Chapter Summaries

Lü Yan and Yellow Qilin True Person found Yang Huaxian and Sikong Tianyuan claiming an opportunity at Northern Darkness Lake, where Yang Huaxian revealed Demonic Blade Naxie. Yellow Qilin True Person chose to stay and fight while Lü Yan raced away, and the chapter ended with Ye Hongshang sensing someone calling Xie Jinhuan.

• Lü Yan and Yellow Qilin True Person arrived at the opportunity and found Sikong Tianyuan working with Yang Huaxian.
• Sikong Tianyuan explained that he had allied with Yang Huaxian to pursue the Corpse Ancestor’s goal of changing the world, while Yellow Qilin True Person defended the Righteous Path’s choice to preserve order.
• Yang Huaxian revealed Demonic Blade Naxie, and Lü Yan realized Yellow Qilin True Person was badly outmatched.
• Yellow Qilin True Person gave Lü Yan the Five Elements Seal and three divine gifts, then stayed behind to face Yang Huaxian and Sikong Tianyuan as Lü Yan fled.
• Lü Yan thought of Xie Jinhuan as he raced away, while Yellow Qilin True Person recalled his past.
• Ye Hongshang revealed that Heaven had returned her true body, then sensed that someone outside was calling Xie Jinhuan.

Xie Jinhuan interrupted his tryst with Ye Hongshang to help Lü Yan rescue Yellow Qilin True Person, who was being surrounded by Yang Huaxian, Sikong Tianyuan, and Daoist Kongkong. Xie Jinhuan and A Piao, disguised as Qixia True Person, forced the attackers to retreat, though Yellow Qilin True Person pursued them and left Xie Jinhuan fearing the disguise would be exposed.

• Ye Hongshang showed Xie Jinhuan Lü Yan searching for him, and Xie Jinhuan agreed to help after learning Yellow Qilin True Person was in danger.
• Lü Yan told Xie Jinhuan that Yellow Qilin True Person was fighting Yang Huaxian, Sikong Tianyuan, and Daoist Kongkong, and Xie Jinhuan agreed to try to break the encirclement.
• Xie Jinhuan and Lü Yan arrived at the battlefield without weapons, and Xie Jinhuan challenged Sikong Tianyuan over his betrayal of the Righteous Path.
• A Piao arrived disguised as Qixia True Person, prompting Yang Huaxian, Sikong Tianyuan, and Daoist Kongkong to flee.
• Yellow Qilin True Person chased the retreating enemies, while Xie Jinhuan worried that his pursuit might expose A Piao's disguise.

After Ye Hongshang helped Xie Jinhuan rescue Yellow Qilin True Person, she reunited with Qixia True Person, and they returned to the Tower Ship with the spoils. The group questioned Ye Hongshang’s relationship to Qixia True Person as they prepared to celebrate.

• Xie Jinhuan sent Yellow Qilin True Person and Lü Yan to Wolf City while he and Ye Hongshang headed back toward the ship.
• Qixia True Person found Xie Jinhuan kissing Ye Hongshang in disguise, then learned Yellow Qilin True Person was safe and the Unorthodox Dao had taken the Black Tortoise Divine Gift.
• Qixia True Person discussed the Unorthodox Dao’s leaders and asked Ye Hongshang about her new body; Ye Hongshang requested an identity and help obscuring Her Highness the Princess's memories.
• Qixia True Person, Ye Hongshang, and Xie Jinhuan returned to the Tower Ship, where the group laid out their spoils and questioned whether the two women really were biological sisters.
• Empress Dowager Guo challenged Qixia True Person’s claim that Ye Hongshang was her elder sister, and Xie Jinhuan defused the awkwardness by proposing a toast.

After Xie Jinhuan and the women counted their gains from Northern Darkness Lake, A Piao used her new body to tease him during their gathering. Her mischief left Nangong Ye and Bu Yuehua fighting over Hohou's Seal, while Ye Hongshang watched and recorded the chaos.

• Xie Jinhuan and the women inventoried five Dharma Artifacts, divine gifts, and other treasures taken from Shang Mingzhen.
• A Piao slipped back into the gathering invisibly and began touching Xie Jinhuan beneath his robes, prompting him to discreetly touch Ye Yunchi, Nangong Ye, and Tuotuo.
• Empress Dowager Guo sent Bu Yuehua to examine Xie Jinhuan, and Bu Yuehua treated him while discussing Ancestor Sikong, Chi Dragon Cave, and Ye Yunchi's place in the household.
• Bu Yuehua argued that Wanyi should remain the principal wife, while Ye Hongshang listened unseen and then summoned Nangong Ye into the room.
• A Hohou Immortal Maiden Seal appeared from Bu Yuehua's sleeve, and Nangong Ye mistook it for a device meant to torment her before pinning Bu Yuehua down to fight.
• Zhao Ling watched the struggle as Ye Hongshang recorded the incident for use against her younger sister.

Xie Jinhuan crafted another Hoho Treasure aboard the boat while the others recovered from the previous night's chaos. Ye Hongshang used her Divine Ability to reveal Ye Yunchi's past with Xie Jinhuan, leaving Ye Yunchi to admit her love as Coal Ball was ordered to steer the boat home.

• Xie Jinhuan melted warm jade and formed another vibrating Hoho Treasure, which alarmed Zhao Ling when he tried it on her.
• Ye Yunchi worried about Xie Jinhuan and went toward the Boat Tower, but Ye Hongshang arrived from the water with Coal Ball.
• Ye Hongshang offered to tell Ye Yunchi's fortune and used Mirror Flowers, Water Moon to show intimate scenes from Ye Yunchi's past with Xie Jinhuan.
• Ye Yunchi admitted that she loved Xie Jinhuan and would marry no one else, and Ye Hongshang invited her to call her Sister.
• Ye Hongshang ordered Coal Ball to steer the boat home, though Coal Ball did not know how.

Coal Ball became jealous when Qixia True Person named her newly acquired octopus Ink Treasure and Xie Jinhuan showed interest in its fox-spirit transformation. As Empress Dowager Guo sought a way to restore her exhausted qi sea, the deity instructed her to have Bu Yuehua help draw extreme yang fire from Xie Jinhuan, leaving them to test the method while Ye Yunchi and Great Immortal Ye talked downstairs.

• Qixia True Person bought off the little octopus with Heavenly Treasures and named it Ink Treasure, prompting Coal Ball to seek Xie Jinhuan's attention.
• Xie Jinhuan admired Ink Treasure's fox-spirit transformation, and Coal Ball fainted from anger before waking when he promised grilled fish.
• Empress Dowager Guo explained that her depleted qi sea would take months to restore and considered Zisu's Adding Oil to the Fire Pill method.
• Xie Jinhuan took the pill but found he could not draw out the extreme yang fire by himself.
• The deity told Empress Dowager Guo to have Bu Yuehua help, and Bu Yuehua joined Xie Jinhuan while Guo stayed nearby to observe.
• Downstairs, Ye Yunchi noticed Great Immortal Ye smile at a private thought and accepted the tea she offered.

Empress Dowager Guo recovered some of her power through Bu Yuehua and Xie Jinhuan, while Ye Yunchi pushed for marriage and a child with Xie Jinhuan. Ye Hongshang responded by making conception much harder for Ye Yunchi, leaving Xie Jinhuan silently accepting the scheme.

• Empress Dowager Guo used Bu Yuehua and Xie Jinhuan's help to absorb Yin and Yang essence, though she needed several dozen sessions to recover fully.
• Xie Jinhuan left Empress Dowager Guo's room and was pulled into a dark room by Ye Yunchi, who asked whether he loved her.
• Ye Yunchi asked Xie Jinhuan to marry her properly and to let nature take its course when they were intimate, hoping to have his child.
• Ye Hongshang interrupted them, then privately made it much harder for Ye Yunchi to conceive, saying it would take a hundred attempts.
• Xie Jinhuan accepted Ye Hongshang's meddling and decided not to object.

Xie Jinhuan returned to Danyang after distributing the spoils from his journey and began looking for a Nether God Sect sleeper agent. He left the search unresolved, while two agents hid in plain sight at a restaurant near Clear Spring Lane.

• Xie Jinhuan and the White-Haired Immortal distributed the divine gifts and other spoils among their companions, with Xie Jinhuan receiving the Black Tortoise divine gift.
• Xie Jinhuan returned to Danyang with Coal Ball and met Nangong Ye outside the city, then discussed the suspected Nether God Sect sleeper agent.
• Xie Jinhuan and Nangong Ye searched the streets but found no clues, and Xie Jinhuan headed toward Danyang Academy with Big Ice Lump.
• At Zhang San's Stir-Fry Restaurant, Zhang Chu and He Can discussed their assignment and assumed Xie Jinhuan would not visit their rough little establishment.

Lin Wanyi and Lin Zisu left the Academy examination and reunited with Xie Jinhuan and Nangong Ye at Clear Spring Lane, where Xie Jinhuan had taken advantage of their private visit. They returned toward Luojing together, while Lin Zisu resolved to help Xie Lang and Empress Dowager Guo rekindle their relationship.

• Lin Zisu finished the Academy examination after giving Mr. Zhang a taste of her conception pill, and Lin Wanyi scolded her for her unruly behavior.
• Coal Ball led Lin Wanyi and Lin Zisu to Clear Spring Lane, where Xie Jinhuan and Nangong Ye had gone to revisit the old residence.
• Xie Jinhuan kept Nangong Ye occupied in the bedroom while Lin Wanyi and Lin Zisu spoke with neighbors outside.
• Lin Wanyi and Lin Zisu arrived at the courtyard and found Nangong Ye dazed as he left to visit Purple Emblem Mountain.
• Xie Jinhuan carried Lin Wanyi and Lin Zisu toward Jingzhao Prefecture, and Lin Zisu decided to help Xie Lang and Empress Dowager Guo get together.

Qixia True Person returned to Purple Emblem Mountain, discovered its plants had grown too tall, and blamed the changes on the Northern Zhou Goddess of War before leaving to retaliate. Meanwhile, Xie Jinhuan returned to Luojing, passed Wei Lu’s martial arts school, and went to Carefree Cave to see Qingmo as unrest spread through the Gu Poison Sect.

• Qixia True Person taught A Cai and Ink Treasure that they should defend themselves, then uprooted a towering scallion after Ink Treasure admired its height.
• Qixia True Person scolded Nangong Ye for the overgrown plants and his failure to arrange a match for Xie Jinhuan, threatened to delay Qingmo’s promotion, and ordered him to arrange a Scarlet Qilin Guard position for Jiang Xian.
• Qixia True Person left for Northern Zhou, while Nangong Ye sent for a gardener to trim the plants across Purple Emblem Mountain.
• Xie Jinhuan and Lin Wanyi passed Wei Lu’s martial arts school, where Wei Lu was teaching under the name Wei Xianzhong.
• Xie Jinhuan saw the disorder and patrols in Carefree Cave, then descended there to visit Qingmo while Lin Wanyi returned to the branch hall.

Xie Jinhuan reunited with Linghu Qingmo in the Capital City and arranged for him to guard the Eldest Princess, while they flirted on the way home. Jiang Xian woke in a new residence in Great Qian, discovered that the diary had assigned her a new post and ordered her to avoid romance, and decided to defy it by moving to the Danyang Marquis Household.

• Xie Jinhuan ambushed Linghu Qingmo during his patrol, then used the Demon-Suppressing Order to dispatch him to guard the Eldest Princess at the Danyang Marquis Household.
• Linghu Qingmo showed Xie Jinhuan his improved flying-sword skill, and Xie Jinhuan promised to let him practice against the Gu Poison Sect when they went to the Southern Border.
• Xie Jinhuan and Linghu Qingmo noticed the suggestive sign outside the newly opened White Tiger Hall and teased each other as they headed home.
• Jiang Xian woke in an unfamiliar house beside the Fengyi River and realized she had been moved to Great Qian while asleep.
• Jiang Xian read the Xian'er Diary's orders making her a Scarlet Qilin Guard Hundred-Household Commander and warning her against romance, then packed to move to the Danyang Marquis Household in defiance.

After returning to the Marquis’s Residence, Xie Jinhuan reunited with Linghu Qingmo and later painted Empress Dowager Guo while Bu Yuehua secretly tried to help him. The scene ended with Lin Zisu and Lin Wanyi arriving unexpectedly, leaving Bu Yuehua trapped beneath the desk as Xie Jinhuan tried to hide what was happening.

• Xie Jinhuan and Linghu Qingmo reunited in the bath, where Xie Jinhuan recounted his dangerous Northern Region journeys and gave Linghu Qingmo a jade-ribbed folding fan.
• Xie Jinhuan went to the West Wing study, where Empress Dowager Guo and Bu Yuehua were waiting, and offered to paint Guo’s portrait.
• Bu Yuehua hid beneath the desk and secretly teased Xie Jinhuan while he painted Empress Dowager Guo.
• Lin Zisu and Lin Wanyi arrived at the study, and Lin Zisu entered to check on Xie Jinhuan while Lin Wanyi noticed Bu Yuehua beneath the desk.
• Lin Wanyi distracted Lin Zisu and silently signaled that she would hold Bu Yuehua’s predicament over her for life.

Jiang Xian arrived at the Marquis's Residence and met Nangong Ye, who brought her inside to find Xie Jinhuan. After she discovered Xie Jinhuan in an intimate situation with Bu Yuehua and Empress Dowager Guo, A Piao joined them, leaving the encounter even more complicated.

• Nangong Ye stopped Steward Hou from insulting Jiang Xian and escorted her into the Marquis's Residence.
• Jiang Xian explained that she had come to stay because she felt uneasy lodging alone by the Fengyi River.
• Nangong Ye told Linghu Qingmo that his grandmaster might take him as a direct disciple, prompting them to discuss how their roles would change.
• Jiang Xian followed Coal Ball to the West Wing and sensed Xie Jinhuan kissing Bu Yuehua while Empress Dowager Guo stood nearby.
• Jiang Xian saw the intimate scene, blushed, and lost consciousness.
• A Piao offered to help Bu Yuehua with Xie Jinhuan, and he made room for her to join them.

After Qixia True Person walked in on Xie Jinhuan, Empress Dowager Guo, and Bu Yuehua, Lin Wanyi and Lin Zisu stumbled upon the embarrassing scene as well. Xie Jinhuan later gathered his companions at the lakeside Banquet Hall, where the group reunited for a night of food, music, and laughter.

• Qixia True Person interrupted Empress Dowager Guo and Bu Yuehua with Xie Jinhuan, then Lin Wanyi and Lin Zisu arrived and saw the scene.
• Lin Wanyi took Lin Zisu away, while Qixia True Person mocked Empress Dowager Guo and left; the others later gathered in the Tea Room.
• Xie Jinhuan asked Ye Hongshang how her Prophecy ability worked, and she explained how a destined outcome could resist attempts to change it.
• Ye Yunchi came out wearing a revealing outfit chosen by Lin Wanyi, and Xie Jinhuan praised her and escorted her toward the gathering.
• Duoduo returned from the palace with rewards and recounted the Crown Prince's wager; Zhao Ling arrived, and the group assembled at the Banquet Hall for a festive evening.

At a banquet, Lin Zisu tried to push Xie Jinhuan and Empress Dowager Guo closer together by drugging the wine, but Guo kept her boundaries and the evening ended without her following him back. After the guests dispersed, Xie Jinhuan escorted a drunk Ye Yunchi to her room, where she raised her wish for a child and he began kissing her.

• Jiang Xian watched the banquet while Xie Jinhuan showed her a magical illusion and offered to teach her the technique.
• Lin Zisu mistook Empress Dowager Guo's jealousy for a sign of romantic interest and secretly drugged two cups of wine.
• Lin Zisu urged Xie Jinhuan to keep Guo company, and he sat with her and spoke about making amends for the day's mishap.
• Guo maintained proper boundaries through the banquet, while Xie Jinhuan's altered mood led him to flirt with Bu Yuehua.
• After the banquet, Xie Jinhuan escorted a drunk Ye Yunchi to her room, where she asked again about having his child and he kissed her.

Qixia True Person woke from her sealed recovery and pushed Nangong Ye to act on Xie Jinhuan’s relationship with Empress Dowager Guo. Xie Jinhuan went searching for Guo after learning that Lin Zisu had taken her away, while Qixia True Person flew with Lin Zisu to Purple Emblem Mountain to dig up scallions.

• Jiang Xian fell asleep reading a secret-history novel, and Qixia True Person took over her body, then threw Chief Steward Hou into the Huai River for insulting her height.
• Qixia True Person found Lin Zisu urging Empress Dowager Guo to take a walk with Xie Jinhuan, then confronted Nangong Ye as he prepared for a bath.
• Qixia True Person warned Nangong Ye to take responsibility for his affair with Xie Jinhuan or let the sect decide what to do, and Nangong Ye agreed to act.
• Nangong Ye found Xie Jinhuan with Ye Yunchi and sent him to look for Empress Dowager Guo, but learned that Lin Zisu had already taken her out.
• Xie Jinhuan left to search the streets for Lin Zisu and Empress Dowager Guo, while Qixia True Person flew with Lin Zisu to Purple Emblem Mountain to dig up scallions.

While searching for Guo and Zisu, Xie Jinhuan went with Ye Hongshang to buy a Phoenix Immortal Gown and stumbled into a pursuit of a Southern Border Poison Rat. After helping the Scarlet Qilin Guard arrest Zhang Zhiming, he found Linghu Qingmo secretly investigating and carried her off toward the Imperial City.

• Xie Jinhuan and Ye Hongshang agreed to buy a Phoenix Immortal Gown as part of a wager, and Ye Hongshang went into the shop while he waited outside.
• Xie Jinhuan heard the Scarlet Qilin Guard chasing a cloaked Poison Rat and was taken hostage when he blocked the fugitive’s escape.
• Yang Dabiao and the other guards recognized Xie Jinhuan, and Zhang Zhiming surrendered after learning he had threatened Lord Xie.
• Xie Jinhuan found Linghu Qingmo hiding in an alley and gently scolded her for sneaking out to investigate despite promising to rest.
• Xie Jinhuan carried Linghu Qingmo through the empty streets and said he was taking her somewhere near the Imperial City.

Xie Jinhuan brought Linghu Qingmo to a riverside house he claimed belonged to her master, where strange lingerie fueled her suspicions and she bathed and changed. Ye Hongshang appeared and teased Xie Jinhuan, and after Linghu Qingmo caught him acting strangely alone, he soothed her with a massage and she leaned into his embrace.

• Xie Jinhuan carried Linghu Qingmo into a spotless riverside house and claimed it belonged to her master.
• Linghu Qingmo found revealing clothes in the wardrobe, and Xie Jinhuan persuaded her to wear them before she changed in the bathroom.
• Ye Hongshang appeared and challenged Xie Jinhuan to prove his bold claims, then sat in his lap as he teased her.
• Linghu Qingmo opened the bathroom door and caught Xie Jinhuan pretending to play an invisible pipa after Ye Hongshang vanished.
• Xie Jinhuan drew Linghu Qingmo into his lap and massaged her shoulders, and she relaxed against him and offered him kisses.

Xie Jinhuan persuaded Linghu Qingmo to accept Ye Hongshang’s Spiritual Charm essence to accelerate his cultivation, and the two shared an intimate night together. Meanwhile, Nangong Ye discovered that Xie Jinhuan and Linghu Qingmo were both missing and used the Divine Soul Mark to search for her disciple.

• Linghu Qingmo worried that his cultivation was progressing too slowly, so Ye Hongshang offered to transfer Spiritual Charm essence to him in exchange for being acknowledged as the boss.
• Xie Jinhuan explained Ye Hongshang’s offer to Linghu Qingmo, who agreed to accept her help while insisting they respect the Cinnabar Cauldron Sect’s rules before marriage.
• Xie Jinhuan found another way to connect with Linghu Qingmo, and the two spent the night together behind the closed gauze curtains.
• Nangong Ye found Empress Dowager Guo and Lin Zisu making scallion pancakes, then learned Xie Jinhuan had never visited them.
• Nangong Ye searched the Rear Residence for Xie Jinhuan and found Linghu Qingmo missing as well, so she activated the Divine Soul Mark to locate him.

Xie Jinhuan and Linghu Qingmo’s intimate moment was interrupted when Qingmo’s soul-swapping connection brought Nangong Ye into the scene, leaving both Master and disciple mortified. The next morning, they reunited at breakfast and acted as though nothing had happened, while the story closed by announcing the next volume’s Witch Frontier setting.

• Xie Jinhuan and Linghu Qingmo continued their intimate encounter as Linghu Qingmo’s cultivation improved, until his connection to Nangong Ye suddenly activated.
• Nangong Ye took Linghu Qingmo’s place, discovered Xie Jinhuan holding her, and shocked him before returning to her own body.
• Linghu Qingmo returned and panicked that Nangong Ye had witnessed everything, while Xie Jinhuan tried to reassure him and their intimacy resumed.
• Nangong Ye appeared at the lakeside with a cold jianbing, then joined the household for breakfast while concealing her embarrassment.
• Xie Jinhuan and Linghu Qingmo returned and ate beside Nangong Ye, who pretended not to know what had happened.
• Empress Dowager Guo offered to teach Jiang Xian to make jianbing, and the chapter ended with the announcement of Volume Eight, “Witch Domain Calamity Deepens.”