Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• White Crane Attendant brings Four-Unlike, heir to the Qilin Clan, before the Primordial Heavenly Venerable.
• The Venerable recounts how Four-Unlike’s father, the Primordial Qilin, sacrificed his cultivation to save his people after the Dragon-Han Catastrophe. The Heavenly Dao rewarded the clan, allowing the qilin to survive in peace.
• That peace is now threatened: the Demon Race has drawn in the Phoenix and Dragon races, leaving the Qilin as the last of the three ancient clans not yet caught up in the growing conflict between demons and witches. Four-Unlike fears his clan cannot resist the Demon Race.
• The Venerable reassures him that he promised his father to protect him, then gives him instructions for an approaching Witch Race envoy. Four-Unlike should initially refuse recruitment and demand the Qilin Seal and territory; if those terms fail, he should seek the seal’s return, exemption from the War of the Liches, and separation of the Qilin Clan’s fortune from the Witch Race.
• After Four-Unlike leaves, the Three Pure Ones discuss their teacher’s decree that the Witch and Demon races must not fight a major war for a million years. They recognize that both sides are building alliances for the eventual conflict.
• Tongtian proposes that the brothers intervene after the truce expires. Laozi and the Primordial Heavenly Venerable caution that the opposing races’ formations could rival a Saint, while the brothers are not yet Saints.
• Laozi calculates that the Witch Race will accept some, but not all, of Four-Unlike’s demands; even he cannot determine which terms they will reject. The chapter ends with the Primordial Heavenly Venerable watching a powerful young man and an Iron-Eating Beast traveling toward Kunlun.

Character developments and interactions

• Four-Unlike shifts from grief over his father to alarm about his clan’s future, then accepts the Venerable’s guidance and protection. His relative weakness compared with Ao Yue and Kunpeng makes his dependence on his master clear.
• Primordial Heavenly Venerable acts as Four-Unlike’s protector and strategist. His outwardly detached manner is softened by compassion for the innocent caught in conflicts.
• Laozi is measured and analytical, restraining his younger brother and cautiously assessing what the Witch Race might agree to.
• Tongtian is eager to confront the two races directly and bristles at caution, but falls silent when asked to calculate the Witch Race’s response.
• The brothers’ exchange shows both their shared concern for peace and their limits: even their powerful treasures may not overcome the great racial formations.

Significant themes

• Recurring catastrophe: The rivalry among the Witch and Demon races echoes the ancient war of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans.
• Power and political survival: Four-Unlike must negotiate strategically because his people cannot rely on military strength alone.
• Limits of intervention: The Three Pure Ones care about preventing mass suffering but lack the certainty and power to guarantee peace.
• Legacy and obligation: The Primordial Heavenly Venerable’s promise to Four-Unlike’s father shapes his commitment to the Qilin Clan.

Key plot points and events

• Hou Yi and Gungun travel toward the Qilin Clan, debating whether to approach Four-Unlike, Jade Purity’s mount, or seize control of the clan first. Gungun rejects the forceful plan, wary of offending the Primordial Heavenly Venerable.
• Gungun admits he no longer has the Qilin Seal, but considers that returning it in exchange for the Qilin Clan’s allegiance may be worthwhile. He reasons the clan could offer more than military strength—its members could swear an oath. He also recalls the Qilin as a sacred beast of the central lands.
• In the Northern Dark Sea, the wounded Kunpeng broods over past injuries and humiliations at the hands of the Demon and Witch races. Though bound to serve the Demon Race, he plans to gain influence within it and eventually pursue revenge.
• Kunpeng creates a written script for the Demon Race and declares that it will be used to record knowledge, convey messages, and educate future generations. The Heavenly Dao recognizes his achievement, and a vast cloud of merit descends.
• At the Heavenly Court, Dijun names Kunpeng the Demon Race’s Enlightenment Sage. The assembled demon leaders pay homage to him as the Demon Master.

Character developments

• Gungun shows caution and strategic foresight: he avoids needlessly provoking a powerful heavenly figure and begins to see the Qilin Clan’s long-term spiritual and political value. His casual habit of eating his regenerating Yin-Yang Grinding Bamboo adds a comic note.
• Hou Yi defers to Gungun’s judgment but remains concerned about whether he can win Four-Unlike’s submission.
• Kunpeng turns resentment into a long-term strategy. His creation of Demon Script gives him real standing in the Demon Race, even as his private motives remain hostile.
• Dijun recognizes the Heavenly Dao’s endorsement and acts quickly to elevate Kunpeng’s status; Taiyi is visibly unsettled but cannot challenge the result.

Significant themes

• Power through usefulness and knowledge: Kunpeng gains influence through a cultural achievement rather than force, while Gungun weighs the Qilin Clan’s future value.
• Resentment and ambition: Kunpeng outwardly serves the Demon Race while secretly seeking power and revenge.
• Heavenly recognition and political legitimacy: The Heavenly Dao’s merit validates Kunpeng’s creation and makes his new position difficult to dispute.
• Caution in dealing with powerful figures: Gungun’s reluctance to antagonize the Primordial Heavenly Venerable reflects the risks of acting without regard for larger alliances.

Character interactions

• Hou Yi challenges Gungun’s cautious approach; Gungun explains why an invasion could provoke the Primordial Heavenly Venerable and why an oath-bound Qilin Clan may be valuable.
• Kunpeng’s private thoughts reveal his opposition to the Demon and Witch races, contrasting sharply with the public role Dijun grants him.
• Dijun’s proclamation settles the court’s response to Kunpeng’s achievement, and the demon leaders—including the silent, grim Ao Yue—formally acknowledge Kunpeng’s new authority.

Key plot points and events

• After Kunpeng creates a script for the Demon Race, the Heavenly Dao grants him immense merit, prompting Hou Yi to worry that the Demon Race has gained a dangerous advantage.
• Hou Yi urges Gungun to create a script for the Witch Race and become its “Witch Scribe.” Gungun resists, arguing that writing has little use for a people focused on physical cultivation, but agrees to think about it—joking that he would need roughly five hundred thousand years.
• At Mount Buzhou, the Ancestral Witches resent the Demon Race’s recent gains and decide the Witch Race needs its own script.
• Zhu Jiuyin searches the river of time for the future Witch Scribe. He sees an indistinct, exceptionally plump figure hopping before a cauldron and beating a drum.
• Houtu suspects the figure is Gungun. The others are surprised, while Gonggong’s offhand description of Gungun as “that fatty” seems to confirm the clue.

Character developments and interactions

• Hou Yi shifts from alarm over Kunpeng’s merit to hopeful determination, pressing Gungun to help the Witch Race.
• Gungun remains laid-back and practical, resisting the grand title but conceding that merit might make the task worthwhile.
• Zhu Jiuyin exhausts himself trying to glimpse the Witch Scribe’s future, yet can identify only the figure’s shape and actions.
• Houtu connects Zhu Jiuyin’s vision to Gungun, recalling his use of a cauldron but wondering about the drum.
• The Ancestral Witches share their frustration at the Demon Race’s growing power and rally around the idea of creating a Witch script.

Significant themes

• Rivalry and unequal fortune: Kunpeng’s merit intensifies the Witches’ sense that the Demon Race is pulling ahead.
• Destiny and foreshadowing: The vision suggests Gungun may become the Witch Scribe, despite his reluctance and apparent lack of preparation.
• Merit versus practical purpose: Gungun questions the usefulness of writing to the Witch Race, while Hou Yi emphasizes the spiritual rewards it could bring.
• Comic contrast: The Witches’ serious political concerns are undercut by Gungun’s enormous estimate of the time needed—and by the revelation that their prophesied scribe is a “fatty.”

Key plot points and events

• The Ancestral Witches discuss Gungun’s possible role as the future Witch Scribe. Dijiang orders Houtu to bring him to meet him when he returns; Houtu doubts that the lazy, battle-capable bear could create a writing system.
• On the journey to Mount Kunlun, Gungun fails to divine who has been talking about him. Hou Yi suggests it may be the Ancestral Witches, so Gungun decides not to investigate.
• Gungun insists they land at the foot of Kunlun and walk up out of respect for the Three Pure Ones. Hou Yi would rather fly directly to the Jade Clarity Palace but follows along.
• Inside the palace, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable approves of Gungun’s manners. Tongtian complains that Gungun once refused his offer of discipleship, while the aged voice of the Grand Pure One cuts off their argument.
• Gungun and Hou Yi are welcomed by the White Crane Attendant and escorted to the Jade Clarity Palace, where the chapter ends as they enter.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun shows courtesy and confidence, but remains comically lazy and unconcerned with others’ opinions. He reassures Hou Yi about the Demon Race’s advantage and promises to work on the Witch Race’s script.
• Hou Yi remains anxious about the Demon Race gaining a script and merit. He respects Gungun’s judgment, though he teases him for his lack of urgency and is baffled when the “lazy bear” calls him lazy.
• Houtu trusts her long experience with Gungun more than the prophecy identifying him as a possible Witch Scribe.
• Tongtian still resents Gungun’s rejection of his discipleship offer; the Primordial Heavenly Venerable finds the situation amusing.
• The White Crane Attendant’s nervous glances at Gungun highlight the bear’s intimidating appearance, while Gungun notices and is irritated by them.

Significant themes

• Prophecy versus personal judgment: the Ancestral Witches question whether Gungun fits the foretold role.
• Courtesy and status: Gungun’s choice to approach Kunlun on foot reflects respect for the Three Pure Ones.
• Competition and collective fortunes: Hou Yi worries about the Demon Race’s script and the consequences for the Witches, while Gungun remains optimistic.
• Humor through contrast: Gungun’s relaxed nature contrasts with Hou Yi’s concern and with the formal, powerful setting of Kunlun.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Gungun and Hou Yi visit Celestial Worthy Yuanshi at the Jade Clarity Palace to discuss the Witch Race’s effort to bring the Qilin Clan into its fold.
• Yuanshi tells them that Four-Unlike will soon arrive and that the visitors should negotiate directly with him.
• Yuanshi questions Gungun about refusing Tongtian’s offer to become his disciple, briefly putting both Gungun and Hou Yi under intense pressure.
• Gungun explains that he believes his path is to follow Houtu, who taught him body-refining methods. He says he respects the Three Pure Ones but does not believe he is destined to be Tongtian’s disciple. He dramatically prostrates himself to make his sincerity clear.
• Yuanshi accepts the explanation, praises Gungun’s understanding of “accord[ing] with Heaven’s will,” and revises his view that Gungun had failed to recognize an important opportunity.
• Four-Unlike arrives. Yuanshi reassures him that, whatever comes of the negotiation, he will honor his promise to protect him.
• Four-Unlike angrily demands the Qilin Seal from Gungun. Gungun insists he acquired it through Heaven’s will, then offers to return it if Four-Unlike can provide a reasonable argument. Yuanshi approves of Gungun’s conciliatory approach and privately compares him favorably with Four-Unlike.

Character developments

• Gungun appears frightened before Yuanshi but remains composed enough to explain his loyalties and beliefs. His argument that he does not force opportunities he believes are not his earns Yuanshi’s respect.
• Yuanshi shifts from testing Gungun with suspicion to appreciating his judgment and humility. He also shows concern for his own dignity when Four-Unlike swears in his palace.
• Four-Unlike is protective of his family’s legacy and resentful that Gungun possesses the Qilin Seal. His anger contrasts with Gungun’s effort to negotiate calmly.
• Hou Yi supports Gungun’s mission and prompts him back to attention after Yuanshi’s praise.

Significant themes

• Heaven’s will and personal destiny: Gungun sees his life, loyalties, and possession of the Qilin Seal as part of Heaven’s arrangement.
• Humility and discernment: Yuanshi admires Gungun not for seizing every opportunity, but for recognizing when an opportunity may not be meant for him.
• Reason over possession: Gungun claims that a sound argument matters more to him than a powerful treasure.
• Diplomacy versus anger: The chapter contrasts Gungun’s polite, conciliatory approach with Four-Unlike’s confrontational demands.

Character interactions

• Yuanshi tests Gungun’s motives, then responds with respect once Gungun explains his bond with Houtu.
• Gungun and Hou Yi act as Witch Race envoys, while Yuanshi leaves the Qilin matter to Gungun and Four-Unlike.
• Four-Unlike confronts Gungun over the Qilin Seal; Gungun tries to turn the dispute into a reasoned negotiation.
• Yuanshi acts as Four-Unlike’s protector and master, but his amused approval of Gungun hints that he finds Gungun more suitable company than his current mount.

Key events

• Gungun tries to persuade Four-Unlike, the Primordial Qilin’s son, to convince the Qilin Clan to surrender to the Witch Race. Heavenly Lord Yuanshi listens and approves of Gungun’s appeal to heaven’s will and larger principles.
• Gungun argues that the Demon Race is steadily subjugating the former great races: it has brought the Dragon and Phoenix Races under pressure, and the Qilin Clan may be next. He warns that Yuanshi promised to protect Four-Unlike personally, not the entire clan.
• Gungun presents surrender as a way to avoid the Qilins’ loss of freedom and dignity. He also points out that Four-Unlike would likely rank far below powerful figures such as Ao Yue and Kunpeng in the Demon Race, perhaps ending up as a minor gate guard.
• Four-Unlike angrily insults Gungun. Yuanshi orders him to apologize, and he reluctantly does. Gungun then apologizes as well, saying he spoke harshly out of concern.
• Yuanshi approves of the exchange but privately decides to replace Four-Unlike as his mount with two Iron-Eating Beasts.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun shows himself to be a strategic, persuasive speaker. He mixes political warnings with personal appeals, while maintaining a friendly tone—even after provoking Four-Unlike. His argument also exposes his own concern for the land beasts’ independence.
• Four-Unlike shifts from defiance to anger and then insecurity when Gungun questions his likely status in the Demon Race. His dependence on Yuanshi’s authority becomes clear when he apologizes on command.
• Yuanshi remains the authority overseeing the discussion. He supports Gungun’s reasoning, disciplines Four-Unlike, and privately grows dissatisfied with him.
• The exchange between Gungun and Four-Unlike is combative but ultimately softened by mutual apologies, though Gungun’s bluntness continues to provoke him.

Significant themes

• Survival versus independence: The Qilin Clan must weigh surrender against the danger of being conquered and controlled.
• Status and power: Gungun emphasizes that joining the Demon Race may not grant Four-Unlike respect or influence.
• Persuasion and political maneuvering: Gungun uses both strategic analysis and appeals to shared history and dignity to advance the Witch Race’s cause.
• Public courtesy versus private judgment: The characters exchange apologies, but Yuanshi’s private decision reveals that his approval does not mean he respects Four-Unlike.

Key plot points and events

• Gungun warns Four-Unlike that the Demon Race may attack the qilin clan, then presses him to submit the clan to the Witch Race.
• Four-Unlike resists and proposes conditions, but Gungun rejects or reframes them, invoking the Dao Ancestor’s decree that the Witch Race governs the earth.
• Four-Unlike first demands the Qilin Seal back and control of lands west of Mount Buzhou. He then offers to fight for the Witch Race while keeping the clans’ fortunes separate and avoiding the War of the Liches.
• The Primordial Heavenly Venerable intervenes, suggesting the qilin clan may join the war while regaining the seal and keeping its fortunes separate. Gungun argues instead that the clans’ fortunes should be linked.
• Gungun finally offers a compromise: the qilin clan need not fight in the war or against other races, and the Witch Race will return the seal and protect it—but the clan must recognize the Witch Race as overlord and link its fortunes with the Iron-Eating Beast clan as well.
• Gungun warns that the qilin clan faces either submission to the Witch Race or subjugation by the Demon Race. Fearing Hou Yi may block the offer, Four-Unlike hastily agrees. Gungun is pleased; the Primordial Heavenly Venerable is displeased.

Character developments

• Four-Unlike shifts from angry resistance to anxious, impulsive acceptance. His fear of the Demon Race—and of losing the opportunity—overcomes his doubts about binding his clan’s fate to the Witch Race.
• Gungun appears sincere and accommodating, but skillfully corners Four-Unlike with pressure, appeals to precedent, and a carefully timed offer. He also puts his own clan’s fortunes at stake to make the proposal more persuasive.
• The Primordial Heavenly Venerable moves from observing the negotiation to intervening, then reacts angrily when Four-Unlike accepts a deal he evidently considers presumptuous.
• Hou Yi is ready to confront Four-Unlike, but yields when Gungun asks to handle the discussion himself.

Significant themes

• Political coercion disguised as negotiation: Gungun offers concessions, but Four-Unlike’s choices are constrained by the threat of Demon Race conquest and the Dao Ancestor’s decree.
• Loyalty and shared fate: Linking clan fortunes turns political alignment into mutual risk, which Gungun reinforces by involving the Iron-Eating Beast clan.
• Power, status, and survival: The qilin clan must choose between submission to the Witch Race and likely subjugation by the Demon Race.
• Cunning versus judgment: Gungun’s strategic persuasion contrasts with Four-Unlike’s poor judgment and hurried decision-making.

Character interactions

• Gungun repeatedly addresses Four-Unlike as “brother,” using warmth and apparent concern to soften a hard political demand.
• Hou Yi defers to Gungun despite initially reaching for his weapon.
• The Primordial Heavenly Venerable chastises Four-Unlike for his outbursts and later supplies a compromise, but Gungun pushes for stronger ties.
• Four-Unlike’s final agreement comes after Gungun points to Hou Yi’s apparent disapproval, turning the Great Shaman’s reaction into a source of urgency.

Key plot points and events

• Four-Unlike agrees to Gungun’s proposal: the Qilin Clan will ally itself with the Witch Race and accept its protection. Yuanshi is irritated by Four-Unlike’s clumsy negotiating, but allows the agreement to stand.
• Gungun senses that the Iron-Eating Beast clan’s fortune is connected to the Qilin Clan through the Twelfth-Grade Pure World White Lotus. Believing his objective accomplished, he prepares to return to Mount Buzhou, retrieve the Qilin Seal, and bring Four-Unlike to meet the Ancestral Witches.
• Yuanshi tells Four-Unlike to go, despite his fear of visiting Mount Buzhou. Gungun and Hou Yi then leave with him.
• After they depart, Yuanshi and Tongtian bicker over whether Gungun should become Tongtian’s disciple. Laozi says Gungun is not destined to be Tongtian’s student and hints that he himself may have an affinity with the bear. He then ends their communication.
• Defiant, Tongtian orders Jin Ling to summon Gungun, insisting he will take the bear as his disciple anyway.
• Outside the palace, Hou Yi challenges Gungun’s decision to give up the Qilin Seal for what seems like a one-sided agreement. Gungun begins explaining the possible significance of the Qilin Clan’s past Heavenly Dao oath—but a sudden bolt of profound thunder strikes him before he can finish.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun proves cheerful, politically shrewd, and focused on securing his clan’s fortune, though his plans seem costly to the Witch Race. His secret explanation suggests he sees future potential in the Qilin Clan’s Heavenly Dao connection.
• Hou Yi initially criticizes Four-Unlike and questions Gungun’s judgment, but shifts to a gentler, private conversation to understand his reasoning.
• Four-Unlike is eager to regain the Qilin Seal but remains intimidated by the prospect of visiting the Ancestral Witches.
• Yuanshi is contemptuous of Four-Unlike’s ineptitude and quietly admires Gungun, even considering Iron-Eating Beasts as better mounts.
• Tongtian and Laozi compete, half-jokingly, over Gungun’s potential as a disciple. Tongtian’s wounded pride turns into stubborn resolve.

Significant themes

• Fate and clan fortune: Gungun’s decision is guided by his perception of unseen ties between the Iron-Eating Beasts and Qilin.
• Political alliances and sacrifice: The agreement may benefit the Qilin Clan while placing costs and responsibilities on the Witch Race.
• Destiny versus personal will: Laozi’s claim that Gungun is not destined to be Tongtian’s disciple clashes with Tongtian’s determination to defy that prediction.
• The Heavenly Dao’s power: The thunderbolt abruptly silences Gungun, suggesting that speaking about the Qilin Clan’s future—or the forces governing it—may carry danger.

Plot points and events

• After being struck by Nine-Heaven Mystic Thunder, Gungun lies twitching and badly injured. It begs Hou Yi not to ask what happened, saying it wants to survive until the Immeasurable Calamity ends.
• As Hou Yi prepares to take Gungun back to Mount Buzhou, Holy Mother Jin Ling arrives with a summons from her master, the Celestial Worthy of Shangqing. Despite its condition, Gungun agrees to go, and Hou Yi accompanies it.
• In the Supreme Clarity Palace, Tongtian is pleased that Gungun has suffered, though he cannot determine what caused the Heavenly Dao to strike it with thunder. He orders his disciples to challenge and defeat the bear to prove it is unworthy of becoming his disciple.
• Duobao and Zhao Gongming warn that Gungun is far more powerful than they are. Tongtian responds by distributing powerful innate treasures to Duobao, Zhao Gongming, Yunxiao, and other disciples to prepare them for the contest.
• On the way to the palace, Gungun stops to recover, devouring three nine-thousand-year Ren Water Flat Peaches and quickly regaining strength.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun is frightened and evasive about the lightning strike, but accepts Shangqing’s summons despite its injuries. Its appetite and rapid recovery add humor to the tense situation.
• Hou Yi is deeply concerned for Gungun, heals and supports it, and prioritizes its wellbeing over Jin Ling’s summons.
• Tongtian is confident and vindictive toward Gungun, but his inability to divine the cause of the lightning unsettles him. He tries to use a staged victory to discourage Gungun from seeking discipleship.
• Duobao and Zhao Gongming show caution and respect for Gungun’s power, despite Tongtian’s demand. Jin Ling remains polite and dutiful as she escorts the visitors.

Significant themes

• Power and humility: Tongtian’s disciples recognize that Gungun may outclass them, while Tongtian’s confidence depends on equipping them with treasures.
• Obligation versus care: Hou Yi’s loyalty to Gungun contrasts with the formal pressure of Shangqing’s summons.
• Comic contrast: Gungun’s grave injuries and the looming contest are undercut by its enormous appetite and swift recovery.

Summary

Plot and events

• This is an author’s note rather than a story chapter. The writer, Old Dream, says the book will become premium the next day and admits to feeling anxious.
• Old Dream explains the story’s intended focus: Gungun’s leisurely life as a giant panda, rather than constant action or an endless stream of overheard thoughts.
• The note clarifies several worldbuilding choices: powerful beings can use a Mind-Listening Technique, but need not do so; Gungun’s Law of Silence makes his thoughts harder to hear.
• Old Dream addresses readers’ questions about Ao Yue’s strength and Kunpeng’s identity. Ao Yue’s power comes from assimilating half of the Ancestral Dragon’s magical power with Taiyi’s help. Kunpeng is written as both the Phoenix Race’s crown prince and the Demon Master, allowing the story to explore the Phoenix Race.
• The author outlines the release plan: two chapters today, saved chapters at noon the next day, and possibly more updates afterward, while prioritizing quality. Old Dream also asks readers to subscribe when the book goes premium.

Character developments

• No new events change the fictional characters, but the author clarifies their intended portrayal. Gungun’s distinctive Law of Silence supports his role in the story, while Ao Yue and Kunpeng’s backgrounds establish their status and potential.
• Old Dream comes across as nervous but candid, explaining past writing choices and promising to keep working on the story.

Significant themes

• Creative intent and reader expectations: The author distinguishes this story from similar “overhearing thoughts” novels and emphasizes its gentler, panda-centered tone.
• Worldbuilding and interpretation: Mythological abilities and identities are adapted to fit the author’s version of the Primordial World, rather than followed rigidly from reference sources.
• Honesty and quality: Old Dream rejects withholding chapters merely to create the appearance of a larger release, and stresses careful writing over padding or rushed updates.
• Reader support and community: The note thanks readers for feedback and asks them to continue supporting the book.

Character interactions

• The main interaction is between Old Dream and the readers: the author responds to comments, acknowledges criticism and encouragement, explains decisions, and makes a direct appeal for subscriptions.
• Old Dream also mentions an author friend’s suggestion to save chapters for the premium launch, but chooses to publish according to the stated schedule instead.

Plot points and events

• Gungun and Hou Yi arrive at Tongtian’s Supreme Clarity Palace, escorted by Holy Mother Jin Ling. Four-Unlike waits outside; Gungun promises to ask the Ancestral Witches to return the Qilin Seal so he can give it to him.
• Tongtian’s disciples are pleased with the treasures he has bestowed. Zhao Gongming is especially excited about receiving the twenty-four Dinghai Pearls and imagines using them to defeat Gungun. Yunxiao cautions him not to underestimate the bear, but the treasure soon restores his confidence.
• Tongtian confronts Gungun over refusing to become his disciple and demands that he prove his strength against five disciples: Duobao, Jin Ling, Zhao Gongming, Yunxiao, and Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal. Shi Ji is spared because she is too weak.
• Hou Yi offers to fight in Gungun’s place. Tongtian dismisses him with a wave of his whisk, binding and knocking him aside. Gungun asks Tongtian to show mercy.
• Tongtian declares that the contest is not meant to bully Gungun. He offers the high-grade innate treasure Purification Drum as compensation if Gungun wins. If Gungun loses, he must either become Tongtian’s disciple or stay as Tongtian’s mount. Gungun fumes at the prospect of being treated as a mount yet again.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains reluctant to work or become Tongtian’s disciple, but shows concern for Hou Yi when Tongtian restrains him. His irritation grows as Tongtian frames the contest as a choice between discipleship and servitude.
• Hou Yi is protective of Gungun and tries to take on the challenge himself, but is quickly overpowered and bound.
• Tongtian is proud, forceful, and determined to test Gungun. He treats the contest as proof of Gungun’s loss in refusing his offer, while dangling a valuable treasure as an incentive.
• Zhao Gongming is buoyed by his new weapon and eager to prove himself; Yunxiao acts as the cautious voice of reason, though she cannot persuade him to stay wary.
• Holy Mother Jin Ling courteously escorts the visitors, while Four-Unlike remains outside and receives Gungun’s promise concerning the Qilin Seal.

Significant themes

• Power and pride: Tongtian’s test, Hou Yi’s confidence, and Zhao Gongming’s excitement all revolve around proving strength.
• Choice versus coercion: Gungun is supposedly free to refuse Tongtian, but the contest’s stakes pressure him toward discipleship or becoming a mount.
• Humor amid danger: Gungun’s complaints about work and his exasperation at everyone wanting to ride him undercut the tense challenge with comedy.

Key plot points and events

• Tongtian forces Gungun to fight five of his disciples—Duobao, Zhao Gongming, Yunxiao, Jin Ling, and Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal—in a contest of both magic and treasures.
• Gungun agrees on the condition that, if he wins, Tongtian will send him and Hou Yi safely back to Mount Buzhou. Tongtian promises to do so and let Gungun keep any treasure he wins.
• The disciples arrive already armed with powerful artifacts, surprising both Gungun and Hou Yi.
• Hou Yi urges Gungun to use the supposedly invincible World-Destroying Black Lotus. Gungun angrily denies owning it, explaining that Hou Yi mistook his black radiance and excitement over edible Innate Snow Lotuses for evidence of the legendary treasure.
• Tongtian and his disciples relax once the rumor is cleared up, and the match begins. Gungun presents a towering Vermilion Bird Banner, leaving Tongtian visibly shocked.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun resents being treated as a mount and dislikes being forced into combat, but calmly negotiates for his and Hou Yi’s safe return. His frustration boils over when Hou Yi’s persistent rumor puts him in danger. Though he acts timid, revealing the Vermilion Bird Banner hints that he is far more formidable—and better equipped—than he lets on.
• Hou Yi remains loyal and eager to help Gungun, encouraging him to fight boldly. His confidence is undermined by his mistaken belief that Gungun owns the Black Lotus, which he based on an overheard bathing-pool incident.
• Tongtian is initially confident in his disciples and pushes Gungun into the contest. He is relieved when Gungun denies having the Black Lotus, but his shock at the Vermilion Bird Banner suggests he may have underestimated Gungun.
• Tongtian’s disciples show discipline and confidence, presenting their treasures formally, but the Black Lotus rumor briefly frightens them.

Significant themes

• Appearances and mistaken assumptions: Gungun’s black glow and excitement over ordinary lotuses spark a dangerous misunderstanding.
• Hidden power and underestimation: Gungun presents himself as weak and reluctant, yet possesses a formidable treasure.
• Dignity versus practicality: Gungun jokes that dignity matters less than food, while still objecting to being used as a mount.
• Comedic tension: The story turns a serious magical contest into farce through Hou Yi’s confident misinformation and Gungun’s exasperation.

Key plot points

• Tongtian discovers that Gungun possesses the Vermilion Bird Banner, a powerful Numinous Treasure he had failed to detect in an earlier divination.
• Duobao and Tongtian’s other disciples attack Gungun. Though outnumbered and blinded by Zhao Gongming’s Dinghai Pearls, Gungun fights back using its keen hearing and the banner.
• The disciples’ treasures and techniques—including the Soul-Severing Nail, Four Symbols Pagoda, Dragon-Binding Rope, and Golden Bushel of Primordial Unity—are turned aside or backfire. Gungun also freezes Holy Mother Jin Ling with its “Stillness” ability.
• Duobao, Zhao Gongming, and Yunxiao launch a coordinated assault. Gungun unleashes the Vermilion Bird Banner’s full power, disrupting Yunxiao’s suction, turning Duobao’s Fire Dragon Soldiers against him, and creating a fiery minor world that blasts away the Dinghai Pearls.
• After defeating the disciples, Gungun pretends to be gravely injured and asks Tongtian to let it see Houtu before it dies.
• Tongtian gives up on recruiting Gungun, returns the Primordial Dust Whisk, and sends Gungun, Hou Yi, and Four-Unlike away. He also gives Gungun the Purification Drum and tells it not to return without a reason.

Character developments

• Gungun proves both formidable and resourceful, revealing the Vermilion Bird Banner and combining its strength with sharp hearing, defensive abilities, and deception.
• Tongtian shifts from considering Gungun as a potential disciple to accepting that their relationship is not meant to be. His repeated reactions to the battle show growing frustration and concern.
• Duobao and the other disciples display teamwork and powerful treasures, but their attacks fail against Gungun’s abilities and the banner.
• Hou Yi tries to warn Gungun but is silenced by Tongtian, leaving him unable to intervene.

Significant themes

• Fate and incompatibility: Tongtian concludes that Gungun was never destined to become his disciple.
• Power and resourcefulness: Gungun’s victory comes not just from strength, but from adapting to each attack and using its treasures cleverly.
• Deception and self-preservation: After winning, Gungun feigns injury to avoid further conflict and secure its release.

Character interactions

• Gungun faces Tongtian’s disciples in battle, while Hou Yi anxiously tries to help and Tongtian prevents him from speaking.
• Tongtian watches his disciples’ failed attacks with mounting frustration, then speaks directly with Gungun after the fight.
• Gungun’s exaggerated plea for sympathy persuades Tongtian to end the encounter and send it away with its companions and an additional treasure.

Plot points and events

• Gungun, Hou Yi, and Four-Unlike are expelled from Tongtian’s domain and fall back onto Mount Buzhou. Tongtian gives Gungun the Purification Drum, then turns to scold his unconscious disciples and vows to intensify their training.
• Back at the Houtu Tribe, Four-Unlike asks Gungun to return the Qilin Seal. Gungun agrees, honoring its promise and arguing that the Qilin Clan’s allegiance is worth more than the supreme-grade treasure.
• Hou Yi worries that Gungun is making a bad bargain. Gungun rebukes him, claiming its injuries from a lightning strike have not healed and threatening to take Hou Yi down with it if the lightning kills it.
• Gungun reports to Houtu. It says the trip involved danger—being struck by lightning—but adds that its injuries and magical power are nearly restored after eating three Ren Water Flat Peaches from Ao Yue.
• Houtu returns the Qilin Seal to Gungun after it insists its plan is worthwhile, though it keeps the details to itself. Gungun explains that the drum Tongtian gave it is a high-grade innate numinous treasure.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains playful, boastful, and self-serving in appearance, but presents itself as an honest dealmaker who keeps promises. It uses mock vulnerability to deflect Hou Yi’s and Houtu’s questions, while pursuing a larger plan involving the Qilin Clan.
• Hou Yi is protective and concerned about Gungun, but his questioning irritates it. He is left confused by Gungun’s insistence that its lightning injury is somehow his fault.
• Four-Unlike is wary in the Witch stronghold and eager to recover the Qilin Seal. Gungun’s willingness to return it begins to soften his view of their earlier conflict.
• Houtu welcomes Gungun warmly and trusts its judgment enough to return the Seal, despite her concerns about its plan. She recognizes the Purification Drum and privately identifies its giver as “that fatty”—Tongtian.
• Tongtian is furious that his disciples lost to a single Great Luo and resolves to make their future training harsher.

Significant themes

• Promises and loyalty: Gungun treats returning the Qilin Seal as a matter of honor, even when others see it as a poor bargain.
• Trust versus caution: Hou Yi and Houtu question Gungun’s decisions, while Gungun asks them to trust its judgment without revealing its full intentions.
• Humor and affection: Teasing, threats, and mock complaints shape the relationships between Gungun, Hou Yi, and Houtu, balancing the chapter’s fantasy conflicts with comedy.

Plot points

• Gungun returns the Qilin Seal to Four-Unlike, but only after Four-Unlike swears that the Qilin Clan will submit to the Witch Race and bind its fortunes to theirs.
• The heavenly oath takes effect, strengthening the bond among the Qilin, Witch, and Iron-Eating Beast clans. Gungun hopes this alliance will help protect the Witch Race from future calamity; the Iron-Eating Beast Clan’s fortunes are already secured by the Pure World White Lotus.
• Four-Unlike is welcomed at Mount Buzhou and escorted away to settle in.
• Hou Yi presses Gungun about whether he has the World-Destroying Black Lotus. Gungun lures him close, punches him, then kicks him flying before settling down to sleep.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun shows that his exchange of the Qilin Seal is part of a long-term plan, though he keeps its full purpose secret. He is generous with the treasure once Four-Unlike fulfills the oath, but impatient when Hou Yi questions him. His growing sleepiness remains a running source of comedy.
• Four-Unlike is deeply moved to recover his father’s spirit treasure, but hesitates before making the oath. He ultimately commits his clan to the Witch Race in exchange for the seal.
• Hou Yi remains suspicious of Gungun’s claims about the black lotus and keeps questioning him. Gungun responds with a comic ambush.
• Dijiang accepts Gungun’s role as Witch Scribe despite his surprise and tells Houtu to encourage him to complete the Witch Script, promising him the resulting merit.

Significant themes

• Alliance and shared fate: The oath binds the Qilin Clan’s fortunes to the Witch Race, with Gungun also considering his own clan’s future.
• Long-term planning and sacrifice: Gungun gives up a powerful treasure to strengthen a political alliance whose benefits may only become clear later.
• Loyalty and trust: Four-Unlike’s oath makes his clan’s submission explicit and voluntary.
• Comedy amid high stakes: Celestial vows and future calamities are paired with Gungun’s yawning, blunt secrecy, and sudden attack on Hou Yi.

Key plot points and events

• Half a year after returning from Kunlun, Gungun remains asleep on Mount Buzhou. The Great Shamans’ attempts to move him disturb his rest, and his Dao resonance puts everyone nearby to sleep. Houtu orders the area left undisturbed.
• At the Heavenly Court, Dijun and Taiyi welcome Kunpeng, newly elevated to Demon Master. Ao Yue, who holds a hereditary grudge against Kunpeng, refuses to join the reception and leaves.
• Dijun tells Taiyi privately that he knows Ao Yue’s true identity and warns Taiyi to be more cautious as an emperor.
• Beside the Heavenly River, Meng Zhang tells Ao Yue that Torch Dragon has summoned him home and is gravely ill. Ao Yue immediately transforms into a dragon and rushes back with Meng Zhang.
• In the Ancestral Dragon Hall, Torch Dragon despairs over the Dragon Race’s lack of merit and uncertain future, despite Ao Yue’s connection to the Demon Race. Sensing Ao Yue’s return, he greets him with relief.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains comically undisturbed and powerful, turning the Great Shamans’ practical effort into an accidental communal nap.
• Ao Yue shows that his hostility toward Kunpeng still overrides courtly restraint. News of Torch Dragon’s condition quickly gives way to grief and urgency.
• Taiyi tries to defend Ao Yue to Dijun, while Dijun reveals he understands Ao Yue’s identity and urges discretion.
• Torch Dragon appears frail and fearful for his people’s future, but his distress lifts when he senses Ao Yue has returned.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: Gungun’s effortless supernatural strength contrasts with Torch Dragon’s failing body.
• Duty versus personal feeling: Ao Yue’s feud with Kunpeng clashes with the expectations of a royal court.
• Fate and political fortune: Torch Dragon believes the Dragon Race cannot prosper without merit of its own, even through Ao Yue’s association with the Demon Race.
• Family and loyalty: Ao Yue’s immediate return underscores his bond with Torch Dragon and the Dragon Race.

Key plot points and events

• Ao Yue returns urgently after learning that Torch Dragon, the Dragon Race’s Grand Elder, is near death. Meng Zhang accompanies him.
• Torch Dragon comforts the grieving Ao Yue and gives him the Azure Dragon Whip, Ancestral Dragon’s companion Numinous Treasure, entrusting it to him to protect the Dragon Race.
• He reminds Ao Yue that, as Ancestral Dragon’s legitimate son and Crown Prince, he bears responsibility for the race’s future.
• Torch Dragon recounts a recurring vision: a catastrophe will devastate the Primordial World, but five figures wielding five treasures—the Azure Dragon Whip, Vermilion Bird Banner, Black Tortoise Seal, White Tiger Token, and Qilin Seal—will save it.
• He has located the Black Tortoise Seal in the Northern Nether Sea and the White Tiger Token in the Western Star Tiger Forest, but cannot find the other two. He charges Ao Yue with gathering the remaining treasures, believing this may be the Dragon Race’s chance for renewal.
• Torch Dragon falls asleep, though he is not yet dead. Ao Yue accepts the whip and turns toward Mount Buzhou, thinking of the Vermilion Bird Banner.

Character developments

• Ao Yue is grieving but responds to Torch Dragon’s charge with resolve, accepting both the treasure and responsibility for his people.
• Torch Dragon reveals his concern for the Dragon Race’s future and passes on what may be his final guidance. His vision gives the story a larger prophetic direction.
• Meng Zhang remains a loyal, respectful aide and supports Ao Yue after Torch Dragon falls asleep.

Significant themes

• Duty and succession: Ao Yue’s personal grief is set against his obligations as Crown Prince.
• Legacy and sacrifice: Torch Dragon passes on a treasured inheritance and a mission as his life wanes.
• Prophecy and collective salvation: The five treasures and their bearers may be essential to saving the world—and could offer the Dragon Race a path forward.
• Hope amid decline: Though the old leaders have fallen and the Dragon Race is weakened, Torch Dragon’s vision suggests a chance for renewal.

Character interactions

• Torch Dragon treats Ao Yue with affection, wipes away his tears, and firmly reminds him of his responsibilities.
• Ao Yue shows deep attachment and respect, listening closely and promising to remember his uncle’s words.
• Torch Dragon directs Meng Zhang to retrieve the whip and later shares the vision with both men; Meng Zhang quietly affirms that it may be real.

Key plot points and events

• A century after the Dragon Race’s Grand Elder, Torch Dragon, dies, Gungun wakes from a hundred-year nap on Mount Buzhou. He discovers the Great Shamans around him asleep, having unknowingly subdued them with his Law of Silence.
• Drawn by the smell of milk, Gungun rushes to a hut where Jade Rabbit and several minor immortals are preparing leopard-milk tea.
• He ignores their protests and drinks straight from the cauldron. Hou Yi arrives and tries to stop him, but Gungun clings to the pot, insisting he is starving. Jade Rabbit and the others join Hou Yi in trying to pull him away.
• Houtu watches the commotion. Xingtian then reports that a Dragon Race envoy has come seeking an audience with Gungun.

Character developments

• Gungun remains carefree, lazy, and single-minded about food. His powerful abilities contrast comically with his childish fixation on milk.
• Jade Rabbit is initially confident about her carefully prepared tea, then becomes anxious and finally appeals to Hou Yi for help.
• Hou Yi tries to mediate gently, but his patience is tested when Gungun refuses to budge.
• Houtu responds to the spectacle with weary exasperation, while the Dragon Race’s request hints that Gungun’s importance extends beyond these comic antics.

Significant themes

• Comedy through contrast: Gungun’s immense power is used for an absurdly ordinary purpose—drinking milk.
• Power and disruption: Even a peaceful gathering can be thrown into chaos by Gungun’s presence.
• A shift toward larger events: The Dragon Race’s envoy introduces a potentially serious political development after the domestic farce.

Character interactions

• Gungun disregards Jade Rabbit and Hou Yi as he drinks, while Jade Rabbit pleads for the tea and Hou Yi attempts to restrain him.
• The frightened minor immortals gradually overcome their fear and help pull Gungun away.
• Houtu observes the scene as Xingtian brings news of the Dragon Race’s request.

Plot points and events

• Ao Yue’s envoys arrive to invite Gungun to an East Sea banquet marking Torch Dragon’s death, but refuse to give Xingtian the invitation, insisting on delivering it to Gungun personally. Houtu suspects the invitation hides another purpose and decides to ask Gungun before responding.
• Inside the cabin, Gungun and Hou Yi tussle over beast milk. Gungun uses the Purification Drum to send Jade Rabbit and the other immortals flying, then gives Jade Rabbit a Brilliant Gold Radish so she will not report him.
• Hou Yi explains that Jade Rabbit had prepared the milk for herself and that Houtu had specifically asked him to look after her. He reassures Gungun that, if he ever falls for an immortal whom Gungun also likes, he will let Gungun have her.
• Houtu arrives, dismisses the lesser immortals, and gently comforts Gungun with a Spirit Fruit. She tells him about the invitation. Gungun declines, claiming that attending a funeral banquet is unlucky because Torch Dragon is tainted by the karma of the Dragon-Han Catastrophe. Houtu listens for a deeper motive but hears only that—and Gungun’s thoughts about collecting more Spirit Fruit.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains greedy, boastful, and easily frightened, but shows unexpected generosity by giving Jade Rabbit a rare Brilliant Gold Radish. He also avoids the banquet out of concern that Torch Dragon’s karma could bring him trouble.
• Hou Yi is patient and affectionate with Gungun, trying to explain the milk dispute without escalating it. His promise to yield a future love interest to Gungun is comic but highlights their closeness.
• Houtu is protective and perceptive, yet fond of Gungun’s eccentric nature. She suspects the dragons have an ulterior motive, while finding his simple explanation for refusing the invitation underwhelming.
• Jade Rabbit is surprised and delighted by Gungun’s gift, which recalls how a similar radish once helped her advance her cultivation.

Significant themes

• Affection expressed through teasing: Gungun’s quarrel with Hou Yi gives way to reassurance and playful devotion.
• Kindness beneath selfishness: Despite his complaints and appetite, Gungun rewards Jade Rabbit rather than leaving her to suffer the dispute.
• Wariness of fate and karma: Gungun’s refusal reflects the perceived danger of becoming entangled in the consequences of the ancient Dragon-Han Catastrophe.
• Comedy through contrast: Houtu’s search for hidden meaning clashes with Gungun’s mundane priorities—avoiding bad luck and enjoying fruit.

Plot points and events

• Houtu assumes Gungun refuses Ao Yue’s invitation because the East Sea may be a trap, but Gungun says he simply dislikes crowded, mournful banquets.
• To avoid seeming disrespectful to the Dragon Race, Gungun creates a funeral wreath for Torch Dragon. Its Demon Script inscription is deliberately awkward: it wishes the deceased “live on forever,” despite Torch Dragon’s body and Dao having perished. Gungun asks Houtu to deliver it with a formal message of condolence.
• Hou Yi notices that Gungun can read and write Demon Script. Gungun explains that he learned it when Kunpeng first created it, prompting Houtu and Hou Yi to press him to create a writing system for the Witch Race.
• Gungun resists, arguing that learning a script is far easier than inventing one and that fame would only attract unwanted attention. Houtu suggests dancing before his treasure cauldron while beating his Purification Drum, hoping a ritual might inspire him.
• Houtu pushes Gungun toward the public dance, while Hou Yi eagerly agrees to deliver the wreath and hurry back to watch.

Character developments and interactions

• Gungun remains cautious, comfort-loving, and averse to attention. His attempt to politely decline the banquet shows a sly, mischievous sense of humor, while his reluctance to create Witch Script reflects genuine anxiety about the difficulty and consequences.
• Houtu is protective and fond of Gungun, but she also sees him as a potential solution to the Witch Race’s lack of a writing system. She shifts from persuasion to enthusiastic coercion when she thinks dancing might inspire him.
• Hou Yi supports Houtu’s efforts and is openly amused by the prospect of Gungun dancing. His attempts to pet Gungun underscore their familiar, playful relationship.
• The exchanges balance the group’s affection for Gungun with their pressure on him to serve the Witch Race.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal reluctance: Gungun is expected to contribute to the Witch Race, but he resists being pushed into a daunting task.
• Humor and social etiquette: The absurd wreath lets Gungun acknowledge Torch Dragon’s death without attending the solemn banquet.
• Creativity and recognition: The chapter distinguishes learning an existing system from creating one, while questioning whether fame and achievement are worth the attention they bring.