Chapter Summaries

Jiang Ping'an learned why Bai Ruoxue could not leave the Melodious Sound Pavilion and resolved to free her from the Worry-Free Pill's control. That night, he pretended to be dead when Shen Ruyi came to mourn him, but she screamed after seeing him smile beneath the blanket.

• Bai Ruoxue told Jiang Ping'an that the Worry-Free Pills taken by the pavilion's official disciples caused agonizing death if they went a month without one.
• Jiang Ping'an promised to help Bai Ruoxue escape the pills' control, though she dismissed his chances and secretly wept over his danger.
• Bai Ruoxue stayed with Jiang Ping'an and made him lie down to hide his injuries and maintain the appearance that he was dead.
• Shen Ruyi came to offer condolences, and Bai Ruoxue blocked her from entering until Shen Ruyi asked to see Jiang Ping'an one last time.
• Bai Ruoxue brought Shen Ruyi inside, and Shen Ruyi screamed when she lifted the blanket and saw Jiang Ping'an smiling with his eyes open.

Shen Ruyi helped Jiang Ping'an and Bai Ruoxue plan his escape from the city in case the Blood Tiger Gate refused to spare him. As they settled in for the night, Bai Ruoxue teased Jiang Ping'an about Shen Ruyi, then became emotional when he called her innocent and asked him to hold her.

• Jiang Ping'an revealed he had reached the First Transformation Blood Realm, and Bai Ruoxue warned that Zhou Lian would still try to kill him.
• Shen Ruyi proposed faking Jiang Ping'an's death and carrying him out in a coffin, with Captain Chen turning a blind eye at the city gate.
• After Bai Ruoxue brought money, Shen Ruyi and the others arranged the details of Jiang Ping'an's escape for the next day.
• Bai Ruoxue insisted Jiang Ping'an share her bed, then checked his heartbeat and teased him about smelling like Shen Ruyi.
• Jiang Ping'an insisted that Bai Ruoxue and Shen Ruyi were innocent women, moving Bai Ruoxue to tears; she asked him to hold her.

Jiang Ping'an rejected Zhou Qingyu’s offer of help and pretended to be dead, but Zhou Qingyu saw through the deception when she came to visit. She made Jiang Ping'an her god-brother and vowed to protect him.

• When Xiao Feng came to summon Jiang Ping'an to meet an honored guest, Jiang Ping'an chose to fake his death, and Bai Ruoxue sent Xiao Feng away with a false report that he had died.
• Bai Ruoxue and Jiang Ping'an were startled when Xiao Feng returned to say the honored guest still wanted to see him, and Bai Ruoxue again pretended to grieve.
• Zhou Qingyu struck Bai Ruoxue and entered the room after realizing Jiang Ping'an had deceived her.
• Jiang Ping'an apologized, while Bai Ruoxue pleaded for Zhou Qingyu’s forgiveness and pressed him to kneel.
• Zhou Qingyu declared Jiang Ping'an her god-brother and promised that no one would dare harm him.

Zhou Qingyu bought Jiang Ping'an’s freedom and brought him to Blood Tiger Gate, where she openly defied her husband, Zhou Lian. Their confrontation escalated into threats over his concubine and child, leaving their conflict on the brink of violence.

• Zhou Qingyu paid Deputy Block Master Xuan to buy out Jiang Ping'an’s indenture and took him away from Marvelous Music Pavilion.
• Zhou Qingyu rode Jiang Ping'an into Blood Tiger Gate with him holding her waist, shocking the people they passed.
• Zhou Qingyu ordered Yunxiu to bathe and dress Jiang Ping'an while she waited for Zhou Lian in the courtyard.
• Zhou Qingyu told Xuan Shuang that she had to break decisively with Zhou Lian, then Zhou Lian stormed into the courtyard with a saber.
• Zhou Lian demanded to know where Jiang Ping'an was, and Zhou Qingyu threatened his concubine and child as they argued over his betrayal and her inability to bear children.

Jiang Ping'an settled into Zhou Qingyu’s courtyard and accepted her offer to provide martial training, while Zhou Qingyu openly presented him as her younger brother to the Blood Tiger Gate’s leaders. Her ultimatum over Zhou Lian left the sect facing a split, and she ended the chapter reconsidering her past marriage.

• Jiang Ping'an bathed, dressed, and met Zhou Qingyu, who warned him to stay within her courtyard and gave him Azure Hill Pills for his injuries.
• Jiang Ping'an chose martial arts and cultivation over comfort, and Zhou Qingyu promised to provide him with Spirit Pills, techniques, and Martial Arts.
• Xiu Yun arranged for Jiang Ping'an to live in the West Wing Courtyard, where Zhi Que was assigned to attend him.
• Two days later, Zhou Qingyu introduced Jiang Ping'an as her younger brother to the Blood Tiger Gate’s leaders, making the conflict with Zhou Lian impossible to conceal.
• Zhou Qingyu accused Zhou Lian of betrayal and demanded that he leave the Blood Tiger Gate or face her as an enemy, while urging the leaders to choose a side.
• After the leaders departed, Zhou Qingyu called Jiang Ping'an back and privately regretted having married Zhou Lian instead of becoming gate master herself.

Jiang Ping'an asked Zhou Qingyu to arrange a Spiritual Aperture test and obtained a manual that let him master a powerful aperture-opening technique. Later that night, Zhou Qingyu summoned him and asked him to carry her to bed.

• Zhou Qingyu offered Jiang Ping'an a choice between continuing Monkey Skill and learning the Blood Tiger Gate's Crimson Tiger Skill, and agreed to arrange a Spiritual Aperture test when he asked for one.
• Jiang Ping'an received the Discourse on Spiritual Apertures, learned about the nine apertures, and used his panel to master the Jiang Family Aperture Opening Technique.
• Jiang Ping'an estimated that he could open an aperture in about ten days once the suppression on his Divine Soul weakened further.
• Xiu Yun escorted Jiang Ping'an to Zhou Qingyu's quarters and chatted with him about martial arts and the household along the way.
• Zhou Qingyu greeted Jiang Ping'an in the inner room and asked him to carry her to bed.

Jiang Ping'an continued living under Zhou Qingyu's control while his Spiritual Sense slowly recovered through their nights together. After Wei Yongnan and another Blood Tiger Gate member threatened his safety, Jiang Ping'an stayed cautious and began testing whether Xiu Yun might become an ally.

• Jiang Ping'an spent the night with Zhou Qingyu and noticed the next morning that using his Spiritual Sense felt unusually difficult.
• Xiu Yun helped Jiang Ping'an dress, and Wei Yongnan confronted him with hostile intent before Xiu Yun redirected Wei to Zhou Qingyu.
• Xiu Yun warned Jiang Ping'an to avoid Wei Yongnan and other men who cared for Zhou Qingyu, then told him that Master Zhao might have entered the West Wing Courtyard in a rage.
• Jiang Ping'an visited Zhou Qingyu again that night while Xiu Yun and Xuan Shuang kept watch outside the inner chamber.
• The next morning, Jiang Ping'an tested his Spiritual Sense and found it had recovered slightly; when Xiu Yun dressed him alone, he touched her waist to test her response but refrained from going further.

Jiang Ping'an cultivated to strengthen his qi and blood while planning to open his Dantian Aperture, and Zhou Qingyu eventually summoned him to her bed again. By morning, his Spiritual Sense had improved enough to lift a clothes rack five inches, and he asked Xiu Yun to accompany him when he visited his aunt.

• Zhou Qingyu tested Jiang Ping'an and found that he had no Spirit Apertures, then gave him Qi and Blood Pills and increased his monthly allowance.
• Jiang Ping'an discovered that Zhi Que had withheld half the silver Bai Ruoxue and Shen Ruyi sent him, but pretended not to notice and rewarded her after she returned the rest.
• Jiang Ping'an cultivated for several days, then used the Jiang Family Aperture Opening Technique to loosen his Dantian Aperture before replenishing his qi and blood with a pill.
• Xiu Yun summoned Jiang Ping'an to Zhou Qingyu, who took him to bed while Xiu Yun and Xuan Shuang kept watch; afterward, Xiu Yun fetched warm water as Xuan Shuang guarded the young lady.
• Jiang Ping'an lifted a clothes rack with his Spiritual Sense the next morning, then asked Xiu Yun to accompany him when he returned to visit his aunt.

Jiang Ping'an obtained a flying dagger technique and tested using his Spiritual Sense to control the weapons, but found it too weak to threaten a powerful opponent. After discovering that Zhi Que had likely cheated him over the dagger purchase, Zhou Qingyu ordered Xuan Shuang to seize her.

• Jiang Ping'an opened his apertures again, then later asked Zhou Qingyu for a flying dagger technique and money to buy black-iron daggers.
• Zhou Qingyu agreed, and Xiu Yun brought Jiang Ping'an the manual and three hundred taels of silver.
• Jiang Ping'an learned the Luo Men Flying Dagger Technique, then tested it with daggers controlled by qi and blood and by Spiritual Sense.
• Zhi Que returned with only four daggers, claiming the silver had bought three black-iron daggers and one additional dagger.
• Jiang Ping'an showed Zhou Qingyu the daggers and explained that Zhi Que had bought them; Zhou Qingyu ordered Xuan Shuang to seize Zhi Que.

Zhou Qingyu exposed Zhi Que’s embezzlement, punished her, and arranged for Jiang Ping'an to receive new throwing knives. After Zhao Zhisen confronted Jiang Ping'an, Zhou Qingyu allowed him to visit his aunt at the Melodious Sound Pavilion under Xuan Shuang’s escort, where their awkward conversation began.

• Zhou Qingyu caught Zhi Que lying about the throwing knives, punished her, and ordered Xiu Yun to recover the stolen silver.
• Jiang Ping'an stayed with Zhou Qingyu, and Xiu Yun later gave him a timid new maidservant and privately embraced him.
• Xiu Yun delivered ten improved throwing knives to Jiang Ping'an, while Zhou Qingyu stopped summoning him for the next dozen days.
• Zhao Zhisen entered Jiang Ping'an’s courtyard with killing intent, but Jiang Ping'an warned him that killing him could make Zhou Qingyu suspect Zhou Lian’s involvement, and Zhao Zhisen left.
• Jiang Ping'an asked to visit his aunt, and Zhou Qingyu agreed to send Xuan Shuang to escort and protect him.
• On the carriage ride to the Melodious Sound Pavilion, Jiang Ping'an tried to speak with Xuan Shuang, who eventually asked what he planned to do there.

Jiang Ping'an arrived at Melodious Sound Pavilion to visit Bai Ruoxue, bringing gifts and reconnecting with its attendants. He found Bai Ruoxue safe but being targeted, and she greeted him by twisting his ear until Xuan Shuang drew her sword to intervene.

• Jiang Ping'an negotiated with Xuan Shuang to stay at Melodious Sound Pavilion for three days and tried to amuse her with jokes during the carriage ride.
• Jiang Ping'an bought rouge for Xuan Shuang and pastries, then greeted Chen Jiatong and Li Xiaofeng at the pavilion gate.
• Jiang Ping'an learned from Su Xiaoxiao that Bai Ruoxue was not sick but had stopped receiving guests because people were picking on her.
• Quezhi recognized Jiang Ping'an and called Bai Ruoxue, who hurried out to greet him.
• Bai Ruoxue grabbed Jiang Ping'an's ear and scolded him for returning, prompting Xuan Shuang to draw her sword and order Bai Ruoxue to let him go.

Jiang Ping'an visited Bai Ruoxue at the Melodious Sound Pavilion, where Xuan Shuang remained assigned to protect him. He spent the night with Xuan Shuang, then left to visit Shen Ruyi, hoping to keep his involvement with Xuan Shuang secret from Zhou Qingyu.

• Jiang Ping'an gave Bai Ruoxue rouge, pastries, and silver, while Xuan Shuang refused to leave his side.
• Unable to send Xuan Shuang to an inn, Jiang Ping'an spent the night in a guest room with her; after he tried to pull her from the floor, she drew her sword, but later approached him and they became intimate.
• The next morning, Bai Ruoxue teased Jiang Ping'an about the noise and warned him that Zhou Qingyu might punish him if he learned about Xuan Shuang.
• Jiang Ping'an asked Xuan Shuang to rest and went with Quezhi to visit Shen Ruyi, telling Xuan Shuang he would return by noon.
• Han Cui welcomed Jiang Ping'an at Shen Ruyi's courtyard, and he entered while Quezhi returned to the pavilion.

Jiang Ping'an visited Shen Ruyi, then spent his remaining days at the Melodious Sound Pavilion pursuing intimacy with Xuan Shuang to strengthen himself before returning to the Blood Tiger Gate. The chapter ended with him preparing to open his spirit aperture that afternoon.

• Jiang Ping'an visited Shen Ruyi, shared tea and conversation with her, and gave her a box of premium rouge before leaving.
• Shen Ruyi told Han Cui that Jiang Ping'an had changed, though she did not blame him for it.
• Jiang Ping'an learned Xuan Shuang's injury had healed and persuaded her to be intimate with him so he could try to break open his Dantian Aperture.
• Bai Ruoxue scolded Jiang Ping'an for being intimate with Xuan Shuang in broad daylight, then arranged a moon-viewing gathering for his last evening at the pavilion.
• Jiang Ping'an slipped away from Bai Ruoxue's gathering and spent the night with Xuan Shuang, while Bai Ruoxue and Quezhi heard them from the courtyard.
• Jiang Ping'an woke late the next morning and decided to rest until afternoon, when he planned to open his spirit aperture.

Jiang Ping'an opened his Dantian spiritual aperture before leaving Melodious Sound Pavilion, gaining stronger Spiritual Sense and a new path to immortality. As he prepared to return to the Blood Tiger Gate, Bai Ruoxue confronted him about his dangerous choices and asked whether he desired her.

• Jiang Ping'an took Su Xiaoxiao and Xuan Shuang to Immortal Flavor Tower for an extravagant meal of demon beast meat, then practiced to convert the food into blood and qi.
• Jiang Ping'an bolted his room, opened his spiritual aperture with the Jiang Family Aperture Opening Technique, and discovered that his strength and Spiritual Sense had greatly increased.
• Bai Ruoxue caught Jiang Ping'an sleeping after he had locked his door, and Xuan Shuang reminded him that he needed to leave for the Blood Tiger Gate by 4 p.m.
• Bai Ruoxue asked why Jiang Ping'an had returned to Melodious Sound Pavilion, and he insisted that he had come only to visit her.
• Bai Ruoxue lamented Jiang Ping'an's dangerous situation, hugged him while crying, and asked whether he wanted a bite of her.

Jiang Ping'an returned safely from the Melodious Sound Pavilion and found Zhou Qingyu exhausted and increasingly suspicious as danger from Zhou Lian continued to loom. After spending time with Zhou Qingyu, he headed back to cultivate, where Xuan Shuang revealed that she knew about his relationship with Xiu Yun but had kept it from Zhou Qingyu.

• Bai Ruoxue teased Jiang Ping'an before Xuan Shuang broke into the room, then watched him leave for the Stable Yard.
• Xuan Shuang took Jiang Ping'an back to the Blood Tiger Gate on horseback, avoiding Zhou Lian's watchers and ambushers.
• Jiang Ping'an told Zhou Qingyu that his visit had been less enjoyable than expected, and Xuan Shuang asked to bathe because he had held her waist on the ride.
• Xiu Yun summoned Jiang Ping'an to Zhou Qingyu, who woke and called him to her bed before falling asleep from exhaustion.
• Jiang Ping'an left the main residence to cultivate, and Xuan Shuang escorted him back after Xiu Yun stayed to guard Zhou Qingyu.
• Xuan Shuang told Jiang Ping'an she knew of his relationship with Xiu Yun because Xiu Yun called him young master in her dreams, but she had not told Zhou Qingyu.

Jiang Ping'an developed his Spiritual Sense, acquired a shield, and secretly learned to fly on it before attending Zhou Qingyu's banquet for the Flying Sword Fairy, Gu Yunxu. After his poem pleased Gu Yunxu and she agreed to help Zhou Qingyu against Zhou Lian, Zhou Qingyu summoned Jiang Ping'an and threw him onto her bed.

• Jiang Ping'an tested his growing Spiritual Sense by lifting stone locks and sending throwing knives through a wooden stake, then destroyed the evidence of his strength.
• Jiang Ping'an asked Xiu Yun for a large shield, received an Iron Birchwood Shield and the Golden Soup Shield Technique, and used his Spiritual Sense to fly around the study on the shield.
• Xiu Yun told Jiang Ping'an that Zhou Qingyu had invited the Flying Sword Fairy from Lin Chuan City and asked him to prepare a poem about Golden Orchid.
• At the banquet, Jiang Ping'an met Gu Yunxu and recited a poem praising her, earning her approval.
• After the banquet, Gu Yunxu agreed to help Zhou Qingyu defeat Zhou Lian, and Zhou Qingyu summoned Jiang Ping'an to her inner chamber and pulled him onto her bed.

Jiang Ping'an grew closer to Xuan Shuang while improving his Spiritual Sense, and Zhou Qingyu prepared to confront Zhou Lian with the Flying Sword Fairy at her side. The confrontation began with Wei Yongnan betraying Zhou Qingyu and striking her from behind.

• Jiang Ping'an discovered that his Spiritual Sense had grown after spending the night with Zhou Qingyu, then cultivated and practiced controlling flying knives and the Iron Birchwood Shield.
• Xuan Shuang arranged to be alone with Jiang Ping'an, and the two embraced; Jiang Ping'an later gave Xiang Ling permission to leave the West Wing Courtyard outside her duties.
• Zhou Qingyu gathered twenty-seven Blood Tiger Gate upper and middle ranks and introduced the Flying Sword Fairy as an ally before disciples reported Zhou Lian's attack.
• Zhou Qingyu led her followers into the courtyard to face Zhou Lian, but Wei Yongnan ambushed her with a powerful palm strike.
• Wei Yongnan joined Zhou Lian's side and justified his betrayal by accusing Zhou Qingyu of dividing the Blood Tiger Gate over Jiang Ping'an; Zhou Lian had promised him Zhou Qingyu after her defeat.

Zhou Qingyu’s struggle against Zhou Lian turned when Jiang Ping'an stepped forward and killed Zhou Lian with his flying knives. Jiang Ping'an then fought Young Master Huaiyin, Wang Jiehua, and left him pinned to the ground by ten flying knives.

• Young Master Huaiyin, Wang Jiehua, killed Zhao Zhisen, while the Flying Sword Fairy fled and Zhou Lian persuaded twenty-one Blood Tiger Gate members to join his side.
• Zhou Qingyu prepared to kill herself to spare the others, but Jiang Ping'an appeared and stopped her, then killed Wei Yongnan with a flying knife.
• Jiang Ping'an broke through Zhou Lian’s Golden Bell Shield Talisman and fatally wounded Zhou Lian, allowing Zhou Qingyu to regain the Blood Tiger Gate’s support.
• Wang Jiehua returned with the captured Flying Sword Fairy and attacked Jiang Ping'an, who defended himself with the Iron Birchwood Shield and flying knives.
• Jiang Ping'an destroyed Wang Jiehua’s Thousand Soul Banner, broke his Blood Fiend Barrier, and pinned him to the ground with ten flying knives.

Jiang Ping'an killed Young Master Huaiyin Wang Jiehua, secured his spoils, and ordered Zhou Qingyu to conceal his role in the battle. After examining the captured cultivation items, he went with Zhou Qingyu to meet the Flying Sword Fairy, whose restriction he was asked to remove.

• Jiang Ping'an killed Young Master Huaiyin Wang Jiehua, collected his weapons and Storage Bag, and asked Zhou Qingyu to keep their involvement secret.
• Jiang Ping'an returned to the West Wing Courtyard, reassured Xiu Yun, and promised to ask Zhou Qingyu about spirit stones and cultivation.
• Jiang Ping'an examined Wang Jiehua's spoils, kept the spirit stones, pills, talismans, and jade slips, and destroyed the Thousand Soul Banner.
• Jiang Ping'an studied the Yin-Yang Cultivation Technique and decided to keep it and the Blood Fiend Barrier for possible adaptation.
• Zhou Qingyu told Jiang Ping'an she had made his identity and Wang Jiehua's death the Blood Tiger Gate's highest secret, then asked him to help free the Flying Sword Fairy from a restriction.
• Jiang Ping'an went with Zhou Qingyu to meet the Flying Sword Fairy and learn about Wang Jiehua's background.

Jiang Ping'an learned that Wang Jiehua’s death could bring the Refining True Demonic Sect down on him, so he planned to free Bai Ruoxue and leave Seven Star Commandery. He improved his cultivation techniques and concluded that Seven Star City would likely be safe for about two months.

• Jiang Ping'an examined Gu Yunxu and guided Zhou Qingyu in undoing the restriction that had sealed Gu Yunxu’s spiritual power and strength.
• Gu Yunxu told Jiang Ping'an that Wang Jiehua was the grandson of the Refining True Demonic Sect’s Seventh Elder and warned that Seven Star City lay within the sect’s sphere of influence.
• Gu Yunxu asked Jiang Ping'an to return her Ancient Sword, but he demanded an equal-value exchange and said she could seek a trade later.
• Jiang Ping'an decided to help Bai Ruoxue escape the Worry-Free Pill’s control so he could take her and the original owner's parents away from Seven Star Commandery.
• Jiang Ping'an used Proficiency Points to comprehend the Ode to Yin-Yang Bliss and the Profound Fiend Barrier, then received a map showing the Refining True Demonic Sect was more than four thousand li away.
• Jiang Ping'an judged that news of Wang Jiehua’s death would take time to reach the sect and that Seven Star City should remain safe for about two months.