Chapter Summaries

After waking in the body of Zhou Muzhi, a sickly young master cursed by a vengeful spirit, Zhou discovered that his Myriad Things Deduction Board had followed him into this world. With an incense candle temporarily holding the curse at bay, he sought a way to learn martial arts and survive, but his frail body made the attempt perilous.

• Zhou Muzhi woke in the Zhou family residence and learned that a Daoist had left an incense candle to sustain his life while his family sought an expert.
• Zhou saw the Myriad Things Deduction Board and read that he was cursed with a three-day life lock and had no skills or deduction points.
• Zhou asked Uncle Chen about the Blood Gate and ordered him to summon Old Xu so he could attempt to open it.
• Zhou spotted the crimson silhouette in a mirror beyond the candlelight, then watched it vanish from sight.
• Old Xu warned Zhou that a breakthrough required abundant qi and blood, but Zhou insisted on seeing the body-condensing method.

Zhou Muzhi sought a way to survive his life-draining curse and asked Uncle Chen to investigate similar cases. After his second brother Zhou Buren arrived to help, Zhou Muzhi discovered that the White Jade Buddha Plaque granted him Deduction Points.

• Zhou Muzhi listened to Old Xu recite the Body Condensation Method, but it did not appear on his Deduction Board.
• Zhou Muzhi asked Uncle Chen to investigate the cause of his condition and find people who had suffered something similar; Uncle Chen mentioned a martial artist who had survived a similar ordeal.
• After sleeping through the night, Zhou Muzhi woke with more strength and met his second brother, Zhou Buren.
• Zhou Muzhi told Zhou Buren he had lost consciousness in an alley on Liu Street, and Zhou Buren sent a servant to arrange a visit to the Iron Divine Constable.
• Zhou Buren gave Zhou Muzhi a White Jade Buddha Plaque, and touching it caused Zhou Muzhi's Deduction Points to rise to 1.5.

Zhou Muzhi used the deduction panel to turn the life-preserving candle’s power into temporary perfect health, giving himself forty hours to learn martial arts before his curse returned. He left his room and asked Old Xu which martial traditions in the county would suit him.

• Zhou Buren left to visit Head Constable Tie while Zhou Muzhi considered how to spend his deduction points.
• Zhou Muzhi failed to deduce the Body Condensation Method and realized the white candle could be examined through his panel.
• Zhou Muzhi spent one deduction point to gain Nine Heavens Profound Intent, temporarily sealing his curse and restoring his health for twenty double-hours.
• Zhou Muzhi asked Xiao Zi to take him to Old Xu and requested advice on martial traditions suited to him.
• Old Xu began listing the established families in the county that practiced martial arts.

Zhou Muzhi learned that martial arts might help protect him from spirits and arranged to seek a renowned master, while asking his second brother for another Buddhist pendant. He then set out with Old Xu and Xiaozi to find old objects, hoping to uncover something useful.

• Old Xu named Li Jingfei and Zhao Chenfeng as Suming County’s two renowned masters, and Zhou Muzhi agreed that Old Xu could accompany him when he studied martial arts.
• Uncle Chen reported that a teahouse man had driven away a vengeful spirit after breaching the gate through martial arts, and Zhou Muzhi asked his parents to seek a Daoist True Person if possible.
• Zhou Muzhi met Zhou Buren at Clear Wind Tower, and Zhou Buren promised to seek a renowned master willing to accept his fourth brother.
• Zhou Muzhi asked Zhou Buren for another Buddhist pendant, and Zhou Buren agreed to send him the one he had left.
• Zhou Muzhi left the restaurant with Old Xu and Xiaozi, then asked them to take him somewhere he could look for old objects.

Zhou Muzhi visited an old street with Old Xu and Little Zi, handling antiques to gain deduction points without buying anything. After searching the shops and stalls, he headed back to the Zhou Residence at dusk.

• Old Xu led Zhou Muzhi and Little Zi to an old street known for its antique shops and vendors.
• Zhou Muzhi examined objects in the first shop until he gained two deduction points from a ritual vessel called Azure Gui Single Nether.
• At a second shop, Zhou Muzhi gained one deduction point from a sarira and left without buying it.
• A shopkeeper demanded five taels before letting Zhou Muzhi handle the goods, but Zhou Muzhi argued that the shop had to let customers inspect them.
• Zhou Muzhi touched every object in the third shop and gained only half a deduction point, then examined the remaining street stalls without buying anything.
• As dusk fell, Zhou Muzhi left with Old Xu and Little Zi for the Zhou Residence.

Zhou Muzhi set out to find a martial arts master before his curse-sealing skill expired, and his second brother secured him an admission letter to study with Li Jingfei. Li Jingfei agreed to train him for three months before deciding whether to accept him as his final disciple, and immediately began teaching him the Body Condensation Method.

• Zhou Muzhi told Xiao Zi to wake him early so he could find a martial arts master, and the next morning he received five sticks of incense from Uncle Chen.
• Zhou Buren gave Zhou Muzhi an admission letter to study with Li Jingfei for three months and brought him to the Li Residence.
• Zhou Muzhi inspected the incense and found that it only calmed the mind and nourished the spirit, then told the driver to have Old Xu come see him.
• Li Jingfei examined Zhou Muzhi and agreed to train him for three months before deciding whether to accept him as his final disciple.
• Li Jingfei began teaching Zhou Muzhi the introductory section of the Body Condensation Method.

Zhou Muzhi learned the basics of martial arts from Li Jingfei and used his deduction panel to reach the entry level of body condensation immediately. After eating to recover from overwhelming hunger, he set out with Old Xu to visit Half-Immortal Xu for further help.

• Li Jingfei explained that body condensation was the first martial realm, estimated Zhou Muzhi would need about three months to reach its entry level, and said martial artists could repel ordinary evil entities with strong blood and qi.
• Zhou Muzhi decided to rely on martial arts and used the deduction panel to gain the predecessors’ wisdom from the Turning Lock Body Condensation Method.
• The deduction strengthened Zhou Muzhi’s body and gave him enough strength to reach the entry level, while his panel showed two deduction points remaining and a temporary curse seal.
• A wave of intense hunger hit Zhou Muzhi, so he left Li Jingfei’s residence and asked Old Xu to accompany him inside the next day to help with the household.
• Zhou Muzhi ordered a large meat meal at a nearby eatery, which Old Xu paid for, then hired a carriage with him to visit Half-Immortal Xu.

Zhou Muzhi went to Youhe Street to ask Half-Immortal Xu for another evil-warding candle, proving his newfound strength to persuade the Daoist to help him. Half-Immortal Xu gave him a candle, and Zhou Muzhi then asked to learn more about how it was made.

• Zhou Muzhi and Lao Xu arrived at Half-Immortal Xu's home on Youhe Street, where the Daoist initially refused to help.
• Zhou Muzhi pushed through the gate, while Lao Xu drew his saber to protect him until Zhou ordered him to put it away.
• Zhou Muzhi lifted a millstone weighing a little over two hundred jin and claimed he had gained that strength in a single day, prompting Half-Immortal Xu to reconsider.
• Half-Immortal Xu brought Zhou Muzhi another evil-warding candle after Zhou asked for his help.
• Zhou Muzhi asked whether Half-Immortal Xu could destroy a vengeful spirit, then sought to learn the candle-making process.

Zhou Muzhi persuaded Half-Immortal Xu to teach him incense making and gained access to the sect’s sacred statue, which supplied Deduction Points. He took the old Daoist’s incense-making booklet and renewed Nine Heavens Profound Intent, then left with Old Xu.

• Zhou Muzhi bargained with Half-Immortal Xu for Evil-Repelling Incense instructions, and Half-Immortal Xu asked him to kill a former sectmate who had slaughtered their school.
• Zhou Muzhi agreed to take on the revenge burden in exchange for seeing the heart of Half-Immortal Xu’s incense craft.
• Zhou Muzhi touched the Nine Heavens Supreme Goddess statue and gained Deduction Points from it.
• Half-Immortal Xu gave Zhou Muzhi his incense-making booklet, and Zhou Muzhi promised to help him obtain revenge.
• Zhou Muzhi checked the booklet’s deduction paths, chose Nine Heavens Profound Intent for the evil-repelling candle, and left with Old Xu.

Zhou Muzhi improved his incense-making knowledge through deduction and reached beginner-level Body Condensation after training with Li Jingfei. Li Jingfei accepted Zhou Muzhi as his disciple and promised pills to temporarily suppress his curse, while Zhou Muzhi left for Half-Immortal Xu’s home.

• Zhou Muzhi used deduction to upgrade his incense-making skills, gaining stronger Spirit-Cleansing Incense, Evil-Repelling Incense, and Demon-Subduing Incense.
• Li Jingfei examined Zhou Muzhi’s rapid progress and accepted him as his disciple after deciding the sect’s method suited him unusually well.
• Li Jingfei told Zhou Muzhi to train to overcome the sinister thing and promised to give him pills that might hold it off.
• Zhou Muzhi sent Lao Xu to find Li Jingfei’s grandson, then practiced the Turning Lock Body Condensation Method until exhaustion.
• Zhou Muzhi and Lao Xu left the Li Residence by carriage and headed to Half-Immortal Xu’s home.

Zhou Muzhi visited Half-Immortal Xu and impressed him with incense-making knowledge he had deduced overnight, including improved formulas for three main incenses. Half-Immortal Xu agreed to make Evil-Repelling Incense once they gathered the missing ingredients.

• Zhou Muzhi and Lao Xu arrived at Half-Immortal Xu’s house as heavy rain began.
• Zhou Muzhi answered Half-Immortal Xu’s questions about incense-making and explained how to assess a person suffering from a possible evil soul calamity.
• Zhou Muzhi revealed his improved Spirit-Cleansing Incense, Evil-Repelling Incense, and Demon-Subduing Incense formulas, leaving Half-Immortal Xu astonished.
• Half-Immortal Xu acknowledged Zhou Muzhi’s skill and agreed to make Evil-Repelling Incense for him.
• Zhou Muzhi and Half-Immortal Xu identified one missing main ingredient and three supplementary ingredients, and Zhou Muzhi left to ask his second brother for help finding them.

Zhou Muzhi reviewed his extravagant spending and arranged for Xiaozi to withdraw his remaining allowance to fund incense-making ingredients. He learned from Zhou Buren that the Zhou Family’s troubles might involve the powerful Qian Family, whose connection to Zhou Muzhi stirred painful, hazy memories.

• Zhou Muzhi read his accounts and learned he could advance only enough allowance to bring his available funds to one hundred and ten taels.
• Zhou Muzhi told Xiaozi to withdraw the money as banknotes, then used Deduction Points to extend his martial arts practice time.
• Zhou Muzhi visited Zhou Buren and explained that he needed incense ingredients to try to cure his condition.
• Zhou Buren agreed to prioritize procuring the ingredients and told Zhou Muzhi that Iron Divine Constable had linked the trouble to someone named Qian.
• Zhou Muzhi suspected the Qian Family and felt painful, vague memories of a close connection to them surface.

Zhou Muzhi transformed Li Jingfei’s Blood-Coagulating Pill into a Heavenly Blood Treasure Pill and used it to rapidly advance his cultivation. After reaching the threshold for Gate Knocking, he left the Li Residence and visited Half-Immortal Xu to discuss gathering materials for new incense.

• Zhou Muzhi worried about the powerful Qian Family before falling asleep.
• Zhou Muzhi visited Li Jingfei, who gave him a Blood-Coagulating Pill to aid his training.
• Zhou Muzhi used his deduction panel to turn the pill into a Heavenly Blood Treasure Pill, then used sudden enlightenment to absorb its power and advance rapidly.
• Li Jingfei told Zhou Muzhi that he could attempt Gate Knocking but advised him to rest because an evil entity was entangling him.
• Zhou Muzhi left with Lao Xu and visited Half-Immortal Xu, promising to gather the materials for new incense.

Zhou Muzhi and Lao Xu broke into a house where Brother Gui and his men were assaulting a bound girl, and Zhou Muzhi demanded answers about what Brother Gui knew. After Lao Xu killed one man and Zhou Muzhi killed another, Brother Gui agreed to tell him everything.

• Zhou Muzhi asked Lao Xu about his martial strength and whether he would dare kill someone, and Lao Xu agreed to stand by him.
• Zhou Muzhi and Lao Xu scaled the wall and entered a house after hearing a woman whimpering inside.
• Zhou Muzhi kicked open the door and confronted Brother Gui and three men who had tied up Old Man Wang's granddaughter.
• Lao Xu killed the man carrying the girl, freed her, and let her leave while Zhou Muzhi questioned Brother Gui.
• When Brother Gui refused to answer, Zhou Muzhi killed another underling with a punch, and Brother Gui agreed to tell him what he knew.

Zhou Muzhi interrogated Brother Gui about the young woman and the dead young masters, then killed him and his remaining henchman before facing the increasingly powerful wronged spirit. He returned to the Zhou Residence and told Zhou Buren that he was close to attempting Gate Knocking, while his brother awaited news about an incense-making ingredient.

• Brother Gui told Zhou Muzhi that Young Master Qian had taken the orphaned young woman away and named the Bai, Shi, and Lu family young masters as confirmed dead, with Sun Yao and Zhou Muzhi surviving.
• Zhou Muzhi killed Brother Gui after learning what he knew, and Lao Xu killed the last surviving henchman before they searched the room for money.
• The wronged spirit appeared to Zhou Muzhi with more of its body made corporeal, intensified his stabbing pain, and then vanished.
• Zhou Muzhi and Lao Xu washed off the blood, changed clothes, and returned to the Zhou Residence, where Zhou Buren had been waiting anxiously.
• Zhou Muzhi told Zhou Buren that his master considered him ready to attempt Gate Knocking once he settled his mind, and said only Zhou Buren and Lao Xu knew of his progress.
• Zhou Buren cautioned Zhou Muzhi to be careful and told him that an answer about a newly found incense-making ingredient would arrive soon.

Zhou Muzhi planned to strengthen himself and Lao Xu, then went to the Li Residence to attempt Gate Knocking. With Li Jingfei's guidance and preparations, he began circulating his blood and qi to knock open the Blood Gate.

• Zhou Muzhi reviewed his status and decided he needed more Deduction Points and to attempt Gate Knocking soon.
• After bathing, Zhou Muzhi resolved to raise Lao Xu's strength and meet Sun Yao, whose connection to the affair had emerged in his memories.
• At the Covered Rain Gambling House, Qian Zhen learned that Gui Chengyang and the three ruffians were dead and sent a subordinate to investigate.
• Li Jingfei brought Zhou Muzhi to a prepared room, explained the rules of Gate Knocking, and urged him not to force himself.
• Alone in the room, Zhou Muzhi settled his blood and qi and began attempting to knock open the Blood Gate.

Zhou Muzhi completed Gate Knocking despite the vengeful spirit’s interference, gaining a stronger body and a new status on his panel. Li Jingfei confirmed the spirit could not approach him for now and offered to guide Lao Xu through his own breakthrough.

• Zhou Muzhi gathered his blood and qi for Gate Knocking, but his talent could not complete the final step and the vengeful spirit appeared to interfere.
• Zhou Muzhi used his final Sudden Enlightenment to spread blood and qi across his skin, completing the Blood Gate and driving the spirit away.
• Zhou Muzhi checked his panel and found his status had changed from temporarily sealed to a mark, while his strength exceeded his expectations.
• Li Jingfei welcomed Zhou Muzhi’s successful breakthrough and offered Lao Xu guidance if Lao Xu paid for the attempt.
• Zhou Muzhi told Lao Xu about the offer, promised to cover any shortfall, and planned to collect money from his dissolute friends.

Zhou Muzhi questioned Sun Yao about the night a woman was taken away and learned that men connected to Young Master Qian had seized her. He left with the names of two key figures, Ma Jin and Hua Kai, as leads in identifying the vengeful spirit.

• Zhou Muzhi and Lao Xu went to Sun Yao’s family clothing shop in Xuan Yi Market.
• Sun Yao tried to flee when Zhou Muzhi asked what he knew, but Lao Xu restrained him.
• Sun Yao said the woman had escaped and asked him for help, but Young Master Qian’s men dragged her away while she pleaded.
• Sun Yao identified Ma Jin and Hua Kai as the men who led Young Master Qian’s men.
• Zhou Muzhi concluded that the woman was likely the vengeful spirit and left with Lao Xu to pursue the new leads.

Zhou Muzhi visited the Third Master’s gang with Lao Xu to collect a hundred taels, while the gang was already searching for the person who killed Gui. The Third Master recognized the danger posed by Lao Xu and paid Zhou Muzhi, leaving his men warned not to provoke the Zhou Family’s Fourth Young Master.

• Lao Xu offered to track down Zhou Muzhi’s enemies, but Zhou Muzhi said they should prepare by raising Lao Xu’s cultivation first.
• Zhou Muzhi and Lao Xu reached the Third Master’s hideout, where Dead-Fish Eyes told them Hua Kai had reported Gui’s death and urged the gang to watch for strangers.
• Zhou Muzhi demanded the hundred taels the Third Master owed him, and the Third Master ordered Dead-Fish Eyes to pay.
• The Third Master explained that Lao Xu was a Body Condensation expert and warned his men that Zhou Muzhi was the Zhou Family’s Fourth Young Master.
• The Third Master’s gang accepted that they could not afford to provoke Zhou Muzhi.

Zhou Muzhi helped Lao Xu prepare to attempt Gate Knocking, then gathered the remaining ingredients for Evil-Repelling Incense. He obtained the Purple Lingzhi Threaded Roots by agreeing to arrange a steward position for the one-armed young man who had found them.

• Zhou Muzhi told Lao Xu to focus on strengthening himself and attempt Gate Knocking before confronting the Qian Family, then revealed that he had already achieved Gate Knocking himself.
• Lao Xu left to prepare for his breakthrough while Zhou Muzhi went to the Zhou Family Vinegar Workshop to collect ingredients for Evil-Repelling Incense.
• A workshop steward told Zhou Muzhi that his nephew had found the Redwood Root and the Purple Lingzhi Threaded Roots, but wanted a future in exchange for the latter.
• Zhou Muzhi agreed to ask Zhou Buren to employ the one-armed young man as a steward, signed the young man's contract, and received the Purple Lingzhi Threaded Roots.
• With all the ingredients gathered, Zhou Muzhi hurried to Half-Immortal Xu's home.