Chapter Summaries

Zhang Yi returned from Zhao Country after securing the Thirty Cities of Hedong, leaving Li Mu furious over the political damage and Shi Weishi dead by suicide. Back at the Martial King Residence, Zhao Hongming learned the Bright Cult had grown rapidly before Bi Lingjun tested his strength with a sudden display of icy qi.

• Zhang Yi declined the Chengxiang Emperor's banquet, learned that Su Qing had gone to Yan Country, and hurried out of Handan City before rumors blaming Li Mu spread.
• Li Mu blamed Pang She for exploiting the cession of the Thirty Cities of Hedong, but Shi Weishi's plan to kill Zhang Yi failed because the envoy had already left; Shi Weishi then killed himself.
• Zhao Hongming returned to the Martial King Residence and learned from Chang Wubing that the Bright Cult had thirty thousand disciples and twenty thousand potential Wei Elite Soldiers.
• Zhao Hongming found Bi Lingjun training Yan Tingting and discussed the Bright Cult's growth and its possible expansion into Hedong with Chang Wubing.
• Bi Lingjun released a vast wave of icy qi to probe Zhao Hongming's strength, then asked whether he had been continuously cultivating the Martial Dao.

Zhang Yi returned from Zhao Country with an agreement ceding Thirty Cities of Hedong to Wei, and Zhao Hongming rewarded him and ordered the transfer of the territory’s defenses. The Jian'an Emperor then assigned the thirty cities to Zhao Hongming’s fief, while Bi Lingjun prepared to take Yan Tingting back to Daliang as her disciple.

• Bi Lingjun questioned Zhao Hongming about his cultivation, then said she would take Yan Tingting back to Daliang once Zhang Yi returned.
• After Bi Lingjun left, Zhao Hongming reprimanded Chang Wubing for not warning him about her visit and secretly advanced the Array Dao Scripture to Major Mastery.
• Half a month later, Zhang Yi returned from Zhao Country with a signed agreement ceding Thirty Cities of Hedong to Wei.
• Zhao Hongming appointed Zhang Yi Right Prime Minister, rewarded him, ordered Wu Qi and the Wei Elite Soldiers recalled, and assigned Cen Xiu to defend the thirty cities.
• At court, the Jian'an Emperor and his ministers agreed to incorporate Thirty Cities of Hedong into Zhao Hongming’s fief.

Jian'an Emperor Zhao Yongxu recognized Zhao Hongming’s achievements and began considering him as a successor while managing the ambitions of his other sons. Three years later, Zhao Hongming reached the threshold of Martial Courage Sixth Grade and began his breakthrough.

• Jian'an Emperor Zhao Yongxu visited his princes and, at East Fifth Residence, praised Zhao Hongming’s ability to govern from afar after learning how Wang Bao had maintained the residence.
• Jian'an Emperor Zhao Yongxu granted Fourth Prince Zhao Hongli the title Prince Tai and ordered him to establish a residence in Daliang, prompting Zhao Hongli to seek an alliance with the Huo Family.
• Zhao Hongming delegated Hedong’s administration, military affairs, intelligence, and the Bright Cult to his trusted subordinates, then devoted himself to cultivation.
• Over three years, Zhao Hongming reached Martial Courage Fifth Grade and perfected the Array Dao Scripture, developing arrays throughout his body.
• Zhao Hongming summoned the Heaven's Reward Martial Arts Panel and initiated his breakthrough to Martial Courage Sixth Grade.

Zhao Hongming broke through to Martial Courage Sixth Grade and learned that the Eighth Prince had become Prince Kang while court tensions between the Fourth and Seventh Princes increased. At Prince Tai Zhao Hongli’s residence, Huo Zhi proposed discussing the secretly resumed forging of God-Demon Weapons as they considered how to deal with Prince Rui.

• Zhao Hongming endured National Destiny’s suppression, broke through to Martial Courage Sixth Grade, and manifested an eighteen-armed Dharma Form.
• Zhao Hongming reviewed the stable affairs of Ying Commandery and Hedong County, then learned that the Eighth Prince had been granted the title of Prince Kang in neighboring Dang County.
• Gao Yanshi reported that Prince Tai Zhao Hongli’s marriage proposal to Huo Xianshui had been rejected, while Censor-in-Chief Luo Ren accused him of secretly associating with the Huo Family; the accusation was dismissed after the Grand Minister of the Imperial Stud intervened.
• Zhao Hongming approved a reward of one profound martial art for a Wei Elite Soldier who had reached the Innate Realm.
• At Prince Tai’s Residence, Zhao Hongli and Huo Zhi discussed Prince Rui’s actions and their concern that the Emperor might make Zhao Hongming Crown Prince.
• Huo Zhi told Zhao Hongli that the Emperor had secretly resumed forging God-Demon Weapons.

Huo Zhi persuaded Fourth Prince Zhao Hongli to expose the God-Demon Weapon project and frame Seventh Prince Zhao Hongsheng, then arranged for Huo Xianshui to visit Zhao Hongli. The plan drove Zhao Hongsheng from the capital, and Zhao Hongli and Huo Zhi began preparing their next moves against the emperor and the Martial King.

• Huo Zhi told Zhao Hongli that Jian'an Emperor had secretly resumed forging the God-Demon Weapon and proposed framing Zhao Hongsheng for leaking the secret.
• Zhao Hongli agreed to the plan, and Huo Zhi arranged for Huo Xianshui to visit Prince Tai's Residence after telling her the Huo Family's ancestor was near death.
• Huo Xianshui accompanied Huo Zhi to Prince Tai's Residence, and news soon spread across Great Liang that the emperor had secretly resumed forging God-Demon Weapons.
• Jian'an Emperor accused Zhao Hongsheng of treason after an investigation linked the leak to Prince Rui's Residence, then exiled him to Northern Wilderness County.
• Zhao Hongli and Huo Zhi celebrated Zhao Hongsheng's removal and began preparing the next stage of their plan against Jian'an Emperor and the Martial King.

Huo Zhi and Fourth Prince Zhao Hongli prepared to use Zhengyi Sect’s elders against Jian'an Emperor, while the emperor investigated the leak of the God-Demon Weapon’s forging and decided to summon Zhao Hongming back to Daliang. Zhao Hongming learned that Seventh Prince Zhao Hongsheng had been expelled from the capital, then received an imperial edict whose contents remained unknown.

• Huo Zhi told Fourth Prince Zhao Hongli that Zhengyi Sect’s elders would support him in forcing Jian'an Emperor to abdicate, while concealing their disagreement with Bi Lingjun.
• Jian'an Emperor ordered Feng Dabao to identify who had exposed the God-Demon Weapon’s forging and who had driven Zhao Hongsheng from Daliang.
• Jian'an Emperor decided to summon Martial King Zhao Hongming back to Daliang, believing his return could help the Royal Family weather the crisis and secure the succession.
• Zhao Hongming continued cultivating in his distant fief and reflected on the power of Immortal Martial Arts Techniques after reaching the sixth rank of Martial Courage.
• Gao Yanshi told Zhao Hongming that Zhao Hongsheng had been expelled to the Northern Plains after a scholar from his residence leaked news of the God-Demon Weapon.
• Gao Yanshi returned to Zhao Hongming with an imperial edict from Jian'an Emperor, leaving its contents unrevealed.

Zhao Hongming received a secret edict from the Jian'an Emperor ordering him to return to Daliang and inherit the throne, but he chose to investigate the crisis before acting. In Daliang, the Emperor linked the leak about his God-Demon Weapon to the Huo Family and Prince Tai, while Zhao Hongli arrived at court with Zhengyi Sect elders claiming he wanted to ease the Emperor’s burdens.

• Wu Yong delivered Zhao Hongming a secret edict from the Jian'an Emperor naming him as successor and ordering him to return to Daliang.
• Zhao Hongming consulted Li Li, Zhang Yi, Wu Qi, and Chang Wubing, then ordered an investigation into Daliang and preparations for one hundred thousand troops to accompany him secretly.
• Feng Dabao reported that a Confucian Scholar tied to Prince Rui’s Residence had learned of the God-Demon Weapon through a connection to the Huo Family, and that Zhao Hongli had been with the Huo Family’s second young master before the news spread.
• The Jian'an Emperor ordered Feng Dabao to investigate the Huo Family and to move against its allies after the Huo Family Old Ancestor died.
• Zhao Hongli arrived at the palace with six Zhengyi Sect elders and told the Jian'an Emperor that he had come to share his burdens amid public outrage.

Prince Tai Zhao Hongli forced Jian'an Emperor Zhao Yongxu to surrender the throne with help from the Zhengyi Sect and the Huo Family, whose forces crippled the royal formation. Zhao Hongli seized Wei Country’s Imperial Jade Seal and declared himself Emperor, while Jian'an Emperor’s backup plan remained undisclosed.

• Prince Tai Zhao Hongli demanded that Jian'an Emperor pass him the throne, claiming he would resolve the crisis over the God-Demon Weapon by destroying it.
• Zhao Hongli ordered six Zhengyi Sect elders to trap Jian'an Emperor with the Imprison Immortal Formation, then signaled Huo Zhi to attack the palace.
• Huo Zhi led Martial Warriors into the palace and destroyed a primary formation eye, weakening the Seven Stars Sky Severing Grand Formation despite the Martial Courage Eunuch’s resistance.
• The Zhengyi Sect elders bound Jian'an Emperor and Eunuch Feng Dabao, and Zhao Hongli demanded the Protect the Nation Jade Seal.
• Jian'an Emperor agreed to Zhao Hongli’s demand and surrendered Wei Country’s Imperial Jade Seal, which Zhao Hongli held as he proclaimed himself Emperor.

Fourth Prince Zhao Hongli seized control of the Imperial Palace, confined Jian'an Emperor, and sought to strengthen his rule by promising to destroy the God-Demon Weapon. After learning of the coup, Zhao Hongming rallied his commanders and prepared to march west to restore order.

• Zhao Hongli activated the weakened Seven Stars Sky Severing Formation, brought his personal troops into the Imperial Palace, and forced Jian'an Emperor to leave the great hall for the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
• Jian'an Emperor and Feng Dabao were confined inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, while Daliang's ministers debated how to respond to Zhao Hongli's seizure of power.
• Zhao Hongli ordered Minister of Works Chen Mou to help destroy the God-Demon Weapon, but Chen refused and was struck down by a Zhengyi Sect elder.
• Gao Yanshi told Zhao Hongming that Zhao Hongli had forced the palace and planned to destroy the God-Demon Weapon, prompting Zhao Hongming to call his commanders to Taihe Hall.
• Wu Qi, Zhang Yi, Li Li, Chang Wubing, and the others pledged their support, and Zhao Hongming ordered them to march west and expel the villains surrounding Jian'an Emperor.

Fourth Prince Zhao Hongli consolidated his control of the court and arranged to eliminate the Seventh Prince, while the Seventh Prince was murdered on the road to his fief. Meanwhile, Zhao Hongming led three thousand elite soldiers toward Daliang to rescue the Jian'an Emperor and purge the treacherous ministers.

• Zhao Hongli ordered a eunuch executed, then discussed with Huo Zhi how to secure the throne, counter the Martial King, and deal with the Seventh Prince.
• Zhao Hongli convened court, declared himself regent, imprisoned Minister Chen Mou for refusing to reveal the God-Demon Weapon’s whereabouts, and appointed Huo Zhi Master of the Chariot Office.
• Huo Zhi arranged for the Seventh Prince Zhao Hongsheng to be killed; a black-robed Martial Courage Ninth Grade attacker split his carriage and slaughtered his guards.
• Zhao Hongming gathered three thousand elite soldiers, declared that the Jian'an Emperor was in danger, and rode toward Daliang to cleanse the ruler’s entourage.

Zhao Hongming returned to Great Liang City with three thousand elite Wei Elite Soldiers and confronted the forces gathered to stop him. He revealed his Martial Courage Realm cultivation and killed three Zhengyi Sect elders in a single exchange, leaving the battle outside the capital underway.

• Zhao Hongming halted his exhausted troops by a river, rested them overnight, and led them toward Great Liang City at dawn.
• Chen Xuerong sought Huo Xianshui's help to save her imprisoned father, but Huo Xianshui refused to meet her and accepted her gifts.
• Zhao Hongli ordered Wang Bao killed, then learned Zhao Hongming's army had reached the capital and received Huo Zhi's plan to intercept it.
• Zhao Hongming arrived outside Great Liang City with three thousand soldiers and ordered them to charge through the forces assembled against him.
• Zhao Hongming revealed his Martial Courage Realm cultivation and sent three wooden swords to kill three Zhengyi Sect elders.

Zhao Hongming killed five Zhengyi Sect elders, routed the rebel army, and entered Great Liang City. His arrival shocked Zhao Hongli and Huo Zhi, while the Jian'an Emperor learned of his son's revealed strength and laughed that he had finally stopped pretending.

• Zhao Hongming killed Wu Zengzhi and Gong Liangyi in direct combat after destroying their Dharma Forms, bringing his tally of slain Zhengyi Sect elders to five.
• Zhang Yi realized that Zhao Hongming was also Bright Cult Leader Wei Wuji, and Zhao Hongming ordered his three thousand Wei Elite Soldiers to attack.
• The Wei Elite Soldiers and Zhao Hongming annihilated the Huo and Feng forces, after which Daliang's gates opened and Zhao Hongming entered the city.
• A eunuch told Zhao Hongli and Huo Zhi that Zhao Hongming had killed all five elders and defeated the thirty-thousand-strong army; Huo Zhi relied on the Imperial Palace formation and crushed a jade slip to summon Jian Yi.
• Feng Dabao informed the Jian'an Emperor that Zhao Hongming had killed the five elders, and the emperor laughed that his son had stopped pretending.

Zhao Hongming led the Wei Elite Soldiers into Great Liang City and reached the Imperial Palace, where Jian'an Emperor’s hidden preparations helped him enter without a major fight. He confronted Zhao Hongli and Huo Zhi in Qianqing Palace after the Seven Stars Heaven Severing Grand Formation failed to activate.

• Jian'an Emperor learned from Feng Dabao that Zhao Hongming likely had Martial Courage Ninth Grade combat power and prepared to act as his army approached.
• Chen Xuerong searched Great Liang City for help for her father, learned Zhao Hongming had entered the city, and exchanged greetings with him as his army marched past.
• Zhao Hongming demanded that the guards at Jinxuan Gate surrender, and Cao Jinglong opened the gate under Jian'an Emperor’s secret orders.
• Zhao Hongli tried to activate the Seven Stars Heaven Severing Grand Formation with the National Protection Seal, but Jian'an Emperor’s safeguards made the seal burn and prevented the formation from activating.
• Zhao Hongming entered Qianqing Palace with the Wei Elite Soldiers and surrounded Zhao Hongli and Huo Zhi.

Zhao Hongming exposed Jian'an Emperor’s secret edict naming the Fourth Prince Zhao Hongli and the Huo Family as traitors, then restored the Seven Stars Heaven Severing Grand Formation. When Huo Zhi’s powerful ally arrived, Zhao Hongming killed him with the formation and crushed Huo Zhi, leaving Zhao Hongli alive for Jian'an Emperor to judge.

• Huo Zhi and Zhao Hongli accused Zhao Hongming of treason, but Zhao Hongming revealed Jian'an Emperor’s secret edict ordering him to suppress the rebellion and naming him Crown Prince.
• Huo Zhi and Zhao Hongli read the edict and realized Jian'an Emperor had anticipated their plot and used them to eliminate the Huo Family’s faction.
• Zhao Hongming removed the defensive formation from the Imperial Jade Seal and used Star Shift to restore the Seven Stars Heaven Severing Grand Formation.
• A black-robed Martial Practitioner arrived to rescue Huo Zhi, claiming he had an immortal body, but Zhao Hongming activated the grand formation and crushed him.
• Zhao Hongming killed Huo Zhi with his eighteen-armed Dharma Form while leaving Zhao Hongli alive for Jian'an Emperor.

Zhao Hongming killed Huo Zhi, recovered the Imperial Jade Seal, and was named Crown Prince by Jian'an Emperor Zhao Yongxu. Meanwhile, Zhang Yi and Chang Wubing secretly poisoned Zhao Hongli and burned the evidence, and the chapter ended with Zhao Hongming hurrying toward the fire at the Eastern Palace.

• Zhao Hongming killed Huo Zhi, sent Zhao Hongli back to the Eastern Palace, and went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to meet Jian'an Emperor Zhao Yongxu.
• Zhang Yi and Chang Wubing decided Zhao Hongli could not be allowed to live, forced poisoned wine down his throat, killed the eunuchs who witnessed it, and set the residence ablaze to destroy the evidence.
• Zhao Hongming broke the formation at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, reunited with Jian'an Emperor Zhao Yongxu, and returned the Imperial Jade Seal.
• Jian'an Emperor Zhao Yongxu proclaimed Zhao Hongming Crown Prince of Great Wei.
• A Wei Elite Soldier reported a fire at Zhao Hongli's residence, and Zhao Hongming hurried to investigate while Jian'an Emperor Zhao Yongxu recognized what had happened.

Jian'an Emperor Zhao Yongxu covered up Prince Tai’s death to protect Zhao Hongming’s Crown Prince investiture and ordered action against the Huo and Feng Families. At Zhengyi Sect, Bi Lingjun learned Zhao Hongming had killed five elders and that he was also Ming Cult Leader Wei Wuji, prompting elders to propose killing him with Huo Yu’s help.

• Jian'an Emperor Zhao Yongxu told Feng Dabao to make Prince Tai’s death appear to be his own doing, grant Consort Hua death, and target the Huo and Feng Families.
• Zhao Hongming found the Eastern Palace engulfed in flames and confronted Zhang Yi over Prince Tai’s death before Internal Affairs eunuchs took control of the scene under the Emperor’s orders.
• Bi Lingjun went to Zhengyi Sect’s main hall after Yan Tingting told her Elder Han had an urgent matter to discuss.
• Han Shi reported that Zhao Hongming had killed Elder Gong and four other Zhengyi Sect elders, and revealed that Zhao Hongming was also Ming Cult Leader Wei Wuji with Martial Courage Ninth Grade strength.
• A Zhengyi Sect elder urged Bi Lingjun to join forces with Huo Yu and kill Zhao Hongming before he could consolidate his power.

The Zhengyi Sect’s elders debated how to deal with the Martial King while concealing Bi Lingjun’s dangerous condition. Huo Yu learned that Zhao Hongming had destroyed the allied vanguard and killed five Zhengyi Sect elders, then committed his forces to rebellion as the Central Army advanced.

• Bi Lingjun declined to commit immediately to Ai Jing’s proposal to kill the Martial King, while Han Shi, Ai Jing, and Lan Zhonglai privately agreed to arm the Huo Family with an ancient demon core and avoid fighting themselves.
• Han Shi explained that Bi Lingjun’s cultivation was nearing qi deviation because of her alterations to the Heaven and Earth United Dao Method, and the elders resolved that the Martial King could not be allowed to grow stronger.
• A scout told Huo Yu that Zhao Hongming had returned to Daliang, destroyed the allied vanguard, and personally killed five Zhengyi Sect elders, leaving Huo Yu and Huo Zhi stunned.
• The scout reported that Zhao Hongming had entered the Imperial Palace, while another messenger said the Central Army was moving against the Huo forces and Feng Yi had refused to join them.
• Huo Yu ordered his troops to declare Jian'an Emperor an immoral ruler and attack the Central Army, then rode to the Zhengyi Sect to seek its Old Ancestor.

Bi Lingjun struggled to control her True Intent and considered using Wei Country’s National Destiny to suppress it as the Huo Family Ancestor agreed to help confront Zhao Hongming. After Zhao Hongming refined Wei Country’s Imperial Jade Seal, it fused with the ancient seal from the Yin Kingdom Royal Tomb, connected him to Great Wei’s National Destiny, and led him to begin cultivating the Martial Beginning Scripture.

• Bi Lingjun coughed up tainted blood and reflected that using Wei Country’s National Destiny to suppress her True Intent would require a blood bond with the Royal Family.
• Huo Yu told the Huo Family Ancestor that Zhao Hongming had reached the Martial Courage Realm, then persuaded him to help the Huo Family.
• Han Shi and Ai Qing gave the Huo Family Ancestor a silver spear containing an ancient demon core and asked him to use it to kill Zhao Hongming.
• Zhao Hongming refined Wei Country’s Imperial Jade Seal, which merged with the ancient Imperial Seal from the Yin Kingdom Royal Tomb and drew Great Wei’s National Destiny toward him.
• Zhao Hongming began cultivating the Martial Beginning Scripture and reached the point where it could break through.

Zhao Hongming initiated the Martial Beginning Scripture and discovered that the Imperial Jade Seal could unleash devastating National Destiny. Meanwhile, the Huo Family Old Ancestor prepared to confront him by arranging a river flood and seeking divine power through a mass sacrifice.

• Zhao Hongming endured the crushing weight of Wei Country's National Destiny, initiated the Martial Beginning Scripture, and used the Imperial Jade Seal to pulverize his training equipment.
• The Huo Family Old Ancestor assessed Zhao Hongming's strength and ordered Huo Yu to recall the army before it ambushed the Central Army.
• The Huo Family Old Ancestor ordered Huo Zhi to breach the Turbid River's dike, despite the flood threatening three commanderies.
• Zuo Jian arrived, and the Huo Family Old Ancestor offered one hundred thousand strong men as blood offerings to worship a god.

Zhao Hongming discovered that someone planned to breach the Turbid River Dam, reported the danger to the Jian'an Emperor, and led troops to stop the attack. He and Chen Mou arrived as Huo Zhi's men dug into the embankment, and Zhao Hongming ordered his soldiers to kill them all.

• Zhao Hongming sensed National Destiny draining near the Turbid River Dam and suspected someone intended to breach it.
• The Jian'an Emperor executed ministers accused of treason and named the Martial King Crown Prince.
• Zhao Hongming warned the Jian'an Emperor about the dam, received authority to investigate, and secured Chen Mou's release to help manage the river.
• Zhao Hongming rode with Chen Mou and two thousand Wei Elite Soldiers toward the dam as Chen Mou explained the cost of repairing a breach.
• Huo Zhi and several hundred followers killed villagers and dam guards, then began digging into the embankment.
• Zhao Hongming and Chen Mou reached the dam, recognized Huo Zhi's plot, and Zhao Hongming ordered his soldiers to leave none alive.