Recaps

Li Chen uncovered and defeated the plot against him at the Spring Hunt, then tightened his grip on the sects and prepared for war on several fronts. The arc left Xu Zifeng heading north amid rival plans, while Li Chen returned from destroying the Demon Spirit at Falling Star Mountain.

• Li Chen discovered Heaven-Topping High Person’s plot to control him during the Spring Hunt and countered the Heavenly Evolution God-Sealing Formation with his own formation, defeating the conspirators and taking the Soul-Controlling Needle.
• Li Chen appointed Guo Poyun marshal for the Northern Expedition and assigned Xu Zifeng and Liu Hao to command posts, while Li Ling joined the expedition with Chen Xuannan.
• Li Chen restored Orchid Fairy’s memories, then demanded that the Heavenly Evolution Divine Sect submit and accepted her offer to help bring it under his control.
• Pang Jin investigated the Second Prince’s supporters and the Crown Prince’s death, while Xiao Ming uncovered signs that Li Yang was maintaining a private army and found the White Jade Coffin Zou Yi carried.
• Li Chen subdued the Saint Tiger for Wu Nanzhi, trained Lin Yue'e in swordsmanship and cultivation, and ordered Waganbu to make the Ice Bear Tribe attack the Snow Eagle Tribe or face destruction.
• The Prince of the South and the Liu Family head separately urged Xu Zifeng to build a military following and then maneuvered to limit his power, as Xu Zifeng prepared to leave for the Northern Expedition.
• Li Chen traveled with Wu Nanzhi to Falling Star Mountain, destroyed a Corpse Ghoul and razed the mountain with Heavenly Dao Golden Light, killing the Demon Spirit before returning to the Imperial Capital.

Li Chen consolidated his influence over the northern war and the Nine Abyss Sacred Domain while investigating the Crown Prince’s death and drawing powerful allies into his court. As the National Celebration approached, he prepared to trap hidden forces while the Prince of the South continued building alliances.

• Li Chen persuaded the Heavenly Evolution Divine Sect to negotiate, then used his overwhelming power to secure the sects’ cooperation with the imperial court.
• Li Chen inspected several major sects, arranged Xia Qing’s teaching post at the Kindling Combat Academy, and recruited Mu Qingrou after demonstrating his swordsmanship.
• Pang Jin and Xiao Ming traced the Crown Prince’s death toward Fan Kuai, the Zou Family, and remnants of the previous dynasty, while Li Chen ordered the investigation to continue.
• Li Chen secretly took the Kindling Combat Academy entrance exam under the name Cheng Li and won first place, completing his academy mission.
• Li Chen traveled with Wu Nanzhi to Tiger-Crouching City, won the Wu Family’s allegiance, and rescued Pei Wanyu during a beast tide in the Hidden Dragon Mountains.
• Li Chen brought Wu Nanzhi and Pei Wanyu to the Imperial Capital, where Wu Nanzhi joined his harem and Pei Wanyu considered her future as an heir to her throne.
• Li Chen obtained a new Thousand-Blade Sword for Mu Qingrou and brought her and Shi Yingying into the Imperial Harem, while Orchid Fairy, Moonlight Fairy, and Dai Hongling arrived in the capital.
• After learning that the Sasanian Dynasty was moving its garrisons east, Li Chen ordered Pang Jin and Li Sixing to prepare a trap for hidden forces during the National Celebration as the Prince of the South built alliances.

Li Chen traveled to Shanghe City to investigate the local sects and the Former Dynasty Remnants while helping the Jiang Family survive a campaign of intimidation. After uncovering a demon ally and conquering an Ancient Supreme’s tomb, he left Lin Mo with a post at the Ministry of Works as Zhu Zhuying pursued Dai Xiaoyao’s account.

• Li Chen exposed a Sasanian spy plot, strengthened Li Sining’s cultivation, and attended the National Celebration before Xiao Ming uncovered Lan Yuchen’s role in the Previous Emperor’s death and the Crown Prince’s conspiracy.
• Li Chen visited the Jiang Family in Shanghe City, where Jiang Ningyue and Xie Minjun sought his help as Ding Tianming and Zhang Wanshan pressured Jiang Rong and her family over alleged Demon Race ties and disrupted supplies.
• Lin Mo traced the missing silk to a warehouse, and Lin Yue'e exposed the scheme at the Chamber of Commerce, leading to Ding Tianming’s removal, apologies from the merchants, and Jiang Rong’s appointment as president.
• Xie Minjun introduced Li Chen to Amei, a Soft-Boned Charm Rabbit who revealed that Yuan remnants were hiding nearby and that her daughter Xiao Rou belonged to the Sunken Sand Dao Sect.
• Li Chen accompanied Amei and others into an Ancient Supreme’s tomb, subdued its Supreme Demon Corpse, and gave the women the Supreme Dragon Bone and dragon blood.
• Tang Shan failed to steal the Enchanted Spirit Fungus from the Jiang Residence after Lin Mo drove him away, and Dai Xiaoyao was arrested and questioned over the incident.
• Li Chen offered Lin Mo a position at the Ministry of Works, while Zhu Zhuying and Ning Xiaoxiao investigated Dai Xiaoyao and set off toward the Jiang Residence after questioning the Twin Sisters.

Li Chen consolidated support for the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty, crushed the Wang Family’s Former Dynasty Remnants, and led a campaign against the Snow Eagle Tribe. After defeating Tuoba Zhen, he entered Sacred Mountain City through a secret passage with help from his aunt Li Xueying.

• Li Chen forced cultivators to submit at the Ancient Immortal Spirit Lake, then rallied over a hundred sects to support the dynasty against the Sasanian Dynasty.
• Li Chen investigated the Heavenly Wolf Sect and uncovered the Wang Family’s crimes, then led arrests that captured Wang Tengfeng and devastated the family’s strongholds.
• Li Chen explored an ancient beast-taming sect, found a Saint Beast Egg for Li Sining, and discovered the World-Suppressing Bronze Coffin before heading north.
• Li Chen and his allies captured Biyou Heavenly Venerable, learned how to break the weather formation, and prepared to attack Emuer Sacred Mountain.
• Li Chen routed the northern allied army and killed Tuoba Zhen in a duel, while Tuoba Zhen escaped through a costly technique.
• Li Ling found the secret passage into Sacred Mountain City, and Li Xueying guided Li Chen and Late Breeze True Person through it toward the south gate.