Chapter Summaries

Huang Shaojie’s family prepared to leave Suzhou for the Capital City, where officials showered them with gifts and farewells. Meanwhile, Xuan Wuji learned that Xiao Qiuyue was likely the missing Princess Mingyue and ordered Black Tortoise to lure her to a meeting.

• Huang Baiwan asked the manor servants whether they would move to the Capital City, and most agreed to follow him while two stayed to maintain the Suzhou residence.
• Suzhou officials brought gifts to Huang Shaojie and his family, and Zhu Shi returned two thousand taels to Huang Baiwan and gave him another thousand as tea money.
• Three days later, Huang Shaojie’s family departed Suzhou in a convoy, and Niu Ren and Prefectural Governor Luo led officials in seeing them off.
• In a valley outside the Capital City, Black Tortoise told Xuan Wuji that Xiao Qiuyue was almost certainly Princess Mingyue, based on her resemblance to the Empress Dowager and her adoption by Prince Ning.
• Xuan Wuji ordered Black Tortoise to lure Xiao Qiuyue to the valley the next day so a former palace maid could confirm her identity, and Black Tortoise accepted the order.

Black Tortoise lured Xiao Qiuyue into the mountains and revealed that he believed she was Princess Mingyue of the former Western Shu Kingdom. Xiao Qiuyue rejected his claim, insisting she was Prince Ning’s adopted goddaughter.

• A masked Black Tortoise ambushed Xiao Qiuyue with a flying dagger, then fled as she chased him out of the city and into the mountains.
• Xiao Qiuyue’s guards lost sight of the pair and split up to report the incident to Azure Dragon and Prince Ning.
• Black Tortoise stopped in a mountain valley, removed his mask, and shocked Xiao Qiuyue by revealing himself.
• Black Tortoise called Xiao Qiuyue Princess Mingyue and claimed he was an old subject of Western Shu.
• Xiao Qiuyue denied being a Western Shu princess, explaining that Prince Ning adopted her after her father died protecting him.

Black Tortoise told Xiao Qiuyue that Prince Ning had conquered Western Shu and likely raised her under a false identity as the surviving Princess Mingyue. Chunlan verified Xiao Qiuyue’s plum-blossom birthmark, and Xuan Wuji, Xie Rong, and Zhao Zhen knelt before her as their princess.

• Black Tortoise recounted Western Shu’s fall and explained why he suspected Xiao Qiuyue was its lost Princess Mingyue.
• Xiao Qiuyue realized that if she was the princess, her adoptive father Prince Ning had destroyed her family’s kingdom.
• Xuan Wuji appeared with Chunlan, a former palace maid who recognized Xiao Qiuyue’s resemblance to the Empress Dowager and recalled the princess’s birthmark.
• Chunlan examined Xiao Qiuyue and confirmed the plum-blossom birthmark beneath her left armpit.
• Xuan Wuji, Xie Rong, and Zhao Zhen knelt and paid their respects to Xiao Qiuyue as Princess Mingyue.

After learning she was the surviving princess of Western Shu, Xiao Qiuyue agreed to return there with Xuan Wuji, while Black Tortoise prepared to fake her death. A mutilated corpse was later identified as hers, but Prince Ning recognized that she was still alive because the corpse had been only a Xiantian Realm martial artist.

• Xuan Wuji persuaded Xiao Qiuyue to return to Western Shu and pay respects at her parents’ graves.
• Xiao Qiuyue asked Xuan Wuji and Black Tortoise to keep Huang Shaojie safe and tell him she would wait for him in Western Shu.
• Azure Dragon and Xiang You searched for Xiao Qiuyue after she vanished, and Prince Ning and Ling Xiaotian mobilized forces to find her.
• A Chief Banner officer found a mutilated corpse wearing Xiao Qiuyue’s uniform and carrying her jade pendant and sword, and Azure Dragon brought it to Prince Ning’s estate.
• Prince Ning told Azure Dragon the corpse was not Xiao Qiuyue because its sea of qi and meridians belonged to a Xiantian Realm martial artist, not a Second Rank Grandmaster.

Prince Ning suspected the Western Shu Remnants had abducted Princess Qiuyue to confirm her identity, while Huang Shaojie's convoy encountered bandits on the road to the Capital City. Wu Zhen struck down their leader, a First Rank Grandmaster, leaving the other bandits to face the convoy's guards.

• Prince Ning told Azure Dragon that Princess Qiuyue was likely taken by the Western Shu Remnants, who might use her identity to rally support for restoring their kingdom.
• Wu Zhen led Huang Shaojie's carriage convoy toward the Capital City as Eight Lord and Ah Gui bickered along the road.
• Masked bandits blocked the convoy and demanded its women and wealth, prompting Wu Zhen and the guards to draw their weapons.
• Wu Zhen kicked the bandit leader's Great Ring Saber away and struck him with his Wind God Leg, sending him flying unconscious into the forest.

Wu Zhen defeated a bandit attack on Huang Shaojie's convoy, and Huang Shaojie discovered the captured leader was Gou Ping, a chief of Black Cloud Fortress. After reaching Xuzhou, Huang Shaojie confronted Prefect Zhu Xing'an about the bandits, leaving the prefect and accompanying officials kneeling and begging forgiveness.

• Wu Zhen kicked down the masked leader and defeated the other bandits who charged at him.
• Wu Zhen captured the unconscious leader, and Huang Shaojie searched his soul, learning he was Gou Ping, Third Chief of Black Cloud Fortress, and discovering the fortress's location.
• Huang Shaojie ordered the bandits killed, took Gou Ping's head as proof, and continued with his family to Xuzhou City.
• At the Xuzhou post station, Huang Shaojie presented his Imperial Guard Commander's token, and Prefect Zhu Xing'an arrived with officials bearing gifts for Huang Shaojie's parents.
• Huang Shaojie challenged Prefect Zhu over the bandit attack, prompting the prefect and the other officials to kneel and plead for forgiveness.

Huang Shaojie announced he would destroy Black Cloud Fortress alone and set out that night, leaving his parents under Wu Zhen’s protection. He reached the bandits’ mountain lair and began fighting its chiefs, killing Mountain Cat while Iron Wolf’s spear remained trapped in his grasp.

• Huang Shaojie showed Prefect Zhu and the officials Gou Ping’s head, and Head Constable Liu identified him as Black Cloud Fortress’s Third Chief.
• Huang Shaojie declared he would wipe out Black Cloud Fortress that night without the officials’ troops or his guards.
• Huang Shaojie left Wu Zhen to protect his parents and vanished into the night using his lightness skill.
• Huang Shaojie followed Gou Ping’s memories to Black Wind Ridge and found Iron Wolf and Mountain Cat drinking in their cave stronghold.
• Iron Wolf attacked Huang Shaojie with his spear, but Huang seized it and stopped it from moving.
• Mountain Cat rushed Huang Shaojie with a saber, and Huang kicked him into the mountain rock, killing him.

Huang Shaojie killed Iron Wolf, Mountain Cat, and hundreds of Black Cloud Fortress bandits, then searched the caves and rescued women the bandits had abducted. After collecting the fortress’s treasure, he left the rescued women to wait for officials and faced their pleas to stay with them overnight.

• Huang Shaojie killed Iron Wolf and Mountain Cat, then slaughtered the bandit leaders who attacked him.
• Hundreds of Black Cloud Fortress bandits charged Huang Shaojie, who froze one group with the Heavenly Frost Fist and killed the rest with Dragon Subduing Palms.
• Huang Shaojie searched Iron Wolf’s dwelling, found three captive women, and learned that bandits had abducted them while killing their families and servants.
• Huang Shaojie found chests of treasure in the leaders’ dwellings and rescued four more women.
• Huang Shaojie brought the seven women together and said officials would take them home the next day, but they asked him to stay overnight for protection.

After rescuing 28 women and wiping out Black Cloud Fortress, Huang Shaojie received the Cloud Dispelling Palm and tested its power. He failed to merge his three martial arts into Three Points Return to One Qi and left for Xuzhou City, planning to tell Prefect Zhu about the survivors.

• Huang Shaojie drove away the wolves, killed the bandits hiding in the other caves, and brought the rescued women together for safety.
• The system rewarded Huang Shaojie with the perfected Cloud Dispelling Palm after he eliminated the fortress bandits and rescued 28 women.
• Huang Shaojie tested several forms of the Cloud Dispelling Palm, destroying trees, boulders, and part of the forest with its powerful strikes.
• Huang Shaojie tried to combine Divine Wind Energy, Empty Cloud Energy, and Heavenly Frost Qi, but the system refused to help him cultivate Three Points Return to One Qi.
• Huang Shaojie left for Xuzhou City using Cloud Trace Phantom Shadow, intending to notify Prefect Zhu so the women could be taken home.

Huang Shaojie returned from destroying Black Cloud Fortress, collected his reward, and led the Huang Manor convoy to Chang'an. After arriving at his new residence, he learned that Steward Lu had gone to offer incense at Xiao Qiuyue’s grave.

• Huang Shaojie returned to Xuzhou and told Prefect Zhu that he had killed all the Black Cloud Fortress bandits, then drew a map to their caves.
• Prefect Zhu sent Head Constable Liu and a hundred officers and soldiers to rescue the twenty-odd captive women, and Huang Shaojie accepted sixty thousand taels in silver notes.
• The Huang Manor convoy traveled for nearly twenty days and arrived in Chang'an, where Huang Shaojie and his family entered their large residence in Taiyuan Quarter.
• Huang Shaojie asked after Steward Lu and learned that Lu had gone to offer incense at Xiao Qiuyue’s grave.

Huang Shaojie learned that Xiao Qiuyue had died and grieved at her grave before vowing vengeance on her killer. Meanwhile, Xiao Qiuyue arrived at the Witch God Sect as the princess of Western Shu, where she delayed the ministers’ demand that she ascend the throne.

• Huang Shaojie learned Xiao Qiuyue was dead and rushed with a servant to her grave at Western Slope Ridge.
• Huang Shaojie found Lu Changkong kneeling at Xiao Qiuyue’s grave, mourned her, and demanded to know how she died.
• After hearing Lu Changkong’s account, Huang Shaojie vowed to exterminate the killer’s ten clans.
• Xiao Qiuyue took her place on the phoenix throne in the Witch God Sect’s hall as its members welcomed her as Western Shu’s princess.
• Ma Dong urged Xiao Qiuyue to ascend the throne and restore Western Shu, and the ministers unanimously called on her to become Empress.
• Wary of Xuan Wuji and unprepared to rule, Xiao Qiuyue asked the ministers to rise and said she needed time to consider the matter.

Xiao Qiuyue and the Witch God Sect leaders decided to keep building their strength rather than rebel against Great Chu. Huang Shaojie received a secret note claiming Xiao Qiuyue was alive and had left the Capital City for an important matter, though her fate and motives remained unclear.

• Xiao Qiuyue warned Xuan Wuji and the Witch God Sect that their forces could not yet stand against Great Chu, and they agreed to wait before rebelling.
• Huang Baiwan and Madam Huang mourned the loss of their expected daughter-in-law at Huang Manor.
• Huang Shaojie suspected Japanese spies had killed Xiao Qiuyue, then received a note saying she was alive and had temporarily left the Capital City.
• Huang Shaojie reconsidered the identification of Xiao Qiuyue's mutilated body and wondered whether she had faked her death or been kidnapped.
• Huang Shaojie felt relieved, ate and bathed, then went to Xiao He's room, where she comforted him.

Huang Shaojie visited Vermilion Bird after reporting to Azure Dragon, and the two arranged for her to visit Huang Manor. His parents prepared to receive the powerful commissioner, unaware of her closeness with their son.

• Huang Shaojie reported to Azure Dragon that he had found no evidence Situ Wuzui had colluded with the Japanese, and Azure Dragon hinted that Xiao Qiuyue's corpse might not be hers.
• Huang Shaojie visited Vermilion Bird, who embraced and kissed him after dismissing her guards.
• Vermilion Bird consoled Huang Shaojie over Xiao Qiuyue and arranged to visit Huang Manor after work.
• Huang Shaojie told his parents that Vermilion Bird was coming, prompting them to plan an elaborate meal and gifts.
• Ah Gui announced that Vermilion Bird had arrived at Huang Manor.

Vermilion Bird visited Huang Shaojie at Huang Manor, where his parents mistook their closeness for a courtship, and the pair discussed the Imperial Surveillance Bureau spy investigation. The next evening, Vermilion Bird brought Huang Shaojie to Sleeping Phoenix Residence to meet a mysterious woman he had encountered before.

• Huang Shaojie welcomed Vermilion Bird to Huang Manor, and his parents inferred from their affectionate behavior that she might become his wife.
• After dinner, Huang Shaojie and Vermilion Bird strolled around the manor, where Lu Changkong revealed he had lived there as Huang Shaojie's disciple for two months.
• Huang Shaojie and Vermilion Bird discussed the spy case, ruled out the first three Grand Protectors as suspects, and decided to investigate Fourth Grand Protector Xie Jin.
• Vermilion Bird told Huang Shaojie she would introduce him to a woman he had met before, then brought him to Sleeping Phoenix Residence the following evening.
• Huang Shaojie recognized the residence's Grey-robed Elder as the carriage driver he had seen at Lanruo Temple and wondered whether the mysterious woman was the same person.

Huang Shaojie met Princess Pingyang, Xiang Qingyang, and learned that Vermilion Bird was committed to helping her claim the throne. He refused to join the princess's faction, though Vermilion Bird insisted he was already aboard her ship.

• Vermilion Bird brought Huang Shaojie to meet Princess Pingyang, who thanked him for saving her and explained that she had arranged their encounter to meet the talented Imperial Guard commander.
• Princess Pingyang invited Huang Shaojie and Vermilion Bird to dinner at Sleeping Phoenix Residence.
• After they returned to Vermilion Bird's residence, Huang Shaojie questioned her loyalty to Princess Pingyang and warned that opposing the Emperor could cost her life and position.
• Vermilion Bird secretly told Huang Shaojie she would obey Princess Pingyang over the Emperor if their orders conflicted and predicted that the princess would defeat Prince Qi and Prince Han and take the throne.
• Huang Shaojie said he would not join Princess Pingyang's faction, but Vermilion Bird insisted he could not leave; they began fighting playfully as guards on patrol heard them and walked away.

Huang Shaojie sent Eight Lord to spy on Xie Jin, who secretly met with a Japanese Imperial Consort plotting against Great Chu. The Imperial Consort revealed that Japan was waiting for Western Shu’s rebellion before launching an attack, while Eight Lord overheard their plans.

• Huang Shaojie paid Eight Lord a mid-grade Qi Refining Elixir to watch Xie Jin’s residence while he returned home.
• Eight Lord reported that Xie Jin’s routine was uneventful for three days, then followed him as he left the city in night attire.
• At a Desolate Pagoda, Xie Jin met Sakamoto and bowed to a veiled woman in red, whom he addressed as Her Highness the Imperial Consort.
• Sakamoto told the Imperial Consort that one hundred Japanese intelligence operatives would gather in the capital within three months to establish a new stronghold.
• The Imperial Consort said Japan would attack when Western Shu rebelled, explaining that its remaining forces had secretly developed and spread across Great Chu.
• The Imperial Consort rejected Sakamoto’s suggestion to kill Emperor Xuande immediately, then vanished to return to Clear Skies.

Huang Shaojie learned that Xie Jin was Sakamoto, a Japanese spy, and reported him to Azure Dragon. He kept the woman Xie Jin met under surveillance and later told Vermilion Bird what he had discovered.

• Eight Lord reported that Xie Jin had met a woman in red outside the city, and Huang Shaojie understood from their Japanese conversation that Xie Jin served the Japanese Imperial Consort.
• Huang Shaojie ordered Eight Lord to keep watching Xie Jin and went to the Eastern Pacification Office to report him to Azure Dragon.
• Huang Shaojie told Azure Dragon that Xie Jin was Sakamoto and described the mysterious woman, but Azure Dragon ordered him to continue surveillance rather than arrest Xie Jin immediately.
• Huang Shaojie visited Vermilion Bird that night and told her that Xie Jin was the spy, explaining how Eight Lord had tracked him.

Huang Shaojie and Vermilion Bird prepared to confront Xie Jin and the Japanese Imperial Consort after Eight Lord reported their movements. When Xie Jin finally left the city, Vermilion Bird went to alert Azure Dragon while Huang Shaojie followed him.

• Huang Shaojie told Vermilion Bird that Azure Dragon had ordered him to keep watching Xie Jin and report when he met the Japanese Imperial Consort again.
• Huang Shaojie and Vermilion Bird agreed to join Azure Dragon, and Eight Lord later showed them the remote Desolate Pagoda where Xie Jin had met the woman.
• After five days without another meeting, Eight Lord reported that Xie Jin had left the city on the seventh night.
• Huang Shaojie followed Xie Jin while Vermilion Bird rushed to Azure Dragon's Estate to summon Azure Dragon.
• Azure Dragon appeared before Vermilion Bird after she called for him.

Vermilion Bird and Azure Dragon followed Xie Jin to the Desolate Pagoda, where they discovered that the Japanese Imperial Consort was Miyajima Ayaka, an early-stage God Ninja. As Miyajima Ayaka attacked them and Sakamoto went after Huang Shaojie, the fight began with all three allies under threat.

• Vermilion Bird told Azure Dragon that Xie Jin had left the city, and they hurried to the Desolate Pagoda while Huang Shaojie watched from farther away.
• Miyajima Ayaka appeared beneath the pagoda, sensed the three watchers, and ordered Sakamoto to attack Huang Shaojie while she dealt with the others.
• Miyajima Ayaka vanished and struck Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird with lightning techniques, revealing herself as a God Ninja.
• Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird drove the lightning from their arms with their martial arts, while Sakamoto leaped toward Huang Shaojie and slashed with a crossing attack.

Huang Shaojie overwhelmed Sakamoto in a blade clash, while Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird faced the Divine Ninja Miyajima Ayaka. After her lightning serpent defeated Azure Dragon’s Mighty Dragon Divine Palm, Miyajima vanished, leaving the two Imperial Guard commissioners on alert in the darkness.

• Huang Shaojie shattered Sakamoto’s sword and wounded him with Divine Blade Slash, then broke through his fire attacks with Heavenly Frost Fist.
• Miyajima Ayaka revealed herself and praised Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird after her ambush failed to injure them.
• Miyajima summoned the Sky-Rending Thunder Serpent, which destroyed Azure Dragon’s Mighty Dragon Divine Palm and then lunged at Vermilion Bird.
• Vermilion Bird dodged the serpent and joined Azure Dragon in attacking Miyajima, who vanished before they could reach her.
• Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird stood back to back, scanning and listening for Miyajima in the night.