Chapter Summaries

Luo Bin stayed at the Group Dwelling and discovered that sixteen faceless Observers watched it from the forest. Zhan Kong and You Yang explained that sixteen people had to sleep inside each night to activate its protective talisman markings, leaving Luo Bin unable to leave without endangering everyone.

• After dinner, Luo Bin suspected Floating Tortoise Mountain was hiding the truth about the Blackblood Vine and studied feng shui techniques to prepare to reach the summit.
• At midnight, Luo Bin noticed the residents seemed to be watching him and saw a faceless figure press its face against his window.
• Luo Bin opened the window after the figure left, but Zhan Qing warned him that the Observers were still watching; he counted sixteen faceless figures outside the Group Dwelling.
• The next morning, Zhan Kong told Luo Bin that the Observers would invade if the Group Dwelling did not have sixteen residents within seven days.
• You Yang explained that sixteen people had to stay inside each night to activate the buildings' protective markings, and warned that leaving would doom everyone.

Luo Bin learned that the Group Dwelling’s residents needed sixteen people to sustain their protective array, but he secretly tried to leave after realizing they had concealed information from him. The residents cornered him in the forest, and he moved toward a tree hiding a vine-bound body as he prepared to use the danger there against them.

• Zhan Qing explained that the Group Dwelling’s talisman array needed residents to stay inside and could protect them for only seven days, while Luo Bin pretended to agree to remain.
• After Zhan Qing, Zhan Kong, and You Yang left, Luo Bin entered the forest and found a sign pointing back toward the Group Dwelling, making him suspect the residents had withheld important facts.
• You Yang, Zhan Qing, and Zhan Kong waited outside a ruined temple for the feng shui practitioner Hu Jin, and You Yang said Luo Bin would no longer be useful once Hu Jin returned.
• Luo Bin studied Yuan Yinxin’s book and spotted a person tangled upside down in Blackblood Vine in a tree’s crown.
• Three Group Dwelling residents surrounded Luo Bin and demanded that he stay until they allowed him to leave.
• Luo Bin drew a second knife and edged toward the tree, intending to make the Moss Eater attack the three residents if they fought.

Luo Bin was captured by three men, including a Night Watchman, and dragged back toward their Group Dwelling. He deliberately triggered his Evil Spirit state and struck back, leaving the men stunned as he kicked at the one attacking him.

• A Night Watchman struck his bronze gong, incapacitating Luo Bin long enough for the other two men to seize and bind him.
• Luo Bin realized the men had ulterior motives and might be using him to fill a vacancy in their group.
• As the men dragged him along the route, Luo Bin used Rewind to choose a relatively safe place to resist.
• Luo Bin bit his tongue to trigger his Evil Spirit state, then slammed the Night Watchman into a tree, crushing his chest.
• The swordsman's blade failed to pierce Luo Bin, and Luo Bin kicked at the rope-holder's foot as it came down on his abdomen.

Luo Bin fought off his transformation into an evil spirit long enough to question He Shen, who revealed that his group had planned to kill him and warned that the communal dwelling would be endangered if it was understaffed. Luo Bin left for Floating Tortoise Mountain’s summit, but discovered He Shen had lied about the route.

• Luo Bin broke He Shen’s legs and nearly ate the flesh before suppressing his evil-spirit instincts.
• Luo Bin forced He Shen to reveal that Zhan Kong, Zhan Qing, You Yang, and He Shen had planned to dispose of him after their missing feng shui master returned.
• He Shen warned Luo Bin that the Observer would enter the communal dwelling if it was not fully staffed that night, but Luo Bin refused to return and demanded directions to the summit.
• He Shen pointed east, and Luo Bin walked away despite his pleas and threats.
• Luo Bin examined a tree and used feng shui principles to realize that He Shen had lied about the way to the summit.

Luo Bin worked out that north was the true route to Floating Tortoise Mountain’s summit, then was surrounded by evil spirits. At the Group Dwelling, the others realized they might need Luo Bin to replace the critically injured Pan Li and went west to search for him.

• Luo Bin used the trees and his memories to determine that the summit lay north, not in either direction He Shen had named.
• An evil spirit attacked Luo Bin from behind, and he decapitated it with the Bone-Cleaving Knife as more figures closed in.
• At the Group Dwelling, Zhan Qing found that Pan Li’s ribs and internal organs were badly damaged, while Hu Jin used a Life-Extending Lamp to keep him alive.
• Hu Jin said they needed to find Luo Bin, since Pan Li might die and the Group Dwelling needed enough people to survive the night.
• A group left the Group Dwelling and headed west, planning to lure Luo Bin back while keeping Hu Jin out of sight.

Luo Bin returned to the mountain road and, struggling with his growing evil-spirit instincts, left the safety of a roadside hut and walked into the night. In Cabinet Mountain Town, Gu Ya and Luo Feng grieved over the missing Luo Bin and the deaths caused by Mo Qian, who appeared at their door claiming to be a Guide with vital information.

• Luo Bin found a roadside hut, ate wild fruit, and realized his evil-spirit transformation was progressing as his fingers changed and his thirst intensified.
• Gu Ya remained distressed over Luo Bin, Yuan Yinxin, and Gu Yiren going missing, while Luo Feng tried to hide his own anguish and keep her from searching for their son.
• Gu Ya and Luo Feng learned that Mo Qian had appeared at a neighbor’s home as an evil spirit, after which evil spirits killed an entire family of five.
• Mo Qian called to Luo Feng from outside the rolling shutter and urged him to open the door, claiming he knew where Luo Bin and the administrator were.
• Mo Qian said he was a Guide who could never leave Mountain Cabinet and urged Luo Feng to escape and avenge him.

Luo Feng recognized that Mo Qian’s faint warning was genuine and began to suspect Yuan Yinxin was Li Yunyi’s adversary who had taken Gu Yiren. Meanwhile, Luo Bin wandered under an unseen force and knocked on a door, claiming he had run into evil spirits.

• Mo Qian warned Luo Feng not to trust him, but then loudly demanded that Luo Feng open the shutter and save Luo Bin.
• Luo Feng found a bloodstained note saying something was wrong with Yuan Yinxin and realized Mo Qian had become like Qin Jiumo, communicating truth through writing.
• Luo Feng suspected Yuan Yinxin was Li Yunyi’s adversary and had arranged Luo Bin’s absence and Gu Yiren’s capture.
• Luo Bin encountered the evil spirits from Floating Turtle Mountain, then felt an unseen force draw him toward a door below the road.
• Luo Bin knocked three times and cautiously asked someone to open the door because he had run into evil spirits.

Luo Bin was overtaken by his evil spirit instincts and entered a refuge where Huang Ying let him in, but an unknown terror restored his control just as Moss Eater appeared outside. He attacked the creature through the door with his bone-slaying knife.

• Luo Bin's evil spirit instincts forced him to plead at a locked iron door until Huang Ying let him inside.
• Luo Bin moved toward Huang Ying as if to attack, but an overwhelming dread restored his control and he asked her for water instead.
• Luo Bin and Huang Ying looked toward the door, where Moss Eater's face appeared through the gap.
• Moss Eater tore a hole in the door, and Luo Bin thrust his bone-slaying knife into its head as dark green blood seeped inside.

Luo Bin escaped Moss Eater with Huang Ying and her injured grandfather, then followed them to a funeral supply shop where they hoped to hide. Luo Bin suspected Moss Eater was still tracking him and took out three Ripe Flower Affection fruits.

• Moss Eater battered the iron door after Luo Bin wounded it, and Huang Ying and her grandfather led Luo Bin through the house to escape.
• Luo Bin boosted Huang Ying's grandfather and then Huang Ying out of a sunken courtyard before climbing up the wall himself.
• Huang Ying's grandfather led them along a side road to a funeral supply shop where they could hide.
• Luo Bin doubted Moss Eater had stopped following him and took out three Ripe Flower Affection fruits.

Luo Bin ate the emotion flower’s three fruits and gained greater control over his evil spirit instincts, then collapsed into unconsciousness. At the Cabinet Mountain Taoist Grounds, Yuan Yinxin revealed that he wanted Luo Bin to consume Li Yunyi and claim Floating Tortoise Mountain’s legacy so he could use Luo Bin for his own purposes.

• Luo Bin reasoned that Moss Eater had followed him because he was an Outsider from Beyond the Mountain, and feared that staying would endanger Huang Ying and the wounded man.
• Luo Bin ate one emotion flower fruit and felt his consciousness strengthen, then ate the remaining two.
• Luo Bin realized that the fruits had grown from You Jiang’s terror and despair before his death.
• Luo Bin’s body grew light, and his consciousness sank into darkness.
• Yuan Yinxin told himself that Luo Bin should eat Li Yunyi and claim Floating Tortoise Mountain’s legacy, after which Yuan Yinxin would eat Luo Bin.

After recovering from his collapse, Luo Bin discovered that the Emotion Flower Fruit had greatly sharpened his mind and helped him control the evil spirit within him. Fifth Master Feng revealed that Floating Tortoise Mountain's sanctuary still survived and asked Luo Bin to escort him and Huang Ying to their family branch, leaving Luo Bin to decide whether he could trust them.

• Luo Bin woke in Fifth Master Feng and Huang Ying's home, ate porridge, and used Rewind to examine the previous night's events with newfound clarity.
• Luo Bin told Fifth Master Feng about the Group Dwelling and his separation from his companion, while keeping quiet about the enemies pursuing him.
• Fifth Master Feng explained that the mountain's sanctuary remained intact, that affiliated families delivered supplies to it, and that he and Huang Ying had been stranded after evil spirits attacked Three Trigrams Town.
• Luo Bin realized Li Yunyi might be with the surviving disciples and considered using the journey to find him.
• Fifth Master Feng explained how partially severing evil spirits' limbs could immobilize them, then pressed Luo Bin to agree to escort them.
• Luo Bin asked how he could know Fifth Master Feng and Huang Ying would not betray him after he helped them.

Luo Bin left town with Fifth Master Feng and Huang Ying, traveling toward a mountain refuge as they wondered why the evil spirits had vanished. At Floating Tortoise Mountain, Li Yunyi sensed someone from Cabinet Mountain nearby and suspected Shangguan Xingyue had followed him.

• Luo Bin agreed to trust Fifth Master Feng and left town with him and Huang Ying in an enclosed pickup.
• Fifth Master Feng warned that the Observer could track Luo Bin, and Huang Ying wondered where the evil spirits had gone.
• At Floating Tortoise Mountain, an elder whipped Li Yunyi for returning maimed and failing to bring back Yuan Yinxin's complete techniques.
• The elder ordered Li Yunyi to remain kneeling until he remembered how to control the Blackblood Vine, while Qin Jiumo's corpse lay covered in talismans outside.
• Li Yunyi sensed a nearby connection to Cabinet Mountain, confronted the elder, and guessed that Shangguan Xingyue had followed them.

Li Yunyi suspected Yuan Yinxin and Shangguan Xingyue had manipulated events to take control of Floating Tortoise Mountain. Meanwhile, Luo Bin arrived at the settlement near Li Yunyi, resolved to build a foothold and plan how to capture him alive and return to Cabinet Mountain.

• Li Yunyi concluded that Yuan Yinxin had used Shangguan Xingyue to scheme against him and exploit the situation on Floating Tortoise Mountain.
• Fifth Master Feng brought Luo Bin and Huang Ying to a cliffside settlement, where the residents were surprised to see Luo Bin.
• After Huang Ying left him in the reception room, Luo Bin considered the dangers of confronting Li Yunyi and decided to plan carefully instead of rushing.
• Huang Ying praised Luo Bin for saving her and Fifth Master Feng, then offered to find him replacement knives.
• Luo Bin accepted Huang Ying's offer and followed her to look for knives, keeping his plan to lie low near Li Yunyi.

Luo Bin joined the Feng Family at Floating Tortoise Mountain and settled into a safe house in their compound. He began studying Yuan Yinxin’s book on Mountain-and-Water Divination with renewed understanding.

• Huang Ying took Luo Bin to a storage room, where he chose three replacement knives from a collection of Judicial Executors’ blades.
• Feng Shou arrived with Feng Yulei and Feng Si, thanked Luo Bin for helping the Feng Family, and invited him to stay with them.
• Luo Bin accepted the invitation, and Feng Shou arranged for Huang Ying to take him to No. 18 and familiarize him with the area’s hazards.
• Huang Ying showed Luo Bin his house and explained its safety, supplies, and rules for staying in the inner perimeter.
• Luo Bin cooked noodles, settled onto the rooftop terrace, and studied Yuan Yinxin’s book on Mountain-and-Water Divination.

Luo Bin studied the Nine Palaces Water Method for several days while staying at the Feng Family’s grounds, then agreed to help a young man cross a cliff to gather medicinal herbs. The man revealed his treachery halfway across by drawing a blade and attacking Luo Bin.

• Luo Bin worried about Gu Yiren but forced himself to rest, then spent three days reading the Nine Palaces Water Method and memorized its section on the five elements.
• On the fourth day, Luo Bin finished reading the Nine Palaces Water Method and met a young martial artist at the open doorway.
• The young man led Luo Bin to a cliff and explained that the Feng Family needed medicinal herbs from a valley across it because Three Trigrams Town was gone.
• Luo Bin fastened on a rope harness and crossed the cliff alongside the young man.
• At the middle of the ropes, the young man let go with both hands, drew a blade, and slashed at Luo Bin.

Feng Yi cut Luo Bin’s safety ropes and sent him plunging to the foot of the mountain, where Luo Bin survived among fallen evil spirits. After realizing Feng Yi had likely tried to make him disappear, Luo Bin began climbing the cliff to return.

• Feng Yi severed Luo Bin’s waist loop and the rope between the cliffs, causing Luo Bin to fall and crash into the opposite cliff face.
• Feng Yi returned home and welcomed Huang Ying, who asked him for herbs and a medicinal soup for Luo Bin.
• Luo Bin woke at the mountain’s base among the remains of fallen evil spirits and fought off his instincts to enter the forest.
• Luo Bin concluded Feng Yi had lured him to a place where his body would disappear, then began climbing the cliff.

Luo Bin survived an attack by three Moss Eaters while climbing back to safety, then returned to his lodgings and waited rather than alerting the Feng Family about the man who had tried to kill him. The next morning, Feng Yi arrived with Huang Ying and discovered that Luo Bin was alive, leaving him terrified as Luo Bin greeted him.

• Luo Bin fought off three Moss Eaters on the cliff, but one bit his calf before he stabbed it and climbed onto the ledge.
• Luo Bin returned to his lodgings, treated his wounds, and decided to wait for the man who had attacked him to appear again.
• Luo Bin went to sleep early and woke around six to read downstairs.
• Huang Ying brought Luo Bin medicinal soup and herbal powders, and told him the Feng Family wanted him to join a trip up the mountain because Evil Spirits had begun roaming again.
• Feng Yi arrived with Huang Ying and froze when Luo Bin recognized him, introduced himself, and reached out to him.

Luo Bin agreed to deliver supplies to the Feng Family’s mountain route and asked Huang Ying to take him to Feng Yi for medicine. Feng Yi, convinced Luo Bin was dangerous after his failed attempt to kill him, warned the Feng elders but was confined instead; he then saw Luo Bin and Huang Ying outside his courtyard and grew more suspicious.

• Huang Ying told Luo Bin that he would deliver supplies to the Feng Family, who would send them onward to the Taoist Grounds, and that Grandpa Feng might seek him out.
• Luo Bin asked Huang Ying to take him to Feng Yi so he could get medicine and have his injuries from Three Trigrams Town examined.
• Feng Yi returned to his courtyard, cursed Luo Bin for surviving, and decided he could not be allowed to remain in the Feng Family.
• Feng Yi told Feng Shou, Feng Yulei, Feng Si, and Fifth Master Feng that Luo Bin was suspicious and should not be trusted with the mountain trip.
• Feng Shou dismissed Feng Yi’s accusation and confined him for three days after Feng Yulei suggested jealousy over Huang Ying’s visits was behind it.
• Feng Yi saw Huang Ying and Luo Bin talking outside his courtyard and suspected Luo Bin was up to no good.

Luo Bin confronted Feng Yi in the Medicine Room and forced him to treat his Moss Eater bites and provide more medicine. As Huang Ying led Luo Bin to see her grandfather, Shangguan Xingyue waited in his lodgings and murmured that her master had given him an Emotion Flower Fruit.

• Feng Yi panicked when he saw Luo Bin alive and returned with him to the Feng Family Medicine Room.
• Luo Bin threatened Feng Yi, stopped his knife with his fingers, and warned him not to attack again.
• Feng Yi treated Luo Bin's Moss Eater bites and gathered medicine for bites, knife wounds, and internal injuries.
• Luo Bin told Feng Si and Huang Ying that Feng Yi had treated him well, and Huang Ying led him away to see her grandfather.
• Feng Si locked the Medicine Room courtyard, while Shangguan Xingyue sat in Luo Bin's lodgings and said her master had given him an Emotion Flower Fruit.

Shangguan Xingyue secretly watched Luo Bin after sensing him as another Cabinet Mountain disciple. Luo Bin noticed signs that someone had entered his room and sensed a watcher nearby, then struggled to continue studying without a luopan.

• Shangguan Xingyue decided to observe Luo Bin in secret and help ensure Master's plan succeeded.
• Feng Shou asked Luo Bin to accompany Fifth Master Feng on a supply delivery up the mountain the next day, while Huang Ying was told to stay behind.
• Luo Bin found that the hair he had placed on his locked door handle was gone and used Rewind to spot signs that someone had sat on his bed.
• Shangguan Xingyue hid in a banyan tree and watched Luo Bin, impressed that he sensed he was being observed.
• Luo Bin reached the luopan section of Yuan Yinxin's book but could not follow the later lessons without the instrument.