Chapter Summaries

Zeng Anmin deduced that Meiyu Tower wanted to cooperate with him and set out to meet its messenger in Capital City. After realizing Prince Nan’s death would cause trouble for the delegation, he transformed into Prince Nan and invented a story that blamed Wu Wei for the death.

• Zeng Anmin explained to Bai Ziqing why Meiyu Tower likely wanted to cooperate with him and decided to meet the youth traveling to Capital City.
• Zeng Anmin and Bai Ziqing planned to tell Duke Cao that Huang had killed Prince Nan, while Bai Ziqing had fought Huang in an effort to save him.
• Bai Ziqing worried that Prince Nan’s death would disrupt the Empress’s plans, and Zeng Anmin jokingly suggested he become her male concubine.
• Zeng Anmin realized they could claim that he and Bai Ziqing had rescued Prince Nan from Wu Wei, but that he had died in the ensuing fight.
• Zeng Anmin transformed into Prince Nan and bowed to Bai Ziqing, who praised the plan as genius.

Zeng Anmin disguised himself as Prince Nan so he and Bai Ziqing could return to the envoy party without exposing Prince Nan’s death. After Bai Ziqing explained the supposed recapture to Duke Cao, Zeng Anmin was sent back to Prince Nan’s carriage, where he brooded over what had happened.

• Zeng Anmin put on Prince Nan’s clothes and practiced his mannerisms with Bai Ziqing, who insisted on slapping him to make the disguise convincing.
• Bai Ziqing froze and shattered the two corpses with his Martial Arts Aura before taking Zeng Anmin back to the envoy party.
• Duke Cao welcomed Bai Ziqing and questioned him about how Prince Nan had been recaptured, while Zeng Anmin silently followed them.
• Bai Ziqing told Duke Cao that an attacker had abducted Prince Nan, then had two Imperial City Department Investigators escort Zeng Anmin to the carriage.
• Zeng Anmin sat alone in Prince Nan’s carriage and looked deep in thought.

Zeng Anmin weighed how to exploit his disguise as Prince Nan before the diplomatic mission reached Jiang Kingdom’s capital. After the Eastern Cult tested him with a demon mirror, he faced a question about whether he had been humiliated on the journey.

• Zeng Anmin considered using Prince Nan’s identity to gain support and cultivation benefits, but worried he lacked time to build influence in Jiang Kingdom.
• Duke Cao led the Jiang Kingdom contingent and the Great Sage Dynasty diplomatic mission into the capital, where officials and Eastern Cult members awaited Prince Nan.
• Zeng Anmin presented himself as Prince Nan, acknowledged his defeat at Guangnan Prefecture, and asked Minister Zhou Dun to take him to see the Empress.
• The Eastern Cult used a pearl and a bronze demon mirror to verify Zeng Anmin’s appearance, then asked whether he had been humiliated during the journey.
• Zeng Anmin began to shake his head, then abruptly stopped himself.

Zeng Anmin passed the Eastern Cult’s test and entered the Jiang Kingdom palace with Bai Ziqing to meet Empress Gu Xiangnan. The chapter ended with Gu Xiangnan greeting him as her Imperial Uncle.

• Zeng Anmin answered Bai Ziqing’s questions about their earlier fight, convincing the Eastern Cult that he was Prince Nan.
• Wang Lingyun introduced himself and withdrew after Zeng Anmin feigned anger at being questioned by a divine ability.
• Zhou Dun led Zeng Anmin and Bai Ziqing toward the main hall for an audience with the Empress.
• Zeng Anmin admired the grandeur of Jiang Kingdom’s palace as he walked through it.
• Zeng Anmin met Empress Gu Xiangnan, who welcomed him as her Imperial Uncle and asked whether his journey had been arduous.

Zeng Anmin returned to the Jiang capital and watched the Empress agree to Minister Ji Hongli's demand that he live outside the Imperial City and leave for his fief after the Northern Sacred Envoy departed. After Ji offered him protection and support, Zeng Anmin devised a plan and contacted Nan, offering to make Prince Nan disappear in exchange for payment.

• Bai Ziqing and Wang Anli greeted the Empress, while Zeng Anmin was struck by her beauty and privately wondered about marrying her.
• The Empress arranged a welcoming banquet and ordered Zeng Anmin to stay at Jian'an Palace, but Ji Hongli and other officials argued that Prince Nan should live outside the palace and soon leave for his fief.
• The Empress accepted Ji Hongli's proposal, and Ji later told Zeng Anmin that he had acted to protect him and pledged his forces and assistance.
• Zeng Anmin judged Ji's political faction to be driven by selfish aims and considered the heavily guarded Jianjun Prefecture.
• Zeng Anmin messaged Nan through the Dragon Survey Map, revealing that he knew Nan's identity and offering to make Prince Nan vanish in exchange for a deal.

Empress Gu Xiangnan considered Bei’s offer to make Prince Nan disappear and learned that Bei was nearing the Fourth Rank, while Zeng Anmin negotiated for a treasure that could strengthen divine consciousness. The next morning, Zeng Anmin remained unaware that Gu Xiangnan was tracking Bei and focused on avoiding the unseen watcher in Jianjun Prefecture.

• Gu Xiangnan weighed Bei’s proposal, recognizing that Prince Nan’s disappearance could undermine Ji Hongli but doubting anyone could breach Jianjun Prefecture’s defenses.
• Zeng Anmin told Nan he wanted to know how to break through to Fourth Rank, and Gu Xiangnan explained the process of comprehending a domain.
• Gu Xiangnan offered Sorrow-Relief Grass as payment for Prince Nan’s death, but Zeng Anmin rejected it and demanded a treasure that nurtured divine consciousness.
• Zeng Anmin warned that Prince Nan’s disappearance could ruin Ji Hongli’s standing, prompting Gu Xiangnan to track Bei with a compass that pointed to Peacock Street and the Jiaofang Division.
• The next morning, Zeng Anmin dismissed two beauties and prepared to cultivate while sensing that an expert under Ji Hongli was watching him.

Zeng Anmin devised a way to escape Jianjun Prefecture and act against Prince Nan, then tricked Ji Hongli into dismissing Mr. Xin. The chapter ended with Zeng Anmin knocking Ji Hongli unconscious and taking his appearance.

• Zeng Anmin agreed to make Prince Nan disappear after learning he would receive the Moon God Jade Pendant, and he planned to escape by disguising himself as a servant.
• Ji Hongli assured Lord Liu that Jianjun Prefecture’s defenses would protect Prince Nan, then went to meet him after hearing he had a secret matter involving the Empress.
• Ji Hongli brought Mr. Xin, a Third Rank Martial Artist, to demonstrate the residence’s strength, and Zeng Anmin pretended to be frightened and reassured.
• Zeng Anmin insisted that Mr. Xin leave before he would reveal his secret, and Ji Hongli checked that Mr. Xin had gone far away.
• Zeng Anmin asked Ji Hongli about his strength, struck him unconscious, and transformed himself into Ji Hongli.

Zeng Anmin disguised himself as Ji Hongli and tried to leave Jianjun Prefecture, but Mr. Xin questioned him about a promised lifespan-extending foundation and Ji Hongli’s missing Jade Bone Fan. Zeng Anmin used Confucian Path Heart Inquiry to fool Mr. Xin and escaped toward Minister Ji Hongli’s Prefecture.

• Zeng Anmin left the room in Ji Hongli’s clothes and imitated his manner as he crossed Jianjun Prefecture.
• Mr. Xin asked Zeng Anmin about the foundation for extending one’s lifespan, and Zeng Anmin claimed he had already made arrangements.
• Mr. Xin questioned Zeng Anmin about Ji Hongli’s missing Jade Bone Fan, making Zeng Anmin fear his disguise had been exposed.
• Zeng Anmin slapped a servant and used Confucian Path Heart Inquiry to reveal the servant’s embezzlement, then claimed he had been disciplining the servants over confidential matters.
• Mr. Xin accepted Zeng Anmin’s explanation, and Zeng Anmin left Jianjun Prefecture by carriage for Minister Ji Hongli’s Prefecture.

Zeng Anmin used his ability to impersonate Ji Hongli and make Prince Nan disappear, then changed his face and went to the Jiaofang Division to test a young man from Meiyu Tower. Unbeknownst to him, two women watched from a carriage nearby and debated whether to enter.

• Mr. Xin found Ji Hongli unconscious and naked in the room, though he had just seen someone impersonating Ji Hongli leave with Prince Nan.
• Ji Hongli convinced Mr. Xin that he was the real Ji Hongli and learned that another Confucian Cultivator had impersonated him.
• Ji Hongli asked about ways to alter one’s appearance, and Mr. Xin mentioned a Heaven-tier Talisman from the Dao Sect’s talisman sect.
• Zeng Anmin changed his face and clothes, then followed a young man from Meiyu Tower into the Jiaofang Division to test his theory about him.
• Two women watched Zeng Anmin enter from a carriage, and one complained that the people there were crude.

Princess Wencheng accompanied the disguised Empress Gu Xiangnan to the Jiaofang Division, where Gu Xiangnan went to meet a friend. Zeng Anmin watched a suspicious young man he believed was connected to the Daoist Talisman Sect, then saw Gu Xiangnan enter the hall in men's clothing.

• Princess Wencheng urged Gu Xiangnan not to visit the Jiaofang Division, but Gu Xiangnan said she was going to see a friend and sent her back to the palace.
• Zeng Anmin visited the Jiaofang Division and brushed off Yuanyang's attempts to entertain him.
• Zeng Anmin watched a young man who appeared to be waiting for someone and suspected the meeting was connected to the Daoist Talisman Sect.
• Gu Xiangnan entered the main hall in men's clothing, and Zeng Anmin recognized the Empress.

Zeng Anmin spotted Gu Xiangnan at the Jiaofang Division and realized that a treasure was likely hiding her identity from everyone else. Disguised as a man, Gu Xiangnan followed a compass to Bei and suspected he was preparing to meet someone who could make Prince Nan disappear.

• Zeng Anmin noticed that the other patrons treated Gu Xiangnan as an ordinary person and concluded that a treasure concealed her appearance from them.
• Gu Xiangnan arrived seeking Bei's trail, hired a servant to find her a seat, and called for a girl to avoid attracting suspicion.
• Zeng Anmin examined Gu Xiangnan closely and recognized her disguise from her beard and Adam's apple.
• Gu Xiangnan used a compass to locate Bei and suspected that he had come to meet someone connected to making Prince Nan disappear.
• When a woman tried to flirt with Gu Xiangnan, she blocked her with a folding fan and asked instead for a leg massage.

Zeng Anmin followed Gu Xiangnan after she left the Jiaofang Division and discovered her spying on Pan Shiba, who met with a mysterious, magically appearing black-robed figure. The figure vanished after giving Pan Shiba a porcelain bottle, leaving Zeng Anmin troubled by Pan Shiba calling him “Master.”

• Zeng Anmin chatted with Gu Xiangnan and the women at the Jiaofang Division until he noticed Pan Shiba had disappeared upstairs.
• Gu Xiangnan left the Jiaofang Division, and Zeng Anmin followed her through the dark streets.
• Gu Xiangnan hid near the second-floor window while Zeng Anmin watched from farther away as Pan Shiba opened it.
• A short black-robed figure appeared out of thin air, and Gu Xiangnan suspected he was connected to the Eastern Cult.
• Pan Shiba called the figure “Master,” received a porcelain bottle from him, and watched him vanish.
• Zeng Anmin wondered why a martial artist from the Great Sage Dynasty would call a suspected Eastern Cult figure his master.

Zeng Anmin helped Empress Gu Xiangnan flee the Black Guards after they caught him spying, and the two escaped to her courtyard. There, Gu Xiangnan disguised her identity and introduced herself as Gu Yin, while Zeng Anmin gave the false name Wu Yanzu.

• Black Guards spotted Zeng Anmin near the Empress, so he grabbed her and fled with her across the rooftops.
• A warning firework summoned Black Guard squads, and Gu Xiangnan revealed her martial skill by defeating five guards blocking their escape.
• Zeng Anmin and Gu Xiangnan reached a courtyard beside the imperial city, where Die'er greeted the Empress as her master.
• Zeng Anmin admired Die'er and introduced himself as Wu Yanzu, while Gu Xiangnan used the name Gu Yin.
• Die'er was confused when the supposed friends exchanged names for the first time.

Zeng Anmin met Empress Gu Xiangnan while pretending to be a man named Wu Yanzu and claimed he had come to observe the Blood Moon Ceremony. After Die'er quietly dealt with a Black-Clad Guard inspection, Zeng Anmin mistakenly concluded that Gu Xiangnan was the Empress's secretly kept male concubine.

• Zeng Anmin explained that he had followed Gu Xiangnan after leaving the Jiaofang Division and had encountered the Black-Clad Guard during curfew.
• Zeng Anmin told Gu Xiangnan that he had come with the Northern Sacred Envoy Mission and agreed that he was there to observe the Blood Moon Ceremony.
• Duke Cao and the Black-Clad Guard pounded on the courtyard gate to conduct a routine inspection.
• Zeng Anmin offered to hold off the guards, but Gu Xiangnan assured him that her court connections would handle the situation.
• Die'er went outside and returned after resolving the inspection without further commotion.
• Zeng Anmin guessed that Gu Xiangnan was the reigning Empress's secretly kept male concubine, and Gu Xiangnan spat tea at him.

Zeng Anmin and Empress Gu Xiangnan discussed Northern Sacred talents, while each concealed their identity in their secret alliance messages. The chapter ended when Bai Ziqing sent a broken plea for help and his jade pendant went silent.

• Gu Xiangnan praised Bai Ziqing, Sai Chuxue, Black Cat, and Zeng Anmin as remarkable talents, while Zeng Anmin dismissed the others and awkwardly rejected the praise of himself.
• Gu Xiangnan retired for the night, and Zeng Anmin wondered whether she had recognized him and admired him from afar.
• Zeng Anmin and Gu Xiangnan exchanged messages as Bei and Nan, and she confirmed that Prince Nan had disappeared and planned to watch Ji Hongli for signs of what happened.
• Gu Xiangnan asked about Bei's master, and Zeng Anmin gave a vague answer that made her suspect the master was a short black-robed figure.
• Bai Ziqing's jade pendant transmitted a broken plea for help before falling silent, and Zeng Anmin realized Bai Ziqing was in danger.

After the Pure White Jade Pendant gave no response, Zeng Anmin feared Bai Ziqing was in danger and asked Gu Xiangnan to help him investigate Huitong Hall. They entered under Gu Xiangnan’s authority, but found the hall peaceful and no clues to Bai Ziqing’s whereabouts.

• Zeng Anmin tried to contact Bai Ziqing through the Pure White Jade Pendant, received no response, and suspected the necklace had put Bai Ziqing in danger.
• Zeng Anmin told Gu Xiangnan that Bai Ziqing had cried for help through the pendant and asked for an identity that would let him enter Huitong Hall.
• Gu Xiangnan agreed to help Zeng Anmin but insisted on accompanying him.
• Zeng Anmin and Gu Xiangnan used her token to enter the peaceful Huitong Hall and began searching for clues to Bai Ziqing’s whereabouts.
• Zeng Anmin explained his investigative methods to Gu Xiangnan, but found no useful traces and grew increasingly worried.

Zeng Anmin and Gu Xiangnan discovered that Bai Ziqing had vanished from his room, leaving behind signs that he had been ambushed and overwhelmed. Zeng Anmin ruled out Duke Cao because of the timing and turned his suspicion toward the only other person who fit the clues.

• Zeng Anmin and Gu Xiangnan entered Bai Ziqing's courtyard after the guards reported that he had stayed in his room all day.
• Zeng Anmin found Bai Ziqing missing and discovered frost and frozen water that revealed Bai Ziqing had activated his Extreme Cold Domain during a fight.
• Zeng Anmin deduced that Bai Ziqing's attacker was likely a Third Rank Martial Artist whom Bai Ziqing knew.
• The guards reported that Duke Cao had visited Bai Ziqing at noon, prompting Zeng Anmin and the Empress to consider his involvement.
• Zeng Anmin used the ice's condition and Duke Cao's alibi to largely rule him out, leaving one other person as the remaining suspect.

Zeng Anmin concluded that Ji Hongli had likely abducted Bai Ziqing to gain leverage over the Empress, and he set out for Jianjun Prefecture to rescue him. Before reaching Ji Hongli’s residence, Zeng Anmin broke through to Fifth Rank and discovered that his Fourth Rank combat power gave him a four-attribute domain.

• Zeng Anmin suspected that Ji Hongli had taken Bai Ziqing to undermine the Empress and vowed to go to Jianjun Prefecture despite her warning.
• Zeng Anmin used his Golden Finger to break through from Sixth Rank to the Fifth Rank Breath Concealment Realm and gained Fourth Rank combat power.
• Zeng Anmin discovered that his domain could wield fire, lightning, wind, and thunder, while an unknown white attribute remained inaccessible.
• Zeng Anmin headed to Jianjun Prefecture and arrived before Ji Hongli’s enormous residence, intent on protecting Bai Ziqing.

After breaking through to the fifth rank, Zeng Anmin chose the Time Golden Lotus, then met Empress Gu Xiangnan outside Jianjun Prefecture as they prepared to search for the missing Bai Ziqing. Their wait was interrupted when Pan Shiba and Third Rank Mr. Xin detected them and brought their hiding place under pressure.

• Zeng Anmin chose the Time Golden Lotus entry, which could revive a person, over the other two entries.
• Zeng Anmin met Empress Gu Xiangnan outside Jianjun Prefecture, where she explained that Bai Ziqing had gone missing and she had come to search for him.
• Gu Xiangnan said she had contacted Li Pojing, a Third Rank Divine Realm martial artist, and the two agreed to wait for him before entering Jianjun Prefecture.
• Zeng Anmin told Gu Xiangnan that he had retrieved a weapon and anticipated using his Short Axe now that his Martial Arts Aura had condensed.
• Pan Shiba emerged from Jianjun Prefecture and identified Gu Xiangnan, whom he knew as Bei of the Heavenly Dao Alliance.
• Pan Shiba called out Mr. Xin, who appeared and directed his pressure toward Zeng Anmin and Gu Xiangnan's hiding place.

Gu Xiangnan, disguised by a spiritual treasure, fought Pan Shiba outside Jianjun Prefecture before Mr. Xin intervened and captured her protective pendant. The disguise vanished, exposing the Empress to Ji Hongli and the others as she was hurled backward.

• Pan Shiba attacked Gu Xiangnan, but she blocked his whip and wounded him with three sword strikes.
• Mr. Xin recognized Gu Xiangnan's sword technique as similar to the Jiang Kingdom royal family's Phoenix Cry Nine, and Ji Hongli suspected she was tied to the reigning Empress.
• Pan Shiba and Gu Xiangnan unleashed their domains and fought until their weapons collided, leaving a massive pit between them.
• At Ji Hongli's urging, Mr. Xin attacked Gu Xiangnan, broke her crimson sword, and seized the jade pendant that concealed her face.
• The pendant fell away, revealing Gu Xiangnan's identity as the Empress, while Mr. Xin's heavy blow sent her flying backward.