Chapter Summaries

Lin Bai and his companions investigated the South Mountain Clan’s Northern Region envoy and suspected that outsiders had infiltrated its ranks. They disguised themselves in Golden Masks and set out to confront seven warriors at the Moon Palace.

• Lin Bai asked Chao Yushi to secretly gather information on the South Mountain Clan warriors from the Northern Region.
• Chao Yushi reported that the envoy included more than fifty Great Purity Dao Fruit Realm experts, prompting Lin Bai, Chen Yule, and Yi Song to suspect that some were impostors.
• Chao Yushi agreed to investigate the warriors’ origins and said the Zhao Xing Office might need to help beyond the Imperial Capital; Lin Bai promised to inform His Highness Prince Chen.
• Chao Yushi identified seven warriors at the Moon Palace, including some who had fought in the Divine Armory Pavilion, and Lin Bai chose them as the first targets.
• Lin Bai, Chen Yule, and Yi Song donned Golden Masks and left to carry out their plan while Chao Yushi arranged a possible escape route.

Lady White Deer received a message to assist Golden Mask warriors, then witnessed one defeat two Northern Region warriors at Deer Terrace Palace. Similar attacks struck elsewhere in the Moon Palace, where another Golden Mask warrior defeated two more Northern Region warriors before disappearing.

• Lady White Deer received a jade tablet message ordering her to assist Golden Mask warriors with an operation in the Moon Palace.
• A Golden Mask warrior challenged the Northern Region warriors at Deer Terrace Palace, and two drunk warriors accepted his challenge.
• The Golden Mask swordsman overwhelmed the pair with one strike, leaving them badly wounded in a crater.
• Lady White Deer wondered whether the mysterious swordsman had been secretly trained by Prince Hong Estate as he vanished into the night.
• Elsewhere in the Moon Palace, another Golden Mask warrior destroyed a tower and left two Northern Region warriors wounded, calling himself a nameless nobody from the Eastern Region.

Lin Bai, Chen Yule, and Yi Song defeated three Northern Domain martial artists in the Moon Palace and tried to escape, but a powerful old expert intercepted them. Dao Xuanzi recognized the three Holy Sons, approved of their actions, and promised to protect them in Bright Moon Pavilion as they fled.

• Lin Bai and Chen Yule hurried to Yi Song and found that he had already defeated the three Northern Domain martial artists.
• The three left the Moon Palace, but an expert warped the surrounding space and stopped them.
• Lin Bai explained that they had attacked the Northern Domain martial artists because they were stirring up trouble, and admitted that the three were Holy Sons hiding their identities.
• The expert revealed his name as Dao Xuanzi, praised the three, and promised to protect them within Bright Moon Pavilion.
• Dao Xuanzi released the space that had trapped them and stayed behind to stop their pursuers as Lin Bai, Chen Yule, and Yi Song escaped.
• Chen Yule and Yi Song recognized Dao Xuanzi as a senior from the Innate Dao Sect.

Lin Bai learned that the Innate Dao Sect and other ancient Demon Realm sects concealed their identities, then split up with Chen Yule and Yi Song to hunt Northern Domain warriors across the Imperial Capital. In North City, he confronted four drunken Northern Domain warriors at a tavern while wearing a Golden Mask.

• Chen Yule and Yi Song explained that ancient Demon Realm sects could enter the world but were forbidden to reveal their identities or mountain gates.
• Lin Bai received the Northern Domain warriors’ locations from Chao Yushi’s messenger and assigned Chen Yule to East City and Yi Song to South City while he went to North City.
• Lin Bai flew to North City using the Void Evasion Art and found four Northern Domain warriors drinking at a tavern.
• The four Northern Domain warriors praised the Eastern Domain and joked that their plan would let them seize some of its territory.
• Wearing a Rose Golden Mask, Lin Bai sat at the warriors’ table and challenged all four to fight him.

Lin Bai, disguised in a Golden Mask, challenged four Northern Region martial artists in a restaurant and quickly defeated them without killing them. After receiving word of more Northern Region martial artists at the Zi River, he spotted one aboard a pleasure boat and moved in.

• Lin Bai challenged four Northern Region martial artists in a restaurant, and they attacked him together.
• Lin Bai defeated all four, warned them to behave in the Eastern Region, and paid the restaurant owner for the damage.
• A gaunt man relayed the military strategist's message that three Northern Region martial artists were boating on the Zi River.
• Lin Bai went to the Zi River, spotted a burly Northern Region martial artist aboard a pleasure boat, and drifted toward him.

Lin Bai challenged Northern Region martial artists on the Purple River, defeating three before the Zhao Xing Office surrounded him. After revealing his identity as Wolf Marquis, he secured permission to continue his actions independently and warned the Office to stay away from his people in East City and South City.

• Lin Bai confronted Ah Shan on a pleasure boat and knocked him into the Purple River after they exchanged blows.
• Two more Northern Region martial artists attacked Lin Bai, and he defeated them with a single sword strike before warning the three to behave.
• Lin Bai entered a gloomy alley and was surrounded by more than a hundred Great Purity Dao Fruit Realm martial artists from the Zhao Xing Office.
• Lin Bai removed his Golden Mask, and Ma Yao ordered the Zhao Xing Office martial artists to retreat before saluting him as Wolf Marquis.
• Lin Bai told Ma Yao his actions were independent of Prince Chen and the Chu Emperor, and ordered the Zhao Xing Office to leave his people in East City and South City alone.

Lin Bai, Chen Yule, and Yi Song returned after defeating more than forty South Mountain Clan warriors while disguised in Golden Masks. Prince Chen approved of Lin Bai’s plan and offered support from the Zhao Xing Office, then asked whether Lin Bai had found clues about the deaths of the First Prince and Second Prince.

• Lin Bai, Chen Yule, and Yi Song celebrated their night of victories with Chao Yushi at Hongtian Tavern and agreed to end the operation for now.
• Lin Bai told Chao Yushi to spread news of the defeat, then went to inform Prince Chen about the operation.
• Prince Chen praised Lin Bai’s actions, said he would explain the truth to the Chu Emperor if asked, and offered Zhao Xing Office support for future plans.
• Prince Chen asked Lin Bai whether he had found clues about the causes of the First Prince and Second Prince’s deaths.

Lin Bai told Prince Chen that the First and Second Princes had likely died from the God-Devil Calamity Poison and explained his plan to lure Xia Jingzhi into the open. After Lin Bai left, Prince Chen was summoned to the palace as the South Mountain Clan pressed the Chu Emperor over Lord Night Wolf and his allies.

• Prince Chen asked Lin Bai about clues to the First and Second Princes' deaths, and Lin Bai said they had likely been poisoned with the God-Devil Calamity Poison but lacked evidence.
• Lin Bai explained that Xia Jingzhi had likely refined the poison and that he had spread rumors about tracking Xia to draw him out; Prince Chen understood the plan.
• Zhou Wang reported that the Southern Border Insect Valley delegation had entered the Eastern Region and was expected in the imperial capital in three or four months.
• Lin Bai and Prince Chen agreed they might need to wait for the delegation's arrival to gain help finding Xia Jingzhi.
• After Lin Bai left, Zhou Wang told Prince Chen that Eunuch Gui had arrived with an imperial summons and that South Mountain Clan elders had met the Chu Emperor; Prince Chen went to the palace.

After the Golden-Masked martial artists defeated Northern Region fighters, Emperor Chu ordered a citywide search as a public show while privately uncovering their identities. He learned Lin Bai, Chen Yule, and Yi Song had acted to protect Chu and ordered better masks prepared for them as the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace began moving in the Imperial Capital.

• The South Mountain Clan elder demanded justice from Emperor Chu after more than forty Northern Region martial artists returned wounded, and Emperor Chu summoned Prince Chen.
• Prince Chen told Emperor Chu that Lin Bai was one of the three Golden-Masked attackers, and Emperor Chu ordered a citywide search without directing him to capture Lin Bai.
• Emperor Chu and a man in the darkness identified the other masked fighters as Chen Yule and Yi Song, and praised the three for protecting Chu Kingdom.
• Emperor Chu ordered the Celestial Mystery Pavilion to make Huang Tian Dao Gold masks and the Zhao Xing Office to deliver them secretly to the three martial artists.
• The man in the darkness reported that members of the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace had entered the Imperial Capital, and Emperor Chu ordered their movements monitored.

Lin Bai learned that news of the three Golden Masked martial artists’ attack on the South Mountain Clan had spread throughout the Imperial Capital, and the Tianshui Sect disciples suspected he was involved. Emperor Chu sent Eunuch Gui with a reward for Lin Bai, who found a Golden Mask bearing a Rose pattern inside the treasure box.

• Lin Bai heard people throughout the Imperial Capital discussing how three masked martial artists from the Eastern Region had defeated more than forty South Mountain Clan fighters.
• Lin Bai returned to the Tianshui Sect’s temporary palace, where the disciples praised the mysterious attackers for standing up to the Northern Region martial artists.
• Qin Yao and Qiao Mo suspected Lin Bai had taken part in the attack, and Lin Bai confirmed that he and his companions had given their opponents a lesson and ordered the disciples to keep it secret.
• Eunuch Gui arrived with a reward from Emperor Chu and presented Lin Bai with a treasure box.
• Lin Bai opened the box and saw a Golden Mask carved with a Rose pattern.

Lin Bai received a Golden Mask secretly bestowed by Emperor Chu, which concealed his identity and carried tracking and Zhao Xing Office seals. Meanwhile, the South Mountain Clan and its mysterious allies discussed how to recover their failing plan after Lin Bai and two others defeated more than forty of their martial artists.

• Eunuch Gui delivered Emperor Chu’s Golden Mask to Lin Bai and warned him not to harm innocents while using it.
• Lin Bai examined the mask, discovered its seals and Huang Tian Dao Gold craftsmanship, and suspected Old Man Wuchuan had forged it.
• The bald Grand Elder of the South Mountain Clan told the gathered elders and black-robed allies that the previous night’s defeat had shifted the Imperial Capital’s momentum toward Chu.
• More than forty defeated martial artists knelt and asked to atone, but the bald Grand Elder set aside blame and urged everyone to find a way to reverse the situation.

The South Mountain Clan decided to challenge the three mysterious Golden Martial Warriors to revive its plan to undermine the Eastern Region. After Zhou Han announced a deadly duel at the imperial palace’s Moon Summit, Lin Bai received invitations from several Holy Sons and Holy Daughters to discuss how to respond.

• The bald elder and Zhou Han agreed that defeating the Golden Martial Warriors could restore the South Mountain Clan’s plan to weaken Eastern Region morale.
• Zhou Han challenged the Golden Martial Warriors to a fight to the death at Moon Summit seven days later, sparking an uproar in the imperial capital.
• Pan Qing told Lin Bai that Moon Summit stood inside the imperial palace, making the challenge a provocation against the Chu Empire.
• Lin Bai received six invitations from Chen Yule, Yi Song, Huang Qingyun, Princess Chenxian, Meng Qinxian, and Yi Heze after the challenge was announced.

Lin Bai met Fallen Immortal, Chen Yule, and Yi Song to discuss Zhou Han of the South Mountain Clan challenging the three Golden Martial Warriors. The chapter ended with Lin Bai asking Chen Yule whether they should accept the challenge.

• Lin Bai accepted Chen Yule’s invitation to the Immortal Abode Restaurant, declined invitations from Meng Qinxian, Yi Heze, and Huang Qingyun, and left the Tianshui Sect palace residence alone.
• Chao Yushi met Lin Bai outside, and Fallen Immortal joined him in the deer carriage, reproaching him for not discussing his plans to use Prince Hong Estate’s intelligence network with her first.
• Lin Bai stood throughout the ride to the restaurant, where Fallen Immortal and Chao Yushi accompanied him to meet Chen Yule and Yi Song.
• Lin Bai explained that Fallen Immortal knew about their business, and Yi Song urged them to accept Zhou Han’s challenge and teach him a lesson.
• Lin Bai asked Chen Yule what he thought about the challenge.

Lin Bai and his companions debated whether to accept Zhou Han’s challenge, concerned that a loss could inflame conflict along the frontier. Chao Yushi advised them to delay their response and watch how the South Mountain Clan and the imperial capital acted before deciding whether to fight.

• Chen Yule warned Lin Bai that accepting Zhou Han’s challenge and losing could undo their efforts to suppress the Northern Region martial artists.
• Fallen Immortal noted that the South Mountain Clan’s public challenge showed it still intended to pursue its plan, while Yi Song argued they should accept rather than appear afraid.
• Chao Yushi told Lin Bai and the others that the South Mountain Clan was under pressure and that they held the advantage in timing, terrain, and popular support.
• Chao Yushi advised them to ignore the first challenge and wait to see whether the imperial capital and frontier remained stable before accepting a later one.
• Lin Bai, Chen Yule, and Yi Song approved Chao Yushi’s strategy, and Chen Yule praised him as a renowned strategist.

Lin Bai and his allies agreed to ignore the South Mountain Clan’s challenge and wait for its next move. He then visited Huang Qingyun, who revealed that the Sacred Lotus Palace faced a possible annihilation.

• Lin Bai, Chao Yushi, and the others decided not to accept the South Mountain Clan’s challenge for now and to watch how events developed.
• Chen Yule and Yi Song confirmed that Emperor Chu had given them Golden Masks, and Lin Bai warned them not to reveal the gifts casually.
• Lin Bai went to the Sacred Lotus Palace to meet Huang Qingyun, while Chao Yushi told Fallen Immortal that the palace’s trouble involved the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace.
• Fallen Immortal vowed to help the Sacred Lotus Palace against the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace, which she blamed for her parents’ deaths.
• Huang Qingyun asked Lin Bai for help and warned him that the Sacred Lotus Palace was nearing a storm of annihilation, leaving him shocked and doubtful.

Huang Qingyun told Lin Bai that Zhang Peixuan had abducted the Twenty-First Prince, putting Sacred Lotus Palace at risk, and asked him to help find them. As Lin Bai left to seek help from Prince Hong Estate, Fallen Immortal revealed that Zhang Peixuan was a martial artist from the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace.

• Huang Qingyun explained that Zhang Peixuan had taken the Twenty-First Prince from his estate and injured the Zhao Xing Office's Shadow Division before disappearing with him.
• Huang Qingyun feared Sacred Lotus Palace might be destroyed if the Twenty-First Prince had been killed, and said the sect planned to find Zhang Peixuan and rescue him.
• Lin Bai agreed to use Prince Hong Estate's intelligence network to investigate, while Huang Qingyun planned to seek help from the Chen Family.
• Lin Bai left Sacred Lotus Palace and boarded Chao Yushi's deer carriage, where Fallen Immortal told him Zhang Peixuan was from the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace.

Fallen Immortal told Lin Bai that Zhang Peixuan was suspected of being a warrior of the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace because she had helped abduct the Twenty-First Prince. Lin Bai and Fallen Immortal considered what the Demon Palace might be targeting in the imperial capital as Chao Yushi named several likely targets and revealed that many factions were searching for a sword tied to its treasure vault.

• Fallen Immortal told Lin Bai that Zhang Peixuan had taken the Twenty-First Prince and escaped with warriors identified as members of the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace.
• Lin Bai questioned the claim because Huang Qingyun had said Zhang Peixuan was raised by the Sacred Lotus Palace from infancy, and he asked Prince Hong Estate to investigate her and the prince.
• Lin Bai and Fallen Immortal discussed the Demon Palace’s earlier attacks on Bright Moon Pavilion and White Deer Academy and wondered what its new target might be.
• Chao Yushi said the Demon Palace might target Emperor Chu, the Chen Family, the Qian Family, or a particular sword.
• Chao Yushi explained that the sword was said to be a key to the Demon Palace’s treasure vault and that factions across the Eastern Region were searching for it.

Chao Yushi explained the hidden history of the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace’s treasures and why its surviving experts were imprisoned. He revealed that Sacred Lotus Palace had sent Zhang Peixuan to the Twenty-First Prince because he possessed a sword suspected to be a treasure key, leaving Sacred Lotus Palace at risk of destruction.

• Chao Yushi recounted how the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace was destroyed ten thousand years ago and hid its treasures in nine places, using nine maps and nine swords as keys.
• Chao Yushi explained that the eastern region’s top sects imprisoned the palace’s experts in places such as White Deer Academy’s Demon Suppression Cave and Tianshui Sect’s Demon Suppression Tower to learn the treasures’ locations.
• Chao Yushi revealed that Qi Tian Sect and the Seven Nights Divine Sect had each obtained one of the treasures and risen to prominence.
• Chao Yushi said that the Twenty-First Prince had received a sword from a wounded friend, and the sword was rumored to be a key to one of the treasures.
• Chao Yushi told Lin Bai that Sacred Lotus Palace knew about the sword and had sent Zhang Peixuan to contact the Twenty-First Prince, but Zhang Peixuan’s revelation that she was a Nine Underworlds Demon Palace martial artist put the palace in grave danger.

Lin Bai learned that the Twenty-First Prince had been abducted because the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace sought the sword key he still possessed, a crisis that could bring ruin to Sacred Lotus Palace and spark a wider conflict. After Prince Hong Estate told him the news, Tianshui Sect summoned him and confirmed the abduction and the sword’s significance.

• Chao Yushi explained that Zhang Peixuan, a hidden agent of the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace, had abducted the Twenty-First Prince and that the scandal put Sacred Lotus Palace at risk of destruction.
• Lin Bai and Chao Yushi reasoned that the Twenty-First Prince likely still had the sword because his captors had failed to obtain it.
• Chao Yushi told Lin Bai that Prince Hong Estate had shared the news because it and Tianshui Sect would be family sooner or later, and Fallen Immortal asked him what he meant after Lin Bai left.
• Ancestor Pan Qing summoned Lin Bai and confirmed that the Twenty-First Prince had been abducted and possessed the sword key to the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace's treasure.

Lin Bai and the Tianshui Sect learned that the Twenty-First Prince held one of the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace’s nine treasure-opening swords, and the sect decided to compete for it. Lin Bai sent the sect to investigate the imperial capital, then summoned Crow for help.

• Lin Bai explained that the Twenty-First Prince held a Nine Underworlds Demon Palace sword and that finding the treasure would also require its corresponding map.
• Grand Ancestor Pan Qing urged the Tianshui Sect to seize the sword to strengthen the sect and its scarce resources, and Lin Bai agreed to find a way to obtain it.
• Lin Bai sent Bai Yifei and Zhou Xinjin to watch the Twenty-First Prince’s residence and ordered the other disciples and elders to search for clues about the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace martial artists.
• Lin Bai returned to his courtyard and called Crow to come find him.