Chapter Summaries

After escaping Cabinet Mountain, Luo Bin and the others took shelter in an abandoned village house, while the mountain’s horrors continued to reach beyond its borders. Luo Bin later vomited up two severed fingers, revealing a disturbing connection between him, Yuan Yinxin, and Mao Yousan.

• Luo Bin and the others reached an abandoned compound near Cabinet Mountain, where Zhang Baijiao assigned rooms and gave Shang Liuli and Luo Bin spare clothes.
• Gu Yiren told Luo Bin that Dai Zhixiong had taken her cousin Zhang Li away, and Luo Bin realized Dai had used Zhang Li to spy on Cabinet Mountain.
• At the Mountain God Statue, Xiao Ba emerged and bit down on Yuan Yinxin’s head as Yuan and Qin Que stood transformed and motionless.
• Luo Bin woke from a nightmare about Xiao Ba attacking him, while Mao Yousan saw Luo Bin’s bell-covered body speak and felt his life being drained as the bells shattered.
• After Luo Bin and Yi Gu discussed going to his parents’ home, Luo Bin suffered violent pain and vomited filthy blood containing two severed fingers.

Luo Bin recovered after coughing up Yuan Yinxin’s fingers, which Shang Liuli identified as a medium through which Yuan Yinxin had shifted his suffering onto him. The group prepared to leave Zhang Baijiao’s home, but discovered they had no money until Gu Yiren revealed she had kept her wallet.

• Luo Bin told the others that he had bitten off Yuan Yinxin’s fingers, and Shang Liuli explained that they had let Yuan Yinxin transfer his danger to Luo Bin until Luo Bin’s body resisted and expelled them.
• Luo Feng placed the fingers in a wooden medicine box and gave it to Luo Bin, who declared that he and Gu Yiren could defeat Yuan Yinxin.
• Luo Bin and Gu Yiren shared a tender morning moment before Zhang Yunling brought them medicinal porridge, and Zhang Baijiao urged the group to stay longer.
• Shang Liuli and Luo Feng said the group would leave, while Luo Feng carved his Nanping City address into the table for Zhang Baijiao.
• Luo Bin suspected that the group’s connections to Cabinet Mountain and Nanping City were no coincidence, then joined the others in preparing to depart.
• The group realized they had no money for their journey, but Gu Yiren produced the wallet she had kept with her.

Luo Bin returned with his family to their home in Nanping City, obtained a temporary ID, and resumed studying the Sixty Heavenly Hexagrams. After Luo Feng went out to report to his Main Household, Gu Ya behaved strangely at night, and later crept to Luo Bin and Gu Yiren’s door to peer inside.

• Luo Feng, Gu Ya, Luo Bin, and Gu Yiren returned to Nanping City after a long journey, and Luo Bin and his parents applied for identification documents.
• Luo Bin studied the Sixty Heavenly Hexagrams while Luo Feng prepared medicinal liquor and gave his unused ritual implements to Luo Feng.
• Luo Feng left to report to the Main Household, and Gu Ya told Luo Bin that his father’s branch had to follow the Main Household’s instructions.
• Gu Ya knocked on Luo Bin’s door but seemed not to remember doing so, leaving Luo Bin uneasy as he watched her from behind the curtains.
• After Luo Feng returned and Luo Bin fell asleep, Gu Ya crept to Luo Bin and Gu Yiren’s room and peered through the door gap.

A hidden group planned to retrieve Gu Yiren, while Luo Bin discovered that something supernatural was controlling Gu Ya and attacked it with a Compass. Gu Ya fell asleep after the Compass suppressed the corpse oil, but Luo Bin saw a red eyeball crawl down her throat and vanish, leaving its threat unresolved.

• At a villa in Nanping City, hooded figures discussed Gu Yiren’s return and decided to isolate and retrieve her without involving the Nether Market or the Nine Streams.
• Gu Ya acted coldly toward Gu Yiren, then secretly confronted her in the kitchen and urged her to leave Luo Bin’s home.
• Luo Bin caught Gu Ya leaving the kitchen and pressed a Compass to her head, causing her to convulse as corpse oil appeared on her face.
• The corpse oil vanished and Gu Ya fell asleep; Luo Bin reassured Gu Yiren that Gu Ya’s cruel words had not come from her.
• When Gu Ya began making a rasping sound, Luo Bin forced her mouth open and saw a fleshy red eyeball slide down her throat before disappearing; corpse oil had also clogged the Compass.

Luo Bin discovered that a jade talisman Gu Yiren had given Gu Ya was being used to target Gu Yiren and force her to leave the Luo family. After Feng Luo examined the jade, he said he would take it to be identified, though Luo Bin sensed his agreement was hesitant.

• Luo Bin cleaned corpse oil from the Compass and used it to force a jade eye out of Gu Ya, then learned Gu Yiren had given it to her.
• Gu Yiren explained that her parents had given her the jade as a consecrated talisman, and Luo Bin deduced it was a medium used to watch and manipulate her.
• Luo Bin pinned the jade eye beneath the Compass and warned Gu Yiren that whoever targeted her might be waiting outside to abduct her.
• A hooded man learned his attempt had failed, smashed his phone, and vowed revenge against those keeping Gu Yiren from him.
• Gu Ya woke, learned what had happened, and explained that the urban village was safe because attacking the family would risk offending the Nether Market.
• Feng Luo examined the jade eye and said he would take it away for identification, but Luo Bin felt that Feng Luo was reluctant.

Luo Feng brought Luo Bin, Gu Ya, and Gu Yiren to the Judicial Executor clan to seek help protecting Gu Yiren, but the clan leader refused to shelter her and ordered her expelled. When the dispute turned physical and the clan moved to punish Luo Feng’s family, Luo Bin stood between them and challenged anyone to remove Gu Yiren.

• Luo Feng took his family to the Judicial Executor clan’s main household and asked the clan leader to identify the faction pursuing Gu Yiren and arrange secret protection.
• The clan leader said Gu Yiren was an outsider and ordered Luo Feng to send her away, prompting Luo Feng to insist that she was his future daughter-in-law.
• When the clan leader tried to strike Luo Feng, Luo Bin raised his Boning Knife to stop the blow, and Luo Feng seized the old man’s wrist as another man went for Luo Bin.
• The clan leader accused Luo Feng of defying the clan and ordered his family seized, then declared that Gu Yiren should be thrown out.
• Luo Bin blocked the clan leader’s order with a cold challenge, and the old man felt a threatening chill from Luo Bin’s stance.

After the Judicial Executor clan mistreated Luo Feng’s family, Luo Bin took them to the Nether Market and secured an audience with Chen Zu. The chapter ended with Chen Zu examining Gu Yiren’s jade fragment and recognizing something about it.

• Luo Bin intimidated Zhu Mao, reclaimed the jade fragment, and led Luo Feng, Gu Ya, and Gu Yiren out of the Judicial Executor clan’s courtyard.
• Luo Bin brought his family to the Nether Market and asked the gatekeeper to let him see Chen Zu of the Nine Hells Bureau.
• The gatekeeper admitted them, and Chen Zu welcomed Luo Bin warmly because of his connection to Zhang Yunxi.
• Luo Bin explained that Gu Yiren was affected by the jade fragment and handed Chen Zu the fragment and the Compass for examination.
• Chen Zu studied the jade fragment and reacted, asking, “It's them?”

Chen Zu explained Nanping's factions to Luo Bin and gave him a ring to conceal Yi Gu's fate aura while the Nether Market investigated the witchcraft practitioners targeting her. After the group left, Chen Zu decided to use the crisis to build a relationship with Luo Bin, though his subordinate raised the danger of Luo Bin being killed.

• Chen Zu described the city's factions and identified the likely attackers as a hidden branch of Miao Gu practitioners who used witchcraft.
• Chen Zu warned Luo Bin that removing Yi Gu's jade had exposed her unusual fate, then gave him a ring to conceal her aura.
• Luo Bin accepted the ring, exchanged contact details with Chen Zu, and left the Nether Market with Luo Feng and the others.
• Chen Zu's subordinate reported Luo Bin's connection to the Judicial Executor Lineage and his confrontation with Zhu Mao, and Chen Zu decided not to warn Zhu Mao so Luo Bin would rely on him.
• Chen Zu ordered an investigation into the witchcraft practitioners, then rebuked his subordinate for suggesting Luo Bin might die and anger his master.

Luo Bin took Gu Yiren to her family’s home to protect her parents from being used against them, but the Compass revealed heavy yin energy inside. After Gu Yiren suddenly attacked him, Luo Bin stopped her with Hexagram Stillness and discovered a sinister doll hidden beneath a red cloth.

• Luo Feng and Gu Ya agreed that the family could enjoy a few peaceful days after Chen Zu showed them goodwill.
• Luo Bin took Gu Yiren to her parents’ home, fearing their family could be targeted as a way to threaten her.
• The Compass needle spun rapidly toward Gu Yiren’s home, and Luo Bin and Gu Yiren entered after getting no answer at the door.
• Luo Bin found a pot still simmering in the kitchen, and Gu Yiren suddenly grabbed a knife and attacked him.
• Luo Bin used Hexagram Stillness to halt Gu Yiren, then uncovered a black doll pierced with needles and holding a tiny dagger.

Luo Bin discovered that Gu Yiren's family had been manipulated for years and took her home before following an address left for him. At the Nether Market, he confronted Zhu Li, whose panicked flight ended in a fatal collision with a truck.

• Luo Bin learned that Gu Yiren's parents had been controlled and that Golden Boy had been brought into their home after the jade piece; he wrapped the statue and prepared to take Gu Yiren to safety.
• Granny Zhou, despite being bedridden and having dementia, handed Luo Bin a note with an address, and he took Gu Yiren back to the Urban Village before heading to the Nether Market.
• Luo Bin encountered Zhu Li of the Sixing lineage at the Nether Market, and Zhu Li insulted him while relying on the market's ban on fighting.
• Luo Bin used the Blind Death Sun hexagram to make Zhu Li lose his sight, and Zhu Li ran into the road and was struck by a truck.
• Luo Bin told the Nether Market's old man that he had not attacked Zhu Li and said Zhu Li's death had been fate.

Luo Bin brought the Golden Boy and the trap invitation to Chen Zu, who investigated its origins while weighing whether to hand Luo Bin over to his enemies. After hearing that Luo Bin had seemingly caused a man’s death without touching him, Chen Zu decided to accompany him to the address, and Luo Bin watched him with suspicion.

• The Nether Guardian apologized to Luo Bin for challenging him, and Luo Bin went to the Nether Market to meet Chen Zu.
• Chen Zu identified the Golden Boy as a sinister object made with a dead child’s ashes and asked for a day to investigate it.
• Chen Zu’s four subordinates urged him to hand Luo Bin over to Taoist Chixin and Practitioner Yinyue, who had taken control of the Jade Hall Sanctuary and were searching for Luo Bin.
• The Nether Guardian reported that Zhu Li had provoked Luo Bin, then run into traffic and died after Luo Bin predicted his death.
• Chen Zu met Luo Bin at the Old Teahouse and proposed going with him to the address to capture and interrogate whoever lay in wait.
• Luo Bin agreed but studied Chen Zu suspiciously as Chen Zu asked whether something was wrong.

Luo Bin noticed Chen Zu was hiding something and learned that Zhang Yunxi had been captured by Xiao Ke, who was torturing him for Luo Bin’s whereabouts. Luo Bin planned to find Gu Yiren’s parents first, then seek help to rescue Zhang Yunxi at the Jade Hall Taoist Grounds.

• Luo Bin sensed Chen Zu was withholding information, and Chen Zu admitted he had found a lead about the plot against Gu Yiren and explained why he had concealed news of Zhang Yunxi.
• At the Jade Hall Taoist Grounds, Xiao Ke held Zhang Yunxi captive and demanded Luo Bin’s whereabouts while Daoist Chixin watched.
• Xiao Ke carved talismans into Zhang Yunxi’s face, injuring his soul and weakening his consciousness, but Zhang Yunxi refused to speak.
• Chen Zu told Luo Bin that Xiao Ke, also known as Mr. Yin Yue, had captured Zhang Yunxi after the Red Armor Taoist Abbey sought help from him.
• Luo Bin decided to visit the address connected to Gu Yiren’s parents first, then ask Chen Zu for help and go to the Jade Hall Taoist Grounds.

Shangguan Xingyue and Huang Ying remained trapped in Dai Zhixiong’s underground quarters while Hu Jin urged Huang Ying to help them escape. Meanwhile, Luo Bin and Chen Zu’s group entered building 13a to investigate the address on a note, where a series of supernatural attacks ended with Chen Zu questioning Luo Bin about his lightning-struck wood talisman.

• Shangguan Xingyue took one of the pills Dai Zhixiong’s people brought her, while Huang Ying recalled seeing a man chop an arm from a corpse.
• Hu Jin warned Huang Ying that their surroundings were dangerous and proposed asking Shangguan Xingyue to find a way out or obtain a map.
• Luo Bin, Chen Zu, Xu Qian, and He Yao reached building 13a, where Xu Qian sent a paper effigy into apartment 101.
• A mummified woman in the apartment released a stream of toads, and the group retreated as further traps appeared: a monstrous child, a blood-covered figure, and a woman attacking with living hair.
• Luo Bin used a lightning-struck wood talisman to drive the hair away from Chen Zu, who then asked whether a Daoist temple stood behind Luo Bin.

Luo Bin and Chen Zu searched the Witchfolk hideout, where sinister skins lured Xu Qian and He Yao into deadly traps. After He Yao died and Xu Qian narrowly survived, Luo Bin realized the enemy was weakening them through their anger and urged Chen Zu to change their strategy.

• Chen Zu mistook Luo Bin’s Lightning-Struck Wood Talisman for a rare gift from an orthodox Taoist abbey, while Luo Bin watched Xu Qian and He Yao battle a swarm of toads.
• Chen Zu sealed the rooms containing the toads and a flayed person, then led Luo Bin, Xu Qian, and He Yao upstairs to search for the person behind the attacks.
• In a dark, strangely lit room, Chen Zu found Xu Qian bewitched by an old crone and drove her off with a handbell and copper coins.
• Chen Zu found He Yao being drained by a beautiful skin, but she died before he could save her; he destroyed the skin with copper coins and freed Xu Qian from its influence.
• As Chen Zu set out to keep searching, Luo Bin stopped him and warned that their enemy was using their anger to lead them into traps, urging him to adopt a different strategy.

Luo Bin used the Sixteen Hexagrams of the Dispersing Palace to break the witchcraft affecting Building 13a and incapacitate the hidden controller. Chen Zu captured the dying man and lit a longevity lamp to keep him alive, while Luo Bin's reaction left Chen Zu uneasy.

• Luo Bin studied Building 13a, laid out sixteen talismans and copper coins, and activated the Cloud Death Exhaustion hexagram.
• The hexagram dispersed the building's dark influence, caused a scream inside, and left Chen Zu and Xu Qian weakened when they crossed its boundary.
• Luo Bin and Chen Zu searched the building and found a bloodied person before locating a masked man on the sixth floor.
• Chen Zu removed the pig mask and recognized that the man was dying; Luo Bin demanded to know where Yi Gu's parents and the man's people were.
• Chen Zu used a longevity lamp to keep the man alive and said the Underworld Hall would interrogate him, while Luo Bin asked what the lamp did and smiled unsettlingly.

Luo Bin tortured Qi Lu until he revealed two hiding places, then learned that Qi Lu could escape by shedding his shell if he died. Chen Zu agreed to keep him alive and prepare to act, but Luo Bin asked to be taken back to the urban village instead of pursuing the addresses immediately.

• Luo Bin stopped Qi Lu from biting off his tongue and tortured him until he gave up two addresses: one where Yi Gu's parents were hiding and another where his group was hiding.
• Luo Bin suspected Qi Lu's desperate wish to die had a purpose, so he told Chen Zu not to kill him there.
• Chen Zu took Qi Lu downstairs while Luo Bin removed the talismans and collected the copper coins around the building.
• Chen Zu told Luo Bin that Qi Lu could shed his shell and escape if he died, confirming that keeping him alive was necessary.
• Chen Zu offered to gather the Nether Market's people and investigate the addresses, but Luo Bin asked to be taken back to the urban village.

After learning that the Witchfolk had set a trap, Luo Bin decided to prioritize rescuing Zhang Xiyun at the Jade Hall Taoist Grounds and sought help from Shang Liuli. Chen Zu offered Luo Bin a group of capable helpers, and Luo Bin challenged him to prove his trustworthiness by joining the dangerous trip himself.

• Dou Li and the others learned that Qi Lu had been captured and prepared to lure Luo Bin into a trap at either their villa or Long Phu's temple.
• Luo Feng advised Luo Bin not to approach the Witchfolk or temple-related places before Shang Liuli arrived, and said Zhang Xiyun might help bring the Regulatory Taoist Grounds into the matter.
• Luo Feng gave Luo Bin two blades, and Luo Bin left for the Jade Hall Taoist Grounds to rescue Zhang Xiyun.
• Chen Zu stopped Luo Bin and offered him Zhu Mao and other capable helpers as an apology for his earlier conduct.
• Luo Bin asked whether Chen Zu would still support him if he chose not to pursue the Witchfolk, then challenged Chen Zu to accompany him to the Jade Hall Taoist Grounds if he wanted Luo Bin's trust.

Luo Bin recruited Chen Zu and the Lower Nine Streams to help him reach Jade Hall Mountain, where he planned to capture the leaders before rescuing the prisoners. At the Jade Hall Taoist Grounds, Chixin and Mr. Yin Yue continued pressuring their captives for their allegiance and the primordial calculation.

• Chen Zu chose to back Luo Bin and drove him with the Lower Nine Streams toward the Jade Hall Taoist Grounds.
• On reaching Jade Hall Mountain, Luo Bin told Chen Zu he planned to capture the leaders before attempting a rescue.
• Chixin visited the imprisoned Wen Qing and Wen Chang, tried to recruit them into the Red Armor Taoist Abbey, and threatened to kill the remaining young Taoists when they refused.
• Mr. Yin Yue carved talismans into Zhang Yunxi and urged him to surrender the primordial calculation, but Zhang Yunxi remained silent.

Luo Bin and Chen Zu led an ambush against Daoist Chixin on the Jade Hall Taoist Grounds, hoping Luo Bin’s strangulation hexagrams would leave the Red-Robed Taoist vulnerable. The attack faltered when Luo Bin’s techniques caused him severe backlash, and Chixin advanced on him as Luo Bin prepared to try again.

• Chen Zu entered the abbey alone to lure Daoist Chixin out, while Luo Bin and the others set an ambush across a stretch of Death positions.
• Chixin brought Chen Zu along the mountain road, where a coffin bearer and paper effigies attacked him and Luo Bin struck with Death’s eruption.
• Luo Bin’s attack briefly disrupted Chixin, allowing the paper effigy maker and a barber to strike, while Pan Mi used his gong to freeze Chixin.
• Pan Mi collapsed after striking the gong, and Chixin broke free, sending Bronze Swords into the six attackers and leaving Luo Bin vomiting blood.
• Chixin recognized the ambush, laughed as he approached Luo Bin, and Luo Bin prepared another strangulation hexagram, believing he still had not given enough.

Luo Bin used a formation and Pan Mi’s Soul-Shocking Gong to immobilize Chixin, then beheaded the Red-Robed Taoist. After recovering with Emotion Flower Fruit, Luo Bin stood with the surviving members of the lower nine trades, while Zhu Mao regretted driving him from the Punishment Bureau lineage.

• Luo Bin’s Yin Hexagram Strangulation failed to defeat Chixin, and Chixin prepared to capture him.
• Luo Bin realized Pan Mi could use the Soul-Shocking Gong again and positioned himself in the death palace to trigger its effect.
• Luo Bin’s incantation restored Pan Mi’s vitality, allowing Pan Mi to strike the gong and freeze Chixin.
• Luo Bin drew his knife and beheaded Chixin while the gong held him still.
• Luo Bin consumed Emotion Flower Fruit to heal his internal injuries, and the surviving members gathered around him.
• Zhu Mao recognized Luo Bin’s power and regretted driving him from the Punishment Bureau lineage.