Recaps

Meng Zhao founded the Ascension Society, accepted Tong Lie’s all-or-nothing challenge, and strengthened his standing as Tong Lie prepared to seek power through the Thirteenth Bronze Figure. Meanwhile, Beitang Shu’s agents tried to draw Meng Zhao’s household into his service, but Ding Zhanyun defended the family’s loyalty to Meng Zhao.

• Meng Zhao proposed the Ascension Society to Purple Lightning Saber Lord, who joined after consulting Xue Zihou and weighing the risks to the Divine Saber Hall.
• After Tong Lie challenged him, Meng Zhao agreed to fight only if both men wagered everything, while Tong Lie chose to face him despite Fatty Xia’s warnings.
• Fatty Xia told Tong Lie that the Thirteenth Bronze Figure could let him borrow the Twelve Bronze Figures’ power, and Tong Lie agreed to undergo the dangerous trials tied to Xiang Yu and Ying Zheng’s mausoleum.
• As Tong Lie stayed silent, Meng Zhao’s reputation and influence grew, while Liang Muqiu recognized Beitang Shu’s attempt to recruit him through Fu Fei’s appointment to the Yangwu Army.
• Chen Siyuan and Fu Fei plotted to exploit Meng Zhao’s relationships with the women in his household, but Chen refused Fu Fei’s plan to drug and control them.
• Chen Siyuan approached Ding Zhanyun through the Ding Family, but she rejected Prince Fu’s Mansion’s support and stood by Liang Muqiu and the other women in their loyalty to Meng Zhao.
• Ding Zhanyun persuaded her father not to pursue an alliance with Beitang Shu and revealed that Ding Yuqin had already become involved with Meng Zhao.
• Ding Zhanyun defended Meng Zhao’s relationship with her sister, arguing that his strength could protect them and that their ties to him could benefit the Ding Family.

Liang Muqiu exposed Prince Fu’s plots, secured Chen Siyuan and Fu Fei as allies, and captured Bian Lao Er to uncover Beitang Shu’s schemes. After learning that Beitang Ang and Beitang He were poisoned, Meng Zhao arranged a path to win them over, and Beitang He finally sought his help as Liang Muqiu reached Grandmaster status.

• Chen Siyuan and Fu Fei’s schemes were exposed by the Meng Family’s surveillance, and Chen Siyuan agreed to defect after Meng Zhao concealed his actions from Beitang Shu’s secret technique.
• Fu Fei revealed Prince Fu’s crimes and Beitang Shu’s hidden forces, then pledged loyalty to the Meng Family under Meng Zhao’s divine essence.
• Liang Muqiu identified Bian Lao Er as Beitang Shu’s covert agent, captured him, and used Bewitching Incense to learn about the Vulture Eagle Team and Beitang Shu’s conspiracies.
• Meng Zhao analyzed Bian Lao Er’s memories and learned that Beitang Shu’s poison expert had infected Beitang Ang and Beitang He with incurable Blood Calamity.
• Meng Zhao decided to cure Beitang Ang and Beitang He at a time of his choosing, while the father and son discussed placing their mansion under Meng Zhao’s banner.
• Beitang He visited the Meng Family Manor as Liang Muqiu broke through to Grandmaster, then bowed to Meng Zhao and asked him to save him and Beitang Ang.

Meng Zhao treated Beitang He, confronted the Imperial Clan’s investigation into Beitang Xing’s death, and drew the County King's Mansion closer to him. Meanwhile, Shen Tianci emerged from seclusion to repel an assault on the Shen Family, leaving his elders unsure who had attacked them.

• Meng Zhao cured Beitang He’s poison, learned about the spies in the County King's Mansion, and secured Beitang He’s promise to stand with him if conflict came.
• Beitang He warned Meng Zhao that imperial experts were coming to the Northern Lands, and Meng Zhao learned that Yu Changkong would lead the investigation while Eunuch Wuming served as its nominal supervisor.
• Meng Zhao accepted the County King's Mansion’s marriage proposal, then faced Eunuch Zhan’s suspicions and offered leads including Tong Lie, Monk Huikong, Nangong Yao, Beitang Shu, and Zong Shuying.
• Meng Zhao learned the Shen Family had faked Shen Tianci’s reported disability while he cultivated in seclusion to forge a new martial art from multiple inheritances.
• A masked attacker and the Shadow Mountain Lineage’s Ox-Head God and Horse-Face Ghost assaulted the Shen Family, battling Shen Yuhu and Shen Hongguang while Shen Tianci remained secluded.
• Shen Tianci emerged and trapped the attackers in a molten lava waterfall before using a violet dragon-shaped move to repel them.
• Shen Tianci returned to seclusion, while Shen Hongguang suspected Meng Zhao had attacked and Shen Yuhu argued that someone else had staged the encounter to provoke conflict.

Meng Zhao used his Dream Infiltration Method to uncover the four investigators’ secrets and recruit Shi Jiawen with a custom martial art and a promise of Chaos Body Origin. Meanwhile, a red-robed imperial-clan figure confronted Monk Huikong and demanded the Pudu Cult submit to the court, ending in a clash of martial arts.

• Shen Yuhu urged Shen Hongguang to keep the Shen Family neutral and considered linking it to the Meng Family through a marriage between Shen Tianci and Meng Rong.
• A mysterious man hired Ox-Head God and Horse-Face Ghost to investigate the Lei Family’s newly discovered Minor Grotto-Heaven Secret Realm, offering them clues about Ghost Gate Pass.
• Qiao Nian, Liu An, Yan Libing, and Shi Jiawen visited Meng Family Manor to investigate Beitang Xing’s murder and learned from Liang Muqiu about Nangong Yao and the Chaos Body.
• The four nobles considered taking Nangong Yao’s Chaos Body Origin, gathered weapons and allies, and agreed to seek secret cooperation with Meng Zhao and Tong Lie.
• Meng Zhao entered the four visitors’ dreams and uncovered Liu An’s hidden family, Yan Libing’s demonic cultivation, Qiao Nian’s plot against his younger brother, and Shi Jiawen’s obsession with strength.
• Meng Zhao met Shi Jiawen, praised his powerful will, taught him the Nameless Mind Method, and offered to help him advance in martial arts in exchange for loyalty and political information.
• Shi Jiawen accepted Meng Zhao’s offer and resolved to kill Qiao Nian as proof of sincerity, though he planned to wait and prepare carefully.
• A red-robed stranger confronted Monk Huikong, demanded that the Pudu Cult submit to the Imperial Court, and clashed with Huikong’s Great Brahma Sacred Palm using a golden sunflower.