Recaps

Lin Heng traveled to Dingyang with Meng Yutong and his Senior Sisters, where Meng Yutong regained her cultivation and began drawing Yun Yao into her schemes. Lin Heng reunited with Zhao Wanqing, uncovered signs of a threat against her family, and ended the stretch facing Gongsun Hongshuo and meeting Jiang Jingyi under her assumed name, Murong Yi.

• Lin Heng gave hairpins containing memories to his Senior Sisters, then sparred with Mu Liuxi and began refining the Source of Azure Water as Meng Yutong returned with the Three-Breath Vine.
• Meng Yutong showed Lin Heng the hairpin he had made for her, restored her cultivation to Nascent Soul Early Stage, and secretly enlisted Yun Yao to help trap him.
• Lin Heng and his companions reached Dingyang, chose to approach the Imperial Strategy Bureau, and met Jiang Yan, who questioned Lin Heng about Medicine King Valley and warned him that the Zhao mother and daughter were in danger.
• Lin Heng learned that Zhao Wanqing had returned to Dingyang and watched her search for medicinal materials before revealing himself and reuniting with her and Xin Shao.
• Lin Heng examined the Medical Ancestor’s admonitions with Zhao Wanqing’s group and proposed that their family’s attackers and Medicine King Valley’s fate might point to a shared danger involving a king.
• Lin Heng confessed his feelings to Zhao Wanqing and reassured her about her health, while Jiang Jingyi learned that officials had diverted much of the payment intended for the Zhao Family and ordered an investigation.
• Gongsun Hongshuo threatened Lin Heng and insulted Zhao Wanqing’s mother, so Lin Heng struck him before Murong Ziyan defeated his servants and Jiang Jingyi introduced herself as Murong Yi.

Lin Heng became entangled in the Dynasty’s plan to purge corrupt noble families while trying to protect Zhao Wanqing and investigate Ye Tian’s visit to Wei Yan's Family. The arc ended with Meng Yutong learning of Lin Heng’s involvement and assigning Shadow One to watch him.

• Lin Heng criticized the Dynasty’s officials and security failures to Jiang Jingyi, who resolved to address the problems he raised.
• At the Medical Assembly, Lin Heng defended Zhao Wanqing against Gongsun Hongshuo’s marriage demand, and two mysterious elders drove away Gongsun’s household slaves.
• Murong Ziyan ordered Lin Heng arrested over his remarks about the Female Emperor, but Jiang Jingyi intervened and had him released.
• Jiang Jingyi confronted her brother Jiang Yan over missing spirit stones and began planning a three-year campaign against disobedient noble families.
• Lin Heng accepted Prince Qi’s assignment to target corrupt clans, including the Murong Family, but could not secure a promise that his associates would be kept out of the conflict.
• Lin Heng infiltrated Wei Yan's Family, learned Ye Tian sought a Golden Autumn Grass Fruit, and urged Wei Yan Changliang to investigate his relatives before the Dynasty’s coming purge.
• Lin Heng returned to Prince Qi's Mansion and teased Meng Yutong about Mu Li, but she sent him flying through the roof when he withheld details of his assignment.
• Shadow One told Meng Yutong she had no reason to return to her village, and Meng Yutong ordered her to watch Lin Heng and decided to alert Dugu Feng and the others about his involvement with the Dynasty.

Lin Heng weathered Leng Qingyun’s Golden Core tribulation while pursuing the Medical Clan’s hidden alliance and investigating Zhao Wanqing’s missing mother. The stretch left him with new leads on the Wei Yan Family, backing from Jiang Jingyi, and a meeting arranged with Mu Li.

• Meng Yutong secretly checked whether Duan Shuyun had lured Lin Heng into a trap, while Duan Shuyun hid the truth about their meeting and Lin Heng shared roast duck with Qingyun.
• Lin Heng warned Wei Yan Changliang that Wei Yan’s Family faced danger, and Wei Yan Changliang pledged his family’s allegiance to Prince Qi after Sun Hao exposed the alliance controlling medical prices and authority.
• Leng Qingyun’s Golden Core tribulation drew Lin Heng into its range, but he absorbed the heavenly thunder, strengthened his cultivation, and helped her break through before Jiang Yan drove off an elder demanding payment for the damage.
• Lin Heng and Yun Yao learned that Inner Guards had taken Zhao Wanqing’s mother and Steward Liu, and Lin Heng promised to ask Prince Qi what had happened.
• Saint Ye advised Lin Heng on weakening the Medical Clan’s alliance, while Jiang Caiyan revealed her Demonic Path inheritance and left to hunt demon creatures as Black Robe agreed to watch over the Blood Moon Cult.
• Lin Heng learned from Wei Yan Xiuping that Wei Yan Dongning had plotted with the Cao Family to split Wei Yan’s Family and expose it to a takeover.
• Lin Heng sought Jiang Jingyi’s help investigating the Medical Clan and the false Inner Guards, and Jiang Jingyi ordered Murong Ziyan to follow and assist him.
• Mu Li arranged to meet Lin Heng at Yue Family Old Shop, while Lin Heng later identified Leng Qingyun among the lookalike sisters and received five gemstones from her.

Lin Heng exposed the schemes behind the Three Great Medical Clans and helped the Dynasty bring down the Cao, Wei, and Zhao families. Rewarded with entry to the Ancient Emperor Secret Realm, he entered Immortal Cloud Ancient City with Xiao Lan and began searching for a way through its first trial.

• Lin Heng used the Wei Family’s secret and the plot against Zhao Wanqing to expose the Cao, Wei, and Zhao families, while Wei Yan Dongning escaped capture.
• Lin Heng returned home and faced Meng Yutong’s interrogation, but Duan Shuyun helped him turn the tables before he left her alone.
• Jiang Jingyi granted Lin Heng a place in the Ancient Emperor Secret Realm, and he reunited with his Senior Sisters before complaining that the promised spoils had been replaced by the trial.
• Jiang Jingyi and Murong Ziyan opened the secret realm before the court, sending Lin Heng and the other contestants to Immortal Cloud Ancient City.
• Leng Qiansha threatened Lin Heng over the destruction of the clans, but Lin Heng dismissed him and went on with the trial.
• Xiao Lan helped Lin Heng find three Demon Cores, and Jiang Yan explained that they indicated a Supreme demon bone lay buried beneath the city.
• After searching for three days and finding no exit past an invisible barrier, Lin Heng began refining a Return to Void Demon Core while the other contestants discovered a restriction.