Chapter Summaries

Shen Fei persuaded Yang Guang to attack Ning Daoqi and expose Cihang Monastery’s plan to install Li Shimin as emperor, then negotiated for control of Luoyang and the deaths of the Three Grandmasters. Yang Guang appointed Shen Fei Governor-General of Luoyang and issued a second decree that terrified the court, forcing Yuwen Huaji to submit.

• Shen Fei proposed that Yang Guang brand Ning Daoqi a traitor and reveal Cihang Monastery’s longstanding plan to support Li Shimin, and Yang Guang agreed to strike at them.
• Yang Guang and Shen Fei agreed that Shen Fei would receive Luoyang in exchange for the heads of Ning Daoqi, Fu Cailin, and Bi Xuan.
• Yang Guang summoned the court and issued a decree appointing Shen Fei Governor-General of Luoyang.
• Yang Guang announced a second decree, prompting Yuwen Huaji to demand its retraction.
• Shen Fei confronted Yuwen Huaji with overwhelming killing intent, and Yuwen Huaji and the other ministers submitted to Yang Guang’s order.

Shen Fei oversaw Yang Guang’s seizure of Cihang Monastery’s vast wealth and land deeds, exposing the Buddhist sect’s holdings and setting up future attacks on its temples. As Yuwen Huaji inventoried the riches and Kong Xing died from rage, Du Fuwei and the Twin Dragons witnessed the fallout; Shen Fei watched from a nearby restaurant and reflected on how difficult armies found it to fight experts.

• Yuwen Huaji’s soldiers carried Cihang Monastery’s gold, jewels, and land deeds into the square, while Shen Fei ordered him to publicize the inventory and manage the wealth.
• Yuwen Huaji ordered the land deeds read aloud, and the revelations enraged the wounded Kong Xing so badly that he spat blood and died.
• Du Fuwei saw the monastery’s riches and began considering how the Jianghuai Army might seize Buddhist wealth.
• Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling discussed the consequences of Shen Fei’s scheme, then left without confronting Yuwen Huaji or seeking revenge.
• Shen Fei watched from a restaurant balcony, considered the number of temples and monks in the realm, and noted that armies lacked ways to counter experts.

Shen Fei revealed his overwhelming power to Wan Wan and demanded that the demonic sects submit, then recruited Lu Miaozhi to help build a new army from Luoyang. He laid out his plans to reform the realm and warned Shi Qingxuan that Cihang Monastery might have been involved in Bi Xiuxin's suspicious death.

• Shen Fei told Wan Wan that the demonic sects could submit to him or cease to exist, then demonstrated his ability to transport them and immobilize her with World loses color.
• Shen Fei offered to help Wan Wan deal with Bian BuFu, hinted that he came from another world, and flew toward the Flying Horse Ranch.
• Shen Fei asked Lu Miaozhi to leave retirement and help him after showing him Yang Guang's decree appointing him Governor of Luoyang.
• Shen Fei explained to Lu Miaozhi, Shang Xiuxun, and Shi Qingxuan his plans to end the wars and address land, taxation, and Buddhist wealth.
• Shen Fei asked Shi Qingxuan to keep their conversation secret and said Bi Xiuxin's death had been suspicious.

Shen Fei argued that Cihang Monastery had engineered Bi Xiuxin’s death to ruin Shi Zhixuan and undermine Yang Guang’s campaign against Goryeo, then gave Lu Miaozhi mechanical-arts materials and agreed to investigate the Four Great Bandits’ suspected accomplice inside Flying Horse Ranch. Meanwhile, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling headed toward the ranch, with Kou Zhong hoping to see Li Xiuning again.

• Shen Fei connected Bi Xiuxin’s death, Shi Zhixuan’s breakdown, and the failed Goryeo campaign, and Shi Qingxuan left in distress.
• Shen Fei warned Lu Miaozhi that Shi Qingxuan might be in danger and gave him a tablet containing Mohist and Gongshu Family mechanical arts.
• Lu Miaozhi asked Shen Fei to help uncover who inside Flying Horse Ranch was colluding with the Four Great Bandits, and Shen Fei agreed to stay and investigate.
• Shen Fei searched for the Twin Dragons with Observation Haki but did not find them at the ranch.
• Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling traveled toward Flying Horse Ranch with a group seeking chefs, and Kou Zhong said he wanted to see Li Xiuning once more.

Shen Fei investigated the War God Catalogue, offered Shen Luoyan a place in his new administration, and uncovered signs that Li Mi had allied with the Demon Sect to target Flying Horse Ranch. The Twin Dragons arrived as the Four Great Bandits gathered, while Yang Guang’s purge of Yangzhou’s temples devastated Buddhism’s reputation and enraged Fan Qinghui.

• Xu Ziling devoted himself to studying the Tao Te Ching, which fused with the Longevity Scroll and his nature to shape his cultivation.
• Shen Fei traced the origins of the Demon Sect’s martial arts to the War God Catalogue and decided to search for Wild Goose Palace after unifying the realm.
• Shen Fei invited Shen Luoyan to join his administration, and she considered his offer despite her doubts about leaving Li Mi.
• Shen Fei suspected Li Mi had allied with the Demon Sect and was plotting against Flying Horse Ranch, then warned Shen Luoyan that the plan would fail.
• The Twin Dragons arrived at Flying Horse Ranch, and Shen Fei prepared them to help deal with the Four Great Bandits.
• News of Yang Guang’s purge of Yangzhou’s temples spread across the realm, reducing support for Buddhism and prompting Fan Qinghui to cough up blood.

After Yang Guang exposed Buddhism’s plans and alleged crimes, the accusations spread across the realm, weakening Cihang Monastery and its allies. As rival powers responded to the revelations, the Buddhist leaders agreed to kill Yang Guang, who awaited Ning Daoqi in Yangzhou with a capsule in hand.

• Fan Qinghui suppressed her shock and ordered Shi Feixuan, Ning Daoqi, Liao Kong, and the Four Holy Monks to be summoned.
• Shi Feixuan read the intelligence implicating Cihang Monastery and Buddhism in betrayal, and her faith in her sect faltered.
• Rumors about Ning Daoqi, Cihang Monastery, and the Baling Gang spread through taverns, while the public debated the accusations and some tried to defend the accused.
• Li Yuan questioned Li Shimin about Buddhism’s plan to choose an emperor on Heaven’s behalf, then ordered a detailed investigation of Tian Ce Mansion.
• Song Que read Song Zhi’s report, asked him to find Shen Fei, and decided to meet him personally.
• Cihang Monastery, the Jingnian Zen Sect, Ning Daoqi, and the Four Holy Monks agreed to eliminate Yang Guang, while Yang Guang waited in his palace holding a capsule.

Yang Guang fought the Buddhist assassins who invaded his palace after Yuwen Huaji and Sima Dekan betrayed him, using Shen Fei’s medicines to unleash his strength and expose Buddhism’s plans across Yangzhou. As the medicines began to age him, Yang Guang released a black light that swallowed the Buddhist experts and everyone fighting in the palace square.

• Yuwen Huaji and Sima Dekan entered Yang Guang’s palace with Buddhist assassins and revealed Dugu Sheng’s severed head.
• Yang Guang swallowed a capsule from Shen Fei, killed the first attacker, and fought the surrounding black-clad men with greatly enhanced strength.
• Yang Guang used his voice to accuse Cihang Monastery of backing Li Shimin and publicly taunted Ning Daoqi, Liao Kong, and Fan Qinghui.
• Yuwen Huaji and Sima Dekan withdrew while nearly a hundred black-clad fighters blocked the Imperial Guards from reaching Yang Guang.
• As the medicine’s side effects aged him, Yang Guang unleashed a black sphere that swallowed six Buddhist Grandmasters and everyone fighting in the square.

After Yang Guang sacrificed himself to destroy the force sent against him, Yuwen Huaji and Sima Dekan fled as rebel forces breached Yangzhou. Shen Fei then watched Li Mi attack Flying Horse Ranch with Demon Sect support while Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong fought Wan Wan nearby, where Xu Ziling’s field countered her Heavenly Devil Forcefield.

• Yuwen Huaji and Sima Dekan saw the devastation left by Yang Guang’s final battle and realized that the Buddhist-led attackers had been wiped out.
• Du Fuwei, Li Zitong, and Shen Faxing breached Yangzhou while Yuwen Huaji and Sima Dekan escaped with the wealth they could carry, leaving the three rebel leaders to compete for the city.
• Shen Fei watched a recording of Yang Guang’s final battle and reflected that he had arranged the medicine and modified Reverse Four Symbols Sealing that enabled Yang Guang’s last stand.
• Li Mi attacked Flying Horse Ranch with Demon Sect support and held Li Xiuning and Chai Shao as hostages, while Shen Fei judged that Li Mi’s greed and past mistakes would ruin him.
• Xu Ziling pulled Kou Zhong out of Wan Wan’s Heavenly Devil Forcefield and used Tai Chi Fist to counter it, prompting Wan Wan to recognize his similar field and develop killing intent.

Wan Wan fought Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling while Zhu Yuyan battled Lu Miaozhi, as Shen Fei’s forces turned the attack on Flying Horse Ranch into a trap. After the ranch defeated Zu Junyan’s troops and Li Xiuning captured Li Tianfan’s men, Shen Luoyan remained standing and confronted Li Xiuning over why she had spared her.

• Wan Wan attacked Xu Ziling with her Demonic Silk Ribbons, and Kou Zhong intervened before he and Xu Ziling fought her together.
• Zhu Yuyan battled Lu Miaozhi while Shang Xiuxun and the ranch elders fought Bian BuFu, Wen CaiTing, and Dan Mei.
• Shen Fei sensed Li Mi’s troops entering the trap and ordered Shang Zhen to move against them.
• Flying Horse Ranch’s crossbows devastated Zu Junyan’s forces, and Zu Junyan escaped after losing his right arm.
• Li Xiuning’s forces defeated Li Tianfan and his men, leaving Shen Luoyan as the sole survivor.
• Shen Luoyan realized Li Xiuning had spared her because of Xu Shiji, and Li Xiuning recognized Shen Luoyan’s resentment at being treated as an appendage.

Shen Fei rescued Shen Luoyan from Li Xiuning's forces, and she agreed to join him after one last attempt to persuade Li Mi to give up his ambitions. At Flying Horse Ranch, the Four Great Bandits were routed, Cao Yinglong reunited with Shi Qingxuan, and Shen Fei arrived as the battle against Lu Miaozhi and the Twin Dragons neared its end.

• Shen Luoyan refused Li Xiuning's offer and was surrounded, but Shen Fei used his ROOM ability to bring her to safety.
• Shen Luoyan agreed to return to Li Mi and make one final attempt to persuade him to abandon his campaign, then join Shen Fei in Luoyang.
• Shen Fei reached the Four Great Bandits and killed Fang Jianding and Xiang Batian after Cao Yinglong killed Maozao and addressed Shi Qingxuan as his former acquaintance.
• Shi Qingxuan recognized Cao Yinglong as her childhood friend and Shi Zhixuan's disciple, and Shen Fei let them speak.
• Shen Fei reached Lu Miaozhi's battlefield, where the Twin Dragons and Lu Miaozhi were struggling while Shang Xiuxun held the advantage.

Shen Fei forced the Yin Kui Sect to pledge allegiance, killed Bian BuFu, and tasked Zhu Yuyan with gathering intelligence on Cihang Monastery and Luoyang’s temples and great clans. After returning to Flying Horse Ranch and seeing the aftermath of the battle, he prepared to leave for Luoyang and asked Shi Qingxuan whether she would help the women of the realm.

• Shen Fei rejected Zhu Yuyan’s proposal of cooperation and declared that the Yin Kui Sect would pledge allegiance to him.
• Shen Fei killed Bian BuFu, then revealed a divine dragon and compelled Zhu Yuyan and the others to submit.
• Shen Fei ordered Zhu Yuyan to spread rumors about Cihang Monastery and Ning Daoqi and investigate Luoyang’s temples and great clans; Zhu Yuyan left Wan Wan with him.
• Shen Fei and Wan Wan returned to Flying Horse Ranch, where the ranch’s forces and the Twin Dragons were finishing the fight against the bandits.
• Several days later, Lu Miaozhi and the Twin Dragons prepared to leave for Luoyang, while Flying Horse Ranch sent skilled workers, young elites, and five hundred warhorses.
• Shen Fei asked Shi Qingxuan whether she had considered doing something for the women of the realm.

Shen Fei explained his plan to establish a medical academy and reduce deaths in childbirth, then traveled toward Luoyang amid the collapse of the Sui realm. In Chang'an, he learned that Li Shimin had been gravely wounded in an assassination attempt and that Shi Zhixuan was killing Buddhist figures; the Four Holy Monks had gone after him.

• Shen Fei described building a medical academy and urged Shi Qingxuan to consider leading efforts to improve women's medical care.
• Shen Fei and Wan Wan left Flying Horse Ranch, and he parted ways with Xu Ziling and the other Twin Dragon.
• Wan Wan reported that rebel forces were fighting across the realm, Li Yuan had taken Chang'an, and Wang Shichong had refused to declare himself emperor.
• Shen Fei and Wan Wan reached Chang'an, where the demon sect told him the Shadow Assassin Yang Xuyan had gravely wounded Li Shimin.
• Wan Wan told Shen Fei that Shi Zhixuan had killed many Buddhist figures and that the Four Holy Monks had set out to hunt him.

Shen Fei and Wan Wan arrived in Chang'an, where he set out to confront the Xiang Family by challenging Chi Shengchun at Sixfold Luck Casino. The chapter ended with Chi Shengchun about to reveal the dice after Shen Fei bet on another triple, while Hu Xiaoxian and Ji Qian watched.

• Shen Fei discussed the Four Holy Monks and Shi Zhixuan with Wan Wan, then suggested they explore Chang'an while he handled a few matters.
• Shen Fei went to Sixfold Luck Casino, intending to deal with the Xiang Family, and identified Chi Shengchun as Xiang Yushan's brother.
• Shen Fei won four consecutive bets on triples, alarming the dealer and drawing Chi Shengchun to the table.
• Chi Shengchun challenged Shen Fei to move upstairs, but Shen Fei refused and accused the casino of allowing guests only to lose.
• Hu Xiaoxian and Ji Qian arrived and mocked Chi Shengchun, while Ji Qian signaled Shen Fei to try Mingtang Den.
• Chi Shengchun shook the dice for another round, but Shen Fei calmly ordered him to open the cup.

Shen Fei and Wan Wan confronted the Xiang Family’s allies at Sixfold Luck Casino, where Wan Wan killed three attackers and Shen Fei exposed and defeated Yang Wengan and Chi Shengchun. After looting and burning the casino, Shen Fei captured Xiang Hua and prepared to reach Yang Gong’s Treasure without alerting the Li Clan.

• Shen Fei correctly bet on triplets again as Er Wenhuan, Yang Wengan, Qiao Gongshan, and others arrived and accused him and Wan Wan of aiding the assassins who had targeted Li Shimin.
• Wan Wan killed Wei Jiaqing and two other attackers, then forced Er Wenhuan and Qiao Gongshan to retreat.
• Shen Fei exposed Yang Wengan and Chi Shengchun as Xiang Wengan and Xiang Shenchun, then crippled both while Er Wenhuan and Qiao Gongshan fled to report his arrival.
• Wan Wan gathered Sixfold Luck Casino’s valuables, and Shen Fei killed Yang Wengan and Chi Shengchun in a fire that consumed the casino before escaping with the treasure.
• Shen Fei captured Xiang Hua at the House of Beauty and planned to enter Yang Gong’s Treasure with Wan Wan using Earth Escape.

Shen Fei and Wan Wan uncovered the real Yang Gong's Treasure, claimed its wealth and weapons, and recovered the Relic of the Evil Emperor. After Li Shimin ordered a search for Shen Fei and sought Ning Daoqi's help, Shen Fei met Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng outside Chang'an, where Yuan Tiangang suddenly spat blood while trying to calculate something about him.

• Shen Fei used spatial displacement to take Wan Wan from Yang Gong's decoy vault to the true treasure, where he collected the gold, weapons, and Relic of the Evil Emperor.
• Shen Fei and Wan Wan discussed whether Cihang Monastery might ally with Li Yuan, and Shen Fei explained why he did not want to seize power by force.
• Li Shimin ordered Tian Ce Mansion and Buddhist forces to find Shen Fei, then instructed Changsun Wuji to enlist Ning Daoqi and watch the Daoist sects.
• Shen Fei and Wan Wan waited in a bamboo grove outside Chang'an, but Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng arrived instead of the expected guest.
• Yuan Tiangang tried to calculate something about Shen Fei and suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Shen Fei recruited Shi Zhixuan to his cause by explaining his ambition to make Huaxia the world’s greatest power, then gave him the Relic of the Evil Emperor and healing treasures. After Shen Fei and Wan Wan flew toward Luoyang, Yuan Tiangang admitted he had failed to divine anything about Shen Fei, while a young swordsman attacked a temple near the Goguryeo border.

• Li Chunfeng treated Yuan Tiangang after his attempt to divine Shen Fei injured him, and Yuan apologized for his discourtesy.
• Shen Fei asked Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng to tell Sun Simiao to visit Luoyang when he returned from gathering herbs.
• Shi Zhixuan arrived, and Shen Fei invited him to join his effort to unite the Central Plains and raise Huaxia to the pinnacle of the world.
• Shen Fei gave Shi Zhixuan the Relic of the Evil Emperor and several medicines, then revealed that Li Shimin had arranged for Ning Daoqi to ambush him.
• Shen Fei and Wan Wan flew toward Luoyang on the Dragon God, while Shi Zhixuan accepted Shen Fei’s offer and Yuan Tiangang told Li Chunfeng he had divined nothing.
• At a ruined temple near the Goguryeo border, an abbot called a young swordsman a fiend, and the swordsman claimed he wished to become a Buddha.

Duan Lang destroyed smuggling and trafficking networks at the Sui-Goguryeo border, while Shen Fei and Wan Wan arrived in Luoyang to subdue Dugu Clan and prepare for Shen Fei’s official entry into the city. The chapter left Shen Fei planning to publicly execute Ning Daoqi and monitoring Cihang Monastery as Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling gained fame by killing Ren Shaoming.

• Duan Lang burned more than a dozen border temples, destroyed smuggling associations, and killed an old monk after uncovering the temples’ role in trafficking women.
• Duan Lang arranged for a local gang descended from Sui soldiers to loot the temple, then prepared to return to Chengdu.
• Shen Fei and Wan Wan flew into Luoyang on the Dragon God, and Shen Fei planned to visit Dugu Clan before entering the city officially.
• Wan Wan reported that Dugu Clan had gathered experts, Cihang Monastery was providing relief to displaced civilians, and Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling had killed Ren Shaoming.
• Shen Fei ordered Wan Wan to monitor Cihang Monastery without using underhanded tactics and said he would publicly execute Ning Daoqi as a traitor.

Shen Fei and Wan Wan discussed the Twin Dragons, Li Mi, and the South Sea School before joining Zhu Yuyan’s Yin Kui Sect at the Dugu Clan residence. After Zhu Yuyan’s forces clashed with the Dugu Clan, Shen Fei displayed his power and demanded that You Chuhong choose submission or death.

• Wan Wan told Shen Fei that the Twin Dragons and Ba Feng Han had escaped Qu Ao, and that Li Mi had gained support from the South Sea School after Zhai Rang was assassinated.
• Shen Fei arrived at the Dugu Clan residence with Wan Wan and met Zhu Yuyan and the Yin Kui Sect disciples, then instructed Zhu Yuyan to lead the vanguard and spare lives where possible.
• Zhu Yuyan’s group fought its way into the Dugu Clan residence, where You Chuhong confronted her and Wan Wan engaged Dugu Feng.
• You Chuhong called a halt to the battle after her illness limited her ability to fight, then questioned Zhu Yuyan’s decision to submit to Shen Fei.
• Shen Fei used World loses color to immobilize the courtyard’s fighters and demanded that You Chuhong submit or die, leaving her shocked and asking who he was.

Shen Fei secured the Dugu Clan’s allegiance, entered Luoyang, and proclaimed himself King Tang after taking control of the city’s military and political affairs. He ended the chapter seated on the throne, ordering his national principles carved into a stone stele.

• You Chuhong and Dugu Feng pledged the Dugu Clan’s allegiance to Shen Fei, and he healed You Chuhong’s damaged meridians.
• You Chuhong recalled the Dugu Clan members in Chang’an, while Shen Fei asked Wan Wan to have the demonic sect search for Xu Xingzhi.
• Two days later, Wang Shichong and the Dugu Clan welcomed Shen Fei outside Luoyang, with Dugu Feng appearing at his side.
• Shen Fei entered the imperial palace, read Yang Guang’s edict appointing him Luoyang’s Chief Steward, and declared himself King Tang.
• Shen Fei proclaimed his ambitions for a powerful Central Plains dynasty, received the officials’ bows, and ordered his words carved onto a stone stele.

Shen Fei consolidated his rule in Luoyang, recruited officials through Dual Mastery, and began building institutions while declaring a hard line against foreign powers. After the Turks attacked and killed local residents, he ordered them all killed, leaving him with material for the first issue of his newspaper.

• Shen Fei used Dual Mastery on officials inclined toward Buddhism or aristocratic clans, then allowed Prince Yang Dong to leave Luoyang with his loyal followers.
• Shen Fei ordered Red Queen to scan Luoyang and considered reforms, trusted recruits, and winning over the weapons-manufacturing Sha Family.
• Song Lu, Song Shidao, and Song Yuzhi discussed Shen Fei's defiance of Cihang Monastery and the Turks, while Song Lu noted that Song Que wanted to meet him.
• Shen Fei's declaration against marriage alliances, indemnities, ceding territory, and tribute was carved on a monument, and he killed two protesting Luoyang scholars before using Dual Mastery on the others.
• Dugu Feng reported that Turks had attacked Luoyang residents, and Shen Fei ordered their deaths; Wan Wan and Dugu Feng helped kill the surviving experts.