Recaps

After the Xia Emperor’s death, Ning Chen led Great Xia’s forces against the Buddhist Kingdom while the succession crisis deepened. He defeated the Du'e Temple Abbot but was gravely wounded, leaving Changsun to face the unresolved struggle over the throne and Northern Mongol’s uncertain intentions.

• The Xia Emperor died during Qing Wuhen’s failed attempt to kill him, and the Imperial Princes became contenders for the throne as Ning Chen left with Little Mingyue to negotiate with Fan Lingyue.
• Ning Chen and Fan Lingyue agreed to move the Northern Mongol army two hundred li from Northfall City, but Mu Chengxue and Fan Lingyue later attacked, forcing Ning Chen to retreat.
• After learning that the Buddhist Kingdom had invaded Great Xia, Ning Chen took five thousand Imperial Guards southwest and negotiated passage through the Barbarian Dynasty.
• Qing Ling destroyed the Nanli Dam, flooding the Buddhist forces, while Ning Chen and Little Mingyue attacked Du'e Temple and damaged its Buddha statue.
• Ning Chen broke through to the Ninth Rank, defeated the temple’s Vajras and Arhats, and took Du'e Temple, where he found the Blood-Patterned Sword and learned how to break its seal.
• Ning Chen and Qing Ling fought the Du'e Temple Abbot, and the Blood-Patterned Sword pierced his weakness as the Imperial Guards helped bring him down.
• Qing Ling carried the wounded Ning Chen and Little Mingyue away as the Barbarian King held off Mu Chengxue, and Prince Yan purged Buddhist power from Ning Chen’s body.
• The Confucian School captured Gulan City and Great Xia pushed back the Buddhist Kingdom, while Changsun faced the intensifying imperial succession struggle and Northern Mongolia continued to feign peace.

Ning Chen took control of the Ministry of Justice while navigating the princes’ rivalry, protecting Liu Ruoxi, and investigating threats to Great Xia. As his injuries worsened and the court’s tensions grew, he set out to face Mu Qianshang in a duel.

• Ning Chen received the title of Martial Marquis, rebuffed the princes’ attempts to recruit him, and was appointed director of the Ministry of Justice after forcing Marquis Anqing to retire.
• Ning Chen challenged the Ministry of Justice’s leaders, fought Yin Wugou to a standstill, and brought him into his service while investigating the Lord of Yingcheng’s execution.
• Ning Chen met Su Feiyan at Lingyan Pavilion, attended the Courtesan Queen Competition with Mingyue, and later fought Su Feiyan before returning the Scroll of Earth to the Ghost Maiden.
• Ning Chen arranged Liu Ruoxi’s apparent death to save her from being handed over, then sheltered her at his residence and helped her recover.
• Ning Chen promised Xia Mingri his support, then attacked Cloud Ridge Stockade alone and killed many of its fighters before interrogating a captive.
• Ning Chen entered the imperial mausoleum and was struck down by Eunuch Pei, then concealed his injuries while keeping watch on Duke Xiyu and the Tenth Prince’s faction.
• Ning Chen sent Changsun’s Nine Marvelous Separation-Reunion Flower to auction, considered Xia Yanwu’s request for support, and accepted Mu Qianshang’s challenge.
• Ning Chen borrowed the Great Yin Azure Sparrow Sword from Changsun and met Mu Qianshang a hundred li from the capital, where they began their duel.

Ning Chen survived heavenly punishment, recovered in the Underworld, and sought the Scroll of Heaven and a way to repair his body as Northern Mongolia advanced against Great Xia. The arc left Prince Yan fighting the Martial Lord while Ning Chen watched from the Underworld.

• Ning Chen shielded Mu Qianshang during his tribulation, then joined the struggle over the throne as Xia Yanwu’s coup ended in tragedy and Xia Mingri became emperor.
• After Ning Chen defeated Eunuch Pei, heavenly fire struck him for breaking his oath, but Prince Yan and the Ghost Maiden saved him, and Ning Chen chose to keep living despite the poison in his body.
• Ning Chen entered the Yin Tomb with the Ghost Maiden, who took the Heavenly Book and brought him a fragment of Underworld Source to help repair his body.
• Ning Chen returned to Great Xia and advised Xia Mingyue to use the wheat harvest and thirty thousand cavalry against Northern Mongolia, then resumed cultivating in the Underworld.
• Prince Yan obtained Phoenix Blood, and the Master and Prince Yan purified it and treated Ning Chen’s poison before Prince Yan helped him retrieve an ancient mirror from the Yin Tomb.
• Fan Lingyue redirected Northern Mongolia’s campaign after Ning Chen’s attacks on its grain supplies, while A'man traveled west with Prince Yan to seek Ning Chen.
• Prince Hua secured one hundred thousand troops from the Barbarian King, and Prince Yan met the Martial Lord at Marquis Kaixuan’s camp.
• After their duel left both badly wounded, Prince Yan recalled Ning Chen’s plan to locate the Martial Lord’s second qi sea and sent his twin swords at him.

Ning Chen battled Fan Lingyue’s Northern Mongol forces while confronting the Wang Family’s rebellion and pursuing a cure for his poison. After the Wang Family Ancestor fell and Underworld Son escaped with him, Ning Chen returned to the war, where Fan Lingyue sent Sword Two to intercept him and glimpsed a coming calamity.

• Prince Yan ended his battle with the Martial Lord and left to mend the Azure Sword, while Ning Chen joined the Blood-clothed Marquis in planning to fight Northern Mongol.
• Ning Chen confronted Fan Lingyue, survived her Scroll of Moon attack, and escaped as her illness forced her to stop pursuing him.
• Fan Lingyue’s forces captured Yangguan City and routed Great Xia’s reinforcements, while Ning Chen unleashed the Scroll of Life’s forbidden power at Tianhua Mountain before Mu Chengxue stopped him and carried him away.
• Ning Chen investigated the Wang Family’s plans to restore the former dynasty, recruited Mu Qianshang, and arranged an assault with Qing Ling, Mu Chengxue, and Dangerous Tower.
• Ning Chen and his allies killed the Wang Family Ancestor, but Underworld Son appeared, took the fallen ancestor, and vanished as the court stripped Ning Chen of his marquis title.
• Ning Chen learned that Yue Ling’s illness was beyond the Millennium Blood Ginseng King’s power and sought an Other Shore Flower to counter the Yellow Springs poison spreading through his body.
• Ning Chen crossed the Great River, survived the Nine-Headed Infant and its Heavenly Fire Tribulation, then returned to join Duke Jingwu and the Blood-clothed Marquis in planning Great Xia’s defense.
• Fan Lingyue killed an azure-clad Innate expert from Featherfall Valley, refused to delay Northern Mongol’s attacks, and sent Sword Two to intercept Ning Chen near Changli City as she glimpsed the Eternal Night Divine Cult’s role in the coming calamity.