Chapter Summaries

The new emperor questioned Pilan, a Western Kunlun demon skilled in flight, and learned about her past, her child, and a hidden secret land near Mount Li. He promised her herbs and food, and Pilan accepted him as her best friend, leaving him with a potential ally he could rely on.

• Pilan told the new emperor that her flying ranked around fortieth in the Three Realms and that she had once cultivated in Kunlun with her Ladyship.
• The new emperor learned that Pilan's mate had died at Zhu Shiyin's hands and that she lived near a secret land on Mount Li with her young bird demon.
• Pilan explained that she had been pestering Ao Li for treasures to help raise her child.
• The new emperor promised to send Pilan a cartload of fragrant herbs and another cartload of dates and nut pastries.
• Pilan called the new emperor her best friend, and he considered how her knowledge and abilities might help him in the future.

After losing a three-thousand-li flying contest to Zhang Xuezhou, Ao Li offered a Pill Furnace in hopes of earning pills made from Zhang Xuezhou’s giant purple lingzhi. Zhang Xuezhou agreed to test one of the furnaces when they returned to the Jing River, leaving Ao Li eager to become his friend and future customer.

• Zhang Xuezhou beat Ao Li in the long-distance flying contest and collected the wager of one drop of Essence Blood.
• Ao Li asked to trade another drop of Essence Blood for Zhang Xuezhou’s giant purple lingzhi, but Zhang Xuezhou refused and offered to give him pills after refining it.
• Zhang Xuezhou told Ao Li he belonged to the Yin-Yang School and was preparing to refine advanced pills.
• Ao Li offered Zhang Xuezhou one of the Pill Furnaces he had salvaged from the river after Xianyang City fell.
• Zhang Xuezhou agreed to take a furnace back to the Jing River and promised Ao Li extra pills if it worked well.

Hongku waited in Chang'an for Zhang Xuezhou, suspecting his Star-Fixing Technique had failed when it placed Zhang far away. Zhang eventually arrived at Rong Tianding’s home, where Hongku prepared to complete their deal for the Black and White Twin Horses.

• Hongku grew impatient as his calculations repeatedly placed Zhang Xuezhou far from Chang'an, including in Jiangdu.
• Hongku questioned Rong Tianding about whether Zhang had mastered the Technique Within the Clouds, but Rong avoided answering directly.
• Hongku concluded that his Star-Fixing Technique must be faulty and calculated that the Sacred Land’s people were returning home.
• Rong Tianding offered Hongku pork and sauerkraut stew, but Hongku refused it and swallowed a Grain Avoidance Pill.
• Zhang Xuezhou descended into the Rong Household’s courtyard in a boat and shrank it to two inches, prompting Hongku to curse him for selling a treasure he no longer needed.

Zhang Xuezhou returned to Chang'an City to trade the Black and White Twin Horses to Hongku, then tried to leave quickly for the Jing River. Hongku proposed that they cooperate to refine Fortune Pills, and Zhang Xuezhou agreed to consider the partnership despite the risks of failure.

• Zhang Xuezhou flew back to his old residence and told Hongku he had borrowed a court treasure to make the journey.
• Zhang Xuezhou handed Hongku the Black and White Twin Horses and explained their summoning incantations; Hongku refined them with his Law Power.
• Hongku asked when Zhang Xuezhou would refine Fortune Pills, but Zhang Xuezhou said it would be in a few more days and prepared to leave.
• Hongku stopped Zhang Xuezhou and proposed that they cooperate to refine pills, offering to take a smaller share of the profits.
• Zhang Xuezhou said he was willing to split the profits equally but warned that failed batches could harm their relationship; Hongku accepted the risk and trusted him.

Rong Tianding dealt with Hongku and worried about how Zhang Xuezhou would balance helping Xiong State with countering its cultivation technique. By the Jing River, Pilan entertained the new emperor with tales of powerful cultivators until Zhang Xuezhou arrived carrying a porcelain bottle.

• Hongku suspected the empress dowager had piloted the Heaven-Riding Shuttle, questioned Rong Tianding about Zhang Xuezhou, then left the Rong Household.
• Rong Tianding reflected that Zhang Xuezhou’s backing gave him confidence and worried that the Fortune Pills might strengthen Xiong State unless Southern Brightness Fire could counter them.
• The new emperor spent a day waiting by the Jing River while Pilan told him about the Immortal Court and Divine Lord Zhenyuan’s abilities.
• Pilan began to mention Dongfang Shuo’s flying skills, and Zhang Xuezhou arrived by air with a porcelain bottle, delighting the new emperor.

The new emperor reflected on how Zhang Xuezhou’s confidence had changed his view of power and politics, then named Pilan’s son Sichen. Pilan welcomed the name and thanked them, while Zhang Xuezhou felt relieved that she seemed calmer.

• Ao Li accepted his defeat and gave the new emperor a drop of Essence Blood, while Pilan’s revelations lifted the emperor’s gloom.
• The new emperor considered how he could travel with Zhang Xuezhou to learn about the world and possibly obtain the Red Empyrean Sword.
• Zhang Xuezhou encouraged Pilan to have the new emperor name her son and explained that the child needed a masculine name suited to his fate.
• Pilan revealed that her family descended from the Nine Heads Pheasant Spirit and hoped the new emperor would choose a good name.
• The new emperor named the bird demon Sichen, explaining that the name meant he would face the morning light and begin a new life.
• Pilan thanked Zhang Xuezhou and the new emperor, and Zhang Xuezhou felt relieved that she seemed more stable.

Zhang Xuezhou and the new emperor sent Pilan away, then returned to Mount Zhongnan to investigate the landslide and the hidden secret land. They learned that a white light had appeared over the formation eye, leaving them unable to enter for now, but the new emperor identified the surrounding formation as the Four Gates Bottom-Covering Formation.

• Zhang Xuezhou and the new emperor promised Pilan herbs and pastries, and she flew away after warning them not to abandon her.
• Zhang Xuezhou cautioned the new emperor that Pilan was loose-lipped, then told him Ao Li needed several days to recover from losing Essence Blood.
• Zhang Xuezhou and the new emperor arrived at Mount Zhongnan, where Han Yan and Wuqiu Shouwang were searching the landslide for Liu Quji and the others.
• Han Yan led Wuqiu Shouwang and the Feathered Forest Guards up the mountain after hearing Liu Quji call out from above.
• Zhang Xuezhou learned that a white light had appeared over the formation eye, but the group could not locate or enter the secret land.
• The new emperor and Zhang Xuezhou concluded that the surrounding formation was the Four Gates Bottom-Covering Formation and left the search for another opportunity.

Zhang Xuezhou gathered old ginseng near the hidden realm while the new emperor’s men searched for its entrance. The emperor arranged for Zhang Xuezhou to remain at Shanglin Park and gave him a Lesser Heaven and Earth Bag to conceal the Heaven-Riding Shuttle.

• Zhang Xuezhou dug three old wild ginseng roots from the muddy outskirts of the hidden realm, while Han Yan watched and tried unsuccessfully to find herbs himself.
• The new emperor called Zhang Xuezhou over after his guards had dug deep at the suspected formation eye without finding the entrance.
• Zhang Xuezhou said he could not stay at Shanglin Park without tending to his illness, refining pills, and attending promised gatherings, so the new emperor agreed to handle those obligations.
• The new emperor told Zhang Xuezhou to stay at Shanglin Park and search for a chance to enter the hidden realm when its white light appeared.
• The new emperor promised Zhang Xuezhou a Lesser Heaven and Earth Bag and slipped the Heaven-Riding Shuttle into his sleeve for safekeeping.

Zhang Xuezhou settled into his post in Shanglin Park, received a powerful storage treasure, and arranged for Rong Tianding to handle tasks he could not leave to do himself. He remained on watch for the secret realm on Mount Zhongnan and learned that rumors were undermining the new emperor’s attempt to introduce tofu.

• Zhang Xuezhou received the Lesser Heaven and Earth Bag from the new emperor and tested its spacious storage and low Law Power cost.
• Zhang Xuezhou lamented that the new emperor could not arrange a Pill Furnace for him, then continued watching Mount Zhongnan from Shanglin Park.
• Rong Tianding visited Zhang Xuezhou, who explained the secret realm’s unstable guardian formation and asked him to arrange care for A Qiao and retrieve Ao Li’s Pill Furnace.
• Rong Tianding offered to bring Li Shaojun to help inspect the Pill Furnaces at the Jing River Water Mansion, and Zhang Xuezhou agreed if Li Shaojun was available.
• Rong Tianding told Zhang Xuezhou that officials were demonstrating how to make tofu, but rumors that it would rot the body had frightened people away from eating it.

The new emperor dealt with Minyue’s sudden surrender and the court’s efforts to discredit Zhuang Zhu, while tofu rumors undermined his plans. In the secret library, Ao Li’s Essence Blood finally awakened the Red Empyrean Sword after nearly a hundred years.

• The new emperor learned that Zou Ying had been killed, the siege of Yuzhang had been lifted, and Zhao Hu had offered tribute and his heir’s service.
• The ministers praised Wang Hui and Han Anguo while criticizing Zhuang Zhu and condemning tofu; the new emperor defended Zhuang Zhu’s command and Han Anguo’s role in Minyue’s submission.
• The empress dowager proposed making Zhuang Zhu governor of Kuaiji, and the new emperor accepted the appointment despite recognizing it would remove his trusted general from court.
• The new emperor considered how rumors had thwarted tofu’s promotion, while Lady Wei’s child was born with a hole and could not affect the imperial succession.
• Ao Li’s Essence Blood was smeared on the Red Empyrean Sword, and the imperial sword finally changed.

Zhang Xuezhou gathered medicinal herbs at Shanglin Park while waiting for Dong Zhongshu to reach Chang'an, then spoke with the new emperor about his service and the stalled effort to introduce tofu. The emperor ended the chapter seeking Zhang Xuezhou's advice, but Zhang Xuezhou had no solution to the public's fear of tofu.

• Zhang Xuezhou reflected on the repeated clashes among Fortune Technique practitioners and decided to wait for Dong Zhongshu to reach Chang'an before acting.
• Zhang Xuezhou searched Mount Zhongnan and gathered twelve baskets of medicinal herbs to use in refining pills and preparing medicines.
• The new emperor praised Zhang Xuezhou for patrolling Shanglin Park and assured him that he could serve in a role suited to his health.
• The new emperor told Zhang Xuezhou that rumors claiming tofu caused a horrible death had frightened Chang'an's people and halted its promotion.
• The new emperor hoped Zhang Xuezhou could offer a practical solution, but Zhang Xuezhou also appeared at a loss.

Zhang Xuezhou and the new emperor discussed how to counter rumors that tofu was harmful, and considered using prisoners to demonstrate that even moldy, rotten tofu was safe. Zhang Xuezhou agreed to investigate the spoiled tofu further after returning to North Rehe, while the emperor insisted that prisoners—not Zhang—be used for any risky tests.

• Zhang Xuezhou told the new emperor he could not force ordinary people to accept tofu or easily undo the rumors about it.
• Zhang Xuezhou proposed feeding tofu to prisoners and criminals’ children so people could see that they did not become ill or rot away.
• The new emperor and Zhang Xuezhou considered using moldy, fuzzy, and stinky tofu as a punishment and spectacle for prisoners sentenced to death.
• The new emperor suggested repeatedly feeding rotten tofu to prisoners to show the public that it was safe, and Zhang Xuezhou said he would test it himself if necessary.
• The new emperor forbade Zhang Xuezhou from eating spoiled tofu and offered to send death-row prisoners for testing instead.
• Zhang Xuezhou agreed to study tofu after returning to North Rehe, reasoning that its successful testing made it a powerful ingredient despite the rumors.

The King of Huainan explained that he had paid the emperor gold and given up the Li Qi Pill Formula to avoid provoking a war while he built his strength. He then told Liao Tu that he had obtained the Yang Corporeal Soul Incarnation Technique, but its immense demand for Fortune Pills left him without a clear way to catch up with Xiong State.

• The King of Huainan told Liao Tu that Zhuang Zhu had invoked the emperor’s authority to demand gold and provisions, and that he had complied to prevent a conflict with Great Han.
• The King of Huainan said he expected rumors about the name “tofu” to make the emperor’s acquisition of the Li Qi Pill Formula useless.
• The King of Huainan revealed that Shadow had obtained the Yang Corporeal Soul Incarnation Technique from an incantation master from Xiong State.
• The King of Huainan explained that mastering the technique required years of cultivating with three Fortune Pills a day, a cost Huainan could scarcely sustain.
• The King of Huainan said he needed a rich secret place, Spirit Jade, premium-grade Fortune Pills, or a change to the Fortune Pill Formula, but each option was difficult to obtain.

Zhang Xuezhou prepared to refine Fortune Pills using a standardized Qin pill furnace, while Li Shaojun doubted his skill and left without offering materials. Zhang Xuezhou finished making tofu and began cleaning the furnace, intending to use precise measurements to improve his chances.

• Li Shaojun entered the Jing River Water Mansion and selected a pill furnace for Zhang Xuezhou from its sealed collection.
• Li Shaojun found Zhang Xuezhou using the furnace to boil soybean milk and make tofu, and mocked his pill-refining ability.
• Zhang Xuezhou told Li Shaojun he had never refined Fortune Pills and offered him two pills if he supplied enough materials for ten.
• Li Shaojun lost interest in waiting for Zhang Xuezhou’s first attempt, encouraged him, and slipped out of Shanglin Park.
• Zhang Xuezhou finished pressing the tofu, washed the three-meter Qin Furnace No. 8, and prepared to refine pills using standardized measurements.

Zhang Xuezhou experimented with making Fortune Pills in Qin Furnace No. 8, but several batches failed because of inconsistent heat and ingredients. When the new emperor and Huo Qubing accidentally disrupted his next batch, the emperor offered to compensate him with pills.

• Zhang Xuezhou reflected on tofu’s many useful byproducts before deciding he could not reproduce its inner- and Outer-Core process for pill-making.
• He began refining fifty Qi and Blood Fortune Pills at once, using purple lingzhi, Solomon’s seal, and powdered Demon Cores.
• Zhang Xuezhou found that inadequate charcoal heat and uneven ingredients caused three batches to fail, though he could use the toxic dregs to cultivate his Poison Avoidance Instruction.
• The new emperor entered the Alchemy Chamber with Huo Qubing, and a draft from the door disrupted the heat during Zhang Xuezhou’s fourth batch.
• Huo Qubing urged the emperor to compensate Zhang Xuezhou for the spoiled batch, and the emperor took pills from his storage pouch.

Zhang Xuezhou refined Fortune Pills in the standardized Qin Furnace No. 8 while the new emperor doubted the furnace could produce them. The batch succeeded, leaving Zhang Xuezhou with his first fifty mid-grade Fortune Pills after repeated failures.

• The new emperor urged Zhang Xuezhou to focus on refining and offered fifty Fortune Pills as compensation if the batch failed.
• The new emperor criticized Qin Furnace No. 8 as too rigid and unsuitable for Fortune Pills, while Zhang Xuezhou continued the refining process and added the Demon Core powder.
• Huo Qubing compared pill refining to making tofu, and the new emperor explained that Law Power and skill made the two crafts different.
• Zhang Xuezhou completed the refining, and the new emperor opened the furnace to find rows of green and red pills with a pure medicinal fragrance.
• Zhang Xuezhou and the new emperor discovered that all fifty pills had succeeded as mid-grade Fortune Pills.

Zhang Xuezhou impressed the new emperor by refining fifty high-grade Fortune Pills, though his three failed batches discouraged the emperor from making him a full-time alchemist. The emperor left Huo Qubing with Zhang Xuezhou at Shanglin Park, where Zhang planned to take him flying after nightfall.

• Zhang Xuezhou produced fifty high-grade Fortune Pills, and the new emperor praised his skill before learning that three earlier batches had failed.
• Zhang Xuezhou suggested Li Shaojun might need pills with consistent effects, and the new emperor abandoned the idea of relying on him to refine pills regularly.
• The new emperor entrusted Huo Qubing to Zhang Xuezhou while he prepared to leave Shanglin Park and return with cultivators skilled in formations.
• Zhang Xuezhou told Huo Qubing they would test a passenger flight in the Heaven-Riding Shuttle after dark and stored important ingredients in his Lesser Heaven and Earth Bag.
• Zhang Xuezhou teased Huo Qubing about rumors that tofu would rot his guts, and Huo Qubing tried the tofu products after asking Zhang to cure him if he fell ill.

Zhang Xuezhou used his remaining ingredients to refine a successful batch of Tenfold Complete Great Tonic Pills, then began testing Qin Furnace No. 8 with a batch of Grain Avoidance Pills. Huo Qubing watched his flexible methods with admiration but grew restless waiting to ride the Heaven-Riding Shuttle.

• After running short of Demon Cores for Fortune Pills, Zhang Xuezhou chose purple lingzhi and Solomon's seal to refine other medicines.
• Huo Qubing watched Zhang Xuezhou measure and adapt ingredients, realizing his pill refining was far more flexible than the methods used by Alchemists at the Office of the Inner Clerk.
• Zhang Xuezhou successfully refined sixty-five Tenfold Complete Great Tonic Pills using purple lingzhi.
• Zhang Xuezhou began refining Grain Avoidance Pills to test whether high-quality ingredients improved Qin Furnace No. 8's results.
• Zhang Xuezhou told Huo Qubing to wait for the test flight, while Huo Qubing became impatient and cracked open the door to feel the cool air.

Zhang Xuezhou refined ninety-two Grain Avoidance Pills, then flew toward Mount Zhongnan after the Feathered Forest Guards sounded an alarm, taking Huo Qubing along on the Heaven-Riding Shuttle. They reached the ghostly forest beneath the white light, but the rapid descent left Huo Qubing feeling ill and unable to control his body.

• Zhang Xuezhou made ninety-two Grain Avoidance Pills and wondered how long they would last and how to assess their quality.
• Zhang Xuezhou heard the gong warning of white light over Mount Zhongnan and hurried out of the Alchemy Chamber.
• Huo Qubing clung to Zhang Xuezhou and insisted on accompanying him, so Zhang Xuezhou took him aboard the Heaven-Riding Shuttle.
• Zhang Xuezhou flew toward Mount Zhongnan as Huo Qubing marveled at the shuttle's speed and praised his strength.
• Zhang Xuezhou and Huo Qubing reached the ghostly forest while the white light was still visible, and Zhang Xuezhou warned Huo Qubing before plunging toward their destination.
• Huo Qubing felt weightless and disoriented during the descent, then toppled backward and lost control of his body.

Zhang Xuezhou entered a hidden secret land through a hallucinatory formation and found that its effects weakened on a former master's road. He continued exploring with the unconscious Huo Qubing, wary of the formation and curious about the land's abandoned ruler.

• Zhang Xuezhou realized the white light was part of a hallucinatory formation and freed himself, then found Huo Qubing dazed but unharmed.
• Zhang Xuezhou carried Huo Qubing into the white-lit path and emerged in a mountain landscape separate from Mount Zhongnan.
• Zhang Xuezhou resisted the formation's illusions as the entrance path disappeared, then searched the woods for signs of human construction.
• Zhang Xuezhou found rotted railings marking an old road and stood between them, causing the formation's white light to fade.
• Zhang Xuezhou concluded that leaving the old road would bring the hallucinations back and wondered who had once ruled the secret land.