Recaps

Zhou Yi rose to control the Eunuch Bureau, survived the collapse of Emperor Zhengtong’s court, and covertly helped Zhao Mu challenge Emperor Longqing. After Longqing confessed to murdering the former emperor, Eunuch Yuan killed him and Zhao Mu took the throne.

• Zhou Yi exposed the Pacification Office’s abuses, killed Ji Yue, and adopted Zhou Ping'an, who revealed that the King Who Pacifies the North had destroyed the Tang Family.
• Zhou Yi faked an injury to delay his northern investigation, then led a campaign against martial sects, killed Nameless, and forced the Buddhist and Daoist sects to accept the court’s tax policies.
• After Zhou Yi returned to the capital and became Chief Superintendent, Emperor Zhengtong ordered him to arrest Lin Zhengben, whose revelations exposed the emperor’s plan to abolish scholars’ tax exemptions.
• Zhou Yi discovered Old Lu’s mutilated corpse as a palace crisis unfolded, then rejected the Empress’s demands and escaped the palace disguised as Xiao Shanzi.
• Emperor Longqing ascended the throne while the Empress Dowager governed as regent, and Zhou Yi hid among palace eunuchs as officials purged his associates and the Su family.
• Zhou Yi recognized Tang Mingyuan’s frost sugar as a signal and agreed to help Zhao Mu challenge Emperor Longqing, while Old Lu approached Tang Mingyuan with the Ghost Immortal Longevity Sutra.
• Zhao Mu’s forces breached the palace walls during the Lantern Festival, and Zhou Yi joined them as they fought their way to the Hall of Diligent Governance.
• Emperor Longqing confessed that he had ordered the former emperor’s murder to preserve the future he remembered, and Eunuch Yuan killed him before Zhao Mu was hailed as emperor.

Zhou Yi survived the capital’s attack, rose to the Innate realm, and spent years settling scores while the throne changed hands. After restoring his male body, he allowed Zhou Ping'an to accept the throne and remained at Longevity Mountain.

• Zhao Mu took the throne, while Tang Mingyuan entered the Grand Secretariat and Zhou Yi hunted the escaped Empress Dowager and rebels.
• Emperor Tianshun’s rule brought reforms and factional struggles, but Eunuch Wu and other powerful eunuchs abused their authority as Tang Mingyuan tried to defend his policies.
• After Emperor Tianshun died, Noble Consort Shu’s newborn son became Emperor Taichang, and Zhou Yi exposed and executed Eunuch Wu.
• A coalition of martial grandmasters attacked Zhou Yi, but Eunuch Yuan helped him escape the capital, and Zhou Yi broke through to the Innate realm at Heavenly Pool.
• After years in seclusion, Zhou Yi returned to the capital, killed Gu Xiao and Luo Shuo, reunited with Little Liang, and learned from Zhou Ping'an about the court’s past.
• Zhou Yi helped Zhou Ping'an navigate the succession, then hunted the surviving enemies and learned from Vajra Immortal how Eunuch Lu’s method prolonged life by turning practitioners into ghosts.
• Zhou Yi forced Eunuch Hai to teach him the Extreme Yin Giving Birth to Yang art, restored his male body, and later permitted Zhou Ping'an to take the throne.