Recaps

After his trial lecture, Le Yu invited his students to help develop Jing Zhengwei-ism and fended off the Radiant palace masters’ attempts to draw close to him. As Ming Shuiyun pulled him away, Qin Yueshi mistakenly concluded that her eldest brother was courting all seven potential empresses to secure influence over the future throne.

• Students crowded Le Yu with questions, and Ming Shuangli challenged him by asking whether he wanted to become the Huiyao Prince.
• Le Yu described the qualities he sought in students, then invited everyone to help refine Jing Zhengwei-ism, and the students enthusiastically agreed.
• Ming Shuangli asked Le Yu whether he knew a red-haired girl named Le Yu and mentioned an outfit she had once given him; Qin Yueshi connected the clues to his cross-dressing disguise.
• Ming Shuangli and the other Radiant palace masters invited Le Yu to spend time with them, but Ming Shuiyun grabbed his hand and pulled him away.
• Qin Yueshi guessed that Qin Leyin was trying to win over all seven potential empresses so he could influence the future ruler and govern from the harem.

Qian Yuya questioned Qin Yueshi about how Qin Leyin knew her and considered the hidden connections between him, Jing Zhengwei, and her late brother. She decided to meet Qin Leyin alone to thank him and discuss other matters, while Qin Yueshi mistakenly assumed she might be falling for him.

• Qian Yuya confirmed that Qin Yueshi had never told Qin Leyin her name, and Qin Yueshi guessed that he had investigated her through his contacts.
• Qian Yuya reflected on the links among Qin Leyin, Jing Zhengwei, Yin Yinyin, and Qian Yuliu, and suspected Qin Leyin might know the truth behind them.
• Qian Yuya told Qin Yueshi she wanted to visit Qin Leyin alone to thank him for easing the class's resentment toward her and to discuss other matters.
• Qin Yueshi assumed Qian Yuya was attracted to Qin Leyin and tried to warn her that he might have been forced to wear women's clothing.
• Qin Yueshi accidentally called Qin Leyin her future brother-in-law, then hastily denied what she had said.

Le Yu pushed Ming Shuiyun away with sarcasm after she exposed their relationship, then told her to focus on campus life and contact him only with news. Later, he returned to his dormitory to read Qing Lan’s letter, but Qian Yuya arrived and greeted him as Teacher Red Le, prompting him to identify himself as Qin Yueshi’s elder brother, Qin Leyin.

• Ming Shuiyun apologized for revealing her relationship with Le Yu, but Le Yu responded with sarcasm and refused to explain his displeasure.
• Ming Shuiyun offered Le Yu her neck, but he rejected her and teased her about smelling bad.
• Le Yu told Ming Shuiyun to enjoy campus life and seek him out only if she had news, and she returned to class.
• Le Yu collected Qing Lan’s letter, ate at the Dog Food Cafeteria, and returned to his dormitory to prepare to read it.
• Qian Yuya visited Le Yu at night, and he introduced himself as Qin Yueshi’s elder brother, Qin Leyin.

Qian Yuya visited Le Yu at night to ask about Yin Yinyin, and Le Yu tried to discourage her from pursuing the matter. She revealed that Jing Zhengwei had told her Yin Yinyin’s name.

• Qian Yuya insisted on speaking privately, so Le Yu let her into his home.
• Le Yu tried to distract Qian Yuya with friendly questions and concern about her studies and personal life.
• Qian Yuya asked Le Yu whether he knew Yin Yinyin and said her elder brother’s friend had mentioned him.
• Le Yu warned Qian Yuya not to associate with people investigating the Silver Blood Society’s secrets and prepared to send her away.
• Qian Yuya told Le Yu that Jing Zhengwei had told her about Yin Yinyin.

Qian Yuya confronted Le Yu about Jing Zhengwei and her brother, but he refused to answer her questions. After Qin Yueshi visited and accused Le Yu of killing Jing Zhengwei, Qian Yuya overheard the revelation from the bedroom.

• Qian Yuya claimed Jing Zhengwei had told her that Yin Yinyin killed her brother, and Le Yu realized Qin Leyin had deliberately exposed his connection to her.
• Le Yu refused to explain Jing Zhengwei, Yin Yinyin, or Qian Yuliu to Qian Yuya, who remained determined to uncover the truth.
• Qin Yueshi arrived after giving Qian Yuya Le Yu's address and warned him not to do anything reckless to her friend.
• Qin Yueshi offered to help with Le Yu's plan at the Imperial Academy and rejected the idea that his actions could compensate for Jing Zhengwu's death.
• Qin Yueshi accused Le Yu of establishing a course about Jing Zhengwei because he regarded him as a friend, then declared that Le Yu had killed Jing Zhengwei himself.
• Qian Yuya overheard Qin Yueshi's accusation from behind the bedroom door.

Qin Yueshi revealed that Qin Leyin had killed Jing Zhengwei, and Qian Yuya overheard the truth. Ming Shuiyun arrived at Le Yu’s room, prompting Qin Yueshi to hide in the bedroom with Qian Yuya as Le Yu opened the door.

• Qin Yueshi told Le Yu that she suspected he had killed Jing Zhengwei to make amends by living as him, and Le Yu brushed off her apology.
• Ming Shuiyun knocked on Le Yu’s door, and Qin Yueshi withdrew to avoid interrupting what she assumed was a private meeting.
• Qin Yueshi spotted Professor Zhu Yan outside and slipped into the nearby bedroom instead of leaving through the balcony.
• Qian Yuya pinned Qin Yueshi against the bedroom wall and covered her mouth as Le Yu opened the door to Ming Shuiyun.

Ming Shuiyun confronted Le Yu about their relationship and asked to become his sincere partner rather than remain safely on the sidelines. Le Yu refused, but she ended their argument by declaring that she was his master.

• Ming Shuiyun insisted on talking with Le Yu that night, and he agreed to speak with her in his room when Zhu Yan stopped outside in the corridor.
• Ming Shuiyun challenged Le Yu's sarcasm, arguing that he used it to keep people at a distance and protect them from grieving when he died.
• Ming Shuiyun said she wanted to fight alongside Le Yu and proposed that they use each other honestly to fulfill their promise.
• Le Yu dismissed her proposal and ruffled her hair, but Ming Shuiyun brushed his hand aside and declared, "Because I'm your master!"

Le Yu accepted Ming Shuiyun’s offer to become her feeder, but Senior Mentor Zhu Yan interrupted them to discuss complaints about his teaching. While Le Yu was away, Qian Yuya, Qin Yueshi, and Ming Shuiyun confronted one another over their secrets and motives, leaving Qin Yueshi willing to trust Qian Yuya as she tried to earn Le Yu’s trust.

• Le Yu recognized that Ming Shuiyun’s request to become her feeder gave her leverage over him, then agreed to serve her after affirming her ability and resolve.
• Senior Mentor Zhu Yan arrived to discuss the sixteen complaints about Le Yu’s trial lecture and led him away from his room.
• Qin Yueshi and Qian Yuya questioned each other about Jing Zhengwei, Le Yu’s secrets, and their reasons for visiting him, while Ming Shuiyun was caught between them.
• Qin Yueshi restrained Qian Yuya to protect Le Yu, but Qian Yuya argued that Qin Yueshi’s resentment came from feeling neglected and used as a pawn.
• Qian Yuya said she would stand with Qin Yueshi and work to earn Le Yu’s trust because she had already lost someone to fate.

Le Yu explained Jing Qingfu’s strategy of testing allies and enemies through a story he planned to turn into a classroom game, and Zhu Yan agreed to give him a chance to defend his teaching methods. Zhu Yan then revealed that Bai Yu and Qin Xiao had both been his students.

• Zhu Yan confronted Le Yu about a female student entering his room and warned him to protect the Imperial Academy’s reputation.
• Zhu Yan criticized Le Yu for using students as teaching tools, and Le Yu argued that his unconventional lessons were necessary.
• Le Yu described Jing Qingfu’s wine banquet, where he identified which merchants could be allies by observing who endured threats without yielding.
• Le Yu connected the story to how the powerful shift conflicts onto outsiders and the ruled, and said he wanted students to recognize the real source of harm.
• Zhu Yan offered to help Le Yu if his next class earned more letters of praise than complaints, then revealed that Bai Yu and Qin Xiao had both been his students.

Le Yu spoke with Zhu Yan about Qin Xiao and Bai Yu’s rebellious years at the Royal Academy, and learned that Zhu Yan still felt bound to his former students. The chapter ended with Le Yu asking Zhu Yan how to cancel the Holy Sword Huiyao’s suspension, prompting Zhu Yan to realize he was being asked to help start a rebellion.

• Zhu Yan told Le Yu about Bai Yu’s wild Swift Blade exploits at the Royal Academy and his later reforms to the Swift Blade Course.
• Zhu Yan recalled that Qin Xiao had brought him wine on his first day and that both Qin Xiao and Bai Yu had taught him about cultivating connections and Swift Blade techniques.
• Le Yu confirmed that he was at the Royal Academy because of the struggle for the throne, and Zhu Yan offered to help him once in repayment for his years with Qin Xiao and Bai Yu.
• Le Yu asked Zhu Yan to reveal how to cancel the Holy Sword Huiyao’s suspension, a method Qin Xiao and Bai Yu had failed to discover.
• Zhu Yan recognized that Le Yu’s request amounted to helping start a rebellion and regretted confiscating Qin Xiao’s wine.

Qian Yueyang dealt with the Statistics Department’s attempts to exploit him while Qin Leyin’s unconventional lesson made him the talk of the Imperial Academy. Qian Yuya met Qin Leyin and asked to become his family.

• Qian Yueyang refused Xianchan Chenchen’s demands for overtime, and Xianchan ordered his officers to find ways to trouble him without harming him.
• Qian Yueyang read the Imperial Academy’s lively discussions about Qin Leyin’s teaching and learned that his elder brother had gone to meet one of Qin Yueshi’s classmates.
• Qin Yueshi told Qin Yueyang that her classmate had overheard that Qin Leyin killed Jing Zhengwei, but she insisted her elder brother would handle the matter.
• Le Yu met Qian Yuya at the Imperial Academy and asked what she wanted in exchange for keeping his secret.
• Qian Yuya told Le Yu that she wanted to become his family.

Le Yu rejected Qian Yuya’s offer to become his family or lover, but she explained that she wanted to work with him while deciding whether to join White Night. Their conversation left Le Yu questioning whether Qian Yuliu had truly believed in White Night’s ideals.

• Le Yu joked that Qian Yuya wanted to become his mother, then teased her about being his lover, and she calmly accepted even the prospect of marriage and children.
• Le Yu ended their proposed deal, refused to share information about Qian Yuliu, Yin Yinyin, and Jing Zhengwei, and told Qian Yuya to stop meeting him.
• Qian Yuya said she had tested Le Yu and found that he was the right person, while Le Yu insisted that he would not treat people as commodities.
• Qian Yuya offered to provide White Night intelligence and secretly cooperate with the organization, explaining that she was still deciding whether to join it.
• Qian Yuya questioned whether Qian Yuliu had truly believed in White Night’s ideals, and Le Yu withheld the answer because he knew the truth.

Qian Yuya revealed that Qian Yuliu, Jing Zhengwei, Yin Yinyin, and Qin Leyin were the inheritances that gave her life meaning, and Le Yu realized she had awakened the Cold-Blooded Physique. To keep her from making herself someone else’s tool, he claimed they belonged to a secret organization dedicated to an egalitarian society and urged her to love her country.

• Qian Yuya explained that Qian Yuliu had joined White Night to give her a chance to escape Star Engraving Prefecture, though he had never truly believed in the organization.
• Qian Yuya told Le Yu that Qian Yuliu, Yin Yinyin, and Jing Zhengwei had been the inheritances that sustained her, and that Le Yu was the fourth because he knew their secrets and understood her.
• Le Yu realized Qian Yuya had awakened the Cold-Blooded Physique and depended on him as her reason to live.
• Le Yu decided to guide Qian Yuya rather than let her become someone else’s tool, while concealing that he might not live another six months.
• Le Yu told Qian Yuya that he, Qian Yuliu, Jing Zhengwei, and Yin Yinyin belonged to an organization seeking a classless society, and urged her to love her country.

Le Yu invented an organization tied to a future-sending device called the Echo to explain why he, Yin Yinyin, and others had killed people destined to die. He left Qian Yuya with the claim that the River of Time ensured those deaths would happen one way or another.

• Le Yu claimed Qian Yuya could not join his organization because she had not unlocked its inner heart-lock, then linked its purpose to Jing Zhengwei's novel, "Echoes of the Future."
• Le Yu told Qian Yuya that Jing Zhengwei, Qian Yuliu, Yin Yinyin, and he knew the future through the Echo, which carried information backward through time.
• Le Yu explained the Observer Effect with a cat in a sealed box and said the River of Time fixed the moment of the cat's death.
• Le Yu admitted that he had killed Jing Zhengwei and Yin Yinyin had killed Qian Yuliu, claiming both men had been destined to die.
• Le Yu told Qian Yuya that the deaths had resulted from coinciding circumstances beyond anyone's will.

Le Yu convinced Qian Yuya that he and the others had gained future knowledge through Echoes, then welcomed her into their cause and recruited her to gather White Night intelligence. He named their future-founded organization Le Yu and revealed his own code name was Number Four.

• Le Yu explained that the Echoes members were driven by different motives and that Qian Yuliu had stayed behind because leaving with Qian Yuya would likely have led to his death.
• Le Yu showed Qian Yuya a mobile phone and claimed it was a communication tool from the future, convincing her to believe his account and inherit Qian Yuliu's aspirations.
• Le Yu welcomed Qian Yuya into his family and urged her to devote herself to the struggle for humanity's liberation.
• Le Yu offered Qian Yuya a place in the Huiyao Four Guards, and she proposed joining Flame Capital White Night to gather intelligence for him.
• Le Yu told Qian Yuya that their future-founded organization was called Le Yu and that his code name was Number Four.

The Steam Merchant Guild’s first edition of the Peerless Ranking sold out in Flame Capital as readers chased its rare Lan Yan cards. At the Imperial Academy, Le Yu stirred up opposition to Lan Yan, and Qian Yuya joined him for a meal.

• The Steam Merchant Guild launched the Peerless Ranking in Flame Capital, where promotional posters and collectible cards drew eager crowds.
• After the first ten thousand copies sold out, wealthy merchants offered high prices for rare epic cards and the unique flash card.
• Xianchan Chenchen sent agents to ask Le Yu to print a supplementary edition, but Le Yu refused and insulted him.
• Imperial Academy students debated Lan Yan’s ranking, while Le Yu secretly used the Qi Harmony Combat Arts to provoke them into denouncing Lan Yan.
• Le Yu completed his mission to turn Imperial Academy students against Lan Yan, and Qian Yuya carried her tray over and sat across from him.

Le Yu met with Qian Yuya, Qin Yueshi, and Ming Shuiyun, who showed him the announcement for the academy’s All-Knowing Eye competition. He learned that the examination was designed to be won through cheating, and the next game had begun.

• Le Yu sat with Qian Yuya, Qin Yueshi, and Ming Shuiyun as they discussed their friendships and Qin Yueshi’s frustration over failing to draw an Epic Card.
• Ming Shuiyun revealed that she had drawn the rare River-Slaying Lan Yan card and offered it to Qin Yueshi, who declined.
• Qian Yuya told Le Yu that they had come to find him, and the sickle-and-hammer symbol on his hand warmed.
• Ming Shuiyun showed Le Yu the announcement for the All-Knowing Eye Title Competition, which required students to pay ten Coins to enter.
• Qian Yuya and Qin Yueshi explained that students could leave early with their scratch paper, allowing others to learn the questions and cheat.
• Ming Shuiyun declared that the examination tested students’ ability to cheat, and Le Yu realized the next game had begun.

Le Yu learned that the All-Knowing Eye examination would begin the Sword Quest for Succession, then visited the White Box Library to investigate a plan for the test. There, he met the first-year student Kui Nianruo, whose name stirred painful memories as he remained determined to see Lan Yan die.

• Ming Shuiyun explained that the All-Knowing Eye examination would award points toward winning the Holy Sword Huiyao, and Le Yu suspected the Sword Bearer had improvised the contest.
• Ming Shuiyun, Qian Yuya, Qin Yueshi, and Le Yu prepared to cheat on the examination, and Qian Yuya asked whether her roommate Lin Xue could join them.
• Le Yu felt old pain when Qian Yuya mentioned Lin Xue and reaffirmed his resolve to make Lan Yan die a spectacular death.
• Le Yu went to the White Box Library to research an idea for the examination while Ming Shuiyun attended class.
• Le Yu met the library’s part-time worker, Kui Nianruo, a first-year student in the Imperial Guard Faction.

Le Yu visited the White Box with Kui Nianruo to find past All-Knowing Eye results and bought examination analyses from curator Cha Shiyin. He learned that the material’s compiler was Shi Wen, who accused him of helping Ming Shuiyun cheat and challenged him over the upcoming examination.

• Le Yu reflected on the people he had hurt and felt guilty about Yin Yinyin stabbing Kui Nianruo while saving him from Kui Zhao.
• Kui Nianruo guided Le Yu through the White Box and took him to curator Cha Shiyin’s office.
• Cha Shiyin sold Le Yu past All-Knowing Eye analyses and offered to introduce him to their compiler, last year’s top individual scorer.
• Shi Wen arrived and accused Le Yu of helping Ming Shuiyun cheat, then pointed out that Le Yu would have to help her take the All-Knowing Eye.

Le Yu learned that Shi Wen’s knowledge of the White Box Library could decide the All-Knowing Eye exam, making him a powerful potential ally or rival in the struggle surrounding Ming Shuiyun. Shi Wen tried to provoke Le Yu into humiliating him, but Le Yu held back and was left facing the prospect of asking his enemy for help.

• Kui Nianruo reflected that Shi Wen had a reputation for clashing with people, though she did not think he was inherently bad.
• Cha Shiyin explained that Shi Wen could join the All-Knowing Eye exam despite not being a student, but could not earn credits or graduate.
• Shi Wen taunted Le Yu and asserted that Le Yu was no longer in control, while Le Yu resisted the urge to insult him.
• Le Yu realized that Shi Wen’s exam experience and familiarity with the White Box Library made him exceptionally effective at finding answers for cheating teams.
• Le Yu inferred that Shi Wen had recognized the exam’s importance to Ming Shuiyun’s faction and was positioning himself as a bargaining chip.
• Le Yu concluded that he might have to seek Shi Wen’s help despite their hostility, and that Shi Wen would likely exploit the situation to retaliate.

Le Yu turned Shi Wen’s attempt to bargain for battle arts and exam-cheating help into a test of humility, forcing him to accept Le Yu as his master. Shi Wen knelt and asked to be taught, while Kui Nianruo watched in astonishment.

• Le Yu questioned Shi Wen about why he was not an Imperial Academy student and exposed how his humiliation over that fact drove his need to prove himself superior.
• Le Yu pointed out that Shi Wen needed his help as much as Le Yu needed Shi Wen, then insisted Shi Wen address him respectfully when asking to learn battle arts.
• Shi Wen nearly left in anger, but Le Yu warned him that acting on his temper would only hurt himself and challenged him to show he could be a worthy companion and student.
• Le Yu demanded that Shi Wen kneel for an apprentice ceremony, presenting it as a test of trust and respect, while Cha Shiyin egged him on.
• Shi Wen finally knelt and pleaded for battle arts instruction, and Le Yu accepted him as his disciple; Kui Nianruo admired how completely Teacher Qin had reversed their positions.

Kui Nianruo told her roommates about meeting Qin Leyin at White Night, prompting Qian Yuya to seek a greater role in his plans. The chapter ended with Qian Yuya recruiting Lin Xue to help Qin Leyin and Ming Shuiyun, while Lin Xue reflected on how Qian Yuya had replaced her dead brother with a new sworn elder brother.

• Li Ying admitted she had copied Kui Nianruo's homework and got both of them in trouble, then escaped Kui Nianruo's angry pursuit.
• Kui Nianruo described seeing Qin Leyin at White Night, and Qian Yuya decided she needed to prove herself to him and earn a place in Le Yu.
• Lin Xue and Kui Nianruo considered signing up for Qin Leyin's elective course, while Li Ying refused because she preferred napping.
• Lin Xue and Qian Yuya kept Kui Nianruo from learning that her father had died, and Qian Yuya explained that Li Ying kept her distracted to help her cope.
• Qian Yuya told Lin Xue she had acknowledged Qin Leyin as her sworn elder brother and invited her to help him and Ming Shuiyun in the All-Knowing Eye examination; Lin Xue agreed.

Le Yu persuaded Qing Lan to publish a gender-swapped Lan Yan cover, then agreed to cooperate with Nieruo on cheating in the All-Knowing Eye examination. A second visitor arrived with the same proposal, leaving Le Yu poised to hear another alliance pitch.

• Le Yu wrote to Qing Lan asking her to publish a cover depicting Lan Yan as a woman, claiming it would help the Youth Newspaper and provoke Lan Yan.
• Nieruo visited Le Yu and explained that the All-Knowing Eye examination rewarded rankings, so they could cooperate to eliminate nearby cheating assistants while keeping their own cheating channels open.
• Le Yu agreed to Nieruo's proposed alliance to protect Twin Carp Palace and Shuiyun Palace's rankings.
• A youth identifying himself as Ming Dailan's scabbard visited Le Yu and began proposing a similar cooperation against other examination participants.

Le Yu heard Mietangya’s proposal to cooperate against Nieruo and agreed to work with him and Dailan Palace. After learning why Mietangya had chosen his side, Le Yu considered keeping both Nieruo and Mietangya as allies, but their agreement ended when Mietangya spat out Le Yu’s tea.

• Mietangya told Le Yu that Nieruo’s strength and the Madness Mask made him a threat, and proposed they work together to protect Dailan Palace and Shuiyun Palace.
• Le Yu learned that Mietangya was a Beiwei Elf and that Holy Sword Huiyao’s influence made him fiercely protective of Ming Dailan.
• Le Yu and Mietangya agreed to counter Nieruo and help each other eliminate the other cheating assistants.
• Mietangya explained that he had avoided allying with Nieruo because Twin Carp Palace’s strength would make it too likely to win the All-Knowing Eye examination.
• Le Yu considered keeping both Mietangya and Nieruo as allies, but threw Mietangya out after he spat out the Honey Five-Flower Tea.

While bathing, Le Yu received a secret alliance offer from the sword sheath Yin to cooperate during the All-Knowing Eye examination, and accepted. Afterward, a white cat delivered another cooperation proposal, leaving Le Yu stunned by the growing cast of Sword Quest for Succession participants.

• Yin contacted Le Yu through a radio badge hidden in his bathroom and proposed joining forces against other cheating assistants in the All-Knowing Eye examination.
• Le Yu questioned Yin about his secrecy and possible alliances, then accepted the offer and agreed to talk again the next evening.
• Le Yu realized he had secretly allied with three sword sheaths and returned to writing after his bath.
• A white cat entered through Le Yu's window and delivered a letter proposing cooperation with Qin Leyin.
• Le Yu stared at the cat in disbelief, suspecting that another kind of participant had joined the Sword Quest for Succession.