Chapter Summaries

Chu Liuxiang questioned Wuhua about his interest in Fang Yunhua and learned that Fang had disrupted Zuo Mingzhu’s engagement to Young Master Ding. The chapter left Chu Liuxiang suspecting that Wuhua was deliberately directing his attention toward Fang Yunhua for malicious reasons.

• Chu Liuxiang sidestepped Wuhua’s claim about stolen Mount Hua treasures and tried to discover what Wuhua really wanted to discuss.
• Wuhua warned Chu Liuxiang that Fang Yunhua’s skill at manipulating public opinion could damage Chu’s reputation.
• Wuhua explained that Young Master Ding had sought advice at Putian Shaolin after Zuo Mingzhu demanded that her engagement be broken off.
• Chu Liuxiang recalled Zuo Mingzhu’s close bond with her father, Second Master Zuo, and her sudden rebellion after meeting Fang Yunhua.
• Chu Liuxiang realized that Wuhua was steering the conversation toward Fang Yunhua with malicious intent.

Chu Liuxiang grew more suspicious of Wuhua after their conversation revealed Wuhua’s hostility toward Fang Yunhua and his knowledge of the Divine Water Palace Disciple’s case. As he followed the clues into the city, Chu Liuxiang realized Wuhua and Fang Yunhua might have a hidden connection and feared a larger plot was aimed at him.

• Wuhua hinted that Fang Yunhua was skilled at seducing inexperienced women, but Chu Liuxiang suspected Wuhua was deliberately making Fang Yunhua look guilty.
• Wuhua admitted that he disliked being linked to Fang Yunhua and seemed to harbor hatred toward him, while Chu Liuxiang questioned why he was so eager to implicate Fang Yunhua.
• Chu Liuxiang left Wuhua, secured the unconscious One Red Dot in a tree, and went into the city to investigate the letters and the possible mastermind.
• Chu Liuxiang recalled Fang Yunhua’s game about imagining himself as Wuhua and realized that Fang Yunhua and Wuhua’s repeated mentions of each other suggested a hidden relationship.
• Chu Liuxiang remembered a joking scenario involving a staged death and feared it had been a warning about a danger targeting him.

Fang Yunhua spent a tender morning with Jin Lingzhi before teaching her the Willow Floss Sword Technique in a sparring match. Jin agreed to contact her second uncle to help Fang, and he practiced his internal arts until evening.

• Jin Lingzhi lamented that Fang Yunhua would pursue other women, and he promised to devote himself to her for the next few days.
• Jin challenged Fang to a wooden-sword match, wagering that she would take him back to the Ten Thousand Blessings and Longevity Garden if she won.
• Fang easily defeated Jin and explained how she could improve her Willow Floss Sword Technique.
• Fang told Jin he wanted her second uncle's help, and they agreed to arrange a meeting in three days.
• Jin wrote a letter to her second uncle while Fang practiced his internal arts from noon until the hour of the Rooster.

Fang Yunhua accompanied Jin Lingzhi to the Immortal Meeting Tower, where martial artists discussed his reputation and his victory over Chu Liuxiang. He left with Jin Lingzhi after she drank half a jar of wine, and she prepared for their late-night encounter.

• Jin Lingzhi and Fang Yunhua walked through the West Market and went to the Immortal Meeting Tower for dinner.
• Fang Yunhua chose a crowded table downstairs, where they overheard martial artists debate Mount Hua, Chu Liuxiang, and Fang Yunhua’s strength.
• Fang Yunhua considered how his rising reputation might help attract the An Prince’s attention.
• Jin Lingzhi drank half a jar of Daughter’s Red while admiring Fang Yunhua, and he stopped her from drinking more.
• Fang Yunhua suggested they leave for a late-night snack, and Jin Lingzhi ate more in preparation for their private contest.

Fang Yunhua planned for the Blood Sea Fragrance and Great Desert storylines while preparing to find Huangfu Gao and Liu Yanfei and deal with Wuhua. After Jin Ban Hua sent him the White Jade Beauty, Fang Yunhua discovered it transformed his cultivation method and suspected it contained the Mingyu Skill.

• Fang Yunhua considered how to protect Mount Hua’s elders in the Great Desert and resolved to confront Wuhua before he could interfere.
• Liao Gang delivered the White Jade Beauty from Jin Ban Hua, who said Fang Yunhua could keep it or watch him smash it.
• Jin Lingzhi proposed breaking open the statue, but Fang Yunhua instead tried channeling internal energy into it.
• The White Jade Beauty absorbed Fang Yunhua’s energy, returned it through a circulation, and transformed his cultivation method into a higher-grade art.
• Fang Yunhua recognized the statue’s secret as possibly the Mingyu Skill, one of the martial world’s four great divine arts.

Fang Yunhua learned a powerful internal cultivation method from the White Jade Beauty and kept its existence secret with Jin Lingzhi. As they stayed in the Capital City, rumors spread about Fang Yunhua becoming Mount Hua’s heir and suspicions surrounding Ren Ci’s death began to gather around Nangong Ling.

• Fang Yunhua converted his cultivation to the Mingyu Skill, memorized its nine levels, and realized his energy had reached only its fourth level.
• The White Jade Beauty shattered, and Jin Lingzhi warned Fang Yunhua to conceal the method and the treasure’s secret; he agreed and packed away the fragments.
• Fang Yunhua spent the next day familiarizing himself with the new method while Jin Lingzhi stayed by his side.
• Rumors in the Capital City reported that Fang Yunhua had become Mount Hua’s heir, a development that drew little surprise.
• Rumors raised questions about Ren Ci’s death, the lack of witnesses to his body and funeral, and Nangong Ling’s care for Ren Ci’s secluded widow.
• Fang Yunhua noticed that gossip about Ren Ci and Nangong Ling was overtaking stories of his encounter with Chu Liuxiang.

Fang Yunhua visited Second Master Jin with Jin Lingzhi and won a warmer reception by presenting Madam Jin with Red Coral Jade. In private, he defended his sincere feelings for Jin Lingzhi and argued that the imperial court was deliberately drawing the martial world closer to its authority.

• Fang Yunhua brought Red Coral Jade to Madam Jin, and Second Master Jin signaled that she could accept the rare gift.
• Madam Jin eased the tension at the family meal, while Jin Lingzhi kept her feelings reserved to avoid angering her relatives.
• Second Master Jin warned Fang Yunhua to keep Jin Lingzhi happy until she tired of him, but Fang Yunhua asked what would happen if she never did.
• Fang Yunhua told Second Master Jin that he had been honest with Jin Lingzhi about seeking help through her connections and insisted he would not harm her or her family.
• Fang Yunhua argued that the court was changing its approach to the martial world and had made the Ten Thousand Blessings and Longevity Garden a model for closer ties between them.

Fang Yunhua persuaded Second Master Jin to connect Mount Hua with the An Prince as part of the court’s effort to bring the martial world under its influence. Second Master Jin agreed and decided to conceal the full extent of Fang Yunhua’s insight in his report to the emperor, leaving Fang Yunhua to pursue the alliance with the An Prince.

• Second Master Jin recognized Fang Yunhua’s strategic insight and agreed to build a bridge between Mount Hua and the An Prince, while reporting some details to the emperor.
• Second Master Jin warned Fang Yunhua that the An Prince would assess Mount Hua’s worth and that the alliance would involve negotiations over influence and cooperation.
• Fang Yunhua left the Jin Mansion with Jin Lingzhi after discussing the plan and receiving Second Master Jin’s advice.
• Madam Jin praised Fang Yunhua’s looks and noted that Jin Lingzhi liked him, while Second Master Jin remarked that people who judged him by his appearance would underestimate him.
• Second Master Jin wrote a memorial that played down Fang Yunhua’s leading role and exceptional insight to protect him from unwanted attention.

Chu Liuxiang uncovered strong evidence that Wuhua was behind the murders, then pursued a new lead from Black Pearl. A fight with One Red Dot destroyed the letter that might have proved the case, but Chu Liuxiang comforted his devoted fan instead.

• Chu Liuxiang found a dying nun at the abandoned Black Robe Nunnery, and her final word confirmed his suspicion that Wuhua was the killer.
• Chu Liuxiang decided to seek out Fang Yunhua but encountered Black Pearl, who gave him a letter received by the Desert King, Zhamuhe, before his death.
• One Red Dot seized the letter and fought Chu Liuxiang, hoping to challenge his idol.
• Chu Liuxiang defeated One Red Dot, but their clash tore the letter apart and scattered its scraps in the wind.
• Chu Liuxiang apologized for breaking One Red Dot's sword and reassured him, leaving the fan deeply moved.

Chu Liuxiang teamed up with Black Pearl and traced Qiu Lingsu to the Beggar Gang, where he began to suspect his friends Nangong Ling and Wuhua were conspiring behind the murders. Nangong Ling offered him a chance to find Qiu Lingsu and prove she was safe, leaving Chu Liuxiang unsure whether his friend was telling the truth.

• One Red Dot vowed never to fight Chu Liuxiang again as he began to recover.
• Black Pearl joined Chu Liuxiang's investigation, identified Qiu Lingsu as Ren Ci's wife, and translated her plea for help.
• Chu Liuxiang learned from White Jade Demon Beggar that only Nangong Ling knew where Qiu Lingsu was.
• Chu Liuxiang visited Nangong Ling and found him hosting Wuhua, leading him to suspect the two friends were accomplices in the murders.
• Nangong Ling said rumors accused him of murdering Madam Ren and having an affair with her, then asked Chu Liuxiang to verify that she was safe and living in seclusion.

Chu Liuxiang accepted Nangong Ling’s proposal to visit Qiu Lingsu, while suspecting that Wuhua planned to kill him during the journey. As the men discussed rumors and Fang Yunhua’s influence, Wuhua revealed that Mount Hua had recently begun making frequent moves.

• Chu Liuxiang agreed to visit Qiu Lingsu, despite suspecting that Nangong Ling’s proposal could lead him into an ambush.
• Wuhua declined to accompany Chu Liuxiang and said he would join Nangong Ling in clearing his name after Qiu Lingsu’s safety was confirmed.
• Chu Liuxiang concluded that Nangong Ling wanted to use his reputation to counter the rumors and was not yet willing to make an enemy of him.
• Wuhua traced the rumors about Nangong Ling from the northwest to the Capital City and said the Amorous Young Master had caused a stir there.
• Wuhua said the White Jade Beauty had returned to Jin Ban Hua after Chu Liuxiang sold it to Fang Yunhua.
• Wuhua told Chu Liuxiang that Mount Hua had recently begun making frequent moves.

Wuhua suggested that Fang Yunhua might be using Chu Liuxiang’s investigation and rumors against Nangong Ling to weaken the Beggar Gang and establish his authority at Mount Hua. Nangong Ling prepared to monitor Mount Hua, while Wuhua privately judged him doomed and recognized that Chu Liuxiang was unknowingly advancing Fang Yunhua’s plan.

• Wuhua connected Mount Hua’s growing influence and Fang Yunhua’s appointment to the rumors targeting Nangong Ling, warning Chu Liuxiang not to become someone else’s weapon.
• Chu Liuxiang cautioned Nangong Ling against treating Wuhua’s theory as proven and kept his attention on Wuhua’s ongoing murders.
• Nangong Ling recalled his own schemes against Mount Hua and decided to send the White Jade Demon Beggar to watch the sect and respond to its moves.
• Wuhua privately concluded that Nangong Ling was trapped by his determination to keep the Beggar Gang leadership and saw Chu Liuxiang as an unwitting tool in Fang Yunhua’s plan.
• Chu Liuxiang arranged with Nangong Ling to visit Qiu Lingsu, then ended the dinner and hurried away.

Fang Yunhua let Jin Lingzhi leave to help with his campaign against the Beggar Gang, then met representatives of the An Prince's Mansion to discuss collaboration with Mount Hua. The meeting introduced Chief Instructor Shangguan Cangxing, whose Dragon-Phoenix Mother-and-Son Rings caught Fang Yunhua's attention.

• Fang Yunhua reflected that the White Jade Demon Beggar would make an ideal first target for Mount Hua's campaign against the Beggar Gang.
• Jin Lingzhi decided to return home for her aunt's fortieth birthday and offered to help Fang Yunhua undermine the Beggar Gang on the way.
• Fang Yunhua received an invitation from the An Prince's Mansion and went to a private tea house in the Capital City.
• Lin Yi introduced himself as the mansion's Outer Mansion Steward and its representative for collaboration with Mount Hua.
• Lin Yi introduced Chief Instructor Shangguan Cangxing, and Fang Yunhua recognized the Dragon-Phoenix Mother-and-Son Rings beside him.

Fang Yunhua offered the An Prince’s Mansion a share of the Beggar Gang’s territories as part of Mount Hua’s plan to bring down Nangong Ling. He explained how the plan would be justified as a campaign against corruption and arranged to work with Dai Duxing, leaving the Beggar Gang a chance to recover.

• Lin Yi asked Fang Yunhua how Mount Hua and the An Prince’s Mansion should balance their cooperation, and Fang offered his plan concerning the Beggar Gang as a greeting gift.
• Fang told Lin Yi that Nangong Ling was near his end and proposed dividing Beggar Gang branches outside Shaanxi, Henan, and Shanxi among those willing to seize them.
• Fang explained that Mount Hua would target only corrupt Beggar Gang members, using Nangong Ling’s feud with Mount Hua and the gang’s unchecked abuses to justify its actions.
• Mount Hua secretly contacted Dai Duxing, who agreed to help purge the Beggar Gang and blame its corruption on Nangong Ling and Tianfeng Shisilang’s conspiracy.
• Dai Duxing began gathering Beggar Gang members who still upheld its rules, while Mount Hua agreed to leave the gang a path to survive.

Fang Yunhua secured the An Prince's Mansion's support for Mount Hua's plan and discussed its political benefits with Lin Yi and Shangguan Cangxing. He then explained his strategy to deal with Nangong Ling and Wuhua, while leaving further precautions to discuss with Steward Lin.

• Lin Yi agreed to make arrangements and recognized that Fang Yunhua's plan could benefit the imperial court by weakening the Beggar Gang.
• Shangguan Cangxing revealed that he had originally come to the Capital City to challenge Fang Yunhua and described the imperial court's martial experts.
• Fang Yunhua declined to fight Shangguan Cangxing and asked for his help handling several matters.
• Fang Yunhua said Nangong Ling's elder brother had to be dealt with and explained that he did not trust Chu Liuxiang to handle it alone.
• Shangguan Cangxing recognized Wuhua's ambitions and condemned Ren Ci and Tianfeng for allowing themselves to be exploited.
• Fang Yunhua predicted that Chu Liuxiang would drive Nangong Ling to his death and pressure Wuhua, then said he would discuss additional precautions with Steward Lin.

Fang Yunhua secured the An Prince's Mansion's support for Mount Hua's campaign against the Beggar Gang, while Chu Liuxiang uncovered Wuhua's role in the crimes surrounding Ren Ci's death. After learning the truth from Qiu Lingsu, Chu Liuxiang prepared to confront Nangong Ling before seeking the final clues from Master Tianfeng.

• Fang Yunhua and Lin Yi agreed that Fang would negotiate with Southern Shaolin, while the An Prince's Mansion would leave the Beggar Gang's Henan properties alone and hire thirty Mount Hua disciples as guards.
• Fang Yunhua drank with Jin Ban Hua and left the capital with Shangguan Cangxing accompanying him.
• Chu Liuxiang met Su Rongrong, who confirmed that Wuhua had visited the Divine Water Palace and was tied to the stolen Heavenly One Divine Water and a pregnant disciple.
• At the Wind and Rain Pavilion, Wuhua considered poisoning Chu Liuxiang and Nangong Ling, but Chu Liuxiang's poison-based passive ability made the plan too risky.
• Chu Liuxiang visited Qiu Lingsu in the Beggar Gang Forbidden Grounds, where she explained Nangong Ling's crimes and the mysterious man's influence over him.
• Chu Liuxiang identified Wuhua as the mastermind and concluded that Master Tianfeng held the remaining clues, but he first resolved to settle matters with Nangong Ling for Qiu Lingsu's sake.

Chu Liuxiang learned that Fang Yunhua had orchestrated Mount Hua’s campaign against Nangong Ling and the Beggar Gang, then confronted Nangong Ling at the incense hall. Nangong Ling blamed Fang Yunhua for Qiu Lingsu’s death and named him as the mastermind.

• One Red Dot reported that Mount Hua had exposed the Beggar Gang’s crimes and begun purging Nangong Ling’s followers with support from major martial-world forces.
• Chu Liuxiang realized that Fang Yunhua had likely arranged the campaign and that Senior Dai was waiting for him to expose Nangong Ling’s origins.
• Chu Liuxiang went to the Beggar Gang’s incense hall and found Nangong Ling alone, exhausted, and surrounded by intelligence reports.
• Nangong Ling asked whether Qiu Lingsu was alive, and Chu Liuxiang told him she had died.
• Nangong Ling accused an unnamed man of manipulating events around Qiu Lingsu and Chu Liuxiang, then identified him as Fang Yunhua.

Chu Liuxiang confronted Nangong Ling about the conspiracy that had ruined him, then followed him onto a pleasure boat on Daming Lake to meet the hidden mastermind. As Nangong Ling suddenly succumbed to Heavenly One Divine Water, the mastermind had yet to appear.

• Chu Liuxiang asked Nangong Ling who had secretly driven his actions, and the two exchanged seven palm strikes that revealed Chu Liuxiang's superior strength.
• Nangong Ling invited Chu Liuxiang to follow him, promising that he would learn the hidden man's identity.
• Nangong Ling rowed Chu Liuxiang across Daming Lake to a candlelit pleasure boat and said the hidden man would deal with them both.
• Nangong Ling drank from both cups of wine, then abruptly convulsed as Chu Liuxiang recognized the effects of Heavenly One Divine Water.

After Nangong Ling died from Wuhua’s Heavenly One Divine Water, Chu Liuxiang resolved to pursue the remaining clues to Putian Shaolin Temple and then Mount Hua. There, Constable Ying asked him to reveal Nangong Ling’s crimes, and Chu realized the authorities wanted to use his testimony to clear the Beggar Gang and direct blame toward Japan.

• Chu Liuxiang told Nangong Ling that Wuhua had poisoned him, but Nangong Ling continued to trust his brother and died cursing Chu.
• Shaken by Nangong Ling’s death and Fang Yunhua’s apparent foresight, Chu Liuxiang decided to investigate Master Tianfeng at Putian Shaolin Temple before going to Mount Hua.
• Chu Liuxiang borrowed Black Pearl’s horse and rode to the city near Putian Shaolin Temple.
• Constable Ying Wanli approached Chu Liuxiang at a teahouse and asked him to explain Nangong Ling’s crimes, Chief Ren’s death, and Nangong Ling’s origins.
• Chu Liuxiang realized that Ying Wanli’s inquiry would help the authorities clear the Beggar Gang and frame Japan as the source of the conspiracy.

Chu Liuxiang recounted the case to Ying Wanli and entered Putian Shaolin Temple, where he found Wuhua with Master Tianfeng. Wuhua revealed that his master had arranged Chu Liuxiang’s visit as his only chance to survive, then led him away without explaining further.

• Chu Liuxiang told Ying Wanli what he knew about Nangong Ling while withholding his suspicions about Fang Yunhua.
• Ying Wanli asked Chu Liuxiang to meet him at the Lin Family Garden over the next few days.
• Chu Liuxiang entered Putian Shaolin Temple and passed through its heavily guarded defenses to a secluded courtyard.
• Chu Liuxiang found Wuhua serving tea to Master Tianfeng and warned the abbot not to drink it, but Tianfeng drank it and assured him it contained no Heavenly One Divine Water.
• Wuhua said Chu Liuxiang was his only hope of survival and the sole chance Master Tianfeng had secured for him, then led Chu Liuxiang away.