Recaps

At a banquet, Ding Dekun rejected Xiang Poji and Chen Cheng as potential recruits, while Xiang Poji drowned his humiliation in drink. Chen Cheng later found himself pursued by a dozen enemies in the marketplace and turned to Meng Meng for protection, only for Meng Meng to drag him into a gambling den.

• Ding Dekun abruptly left Xiang Poji's banquet, saying he disliked Xiang Poji and could not recruit Chen Cheng because of his low cultivation and enemies.
• Ding Dekun ordered his followers to sever all ties with Ran Xue, and Ye Yilan stormed out while Lu Xinghe followed her.
• Xiang Poji drank himself unconscious, and Chen Cheng parted from Zhou Chu before leaving the gathering alone.
• Chen Cheng noticed nine pursuers following him through the marketplace and headed toward a crowded district to avoid being ambushed.
• Chen Cheng encountered Meng Meng, who claimed twelve pursuers were after him and accepted Chen Cheng's money in exchange for protection.
• Meng Meng insisted on visiting the gambling den and forcibly dragged Chen Cheng inside.

Meng Meng guided Ruan Ai and Jin Jia through a round of insect-fighting bets, using the Gu Kings’ judgments and his own observations to choose the Eight-Blade Divine Hunter. The player’s insect won, multiplying their money, but Meng Meng left the gambling den with Jin Jia eager to keep gambling and the initiation ceremony looming the next morning.

• Meng Meng explained the insect-fighting rules to Chen Cheng and watched the banker’s Profound Realm Yaksha face the player’s Eight-Blade Divine Hunter.
• Jin Jia chose the banker, while Meng Meng consulted the Blood Immortal Gu and Corpse Demon Gu, then bet on the Eight-Blade Divine Hunter after weighing their judgments and the insects’ combat instincts.
• After the red powder sent both insects into a frenzy, the Profound Realm Yaksha battered the Eight-Blade Divine Hunter but was suddenly dismembered by its concealed wounds, giving the player a narrow victory.
• Ruan Ai celebrated as the payout brought his money to eight times its original amount, and Jin Jia asked Meng Meng to reveal his supposed trick.
• Meng Meng declined to continue gambling, and Jin Jia agreed to leave because he had to return to the sect for the initiation ceremony the next morning.

Chen Cheng returned to the Vast Righteousness Alliance with Meng Meng, began studying the Myriad Dragon Treasure Armor, and learned that Ran Xue was in serious trouble. At the Outer Martial Hall the next morning, Nie Yunshang openly rejected pressure to avoid Chen Cheng because of his association with Meng Meng.

• Meng Meng escorted Chen Cheng back to the Vast Righteousness Alliance, where Chen Cheng replenished his strength with demonic deer meat and mastered the basics of the Myriad Dragon Treasure Armor.
• Ran Xue warned Chen Cheng that she might be in serious trouble and said they would need to avoid contact for a while; Chen Cheng decided to wait for a chance to help rather than risk making matters worse.
• Chen Cheng trained through the night, used more of his limited demonic deer meat, and checked that his Aperture-Refining Profound Pills were progressing well inside the Little Black Cauldron.
• At the Outer Martial Hall, Xiang Poji warned Chen Cheng that other disciples would shun him for associating with Meng Meng, while veterans spread rumors about them.
• Nie Yunshang invited Chen Cheng to spar, and when her companion urged her to avoid him, Nie Yunshang rebuked the woman and told her to leave.

Chen Cheng was assigned to Tian Botao, whose hands-off approach suited him, and secretly used Tan Chen to gain an ally among the other newcomers. He then went to seek Great Elder Zhao, where Liu Kaiping offered help in exchange for Chen Cheng assisting his pursuit of Senior Sister Ran.

• Nie Yunshang chose the hall master as her teacher, Xiang Poji joined the Second Elder, and Chen Cheng agreed to study under Tian Botao after the Great Elder passed him over.
• Tian Botao chose Tan Chen, Song Hansheng, and Deng Chanjuan as his students, then left Meng Meng to show the newcomers around.
• Song Hansheng and Tan Chen refused to cooperate with Chen Cheng, while Chen Cheng secretly directed Tan Chen through their mental link to cultivate Song Hansheng's trust.
• Chen Cheng went to the Outer Sect's General Affairs Hall to request an audience with Great Elder Zhao, but the receptionist said Zhao would not see him without a summons.
• Liu Kaiping offered to take Chen Cheng to see Great Elder Zhao and asked him to help with his pursuit of Senior Sister Ran; Chen Cheng denied having influence over her, and Liu Kaiping warned that the meeting depended on his willingness to help.