This chapter's epigraph comes from a conversation between Tong xie and a senior. The senior tells his master that he has lost the ability to control his own spiritual power. The master tells the senior that he can do whatever he wants with his spiritual power, but he can't do it against his will. He says that he will kill anyone who dares to harm his people. He asks the senior to stay away from his contract spirit and to mind his own business. This is the first time the master has spoken to the senior about his spiritual powers, and the senior is shocked. He realizes that he is a spy sent by the master, and he apologizes to the master for leaking the contract's ability, but the senior refuses to apologize in person. The two men decide to meet in the bamboo forest five days later.