Chapter Summaries

The Holy Envoy agreed to cooperate with Lü Yue after being promised protection by the Meng Family. Lü Yue ordered him to send the Pudu Cult's Cult Master a carefully prepared letter claiming Zhou Wangqiao had survived and reached the Grandmaster Realm.

• Lü Yue promised the Holy Envoy that the Meng Family would protect him, and the Holy Envoy asked what they wanted him to do.
• Lü Yue dismissed the warriors, leaving Cao Zhan, and the Holy Envoy killed his three subordinates.
• Lü Yue told the Holy Envoy to write a letter informing the Cult Master that Zhou Wangqiao had faked his death and attained Grandmaster Realm martial arts.
• The Holy Envoy questioned how he could credibly know this, and Lü Yue outlined a story involving Zhou Gushan, a Truth-Speaking Insect, and the Demon Incarnation Blood Soul True Scripture.
• Lü Yue said the Holy Envoy should claim the Zhou Family was trying to silence him and send a reliable person with the letter and prepared insect; the Holy Envoy agreed.

Lü Yue and Cao Zhan helped the Holy Envoy prepare a carefully worded, marked letter for the Pudu Cult Master and set out with him to find his trusted courier, Wang Shun. The Holy Envoy became eager to meet Meng Zhao, while the heavy snowfall threatened to delay the plan.

• Lü Yue reviewed the Holy Envoy's draft and coached him through revisions to make the letter convincing.
• The Holy Envoy named Wang Shun, a devout Pudu Cult follower who ran a paper effigy shop, as his reliable courier.
• The Holy Envoy added the secret mark, and Lü Yue sealed the letter after checking it.
• Lü Yue and Cao Zhan disguised themselves as the Holy Envoy's shabby subordinates and left the alley with him.
• The Holy Envoy worried that the heavy snow would delay the delivery, but Lü Yue assured him that the letter would arrive in time to serve its purpose.

The Pudu Cult's Holy Envoy realized Lü Yue and Cao Zhan had lured him into the wilderness to kill him on Meng Zhao's orders. Cao Zhan unleashed his Great Sage Splitting Heaven Art and struck, leaving the Holy Envoy's fate unresolved.

• The Holy Envoy accompanied Lü Yue and Cao Zhan toward Meng Family Village after handing a letter to Wang Shun.
• As they crossed the snowy wilderness, the Holy Envoy sensed Lü Yue and Cao Zhan's killing intent and confronted them.
• Lü Yue admitted that Meng Zhao had ordered the Holy Envoy's death, while Cao Zhan rejected Lü Yue's suggestion to seek another chance for him.
• The Holy Envoy denounced Meng Zhao and vowed revenge if he survived, prompting Lü Yue to turn cold.
• Cao Zhan summoned his battle intent and Qi and Blood Power, then launched a powerful punch at the Holy Envoy.

Meng Zhao reflected on the looming turmoil across Great Yong and resolved to expand his power, beginning with the Zhou Family and the Pudu Cult. After Lü Yue and Cao Zhan reported that they had delivered a letter and killed a Pudu Cult Holy Envoy, Meng Zhao approved their actions and ordered continued surveillance of the Zhou Family.

• Meng Zhao considered the Great Yong Dynasty’s growing instability and planned to expand his forces while waiting for the Zhou Family and Pudu Cult to clash.
• Lü Yue and Cao Zhan arrived with the severed head of the man they had been assigned to deal with and reported that they had delivered the letter.
• Meng Zhao praised Lü Yue and Cao Zhan, ordered his people to keep watching the Zhou Family, and warned them not to neglect their duties.
• Meng Zhao explained that he had the Pudu Cult Holy Envoy and his contacts eliminated because sheltering him risked drawing powerful enemies to the Meng Family.
• Lü Yue and Cao Zhan were astonished when Meng Zhao suggested that even stronger martial artists might exist beyond grandmasters.

While sharing a meal, Meng Zhao explained to Lü Yue and Cao Zhan why Grandmasters were appearing throughout the Divine Land and warned them that the martial world was changing rapidly. The two young fighters reconsidered their confidence as Meng Zhao described a rising age of Martial Dao Fortune and powerful experts who had long stayed hidden.

• Meng Zhao invited Lü Yue and Cao Zhan to eat and asked whether they knew of Hui Kong, one of the Thirteen Ultimate Fierce Monks.
• Meng Zhao revealed that the Pudu Cult Master and the Zhou Family's ancestor were both Grandmasters and disciples of Hui Kong, who might still be alive.
• Lü Yue and Cao Zhan questioned why unfamiliar Grandmasters were emerging when only the Ten Absolute Grandmasters had once been known.
• Meng Zhao explained that rising Martial Dao Fortune had made reaching Grandmaster easier and could eventually let martial artists aspire to the realms of Gods and Devils.
• Meng Zhao said the old count of Grandmasters had overlooked hidden experts, many of whom were now emerging as Great Yong's control weakened and unrest spread.

Meng Zhao explained why the Meng Family concealed its strength and defended his dangerous scheme to use the Pudu Cult against the Zhou Family. He planned to annex the Zhou Family, join the Wushui Alliance, and then expand his power across Lingwu City.

• Meng Zhao concluded that the Meng Family hid its Grandmaster because it feared suppression by the Beitang Imperial Clan.
• Lü Yue warned that Meng Zhao's scheme against the Zhou Family and Pudu Cult put the Meng Family at extreme risk.
• Meng Zhao said he would use the Pudu Cult to eliminate Zhou Wangqiao, then seize the Zhou Family before it could recover.
• Meng Zhao explained that he had avoided a direct attack because he could not defeat Zhou Wangqiao without risking the Grandmaster's retaliation.
• Meng Zhao planned to join the Wushui Alliance after taking the Zhou Family, then ally with the Zhuo and Wang Families and target the Wu, Song, Ding, and Xun Families.

Meng Zhao prepared to exploit the Wu and Song Families’ vulnerabilities while waiting for the Pudu Cult Master to act. As the blizzard’s death toll climbed, Beitang Ang summoned Lingwu City’s factions to a banquet and proposed forming a Prefectural Army, alarming the gathered powers.

• Meng Zhao weighed the Wu and Song Families as targets and held Song Zhiwen’s parentage as a potential weapon against them.
• The ongoing blizzard caused deaths across Lingwu City from cold, hunger, illness, accidents, and violence.
• Beitang Ang and Beitang He invited representatives of 172 local forces to a banquet at the Prince’s Mansion.
• Beitang Ang called on the gathered forces to contribute resources to address the snow disaster and its losses.
• Beitang Ang proposed creating a Prefectural Army by drawing 50 to 1,000 elite martial artists from each force, startling the attendees.

Beitang Ang proposed forming a Prefectural Army in Lingwu City, prompting the city’s powerful families to resist while a few forces supported him. The debate left open whether his proposal came from the Imperial Court or was his own decision.

• Meng Zhao suspected that Emperor Beitang Sheng had ordered Beitang Ang to form the Prefectural Army.
• The head of the Ding Family objected, invoking the Great Ancestor’s decree against forming an army in Lingwu City.
• The Xun Family patriarch urged Beitang Ang to prioritize disaster relief and reconstruction while the family investigated the proposal’s origins.
• The Zhuo Family patriarch rejected the proposal, warning that its costs would burden people already suffering after the snow disaster.
• Shui Xianrou and Kui Gang voiced support for forming the Prefectural Army.
• Meng Zhao suspected that Beitang Ang had backed Shui Xianrou and wondered whether they shared a personal relationship.

Meng Zhao was pressed to take a side on Beitang Ang’s proposal to establish a Prefectural Army, but he challenged the proposal’s legal basis and demanded clarity on how the force would operate. His questions forced the gathering to await whether Beitang Ang had an Imperial Court edict.

• The assembly considered Kui Gang’s appearance and the influence of the Thirteen Families as it weighed Beitang Ang’s Prefectural Army proposal.
• The Ding Family’s helmsman and other attendees pressed Meng Zhao to state his position, while Beitang Ang urged him to speak freely.
• Meng Zhao asked whether the Imperial Court had approved the army and said he could not support the proposal if it had not.
• Meng Zhao also demanded details about the army’s stationing, authority, funding, supplies, and commander.
• The gathering recognized that its decision hinged on whether Beitang Ang possessed an Imperial Court edict.

Beitang Ang defended his plan to form a Prefectural Army by citing an unwritten oral command from the Great Emperor, but Lingwu City's clan leaders questioned the order and its purpose. The Zhuo Family Patriarch suspected the army would be sent south to suppress the rebellion, leaving the assembled leaders to reckon with Lingwu City's potential as a major source of soldiers.

• Meng Zhao's remark silenced the hall, and the Ding Family Patriarch asked Beitang Ang whether he had an imperial decree authorizing the Prefectural Army.
• Beitang Ang admitted the Great Emperor's authorization was an oral command, prompting the gathered leaders to question how much weight it carried.
• Beitang Ang argued that a Prefectural Army would strengthen Lingwu City and protect it from future dangers.
• The Zhuo Family Patriarch asked whether the Imperial Court planned to send northern forces south to suppress the rebellion.
• The leaders considered that Lingwu City could raise a formidable army from its many martial artists, potentially numbering two hundred thousand.

Beitang He explained why the Imperial Court wanted to establish a Prefectural Army in Lingwu City, citing the threat posed by powerful organizations. He revealed that the Plainclothes Alliance had replaced several noble heirs, leaving the gathered families alarmed by its reach.

• The Zhuo Family Patriarch realized Lingwu City's wealth and strategic position made it too dangerous to leave outside imperial control.
• Beitang Ang assured the gathered families that the Prefectural Army would not be sent south to suppress the rebellion.
• The Ding Family Patriarch questioned whether an army was necessary and urged Beitang Ang to reconsider.
• Beitang Ang asked Crown Prince Beitang He to explain the Imperial Court's concerns.
• Beitang He described the Plainclothes Alliance's hostility toward Great Yong and its use of the Disguise Technique to replace the second son of Earl Yongning.
• Beitang He said the Imperial Court's investigation had uncovered eight additional cases of noble heirs being replaced.

After the Plainclothes Alliance’s replacement scheme came to light, the hall suspected Meng Zhao was an impostor because of his sudden rise to fame. Beitang He refused to confirm Meng Zhao’s identity, leaving Meng Zhao convinced the imperial clan was using the suspicion to undermine him and the Southern An Meng Family.

• Beitang He revealed that the Plainclothes Alliance had replaced the thirty-six Heavenly Dipper Guards, prompting the hall to suspect Meng Zhao was one of them.
• Meng Zhao reasoned that his appearance was natural rather than disguised, so an investigation could not prove he was an impostor.
• Meng Zhao asked Beitang He whether he believed Meng Zhao had replaced the real heir and infiltrated the Meng Family.
• Beitang He said he could not confirm Meng Zhao’s identity and disclosed that the Imperial Court had investigated him before.
• Meng Zhao concluded that the Beitang Imperial Clan was deliberately spreading suspicion to damage his reputation and weaken the Southern An Meng Family.

Meng Zhao agreed to have his identity examined after Beitang He raised suspicions about him, and Wu Zunyuan arranged tests before the gathered powers. The tests found no sign that Meng Zhao’s face was disguised, effectively clearing his name and easing tensions in Lingwu City.

• Meng Zhao decided he had to address the rumors and said he would submit to a test of his identity.
• Wu Zunyuan proposed using face-revealing solution and an examination of Meng Zhao’s true qi, blood, and qi, and the gathered leaders agreed.
• A disguised man used the solution to remove his Human Skin Mask, demonstrating that the test could reveal disguises.
• Meng Zhao applied the solution to his face, and it showed no change.
• Three trusted examiners checked Meng Zhao’s true qi and blood and qi and found nothing suspicious, leaving no substantial dispute over his identity.

Beitang He warned Lingwu City’s aristocratic alliance that the Plainclothes Alliance and the Pudu Cult posed serious threats, especially with a Grandmaster leading the cult. He urged them to form a Prefectural Army, offering the Western Geng Metal White Tiger Killing Formation as its foundation.

• Beitang He thanked the gathering for helping clarify Meng Zhao’s verified identity and cautioned them against further trouble.
• Beitang He described the Pudu Cult’s secretive growth, violent attacks, proximity to Lingwu City, and Grandmaster-level leader.
• The Ding Family Patriarch questioned how the Pudu Cult Master could be a Grandmaster, while the hall erupted in alarm.
• Beitang He called the Prefectural Army essential and promised the Yanping Commandery Prince’s Mansion would provide the Western Geng Metal White Tiger Killing Formation.

Beitang He proposed forming a Prefectural Army and using the Golden Metal White Tiger Killing Formation, then accused four Lingwu City leaders of colluding with the Pudu Cult. The chapter ended as two black-clad experts moved to seize them for interrogation.

• Beitang He argued that a Prefectural Army trained in the Golden Metal White Tiger Killing Formation could unleash the power of coordinated military combat, swaying Ding Xun and other faction leaders.
• Beitang He singled out Gang Leader Mi, Sect Master Xia, the Wang Family Head, and the Mei Family Head for reacting to the mention of the Pudu Cult.
• Gang Leader Mi admitted that he knew Pudu Cult followers were in Lingwu City but denied knowing they were rebels, and the other three also proclaimed their innocence.
• Beitang He accused the four leaders of being Pudu Cult pawns and ordered them seized for severe interrogation.
• Two black-clad experts sprang forward toward the accused leaders.

Meng Zhao used a powerful Buddhist palm to save four minor faction leaders from Beitang He's black-clad masters, then challenged Beitang He's accusations by warning him against condemning people without proof. Beitang He concealed his fury while the hall watched Meng Zhao with astonishment and curiosity.

• Two black-clad masters attacked Gang Leader Mi, Sect Leader Xia, the Wang Family Head, and the Mei Family Head on Beitang He's orders.
• Meng Zhao unleashed a radiant Buddhist palm that shattered the attackers' techniques and sent them back without killing them.
• The hall's guests recognized Meng Zhao as the one who intervened and marveled at his newfound Buddhist Divine Skill.
• Beitang He demanded to know whether Meng Zhao was allied with the suspected Pudu Cult members, while hiding his desire to kill him.
• Meng Zhao argued that the four men should not be declared guilty without proof and said he had acted to protect Beitang He's reputation.

Meng Zhao used his rescue of Gang Leader Mi and the others to challenge Beitang He's authority and win support among Lingwu City's lesser forces. Beitang He tried to take the rescued men into custody, but Meng Zhao broadened the proposed investigation, prompting the Feng and Ding Family Patriarchs to intervene.

• Meng Zhao saved Gang Leader Mi and the others, and many small and mid-sized powers began to see him as a reliable ally.
• Beitang He proposed imprisoning Gang Leader Mi and three others at the princely mansion for questioning about their suspected ties to the Pudu Cult.
• Meng Zhao agreed to an investigation but suggested that others who had reacted strongly to the Pudu Cult should also be questioned.
• The Feng Family Patriarch angrily objected, inadvertently revealing that he had reacted to the cult's name.
• The Ding Family Patriarch urged Beitang He to drop the matter, warning that escalating it could cause unrest and harm the formation of the Prefectural Army.

Meng Zhao used his victory over the Pudu Cult’s Three Great Dharma Kings to strengthen his bid for influence over the newly formed Prefectural Army. The gathering was thrown into unease when a Grandmaster’s terrifying aura spread across Lingwu City, and Meng Zhao recognized the approaching Pudu Cult Master.

• Beitang He accepted the Ding Family Patriarch’s position on the Prefectural Army, though he resented Meng Zhao’s growing advantage.
• Meng Zhao recounted his clash with the Pudu Cult’s Three Great Dharma Kings and claimed he had narrowly defeated their leader, Gebhu Dharma King.
• Meng Zhao revealed that he sought control of the Prefectural Army so he could unite Lingwu City and consolidate his power.
• A strange aura swept across the hall, unsettling the gathered experts and prompting them to speculate about its cause.
• Meng Zhao sensed the aura came from a Grandmaster and announced that the Pudu Cult Master had arrived.

At the Prince’s Mansion banquet, an imperial clan grandmaster arrived as the Pudu Cult Master’s aura shook Lingwu City. Meng Zhao recognized the grandmaster’s Ziwei cultivation was being weakened by his own claim over the Ziwei Star, while Zhou Gushan feared something had happened to his grandfather; Beitang He led the guests toward the disturbance.

• An imperial clan grandmaster appeared at the banquet and warned Beitang Ang and Beitang He that a Peak Grandmaster had descended on Lingwu City.
• Meng Zhao identified the newcomer as an imperial clan expert using Ziwei Power and sensed that the grandmaster’s vitality and primordial qi were draining away because Meng Zhao had claimed the Ziwei Star.
• Zhou Gushan felt certain that something had happened and tried to find an excuse to return to his family residence.
• A thunderous boom shook the hall, and Beitang He identified the attack as likely coming from the Pudu Cult Master.
• Beitang He followed the imperial clan grandmaster toward the disturbance, and leaders of Lingwu City’s major forces decided to follow them.

Meng Zhao and the city’s martial artists rushed toward a battle between Grandmasters, but its aura vanished before they arrived. They reached the ruined Zhou Family residence, where Zhou Gushan killed himself, leaving the reasons for the massacre a mystery to everyone but Meng Zhao.

• The imperial Grandmaster warned Beitang Ang and Beitang He that Meng Zhao’s extraordinary power made him a dangerous opponent.
• Meng Zhao hurried toward the Grandmasters’ battle, but its signs disappeared, leaving him unsure who had won.
• Nearly two hundred banquet guests found the Zhou Family residence destroyed and wondered why the Pudu Cult Master had attacked it.
• Zhou Gushan knelt before the ruins and severed his own meridians, dying as the last survivor of his family.
• Meng Zhao realized the Pudu Cult Master had annihilated the Zhou Family and resolved to act more cautiously.