Chapter Summaries

Long Wushang told Ye Xishui that he had discovered Yan Shaozhe’s origins as a descendant of her elder brother and explained that he had already contacted him. Ye Xishui agreed that Long Xiaoyao should be told, while Long Wushang prepared to raise a more urgent matter.

• Long Wushang revealed that he knew Ye Xishui possessed the Light Phoenix martial soul and asked her to discuss her past.
• Long Wushang identified Yan Shaozhe as Mu En’s disciple and explained that Yan Shaozhe had learned his origins but struggled to accept them.
• Long Wushang said Yan Shaozhe was his grandnephew and argued that Long Xiaoyao deserved to know about him.
• Ye Xishui agreed to let Long Wushang tell Long Xiaoyao and admitted that she had wronged him.
• Long Wushang comforted Ye Xishui, then turned to the more urgent matter he wanted to discuss.

Long Wushang sought Ye Xishui’s help to steal the hundred-thousand-year soul beast embryo stored in Mingde Hall’s underground treasury. With her approval and Zhongli Wu’s reluctant acceptance, he began gathering intelligence for a covert raid with his father.

• Long Wushang told Ye Xishui that the God-Sealing Platform held a hundred-thousand-year soul beast embryo and asked whether he and his father could take it from Mingde Hall.
• Ye Xishui gave Long Wushang her Supreme Hierarch's Command Token and authorized him to use the cult’s resources, warning him to avoid open conflict and withdraw quickly.
• Ye Xishui went into seclusion to absorb an immortal herb and try to overcome her bottleneck.
• Zhongli Wu angrily objected to Long Wushang’s plan, fearing that an attack on Mingde Hall would ruin the Holy Spirit Cult’s cooperation with the Sun Moon Empire.
• Long Wushang assured Zhongli Wu that only he and his father would take part, and Zhongli Wu reluctantly accepted the plan and provided covert agents’ contact information.

Meng Hongchen dragged her brother Xiao Hongchen around a Mingdu shopping mall, leaving him laden with bags until Long Wushang offered help from the Black Dragon Merchant Association. The chapter ended with Long explaining that the young attendants were students working through an Imperial program, while Meng and Xiao had yet to respond.

• Meng Hongchen shopped enthusiastically while Xiao Hongchen complained about carrying all her purchases.
• Xiao Hongchen noticed nearby shoppers watching them and prepared to leave before Long Wushang approached and offered assistance.
• Long Wushang introduced himself as the person responsible for the Black Dragon Merchant Association in Mingdu and offered to have attendants deliver their goods.
• Meng Hongchen refused the offer, saying her brother could carry everything himself.
• Long Wushang explained that the young attendants were students earning wages through an Empire-sponsored work-study program, and they confirmed his account.

At the Black Dragon Merchant Association, Meng Hongchen became attracted to Long Wushang while he and Xiao Hongchen discussed desserts. Above them, Long Wushang ordered Zhang Peng to abduct the Hongchen siblings as bait to draw Jing Hongchen out of Mingdu, and declared that the operation would begin that night.

• Long Wushang explained the association’s charity work, and Meng Hongchen apologized for judging its young workers before urging Xiao Hongchen to give them their belongings.
• Meng Hongchen grew shy around Long Wushang and asked him to recommend a dessert, while Xiao Hongchen realized she might have fallen for him.
• Long Wushang watched the Hongchen siblings from upstairs as Zhang Peng reported intelligence on Mingde Hall’s defenses and shift changes.
• Long Wushang told Zhang Peng to abduct Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen and lure them out of Mingdu to draw Jing Hongchen away from Mingde Hall.
• Long Wushang ordered Zhang Peng to avoid a direct confrontation and stall until before six o’clock, then told him to inform Father that they would act that night.

Zhang Peng attacked Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen as they returned to the academy and abducted them to draw out Jing Hongchen. After escaping a city patrol, he headed west with the siblings unconscious.

• Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen noticed a hooded stranger blocking their route and tried to retreat.
• Zhang Peng revealed himself as an Evil Soul Master, shattered Xiao Hongchen's defensive armor, and restrained both siblings.
• Zhang Peng told Xiao Hongchen that he had come for Jing Hongchen's grandson and knocked both siblings unconscious.
• Zhang Peng deliberately let a patrol witness the abduction, dropped Xiao Hongchen's identity token, and fled west.
• The patrol captain ordered an alarm sounded and the nearby Patrol Defense Battalion notified.

Jing Hongchen learned that Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen had been abducted and pursued their captor outside Mingdu. With him drawn away, Long Xiaoyao and Long Wushang entered an outsourced Mingde Hall warehouse and reached a maintenance passage toward the hall.

• A patrol found Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen’s identity cards, prompting the squad leader to report their abduction to the academy.
• Jing Hongchen ordered a citywide search and sealed routes, then followed detection records to Zhang Peng carrying the unconscious siblings beyond the Western District.
• Zhang Peng deliberately remained visible so Jing Hongchen would chase him, while a message reached Long Wushang that Jing Hongchen had left the city.
• Long Wushang and Long Xiaoyao met a warehouse worker who guided them to a sealed door leading through a maintenance passage toward Mingde Hall.
• Long Wushang knocked the worker unconscious after the door was opened.

Long Xiaoyao infiltrated Mingde Hall’s underground sector to clear a path for Long Wushang’s search for the God-Sealing Platform, but a detection system exposed him and triggered a full alarm. He defeated the first defenders and faced a coordinated assault as reinforcements arrived.

• Long Wushang stayed behind in disguise while Long Xiaoyao scouted Mingde Hall’s underground passages.
• Long Xiaoyao passed a detection system, but a brief Soul Power fluctuation triggered the alarm and sealed the passage.
• Long Xiaoyao concealed himself in darkness from the cannon fire, smashed through a metal gate, and knocked out the Soul Engineers guarding it.
• Long Xiaoyao entered the main passage as reinforcements and defensive cannons gathered around him.
• A gray-haired Titled Douluo attacked Long Xiaoyao with an electric ring-shaped Soul Tool while the Soul Engineers launched a relentless barrage.

Long Wushang entered Mingde Hall’s underground treasury while Long Xiaoyao drew the defenders away with a devastating assault. He located the Snow Woman’s sealed chamber and killed the two guards outside its door.

• Long Xiaoyao tore through the outer defenses, prompting Elder Wang to order reinforcements from the inner layer.
• Long Wushang received word that he could enter and descended into the treasury under cover of his father’s attack.
• Long Wushang followed the Snow Woman’s ice-element aura through the passages and avoided the reinforcements heading toward the battle.
• Long Wushang reached the sealed storage room, where two Level-Seven Soul Engineers guarded the door.
• Long Wushang attacked the guards from the shadows, crushing one man’s head and tearing out the other’s heart.

Long Wushang broke into Mingde Hall’s underground treasure vault, seized its treasures and the God-Sealing Platform containing the Snow Empress embryo, and triggered the alarm. Meanwhile, Jing Hongchen’s group continued pursuing Zhang Peng, who kept Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen unconscious and led them in circles.

• Long Wushang used two guards’ identification plaques to enter Mingde Hall’s underground treasure vault and found its stores of rare materials and advanced Soul Tools.
• Long Wushang collected the exposed treasures, then found the God-Sealing Platform and recognized the Snow Empress embryo inside it.
• Long Wushang carefully shattered the Platform’s outer barrier, took the God-Sealing Platform and its wooden stand, and triggered the vault’s alarms.
• After the alarm sounded, Long Wushang tore through the vault, breaking protective covers and taking their valuable contents.
• Jing Hongchen led several Mingde Hall disciples in pursuit of Zhang Peng, who carried the unconscious Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen while repeatedly changing his pace to keep them following.

Jing Hongchen learned that Mingde Hall's underground treasury was under attack but continued pursuing the captors of Meng and Xiao, while Xu Tianran sent support to Mingde Hall and discussed plans with Ju Zi. As Xu Tianran and Ju Zi continued their meeting in the Eastern Palace, his trusted guard Zhao Heng entered the study.

• Jing Hongchen received an alarm that Mingde Hall's underground treasury was under attack and realized the enemy had used a diversion.
• Jing Hongchen ordered several Soul Engineers to return to Mingde Hall and gather reinforcements while he continued pursuing the people holding Meng and Xiao.
• Xu Tianran sent the Royal Guard and powerful worshippers to reinforce Mingde Hall after learning of the attack.
• Ju Zi advised Xu Tianran to gradually replace the families controlling the Mingdu War Zone, and Xu Tianran outlined a plan to install loyal officers and soldiers.
• Zhao Heng, Xu Tianran's trusted personal guard, entered the study while Xu Tianran and Ju Zi were discussing the military arrangements.

Zhao Heng betrayed Xu Tianran during an assault on the Eastern Palace, and Ju Zi was wounded while saving Xu Tianran from his first attack. The assassins escaped after slashing Xu Tianran across the waist, leaving him unconscious and unable to move his legs as Ju Zi called for help.

• Xu Tianran learned that Mingde Hall was still under attack and that Hall Master Hongchen had not returned from pursuing the thieves.
• Zhao Heng revealed a hidden blade and attacked Xu Tianran, but Ju Zi shoved Xu Tianran aside and took the strike in her shoulder.
• Masked Soul Masters breached the Eastern Palace while Zhao Heng fought Xu Tianran, explaining that he had been forced to betray him because his family was being held hostage.
• Xu Tianran pierced Zhao Heng through the chest, but Zhao Heng survived long enough to restrain him as a masked assassin slashed Xu Tianran across the waist and injured his legs.
• The Eastern Palace consecrated ones arrived, and the assassins escaped using explosives; Xu Tianran passed out, while Ju Zi awoke and called for guards.

Long Wushang escaped the military cordon after attacking Mingde Hall, then marked a group of assassins fleeing from an attack on Xu Tianran. The next morning, reports revealed that Xu Tianran had nearly died after his personal guard commander betrayed him, while the old emperor tightened Mingdu’s defenses.

• Long Wushang escaped Mingde Hall with the God-Sealing Platform and Snow Empress Embryo while military forces surrounded the area.
• Long Wushang learned that assassins had attacked Xu Tianran, secretly marked the fleeing attackers, and left to discover who had organized the attack.
• Long Wushang read reports stating that Xu Tianran had survived emergency treatment but remained unconscious.
• Long Wushang learned that Xu Tianran’s personal guard commander had betrayed him, allowing hundreds of assassins to storm the Eastern Palace.
• The old emperor reprimanded military leaders, detained commanders responsible for Mingdu’s defenses, and ordered the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps back to the capital.

After the assassination left Xu Tianran unable to walk, he entrusted Ju Zi with managing the Eastern Palace and used the crisis to test and train her. As Mingdu faced an empire-wide search, Xu Tianran reviewed visiting cards and began planning how to turn the attack into an opportunity to strengthen his power and punish his enemies.

• The Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps arrived in Mingdu and joined the Imperial Soul Engineer Corps in searching merchant associations, inns, and freight warehouses; Long Wushang kept the Black Dragon Merchant Association operating normally and provided aid to damaged streets.
• After waking from unconsciousness, Xu Tianran recognized he had lost sensation in his lower body and handed Ju Zi the Eastern Palace's affairs while he recovered.
• Ju Zi sorted the visiting cards sent by imperial relatives and other factions, selecting the most urgent ones to report to Xu Tianran.
• Xu Tianran mocked his relatives' claims of concern and suspected the imperial uncles and brothers who most wanted him dead had arranged the assassination.
• Xu Tianran resolved to use the assassination to gain more authority, purge the Eastern Palace, and strike back at those plotting against him.

After Xu Tianran realized the assassination had left him unable to father an heir, he decided to secretly meet Long Wushang, who claimed to know the assassins’ identities and whereabouts. Ju Zi traveled through the Eastern Palace’s secret passage to bring Long Wushang to Xu Tianran, while Long Wushang’s thoughts remained occupied by the Snow Empress.

• Xu Tianran recognized that his destroyed reproductive ability threatened his claim to the throne and resolved to keep the secret hidden.
• Ju Zi presented Long Wushang’s visiting card and explained that he had marked suspected assassins and traced their hiding place.
• Xu Tianran ordered Ju Zi to use his Crown Prince Token and the secret passage to bring Long Wushang to him discreetly.
• Ju Zi left the Eastern Palace through the ancient tunnel and arrived at the Black Dragon Merchant Association.
• Long Wushang reflected on how to handle the Snow Empress before meeting Ju Zi, and the two sized each other up.

Ju Zi met Long Wushang to bring him to the injured Xu Tianran, but she grew wary when Long raised the possibility of bringing Jiang Nannan along. She confronted Long directly, inviting him to state what deal he wanted before they left.

• Long Wushang welcomed Ju Zi into his office, where she presented Xu Tianran's token and invited him to meet the Crown Prince in secret.
• Long expressed concern for Xu Tianran's injury and agreed to help, then asked whether he could bring Jiang Nannan to visit him.
• Ju Zi refused, citing Xu Tianran's order to bring only Long and the need to protect his recovery and keep the meeting confidential.
• Ju Zi inferred that Long was using Jiang Nannan as leverage and urged him to speak plainly about what he wanted.

Long Wushang offered Ju Zi a secret strategic partnership, promising the money, intelligence, and support she would need to gain military power in exchange for access and influence within Xu Tianran’s court. He used Ju Zi’s ambitions and her grudge against the White Tiger Duke’s Estate to persuade her, then warned that Xu Tianran had other potential allies.

• Long Wushang proposed a private partnership with Ju Zi, separate from the Black Dragon Merchant Association’s formal dealings with the Eastern Palace.
• Long Wushang revealed that he knew about Xu Tianran’s crippled legs, the guard commander’s betrayal, and Ju Zi’s plans to consolidate military power at the front lines.
• Long Wushang promised Ju Zi money, experts, and intelligence to help her overcome resistance and take control of the army.
• Ju Zi questioned what Long Wushang expected in return, and he asked her to use Xu Tianran’s authority and share confidential court information.
• Long Wushang revealed that the Black Dragon Merchant Association had agents in the Three Great Empires, including the White Tiger Duke’s Estate and Shrek Academy, and promised intelligence that could help Ju Zi defeat her enemies.
• Long Wushang warned Ju Zi that Xu Tianran had other possible allies and that rejecting the partnership could leave her replaceable.

Long Wushang urged Ju Zi to build her own allies and leverage instead of relying on Xu Tianran or a master, and she left without giving him an answer. Ju Zi then brought him to Xu Tianran’s heavily guarded underground refuge, where he asked Long Wushang to recount what he had witnessed on the night of the assassination attempt.

• Long Wushang warned Ju Zi that Xu Tianran could discard her and urged her to secure allies and trump cards of her own.
• Ju Zi said she needed time to consider his proposal, then escorted him from the chamber of commerce to meet Xu Tianran.
• Ju Zi took Long Wushang through a concealed, heavily guarded underground passage to Xu Tianran’s fortress.
• Long Wushang met the gravely injured Xu Tianran and presented medicines from the chamber of commerce.
• Xu Tianran asked Long Wushang to explain what happened on the night of the attack, and Long Wushang began recounting how he heard an explosion in Imperial City Park.

Long Wushang told Xu Tianran that Prince Yong Xu Tiancheng’s former subordinate Gao Zhan had led the assassins, and Xu Tianran suspected Long Wushang had also helped loot Mingde Hall. Xu Tianran concealed his suspicions and decided to win Long Wushang over by giving him greater influence and access to the empire’s finances.

• Long Wushang claimed he had investigated the assassins and placed hidden soul power markers on wounded masked men he encountered near the Imperial Palace.
• Xu Tianran connected Long Wushang and the Black Dragon Merchant Association to the attack and theft at Mingde Hall, but kept his suspicions to himself.
• Long Wushang revealed that the death soldiers had hidden in the residences of imperial princes and identified their leader as Gao Zhan, a former subordinate of Prince Yong Xu Tiancheng.
• Long Wushang said Gao Zhan had supposedly died ten years earlier and suspected Xu Tiancheng had secretly trained him and other soldiers for a succession struggle.
• Xu Tianran learned that only Long Wushang, Miss Ju Zi, and he knew the information, then resolved to recruit Long Wushang and consider placing him in the Ministry of Finance.

Long Wushang secured a director's post in the Imperial Ministry of Finance as Xu Tianran prepared to strengthen his rule with the Holy Spirit Cult's help. In the Evil Demon Forest, Long Wushang opened the God-Sealing Platform, awakening the enraged Snow Empress.

• Xu Tianran recommended Long Wushang for a director's position in the Imperial Ministry of Finance, giving him a foothold in the empire's leadership.
• Long Wushang learned that Xu Tianran had agreed to deepen his cooperation with the Holy Spirit Cult and focused on the Original Sin Crystal's reply about the God-Sealing Platform.
• Long Wushang brought the Ice Empress to the underground Dragon Tomb in the Evil Demon Forest to awaken and subdue the Snow Empress away from Mingdu.
• Long Wushang used the Original Sin Crystal and Original Sin Divine Power to unlock the God-Sealing Platform.
• The Snow Empress burst out amid a blizzard and, believing humans had come to kill her, cried out for them to die.

The Snow Empress survived her attempted self-destruction, but the loss of her source power left her close to death. The Ice Empress turned to Long Wushang for help, and he offered to save the Snow Empress in exchange for a price that left the Ice Empress blushing and uncertain.

• Long Wushang used the Original Sin Demon Puppet to restrain the Snow Empress and stop her self-destruction.
• The Ice Empress calmed the Snow Empress and explained how Long Wushang had rescued her and what their future arrangement involved.
• The Snow Empress revealed that she had spent the last of her source power and could no longer accompany the Ice Empress.
• The Ice Empress embraced the Snow Empress, then rushed to Long Wushang to ask him to save her.
• Long Wushang conveyed his conditions to the Ice Empress, who blushed and struggled to decide whether to accept.