Chapter Summaries

Li Ru'an brought Huo Xian to the Heavenly Prison to kill Li Zhi over Mother Consort’s death, but a hidden Soul-Chasing Hall expert stopped them. Li Zhi remained in prison, insisting he was innocent and warning that someone else was behind the death.

• Daoist Qingye agreed to visit the Eighth Prince after a middle-aged man said the prince might trade the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword for what Qingye offered.
• Li Ru'an accused Li Zhi of poisoning Mother Consort, but Li Zhi claimed the poison in his study was part of his own investigation into her death and that a hidden hand was responsible.
• Li Ru'an attacked Li Zhi, and a concealed old man emerged to block her strike before clashing with Huo Xian.
• Huo Xian retreated with Li Ru'an as the battle wrecked the Heavenly Prison, while Li Ru'an insisted Li Zhi still had to die for her younger brother’s sake.
• The old man urged Li Zhi to kill those who threatened him, but Li Zhi refused, citing their sibling bond and the danger posed by the Eighth Prince.
• When prison guards arrived, Li Zhi claimed an assassin had attacked and been chased away, then was moved to a safer cell.

Song Xingwei offered the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion’s help to Li Musheng, who then met the Azure Cloud Temple Daoist Qingye over a Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury Key. Qingye asked to borrow the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword to save his imprisoned senior sister, but Li Musheng instead offered to rescue her himself if Qingye could provide more enticing terms.

• Song Xingwei apologized for the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion’s earlier attack and gave Li Musheng a Heavenly Secrets Token, promising intelligence and assistance.
• Li Musheng considered leaving Shangyang City for White Emperor City but decided to wait for a reliable lead about the Fire Qilin or other treasures.
• A guard brought Qingye and his young disciple to Li Musheng, and Qingye revealed that he knew the location of a Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury Key.
• Qingye asked to borrow the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword to rescue his imprisoned senior sister, but Li Musheng refused to lend it.
• Li Musheng offered to rescue Qingye’s senior sister himself if Qingye could provide additional conditions that interested him.

Li Musheng negotiated with Daoist Qingye to rescue his senior sister from the Great Xuan Imperial Palace in exchange for the Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury Key, then quietly left Shangyang City with Cang Yinyue and Shen Anran. His departure was discovered by the Great Li Queen, who announced it to the princes and their mothers.

• Li Musheng agreed to rescue Daoist Qingye’s senior sister if Daoist Qingye found the Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury Key, while Azure Cloud Temple would offer the Longevity Scripture in exchange for her rescue.
• Daoist Qingye told the middle-aged chief of the Hidden Spy Bureau that Li Musheng had agreed to act, then left to search for the key while the middle-aged man prepared to go to Great Xuan.
• Li Musheng departed Shangyang City in a carriage with Cang Yinyue, Shen Anran, and Cao Gaoshan, planning to visit Great Xuan before continuing to White Emperor City.
• Li Musheng told the big black cat that White Emperor City might hold an opportunity for it, and Cang Yinyue kept the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword he had given her.
• The Great Li Queen learned that Li Musheng had left Shangyang City and announced his departure to the princes and their mothers.

After Li Musheng abruptly left Shangyang City, the Queen and the princes arranged to track him while the city’s factions reconsidered their plans. Li Ru'an and Huo Xian discussed their search for her mother’s murderer, and an unseen powerful figure urged Ji Song and Mr. Youshan to prepare to defeat Li Musheng when he returned.

• The Queen learned that Li Musheng had left the Imperial Capital and ordered him tracked while the city’s forces were monitored.
• Li Ru'an told Huo Xian that she had planned to reveal the truth about her mother’s death and ask Li Musheng to kill Li Zhi, but agreed to continue investigating the murder instead.
• Ji Song continued writing a memorial against Li Musheng, and Mr. Youshan visited him and said the Great Li Emperor would not act against the Eighth Prince.
• An unseen speaker appeared to Mr. Youshan, demonstrated that his martial strength surpassed Mr. Youshan’s, and invited him back into Ji Song’s study.
• The unseen figure told Ji Song and Mr. Youshan that Li Musheng’s departure gave them time to prepare to take him down before he returned.

Youshan and Ji Song agreed to help an unseen enemy recruit martial experts and sects to kill Li Musheng before he reached Martial God. As Li Musheng’s party reached tense High Mound City, rumors revealed that the Great Li Court’s negotiations with the martial sects were near collapse and that Great Zhou might be encouraging war.

• An unseen speaker urged Youshan and Ji Song to gather martial experts and enlist three major sects to kill Li Musheng, and Ji Song pledged his support.
• Emperor Yuanwu emerged from seclusion and issued an amnesty edict offering Falling God Peak’s assets to martial sects that submitted, while condemning the sect’s crimes and challenging the three foremost sects.
• Li Musheng’s party discussed the court’s campaign as they traveled toward Great Xuan, then reached High Mound City after more than half a month on the road.
• In a tavern, Li Musheng and his companions heard that Taiyin Origin Sect had rejected peace talks, the All-Under-Heaven Alliance was leaning toward war, and Great Yan Sword Sect remained undecided.
• A tavern guest claimed that Great Zhou was preparing to act and secretly encouraging Taiyin Origin Sect, alarming the people who feared an impending war.

Li Musheng and his companions stopped at a tavern, where a mysterious young man’s stolen item led him to pursue a little beggar who had taken it. The beggar mistook Li Musheng for a righteous busybody and begged him for mercy, while the item’s true purpose remained unknown.

• Cao Gaoshan asked for half a day to enter seclusion and attempt to reach the Heavenly Human Realm, crediting Li Musheng’s guidance.
• Two Great Xuan bounty hunters entered the tavern carrying severed heads, but an unseen attacker killed them as they approached a table in the corner.
• The cornered young man discovered that a valuable item had vanished and learned from his subordinates that a little beggar had likely stolen it.
• The little beggar returned to the tavern, realized her own item was missing, and fled after Li Musheng appeared behind her holding it.
• Li Musheng caught up with the little beggar, who fell to her knees and pleaded for mercy, claiming she had stolen because she had no other choice.

Li Musheng questioned a little beggar who had stolen an item and learned that her movement technique came from her master, the Thief Saint White Shadow. After demonstrating his overwhelming speed and restraining her, he waited with her in the tavern as the Sun-Moon Demon Cult members returned and accused him of conspiring with her.

• Li Musheng questioned the little beggar about her movement technique, and she claimed that the Thief Saint White Shadow was her master.
• The little beggar tried to escape, but Li Musheng caught her and demanded that she write down her movement technique in exchange for one of his martial arts.
• Li Musheng carried the little beggar back to the tavern in an instant, astounding her with his speed, then restrained her and threatened to hand her over to the people she had robbed.
• The little beggar warned Li Musheng that the people were from the Sun-Moon Demon Cult, but he silenced her and waited for them to return.
• The man and two black-robed elders came back to the tavern, recognized the little beggar, surrounded her and Li Musheng, and accused him of conspiring against them.

Li Musheng trapped the Sun-Moon Demon Cult members inside a tavern and left Cao Gaoshan to fight them while he watched from nearby with the little beggar. As Cao Gaoshan advanced toward the Heavenly Human Realm, Elder Sun failed to break Li Musheng’s barrier, and the little beggar chose Li Musheng’s acupoint-sealing martial art as payment for the Thief Saint’s movement technique.

• Li Musheng and the little beggar escaped the Sun-Moon Demon Cult members as Li Musheng sealed the tavern with heaven-and-earth true qi.
• Cao Gaoshan attacked the trapped cult members as he advanced toward the Heavenly Human Realm, and the big black cat watched from the windowsill.
• Elder Sun and a young man arrived, but Elder Sun’s powerful punch rebounded from Li Musheng’s barrier, preventing them from entering to retrieve two bodies.
• The little beggar asked Li Musheng why no one could enter the tavern, and he told her that he would not let them in.
• After the little beggar tried to pounce on Li Musheng and was stopped, she asked to learn his acupoint-sealing martial art.

Li Musheng took Bai Xiaotang in after discovering her connection to the Thief Saint, trading lessons in his Sunflower Acupoint Hand for the Thief Saint’s movement art. After Cao Gaoshan broke through to the Heavenly Human Realm, the group continued toward the Great Xuan Imperial Capital, where Bai Xiaotang trained and Li Musheng studied the movement art.

• Bai Xiaotang agreed to write out the Thief Saint’s movement art in exchange for learning Li Musheng’s Sunflower Acupoint Hand.
• Cao Gaoshan swiftly broke through to the Heavenly Human Realm, then dispersed the martial artists gathered outside the inn.
• Li Musheng stopped Bai Xiaotang from leaving with the young man and had her copy the movement art before Shen Anran and Cang Yinyue took her to bathe and change.
• Li Musheng’s group continued toward the Great Xuan Imperial Capital with Bai Xiaotang, who pestered the large black cat during the journey.
• After about seven days, Li Musheng finished teaching Bai Xiaotang the Sunflower Acupoint Hand and obtained the complete movement art; he told her she still needed years of practice to reach minor success.

Li Musheng and his companions reached Xuan'an City and learned that Great Xuan had imposed martial law after a major incident in the imperial capital. Bai Xiaotang revealed that a demonic essence she had stolen might be connected, and Li Musheng ended the chapter holding it and wondering what power the nine essences could grant.

• Bai Xiaotang asked to travel with Cang Yinyue and Shen Anran to the Great Xuan imperial capital, and they agreed.
• Li Musheng and his group reached Xuan'an City, where soldiers were inspecting travelers and enforcing a lockdown across the region.
• Bai Xiaotang said the sealed demonic essence she had stolen might explain the crisis, and Cao Gaoshan recounted the legend of the Demonic Path Patriarch and the nine essences.
• Bai Xiaotang realized the demonic essence could make her a target and let it fall, but Li Musheng caught it.
• Li Musheng considered the rumored reward for gathering all nine demonic essences and wondered whether it justified the effort.

Li Musheng and his companions forced their way into Xuan'an City amid a demonic cultivator riot, then left as officials tightened security around the roads to the Great Xuan Imperial Capital. Cao Gaoshan explained that Great Xuan secretly tolerated its three demonic sects to weaken the seven martial-world sects, though the sects had allied against the court.

• Bai Xiaotang recognized Li Musheng as Great Li's Eighth Prince and stayed with the group despite learning his identity.
• Xuan'an City tightened its entry checks, and demonic path cultivators rioted at the gate.
• Cao Gaoshan drove Li Musheng's carriage through the checkpoint, defeating the guards and the city's commanding general with help from an unseen expert inside.
• Great Xuan's Seventh Princess ordered an investigation into the carriage and surveillance of everyone traveling toward the Imperial Capital.
• Li Musheng's group passed through Xuan'an City and continued toward the Imperial Capital, while Cao Gaoshan explained the court's rivalry with the martial sects and demonic sects.

Li Musheng and his companions reached Grand Profound City, where the Great Xuan court had sealed the gates and refused entry to all who approached. Outside the blockade, a Young Marquis waited for his father to secure passage into the capital.

• Shen Anran questioned why the demonic sects had gathered the Demon Origins so openly beneath the Great Xuan court, but Li Musheng told Cao Gaoshan to focus on driving.
• Bai Xiaotang offered to guide Li Musheng through the Great Xuan Imperial Palace, while the big black cat also tried to join him; Li Musheng rejected them both as deadweight.
• Li Musheng and his companions forced their way through the checkpoints between Xuan'an City and the imperial capital, then arrived at Grand Profound City.
• The guards at Grand Profound City's gates refused entry to the waiting groups and threatened to kill anyone who tried to force their way inside.
• A woman in a red dress called Miss Han suggested that the Young Marquis return to Xuan'an City, but he said his father was coming to help them enter.

Han Meiyan’s attempt to use a young marquis to enter Grand Profound City failed when the court sealed the capital. Cao Gaoshan drove Li Musheng’s carriage toward the gates anyway, and Li Musheng’s power shattered the gateway and sent its silver-armored defender flying.

• Han Meiyan bewitched the young marquis into cursing the guards, but the silver-armored general’s display of power made him regain his senses and silenced the crowd.
• Cao Gaoshan drove the carriage toward Grand Profound City’s sealed gates despite the general’s warning to stop.
• Cao Gaoshan struck the gates with a blade radiance, and the silver-armored general counterattacked with two silver mad pythons.
• Li Musheng’s power dissipated the general’s attack and sent him crashing into the gates, shattering them as he spat blood and flew backward.

Li Musheng’s group forced their way through Grand Profound City’s gate and settled at an inn that Cang Yinyue suspected was a Great Li spy stronghold. The Great Xuan authorities alerted the palace to the unknown expert, while Li Musheng prepared to visit the palace to rescue the person Daoist Qingye had asked him to save.

• Cao Gaoshan drove the carriage through the city gate, and the person inside sent the gate commander and the other defenders flying beyond the city walls.
• Han Meiyan urged the Young Marquis to take advantage of the open gate, and their carriage entered the Imperial Capital alongside the crowd.
• An old eunuch ordered a warning sent to the palace after the defenders returned and found that the group had escaped into the city.
• Cang Yinyue recognized possible Hidden Spy Bureau markings near an inconspicuous inn, and Li Musheng’s group stopped there to rest.
• Li Musheng entered the inn with Cang Yinyue and Shen Anran, while Cao Gaoshan settled the carriage and Bai Xiaotang was left behind for her safety.

Han Meiyan visited Li Musheng in Grand Profound City, apologized for failing to find the Fire Qilin, and learned that he had seen through her attempt to remove the Life-Death Seal. She warned him that the three great demon sects and the Great Xuan Court were preparing for a dangerous confrontation over the demon essence.

• Han Meiyan secretly entered Li Musheng’s room and explained that the heir of Marquis Yongwu had delayed her visit.
• Li Musheng asked about the Fire Qilin, and Han Meiyan admitted she had found no useful information despite searching.
• Li Musheng warned Han Meiyan to honor his instructions and told her the Life-Death Seal would flare again in six months if she made no progress.
• Li Musheng sent a streak of talisman light into Han Meiyan, easing her discomfort, and allowed her to leave.
• Han Meiyan warned Li Musheng that the three great demon sects’ experts were entering Grand Profound City for the demon essence, while the Great Xuan Court had laid a trap for them.

Li Musheng set out at night for the Great Xuan Imperial Palace but got lost and arrived at a lavish palace instead. There, a plainly dressed woman confronted a young master and ordered him to return with her for another hundred strokes of the rod.

• Li Musheng waited until nightfall, informed Shen Anran and the others, and left the inn for the Great Xuan Imperial Palace.
• The innkeeper reported Li Musheng’s departure to the chief of the Hidden Spy Bureau, who discussed joining forces with the Demon Sects against the Great Xuan Court.
• The chief of the Hidden Spy Bureau ordered the innkeeper to watch the city and said he would go meet the experts of the Great Xuan Imperial Palace.
• Li Musheng followed his map poorly and arrived at a bustling palace, where he decided to find someone to give him directions.
• A plainly dressed woman entered the palace, and the young master in embroidered robes recognized her as his Elder Sister.
• The woman told the young master to come back with her and receive another hundred strokes of the rod.

Li Musheng seized Great Xuan's Seventh Princess, Zhao Muning, and forced her to guide him to the Great Xuan Imperial Palace. Zhao Muning’s two martial uncles pursued them as Li Musheng sped toward the palace with her.

• Li Musheng stopped the brocade-clad young master and seized him to make him lead the way to the Great Xuan Imperial Palace.
• Great Xuan's Seventh Princess, Zhao Muning, intervened, so Li Musheng released her younger brother and took her instead.
• Zhao Muning secretly called for her two martial uncles, but Li Musheng noticed and whisked her away across the rooftops.
• The two elderly women arrived, heard the brocade-clad young master's account, and pursued Li Musheng and Zhao Muning.
• Li Musheng asked Zhao Muning which way to go, and she pointed toward the Great Xuan Imperial Palace.

Li Musheng entered the Great Xuan Imperial Palace with Zhao Muning to find Daoist Qingye’s senior sister, who had been imprisoned over the Longevity Scripture. Unable to locate her discreetly, he decided to go directly to the Emperor of Great Xuan.

• The director of the Hidden Spy Bureau followed Li Musheng to the palace and slipped past its defenses without being detected.
• Li Musheng reached the palace with Zhao Muning and crossed its guards to enter.
• Li Musheng asked Zhao Muning where secret prisoners might be held, and she explained that few people would know.
• Li Musheng decided to question the Emperor of Great Xuan, and Zhao Muning reacted with shock.

Zhao Muning told Li Musheng about the Mystery Palace, a heavily guarded structure where the person he sought might be imprisoned. Li Musheng chose to go there with her, while Zhao Muning kept her identity as the Seventh Princess of Great Xuan concealed.

• Zhao Muning diverted Li Musheng from searching the consorts' quarters and told him about the Mystery Palace.
• Zhao Muning explained that the Mystery Palace had eighteen floors, powerful mechanisms, and a supreme expert guarding each floor.
• Li Musheng suspected the palace was a trap where captured martial artists and important prisoners were kept.
• Li Musheng confronted Zhao Muning about her motives, but she insisted the Mystery Palace was the place he needed to search.
• Li Musheng decided to visit the Mystery Palace with Zhao Muning and chose not to use the Life-Death Seal on her.

Li Musheng and Zhao Muning reached Mystery Palace, where the Hidden Spy Bureau chief escaped an ambush by two imperial eunuchs instead of entering the tower. As Li Musheng prepared to investigate, Zhao Muning recognized that his abilities resembled those of Great Li’s Eighth Prince.

• Li Musheng brought Zhao Muning to a palace roof near Mystery Palace and sensed a fight nearby.
• Two old eunuchs ambushed the Hidden Spy Bureau chief and tried to lead him into Mystery Palace, but he used a phantom body to escape.
• The eunuchs pursued the Hidden Spy Bureau chief, who suspected Mystery Palace was a trap and continued searching the imperial palace for his senior sister.
• Li Musheng watched the chief retreat and asked Zhao Muning whether she had entered Mystery Palace before.
• Zhao Muning said she had never entered and compared Li Musheng’s extraordinary martial abilities to Great Li’s Eighth Prince.