The way Xu He uses his family connections to access the Hidden Mountain Guild's internal data is a realistic portrayal of privilege. He didn't earn that information through merit; he had his family pull strings to get the dirt on Shen Chi. Then he weaponizes that information to destroy Shen Chi's reputation before the trial even starts. It shows how social capital and economic status translate into power even in a world where lord talent supposedly determines worth.
The detail about the thousand-mile black-and-white leopard horse bolting into the forest was a clever plot device to get them to the body. But the horse acted out of character, and Wang Lun’s explanation—“Something inside must be attracting it”—felt lazy. It was a convenient but thin excuse to move the plot to Lu Zhishen. I wish the horse had a reason tied to the gourd or the past life memories. Maybe it sensed Lin Chong’s death soul? That would tie the systems together better. Missed opportunity there.