Chapter Summaries

Old Daoist Liu told Meng Zhao that Beitang Sheng had caused disasters to refine an Exotic Treasure, then hinted that the Great Emperor had also undertaken a great deed benefiting the Divine Continent. Meng Zhao suspected Beitang Sheng had changed the arrangements that had suppressed Martial Dao Fortune, but the reason and outcome remained unclear.

• Old Daoist Liu revealed that Beitang Sheng had caused disasters to gather Heavenly Gang and Earth Sha Qi for refining an Exotic Treasure.
• Meng Zhao asked what the treasure was and what it could do, but Old Daoist Liu admitted he did not know its secrets.
• Meng Zhao questioned why Beitang Sheng would take such risks when he already held immense power.
• Old Daoist Liu said Beitang Sheng had another undertaking that benefited the Divine Continent and rivaled founding an imperial dynasty.
• Meng Zhao connected the undertaking to the recent rise in Martial Dao Fortune and wondered whether Beitang Sheng had broken the Great Ancestor's arrangements.

Old Daoist Liu explained that Beitang Gong’s arrangement suppressed Martial Dao cultivation to preserve Great Yong, while Beitang Sheng sought to break it so he could escape death. Beitang Sheng chose a time of dynastic turmoil because the arrangement could only be broken when the dynasty’s fortune was unstable, and Martial Dao Fortune had since risen again.

• Old Daoist Liu told Meng Zhao that Calculates All Beings had severed ancient Martial Dao Fortune, and Beitang Gong later made cultivation even harder through his arrangement.
• Old Daoist Liu explained that Beitang Gong’s arrangement restrained the Beitang Imperial Clan as well as other martial artists, giving Beitang Sheng a reason to seek immortality by breaking it.
• Meng Zhao questioned why Beitang Sheng had attempted the dangerous plan before stabilizing Great Yong and connected the resulting disasters to rebellions across the realm.
• Old Daoist Liu said Beitang Sheng had to act during the dynastic transition, when Great Yong’s fortune was unstable and the arrangement was vulnerable.
• Meng Zhao concluded that Beitang Sheng had successfully broken the arrangement, allowing Martial Dao Fortune to rise again.

Old Daoist Liu explained that Beitang Sheng’s deeds had earned him heaven-and-earth merit and Martial Dao Fortune, making him unmatched across the Divine Continent. Meng Zhao recognized that he had underestimated Beitang Sheng and that rebellion could bring his ambitions to a disastrous end.

• Meng Zhao asked how the Divine Continent viewed Beitang Sheng’s accomplishment, and Old Daoist Liu said it was great merit that brought him Martial Dao Fortune.
• Meng Zhao reasoned that Beitang Sheng’s merit, imperial authority, and strength made him invincible even beyond Imperial Capital City.
• Meng Zhao realized that Beitang Sheng could swiftly crush the rebellions and rivals that seemed to threaten the empire.
• Meng Zhao reflected on his own arrogance and poor judgment, especially in dealing with the Twelfth Prince, and recognized the danger of rebelling against Beitang Sheng.
• Meng Zhao considered the possible ruin or death awaiting him if Beitang Sheng personally moved against him, unaware that the Supreme Divine Artifact was one he had helped the Heavenly Demon Lord fuse.

Meng Zhao questioned Old Daoist Liu about Beitang Sheng’s power and Great Yong’s stability, then realized that the Great Emperor’s strength could not by itself halt the realm’s growing upheaval. He left with renewed confidence that rival powers could unite against the Beitang Imperial Clan.

• Meng Zhao asked why Beitang Sheng had not personally crushed the Rebel Army, and Old Daoist Liu admitted he did not know the Great Emperor’s reasons.
• Meng Zhao asked whether Great Yong could still be remade, prompting Old Daoist Liu to recognize his ambitions and describe the Emperor’s overwhelming advantages.
• Meng Zhao acknowledged that Beitang Sheng’s legitimacy, resources, and forces made his own prospects seem slim.
• Old Daoist Liu argued that the realm’s growing chaos was a tide of the age that even Beitang Sheng could not reverse alone.
• Meng Zhao realized that multiple factions could join forces against the Beitang Imperial Clan, as the Nine Surnames and Thirteen Families had shown by assassinating previous Great Emperors.

Old Daoist Liu told Meng Zhao that the Great Yong Dynasty’s chances of recovery had fallen sharply because Meng Zhao was an unpredictable force, and he asked Meng Zhao to protect him if he ever needed help. After promising discretion and aid, Meng Zhao vanished from the room.

• Old Daoist Liu estimated that the Great Yong Dynasty had a strong chance of revival before he met Meng Zhao, but now judged its prospects to be below thirty percent.
• Old Daoist Liu explained that Meng Zhao could not be predicted by divination and that martial artists across the realm were gaining strength as restrictions lifted.
• Old Daoist Liu admitted that he had once relied on Beitang Sheng as a protector but now wanted Meng Zhao to remember his request for a safe and comfortable life.
• Old Daoist Liu said Beitang Xing had been targeted by Beitang Sheng from birth and that Meng Zhao had extinguished his hope of escaping his father’s control.
• Meng Zhao promised to keep their conversation secret and to help Old Daoist Liu if needed, then disappeared from the chair.

After Meng Zhao vanished without a trace, Old Daoist Liu advised Beitang Xing to endure his captivity and report Meng Zhao honestly to the Great Emperor. Beitang Xing resolved to ask his Imperial Father to eliminate Meng Zhao once they returned to Imperial Capital City.

• Old Daoist Liu searched the room and realized Meng Zhao had spoken with him without leaving any trace.
• Beitang Xing visited Old Daoist Liu and said the middle-aged monk’s attitude toward him had worsened after meeting Meng Zhao.
• Old Daoist Liu advised Beitang Xing not to risk escaping or seek help, but to remain with the monk and learn more.
• Beitang Xing decided to wait rather than escape because he did not want to abandon Old Daoist Liu.
• Beitang Xing said he wanted the Great Emperor to deal with Meng Zhao, and Old Daoist Liu told him to report the journey to Lishou Mountain truthfully.

Meng Zhao journeyed toward Yanzhou’s provincial capital with his companions and witnessed the Pudu Cult’s growing influence, along with abuses committed in its name. The journey left Beitang Xing increasingly anxious, while Monk Huikong reacted violently against those exploiting the cult’s reputation.

• Monk Cheng Kong told Meng Zhao that Huikong had great Buddhist potential and might attain Buddhahood if he overcame his demonic obstacles, though Huikong disliked him.
• Meng Zhao and his companions traveled through Yanzhou, where they found the province comparatively peaceful and the Pudu Cult widespread, even in a village of fewer than a hundred households.
• Beitang Xing grew more anxious about the Pudu Cult’s expansion, and Old Daoist Liu gathered information to present to Beitang Sheng.
• Meng Zhao and Huikong discussed the cult’s influence as they traveled, which strengthened Huikong’s bargaining position for arranging peace talks and an alliance with Meng Zhao.
• Huikong discovered that scoundrels were using the Pudu Cult’s name to commit crimes and personally killed several of them.

Meng Zhao entered Kaiming City with Lu Hou'er, who explained the city’s military importance, local factions, and the history and practices of Divine Saber Hall and Hidden Sword Palace. The chapter ended with the two Martial Dao Sacred Lands’ legendary collections of saber and sword weapons, including a rumored demonic saber and a Heavenly Tier divine sword.

• Meng Zhao and Lu Hou'er crossed the great bridge into Kaiming City, where Lu Hou'er explained that the city was his Pai Gang’s headquarters.
• Lu Hou'er described Kaiming City’s strategic river position, the thirty thousand troops stationed there by Tan Changming, and the influence of the Tan Family and Heavenly Wolf Alliance Leader.
• Lu Hou'er introduced Divine Saber Hall and Hidden Sword Palace as powerful Martial Dao Sacred Lands founded by the rival Divine Saber Master and Hidden Sword Elder.
• Lu Hou'er explained that the two factions accepted talented saber or sword practitioners for trials and offered successful candidates instruction, techniques, and weapons.
• Lu Hou'er described Hidden Sword Palace’s twelve-story Sword Tower and Divine Saber Hall’s Blade Sharpening Pool, which were said to contain a Heavenly Tier divine sword and a powerful demonic saber.

Meng Zhao learned more about the Divine Saber Hall’s ties to the Pudu Cult before entering Kaiming City with Lu Hou'er’s group. In the streets, they saw an unfamiliar Peak Innate Master fleeing with a freshly severed head, and Meng Zhao regarded him as a potential talent rather than someone he needed to recruit by subtle means.

• Lu Hou'er explained that the Pudu Cult sent talented saber wielders to the Divine Saber Hall, while Monk Huikong tacitly confirmed the account.
• Lu Hou'er arranged for the group to bypass the city gate queue and enter Kaiming City.
• Meng Zhao compared Kaiming City’s orderly streets and gentler residents with the tougher atmosphere of Lingwu City.
• A gray-haired Peak Innate Master raced through the streets carrying a freshly severed head as several Innate Martial Artists pursued him.
• Lu Hou'er said he did not recognize the fugitive, and Meng Zhao judged the man a talent before reflecting that he could recruit him through respect or force.

Meng Zhao learned why the bladesman Wu Dazhi was being hunted and reflected on the need to balance strength with restraint. Lu Hou'er explained that Tan Changming’s rules and the city’s close-knit factions compelled the pursuit, leaving Wu Dazhi with little hope unless Divine Saber Hall protected him or he fled Yanzhou.

• Lu Hou'er told Meng Zhao that Wu Dazhi, a peak Innate bladesman, had slaughtered the household responsible for his daughter’s death and was now fleeing a joint hunting party.
• Meng Zhao judged that Wu Dazhi’s secrecy had left him vulnerable and argued that people should adapt their strength and restraint to their circumstances.
• Meng Zhao’s remarks prompted Monk Huikong to reflect on the suffering and choices that had shaped his life.
• Meng Zhao questioned why the city’s factions had intervened in Wu Dazhi’s private revenge, and Lu Hou'er explained that Tan Changming required local forces to act against such killings.
• Lu Hou'er added that the pursuing forces were connected through kinship and marriage, and said Wu Dazhi would likely have to join Divine Saber Hall or leave Yanzhou to survive.

Meng Zhao and his companions settled at Lu Hou'er's manor in Kaiming City while preparing to travel to the Tan Family and discuss his marriage to Tan Cai'er. He sought to secure Lu Hou'er's genuine loyalty as Pai Gang became part of his forces.

• Meng Zhao concluded that Yanzhou's upper-tier powers were united and that Tan Changming's support could help him win their backing.
• The group rested at Lu Hou'er's manor, where Meng Zhao and Monk Cheng Kong took rooms in the middle courtyard.
• Meng Zhao planned to travel to the provincial capital to meet Tan Cai'er's family, relying on their existing ties through Zhu'er.
• Lu Hou'er presented Pai Gang's roster and account books to Meng Zhao, admitting that some records still needed to be compiled.
• Meng Zhao told Lu Hou'er that his willingness to serve mattered more than the size of Pai Gang, since hidden disloyalty could undermine the gang's usefulness.

Meng Zhao brought the Pai Gang under his protection while leaving Lu Hou'er in charge, then learned of a life-and-death duel involving a man trained by Divine Saber Hall. He dismissed the fight as uninteresting until Lu Hou'er revealed that the opponent might have ties to the Tan Family.

• Meng Zhao told Lu Hou'er to keep control of the Pai Gang, pay ten percent of its profits, and accept people sent from Lingwu City as a precaution.
• Lu Hou'er pledged loyalty to Meng Zhao and offered him wine while telling him about a life-and-death duel scheduled in New Joy Ward.
• Lu Hou'er explained that one duelist had passed Divine Saber Hall's test and that the other had support from three city forces seeking to help him pursue Grandmaster martial arts.
• Meng Zhao said he would not watch the duel because both fighters were only at the Innate Realm.
• Lu Hou'er hesitantly told Meng Zhao that the opponent of the Divine Saber Hall-trained fighter seemed to have old ties with the Tan Family.

Meng Zhao learned that Gu Li might have a childhood engagement to Tan Cai'er, complicating Meng Zhao’s planned marriage alliance with the Tan Family. Lu Hou'er could not confirm the rumor, and the Tan Family’s silence left its truth—and its implications—unclear.

• Lu Hou'er revealed that Gu Li's ancestors may have arranged a childhood engagement between him and Tan Cai'er.
• Meng Zhao questioned Lu Hou'er about Gu Li, his martial arts, and the factions supporting him in Kaiming City.
• Lu Hou'er said Gu Li was twenty-eight, wielded a supreme Great Vigor Divine Fist, and seemed to possess an Exotic Treasure.
• Lu Hou'er explained that the rumor had circulated since Gu Li appeared, while the Tan Family had made no statement about it.
• Meng Zhao recognized that the rumor could damage his planned marriage alliance with the Tan Family and make the three supporting factions look opportunistic.

Meng Zhao and Lu Hou'er examined whether Old Blade Zhao’s Life and Death Duel with Gu Li was secretly arranged by the Tan Family to silence rumors. They suspected the Tan Family had helped Old Blade Zhao enter Divine Saber Hall and possibly pass its trial, leaving Meng Zhao to consider Tan Changming’s influence there.

• Lu Hou'er described Old Blade Zhao as a stubborn Peak Innate Master from Yanzhou who had cultivated a Saber Core and learned Divine Saber Hall’s Tiger Roar Divine Saber.
• Meng Zhao questioned whether the Tan Family had arranged for Old Blade Zhao to kill Gu Li and suppress rumors about the Tan Family.
• Meng Zhao explained that the Tan Family could secretly cultivate ties and favors without leaving visible connections to Old Blade Zhao.
• Lu Hou'er proposed that the Tan Family may have helped Old Blade Zhao gain admission to Divine Saber Hall and pass its trial, in return for handling Gu Li.
• Meng Zhao agreed the theory was plausible and concluded that Tan Changming likely held significant influence within Divine Saber Hall.

Meng Zhao considered the odds in Old Blade Zhao and Gu Li’s Life and Death Duel, then devised a way to aid Old Blade Zhao without openly involving the Tan Family. He carved a deadly wooden blade for Lu Hou'er to deliver and invited Old Blade Zhao to meet him before the duel.

• Meng Zhao asked Lu Hou'er to assess whether Old Blade Zhao could defeat and kill Gu Li, but Lu Hou'er admitted he lacked enough information to judge.
• Meng Zhao instructed Lu Hou'er to find Old Blade Zhao and invite him to a meeting, though Lu Hou'er warned the timing made that difficult.
• Meng Zhao carved a wooden blade from a chessboard, infused it with blade intent and concealed a blade edge inside it.
• Meng Zhao told Lu Hou'er to give the weapon to Old Blade Zhao, explain that he meant him no harm, and warn the courier not to draw it without permission.
• Lu Hou'er realized the wooden blade could greatly improve Old Blade Zhao’s chances against Gu Li and wondered whether accepting it might also expose Old Blade Zhao to danger.

Lu Hou'er sent Old Eighth to locate Old Blade Zhao before the Life and Death Duel, then questioned him about Meng Zhao and his companions. Old Eighth offered to discover Meng Zhao's preferences and win his favor, while Lu Hou'er remained wary of revealing the young man's identity.

• Lu Hou'er gave Old Eighth the wooden blade and ordered him to invite Old Blade Zhao to meet the Dragon King.
• Old Eighth reported that Gu Li was preparing for the duel at the Xie Family and that Old Blade Zhao was staying at Wu Wanzhong's home.
• Old Eighth asked Lu Hou'er about the people who had moved into his home, suspecting Meng Zhao had an extraordinary background.
• Old Eighth offered to cater to Meng Zhao's preferences and earn his favor.
• Lu Hou'er scolded Old Eighth for relying on schemes but acknowledged his skill at reading people and making useful introductions.

Lu Hou'er weighed whether to send Old Eighth to serve Meng Zhao, then revealed that Meng Zhao was now his master and the master of several others. Old Eighth inferred that Peng Haibing might be in trouble and asked who Meng Zhao was, leaving Lu Hou'er poised to identify him as the Dragon King of the Northern Lands.

• Lu Hou'er considered using Old Eighth’s talent for flattery and connections to benefit himself, but worried about losing his intelligence network and whether Old Eighth would remain loyal.
• Old Eighth defended his opportunistic approach, arguing that his ordinary martial talent had forced him to develop other strengths.
• Lu Hou'er decided that Old Eighth’s abilities would be better used beside Meng Zhao and reminded him of the favor and promotion he had received.
• Lu Hou'er told Old Eighth that Meng Zhao was his master and also the master of Xu Tingyun, Min Tao, Wu Chen, and the Xuan Shuang Society.
• Old Eighth deduced from Lu Hou'er’s wording that Peng Haibing might have met with misfortune and asked about Meng Zhao’s identity.
• Lu Hou'er asked whether Old Eighth had heard of the Peerless Twin Prodigies or the Dragon King of the Northern Lands.

Lu Hou'er told Old Eighth that Meng Zhao had become a Great Grandmaster and explained why he had submitted to him. Old Eighth's hope for a breakthrough returned, and Lu Hou'er decided to recommend him to serve Meng Zhao personally.

• Old Eighth questioned whether Meng Zhao was powerful enough to make Lu Hou'er and the Pai Gang submit.
• Lu Hou'er revealed that Meng Zhao had attained the Great Grandmaster realm, which shocked Old Eighth.
• Lu Hou'er explained that witnessing Meng Zhao's strength had convinced him to follow the Dragon King.
• Old Eighth's despair over his stalled cultivation gave way to renewed hope of advancing under Meng Zhao's patronage.
• Lu Hou'er told Old Eighth he would recommend him to serve Meng Zhao personally and urged him to attend to Meng Zhao carefully.

Lu Hou'er arranged for Old Eighth to leave his service and attend upon Meng Zhao, warning him that the Dragon King would be difficult to please. Lu Hou'er then departed to find Old Blade Zhao, leaving Old Eighth to begin his new opportunity.

• Old Eighth feigned reluctance when Lu Hou'er offered to recommend him to Meng Zhao, then swore he would remember the Help Leader's kindness.
• Lu Hou'er rejected the need for an oath and warned Old Eighth that Meng Zhao was far harder to placate than he was.
• Old Eighth resolved to do whatever it took to secure a foothold under Meng Zhao and pursue his dream of martial arts.
• Lu Hou'er told Old Eighth to attend upon Meng Zhao, answer truthfully, and observe the Dragon King's preferences for himself.
• Lu Hou'er left to go to Wu Wanzhong's home and invite Old Blade Zhao.

Gui Ba sought to win Meng Zhao’s favor after realizing the Great Grandmaster might help him overcome his cultivation difficulties. Meng Zhao asked Gui Ba to find someone strong enough to spar with him, leaving Gui Ba at a loss over how to fulfill the request.

• Old Eight rejoiced at the possibility that Meng Zhao could help him advance his Martial Dao and resolved to please him.
• Meng Zhao considered whether Gu Li was acting on behalf of a hidden force that had frightened the Tan Family.
• Gui Ba introduced himself to Meng Zhao and offered to follow his commands after Lu Hou'er sent him to attend the Dragon King.
• Meng Zhao asked Gui Ba to find a sparring partner who could survive more than one move against him.
• Gui Ba struggled to think of anyone strong enough and realized Meng Zhao valued the Martial Dao above other pursuits.