Chapter Summaries

At the Mingzhu Casino, Wei Lingshu’s scheme triggered a poisonous-mist ambush by the Tianhe Gang, while Mei Chengyu fought Scarred Man inside a Nine Palace Saber Formation. At the Taixu Hall’s Peace Talks Banquet, Qu Zhenghao used the casino scandal to demand the Mingzhu Casino’s two months of profits and seized territory, and Black Beard agreed to ask the County Princess for her decision.

• The Mingzhu Casino Steward severed Little Earth Father’s hands, closed the casino, and ordered Mei Chengyu and Nian Qiuyan escorted out as Wei Lingshu stirred up the guests against the casino.
• Wei Lingshu released poisonous green mist as hidden Tianhe Gang members attacked the guards, and Mei Chengyu fought off attackers before Scarred Man trapped him in a Nine Palace Saber Formation.
• At the Peace Talks Banquet, the Taixu Hall Master tried to quiet the feuding factions, but Qu Zhenghao accused Black Beard of profiting while the other gangs fought.
• Qu Zhenghao played a Listening Wind Ruler recording of the casino accusations, prompting the factions and the Taixu Hall Master to declare that the Mingzhu Casino had broken Taiyi’s rules.
• Qu Zhenghao demanded Black Beard surrender the territory acquired over two months and all the Mingzhu Casino’s profits, invoking the County Princess as the Nangong Family’s decision-maker.
• Black Beard agreed to contact the County Princess and ask whether she would accept Qu Zhenghao’s demand.

Yu Sui joined the effort to retrieve a fragment and investigate the Tianzi Text, but she left the School of Names to confront gangs demanding money from Mingzhu Casino. While watching the casino through her Five Elements Light Cores, she discovered Zhang Xiangyun and Luo Fu had lured Nian Qiuyan into a building and demanded the Milky Way Water.

• Yu Sui and Xue Mushi discussed the strange fire, Taiyi's Geothermal Core Power, and how to contact the other people connected through Death Empathy.
• Gu Gan and Xun Zhiya entered the hidden passage beneath Xiaoyao Pool while Yu Sui, Xue Mushi, and Wei Ren kept watch outside.
• Black Beard told Yu Sui that several groups demanded Mingzhu Casino's land deeds and two months of profits, and Yu Sui said she would meet them in the outer city.
• Yu Sui sent Five Elements Light Cores through the outer city and spotted Zhang Xiangyun and Luo Fu watching the fight at Mingzhu Casino.
• Mei Chengyu and Nian Qiuyan escaped the casino through poison mist, but Zhang Xiangyun's stone walls separated them and the Scarred Man drove Nian Qiuyan into a nearby building.
• Zhang Xiangyun confronted Nian Qiuyan and demanded that he hand over the Milky Way Water.

Yu Sui overheard Zhang Xiangyun confront Nian Qiuyan over the stolen Milky Way Water and learned they were tied to Xuan Kui’s Lan Poison operation. Nian Qiuyan resisted handing over the water, used a Love-struck Gu to stop Zhang Xiangyun from harming him, and was left behind as Zhang and Luo Fu departed with the Five Elements Light Core.

• Zhang Xiangyun accused Nian Qiuyan of stealing Milky Way Water from Hanging Moon Cave and demanded that he hand it over for making Lan Poison in Taiyi.
• Nian Qiuyan refused to trust Zhang Xiangyun and Luo Fu with the water, while Zhang threatened to expose him to Mei Chengyu and Kong Yiyi.
• Zhang Xiangyun trapped Nian Qiuyan in a divination formation, but Nian Qiuyan claimed he would give him the water and used an Instant Concealment Talisman to plant a Love-struck Gu on him.
• Luo Fu stopped attacking Nian Qiuyan after Zhang Xiangyun realized that harming him would also hurt Zhang, and Zhang withdrew the formation while warning Nian Qiuyan to decide whether to surrender the water.
• Zhang Xiangyun and Luo Fu left with the Five Elements Light Core, discussed Qu Zhenghao and the Nangong Family, and headed back to the academy.

Yu Sui confronted Qu Zhenghao and exposed the Tianhe Gang, Dragon Martial Gang, and Star Moon Island’s roles in conflicts with other factions, triggering a fight at the Taixu Hall banquet. When Qu Zhenghao attacked her, Yu Sui used the Ghost Dao School’s Soul Seizure technique to hurl him onto the platform.

• Yu Sui arrived at the Taixu Hall banquet and challenged Qu Zhenghao over the Tianhe Gang’s actions at Mingzhu Casino.
• Little Earth Father’s voice transmission accused the Tianhe Gang of arranging a cheating scheme to frame Mei Chengyu.
• Yu Sui revealed that the Dragon Martial Gang had kidnapped relatives of the Ten Mountains Sect, prompting the sects to clash.
• Yu Sui exposed the Tianhe Gang and Star Moon Island’s involvement in the poisoning that killed six people from Li Fire Sect, and the factions broke into a fight.
• Qu Zhenghao attacked Yu Sui, but she used Soul Seizure to overwhelm him and send him crashing onto the platform.

Yu Sui defeated Qu Zhenghao’s scheme at Taixu Hall and learned that Lan Poison might be linked to a Taiyi Saint and Xuan Kui. She reunited with Mei Chengyu and Nian Qiuyan after the fight at Mingzhu Casino, then asked Nian Qiuyan what his divination had revealed.

• Yu Sui used Ghost Dao Soul Seizure and the Heavenly Secrets Technique to overcome Qu Zhenghao, then left Taixu Hall as the gangs reacted to his defeat.
• Yu Sui questioned Black Beard about Lan Poison and ordered him to investigate, suspecting that its makers were connected to a Taiyi Saint and Xuan Kui.
• Mei Chengyu fought Wei Lingshu and the Scarred Man while protecting Nian Qiuyan, who had disappeared during the attack on Mingzhu Casino.
• Wei Lingshu retreated after learning Qu Zhenghao had been defeated, but Mei Chengyu and the Nangong Family’s Technicians blocked her escape.
• Yu Sui arrived with Black Beard, who arrested Wei Lingshu and the Scarred Man, and she reunited with Mei Chengyu and Nian Qiuyan.
• Yu Sui explained what had happened at Taixu Hall, and Mei Chengyu asked Nian Qiuyan what his divination had said.

Yu Sui and Mei Chengyu questioned Wei Lingshu about the divination array, then discussed their pasts and the theft of the Milky Way Water. Yu Sui arranged a dormitory inspection to help retrieve Gu Gan’s fragments, and the chapter ended with Gu Gan, Ji Meng, and Huo Xiao examining them.

• Mei Chengyu and Nian Qiuyan questioned Wei Lingshu, who said Qu Zhenghao had been contacted through an Agricultural School Sound Transmission Beast but knew nothing about the people behind the array.
• Mei Chengyu waited for Yu Sui, and she asked why he had come to the outer city; he explained that a child he knew had sought his help.
• Yu Sui and Mei Chengyu discussed the Hanging Moon Cave theft, her life in Qingyang, and the prisoners she had once taken home as a slave.
• Yu Sui told Li Jinshuang that instructors would inspect the dormitories the next night and advised her to cause a disturbance to create an opportunity for Wei Ren.
• Yu Sui checked on Gu Gan and saw him with Ji Meng and Huo Xiao, all staring at the Futuo Tower Fragments.

Yu Sui examined the recovered Futuo Tower Fragments, investigated possible links between Lan Poison and Xuan Kui, and helped Wei Ren prepare for a covert operation during a sudden dormitory inspection. The inspection turned into a search for stolen Milky Way Water, and Yu Sui watched to see whether the Saints present would help Nian Qiuyan.

• Gu Gan worried that recovering the Futuo Tower Fragments had gone too smoothly, while Ji Meng urged him to keep them safe.
• Yu Sui rested after the previous night's events, then showed Zhongli Que how to use the Fusang Pearl and discussed Lan Poison investigations in the capital.
• Wei Ren told Yu Sui that Ji Shuyan had once sent him to kill a Lan Shi involved in Lan Poison, and Yu Sui suspected Chu Jin belonged to Xuan Kui.
• Yu Sui let Wei Ren proceed with his plan to enter a room during the dormitory inspection, while Xue Mushi prepared to help distract the Instructors.
• Chang Sunzi arrived with the Instructors, and Agricultural School Saint Ou Rushuang announced that they had sealed the dormitories to search for the stolen Milky Way Water.
• Yu Sui watched the Instructors gather and wondered how many Saints had come to help Nian Qiuyan.

Yu Sui orchestrated a dormitory search for the Milky Way Water to distract the Sages while Wei Ren entered Gu Gan’s room to steal the Futuo Tower Fragment. Dustless Earth could not copy the fragment, so Wei Ren took the original and left as Gu Gan sensed something was wrong.

• Chang Sunzi and Yu Sheng led searches of the dormitories while Sheng Zui and Mu Mengbai speculated about how the Communication Institute had learned of the Milky Way Water.
• Gu Gan worried that the search would expose the Futuo Tower Fragments in his room, while Sha Qian publicly accused him of hiding the Milky Way Water.
• Yu Sui told Wei Ren that no Sage would search Gu Gan’s floor and directed him to enter the room and retrieve the fragment.
• Wei Ren opened the Black Wooden Box using Yu Sui’s instructions, but Dustless Earth failed to copy the Futuo Tower Fragment.
• Yu Sui ordered Wei Ren to take the original fragment, and he escaped while Gu Gan began to suspect that something was wrong.

Yu Sui watched the searches for the Milky Way Water and used a staged Gu-poison outbreak to divert attention from Nian Qiuyan’s room. The searchers found only a fallen Mechanical Rabbit, while Mei Chengyu quietly helped Nian Qiuyan.

• Zhu Feiye silenced the disciples and ordered the instructors to search the rooms in order as Wei Ren returned after retrieving the item.
• Wei Ren overheard Jiang Shulan and Kuang Chu discussing the dangerous Milky Way Water while he waited outside the residence.
• Yu Sui watched the search reach Nian Qiuyan’s room, where a noise drew suspicion just as an instructor was about to open the door.
• Yu Sui triggered a disturbance by shattering the Five Elements Light Core, and several disciples collapsed with symptoms of Gu poison.
• Ou Rushuang arrived, treated the poisoned disciples, and then joined Chang Sunzi in inspecting Nian Qiuyan’s room.
• The searchers opened Nian Qiuyan’s door and found a fallen red Mechanical Rabbit, while Mei Chengyu stood by as if he had helped cover for him.

During the dormitory search, Yu Sui watched the investigation while the instructors and Sages dealt with the commotion. At the Communication Institute, Zou Qian raised the possibility that the Milky Way Water theft and the mysterious message involved multiple people, while Yu Sui concealed that she had taken control of the Number Mountains.

• Chang Sunzi went upstairs to investigate the fighting, while Ou Rushuang led the search of Nian Qiuyan's floor and found no sign of the Milky Way Water.
• After Ou Rushuang left, Nian Qiuyan told Mei Chengyu and Kong Yiyi that the only thing in his room was a Mechanical Rabbit.
• Kuang Chu questioned whether Gu Gan and his fellow Hanging Moon Cave entrants should still be considered suspects, while Jiang Shulan noted that the Legalist School had cleared Gu Gan.
• At the Communication Institute, Zou Qian explained that several Listening Wind Rulers could have been used to send the untraceable message and suggested that the Milky Way Water theft might have involved a group.
• Li Qiuwen checked the Communication Institute's visitor records and found no one suspicious, while Yu Sui secretly realized the Number Mountains belonged to her now.

Yu Sui’s staged hint led Leng Rouyin to discover Lan Poison traces in Qiao Jun’s dormitory. When Qiao Jun tried to escape, Leng Rouyin and Kuang Chu struck him down, leaving the investigation to continue with his body.

• Yu Sui watched the instructors search the dormitories and saw Leng Rouyin detect the scent of Lan Poison in Qiao Jun’s room.
• Leng Rouyin identified a spilled bottle of Lan Poison and ordered Qiao Jun taken to the Legalists for a blood test.
• Two of Qiao Jun’s roommates confirmed seeing a blue bottle, and Leng Rouyin ordered the instructors to take him away.
• Qiao Jun used the Wind Riding Technique and the Mystic Technique: Pseudo-Beast to transform into a bird and flee through the window.
• Leng Rouyin and Kuang Chu struck the fleeing Qiao Jun with Sword Qi, killing him in the Peach Blossom Forest.
• Leng Rouyin told Kuang Chu to take Qiao Jun’s body to the Legalists for testing, while Kuang Chu disputed who was responsible for the killing.

After Qiao Jun was exposed for Absorbing Lan Poison and died during capture, the Sages searched the dormitory, giving Yu Sui’s group cover to take Gu Gan’s Futuo Tower Fragment. Gu Gan discovered the theft and confronted the Mysterious Person, but their exchange ended with both threatening to expose each other.

• Leng Rouyin informed the Sages that Lan Poison had been found, and Ou Rushuang announced that Qiao Jun had died while trying to flee capture.
• The Sages ordered a search of the dormitory, while Zhang Xiangyun suspected Nian Qiuyan of engineering the night’s events and Nian Qiuyan feared his allies would turn against him.
• The instructors searched the rooms of Gu Gan, Ji Meng, and Huo Xiao but found nothing, and Gu Gan discovered that the Futuo Tower Fragment was missing from his Black Wooden Box.
• Yu Sui warned Li Jinshuang and Xue Mushi that Gu Gan would investigate the theft, while Gu Gan suspected the instructors who had entered his room.
• Gu Gan accused the Mysterious Person of taking the fragment, and the Mysterious Person threatened to reveal what Gu Gan had lost if he continued blaming them.

Yu Sui and her allies considered the Lan Poison plot and the Futuo Tower Fragments as the Sages gathered to investigate. Wei Ren brought the fragments to Yu Sui the next morning, just as Mei Chengyu arrived at her door.

• Yu Sui denied taking the fragments when Gu Gan confronted her, and the two ended their conversation after threatening each other.
• Wei Ren returned to his dorm, where Mei Chengyu teased him; Yu Sui revealed that Mei Chengyu knew Wei Ren had taken the Futuo Tower Fragments but did not know about the Fusang Pearl.
• Mei Chengyu and Nian Qiuyan discussed the Lan Poison, Qiao Jun, and the Sages’ coming response before Mei Chengyu left; Nian Qiuyan searched the dormitory and wondered who had exposed the poison.
• Yu Sui told Zhongli Que that Qiao Jun had used Mystic Technique · Pseudo-Beast to carry messages and transport Lan Poison, then decided to focus on the Tianzi Text while the Sages met at the Court of Justice.
• Yu Sui practiced turning Ownerless Qi into Nine Schools Techniques through her Five Elements Light Cores as she waited for morning.
• Wei Ren brought the Futuo Tower Fragments to Yu Sui, and she examined their glow before opening the door to Mei Chengyu.

Yu Sui and her companions studied the Futuo Tower Fragment and discovered that its soothing power could make people lose their desire to resist. Meanwhile, Gu Gan’s allies searched for the stolen fragment and questioned Yu Sui, who concealed her involvement; Wei Ren wondered whether Mei Chengyu knew she was pretending.

• Yu Sui, Wei Ren, and Xue Mushi examined the Futuo Tower Fragment, and Yu Sui shut its box after noticing its power had absorbed her and Xue Mushi.
• Yu Sui told Wei Ren to copy the Tianzi Text while Gu Gan’s allies gathered to discuss the fragment’s disappearance and argued over who might have leaked information.
• Qian Ying suspected Yu Sui might have told Mei Chengyu about the fragment, but Yu Sui acted shocked and denied knowing anything about it.
• After Qian Ying left, Yu Sui decided to have Black Beard ensure Gu Gan’s investigation of the instructors was handled cleanly.
• Wei Ren copied the Tianzi Text and asked Xue Mushi whether Mei Chengyu knew Yu Sui was putting on an act.

Mei Chengyu and his companions suspected Nian Qiuyan had helped obtain the Milky Way Water by using Six Mysterious Wood, while Yu Sui continued studying the Futuo Tower fragments. As Taiyi tested its disciples for Lan Poison, Chu Jin learned of the investigation and ordered Zhang Xiangyun to give Nangong Sui Qiao Jun’s position, setting up a test of her loyalty.

• Mei Chengyu, Xing Chun, and Zhongli Shan connected Nian Qiuyan’s unusual star-chart divinations and visits to Mechanism Island to a possible search for Six Mysterious Wood, then planned to inspect the deep-sea woodlands.
• Yu Sui asked Gu Gan about the missing Futuo Tower fragments, then returned to study the Tianzi Text with books from the academy library.
• Taiyi Academy ordered its disciples to be tested for Lan Poison, and Zhang Xiangyun confronted Nian Qiuyan, accusing him of withholding an item; Nian Qiuyan denied involvement and walked away.
• Chu Jin received news that Taiyi had found Lan Poison and that Xuan Kui had lost a Divine Mechanism · Pseudo-Beast, then questioned Wu Fu about Mei Chengyu and Nangong Sui.
• Chu Jin ordered Wu Fu to tell Zhang Xiangyun to give Nangong Sui Qiao Jun’s position so her father would have to choose between his daughter and her Senior Martial Brother.

Yu Sui kept up appearances while Taiyi investigated the Lan Poison and prepared to take the Level Up Challenge. At the Military School, Zhang Xiangyun and Luo Fu learned that Qingkui intended to use Nangong Sui in Qiao Jun’s place, hoping her failure would get her expelled from Taiyi.

• Yu Sui visited Sage Chang Gen, who told her that he planned to join the investigation into the Lan Poison in the outer city and that the Sages were still searching for the Lan Shi and the missing Milky Way Water.
• Mei Chengyu told Sage Chang Gen that the three visiting Sages accepted his intentions, then explained the Level Up Challenge to Yu Sui, who decided to try it in a few days.
• Yu Sui went to the Military School under the pretext of practicing combat so she could meet Li Jinshuang, but Mei Chengyu found her watching the Training Ground and told her he disliked her looking at the disciples there.
• Zhang Xiangyun and Luo Fu discussed the Xuan Kui Organization’s message assigning Nangong Sui to replace Qiao Jun, and Zhang said Qingkui wanted Nangong Sui to fail and be expelled from Taiyi.

Yu Sui tested whether her Ownerless Qi could manifest a Soldier School sword spirit while sparring with Li Jinshuang, and heard a strange sound that suggested her experiment had begun to work. That night, Zhang Xiangyun and Luo Fu intercepted her on the way to the outer city and forced her into their carriage, hinting that Nangong Ming wanted her to learn about Xuan Kui.

• Zhang Xiangyun dismissed Nangong Sui as harmless while telling Luo Fu that they would take Nian Qiuyan when people arrived that night.
• Yu Sui sparred with Li Jinshuang and used Ownerless Qi to manifest Soldier School techniques, then heard a faint sound like water bubbling beneath the surface.
• Yu Sui received word that someone from the Prince's residence wanted her to go to the outer city, and she left Taiyi Academy after telling Li Jinshuang she would go alone.
• Zhang Xiangyun and Luo Fu stopped Yu Sui outside the academy and said they were headed to Xide Restaurant, revealing that the Prince's order was connected to Xuan Kui.
• Luo Fu seized Yu Sui's Listening Wind Ruler, and Zhang Xiangyun threatened that Mei Chengyu would have trouble explaining himself to Nangong Ming if he learned about the night; Yu Sui reluctantly boarded their carriage.

Yu Sui learned that the Nangong Family cooperated with Xuan Kui and was ordered by Nangong Ming to take charge of the organization’s work in Taiyi. Meanwhile, Nian Qiuyan revealed where the Milky Way Water was hidden.

• Zhang Xiangyun told Yu Sui that the Prince’s household was helping Xuan Kui and that they needed her assistance with Lan Poison.
• Nian Qiuyan went to the Nangong Family’s outer-city residence and met Cao Yan, while Mei Chengyu and his hired hands reached Mechanism Island.
• Cao Yan confirmed that the Nangong Family cooperated with Xuan Kui and gave Yu Sui Nangong Ming’s letter ordering her to take over their partnership in Taiyi.
• Yu Sui accepted Nangong Ming’s command while concealing her resolve to eliminate Xuan Kui’s Lan Shi in Taiyi.
• Luo Fu demanded the location of the Milky Way Water, and Nian Qiuyan said it was in the sea filled with Six Mysterious Wood.

Mei Chengyu, Zhongli Shan, and Xing Chun worked together to cross the storm-wracked Abyssal Sea and reach the woods beneath it in search of the Six Mysterious Wood. Zhongli Shan split the waves with the Tai'a Sword Technique, and the three entered the passage stabilized by Xing Chun and Mei Chengyu’s star arrays.

• Mei Chengyu and Zhongli Shan waited on the shore while Xing Chun warned them that the waves and chaotic Five Elements Qi made crossing the Abyssal Sea dangerous.
• Zhongli Shan drew on the Zhongli Family’s Tai'a Sword Technique and cleaved a towering wave in two.
• Mei Chengyu summoned the Northern Darkness Black Tortoise Star Array to suppress the Five Elements Qi across the parted sea.
• Xing Chun used the Wall Constellation to stabilize the passage and keep the two water walls from collapsing.
• Mei Chengyu, Zhongli Shan, and Xing Chun stepped between the water walls and headed toward the woods beneath the sea.

Mei Chengyu, Xing Chun, and Zhongli Shan searched the Coral Sea and found Six Mysterious Wood carrying the Milky Way Water. As Mei Chengyu began to sink after a sudden attack of pain, a sea vent formed and dragged all three toward the seabed.

• Mei Chengyu led Xing Chun and Zhongli Shan into the deep sea using modified Four Seasons Rest Talismans to search for Six Mysterious Wood and Milky Way Water.
• Xing Chun detected the Milky Way Water with his River Probe Staff, and the three uncovered Six Mysterious Wood hidden beneath coral.
• Mei Chengyu cut off the damp branch holding the Milky Way Water and stored it in his Mechanism Box.
• Milky Way Water-bearing fuzz drifted into Mei Chengyu's ear, after which a sudden pain struck him and his talisman failed, leaving him unable to swim upward.
• Zhongli Shan grabbed Mei Chengyu as Xing Chun warned them, but a sea vent formed and dragged all three toward the seabed when the surface formations vanished.