Chapter Summaries

Su Nan set fires across the capital and fought his way through Vermilion Bird Gate, leaving Ning Yuanxian to face the political fallout as the Qiang Kingdom shifted under Arutai. While the Monarch reassured Consort Su and Ning Jing, Su Jianyan attacked the Jin Family Residence, and Yun Mengze arrived to find the battle already over.

• White Hair Su impersonated Su Nan while fires erupted across the capital, and Yan E rushed toward Vermilion Bird Gate.
• Su Nan led several hundred warriors through the sealed Vermilion Bird Gate under the name Kutou Huan, then rode west as Yan E arrived too late to pursue him.
• Ning Yuanxian recognized that Su Nan’s dramatic escape was meant to encourage Chu Kingdom and Wu Kingdom to invade, while Arutai prepared to consolidate power in the Qiang Kingdom with Su Mo’s help.
• Ning Yuanxian visited Consort Su, reassured her that the Su Family’s alleged crimes had been cleared, and praised Ning Jing, who left the palace fearing his father’s kindness.
• Su Jianyan led an attack on the burning Jin Family Residence and ordered Shen Shisan and Big Fool to surrender Jin MuCong and kill Bing’er and her unborn child.
• Yun Mengze ran to the Jin Family Residence and found the fighting over and corpses strewn across the ground.

Big Fool killed Su Jianyan’s attackers while protecting Shen Shisan, Xiao Bing, and Jin MuCong, as Su Nan escaped the capital and exposed Yue Kingdom’s apparent weakness. Ning Yuanxian planned a bold campaign against Wu Kingdom, and the chapter ended with Sword King Li Qianqiu waiting in disguise to ambush Su Nan.

• Big Fool went berserk after hearing that Su Jianyan threatened the baby, smashed dozens of attackers, and drove Su Jianyan away before Yun Mengze helped calm him.
• Shen Shisan told Yun Mengze how Big Fool had blocked Su Jianyan’s sword strikes while crushing the surrounding Western Region Experts, and Yun Mengze marveled at his strength.
• Ning Yuanxian met with Bian Xiao and planned to feint toward Shangye City while Bian Xiao led an elite force in a surprise attack on Wu Kingdom.
• At court, Ning Yuanxian blamed Wu Kingdom for the capital’s fires, ordered Yan E to investigate alleged collaborators, and declared that he would personally lead an expedition against Wu Kingdom.
• Ning Yuanxian told Young Master Shen that Su Nan intended to establish Su-Qiang Unification and asked whether Shen still meant to kill Su Nan and destroy the Su Clan.
• Su Nan neared his territory, while Li Qianqiu disguised himself as a farmer and prepared to kill him at a relay station.

Young Master Shen accepted the appointment as Zhenyuan City Lord and prepared to confront the Su Family while the Monarch planned a northern campaign against the Wu King. After Su Nan survived Li Qianqiu’s ambush and returned to his stronghold, Zhang Chong and Young Master Shen set out with three thousand troops for Tianxi Province.

• Young Master Shen told Ning Yuanxian that he supported the New Policy against the old aristocratic families and agreed to go to Zhenyuan City to restrain Su Nan; he asked the Monarch to treat Fifth Prince Ning Zheng fairly.
• Su Nan sensed Li Qianqiu at Wanshan Official Post, turned to fight him, and continued west despite being wounded; Li Qianqiu later blamed his defeat on losing his nerve before Su Nan.
• Su Nan resigned from his royal posts, and the Monarch ordered the execution of several hundred of his alleged collaborators after Blackwater Directorate captured them.
• Ning Yuanxian announced that he would lead the northern campaign and appointed Zhang Chong to oversee Baiye Prefecture and Young Master Shen to serve as Zhenyuan City Lord, ordering them to contain the Su Family.
• Young Master Shen told Zhang Chong that he intended to kill the Su Family’s people as soon as he reached Zhenyuan City, and Zhang Chong reluctantly agreed to cover for him.
• Three days later, Zhang Chong and Young Master Shen led three thousand soldiers out of the capital toward Tianxi Province.

Young Master Shen traveled toward Zhenyuan City with Princess Ning Yan’s two hundred female cavalry, while Zhang Chong took the three thousand elite soldiers to seize and defend Baiye Prefecture City. Young Master Shen reached Su Nan’s stronghold and began his campaign by ordering Wu Lie to kill the city’s registrar, Su Lin.

• Young Master Shen held a funeral for the warriors killed by Su Jianyan and swore to avenge them by wiping out the Su Family.
• Young Master Shen told Zhang Chong to use the three thousand elite soldiers to take control of Baiye Prefecture City while he stirred up trouble in Zhenyuan City.
• Wu Lie and two hundred female warriors joined Young Master Shen’s force, explaining their loyalty to Princess Ning Yan and accepting the dangers ahead.
• Young Master Shen parted ways with Zhang Chong and rode with Sword King Li Qianqiu, who admitted he had failed to overcome his fear of confronting Su Nan.
• Li Qianqiu began training Big Fool with relentless surprise sword attacks as the army continued its journey.
• Young Master Shen entered Zhenyuan City, exchanged warm greetings with Su Lin, then ordered Wu Lie to kill him; Wu Lie beheaded the registrar.

Young Master Shen took control of Zhenyuan City amid Su Lin’s hostility and discovered that Su Nan was assembling an army to rebel. After the city’s merchants refused to sell supplies and humiliated his people, Shen masked himself as the bandit Kutou Huan and launched an attack on their shops.

• Young Master Shen met Su Lin and Bitter Tribulation Monk, then agreed to attend Su Lin’s Hongmen Banquet with three companions.
• Young Master Shen moved into the City Lord Manor and ordered Wu Lie to buy supplies, while Su Nan planned a rebellion with twenty-one thousand troops and ordered Shen killed at the banquet.
• Su Lin’s merchants refused to sell food or water to Shen’s people, posted signs barring Live-in Sons-in-Law, and taunted Shen and his warriors.
• Young Master Shen ordered Wu Lie and the others to sheath their blades and left the merchants’ street without retaliating.
• Young Master Shen put on a mask, called himself Kutou Huan, and led more than two hundred warriors in an assault on the merchants’ shops.

Young Master Shen seized Zhenyuan City, slaughtered the Western Region merchants and warriors, and incited its residents to loot their property before Su Lin’s forces drove the crowd away and surrounded the City Lord’s Manor. At Su Lin’s banquet, Li Qianqiu faced a choice between Young Master Shen and his captive wife, and stabbed Young Master Shen through the chest.

• Young Master Shen and Wu Lie’s armored Female Warriors killed the Western Region warriors, gelded the surrendered fighters, and drowned them on his orders.
• Young Master Shen had the Western Region merchants killed, set the last merchant alight as a Sky Lantern, and urged Zhenyuan City’s residents to seize the merchants’ wealth.
• Su Lin returned, imposed curfews, and threatened the crowd until more than ten thousand residents abandoned Young Master Shen and fled.
• Su Lin’s troops surrounded the City Lord’s Manor, and Young Master Shen agreed to attend Su Lin’s banquet with Big Fool and Li Qianqiu.
• At Su Lin’s Hongmen Banquet, Li Qianqiu saw his poisoned wife held captive and was forced to choose between her and Young Master Shen.
• When Su Lin’s countdown ended, Li Qianqiu stabbed Young Master Shen through the chest.

Young Master Shen exposed his staged death and defeated Su Lin’s forces at the Registrar’s Manor, while the Su Family’s brutal confiscations drove Zhenyuan City’s citizens into fury. He rallied thousands of them and led them toward the Su Family army besieging the City Lord’s Manor.

• Sword King Li Qianqiu killed Young Master Shen’s apparent attacker, and Su Lin threatened to torture Shen and serve him as food while holding a supposed hostage in a cage.
• Young Master Shen revealed that the sword wound was staged, that Li Qianqiu’s wife was safe, and that the woman in the cage was a decoy; Su Lin’s men then attacked.
• Li Qianqiu killed scores of experts, Big Fool crushed the charging warriors, and the attackers shot the decoy dead; Bitter Tribulation Monk withdrew to seek reinforcements.
• Su Lin’s forces devastated Zhenyuan City’s households and besieged the City Lord’s Manor, where Wu Lie and Shen Shisan’s troops held out under bombardment.
• Young Master Shen stitched Su Lin’s wounds, exposed him to the citizens, and called for revenge; Zuo Shou and thousands of enraged people joined Shen, Li Qianqiu, and Big Fool as they charged toward the City Lord’s Manor.

Su Mo and Su Ning helped Arutai seize the Qiang throne and rally an army against Princess Arunana, while Young Master Shen’s forces and Zhenyuan’s citizens annihilated the Su Family’s troops and allies in the city. The chapter ended with Su Nan discovering Su Lin’s severed head and learning that Zhenyuan City had fallen.

• Su Mo and Su Ning poisoned the three princes occupying Snow Mountain Temple, then persuaded their five thousand soldiers to surrender to Arutai in exchange for gold.
• Arutai ascended the Qiang throne, made Su Mo the First Queen and Su Ning the Second Queen, then marched forty thousand troops toward Princess Arunana’s tribe.
• As Su Family troops threatened to overwhelm Young Master Shen’s defenders, Big Fool smashed their formation with a huge flagpole and Zhenyuan’s citizens charged into battle.
• Young Master Shen’s side routed the Su Family forces, killed the city’s officials and allies, and sent carts of severed heads to Su Nan with a threat from Young Master Shen.
• Su Nan opened the delivered box expecting Young Master Shen’s head and instead found Su Lin’s head, then learned that Zhenyuan City had fallen and its defenders had been wiped out.

After Shen Lang’s plunder campaign drew Su Nan’s forces into a tightening encirclement, he faced a growing revolt among the greedy militia outside Snow Ridge City. Meanwhile, Zhaoyan manipulated Kutou Huan into entering Raging Tide City to assassinate Jin Zhuo.

• Su Nan agreed to Bitter Tribulation Monk’s plan to bring five thousand Monk Soldiers and rebuild Great Tribulation Palace, while sending Su Yong to invite Grandmaster Ban Ruo and ordering Su Quan to surround Zhenyuan City.
• Shen Lang evacuated Zhenyuan City’s residents and led five thousand fighters to loot Western Region merchants across Baiye Prefecture, while Su Nan let the plunder continue so he could later seize the spoils and destroy the looters.
• Zhang Chong entered Baiye Prefecture City with three thousand troops, and Shen Lang learned that he had arrived safely as Su Nan’s forces closed in around the plundering militia.
• Three militia leaders and thousands of armed followers demanded that Shen Lang lead them to loot Baiye Prefecture City, threatening to rebel if he refused.
• Zhaoyan persuaded Kutou Huan to kill Jin Zhuo by falsely claiming the Jin Family had refused to shelter her after the Zhuo Family’s downfall, and Kutou Huan infiltrated Raging Tide City’s castle.

Xiao Wuchang agreed to lure Zhang Chong into a banquet and kill him as the Su Family prepared to rebel, while Zhang Chong and Ning Jie fought back against the assassins. As Shen Lang prepared to attack Baiye Prefecture City, Kutou Huan tried to kill Jin Zhuo but hesitated after seeing his courage and was interrupted by Zhang Yuyin.

• Su Lu persuaded Xiao Wuchang to join the Su Family's rebellion and arrange Zhang Chong's assassination at a banquet.
• Zhang Chong armed himself, invited Eldest Princess Ning Jie to pose as his attendant, and went to Snow Mountain Tower, where Xiao Wuchang had gathered assassins.
• Zhang Chong identified his poisoned wine, killed the first attacker, and fought the assassins alongside Ning Jie as Xiao Wuchang urged the guests to join the attack.
• Shen Lang placated the restless crowd in Snow Ridge City by promising to lead them in plundering Baiye Prefecture City at dawn, while Su Nan's troops closed in.
• Kutou Huan attacked Jin Zhuo but faltered when Jin Zhuo protected his subordinates, and Zhang Yuyin entered and recognized him as Zhuo Yichen.

Zhang Yuyin recognized Kutou Huan as Zhuo Yichen, saved Jin Zhuo, and revealed that the Zhuo Family had been destroyed after suspicions that Zhuo Yichen was connected to the Remnants of Jiang Li. Meanwhile, Zhang Chong seized Baiye Prefecture Capital as Shen Lang led a massive raiding force toward it, where Su Quan’s armies closed in and the first battle began.

• Zhang Yuyin exposed Kutou Huan’s identity as Zhuo Yichen, treated him as her former student, and failed to keep him from fleeing west after he refused to return to Horizon Sea Pavilion.
• Zhang Yuyin told Jin Zhuo that the Zhuo Family had been accused of ties to the Remnants of Jiang Li, but Horizon Sea Pavilion later cleared Zhuo Yichen and the family; she warned Jin Zhuo that a battle for Raging Tide City was coming.
• Zhang Chong and Ning Jie killed the officials and soldiers loyal to the Su Clan, imposed military control over Baiye Prefecture Capital, and prepared for Shen Lang’s attack.
• Shen Lang led more than twenty thousand raiders out of Snow Ridge City toward Baiye Prefecture Capital, while Su Quan’s forces formed an encirclement behind them.
• Shen Lang’s men forced open Baiye Prefecture Capital’s gates, and Su Quan ordered his armies to charge; Su Quan, Ban Ruo, and Bitter Tribulation Monk advanced as the opposing forces began their first clash.

The Hidden Origin Society prepared to attack Raging Tide City, while its spy Snowman reported evidence that Jin Zhuo was likely dead. Elsewhere, Young Master Shen lured the most violent raiders into Baiye Prefecture, where Zhang Chong’s troops slaughtered them and seized their gold as military funds before Su Quan’s army arrived.

• Shu Tingyu ordered the Hidden Origin Society’s agent Snowman activated to determine whether Jin Zhuo was dead.
• Snowman told Shu Tingyu that Jin Zhuo had not been seen since the assassination, An Zaishi’s corpse had been removed, and Jin MuLan had secretly entered Raging Tide City in confusion.
• Ning Yuanxian concentrated troops at the Wu-Yue border and prepared to lead a decisive campaign against the Wu King.
• Young Master Shen let several thousand raiders enter Baiye Prefecture, then Zhang Chong’s soldiers trapped them behind the closed gates and killed them with volleys of arrows.
• Eldest Princess Ning Jie beheaded five bandit leaders, and Young Master Shen ordered Wu Lie to collect the raiders’ gold for the campaign against Su Nan.
• Young Master Shen urged the remaining raiders outside the gates to flee as Su Quan’s army charged toward Baiye Prefecture.

Chou Hao defected to the Wu Kingdom in exchange for money, islands, and a promised noble title as the Wu envoy prepared to seize Raging Tide City. At Baiye Prefecture Capital, Su Quan’s forces attacked Shen Lang and Zhang Chong, but Zhang Chong took a sword meant for Shen Lang and Su Quan was knocked from the wall.

• The Wu envoy offered Chou Hao 350,000 gold coins and the title of Tianfeng Earl if he joined the Wu Kingdom’s campaign against the Jin Family.
• Chou Hao accepted the Wu King’s decree appointing him Tianfeng City Lord and Sea Pacifying General, and promised to prepare for the Wu army’s arrival.
• Su Quan found Zhang Chong and Shen Lang defending Baiye Prefecture Capital, while his troops slaughtered looters fleeing along the city walls.
• Su Quan, Bitter Tribulation Monk, and Grandmaster Ban Ruo attacked the defenders, but Eldest Princess Ning Jie intercepted Bitter Tribulation Monk and Li Qianqiu held off Grandmaster Ban Ruo.
• Su Quan broke past Big Fool’s defense and struck at Shen Lang, but Zhang Chong blocked the blow and was wounded before Big Fool knocked Su Quan from the wall.

Ning Yuanxian learned that Shen Lang had devastated Baiye Prefecture and forced Su Nan to rebel ahead of schedule. After Zhang Chong defended Baiye Prefecture Capital, Shen Lang left with two hundred men to attack the Qiang Kingdom’s main army, while Su Nan received news that his plan had failed and most of the plundered gold was lost.

• The Wu King sent more than twenty thousand troops by ship toward Tianfeng City to join Chou Hao and attack Raging Tide City and the Leizhou Islands.
• Ning Yuanxian read a report describing Shen Lang’s looting and killings in Baiye Prefecture, then ordered Bian Xiao to prepare for a decisive strike as Su Nan’s rebellion approached.
• Su Quan’s assassination attempt failed when Big Fool and Shen Lang treated Zhang Chong’s poisoned wound, and Zhang Chong’s forces held Baiye Prefecture Capital.
• Shen Lang left the city with two hundred men, intending to destroy the Qiang Kingdom’s main army, while Zhang Chong prepared to face Su Nan’s attack.
• Su Quan reported that most of the plundered gold had vanished and that Shen Lang had escaped; Su Nan received the news and realized his plan had failed.

Su Nan held back from attacking Baiye Prefecture while the Yue Kingdom faced fresh crises on the eastern sea and Shen Lang rode to help Arunana against Arutai. Arunana prepared to fight with three thousand loyal warriors, but Shen Lang and Big Fool arrived before the battle began.

• Su Nan refused to begin his uprising until the Chu army truly attacked and the Qiang forces joined him, while his forces continued gathering around Baiye Prefecture.
• Ning Yuanxian learned that Shen Lang had taken a few hundred riders to confront Arutai’s army, then received news that Chou Hao had defected to Wu and a large Wu force was advancing on Raging Tide City.
• Jin MuLan learned that Wu troops were approaching Raging Tide City, and Jin Zhuo and the defenders prepared for battle.
• Arunana allowed her people to leave as Arutai’s army approached, and three thousand warriors stayed to defend her despite the near-certain defeat.
• Arunana charged out to meet approaching cavalry, then recognized Big Fool and leaped from her white ox to tackle him as Shen Lang and his riders arrived.

Shen Lang agreed to help Arunana defeat Qiang King Arutai, who marched on her Snow Mountain Tribe with forty thousand troops and joined forces with Great Tribulation Temple to kill Shen Lang. The battle began with the attackers charging Arunana’s weak stone wall, and Qiang warriors began climbing over it.

• Shen Lang learned from Ying Yang that Arunana had driven the tribe’s civilians away and that Lord Jun had won the Sha Barbarians’ support in Nan’ou Kingdom.
• Arunana confirmed she was pregnant, trusted Shen Lang to defeat Arutai, and agreed to follow his orders in the coming battle.
• Arutai marched toward the Snow Mountain Tribe, angered by the people’s support for Arunana, and declared he would restore the Aru family’s Heavenly Wolf Vulture totem.
• Bitter Tribulation Monk and Great Tribulation Temple’s two thousand monk soldiers joined Arutai’s forces after learning Shen Lang was inside the tribe.
• Arutai ordered his cavalry to charge; Shen Lang and Arunana’s defenders fired arrows, but the attackers reached the wall and began climbing over it.

Wu forces prepared to attack Raging Tide City while the Jin Family and Heavenly Dao Society braced for war, and Young Master Shen led Arunana’s army toward Great Tribulation Palace after escaping the Qiang forces. As Arutai’s army pursued them up Great Snow Mountain, Su Nan learned that Chu forces had attacked Zhong Yao’s army and declared the Su Family’s rebellion.

• Chou Hao accepted Wu’s order to secure the sea around Raging Tide City and sailed out with four thousand naval troops.
• Huang Tong escorted Lin Shang and Snow Mountain Palace’s nineteen members toward Raging Tide City to protect Jin Zhuo, while worrying that the city’s defenders were badly outnumbered.
• Big Fool and pregnant Arunana slaughtered hundreds of Qiang soldiers before the defenders retreated behind a sea of fire and Young Master Shen led them toward Great Tribulation Palace.
• Arutai and Bitter Tribulation Monk pursued Young Master Shen’s army up Great Snow Mountain, with Bitter Tribulation Monk’s two thousand Monk Soldiers taking the lead and Su Jianting growing uneasy.
• Su Nan received confirmation that Chu forces had begun attacking Zhong Yao’s army and ordered the Su Family to rise in rebellion.

Su Nan’s rebellion spread through Yue Kingdom as his army seized Baiye Prefecture, while Ning Yuanxian baited the Wu King into committing troops before Bian Xiao launched a surprise attack. Shen Lang reached Great Tribulation Palace with Arunana and prepared to destroy Arutai’s approaching army.

• Su Nan issued a manifesto declaring Tianxi Province independent, gained support from Chu, Wu, Nan'ou, and Qiang, and captured six cities in Baiye Prefecture.
• Su Quan’s allied army besieged Baiye Prefecture City, where Zhang Chong and Ning Jie prepared to hold out while awaiting relief.
• The Wu King responded to Ning Yuanxian’s withdrawal of thirty thousand troops by sending reinforcements toward the front, and Ning Yuanxian ordered Bian Xiao to strike Wu Kingdom’s western border.
• Bian Xiao led twenty thousand troops into Wu Kingdom, raiding and burning as they advanced without stopping to capture cities.
• Shen Lang and Arunana reached Great Tribulation Palace, where Shen Lang’s forces prepared defenses and supplies for Arutai’s approaching army.
• Wu Lie reported that the enemy had arrived, and Shen Lang awaited the impending trap at Great Tribulation Palace.

Jin Shiying faced Wu You’s offer to betray the Jin Family and open Raging Tide City’s gates to the Wu army, while Shen Lang and Arunana’s forces fought Great Tribulation Temple’s Monk Soldiers at Great Tribulation Palace. Arutai led his army into Shen Lang’s gunpowder-triggered avalanche, which annihilated his entire force.

• Wu You revealed that she was pregnant with Jin Shiying’s child and urged him to defect to Wu Mu in exchange for becoming Raging Tide City Lord and a fourth-rank general.
• Jin Shiying agreed to open the great castle’s gates, on the condition that the Jin Family and innocent people would be spared.
• Bitter Tribulation Monk led two thousand Monk Soldiers against Shen Lang and Arunana’s allied troops at Great Tribulation Palace, where the forces fought at close quarters.
• Arutai rejected the Su Clan women’s warnings and led his army up the mountain to attack Arunana and Shen Lang.
• Shen Lang’s gunpowder detonated beneath the snow, unleashing a massive avalanche that swept away Arutai’s entire army.

Wu Mu launched his fleet toward Raging Tide City while Zhang Chong’s outnumbered defenders endured another assault at Baiye. At Great Snow Mountain, the avalanche destroyed Great Tribulation Palace and shattered the enemy’s morale; Arunana killed Arutai in their duel, leaving Shen Lang to order Su Jianting and Su Mo arrested.

• Wu Mu prepared to invade Raging Tide City with Chou Hao’s fleet and planned to capture Jin MuLan and eliminate the Jin Family.
• Zhang Chong’s defenders survived seven days of attacks by Su Quan’s larger army, and Su Quan personally led another assault on Baiye City.
• Shen Lang’s gunpowder-triggered avalanche destroyed Great Tribulation Palace, routed its Monk Soldiers, and swept away most of Arutai’s army.
• Big Fool used a loudspeaker to convince the surviving Qiang soldiers that the Heavenly God demanded a duel between Arutai and Arunana for the throne.
• Arunana broke Arutai’s blade and killed him with a second strike, after which Shen Lang declared her the Qiang Kingdom’s only king and ordered Su Jianting and Su Mo arrested.