Chapter Summaries

Shen Yangge agreed to Consort Xue’s plan to kill Chu Xuanzhen after Chu Xuanzhen urged him to accept, then struggled to understand their hidden motives and the strange ritual preparations. The chapter ended with masked dancers surrounding Shen Yangge in a ritual and a wolf-masked figure pointing a banner staff at him.

• Chu Xuanzhen urged Shen Yangge to agree to Consort Xue’s proposal, and Shen Yangge agreed to kill him.
• Consort Xue left after Shen Yangge accepted, while Chu Xuanzhen gave no explanation for his actions.
• The next morning, Shen Yangge found clothes, talismans, and other ritual items that Chu Xuanzhen had prepared for him.
• Shen Yangge reasoned that Consort Xue and Chu Xuanzhen might each believe they had trapped the other before the sacrificial ceremony in five days.
• Masked dancers poured cold water over Shen Yangge and circled him as he protected the caged Little Orange Cat.
• A wolf-masked figure approached Shen Yangge and pointed a banner staff at him.

Shen Yangge woke from a vision of masked people performing a ritual and learned from System 615 that the experience had really happened. After an assassin accidentally knocked himself unconscious outside Shen Yangge’s window, the Eighth Prince laughed about the incident while Shen Yangge remained troubled by his changing appearance and the voices he heard.

• Shen Yangge dreamed of masked people who said they awaited his return, then woke in his usual room wearing the clothes from the vision.
• Shen Yangge found System 615 locked in an iron cage and confirmed that they had both been taken somewhere strange.
• System 615 indicated that it knew what had happened, but Shen Yangge told it to explain in five days.
• Shen Yangge stopped an assassin’s poison from entering through the window, and the assassin knocked himself unconscious outside.
• Shen Yangge wondered whether the courtyard’s plants were laughing and worried that he looked like an elderly man again by day.
• The Eighth Prince laughed over the foolish assassin while eating.

Shen Yangge noticed strange changes in his senses and heard voices while the Eighth Prince warned him that others knew about his condition. The chapter left Shen Yangge wondering if he had developed a split personality after flowers suddenly bloomed in the courtyard.

• The Eighth Prince warned Shen Yangge that others likely knew about his condition and pointed out that someone had opened the window despite the Imperial Guards.
• Shen Yangge sensed an urge to open the window and noticed that he could distinguish individual floral scents.
• The Eighth Prince left Shen Yangge and went to the Torture Chamber, where he prevented an assassin from biting off his tongue.
• Shen Yangge heard voices discussing his mood and calling him the youngest among them, then feared his Virus System had caused a split personality.
• Shen Yangge opened the window and saw flowers bloom suddenly throughout the courtyard.

Shen Yangge prepared for the Prayer Sacrifice, recovered his normal appearance, and dressed as the Divine Dragon while Chu Xuanzhen remained busy with preparations. As the procession entered the Capital City, Shen Yangge resolved to face the people plotting against him and Chu Xuanzhen.

• Shen Yangge heard the courtyard flowers and plants talking, then rested and dreamed of creatures watching him with goodwill.
• Shen Yangge practiced the Prayer Sacrifice and learned from the Eighth Prince that the ceremony required dancing, so he made the prince learn the dance with him.
• Shen Yangge returned to his normal appearance, but System 615 remained unconscious and an unknown force still prevented him from opening the cage.
• Palace servants dressed Shen Yangge in ceremonial robes, and the Eighth Prince was briefly captivated by his appearance.
• Shen Yangge thought the Fourth Prince and Second Prince would attend the Prayer Sacrifice and resolved to face those who wanted him to kill Chu Xuanzhen.
• Shen Yangge joined the Divine Dragon Procession through the Capital City as onlookers watched reverently and some knelt.

Shen Yangge took part in a sacrificial ceremony at the Sacrificial Terrace as Chu Xuanzhen helped and sheltered him. When Shen Yangge raised a sword into the torrential rain, the storm weakened and the sky cleared, leaving him astonished by the Daoists’ apparent power.

• Chu Xuanzhen helped Shen Yangge down from the carriage and led him to the center of the Sacrificial Terrace.
• Daoists arranged themselves around the terrace and cast talismans as the ceremony began.
• Dark clouds gathered over Capital City, and a torrential downpour drove most onlookers to seek shelter.
• A Daoist handed Shen Yangge a sword, and Shen Yangge raised it above his head, letting the rain run over the blade and his hands.
• The rain gradually eased, the clouds dispersed, and the people returned to the foot of the terrace.

Shen Yangge was forced by a Daoist’s magic to stab Chu Xuanzhen during the ceremony, and the crowd turned against him. Chu Tianyin and Chu Xuanzhi took control, crippled Chu Xuanzhen, and prepared to take Shen Yangge’s eyes for Chu Xuanzhi.

• A Daoist in robes used his banner staff to seize control of Shen Yangge’s sword hand and make him stab Chu Xuanzhen in the chest.
• The crowd panicked and began accusing Shen Yangge of being a monster as defenders of the Divine Dragon were drowned out.
• Chu Tianyin held Shen Yangge at swordpoint, stabbed the unconscious Chu Xuanzhen in both shoulders and legs, and ordered that he be kept alive.
• Shen Yangge realized Chu Tianyin and Chu Xuanzhi had joined forces and saw the Eighth Prince watching Chu Xuanzhen with contempt.
• Chu Tianyin ordered Chu Xuanzhen carried away and stopped Chu Xuanzhi from damaging Shen Yangge’s eyes before they could be transplanted.

Chu Xuanzhi tried to force Shen Yangge to serve him as Chu Tianyin's men suppressed the gathered commoners and members of the Crown Prince Faction. The chapter ended with Shen Yangge defiantly asking Chu Xuanzhi whether he was worthy of his service.

• A commoner defended Shen Yangge and the Divine Dragon, but Chu Tianyin's forces shot him and kept the crowd surrounded.
• Chu Xuanzhi threatened the commoners into silence, while a middle-aged man defected to Chu Tianyin and some others weighed their loyalties.
• Chu Xuanzhi offered to keep Shen Yangge with him and act as his eyes, but Shen Yangge insulted him for fleeing years earlier.
• An elderly minister rebuked Chu Xuanzhi for plotting against the rightful ruler and trying to make Shen Yangge submit.
• Chu Xuanzhi grabbed Shen Yangge again and demanded that he serve him, and Shen Yangge asked whether Chu Xuanzhi was worthy.

Shen Yangge revealed that Chu Tianyin had no royal blood and had been manipulated by the late emperor, while Chu Xuanzhi claimed control over Shen Yangge. As the sacrificial ritual resumed and the talismans changed, Shen Yangge seized Chu Xuanzhi and threw him.

• Chu Tianyin had Daoist-robed men remove the old man and challenged the crowd’s belief in Shen Yangge as the Divine Dragon.
• The Eighth Prince said he would never serve the man who killed his mother, and Chu Xuanzhi questioned whether he and Shen Yangge had been intimate.
• Shen Yangge asked why the late emperor had not entrusted Chu Tianyin with power, then revealed Chu Tianyin was not the late emperor’s son and had no royal blood.
• Chu Tianyin recalled that the late emperor had urged him to support the Eleventh Prince or Seventh Prince, and Shen Yangge accused Chu Xuanzhi of seeking to destroy Great Chu.
• As the sacrificial ritual began again, Chu Xuanzhi’s crippled hand rose, and Shen Yangge seized his wrist and threw him.

At the Prayer Sacrifice, Shen Yangge warned Chu Xuanzhi and the others that the real gods would be displeased, then eerie winds and bells accompanied animals and insects attacking the gathered people. Chu Xuanzhi knocked Shen Yangge unconscious, after which the creatures calmed but remained nearby.

• Chu Xuanzhi ordered the Imperial Guards to seize Shen Yangge, but Chu Tianyin and the Eighth Prince stopped Shen Yangge from escaping.
• Shen Yangge warned that the real gods would be angered by the disruption and said everyone was about to be in trouble.
• Eerie winds made the altar bells ring as animals and insects appeared and attacked the Imperial Guards and others at the Sacrificial Terrace.
• Chu Xuanzhi struck Shen Yangge on the neck and knocked him unconscious.
• The animals and insects gradually stopped attacking but lingered nearby and dodged when people tried to strike them.

Shen Yangge recovered fragmented memories in his consciousness, where a Little Dragon Baby showed him surveillance footage of Chu Xuanzhen imprisoned. He woke to find Chu Xuanzhi forcing imperial physicians to remove his eyes intact.

• Shen Yangge followed a little flame to a control room filled with screens displaying Small Worlds, where the Little Dragon Baby revealed footage of him unconscious beside Chu Xuanzhen.
• The Little Dragon Baby pressed against Shen Yangge and transmitted memories, helping him recall that he was a programmer sent to patch a loophole after losing most of his memories.
• Shen Yangge watched Chu Xuanzhen shackled and promised to free him soon; Chu Xuanzhen opened his eyes and briefly smiled toward the screen.
• Shen Yangge woke in a room surrounded by imperial physicians, while Chu Xuanzhi threatened them with prison and death unless they removed Shen Yangge's eyes intact.

Shen Yangge tried to save his eyes by offering to restore Chu Xuanzhi’s sight, but Chu Xuanzhi refused and had the Imperial Physicians imprisoned. As the rival princes’ factions fought for control, Chu Xuanzhi defeated Chu Tianyin and seized power across Great Chu, just as the coup seemed to be ending.

• Shen Yangge warned the Imperial Physicians not to risk injuring him and asked Chu Xuanzhi why he wanted his eyes.
• Chu Xuanzhi said he was captivated by Shen Yangge’s eyes and would feed them to dogs if they proved useless.
• Shen Yangge offered to restore Chu Xuanzhi’s sight, but Chu Xuanzhi refused and ordered the Imperial Physicians dragged away.
• The Second Prince and Fourth Prince’s factions split apart, fought over Capital City, and plunged its people into greater suffering.
• Chu Tianyin imprisoned and later lost a military adviser who had helped Chu Xuanzhi survive under an assumed identity.
• Chu Xuanzhi crushed Chu Tianyin’s forces and seized supreme power over Capital City and Great Chu.

A massive counterattack threw the Capital City forces into confusion, and Chu Xuanzhi sent Deputy General Ruan to seek Xue Pingyuan’s allegiance. Meanwhile, Chu Xuanzhen escaped the Dungeon through a body double and prepared to move against his enemies as Shen Yangge remained in danger.

• Deputy General Ruan learned that hundreds of thousands of troops had surrounded the gates and reported the attack to Chu Xuanzhi.
• Chu Xuanzhi gave Deputy General Ruan a letter for Xue Pingyuan, hoping to secure his submission through Consort Xue and the Xue Family’s territory.
• Chu Xuanzhi and Chu Tianyin discussed Chu Xuanzhen’s condition and Shen Yangge’s worsening state.
• Chu Xuanzhen stood up despite his supposed disability, traded places with a lookalike, and escaped the Dungeon with help from his men.
• Chu Xuanzhen’s men killed and replaced nearby spies and death soldiers, while Shen Yangge pretended to be near death and Chu Xuanzhi visited him.

Shen Yangge endured Chu Xuanzhi’s forced medicine while secretly keeping their plan on track, then insisted on confronting Chu Xuanzhi alone that night to learn how he intended to take his eyes. Meanwhile, Chu Xuanzhi learned that Xue Pingyuan’s army had sealed Capital City and forced him to choose between saving his family and killing them.

• Chu Xuanzhi forced Shen Yangge to swallow a black medicine, but Shen Yangge’s servants secretly gave him a pill that woke him and helped him recover.
• Shen Yangge told his servants that Chu Xuanzhi would act that night and ordered them to guard outside while he faced the Second Prince alone.
• Chu Xuanzhi learned from Chu Tianyin that the Hundred-Thousand Army had surrounded Capital City, then went to confront Xue Pingyuan.
• Chu Xuanzhi brought Consort Xue and the Xue Family to the city gate and gave Xue Pingyuan one incense stick to choose whether to save his family or kill them.

Xue Pingyuan appeared to submit to Chu Xuanzhi, leading him to open the city gates, but then Xue’s forces launched a surprise attack and seized the city. Chu Xuanzhi fled toward the imperial palace as Chu Tianyin realized Chu Xuanzhen’s counterattack had only begun.

• Chu Xuanzhi promised to preserve Xue Pingyuan’s rank and military authority if he submitted, and Xue signaled his officers to lay down their weapons.
• Chu Xuanzhi ordered Xue Pingyuan’s family escorted away and commanded the city gates opened to welcome Xue’s army.
• As Xue Pingyuan approached the gates, Chu Xuanzhi noticed something was wrong and shouted for the gates to be closed.
• Xue Pingyuan’s officers stormed through the open gates, killed the guards, and seized the eastern, southern, western, and northern gates.
• Chu Xuanzhi withdrew toward the imperial palace with his trusted aides, while Chu Tianyin recognized that Chu Xuanzhen’s counterattack had begun.

Chu Xuanzhi and Chu Tianyin discovered that traitors had exposed their hideout, while Chu Xuanzhi tried to seize Shen Yangge’s powers with a Milky-White Worm. The chapter ended with Shen Yangge attacking Chu Xuanzhi and the two princes dodging a lethal strike.

• Chu Xuanzhi ordered his guards to bring out weapons and gather his agents after Xue Pingyuan’s forces entered the city.
• Chu Tianyin warned Chu Xuanzhi that Chu Xuanzhen might still be alive, and the two realized their secret passage was compromised by traitors.
• Chu Tianyin and Chu Xuanzhi hid as infiltrators entered their room and descended into the passage, narrowly avoiding a trap.
• Chu Xuanzhi and Chu Tianyin went to Shen Yangge, whose feigned illness failed to conceal that he had discovered their plan.
• Chu Xuanzhi released a Milky-White Worm into Shen Yangge’s eye, intending to steal his powers, but Shen Yangge attacked and Chu Xuanzhi dodged with Chu Tianyin.

Chu Xuanzhi tried to steal Shen Yangge’s ability with a Gu Worm, but Shen Yangge exposed the trick and Chu Xuanzhen crushed the worm. Chu Xuanzhen confronted Chu Xuanzhi and Chu Tianyin, demanding that they surrender or die.

• Chu Xuanzhi revealed that he wanted Shen Yangge’s ability and claimed Chu Xuanzhen was dying from poison.
• Shen Yangge pretended to be hurt and faint, then revealed that he had killed the Gu Worm Chu Xuanzhi sent to steal his ability.
• Chu Xuanzhi retrieved the dead worm and threatened Shen Yangge, but Chu Xuanzhen took the bottle and crushed it.
• Chu Tianyin stepped in front of Chu Xuanzhi as Chu Xuanzhen revealed he had been present all along.
• Chu Xuanzhen refused to explain how he survived the poison and ordered Chu Xuanzhi and Chu Tianyin to kneel and surrender or die.

Shen Yangge and Chu Xuanzhen turned Chu Xuanzhi’s Gu Poison attack against him, and Chu Xuanzhen explained why the poisons had little effect on him. Chu Xuanzhen knocked Chu Xuanzhi unconscious, leaving Chu Tianyin captured and the two rivals’ fate unresolved.

• Chu Xuanzhi revealed that the toxins from the creature Chu Xuanzhen had crushed were spreading through Chu Xuanzhen’s body, but Chu Xuanzhen stopped the poisons from merging.
• Shen Yangge showed that Chu Xuanzhen’s hand had returned to normal and told Chu Xuanzhi that Chu Xuanzhen was blessed with great fortune.
• Chu Xuanzhen agreed to answer Chu Xuanzhi’s question in exchange for one of his own, then explained that the South Seas Gu Poison made other Gu Poisons seem weak by comparison.
• Chu Xuanzhen shot a drop of blood into Chu Xuanzhi’s eye, knocking him unconscious.
• Chu Tianyin accepted capture after Chu Xuanzhi fell, but demanded that they be confined together.

After the rebellion was suppressed, Shen Yangge struggled with pressure to persuade Chu Xuanzhen to ascend the throne, while recognizing that the Second Prince could not be punished without public evidence. He went to the Imperial Study to ask Chu Xuanzhen about the rumors and the pressure to take power.

• Shen Yangge considered why Chu Xuanzhen could not punish Chu Xuanzhi without presenting evidence and risking the support of officials and powerful families.
• The Eighth Prince told Shen Yangge that officials wanted him to persuade Chu Xuanzhen to ascend the throne, warning that Great Chu's instability could invite attacks from neighboring countries.
• Shen Yangge agreed to think it over, and the Eighth Prince gave him five days to decide.
• Shen Yangge went to the Imperial Study with Su Shang following him and asked Chu Xuanzhen whether he had heard the rumors.
• Chu Xuanzhen asked Shen Yangge to explain the rumors, then gently stroked the back of his neck as Shen Yangge sat on his desk.

Shen Yangge worried about Chu Xuanzhen’s health, but Chu Xuanzhen tested his sincerity and Shen later woke in the Imperial Study. After Shen accidentally brought the building down with a punch, Chu Xuanzhen carried him away as Shen apologized and offered to help with the losses.

• Chu Xuanzhen questioned Shen Yangge about rumors, and Shen asked if he was ill before expressing concern about his health.
• Chu Xuanzhen led Shen to the Consort’s Chair and tested whether Shen’s concern was sincere.
• Shen Yangge woke in the Imperial Study, punched a pillar, and caused the building to collapse.
• Servants checked on Shen while he silently realized his punch had caused the collapse.
• Chu Xuanzhen returned, picked Shen up, and heard him admit his carelessness and apologize.
• Shen asked Chu Xuanzhen to put him down so he could help recover the documents beneath the rubble.

Shen Yangge and Chu Xuanzhen shared a tender moment before Chu Xuanzhen abruptly turned cold and went to meet officials. Shen Yangge set out after him, while palace servants speculated about the pair’s relationship and Chu Xuanzhen’s future accession to the throne.

• Chu Xuanzhen carried Shen Yangge and cleaned his scraped feet, but Shen Yangge insisted on wiping Chu Xuanzhen’s hand with his treasured handkerchief.
• Chu Xuanzhen called Shen Yangge an exalted ruler as the reincarnation of the Divine Dragon, then warned the servants to keep their words to themselves.
• Chu Xuanzhen set Shen Yangge down and left to meet officials, asking the old eunuch to escort Shen Yangge back to the sleeping quarters.
• Shen Yangge turned back and hurried after Chu Xuanzhen, while the old eunuch assumed he could not bear to be apart from him.
• The young eunuch asked whether Chu Xuanzhen taking the throne would affect Shen Yangge, and the old eunuch sharply rebuked him.