Chapter Summaries

Yan An visited his old friend to seek help with Zheng Qiao, but the young man refused to join Zheng Qiao and instead left Yan An valuable intelligence about his forces. As the gathering storm drew people toward Sibao Prefecture, Shen Tang woke from a nightmare and discovered that her literary energy had increased while she ate.

• Yan An found his old friend at a flower boat in Hequ Lane, where the young man refused to help Zheng Qiao and urged Yan An to give up on him.
• Yan An and the young man discussed the threats facing the northwest, and the young man said he planned to go to Sibao Prefecture to seek an opportunity.
• The young man left Yan An a letter detailing Zheng Qiao's subordinates before departing for Sibao Prefecture, as others also set out toward the region.
• Chu Yao woke Shen Tang, who described a nightmare about being chased by zombies and jumping into a coffin.
• Shen Tang ate two tubs of porridge and pastries, then realized her literary energy had recovered to half and exceeded its previous level.

Shen Tang discovered that her Dantian contained a Martial Spirit, letting her cultivate both Literary and Martial Qi without apparent harm, though Qi Shan, Chu Yao, and Gongshu Wu worried about the dangers. Meanwhile, Xiaocheng’s food stores proved disastrously depleted, leaving the defenders and civilians on the verge of famine as Shen Tang considered robbing the rich to help the poor.

• Shen Tang mistook the animal-shaped presence in her Dantian for stones, but Gongshu Wu confirmed that she had developed a Martial Spirit and possessed Martial Qi alongside her Literary Qi.
• Gongshu Wu suggested the National Seal might explain Shen Tang’s unusual dual cultivation, while Qi Shan urged her to hide her Martial Spirit and arranged for Gongshu Wu to stay near her.
• The Rebel Army continued throwing corpses into Xiaocheng, while food shortages and rising grain prices drove civilians to steal, riot, and attack rice shops.
• Gu Chi told Shen Tang that the granary held no new grain and less than a third of its recorded old reserves, much of which was moldy.
• Shen Tang said she could not feed the city herself and asked whether they should rob the rich to help the poor.

With Xiaocheng running short of food, Shen Tang proposed taking grain from the wealthy families and uncovered ledgers implicating former prefect Yan Cheng in the grain shortage. As Wu Yuan prepared to negotiate with the families, their acting stewards arrived at the prefectural government in distress.

• Shen Tang suggested borrowing grain from Xiaocheng’s wealthy families, while Gu Chi warned that they might side with the Rebel Army; she then proposed investigating the missing grain through the rice shops and Yan Cheng’s records.
• Gu Chi connected Gongshu Wu to the vanished Gong Wen and concluded that Shen Tang possessed the National Seal and might be a lost descendant of Xin’s royal family, then burned his notes.
• Shen Tang and Gong Cheng found ledgers hidden beneath the floor of Yan Cheng’s study, including records of grain embezzlement.
• Shen Tang urged Gong Cheng to seize grain by disguising the action as a mob’s desperate raid on the landlords’ granaries, and Gong Cheng considered the plan.
• Wu Yuan decided to invite the families’ acting stewards to discuss borrowing grain, but the stewards arrived at his door wailing before he could leave.

Wu Yuan confronted Xiaocheng’s gentry after their grain stores were raided, then learned Shen Tang had arranged the theft to supply the city garrison. The provisions crisis was resolved, but Wu Yuan was unsettled that Shen Tang’s group had carried out the operation without his knowledge.

• Wu Yuan heard the gentry’s report that rioters had looted their grain stores and promised to investigate, while they suspected the Prefectural Government had arranged the theft.
• Gu Chi and Wu Yuan discussed the suspicious timing of the raids as Gong Cheng arrived with news that the garrison’s provisions had been secured.
• Wu Yuan realized Gong Cheng’s group was connected to the theft and became displeased that Gong Cheng had acted without telling him.
• Gu Chi identified Shen Tang as the one behind the operation, and Wu Yuan thanked her for feeding Xiaocheng’s people.
• Shen Tang explained that hired rioters had served as a distraction while her companions raided the poorly guarded stores.

Shen Tang’s group seized grain from Xiaocheng’s prominent families, while Wu Yuan failed to recruit her allies and learned their loyalties and history stood in his way. As Shen Tang continued searching for Lin Feng and Tu Rong, the chapter revealed Tu Rong and Lin Feng were with a Young General, whose camp received urgent news of an approaching battle.

• Shen Tang and Gong Cheng explained how they used records from former governor Yan Cheng’s study to locate and raid the prominent families’ granaries, and Wu Yuan welcomed the captured grain for his garrison.
• Wu Yuan asked Gong Cheng to help recruit Shen Tang and her companions, but Gu Chi and Gong Cheng explained why Qi Shan, Chu Yao, and Shen Tang would not join him.
• Qi Shan told Shen Tang that Wu Yuan had tried to recruit her, and Shen Tang insisted she had not noticed and would never abandon her own group to serve him.
• Shen Tang searched Xiaocheng for Lin Feng and Tu Rong for two days without finding them, then decided they would search beyond the city if necessary.
• Tu Rong repeatedly sparred with a Young General while Lin Feng stayed nearby, and a messenger arrived to announce that a battle was underway.

Gongxi Chou received orders to lead twelve thousand soldiers in a sudden assault on Xiaocheng, while a King Zhi envoy hinted that the city’s people were to be slaughtered. As Gongxi Chou sent Lin Feng and Tu Rong away for safety, his army attacked Xiaocheng, and Wu Yuan and Gu Chi learned that the city was under siege.

• Gongxi Chou arrived at the command tent, where his father reprimanded his sworn elder brother before assigning the commanders their duties.
• The old general ordered Gongxi Chou to take Xiaocheng by the third watch, and the King Zhi envoy warned him that no living dog was to remain in the city.
• Gongxi Chou sent Lin Feng and Tu Rong away with two trusted men, and Lin Feng decided to head toward the mountain on her way home.
• Gongxi Chou led the Rebel Army in a sudden attack, while Xiaocheng’s defenders raised a martial-energy barrier against the arrows.
• Wu Yuan received word of the attack, and Gu Chi set out to inspect the city as Shen Tang and her party moved even faster.

Gongxi Chou challenged Xiaocheng’s defenders and killed an officer who fought him, but Captain Yang arrived to face him with Zhai Le. The chapter ended as Gongxi Chou prepared to fight Zhai Le again.

• Gongxi Chou challenged Xiaocheng’s defenders to send someone down and fight him.
• An officer leaped from the wall and attacked Gongxi Chou, who wounded him and then cut off his head.
• Gongxi Chou renewed his offer for Xiaocheng to surrender, but Captain Yang arrived and challenged him.
• Captain Yang proposed a two-on-one fight with Zhai Le as his young ally, and Zhai Le shot at Gongxi Chou with arrows.
• Gongxi Chou recognized Zhai Le, warned that only one of them would survive, and changed his halberd into a bloodied whip.

Gongxi Chou overwhelmed Captain Yang and Zhai Le during their duel, then turned his archery demonstration into a strike against Xiaocheng’s drummers. Captain Yang summoned a dangerous surge of strength to face him, while Shen Tang and Qi Shan watched from the city wall and Gongshu Wu stopped Shen Tang from intervening.

• Gongxi Chou attacked Zhai Le with his venomous whip, but Captain Yang intervened and fought alongside Zhai Le.
• Gongxi Chou unleashed a storm of whip shadows, and Zhai Le’s arrows gave Captain Yang time to retreat from the attack.
• Gongxi Chou pretended to aim at Captain Yang and Zhai Le, then shot the drummers on Xiaocheng’s wall, killing several and provoking the city’s soldiers to rally.
• Captain Yang used a Word Spirit to restore his soldiers’ morale, and he and Zhai Le attacked Gongxi Chou together, but Gongxi Chou blocked both weapons with his armguards.
• Captain Yang sent Zhai Le away and built his aura through seven deliberate steps, revealing strength that could threaten Gongxi Chou.
• Shen Tang and Qi Shan arrived on the city wall, but Gongshu Wu held Shen Tang back and insisted the duel run its course.

Captain Yang fought Gongxi Chou to the brink of death, and both men broke through during their duel. Just as Gongxi Chou’s final strike was about to kill Captain Yang, Shen Tang intervened with the Kind Mother Sword and claimed she was repaying a debt.

• Shen Tang wanted to rescue Captain Yang, but Gongshu Wu explained that Captain Yang had chosen to fight for the people of Xiaocheng and deserved to face the duel without interference.
• Captain Yang unleashed a desperate assault that battered Gongxi Chou, while Gongxi Chou eventually broke through and Captain Yang advanced to the Eleventh Rank Right Shu Chang.
• Captain Yang made one final charge, but Gongxi Chou defeated him, and Gongshu Wu, Zhai Le, Qi Shan, and Chu Yao expected him to die.
• Shen Tang rushed onto the battlefield and blocked Gongxi Chou’s killing blow with the Kind Mother Sword.
• Shen Tang said she had to save Captain Yang because he had given her money, and Gongxi Chou asked whether she meant the Tax Silver; Captain Yang angrily denied giving it to her.

Shen Tang fought Gongxi Chou while Captain Yang learned she had been the bearded bandit who robbed the Tax Silver. After Gongxi Chou pressed his attack, Shen Tang launched a powerful Word Spirit against the rebels, leaving the battle poised for a decisive clash.

• Captain Yang confronted Zhai Le about knowing Shen Tang was the bearded bandit, then collapsed back into anger as his martial energy continued to dissipate.
• Gongxi Chou attacked Shen Tang and demanded she take Captain Yang's place and die; Zhai Le stayed back while Captain Yang insisted Shen Tang was stronger than he was.
• Shen Tang held off Gongxi Chou without Martial Armor, evading his attacks until he summoned an armored warhorse and pursued her across the field.
• Gongxi Chou shot at Shen Tang with his serpent-patterned bow, but Zhai Le's arrow deflected one shot and Shen Tang used a Word Spirit to leap above the others.
• Shen Tang began the Word Spirit “In a Single Body I Fought Three Thousand Miles,” received a surge of literary energy from a familiar voice, and unleashed its power toward the rebel army.
• Gongxi Chou ordered the rebels to form a shield formation as more than ten thousand soldiers gathered their morale to defend themselves.

Shen Tang used a powerful Word Spirit to weaken the Rebel Army’s morale, but Gongxi Chou’s forces broke through Xiaocheng’s defenses. Severely injured, Shen Tang agreed to withdraw, then secretly arranged for Gu Chi to be taken with her.

• Shen Tang’s Word Spirit struck the Rebel Army’s morale shield, cracking it before Gongxi Chou’s arrow nearly killed her; a hidden Literary Scholar rescued her at the last moment.
• Gongxi Chou ordered the Rebel Army to attack Xiaocheng, and its siege catapults destroyed the city’s Martial Qi walls before the battering ram broke open the gates.
• Zhai Huan joined Zhai Le and the surviving defenders in the city streets, where they prepared to resist the Rebel Army’s advance; Captain Yang remained alive but had lost his Martial Spirit.
• Gongshu Wu offered to stay and fight while Qi Shan and Chu Yao planned to take Shen Tang away, but Shen Tang woke, vomited blood, and reluctantly agreed to withdraw.
• Shen Tang thanked Gu Chi, asked about defending Xiaocheng, then struck him unconscious and ordered her companions to take him too.

Shen Tang knocked Gu Chi unconscious so she could take him along, while the defenders fought to hold back the rebels pouring into Xiaocheng. Gongshu Wu broke through to Tenth Rank Left Shu Chang and challenged Gongxi Chou as the massacre of the city’s civilians continued; Shen Tang eventually collapsed unconscious, and Qi Shan watched in anguish.

• Shen Tang explained to Zhai Le that she would take Gu Chi with them if he agreed to serve her, but would kill him if he refused.
• Zhai Huan and Chu Yao supported Zhai Le and Gongshu Wu as they fought the rebels in Xiaocheng’s alleys.
• Gongshu Wu broke through to Tenth Rank Left Shu Chang, defeated two Eighth Rank Gongchengs, and then fought Gongxi Chou.
• The rebels captured three of Xiaocheng’s four outer gates and slaughtered civilians under orders to leave nothing alive.
• Shen Tang fought her way through the carnage before collapsing unconscious, while Qi Shan watched her and spat blood in distress.

Qi Shan and the others escaped Xiaocheng, where the Rebel Army had destroyed the city, and Shen Tang woke to learn they had failed to save it. She vowed there would be no repeat of the humiliation, while the National Seal’s absence threatened to bring further trouble.

• Qi Shan hid his injury from the soldiers and helped Su Shang relieve itself in the carriage before Gu Chi woke up.
• Gu Chi challenged Qi Shan about being knocked unconscious and criticized Shen Tang for saving Captain Yang, but Qi Shan defended her choice.
• Gu Chi learned that Xiaocheng had been destroyed and that Shen Tang had led the group through the Rebel Army to escape.
• Qi Shan mourned the people left behind and worried that the Rebel Army would pursue them after discovering the National Seal was gone.
• Shen Tang woke and asked whether they had saved Xiaocheng; after Qi Shan comforted her, she vowed there would be no next time for that humiliation.

Shen Tang recovered from her drunken escape and learned she had abducted Gu Chi, who persuaded her to help him return to Wu Yuan. As the group fled Xiaocheng, Qi Shan revealed that Chu Yao and Gongshu Wu had stayed behind to delay the rebels, and the carriage soon encountered signs of an ambush.

• Qi Shan silenced Gu Chi when he bluntly warned Shen Tang that danger would come again, and Shen Tang then learned she had brought Gu Chi along while drunk.
• Gu Chi claimed Shen Tang had damaged his standing with Wu Yuan by abducting him, then used his poor health and costly prescription to persuade her to return him safely to his lord.
• Shen Tang promised to obtain Gu Chi's medicine and deliver him to Wu Yuan, while Qi Shan and the others joked about her accidental mention of nux vomica.
• Shen Tang asked after Wuhui, and Qi Shan explained that Chu Yao, Gongshu Wu, and others had stayed in Xiaocheng to delay the rebels and help townspeople escape.
• Shen Tang wondered why Word Spirits from the School of Medicine could not heal the sick, and Qi Shan considered her remark.
• An arrow flew toward the carriage driver, and Qi Shan raised a barrier before the driver pointed out blood and a murderous aura in the forest ahead.

Shen Tang and her companions crossed a battlefield after fleeing Xiaocheng and were stopped by a general who took them to a nearby military camp. There, they learned the camp belonged to two allied factions, and another general greeted the middle-aged general as “Ninth Brother.”

• Qi Shan told the soldier to keep driving despite the hidden archers, and the group found the battlefield strewn with corpses, including Rebel Army soldiers.
• A middle-aged man blocked their carriage and questioned the group; Shen Tang identified herself as their master and said Xiaocheng had fallen to King Zhi’s Rebel Army.
• Qi Shan explained that Gongxi Chou had won three bouts of single combat and that Captain Yang had failed to defeat him even after burning his Martial Spirit.
• The middle-aged man ordered Shen Tang and her companions to accompany him to his nearby camp for security, and Shen Tang rode Motorcycle there.
• The middle-aged man explained that the camp housed two allied factions, and another armored general rode up and called him “Ninth Brother.”

Shen Tang and her companions stayed with Gu Ren’s thirteen sworn brothers, learned about their faction and the campaign against King Zhi’s rebels, and arrived at Gu Ren’s tent for a meeting. The chapter ended as Gu Ren and the gathered brothers looked over the newcomers.

• Ninth Brother brought Shen Tang, Qi Shan, and Gu Chi to camp, where Chao Lian explained that he and the others were thirteen sworn brothers led by Gu Ren.
• Chao Lian summoned Sixth Brother, who examined Captain Yang and proposed treatment that could help him recover despite his destroyed Martial Spirit.
• Gu Chi reported that Ninth Brother suspected the group’s identity and that Gu Ren’s forces hoped to recruit them.
• Shen Tang gathered details about Gu Ren and his brothers, including Sixth Brother’s history as an Imperial Physician and Thirteenth Brother’s immense strength and unstable mind.
• Shen Tang told Qi Shan and Gu Chi about the armies joining Zheng Qiao’s campaign against King Zhi’s rebels, then learned that Gu Ren wanted to meet them.
• Shen Tang, Qi Shan, and Gu Chi entered Gu Ren’s main tent and faced Gu Ren, Chao Lian, Sixth Brother, Ninth Brother, and two unfamiliar men.

Shen Tang and her companions met Gu Ren and his sworn brothers, then witnessed Gu Ren calm the violent madness of Thirteenth Brother, Shao Chong. After Shao Chong was released, he was noted to resemble Shen Tang, and he suddenly attacked her.

• Shen Tang claimed the guest seat beside Gu Ren and answered Seventh Brother’s objections while defending Gongxi Chou’s strength.
• Gu Ren invited Shen Tang and her companions to stay while the injured Martial Master recovered, and Shen Tang borrowed men to send word to Lili.
• A messenger reported trouble involving General Shao Chong, and the group hurried to find him raging inside an iron cage.
• Gu Ren entered the cage and calmed Shao Chong, while Gu Chi and Qi Shan discussed Gu Ren’s unusual Way of the Scholar.
• Chao Lian explained that Shao Chong was Thirteenth Brother and suffered bouts of madness; after he was released, Qi Shan and Chao Lian remarked that he resembled Shen Tang.
• Shao Chong suddenly lunged at Shen Tang and reached for her throat.

Shen Tang fought Shao Chong, then learned he mistook her for a woman named Shen Da who had cheated him out of silver. Gu Ren reported that Lili and the others’ stockade had burned down, leaving Shen Tang uncertain where they had gone and distressed over the lost property.

• Shen Tang fought off Shao Chong’s sudden attack and defeated him by blocking his vision and kicking him away.
• Chao Lian explained that Shao Chong’s madness could make him attack, then pressed him to apologize to Shen Tang.
• Shao Chong accused Shen Tang of being the woman who had taken his silver, and his description of Shen Da led Shen Tang to realize the mistaken identity.
• Shen Tang coaxed Shao Chong with malt candy and established that Shen Da had been a young woman accompanied by another young man.
• Gu Chi questioned whether Shen Lang was a woman, while Qi Shan insisted that Shen Tang’s gender would not change his loyalty to her.
• Gu Ren apologized for Shao Chong’s behavior and reported that Lili and the others’ stockade had burned down, though no bodies or signs of fighting were found.

Shen Tang reunited with Lin Feng, Tu Rong, and Lili after they had joined a coalition gathering to retake Xiaocheng from King Zhi's forces. With Lili's hundred-plus followers now attached to her tiny group, Shen Tang faced the prospect of being drawn into the coming battle.

• Gu Ren tried to recruit Shen Tang, but she said she would first search for the people separated from her.
• Shao Chong traded details about Madam Shen for candy, and Shen Tang told Qi Shan that she had lost her memories.
• More than ten thousand people arrived at the camp, and several forces prepared to join together to retake Xiaocheng from King Zhi's army.
• Lin Feng and Tu Rong recognized Shen Tang, while Lili arrived with more than a hundred followers who had been mistaken for allies.
• Shen Tang realized that the coalition now regarded her as the leader of a small force, despite having only six people in her original group.

Shen Tang settled her small faction into Gu Ren's camp and rewarded Lili for suppressing a rebellion among her followers. After learning the limits of her food-producing Word Spirit, Gu Chi directly asked whether she had considered claiming a domain of her own.

• Gu Ren offered Shen Tang space in his camp, and her followers set up their tents there.
• Gu Chi persuaded Shen Tang to quiet her thoughts after her inner voice overwhelmed his mind-reading ability.
• Lili reported that he had poisoned five rebel ringleaders and beaten two more men to death to keep Shen Tang's followers from revolting.
• Shen Tang praised Lili's decisive actions and had Lin Feng reward him with seven taels of silver.
• Shen Tang supplied flatbread with her Word Spirit and told Gu Chi that she could feed two or three hundred people at most.
• Gu Chi drank Green Plum Wine and asked Shen Tang whether she had considered claiming a domain for herself.