Recaps

After waking with no memories in Dingjiang Prefecture, Ding Songyan uncovered a dangerous book among his belongings and became entangled in the Zhen Estate’s plans while building a reputation as a storyteller. The honored guest revealed that the Zhen Estate had been watching him, leaving Ding Songyan aware that he had been drawn into a larger game.

• Ding Songyan woke in a ruined temple with no memories, and Ding Qingyan brought him home to their family in Lingjiang County.
• Ding Songyan began investigating his attempted murder, and the Wine-Nose Man revealed that Chen Yuliang had paid him to leave Dingjiang Prefecture over the Secret Classic of Mountains and Seas.
• Mr. Yu killed Chen Yuliang and secretly retrieved the classic, while Ding Songyan later found a copy hidden among his predecessor’s books.
• Ding Songyan began telling the Legend of the White Snake at Dangkang Temple, and Xiaoqing, a snake demon, sought his help and urged him to continue the tale.
• Xu Chang'an asked Ding Songyan to help find his missing master, and they discovered the man’s mutilated corpse in Potter's Field.
• Mr. Yu offered Ding Songyan martial training or a place in the Zhen Estate in exchange for secretly entertaining an honored guest, and Ding Songyan accepted.
• The honored guest recognized that Ding Songyan had read the Secret Classic of Mountains and Seas and sent him to meet Ren Youyang, who became his ally as an unknown follower tracked Ding Songyan.
• Xiaoqing agreed to help catch the stalkers, while the honored guest revealed that the Zhen Estate had sent someone to follow Ding Songyan and had deliberately drawn him into a game.

Ding Songyan uncovered the forces manipulating him and the Zhen Estate, while his family’s hidden identities and Yan Changqing’s plans came to light. As rival sects and gangs attacked the estate, Ding Qingyan entered the secret prison to rescue the limbless Yan Changqing.

• Yan Changqing offered Ding Songyan a secret martial art and a fortune in exchange for helping him escape, while Ding discovered that an unseen influence was suppressing his memories.
• Ding Songyan investigated the abnormal deaths and the Moth God Sect’s vermilion moths, and Yan Changqing urged him to act as if he knew nothing.
• Ding Songyan used Yan Changqing’s seed to see the Netherworld and hidden abnormalities, discovering that Ding Shengyi and Ding Daniu had concealed martial identities and that Liu Yuzao was connected to the Mothmen.
• Xiaoqing and Zheng Zhuxi learned of the danger around Ding Songyan, while Zheng gave him sword intent to block one attempt at controlling him.
• Ding Songyan realized the Ding Family had helped set events in motion, and Ren Youyang identified Xiaoqing as Su Qingli of the Celestial Maiden Sect at the Zhen Estate banquet.
• Zhen Qianfan used a Huai Fruit to seek promises of aid from the Celestial Maiden Sect and True Spirit Sect, while Yan Changqing predicted a Small Boat Gang attack.
• Zhen Qianfan’s gathering erupted into a battle as Meng Qingze, Zhen Quanwang, Dai Shen, and others attacked, and Qi Xiaoxiang sent up signal fireworks before setting buildings ablaze.
• Ding Songyan followed Yan Changqing’s instructions into the secret prison and found him without arms or legs, as Ding Qingyan arrived to rescue him.

After killing Yan Changqing, Ding Songyan hid and consumed part of the Hundun Remains, then joined Tao Wenshu at the Xiaoming Sect and rapidly advanced his cultivation. At Flat Lake Mountain, he helped investigate an evil spirit and killed Feng Zhengning when the disguised attacker tried to ambush Zheng Zhuxi.

• Ji Hanyi revealed her manipulation of Yan Changqing, while Ding Songyan helped expose Yan’s use of the Hundun Remains and ultimately killed him.
• Ding Songyan concealed a piece of the Hundun Remains, accepted Tao Wenshu as his master, and learned from Yan Changqing’s ghost that Kunlun lay between Redwater and Blackwater before Netherworld Lightning erased the ghost.
• Ding Songyan secretly retrieved and consumed the remains, transforming before his body settled into a powerful state that would fade unless he stabilized it through cultivation.
• After Su Qingli left for the eastern docks, Ding Songyan said farewell to her, parted from Ren Youyang, and received Tao Wenshu’s manuals and a new courtyard before traveling to Flat Lake Mountain.
• Ding Songyan joined the Xiaoming Sect, rapidly refined all the apertures in the Celestial Stars Diagram, and demonstrated his ten thousand stars true qi to Wang Zhou.
• Ding Songyan sparred with Pan Yunzhou and won using a prepared variation, then worked with Wan Guhong to resolve the remaining issues in the Dawn-Breaking Sword Art and received a sword he named Cold Shadow.
• Ding Songyan used his Yin Eye to reveal a snake-like spirit possessing an inn worker, and Zheng Zhuxi dissolved it before they traced the room’s last guest to Feng Zhengning.
• Feng Zhengning returned in disguise and prepared to ambush Zheng Zhuxi at her residence, but Ding Songyan drew Cold Shadow and cut his throat.

Ding Songyan and Zheng Zhuxi investigate strange Netherworld activity, strengthen their allies, and pursue a stolen flower and Small Iron Box at Dangkang Temple. The investigation ends with He Luo’s death and the revelation that Qin Guanchan, called the Devil Lord by the righteous sects, gave him an immortal seed.

• Ding Songyan learned that Feng Zhengning had come to kill Zheng Zhuxi on the Evil Envoy’s orders, then read Su Qingli’s letter about Jiang Weichen and the Kunlun Secret Compendium.
• Ding Songyan returned to the Xiaoming Sect, shared what he knew with Tao Wenshu, and formed a brotherly bond with Pan Yunzhou while completing the Great Change Has the Dao Diagram.
• Ding Songyan helped Zheng Zhuxi destroy Qu Zhongheng’s malfunctioning Wooden Beast, then investigated the Netherworld gathering near Fengshui Bridge and killed Xie Zi'an after discovering his ties to Jing Fei and a mysterious lodger.
• Ding Songyan trained Xu Chang'an and Yang Shiduo, opened the Darkness and Light unusual aperture, and celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival with Zheng Zhuxi and the Xiaoming Sect before being assigned to patrol Prefecture City.
• Xie Fengchao arrived with Ghost Blade Lin Yu’s head and challenged Ding Songyan, who beat him in a spar and advised Zheng Zhuxi on how to face him.
• Ding Songyan and Zheng Zhuxi investigated the stolen Ten-Thousand-Year Golden-Rain Tree flower and Small Iron Box, recruiting Liang Gan to help question suspects at Dangkang Temple.
• Zheng Zhuxi confronted He Luo, who used dream powers against Xing Chang and Xie Fengchao before she defeated him, but he died by poison hidden in a face on the back of his head.
• Ding Songyan questioned He Luo’s ghost, who denied meeting the Two-Faced Clan and identified Qin Guanchan, whom the righteous sects called the Devil Lord, as the Sage Lord who gave him an immortal seed.