Chapter Summaries

Li Chen invaded Sacred Mountain City, defeated Tuoba Zhen, and enabled the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty's army to capture the city. After the victory, Li Xueying reunited with Tuoba Yan in the palace, where the chapter left Li Chen arriving to meet them.

• Li Chen appeared at Sacred Mountain City's southern gate, killed hundreds of defenders, and drew the Court's forces away while Late Breeze True Person opened the gate formation.
• Li Chen defeated Tuoba Zhen with Dragon Myriad Forms and Ten Thousand Saints Facing Heaven, and the wounded Tuoba Zhen escaped as the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty's army entered the city.
• Li Xueying reassured Tuoba Yan in the palace while Commander-in-Chief Guo Poyun reported that the city was under control and pledged his obedience to her.
• Liu Hao captured Altai, Li Ling captured members of the Court's royal family, and the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty's troops took over Sacred Mountain City's defenses.
• Late Breeze True Person told Old Master Wu how terrifying Li Chen had been, and Li Chen arrived at the royal palace.

Li Chen consolidated his victory in Sacred Mountain City, rested with Li Xueying, and learned how she had been mistreated by the Northern Court’s women. Meanwhile, Tuoba Zhen fled to the Great Snow Mountain, trouble gathered around the Wang Family investigation, and Lin Mo and Tang Shan secretly colluded as the Northern campaign’s consequences spread.

• Li Chen received the surrendered officials in the Snow Eagle Court’s hall, ordered them to obey his rule, and entrusted Guo Poyun with the city’s defenses.
• Li Chen recounted his rise and the reasons for attacking the Northern Court to Li Xueying, then fell asleep in her arms while Tuoba Zhen revived and gathered his fleeing forces for a retreat to the Great Snow Mountain.
• Pang Jin’s investigation implicated both the Wang Family and Prince Jing'an's Residence, while Lin Mo and Tang Shan secretly plotted and Xiao Ming’s growing role in the case threatened them.
• Wang Tengyue and Heaven-Topping High Person met in prison and boasted about their past, while Zhou Ye told Atad that Tuoba Zhen had been defeated and Altai was being escorted to the Imperial Capital.
• Lin Mo joined the investigation of the Primordial Beast Taming Sect ruins, and Li Chen awakened to find teeth marks on Li Xueying’s shoulder.
• Li Xueying told Li Chen that the Northern Court’s women had mistreated her, and he agreed to let her decide how they would be punished.

Li Chen secured Azure Deep Heavenly Venerable’s submission and brought him into the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty’s ranks before marching to confront Helan Xuan of the Sun-Moon Dragon Clan. Though Helan Xuan had beaten Huyan Lan and was expected to resist, he knelt and welcomed Li Chen when the emperor arrived.

• Li Chen punished the five consorts who had mistreated Li Xueying, then let her bring more of her former enemies before him.
• Late Breeze True Person defeated Azure Deep Heavenly Venerable in a four-hour sparring match and invited him into Sacred Mountain City.
• The Heavenly Strategy Dynasty and Huyan Lan’s 220,000-strong force swept through the Northern Region until Helan Xuan halted their advance at Giant Dragon Ridge.
• Li Chen summoned Azure Deep Heavenly Venerable, who pledged himself to the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty, and transformed his Yin-Yang Sword into a divine weapon.
• Huyan Lan told Li Chen that Helan Xuan had attacked him when he tried to persuade the Sun-Moon Dragon Clan to surrender.
• When Li Chen arrived at Giant Dragon Ridge with five Saint Realm experts, Helan Xuan knelt and warmly welcomed him instead of fighting.

Li Chen secured Helan Xuan’s surrender and revealed his ambition to unify the north before marching beyond the Great Snow Mountain. After defeating Helan Xuan in a sparring match, Li Chen trusted him to lead the campaign against Tuoba Zhen and returned to Sacred Mountain City, where he planned to continue taking revenge on Li Xueying.

• Helan Xuan surrendered to Li Chen, welcomed the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty’s army into Giant Dragon Ridge, and pledged to serve as Li Chen’s vanguard.
• At a banquet, Li Chen announced that he intended to unify the north, cross the Great Snow Mountain, and fight to the edge of the continent, inspiring his generals and surrendered commanders to volunteer for campaigns.
• Helan Xuan volunteered to attack the Great Snow Mountain and capture Tuoba Zhen, and Li Chen assigned him seventy thousand warriors while warning Huyan Lan not to challenge the decision.
• Li Chen sparred with Helan Xuan, effortlessly countered his attacks, and stopped short of injuring him after overwhelming his True Dragon Armor Body.
• Li Chen declined Liu Hao’s suggestion to keep the Sun-Moon Dragon Clan’s relatives as hostages, then left Helan Xuan to prepare the campaign and returned to Sacred Mountain City.

Li Chen searched for the Snow Leopard God while Xu Zifeng escaped the Great Snow Mountain with the creature and secretly planned to build his own power. Their paths crossed outside the mountains, where Azure Deep Heavenly Venerable recognized the “kitten” on Xu Zifeng’s shoulder as the Snow Leopard God.

• Li Chen studied the Lightstream Disintegration Method with Late Breeze True Person and sent Helan Xuan to drive Tuoba Zhen north while researching ways to counter the technique.
• Li Chen and five Saint Realm experts entered the Great Snow Mountain to find the Snow Leopard God as Xu Zifeng’s Vanguard Army fought off a Snow Eagle Tribe patrol.
• Xu Zifeng persuaded the Snow Leopard God to leave its cave with him, then led his troops through the mountains while Tuoba Zhen searched for them.
• Xu Zifeng planned to find a small Grassland settlement to occupy and develop, but encountered Li Chen and hurriedly presented a flattering account of his army’s actions.
• Azure Deep Heavenly Venerable identified the creature on Xu Zifeng’s shoulder as the Snow Leopard God and told him to hand it over.

Li Chen captured the Snow Leopard God, secured the Northern Region, and returned to the Imperial Capital while Xu Zifeng lost his army, his plans, and his chance to rebel. Back at the Prince of the South's Residence, Xu Zifeng urged his mother and aunt to flee Li Chen, but their smiles showed they knew more about the emperor than he did.

• The Snow Leopard God woke and overwhelmed those nearby, but Li Chen seized it and took it away from Xu Zifeng.
• Li Chen led Xu Zifeng and the Vanguard Army back to Sacred Mountain City, where Xu Zifeng learned Li Chen had conquered the city and most of the Northern Region.
• Helan Xuan defeated Tuoba Zhen's forces and drove Tuoba Zhen north as Li Chen had ordered.
• Li Chen rewarded the army, kept the Snow Leopard God alive to provide holy blood, and then departed for the Imperial Capital with his family and the women from Sacred Mountain City.
• Xu Zifeng returned to the Prince of the South's Residence, reunited with the Princess of the South and Ji Lianyu, and urged them to leave the Imperial Capital because he feared Li Chen.
• The Princess of the South and Ji Lianyu smiled at Xu Zifeng's warning, knowing Li Chen better than he did.

Xu Zifeng refused Liu Hao’s invitation to join the western campaign, but his mother and aunt planned to ask Li Chen to assign him to it. After returning to the palace, Li Chen learned that Li Yang had helped murder the Crown Prince and fled; he punished Prince Jing’an for failing to discipline him, while Li Ling sought help to protect her family.

• Liu Hao told Xu Zifeng about the war against the Sasanian Dynasty and invited him to earn military merit, but Xu Zifeng declined because he wanted to return to the Southland.
• The Princess of the South and Ji Lingyu decided to ask Li Chen to give Xu Zifeng a post in the Western Expeditionary Army.
• Eunuch Cui told Li Chen and Li Xueying that Prince Jing’an had knelt for three days after Li Yang fled the capital, accused of conspiring with the Former Dynasty Remnants to kill the Crown Prince.
• Pang Jin reported that Li Yang had arranged for the Crown Prince’s guards to be removed and that officials had helped conceal the murder; he said there was no evidence Prince Jing’an was involved.
• Li Chen sentenced Prince Jing’an to one year in the Ministry of Justice Prison and ten years of house arrest, revoked his family’s privileges, and ordered Li Yang’s associates put to death.
• After returning from the northern campaign, Li Ling learned of her family’s downfall and went to seek Guo Poyun’s help, only to find him at the Ministry of Justice Prison.

Guo Poyun visited the imprisoned Prince Jing'an and praised Li Ling’s achievements, while a chance gathering at the Drunken Immortal Tower connected several young officials and nobles. Wu Qi discovered his family’s newfound influence, and Li Ling sought a chance to join the Western Expedition to earn merit for her father.

• Guo Poyun visited Li Longyu in prison, recounted Li Ling’s accomplishments in the Northern Army, and promised to protect her.
• Liu Hao, Wu Qi, Xiao Ming, and Lin Mo drank together, and Xu Zifeng joined them at the Drunken Immortal Tower.
• Xiao Ming used Pang Jin’s insignia to make the general’s estate’s young men apologize to Li Ji, the Prince of the West, after they spilled wine on him.
• Li Ji befriended Liu Hao, Xu Zifeng, Xiao Ming, and their companions, while Wu Qi decided to cultivate a connection with the prince.
• Wu Qi returned home to find Li Chen visiting his family, learned that Wu Nanzhi was an imperial consort and Old Master Wu had reached the saint realm, and received an appointment as Ministry of War assistant director.
• Li Ling asked Guo Poyun to take her to the Western Battlefield to earn merit, and he said he would seek an opportunity after the next Morning Court and advised her to visit her aunt.

Li Ling and Li Ji sought Li Xueying’s help to join the Western Expedition, while Li Ran delivered the fourth volume of the Emperor Dragon Sutra and earned a place on the campaign. At court, Li Chen addressed the Crown Prince case and ordered Li Yang’s arrest before Li Ji unexpectedly stepped forward.

• Li Ling and Li Ji visited Li Xueying, who promised to try to help them join the Western Expedition but warned them not to expect too much.
• Li Ji advised Li Ling to distance herself from Li Yang and avoid becoming entangled in the Crown Prince case, and then encountered Li Ran, who said Li Chen had released him.
• Li Xueying told Li Chen that Tuoba Anyu had reacted to the whipping with enjoyment, and Li Ran later presented Li Chen with the fourth volume of the Emperor Dragon Sutra and asked to join the Western Expedition.
• Li Chen studied the four volumes and practiced his own interpretation before receiving the Princess of the South and Ji Lianyu.
• At morning court, Li Chen commended the Northern Expedition’s forces and ordered Pang Jin to capture Li Yang after Pang reported that Li Yang had committed high treason and Prince Jing’an was imprisoned.
• Li Ji unexpectedly stepped forward during court, just as the Minister of War was due to report.

Li Chen approved Prince of the West Li Ji’s request to join the Western Expedition, but warned him to learn from experienced commanders rather than risk the army through overconfidence. After Li Ji left, Li Chen went to the Imperial Palace’s Heavenly Evolution Martial Arena, where Li Sining was assembling a group to practice the Seven Absolute Meridian Formation.

• Li Ji requested permission to join the campaign against the Sasanian Dynasty, and Li Chen announced that he would lead the expedition with Guo Poyun as deputy commander-in-chief.
• Li Chen summoned Li Ji, who admitted he wanted military merit because his failed spirit herb business had left his fief poor, and granted him permission to join the expedition.
• Li Ji explained what he knew about the Sasanian Dynasty, and Li Chen clarified that he intended to conquer it rather than merely repel its invading forces.
• Li Chen warned Li Ji that his princely status and lack of military experience could endanger the army, then told him to learn from the officers and soldiers and travel with Guo Poyun first.
• Li Chen visited the Heavenly Evolution Martial Arena, where Li Sining and Ning Xiaoxiao were practicing the Seven Absolute Meridian Formation with Chu Ruoyan and seeking more members.

Li Chen tested the Seven Absolute Meridian Formation and effortlessly shattered its Sword Immortal phantom before taking Wang Yueyao and Luo Qimeng to the Imperial Harem. Meanwhile, the court prepared a Western Expedition, and Xu Zifeng accepted his renewed appointment as Vanguard General despite suspecting a trap, while Ma Hei wondered when the Prince of the South would finally rebel.

• Li Sining recruited Wang Yueyao into the Seven Absolute Meridian Formation, and Li Chen destroyed the six women’s Sword Immortal phantom with a flick.
• Li Sining asked Li Chen to find another woman for the formation, but Li Chen carried Wang Yueyao to the Imperial Harem, followed by Luo Qimeng.
• Xu Zifeng learned that he had again been appointed Vanguard General for the Western Expedition, while Liu Hao and Li Ji visited him and then gathered with other officers.
• Wu Qi processed the expedition paperwork for Liu Hao, Li Ji, and several military-household descendants after revealing his promotion to Ministry of War Vice Director.
• Xu Zifeng went to the Ji Family estate, where the Princess of the South and Ji Lianyu persuaded him to accept the campaign, and he decided to bring Ma Hei.
• Ma Hei joined Xu Zifeng for the expedition against the Sasanian Dynasty and wondered why the Prince of the South still had not rebelled against the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty.

Xu Zifeng visited Atad before preparing for the Western Expedition, while Xiao Ming began pursuing the Former Dynasty Remnants and chased Tang Shan. In the palace, Li Chen reviewed an old case involving the Xue Family and learned that Shi Yingying had arrived injured after escorting Pei Wanyu amid a rebellion in the Heavenly Martial Dynasty.

• Xu Zifeng visited Atad in prison, recounted his Northern Expedition, and agreed to bring food and a message to Atad's brother Altai.
• Pang Jin assigned Xiao Ming to find the princess of the Former Dynasty Remnants and Li Yang, and Xiao Ming set out for Wuchao City while pursuing Tang Shan after spotting him in the street.
• Lin Mo helped advance the Ministry of Works' Floating Rock aerial-army project, while Chen Xuannan completed a breakthrough and planned to join the Western Expedition to protect Li Ling.
• Li Sining nearly chopped up the Snow Leopard God after catching it trying to eat her Saint Beast Egg, and Li Chen praised her cultivation progress.
• Li Chen reviewed Xue Dan's old case and left it for Lin Yue'e to investigate after her return.
• Shi Yingying arrived injured with two women and told Li Chen that Mu Qingrou was escorting Pei Wanyu back to the Heavenly Martial Dynasty after news of a rebellion.

Li Chen prepared to intervene in the Heavenly Martial Dynasty’s civil war while building up his forces and learning that the Supreme Hua Sword Sect was aiding the Sasanian Dynasty. Meanwhile, Li Xian encountered Li Yang among the hidden powers, and Li Yang offered to resurrect every emperor of the former dynasty to win his cooperation.

• Pei Wanyu inherited the Imperial Throne after her father died, and Shi Yingying and two female elders asked Li Chen to send troops against the rebels; Li Chen said he had already made arrangements.
• Li Chen entertained Xu Qingning, Wen Ting, Shi Yingying, and Orchid Fairy at his palace, while the Snow Leopard God performed somersaults and imitated a cat.
• Li Chen assembled the Western Expeditionary Army, assigned Helan Xuan to gather Northern Tribe fighters, and let Azure Deep Heavenly Venerable and Biyou Heavenly Venerable return to Star-Moon Cave to await their senior brother, Azure Vault Heavenly Venerable.
• True Person Red Kite informed Li Chen that the Supreme Hua Sword Sect was helping the Sasanian Dynasty, prompting Li Chen to decide that Venerable Youhen had to be dealt with.
• Li Xian befriended Lin Xun and Yi Yu while pursuing his plans against Li Chen, then rejected Li Yang’s offer to cooperate until Li Yang claimed he could resurrect every emperor of the former dynasty.

Li Xian learned that Li Yang had sided with the Yuan family for a princess and planned to use their connection to investigate the awakening Dragon Emperor. Meanwhile, Li Chen traveled to the Heavenly Martial Dynasty, where Pei Wanyu told her mother that Li Chen had helped her secure the throne—and that Mu Qingrou was also his woman.

• Li Yang told Li Xian that the former dynasty's Dragon Emperor and Flying Dragon Legion were expected to awaken, and admitted he had sided with the Yuan family for a princess.
• Li Xian returned to his hideout, where Feng Wuhen reported that Li Chen was likely absent from the Imperial Capital and that the Sasanian and Heavenly Strategy Dynasties were locked in a stalemate.
• Li Chen rode the Saint Tiger through the Hidden Dragon Mountains with Wu Nanzhi and the three elders of the Purple Cloud Immortal Abode, reaching the outskirts of the Heavenly Martial Dynasty's Imperial Capital.
• Pei Wanyu's mother, Tang Mengyou, asked what price Pei Wanyu had paid for the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty's military aid; Pei Wanyu revealed that she was Li Chen's woman.
• Pei Wanyu further revealed that Mu Qingrou was also Li Chen's woman, leaving Tang Mengyou astonished.

Li Chen visited Pei Wanyu in the Heavenly Martial Dynasty and helped steady her rule while secretly becoming involved with Tang Mengyou. After the dynasty’s troubles eased, the Sea Clan attacked the eastern coast, delaying Li Chen and Mu Qingrou’s departure.

• Pei Wanyu greeted Li Chen warmly, then told him about the ministers’ infighting, rebellious Vassal Kings, and danger in the palace; Li Chen advised her to punish disobedient ministers decisively.
• Tang Mengyou asked Mu Qingrou how she and Li Chen had met, and Mu Qingrou challenged her to a sword spar that ended with Tang Mengyou’s clothes destroyed.
• Li Chen arrived during the spar and carried the exposed Tang Mengyou to a bedroom before Pei Wanyu and the Imperial Guards could discover her; he later concealed what had happened from Pei Wanyu.
• Li Chen continued seeing Tang Mengyou in secret while Pei Wanyu’s court purge and the Vassal Kings’ retreat helped stabilize the Heavenly Martial Dynasty.
• As Li Chen prepared to leave with Mu Qingrou, the Sea Clan attacked the dynasty’s eastern coastal region again.

Pei Wanyu asked Li Chen to help repel the Sea Clan, which had attacked the Heavenly Martial Dynasty’s coast and overwhelmed its defenses. Li Chen led troops toward the Eastern Coastal Region, where he found the coastline devastated and the defensive line close to collapse.

• Pei Wanyu’s mother advised her to seek Li Chen’s help against the Sea Clan, and Pei Wanyu explained the crisis to him.
• Li Chen agreed to go to the coast and summoned Han Wu’s Heavenly Strategy Dynasty troops to accompany him.
• Han Wu and his soldiers knelt before Li Chen, who ordered Han Wu to join the expedition to the Eastern Coastal Region.
• Sun Cheng described the Sea Clan’s branches, fighting abilities, and poison tactics to Li Chen.
• Several days later, Li Chen reached the Eastern Coastal Region and saw corpses along the bloodied coast, ruined villages, and a collapsing defensive line.

Li Chen led the allied armies to defeat the Sea Clan and capture the White Shark Clan powerhouse who had killed the Heavenly Martial Dynasty's Previous Emperor. After spending seven days in the capital at Pei Wanyu's request, he departed, while Shi Yingying considered how the Purple Cloud Immortal Abode might keep him around.

• Li Chen struck down the White Shark Clan Saint Realm powerhouse, scattered his rain clouds, and pinned him beneath a golden Five-Finger Mountain as the human armies routed the Sea Clan.
• Sun Cheng and Han Wu ordered the allied troops to pursue the fleeing Sea Clan, and Li Chen spared the captive White Shark Clan powerhouse for interrogation.
• The army returned to the Heavenly Martial Dynasty's Imperial Capital, where Pei Wanyu thanked Li Chen for avenging the Previous Emperor and helping stabilize the dynasty.
• Pei Wanyu told Tang Mengyou that she wanted Li Chen to stay longer, and Tang Mengyou arranged for the imperial consorts to entertain him.
• Li Chen remained in the capital for seven days before leaving, while Shi Yingying thought the Purple Cloud Immortal Abode could use its own women to keep him there.

Li Chen explained his shared-governance approach and what he had learned about the Sea Clan as his group returned to the Imperial Capital. He showed Mu Qingrou and the others his model railway and other inventions, leaving them eager to support his plans to transform the dynasty.

• Li Chen told Mu Qingrou that he had taught Pei Wanyu to govern through shared governance, involving ministers in state affairs instead of concentrating power in her hands.
• Shi Yingying asked about the Sea Clan, and Li Chen said he had beaten their uncooperative Saint Realm captive to death after learning of a powerful Sea Emperor.
• Li Chen agreed to visit the Purple Cloud Immortal Abode's Library Pavilion after returning from the western battlefield, then fell asleep on Mu Qingrou's lap during the journey.
• At the Imperial Capital, Li Chen brought the women to his Bedchamber Palace and revealed a working model of a high-speed railway, explaining its uses for transport and economic growth.
• Mu Qingrou offered the Purple Cloud Immortal Abode's help with railway construction, and Li Chen said the project would require the whole dynasty and humanity to participate.
• Li Chen showed the women more of his models and devices, surprising Wen Ting and Xu Qingning, who had expected him to lure them into his bedroom for romantic reasons.

Li Chen introduced a railway project, planned an offensive against the Sasanian Dynasty, and persuaded Azure Vault Heavenly Venerable to join his ascension plan. In the Western Region, Liu Hao learned an attack was coming, Xiao Ming gained allies for his revenge, and Venerable Youhen sensed a major event approaching.

• Li Chen presented railway models at court, proposed a pilot route to Cloudsea City funded partly by major lineages, and assigned Zhao Wenyuan to supervise construction.
• After hearing that Sasanian forces were withdrawing, Li Chen announced he would travel west to launch an offensive against them.
• Li Chen revealed his claims about the World-Suppressing Bronze Coffins to Azure Vault Heavenly Venerable, who joined Azure Deep Heavenly Venerable and Biyou Heavenly Venerable in supporting Li Chen.
• At Wuchao City, Liu Hao learned from Li Ji that Li Chen intended to conquer the Sasanian Dynasty, while Xu Zifeng continued directing the city's defense.
• Xiao Ming arrived in Wuchao City to seek revenge for his lineage, and Liu Hao and Li Ji offered to help him.
• At the Supreme Hua Sword Sect, Venerable Youhen watched dark clouds gather and sensed that something momentous was about to happen.

Xiao Ming avenged his family by leading the destruction of the Qi Family, while Emperor Li Chen confronted Venerable Youhen over the Supreme Hua Sword Sect’s support for the Sasanian Dynasty. Li Chen killed Venerable Youhen and razed the sect, and its Founding Patriarch vowed to challenge him after he ascended.

• Venerable Youhen claimed the Supreme Hua Sword Sect’s disciples had acted independently, while the Law Enforcement Hall elder feared Li Chen and the Sasanian Empress would retaliate and secretly left with his disciples.
• Xiao Ming learned from Wu Lian that the Qi Family had orchestrated his family’s destruction, then led Liu Hao’s troops and Li Ji’s retainers in an assault that killed Qi Yi and most of the Qi Family.
• Li Ji warned Xiao Ming that the Supreme Hua Sword Sect was powerful, but Xiao Ming trusted the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty’s authority as the prisoners were taken for questioning.
• Li Chen confronted Venerable Youhen in the Supreme Hua Sword Sect’s grand hall and rejected his excuses, prompting Venerable Youhen to invoke the sect’s Founding Patriarch and attack with the Supreme Hua Heaven-Falling Art.
• Li Chen overwhelmed the Founding Patriarch’s sword intent with his Immortal-Slaying Strike, killed Venerable Youhen, and destroyed the sect’s stronghold.
• The Founding Patriarch’s fading phantom vowed to fight Li Chen after he ascended, and Li Chen declared that the Supreme Hua Sword Sect had ceased to exist.