Recaps

Qiqi seized control of the Kang court while Hu Xiaotian escaped with Xi Yan and returned to Cloud Marsh. As Hu Xiaotian uncovered the danger posed by Hong Beimo and navigated rival courts’ plans, he formed an alliance with Yang Longyue, who set out to reclaim his throne.

• Qiqi poisoned Hu Xiaotian, seized the Seven-Star Chain, and imprisoned him and Xi Yan as Long Tingzhen launched his rebellion against Long Xuan'en.
• Hu Xiaotian escaped captivity, helped Long Xuan'en reach a hidden passage, and discovered the Cinnabar Cauldron Chapter and Long Xuan'en’s edict naming Qiqi as successor.
• Qiqi took control of the court, but Hu Xiaotian rescued Xi Yan from Spirit Firmament Palace and escaped Misty Peak after threatening to destroy the Lightsaber.
• After Qiqi released his captured followers, Hu Xiaotian returned to Cloud Marsh and chose to strengthen his defenses rather than rebel against Great Kang.
• Hu Xiaotian told Zhuge Guanqi that the ancient battle at Qixia Lake involved people from other worlds and warned that Hong Beimo’s Killing Weapons could bring catastrophe.
• Yang Longyue brought Hu Xiaotian letters and news of the Fragrant Kingdom’s plans, including a proposed marriage alliance and the claim that Hu Buwei had another son.
• After an attacker wounded Yang Longyue, Hu Xiaotian suspected the injury was a ruse and later agreed to become his sworn brother.
• Yang Longyue agreed to help Hu Xiaotian become the Fragrant Kingdom’s royal son-in-law, while Hu Xiaotian promised to help him reclaim his throne if he did not invade the Central Plains.

Hu Xiaotian’s harvest truce collapsed when a flood attack forced him to battle Western Sichuan and ally with Su Yuchi. He traveled toward the Fragrant Kingdom, confronted family and political entanglements, and entered the prince-consort selection while seeking an audience with the King.

• Hu Xiaotian met Su Yuchi at Black Sand to discuss a harvest truce, but Feng Xianlin’s swordsmen ambushed him on the way back and Hu Xiaotian broke their formation.
• At the Four-Sided Talks, Hu Xiaotian confronted Guo Shaoxiong as a flood breached the Xuanyong River dike, then fought through Yang Daoyuan’s Western Sichuan troops to reach Dragon-Towing Mountain with Su Yuchi.
• Hu Xiaotian and Su Yuchi suspended hostilities and allied against Xingzhou, while Hu Xiaotian sent for Zong Yuan and sailed south toward the Fragrant Kingdom.
• At the Gold-Extinguishing Den, Hu Xiaotian and Xia Changming bought Xiao Rou’s freedom and reattached her hand, then Hu Xiaotian discovered Xu Mubai was his cousin and agreed to travel with him.
• Hu Xiaotian met Heldan on the road and befriended Xie Tianqiong after breaking the Fan Monk’s control over him, then reached Fragrant City and reunited with Zhan Peng and Liang Yinghao.
• Hu Xiaotian learned that the prince-consort selection could unsettle relations between the Fragrant Kingdom and Southern Yue, received a Phoenix Cry Token from Liao Yuansheng, and registered for the contest.
• Hu Xiaotian used the token to meet Wang Qiezhi, offered him a letter containing a hundred thousand taels, and asked him to arrange an audience with the King.
• Long Xuanjiao questioned Wang Qiezhi about Hu Xiaotian, and Wang’s enthusiastic praise made her suspect that he had accepted a bribe.

Hu Xiaotian pursued the Blue Skull at Hu Buwei’s request and became trapped with Ji Feihua in Su Yujin’s flooded cave. After escaping, he handed the Skull to Hu Buwei, who promised to restore him to the prince-consort list, but Hu Xiaotian faced a new summons from the Empress Dowager and warnings to leave the Fragrant Kingdom.

• Hu Xiaotian refused to help the Beggar Gang’s Young Chief become prince consort and joined Heldan’s alliance, but an attack on Heldan ended with Hu Xiaotian and others thrown into a river.
• Hu Xiaotian met Ji Feihua, who proposed that the Blue Skull held a secret tied to their world, while Hu Buwei revealed a fake skull in Long Xuanjiao’s chest and destroyed it.
• After the Empress Dowager removed Hu Xiaotian from the selection, Hu Buwei offered to restore his candidacy if he found the Blue Skull at Clear Mystery Monastery.
• Hu Xiaotian and Ji Feihua infiltrated the monastery and found Su Yujin meditating with the Blue Skull, then took it as the cave flooded and froze around them.
• Trapped for days, Hu Xiaotian and Ji Feihua endured the ice cave until Su Yujin returned, and Hu Xiaotian escaped while Murong Feiyan helped him flee across the gorge.
• Hu Xiaotian reunited with Ji Feihua, who nearly fell under the Skull’s influence, and they concluded that Su Yujin was Murong Feiyan’s mother.
• Hu Xiaotian gave the Blue Skull to Hu Buwei, who promised to restore him to the candidate list and revealed that Hu Xiaotian’s maternal grandfather was imprisoned at Sword-Washing Manor.
• Ying Tianhong surrounded Emerald Garden with Phoenix Feather Guards and summoned Hu Xiaotian to the palace, while Zhao Wusheng urged him to leave the Fragrant Kingdom.

Hu Xiaotian maneuvered through the Fragrant Kingdom’s royal crisis, rescuing Yang Longjing and Long Xuanjiao while uncovering tensions between Hu Buwei, the Xu Family, and the Beggar Gang. After Long Xiyue was chosen as his bride and Murong Feiyan was abducted and returned, Hu Xiaotian prepared to leave for Eastern Liang Commandery with Redwood River granted as Long Xiyue’s dowry.

• Hu Xiaotian rejoined the prince-consort contest, clashed with other candidates, and helped provoke a palace-wide search after Yang Longjing disappeared.
• Hu Xiaotian secretly helped arrange Yang Longjing’s abduction with Yang Longyue, then refused to reveal the king’s location while Yang Longjing remained hidden beneath the Hall of Wealth.
• Yang Longyue was assassinated, and Hu Xiaotian promised to protect his son before tensions among the detained candidates escalated into a fight and attempted arrests.
• Hu Xiaotian operated on Yang Longjing and Long Xuanjiao, saving them both, then discovered that his blood was incompatible with Hu Buwei’s.
• Hu Xiaotian and Ji Feihua uncovered the Xu Family’s concerns about Xu Lingkong and the Beggar Gang, while Ji Feihua revealed that he had severed Shangguan Yunchong’s arm.
• Hu Xiaotian advanced through the prince-consort selection and Long Xiyue chose him, then revealed her disguise and reconciled with him.
• Murong Feiyan was abducted from Green Shadow Pavilion and later reappeared near Clear Mystery Monastery with no memory of her disappearance, while Hu Xiaotian concluded Hu Buwei was responsible.
• Long Xuanjiao welcomed Hu Xiaotian as her son-in-law, and Yang Longjing granted Redwood River to Long Xiyue as her dowry and proposed an alliance with Hu Xiaotian.