Chapter Summaries

Ji Yuan entered the Hui Manor with Gan Qingle and discovered that demons were hiding there while the Eldest Princess and Master Huitong investigated faint demonic traces. He confronted Liu Shengyan, who was revealed as a demon, and demanded to know whether the fox was in the Imperial Palace.

• Ji Yuan emptied the wine jar into the Thousand Dou Pot and met Gan Qingle, who told him the woman he had seen had gone to the Hui Manor.
• Ji Yuan used Gan Qingle's reputation to gain entry to the Hui Manor, and the two were welcomed by a steward.
• The Eldest Princess Chu Ruyan, Lu Qianyan, and Huitong discussed the demonic aura within the manor and agreed to observe before informing Master Hui.
• Liu Shengyan entered the reception hall and approached Huitong, whose Buddhist sight detected demonic aura around her.
• Ji Yuan sensed that the manor had become a fox den, left Gan Qingle behind, and appeared in the reception hall.
• Ji Yuan immobilized Liu Shengyan with Words Become Law and asked whether the fox was in the Imperial Palace.

Ji Yuan exposed Liu Shengyan as a fox demon and forced her to reveal that Tu Yun was living in the Imperial Palace as Consort Hui. After Hui Yuanqiao returned to his manor and hosted his distinguished guests, Ji Yuan set out with Gan Qingle to enter the capital and watch Huitong confront the demons there.

• Ji Yuan restrained Liu Shengyan and threatened to strip away her cultivation, terrifying her into abandoning her denials.
• Liu Shengyan revealed that Tu Yun was in the Imperial Palace under the name Hui Xiaorou and was favored by the Tianbao Emperor as Consort Hui.
• Hui Yuanqiao returned to the manor, greeted Chu Ruyan and Huitong, and arranged their meal and journey into the capital.
• Ji Yuan accepted Hui Yuanqiao's invitation to dine with Gan Qingle, then told him they would follow Huitong into the capital to watch him drive demons from the Imperial Palace.

Ji Yuan and Gan Qingle traveled to the Capital City to help address the threat posed by the fox demon Tu Yun and the danger facing the City God. As Chu Ruyan and Huitong entered the palace for their audience, Ji Yuan watched from the bell tower, where he and Gan Qingle had spent the night.

• Ji Yuan told Gan Qingle that Tu Yun planned to destabilize the Tianbao Kingdom and asked him to help Huitong, saying Gan Qingle's unusual blood could be useful.
• Ji Yuan and Gan Qingle followed Chu Ruyan and Huitong's convoy to the Capital City, while Hui Yuanqiao brought tribute for the imperial family.
• Ji Yuan observed that the Capital City's divine light was unstable and explained that the emperor had displaced the old City God by promoting a new one.
• Ji Yuan warned that Tu Yun, a fox demon trained in Jade Fox Cave Heaven's teachings, had likely helped bring the City God to his current plight.
• At dawn, Chu Ruyan and Huitong entered the Golden Hall to meet the Tianbao emperor, who invited them to rise and speak.

Huitong investigated the Imperial Palace and identified a fox demon as the likely source of its ill omens, then used Buddhist beads and sutras to protect the imperial family. Consort Hui’s reaction to the beads exposed her connection to the demonic aura, and she ordered Huitong and Chu Ruyan killed at the Post Station.

• The Tianbao Emperor summoned Huitong to investigate the Empress’s miscarriages, nightmares, and broken protective treasures.
• At Yong'an Palace, Huitong detected hidden demonic traces and told the Empress Dowager he believed a fox was responsible.
• Huitong gave the emperor, Empress Dowager, and consorts blessed prayer beads and chanted sutras to protect them.
• After returning to Pixiang Palace, Consort Hui removed the beads, revealing burn marks on her wrist, and cursed Huitong.
• Consort Hui ordered her people to kill Huitong and Chu Ruyan at the Post Station, making Chu Ruyan’s death disgrace Tingliang Kingdom if possible.

Chu Ruyan and Huitong prepared for the demons’ attack while Ji Yuan’s living characters established a formation around the capital. Huitong, Lu Qianyan, and Gan Qingle fought two female demons at the post station, as Ji Yuan confronted a demon and a demon lord outside the city; the demon lord suddenly disappeared.

• Huitong told Chu Ruyan that the fox demon was powerful and warned her to stay awake, while Lu Qianyan watched the streets nervously.
• Ji Yuan’s living characters entered the meditation chamber and told Huitong that a formation was ready and demons would attack that night.
• Ji Yuan identified two demons inside the formation and sent Gan Qingle to the post station while he headed outside the capital.
• Huitong, Lu Qianyan, and Gan Qingle attacked two female demons at the post station, and Gan Qingle’s blood burned one of them.
• Ji Yuan appeared before a demon and a demon lord outside the capital, and the demon lord vanished before his companion could react.

Ji Yuan defeated a toad demon outside the capital and helped Monk Huitong’s group finish dealing with two fox demons. He gave Huitong Dharma coins to face Tu Yun at the Imperial Palace, where the Tianbao Emperor woke from a nightmare about Consort Hui being a fox demon.

• Ji Yuan dodged the toad demon’s poisonous attacks and killed it with a sword strike through the water.
• The Green Vine Sword pursued and destroyed the fleeing demon, while Ji Yuan cleared the floodwaters and poison outside the capital.
• Monk Huitong completed the deliverance of two fox demons as Ji Yuan restored the damaged streets around the post station.
• Ji Yuan gave Monk Huitong Dharma coins and warned that Tu Yun was a powerful fox demon inside the Imperial Palace.
• The Tianbao Emperor dreamed that Consort Hui was a fox demon, then woke to find her beside him and claimed he had had a nightmare.

The emperor fled Consort Hui after a nightmare and summoned Master Huitong, who led a demon hunt at Pixiang Palace. Huitong exposed Consort Hui as the fox demon Tu Yun and trapped her, then unleashed a powerful Buddha attack as she realized his cultivation had been greatly underestimated.

• The emperor retrieved his prayer beads, left Pixiang Palace, and ordered Master Huitong to come to the Imperial Study after recalling his nightmare about a fox-faced demon.
• Huitong arrived at the palace gates before the summons reached him, saying he had sensed demonic qi, and hurried with the old eunuch to meet the emperor.
• After hearing the emperor's suspicions, Huitong and the imperial guards surrounded Pixiang Palace and began a demon hunt.
• Huitong's Buddhist true words forced Consort Hui to reveal her identity as Tu Yun, and his Buddha phantom struck Pixiang Palace with a powerful palm.
• Tu Yun tried to flee but was thrown back by a formation, while Huitong intensified his attack and she realized his cultivation far exceeded their expectations.

Monk Huitong used the Golden Bowl Seal to subdue Tu Yun, a six-tailed fox demon, while the Imperial Guards’ Military Killing Intent weakened her attacks. The Tianbao Emperor arrived after the golden bowl trapped Tu Yun, and Ji Yuan’s Intent Landscape lit up when Huitong reclaimed the seal.

• Monk Huitong pressed Tu Yun with Buddha’s Light as she revealed her six-tailed fox form and resisted the descending Golden Bowl Seal.
• Tu Yun attacked the Imperial Guards and threatened to bury the palace with them, but their commander maintained formation and their Military Killing Intent blunted her demonic strikes.
• Tu Yun spat out a white pearl, but a flash of silver knocked it back into her body and weakened her; her desperate pleas briefly stirred the Tianbao Emperor, though his eunuchs stopped him from approaching.
• Monk Huitong’s Golden Bowl Seal descended over Pixiang Palace and trapped Tu Yun beneath it.
• The Tianbao Emperor arrived, and Monk Huitong explained Tu Yun’s crimes before shrinking the golden bowl and taking it into his hand.
• A chess piece transformed into a star within Ji Yuan’s Intent Landscape lit up when Huitong received the golden bowl.

Ji Yuan reflected on how people connected to him became pieces in his Chess Path, then reunited with Monk Huitong after the fox demon was captured. Meanwhile, Shi Jiu learned Tu Yun was lost and confronted Liu Shengyan over whether she had betrayed her.

• Ji Yuan saw the hidden stars representing beings connected to him and considered how their lives and legacies shaped his Chess Path.
• Ji Yuan recalled the Little Characters to the Sword Intent Scroll, praised their help, and left the Imperial Palace with the Little Paper Crane.
• Monk Huitong returned to the Post Station with Tu Yun sealed in the Golden Bowl Seal, and Ji Yuan accepted three of the remaining Dharma coins while telling him to keep two.
• Shi Jiu learned through divination that Tu Yun had been captured and went to warn Liu Shengyan to flee.
• Shi Jiu suspected Liu Shengyan had revealed Tu Yun's whereabouts, threatened her with his fangs, then released her and vanished into the darkness.

After the Imperial Palace demon was subdued, Ji Yuan explained Gan Qingle’s Yang Sha Red Flame and discussed his potential for Buddhist cultivation with him and Monk Huitong. When a mysterious White-robed Guest came to the capital seeking Tu Yun and demanded the Golden Bowl, Ji Yuan arrived beside Huitong as the confrontation began.

• Shi Jiu warned his Heavenly Revelation Alliance companions and fled Tianbao Kingdom.
• Gan Qingle asked Ji Yuan about his unusual blood, and Ji Yuan explained that it manifested as Yang Sha Red Flame and that Gan could cultivate through Buddhist intent.
• Monk Huitong told Ji Yuan that Tianbao Kingdom’s emperor had offered him the titles of Protector of the Nation Great Dharma Master and abbot of Fayuan Temple, along with gifts.
• Ji Yuan sensed an intruder investigating the capital, and he and Huitong went out to meet the White-robed Guest.
• The White-robed Guest asked whether Tu Yun could be saved, then demanded Huitong hand over the Golden Bowl or die.
• Ji Yuan appeared beside Huitong, and the White-robed Guest stopped advancing.

Ji Yuan confronted Tu Yi of Jade Fox Cave Heaven when the Nine-tailed Fox demanded the Golden Bowl and Tu Yun. Ji Yuan let Tu Yi take Tu Yun after securing the bowl’s safety, and Tu Yi departed promising to eliminate the demons and evils connected to her in Tianbao Kingdom.

• Tu Yi demanded that Huitong hand over the Golden Bowl, but Ji Yuan questioned whether Tu Yun would be allowed to do evil again.
• Tu Yi abruptly attacked Huitong, and Ji Yuan stepped in to block him and exchanged several dangerous blows with him.
• Tu Yi threatened that a real fight could endanger Tianbao Kingdom’s capital, so Ji Yuan agreed to let him take Tu Yun’s remnant soul if the Golden Bowl was not damaged.
• Huitong released Tu Yun from the Golden Bowl, and Tu Yi absorbed her remnant soul before bidding Ji Yuan farewell.
• After leaving, Tu Yi noticed the burns on his palm and sent word that he would eliminate the demons and evils in Tianbao Kingdom connected to Tu Yun.

Ji Yuan left the post station and traveled to Boundless Ghost City, where he asked Xin Wuya to mobilize its forces to fight evil spirits in Zuyue Kingdom as the Path of Gods weakened. Xin Wuya eagerly accepted, and Ji Yuan warned that the undertaking would test his judgment and responsibility.

• Ji Yuan reflected on Tu Yi’s visit and concluded that Tu Yi had come to protect Tu Yun from becoming involved in dangerous affairs.
• Ji Yuan bid farewell to Huitong and the others, then flew toward Great Zhen and saw signs of civil strife in Zuyue Kingdom.
• Ji Yuan arrived in Boundless Ghost City and asked Xin Wuya to meet him at the City Lord’s Manor.
• Ji Yuan told Xin Wuya to gather the city’s ghosts and allies to eliminate evil spirits wherever they could reach in Zuyue Kingdom.
• Ji Yuan warned Xin Wuya that opening this path would test his ability to discern ghosts and that he would bear responsibility for any grave mistakes.

Ji Yuan encouraged Xin Wuya to establish a lawful, honorable Underworld Bureau and promised to help if yin evil threatened its purpose. At Boundless Ghost City’s muster, Xin Wuya swore the Underworld’s ambition before the assembled ghosts, whose unified cries stirred Ghost Chess in Ji Yuan’s artistic conception.

• Xin Wuya proposed governing Boundless Ghost City’s ghosts with strict laws, salaries, and official duties so they could serve honorably.
• Ji Yuan praised Xin Wuya’s plan, promised to act if yin evil suppressed righteousness, and asked to inspect the Ghost Officials and ghost soldiers.
• Xin Wuya ordered the Ghost Generals to beat the muster drums, and the Underworld Ghost Army assembled at the Training Ground.
• Ji Yuan praised the army’s strength, and Xin Wuya proclaimed his oath to uphold the rites of humanity and pursue the grand and righteous path.
• A Ghost General led the troops in shouting their ambition, and Ji Yuan saw Ghost Chess shining above the mountains and rivers.

Ji Yuan bestowed a powerful Underworld Main Hall seal on Xin Wuya, who used it to appoint Xing Zeng and learned firsthand that the seal demanded great care. A day later, Ji Yuan visited the Tongtian River Water Mansion looking for the absent Dragon Lord, then left after asking the Yakshas to inform Ying Ruoli.

• Ji Yuan engraved the words Underworld Main Hall onto a seal, whose creation caused the hall to tremble, and gave it to Xin Wuya for appointing officials.
• Xin Wuya used the seal to promote Xing Zeng to Commander of Ghost Soldiers, and Xing Zeng endured pain as the seal imprinted his command plaque.
• Xin Wuya convulsed after using the seal but quickly recovered, realizing Ji Yuan's warning meant he should use it cautiously.
• Ji Yuan reached the Tongtian River Water Mansion and learned from the Yakshas that the Dragon Lord had not returned.
• Ji Yuan left word for Ying Ruoli, who sat up when she heard he had visited but lay back down after learning he had already departed.

Ying Ruoli visited Ning'an County hoping to find Ji Yuan and met Wei Wuwei at Sun's Noodle Stall. When Ji Yuan arrived, she confessed that she had crippled Gong Xiu, the son of Dragon Lord Gong of the southern sea, leaving Ji Yuan stunned.

• Ying Ruoli left the Water Mansion and flew to Ning'an County to look for Ji Yuan.
• Ying Ruoli wandered through the county and tried the braised noodles at Sun's Noodle Stall.
• Wei Wuwei arrived at the stall, met Ying Ruoli, and learned that she was Ji Yuan's niece.
• Ji Yuan returned to Ning'an County and found Ying Ruoli and Wei Wuwei eating together.
• Ying Ruoli told Ji Yuan that she had crippled Gong Xiu and severed his root of offspring.

Ying Ruoli told Ji Yuan why she had maimed Gong Xiu and asked him not to give the Gong family any Fire Jujubes. Ji Yuan let her appeal to the Large Jujube Tree, which Ying Ruoli named Mother Jujube and persuaded about the matter.

• Ying Ruoli explained that Gong Xiu had tried to force himself on her with the Dragon Entangling Art, so she broke free and destroyed his reproductive organ.
• Ying Ruoli said her father had suggested Ji Yuan might be able to help Gong Xiu with a fruit from the Large Jujube Tree, and asked Ji Yuan not to provide one.
• Ji Yuan told Ying Ruoli to speak with the Large Jujube Tree, while noting that its Fire Jujubes had not matured and that he could not force it to bear fruit.
• Ji Yuan brought Ying Ruoli and Wei Wuwei to Ju'an Pavilion, where Ying Ruoli approached the tree and named it Mother Jujube.
• Ying Ruoli whispered to Mother Jujube about Gong Xiu, and the tree's branches and Fire Jujubes responded as she asked whether their agreement was settled.

Ying Ruoli helped the Large Jujube Tree cultivate by using her shifting forms and shadows to guide it toward condensing a spirit. On New Year’s Day, the tree succeeded and appeared as a young woman in green, able to speak and move her divine sense beyond its trunk.

• Ying Ruoli listened as Wei Wuwei recounted how he and his son began cultivating at Yuhuai Mountain and why he had come to ask Ji Yuan about a mysterious benefactor.
• Ji Yuan suggested that Wei Wuwei consider developing Immortal Ferry Crossing into a cultivator market, and Ying Ruoli offered the Dragon Clan’s support.
• Ying Ruoli stayed at Ju’an Pavilion and used her forms, shadows, and spiritual wind to help the Large Jujube Tree observe and comprehend the Dao.
• After several days of Ying Ruoli’s cultivation ritual, Ji Yuan recognized that the Large Jujube Tree was approaching the step of condensing a spirit.
• On New Year’s Day, the Large Jujube Tree became a young woman in green who could speak, and she thanked Ji Yuan as Mother Jujube.

Mother Jujube settled into her new life as a spirit while Ji Yuan gathered books to help her learn about the human world. Old Dragon Ying Hong arrived and urgently asked Ji Yuan and Ying Ruoli to leave with him, hinting that trouble beyond the Dragon Corpse Worms was awaiting them.

• Ji Yuan left Mother Jujube with Ying Ruoli, who gave her a box of jewelry and offered to teach her about the human world.
• Ji Yuan bought nearly a hundred books in Ning'an County and sensed winter thunder gathering in the east.
• When Ji Yuan returned to Ju'an Pavilion, Old Dragon Ying Hong asked him to leave the mountain at once, and Ji Yuan agreed.
• Ji Yuan gave Mother Jujube the books and entrusted her with watching the house before Old Dragon Ying Hong carried Ji Yuan and Ying Ruoli away on clouds.
• Ji Yuan asked whether Old Dragon Ying Hong had forgotten to mention something, and Old Dragon Ying Hong joked about asking for Fire Jujubes for Gong Xiu.

Ji Yuan joined the Dragon race’s alliance meeting to investigate a strange evil substance that had emerged from an Evil Worm in the Wild Sea. When he used the Xiezhi Scroll to examine it, the beast reached toward the substance and demanded its blood.

• Old Mister Ying told Ji Yuan that the Dragon race was returning to the Wild Sea because the source of the Dragon Corpse Worms had never been found and new developments had alarmed the dragons.
• Old Mister Ying brought Ji Yuan and Ying Ruoli to Dragon Lord Huang’s Crystal Treasure Palace, where Ji Yuan met the True Dragons gathering for the expedition.
• Dragon Lord Huang showed Ji Yuan a restrained mass of red-black substance that had escaped from an Evil Worm, whose killing had cost an Azure Flood Dragon its life.
• Ji Yuan unfolded the Xiezhi Scroll and asked the Ancient Divine Beast Xiezhi to identify the evil substance.
• Xiezhi emerged partly from the painting, reached a claw toward the substance, and repeatedly demanded its blood.

Ji Yuan and the four True Dragons investigated the strange black-and-red substance, and Grandpa Xiezhi identified it as likely the blood of an ancient ferocious beast called a Hou. Ji Yuan explained that the Hou was a hereditary enemy of dragons, leaving the gathered dragons alarmed by the possibility of its return.

• Grandpa Xiezhi demanded the strange blood, and Ji Yuan and the four True Dragons agreed to divide it so the painting could consume some.
• After swallowing half the blood, Grandpa Xiezhi said it was probably from a Hou but could not identify whose blood it was, then demanded more.
• Ji Yuan rolled up the scroll and told the dragons that the substance was likely blood from an ancient ferocious beast.
• At the dragons' request, Ji Yuan described ancient divine beasts and ferocious beasts, then conjured an image of the Hou.
• Ji Yuan said the Hou had been a hereditary enemy of the ancient dragon race and had hunted dragons to devour them, frightening the assembled dragons.