Recaps

Saina drove off soldiers who tried to confiscate the household’s food, and Elena received an urgent order to return to the royal capital after the old royal lord died. Su Li decided the group would go with her to Red Leaf Manor, where the family’s power struggle was beginning.

• An officer tried to seize the flour, ribs, and horses, but Saina crushed his helmet and slammed him into the courtyard while Su Li used Elena’s Iris Family badge to send the soldiers away.
• A knight from Red Leaf Manor arrived with news that the old royal lord had died and the duke’s private army had taken control of the capital’s eastern gate.
• Elena burned the duke’s letter and said she would return to claim the family’s wealth and power before her relatives could take it.
• Saina objected to going back to the royal capital, but Su Li decided they would go, and Saina agreed to protect him and Elena.
• Elonore hurried off to pack their luggage.

Su Li left Wading Village with Saina and Elonore to escort Elena to Saining City, where her father, Old Ford, awaited them at the gate. Old Ford welcomed Elena while privately dismissing her companions, and he noticed the white-haired elven girl as a purchased slave.

• Su Li gave Old Buck two defensive rune tags and left money and flour for Martha and Saina before riding out with Elena, Saina, and Elonore.
• On the southern road, Elena said the Baris Empire’s advance and the royal succession crisis could give her father only a year to seize power.
• After three days of travel, the group reached Saining City, where guards barred ordinary refugees from entering without a pass or fifty Gold Coins.
• Old Ford greeted Elena at the city gate and privately judged Su Li a pretty but useless country blacksmith.
• Old Ford looked over Saina and Elonore and assumed Saina would be driven from the estate, then noticed the white-haired elven girl.

Su Li and Elena returned to Red Leaf Manor with Saina and Elonore, and Old Ford discovered that all four were fourth-tier fighters. Elena told her father that Su Li had helped her companions—and herself—reach that level.

• Old Ford probed Su Li with ether, then sensed that Saina and Elonore were also fourth-tier fighters and realized he could not control the group by force.
• Old Ford abandoned his attempt to intimidate Su Li, welcomed him obsequiously, and personally opened the carriage door.
• Su Li asked Old Ford for a quiet, spacious courtyard, then settled into Red Leaf Manor's reception hall with his companions.
• Saina complained about the manor's furniture, Elena snapped back, and Su Li told them to quiet down while Elonore stood behind his chair.
• Old Ford privately asked Elena how she had returned with three fourth-tier fighters, and Elena said Su Li had helped all three women reach that rank and had raised her to it as well.

Old Ford offered Su Li a title, a fertile fief, and wealth after realizing how powerful he was, while Elena discussed the family’s plans to seize royal power. Elena then announced that she would hold a grand wedding with Su Li, sparking a dispute with Saina over who would be his principal wife.

• Old Ford concluded that Su Li’s power and backing were extraordinary and offered him command of legions, but Su Li asked only for a modest title, fertile land for growing napa cabbage, and money.
• Old Ford agreed to give Su Li two hundred mu of land at Red Leaf Manor and access to the family’s gold vault.
• Elena asked Old Ford about the Iris Family’s plans to move against the royal family, and he said they would wait until the Baris Empire’s forces crossed the Blackstone River, likely for about a year.
• Elena announced that she would marry Su Li in a grand public ceremony at Red Leaf Manor.
• Saina challenged Elena’s claim to be Su Li’s first wife, and Elonore revealed that she had also held a family banquet with Su Li before both women told her to be quiet.

Old Ford embraced Su Li and Saina’s wedding as a chance to display Red Leaf Manor’s strength, and he arranged an extravagant celebration while giving Su Li access to the manor’s wealth. As a wedding etiquette officer criticized Saina’s manners, Saina demonstrated her strength by denting an iron post.

• Old Ford reversed his opposition to the wedding and ordered a three-day feast with invitations for the royal capital’s prominent families.
• Old Ford gave Su Li the keys to the manor’s inner vault and arranged a private villa in the western compound for Su Li and his companions.
• The next morning, Old Ford presented the guest list, and Su Li arranged for all wedding gifts to be delivered to him.
• A female etiquette officer criticized Saina’s posture and table manners while Elena watched and mocked her.
• Saina crushed a deep dent into a thick iron candle post with her hand.

Su Li oversaw the women’s wedding preparations while Old Ford received conflicting reports about Su Li’s background. The chapter ended with a royal delegation arriving at Red Leaf Manor with lavish wedding gifts for Elena.

• Saina bent and straightened an iron bar, frightening the etiquette officer into praising her sitting posture.
• Elena demanded an extravagant wedding dress, Saina requested a sturdy dress fit for wielding a battle axe, and Elonore asked for pockets to help with kitchen chores.
• Su Li plotted how to earn Gold Coins from the wedding after the tailor and her apprentices fled the western courtyard.
• Old Ford learned that reports described Su Li as both a village blacksmith and a renowned master magic-forger with powerful connections.
• A guard announced that the royal family’s chief inspector had arrived with carts of wedding gifts for Elena.

Philip visited Red Leaf Manor with royal wedding gifts to investigate rumors that the Iris Family had four fourth-tier warriors, but Su Li and the others proved the rumors true and drove him to flee. Su Li then had Saina bring the royal family's lavish gifts inside, while Old Ford anticipated even greater offerings at the wedding.

• Old Ford welcomed Philip, the royal family's Chief Inspector, and led him to the western courtyard to meet Su Li and the others.
• Philip tried to probe Su Li's strength, but Su Li's ether crushed his scouting aura, and the four fourth-tier auras in the courtyard terrified him.
• Philip abandoned his inspection and fled with the royal guards, leaving the wedding gifts and gift list behind.
• Su Li ordered Saina to haul the gift carriages into the courtyard, and she dragged them inside with her brute strength.
• Elonore revealed that the carriages held gold bars, enchanted ores, magic potions, and rare medicinal herbs, while Old Ford predicted the nobles would bring even more gifts to the wedding.

Su Li, Elena, and Saina prepared the estate for the wedding banquet, making extensive plans for the gifts, food, decorations, and clothing. Su Li focused on the gift-money records as preparations continued.

• The old butler brought Su Li the wedding preparation plans, and Su Li kept the gift-money pages while Elena took charge of the rest.
• Elena ordered more musicians, a longer red carpet, and white orchids, while Saina told the estate chef to prepare enormous portions of meat and simple seasonings.
• Elena selected and revised formal gowns for herself, Saina, and Elonore.
• When Elonore tried to escape etiquette lessons after spilling wine on her dress, Saina pulled her back and taught her how to accept gift money.
• Su Li reviewed the gift-money registration sheets and noted the expected guests, including thirteen dukes, six military noble families, and representatives from the Free City-State.

The royal family decided to marry Third Princess Livia to Su Li to secure ties with the Iris Family, and Livia set conditions for the arrangement. When her envoy delivered a lavish gift list and marriage contract, Su Li accepted the uncontroversial gifts but returned the items that revealed royal influence or compromised his security.

• Chief Inspector Philip reported that Su Li and two women in his household were genuine fourth-tier fighters, leaving the royal family badly outmatched by the Iris Family.
• The royal family chose Third Princess Livia to marry Su Li, and Livia demanded control over her dowry and guards as well as detailed intelligence on him and his household.
• A royal envoy delivered Livia's gift list and marriage contract to Su Li while Elena and Saina reacted to the proposed marriage.
• Su Li sorted the gifts into two piles, keeping ordinary offerings and returning the royal contract, the capital residence deed, and restricted herbs and mithril.

Su Li rejected the royal envoy’s attempt to bind him with gifts and a proposed marriage to Princess Livia, accepting only unmarked valuables. Livia arrived the next morning to meet the women of Su Li’s household, leaving her intentions still unclear.

• Su Li explained that most of the royal gifts carried political obligations, accepted the clean items, and refused to discuss marrying Livia until the royal family reconsidered.
• Old Ford urged Su Li to meet Livia for access to royal intelligence, but Su Li refused to incur a favor or add another person to his bed for the rebellion.
• Elena warned Saina that Livia was coming to plant an observer and control information, while Saina worried about the household and its kitchen.
• Su Li concluded that the royal family was panicked and kept the clean gifts, worth roughly eight hundred gold coins.
• The butler announced Livia’s arrival, and the princess greeted Elena, Saina, and Elonore with polished compliments.

Livia offered Su Li a royal marriage alliance, but he rejected it in favor of ordinary household life. She then proposed trading the royal family's financial records for Su Li’s help repairing a high-rank weapon, leaving the weapon’s delivery for the next day.

• Livia presented three royal conditions, including prince-equivalent status for Su Li and a marriage alliance with her.
• Su Li questioned whether Livia could handle household chores, then rejected the alliance because his family needed someone to share their everyday life.
• Livia offered copies of three years of royal financial records in exchange for Su Li repairing a royal weapon.
• Su Li accepted the records and agreed to repair the weapon, which Livia promised to deliver tomorrow.
• As she left, Livia said she hoped to try Saina’s garlic mashed ribs, and Saina told her she would have to peel the garlic herself.

Su Li learned that Livia had offered him a ledger exposing military-pay embezzlement, while Livia secured sole control of contact with Red Leaf Manor. As gifts and supplies poured into the manor, Elonore discovered a royal maidservant secretly writing in a booklet.

• Elena and Su Li concluded that Livia had used the marriage proposal as a probe and offered the ledger as her real plan; Su Li hid it in his Space Ring.
• Livia told the old prince and the nobles that four fourth-tier fighters were gathered at Red Leaf Manor, then declared she would be the manor’s sole royal contact.
• Gifts from goblin and elven representatives arrived at Red Leaf Manor as Su Li and Saina handled the growing bounty.
• Livia brought Saina a durable gown and a refugee resettlement plan for Wading Village, calling them an additional deposit for the ledger.
• Elonore ran to Su Li with a booklet, saying she had caught a royal maidservant secretly writing in it.

Su Li confronted Livia over an undercover maid’s surveillance and rejected her offer of power in exchange for supporting her claim to the throne. On the eve of Su Li’s wedding, Saina swallowed an etiquette officer’s insult but accidentally smashed the kitchen worktable while chopping ribs.

• Su Li showed Livia the intelligence notebook, and Livia ordered the maid taken to the black cells and punished.
• Elena warned Livia not to target Saina again, and Livia suggested that Elena join her in seeking power.
• Livia offered Su Li control of the three northern provinces if he helped her ascend the throne, but Su Li refused.
• The royal etiquette officer told Saina she would sit at a side table and should avoid eating bone-in dishes.
• Saina chopped ribs with her enchanted battle axe and split the chopping board and worktable, and Su Li found her picking up the scattered meat.

Su Li confronted Princess Livia after her chamberlain instructed an etiquette officer to insult Saina, and Livia defended it as a test for the royal capital’s banquet. Su Li demanded an apology and ordered Livia out when she refused, while insisting the wedding feast would go ahead.

• Su Li had Elonore find the etiquette officer who insulted Saina, and Saina forced the woman to reveal that Livia’s chief chamberlain had ordered her to teach Saina a lesson.
• Livia visited the kitchen and called the humiliation a test of Saina’s ability to withstand pressure, adding that Saina needed to abandon her country habits for royal capital banquets.
• Su Li demanded that Livia apologize to Saina and leave the wedding preparations, but Livia refused and offered two vaults of gold instead.
• Su Li ordered Livia to leave, and she departed with the co-governance scroll while Old Ford warned him that the princess controlled the royal purse and intelligence network.
• Su Li reassured Saina that the wedding feast would proceed, and the estate guards carried away the fainted etiquette officer.

Livia forged Su Li’s acceptance of a royal alliance and publicly presented a crown fragment at the wedding feast, leaving Su Li to reject her claim in front of the gathered nobles.

• Livia signed and sealed the co-rulership scroll, then ordered the deputy director to spread word that Su Li had accepted an alliance with the royal family.
• Su Li tallied the lavish gifts at Red Leaf Manor as Saina, Elena, and Elonore prepared for the wedding feast.
• Livia arrived at the feast and presented the old king’s crown fragment, declaring that Su Li had close ties with the royal family.
• Old Ford feared the announcement would ruin his plans, then realized Su Li was as bewildered as he was.
• Su Li handed Saina a napkin and mocked Livia, telling her to earn money by telling stories beneath the overpass.

At the Red Leaf Manor banquet, Livia tried to recruit Su Li to seize power in Orenda, but he rejected her and killed her after she insulted Saina. Old Ford took control of the aftermath and ordered the wedding banquet to continue, while Saina worried that Su Li had brought them into serious trouble.

• Livia offered Su Li control of the treasury, intelligence networks, and royal authority if he supported her, but Su Li refused and told her to leave.
• Livia insulted Saina, and Su Li drew his greatsword and beheaded her in front of the banquet guests.
• Su Li ordered servants to replace the blood-soaked carpet and told the guests that the wedding and banquet would proceed as usual.
• Old Ford had Iris soldiers surround Livia's attendants, declared that she had provoked Su Li under the noble duel ordinances, and ordered her people detained.
• Saina asked Su Li whether they were in serious trouble, and he reassured her that they would handle whatever came.

Su Li’s wedding feast turned into a show of force and a flood of gifts, while news of the Third Princess’s death sent the old prince sealing the palace and mobilizing the city defense army. Old Ford warned that he might seize control of the army within three months, and Su Li began renegotiating his help by naming a demand.

• Su Li declared that the wedding was between him and the three women, and the guests responded by offering money, goods, and military supplies.
• A spy told the old prince that Su Li had beheaded the Third Princess and that Red Leaf Manor had detained the palace attendants; the old prince ordered the palace sealed and the city defense army recalled.
• At Red Leaf Manor, Elena inspected the wedding gifts while Elonore remained shaken by the violence and Saina counted the food expenses.
• Old Ford told Su Li that the royal palace was sealed, eight regiments had returned, and ten ducal houses had sent secret envoys; he said he might take over the city defense army within three months.
• Su Li said the rebellion was Old Ford’s responsibility and demanded a change to their terms, then pointed to the royal plains thirty li north of the capital.

Su Li spent three peaceful months forging equipment before Old Ford’s staged rebellion brought the Iris Family and Baris Empire to the royal capital. As Su Li’s group advanced on the palace, the old prince awakened the founding king’s armor, staking his life on the royal family’s last defense.

• Su Li claimed fertile land for Wading Village’s elders and famine refugees, then spent three months forging equipment while Elonore, Saina, and Elena settled into life at the estate.
• Old Ford’s troops joined the northern border army and approached the capital, where a Baris Empire general revealed the conflict had been staged and the royal family was the intended sacrifice.
• Old Ford summoned Su Li, and Su Li arrived with Elena, Saina, and Elonore before leading the army through the capital toward the inner royal palace.
• The old prince opened an ancient bronze gate beneath the palace and revealed the founding king’s armor, whose power exceeded the fourth tier.
• After Gran and Morris warned him that awakening the armor would consume his lifespan, the old prince drank half of the King's Blood Awakening potion.

Su Li and his companions advanced on the royal palace, where a strange, heavy ether pressure was building inside. Su Li broke through the palace’s rune-protected gate, and the group continued inward toward the inhuman presence.

• Su Li led Elena, Saina, and Elonore with Old Ford’s Iris troops through the deserted outer city, confirming that Royal Wilderness would be his after the battle.
• Elonore sensed something unusual near the inner city, and Su Li and the others prepared for a threat whose ether pressure felt like a breathing wall.
• Su Li identified an anchor point in the inner city’s iron gate and precisely pierced it, disabling its defensive runes before knocking the gate down.
• The royal guards surrendered their weapons after witnessing Su Li break through the gate.
• Su Li gave Elonore rune plates to distribute and led the group farther inside as Elena warned that the presence ahead did not feel human.

Su Li and Old Ford's forces fought their way into the royal palace, where Elena and Saina subdued the royal family's fourth-tier retainers. As elite guards fired on Su Li and the troops, Elonore raised three fourth-tier barriers to protect them.

• Elena charged Gran and exploited a weakness in his technique, forcing the spear-wielding retainer onto the defensive.
• Saina destroyed the flagstones beneath Morris, stopped his evasive movement, and knocked his twin blades from his hands.
• Old Ford ordered the Iris private army to advance while Elena and Saina kept the two retainers suppressed.
• Royal elite guards appeared on the palace walls and fired heavy mithril crossbow bolts at Su Li and Old Ford's troops.
• Elonore placed three shield rune cards on the ground, raising barriers around Su Li and the forces behind him.

Elonore helped breach the royal family’s defenses before the old prince emerged in a fifth-tier war machine and overpowered Su Li. As Iris’s troops retreated and Elena, Saina, and Elonore moved to help, Su Li ordered them to leave the fight to him.

• Elonore used her aether to turn the guards’ mithril crossbows against them and drag a dozen guards off the city wall.
• Old Ford’s troops seized the outer defenses, and the old prince emerged from the main hall inside a fifth-tier suit of dark-red armor.
• The armor’s three punches badly injured Su Li’s hand and forced him backward.
• Old Ford ordered all troops below the fourth tier to retreat from the main hall square.
• Elena, Saina, and Elonore moved to attack the armor, but Su Li stopped them and said he could still fight.

Su Li fought the old prince’s powered armor and discovered that its energy came from a palace array routed through a relay node at its waist. The old prince drank King’s Blood Awakening to turn the armor into a true fifth-tier machine, leaving Su Li battered as his Sword Spirit Root began absorbing the armor’s ether.

• Su Li told Saina to finish Morris while he kept the old prince’s armor occupied, and Elonore hid behind a pillar.
• Su Li studied the armor’s circuits as he blocked its punches, identified the palace power array and the relay node at its waist, and learned to avoid its strongest energy flow.
• The old prince drank the remaining King’s Blood Awakening, sacrificing his life to raise the armor to true fifth tier and unleash continuous power.
• The armor’s faster punches battered Su Li and broke a stone pillar, while the ether in its punch wind forced his Sword Spirit Root to absorb energy and expand his meridians.
• As the armor charged again, Su Li chose to meet it head-on.

Su Li endured the old prince’s attacks to absorb ether and approach the fifth tier while Elena and Saina defeated Gran and Morris. After Su Li disrupted the armor’s energy circuit, the old prince stopped fighting and admitted defeat.

• Elena froze Gran’s limbs and disarmed him, while Saina caught Morris and knocked him unconscious.
• Su Li sent Elena and Saina to help Old Ford clear the palace, insisting he could still fight the armor alone.
• Old Ford announced that the royal retainers had fallen and Iris’s forces controlled the palace gates, prompting the remaining guards to surrender.
• Su Li endured the armor’s blows, then struck beside its transfer node and briefly disrupted its circuits.
• The old prince halted the armor, surveyed the defeated defenders, and declared that all was lost.

Su Li discovered that the old prince had reversed the palace’s energy array, sending centuries of stored aether surging through Saining City and threatening to destroy it. Su Li chose to flee with Saina, Elena, and Elonore, but the city split open and crimson light swallowed them before they could escape.

• The old prince activated the array’s outward-flow mode, unleashing its accumulated energy across Saining City.
• Su Li told Saina and Elena that the city would be destroyed, and estimated the energy would reach the outer city within a minute.
• Su Li decided to escape with Saina, Elena, and Elonore instead of trying to stop the array, while Old Ford led the remaining army toward the north gate.
• As the group ran, the royal palace collapsed and a crimson pillar of light erupted from its center.
• The ground split open across Saining City, and Su Li shoved Elonore into Saina’s arms before crimson light swallowed them.

In the gray settlement space, Su Li received an S overall rating for his fourth life and unlocked the dark gold prize pool. He drew a new inherent trait, but its identity had not yet been revealed.

• Su Li saw that his fourth life earned him D+ for survival, S for wealth and social status, E for offspring, and S+ for legendary renown.
• The settlement panel calculated his overall rating as S and unlocked the dark gold prize pool.
• Su Li chose to draw an inherent trait, and the dark golden sphere collapsed into a glowing speck before him.