him and becomes a trusted source of information. Zhou De moves from cautious courtesy to mounting concern as the convoy enters danger. Jun’s silence while others praise the celestial master adds a touch of humor and hints at his hidden identity.

Significant themes

• Hardship as a source of growth: Jun and Zhou De value experience and adversity over sheltered talent.
• Restraint and self-interest: Jun’s anger is real, but his larger goal keeps him from killing the man who insulted his mother.
• Appearance versus reality: The cheerful convoy overlooks the danger, and the carriage is empty despite being treated as important.
• Reputation and concealed identity: Jun hears others celebrate his own deeds without exposing himself.

Key plot points and events

• A heavily armed Wang Family force surrounds the Zhou Family convoy in the forest, demanding the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul-Returning Fruit. Their leader, Wang Dacui, reveals an old grudge against Zhou De: Zhou once knocked him off a cliff, after the Wang Family’s eldest young master nearly killed a Zhou young lady.
• Jun Wangchen realizes the convoy is a decoy. The carriage is empty, and the Zhou Family has likely sent the precious fruit to Yinling City with another escort.
• The Wang Family attacks. Its superior numbers quickly overwhelm the Zhou Family’s mercenary escorts, while Wang Dacui keeps Zhou De occupied.
• Jun Wangchen begins killing the attackers with startling speed and ease. He saves Ahu, then cuts through the Wang Family fighters until the battlefield is covered with bodies.
• Wang Dacui disengages from Zhou De and discovers that his force has been annihilated. Jun stands calmly among the corpses, unharmed and unstained by blood.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen shifts from a seemingly young, inexperienced escort to a terrifyingly powerful fighter. His composure and effortless victories reveal that his strength far exceeds what the others assumed.
• Zhou De remains loyal and protective, warning Jun to escape if the battle turns against them, even as he faces Wang Dacui himself.
• Ahu begins as a wary mercenary regretting the assignment, but after Jun saves him, he becomes a witness to Jun’s extraordinary power.
• Wang Dacui appears confident and vengeful at first, but his confidence collapses when he sees his men defeated.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and mistaken appearances: Jun’s youth masks overwhelming ability.
• Strategy and deception: The Zhou Family uses the empty carriage as a decoy to protect the fruit.
• Loyalty and duty: Zhou De risks himself for his family and considers Jun’s safety; the mercenaries fight because retreat is not an option.
• Revenge and its costs: The Wang–Zhou feud, rooted in past violence, drives the present attack.
• Violence and power: The battle underscores how quickly superior skill can overturn numerical advantage.

Character interactions

• Zhou De and Wang Dacui trade accusations about their families’ history before the fight, with Wang focused on revenge and the fruit.
• Zhou De quietly urges Jun to save himself, showing concern despite the danger.
• Jun rescues Ahu from execution and then protects the mercenaries by attacking their assailants.
• The mercenaries’ shock at Jun’s fighting ability contrasts sharply with Wang Dacui’s growing fear when he finally sees the aftermath.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen single-handedly kills more than twenty Wang Family fighters who ambush the Zhou Family convoy, leaving commander Wang Dacui isolated.
• He refuses Wang Dacui’s offer to withdraw, agreeing instead to continue escorting the convoy in exchange for a favor from Zhou De—a bonus, since he had already promised Wang Yu he would protect them.
• Wang Dacui attacks Jun, but Jun breaks his saber with a single counterstrike and leaves him badly wounded. When Wang Dacui attempts a treacherous attack from behind, Jun uses soul power to guide his saber into Wang’s heart, killing him.
• Zhou De and the mercenaries thank Jun and acknowledge his strength. Jun accepts their gratitude calmly, reminding Zhou De to honor the promised favor.
• Jun is puzzled that the hairband connected to Gao Jianli’s wife, A Ke, did not react during the battle. Unable to contact Gao Jianli because there is no network in the forest, he uses Divine Calculations and discovers a strong connection between A Ke’s seven corporeal souls and the Zhou Family.
• Jun agrees to visit the Zhou Family’s estate in Yinling City. Zhou De explains that the Zhou Family’s rivalry with the Wang Family began when the Zhou moved to Jinling City and displaced the Wang from its position among the city’s four great families.
• After the convoy leaves, two Wang Family agents inspect the battlefield. They conclude their mission has failed, burn Wang Dacui’s body, and vow to report the killings and seek revenge.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen is revealed as extraordinarily powerful, composed, vigilant, and ruthless toward enemies. Despite his lethal conduct in battle, he remains polite and mild afterward. His choice to stay with the convoy reflects both his prior promise and his practical interest in the Zhou Family’s favor.
• Zhou De moves from uncertainty about Jun to deep respect and gratitude, and invites him to the Zhou estate in hopes of strengthening ties with such a talented ally.
• Ahu and the mercenaries, some of whom had previously mocked Jun, recognize that they owe him their lives and are relieved he did not hold their earlier behavior against them.
• Wang Dacui shifts from confident commander to frightened, defeated attacker, then dies after trying to strike Jun from behind.
• The two Wang agents treat Wang Dacui as expendable and respond to the defeat with a promise of retaliation, signaling that the conflict is not over.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and mistaken judgment: Jun’s unassuming manner conceals power far beyond what others expect.
• Loyalty, obligation, and reciprocity: Jun keeps his commitment to the escort, while Zhou De promises repayment and seeks a lasting connection.
• Ruthlessness and vigilance: Jun’s decisive response to Wang Dacui’s ambush contrasts with the mercenaries’ fear and admiration.
• Family rivalry and power struggles: The feud is rooted in competition for status and territory, and the Wang agents’ vow foreshadows further conflict.
• Fate and mystery: Jun’s calculation links A Ke’s missing souls to the Zhou Family, setting up the next stage of his search.

Key plot points and events

• The Zhou convoy reaches Yinling City safely after the Wang Family’s attack in the mountains.
• Zhou De explains that the Zhou Family’s eldest daughter has suffered since childhood from a mysterious condition: by day she sits unresponsive, repeating, “The wind whistles bleakly, the Yi River runs cold; the warrior departs, never to return.” Her lucid periods have nearly disappeared.
• Recognizing the line as the parting words of Gao Jianli and A Ke, Jun Wangchen realizes that A Ke’s Seven Souls are inside the young woman. He believes he can restore her fully that night.
• Zhou De is thrilled but remains cautious, since many doctors have failed and the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul-Returning Fruit can only preserve her soul, not cure her.
• The party enters Yinling City and visits the Zhou Family’s immense, lavish headquarters, a 150-story tower surrounded by a vast estate.
• Jun Wangchen deduces that the convoy was a decoy: the carriages were empty, and the escort was meant to draw the Wang Family’s attention while another group delivered the fruit.
• At the family head’s pavilion, Jun Wangchen meets the Zhou patriarch and four other powerful figures. Hidden experts also appear, keeping watch on the newcomer.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen shows keen perception, identifying both the meaning of the eldest daughter’s repeated verse and the Zhou Family’s decoy plan. He presents himself as confident in his ability to cure her, yet says he stayed on the dangerous mission out of commitment and respect for Zhou De’s sacrifice.
• Zhou De reveals deep affection and loyalty toward the eldest daughter, whom he watched grow up. He had been prepared to risk his life for her and offers the Zhou Family’s gratitude if Jun succeeds.
• The Zhou Family is shown as wealthy and formidable, but also devoted to its ailing heir; its patriarch has reportedly focused much of his attention on finding a cure.
• Jun Wangchen and Zhou De develop mutual respect: Zhou admires Jun’s insight and courage, while Jun recognizes Zhou’s loyalty.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and sacrifice: Zhou De risks his life for the family’s daughter, and Jun honors his commitment by completing the escort.
• Hope amid uncertainty: Jun’s promise offers the family a possibility of healing after years of failed treatments, though Zhou De remains guarded.
• Perception and hidden motives: Jun sees through the apparent mission and recognizes the deeper purpose behind the decoy convoy.
• Power and status: Yinling City’s dazzling luxury and the Zhou estate’s scale establish the family’s wealth and influence, while the guarded meeting hints at its formidable strength.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou De introduces Jun Wangchen to Zhou patriarch Zhou Fangzun, praising his skill and explaining that he helped the Zhou Family during an escort mission. Fangzun thanks him and asks whether he can cure his daughter, Zhou Rou’er.
• Jun claims at least a 90% chance of success. One Zhou elder doubts him and repeatedly insults him, but Fangzun rebukes the man and urges Jun to stay.
• Rou’er arrives, frail but strikingly beautiful. Jun notices that a hairband in his pocket reacts to her presence.
• Jun accurately describes details of Rou’er’s episodes: she is conscious for only about an hour, suffers intense pain before losing control of her body, and is drawn to riversides and music while incapacitated. Rou’er confirms his observations, surprising her father.
• Jun examines her pulse several times. His expression grows increasingly grim, and he smashes the table, accusing the Zhou Family of having traitors.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen is calm, confident, and perceptive. He refuses to tolerate disrespect, but his sharp diagnosis earns the family’s trust—until the pulse examination reveals something alarming.
• Zhou Fangzun shifts from hopeful curiosity to urgent confidence in Jun’s ability. Learning that Rou’er has hidden severe pain deepens his guilt and affection for her.
• Zhou Rou’er reveals both her physical and emotional suffering. Despite her own distress, she has concealed the worst of her symptoms to spare her father worry.
• The Zhou elder remains hostile and dismissive, repeatedly challenging Jun and creating tension within the family.

Significant themes

• Hope amid desperation: Jun’s unusual confidence offers the Zhou family a possibility after years of failed treatments.
• Family love and guilt: Rou’er hides her pain to protect her father, while Fangzun regrets not caring for her enough.
• Appearance versus ability: Jun looks young and unassuming, but his skill quickly becomes evident.
• Betrayal and hidden danger: The final accusation suggests Rou’er’s illness may be tied to treachery within her own family.

Character interactions

• Fangzun treats Jun respectfully and intervenes when the elder challenges him, while Jun makes clear he will leave rather than endure continued hostility.
• Jun questions Rou’er directly and identifies symptoms she had never disclosed, establishing an unexpected connection and earning her trust.
• Fangzun comforts Rou’er as she recalls her frightening episodes and learns how much suffering she has kept from him.
• The chapter ends with Jun’s accusation abruptly turning the family’s hopes into suspicion and conflict.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen suspects the Zhou Family’s Grand Elder of worsening Zhou Rou’er’s condition with Soul-Destroying Powder, rather than poisoning her meals.
• He alerts Patriarch Zhou Fangzun, then provokes the Grand Elder into revealing the powder. The packet Jun drops is only ordinary medicine, but the Grand Elder’s startled response exposes his guilt.
• Jun explains that he sensed the Soul-Destroying Powder on the Grand Elder and found matching traces in Zhou Rou’er’s body.
• The Grand Elder admits he failed to destroy Rou’er’s soul completely and reveals that the Wang Family has grown strong enough to strike back. Rather than be captured and questioned, he kills himself.
• Jun then suggests the apparent traitor may not be the real Grand Elder, but an impostor.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen demonstrates keen perception and strategic skill, using a calculated bluff to expose the suspect. He also shows confidence in Zhou Fangzun’s willingness to trust him.
• Zhou Fangzun acts decisively on Jun’s advice, but is shaken and grieved by the betrayal. He blames his earlier mercy toward the Wang Family.
• Zhou Rou’er is horrified that someone who once cared for her may have harmed her, and struggles to understand the betrayal.
• Zhou De reacts with sorrow and disbelief, reflecting the family’s deep trust in the Grand Elder.
• The Grand Elder is revealed as an apparent Wang Family agent. His suicide prevents the Zhou Family from learning more, while Jun’s final remark casts doubt on whether the real elder is dead or still missing.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and misplaced trust: A revered protector appears to have turned against the family.
• Deception as a tool: Jun uses a harmless fake clue to expose hidden guilt.
• Loyalty, grief, and consequences: The apparent betrayal reopens old wounds and fuels Zhou Fangzun’s regret over sparing the Wang Family.
• Uncertainty and suspense: Jun’s final claim suggests the traitor may have been impersonating the Grand Elder, leaving the truth unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen reveals that the Zhou Family’s Grand Elder had been killed and his body taken over through soul seizure. The Wang Family is suspected of using skilled soul experts to place a spy inside the family.
• Zhou Fangzun orders the Grand Elder’s body respectfully buried. Zhou Rou’er thanks Jun for exposing the impostor, whom she now understands was behind the worsening of her illness.
• Jun diagnoses Zhou Rou’er with a dangerously high level of Soul-Destroying Powder. Without treatment, her soul will dissipate within a month.
• He outlines a gradual cure requiring Soul-Calming and Soul-Cleansing Pills, assistance from a third-rank Prospective Master Alchemist, and at least half a month of treatment.
• Jun says the pills cannot be bought, but he can make them if he obtains the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul-Returning Fruit. Zhou Fangzun immediately gives him the fruit, which he already carries.
• Jun explains that he is currently a second-rank apprentice-level alchemist and intends to use the fruit’s immense soul power to advance. He then releases a powerful wave of soul energy, demonstrating his alchemical ability.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Fangzun shifts from grief and anger over the Grand Elder to hope for his daughter’s recovery. He trusts Jun enough to hand over a rare treasure without hesitation.
• Zhou Rou’er is saddened by the Grand Elder’s death but becomes hopeful when she learns her illness can be treated. She expresses sincere gratitude to Jun.
• Jun Wangchen reveals both his knowledge of soul techniques and his ambition: treating Rou’er also gives him a chance to advance his alchemy and recover A Ke’s seven souls.
• The Zhou Family members share outrage at the Wang Family’s treachery, then rally around the possibility of saving Rou’er.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and hidden enemies: The Wang Family’s soul-seizure plot shows how deeply it has infiltrated the Zhou Family.
• Hope through expertise and trust: Jun’s diagnosis and Zhou Fangzun’s willingness to provide the fruit turn a seemingly hopeless illness into a possible cure.
• Mutual benefit and ambition: Jun’s plan aims to heal Rou’er, advance his alchemy, and help recover A Ke’s souls—three goals pursued through one intervention.

Chapter Summary

• The Zhou Family is astonished when Jun Wangchen proves to be a peak second-rank alchemist as well as a formidable martial artist and healer. Zhou Fangzun praises him and eagerly arranges a private room so he can advance his alchemy rank before treating Zhou Rou’er.
• Though family members guard the room because they do not yet fully trust him, Jun accepts their caution without complaint. He uses the ten-thousand-year Soul-Restoring Fruit to strengthen himself.
• Absorbing the fruit greatly expands his soul power, advancing him to mid-stage third-rank alchemist and extending his perception range from ten to fifty meters. The fruit also supplies spiritual power, helping him form a ninth channel in his dantian and reach mid-stage Foundation Establishment.
• Jun realizes the fruit has made him powerful enough to rival an early-stage Black Tier martial artist, while Yellow Tier opponents pose little threat. After checking the time, he leaves the room, ready to proceed with the treatment.

Character Development and Interactions

Jun’s already exceptional talent becomes even more impressive, and his confidence is reinforced by his rapid advancement. Zhou Rou’er admires him, while Zhou Fangzun sees him as a potential future ally for the family. The Zhou elders balance their respect for Jun’s abilities with suspicion, keeping watch as he cultivates.

Significant Themes

The chapter emphasizes the value of talent and cultivation, the unexpected rewards of risk-taking, and the strategic importance of alliances. It also shows that great power brings practical advantages—not only in combat and alchemy, but in perception and self-protection.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Fangzun and the Zhou family wait anxiously while Jun Wangchen prepares to treat Zhou Rou’er, whose condition is worsening because she is missing a soul.
• Jun emerges with an even more powerful presence. After judging that Rou’er cannot wait, he begins refining the Soul-Calming Pill and Soul-Cleansing Pill.
• Jun summons an extraordinary alchemy furnace from his spatial storage and deliberately lets the Zhou family believe it signals an impressive background.
• He demonstrates remarkable control over spiritual flames, soul power, temperature, and medicinal essences, producing both pills smoothly and quickly.
• Jun warns the family not to enter or interrupt while he treats Rou’er, explaining that even a small disruption could cause permanent harm. Rou’er agrees to cooperate and goes inside with him.
• The family waits outside, hopeful but uneasy about whether the treatment will work and whether Jun can be trusted.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen appears increasingly capable and confident. He uses his skill to reassure and impress the Zhou family, while carefully concealing the full extent of his abilities. His stern instructions show how seriously he takes the danger of the treatment.
• Zhou Fangzun is deeply devoted to his daughter and grows more impressed with Jun, imagining him as a suitable partner for Rou’er. His admiration is mixed with a father’s anxiety.
• Zhou Rou’er remains composed and cooperative despite her deteriorating condition. She follows Jun into the treatment room, trusting him enough to proceed.
• The Zhou family’s senior members marvel at Jun’s talent and possessions, then agree to stay out of the treatment, though their doubts and worry persist.

Significant themes

• Exceptional talent and ambition: Jun’s youth contrasts with skill that appears comparable to that of a Grandmaster Alchemist.
• Trust under uncertainty: The family must rely on Jun despite not knowing exactly what the treatment entails or whether it will succeed.
• Protective love: Zhou Fangzun’s hope for Rou’er’s recovery drives his actions and shapes his impression of Jun.
• Skill, control, and risk: The pill-making and upcoming soul treatment both demand precise control; a minor mistake could have grave consequences.