Chapter Summaries

Zhu Lianqing rescued Shen Ji and dove into the pool to save Xie Lingchuan from Yesheng’s fragrance. She entered Xie Lingchuan’s inner demon illusion, where she saw him as a smiling boy on Evergreen Peak behaving affectionately toward a blurred figure he called Master.

• Shen Ji struck Thousand Vines’ demon core but fell asleep under Yesheng’s fragrance, and Zhu Lianqing rescued him from the blooming flower.
• Zhu Lianqing cut Yesheng from the vine, dropped it into the pool, and plunged underwater to find Xie Lingchuan unconscious beside a black abyss.
• Zhu Lianqing pressed her lips to Xie Lingchuan’s to give him air and joined their divine senses to enter his inner demon illusion.
• Zhu Lianqing found herself on Evergreen Peak, watching a young Xie Lingchuan practice sword and eagerly approach the blurred figure he called Master.

Zhu Lianqing followed Xie Lingchuan's inner demon illusion into a dark coastal town, where she witnessed an imagined version of herself die while saving him from a demonic flood dragon. The illusion left her facing Xie Lingchuan's devastating grief, which differed from the real memories she knew.

• Zhu Lianqing watched Xie Lingchuan talk happily with his imagined Master before the illusion shifted from Evergreen Peak to a mist-shrouded coastal town.
• A demonic flood dragon attacked the town, and an imagined Zhu Lianqing used Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin against it.
• The sword, tainted by demonic qi, turned back and struck the imagined Zhu Lianqing as Xie Lingchuan screamed for his Master.
• Xie Lingchuan held the dying Zhu Lianqing and begged her not to leave him alone while the real Zhu Lianqing watched helplessly.
• Zhu Lianqing realized the scene was not a memory, then saw blood falling from the sky as Xie Lingchuan wept blood.

Zhu Lianqing pulled Xie Lingchuan out of his inner demon illusion and helped the group escape the water, but she collapsed from her injuries. As Xie Lingchuan carried her away, he remembered the illusion and doubted anyone was waiting for him on Evergreen Peak.

• Zhu Lianqing reached Xie Lingchuan with her divine sense, convinced him the illusion was false, and led him out before it collapsed.
• Zhu Lianqing brought Xie Lingchuan to the surface, where Jiang Tingxue, Song Wensheng, and Yan Qing pulled them ashore.
• Jiang Tingxue, Song Wensheng, and Yan Qing found Shen Ji still unconscious and learned he seemed to have overcome his nightmare.
• Zhu Lianqing collapsed after asking about Shen Ji, and Xie Lingchuan caught her and told the others to get Shen Ji out before Yesheng's fragrance spread.
• Xie Lingchuan carried Zhu Lianqing toward the cave entrance and wondered who could still be waiting for him on Evergreen Peak.

After the group returned to the Liu residence, Xie Lingchuan questioned Zhu Lianqing’s hidden abilities and learned that Shen Ji had seen his family in Yesheng’s inner-demon illusion. That night, Xie Lingchuan secretly destroyed the healing medicine Shen Ji had given Zhu Lianqing, revealing a jealous and resentful side.

• Xie Lingchuan brought the unconscious Zhu Lianqing and Shen Ji back to the Liu residence, where he assured Master Liu that both would recover.
• Xie Lingchuan asked Master Liu to keep Perfected Lord Nanhua’s portrait clean, then went to tend to Zhu Lianqing and wondered how much she had lied to him.
• Shen Ji woke and told his juniors that his inner-demon illusion had shown him his mother and younger brother.
• Xie Lingchuan told Shen Ji that Zhu Lianqing had defeated Yesheng and said she must return with them to the Luoyu Sword Sect for investigation.
• Shen Ji gave Xie Lingchuan a bottle of healing medicine for Zhu Lianqing, but Xie Lingchuan crushed it in secret, resenting Shen Ji’s bond with his master.

Zhu Lianqing and Xie Lingchuan discussed their secrets after escaping the inner demon illusion, but Xie Lingchuan denied crying for his deceased master and broke down alone afterward. The next morning, they helped Madam Liu decorate the residence for Liu Mingzhu’s wedding.

• Zhu Lianqing awoke from a nightmare about Xie Lingchuan’s tears and found him waiting in the courtyard to talk.
• Xie Lingchuan asked whether Zhu Lianqing had hidden cultivation and was concealing herself from someone, and she confirmed both.
• Zhu Lianqing asked whether Xie Lingchuan had cried for his master two years earlier, and he denied it despite his trembling hand.
• After Zhu Lianqing returned to her room, Xie Lingchuan collapsed in darkness and laughed and cried over her words about death and greatness.
• The next morning, Zhu Lianqing and Xie Lingchuan flew up to hang lanterns and red silk for Liu Mingzhu’s wedding.

At Mingzhu’s wedding, Zhu Lianqing and her companions joined the celebrations as Pei Zhe came to fetch the bride. Zhu Lianqing accepted spirit stones and gold from Xie Lingchuan, and the chapter ended with Jiang Tingxue catching them standing alone together.

• Zhu Lianqing lit incense for Mingzhu and comforted Madam Liu before the wedding festivities began.
• Jiang Tingxue, Song Wensheng, and Yan Qing enjoyed the celebration, while Zhu Lianqing noticed Xie Lingchuan wearing a red flower.
• Pei Zhe arrived to fetch Mingzhu, and Jiang Tingxue, Song Wensheng, and Yan Qing joined in barring his way.
• Zhu Lianqing caught a pouch of wedding coins, then asked Xie Lingchuan for triple the spirit stones and gold she had wagered on him.
• Jiang Tingxue found Zhu Lianqing and Xie Lingchuan standing alone close together, prompting Zhu Lianqing to step away.

After Mingzhu’s wedding procession left the Liu residence, ghosts from Pingjiang City abducted her bridal sedan, prompting Zhu Lianqing, Xie Lingchuan, and the others to prepare a rescue. The Moon-Gazing Sect disciples pursued the ghosts but reported that they had fled into Pingjiang City.

• Pei Zhe led Mingzhu away from the Liu residence, while Zhu Lianqing recognized two Moon-Gazing Sect disciples among the wedding attendants.
• After the bridal escort departed, Zhu Lianqing and Xie Lingchuan agreed to leave the following day, but they stayed overnight at the Liu residence.
• A maid told Zhu Lianqing and Xie Lingchuan that ghosts had seized Mingzhu’s bridal sedan and that Madam Liu had fainted from the news.
• A wounded porter explained that two eyeless female ghosts appeared among the procession, injured its members, and abducted Mingzhu despite the Moon-Gazing Sect disciples’ intervention.
• The porter said the Moon-Gazing Sect disciples pursued the ghosts, then returned with news that they had entered Pingjiang City.

After learning that Mingzhu had been taken into the dangerous, sealed Pingjiang City, Xie Lingchuan, Zhu Lianqing, Shen Ji, and the three juniors set out to rescue her. At the city gates, Xie Lingchuan bound himself to Zhu Lianqing with the Live and Die Together spell so he could share her injuries and protect her.

• A messenger reported that a ghost had taken Mingzhu into Pingjiang City, and Madam Liu pleaded with Xie Lingchuan and Zhu Lianqing to save her.
• Xie Lingchuan, Zhu Lianqing, and Shen Ji concluded the city seal had weakened but the ancient fierce ghost remained suppressed, so they decided to enter quickly and rescue Mingzhu.
• Jiang Tingxue, Song Wensheng, and Yan Qing insisted on joining the search, and Shen Ji agreed to bring them along.
• The six flew to Pingjiang City and stopped outside its gates, where Xie Lingchuan and Shen Ji warned everyone to prioritize their safety and stay together.
• Xie Lingchuan cast the Live and Die Together spell on Zhu Lianqing, saying he wanted to protect her despite knowing her cultivation was strong.

Xie Lingchuan and the others entered Pingjiang City to search for Mingzhu and discovered an illusion recreating the city’s past, including a ghostly wedding. When the dead turned toward them and approached, they held back from drawing their swords because the city’s seal had weakened and violence could increase the baleful energy.

• Xie Lingchuan led the group into Pingjiang City, where Zhu Lianqing and the others saw signs of the massacre and the fierce fighting that had taken place there.
• The group rounded a corner and found the ruined streets transformed into a bustling illusion of Pingjiang City as it had appeared a hundred years earlier.
• Jiang Tingxue spotted red lanterns, and the group followed the wedding sounds to the He residence, where a crowd celebrated He Lan'er’s wedding.
• A headless-looking dead man bumped into Song Wensheng, and his skull rolled after him until Shen Ji blocked it with his sword qi.
• Xie Lingchuan warned everyone not to draw their swords unless necessary, and Zhu Lianqing said the malevolent ghost’s accumulated resentment was likely impossible to dispel.
• The dead in the courtyard turned toward Jiang Tingxue, muttered “Bridegroom... bride...,” and began approaching the group.

Zhu Lianqing and her companions were drawn into a ghostly wedding at the He family courtyard, where matchmakers selected them as bride and groom. Shen Ji, Zhu Lianqing, and Xie Lingchuan were taken away separately, while Jiang Tingxue, Song Wensheng, and Yan Qing followed them into the trap.

• Two ghost matchmakers appeared and Xie Lingchuan identified them as spirits who hijacked wedding parties, with Mingzhu likely held near the ghost bride.
• A matchmaker singled out Shen Ji and took him into the He family courtyard, where the group saw coffins disguised as bridal sedans and realized he had vanished.
• The matchmaker chose Zhu Lianqing as a bride, and Zhu let the maids escort her away while Xie Lingchuan watched.
• Shen Ji reappeared in wedding robes, and Song Wensheng, Jiang Tingxue, and Yan Qing feared he would be forced to marry the female ghost; Shen Ji signaled Xie Lingchuan that he was safe.
• Xie Lingchuan had the others lure the matchmaker and was selected as well, then Jiang Tingxue, Song Wensheng, and Yan Qing followed by attracting the matchmaker themselves.