Chapter Summaries

Chen Yi left the Mountain Tribe to warn others about the Five Poisons Sect’s poison plot, while Zhang Dabao and Liu Lang carried out a grain-trade deception that ended with Lin Zhenghong’s death at Liu Taoyao’s hands. At the Chishui River, Yan Jingchen’s Five Poisons Sect forces confronted Zhang Dabao and Liu Lang, and Yan Jingchen attacked after Zhang Dabao sent up a signal.

• Chen Yi warned Pei Ze and the Mountain Tribe to prepare for the Five Poisons Sect’s plans, then hurried away to alert others.
• Zhang Dabao and Liu Lang tricked Lin Zhenghong into handing over the silver notes during a staged grain deal, while the convoy carried the grain away.
• Liu Taoyao’s men ambushed Lin Zhenghong’s guards, and Liu Taoyao killed Lin Zhenghong and took the chest of silver notes.
• Zhang Dabao, Liu Lang, and the Tianshan Sect disciples waited for boats at the Chishui River, then recognized the arriving attackers as members of the Five Poisons Sect.
• Zhang Dabao fired a signal into the sky, and Yan Jingchen announced his name before rushing at the group.

Liu Lang fought Yan Jingchen to protect Zhang Dabao and the other Tianshan Sect disciples, but Yan Jingchen overwhelmed and poisoned him. Just as Yan Jingchen moved to kill Liu Lang, Chen Yi arrived and declared that he would kill him.

• Liu Lang told Zhang Dabao and the others to flee, then stayed behind to face Yan Jingchen while four Black-clad Men pursued them.
• Yan Jingchen recognized Liu Lang as Blade Ghost Chu Xiudao’s disciple and fought him, eventually wounding him with the poison of the White Jade Skill.
• Liu Lang used Ghost Saber: Slay a Thousand and then Ghost Saber: Return to One, forcing Yan Jingchen to dodge his strongest strike but leaving Liu Lang gravely injured.
• Yan Jingchen prepared to kill Liu Lang, but Chen Yi arrived, shattered the incoming qi blade, and forced the poison from Liu Lang’s body.
• Chen Yi turned toward Yan Jingchen and announced, “The one who will kill you!”

Chen Yi rescued Liu Lang and fought the Five Poisons Sect, using his perfected Chess Dao to trap and wound Xue Chong and the others. Pei Ze, Chu Fangling, and Li Yunyun arrived and engaged Yan Jingchen, while Chen Yi continued controlling the battlefield from behind his chessboard.

• Liu Lang warned Chen Yi that Yan Jingchen cultivated the White Jade Skill and carried poison throughout his body.
• Chen Yi crossed through the Five Poisons Sect’s attack, rescued Liu Lang and Zhang Dabao’s group, and killed one Black-clad Man with his spear.
• Yan Jingchen and the Five Poisons Sect attacked Chen Yi with poisonous insects and weapons, but Chen Yi unfolded a Chess Dao realm that crushed the insects and immobilized Xue Chong’s group.
• Pei Ze recognized Yan Jingchen as the Five Poisons Sect leader who had killed his sons, and he, Chu Fangling, and Li Yunyun fought Yan Jingchen.
• Chen Yi used his chessboard to injure Xue Chong and the other trapped fighters while Pei Gan and Lan Yani watched and cleared away the surrounding poison.

Chen Yi defeated the Five Poisons Sect experts on his Chess Dao board and killed eleven of them with a single spear strike. He then confronted Yan Jingchen, whose poison mist was devoured by Granny Shan’s gu worm just as Chen Yi closed in to attack.

• Chen Yi overwhelmed Xue Chong and the other Five Poisons Sect experts with his Chess Dao, leaving them gravely weakened when he released them from the illusory world.
• Chen Yi killed eleven Five Poisons Sect experts with one spear strike, and Pei Ze praised his ability while Lan Yani asked Pei Gan for some of the poisonous corpses.
• Yan Jingchen unleashed his poison mist and hiltless daggers, then challenged Chen Yi and Pei Ze’s group to attack him together.
• Chen Yi pressed Yan Jingchen with his spear, lightning, and footwork as Yan Jingchen realized his strength was far beyond what his Fourth Rank Realm suggested.
• Granny Shan’s gu worm devoured Yan Jingchen’s poisonous mist, and Chen Yi rushed forward with the Falling Dragon technique.

Chen Yi defeated Yan Jingchen, exposed his feigned death, and captured him alive before sending Pei Ze and the Mountain Tribe to root out the Five Poisons Sect. After tending to the injured and arranging grain deliveries, Chen Yi found Lin Zhenghong dead and returned to the Prefectural City, where Elder Master Xiao had mobilized a citywide response to the poisoning crisis.

• Chen Yi realized Yan Jingchen was feigning death and forced him to awaken, then restrained him after discovering venomous insects were helping him heal.
• Chen Yi identified Liu Hong as the person behind the Five Poisons Sect’s attacks and asked Pei Ze and the others to guard Yan Jingchen and deal with the sect’s agents in the Prefectural City.
• Chen Yi allowed Lan Yani to take the corpses, healed the wounded, and ordered Zhang Dabao and the others to transport grain to Lin Village, while leaving Liu Lang to recover on his own.
• Chen Yi followed the carts to the Chishui River and found Lin Zhenghong and the others dead, with military crossbow bolts suggesting the Liu Family had killed them.
• Chen Yi returned to the Prefectural City and saw that Elder Master Xiao had mobilized the guards, officials, soldiers, and physicians to respond to the crisis.

Chen Yi deduced that the White Tiger Guard and Liu Hong were pushing Shuzhou toward chaos, then pretended to have contracted the Epidemic Poison. Elder Master Xiao decided to send Xiao Xuanshuo to the Capital Prefecture with a memorial, while Liu Hong realized his plans had been sabotaged and ordered Liu Taoyao to flee.

• Chen Yi studied the forces behind the growing crisis, concluded that Shuzhou must not descend into chaos, and feigned unconsciousness with the Epidemic Poison.
• Xiao Die found Chen Yi apparently infected, and word of his condition reached Elder Master Xiao as he prepared to act against Liu Hong.
• Elder Master Xiao ordered Xiao Xuanshuo to take a memorial to the Capital Prefecture, then sealed off Chunhe Garden after learning Chen Yi seemed infected.
• Liu Hong revealed that he and the Five Poisons Sect had created the Epidemic Poison, and he ordered Liu Taoyao to leave Shuzhou and never return to the Great Wei Dynasty.
• An unseen speaker interrupted Liu Hong as he urged Liu Taoyao to flee, asking where he planned to send his son.

Song Jin Jian met with Liu Hong and agreed to try to protect Liu Taoyao and take Liu Zhaoxue with him, while Liu Hong poisoned Liu Taofang and accepted that his own death was near. As Shuzhou reeled from the epidemic and rumors about White Immortal, Liu Zhaoxue was abducted, and Chen Yi awoke two days later.

• Song Jin Jian told Liu Hong to await His Majesty's decree and learned how Liu Wu had undermined Liu Hong's scheme and helped the Xiao Family survive.
• Liu Hong asked Song Jin Jian to protect Liu Taoyao and take Liu Zhaoxue with him, and Song Jin Jian agreed to try.
• Liu Hong poisoned Liu Taofang, then walked away with his hair turned white as Song Jin Jian vowed not to spare Liu Wu.
• Rumors spread that White Immortal had caused Shuzhou's troubles, while Liu Zhaoxue saw the Mountain Tribe take Ling'er's body away and was then abducted herself.
• Two days later, Chen Yi awoke after feigning illness, and Xiao Die hurried to tell the Eldest Miss.

Chen Yunfan waited for the Capital Prefecture’s decision after handing evidence against Zhu Hao to Tang Zixin, while news arrived that Xiao Jinghong had killed Zhu Hao in Guangyuan County. As Chen Yunfan weighed the competing claims to credit, Xiao Jinghong learned that His Majesty had also issued an edict to punish Liu Hong.

• Chen Yunfan reflected on Shuzhou’s turmoil, his father’s schemes, and how Chen Yi had handled the epidemic and grain crisis, while Chunying reported that Liu Hong had withdrawn from government affairs.
• Cui Qingwu met with Song Jin Jian, who relayed her father’s request for her to return to Qinghe before the year’s end.
• Ning Yu reported that Zhu Hao had defied His Majesty’s decree and tried to flee, but Xiao Jinghong had beheaded him in Guangyuan County.
• Chen Yunfan deduced that Chen Yi had likely warned the Xiao Family about Zhu Hao and anticipated that the White Tiger Guard would have to share credit for the capture and killing.
• In Guangyuan County, Xiao Jinghong waited at the Commander's Office as Xiao Xuanshuo explained that Liu Wu had helped address the Epidemic Poison, then told her that His Majesty had also issued an edict to punish Liu Hong.

Xiao Jinghong pressed Li Fu to account for Zhu Hao’s corruption and the Dingyuan Army’s losses, while learning of Chen Xuanji’s promotion to Minister of War. As she prepared to return to the Prefectural City, she proposed giving the Fu Family responsibility for Hundred Herbs Hall in Guangyuan County.

• Xiao Xuanshuo told Xiao Jinghong that His Majesty planned reforms and had promoted Chen Xuanji to Minister of War after Chen Xuanji returned from the Western Buddhist Kingdom.
• Xiao Jinghong challenged Li Fu over Zhu Hao’s death, the Dingyuan Army’s delayed provisions and equipment, and the salt and iron revenues; Li Fu promised to recover the embezzled silver and allocate part of it to the Three Towns Soldiers.
• Feng Erbao told Li Fu that Surveillance Commissioner Tang Zixin and Chen Yunfan had reported Zhu Hao’s involvement to His Majesty.
• Xiao Jinghong and Xiao Xuanshuo visited the struggling Fu Family, then saw Chen Yi’s calligraphy displayed at Hundred Herbs Hall.
• Xiao Jinghong proposed that the Fu Family manage Hundred Herbs Hall’s affairs in Guangyuan County, and Xiao Xuanshuo agreed to discuss it with the family before they returned to the Prefectural City.

Chen Yi cultivated the Flying Flower Sword Art and learned that powerful Jianghu guests had arrived in Shuzhou, then prepared to ask about the swordsman tied to White Immortal. Chen Yunfan visited Chunhe Garden and began sharing earth-shaking news, leaving Chen Yi waiting to hear what had happened.

• Chen Yi perfected several techniques, spent Fortune to advance his Sword Dao, and quickly cultivated the Flying Flower Sword Art to Mastery.
• A rainstorm began, and Chen Yi received intelligence that the White Tiger Guard would exchange information at a tailor shop that night.
• Xiao Die gathered news that powerful young Jianghu guests had arrived in the Prefectural City, and Chen Yi suspected they had come because of the swordsman's duel with White Immortal.
• Chen Yi reviewed examination materials and concluded that the annual examination would focus on national affairs and government policy.
• Chen Yunfan arrived at Chunhe Garden with Lin Zhong, asked about Chen Yi's illness, and announced that he had come to tell him something earth-shaking.

Chen Yi learned that Chen Xuanji had become Minister of War and would visit Shuzhou, and agreed to meet him while remaining wary of the Chen Family’s intentions. At lunch, Lin Zhong revealed that White Immortal had supposedly come to Shuzhou to fight an unmatched master, though the rumor remained unconfirmed.

• Chen Yunfan told Chen Yi that Chen Xuanji had been appointed Minister of War and would inspect Shuzhou before the New Year.
• Chen Yi agreed to visit Chen Xuanji, though he suspected his father and the Chen Family might have plans involving him.
• Chen Yunfan examined Chen Yi’s calligraphy and paintings, then lost repeatedly to him at chess and marveled at his many accomplishments.
• Chen Yunfan told Chen Yi that Lao Si Chen He and Lao Liu Chen Yu were on their way, and asked him to help receive them.
• At lunch, Lin Zhong said White Immortal had reportedly come to Shuzhou to fight an unmatched master, and Xie Tingyun asked whether the rumor was true.

Chen Yi and Chen Yunfan traded barbs over Chen Yunfan’s absence from the Yamen and Chen Yi’s upcoming annual examination, while Chen Yunfan learned Liu Hong had withdrawn from public affairs and suspected Chen Yi was involved. That night, Chen Yi secretly returned to the residence behind the Tailor Shop and overheard General Star announce that the Pavilion Master had ordered Liu Hong’s accomplices seized.

• Xie Tingyun wished she could watch White Immortal spar with a swordsman, and Lin Zhong explained the risks and customs surrounding fights between masters.
• Chen Yunfan teased Chen Yi about watching White Immortal’s duel, but Chen Yi exposed his absence from the Yamen and mentioned the relief work and falling grain prices.
• Chen Yunfan agreed to return to the Yamen, while Cui Qingwu and Xiao Wan'er arranged to visit Tonglin and discuss finding a head for the Medical Dao Academy.
• Li Huaigu handed Chen Yunfan thirty booklets of official work and told him Liu Hong had withdrawn from Yamen affairs, prompting Chen Yunfan to suspect Liu Hong had a powerful backer and Chen Yi had acted against him.
• Chen Yi slipped into the residence behind the Tailor Shop and heard General Star say the Pavilion Master had ordered Liu Hong’s accomplices seized.

General Star and the White Tiger Guard prepared to arrest Liu Hong’s allies while discussing the Liu Family’s collapse and Chen Xuanji’s coming inspection. Chen Yi learned of their plans and received intelligence that Liu Hong would visit Xiao Yuan, leaving him to wonder what desperate course Liu Hong had chosen.

• General Star told Lou Yuxue and Cui Qingwu that the Liu Family of Jingzhou had been uprooted, and said Liu Taoyao had fled while Liu Taofang and a planted Iron Banner Officer were likely dead.
• General Star ordered the White Tiger Guard to move that night, naming Ye Jingxiao for capture alive and identifying Sun Zhiguang and Zhu Lingchuan as Liu Hong’s accomplices; he said Zhu Hao was already a dead man.
• General Star said Minister of War Chen Xuanji would soon arrive in Shuzhou and that the White Tiger Guard’s plans there depended on him, then told Lou Yuxue she was later assigned to Jiangnan Prefecture.
• Chen Yi overheard the meeting, earned the Reverse Moon Sword and Fortune, and returned to the Xiao Family after learning the White Tiger Guard was moving against Liu Hong’s allies.
• Chen Yi received intelligence that Liu Hong would visit Marquis Dingyuan Xiao Yuan at 11:45 a.m. and concluded that Liu Hong had only one road left to choose.

Chen Yi anticipated Liu Hong’s attempt to strike at the Xiao Family while Xiao Jinghong reported Zhu Hao’s death and the Guangyuan County situation to Elder Master Xiao. After the White Tiger Guard began arresting Liu Hong’s allies, rumors spread through the Prefectural City, and Guiyun Academy’s teachers sought answers about the arrests.

• Chen Yi reasoned that Liu Hong had resolved to die and would use his visit to the Xiao Family to cause trouble, then returned to Chunhe Garden and concealed himself when Xiao Jinghong arrived.
• Xiao Jinghong told Elder Master Xiao that she had killed Zhu Hao and explained the disputes over the Dingyuan Army and the Salt and Iron Monopoly; Elder Master Xiao supported her stance and said the Emperor had not forgotten the Xiao Family.
• Xiao Jinghong reported that Feng Erbao would announce an imperial decree and arrest Liu Hong after arriving the next day, while Xiao Jing reported that the White Tiger Guard was arresting the Sun and Zhu families and Ye Jingxiao.
• Elder Master Xiao ordered Xiao Jing to investigate the arrests, and Xiao Jinghong left to return to Feng Erbao’s carriage; Chen Yi sensed her departure and went to sleep.
• Rumors of the arrests spread through the Prefectural City, including news that Mr. Lingchuan had been taken, prompting Guiyun Academy students to seek help.
• Mr. Yue Ming decided to consult Lord Yang, Mr. Zhuo Ying planned to visit the Prefectural Yamen, and they arranged for someone to find Qingzhou at the Marquis’s mansion.

After the arrests, Liu Hong left the Provincial Administration and wandered through the city, reflecting on his ambitions and failures as he led Li Huaigu toward the Xiao Family residence. He arrived to visit Marquis Xiao, while Chen Yi sensed his approach and anticipated the meeting.

• Scholars gathered at the Judicial Department and the Provincial Administration to demand answers about Zhu Lingchuan’s arrest, while Fang Hongxiu and Chen Yunfan tried to hold them back.
• Liu Hong emerged from the Provincial Administration looking aged but carrying a formidable presence, then left for the East Market as Chen Yunfan watched.
• Chen Yunfan learned that Liu Hong had spoken of losing because he had not been ruthless enough and wondered whether he meant to scheme against Chen Yi.
• Liu Hong wandered through the city, gave silver to an elderly woman, and told Li Huaigu about his rise, his rivalry with the Xiao Family, and his former ambition to serve the people.
• Liu Hong led Li Huaigu to the Xiao Family residence and requested an audience with Marquis Xiao.
• Chen Yi sensed Liu Hong’s arrival at the Xiao Family residence and remarked that he had come early.

Chen Yi concealed his opinion of Zhu Lingchuan while Ma Guan and the other students asked about his arrest. At Qingjing Residence, Liu Hong confessed to Elder Master Xiao that he had engineered Shuzhou’s disasters and revealed that he had betrayed Xiao Fengchun; as the court’s representatives arrived, Liu Hong began to expose another secret before Elder Master Xiao killed him.

• Chen Yi told Ma Guan, Tang Ye, and the others not to worry about Zhu Lingchuan’s arrest and sent them away without revealing his true opinion.
• Liu Hong told Elder Master Xiao and Li Huaigu that he had abetted the Jizhou Trading Company’s iron sales, the Five Poisons Sect’s poisoning, and other schemes, while blaming Liu Wu’s interference for their failure.
• Liu Hong revealed that he had informed the Barbarian Tribe of Xiao Fengchun’s whereabouts, and Elder Master Xiao beat him in a fury.
• Xiao Shen warned Elder Master Xiao that Xiao Jinghong and officials from the Capital Prefecture had arrived to proclaim an edict condemning Liu Hong.
• As Liu Hong tried to reveal a secret about General Fu, Elder Master Xiao punched through his chest; Liu Hong wrote several final words on his wrist, and a voice behind them called for Elder Master Xiao to wait.

Elder Master Xiao killed Liu Hong, forcing the Xiao Family to face the political consequences while Xiao Jinghong prepared to inspect the Three Towns. Afterward, Elder Master Xiao found Liu Hong’s unfinished message suggesting Chen Yi was Liu Wu and decided to investigate, while Chen Yi remained calm about the family’s uncertain future.

• Elder Master Xiao killed Liu Hong in Qingjing Residence, then told Feng Erbao that Liu Hong had betrayed the country and deserved death.
• Xiao Jinghong warned Elder Master Xiao that killing Liu Hong and Zhu Hao could bring unforeseen trouble, and Elder Master Xiao sent her to inspect the Three Towns while the Xiao Family prepared to stand firm.
• Xiao Jinghong told Elder Master Xiao she planned to attend the coming duel between Ye Guxian and White Immortal, and she proposed assigning the Fu Family to manage Hundred Herbs Hall affairs in Guangyuan County.
• After Xiao Jinghong left, Elder Master Xiao found Liu Hong’s unfinished words, “Liu Wu is Qing...zhou,” suspected they pointed to Chen Yi, and decided to investigate him.
• Xiao Jinghong shared lunch with Chen Yi and Xiao Wan'er before departing for the Three Towns, while Chen Yi pretended not to know what had happened at Qingjing Residence.
• After learning that Elder Master Xiao had killed Liu Hong, Xiao Wan'er worried, but Chen Yi reassured her and told Xiao Die that the Xiao Family still needed to prepare for danger.

Chen Yi recognized that His Majesty was manipulating the Xiao Family through the White Tiger Guard and the Chen Family of Jiangnan, and resolved to help the Xiao Family rebuild its strength. After Liu Hong’s death shook Shuzhou, the major factions responded to the crisis, while Feng Erbao met someone in the woods.

• Chen Yi pieced together how His Majesty, the White Tiger Guard, and the Chen Family of Jiangnan had used him and Chen Yunfan to steer the Xiao Family and Shuzhou, then decided to help restore the Xiao Family’s power.
• Chen Yi assessed his gains from Liu Hong’s affair, including grain, silver, Tianshan Sect disciples, and the chance to force Elder Master Xiao to stop enduring in silence.
• Li Huaigu reported Liu Hong’s death to Yang Ye, and Yang Ye and Chen Yunfan concluded that Liu Hong had provoked Elder Master Xiao to bring trouble upon the Xiao Family.
• Elder Master Xiao sent Xiao Shen, Xiao Xuanshuo, and other family members to enlist support from Shuzhou’s aristocratic families, while Tang Zixin and General Star sent reports to Capital Prefecture.
• General Star ordered Lou Yuxue and Cui Qingwu to secure confessions from Liu Hong’s accomplices and told the White Tiger Guard to monitor Shuzhou.
• Feng Erbao left his party at a post station and asked Song Jin Jian whether Official Cui had sent him to meet.

Song Jin Jian delivered Liu Taoyao to Feng Erbao and kept Liu Zhaoxue with him in Shuzhou, while Zhao Shichang and his men headed north. In the Capital Prefecture, Chen Xuanji persuaded Emperor Anhe to pursue a Northern Expedition, and the emperor issued several edicts concerning Shuzhou.

• Song Jin Jian brought Feng Erbao to the wounded Liu Taoyao, whom Feng accepted and carried back toward the Capital Prefecture.
• Song Jin Jian offered Liu Zhaoxue the choice of staying with him or going to Jinling with Zhao Shichang; after Zhao insulted her, Song Jin Jian severed Zhao’s hand and sent him north, while Liu Zhaoxue stayed.
• Song Jin Jian told Liu Zhaoxue that he would remain in Shuzhou until the end of the year and ordered her to improve her Cultivation Base.
• Chen Xuanji received a report from Shuzhou, then met Emperor Anhe and argued that the court should strike north before the northern forces raided the border.
• Emperor Anhe approved Chen Xuanji’s Northern Expedition plan, and several imperial edicts named Yang Ye Shu Prefecture Administrator and assigned rewards and penalties related to the Shuzhou events.

After the Emperor’s edict arrived in Shuzhou, Yang Ye took charge of the Provincial Administration and Chen Yunfan was mistakenly credited with killing Lü Jiunan, strengthening the belief that he was Liu Wu. Chen Yi expected to make a move after the annual examination, but Pei Guanli returned to the Xiao Family with news of a major event brewing in the martial world.

• The crimes of Liu Hong, Zhu Lingchuan, and others spread through Shuzhou, while the Xiao Family received gifts from families seeking to repair relations.
• Ma Guan told Mr. Yue Ming and Mr. Zhuo Ying that Yang Ye had temporarily become Provincial Governor and that Chen Yunfan had received the Emperor’s reward for killing Lü Jiunan.
• Chen Yunfan complained to Li Huaigu that people believed he was Liu Wu, but he concealed that Lü Jiunan’s corpse had been used to claim credit.
• Chen Yi reasoned that Chen Yunfan might receive another edict after the year passed and decided he would likely need to act after the annual examination.
• Pei Guanli returned to the Xiao Family and told Chen Yi that Grandma had sent her brothers back to prepare mountain goods for the nearly completed Wushan Mutual Market.
• Pei Guanli told Chen Yi that something major was about to happen in the martial world.