Chapter Summaries

Xu Qi'an reunited with Lin'an, Huaiqing, and his companions, then agreed to help Emperor Yongxing raise disaster-relief funds. Luo Yuheng arrived and announced that she was Xu Qi'an’s dual cultivation Dao companion, leaving the women stunned as Chu Yuanzhen went to fetch Xu Lingyue.

• Xu Qi'an reunited with Lin'an, Huaiqing, and the others at the Directorate of Astronomy and recounted his travels and Dragon Qi collection.
• Huaiqing and Lin'an explained Emperor Yongxing’s plan to raise donations for disaster relief, and Xu Qi'an agreed to help by intimidating the court officials and gentry.
• As Xu Qi'an tried to leave for Numinous Treasure Temple, Luo Yuheng arrived and publicly declared that she was his Dao companion and had practiced dual cultivation with him.
• Huaiqing, Li Miaozhen, and Zhong Li challenged Luo Yuheng’s claim, while Xu Qi'an asked Chu Yuanzhen to fetch Xu Lingyue and tell her what had happened.
• Li Lingsu and Yang Qianhuan learned that Luo Yuheng was Xu Qi'an’s Dao companion, saw the women gathered in the room, and formed an alliance against Xu Qi'an.

Xu Qi'an summoned Xu Lingyue to defuse a confrontation between Luo Yuheng and the women close to him. Lingyue maneuvered the State Preceptor into abandoning her demand for an oath, and Xu Qi'an later returned to Luo Yuheng, who refused to let him into her meditation chamber.

• Xu Qi'an tried to leave the Directorate of Astronomy with Xu Lingyue, but Luo Yuheng and the other women stopped him and demanded he take a side.
• Luo Yuheng threatened the women and demanded that Xu Qi'an swear he would never have illicit relations with them; Xu Lingyue defended them and challenged the State Preceptor's demand.
• Xu Lingyue urged Xu Qi'an to swear, but Luo Yuheng realized the oath would be a hollow formality and left without making him swear.
• Xu Qi'an praised Xu Lingyue's skillful mediation and carried her home, while she worried that Luo Yuheng might retaliate against her.
• Luo Yuheng lamented that she would have to make Xu Qi'an choose next month, then refused to let him into her meditation chamber when he came to see her.
• Xu Qi'an left after Luo Yuheng rejected him, then returned and slipped into her room through a window.

Emperor Yongxing prepared to propose donations at court, while Xu Qi'an and Luo Yuheng continued their dual cultivation and woke in harmony. After the Seven Absolutes Gu began evolving, it pierced Xu Qi'an’s Primordial Spirit and left him encountering memories that did not belong to him.

• Emperor Yongxing learned that Lin'an and Huaiqing had both stayed at the Directorate of Astronomy and planned to have Xu Xinnian propose donations at court in exchange for promoting him.
• Xu Qi'an sensed that the cultivation gains from dual cultivation with Luo Yuheng were slowing, and the two woke together after another night in the meditation chamber.
• Luo Yuheng let Xu Qi'an use their secluded meditation chamber, then set up a barrier while he prepared for the Seven Absolutes Gu’s transformation.
• The Seven Absolutes Gu grew inside Xu Qi'an’s neck and spine, then struck his Primordial Spirit with a force that made his consciousness seem to split apart.
• Xu Qi'an eventually encountered fragmented memories that did not belong to him.

Xu Qi'an awakened the Seven Absolutes Gu and discovered it carried memories of the ancient gods and devils, then returned to Numinous Treasure Temple and reunited with his family. Xu Xinnian faced public condemnation for proposing donations, while the chapter ended with Xu Qi'an, Xu Xinnian, and Second Uncle Xu each arriving home with green tangerines.

• Xu Qi'an witnessed memories of the ancient gods and devils, then examined the Seven Absolutes Gu's upgraded powers and side effects.
• Luo Yuheng visited Xu Qi'an, who saw her as a catgirl and then a centaur under the influence of the Heart Gu; they dual cultivated before he left for home.
• Xu Xinnian's donation proposal made him the target of capital officials' abuse, and Ma Xiuwen warned him to expect impeachment.
• Xu Xinnian agreed to visit the Imperial Music Bureau after work but planned to return home before dusk.
• Xu Qi'an bought green tangerines to hide Luo Yuheng's cosmetic scent, then met Xu Xinnian and Second Uncle Xu at the residence, each carrying a bag of green tangerines.

Xu Qi'an returned to the Xu Residence and learned that Xu Xinnian faced widespread anger over proposing donations to the court. As Xu Qi'an discussed the Seven Absolutes Gu with Lina, Emperor Yongxing learned that Lin'an had secured Xu Qi'an's agreement to help, despite a stack of memorials impeaching Xu Xinnian.

• Xu Qi'an returned home, where his father and Xu Xinnian joined him in giving Xu Lingyin green tangerines until she burst into tears.
• Xu Xinnian explained that his donation proposal had angered officials and could cost him his post, while Xu Qi'an asked about the court's factions and donation rules.
• Xu Qi'an questioned Lina about the Seven Absolutes Gu, and Lina explained that the Gu God possessed all seven great Gu Arts.
• Lin'an told Emperor Yongxing that Xu Qi'an had agreed to help him, and the emperor celebrated as memorials impeaching Xu Xinnian lay on his desk.

Capital officials resisted Emperor Yongxing’s plan to solicit donations for disaster relief, and they impeached Xu Xinnian to undermine the emperor and Grand Secretary Wang. Liu Hong then used the confrontation to recommend Xu Qi'an to take charge of the Nightwatchers.

• Officials at the Meridian Gate argued that donating their salaries would set a dangerous precedent, while Qian Mu publicly challenged Xu Xinnian to give up his entire fortune.
• Emperor Yongxing asked his ministers for disaster-relief plans, then urged them to lead by donating, but faction leaders rejected the proposal.
• The supervising secretaries of several ministries impeached Xu Xinnian for accepting bribes, prompting him to realize he needed to build greater political support.
• Liu Hong called for an investigation into official corruption and offered to step down as head of the Nightwatchers.
• Liu Hong recommended former Nightwatcher Silver Gong Xu Qi'an to take his place.

Xu Qi'an returned to the capital, overawed the officials into accepting his appointment to lead the Nightwatchers, and helped Emperor Yongxing secure donations for disaster relief. He then left the capital for Cloud Deer Academy to question Zhao Shou about Wei Yuan's sacrifice and obtain Confucian spells.

• Liu Hong announced that Xu Qi'an had returned and wanted to take charge of the Nightwatchers, prompting fierce objections from officials and nobles.
• Xu Qi'an entered the imperial audience hall, knocked Duke Dingguo unconscious, defended his actions in killing Emperor Yuanjing, and compelled the officials to accept his authority.
• After court, Xu Qi'an asked Liu Hong about the Nightwatchers' covert agents and learned that Wei Yuan had taken their deployment dossier; Xu Qi'an said he would leave the capital the next day.
• News of Xu Qi'an's return strengthened support for donations, and Emperor Yongxing announced that officials and local gentry would be called on to contribute.
• Noble Consort Chen and Emperor Yongxing discussed Xu Qi'an's help, while Lin'an insisted she had no ties to him; Huaiqing instructed her chief guard to discreetly invite selected officials.
• Xu Qi'an left the capital with Mu Nanzhi and Baiji and headed for Cloud Deer Academy to meet Zhao Shou.

Xu Qi'an visited the academy with Mu Nanzhi and Baiji, trading a poem for the three Great Confucians’ help before asking Zhao Shou about the Confucian Sage’s seals. Zhao Shou confirmed that the Confucian Sage had sealed the Buddha too, leaving Xu Qi'an stunned.

• Xu Qi'an climbed Clear Cloud Mountain with Mu Nanzhi and Baiji and introduced Mu Nanzhi to the three Great Confucians as his wife-to-be, embarrassing her into leaving.
• Xu Qi'an asked the three Great Confucians for Words Become Law spells, then recited a poem to win their favor and left its title for them to decide.
• Xu Qi'an met Zhao Shou and asked why the Confucian Sage had sealed the Shaman God and the Gu God.
• Zhao Shou explained that the Shaman God’s seal was weakening and that Wei Yuan had sacrificed himself to reinforce it, but Xu Qi'an argued the Sage’s motives were more complicated.
• Zhao Shou revealed that the Confucian Sage had also sealed the Buddha, shocking Xu Qi'an.

Xu Qi'an learned from Zhao Shou that the Confucian Sage had sealed Buddha and that the Superintendent’s plans involved the Transcendent Rank. After watching Zhao Shou confine three brawling Great Confucians, Xu Qi'an returned to his courtyard with Mu Nanzhi and stayed with her for the night.

• Xu Qi'an questioned Zhao Shou about Buddha, the Dao Venerable, and why the Confucian Sage had sealed Transcendent Rank experts, learning that revealing the reason would interfere with someone’s plans.
• Zhao Shou explained that the three Great Confucians were fighting, then took Xu Qi'an to watch Zhang Shen, Chen Tai, and Li Mubai exchange spells and insults.
• Zhao Shou used the Sub-Sage's Academy’s power to stop the fight and confined the three Great Confucians for three days.
• Xu Qi'an found Mu Nanzhi at the academy and rode back to the capital with her, choosing to return to their courtyard rather than the Xu Residence.
• Xu Qi'an stayed with Mu Nanzhi, prepared her bath, and comforted her until she fell asleep by telling her he had always been there.

Xu Qi'an secretly visited Lin'an, soothed her jealousy over Luo Yuheng, and took her to see the capital from a floating artillery platform. Elsewhere, Ji Xuan’s group continued collecting Dragon Qi hosts, and Luo Yuheng awoke in the capital.

• Xu Qi'an put Mu Nanzhi and Baiji to sleep, then left the little mare to watch over them.
• Lin'an waited for news from Xu Qi'an, grew heartbroken when none arrived, and cried in bed.
• Xu Qi'an appeared beside Lin'an, hid beneath her quilt from the maids, and persuaded her to forgive him with promises and affection.
• Xu Qi'an took Lin'an above the capital on a floating artillery platform, and she asked whether he would seek her imperial brother’s approval to marry her; he agreed, but said not yet.
• Ji Xuan and Liu Hongmian captured another Dragon Qi host with the Four Directions Cauldron, while Ji Xuan hoped to draw Xu Qi'an to them.
• Luo Yuheng woke after sleeping for a day and two nights in the Numinous Treasure Temple.

Luo Yuheng recovered her memories of the seven days spent under karmic fire and was overwhelmed by embarrassment at what her personalities had done with Xu Qi'an. Unable to find him, she returned to Numinous Treasure Temple, while Xu Qi'an visited Duke Wei before leaving the capital to gather Dragon Qi.

• Luo Yuheng recalled her seven personalities’ intimate encounters and declarations of affection toward Xu Qi'an, then flew out to search for him.
• Luo Yuheng visited the Xu Residence, learned from Auntie that Xu Qi'an had left before dawn, and departed without finding him.
• Mu Nanzhi, Miao Youfang, and Li Lingsu traveled northwest, while Li Lingsu planned to report Xu Qi'an’s actions to Yang Qianhuan.
• Luo Yuheng returned to Numinous Treasure Temple and received letters from Lin'an, Huaiqing, and Li Miaozhen wishing her and Xu Qi'an well and teasing her about bearing a son.
• Xu Qi'an entered a secret chamber at the Directorate of Astronomy, brought wine to the sleeping Duke Wei, and said he would talk with him before leaving to gather Dragon Qi.

Xu Qi'an visited Wei Yuan’s remains, reflected on his duty to save Great Feng, and left the capital with Sun Xuanji. In Shengyi County, he asked a waiter about strange happenings and learned there had been several.

• Xu Qi'an reported his progress gathering Dragon Qi to Wei Yuan and chose to prioritize saving Great Feng over reviving him.
• Xu Qi'an told Zhong Li to wait at the Directorate of Astronomy, then asked Sun Xuanji to teleport him out of the capital.
• Yang Qianhuan told Zhong Li he planned to travel into the jianghu to help Xu Qi'an after completing a secret task in the capital.
• In Hidden Dragon City, Xu Pingfeng discussed his injuries, the Dragon Qi, and the Buddhist Order’s forces with a golden figure while the Superintendent watched from the sky.
• Xu Qi'an and his companions reached Shengyi County, where he asked a waiter about strange happenings and heard that several had occurred.

Xu Qi'an and his companions heard a county waiter's tale about a dead woman who seemed to return home at night and a temple god whose worshippers supposedly received whatever they prayed for. Suspecting foul play rather than Dragon Qi, they decided to investigate the City God Temple and left town to find it.

• Xu Qi'an asked locals about strange happenings, and a waiter told the group that Li Gui's dead wife had knocked at his door and peered through his window at night.
• Li Gui and his relatives dug up his wife's grave and found her body in its coffin, with mud on her shoes.
• A spirit medium blamed the disturbances on Li Gui's wife burning a wooden ghost in an abandoned City God Temple, and persuaded him to rebuild the temple and worship its god.
• The waiter claimed that Boss Zheng prayed for a rival rouge-shop owner to die, and the rival hanged himself that night.
• Xu Qi'an doubted that a Dragon Qi host was responsible, while Li Lingsu suspected corpse-controlling magic and proposed examining the body.
• Miao Youfang urged them to investigate, and Xu Qi'an and his companions left town for the City God Temple after asking the waiter where it was.

Xu Qi'an and his companions uncovered a fraudulent temple operation that exploited and abused worshippers, then killed the spirit medium and her son. As Xu Qi'an prepared to interrogate their souls, Miao Youfang suddenly collapsed and appeared to be dying.

• Xu Qi'an and his companions visited the City God Temple, where the spirit medium claimed the Heaven-Encompassing God could avert misfortune for a payment of two hundred taels.
• Li Lingsu learned that the temple forced a couple to pay for the husband’s wife to be used in a scheme to conceive a child, and that the spirit medium threatened people who resisted.
• The spirit medium demanded three hundred taels from Xu Qi'an’s group and ordered her men to surround them, so Miao Youfang killed her son and destroyed the shrine.
• Xu Qi'an ordered Miao Youfang to kill the spirit medium, then told the worshippers that she had used sorcery and the temple god’s name to exploit them.
• Xu Qi'an gave silver to a poor man whose wife was ill, while Miao Youfang returned the young couple’s money pouch and urged them to leave the matter behind.
• After Xu Qi'an ordered Li Lingsu to summon the dead, Miao Youfang abruptly collapsed, his face darkening as his life seemed to fade.

Xu Qi'an and Li Lingsu discovered that a damaged magical treasure, the Heaven-Encompassing Divine Mirror, had attacked them and captured several of their souls. After learning how the mirror had been used to terrorize the county, Xu Qi'an considered trading it to the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox’s daughter and asked Baiji to contact the princess.

• Xu Qi'an used Shift Stars and Swap Constellations to stop Miao Youfang’s body from failing after his Heaven Soul was seized.
• The Heaven-Encompassing Divine Mirror revealed itself and attacked Xu Qi'an, who subdued it with the Pagoda Treasure Tower and rescued the captured souls.
• The tower spirit identified the mirror as the damaged dressing mirror of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox, which had been nourished by incense offerings.
• Xu Qi'an questioned the spirit medium and her son’s ghosts and learned that the medium had used the mirror to kill Li Gui’s wife and terrorize the county, while her son had abused its authority to rape women.
• Xu Qi'an arranged for Miao Youfang to deal with the guards who had helped the criminals, then asked Baiji to contact the princess about the mirror.

Xu Qi'an summoned the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox through Baiji and negotiated the Heaven-Encompassing Divine Mirror in exchange for the removal of two Demon-Sealing Nails. The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox agreed to return within a month, offered aid against Xu Pingfeng and the Buddhist Order, and left Baiji to come to her senses.

• Xu Qi'an persuaded Baiji to contact the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox by explaining the importance of the Heaven-Encompassing Divine Mirror.
• The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox awakened through Baiji, advised Xu Qi'an to use Shenshu's severed arm, and teased him about fox beauties.
• Xu Qi'an showed her the Heaven-Encompassing Divine Mirror and bargained it for the removal of two Demon-Sealing Nails within one month.
• The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox explained that she had gone overseas to search for surviving clansmen descended from the Gods and Devils, and that other Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons treasures might remain hidden.
• The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox refused to reveal why the Buddhist Order destroyed the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons but promised to help against Xu Pingfeng and the Buddhist Order.
• The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox left Baiji's body, and Baiji returned to herself and tumbled while jumping down from the pedestal.

Xu Qi'an learned that Shengyi County's officials had exploited famine victims and arranged for the court to replace them after Miao Youfang killed the corrupt county leadership. He then unsealed the Heaven-Encompassing Divine Mirror, coaxed its spirit into accepting Dragon Qi, and prepared to test its ability to illuminate the Nine Provinces.

• Li Lingsu reported that the Shengyi County magistrate had murdered poor people to claim relief funds, and Xu Qi'an reflected on the growing danger of famine and rebellion.
• Miao Youfang returned with the heads of seven men, explaining that he had also killed the corrupt magistrate, deputy magistrate, and county commandant.
• Xu Qi'an informed Huaiqing of the killings so the court could appoint replacements, and the group stayed at an inn in Shengyi County.
• Mu Nanzhi said the Nine-Colored Lotus Root would mature in ten days, while Xu Qi'an considered traveling to Jianzhou to approach the Martial Arts Alliance.
• Xu Qi'an spoke with the Heaven-Encompassing Divine Mirror's artifact spirit, placed it in Dragon Qi, and persuaded it to work with him in exchange for continued nourishment.

Xu Qi'an tested the Heaven-Encompassing Divine Mirror’s remaining powers and learned that the State Preceptor was nearing the Land Immortal realm. In the capital, Xu Lingyin began studying in the palace and left the Grand Tutor bedridden after failing to recite the Three Character Classic, while Nalan Tianlu continued gathering Dragon Qi hosts and vowed to kill Xu Qi'an.

• The Heaven-Encompassing Divine Mirror showed Xu Qi'an scenes in the capital and at the Xu Residence, but the State Preceptor detected it and shattered its image with a backlash.
• Xu Erlang took Xu Lingyin to the palace’s Upper Study after Emperor Yongxing ordered her to study there, and Huaiqing escorted her to the Grand Tutor.
• The Grand Tutor asked Xu Lingyin to recite the Three Character Classic, then collapsed after she could not learn it and insisted he must teach her.
• Huaiqing heard from Xu Erlang about Xu Lingyin’s past teachers and returned to find the Grand Tutor bedridden from agitation.
• In Xiang Prefecture, Nalan Tianlu told Dongfang Wanrong to keep the Dragon Qi hosts together and said he would help her kill Xu Qi'an to avenge his son.

The author explained why he decided to compete for first place in the February monthly rankings for Nightwatchers and asked readers to support him. He set a goal to post 300,000 Chinese characters by the end of the month and ended by heading off to write.

• The author said Laoying urged him to compete in the monthly rankings as he prepared to finish his novel.
• The author reconsidered after returning home for the New Year and realizing Nightwatchers had reached a high point in his career.
• The author reported the book's subscription figures and said its readership gave him a chance to compete for first place.
• The author set a goal of posting 300,000 Chinese characters by the end of the month and asked readers to help him win.
• The author said he was going to write and would see readers the next day.

Emperor Yongxing learned that Lingyin had driven the Grand Tutor to illness, while Xu Xinnian worried that the story would attract ambitious tutors to the Xu Residence. Xu Qi'an's group continued their journey toward Jiang Prefecture and Jianzhou, and Ji Xuan learned that a crucial Dragon Qi host had been found in Yuzhou.

• Emperor Yongxing ordered Lingyin returned to the Xu Residence, kept the Grand Tutor in the palace, and decided to forbid him from visiting the Xu household.
• Xu Xinnian brought Lingyin home, and his mother learned that Lingyin had angered the Grand Tutor so badly that he fell ill; Xu Xinnian feared fame-seekers would come to teach her.
• Xu Qi'an told his companions they would seek the Dragon Qi host in Jiang Prefecture before heading to Jianzhou, while Li Lingsu and Miao Youfang joked over breakfast.
• Li Lingsu placed Miao Youfang's soul in a mongrel, then Xu Qi'an sealed Li Lingsu's powers and let the two fight as onlookers cheered.
• Ji Xuan collected the thirteenth Dragon Qi host and learned from Xu Yuanshuang that a crucial Dragon Qi host had been discovered in Yuzhou.