Recaps

Zeng Anmin uncovered the conspiracy behind the disaster-relief funds and pursued the Eastern Cult’s plot to destroy Jishui Weir, while Bai Ziqing stopped the attack. The arc left Zeng Anmin investigating the assassin’s ties to Fa'an Temple and Yellow Sparrow Nunnery as Ren Weizhi continued plotting against Zeng Shilin.

• Zeng Anmin found letters in Prince Qi’s ancestral hall and helped Bai Ziqing uncover Xiangchun as the Green Viper who poisoned Lou Tong, then persuaded Lou Yingqi to cooperate against Ren Weizhi and the Princess.
• Bai Ziqing became acting Northern Commander, while Zeng Anmin helped Lou Yingqi provide evidence and sent snake soup to the Princess as a warning.
• Zeng Anmin befriended Liu Xian, passed the Academy Selection archery examination, and gained calligraphic intent through his wild cursive.
• Princess showed Zeng Anmin the Good Friend ledgers and admitted she wanted the Xi Huang Diagram, then agreed to support his father’s position in exchange for his help investigating it.
• After an assassin attacked him, Zeng Anmin recognized the man as the limping visitor from Fa'an Temple and deduced that the conspirators planned to destroy Jishui Weir with stolen Thunder Powder and frame Zeng Shilin.
• Zeng Anmin warned Bai Ziqing, who killed the Eastern Cult conspirators at Jishui Weir and seized their Void Necklace, prompting Empress Gu Xiangnan to suspect that Bei was the Black Cat Martial Artist.
• Zeng Anmin told Zeng Shilin about the assassin, then returned to Fa'an Temple and began questioning Yingchen about his life there.

Zeng Anmin uncovered how the Eastern Cult and Demon Race stole the Dragon Survey Map while navigating court intrigue and advancing his Confucian cultivation. He returned to the capital as war with Jiang State seemed near, revealing to Zeng Shilin that he had comprehended all Six Arts of the Gentleman and manifested a golden Confucian Dharma Aspect.

• Zeng Anmin investigated Consort Xi’s abandoned rooms and child’s grave, then concluded that her child might have survived and been switched with the Empress’s child, making Wang Yuanhao her son.
• Bai Ziqing exposed Ren Weizhi’s collusion with the Demon Race and Eastern Cult, leading Emperor Jianhong to imprison Ren and install Lou Yingqi as Minister of Revenue.
• Zeng Anmin passed the Imperial Academy’s illusion examination by leading stranded soldiers through demon forces with the Mandarin Duck Formation, which Emperor Jianhong ordered tested by troops at the northern border.
• Zeng Anmin advanced to Sixth Grade after bringing musical theory to the Dao, then joined Bai Ziqing on an Imperial mission to investigate Huang Yuangao’s murder and the Xuanjing Division fire.
• Zeng Anmin deduced that an Eastern Cult assassin had killed Huang Yuangao before the Demon Race set the fire and stole the Dragon Survey Map, while Liu Ji concealed evidence of demon involvement.
• Zeng Anmin concluded that Liu Chengqian had acted for Duke Ning’s manor to help the Eastern Cult find the White Bone Necklace, then returned to the capital and reached fifth-rank Confucian Path.
• Zeng Anmin told the Princess that the Eastern Cult, Demon Race, and Jiang Kingdom rebels had conspired to undermine relations between the Great Sage Dynasty and Jiang State, and warned Zeng Shilin that war seemed likely.
• Zeng Anmin told Zeng Shilin that he had comprehended all Six Arts of the Gentleman and manifested a golden Confucian Dharma Aspect, shocking his father.

Zeng Anmin trained the Mandarin Duck Army, uncovered Duke Ning’s suspected role in the plots against his family, and marched south with the campaign. In Mount Bai, he reached the Sixth Rank and was rescued from Bi Xuan by Qin Shouchang, who began overpowering the Great Demon.

• Zeng Anmin revealed his Golden Dharma Aspect and Fifth Grade breakthrough to Qin Shouchang and Qin Wanyue, then learned that Qin Wanyue had advanced to Sixth Grade.
• Zeng Anmin killed an Eastern Cult spy and identified the dead man’s flute as the Soul-Reaping Flute, while he and Zeng Shilin suspected the cult had allies in the capital.
• Zeng Anmin taught recruits the Mandarin Duck Army’s training methods, and Emperor Jianhong ordered Tian Ji to prepare the force for a campaign against Jiang State.
• At a military review, Zeng Anmin demonstrated the army’s synchronized drills, and Emperor Jianhong proposed that the Princess command the Mandarin Duck Army.
• Wu Qianfeng told Zeng Anmin that Duke Ning and Ji Qing were connected to Prince Qi, and Zeng Anmin persuaded Zeng Shilin to let him join the southern campaign as deputy commander.
• The Princess led the Mandarin Duck Army into Mount Bai, where Zeng Anmin revealed his Confucian Dharma Aspect and then broke through to the Sixth Rank while killing three demons.
• Zeng Anmin found Li Le and the other soldiers dead and was captured by Bi Xuan, but Qin Shouchang rescued him and fought the Great Demon with his Confucian Dharma Aspect.

Zeng Anmin helped defeat the demons at Bi Xuan Valley and capture Guangnan Prefecture, then returned to the capital and uncovered a plot to steal Qin Shouchang’s manuscript. He invested in the Princess’s venture, gained a powerful array imprint, and ended the stretch with the disguised Crown Prince begging him for help.

• Qin Shouchang sacrificed himself to kill Bi Xuan, and Zeng Anmin killed Mengya before leading the Princess and the Mandarin Duck Army to capture Bi Xuan Valley.
• Zeng Anmin helped Tian Ji lure Prince Nan out of Guangnan Prefecture, enabling Tian Ji to capture him and seize the city.
• Emperor Jianhong honored Qin Shouchang and rewarded Zeng Anmin, who returned to the capital and promised to care for Qin Wanyue.
• Qin Wanyue killed Duan Yuanpei and his servant after they tried to seize the Qin family’s Confucian Sage’s Manuscript, and Zeng Anmin helped expose Duan’s Eastern Cult and Jiang Kingdom connections.
• Zeng Anmin agreed to invest thirty million taels in the Princess’s venture for a twenty-percent share, then helped Sai Chuxue imprint an array that greatly increased his strength.
• Zeng Anmin withstood Zhu Wanjun’s three attacks and won a Prismatic Spirit Stone, then returned home to find the disguised Crown Prince begging him to save his life.