Chapter Summaries

Zhou Wanwan defeated Earth Ranking number 98 Chu Liufeng with the Old Scholar Tree’s help and considered taking control of Peerless City. Earth Ranking number 95 offered to manage the city if she cured his injuries, and she accepted the deal after binding him with an Oath Gu.

• Zhou Wanwan revealed Earth Ranking number 99’s waist token, and Chu Liufeng collapsed after being poisoned and ensnared by the Old Scholar Tree.
• The Old Scholar Tree cocooned Chu Liufeng and absorbed him, greatly increasing its power and speed.
• Zhou Wanwan considered becoming Peerless City’s lord, and Earth Ranking number 95 appeared and offered to yield the city because he was gravely injured.
• Earth Ranking number 95 explained that his meridians and tendons had been damaged by Earth Ranking number 88, and Zhou Wanwan agreed to try to treat him in exchange for his help managing Peerless City.
• Earth Ranking number 95 gave Zhou Wanwan Oath Gu, and she bound him with it before examining his injuries.

Zhou Wanwan healed Iron Crutch Li’s severed sinews, and he pledged himself to her and offered to show her the Jianghu Alliance. She used her energy to accelerate crops and medicinal herbs on her estates, where Old Scholar Tree uncovered a huge rodent infestation and asked what to do with the captured mice.

• Zhou Wanwan healed Iron Crutch Li’s hands and feet, and he declared himself her master and promised to take her to the Jianghu Alliance.
• Lingbao told Zhou Wanwan that medicinal herbs had strengthened it, and she snipped more than two hundred ginseng rootlets for the estate.
• Zhou Wanwan used her energy to sprout grain and vegetables, then accelerated the medicinal herbs until they looked half a year old.
• The young herbs complained about rodents, so Old Scholar Tree led trees into the fields and captured many mice.
• Old Scholar Tree found tens of thousands of rodents and asked Zhou Wanwan whether they should kill them all.

Zhou Wanwan introduced rodent dishes at A Gallant's Journey, and the diners quickly praised them, making the restaurant famous. She then visited one of Pei Shuang's estates for supplies, where the Old Scholar Tree drove off the violent residents and the estate's plants revealed that its people were thieves.

• Zhou Wanwan and the Old Scholar Tree decided to raise edible rodents and serve them at A Gallant's Journey.
• The restaurant gave diners complimentary portions of bamboo rat, gerbil, field rat, ground squirrel, and jerboa, and Zhou Qingchen, Gu Sinian, and the others praised the dishes.
• Customers began ordering rodent meat, and A Gallant's Journey grew famous as Zhou Wanwan's restaurant ran short of vegetables and meat.
• Zhou Wanwan sent people to Pei Shuang's estate, where vicious dogs attacked them and the Old Scholar Tree lifted the dogs into the air.
• The estate's residents threatened Zhou Wanwan, but the Old Scholar Tree stopped their attack and dragged one child underground, frightening the others into fleeing.
• Zhou Wanwan entered the estate, and its plants told her that the residents had stolen its livestock, trees, and other property.

Zhou Wanwan discovered that the people on the small estate had stolen its crops and found a treasure chest belonging to the city lord’s wet nurse. She went to the grand estate, where the old madam and the wet nurse tried to claim it, and had them thrown out after Pei Shuang confirmed the property was hers.

• Zhou Wanwan heard the vegetables reveal that the estate’s crops had been stolen, then watched Old Scholar Tree drive away the people who returned to attack her.
• Zhou Wanwan sent energy into the crops, and Old Scholar Tree unearthed a chest of valuables that the pear tree identified as the wet nurse’s treasure.
• The wet nurse confronted Zhou Wanwan and threatened to report her, then rushed to the neighboring estate to complain to the old madam.
• Zhou Wanwan arrived at the grand estate with her three older brothers, and the old madam ordered guards to attack her.
• Pei Shuang confirmed that the grand estate belonged to her and told the old madam to leave, while Zhou Wanwan accused the old madam and wet nurse of trying to steal her property.
• Zhou Wanwan ordered the old madam and wet nurse thrown out, and they rose into the air as the old madam cried for help.

Zhou Wanwan took control of the city lord’s estate, then searched the mountains for Noble Consort Ning’s jade mine while her companions cooked game. The tree people discovered that absorbing animals increased their energy, and a scout reported that the jade mine might have been found.

• Old Scholar Tree threw the estate’s occupants into a cesspit, and Zhou Wanwan told them that Chu Liufeng was dead.
• Zhou Wanwan inspected the estate, had Pei Shuang arrange lifelong contracts with its stewards, and infused energy into the crops.
• Pei Yong identified a possible area for Noble Consort Ning’s jade mine, so Zhou Wanwan and the tree people began searching the mountains.
• Old Scholar Tree brought back game, and Zheng Xing'an cooked it for the group.
• A young tree person absorbed a hog badger and discovered that animal meat increased its energy.
• A tree person reported to Zhou Wanwan that they might have found the jade mine.

Zhou Wanwan and the trees emptied a jade mine at Mount Beimang and returned home with its jade and plenty of game. She told her family they would take the preliminary scholar examination in Yunxi County, where their household was registered.

• Zhou Wanwan and the trees found Mount Beimang’s jade mine guarded by tens of thousands of soldiers, and Gu Sinian identified them as troops under Noble Consort Ning’s father.
• Lingbao led the trees through the soldiers, and the saxaul dug out most of the jade vein before the trees finished emptying it and agreed to carry it back.
• Zhou Wanwan returned to the stronghold and told Liu Su'e and Zhou Fusheng that the family would take the preliminary scholar examination in Yunxi County instead of Qingshui County.
• Zhou Wanwan arranged for the live animals brought back by the trees to go into the rear-courtyard zoo, where the tiger cubs rushed over to greet her and Gu Sinian.

Zhou Wanwan reunited with Feng Yueyao, discussed returning to Zhou Family Village, and prepared to take the preliminary scholar exam alongside her father and the others. The group reached Zhou Wanwan’s residence in Yunxi County, where the trees wondered about their new master.

• Zhou Wanwan gave the tigers pheasants and exchanged gifts with Feng Yueyao.
• Zhou Wanwan agreed to visit Zhou Family Village after the exam, while Liu Su'e worried about the family being mistreated there.
• Zhao Muyuan told Zhou Wanwan that the preliminary scholar exam was arranged, and she decided to take it.
• Zhou Wanwan set out for Yunxi County with more than thirty exam candidates, including Zhou Fusheng, who hoped to pass and show off at Zhou Family Village.
• The group arrived at Zhou Wanwan's five-courtyard residence, where the trees compared them unfavorably with the former owners.

Zhou Wanwan offered Shen Yu'an drought-resistant crops and a way to save Yunxi County's starving people in exchange for his allegiance. After Shen Yu'an signed her agreement, she gave him sweet potato vines and cassava stems and told him to begin planting and store water.

• Old Scholar Tree welcomed the walking trees to the courtyard, and Feng Yunting explained that he had bought the former official residence for Zhou Wanwan.
• Shen Yu'an arrived and recognized Zhao Muyuan as his former teacher before learning that Zhou Wanwan was Zhao Muyuan's master.
• Shen Yu'an told Zhou Wanwan that collecting taxes would starve Yunxi County's people, while refusing to pay would bring punishment upon him.
• Zhou Wanwan offered Shen Yu'an sweet potato and cassava seeds and warned him that worse disasters and water shortages were coming if he agreed to sign an agreement.
• Shen Yu'an signed the agreement, and Zhou Wanwan brought him sweet potato vines and cassava stems the next day.
• Zhou Wanwan told Shen Yu'an to plant a few dozen mu of the crops and store water, and he immediately ordered people to begin planting.

Shen Yu'an learned that refusing the taxes meant joining Black Wind Mountain Stronghold, and he agreed to send his family there for safety. At the Yunxi County market, Xie Cheng'en tried to seize Zhou Wanwan's spirit-creature friends, but Cheng Chao backed away from the conflict as Xie ordered his men to take them.

• Shen Yu'an asked Zhao Muyuan when they would rebel, and Zhao explained that Shen could send his family to Black Wind Mountain Stronghold for safety; Shen agreed to follow Zhou Wanwan.
• At the market, Lingbao wanted tanghulu, but Zhou Wanwan refused because it had made him sick before.
• Xie Cheng'en recognized Lingbao and demanded that Zhou Wanwan hand over her spirit creatures, claiming Noble Consort Ning wanted them and threatening her family.
• Cheng Chao tried to persuade Xie Cheng'en to negotiate, while the other young masters urged Xie to take the creatures by force.
• Xie Cheng'en ordered his men to seize the creatures, and Lingbao accused him of betraying the spirit creatures who had once saved him.
• Cheng Chao distanced himself from the young masters' threats, and they mocked him for being afraid of Zhou Wanwan.

Zhou Wanwan and the old man defeated Xie Cheng'en's guards, while Old Scholar Tree and the ancestor ate several of them and regained their strength. Zhou Wanwan dined with Cheng Chao as Xie Cheng'en surrounded the restaurant with reinforcements, leaving the confrontation about to begin.

• Xie Cheng'en's men attacked Zhou Wanwan, but the old man defeated them and used roots to drag them away.
• Old Scholar Tree fed hidden guards to the ancestor, who regained his speed and decided to eat more.
• Zhou Wanwan went to a restaurant with Cheng Chao and several young masters, and Cheng Chao offered to pay for her meal.
• Old Scholar Tree and the ancestor waited by the restaurant window to seize Xie Cheng'en's reinforcements.
• Xie Cheng'en surrounded the restaurant with more than fifty mid-level hidden guards while Cheng Chao served Zhou Wanwan specialty dishes.

Zhou Wanwan sold Xie Cheng'en a bundle of medicinal herbs for a huge pile of valuables, while Cheng Chao and Zhou Qingzhou defended their loyalty to her. After the deal, Zhou Wanwan mocked Xie Cheng'en about his future marriage, and he threatened to marry her when he grew up.

• Cheng Chao served Zhou Wanwan pear soup and declared that he was honored to be her dog, while Zhou Qingzhou said the young masters did not understand.
• Xie Cheng'en demanded Zhou Wanwan's medicinal herbs, and she agreed to sell them after bargaining over the price.
• Xie Cheng'en's companions piled up silver notes, jade, deeds, and other valuables until Zhou Wanwan accepted the payment and handed over a bundle of herbs.
• Zhou Wanwan teased Xie Cheng'en that he would be unable to perform in bed, and he angrily threatened to marry her when he grew up.

Zhou Wanwan humiliated Xie Cheng'en and his companions, then had Cheng Chao take her to a gold shop. When Wen Zhiyu and Lu Lan mocked her and challenged Cheng Chao's loyalty, he insisted on buying whatever Zhou Wanwan wanted, and Lu Lan threatened to end their families' proposed marriage.

• Zhou Wanwan taunted Xie Cheng'en about his illness, and when he tried to strike her, the old man threw him out a second-floor window.
• The old man drove the other young masters away, while Xie Cheng'en discovered his shadow guards and medicinal herbs were missing.
• Cheng Chao offered to pay for Zhou Wanwan's purchases, scolded Zhou Qingzhou for interfering, and accompanied her to a gold shop.
• Zhou Wanwan dismissed the shop's ordinary jewelry, and the shopkeeper brought out its finest pieces.
• Wen Zhiyu and Lu Lan mocked Zhou Wanwan, and the shopkeeper ordered her out, but Cheng Chao declared he would buy whatever she wanted.
• Lu Lan warned Cheng Chao that paying for Zhou Wanwan would end the marriage their families had been discussing.

Zhou Wanwan and Cheng Chao left the Lu Family's gold shop just before it collapsed, injuring Lu Lan and Wen Zhiyu. At another shop, Zhou Wanwan chose expensive jewelry, and after Lu Lan and Wen Zhiyu mocked her ability to pay, she challenged them to a bet.

• Cheng Chao broke off his proposed marriage to Lu Lan and followed Zhou Wanwan to the gold shop across the street.
• The Lu Family's gold shop collapsed after Zhou Wanwan and Cheng Chao left, leaving Lu Lan, Wen Zhiyu, and others injured and exposing their torn clothes to onlookers.
• Zhou Wanwan visited the more lavish gold shop, where the shopkeeper presented fine jewelry totaling twenty-six thousand taels of silver.
• Cheng Chao gave Zhou Wanwan the twenty thousand taels he had, while Lu Lan and Wen Zhiyu returned and mocked her for being unable to afford the full bill.
• Zhou Wanwan challenged Lu Lan and Wen Zhiyu to bet on whether she could pay for the jewelry.

Zhou Wanwan won a bet against Lu Lan by producing more than a million taels in silver notes, then went with Cheng Chao and his companions to the Cloud Creek Casino. At the casino, several young wastrels mocked Zhou Wanwan for being a country girl as she watched the dancers.

• Lu Lan agreed to wager twenty-six thousand taels against Zhou Wanwan, while Cheng Chao defended Zhou Wanwan and rejected Lu Lan's insults.
• Zhou Wanwan showed Lu Lan stacks of silver notes and won the bet, leaving Lu Lan in tears as Cheng Chao carried Zhou Wanwan's purchases.
• Cheng Chao dismissed Zhou Qingzhou's criticism and said he valued Zhou Wanwan more than Young Master Xie.
• After hearing the young wastrels invite them to the casino, Zhou Wanwan agreed to go with Cheng Chao and the others.
• At the Cloud Creek Casino, Cheng Chao explained that Noble Consort Ning's maternal family, the Xie Family, backed it.
• Several young wastrels mocked Zhou Wanwan for watching the dancers and offered to have them teach her for free.

Zhou Wanwan faced off against Xie Cheng'en and a crowd of wealthy young masters at Cloud Creek Casino after they boasted about their families and accused her of hiding his missing secret guards. She accepted a high-stakes dice game, ending the chapter as she bet all her gold on big against everyone else's small.

• Several young masters bragged about their powerful families, and Zhou Wanwan asked which of them was the most impressive.
• Xie Cheng'en demanded that Zhou Wanwan return his missing secret guards, but she denied responsibility and said she could not help him.
• Xie Cheng'en invited Zhou Wanwan to gamble, and she followed him to a private room with more than thirty young masters.
• Zhou Wanwan exchanged ten thousand taels of gold for chips and agreed to play big or small despite Cheng Chao warning her that the others intended to cheat.
• Zhou Wanwan bet one thousand taels of gold on big while Xie Cheng'en and everyone else placed their bets on small.

Zhou Wanwan and Cheng Chao won repeated triple rolls at Yunxi Gambling House, taking enormous sums and property from the young masters. Furious and humiliated, Xie Cheng'en and the others decided to hire the Earth Ranking assassin Black Widow to kill Zhou Wanwan.

• Cheng Chao bet his silver while Zhou Wanwan wagered five thousand taels of gold, and the first roll came up small.
• Zhou Wanwan and Cheng Chao staked even more on small, and the dice showed three ones, earning them a ten-to-one payout.
• The young masters challenged them to bet again, and Zhou Wanwan and Cheng Chao wagered all their winnings; another triple appeared, this time three twos.
• Xie Cheng'en accused Zhou Wanwan of cheating, but she denied it and demanded the gambling house pay their winnings.
• Zhou Wanwan left with estates, shops, antiques, and jewelry loaded into five carriages, while the young masters lamented their losses.
• The young masters agreed to hire Black Widow, an Earth Ranking assassin in Yunxi City, to kill Zhou Wanwan.

Black Widow tried to abduct Zhou Wanwan for Xie Cheng'en, but the Old Ancestor killed her and took her valuables, leading Zhou Wanwan and the others to search her home. Meanwhile, Cheng Chao returned home to find his parents angry that he had broken off the match with Lu Lan and determined to pursue Zhou Wanwan instead.

• Xie Cheng'en hired Black Widow for ten thousand taels of gold to capture Zhou Wanwan, and Black Widow set out to intercept her carriage.
• The Old Ancestor trapped Black Widow with vines, absorbed her energy, and gave her belongings to Zhou Wanwan.
• Zhou Wanwan and the others found Black Widow's hidden cave, collected its treasures and medicinal herbs, and headed home.
• Cheng Chao's parents scolded him for neglecting Xie Cheng'en and ruining the arranged marriage with Lu Lan, then proposed that he take Zhou Wanwan as a concubine.
• Cheng Chao warned his parents that Zhou Wanwan was no one they could control, and told them he had won one million taels of silver by following her.

Cheng Chao defied his family and declared that he would serve Zhou Wanwan, while dismissing Zhou Qingzhou as his study companion for reporting to his father. After resting, Zhou Wanwan set out with Iron Crutch Li to visit a Jianghu Alliance and found its entrance inside an ancient tomb.

• Cheng Chao told Cheng Xiao and Feng Caigu that he had won a million taels, would cling to Zhou Wanwan's coattails, and would live independently rather than marry.
• Cheng Xiao berated Cheng Chao's choice, while Feng Caigu lamented their family troubles and learned that Cheng Xiao had another lady confidante despite having three concubines.
• Cheng Chao dismissed Zhou Qingzhou for secretly reporting on him and summoned Zhou Qingyuan to take his place.
• Zhou Qingzhou returned home upset and told Qian Huihui that Cheng Chao planned to serve Zhou Wanwan.
• Zhou Wanwan asked Iron Crutch Li to take her to a Jianghu Alliance, and Old Scholar Tree led them to its ancient-tomb entrance.

Iron Crutch Li brought Zhou Wanwan into the Jianghu Alliance’s underground market, where she bargained for a stall’s medicinal herbs using Lingbao as proof of her own superior wild ginseng. The chapter left Zhou Wanwan eager to browse more stalls and unbothered by the possibility that someone might target her outside the Alliance.

• Iron Crutch Li explained the Jianghu Alliance’s origins, ranking system, branches, and reclusive alliance leader as he led Zhou Wanwan into its ancient-tomb headquarters.
• Zhou Wanwan entered the vast underground plaza and learned that Alliance members traded pills, weapons, herbs, and treasures at its bustling stalls.
• Zhou Wanwan offered five hundred taels for a vendor’s medicinal herbs, then used Lingbao as an example of ginseng far older than the vendor’s to hold him to his bargain.
• Iron Crutch Li warned Zhou Wanwan that showing off her wealth might attract pursuers outside the Alliance, but she welcomed the idea because Old Scholar Tree and the other tree people were waiting outside.

Zhou Wanwan explored the Jianghu Alliance’s market, bought fresh medicinal herbs to cultivate, and argued that its weapons and pills were inferior to her stronghold’s. Iron Crutch Li explained that the Alliance sheltered criminals, and Zhou Wanwan entered its eerie restaurant, where the menu’s prices shocked her.

• Zhou Wanwan bought up the fresh herbs at six stalls, gave them spiritual energy, and awakened them; she told the lingzhi she would nurture them to spread and have descendants.
• Zhou Wanwan criticized the market’s weapons and pills, then showed the pill seller a medicine she claimed was better than his wares.
• Iron Crutch Li told Zhou Wanwan that stalls and shops were costly but profitable, and explained that the Jianghu Alliance protected anyone who reached its refuge, even serious criminals.
• Zhou Wanwan visited the dim, ominous restaurant and was welcomed by a silent, ghostly-looking waiter.
• Zhou Wanwan read the menu and complained that the restaurant charged five taels for braised beef, three taels for plain vegetables, and five hundred copper coins for white rice.