Recaps

Zhao Hongming entered Ying Commandery, evaded Chen ShengHai’s control, and built the Bright Cult by taking over local gangs. After defeating Wang Ning and striking the Wang Family’s river trade, he expanded his forces and sent Zhang Yi to negotiate for weapons.

• Zhao Hongming killed the Old Daoist who had been refining Longevity Pills from refugees, then reached Lu Ling City and learned that martial factions controlled Ying Commandery’s official posts.
• After Chen ShengHai confined him to the Martial King Residence, Zhao Hongming secretly killed its Martial Warrior guards, blamed the attack on Chen, and began planning to build his own forces.
• Zhang Yi recruited beggar children to gather intelligence, and Zhao Hongming used their report to seize the Iron Tiger Gang and absorb other gangs into the Bright Cult.
• Zhao Hongming reached Martial Courage First Grade as Chen ShengHai plotted to weaken the Wang Family and Upper Immortal Sect by provoking conflict over Wang Family shipping.
• Wang Ning killed Duan Youguo and was sent against the Bright Cult, but Zhao Hongming defeated and killed him after confirming that impostors had burned the Wang Family’s cargo ship.
• Zhao Hongming ordered the Bright Cult to attack Wang Family shipping and recruit refugees, while the Wang Family Old Ancestor told Wang Jingzhi to endure and arrange a human sacrifice through the Upper Immortal Sect.
• Zhang Yi reported that the Wang Family was short of money, impressed Zhao Hongming with his assessment, and set out to negotiate for armor, bows, and crossbows.

Zhao Hongming seized control of Ying Commandery, discovered the secrets of Emperor Xin’s tomb, and destroyed the Upper Immortal Sect’s threat. The arc ended with Zhao Hongming reaching Innate First Grade as Li Mu prepared a surprise attack on Ying Commandery.

• Zhang Yi secured the Wang Family’s weapons for Zhao Hongming, who appointed him a retainer and put Wu Qi in charge of building the Wei Elite Soldiers.
• The Wang Family Old Ancestor and Chen ShengHai opened Emperor Xin’s tomb, but a withered man killed the Old Ancestor and drove Wang Jingzhi to flee.
• Chen ShengHai and Wang Jingzhi attacked the Martial King Residence, where Zhao Hongming killed them and Wu Qi’s Wei Elite Soldiers defeated their forces.
• Zhao Hongming destroyed the Wang Family’s defenses and Chen Family Village, then used Zhang Yi’s rumor to send martial artists into the dangerous tomb passage.
• Zhao Hongming entered Emperor Xin’s tomb, killed Di Xin, claimed the Imperial Jade Seal, and recovered the tomb’s scriptures, Dragon corpse, and treasures.
• The Longevity Daoist attacked Bright Cult members, but Zhao Hongming killed him and destroyed the Upper Immortal Sect after uncovering its human sacrifices and arrays.
• A spy at the Martial King Residence mistook Zhao Hongming’s array-created double for Wei Wuji, while Book Driving Study and General Li Mu investigated Zhao Hongming and prepared forces near the border.
• Quan Erbao fled after poisoning Ma Chuanping, whose warning revealed Li Mu’s planned surprise attack, and Zhao Hongming broke through to Innate First Grade and formed the Thunder Extinction Body.

Zhao Hongming built up the Wei Elite Soldiers and used them to defeat Li Mu’s much larger Zhao Army at Jin Yin. As he prepared to continue the campaign, Ji Guofu revealed Lu Zonghui’s treachery and accepted Zhao Hongming’s orders to act as an inside man.

• After reaching the Innate Realm, Zhao Hongming ordered the Wei Elite Soldiers expanded to thirty thousand and had Gao Yanshi investigate Li Mu’s plans and the Black-Clad Society.
• Zhao Hongming discovered that the Beautiful Woman had been sent to poison him, killed Tang Zai, and later exposed the spy’s plot at the Book Driving Study.
• With Li Mu preparing to invade Ying Commandery, Zhao Hongming secured military supplies, strengthened his army, and ordered Wu Qi to prepare for an early attack.
• Li Mu’s forces captured Hexi City and marched toward Jin Yin, while Zhao Hongming sent Wu Qi and the Wei Elite Soldiers to meet them and rejected Lu Zonghui’s demand for supplies.
• At Wilderness Slope, Wu Qi’s thirty thousand soldiers used their formations and crossbows to defeat Li Mu’s much larger army, routing it and killing more than one hundred thousand troops.
• When Lu Zonghui’s Eastern Army entered the fighting, Zhao Hongming treated it as hostile, then agreed to stop the attack after Lu identified himself, while Zhu Wei was killed by Wu Qi’s men.
• Ji Guofu brought Zhao Hongming evidence of Lu Zonghui’s secret alliance with Li Mu and revealed that Li Mu could raise another two hundred thousand troops with help from three Vast Righteous Sect elders.
• At the victory banquet, Zhao Hongming rewarded the Wei Elite Soldiers and ordered Ji Guofu to return to Li Mu’s camp as an inside man, spreading false military intelligence to help trap Lu Zonghui.

Zhao Hongming used the Wei Elite Soldiers to defeat Li Mu’s forces and the Vast Righteous Sect Master, then strengthened Wei’s hold over Hedong. Zhang Yi secured Zhao’s agreement to cede the Thirty Cities while Zhao Hongming returned to Ying Commandery and appointed Li Li to govern.

• Zhao Hongming deceived Lu Zonghui into marching on Hua County, where the Zhao Army ambushed and routed the Eastern Army, and Zhao Hongming killed the fleeing Lu Zonghui.
• Zhao Hongming led Wei Elite Soldiers against Li Mu’s camp and defeated him, then joined Wu Qi to rout Hu Yunfeng and the Zhao Army at the Lin River.
• The Wei Army captured Hedong City and advanced through the county as Zhao’s court argued over Li Mu’s defeat and the threat to its territory.
• The Vast Righteous Sect Master attacked Zhao Hongming’s army, but Zhao Hongming used the Life-Stealing Puppet to wound him and drive him away.
• Bi Lingjun questioned Zhao Hongming about his ties to Wei’s royal clan, while Zhao Hongming warned her that National Destiny could not grant immortality.
• Zhao Hongming ordered Wu Qi to defend the occupied cities, returned to Ying Commandery, appointed Li Li its governor, and authorized Zhang Yi to negotiate with Zhao.
• Zhao Yongxu realized that Wei Wuji was Zhao Hongming and kept his identity secret, while Zhang Yi persuaded Chengxiang Emperor to agree to cede the Thirty Cities of Hedong and sign a mutual non-aggression agreement.