Chapter Summaries

Yu Sui questioned Zhang Xiangyun about Luo Fu’s coming Legalist Judgment after leaving him badly injured, and he explained that the Ghost Dao School’s vote could help Luo Fu survive by being expelled from Taiyi. Yu Sui then revealed that she knew Zhang Xiangyun and Nian Qiuyan saw someone else when they looked at her, leaving Nian Qiuyan certain she had discovered his secret.

• Nian Qiuyan found Zhang Xiangyun severely injured inside the Dragon Ladder and dragged him into the rain at Yu Sui’s request.
• Yu Sui told Nian Qiuyan to give Zhang Xiangyun medicine so he would remain conscious, then made him explain what he knew about Luo Fu.
• Zhang Xiangyun said the Sages planned to hold a Legalist Judgment the next day and that Dean Ou wanted Yu Sui to represent the Ghost Dao School so Luo Fu could be expelled instead of executed.
• Zhang Xiangyun explained that several Sages were absent and that the Ghost Dao School’s vote could help secure Luo Fu’s survival.
• Yu Sui told Zhang Xiangyun that he often looked at her as if he were seeing someone else, then asked Nian Qiuyan whether he knew someone who looked like her; Nian Qiuyan realized she knew.

Nian Qiuyan and Zhang Xiangyun revealed Qingkui’s identity and history to Yu Sui, explaining why she had been separated from the Qingyang King's Mansion and could not return. Yu Sui showed little reaction and asked whether her elder brother Han Bing also knew, leaving Zhang Xiangyun to confirm that he did.

• Yu Sui pretended she had never heard of Qingkui after Nian Qiuyan revealed that she was her elder sister.
• Nian Qiuyan told Yu Sui that Qingkui had fallen from a cliff during the hunt for Lady Su and was later acknowledged by Nangong Ming as his daughter.
• Nian Qiuyan explained Qingkui’s standing in the Nangong Family and Xuan Kui, while Zhang Xiangyun reflected on how differently the sisters had been raised.
• Yu Sui asked whether she and Qingkui looked alike, then pressed Zhang Xiangyun about why Qingkui had not returned to the mansion.
• Zhang Xiangyun and Nian Qiuyan explained that Qingkui’s Xuan Kui and bandit identities kept her from openly returning to the mansion.
• Yu Sui asked whether Han Bing knew about Qingkui, and Zhang Xiangyun confirmed that he did.

Yu Sui learned that Han Bing had helped Xuan Kui recruit Lan Shi and silence anyone who uncovered the scheme, then forced Zhang Xiangyun to reveal the academy’s compromised members. After leaving him injured, she went to find Mei Chengyu, whose clear affection for her brought her comfort.

• Yu Sui recalled how Han Bing had protected his siblings when they were young, then learned from Nian Qiuyan and Zhang Xiangyun that he had helped Xuan Kui recruit targets and kill people who discovered the truth.
• Yu Sui questioned Zhang Xiangyun about the Lan Shi network, pressured him into promising to obey her, and made him reveal the names he knew at the academy.
• Yu Sui left Zhang Xiangyun injured on the rooftop, and Nian Qiuyan departed after pointing out that Zhang Xiangyun would have to crawl to retrieve his Divine Wood Sign.
• Yu Sui went to the Taoist Saint Hall looking for Mei Chengyu and found him hiding in an apricot tree as he pruned its branches.
• Yu Sui told Mei Chengyu that seeing him had eased her unhappiness, and she realized his affection for her was unique.

Yu Sui represented her master at Luo Fu’s Legalist Judgment while staging a public quarrel with Mei Chengyu to conceal their closeness and protect him from scrutiny. The vote split evenly until Wei Xizhen arrived, leaving him as the only person who could decide Luo Fu’s fate.

• Yu Sui asked Mei Chengyu to let her handle Zhang Xiangyun and Xuan Kui, and he agreed while promising to intervene if she needed help.
• Yu Sui and Mei Chengyu staged an argument outside the execution ground, convincing the onlookers that the Ghost Dao School siblings had fallen out.
• At the judgment, the Sages cast five votes to spare Luo Fu and five to execute him, leaving Wan Guiyue to make the deciding choice.
• Wei Xizhen entered the hall before Wan Guiyue could decide, and the Sages realized that his arrival left him able to declare Luo Fu guilty or innocent.

Wei Xizhen returned to the Legalism School’s Judgment Meeting and cast the deciding vote to execute Luo Fu for using Lan Poison. After Luo Fu was killed, Yu Sui’s apparent fear left Zou Qian suspecting she had acted deliberately.

• Wei Xizhen joined the tied Judgment Meeting and proposed inviting the other Taiyi Saints to participate, but Wan Guiyue and others rejected the suggestion.
• Yu Sui said Wei Xizhen should count as late, giving him an opening to cast the deciding vote; Wan Guiyue refused his request to question Luo Fu again.
• Wei Xizhen cast his vote for the Black Card, and Wan Guiyue ordered Luo Fu’s execution.
• The Legalism School’s jade statues turned toward Luo Fu and struck him with pillars of light, killing him as Yu Sui watched in apparent shock.
• Wei Xizhen left with Wu Huaiwei, while Zou Qian noticed Yu Sui wink at him after the others had gone.

After Luo Fu was executed for using Lan Poison, Wu Huaiwei and Wei Xizhen discussed the Lan Poison investigation and how to sever Xirang's Qi. Zhang Xiangyun woke from severe injuries, learned Luo Fu was dead, and concealed that Nangong Sui had beaten him.

• Yu Sui watched Luo Fu's execution and reflected on how Taiyi's Sages would be judged for involvement with Lan Poison.
• Wu Huaiwei asked Wei Xizhen whether he could cut off Xirang's Qi, and Wei agreed to investigate Xirang after looking into Lan Poison.
• Song Yubai brought the badly injured Zhang Xiangyun to his dormitory, where Yuan Xi treated his wounds and warned that his Light Core might be damaged.
• Zhang Xiangyun woke and learned that Luo Fu had been executed after Wei Xizhen returned to cast the deciding vote.
• Nian Qiuyan visited Zhang Xiangyun, who angrily denied that Xuan Kui had anything to do with his injuries and refused to reveal who had beaten him.

Yu Sui earned Ou Rushuang’s trust by posing as an inexperienced but cooperative disciple, then planted a clue linking Wei Ren to Ji Meng’s Medicinal Flower. Meanwhile, Zhang Xiangyun agreed to take Nian Qiuyan to Xuan Kui’s last secret stronghold, and Zou Yexi intercepted a message ordering Xuan Kui to leave Mei Chengyu alone.

• Nian Qiuyan urged Zhang Xiangyun to take him to Xuan Kui’s last secret stronghold so they could make a new batch of Return Soul Incense, and Zhang Xiangyun finally agreed.
• Ou Rushuang summoned Yu Sui, questioned her about the Judgment Meeting and Undersea Mechanism City, and offered to teach her personally.
• Yu Sui told Ou Rushuang that Wei Ren had been connected to the Medicinal Flower Wuxiang Ling at Gu Gan’s dormitory, prompting Ou Rushuang to investigate.
• Zhang Xiangyun questioned Yuan Xi about Yu Sui and Mei Liangyu, then sent a message after deciding not to act against Yu Sui rashly.
• Yu Sui warned Xue Mushi that two people had set their sights on his cousin Xue Jiayue, and he resolved to speak with her.
• Zou Yexi intercepted a Message Dragonfly carrying the order, “Don't make a move against Mei Chengyu for now.”

Zou Yexi’s warning about Mei Chengyu reached Qingkui, but she decided to have him crippled and used to test Xuan Kui’s new Orchid Medicine rather than abandon her grudge. As Qingkui ordered her people to withdraw from Taiyi, Yu Sui kept Mei Chengyu in the dark and ended the chapter teasing him after he overheard her complaint.

• Zou Yexi sent Yu Sui a series of questions about Mei Chengyu, and Yu Sui told him to release the intercepted Message Dragonfly.
• Qingkui read Zhang Xiangyun’s warning, rejected killing Mei Chengyu for now, and approved using Orchid Medicine to cripple him as a test subject.
• Qingkui ordered Qin Chongxue to withdraw Qingyang’s people from Taiyi while she assessed the hidden threat there.
• Nian Qiuyan worried that Luo Fu’s death would intensify Qingkui’s desire to kill Mei Chengyu, while he focused on taking Zhang Xiangyun to Xuan Kui’s last secret stronghold.
• Yu Sui learned that Wei Xizhen had resumed investigating the Lan Poison stronghold, then told Wu Huaiwei she supported the inquiry and complained that Mei Chengyu was still upset with her.
• Mei Chengyu overheard Yu Sui describe their argument to Wu Huaiwei and sarcastically asked her to find him a more easygoing Senior Martial Brother; Yu Sui told him he was the only one she had.

Yu Sui accompanied Ou Rushuang to Xuan Kui’s hidden Fog Sea base, where she learned about its mirages and Lan Poison experiments. As Ou Rushuang negotiated with Qin Chongxue, he agreed to Qingkui’s withdrawal plan and stayed out of her scheme against Mei Chengyu, while a tiny Five Elements Light Core secretly observed them.

• Mei Chengyu and Yu Sui shared a meal in the Taoist Saint Hall while keeping up their public quarrel, and Yu Sui reassured Xing Chun that Mei Chengyu would make up with her.
• Yu Sui warned Mei Chengyu that Xuan Kui might retaliate, but Mei Chengyu said he was unafraid and explained that Sage Chang Gen was occupied on Mechanism Island.
• Ou Rushuang took Yu Sui through the Fog Sea mirage to Xuan Kui’s hidden base, explaining how sea-fish dreams formed mirages and how the organization tested Third Generation Lan on captives.
• Yu Sui met Zhang Xiangyun and Nian Qiuyan at the base while Ou Rushuang went upstairs to meet Qin Chongxue, who said Qingkui wanted Xuan Kui members withdrawn from Taiyi.
• Ou Rushuang agreed to Qingkui’s withdrawal decision and declined to help Qin Chongxue deal with Mei Chengyu, while a tiny Five Elements Light Core remained concealed nearby.

Yu Sui witnessed Nian Qiuyan’s Lan Poison workshop and learned that Qingkui was withdrawing Qingyang’s people from Taiyi as Qin Chongxue arrived with other powerful masters. The chapter left Yu Sui back at the academy, where she abruptly ended a voice transmission with Mei Chengyu and left him unable to sleep.

• Yu Sui entered the underground Lan Poison workshop with Nian Qiuyan and saw the dangerous process of refining it.
• Ou Rushuang told Zhang Xiangyun that Qingkui was withdrawing Qingyang’s people from Taiyi, while Nian Qiuyan stayed behind to further neutralize Third Generation Lan.
• Qin Chongxue warned Zhang Xiangyun that Qingkui was displeased with his recent failures and Luo Fu’s death, and Zhangxiangyun realized Qin Chongxue intended to act personally against Mei Chengyu.
• Yu Sui learned that Qin Chongxue and two other Thirteenth Realm masters had come to Taiyi, apparently because of Mei Chengyu, and she suspected Zhang Xiangyun’s resentment over Luo Fu was involved.
• Yu Sui returned to the academy and contacted Mei Chengyu, but told him to go back to sleep and ended the transmission before explaining why she had called.

Yu Sui kept Mei Chengyu in the Taoist Saint Hall while he recovered from his injuries, and the two reconciled as they practiced incantation characters together. Their night ended when Xuan Kui’s people sent Mei Chengyu proof that they had captured Yan Xiaochuan, forcing him to go to the outer city.

• Yu Sui asked Mei Chengyu to stay in the Taoist Saint Hall and practice incantation characters with her, and he agreed without saying so outright.
• Shi Yuezhen reassured Xing Chun that Yu Sui and Mei Chengyu’s quarrel was a lovers’ game, while Cang Shu confirmed that he and Shi Yuezhen never argued.
• Yu Sui confronted Mei Chengyu about the lingering damage from the poison, and he admitted it had not healed but promised to stay in the hall when she asked.
• Mei Chengyu confessed that Yu Sui could manage everything in his life, and she gave him a heart-shaped incantation character before they spent the night drawing symbols together.
• Xue Mushi asked Yu Sui to help find Xue Jiayue after she went to the outer city with people connected to Xuan Kui, and Yu Sui agreed.
• A War Hawk delivered a bloodied sash, Yan Xiaochuan’s inscribed stone, and a Listening Wind Ruler bearing a message that Yan Xiaochuan was being held at the Beast Bone Boat in East Wind Sea; Mei Chengyu’s ruler shattered as he realized he had to go.

Mei Chengyu entered a trap at the Beast Bone Boat to rescue Yan Xiaochuan and fought Qin Chongxue, a Thirteenth Realm Master serving Xuan Kui. As the fight continued, Mei Chengyu’s allies arrived to help, leaving Qin Chongxue facing an unexpected challenge.

• Wenren Xu revealed that he had kidnapped Yan Xiaochuan to lure Mei Chengyu to the Beast Bone Boat, and Mei Chengyu arrived alone at first.
• Qin Chongxue demanded that Mei Chengyu kill himself, but Mei Chengyu refused and challenged the men of Xuan Kui to attack together.
• Mei Chengyu and Qin Chongxue exchanged weapons and fought with blades and martial techniques, impressing the men watching from the hold.
• Mei Chengyu and Qin Chongxue traded taunts about Binzhou State, Zhongli Ci, and Qin Chongxue’s service to the Lan Du Organization.
• An Ice Serpent attacked Wenren Xu near the dungeon, while Yan Xiaochuan called for Senior Martial Brother Cang and revealed that Mei Chengyu had brought two allies.

Yu Sui and Xue Mushi failed to reconcile Xue Jiayue and learned that Xuan Kui had sent assassins after Mei Chengyu. At East Wind Sea, Qin Chongxue struck Mei Chengyu with Orchid Medicine, triggering a crack in the seal hidden in Mei Chengyu’s soul as he recognized the Heavenly Soldier Goddess from his past.

• Cang Shu’s spider silk cocooned Yan Xiaochuan while Cang Shu and Geng Hanfu faced off, and Xing Chun confronted Wenren Xu outside the Beast Bone Boat.
• Yu Sui and Xue Mushi found Xue Jiayue at Songhua Tower, but she ran away after arguing with Xue Mushi about his concern for her and his loyalty to Tu Miaoyi.
• Yu Sui learned that Xuan Kui had taken Yan Xiaochuan hostage and planned to kill Mei Chengyu, so she and Xue Mushi disguised themselves and headed for East Wind Sea.
• Yu Sui explained Xuan Kui’s ties to Taiyi’s Saints and decided to use the ambush as a chance for Xue Mushi to confront the people lying in wait.
• Qin Chongxue trapped Mei Chengyu in the Washing Soldiers Diagram Scroll’s formation and shot him with an arrow carrying Orchid Medicine, which entered his Soul Light Core and began breaking his hidden seal.
• Mei Chengyu recognized the Heavenly Soldier Goddess as the figure depicted in the Washing Soldiers Diagram, once owned by Princess Wangshu of Yan.

Xing Chun and Cang Shu rescued Yan Xiaochuan from Wenren Xu and Geng Hanfu, but the two powerful opponents drove them into hiding while Mei Chengyu remained trapped in the Washing Soldiers Diagram. Elsewhere, Xue Mushi and Yu Sui confronted ambushers guarding the East Wind Sea, and the chapter ended as Yu Sui positioned attacks against them.

• Wenren Xu used Gan Ding to suppress Xing Chun's Five Elements Qi, but Geng Hanfu and Cang Shu helped rescue Yan Xiaochuan from the Beast Bone Boat.
• Cang Shu used Phoenix Bird Sound Summon to take control of Xing Chun's Ice Serpent, buying time for the group to escape Wenren Xu and Geng Hanfu.
• Wenren Xu and Geng Hanfu tracked the group to a battered ship, where Geng Hanfu used the Earthquake Character Spirit to send it plunging into a fissure.
• Xing Chun and Cang Shu hid with Yan Xiaochuan and chose to wait for Mei Chengyu, who remained inside the Military Formation with Qin Chongxue.
• Xue Mushi and Yu Sui approached the East Wind Sea and identified six ambushers connected to the Tianhe Gang and Lan Poison.
• Zhuang Zhiquan attacked Xue Mushi with Thunder Punishment, and Yu Sui secretly positioned four Five Elements Light Cores against the ambushers.

Xue Mush defeated Zhuang Zhiquan and his companions with the Seven Kill Hexagram, then chose to trust Yu Sui and explained how the strange fire had changed him. He revealed that he could transform Agricultural School insect Gu into humanlike forms, while the Red Scorpion began changing in the shadows.

• Xue Mush used the Seven Kill Hexagram to reflect the attackers’ techniques, killing two men and leaving Zhuang Zhiquan injured.
• Xue Mush killed Zhuang Zhiquan with the First Hexagram as Yu Sui warned that Liu Yi and Chen Yongfu were approaching.
• Xue Mush told Yu Sui that their mutual suspicion had kept them from being honest, and he offered to trust her and explain his changes.
• Yu Sui accepted Xue Mush’s offer, then questioned him about the killings required to cultivate the forbidden Seven Kill Hexagram.
• Xue Mush explained that insect Gu could cultivate inner bombardment and seek to become human, and that a Dao Gu Insect Body could give them new forms.
• The Red Scorpion’s shadow stretched into a humanlike shape as Xue Mush described insect transformation.

Yu Sui and Xue Mushi revealed the deadly power of Dao Gu Insect Body and ambushed Liu Yi and Chen Yongfu. Meanwhile, Mei Chengyu escaped Qin Chongxue’s Military Formation when Thirteenth Realm practitioners arrived, while other Taiyi instructors confronted Wenren Xu and Geng Hanfu at the fissure.

• Xue Mushi explained that his Dao Gu Insect Body transformed insects into independent human forms and that he could control them before their transformation was complete.
• Liu Yi and Chen Yongfu found the fallen bodies in the forest, and Xue Mushi killed Liu Yi by making him mistake the Insect Transformation Person for his returning Sound Transmission Beast.
• Yu Sui attacked Chen Yongfu, who revealed that he had reached the Ninth Realm and trapped her in his Ancient Battlefield Military Formation.
• Qin Chongxue fired another arrow at Mei Chengyu after Mei Chengyu connected the Washing Soldiers Diagram to Qingkui and the County Princess of Yan.
• Zhang Yuxuan and Mu Wu broke Mei Chengyu out of the Military Formation, while Mu Yong'an and Zhu Rong arrived above the fissure to face Wenren Xu and Geng Hanfu.

The Taiyi instructors rescued Yan Xiaochuan and fought Wenren Xu, Geng Hanfu, and Qin Chongxue at the East Wind Sea. As Mu Yong'an pursued Geng Hanfu, he revealed that Mei Chengyu was the Eldest Princess's child, and Geng Hanfu realized Qin Chongxue had used Orchid Medicine.

• The character spirit bird carried Cang Shu, Yan Xiaochuan, and Xing Chun out of the Rift Abyss as Mu Yong'an and Zhu Rong confronted Wenren Xu and Geng Hanfu.
• Zhu Rong used the Colorful Scale Giant Python to trap the two sorcerers, but Geng Hanfu summoned the Jailfire Wind Woman and tore through the python's coils, prompting Mu Yong'an and Zhu Rong to pursue them separately.
• Zhang Yuxuan and Mu Wu drove Qin Chongxue back, while Mei Chengyu suffered disrupted Five Elements Qi and recognized that Qin Chongxue's arrow had disturbed his seal.
• Yan Xiaochuan reunited with Mei Chengyu, who questioned why Mu Yong'an had come to the East Wind Sea without being told about the kidnapping.
• Mu Yong'an caught up with Geng Hanfu, who said he had only sealed the Young Master's Five Elements Power and praised Mu Yong'an for caring for him.
• Mu Yong'an told Geng Hanfu that Mei Chengyu was the Eldest Princess's child, and Geng Hanfu reacted grimly as he recalled Qin Chongxue's Orchid Medicine.

Yu Sui killed Chen Yongfu and escaped with Xue Mushi while Qin Chongxue fought Mu Wu, Zhang Yuxuan, and Zhu Rong before escaping with the help of the Washing Soldiers Diagram. After reuniting with Wenren Xu and Geng Hanfu, Qin Chongxue revealed he had infected Mei Chengyu with Orchid Medicine, but Wenren Xu suddenly killed him and exposed a betrayal.

• Yu Sui broke Chen Yongfu's Military Formation and killed him with her Black Skull Sword Spirit, then told Xue Mushi she feared others discovering she had a sword spirit at all.
• Zhu Rong blocked Qin Chongxue as he tried to escape Mu Wu and Zhang Yuxuan, and the three opponents drove him into battle beside the Colorful Scale Giant Python.
• Mu Wu and Zhu Rong's coordinated attack triggered the Sky-Devouring Python Poison in Qin Chongxue, who used Orchid Poison and the Washing Soldiers Diagram to summon three Heavenly Soldiers and escape into the sea.
• Qin Chongxue reunited with Wenren Xu and Geng Hanfu on an island and revealed that he had used an arrow to infect Mei Chengyu with what he believed was Orchid Medicine.
• Wenren Xu seized and crushed Qin Chongxue's Soul Light Core, revealing he had switched the Orchid Medicine bottle before Qin Chongxue could deliver it to Mei Chengyu.
• Geng Hanfu confronted Wenren Xu after the killing, and Wenren Xu accused him of secretly meeting Mu Yong'an.

Wenren Xu explained how Qin Chongxue had helped loosen Mei Chengyu’s seal and used the Water Wind Well to lead him to the Washing Soldiers Diagram. After returning from the outer city, Mei Chengyu encountered Yu Sui, who was angry that he had gone out and come back injured.

• Wenren Xu told Geng Hanfu that Mei Chengyu might help rebuild Yan or destroy it once he recovered his memories, and warned him not to involve Mei Chengyu in Yan’s plans.
• Wenren Xu planted the Water Wind Well beside Qin Chongxue’s body, and Mei Chengyu followed its signal to retrieve the Washing Soldiers Diagram.
• Mei Chengyu stopped the Water Wind Well, then returned to Xing Chun, Yan Xiaochuan, and Cang Shu without finding the attackers.
• Mei Chengyu and his companions headed back toward the academy, where Yu Sui confronted them on the road.
• Mei Chengyu made his shoulder wound bleed to get Yu Sui to stop, but she challenged his claim that he was her senior martial brother.

Mei Chengyu returned injured from confronting Xuan Kui’s people, and Yu Sui learned that his qi could be cleansed and reforged, making him resistant to Lan Poison. At the Tianjian Division, the group investigated Qin Chongxue’s death, while Mu Yong'an revealed that Wenren Xu had sent the corpse as a gift for the Young Master.

• Yu Sui brought Mei Chengyu to Cang Shu’s farmhouse courtyard, where Shi Yuezhen examined his arrow wound and tested his blood for Lan Poison.
• Qingya Water formed floating beads around Mei Chengyu’s blood, but he explained to Yu Sui that the substance was not Lan Poison and that he could cleanse and reforge his qi.
• Yu Sui warned Mei Chengyu that she would not tolerate anyone trying to take what was hers, then the group went to the Legalism School’s Tianjian Division.
• Jiang Shulan concluded that Qin Chongxue had died after Lan Poison and battle weakened him, and Mu Yong'an said he had encountered Qin Chongxue after the man escaped through the sea.
• Yan Xiaochuan helped Mu Yong'an leave the Tianjian Division, where Mu Yong'an told him Xuan Kui had picked the wrong person to provoke.
• Mu Yong'an recalled that Wenren Xu had handed over Qin Chongxue’s corpse as a gift for the Young Master and urged him to make use of it.