Recaps

Hu Xiaotian maneuvered between Quan Dean and Ji Feihua while trying to protect his family and survive the palace’s power struggle. After Li Yuncong uncovered the danger of Quan Dean’s mutant true qi, Hu Xiaotian learned that the Formless Divine Skill might offer another way to deal with it.

• Hu Xiaotian reunited with Zhou Mo and Xiao Tianmu, then revealed that Quan Dean had forced him into the palace and transferred dangerous internal power into him.
• Quan Dean ordered Hu Xiaotian to expose the Wine Cellar passage to Ji Feihua, and Hu Xiaotian chose to use both men’s schemes for his own survival.
• Ji Feihua killed Liu Yuzhang after accusing him of tampering with the Black Tiger Whip, and Hu Xiaotian later revealed the secret passages beneath the Wine Cellar to Ji Feihua.
• Hu Xiaotian became the Palace Gardens Bureau’s Seal-Holding Eunuch, served Ji Feihua, and survived an ambush by assassins and mastiffs on the way back to the palace.
• Baobao tried to enlist Hu Xiaotian in killing Wen Ya, while Quan Dean instead ordered him to protect her and report Ji Feihua’s movements.
• Hu Xiaotian fought with Wang Decai over the Bright Moon Palace gardens, and Li Yan killed Wang Decai after Ji Feihua turned the dispute against him.
• Empress Jian pressured Hu Xiaotian to serve Wen Ya and threatened his family, while Li Yuncong warned him that palace factions would discard him once he was no longer useful.
• Li Yuncong’s huqin stirred Hu Xiaotian’s mutant true qi, then Li Yuncong diagnosed the danger and described possible ways to remove, suppress, or refine it with the Formless Divine Skill.

Hu Xiaotian navigated the palace’s competing schemes while growing closer to Wen Ya and Long Xiyue, killing a spy and facing Ji Feihua’s orders. The stretch ended with Li Yuncong questioning him about the deaths and the investigation he had assigned.

• Li Yuncong diagnosed Hu Xiaotian’s damaged meridians, offered to teach him the Formless Divine Skill, and revealed a secret passage from the palace toward Misty Mountain.
• Hu Xiaotian confronted Baobao over the powder she had given him, used Li Yuncong’s whistle to make her confess that Lin Wan had sent her, and forced her to obey him.
• Hu Xiaotian secretly met Long Xiyue, who told him she was to marry into Great Yong, and he swore he would rescue her and declared his love.
• Wen Ya arrived at Bright Moon Palace, and Hu Xiaotian recognized her as Le Yao, though she denied knowing him and later accompanied him to meet the emperor.
• Lin Wan attacked Hu Xiaotian after he delivered Wen Ya’s gift, but he used the whistle to subdue her and made her report to him.
• Ji Feihua arranged Hu Xiaotian’s visit with his parents, then revealed that Rong Baoxing had stolen the Black Tiger Whip, and Hu Xiaotian killed Rong and recovered it.
• After Hu Xiaotian and Baobao killed Ma Liangpeng, Ji Feihua ordered Hu to secretly kill Wutong and isolate Wen Ya from the outside world.
• Wen Ya took Hu Xiaotian to see Long Xiyue, and after he missed their planned meeting, Li Yuncong stopped him in the secret passage and questioned him about the killings and his investigation.

Hu Xiaotian became entangled in the plots surrounding Wen Ya, Ji Feihua, and Bright Moon Palace while an attack left Wen Ya and Baobao in danger. After Ji Feihua survived an ambush at Azure Cloud Lake, Hu Xiaotian tried to rescue Baobao from Lin Wan, only to discover Wen Ya had turned against him and forced him to swallow poison.

• Hu Xiaotian reunited with Qin Yutong, clashed with Long Tingzhen, and began investigating the schemes surrounding Wen Ya and Bright Moon Palace.
• Long Yelin suffered a kidney stone attack, and Hu Xiaotian treated him before Wen Ya’s maid Qiuyan died and Wutong was taken for questioning.
• A masked attacker killed Chen Chengqiang, wounded Baobao, and struck Wen Ya with the Ice-Soul Asura Palm, so Hu Xiaotian sought Ji Feihua’s help.
• Ji Feihua used the Sun-Melting Limitless Art to save Wen Ya, then took Hu Xiaotian to the Thatched Cottage, where three assassins attacked them.
• Ji Feihua defeated the attackers at Azure Cloud Lake and exposed Hong Beimo’s ambush, while Hu Xiaotian learned that Lin Wan had taken Baobao to Lingyu Hall.
• Hu Xiaotian confronted Lin Wan, who threatened Baobao and ordered him to scatter poisonous insects over Wen Ya’s bed.
• Wen Ya revealed she was not Le Yao, forced Hu Xiaotian to swallow Crimson Sun Yin-Burning Pills, and released red scorpions against him.
• Hu Xiaotian opened Lin Wan’s box, unleashing golden insects that devoured the scorpions and attacked Wen Ya, who fought them with the Ice-Soul Asura Palm.

Hu Xiaotian escaped blame for the Bright Moon Palace fire by saving Long Yelin, while learning more about Wen Ya and Sumeru Heaven and building plans around Princess Anping’s journey. The arc left him assigned to serve the princess as Wen Chenghuan and Wen Boyuan weighed their next move against Ji Feihua.

• Wen Ya expelled the Bloodshadow Beetle King from her heart during Hu Xiaotian’s frenzy, then escaped the burning Bright Moon Palace as Hu rushed to fight the fire.
• Investigators blamed Hu Xiaotian for the deaths at Bright Moon Palace, but he resisted arrest, gained Ji Feihua’s protection, and was summoned to treat Long Yelin.
• Hu Xiaotian diagnosed Long Yelin with appendicitis and operated with Li Yifeng, removing the emperor’s appendix and earning his gratitude.
• Zhai Guangmu’s confession cleared Hu Xiaotian of framing and forgery, while Ji Feihua showed Wen Chenghuan evidence that Lady Wen’s identity concealed a secret.
• Hu Xiaotian met Li Yuncong beneath the Library Pavilion, discussed Wen Ya and the attack on Baobao, and heard Li suggest that Sumeru Heaven had implanted a demon embryo in Wen Ya.
• Long Yelin praised Hu Xiaotian after he removed the emperor’s stitches, then assigned him to Purple Orchid Palace to help Princess Anping prepare for her wedding.
• Qiqi explored the secret passage beneath the Wine Cellar with Hu Xiaotian, and Baobao later told him she would remain at Lingyu Hall.
• He Mu told Hu Xiaotian he might escort Princess Anping to Great Yong, while Wen Chenghuan and Wen Boyuan discussed using their family in the struggle against Ji Feihua.