Sword

**Anci Nunnery** is a perfect example of how the Dao-Twisted World corrupts religious institutions. Unlike the polished, ritualized evil of Zhengde Temple, Anci Nunnery is a picture of vulgar decay—its nuns are filthy, gluttonous, and indifferent to spiritual matters. Li Huowang’s decision to donate the gold there is puzzling at first, but it fits his pattern of rejecting material value in favor of something only he understands. This is the same man who traded a jade pendant for survival; now he trades a fortune for… what? Connection? Obligation? Or simply clearing his ledger before a dangerous move?

Definition

Story context

After the mountain’s horrors, this chapter feels like a slow, uneasy exhale—but don’t mistake the calm for safety. Li Huowang descends with a single-minded purpose, and his first act is to burn the group’s hard-won treasure. The quiet intimacy between Bai Lingmiao and Chun Xiaoman reveals raw emotional layers, while Xiaoman’s dawn sword practice plants a seed of agency. This is a chapter about love, loyalty, and the cold calculation of a man who has stopped caring about money because he’s thinking on a scale no one else can see. Get ready for a departure that feels less like travel and more like a slow-motion gamble.

Why it matters

- **Bai Lingmiao’s devotion** is laid bare. She doesn’t care about his madness—she cares that he accepts her. This is a fragile but vital anchor for Li Huowang. - **Xiaoman’s arc** takes a huge step. She is no longer just the silent, hirsute woman; she is actively seeking power. Her sword manual purchase is her first independent act of self-determination. Notice how she guards Bai Lingmiao even in sleep—her protectiveness runs deep. - **Li Huowang’s opacity** grows. He doesn’t explain himself, doesn’t apologize, and doesn’t ask permission. He is moving toward a goal that makes gold irrelevant. That should worry us—what makes a man so certain that he can afford to give away the group’s only wealth? - **The chapter’s final image**—the group stuck in a village, Li Huowang missing, everyone idle and playing cards—sets up a classic tension. Something is coming. The calm before the storm is never truly calm in this world.