Chapter Summaries

Li Musheng used an obscure martial art to turn the attack of five Heavenly Human experts back on their group, then trapped all eleven beneath his bronze greatsword. After bringing them to the bronze palace, he tortured them and had Cang Yinyue interrogate them for clues about the Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury.

• Li Musheng used his self-created martial arts to withstand the attackers’ combined assault and pinned the two old eunuchs and Green Mountain Tower’s people beneath his bronze greatsword.
• Bu Chengyang asked Li Musheng about his technique, and Li Musheng claimed he had created it himself.
• Li Musheng placed Life-Death Seals in the eleven captives and carried them out of the pool on the bronze greatsword.
• Bu Chengyang dragged the stunned A Bin to the surface while Cang Yinyue followed Li Musheng.
• In the bronze palace, Li Musheng tortured the captives with the Life-Death Seals, then had Cang Yinyue interrogate them as A Bin feared he would be tortured next.

Li Musheng uncovered clues about the Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury keys and offered Cang Yinyue the chance to claim the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword. As the sword revealed its true form, it roared and split the bronze palace dome with a single slash.

• Li Musheng and Cang Yinyue learned that the Second Prince, Li Que, and a woman in the Great Li imperial family might hold two Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury keys, while the Green Mountain Tower master and other dynasties might possess more.
• Li Musheng decided the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword was of no use to him and offered it to Cang Yinyue so she could grow stronger.
• Li Musheng struck the sword with overwhelming force, shattering its bronze shell and revealing its radiant azure blade.
• Bu Chengyang doubted that Cang Yinyue could control the divine sword because she had not reached the Grandmaster Realm.
• The Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword roared and sent an azure slash through the bronze palace dome, splitting it in two.

Li Musheng subdued the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword and made it recognize Cang Yinyue as its master, giving her the divine artifact. He then prepared to use the sword to draw out the Azure Dragon true qi from the mechanism beneath Lock Dragon Well Ward.

• Li Musheng forced the agitated Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword to calm down and bend, then restored it and sent it to Cang Yinyue.
• The Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword drained Cang Yinyue's martial true qi and formed a faint connection with her as she briefly lost consciousness.
• Li Musheng told Cang Yinyue to keep the sword, while Bu Chengyang and A Bin watched enviously.
• Bu Chengyang explained that the mechanism's core lay beneath the ancient well in Lock Dragon Well Ward and could be used to draw forth the Azure Dragon true qi.
• Li Musheng led Bu Chengyang out of the Bronze Palace and told Cang Yinyue to bring the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword.

Li Musheng drew the Azure Dragon true qi from beneath Lock Dragon Well and absorbed it, improving his physique. Afterward, he discovered an Azure Dragon True Seal in his dantian, a mark of supreme mastery of the Azure Dragon Firmament Scripture.

• Cang Yinyue recalled the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword and followed Li Musheng and the others to Lock Dragon Well.
• Bu Chengyang warned Li Musheng to master the Azure Dragon Firmament Scripture before trying to draw out the true qi, but Li Musheng revealed he had already mastered it.
• Li Musheng used the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword to collect the Azure Dragon true qi sealed beneath the well and absorbed it in nine rounds.
• Li Musheng circulated the Azure Dragon Firmament Scripture and absorbed all the true qi, improving his physique by roughly ten percent.
• Li Musheng examined his dantian and found an illusory Azure Dragon True Seal, which appeared upon reaching the scripture's supreme level.

Li Musheng left Lock Dragon Well with the Azure Dragon Firmament Scripture, the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword, and all the Azure Dragon true qi, while leaving Bu Chengyang and A Bin unharmed. He and Cang Yinyue headed back to the Heavenly Brocade Guard Headquarters, with Cang Yinyue keeping the sword.

• Li Musheng dismissed the idea that the Azure Dragon True Seal would necessarily become a supreme true dragon, but kept it in his dantian to see whether it would change.
• Bu Chengyang and A Bin feared Li Musheng might kill them to keep the events at Lock Dragon Well secret, but he departed without threatening them.
• A Bin and Bu Chengyang speculated that Li Musheng might be Great Li’s newly acknowledged Eighth Prince and agreed to conceal what had happened.
• Bu Chengyang told A Bin they would remain in the Great Yan Sword Sect and said he would invent an excuse for their failed attempt to seize the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword.
• Li Musheng told Cang Yinyue to keep the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword and say he had given it to her as they returned to the Heavenly Brocade Guard Headquarters.

Li Musheng admitted to Guan Tianqian that he had killed everyone in Marquis Cangyuan Mansion and Imperial Concubine Ji, then asked whether they deserved to die. Guan Tianqian agreed and knelt, acknowledging that he had overstepped by investigating the matter.

• Cang Yinyue vowed to follow Li Musheng and devote herself to finding the Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury.
• Li Musheng revealed that Guan Tianqian had been following them, and Guan Tianqian appeared inside the carriage.
• Li Musheng pressed Guan Tianqian about the Marquis Cangyuan Mansion case and the words left at the scene.
• Li Musheng admitted killing the people in Marquis Cangyuan Mansion and Imperial Concubine Ji.
• Li Musheng asked whether those people deserved to die, and Guan Tianqian said they did before kneeling and admitting he had pried too deeply.

Li Musheng let Guan Tianqian leave despite his knowing Li’s secret, then reassured Cang Yinyue that others would bear the consequences if the truth came out. Back at the Heavenly Brocade Guard Headquarters, Li learned that the Third Prince was demanding to see him and that Fu Qiwen wanted to discuss an important matter.

• Li Musheng dismissed Guan Tianqian without demands, then flung him from the carriage when he hesitated to leave.
• Guan Tianqian realized Li Musheng could have killed him effortlessly and decided not to meddle in the matter anymore.
• Cang Yinyue worried that Guan Tianqian might reveal Li Musheng’s secret, but Li said others would have to answer for it if the secret came out.
• Li Musheng and Cang Yinyue returned to the Heavenly Brocade Guard Headquarters, where Yu Jin reported that the Third Prince had come looking for Li and planned to return.
• Li Musheng told Yu Jin to bring the Third Prince to his courtyard if he came back, then went with Yu Jin to meet Fu Qiwen.

Li Musheng agreed to travel early to Sheng Province and investigate whether Mei Yan and Governor Zhu Ziming were conspiring with Falling God Peak. As he prepared to leave Cang Yinyue behind in Shangyang City, a guard announced that the Third Prince was coming to see him.

• Yu Jin noticed Cang Yinyue's sword, and Li Musheng identified it as the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword he had given her.
• Fu Qiwen showed Li Musheng a report alleging that Mei Yan and Zhu Ziming were closely associating with Falling God Peak, and asked him to investigate on his way to Lanzhou.
• Li Musheng agreed to help Fu Qiwen, who arranged for the Right Deputy Commander to accompany him to Sheng Province.
• Li Musheng returned to his courtyard and told Cang Yinyue to stay in Shangyang City to search for the remaining Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury key.
• A guard reported that the Third Prince had arrived and was on his way to Li Musheng.

Third Prince Li Zhu confronted Li Musheng over the search for Imperial Concubine Ji’s killer, but Li Musheng had him killed after questioning him about the Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury keys. Zeng Hai hid Li Zhu’s body and rushed to report the death to Commander Fu Qiwen.

• Li Zhu attacked Li Musheng, and Cang Yinyue wounded him with the Dragon-Controlling Divine Sword before Li Musheng killed the black-robed protector.
• Li Musheng revealed that he had killed Imperial Concubine Ji, and Cang Yinyue confronted Li Zhu about Ji’s crimes.
• Li Musheng’s Life-Death Seal incapacitated Li Zhu, and Cang Yinyue interrogated him about the Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury keys before he died.
• Cang Yinyue reported that Li Zhu believed the Second Prince had found leads on the remaining keys, including one likely held by the Eldest Princess.
• Li Musheng ordered Zeng Hai to handle Li Zhu’s corpse, and Zeng Hai hid it before reporting the death to Fu Qiwen.
• Fu Qiwen froze in shock when Zeng Hai told him Li Zhu had died.

Fu Qiwen concealed Li Zhu’s death and sent Li Musheng out of Shangyang City, while Li Que and Ji Song suspected Li Musheng of causing the Third Prince’s disappearance and began pursuing him. The chapter ended as Old Man Wuxiang learned that news had surfaced about his enemy.

• Fu Qiwen ordered Zeng Hai to hide Li Zhu’s body, then secretly deliver it to the Third Prince’s residence after Fu Qiwen left the capital, and sent a disguised subordinate out to buy time.
• Fu Qiwen dispatched Li Musheng toward Lanzhou with Hu Ruian and Murong Xiaoya, while a palace guard who had lost track of Li Musheng returned to find that he had already left Shangyang City.
• Ji Song and Li Que concluded that Li Musheng might be responsible for Li Zhu’s disappearance after learning a carriage had left Heavenly Brocade Guard Headquarters, and Li Que offered his martial experts to help capture him.
• Old Man Wuxiang refused to leave his entertainment when Steward Song summoned him, but changed his attention when told that news had been found about his enemy.

Old Man Wuxiang learned that the man who killed his disciple was the newly recognized Eighth Prince, Li Musheng, and agreed to act on Li Que’s offer to capture him. Meanwhile, Li Musheng’s party traveled toward Falling God Peak, reaching a town after leaving Jing Province.

• Steward Song told Old Man Wuxiang that the suspects were staying at the Heavenly Brocade Guard Headquarters and that one of them was the Eighth Prince.
• Li Que offered to help Old Man Wuxiang avenge his disciple in exchange for questioning the captured prince, and Old Man Wuxiang accepted.
• Li Musheng and his companions traveled through the night and left Jing Province, facing delays from jianghu conflicts and bandits along the road.
• Wu Shang suggested stopping at a town inn to rest the horses, and Li Musheng left the decision to Hu Ruian.
• Li Musheng’s party reached a bustling small town while continuing toward Falling God Peak.

Li Musheng stopped at an inn with his companions, where a gong cleared the town’s streets for a planned martial arts duel. When a white-robed swordsman claimed the open window and threatened Li Musheng, Li ordered Wu Shang to throw him out.

• Li Musheng focused on studying and improving the Azure Dragon Firmament Scripture during the journey.
• A gong sounded, and townsfolk and visitors cleared the street in preparation for a duel between martial arts experts.
• A white-robed young man entered the inn’s second floor, demanded the group leave the window open, and sat at their table.
• Li Musheng ordered Wu Shang to throw the young man out.
• Wu Shang seized the young man and hurled him through the window onto the bluestone street.

Li Musheng and his companions watched a duel between a saber-wielding young man and the God-Slaying Spear wielder, though Li Musheng remained focused on the Azure Dragon Firmament Scripture. The two fighters traded a devastating exchange without either gaining the upper hand, while the young man in white stayed wary on a nearby rooftop.

• Wu Shang threw the young man in white out of the inn, and the young man retreated to a rooftop after realizing Li Musheng's group might be formidable.
• Guests identified the young man in white as the White Sand Gang leader's son, but Wu Shang ignored the threat.
• A muscular young man with a broad saber confronted the God-Slaying Spear wielder over the deaths of his junior brothers and sisters.
• The spear wielder attacked, and the saber wielder countered; their clash sent shockwaves through the street and forced both men to retreat.
• Hu Ruian explained the God-Slaying Spear Sect's reputation, while Li Musheng dismissed the fighters as rookies and told Murong Xiaoya he had opened the window for ventilation.

Qin Hao was cornered by Sha Wen Shan and two White Sand Gang experts while Sun Shao watched. A red-clad woman rushed in to save him, and Li Musheng recognized her as his little fangirl and sent Cao Gaoshan to intervene.

• Murong Xiaoya timidly fell silent after asking Li Musheng a question, while Hu Ruian observed the prince's bearing.
• Sun Shao identified Qin Hao as a likely member of Tianhe Blade Sect, and Sha Wen Shan ordered two companions to help him capture Qin Hao for the other half of the map.
• Qin Hao fought off Sha Wen Shan and the two experts with his Tianhe Blade Technique, but feared he would be overwhelmed as Sun Shao blocked his escape.
• A red-clad woman threw flying daggers at the attackers and rushed to save Qin Hao, ignoring his warning to flee.
• Li Musheng recognized the woman as his little fangirl, declined to act himself, and approved Cao Gaoshan's offer to intervene; Cao Gaoshan vanished from the courtyard.

Cao Gaoshan intervened when Sha Wen Shan captured Qin Hao and defeated Sha Wen Shan and his two companions with a single saber slash. As the white-clad young man rushed to his father, Shangguan Qingqing went to find Qin Hao.

• The white-clad young man attacked Shangguan Qingqing, forcing her to stop pursuing Sha Wen Shan and defend herself.
• Sha Wen Shan and two middle-aged men suppressed Qin Hao, took his saber, and demanded the other half of the map.
• Cao Gaoshan appeared on a rooftop and struck Sha Wen Shan and the other two down with one saber slash.
• Hu Ruian and Wu Shang wondered at Cao Gaoshan's growing strength and his deference to Li Musheng, who judged the slash far from adequate.
• The white-clad young man rushed toward his injured father, while Shangguan Qingqing hurried to find Qin Hao.

Li Musheng revealed that he had sent Cao Gaoshan to rescue Shangguan Qingqing and Qin Hao, leaving Qin Hao to decide how to deal with the White Sand Gang. With Cao Gaoshan supporting them, the gang members tried to bargain and invoke their powerful backers.

• Shangguan Qingqing freed Qin Hao and thanked Cao Gaoshan, who had kept Sun Shao from interfering.
• Shangguan Qingqing recognized Li Musheng at the inn and excitedly called him the number one under heaven, while Qin Hao doubted her.
• Cao Gaoshan revealed that Li Musheng had ordered him to help Shangguan Qingqing, and Li Musheng invited her upstairs for tea after the matter was settled.
• Cao Gaoshan told Qin Hao he could deal with the White Sand Gang however he wished.
• The young man in white warned Qin Hao not to provoke the force behind the White Sand Gang, while Sun Shao appealed to the God-Slaying Spear Sect and Sha Wen Shan offered a bargain.

Qin Hao learned that the White Sand Gang had sought a jade pendant for the All-Under-Heaven Alliance, then killed its leader and Sun Shao to avenge his sectmates. He delivered the pendant and a warning not to touch Falling God Peak to Li Musheng’s party, where Hu Ruian discovered that it contained a secret map of the peak’s defenses that differed from the Heavenly Brocade Guard’s version.

• Sha Wen Shan revealed that the All-Under-Heaven Alliance had ordered the White Sand Gang to find the jade pendant, and Sun Shao confirmed that the God-Slaying Spear Sect had joined the alliance.
• Qin Hao attacked and killed Sun Shao with Cao Gaoshan’s help, then pursued and beheaded Sha Wen Shan and the young man in white before gathering the other attackers’ heads.
• Shangguan Qingqing and Qin Hao returned to the inn, where Qin Hao revealed that a dying court messenger had warned his junior brother, “do not touch Falling God Peak.”
• Qin Hao gave Li Musheng the half pendant and explained that the messenger had been carrying intelligence to the Great Li court when he was attacked.
• Hu Ruian examined the pendant and found a detailed map of Falling God Peak’s terrain and defenses, which differed from the Heavenly Brocade Guard’s map.

Li Musheng and the Heavenly Brocade Guard continued toward Falling God Peak, while Shangguan Qingqing prepared to return to her sect and confront the All-Under-Heaven Alliance. In Shangyang City, Fu Qiwen departed to pursue Falling God Peak, and Zeng Hai tried to dispose of Li Zhu’s corpse.

• Hu Ruian decided to keep the half jade pendant and focus on the plan to exterminate Falling God Peak.
• Li Musheng gave Shangguan Qingqing a Heavenly Brocade Guard seal token and advised her to claim she had joined the Guard if the All-Under-Heaven Alliance threatened her sect.
• Shangguan Qingqing rode away with Qin Hao to destroy the White Sand Gang, while Li Musheng and the others resumed their journey toward Lanzhou.
• Fu Qiwen secretly left Shangyang City, resolving to destroy Falling God Peak and abandon his former affairs in the capital.
• After learning Fu Qiwen had left, Zeng Hai carried Li Zhu’s corpse toward the Third Prince’s residence, panicked at the guards, and abandoned the body in an alley.

After Li Zhu’s corpse was found outside the Third Prince’s residence, Ji Song and Li Que demanded a citywide search for the killer. The Queen ordered Shangyang City sealed and the palace defenses strengthened, while Li Tianyi suggested that Li Zhu’s murderer might also have killed Imperial Concubine Ji.

• A shadowy figure placed Li Zhu’s corpse conspicuously at the mouth of an alley before leaving Shangyang City.
• Li Que told Ji Song he believed Li Zhu was outside the city and had sent an expert to retrieve him.
• Guards discovered that the body outside the residence was Li Zhu, and Ji Song demanded that Shangyang City be sealed until the murderer was found.
• Ji Song blamed Fu Qiwen and Li Musheng and vowed to kill them, while Li Que sent messages ordering action across the capital.
• The Queen ordered Shangyang City sealed and court departments to pursue the killer, then strengthened the palace defenses.
• Li Tianyi suggested that the same person might have killed Imperial Concubine Ji and Li Zhu, making the prince’s murder a possible lead.

After Li Zhu’s death shook Shangyang City, Li Tianyi promised the Queen he would find the murderer before Emperor Yuanwu emerged from seclusion. In the Heavenly Prison, Li Zhi learned of the capital’s turmoil and the Heavenly Brocade Guard’s move against Falling God Peak, then asked Shen Qiming about a matter he had assigned earlier.

• The Queen told Li Tianyi to solve Li Zhu’s murder before Emperor Yuanwu emerged from seclusion, and Li Tianyi agreed to spare no effort.
• Li Tianyi left Fengyi Palace and wondered how the Eighth Prince was connected to the deaths of Imperial Concubine Ji and Li Zhu.
• News of Li Zhu’s death spread through Shangyang City, and the remaining princes’ residences tightened their security under martial lockdowns.
• Shen Qiming reported to Li Zhi that the Right Chancellor and the Second Prince had surrounded the Heavenly Brocade Guard Headquarters over Li Zhu’s death.
• Li Zhi considered Fu Qiwen’s planned campaign against Falling God Peak suicidal and noted that Li Musheng had joined it.
• Li Zhi asked Shen Qiming whether he had received a reply about the matter Li Zhi had assigned him earlier.