Chapter Summaries

Huang Shaojie traced the bandits’ tracks to a small lake and concluded they had sunk the stolen official silver there. He persuaded Xiao Qiuyue and Niu Ren not to search the lake immediately, leaving the authorities poised to catch the bandits if they returned for the silver.

• Huang Shaojie noticed the cart tracks growing shallower and followed signs of people through the woods, with Xiao Qiuyue and several dozen Imperial Guard Captains behind him.
• Huang Shaojie found that the tracks led to a small lake and privately told Xiao Qiuyue he believed the bandits had hidden the silver underwater and might have lookouts nearby.
• Huang Shaojie convinced Xiao Qiuyue to pretend they had found nothing and return without searching the lake, since searching could alert the bandits.
• Huang Shaojie and Xiao Qiuyue returned to Niu Ren and reported that the bandits had likely sunk the silver in the lake.
• Huang Shaojie explained that searching immediately could warn the bandits, and Niu Ren inferred that they should watch the lake and seize the bandits if they came to retrieve the silver.

Huang Shaojie traced the bandits’ route to a small lake where they had hidden the official silver, and Niu Ren sent a team to watch it. That night, Commander Zhao, Xiao Qiuyue, and Huang Shaojie waited in the forest as two figures approached the shore.

• Huang Shaojie explained how he and Xiao Qiuyue followed the cart tracks and found signs that the bandits had unloaded the silver near a lake.
• Niu Ren ordered Battalion Commander He’s team to watch the lake by day and sent Commander Zhao, Xiao Qiuyue, and Huang Shaojie to observe it at night.
• A black-clad man told the green-robed President that the Imperial Guard had searched near the lake, and the President suspected they might be planning an ambush.
• The President ordered two disciples to retrieve one chest of silver as a test while he watched for Imperial Guard members.
• At midnight, Commander Zhao, Xiao Qiuyue, and Huang Shaojie saw two figures creep toward the lakeshore.

Commander Zhao, Xiao Qiuyue, and Huang Shaojie caught two bandits retrieving silver from a lake, but a hidden killer murdered the bandits before they could be followed to their hideout. Huang Shaojie pursued the killer alone and continued tailing him toward Suzhou City.

• Commander Zhao, Xiao Qiuyue, and Huang Shaojie watched two bandits haul a chest of silver from the lake and followed them.
• A hidden killer shot dead branches through the bandits' throats and fled into the forest.
• Commander Zhao and Xiao Qiuyue found the bandits dead and realized Huang Shaojie had vanished in pursuit of the killer.
• Huang Shaojie secretly followed the killer as he circled through the mountains and headed toward Suzhou City.

Huang Shaojie traced the assassin to the Five Lakes Association and reported that the gang had stolen the official silver. Niu Ren led Imperial Guards and government soldiers to surround the estate, where Chang Haotian ordered the association members to fight their way out and escape to Western Shu.

• Huang Shaojie followed Elder Xiao to the Five Lakes Association estate and learned that the disciples there recognized him as an elder.
• Huang Shaojie told Xiao Qiuyue and Niu Ren that the Five Lakes Association had taken the official silver and that its Elder Xiao was involved in the ambush.
• Niu Ren ordered Huang Shaojie to report to Prefectural Governor Luo and told Xiao Qiuyue to assemble the Imperial Guards.
• Prefectural Governor Luo sent three thousand soldiers, and Niu Ren led them with five hundred Imperial Guards to surround the Five Lakes Association estate.
• Chang Haotian and the association members learned the government forces had surrounded them, then agreed to resist arrest and escape toward Western Shu.

Niu Ren led Imperial Guard and government soldiers to arrest the Five Lakes Association, and the association fought back as its members tried to escape. Huang Shaojie rescued Xiao Qiuyue from a First Rank Grandmaster and revealed strength that astonished his opponent.

• Chang Haotian denied the Five Lakes Association had stolen official silver, but Niu Ren ordered his forces to arrest everyone, and Chang Haotian killed a Banner Officer with one palm.
• Niu Ren attacked Chang Haotian, who barely dodged his sword, while Imperial Guard captured or killed Chang Haotian's disciples.
• Four elders and other Five Lakes Association members charged out of the rear gate, where the Commander of the Infantry fought Elder Xiao as soldiers and Imperial Guard moved to encircle them.
• Huang Shaojie kicked three stewards aside, while the Grey-robed Elder disarmed Xiao Qiuyue and threatened to kill her.
• Huang Shaojie intervened and met the Grey-robed Elder's palm with his legs, surviving the clash and leaving the elder astonished by his strength.

Huang Shaojie and his allies destroyed the Five Lakes Association and recovered most of the stolen government silver. Niu Ren promised to seek promotions and rewards for Huang Shaojie and Xiao Qiuyue, while Huang Shaojie resolved to investigate Xiao Qiuyue’s connections in the Capital City.

• Huang Shaojie, Commander Zhao, and Xiao Qiuyue killed the Grey-robed Elder as the Imperial Guard and soldiers defeated the Five Lakes Association.
• Niu Ren sent He Lu to search the Five Lakes Association estate and ordered troops to recover the government silver hidden in a lake.
• Prefectural Governor Luo’s soldiers retrieved 144 chests of silver, and Niu Ren explained that the missing chests had already been recovered by the bandits or held at the Imperial Guard office.
• Niu Ren praised Huang Shaojie’s role in solving the robbery and said he would seek to promote him to Battalion Commander; he also promised to seek credit for Xiao Qiuyue.
• Huang Shaojie suspected Xiao Qiuyue had influential backing in the Capital City and decided to investigate the Xiao families there.

After receiving a promotion and thanking Huang Shaojie for saving her life, Xiao Qiuyue offered to help him if he ever needed it. Huang Shaojie received the first six forms of Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms, demonstrated their power at home, and left his father believing an immortal taught him martial arts in dreams.

• Xiao Qiuyue congratulated Huang Shaojie on becoming acting Battalion Commander, and he told her he had saved her during the fight with the Five Lakes Association.
• Xiao Qiuyue thanked Huang Shaojie for saving her life and promised to help him if he needed it.
• The system rewarded Huang Shaojie for solving the Tax Silver Robbery Case with the first six forms of Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms, raising his cultivation to Peak Innate Triple Layer.
• Huang Shaojie tested Resisting Dragon with Regret and blasted a ten-ton artificial rockery apart with an illusory white dragon.
• Huang Baiwan arrived, and Huang Shaojie claimed a white-bearded old man taught him martial arts in his dreams; Huang Baiwan believed him and left delighted.
• Huang Shaojie asked Xiao He to scrub his back after she confirmed she had seen him destroy the rockery.

Huang Shaojie took temporary command of the Third Guard Post, while the Imperial Guard uncovered evidence that the Five Lakes Association was secretly forging weapons and may have been plotting rebellion. When Niu Ren and Huang Shaojie went to interrogate its leaders, they learned the three key prisoners had died by severing their own meridians.

• Niu Ren appointed Huang Shaojie temporary Battalion Commander of the Third Guard Post, and Huang Shaojie promised the officers and captains a feast at Drunken Immortal Restaurant.
• He Lu reported that the Imperial Guard had confiscated the Five Lakes Association's wealth and found an underground hall containing weapon-forging equipment and over a thousand weapons.
• Niu Ren suspected the Five Lakes Association was plotting rebellion and ordered five percent of its confiscated assets retained for the Imperial Guard treasury.
• Niu Ren summoned Huang Shaojie to help interrogate the captured Five Lakes Association disciples about the weapons and possible rebellion.
• Battalion Commander Li reported that Elder Xiao and two stewards had severed their own meridians and died before Niu Ren and Huang Shaojie could question them.

Niu Ren investigated the deaths of Elder Xiao and two stewards, then learned that the Five Lakes Association belonged to a vast rebel alliance directed by a mysterious sect. Ling Xiaotian received Niu Ren’s urgent report and summoned the four Pacification Commissioners to discuss the threat.

• Niu Ren examined Elder Xiao and the two stewards in the Imperial Guard dungeon and ordered the coroner to inspect their bodies again after they were found dead with shattered meridians.
• Niu Ren tortured the captured Five Lakes Association disciples, who confessed that more than a hundred rebel groups had allied under a mysterious religious sect.
• Niu Ren sent an 800 Li Express secret report to Ling Xiaotian, reporting the alliance’s plot to overthrow Great Chu.
• Ling Xiaotian read Niu Ren’s report and ordered the four Pacification Commissioners—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—to come to Imperial Guard Headquarters.

A masked assassin attacked Cao Renqi in his home but escaped, and Cao Renqi sought the Imperial Guard’s help. Niu Ren assigned Huang Shaojie to investigate the attack and capture the assassin.

• Ling Xiaotian ordered Imperial Guard offices across Great Chu to investigate gangs and the cult behind them, while Niu Ren searched Suzhou without finding evidence of rebellion.
• Huang Shaojie continued checking in daily, raising his martial realm to the Innate Seventh Layer.
• A masked man slipped into Cao Renqi’s manor, wounded the commandant with a Flying Dagger, and fought off his guards before escaping.
• Cao Renqi sent his steward to Niu Ren with three hundred taels of gold and a request for help capturing the assassin.
• Niu Ren summoned Huang Shaojie and ordered him to investigate the attack at Cao Renqi’s manor and bring the assassin to justice.

Huang Shaojie questioned Cao Renqi about the failed assassination and agreed to protect him while drawing the assassin out. The chapter ended with Huang Shaojie proposing that Cao Renqi advertise for famous physicians so the assassin might disguise himself as one and return.

• Huang Shaojie visited Cao Renqi and asked him to recount the previous night’s assassination attempt.
• Cao Renqi said the assassin had Grandmaster-level martial arts and questioned whether Huang Shaojie could handle him.
• Huang Shaojie invoked Commander Niu’s authority, causing Cao Renqi to apologize for doubting the assignment.
• Cao Renqi said he could not identify anyone with a motive to assassinate him, and Huang Shaojie suspected an enemy seeking revenge.
• Huang Shaojie offered to pose as Cao Renqi’s personal guard and suggested advertising for famous physicians to lure the assassin back in disguise.

Huang Shaojie and Cao Renqi set a trap for the assassin by announcing a reward for a physician, and the assassin arrived disguised as an old doctor. The attack failed, and Huang Shaojie watched as Cao Renqi’s fighters confronted the fleeing assassin.

• Cao Renqi agreed to follow Huang Shaojie’s plan to lure the assassin with a public notice offering ten thousand taels for a physician who could treat him.
• Two days later, a disguised assassin arrived at Cao Manor posing as an old physician and claiming he could heal Cao Renqi.
• Huang Shaojie recognized the assassin with his Insight Technique while Cao Renqi pretended to be gravely injured and prepared for an attack.
• The assassin seized Cao Renqi’s wrist and shot three needles at his vital points, but the needles struck an iron plate beneath Cao Renqi’s clothes.
• Huang Shaojie attacked, and the assassin escaped through a window into the courtyard, where more than a dozen manor fighters confronted him.
• Huang Shaojie landed and held back, waiting to see whether Cao Renqi’s fighters could capture the assassin.

Huang Shaojie captured the assassin who had attacked Cao Renqi and collected the promised ten thousand taels of silver notes. The assassin revealed himself as Wu Zhen, a man who accused Cao Renqi of destroying his family ten years earlier, and Cao Renqi moved to kill him.

• Cao Renqi offered ten thousand taels of silver to whoever captured the assassin, and the manor guards attacked but could not stop him from escaping.
• Huang Shaojie pursued the assassin with the Wind God Leg and struck him with Resisting Dragon with Regret, knocking him into a pit and capturing him.
• Cao Renqi gave Huang Shaojie ten official silver notes worth ten thousand taels after Huang reminded him of the reward.
• The assassin identified himself as Wu Zhen and accused Cao Renqi of violating his wife, killing his family, and framing him for colluding with Japanese pirates.
• Cao Renqi denied Wu Zhen's accusations and raised his palm to strike Wu Zhen's crown.

Huang Shaojie stopped Cao Renqi from killing Wu Zhen and heard Wu Zhen’s account of how Cao had assaulted his wife, murdered his family, and framed him for colluding with Japanese pirates. Huang promised to investigate and bring Cao to justice, leaving Wu astonished by his resolve.

• Huang Shaojie blocked Cao Renqi from striking the restrained Wu Zhen and refused to let Cao decide his fate.
• Huang took Wu Zhen to his duty room instead of the Imperial Guard prison and asked him to explain his accusation against Cao Renqi.
• Wu Zhen recounted how Cao assaulted his wife, framed him for colluding with Japanese pirates, and killed his parents when he tried to resist.
• Wu Zhen said he escaped a cliff, trained under a Daoist for ten years, and returned to seek revenge after his master died.
• Huang promised to investigate Wu Zhen’s story, clear his name if it proved true, and arrest Cao Renqi regardless of his rank.

After capturing Wu Zhen, Huang Shaojie received thirty years of Internal Cultivation and advanced two realms to the Ninth Level of Innate Realm. Niu Ren ordered him to secretly investigate Cao Renqi, while Cao Renqi arrived at the Imperial Guard hall to see Niu Ren.

• Huang Shaojie locked Wu Zhen in the dungeon and warned the guards not to torture him.
• The system rewarded Huang Shaojie with thirty years of Internal Cultivation, raising him to the Ninth Level of Innate Realm.
• Huang Shaojie told Niu Ren how he had captured Wu Zhen and received one hundred taels of gold as a reward.
• Huang Shaojie explained Wu Zhen's accusation that Cao Renqi had violated his wife, framed him, and killed his parents; Niu Ren believed the accusation was likely true.
• Niu Ren ordered Huang Shaojie to secretly investigate Cao Renqi and arrest him if he found evidence of crimes.
• Cao Renqi requested an audience with Niu Ren, who ordered that he be brought into the hall.

Cao Renqi bribed Commander Niu to have Wu Zhen executed and prevent an investigation into their past. Niu Ren accepted the money and promised Wu Zhen would not live past that night.

• Cao Renqi gave Niu Ren five hundred taels of gold as thanks for capturing Wu Zhen and claimed Wu Zhen had once colluded with Japanese pirates.
• Cao Renqi learned that Huang Shaojie had not told Niu Ren about Wu Zhen's accusations, then admitted Wu Zhen had accused him of violating Lady Wu and framing him.
• Niu Ren said the Imperial Guard would investigate the old case, alarming Cao Renqi, who urged him to execute Wu Zhen and close the matter.
• Cao Renqi privately offered Niu Ren thirty thousand taels of silver to have Wu Zhen killed.
• Niu Ren accepted the bribe and promised that Wu Zhen would not live past that night.

Huang Shaojie enlisted his clever parrot Eight Lord to spy on Cao Renqi after discovering the bird had gained intelligence from an elixir. Eight Lord began watching Cao Renqi while Huang Shaojie returned to Huang Manor, promising to reward the bird with elixirs if it did well.

• Huang Shaojie tried to sneak out of Huang Manor, but Eight Lord spotted him and accused him of going out to be a thief.
• Huang Shaojie learned that Eight Lord had once received an intelligence-awakening elixir from a Daoist priest and agreed to reward the bird with cultivation elixirs for helping him.
• Huang Shaojie took Eight Lord to Cao Manor and showed him Cao Renqi, who was drinking wine while two maidservants attended him.
• Huang Shaojie returned to Huang Manor and left Eight Lord to watch Cao Renqi and report back the next morning.

Huang Shaojie used Eight Lord to secretly monitor Cao Renqi, who showed no suspicious behavior for three days. That evening, Cao Renqi left home and arrived at Suzhou City’s famous brothel, Fountain Pavilion.

• Eight Lord reported that Cao Renqi had spent the night with two women, and Huang Shaojie ordered him to continue watching.
• Huang Shaojie told Xiao He to keep Eight Lord’s role as his secret detective confidential.
• Huang Shaojie went to the Imperial Guard office and decided not to send his Squad Leaders after Cao Renqi, since they might be discovered.
• Eight Lord monitored Cao Renqi for three days but saw no unusual activity as he worked, returned home, and spent his evenings there.
• Cao Renqi left his residence in a sedan chair and arrived at Fountain Pavilion, where the courtesans called to him from the entrance.

At Fountain Pavilion, Leng Ningxiang secretly met with Cao Renqi and brought him to President Ma, who recruited him to help smuggle Japanese sea salt and install samurai in the Prefect's Office. Cao Renqi agreed after President Ma outlined a staged attack and offered him money and geishas.

• Cao Renqi arrived at Fountain Pavilion, where Madam Hua led him to Leng Ningxiang's private room.
• Leng Ningxiang rebuffed Cao Renqi's advances and warned him to keep her identity secret from the Imperial Guard.
• After a signal, Leng Ningxiang opened a hidden door and led Cao Renqi into a secret chamber to meet President Ma.
• President Ma ordered Cao Renqi to place four Eastern Ocean Samurai in the Prefect's Office and help transport one million jin of Japanese sea salt to the Dongsheng Merchant Association.
• President Ma proposed staging an attack on the Prefect's Office so Cao Renqi could arrive with reinforcements and leave guards there; Cao Renqi agreed.
• President Ma gave Cao Renqi banknotes worth one hundred thousand taels and promised him geishas and another one hundred thousand taels after the plan was completed.

Huang Shaojie learned from Eight Lord that Cao Renqi had met with Ningxiang, the Fountain Pavilion’s courtesan queen, and realized they were Japanese spies conspiring with him. Eight Lord could not hear what Cao Renqi discussed with Ningxiang’s president, leaving the identity and plans of the higher-ranking contact unknown.

• Cao Renqi accepted silver notes and Golden Spear Pills from President Ma, promising to handle two matters before they departed separately.
• Eight Lord reported that Cao Renqi had visited the Fountain Pavilion but had not gone there to sleep with a woman.
• Eight Lord recounted hearing Cao Renqi call Ningxiang “Miss Naizi” and learning that she feared the Imperial Guard discovering her identity.
• Huang Shaojie concluded that Ningxiang was a Japanese spy and Cao Renqi was colluding with Japanese pirates, then asked what they had discussed with their president.
• Eight Lord said he had heard only noises and seen shadows moving before Ningxiang bid Cao Renqi farewell.