Chapter Summaries

Investigator Qi and his men accused the Green Gang of rebellion, but Yang Ling exposed their suspicious conduct and demanded an explanation. The chapter ended with Qi realizing Yang Ling worked for the Iron Garment Division’s Third Office.

• Investigator Qi mistook the Green Gang’s headquarters for the Heavenly Tiger Gang and claimed his visit was a misunderstanding.
• Yang Ling ordered Lin Caiyi and Zhang Shendao to shut the gates after Qi tried to leave, and they effortlessly drove back his men.
• Yang Ling questioned Qi’s grounds for accusing the gang of rebellion and had players seize and beat a subordinate who threatened him.
• Investigator Qi insisted Yang Ling’s people had misheard him, while Yang Ling challenged him to justify his actions or face his superior at the Iron Garment Division.
• Investigator Qi recognized Yang Ling’s connection to the Iron Garment Division and asked, “You work for Yang Ling!?”

Yang Ling exposed Investigator Qi’s abuse of authority and learned that the Heavenly Tiger Gang had sent him to suppress the Green Gang. After Zhang Shendao and Lin Caiyi captured the gang’s deputy chief and other experts, Investigator Qi attacked Hou Dazhu.

• Yang Ling ordered Qin Mo to summon Zhao Xun and accused Investigator Qi of abusing his official power against the Green Gang.
• Investigator Qi confessed that the Heavenly Tiger Gang’s leader had sent him and admitted he had used similar tactics against other gangs.
• Investigator Qi revealed that deputy chief Hou Dazhu was waiting nearby, so Yang Ling sent Zhang Shendao and Lin Caiyi to capture him and his companions.
• Yang Ling told Investigator Qi that Zhang Shendao and Lin Caiyi were sixth-grade experts from powerful sects, leaving him horrified.
• Zhang Shendao and Lin Caiyi brought four captured Heavenly Tiger Gang experts into the headquarters, and Investigator Qi identified Hou Dazhu.
• Hou Dazhu recognized Yang Ling and praised his reputation, prompting Investigator Qi to charge at him, shouting that one of them had to die.

Yang Ling turned the Heavenly Tiger Gang’s attempt to frame the Green Gang into a case against the Third Prince and ordered Zhao Xun to help investigate. The Iron Garment Division mobilized against the gang, while Zhao Xun realized the allegations could implicate the Star-Gazing Academy Head.

• Yang Ling ordered Hou Dazhu beaten, then questioned the Heavenly Tiger Gang experts about who in the palace had sent them to frame the Green Gang.
• Zhao Xun and Qin Mo arrived with a large force of Iron Garments, and Zhao Xun was alarmed by the strength of the Players gathered in the courtyard.
• Yang Ling told Zhao Xun that Hou Dazhu had admitted the palace was behind the plot and argued that the rebellion accusation was an attack on him.
• Yang Ling named the Third Prince as the likely instigator and ordered Zhao Xun to serve as Deputy Team Leader and bring the prince to the Iron Garment Division for questioning.
• Yang Ling ordered the Heavenly Tiger Gang’s leader and key members arrested, while Hou Dazhu denied the accusation and was knocked unconscious by Yang Ling.
• Zhao Xun realized the case involved the Star-Gazing Academy Head and questioned Yang Ling about it.

Yang Ling led more than two hundred Iron Garments to the Star-Gazing Academy to bring its core members in for questioning about Zheng Hai’s betrayal and the deaths of refugees. He sealed off the academy as the eldest princess arrived, leaving the group poised to enter.

• Yang Ling told Zhao Xun that Zheng Hai, the Star-Gazing Academy Head, had become a Second-Grade Human Immortal after the Rong Tribe supplied him with cultivation resources, and that witnesses and evidence confirmed his betrayal.
• Yang Ling ordered Zhao Xun to invite the Third Prince, then dispatched Iron Garments to escort Investigator Qi, Hou Dazhu, and the others to the Iron Garment Division.
• Yang Ling recruited over two hundred player constables and led them toward the Star-Gazing Academy to bring its core members in for questioning.
• Yang Ling told the players that their main quest might take years but could yield generous rewards, and urged them to speedrun it while the early-launch opportunity remained.
• Yang Ling told players with friends at the Star-Gazing Academy to warn them to hide, then used his spiritual perception to seal off the academy.
• The eldest princess arrived by carriage and told Yang Ling’s group to get in.

Yang Ling led the Iron Garments to the Star-Gazing Academy to bring its members in for questioning over the reopened Elephant Peak Prefecture case. After the academy surrendered without a fight, Qi Tairan arrived with officials and ordered Yang Ling to return to the Iron Garment Division.

• Yang Ling met Princess Royal Zhao Longyu, explained that he planned to investigate the Star-Gazing Academy, and privately told her why the Third Prince also had to be brought in.
• Yang Ling confronted the Star-Gazing Academy’s scholars and ordered them to assist with the investigation, while warning that refusal would put them in the wrong.
• The academy’s senior scholars told their people not to resist, and the Iron Garments gathered more than a thousand members into two groups.
• Yang Ling noticed that Luo Kai was missing, just as Qi Tairan arrived with officials and accused him of acting without authorization.

Yang Ling confronted officials and sect representatives who tried to stop his investigation of the Star-Gazing Academy, accusing Academy Head Zheng Hai of treason and siding with the Rong Tribe. When Qi Tairan tried to leave after realizing Yang Ling had a reason for the investigation, Yang Ling ordered him to assist and beat him when he refused.

• Officials and scholars arrived at the Star-Gazing Academy and rebuked Yang Ling for causing trouble there.
• Qi Baiyan and the other sect grandmasters recognized disciples from their sects among Yang Ling's followers and wondered why they were working for him.
• Yang Ling accused Zheng Hai of betraying the Zhao Kingdom and accused the assembled officials of obstructing his investigation.
• Qi Tairan accepted that Yang Ling had good reason to investigate, but tried to leave when Yang Ling ordered him to come to the Iron Garment Division.
• Qi Tairan challenged Yang Ling's authority and turned to leave, so Yang Ling beat him until his skin split and his flesh tore.

Yang Ling beat Qi Tairan and accused him and several officials of conspiring with Zheng Hai, then brought them and the Star-Gazing Academy to the Iron Garment Division for questioning. The chapter ended with Yang Ling beginning Qi Tairan’s statement and asking how close he was to Zheng Hai.

• Yang Ling knocked out Qi Baiyan and continued beating Qi Tairan until Xu Wenjun arrived and intervened.
• Yang Ling said he had come to invite Star-Gazing Academy scholars to reopen the Elephant Peak Prefecture case, then accused Qi Tairan and other officials of obstructing the investigation and possibly betraying the Zhao Kingdom.
• Xu Wenjun realized he had been made deputy team leader of the Special Case Task Force and escorted the officials to the Iron Garment Division while Yang Ling brought the scholars.
• More than a thousand Star-Gazing Academy disciples, ministry officials, Qi Tairan, and others gathered in the Iron Garment Division’s courtyard to give statements.
• Yang Ling approached Qi Tairan and began questioning him about his relationship with Zheng Hai.

Yang Ling questioned Qi Tairan and the officials over their obstruction of the investigation, then linked the Heavenly Tiger Gang’s attempt to frame him to the Third Prince and the old Elephant Peak Prefecture arson case. The Third Prince arrived with Zhao Xun and Cao Yunlong as Yang Ling prepared to question him.

• Qi Tairan argued that he had been wronged, but Yang Ling accused him of obstructing the Special Case Task Force’s investigation, and Qi admitted he had been in the wrong.
• Yang Ling questioned the officials brought back from the Star-Gazing Academy and had Investigator Qi describe his dealings.
• Yang Ling confronted Xu Tianhu, the Heavenly Tiger Gang leader, and accused the Third Prince of ordering the gang to frame him.
• Yang Ling connected the Third Prince to Zheng Hai, the Rong-Pacifying King’s attempted murder, and the Elephant Peak Prefecture arson case.
• The Third Prince arrived with Zhao Xun and Cao Yunlong, challenging Yang Ling to produce more charges.

Yang Ling confronted the Third Prince over the Elephant Peak Prefecture arson and accused Zheng Hai and Luo Kai of backing the Immortal Gods Sect with explosives. He revealed that hundreds of thousands of jin of explosives remained in Kyoto and ended by claiming the hidden stockpile could expose the sect’s leader.

• The Third Prince challenged Yang Ling’s rise and accused him of abusing his authority, while Yang Ling’s pressure nearly made Cao Yunlong collapse.
• Yang Ling’s Insight Technique revealed that Cao Yunlong had arranged to send three hundred thousand jin of explosives from the Third Prince’s palace to the Rong Kingdom.
• Yang Ling linked the Immortal Gods Sect’s explosives to the Elephant Peak Prefecture arson and identified Luo Kai as the sect’s leader and Zheng Hai’s final disciple.
• Yang Ling argued that Zheng Hai had traded the explosive formula to the Rong Tribe for resources and said a large stockpile remained in Kyoto.
• The Third Prince asked Yang Ling where the explosives were hidden.

Yang Ling accused the Third Prince of sending 300,000 jin of explosives toward the Rong Kingdom and dispatched men to retrieve them. Ning Xiu and the Eldest Princess arrived as the officials waited for the evidence, while a giant ape stopped the boats carrying the explosives.

• Yang Ling said Cao Yunlong smelled of explosives and claimed that 300,000 jin of explosives had been shipped from the Third Prince's palace toward the Rong Kingdom.
• Yang Ling sent Xu Wenjun and over a hundred Iron Garments to recover the explosives, while Ji Tianming went ahead to stop anyone from destroying them.
• Zhao Xun and Qi Tairan urged the Third Prince to remain until the Iron Garment Division returned with its findings.
• Ning Xiu arrived and tried to take the Third Prince away, but the Eldest Princess blocked him and insisted they wait for the investigation's results.
• A giant ape rose from the sea near Kyoto's docks and ordered the boats carrying the explosives to stop.

Ji Tianming intercepted Huang Zhaolong’s boats carrying explosives and brought the evidence to the Iron Garment Division, where Huang took responsibility for the conspiracy. Huang then challenged Yang Ling and confessed to colluding with the Immortal Gods Sect, leaving the Third Prince encouraged by the prospect that the blame would fall on Huang.

• Ji Tianming confronted Huang Zhaolong at sea and stopped him from transporting explosives to the Rong Tribe.
• Huang Zhaolong disabled the experts who tried to ignite the explosives and admitted he had helped the Third Prince move them.
• Xu Wenjun arrived and took custody of the boats, while Ji Tianming returned to Kyoto with news that the three hundred thousand jin of explosives had been recovered.
• Yang Ling considered how the Third Prince’s faction, the Civil Official Faction, and the Rong Tribe were connected.
• Huang Zhaolong entered the Iron Garment Division courtyard, addressed Ning Xiu as his teacher, and asked him to stay out of the matter.
• Huang Zhaolong challenged Yang Ling, then confessed that he had colluded with the Immortal Gods Sect and accepted responsibility for the explosives.

Yang Ling exposed the Third Prince and Ning Xiu’s alleged collaboration with the Rong Tribe, rejecting Huang Zhaolong’s attempt to take all the blame. His accusations left their faction facing the Grand Councilor’s scrutiny, while a game announcement disqualified the Third Prince from the succession and halved the attributes of Zhao Kingdom players who supported him.

• Huang Zhaolong claimed he had colluded with the Immortal Gods Sect and taken responsibility for the cases involving Elephant Peak Prefecture, the released suspect, and the explosives at Four Directions Hall.
• Yang Ling accused Huang Zhaolong of trying to shield the Third Prince and Luo Kai, then linked the faction around the Third Prince and Ning Xiu to the Rong Tribe and a plot against the Grand Councilor.
• Yang Ling accused the Third Prince’s faction of arranging an ambush against the Rong-Pacifying King and said the Grand Councilor would provide evidence against them.
• Huang Zhaolong protested that Yang Ling was investigating improperly, but Yang Ling told him to explain himself to the Grand Councilor.
• A game announcement declared the Third Prince ineligible to ascend the throne and halved the attributes of 131,098 Zhao Kingdom players.
• Lin Caiyi and the other players looked to Yang Ling, and one player called Yang Rank-One the round’s MPV.

Yang Ling exposed the Third Prince’s collaboration with the Rong Tribe and suspected that powerful officials were working with the Great Dream Dynasty. When an Earthly Immortal attacked him, the White Bone God Lord stopped the sword and vanished with the attacker, leaving Yang Ling ready to retaliate.

• Huang Zhaolong confessed that the Third Prince and Luo Kai had made explosives for the Rong Tribe, and the Third Prince admitted his role in the Elephant Peak Prefecture incident and his long-standing collusion with the Rong Tribe.
• Yang Ling connected the Third Prince to Eagle Taisui’s assassination attempt and suspected the officials behind Ning Xiu were cooperating with the Great Dream Dynasty.
• Ning Xiu tried to transfer the case to the Ministry of Justice, but Yang Ling insisted that the Third Prince, the Star-Gazing Academy, and everyone tied to the Immortal Gods Sect would face consequences.
• An Earthly Immortal sent a sword from the Imperial Academy toward Yang Ling, freezing everyone else in the courtyard in slowed time.
• The White Bone God Lord stopped the sword and vanished with the attacker, after which Yang Ling told Ning Xiu that they had struck first.

Yang Ling fought Ning Xiu in the sky, leading observers to conclude that Yang Ling was a Second-Grade Human Immortal. After Ning Xiu activated his divine immortal domain and gained the upper hand, Yang Ling summoned the Azure-Faced Arhat Beast and continued attacking from a distance, leaving Ning Xiu warned against risking a chance at Rebirth.

• Qi Tairan concluded that Yang Ling was a Second-Grade Human Immortal who had faked his death to draw out the mastermind behind the attack on the Iron Garment Division.
• The Third Prince rejected Cao Yunlong's warning that Ning Xiu might lose, while players celebrated the possibility of having an immortal who could protect them.
• Yang Ling battered Ning Xiu with his Pickaxe and Wind God Vajra Leg Technique, while Ning Xiu demanded to know who Yang Ling was and who had intervened earlier.
• Ning Xiu activated his divine immortal domain and raised his attributes by 10,000, surpassing Yang Ling's.
• Yang Ling transformed with the Thunder God Armor and summoned the Azure-Faced Arhat Beast, whose Arhat Golden Body let it withstand Ning Xiu's attacks.
• Yang Ling used the beast to distract Ning Xiu and struck whenever he saw an opening, warning Ning Xiu not to risk wasting a chance at Rebirth.

Yang Ling defeated Ning Xiu and ordered the punishment or execution of the conspirators and their accomplices. After he crippled Huang Zhaolong and the Third Prince and killed Cao Yunlong, the Elephant Peak Prefecture case was declared resolved, leaving Lin Caiyi and the other players mourning the Zhao Kingdom citizens who had died.

• Yang Ling and the Azure-Faced Arhat Beast battered Ning Xiu, while Zhao De told Zhao Chongxu that Yang Ling had helped the White Bone God Lord escape and ordered him to execute the traitors and Rong Tribe spies after the crisis.
• Yang Ling seized Ning Xiu and ordered Xu Wenjun to cripple Huang Zhaolong, Cao Yunlong, and the Third Prince, imprison them, and execute Xu Tianhu and the gang leaders.
• Xu Tianhu confessed that Cao Yunlong had ordered him to send Qi Meng to cause trouble for Yang Ling, but Yang Ling ignored his plea and had him taken away for execution.
• Yang Ling crippled Huang Zhaolong and the Third Prince, then accidentally struck Cao Yunlong so hard that he was reduced to ash.
• Yang Ling told Xu Wenjun that his assignment and the Elephant Peak Prefecture case were over, and Lin Caiyi and the other players grieved for the players who had died there.

Yang Ling oversaw the arrests and investigation into the Star-Gazing Academy’s treason while Ning Xiu relied on his status as a Second-Grade Human Immortal to expect leniency. Chief Eunuch Hong arrived with an imperial order stripping Ning Xiu of his ministry and demanding his official seal.

• Most Star-Gazing Academy disciples were released, while the academy’s core members and the unconscious Third Prince were imprisoned in Yang Ling’s courtyard.
• Yang Ling ordered Eagle Taisui’s attack investigation merged with the treason case, and Xu Wenjun and Yun Buchuan began gathering evidence to finish the investigation within seven days.
• Ning Xiu invoked his rank as a Second-Grade Human Immortal and asked Yang Ling to release him; the Eldest Princess said his life would be spared, while Huang Zhaolong would be executed and the Third Prince held for trial.
• Chief Eunuch Hong arrived from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs and ordered Ning Xiu removed as Minister of Justice, with Qi Tairan temporarily taking over and Ning Xiu surrendering his official seal.

Qi Tairan became acting Minister of Justice while Ning Xiu was stripped of his post and detained at the Iron Garment Division. Yang Ling revealed that the cases against Ning Xiu and Zhang Xuanshui’s group would be investigated together, while Ning Xiu and Huang Zhaolong waited in their cells for the investigation’s outcome.

• Chief Eunuch Hong ordered Ning Xiu to surrender his official seal, and Qi Tairan accepted the temporary post of Minister of Justice.
• Qi Tairan left Ning Xiu in Yang Ling’s custody and led the other officials away after they apologized for interfering with the investigation.
• The White Bone God Lord confirmed that Yang Ling’s attacker had withdrawn to recover, and Yang Ling asked him to watch Ning Xiu so he would not escape.
• Yang Ling said Zhang Xuanshui and the others would be brought to the capital in a few days so their accounts could be cross-checked with Ning Xiu’s.
• Ning Xiu was imprisoned beside Huang Zhaolong and the Third Prince; Huang Zhaolong learned that his cultivation and Martial Dao Furnace had been severely damaged, while Ning Xiu said the Grand Councilor had made his move.

Yang Ling learned that Zhao De was the Eldest Princess’s father and secured her agreement to support Zhao Zheng’s ascension. Zhao De left to meet the Azure-Faced Buddha, taking Zhang Wei with him and assigning him to investigate Luo Kai.

• The Eldest Princess confirmed Yang Ling was her senior brother, and Zhao De explained why he had kept his identity and whereabouts secret.
• Zhao De said the White Bone God Lord’s intervention had changed the Zhao Kingdom’s situation and told the Eldest Princess and Yang Ling to remain there while he traveled.
• Yang Ling persuaded the Eldest Princess to support Zhao Zheng’s claim to the throne, and she agreed.
• Outside the Iron Garment Division, Zhao De warned Yang Ling to avoid the Arhat Temple and said he would visit the Great Nether Temple to speak with the Azure-Faced Buddha.
• Zhang Wei told Yang Ling he had been promoted to Seventh Grade eunuch, and Yang Ling asked Zhao De to take him along and help investigate Luo Kai.
• Zhao De took Zhang Wei away, while Yang Ling wished him a bright future.