Chapter Summaries

Ye Qingcang questioned Jing Ni about what she could offer him and whether she wanted greater status or freedom within Netherworld. Jing Ni explained her autonomy and the limits of her position, leaving Ye Qingcang’s intentions unresolved.

• Jing Ni explained that Netherworld intelligence could be traded only for something worth no more than her status, and that Ye Qingcang could take her life or body if he wished.
• Ye Qingcang said everyone possessed something he wanted and asked Jing Ni to guess what it was.
• Jing Ni guessed that Ye Qingcang wanted her loyalty, service, or betrayal of Netherworld.
• Ye Qingcang asked whether Jing Ni had considered advancing within Netherworld or gaining freedom.
• Jing Ni said advancement was effectively impossible for the Eight Swords of King Yue and that she currently had enough autonomy to see no need to seek freedom.

Ye Qingcang kept the injured Jing Ni with him and questioned her about Netherworld, while she accepted that she might die and answered what she could. After learning how Netherworld’s leadership and records were structured, Ye Qingcang decided to pursue control of the organization for its resources and reach.

• Ye Qingcang stopped Jing Ni from leaving, and she accepted that she could not escape him while recovering from her injuries.
• Jing Ni introduced herself and shared milk tea with Ye Qingcang as they continued talking about freedom, her fate, and her appearance.
• Ye Qingcang asked how he could replace Netherworld’s leader, and Jing Ni explained that he would need to kill the leader and obtain the two rosters before securing the Eight Swords of King Yue’s submission.
• Ye Qingcang compared Netherworld’s succession process to opening a layered safe and considered using the organization to gather resources and investigate information.
• Ye Qingcang added Netherworld to his plans for conquest, believing it could help him expand his power beyond this world.

Han Fei stopped at a roadside tavern to buy strong liquor, but realized he had lost his money pouch and offered a valuable necklace instead. Ye Qingcang arrived, paid for the wine with a miraculous display of turning a wooden table to gold, and met Han Fei, who invited him to visit his home.

• The tavern owner noticed Han Fei’s luxurious clothing and rare white horse as he rode up and asked for strong liquor.
• Han Fei discovered his money pouch was missing and explained that he had lost it while fishing.
• Han Fei offered his gold-and-jade necklace as payment, and the tavern owner agreed to provide the wine.
• Ye Qingcang arrived on a stone warhorse, offered to pay for Han Fei’s wine, and turned the wooden table to gold.
• Han Fei introduced himself to Ye Qingcang, who gave his name, and Han Fei invited him to his nearby home.

Han Fei and Ye Qingcang shared wine, discussed their ages, and met Jing Ni, the Heaven Ranked Assassin whom Ye Qingcang had captured. Han Fei invited Ye Qingcang to travel with him to Xinzheng, and they set out together.

• Ye Qingcang invited Han Fei to share wine, and Han Fei followed him to the carriage without using his necklace as collateral.
• Han Fei learned that Ye Qingcang was sixteen and met Jing Ni, whom Ye Qingcang identified as his captive.
• Han Fei recognized Jing Ni's sword as the Jing Ni Sword and learned she was one of Netherworld's Heaven Ranked Assassins.
• Ye Qingcang explained that he was traveling toward Xinzheng to gather resources and visit a friend.
• Han Fei invited Ye Qingcang to travel with him to Xinzheng, and Ye Qingcang agreed.

Han Fei and Ye Qingcang traveled together through a desolate village, where Han Fei gave his grilled fish to two hungry children. Their exchange about what kind of immortal Han Fei wanted to become ended with him declaring that he wanted it all and would keep moving forward despite the difficulty.

• Han Fei and Ye Qingcang rode into a silent village, where Jing Ni used her killing intent to scatter the crows.
• Han Fei saw two impoverished children by the roadside and asked them for directions to Xinzheng.
• The older girl pointed the way, and Han Fei gave his half-eaten grilled fish to the younger boy before riding on.
• Ye Qingcang told Han Fei that the children would see him as an immortal who granted wishes, then asked what he wanted to become.
• Han Fei said he wanted it all because he could not bear to see people suffer, and he insisted that a difficult road was no reason to stop.

Ye Qingcang assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the six kingdoms and described how he would govern several of them, then explained high-yield crops to Han Fei. The chapter ended with Ye Qingcang asking whether Han Fei wanted those crops.

• Han Fei praised Ye Qingcang’s confidence, then asked him to rank the kingdoms by strength.
• Ye Qingcang named Qin the strongest and analyzed the military weaknesses of the other kingdoms.
• At Han Fei’s prompting, Ye Qingcang outlined how he would govern Chu, Zhao, and Qi, and said he would kill Yan Dan while he was still a child.
• Ye Qingcang said he would rather live as a powerful hermit than rule a kingdom, and Han Fei agreed that strength mattered most.
• Han Fei asked about Hybrid Rice, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, and Ye Qingcang described their yields and their potential to feed large populations.
• Ye Qingcang asked Han Fei whether he wanted the high-yield crops.

Ye Qingcang offered Han Fei high-yield crops, but Han Fei refused until he could protect them and gain power in Han Kingdom. When Han Fei recognized the Jade Seal Machine, Ye Qingcang suspected his distant correspondent was Han Fei’s younger sister, Princess Crimson Lotus.

• Ye Qingcang offered Han Fei rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and taro for free, but Han Fei declined because Han Kingdom could not safeguard them.
• Surprise Carp argued that the crops could make Ye Qingcang a New Sage of Agriculture, while Han Fei explained how greed and unfair laws kept people from eating their fill.
• Han Fei said he would accept the crops only if he survived Han Kingdom’s power struggles and could put them to use.
• Han Fei asked about Ye Qingcang’s friend, and Ye Qingcang explained that they communicated instantly across vast distances using Jade Seal Machines.
• Han Fei recognized the Jade Seal Machine, prompting Ye Qingcang to suspect that his correspondent was Han Fei’s younger sister, Princess Crimson Lotus.

Han Fei learned that Red Lotus loved Ye Qingcang, who explained how he distributed the Jade Seal Machines and revealed his mastery of space. Ye Qingcang told Han Fei that he came from the starry sky, and Han Fei responded by raising a toast and expressing a wish to cross the Star River himself.

• Han Fei realized Red Lotus had feelings for Ye Qingcang and wrestled with pride and bitterness over his sister keeping the secret from him.
• Han Fei discovered Ye Qingcang had not known Red Lotus's identity and questioned how she had obtained the Jade Seal Machine.
• Ye Qingcang demonstrated how space let him make the Jade Seal Machine intangible, then explained that he had sent the machines to unknown places using spatial power.
• Ye Qingcang told Surprise Carp that he had planted spatial coordinates on her, making it difficult for her to escape or defend herself.
• Han Fei asked whether Ye Qingcang came from beyond the Seven Kingdoms, and Ye Qingcang said he was traveling across the Star River.
• Han Fei toasted Ye Qingcang and declared that he wished to experience crossing the Star River himself.

Ye Qingcang and Han Fei arrived at Xinzheng and discussed the political dangers surrounding Han Fei’s return and how to handle Ji Wuye’s allies. At the city gate, Han Fei reunited with his younger sister Crimson Lotus, whose boisterous greeting drew the attention of the crowd.

• Ye Qingcang disguised his warhorse as he and Han Fei approached Xinzheng, and Han Fei explained that he was using his return to test his enemies and protect his sister.
• Han Fei invited Ye Qingcang to meet Crimson Lotus, and Ye Qingcang assessed the strength and potential usefulness of Ji Wuye’s Four Fiend Generals.
• Ye Qingcang and Han Fei discussed gathering talent and weakening Ji Wuye’s position, while Han Fei described his broader approach to governing and political conflict.
• Crimson Lotus rushed into Han Fei’s embrace at the city gate, then threatened the onlookers until Han Fei stopped her and apologized.

Ye Qingcang reunited with Princess Crimson Lotus in Xinzheng after arriving with Han Fei, and the two revealed their long friendship through their Jade Seal Machines. He asked her to help him find a place to stay, and she agreed to use one of her properties.

• Han Fei apologized to the pedestrians after Princess Crimson Lotus caused a disturbance, while Ye Qingcang stood out by refusing to lower his head.
• Ye Qingcang and Princess Crimson Lotus recognized each other through their Jade Seal Machines, and Han Fei discovered that she had nicknamed Ye Qingcang “Big Dumb Eagle.”
• Han Fei teased Princess Crimson Lotus about the nickname, and Ye Qingcang introduced himself before she asked him to call her Crimson Lotus.
• Ye Qingcang explained that he had come to Xinzheng seeking refuge and asked Crimson Lotus for help finding a quiet place to stay.
• Crimson Lotus mistakenly thought Ye Qingcang wanted to enter the palace, then promised to arrange a place for him from among her properties.

Ye Qingcang refused Princess Crimson Lotus’s offer to lend him shops, and Han Fei arranged to find lodging with him after visiting the king. Han Fei and Crimson Lotus entered the palace while Ye Qingcang waited outside with Surprise Carp.

• Princess Crimson Lotus offered Ye Qingcang her shops, but he declined because he did not want to owe her an awkward favor.
• Han Fei persuaded Crimson Lotus to stop insisting and said he and Ye Qingcang would find a suitable place to stay after Han Fei saw his father.
• Crimson Lotus agreed to return home, change clothes, and tell Han Fei about the changes in Xinzheng, though she secretly showed her disappointment.
• Han Fei spoke with the Imperial Guards at the palace gate, who readily let him and Crimson Lotus enter and allowed Ye Qingcang to wait nearby.
• Ye Qingcang parked the carriage and chatted with the guards while Surprise Carp waited quietly beneath her hat and black robe.

Han Fei returned to Xinzheng with Princess Crimson Lotus, stirring political speculation while the kingdom’s factions waited to learn his intentions. Han Fei, Crimson Lotus, Ye Qingcang, and Surprise Carp then left the palace to tour the city, scout its surroundings, and look for lodging.

• Han Fei’s return to Xinzheng prompted the kingdom’s factions to watch for signs of his political stance.
• At the Zhang residence, a young man in Confucian robes warned that Han Fei’s path in the kingdom would be difficult.
• Ye Qingcang reflected on Han Fei’s strained relationship with King An and on how the Yin Yang Family had killed Han Fei in the past, leaving Li Si wrongly blamed.
• Ye Qingcang called over Crimson Lotus, who was disguised as a man, and set out with her, Han Fei, and Surprise Carp to tour Xinzheng.

Princess Crimson Lotus showed Han Fei and Ye Qingcang how her shops gathered public information while they searched for suitable houses in Xinzheng. As they waited for the managers’ findings, Han Fei persuaded her to join the group at Purple Orchid Pavilion, leaving them riding there together.

• Princess Crimson Lotus used her shop managers’ connections to gather information about houses that might meet their requirements before the Hour of the Boar.
• Princess Crimson Lotus treated Han Fei, Ye Qingcang, and Surprise Carp to a meal at her restaurant and asked where they wanted to go while they waited.
• Han Fei suggested visiting Purple Orchid Pavilion, but Princess Crimson Lotus strongly objected because she believed it was a disreputable place.
• Ye Qingcang reframed the visit as a chance to investigate Purple Orchid Pavilion’s intelligence network, and Princess Crimson Lotus agreed to go.
• Han Fei, Ye Qingcang, Princess Crimson Lotus, and Surprise Carp mounted their horses and set out for Purple Orchid Pavilion.

Han Fei, Ye Qingcang, Red Lotus, and Jing Ni visited Purple Orchid Pavilion, where Ye Qingcang openly revealed their interest in Zi Nu and Han Fei took charge of their approach. After watching them, Wei Zhuang decided to delay his appearance and send them an invitation with a different item in its box.

• Red Lotus asked Zi Nu whether she led an intelligence organization, and Ye Qingcang teased her for asking so bluntly.
• Ye Qingcang urged Han Fei to win people over by showing sincerity, while Han Fei insisted on hosting the meal and guiding the conversation.
• Zi Nu led the group to a private room, and Ye Qingcang considered whether Wei Zhuang would recognize Jing Ni's skill and sword.
• Zi Nu asked Wei Zhuang whether he still planned to test the group, and Wei Zhuang chose to wait and send them an invitation instead.
• Wei Zhuang said the invitation's boxed item would need to be changed, and Zi Nu left to deliver it.

Han Fei, Red Lotus, and Ye Qingcang discussed houses for Ye Qingcang in Xinzheng, while Zi Nu offered properties and an invitation connected to the Peasant School. Ye Qingcang planned to inspect the houses the next morning and accompany Han Fei to investigate the invitation.

• Red Lotus showed Han Fei and Ye Qingcang her detailed map of Xinzheng and paintings of potential houses, then recommended a residence near the royal palace.
• Ye Qingcang selected three houses from the options and planned to inspect them the next morning before buying one.
• Ye Qingcang revealed that Zi Nu had been listening outside, and Zi Nu entered and offered several properties she owned.
• Zi Nu gave Han Fei an invitation to an event hosted by the Peasant School, suggesting he and Ye Qingcang attend with suitable treasures.
• Surprise Carp warned that Purple Orchid Pavilion housed a capable expert, and Ye Qingcang judged the invitation was probably a test before agreeing to investigate it the next day.

Ye Qingcang, Han Fei, Red Lotus, and Surprise Carp went house-hunting, with Surprise Carp recognizing the strategic value of the courtyard Ye Qingcang chose. She realized that his acquisition of the site could expose and destroy Netherworld’s Xinzheng branch, while she remained unable to warn the other assassins.

• Red Lotus insisted on joining Ye Qingcang and Han Fei despite being exhausted, so Surprise Carp rode with her to keep her from falling off.
• The group toured possible homes, and Ye Qingcang settled on the small courtyard near the boundary between the imperial city and the outer city.
• Surprise Carp realized the courtyard would make an ideal transit point for Netherworld’s assassins moving between the inner and outer districts.
• Surprise Carp feared Ye Qingcang would uncover Netherworld’s Xinzheng branch and use its secrets against the organization, but she could not send a warning.
• Surprise Carp understood that Ye Qingcang had chosen the courtyard as part of a plan to erode Netherworld from within.

Ye Qingcang persuaded Surprise Carp to accept Red Lotus’s horse, arguing that she could not avoid the growing conflict in Xinzheng. He and Han Fei then arrived with her at the pavilion, where they agreed to keep a low profile while preparing to challenge Netherworld’s influence.

• Han Fei relayed Red Lotus’s gift of a horse to Surprise Carp, who hesitated because she feared her ties to Netherworld could endanger Red Lotus.
• Ye Qingcang handed Surprise Carp the reins and argued that she was already caught up in Xinzheng’s gathering conflicts, whether she accepted the gift or not.
• Surprise Carp accepted the horse, mounted it, and followed Ye Qingcang and Han Fei to the address on the invitation.
• Han Fei praised Ye Qingcang for winning Surprise Carp over and worried about the danger of provoking Netherworld.
• Ye Qingcang hinted that he and Han Fei could make Netherworld fear them in return, then said they should keep a low profile and let their actions speak.

Han Fei attended the Peasant School’s Treasure Exchange Banquet with Ye Qingcang and Surprise Carp posing as his guards. As the guests waited for the banquet to begin, Ye Qingcang planted shadowy phantoms on several attendees, including Yan Chunjun, Yan Dan, and Jing Ke.

• Han Fei brought Ye Qingcang and Surprise Carp into the banquet as his guards.
• Ye Qingcang passed the waiting time eating fruit and watching Tom and Jerry with the Ice Empress and Snow Empress in his Sea of Consciousness.
• Yan Chunjun arrived late with his concubine, while Han Fei and the other guests continued waiting.
• Ye Qingcang split off shadowy phantoms and planted them in the shadows of Yan Chunjun, Yan Dan, Jing Ke, and others.

Ye Qingcang offered to fund and equip a cavalry force for Han Fei, and Han Fei agreed to organize it despite the risks and lack of land. They settled on dividing control of the force, then turned their attention to a wooden box Zi Nu had presented at the auction.

• Ye Qingcang urged Han Fei to secure horses and military power, explaining how cavalry could strengthen his position against Ji Wuye.
• Han Fei objected that he lacked money, land, and the means to protect a private force, but Ye Qingcang offered to buy horses and provide horseshoe-making knowledge.
• Han Fei agreed to arrange a hidden location and recruit hungry commoners while the grassland trader made a two-month round trip.
• Ye Qingcang proposed dividing the cavalry force into five shares, with shares for himself and Red Lotus and the rest allocated by Han Fei; Han Fei accepted the arrangement.
• Ye Qingcang pointed out a wooden box brought by Zi Nu, and Han Fei turned to examine it as a possible test of Mechanism Art.

Ye Qingcang identified the mechanism box as the work of the Ghost Valley School and discussed Han Fei’s prospects, promising talents, and the scrambled historical timeline. As Han Fei and others exchanged treasures, Ye Qingcang secretly planted dormant Faceless Men in Yan Dan, Yan Chunjun, and the Grassland Strongman.

• Ye Qingcang reasoned that the mechanism box came from the Ghost Valley School and compared Han Fei’s position and allies with Ying Zheng’s.
• Han Fei considered Zhang Liang among Han Kingdom’s most promising talents, while Ye Qingcang offered to recommend skilled commanders and other capable people.
• Ye Qingcang realized Han Fei’s age did not match the historical timeline he remembered and concluded that history had become unpredictable.
• Han Fei refused Yan Chunjun’s proposed treasure exchange and traded with Zi Nu instead, while Yan Dan exchanged treasures with Jing Ke.
• Ye Qingcang sent three Faceless Men pellets into Yan Dan, Yan Chunjun, and the Grassland Strongman, where they entered dormancy.