Chapter Summaries

Hu Yingming believed Meng Zhao was courting a disguised noblewoman and planned to use her to humiliate his rival, unaware that Meng Zhao and Sun Chuanshan had set a trap for him. The chapter ended with Hu Yingming convinced he could win the woman over and use her influence against Meng Zhao.

• Hu Yingming asked Sun Chuanshan to arrange a chance to probe Meng Zhao's apparent companion, while Sun Chuanshan secretly left to report to Meng Zhao.
• Sun Chuanshan told Meng Zhao that Hu Yingming intended to test him, and Meng Zhao instructed him to put on a performance in exchange for a reward.
• Meng Zhao acted as though he were nervously courting the disguised girl, while Hu Yingming and Sun Chuanshan watched through a crack in the wall.
• Sun Chuanshan guided Hu Yingming to believe the girl was an influential woman from the capital whom Meng Zhao both loved and feared.
• Hu Yingming decided he could win the girl over, disgrace Meng Zhao, and use her influence to strike at him.

Hu Yingming paid Sun Chuanshan to investigate the woman Meng Zhao pursued and learned she was Cui Jinyun, Cui Wei's daughter, secretly staying in Nan'an. He resolved to pursue her by pretending not to know her identity, and even considered forcing himself on her if seduction failed.

• Hu Yingming asked Sun Chuanshan to investigate the woman's identity and agreed to pay him for the information.
• Sun Chuanshan delivered a prepared report identifying the woman as Cui Jinyun, who used the alias Cui Yun and was staying at the Southern Peace Heavenly Punishment Hall.
• Sun Chuanshan told Hu Yingming that Cui Jinyun was Cui Wei's daughter, that Leng Huifeng served her deferentially, and that she had come to Nan'an for Shen Tianci.
• Sun Chuanshan warned Hu Yingming to keep Cui Jinyun's identity secret and not tell his family, prompting Hu Yingming to plan a covert approach.
• Hu Yingming decided to win Cui Jinyun's heart if possible and contemplated using force if that failed.

Hu Yingming staged a hero-saving-beauty ruse to court the woman he believed was Cui Jinyun, while Meng Zhao watched and explained how he had manipulated Hu’s desires. Meng Zhao ordered his accomplice to accelerate the plan before Hu Yingming realized he was being deceived.

• Hu Yingming investigated Cui Wei’s family and became convinced that Meng Zhao was courting Cui Jinyun.
• Hu Yingming arranged for an accomplice to threaten a disguised woman, then pretended to rescue her and introduced himself as the Jade-Faced Flood Dragon and Southern Heaven’s Sword.
• The woman recognized the rescue as a setup but pretended to be frightened and grateful, while Hu Yingming believed she was Cui Jinyun and grew more attentive.
• Meng Zhao explained to his masked companion that Hu Yingming’s jealousy and desire had made him accept the deception.
• Meng Zhao told his companion to hurry the plan along, fearing Hu Yingming might regain his senses before his uncle made his move.

The Meng Family dismantled Hu Baiwan’s commercial influence and destroyed his deathsworn, leaving him isolated and desperate in Nan’an. Meanwhile, Hu Yingming’s pursuit of Cui Jinyun grew increasingly fervent.

• The Meng Family’s attacks cost the Thirteen Families Chamber of Commerce over seventy thousand taels, and Cui Tan’s meeting with Meng Jizu made it seem he had accepted the campaign.
• The twelve chambers severed their ties with Hu Baiwan, stripping him of his presidency and much of his influence.
• Wang Tianlei led Meng Family Warriors against Hu Baiwan’s deathsworn at an abandoned village, suffering heavy losses but eliminating the force.
• Hu Baiwan grew desperate, prepared escape routes, and waited for help, unaware the Meng Family had intercepted all his letters.
• Hu Yingming’s pursuit of Cui Jinyun intensified as Hu Baiwan’s downfall unfolded.

Hu Yingming, desperate to save the Hu Family from the Meng Family’s attack, drugged Cui Jinyun and forced her into a relationship, believing her father Cui Wei could protect his family. The next morning, Cui Jinyun revealed her identity and her connection to Cui Wei, advancing the plan she had begun with Meng Zhao.

• Hu Yingming panicked over the Hu Family’s crisis and decided to win Cui Jinyun over so her father, Cui Wei, would intervene.
• Hu Yingming used an aphrodisiac to get Cui Jinyun drunk and took advantage of her while she was unable to resist.
• The next morning, Hu Yingming questioned Cui Jinyun about not bleeding, and she angrily rebuked him for drugging her.
• Cui Jinyun told Hu Yingming that her real name was Cui Jinyun and that her father was Cui Wei, the Superintendent of the Heavenly Punishment Hall.
• Hu Yingming concealed his delight and pretended to be surprised by Cui Jinyun’s revelation.

Cui Jinyun manipulated Hu Yingming into promising his family’s treasures and seeking help from her father, while he believed she would help rescue the Hu Family. After she departed for the ferry, Hu Yingming secretly took valuables from the family treasury and decided to follow her to Jade Capital.

• Hu Yingming told Cui Jinyun about the Hu Family’s crisis, and she promised to ask her father for help and suggested they relocate to Jade Capital.
• Cui Jinyun told Hu Yingming that her father prized unusual ancient keys and her brother coveted cultivation resources, and Hu Yingming offered an ancient key and a Fire Python Gall.
• Cui Jinyun urged Hu Yingming to keep their relationship secret, and he agreed while believing her plans were for his family’s sake.
• Hu Yingming secretly took the key, the Fire Python Gall, and other valuables from the Hu Family treasury.
• Hu Yingming read Cui Jinyun’s letter saying she had left to arrange a boat, then packed his valuables and met her in the old district.
• Hu Yingming told Cui Jinyun he planned to follow her to Jade Capital, hoping to deepen their relationship and eventually win over Cui Wei.

Cui Jinyun lured Hu Yingming into revealing his bundles, then led Meng Zhao and his companions to confront him. Meng Zhao found the Supreme key among Hu Yingming’s belongings, and Lü Zhong subdued Hu Yingming when he attacked.

• Cui Jinyun told Hu Yingming to bring gifts for her family and ran toward the building across from them.
• Meng Zhao, Lü Zhong, Lü Yue, and Han Pu emerged, and Cui Jinyun followed them as Hu Yingming realized she was not the ally he expected.
• Hu Yingming pleaded with Cui Jinyun to help him, while Han Pu and Lü Zhong pointed out that he was refusing to accept what was happening.
• Lü Zhong seized Hu Yingming’s bundles and handed them to Meng Zhao, who searched them and found an ancient key marked with the characters Supreme.
• Hu Yingming charged at Meng Zhao in a rage, but Lü Zhong struck him down with invisible finger force.

Meng Zhao revealed how he had deceived Hu Yingming with a fake Cui Jinyun and an arranged betrayal, then offered Hu Yingming a chance to live if he cooperated. Hu Yingming begged for mercy, but Meng Zhao privately decided he could not be allowed to survive after his remaining value was extracted.

• Hu Yingming accused Meng Zhao of losing Cui Jinyun to him, but Meng Zhao revealed she was a woman hired to impersonate Cui Jinyun and help secure the key.
• Meng Zhao explained that Sun Chuanshan and Leng Huifeng had both helped stage the deception, and Hu Yingming realized he had been manipulated.
• Hu Yingming asked whether his feud with Meng Zhao had caused the Meng Family's assault on the Hu Family, and Meng Zhao said Hu Baiwan was the real reason.
• Meng Zhao offered to spare Hu Yingming if he cooperated, and Hu Yingming knelt and begged to live.
• Meng Zhao decided Hu Yingming was too dangerous to keep alive, though he intended to extract what value he could first.

Meng Zhao examined the three treasures Hu Yingming had given him and learned their uses from Lü Zhong. He then ordered a trap for Shi Jie, who was searching for the Tuxiu Treasure key.

• Lü Zhong identified the red stone as a Fire Python Gall, the Buddhist relic as a Vajra Bodhi Seed, and the final item as a Blood-Purifying Stone.
• Meng Zhao told Lü Zhong to let Lü Yue and Han Pu's siblings share the Blood-Purifying Stone if it could benefit more than one person.
• Lü Zhong reported that Shen Tianci's search for the Treasure Key remained deadlocked and that Shi Jie had few connections beyond the Meng Family.
• Meng Zhao ordered Lü Zhong to invite Shi Jie to the mansion with news of leads on the Tuxiu Treasure key and summon Uncle Liu to help seize Shi Jie if he acted unusually.

Meng Zhao hid the Tuxiu Treasure items and assessed how Hu Yingming’s properties could strengthen the Second Branch. He met Shi Jie to discuss a clue to the third key, but demanded to learn how the key and treasure worked before revealing more.

• Lü Zhong suggested involving Liu Qiankun as protection, but Meng Zhao explained why he distrusted Liu and asked Lü Zhong to speak with him.
• Meng Zhao placed the four rosewood boxes and their contents in his room’s secret chamber.
• Meng Zhao learned from Lü Yue and Han Pu that Hu Yingming had offered valuable personal properties worth roughly 130,000 taels to secure Meng Zhao’s mercy and allegiance.
• Meng Zhao considered the properties and Tuxiu Treasure essential to strengthening his forces and protecting his future.
• At a lavish dinner, Meng Zhao told Shi Jie he was nearly certain he could obtain the key, then asked how to find the treasure and use it.

Meng Zhao demanded full information about the Tuxiu Treasure from Shi Jie, refusing to accept vague promises and standing firm when Shi Jie threatened him. Shi Jie was rattled when Meng Zhao revealed he knew Ling Feixue had once defeated him, and suspected Magic Bat had disclosed his past.

• Meng Zhao reminded Shi Jie that they had each saved the other and demanded every detail about the Tuxiu Treasure, threatening to approach Shen Tianci instead.
• Shi Jie unleashed his Innate Master pressure and considered killing Meng Zhao, but Meng Zhao resisted and challenged him to attack.
• Meng Zhao named Ling Feixue and asked how formidable Shi Jie's martial arts were compared with hers and Shen Tianci's.
• Shi Jie panicked at the mention of Ling Feixue and wondered how Meng Zhao knew she had once pursued him.
• Shi Jie suspected that Magic Bat had revealed his past to Meng Zhao.

Meng Zhao confronted Shi Jie about his Demonic Path identity and demanded the truth about the Tuxiu Treasure before agreeing to cooperate. Shi Jie revealed the treasure’s history, the secret realm’s location, and the keys’ powers, leaving Meng Zhao eager to explore it.

• Meng Zhao told Shi Jie that he knew he was a Sinful Envoy of Sinful Valley and made clear he would not tolerate being used and discarded.
• Shi Jie decided not to seize Meng Zhao and instead returned to the table, agreeing to explain the Tuxiu Treasure.
• Shi Jie recounted how a tomb robber found a treasure map and two keys, how the map was split, and how Shen Tianci and Shi Jie came to possess clues and treasure pieces.
• Meng Zhao demanded the secret realm’s location and the keys’ uses, and Shi Jie revealed that its entrance lay atop the Ninth Peak of Dragon Head Mountain.
• Shi Jie explained that the three keys let their holders move freely in the Grotto-Heaven Secret Realm and wield some Worldly Power, increasing Meng Zhao’s anticipation of the journey.

Meng Zhao weighed how to use Shi Jie to reach the Tuxiu Treasure while planning to eliminate him afterward and consider contacting Shen Tianci. Meanwhile, Hu Baiwan discovered Hu Yingming had disappeared with a Treasure Key and decided to meet Meng Zhao before fleeing Ji Prefecture with his sons.

• Lü Zhong warned Meng Zhao that Shi Jie had shown killing intent and offered to have Liu Qiankun kill him, but Meng Zhao planned to use Shi Jie before dealing with him.
• Meng Zhao decided not to go to Dragon Head Mountain yet, hoping to strengthen his cultivation and considering whether Shen Tianci could be a more trustworthy partner.
• Shi Jie stopped trusting Meng Zhao and hid elsewhere, while Meng Zhao remained unconcerned because he held the key.
• Hu Baiwan discovered Hu Yingming was missing along with a Treasure Key, realized the Hu Family had been devastated, and chose to leave Ji Prefecture with his sons.
• Hu Baiwan decided to meet Meng Zhao, believing Meng Zhao held the key and might know what had happened to Hu Yingming.

Meng Zhao absorbed the Fire Python Gall without suffering backlash, then assessed Han Lu’s progress in the Beauty Fist and advised her to focus on qi cultivation. The chapter ended with Meng Zhao receiving an invitation from Hu Baiwan to attend an opera and asking Lü Yue and Han Pu whether he should go.

• Meng Zhao absorbed the Fire Python Gall and suspected its dragon qi resonated with his dragon-body bloodline, allowing him to refine its essence safely.
• Han Lu demonstrated the Beauty Fist, and Meng Zhao praised her form while urging her to improve her internal strength.
• Lü Yue and Han Pu brought Meng Zhao a sealed letter delivered by a little beggar.
• Meng Zhao read Hu Baiwan’s invitation to an opera performance and asked Lü Yue and Han Pu whether he should attend.

Meng Zhao rejected the chance to ransom Hu Yingming for short-term profit and decided to eliminate the Hu Family before Hu Baiwan could flee Nan'an. He arranged a secret meeting with Leng Huifeng and sought the support of Eldest Uncle and Third Uncle to crush the family.

• Lü Yue and Han Pu reasoned that Hu Baiwan wanted to ransom Hu Yingming before leaving Nan'an.
• Han Pu urged Meng Zhao to keep Hu Baiwan from escaping, warning that his ties to the Hell Path and Prince Fu made him dangerous.
• Meng Zhao burned Hu Baiwan's letter and said he would not trade Hu Yingming for a temporary gain, since he wanted to secure control of the Meng Family.
• Meng Zhao ordered Han Pu to secretly invite Leng Huifeng to meet him at the Meng residence.
• Meng Zhao told Lü Yue to accompany him to meet Eldest Uncle and Third Uncle so they could join forces against the Hu Family.

Meng Zhao arrived at Ancient Dian Garden to meet Hu Baiwan, accompanied by Yang Jiu, the Meng Family steward who secretly led the assassin organization Meteor. The chapter left them preparing to enter the theater, with Yang Jiu warning Meng Zhao against accepting anything inside.

• Ancient Dian Garden closed its doors and cleared the venue for a meeting arranged by a powerful figure who had fallen on hard times.
• Meng Zhao studied Mind Method Martial Arts in his sedan, aided by the Vajra Bodhi Seed, until he arrived at Ancient Dian Garden.
• Yang Jiu greeted Meng Zhao with an umbrella and warned him that Hu Baiwan might resort to desperate measures.
• Meng Zhao learned that Yang Jiu was the hidden head of Meteor, one of Ji Prefecture’s three major assassin organizations.
• Yang Jiu advised Meng Zhao not to eat or drink anything inside Ancient Dian Garden, and Meng Zhao agreed.

Meng Zhao entered Ancient Dian Garden with Qiao Song while the Meng Family and Heavenly Punishment Hall prepared a coordinated strike against Hu Baiwan’s businesses and hidden Hell Path strongholds. The assault was timed to exploit Hu Baiwan’s meeting with Meng Zhao, leaving the plan’s architect chatting amiably beside his target.

• Qiao Song greeted Meng Zhao and said he could bring two companions into Ancient Dian Garden, so Meng Zhao agreed to proceed with Lü Zhong and Yang Jiu.
• Wang Tianlei, Liu Qiankun, and Leng Huifeng met with two Heavenly Punishment Hall Innate Masters to coordinate the operation against the Hu Family.
• Wang Tianlei and Liu Qiankun prepared to suppress Hu Baiwan’s contracted businesses openly while drawing the Hu Family’s leaders’ attention.
• Leng Huifeng and the Heavenly Punishment Hall planned to raid Hell Path strongholds using intelligence obtained from Magic Bat and secure evidence against Hu Baiwan.
• Meng Zhao’s plan used the meeting at Ancient Dian Garden to leave Hu Baiwan’s organization leaderless during the attack, while Meng Zhao sat beside Hu Baiwan and chatted with him.

Meng Zhao met Hu Baiwan to negotiate Hu Yingming’s release, while both men tested each other with polite conversation and veiled accusations. Meng Zhao suggested that money might not be enough to secure his cooperation, leaving Hu Baiwan stunned.

• Meng Zhao and Hu Baiwan exchanged pleasantries at Ancient Dian Garden while Meng Zhao stalled for time and Hu Baiwan waited for him to reveal a weakness.
• Hu Baiwan asked whether Hu Yingming had fallen into Meng Zhao’s hands, and Meng Zhao confirmed it.
• Hu Baiwan explained that Meng Zhao had also taken treasures from his treasury and admitted he would pay a high price to get his son back.
• Meng Zhao reminded Hu Baiwan that his men had tried to kill him first, making Hu Baiwan responsible for the conflict’s escalation.
• Hu Baiwan offered to ransom Hu Yingming, but Meng Zhao asked whether someone seeking the Tuxiu Treasure would care about ordinary wealth, leaving Hu Baiwan stunned.

Meng Zhao used Hu Yingming’s captivity to demand Hu Baiwan’s list of influential contacts across Ji Prefecture, rejecting Hu’s offer to trade for the Tuxiu Treasure key. Hu Baiwan recognized the scale of Meng Zhao’s ambition but kept his anger in check, leaving the negotiation unresolved.

• Hu Baiwan urged Meng Zhao to trade the Tuxiu Treasure key for a profitable offer, but Meng Zhao refused and showed him the Vajra Bodhi Seed.
• Meng Zhao confirmed that Hu Yingming was in his custody and said Hu Baiwan would have to meet his demands to get his son back.
• Meng Zhao demanded a list of Hu Baiwan’s connections among officials and martial artists instead of silver.
• Hu Baiwan laughed in anger, prompting Geng Zongfang and Kang Liang to move closer in case he attacked.
• Hu Baiwan regained his composure and accused Meng Zhao of trying to seize the roots of the Hu Family’s influence.

Meng Zhao pressured Hu Baiwan into trading his network list for Hu Yingming, while secretly intending to kill Hu Yingming and prevent the Hu Family from leaving safely. Hu Baiwan agreed to the exchange, and both men sent subordinates to retrieve the agreed items.

• Meng Zhao threatened to humiliate Hu Yingming and argued that Hu Baiwan should trade his list of connections for his son's safety.
• Meng Zhao reflected on his plans to use the Tuxiu Treasure and Hu Baiwan's network to build an independent power base.
• Meng Zhao warned Hu Baiwan that the terms might change if he delayed, prompting Hu Baiwan to agree to the exchange.
• Hu Baiwan sent Geng Zongfeng to retrieve the list, while Meng Zhao sent Lü Zhong to bring Hu Yingming.
• Hu Baiwan waited tensely as Meng Zhao watched the stage performance with pleasure.