Chapter Summaries

A Pai accused Liu Wan’s household of abducting his son, but gambling-house creditors exposed his cruelty and Liu Zimu denied being his child. Liu Wan had A Pai arrested and sent to the government office.

• Liu Wan tried to have A Pai driven away after his accusations made Liu Zimu furious, but A Pai injured himself and drew a crowd with cries of murder.
• Shen Chuanlian absorbed Liu Zimu’s vicious energy, calming him as creditors identified A Pai and revealed that he had beaten his wife to death and sold her son.
• Liu Wan demanded proof that Liu Zimu was A Pai’s child, and Liu Zimu denied the claim.
• A Pai reached greedily for Liu Wan’s silver notes, exposing his motive, and Liu Wan had him seized and taken to the government office.

Liu Wan had A Pai jailed after his crimes and debts were exposed, while promising Zi Mu he could take revenge after securing scholarly honors. Back at the residence, Zi Mu suspected Shen Chuanlian had an unusual power and asked him to join a trip to the jail to kill A Pai.

• A Pai begged Liu Wan to spare him, but the townspeople condemned him after learning he had killed his wife and sold his son; Liu Wan ordered him handed over to the authorities.
• Liu Shi imprisoned A Pai among condemned prisoners, including a man enraged by A Pai's abuse of his family.
• On the ride home, Zi Mu asked Liu Wan to leave A Pai for him to deal with, and she agreed to help after he completed his examination.
• Zi Mu suspected Shen Chuanlian had drained his hostility and questioned him about his identity and ability to kill.
• Zi Mu told Shen Chuanlian to come with him to the jail to kill A Pai.

Liu Zimu persuaded Shen Chuanlian to help secretly eliminate A Pai before the Imperial Examination, and the two slipped out of the Ninth Prince's Residence. Xia Wanwan noticed them, brought Yuanbao along, and followed them to a prison where she found Liu Zimu.

• Liu Zimu revealed that he wanted revenge on A Pai before the Imperial Examination and asked Shen Chuanlian to help remove him and conceal the secret.
• Shen Chuanlian agreed to help, fell off the couch while trying to climb down, then took Liu Zimu beyond the outer wall as an invisible shadow.
• Xia Wanwan spotted their departure, used Teleportation to reach Yuanbao, and took him with her using an Instant-Shift Talisman.
• Yuanbao woke in a dark corner beside Xia Wanwan, who pointed out that Liu Zimu had been brought to a prison by the suspicious little boy.

Liu Zimu and Shen Chuanlian confronted A Pai in prison, where Shen drew out the man's vicious rage while Liu prepared to take revenge. Hidden nearby, Xia Wanwan recognized Soul-Control Candy and blew its powder toward Shen, who noticed something sweet mixed with the rage.

• The prison guards and prisoners fell unconscious, allowing A Pai to beat the condemned men who had attacked him.
• Liu Zimu and Shen Chuanlian appeared in A Pai's cell, and A Pai first mistook them for rescuers before realizing they had come to kill him.
• Shen Chuanlian provoked A Pai until he attacked Liu Zimu with a table, then bound him with black baleful aura and absorbed his rage.
• Xia Wanwan and Yuanbao watched from the shadows, and Xia Wanwan found Soul-Control Candy in her Cosmic Bag.
• Xia Wanwan crumbled the candy and blew its powder toward Shen Chuanlian, who sensed a sweet taste mixed into A Pai's vicious rage.

Liu Zimu took revenge on A Pai for his birth mother's death, then Shen Chuanlian erased the evidence. Outside the jail, Liu Wan waited to learn whether Zi Mu had cleaned up every trace.

• Liu Zimu told A Pai that A Pai and his mother had drugged and violated Zi Mu's birth mother to seize her fifty taels of silver.
• A Pai admitted that he had beaten Zi Mu's birth mother to death and sold Zi Mu, while Zi Mu revealed he had recovered the silver note from beneath A Pai's bed.
• Liu Zimu killed A Pai, and Shen Chuanlian destroyed A Pai's soul.
• Liu Zimu's hatred faded, but Shen Chuanlian urged him to recover and remove all traces of the killing.
• Shen Chuanlian crushed A Pai's corpse into mist as Xia Wanwan and Yuanbao followed them out of the jail.
• Liu Shi emerged from the jail to Liu Wan, who asked whether Zi Mu had cleaned up every trace.

Liu Zimu reunited with Xia Wanwan after she learned of his prison revenge scheme, while Yuanbao confronted Shen Chuanlian, whose true identity was Jiyan. Xia Wanwan used the Soul-Control Technique to stop Jiyan, but Yuanbao’s attack accidentally hit Gu Ming, who then prepared to punish Jiyan.

• Liu Wan left Liu Shi to cover up the prisoner’s disappearance and returned to the Ninth Prince’s Residence.
• Liu Zimu feared Xia Wanwan would reject him after seeing his scheming, but she asked him to hold her and reassured him.
• Yuanbao accused Shen Chuanlian of being an evil spirit, and Xia Wanwan exposed him as Jiyan.
• Jiyan tried to probe Xia Wanwan’s memories, so Yuanbao fought him while Liu Zimu apologized to his sister.
• Xia Wanwan activated the Soul-Control Technique and forced Jiyan to cling to Yuanbao’s leg.
• Yuanbao’s missed attack blackened Gu Ming’s face, and Gu Ming lifted Jiyan away, declaring he would teach him a lesson.

Gu Ming found Shen Chuanlian, still in a child’s body, and mistook him for an evil spirit before realizing he was his long-awaited master, Jiyan. After Shen Chuanlian beat Gu Ming, Xia Wanwan used her Soul-Control Technique to make the Demon God sit and talk with them.

• Gu Ming slapped Shen Chuanlian for speaking coldly, then asked Xia Wanwan and Yuanbao if they had seen Jiyan.
• Shen Chuanlian revealed himself, but Gu Ming mistook him for an evil spirit possessing a child and slapped him before recognizing his master.
• Gu Ming begged Shen Chuanlian to stop beating him, and Shen Chuanlian threatened to destroy his ugly new body.
• Xia Wanwan stopped Shen Chuanlian from attacking Gu Ming, then used her Soul-Control Technique to make Shen Chuanlian sit across from her.
• Shen Chuanlian realized Xia Wanwan had controlled him and angrily lamented how badly his resurrection was going.

Xia Wanwan learned how Shen Chuanlian had revived as a child and tried to take him to the World-Suppressing Tower, but Gu Ming defended him from Yuanbao. As the two fought, Shen Chuanlian revealed that he wanted revenge on the Patriarch of the Mystic Sect for sealing him away.

• Shen Chuanlian explained that the Patriarch of the Mystic Sect had replaced his ashes with lime, causing his revival to leave him trapped in a child's body.
• Xia Wanwan offered Shen Chuanlian candy and tried to take him to the World-Suppressing Tower, but Gu Ming stopped Yuanbao from carrying him away.
• Gu Ming argued that Shen Chuanlian had not harmed anyone since his revival and challenged Yuanbao's assumption that demons were evil.
• Yuanbao and Gu Ming fought after Gu Ming refused to step aside, and Gu Ming admitted that he had stayed with Yuanbao's group because he genuinely liked them.
• Xia Wanwan asked Shen Chuanlian about his goal, and he said he wanted revenge on the Patriarch of the Mystic Sect for sealing him away.

Shen Chuanlian explained his revenge and his belief that heaven’s decree would prevent his death, but Xia Wanwan attacked him anyway. Xi Cha appeared to protect his master, only to be met with Xia Wanwan’s strength and Gu Ming’s teasing.

• Shen Chuanlian told Xia Wanwan he planned to resurrect the person who sealed him and make him suffer the same isolation he endured in the World-Suppressing Tower.
• Yuanbao defeated Gu Ming, and Shen Chuanlian claimed heaven’s decree would keep him from dying.
• Yuanbao’s Returning Blade stopped inches from Shen Chuanlian’s neck when Xi Cha’s baleful aura caught it.
• Xia Wanwan knocked the blade and baleful aura down, prompting Xi Cha to manifest and identify himself as Shen Chuanlian’s Right Guardian.
• Xia Wanwan struck Shen Chuanlian on the head with her iron shovel and scattered Xi Cha’s counterattack.
• Gu Ming suggested Xi Cha call Xia Wanwan Sister, but Xi Cha angrily refused.

Xia Wanwan subdued Shen Chuanlian and captured Xi Cha's divine soul, promising to take them to the World-Suppressing Tower after the Eastern Lin welcome banquet. When Liu Wan arrived, Shen Chuanlian surprised everyone by asking her for a Lotus Knot cord instead of using her as leverage.

• Xia Wanwan overwhelmed Xi Cha with her Little Iron Shovel and warned Shen Chuanlian that she could destroy his Guardian's divine soul.
• Gu Ming urged Shen Chuanlian to escape and abandon Xi Cha, but Shen Chuanlian refused to leave either Guardian behind.
• Xia Wanwan drew Xi Cha's divine soul into her Gourd and said she would take Shen Chuanlian to the World-Suppressing Tower after the Eastern Lin welcome banquet.
• Liu Wan arrived with Qing Sheng and Wang Xia, and Liu Zimu tried to escort her away from danger.
• Shen Chuanlian asked Liu Wan for a Lotus Knot cord like the one on Liu Zimu's jade pendant, then left without threatening her.
• Xia Wanwan warned Liu Wan to avoid Shen Chuanlian and gave Liu Zimu a protective talisman, while Liu Zimu sensed Shen Chuanlian would not harm their mother.

Xia Wanwan joined the Imperial House to prepare for the East Lin audience and learned that Princess Liuli might challenge Great Xia with her talents. That night, a woman secretly carried Wanwan away and tossed her into a pit, where Wanwan recognized the woman’s voice and asked where her silly son had gone.

• Xia Wanwan and her parents met with the Imperial House to discuss how to handle the Ruler of Eastern Lin’s visit.
• The Empress Dowager said Princess Liuli was renowned for composing poems and planned to find a girl to compete with her.
• Xia Siheng arranged for his family to stay in the palace, and the Empress Dowager kept Xia Wanwan with her overnight.
• A black-clad woman crept into the Empress Dowager’s chambers and carried the awake Xia Wanwan away while the Empress Dowager and Nanny Wei watched without intervening.
• The woman’s companions threw Xia Wanwan into a pit and prepared to bury her, but the woman climbed in too, saying that being buried with Wanwan would make her younger.
• Xia Wanwan realized the woman did not intend to harm her and asked where the woman’s silly son had gone.

Consort Xian asked Xia Wanwan to help her become young so she could pursue the Ruler of Eastern Lin, but Xia Wanwan revealed that he loved a male Hidden Guard named Wushuang. The Empress Dowager overheard their plans and, instead of stopping Consort Xian, offered to help her impersonate Wushuang and pursue the Ruler of Eastern Lin.

• Consort Xian told Xia Wanwan she wanted to become young and travel to East Lin to compete with Consort Jing and the Sovereign's wife for the Ruler of Eastern Lin.
• Xia Wanwan warned Consort Xian that the Ruler of Eastern Lin loved men and told her about his past lover, Wushuang, a male Hidden Guard who died alongside Duke Yan's father.
• Consort Xian decided she could win the Ruler of Eastern Lin by resembling Wushuang and asked Xia Wanwan to alter her appearance.
• The Empress Dowager caught Xia Wanwan and Consort Xian discussing their plan, and Consort Xian tried to take responsibility while insisting Xia Wanwan was innocent.
• The Empress Dowager encouraged Consort Xian to pursue the Ruler of Eastern Lin and revealed that she had a portrait of Wushuang.

As the palace prepared for the Ruler of Eastern Lin’s birthday visit, Consort Xian was absent, and the Empress Dowager and empress concealed the reason. The Eastern Lin delegation arrived with a breach of protocol that insulted the Great Xia Dynasty, leaving the empress to answer with a pointed excuse.

• The Empress Dowager told Xia Wanwan that Consort Xian wanted freedom, then took Xia Wanwan and Consort Xian to see Wushuang’s portrait, which shocked them both.
• At the emperor’s birthday banquet, the empress followed the Empress Dowager’s signal and gave Consort Xian’s seat to Consort Si.
• Xia Wanwan tried to grab the dishes until Xia Siheng gave her a pastry he had taken from his mother.
• The Ruler of Eastern Lin’s party delayed entering after being summoned twice, and Princess Liuli walked into the hall ahead of him.
• The emperor ordered the announcing eunuch punished, but Princess Liuli objected, and the empress claimed the eunuch had failed to announce the guests properly.

At the palace reception, Xia Wanwan exposed East Lin's deliberate refusal to answer the summons, forcing the delegation to take their seats. Consort Jing then arranged a poetry contest between Princess Liuli and Qian Shiyue, which ended with Liuli presenting a startling verse.

• Xia Wanwan mocked East Lin for pretending not to hear the palace attendant, and Princess Liuli angrily protested.
• The Ruler of Eastern Lin claimed he had been considering how to present East Lin's supreme treasure, and the Emperor ordered seats prepared for the delegation.
• Princess Liuli resented Consort Jing and the Imperial Prince, while Consort Jing privately anticipated her son's future power through the Qilin.
• Consort Jing challenged Great Xia to find a young lady who could rival Princess Liuli in poetry, and Qian Zhibing put forward his daughter Qian Shiyue.
• Princess Liuli proposed a poetry contest and wrote a verse about the Yellow River rushing toward the sea.

Qian Shiyue struggled to answer Princess Liuli’s celebrated poem as East Lin put a rare yellow jadeite and a suspiciously dangerous reward on the line. She offered a verse that won applause, but Xia Wanwan judged it inadequate, leaving the contest unresolved.

• Princess Liuli mocked Great Xia’s talented ladies, and Xia Wanwan pointed out that East Lin had not yet announced the contest’s stakes.
• The Ruler of Eastern Lin offered a supreme-grade yellow jadeite and a sovereign’s request if Great Xia defeated Liuli, while secretly arranging for the carver to reveal a humiliating message inside it.
• Qian Shiyue hesitated over Princess Liuli’s poetic challenge, then began composing after the Empress Dowager encouraged her.
• Qian Shiyue answered with a verse about blossoms rising from withered trees, and the hall applauded her effort.
• Xia Wanwan said Qian Shiyue’s verse fell far short of the original, suggesting Great Xia still faced defeat.

Xia Wanwan joined Princess Liuli’s poetry contest and completed the verse with a line that stunned the gathering, prompting Liuli to concede. After winning, Xia Wanwan claimed her reward and began drawing a design on the yellow jadeite, which Liuli recognized as a pile of shit.

• Xia Wanwan asked the Ruler of Eastern Lin to promise her a request if she won the contest, and he agreed.
• Xia Wanwan wrote the verse’s second half, astonishing the court with its grandeur.
• Princess Liuli admitted defeat, saying no verse could surpass Xia Wanwan’s.
• Xia Wanwan chose to have something carved from the yellow jadeite and began drawing her design.
• Princess Liuli recognized Xia Wanwan’s rough sketch as a pile of shit.

Xia Wanwan insisted that the Ruler of Eastern Lin honor his promise and have a carver turn the yellow jadeite into a pile of shit, while Xia Siheng rejected the ruler’s attempt to reconcile. As the carving began, the Ruler of Eastern Lin recalled how his ambition had led him to sacrifice his sister and betray the Late Emperor.

• Xia Wanwan argued that Princess Liuli had to honor the promise to carve whatever design she drew, and Qian Shiyue showed the officials her drawing of a pile of shit.
• Xia Siheng, Minister Liu, and Great Xia’s officials pressured the Ruler of Eastern Lin to keep his word, and he ordered the carver to proceed.
• The State Preceptor assured the Ruler of Eastern Lin that he would remove the cursing inside the jadeite before it could be revealed.
• The Ruler of Eastern Lin asked Xia Siheng to forgive him for his mother’s suffering, but Xia Siheng rejected him and said Consort Ling was his only Imperial Consort.
• The Ruler of Eastern Lin remembered sending his sister to Great Xia as part of a scheme to seize its territory and secretly killing the physician who could have cured the Late Emperor’s arm.

The Ruler of Eastern Lin’s scheme to sabotage a jadeite carving backfires when Xia Wanwan reflects his spell, turning the diplomatic gift into a public insult. After the Ruler spits blood in fury, he sees Yuanbao and recognizes him as Wushuang.

• The Ruler of Eastern Lin recalled murdering his brothers and father to seize the throne, and planned to make Xia Siheng emperor so East Lin could claim Great Xia.
• East Lin’s State Preceptor tried to place a curse on the jadeite carving, but Xia Wanwan reflected his spells back at him.
• The finished carving revealed the words “To behold this is to behold East Lin” above a lump of shit, provoking laughter throughout the hall.
• The emperor ordered the jadeite displayed on the Capital’s city walls, and Minister Liu carried it off before the Ruler of Eastern Lin could stop him.
• The Ruler of Eastern Lin spat blood from rage, then encountered Xia Siheng’s family as Yuanbao announced that Shen Chuanlian had disappeared.
• Seeing Yuanbao, the Ruler of Eastern Lin dropped his medicine bottle and tearfully called him “Wushuang!”

Xia Wanwan hurried Yuanbao away after the Ruler of Eastern Lin mistook him for his lost love, Wushuang. Xia Siheng considered using Yuanbao to undermine East Lin, but Liu Wan objected, and the couple ended the journey teasing each other about their feelings.

• Xia Wanwan recognized that Yuanbao looked exactly like Wushuang and ordered him to flee before the Ruler of Eastern Lin could reach him.
• The Ruler of Eastern Lin chased after Yuanbao, but Xia Siheng blocked him and told him to return to the Embassy.
• Liu Wan and Xia Siheng realized Yuanbao's resemblance to Wushuang might help them place a pawn near the Ruler of Eastern Lin.
• Liu Wan warned Xia Siheng not to involve Yuanbao without his consent and said he liked young, handsome boys rather than the older ruler.
• Xia Siheng grew jealous of Liu Wan's familiarity with Yuanbao, then brightened when she reassured him that she had loved him since childhood.

Liu Wan and Xia Siheng returned to the Ninth Prince's Residence and learned that Shen Chuanlian had vanished from Zi Mu's study. Liu Wan realized he was seeking answers about her Lotus Knot and offered to make him one, leaving him hopeful of learning more.

• Xia Siheng told Liu Wan that if his military campaign went badly, she should live as she wished, but promised to return and spend his life with their family if he survived.
• Yuanbao reported that Shen Chuanlian and Gu Ming had disappeared after Shen Chuanlian went to visit Zi Mu.
• Zi Mu revealed that Shen Chuanlian had questioned him about Liu Wan's distinctive Lotus Knot after seeing it on his jade pendant.
• Liu Wan found Shen Chuanlian in the Main Courtyard, where Pan Chun and Wang Xia had been trying to make him a Lotus Knot; he concluded that Liu Wan had an unusual, possibly innate connection to the design.
• Xia Wanwan tackled Shen Chuanlian and threatened him with her shovel, but Pan Chun explained that he had only asked them to make a knot.
• Liu Wan offered to make Shen Chuanlian a Lotus Knot and take him to choose a jade pendant to wear it on.