Chapter Summaries

Chen Wei negotiated with the Five Route Gods of Wealth over the surplus recovered from Xu Zhiyan, then reported the case to the Great Heavenly Venerable. The Great Heavenly Venerable ordered Xu Zhiyan executed and ended the Revenue Department investigation without pursuing the surplus further.

• Chen Wei proposed returning seventy percent of the surplus to the Finance Department and sending the remaining thirty percent to the Heavenly Treasury, and the Five Route Gods of Wealth agreed.
• The God of Wealth offered the Censorate fifteen percent of the Finance Department’s share, and Chen Wei accepted on behalf of his colleagues.
• Chen Wei presented the closing report on Xu Zhiyan’s embezzlement case to the Great Heavenly Venerable in Lingxiao Palace.
• The Great Heavenly Venerable ordered Xu Zhiyan sent to the Immortal Execution Platform and decreed that the Revenue Department case would not be investigated further.

Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan secretly headed to the East Sea Dragon Palace to borrow Magical Treasures, while Chen Wei and Yang Chan stayed behind after Yang Jian followed the children in secret. Yang Chan stopped Chen Wei from going to work and dragged him inside to talk.

• Chen Xiang tried to sneak out of the Chen Residence, but Chen Xiaochan caught him and immobilized him with a Body-Binding Spell.
• Chen Xiang told Chen Xiaochan he planned to borrow Magical Treasures from the East Sea Dragon Palace, and she agreed to go with him.
• Chen Xiaochan carried Chen Xiang toward the Mortal Realm on her Auspicious Cloud, concealing their tracks.
• Chen Wei and Yang Chan came outside and saw that Yang Jian was secretly following the children, so Yang Chan let them go.
• Chen Wei tried to leave for work, but Yang Chan immobilized him, grabbed his ear, and dragged him back into the residence.

Ao Guang welcomed Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan to the East Sea Dragon Palace and offered them the treasury’s treasures. Their visit was interrupted by a fierce Taoist demanding treasure, and Ao Guang ordered his forces to confront her.

• Ao Guang learned that Wude True Lord’s Two Children had come to request magical treasures and opened the Dragon Palace treasury for them.
• Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan inspected the Main Hall and accepted Ao Guang’s invitation to choose treasures from his catalog.
• Chen Xiaochan spotted a Purple Gold Primordial Chaos Hammer, an Eight Wastes Sea-Overturning Halberd, and a Flowing Cloud Water-Settling Pearl, then asked Chen Xiang whether he wanted an axe.
• A Clam Maiden reported that an unknown Taoist had wounded Sea Patrol Yakshas and threatened to raze the Crystal Palace unless given treasures.
• Chen Xiaochan stopped Chen Xiang from charging out and waited to see how Ao Guang would respond.
• Ao Guang ordered Prime Minister Turtle to muster the Shrimp Soldiers and Shrimp Generals to meet the Taoist.

Chen Wei was summoned by Taibai Jinxing and praised by a gathering of patriarchs, who signaled that his promotion to Daluo Golden Immortal was nearly assured. In the East Sea Dragon Palace, a seemingly violent Daoist attacked Chen Xiang and Ao Guang before Chen Xiaochan recognized that he was pretending and demanded to know which Heavenly Court office had sent him.

• Chen Wei left the mansion to secretly watch over his children, but Taibai Jinxing summoned him to an immortal residence where the patriarchs praised his work.
• Taishang Laojun told Chen Wei that the patriarchs had agreed he should advance his cultivation, while noting that Lingxiao Palace still had to make the formal decision.
• A swaggering Daoist smashed the Dragon Palace's Magical Treasures and defeated Prime Minister Turtle, the Shrimp Soldiers, and the Crab Generals.
• Chen Xiang confronted the Daoist, who sent him flying with a gust of astral wind, and Ao Guang took a blow while rescuing him.
• Chen Xiaochan stepped forward, pointed out that the Daoist had repeatedly held back, and asked which Heavenly Court office had sent him to test them.

Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan were overpowered and captured by two disguised Taoists at the East Sea Dragon Palace. Ao Guang recognized that the fight was a Heavenly Court training exercise and chose to profit from the damage instead of pursuing them.

• Chen Xiang attacked the Taoist to protect Chen Xiaochan, but the Taoist easily disarmed him and criticized his lack of training before knocking him aside.
• Chen Xiaochan used Yang Jian’s jade pendant to restrain the Taoist, but he shattered its divine light and seized her; he also immobilized Chen Xiang.
• Ao Guang realized the Taoist was a powerful heavenly figure teaching the Chen siblings a lesson, so he pretended to be dead.
• A fat Taoist joined his senior brother, and the two bound Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan before carrying them away.
• Prime Minister Turtle asked whether to pursue the Taoists, but Ao Guang refused and ordered him to quadruple the recorded losses for a claim to Lingxiao Palace.

Ao Guang received lavish compensation from the Heavenly Court for the damage to the East Sea Dragon Palace, while Chen Wei and Yang Chan learned that their missing children were safe but beyond the Court’s reach. Taibai Jinxing explained that the Great Heavenly Venerable had arranged trials to temper Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan, leaving their parents to accept that the children needed hardship.

• Ao Guang met Taibai Jinxing at the South Heaven Gate and received compensation far exceeding the East Sea Dragon Palace’s losses.
• Ao Guang returned to the Eastern Sea without pursuing Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan’s disappearance.
• Yang Chan and Chen Wei failed to locate their children or reach Yang Jian, and prepared to descend to the Mortal Realm.
• Taibai Jinxing arrived at the Chen Residence and told Yang Chan and Chen Wei that the children were safe but could not be found by the Heavenly Court.
• Taibai Jinxing rebuked Chen Wei and Yang Chan for spoiling the children and explained that the Great Heavenly Venerable wanted them to undergo trials and temper their hearts.

Yang Chan and Chen Wei persuaded Taibai Jinxing to let them secretly watch their children’s Mortal Realm trial. Meanwhile, the captured Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan traveled through the wilds with two Taoists until a demon procession appeared on the mountain road.

• Yang Chan worried about her children’s safety, but Taibai Jinxing reminded her of her own childhood mischief and defended the trial.
• Chen Wei persuaded Taibai Jinxing to let him and Yang Chan watch the children from a distance without interfering.
• Chen Xiaochan suspected the Taoists were testing them and tried to persuade Azure Bamboo to let her and Chen Xiang out of their sacks.
• Chen Xiang failed to act pitifully and claimed he was hungry, while Chen Xiaochan stopped him from revealing his connection to the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
• Bluestone and Azure Bamboo moved aside as a grand demon procession approached, and Chen Xiang mocked its tacky appearance.

Qingshi and Azure Bamboo’s procession was stopped when Chen Xiaochan called for help, drawing Tiger Demon King’s attention to the children’s powerful spiritual aura. Tiger Demon King chose to attack the Taoists, unaware that Chen Xiang was the Jade Pivot Numina Star Lord, and boasted about his Ice Thunder Blade as the confrontation began.

• Chen Xiaochan cried for help as Tiger Demon King’s procession passed Qingshi, Azure Bamboo, and the pig carrying the children in sacks.
• Tiger Demon King spotted the children’s treasure aura, while Qingshi and Azure Bamboo told him to leave them alone.
• Bèi Military Advisor claimed Tiger Demon King had the Jade Pivot Numina Star Lord as his patron, prompting Chen Xiang to emerge in disbelief.
• Tiger Demon King recognized Chen Xiang’s Star Lord aura and declared that he would take him to make pills.
• Chen Xiaochan waited for local gods to intervene, but none appeared, revealing that they were ignoring the law.
• Tiger Demon King accused the Taoists of trafficking Immortal Attendants, drew his Ice Thunder Blade, and claimed it had once clashed with Sun Wukong’s Golden Cudgel.

The Tiger Demon King boasted about his supposed battle with Sun Wukong, but the fat pig quickly crushed his honor guard. Bluestone Daoist then killed the fleeing Tiger Demon King with a Heaven-Shaking Thunder, and the Earth God ignored Chen Xiaochan’s plea for help while cleaning up.

• The Tiger Demon King claimed his Ice Thunder Blade had once faced Sun Wukong’s Golden Cudgel, while Chen Xiang and the others recognized his story as a lie.
• The fat pig charged the Tiger Demon King’s honor guard and battered the demons, leaving only the Tiger Demon King standing.
• Bluestone Daoist pretended to spare the Tiger Demon King, then threw a Heaven-Shaking Thunder that killed him.
• Azure Bamboo Daoist summoned the Earth God to clean up the battlefield.
• Chen Xiaochan called to the Earth God for help, but he pretended not to hear and gathered the unconscious demons before burrowing underground.

Bluestone Daoist and Taoist Azure Bamboo abducted Chen Xiaochan and Chen Xiang, while Chen Wei and Yang Chan enjoyed Lin'an City after confirming their children were safe. There, they watched Fahai confront Xiaoqing and Bai Suzhen, and Fahai accidentally revealed that he had watched Xiaoqing closely.

• Bluestone Daoist bound Chen Xiaochan in a sack and Taoist Azure Bamboo flew away with Chen Xiang on a pig.
• Chen Wei and Yang Chan wandered through Lin'an City, where Yang Chan sampled snacks and Chen Wei spotted Fahai.
• Fahai approached Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing's calligraphy stall and ordered the sisters to leave because they could not stay long.
• Xiaoqing accused Fahai of following them because he was attracted to them, and Fahai insisted he had watched them for ten days and nights to monitor demon aura.
• Xiaoqing teased Fahai about watching them undress, and he blurted out that her bellyband was green before realizing he had taken the bait.

Fahai confronted Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing in Lin'an, while Chen Wei and Yang Chan watched before moving on to a watermelon stall where a gang challenged two monks. The scar-faced thug split a melon with his knife, leaving its ripeness and the monks’ response unresolved.

• Xiaoqing accused Fahai of peeping at her, but Bai Suzhen stopped her from attacking him and asked whether he understood love.
• Fahai’s kasaya tore as his anger rose, shocking Xiaoqing and drawing the crowd’s attention before Bai Suzhen ended the confrontation.
• Chen Wei and Yang Chan left the market scene and spotted a sleeping novice and a white-robed monk at a watermelon stall.
• A scar-faced thug demanded that the novice guarantee a melon was ripe, and the white-robed monk calmly challenged the thug’s motives.
• The scar-faced thug cut the watermelon in half with his knife.

Chen Wei and Yang Chan encountered Maitreya Buddha and Jinnaluo Bodhisattva selling watermelons, while Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan explored a mortal market with their magic sealed. The siblings learned from Bluestone Daoist why a beggar had to kneel to ask for alms.

• Jinnaluo used the Divine Ability of Delusive Thoughts to make Scarface and his lackeys devour a smashed watermelon, and Maitreya swept them away with a breeze.
• Maitreya welcomed Chen Wei and Yang Chan to the melon stall, where Chen Wei noticed black energy moving through Jinnaluo's golden fortune.
• Maitreya invited Chen Wei and Yang Chan to sit and eat watermelon after smoothing over the couple's exchange.
• Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan entered a crowded mortal market on foot with their magic sealed and saw a beggar kneeling for alms.
• Bluestone Daoist explained to Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan that people in the mortal world could not beg standing up.

Chen Xiang insisted that mortals would give him food if he simply reasoned with them, so Bluestone Daoist wagered that he could not get a bun without money. After the bun seller chased and beat him, Chen Xiang began to grasp how helpless he was in the mortal world without magic power or money.

• Chen Xiang challenged Taoist Azure Bamboo's claim that beggars had to kneel, while Chen Xiaochan understood that both alms and offerings depended on exchange.
• Bluestone Daoist wagered that Chen Xiang could not get a bun by asking, and transformed him into a filthy, ragged beggar.
• Chen Xiang approached the bun seller standing tall and promised future merit in exchange for two buns.
• The bun seller insulted Chen Xiang and chased him with a rolling pin when he argued back.
• Chen Xiang narrowly dodged the blows and fled, realizing that without magic power or copper coins he could not even secure food.

Chen Xiaochan proposed a new wager: she and Chen Xiang had to eat at the prestigious Gathering Immortals Restaurant without being thrown out. After the proprietor seated them in a tucked-away corner, Chen Xiang ordered an extravagant feast, leaving the question of how they would pay unresolved.

• Bluestone Daoist taunted Chen Xiang and challenged him and Chen Xiaochan to eat at the Gathering Immortals Restaurant without being beaten or thrown out.
• Bluestone Daoist snapped his fingers, making the siblings’ hunger intensify, and they headed to the restaurant.
• The restaurant’s waiter tried to drive the filthy, foul-smelling siblings away, but the proprietor cautiously invited them to a secluded table.
• Chen Xiang ordered the restaurant’s most expensive dishes and insisted the proprietor serve them despite the cost.

Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan ate a feast at the Gathering Immortals Restaurant without money, while their parents watched from above and Yang Jian prevented Yang Chan from ending their trial. When the proprietor tried to seize the siblings, a young gentleman offered to pay if Chen Xiaochan could impress him with a painting.

• Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan devoured the restaurant's feast while Chen Wei and Yang Chan watched from a cloud.
• Yang Chan tried to retrieve her children, but Yang Jian froze her and insisted they continue their mortal trial.
• The proprietor demanded payment, and Chen Xiang admitted they had no money, prompting the proprietor to order his men to seize the siblings.
• Chen Xiaochan offered to pay with a painting, and a young gentleman agreed to cover the bill if her work met his standards.
• Chen Xiaochan asked the proprietor to bring her a brush and ink.

Chen Xiaochan painted a masterful landscape to pay for the meal, but the proprietor and an official’s son stole it and trapped the siblings. As guards closed in, a thunderclap interrupted their attack.

• The proprietor questioned Chen Xiaochan’s background, and she refused to answer before demonstrating her skill with a brush.
• Chen Xiaochan painted a vivid landscape, impressing Chen Xiang, the waiter, and the proprietor.
• The official’s son signaled the proprietor to keep the painting, and they claimed they would appraise it before leaving with it.
• The proprietor returned without the painting and declared that it could not cover the meal, then ordered the siblings held inside.
• Chen Xiang protested as the guards surrounded him and Chen Xiaochan, and a thunderclap suddenly sounded.

Chen Xiaochan and Chen Xiang confronted Guo Yanei and his accomplices at the Gathering Immortals Restaurant, where Chen Xiaochan’s warning came true and Guo Yanei became a pig. The siblings escaped the chaos and returned to Bluestone Daoist and Azure Bamboo Daoist, where Chen Xiaochan angrily complained about their uncle’s traps.

• Chen Xiaochan warned Guo Yanei and the restaurant proprietor to stop their crimes, but Guo Yanei mocked her and threatened to abduct her.
• Chen Xiang said Heaven was an elder in their family, and Chen Xiaochan promised the laughing men they would soon regret their actions.
• Guo Yanei transformed into a pig, terrifying the proprietor and his thugs into fleeing the restaurant.
• A thunderbolt struck the proprietor and the thugs outside, leaving no trace of them, while Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan quietly left the restaurant.
• Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan returned to Bluestone Daoist and Azure Bamboo Daoist beneath an old willow tree, and Chen Xiaochan complained that her uncle kept setting traps for them.

Yang Jian and Sun Wukong revealed themselves to Chen Xiang and Chen Xiaochan after putting the children through a Red Dust Tempering of the Heart. Chen Xiang emerged determined to become stronger than his master and uncle, leaving Chen Wei feeling slighted.

• Chen Xiaochan exposed Bluestone Daoist as her uncle, and Yang Jian revealed his true form to the shocked Chen Xiang.
• Azure Bamboo Daoist transformed into Sun Wukong, whom Chen Xiang clung to for comfort.
• Chen Wei accepted Yang Jian's blame for the children's ordeal, while Yang Chan arrived with them and accidentally revealed the snacks she had bought on the way.
• Chen Xiaochan told Yang Chan how people at the Gathering Immortals Restaurant had mistreated them, and Yang Jian said their Nine Clans had already been wiped out.
• Chen Wei asked Chen Xiang what he had learned, and Chen Xiang declared he wanted to become stronger than Sun Wukong and Yang Jian, making Chen Wei feel overlooked.