Chapter Summaries

Xianyu tried to make Hua read books far beyond her age, then switched to picture books when she objected, leaving her to seek comfort from Guan Liang. Guan Liang considered how to keep Xianyu alive and out of a risky operation, and ended by asking whether he planned to keep the Reignbow Arbiter on the Yaoqing forever.

• Xianyu gave Hua books restricted to readers aged two hundred and above and assigned her a three-thousand-word reflection for each one.
• When Hua protested, Xianyu offered her picture books recommended for ages three to six, including one about expressing love, and Hua left in shock.
• Hua brought the books to Guan Liang, who told her she could skip the reflections and reassured her.
• Guan Liang considered ways to extend Xianyu's life and keep him from leading the plan involving the Marshal's flesh and blood.
• Guan Liang brought Xianyu files about the Abundance Emanator Disaster, and Xianyu said he would draw more talismans himself.
• Guan Liang asked Xianyu whether he intended to let the Reignbow Arbiter stay on the Yaoqing forever.

Xianyu ordered Lan to protect Hua and deal with threats to her safety, while Guan Liang secretly persuaded Lan to keep the Marshal from overworking himself. Guan Liang then gathered the Marshal’s clothes for the Cauldron Master, but the other commission heads and the Yaoqing General mistook him for a fellow admirer of the Marshal.

• Guan Liang convinced Xianyu to send Lan to address threats to Hua, and Lan accepted the assignment.
• Guan Liang privately asked Lan to make the Marshal rest, even if that meant knocking him unconscious, and Lan agreed.
• Guan Liang contacted the Cauldron Master and collected the Marshal’s clothes and other belongings for destruction.
• At the meeting place, Guan Liang found the other five commission heads and the Yaoqing General, who assumed he admired the Marshal.

Guan Liang traded the Marshal’s medical supplies for his clothes while enduring the Xianzhou fanatics’ adoration and questions about their boss. He returned to work, where Xianyu soon noticed that some of his clothing was missing.

• Guan Liang realized the people seeking the Marshal’s belongings might recognize him, so he hid his true purpose and answered their questions about the Marshal’s preferences.
• The Helmsman and the others asked whether the Marshal had ever laid hands on or interrogated anyone, then praised him and confessed they thought of him as a father figure rather than a romantic partner.
• Guan Liang exchanged the Marshal’s clothes for the medical supplies and packed the supplies into his suitcase.
• The Yaoqing General and the Helmsman offered to pay for more of the Marshal’s clothes, and Guan Liang said he would contact them if he had any.
• Guan Liang returned to work, and a few days later Xianyu wondered whether several pieces of his clothing had gone missing.

Guan Liang covered up the Marshal’s missing clothes and arranged for Xianyu to be put to sleep while assassins were dealt with. Xianyu woke to learn they were all dead and described the sleep as so wonderful that he wanted never to wake again.

• Guan Liang lied that Xianyu’s missing clothes were disposable products that could not be washed, then accepted Xianyu’s plan to buy his own clothes and prepare a new identity named Eric Fish.
• The Helmsman of the Sky-Faring Commission offered Guan Liang money to keep the clothes and asked for Xianyu’s measurements, so Guan Liang returned half the money and arranged custom clothes instead.
• Guan Liang gave the exhausted Xianyu Calming Tea and contacted the Reignbow Arbiter, who knocked Xianyu unconscious.
• Lan guarded the sleeping Xianyu and killed several waves of assassins while Guan Liang returned to the Yaoqing.
• When Xianyu finally woke, Guan Liang told him the assassins were dead, and Xianyu said the sleep made him want never to wake again.

Xianyu pushed the Starsea Community to classify rogue Intellitrons and the Swarm Disaster as natural disasters, while learning to braid Hua’s hair. After the community approved his resolution, Zandar reported an illegal researcher and revealed a suspicious connection to Xianyu.

• Xianyu read his subordinate’s report that the Starsea Community members had failed to reach consensus, then told them to pursue the resolution as they saw fit.
• Xianyu repeatedly styled Hua’s hair, first pulling out strands, then progressing from ponytails to small braids as she endured his practice.
• Xianyu learned that every Starsea Community member had approved the Xianzhou’s resolution to work together against natural disasters.
• Zandar told Xianyu that a Genius Society member was secretly researching the anti-organic equation and provided an address.
• Xianyu asked the Yaoqing General to retrieve Zandar’s entry application and saw that its handwriting matched his own.

Xianyu sent Zandar’s information about an Emanator of Erudition to the Galaxy Rangers, then tried to teach Hua responsibility by getting her a pet. Hua chose a hamster, but Xianyu also brought home a Labrador, and he and Lan ended up caring for Hua’s hamster and wilting pothos; Hua later asked why Xianyu was absent from the textbooks.

• Xianyu trusted Zandar’s account of an Emanator of Erudition and ordered his subordinates to send the Galaxy Rangers to deal with the target.
• Xianyu decided Hua should keep a pet to develop her sense of responsibility, and Guan Liang advised him to ask her what she wanted.
• Hua chose a hamster, but Xianyu brought home a Labrador for himself as well and handed Hua the hamster.
• Xianyu passed responsibility for the hamster to Lan, who later also took over caring for Hua’s wilting pothos.
• Hua asked why Xianyu’s name was not in the textbooks, and Xianyu described how people would praise him everywhere if it were.

Xianyu encouraged Hua to explore work at the Sky-Faring Commission rather than inherit his expectations, while Guan Liang maneuvered Marty into covering up the generals’ actions against the assassins. Xianyu agreed to meet Marty and learned more about Zandar’s troubled school years.

• Xianyu told Hua she could choose how to lead and suggested she try working at the Sky-Faring Commission during the break.
• Hua asked Guan Liang to attend her parent-teacher conference, and he agreed before privately reflecting on her feelings for Xianyu.
• Guan Liang instructed the generals to handle the captured assassins as usual and ensure no one died during interrogation.
• Guan Liang admitted to Marty that he and the generals had caused the recent upheaval, then persuaded Marty to keep it quiet by emphasizing Xianyu’s kindness and concern for him.
• Marty agreed to help Guan Liang and messaged Xianyu to request a meeting, which Xianyu accepted.
• While discussing education with Zandar, Xianyu learned that Zandar’s young acquaintance had endured repeated robberies, struggled at a school, and eventually dropped out.

Xianyu learned from Zandar that his first life in this world had been far more dangerous and miserable than he remembered, then comforted Marty and guessed the Chief Strategist had told him the truth about the Marshal’s funding. As Xianyu mentioned that Marty had not yet met Hua, Marty realized the Marshal meant the child he had asked Zandar to teach.

• Xianyu pieced together that he had arrived in the Starsea as a high school student and had endured repeated robberies, gunfights, dangerous neighbors, and terrible cafeteria food.
• Xianyu and Zandar argued over raw mushrooms, pomegranate fried rice, and blueberry dumplings before agreeing to stop.
• Marty arrived in tears, and Xianyu gave him the Labrador while waiting for him to explain what had happened.
• Xianyu inferred that the Chief Strategist had told Marty the Marshal was using his own Strales for the experiments, and Marty eventually admitted it.
• Xianyu advised Marty to smile more to conceal his feelings, and Marty took this as proof that he was the Marshal’s favorite subordinate.
• Xianyu mentioned that Marty had not yet met Hua, and Marty recognized her as the child the Marshal had asked Zandar to teach.

Marty avoided meeting Hua and confessed that the Xianzhou had received more Strales than it needed, while Guan Liang accepted a ten-year bonus penalty for revealing the secret. After the Marshal spoke with the Cauldron Master about his resignation, the former official sent Guan Liang a photo of a generous check and a letter declaring his devotion to the Marshal.

• Marty declined Xianyu's invitation to share a meal because he wanted to avoid Hua, then asked Xianyu to stop providing Strales for research.
• Guan Liang admitted that Marty had revealed the funding secret, and Xianyu docked ten years of his bonuses.
• Xianyu introduced Hua to Marty and explained Marty's work developing the Jade Abacus, while Guan Liang complained that Xianyu spoiled him.
• Marty later returned half the Xianzhou's funding to Xianyu several times, but Xianyu donated much of his savings to charity.
• Guan Liang told Xianyu that the Cauldron Master was retiring, and Xianyu questioned him about his resignation during a routine medical examination.
• The former Cauldron Master sent Guan Liang a photo of a substantial check and a letter praising Xianyu after leaving his post.

Guan Liang arranged for Hua to study at the Sky-Faring Commission, where the Helmsman introduced her to one of the Marshal’s suitors. Hua returned home to find a golden silk nanmu planted in her courtyard, which Xianyu said would be useful when she married.

• Guan Liang took Hua to meet the Helmsman and arranged for her to learn at the Sky-Faring Commission.
• The Helmsman taught Hua about the commission’s work and rejected an entry application from the leader of the Mechanical Planet.
• The Helmsman received word that one of the Marshal’s suitors had arrived on the Yaoqing, and Hua insisted on accompanying her to meet the Shareholder’s Daughter.
• The young lady showed Hua an old photograph of the Marshal and admitted she liked him, while the Helmsman gently encouraged her to give up pursuing him.
• Hua returned home and found Xianyu, Guan Liang, and an Aeon gathered around a golden silk nanmu planted in her courtyard.
• Xianyu told Hua the tree would be useful when she got married.

Xianyu fretted over Hua’s future marriage and laid out an exacting list of requirements, while Hua learned the workings of the Xianzhou and traveled across its ships and worlds. After Hua turned eighteen and chose ballroom dancing as an elective, Xianyu worried she would have to dance with some blond punk.

• Xianyu told Lan to dispose of any future partner who betrayed Hua, but Guan Liang argued Hua could handle such a person herself.
• Xianyu asked Hua what kind of partner she wanted, then listed his demanding standards; Hua said she wanted a normal person and declared she would not marry.
• Hua met Xianzhou senior officials, learned how the Six Commissions worked, and visited the other ships during holidays under the generals’ guidance.
• Xianyu gave Hua a yacht, a starskiff, and fishing grounds, and Hua traveled across the eight ships and their affiliated planets, sharing a photograph of the aurora with him.
• After Hua turned eighteen and chose ballroom dancing as an elective, Xianyu objected because she might have to hold hands with a blond punk.

Xianyu agreed to attend Hua’s graduation ball and chose her an evening gown, while Guan Liang secretly arranged to arm the Astral Express for Xianyu’s planned travels. Guan Liang learned that Xianyu intended to give Hua Fenghuang Down later, deepening his suspicion that Xianyu was guarding against having his memories erased.

• Hua showed Xianyu a recording of her ballroom dancing practice and told him she could graduate early after passing her exam.
• Xianyu promised Hua three gifts and chose a trailing satin gown for her graduation ball, planning to attend in the afternoon.
• Guan Liang arranged with Akivili and Marty to refit the Astral Express with a Planet-Buster Weapon before Xianyu traveled with the Aeon.
• Chenzhen asked Guan Liang whether Hua could use Fenghuang Down to erase her memories, and Guan Liang told her to ask Xianyu.
• Xianyu told Guan Liang that Fenghuang Down would be one of Hua’s gifts, but he would give it to her later, prompting Guan Liang to suspect Xianyu feared memory erasure.

Xianyu planned how to escape the system’s repeating cycles, considering how to shut it down and what to do if Zandar opposed him. As Hua prepared to use Fenghuang Down to erase Chenzhen’s memories, Chenzhen asked Xianyu to braid her hair.

• Xianyu wrote a cryptic hint in the Fable for his future self and contacted Zandar about learning programming and finding the imaginary tree.
• Xianyu worried Zandar might resist his plan to shut down the system, then considered persuading him to leave and finding someone capable to replace him.
• Chenzhen arrived at Yaoqing and asked Xianyu to let Hua use Fenghuang Down to erase her memories; he agreed after Hua practiced at the Ten-Lords Commission.
• Chenzhen met Hua, noticed her braid, and told Xianyu he cared about the Crown Princess.
• Before Hua used Fenghuang Down, Chenzhen asked whether she would forget Xianyu; he reassured her, and she asked him to braid her hair.

Xianyu helped Chenzhen recover from having some memories erased, then braided her hair before she returned to the Zhuming. On Hua’s coming-of-age day, her guardian, Guan Liang, and Lan offered gifts and advice as she prepared to take over the Marshal’s position.

• Hua erased part of Chenzhen’s memories, and Xianyu returned Fenghuang Down to his System Inventory.
• Chenzhen teased Xianyu about calling him “daddy,” then asked him to braid her hair like Hua’s; Xianyu sent her off with Hua.
• While accompanying Hua, Chenzhen discussed Hua’s coming-of-age ceremony and asked about the Marshal, and Hua shared stories about Mimi and her guardian.
• On her coming-of-age day, Hua received a satin gown from Xianyu and learned Lan would accompany her to the ceremony.
• Guan Liang warned Hua that the generals might not accept her as Marshal, then praised Xianyu’s record; Lan echoed the praise and said he had wanted to tell Xianyu that for a long time.

Xianyu accompanied Hua to her coming-of-age ceremony, where Lan questioned whether a gravely ill patient should be saved. As Hua received her guardian’s gifts, Xianyu arranged for Lan to take her to the Xuling and proposed testing whether humans could handle an Abundance Emanator disaster, beginning with the Cangcheng.

• Xianyu praised Hua as his chosen successor and told her that no one, not even an Aeon, could take his place.
• On the way to the Academy, Hua joked with Lan about the Galaxy Rangers, then firmly said that anyone who could be saved should be saved.
• At the ceremony, Xianyu gave Hua sunflowers and her hamster, then told Lan to take her to the Xuling when the time came.
• Xianyu suggested that humans try to deal with an Abundance Emanator disaster, starting with the Cangcheng.
• Xianyu gave Hua a gemstone crown as her second gift, then warned her to reject any suitor whose engagement ring had a smaller stone.

Hua asked Xianyu for Fenghuang Down as her third gift, but he dodged the request and danced with her at her Graduation Ball. He then assigned her the Cangcheng disaster as her first job, while he prepared to travel there under a new identity, leaving Guan Liang on the Yaoqing.

• Hua agreed to Xianyu's rules about her public clothing in exchange for choosing her third gift, then asked for Fenghuang Down.
• Xianyu distracted Hua from her request with an exaggerated declaration of love, and Hua invited him to dance at her Graduation Ball.
• Xianyu danced with Hua, discussed her future partner, and assigned her to help handle the Abundance Emanator Disaster in Cangcheng.
• Xianyu took Hua to the Xuling, then returned with her to the Yaoqing and arranged to travel to Cangcheng while Guan Liang stayed behind.
• Guan Liang gave Xianyu documents for his new identity, Eric Fish, and found Xianyu standing by his bedside the night before the departure.

Xianyu told Guan Liang he would free him and agreed to delay his own death until Hua could stand on her own. He then took Hua and Lan to Cangcheng, where he was angered to find Marty had joined the dangerous project.

• Xianyu apologized to Guan Liang for the choice he faced, and Guan Liang reassured him that Chenzhen would also accept dying alongside him.
• Guan Liang urged Xianyu to wait until Hua could stand on her own before considering death, and Xianyu promised to try and set Guan Liang free before leaving.
• The next day, Xianyu left Yaoqing with Hua and Lan, leaving his Labrador with Guan Liang and letting Hua take charge of their arrival in Cangcheng.
• Xianyu accepted Cangcheng's general's offer to bring Shuhu along, then boarded a starskiff with Hua and Lan despite the general's concerns about their safety.
• When Xianyu saw Marty in Cangcheng, he asked Hua why she had let him join the dangerous project, and Marty protested that he should be allowed to come if Hua could.

Xianyu confronted Hua and Marty over the danger of the Abundance Emanator project, then joined the Cangcheng general for a meal and a walk through the city. As the Cangcheng prepared to relocate its people, Xianyu noticed a Vidyadhara and reflected on their nature.

• Lan comforted Hua after Xianyu's harsh remarks, and Hua told Lan that Xianyu had left her many curios but not the Fenghuang Down.
• Xianyu reassured Marty that the dangerous project was why he had not wanted Marty's team to come to the Cangcheng, then set aside the discussion to eat.
• The Cangcheng general urged Xianyu to accept traditional ceremony and physical Strales, but he refused both proposals.
• At dinner, the general recounted her battle against Shuhu, and Xianyu promised to get even with him after hearing what Shuhu had said.
• The general assigned more than a dozen concealed guards to protect Xianyu, who then went for a walk with Marty through the busy streets.
• Xianyu watched a Vidyadhara disappear into the crowd as the Cangcheng's residents prepared to relocate to other Xianzhou ships.

Xianyu encouraged Marty to continue the dangerous Cangcheng project and promised him a future Vidyadhara research project, but forbade him from exploring Zandar’s theory about the essence of the world. After Zandar warned Xianyu about a technology that could create life from bodily samples, he ended their call and discussed Eric with the Gray-White-Haired Girl.

• Xianyu told Marty to take his time with the Cangcheng project and promised him a future project to help the Vidyadhara.
• Marty said Zandar had invited him to explore the essence of the world, and Xianyu firmly forbade him from accepting.
• Marty asked for the Neutron Gun, and Xianyu found it and handed it to him.
• Xianyu contacted Zandar, who defended his invitation to Marty and remarked that Xianyu did not seem to be having fun.
• Zandar warned Xianyu about technology that could create life from human hair and blood, then abruptly ended the call.
• Zandar and the Gray-White-Haired Girl discussed Eric’s food preferences and why he kept returning to the Xianzhou.

Xianyu spent the night investigating a rumor that he had fathered a child, then prepared to visit the Forest of Utmost Loyalty with Marty. As a convoy approached an academy in Cangcheng, the teacher asked Jingliu whether she had seen the class monitor.

• Zandar told Gray Wind he feared Eric might sacrifice himself for humanity, and Gray Wind agreed that Eric would likely spend the night worrying over a nonexistent child.
• Xianyu asked Guan Liang to investigate his medical supplies, while Guan Liang secretly warned the former Cauldron Master to destroy anything remaining.
• Guan Liang discovered that Zandar might know the truth and suggested silencing him, but Xianyu told him to focus on the investigation; they confirmed Xianyu's medical supplies had all been disposed of.
• Xianyu and Guan Liang stayed up until dawn tracing the old rumor that Xianyu had a child with Aha, then Xianyu blamed Aha for the sleepless night.
• Marty told Xianyu he had turned down Zandar, and Xianyu invited him to breakfast before agreeing to visit the Forest of Utmost Loyalty.
• Marty gave Xianyu a Jade Abacus wristband and Neutron Gun holster before Xianyu left; at an academy in Cangcheng, the teacher asked Jingliu whether she had seen the class monitor.