Recaps

Li Chen subdued the Western Region’s challengers, then turned his attention to the Southern Kingdoms, testing Xu Zifeng and inspecting the region in person. The Tasha Kingdom submitted to his authority, and Li Chen continued toward the Starfall Kingdom as his army advanced south.

• Li Chen defeated Jun Wuhui and the Black-Clad Strongman, then had both imprisoned for the damage their battle caused.
• Hong Qingshu, Xi Yushuang, Luo Jiazhi, and Luo Xi sought Li Chen’s favor to reduce the prisoners’ sentences, and Li Chen limited both sentences to one year.
• Li Chen confronted envoys from the Southern Kingdoms and declared that their rulers would be spared only if they obeyed him.
• Li Chen tested Xu Zifeng before ordering him to lead three hundred thousand cavalry south at a measured pace, while Yun Xu commanded the expeditionary army.
• Dai Xiaoyao asked Zhu Yingxiong to appeal to the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty for Starfall Kingdom, while Dai Wuchang favored the Eternal Day Empire.
• Li Chen traveled toward Starfall Kingdom with Zhu Zhuying, saw poverty in the Tasha Kingdom, and attended the princess’s ball-toss marriage match before revealing his identity to the king.
• The King of Tasha hosted Li Chen and showed him the kingdom, while Li Chen approved Qian Zaili’s defense of the dynasty’s merchants and the king ordered cooperation with the advancing army.

Li Chen’s campaigns and influence reshaped the Southern Kingdoms as Dai Xiaoyao seized Starfall and Charles Stan faced trouble with the Holy See. Li Chen then reached the Witch Gu Holy Land and proposed bringing its insect cuisine to the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty.

• The King of Tasha refused to aid Uluoya after the Hundred Brahma army captured eight cities and reached its capital in three days, while Dai Xiaoyao secured Zhu Yingxiong’s help to rebel against Dai Wuchang.
• Dai Wuchang sought support from the Eternal Day Empire, but its garrison commander refused to intervene, so Dai Xiaoyao bought Heavenly Strategy equipment from Hundred Brahma and defeated his brother’s forces.
• Li Chen met the King of Hundred Brahma, accepted his deference, and then traveled toward Starfall, where Dai Wuchang sought to restore his kingdom’s protection from the Heavenly Strategy Empire.
• Li Chen broke up Dill’s attack on Charles Stan, revealed himself as the Emperor of Heavenly Strategy, and left Charles considering how to handle his disloyal younger brother.
• Dai Xiaoyao returned victorious to Starfall and knelt before Li Chen, while Zhu Zhuying arranged for Zhu Zhujing and the palace women to serve Li Chen and later persuaded the Empress Dowager to do the same.
• Charles Stan searched for his younger brother as Prince Chet allied with Li Xian, and Li Chen traveled onward with Zhu Zhuying before Yangci Daoist joined his company.
• Li Yu acknowledged Li Chen’s ability to rule but continued pursuing the throne with Li Xian, while Li Chen arrived at the Witch Gu Holy Land and attended its Hundred-Insect Feast.
• Li Chen and Yangci Daoist sampled the insect dishes, and Li Chen proposed selling suitable insects through his lineage’s hotpot restaurants to benefit the dynasty and Southland’s insect-raisers.

Li Chen gained the Yin-Yang Gu and deepened his bond with Li Meng, then revealed his identity to her at the Ten Thousand Flowers Festival. As rulers gathered in the Imperial Capital, he secured their support for a railway project while preparing for the Eternal Day Empire’s troop movements.

• Li Chen visited the Witch Gu Holy Land, defeated Chi Chuan, and won Ma Bu’s agreement to show him the Yin-Yang Gu after the Holy Lord recognized him as emperor.
• The Yin-Yang Gu flew into Li Chen’s palm and chose him as its master, and Li Meng gave him a silver bracelet before they shared a romantic moment beneath the moonlight.
• Xu Zifeng hosted a banquet where Li Chen attended in disguise, and Li Ji announced a Ten Thousand Flowers Festival for Li Meng.
• Li Chen arranged the festival and trade discussions for Li Meng, while rumors accused him of colluding with Charles Stan and Zhao Jing sought his help reaching Jiang Rong.
• At the festival, Li Chen gave Li Meng Starry Expanse earrings and revealed that he was emperor, then sent her to Rosy Clouds Palace as urgent news arrived about the Eternal Day Empire’s troop movements.
• Li Chen ordered preparations for a grand military display and invited the Southern Kingdoms’ rulers to the Imperial Capital, while Yangci Daoist took a post tending imperial horses.
• Zhao Jing showed Li Chen his clan’s mineral holdings, and more than a dozen kings later gathered at the palace, where Li Chen revealed plans for a railway.
• Dai Xiaoyao and the other kings pledged minerals and labor for the railway, while Dai Xiaoyao later met Tang Shan and agreed to travel with him to Greenwood Village.

Li Chen traveled through the southern lands, secured the Eight Gates Heaven-Sundering Hall’s cooperation and Immortal Token, and agreed to rescue Tang Shan’s father. As he turned north toward another sect, Prince Morris’s arrival in Heavenly Strategy raised suspicions of a plot to provoke war.

• Li Chen introduced Li Meng to the Empress Dowager, then left the palace after warning Li Sining to prepare for the Imperial Clan's Grand Competition and receiving a mission to explore the Fallen Immortal Mountain Range.
• Li Chen’s absence and exhaustion prompted officials to clear backlogged work, while Dai Xiaoyao met Tang Shan’s mother in Greenwood Village and later brought Li Chen to visit her.
• Li Chen traveled to the Guixu Boundless Sect, obtained its Immortal Token from Daoist Baichuan, and set out with Fairy Yunya and Xuan Ji for the Southern Sea.
• Li Chen met Tang Shan’s mother in Greenwood Village and agreed to rescue her husband, Tang Chen, who had been imprisoned after stealing an Immortal Destiny Crystal from the Eight Gates Heaven-Sundering Hall.
• Li Chen reached the sect’s floating island, subdued its defenders, and persuaded Yuan Tianhe to register the sect, hand Tang Chen over for trial, and lend him the Eight Gates Token.
• The Grand Elder gave Li Chen an Immortal Destiny Crystal, and Li Chen headed north to seek the Ten Netherworld Palace’s token as Charles sent Prince Morris on a mission to Heavenly Strategy.
• Morris crossed the border and traveled toward Azure Mist City as crowds gathered along his route, prompting Zhang Mingyuan and Chen Zhen to suspect assassins planned to kill him and provoke war.