Chapter Summaries

At the Golden Snake Assembly, Zhao Min arrived with Mongol experts, provoking hostility from Huang Rong and an attack by Xuancheng. Her allies fought back, and Song Qingshu intervened to save the Wudang envoys before Zhao Min ordered the battle to stop.

• Zhou Zhiruo lashed her whip at Guo Fu, but Huang Rong blocked it, and Zhou Zhiruo broke a pearl flower in Guo Fu's hair.
• Zhao Min arrived with the Golden Wheel Monk and other attendants, and Huang Rong challenged her presence at the assembly.
• Xuancheng charged Zhao Min, but the Sect Master of Vajra Gate and the Golden Wheel Monk fought him until he was wounded.
• Hundred Damage Daoist attacked Xuancheng, and Zhang Songxi and Yin Liting intervened but were injured by his Xuanming Divine Palm.
• Song Qingshu pulled Zhang Songxi and Yin Liting out of danger and fought Hundred Damage Daoist with the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.
• Zhao Min ordered Hundred Damage Daoist to spare Song Qingshu for the day.

Song Qingshu stopped Hundred Damage Daoist and Xuan Cheng from harming the Wudang heroes, while Zhao Min helped him restore his standing with Wudang Sect. As the Golden Snake Assembly approached, Zhou Zhiruo confronted him over his interest in Huang Rong and suspected that he, too, had been possessed by an old monster.

• Hundred Damage Daoist suffered a minor internal injury fighting Song Qingshu, then withdrew after Zhao Min intervened; Xuan Cheng also left when she invoked the peace negotiations.
• Zhao Min mocked Song Qingshu in public but secretly winked at him, and he explained that he had defended Wudang because he still cared for the place where he grew up.
• Zhang Songxi and Yin Liting told Song Qingshu that Zhang Sanfeng regretted misjudging him and invited him to return to Wudang, but Song Qingshu avoided committing to it.
• Murong Fu exchanged polite words with Song Qingshu while Wang Yuyan blushed, and Huang Rong questioned Song Qingshu about his many acquaintances before leaving for the Golden Snake Assembly.
• Zhou Zhiruo accused Song Qingshu of watching Huang Rong and of accepting Zhao Min's help, then suspiciously asked whether he had been possessed by an old monster.

Song Qingshu reassured Zhou Zhiruo about his ties to Wudang, then surveyed the factions gathered for the Golden Snake Assembly. He recognized old acquaintances and noticed the Red Flower Society’s hostility, while A Qing and Yuan Ziyi discussed him from their seats.

• Song Qingshu joked with Zhou Zhiruo about being possessed, and she admitted she was embarrassed to face Wudang’s Zhang Songxi and Yin Liting after their earlier quarrel.
• Song Qingshu told Zhou Zhiruo he had no plans to return to Wudang soon, and she happily took his hand as they watched the Golden Snake Assembly begin.
• Song Qingshu surveyed the assembled sects and noted the Ming Cult’s empty seats, Ren Yingying’s glare, and the Red Flower Society members’ hostility toward him.
• Song Qingshu recognized Yuan Shixiao, A Qing, and Yuan Ziyi among the Red Flower Society, and Zhou Zhiruo explained that Yuan Ziyi was her junior martial sister.
• A Qing said Song Qingshu seemed nice, while Yuan Ziyi warned her that he was a despicable scoundrel.

At the Golden Snake Assembly, Song Qingshu discussed Yuan Ziyi’s family and his own promises to take responsibility for the women in his life before Huang Rong began the martial contest. His first opponent was He Tieshou, the woman he had slept with while she was poisoned, and he left her with a provocative question.

• Zhou Zhiruo told Song Qingshu that Yuan Ziyi was Yuan Shixiao’s granddaughter, and Song Qingshu condemned Yuan Shixiao for abandoning Yuan Ziyi’s grandmother.
• Song Qingshu told Zhou Zhiruo that he would take responsibility for every woman he became involved with, reassuring Zeng Rou.
• Song Qingshu wondered whether Lord of Light might take control of the Persian Ming Cult and decided he needed to warn them.
• Huang Rong announced that the Golden Snake Assembly’s martial contest had begun and named Song Qingshu and He Tieshou as the first pair.
• Song Qingshu recognized He Tieshou as the woman he had slept with after she was poisoned, while she prepared to fight him with her Golden Centipede Hook and Hidden Needle.
• Song Qingshu asked He Tieshou whether she had forced the remnants of the poison out with her inner energy after their night together.

Song Qingshu defeated He Tieshou in a martial arts match, unaware that she had nearly killed him with a hidden needle. After He Tieshou left, Huang Rong announced the next match between Xiao Banhe and You Tanzhi.

• He Tieshou attacked Song Qingshu with her Golden Centipede Hook, and he caught and steadied her before she resumed the fight with her Spider Red Soft Whip.
• He Tieshou suddenly grew furious and attacked Song Qingshu viciously, while spectators speculated that he had abandoned her after sleeping with her.
• Song Qingshu sealed He Tieshou's acupoint and conceded politely, and she chose not to fire the Hidden Needle concealed on her body.
• Song Qingshu unsealed He Tieshou's acupoints, and she left the platform.
• Huang Rong declared Song Qingshu the winner and introduced Xiao Banhe and You Tanzhi as the next competitors.

Song Qingshu explained why You Tanzhi’s strange cold poison qi was slowing Xiao Banhe during their fight, while betting Zhou Zhiruo a kiss on the outcome. The crowd saw You Tanzhi’s power when his strike froze a flagpole, and Guo Fu grudgingly dismissed Song Qingshu’s accurate explanation as luck.

• Zhou Zhiruo teased Song Qingshu about his closeness with Miss He, and he changed the subject to the fight between Xiao Banhe and You Tanzhi.
• Song Qingshu bet Zhou Zhiruo that You Tanzhi would win, wagering a kiss, and Zhou Zhiruo accepted.
• Zhou Zhiruo and Guo Fu wondered why Xiao Banhe could not close in on You Tanzhi, so Song Qingshu explained that You Tanzhi’s frigid, poisonous internal energy slowed Xiao Banhe’s movements.
• You Tanzhi launched a fierce counterattack, and Xiao Banhe’s palm strike froze a flagpole and banner, shocking the crowd.
• Guo Fu blushed when she noticed Song Qingshu’s mocking smile and called his insight a lucky guess.

Song Qingshu watched Xiao Banhe defeat You Tanzhi, then shared a kiss on the cheek with Zhou Zhiruo. Yang Miaozhen silenced hecklers with her Pear Blossom Spear and impressed the crowd, while Song Qingshu wondered where he had seen Xiao Banhe’s unusual movement technique.

• Xiao Banhe changed his fighting style, evaded You Tanzhi’s attacks, and defeated him after a dozen exchanges.
• Zhou Zhiruo won her wager with Song Qingshu, who kissed her cheek while Guo Fu watched and Huang Rong looked on wistfully.
• Huang Rong declared Xiao Banhe the winner and announced Chen Jinnan and Yang Miaozhen as the next contestants.
• Yang Miaozhen shaved the hair of several hecklers with her Pear Blossom Spear, impressing Zhou Zhiruo and the martial artists in the crowd.
• Song Qingshu recognized that Xiao Banhe’s movement technique was familiar but could not recall where he had seen it.

At the Golden Snake Assembly, Yang Miaozhen defeated Chen Jinnan, who yielded gracefully and gained even more admiration from the crowd. Huang Rong praised both fighters and announced He Shiwo’s upcoming match against Shi Potian.

• Zhu Meichuo reminded Song Qingshu that Xiao Banhe was the man who had injured Ajiu in Shengjing.
• Zhou Zhiruo criticized Chen Jinnan’s conventional swordsmanship, and Song Qingshu explained that Chen’s reputation came from his character and work resisting the Qing.
• Chen Jinnan conceded to Yang Miaozhen after recognizing her superior spear technique and her restraint.
• Yang Miaozhen praised Chen Jinnan for not using his Blood Condensing Divine Claw, and the crowd admired his virtue.
• Huang Rong praised both fighters, while Zhao Min remarked that Huang Rong was more than just pretty; Huang Rong then announced He Shiwo’s match against Shi Potian.

Zuo Lengchan hoped to use Shi Potian's formidable Internal Energy to strengthen Mount Song Sect, while the disguised Huo Du entered the Golden Snake Assembly as the Beggar's Clan representative. The two faced each other on the platform, and Shi Potian warned Huo Du that he might not be able to control his strength.

• Zuo Lengchan watched Shi Potian take the platform and hoped to use him to gain control of the Golden Snake Camp.
• Guo Fu asked Huang Rong about He Shiwo, and Huang Rong said the Beggar's Clan disciple was an obscure man with mediocre martial arts.
• Song Qingshu reflected that Zhao Min's forces had infiltrated the Jiangnan Beggar's Clan and that He Shiwo's participation was only a formality.
• Huo Du recalled killing the real He Shiwo, infiltrating the Beggar's Clan, and setting aside his ambition to win after seeing the earlier contestants' skills.
• As the crowd jeered, Huo Du told Shi Potian to make the first move, and Shi Potian warned that he might hurt him because he could not gauge his own strength.

Huo Du challenged Shi Potian, but Shi Potian’s immense internal strength made him difficult to move or injure, frustrating Huo Du as the fight continued. Shi Potian remained unharmed despite taking repeated blows, while Zeng Rou worried about him and Song Qingshu reassured her.

• Huo Du tried to throw Shi Potian with wrestling moves, but Shi Potian resisted with his powerful internal strength and praised Huo Du’s skill.
• Huo Du struck Shi Potian’s shoulder with a forceful punch, then hesitated when he realized the crowd might condemn him for seriously injuring the youth.
• Guo Fu urged Shi Potian to admit defeat, but Shi Potian said the punch did not hurt and waved his arm to prove it.
• Huo Du attacked again with a series of punches and kicks, striking Shi Potian repeatedly without visibly hurting him.
• Zeng Rou asked Song Qingshu to save Shi Potian if necessary, and Song Qingshu assured her that Shi Potian’s true qi protected him.

Shi Potian defeated Huo Du by enduring his attacks, while Chen Youliang tried to accuse him of harming He Shiwo. After Huo Du withdrew, Zhuo Bufan made a dramatic entrance at the Golden Snake Assembly, leaving the story with his sword display drawing the crowd’s attention.

• Huo Du battered Shi Potian repeatedly but collapsed from exhaustion, while Shi Potian remained standing.
• Chen Youliang accused Shi Potian of using a vicious move, but Shi Potian treated He Shiwo and Huang Rong blocked Chen Youliang from interfering.
• Huo Du recovered and realized his hands and feet had been injured by the force rebounding from Shi Potian’s inner strength, then left the arena in despair.
• Huang Rong announced Zhuo Bufan and A Qing as the next contestants, and Zhuo Bufan sent a sword circling her before standing atop its hilt.
• The crowd cheered Zhuo Bufan’s sword control, while Song Qingshu praised him and Guo Fu reacted with displeasure.

A Qing faced Zhuo Bufan in the tournament, where his three-foot Sword Aura stunned the crowd. She answered with twelve-foot Sword Aura from her Green Bamboo Stick, leaving the venue silent and the outcome apparently settled before they exchanged blows.

• Zhuo Bufan urged A Qing to withdraw, while spectators warned that his ruthless swordsmanship could injure her.
• Zhuo Bufan displayed three-foot Sword Aura, surprising the crowd and prompting Wang Yuyan to identify his earlier technique as the One-Character Wisdom Sword Sect's Zhou Gong Sword.
• Wang Yuyan suggested asking Duan Yu about formless sword energy, but Murong Fu dismissed the idea as Duan Yu watched her affectionately.
• Song Qingshu praised Zhuo Bufan's skill, while Zhou Zhiruo and Zhu Meichuo worried about A Qing's chances.
• A Qing swept her Green Bamboo Stick and produced twelve-foot Sword Aura, cracking the stage and leaving Zhuo Bufan and the crowd stunned.

At the Golden Snake Assembly, A Qing overwhelmed Zhuo Bufan with her enormous Sword Aura, leaving Murong Fu and his allies worried about their chances. Song Qingshu claimed he was certain he could defeat A Qing in the finals and baited Guo Fu into agreeing to a wager.

• Wang Yuyan and Murong Fu worried that Xu Zhu might be more formidable than his appearance suggested.
• A Qing unleashed a thirty-meter Sword Aura that cut down the stage’s flagpoles, and Zhuo Bufan fled after admitting defeat.
• Murong Fu despaired at the thought of facing A Qing, while Wang Yuyan considered seeking help from Duan Yu and thought of Song Qingshu.
• Song Qingshu told Zhu Meichuo and Zhou Zhiruo that he was certain he could defeat A Qing if they met in the finals, but refused to explain how.
• Guo Fu mocked Song Qingshu’s confidence, and he challenged her to wager before she could reconsider.

Song Qingshu wagered with Guo Fu while Zhou Zhiruo and Zhu Meichuo worried about his intentions. On the arena, Xu Zhu fought Murong Fu and revealed formidable Shaolin finger techniques, leaving the crowd surprised by his skill.

• Song Qingshu proposed that the loser fulfill one condition for the winner, and Guo Fu confidently accepted the wager.
• Zhou Zhiruo and Zhu Meichuo privately warned Song Qingshu not to use the wager to pursue Huang Rong.
• Huang Rong introduced Xu Zhu and Murong Fu as the next contestants, and Song Qingshu wondered about Xu Zhu’s abilities and the Xiaoyao School.
• Xu Zhu fought Murong Fu evenly, using the Flower Plucking Finger and ambushing him with the Formless Tribulation Finger.
• Wang Yuyan explained that she had warned Murong Fu about the Formless Tribulation Finger, and Bao Butong rebuked Duan Yu for calling the Buddhist technique sinister.

Duan Yu, Wang Yuyan, and Bao Butong argued about sinister martial arts while Xu Zhu displayed a remarkable range of Shaolin techniques against Murong Fu. As Wang Yuyan recognized Xu Zhu’s final palm strike and warned her cousin not to meet it head-on, Murong Fu had already activated Star Shifting to counter it.

• Duan Yu challenged Bao Butong’s defense of martial arts by citing the Nine Yin White Bone Claw and the Xingxiu Sect’s Chain Corpse Rot Poison, while Wang Yuyan explained the claw’s mistaken practice.
• Wang Yuyan identified Xu Zhu’s techniques as Shaolin Seventy-two Ultimate Skills, and Song Qingshu suspected that Xu Zhu was using the Minor Formless Skill to perform them.
• Xu Zhu and Murong Fu fought fiercely, with Murong Fu recovering from his initial disadvantage and preparing to test their inner strength.
• Xu Zhu launched a powerful palm strike, and Wang Yuyan recognized it as One Clap, Both Scattered and urgently warned Murong Fu not to block it head-on.
• Murong Fu ignored the danger, activated Star Shifting, and swung his palm to meet Xu Zhu’s attack.

Xu Zhu defeated Murong Fu in the first round of the Golden Snake Assembly, while Yang Guo faced Gongsun Zhi in the next match. Gongsun Zhi mocked Yang Guo’s missing arm and separation from Xiaolongnü, provoking his killing intent.

• Xu Zhu struck Murong Fu with One Clap, Two Scattered, and Murong Fu fell after his inner-force backlash worsened the blow.
• Murong Fu rejected Wang Yuyan’s help and left the arena, while Bao Butong stopped Duan Yu from following her.
• Huang Rong introduced the match between Gongsun Zhi and Yang Guo and privately worried about their enmity.
• Gongsun Zhi asked Yang Guo whether Xiaolongnü was with him, then mocked his missing arm and questioned whether he was worthy of her.
• Yang Guo recalled his hatred of Gongsun Zhi and retorted that Gongsun Zhi was also a cripple because he was blind in one eye.

Yang Guo defeated Gongsun Zhi with a single swing of his heavy sword, but the weapons he knocked away flew toward Huang Rong and Guo Fu. Xiao Feng’s attempt to divert them accidentally shifted their path into Huang Rong’s, leaving her facing certain death.

• Gongsun Zhi attacked Yang Guo with his Golden Saber Black Sword, then retreated when Yang Guo remained motionless.
• The crowd mocked Gongsun Zhi for backing away from the one-armed Yang Guo, while Song Qingshu remarked on Yang Guo’s confident smile.
• Gongsun Zhi charged again and struck at Yang Guo’s missing arm and legs, but Yang Guo drew his heavy sword and knocked both weapons from his grasp, sending Gongsun Zhi flying.
• Yang Guo’s blow sent the Golden Saber Black Sword spinning toward Huang Rong and Guo Fu, and Xiao Feng used Dragon Capturing Skill to alter their course.
• Huang Rong stepped forward to deflect the weapons with her Dog Beating Staff, but Xiao Feng’s diversion made her strike empty air and put her directly in their path as Guo Fu screamed.

Song Qingshu saved Huang Rong from Gongsun Zhi’s Golden Saber Black Sword by stopping and shattering the weapons with his Qi Transformation Wall, leaving Gongsun defeated. As Huang Rong resumed the Golden Snake Assembly, she wondered why she had first thought Song Qingshu would take the blow for her.

• Song Qingshu stepped in front of Huang Rong and used his Qi Transformation Wall to halt Gongsun Zhi’s saber and sword before breaking them apart.
• Gongsun Zhi spat blood, while the watching heroes applauded Song Qingshu’s rescue of Huang Rong.
• Yuan Ziyi called Song Qingshu a lecher who had saved Huang Rong for selfish reasons, and Yuan Shixiao told her to watch her words.
• Song Qingshu told Huang Rong that she owed him a favor for saving her and her daughter, then returned to his seat.
• Yang Guo left after defeating Gongsun Zhi, and Huang Rong announced Linghu Chong and Duan Yanqing as the next contestants.
• Huang Rong wondered why she had expected Song Qingshu to take the weapons’ strike for her rather than simply stop them.

Huang Rong brooded over the fate awaiting Xiangyang and found herself unsettled by Song Qingshu’s attention, while the final match between Duan Yanqing and Linghu Chong began. Song Qingshu and Zhou Zhiruo discussed how the contest could determine who controlled the Golden Snake Camp, leaving Song Qingshu expecting a struggle with Zhang Wuji’s forces.

• Huang Rong imagined that Xiangyang would eventually fall and that Guo Jing would die defending it, then tried to dismiss her fear by questioning Song Qingshu’s strength.
• Song Qingshu exchanged glances with Ren Yingying, and Zhou Zhiruo, Zhu Meichuo, and Zeng Rou teased him about his closeness to several women.
• Guo Fu asked Huang Rong who would win the final match, but Huang Rong answered distractedly after overhearing the women’s conversation about Song Qingshu.
• Zhou Zhiruo asked Song Qingshu about Linghu Chong’s injuries, and Song Qingshu said Zhang Wuji had likely healed him.
• Song Qingshu explained that Ren Woxing might use a victory by Linghu Chong to seize control of the Golden Snake Camp and gain leverage against Zhang Wuji.

Linghu Chong defeated Duan Yanqing after using the Star-Sucking Technique to overcome his Internal Energy, advancing his bid to become Golden Snake King. As the second round was set for the next morning, Ouyang Feng noticed Huang Rong’s unusual reaction when she announced Song Qingshu’s name.

• Song Qingshu explained Linghu Chong’s Nine Swords of Dugu to Zhu Meichuo and Huang Rong, accurately predicting the fighters’ moves.
• Duan Yanqing shifted to relying on Internal Energy, but Linghu Chong used the Star-Sucking Technique to drain its force and make him concede.
• Ren Yingying praised Linghu Chong, who promised to win the Golden Snake King title for her.
• Huang Rong announced that the second round would begin the next morning and confirmed the matchups.
• Ouyang Feng noticed Huang Rong’s unnatural tone when she read Song Qingshu’s name and smiled strangely.