Chapter Summaries

Huang Shaojie went to scout Ding Cheng'an's residence and discovered that Kong Wujing, the Imperial Surveillance Bureau's Sixth Grand Protector, had arrived to question the vice minister. The chapter ended as Kong Wujing asked Ding Cheng'an whether he had sent someone to kill Luo Ming.

• Huang Shaojie told Xiao Qiuyue he would investigate Ding Cheng'an's residence alone and left for the night.
• Huang Shaojie reached Ding Cheng'an's lavish residence and began searching for the official's study.
• Kong Wujing arrived with an Imperial Surveillance Bureau token, and Ding Cheng'an hurried out to receive him.
• Huang Shaojie followed Kong Wujing and Ding Cheng'an to the study and secretly listened from beneath the eaves.
• Kong Wujing questioned Ding Cheng'an on the Chief Eunuch's orders and asked whether he had sent someone to kill Luo Ming.

Huang Shaojie overheard Kong Wujing pressuring Ding Cheng'an to confess to embezzling 2.3 million taels, then intervened when Kong attacked a masked intruder. He rescued the injured man and carried him to safety, but did not recognize him.

• Kong Wujing accused Ding Cheng'an of embezzling the missing silver and urged him to confess, while Huang Shaojie listened from hiding.
• A masked man arrived at the pavilion, and Kong Wujing discovered him and sent him flying with a single exchange.
• As Kong Wujing moved to cripple the masked man, Huang Shaojie struck Kong from behind and knocked him into a crater.
• Huang Shaojie grabbed the masked man and escaped before the Ding Residence guards arrived.
• Huang Shaojie unsealed the masked man's Mute Acupoint and removed his face covering, but did not recognize him.

Huang Shaojie discovered that Wang Liang, a Southern Pacification Office deputy commander, was secretly investigating Ding Cheng'an on Prince Han's orders. Meanwhile, Cao Kun learned of the masked man's intervention and healed Kong Wujing with his Sunflower Divine Skill.

• Huang Shaojie questioned Wang Liang, confirmed he was an Imperial Guard deputy commander investigating Ding Cheng'an, and released his sealed acupoints.
• Huang Shaojie followed Wang Liang to Prince Han's Estate and realized Prince Han was investigating Ding Cheng'an to undermine Prince Qi's faction.
• Kong Wujing reported to Cao Kun that a mysterious expert had defeated him with one move.
• Cao Kun speculated that Prince Han might be involved and said the Imperial Surveillance Bureau would stay neutral in the princes' conflict.
• Cao Kun used his Sunflower Divine Skill to heal Kong Wujing's injuries.

Huang Shaojie and Zhang Qing inspected the Ministry of Revenue’s accounts and confirmed that Luo Ming’s ledgers showed no signs of tampering, despite a vast discrepancy with the treasury inventory. Huang Shaojie suspected Luo Ming had served a hidden mastermind, and the chapter ended when Secretary Fan was reported absent.

• Huang Shaojie and Zhang Qing went to the Ministry of Revenue to examine the accounts connected to Luo Ming’s embezzlement.
• Xu Xinnian escorted them to Ding Cheng'an, who provided Luo Ming’s account books for inspection.
• Huang Shaojie found no signs of altered handwriting, fresh ink, or recently copied ledgers, while Zhang Qing confirmed the recorded income and expenditures balanced.
• Ding Cheng'an showed them an inventory ledger revealing a huge shortage of gold, silver, copper coins, and grain compared with the accounts.
• Huang Shaojie suspected Luo Ming had been a tool for a hidden mastermind and asked Ding Cheng'an to summon the secretary who recorded the accounts.
• A subordinate reported that Secretary Fan had not come on duty that day.

Huang Shaojie found Registrar Fan’s household slaughtered and suspected the massacre was meant to conceal the mastermind behind Luo Ming’s embezzlement case. When Commander Lu reported that Taohua, a maid from Luo Ming’s residence, had vanished, Huang Shaojie went to investigate Xinglong Realty and feared it might implicate Prince Ning.

• Huang Shaojie obtained Fan Ping’s address from Ding Cheng'an and rode with Zhang Qing to the registrar’s home.
• Huang Shaojie found more than a dozen members of Fan Ping’s household dead and concluded that the massacre was likely meant to silence witnesses and disguise its connection to Luo Ming’s case.
• Huang Shaojie left the massacre investigation to the Ministry of Justice and Six Gates, planning to investigate the embezzlement mastermind in secret.
• Commander Lu told Huang Shaojie that Taohua, a maid from Xinglong Realty who served Madam He, had disappeared.
• Huang Shaojie rode with Commander Lu to Xinglong Realty and worried that the agency—and possibly his father-in-law, Prince Ning—was connected to the case.

Huang Shaojie investigated the missing maid Taohong and reasoned that she had murdered Luo Ming, but Xinglong Realty could offer no useful leads. He turned to the Ministry of Revenue records and traced a suspicious pattern to Liu Neng, only to find Liu Neng’s home abandoned.

• Shopkeeper Li told Huang Shaojie and Commander Lu that Taohua had disappeared from Xinglong Realty and claimed she had come from Jizhou without relatives.
• Huang Shaojie deduced that Taohong had used sleeping incense and sealed acupoints to stage Luo Ming’s murder as suicide.
• Huang Shaojie decided to investigate the Ministry of Revenue accomplices behind the falsified accounts and returned to examine the ledgers.
• Huang Shaojie found Liu Neng’s name on many account entries and learned that the Director had been away in Dezhou for half a month.
• Huang Shaojie and Commander Lu went to Liu Neng’s residence and found it empty, with its occupants gone.

Vermilion Bird and Huang Shaojie investigated Liu Neng’s suspected role in the Ministry of Revenue embezzlement and murder case, tracing his repeated visits to Shun'an Medical Clinic. Huang Shaojie captured Doctor Jiang and brought him to the Western Pacification Office, where he was tortured for information.

• Vermilion Bird ordered Commander He to investigate Xinglong Realty and find Liu Neng in Dezhou, bringing him back if he was there.
• Vermilion Bird and Huang Shaojie reviewed Liu Neng’s surveillance records and noticed his frequent visits to Shun'an Medical Clinic.
• Vermilion Bird ordered Huang Shaojie to arrest the clinic’s doctor, and Huang Shaojie went there with Commander Lu.
• Doctor Jiang attacked Huang Shaojie when ordered to come with him, but Huang Shaojie sealed his acupoints and captured him.
• Doctor Jiang was tortured with the Tightening-Hoop Spell at the Western Pacification Office.

Doctor Jiang revealed that Liu Neng had met with the Shenghe Merchant Association, prompting Vermilion Bird to send Huang Shaojie and Imperial Guards to arrest its members. Huang Shaojie nearly captured president Jia Youfu, but a powerful newcomer struck him down and left his fate uncertain.

• Doctor Jiang confessed that Liu Neng had met people from the Shenghe Merchant Association and identified its headquarters and president, Jia Youfu.
• Vermilion Bird ordered Huang Shaojie, Deputy Commander Liu, and Deputy Commander Kang to raid the association and arrest everyone inside.
• Jia Youfu learned Doctor Jiang had been abducted, ordered the association to destroy its records and prepare to flee, then led its members in an attempted escape when Imperial Guards surrounded them.
• Huang Shaojie shattered the association gates, cut Jia Youfu's sword in two, and pursued him through the storm.
• Huang Shaojie struck Jia Youfu down with a palm strike, but an unidentified newcomer attacked before he could capture him.
• The newcomer's giant true-energy palm shattered Huang Shaojie's Dragon Subduing Divine Palm and hurled him through several walls.

Huang Shaojie and the Imperial Guard crushed the Shenghe Merchant Association’s operation, but a masked expert rescued Jia Youfu before Vermilion Bird arrived. The rescuer revealed himself as Number One and ordered the association to withdraw to Western Shu; back at the Western Pacification Office, Vermilion Bird began questioning a captured elder about Liu Neng.

• A masked expert struck Huang Shaojie aside and carried Jia Youfu away as the Imperial Guard subdued the Shenghe Merchant Association’s remaining fighters.
• Vermilion Bird arrived, learned that the masked expert had rescued Jia Youfu, and ordered Deputy Commander Liu to search the association’s premises while the others escorted captives to the office.
• The masked expert took Jia Youfu to the outskirts, healed his injuries, and confirmed that he was Number One.
• Number One told Jia Youfu to order the association’s members across the regions to withdraw to Western Shu and report to the Cult Leader.
• At the Western Pacification Office, Vermilion Bird questioned a captured elder about Liu Neng’s relationship with the Shenghe Merchant Association.

Vermilion Bird and Huang Shaojie interrogated a Shenghe Merchant Association elder and uncovered a conspiracy by Western Shu remnants to restore their state. After the others left, Vermilion Bird summoned Huang Shaojie to her office and teasingly told him to take off his dirty clothes and bathe.

• The elder revealed that the Shenghe Merchant Association had helped Liu Neng embezzle court funds, but initially claimed he did not know its hidden owner.
• Huang Shaojie tortured the elder with the Bone-Dislocating Muscle-Splitting Technique until he identified Xuan Wuji, a former Western Shu official, as the association's hidden controller.
• The elder confessed that Xuan Wuji was raising money to restore Western Shu, that the group used code names and single-line contacts, and that Taohua had killed Luo Jie and staged his death as suicide.
• The elder named three members inside Xinglong Realty, then gave no further information before Huang Shaojie ended the torture and Vermilion Bird ordered him taken to the Imperial Prison dungeon.
• After dismissing the Imperial Guard officials, Vermilion Bird called Huang Shaojie to her office and told him to take off his dirty clothes and bathe.

Huang Shaojie resisted Vermilion Bird’s advances and declined her offer to learn a dual-cultivation technique, while she reported the Western Shu rebels’ growing influence to Xiang Qingyang. After Xiang Qingyang arranged to meet him at Lanruo Temple, Huang received the Nine Yang Divine Skill as his reward for solving Luo Ming’s case.

• Huang Shaojie politely rejected Vermilion Bird’s seduction and declined to learn her dual-cultivation technique.
• Vermilion Bird reported to Xiang Qingyang that the Shenghe Merchant Association had ties to the Western Shu remnants and that Xuan Wuji’s identity remained unclear.
• Xiang Qingyang ordered Vermilion Bird to arrange a meeting with Huang Shaojie at Lanruo Temple the next day.
• Huang Shaojie received the Nine Yang Divine Skill from the system and considered teaching it to Lu Changkong to cure his cold poison.

Huang Shaojie mastered the Nine Yang Divine Skill, advanced to the Major Accomplishment Stage of Fourth Rank Grandmaster, and took Lu Changkong as his disciple. Meanwhile, Vermilion Bird reported the Western Shu Remnants’ rebellion plot to Ling Xiaotian, who prepared to warn the Emperor.

• Huang Shaojie circulated the perfected Nine Yang Divine Skill and broke through to the Major Accomplishment Stage of Fourth Rank Grandmaster.
• Huang Shaojie taught Lu Changkong about the Nine Yang Divine Skill, and Lu Changkong bowed to him as his master and pledged his loyalty.
• Vermilion Bird reported the embezzlement of 2.3 million taels and the Western Shu Remnants’ rebellion plot to Ling Xiaotian.
• Ling Xiaotian explained that Xuan Wuji had once escaped Prince Ning and connected him to the mysterious cult behind the Five Lakes Sect.
• Ling Xiaotian rewarded Huang Shaojie with ten thousand taels of silver and said war would break out within three years before setting out to meet the Emperor.

Emperor Xuande ordered Ling Xiaotian and Cao Kun to eradicate the Western Shu Remnants within a year. After solving Luo Ming’s case, Huang Shaojie was rewarded and sent to investigate bandits near Lanruo Temple, where he saw a beautiful young woman arrive.

• Emperor Xuande reprimanded Ling Xiaotian and Cao Kun for failing to uncover the Western Shu Remnants’ rebellion and ordered them to eliminate the remnants within a year.
• Azure Dragon demanded that Vermilion Bird return Huang Shaojie to the Eastern Pacification Office, but she said he could go back in a few days.
• Vermilion Bird rewarded Huang Shaojie with ten thousand taels of silver and ordered him to investigate bandits near Lanruo Temple, keeping any suspects alive for questioning.
• Huang Shaojie rode to Fuhu Mountain with four Banner Captains and hid near the mountain path to wait for bandits.
• A luxurious carriage arrived in the rain, and a beautiful young woman stepped out at Lanruo Temple.

Huang Shaojie rescued Xiang Qingyang from bandits and accepted her phoenix hairpin, while she decided to recruit him. At Prince Ning's Residence, Prince Ning explained that he had adopted Princess Mingyue of Western Shu out of sympathy, not as part of a scheme.

• Huang Shaojie watched Xiang Qingyang and her attendants approach Lanruo Temple before two bandits blocked their path.
• Four Banner Officers confronted the bandits but were outmatched, so Huang Shaojie sealed the bandits' acupoints and ordered them taken to the Town Suppression Office.
• Xiang Qingyang thanked Huang Shaojie with her Pearl Phoenix Hairpin, and he accepted it before leaving.
• Xiang Qingyang told the black-clad old woman that Huang Shaojie was an upright gentleman and said she wished to take him under her command.
• Azure Dragon reported Luo Ming's death and the truth behind Western Shu's rebellion to Prince Ning.
• Prince Ning told Azure Dragon that he had adopted Princess Mingyue of Western Shu because she reminded him of his deceased daughter, then dismissed him.

At an Imperial Guard assembly, Black Tortoise recognized Xiao Qiuyue as a possible missing princess and secretly reported her to the Witch God Sect. Afterward, Huang Shaojie returned home with Xiao Qiuyue, where Lu Changkong greeted her as his future mistress and Huang Shaojie asked about his disciple’s cold poison.

• The four Pacification Commissioners and their senior officials gathered at Imperial Guard Headquarters to hear Ling Xiaotian order a purge of the Western Shu Remnants.
• Black Tortoise was astonished by Huang Shaojie’s survival and rapid advancement, then suspected Xiao Qiuyue was the missing Princess Mingyue because she resembled the Empress Dowager.
• Black Tortoise secretly sent a message to the Witch God Sect in Western Shu, identifying Xiao Qiuyue as Princess Mingyue.
• Huang Shaojie returned to his residence with Xiao Qiuyue, where Lu Changkong called her his future mistress and Huang Shaojie revealed he had taught Lu Changkong the Nine Yang Divine Skill.

Lu Changkong recovered from his cold poison using the Nine Yang Divine Skill, while Huang Shaojie taught Xiao Qiuyue more of the Wind God Leg and the two grew closer. Xiang You declared that he wanted to marry Xiao Qiuyue, then followed her and Huang Shaojie to their residence, where Xiao Qiuyue recognized him as her Second Royal Brother.

• Lu Changkong told Huang Shaojie and Xiao Qiuyue that the Nine Yang Divine Skill had purged his cold poison and improved his true qi.
• Huang Shaojie taught Xiao Qiuyue the third form of the Wind God Leg, and later reassured her that she would not become pregnant.
• Xiang You told Prince Ning that he wanted to marry Xiao Qiuyue, but Prince Ning warned him to win her through his own strength rather than pester her.
• The Princess Consort suggested that Xiao Qiuyue might like Huang Shaojie, and Xiang You learned that Huang Shaojie was her superior and had saved her life.
• Xiang You secretly followed Huang Shaojie and Xiao Qiuyue to their residence, where Xiao Qiuyue recognized him as her Second Royal Brother.

Xiang You challenged Huang Shaojie to a duel over Xiao Qiuyue, but Huang Shaojie easily defeated him. Xiang You left after conceding, and Xiao Qiuyue reassured Huang Shaojie that her father would not seek revenge.

• Xiang You confronted Huang Shaojie and challenged him to a duel for Xiao Qiuyue, who told him she loved Huang Shaojie.
• Xiang You used the Myriad Manifestations Divine Skill to summon a tiger, weapons, and a flaming meteorite, but Huang Shaojie destroyed each attack with ease.
• Xiang You drew his sword and attacked, but Huang Shaojie knocked him far away with a palm strike and said he had used only twenty percent of his strength.
• Xiang You admitted defeat, promised not to pester Xiao Qiuyue again, and ran off.
• Huang Shaojie worried that Prince Ning might retaliate, but Xiao Qiuyue assured him her father would understand.

Huang Shaojie and Xiao Qiuyue secretly watched Minister of War Gao Feng, suspecting he might be tied to the Western Shu rebels. After a masked intruder threw a note into Gao Feng’s study, Huang pursued him while Xiao fought the guards who mistook her for an assassin.

• Huang Shaojie told Xiao Qiuyue that he had been assigned to watch Minister of War Gao Feng, and she chose to accompany him.
• Huang Shaojie and Xiao Qiuyue infiltrated Gao Residence and watched Gao Feng reading military strategy essays in his study.
• A masked figure with at least Fifth Rank Grandmaster cultivation sneaked into the residence and threw a note-bearing dagger into the study before fleeing.
• Huang Shaojie pursued the masked figure while Xiao Qiuyue went to inspect the note.
• Gao Feng’s guards mistook Xiao Qiuyue for the assassin and attacked her, so she kicked several of them away and left them injured.

Xiao Qiuyue captured Minister Gao after finding a warning note that implicated him, while Huang Shaojie followed the masked intruder and discovered a Japanese spy ring in the Capital City. Huang Shaojie confronted the spies as they left their hideout.

• Xiao Qiuyue revealed her identity as an Imperial Guard Hundred Household Commander and seized Minister Gao after reading a note warning him that the Imperial Guard was watching him.
• Huang Shaojie followed the black-clad man to a residence in Minshun Quarter and secretly listened as he reported to a mustached Japanese agent.
• The mustached man explained that the note was intended to make the Imperial Guard suspect Gao Feng of colluding with the Western Shu rebels, benefiting Japan.
• Huang Shaojie learned that a man named Sakamoto might have infiltrated the Imperial Guard at a high rank.
• Huang Shaojie blocked the Japanese agents as they left the hall and announced that the Imperial Guard's Imperial Prison awaited them.

Huang Shaojie captured two Japanese spies after defeating a Beginner Heavenly Ninja at the Minister of War’s residence. At the Eastern Pacification Office, Xiao Qiuyue questioned whether Minister Gao was working with Japan, but Huang Shaojie destroyed the note before explaining his actions.

• Huang Shaojie killed two Japanese Fifth Rank Grandmasters and captured Yoshida after sealing his acupoints.
• Huang Shaojie defeated the mustached Beginner Heavenly Ninja, severed his lower body, and kept him alive for interrogation.
• Huang Shaojie brought Yoshida and the wounded ninja to the Eastern Pacification Office, where Xiao Qiuyue and Commander Jin met him.
• Xiao Qiuyue showed Huang Shaojie the note found on Minister Gao and wondered whether Gao was colluding with Japan instead of the Western Shu Remnants.
• Huang Shaojie crushed the note into powder, and Xiao Qiuyue asked why he had destroyed the evidence.