Recaps

Li Chen asserted his authority at court, confronted officials and nobles, and grew closer to Chu Ruoyan while navigating court factions and a mission to defeat a qualified opponent. The stretch ended with Li Chen stopping a fight between Liu Hao, Wu Qi, and Northern Court nobles, as Altai planned to seek justice from the emperor.

• After taking the throne, Li Chen revealed his Saint Realm power to silence Li Xian and ordered the Third Prince to withdraw his army.
• Li Chen visited the eastern district with Zhao Wenyuan, intervened when Chen Jie harassed Lin Yue'e, and made Yan Hai punish officials who enabled the wastrels.
• At court, Li Chen ordered action against the rebellious Third Prince, while the Empress Dowager privately maneuvered among the princes and urged Li Chen to choose a wife.
• Li Chen met Chu Ruoyan, dealt firmly with Li Longyu over seized farmland, and impressed her as she watched ministers obey him and saw him handle his work.
• Li Chen took Chu Ruoyan shopping and bought her a large collection of clothes, perfume, and jewels, while Liu Hao and Wu Qi competed for his attention over dinner.
• Li Chen sensed a fight nearby and intervened when Altai and Atad fought Liu Hao and Wu Qi, breaking Altai's wrist before leaving with the others.
• Altai identified himself as a Northern Court envoy, told Atad not to pursue Li Chen, and planned to appeal to the emperor the next day.

Li Chen strengthened his position at court, cultivated Li Sining, and uncovered Li Ran’s hidden knowledge of forbidden arts and the former dynasty. As Li Chen prepared for war with the Northern Court and confronted a conspiracy at court, he killed Feng Huai before the ministers.

• Chu Ruoyan returned home with Li Chen’s gifts, while Xiao Ming misunderstood her and promised she would see the light again in six days.
• Li Chen rebuffed the Northern Court’s marriage proposal with demands for tribute, and Li Sining learned that she would not be sent north.
• Li Chen took Li Sining to Cloud Deer Academy’s celebration, where his Saint Realm aura forced the gathered crowd to kneel.
• Li Chen gave Li Sining cultivation pills and the Nine Heavens Dragon Meridian Art, and she quickly opened two meridians.
• Li Xian secured Feng Huai’s support and sought help from the Heavenly Evolution Divine Sect, while Li Chen discovered Li Ran cultivating secretly in the Cold Palace.
• Li Ran told Li Chen about former-dynasty loyalists, forbidden arts, and the five volumes of the Emperor Dragon Sutra, then agreed to seek the volumes.
• Li Chen approved a northern expedition after Zhao Wenyuan proposed it as a solution to rising military costs.
• Li Chen gave Feng Huai three months to solve the Crown Prince’s murder, then killed him when he resisted Zhang Ancang’s investigation.

Li Chen consolidated his authority, drew Chu Ruoyan into his harem, and let Pang Jin pursue the Crown Prince’s murder investigation. While rival princes and the Prince of the South plotted, Li Chen entered a secret realm and subdued a Saint Tiger that transformed into a woman.

• Li Chen killed Feng Huai, appointed Pang Jin as Minister of Justice, and ordered him to investigate the Crown Prince’s death.
• Lin Yue'e used Li Chen’s Insignia Plaque to defy officials and detain Atad, while Li Chen backed her and repeatedly arranged for her to arrest Xu Zifeng.
• Li Chen made Chu Ruoyan his imperial consort, and she advanced in cultivation and settled into her palace near his bedchamber.
• Pang Jin found that the Crown Prince’s former guard, Fan Kuai, had died with the same Azure Mark as the Crown Prince, then proposed a false lead to expose hidden forces.
• Li Xian sought Master Yu’s support as the Third Prince and the Prince of the South plotted against Li Chen, while Li Ran set out to find the Emperor Dragon Sutra for him.
• Li Chen entered the Wild Secret Realm alone as Wu Qi brought Wu Nanzhi and two younger cousins into another realm.
• A wolf demon attacked Wu Qi’s group, awakening the Saint Tiger sealed within Wu Nanzhi, and Li Chen subdued the rampaging tiger before it turned into a naked woman.

Li Chen strengthened his influence while pursuing political schemes and growing closer to Wu Nanzhi, as the rival princes and Xu Zifeng clashed ahead of the Spring Hunt. The stretch ended with Li Chen teasing Wu Nanzhi at lunch after a striking woman entered the restaurant.

• Wu Nanzhi followed Li Chen through the Wilderness Secret Realm, then told him she lived at 7 Evergreen Street before he left through an exit pillar.
• Li Chen ordered Lin Yue'e to pursue Xu Zifeng, but later agreed to Ji Lianyu's plea to release him and warned him to behave.
• Li Chen received a map from Peng Zhao, rewarded him with a marquis title, and gave Li Sining a Dragon-Patterned Jade Pendant as she prepared for her Awakening Ceremony.
• Li Chen met Wu Nanzhi on Evergreen Street, shared a meal with her, and took her to the Entertainment Bureau, where he spotted the Crown Prince’s consort.
• At the Spiritglow Artifact Expo, Li Chen defeated Zhao Chong and Qiu Youneng in demonstrations, then returned the Separation Sword to Zhao Chong.
• Lin Yue'e arrested Li Xian, Xu Zifeng, Feng Wuhen, and Ma Hei after a confrontation, and Li Chen left Li Xian in prison until morning.
• Li Chen released Li Xian and told him he could fight Xu Zifeng, while Li Xian later asked Lin Yue'e to arrest Xu Zifeng again rather than fight him.
• Wu Qi joined the Ministry of War, and Li Chen took Wu Nanzhi to lunch, admitted Chu Ruoyan was his wife, and teased Wu Nanzhi when a beautiful woman entered the restaurant.