Chapter Summaries

Lin Yue'e investigated the fight between Fang Qian and Xiao Ming, which escalated into a clash between the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Personnel. Li Chen visited the Ministry of Sect Affairs to see Lin Yue'e and investigate Wei Manying, but spotted a woman who resembled the Orchid Fairy.

• Lin Yue'e questioned Fang Qian and Xiao Ming, then had them taken to the County Yamen after hearing their accusations.
• The ministers of personnel and justice came to the County Yamen to collect Fang Qian and Xiao Ming, turning their dispute into a clash between the two ministries.
• Guo Poyun told Li Chen that men who met Wei Manying found her difficult to forget, especially younger men.
• Li Chen decided to visit Lin Yue'e at the Ministry of Sect Affairs before deciding what to do about Wei Manying.
• Li Chen toured the Ministry of Sect Affairs incognito, received a booklet from a staff member, and noticed a woman who resembled the Orchid Fairy.

Li Chen approached the Jade-Washing Fairy, the Guixu Boundless Sect’s Supreme Itinerant, despite warnings that she was a powerful hidden-sect cultivator. By claiming to be a friend of Jun Zhantian, he gained her courteous response, while she remained unaware that he was the emperor she had come to investigate.

• Li Chen and Guo Poyun noticed the Jade-Washing Fairy, whose presence and Guixu Boundless Sect token drew awe from nearby cultivators.
• A Ministry of Sect Affairs staff member identified her as the Guixu Boundless Sect’s Supreme Itinerant and warned Li Chen not to offend her.
• Li Chen ignored the warning, approached the Jade-Washing Fairy, and said he was a friend of Jun Zhantian.
• The Jade-Washing Fairy shook Li Chen’s hand, assuming he was the Divine Son of another hidden sect.
• The Jade-Washing Fairy had come to investigate Li Xian and had formed a poor impression of Li Chen from Li Xian’s accounts, though people in the capital praised the emperor.

The Jade-Washing Fairy invited Li Chen to discuss the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty’s Imperial House, while Guo Poyun waited at the Ministry of Sect Affairs for Li Chen to return. As Li Chen described the Sixth Prince in remarkable detail, the Jade-Washing Fairy suspected he might be Li Chen but dismissed the idea.

• The Jade-Washing Fairy invited Li Chen to a teahouse to ask about the Imperial House, and Guo Poyun stayed behind when Li Chen waved him off.
• Lin Yue'e met Guo Poyun at the Ministry of Sect Affairs, learned that Li Chen had come to see her, and arranged a place for Guo Poyun to wait.
• The Jade-Washing Fairy asked Li Chen about the sons of the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty's Previous Emperor.
• Li Chen briefly described the other princes, then spoke at length about the Sixth Prince, leaving the Jade-Washing Fairy to suspect he was Li Chen before she ruled it out.

Li Chen explained the Sixth Prince’s reputation to the Jade-Washing Fairy, confirmed that Li Xian was the Second Prince, and used their conversation about plants to grow closer to her. He invited her to Jiang Rong’s popular Nine Heavens Boiling Pavilion, where she experienced the lively hotpot restaurant for the first time.

• Li Chen argued that the Sixth Prince’s enemies had spread hostile accounts of him, and the Jade-Washing Fairy reconsidered what she had heard about Li Xian and Li Chen.
• The Jade-Washing Fairy asked about Imperial Clan tokens, and Li Chen’s descriptions confirmed that Li Xian was the Second Prince.
• Li Chen learned that the Jade-Washing Fairy liked plants and flowers, then discussed the subject with her using what he had learned in the Imperial Harem.
• Li Chen invited the Jade-Washing Fairy to dine at the Nine Heavens Boiling Pavilion, a hotpot restaurant founded by Jiang Rong that had expanded to more than twenty busy branches.
• Li Chen showed the Jade-Washing Fairy the restaurant’s spiritual-fire hotpots and sect plaques as she took in the enthusiastic crowd and unfamiliar dining customs.

Li Chen took Jade-Washing Fairy to a hotpot restaurant, where she sampled tea and tried spicy food for the first time. She discovered that the mala broth was both intensely hot and invigorating, while Li Chen watched her reaction and left his own food to cook longer.

• Li Chen ordered a private room, split mala and clear broths, and tea for himself and Jade-Washing Fairy.
• Jade-Washing Fairy assessed the tea and said it had been heated too much, making it overly astringent.
• Jade-Washing Fairy tried the mala broth, flushed from the spice, and drank chilled sour plum juice Li Chen had prepared.
• Jade-Washing Fairy preferred the mala broth to the clear broth and said its heat seemed beneficial to her meridians.
• Li Chen claimed he was letting his meat cook longer, though he was watching something else he wanted to eat.

Li Chen shared a meal with the Jade-Washing Fairy, charmed her with his attentiveness, and learned she had no cultivation partner. He openly expressed interest in her, and she rebuffed him because of their age difference, though Li Chen believed she still had reservations rather than rejecting him outright.

• The Jade-Washing Fairy enjoyed the spicy food Li Chen ordered and grew fond of him as a junior.
• Li Chen told the Jade-Washing Fairy about meeting Jun Zhantian at the Sword Debate Tournament and visiting the Guixu Boundless Sect.
• Li Chen asked whether the Jade-Washing Fairy had a cultivation partner, and she said she had none because she had devoted herself to cultivation.
• Li Chen declared that he had a chance with the Jade-Washing Fairy, who sensed that he was also in the Saint Realm.
• The Jade-Washing Fairy told Li Chen to treat his declaration as a joke and not bring it up again, citing his youth and her approaching Ascension.

Li Chen courted the Jade-Washing Fairy, who left their meeting considering him in a new light. He then returned to the Ministry of Sect Affairs, where Lin Yue'e reported on its progress and two clerks realized he was the emperor.

• Li Chen invited the Jade-Washing Fairy to his home, but she politely declined and said she had important business to attend to.
• Li Chen told the Jade-Washing Fairy he would visit her at the Guixu Boundless Sect, and they parted after a pleasant conversation.
• At the Ministry of Sect Affairs, Guo Poyun waited after hours because he was afraid to disobey Li Chen's orders.
• Li Chen returned to the Ministry, and Lin Yue'e bowed to him and reported that the department's preliminary regulations were drafted and the sects were cooperating.
• Two clerks saw Lin Yue'e's deference to Li Chen and privately concluded he was the emperor, then left without drawing attention.

Li Chen took Lin Yue'e and Guo Poyun to dinner, where Guo Poyun misread Li Chen's attentiveness to Lin Yue'e as a signal about her standing at court. After a spoiled young man caused trouble and left, the meal resumed until Imperial Guards arrived, suggesting the disturbance was not over.

• Li Chen invited Lin Yue'e and Guo Poyun to eat at the Nine Heavens Boiling Pavilion and attentively served Lin Yue'e, prompting Guo Poyun to reassess her importance to the emperor.
• A spoiled young man demanded the Heaven Number One private room and threatened the restaurant, but the manager's staff drove him and his men away.
• The manager apologized to Li Chen, Lin Yue'e, and Guo Poyun, offering them a free meal and a discount voucher.
• Li Chen refused Lin Yue'e's offer to deal with the troublemaker, and the three resumed their meal while discussing the restaurant's service.
• Imperial Guards arrived downstairs, and Li Chen remarked that someone appeared to have brought reinforcements.

Li Chen’s meal at the Nine Heavens Boiling Pavilion was interrupted when Li Zhao used a false accusation to send Imperial Guards to search the restaurant. The guards discovered the emperor in Heaven No. 1, and Li Chen ordered Li Zhao’s father to see him after Morning Court.

• Li Chen, Lin Yue'e, and Guo Poyun continued their hot pot meal while Imperial Guards gathered outside the restaurant.
• Li Zhao summoned the guards by accusing the restaurant of harboring Former Dynasty Remnants and ordered them to search Heaven No. 1.
• Li Zhao and commander Zhang Hu found Li Chen in the private room, and the Imperial Guards immediately knelt before the emperor.
• Li Chen questioned Li Zhao about calling him a Former Dynasty Remnant and told him to have his father, Li Sixing, come see him after Morning Court.
• Chu Ruoyan received news of the incident and learned that the restaurant manager belonged to the Chu Lineage.

Li Chen learned that Li Zhao had caused trouble at the hotpot restaurant and warned Li Sixing to discipline his son. After Li Chen ordered preparations for his visit to the Southern Kingdoms, the kingdoms publicized their loyalty as the contest between the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty and the Eternal Day Empire began, while someone in the Guixu Boundless Sect awaited his visit.

• Chu Ruoyan told Li Sining and Jiang Rong that an imperial clansman had caused trouble at their hotpot restaurant, but Li Chen stopped them and revealed that Li Zhao had ordered the Imperial Guards to arrest him.
• Li Sixing beat Li Zhao severely after learning that his son had offended Li Chen, and Li Zhao's mother joined in once she discovered who he had angered.
• After court, Li Sixing apologized to Li Chen, who warned him to prevent a repeat and tasked him with arranging the imperial visit to the Southern Kingdoms.
• The Southern Kingdoms began publicizing Li Chen's visit to demonstrate their loyalty to the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty as its contest with the Eternal Day Empire began.
• Someone in the Guixu Boundless Sect in the Eastern Region awaited Li Chen's visit.

The Jade-Washing Fairy expected an old friend to be Li Chen, but found Fairy Yunya instead, who teased her about having feelings for a man. As Fairy Yunya stayed to watch for the mystery lover, Li Xian saw a tall figure approaching the Deacon Hall.

• The Jade-Washing Fairy admitted Li Xian to the Guixu Boundless Sect and warned him not to offend Elder Xuanming.
• Li Xian told the Jade-Washing Fairy that an old friend was waiting in the side courtyard, making her suspect Li Chen had arrived.
• The Jade-Washing Fairy found Fairy Yunya in the courtyard, and Yunya teased her after noticing her disappointment and embarrassment.
• The Jade-Washing Fairy asked whether dual cultivation helped cultivation, prompting Fairy Yunya to suspect that someone had stirred her friend's heart.
• Fairy Yunya decided to stay at the sect to see the mystery lover, while Li Xian noticed a tall figure approaching the Deacon Hall.

Jun Zhantian returned to the Guixu Boundless Sect after gaining power and treasures in the Sea Clan, while the princess Ao Jiao who followed him found herself treated only as one of his admirers. In the Imperial Capital, Wei Manying and Lin Mo wondered why Imperial Guards had surrounded their hotpot restaurant and then left.

• Li Xian watched Jun Zhantian arrive and privately planned to exploit the Dragon Emperor's resurrection to pursue the Imperial Throne.
• Jun Zhantian ignored Li Xian, having recently survived dangerous encounters with the Sea Clan and gained treasures and strength.
• Ao Jiao recalled defying her people to help Jun Zhantian escape, then discovering that he kept her and other women at a distance.
• The Guixu Boundless Sect summoned Jun Zhantian to negotiate with the Sea Clan over treasures he had taken.
• Wei Manying asked Lin Mo whether Xiao Ming had arranged the Imperial Guards' raid, and Lin Mo said Xiao Ming lacked the influence to do so.
• Lin Mo told Wei Manying that the Hotpot Restaurant, also called Nine Heavens Boiling Pavilion, belonged to several palace consorts.

Wei Manying planned to use business connections and beautiful women to weaken the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty and eliminate Li Chen, while Lin Mo warned her that Li Ji was loyal to the emperor. Li Chen visited the Ministry of Personnel and discovered that Fang Qian worked there.

• Lin Mo suggested Wei Manying use her Shanghe City connections to franchise Jiang Rong and Li Sining’s shops and establish ties with the palace.
• Wei Manying and the Former Dynasty Remnants planned to kill Li Chen and considered making Li Ji a pawn in their effort to seize the throne.
• Wei Manying decided to send beautiful women to approach Li Chen and Li Ji while keeping Lin Mo devoted to her.
• Li Chen arrived at the Ministry of Personnel to investigate its dispute with the Ministry of Justice, and Fang Qian recognized him and knelt in greeting.

During an incognito inspection, Li Chen visited the Ministry of Personnel and Ministry of Justice, showing favor to Fang Qian and mediating a dispute between the ministries. He learned that Wei Manying headed a wealthy merchant family from Shanghe City and resolved to investigate her when he had the chance.

• Li Chen greeted Fang Qian at the Ministry of Personnel, praised his character, asked after his well-being, and raised the salaries of Fang Qian and his colleagues.
• Li Chen asked Fang Qian what he thought of Xiao Ming, and Fang Qian praised Xiao Ming despite their differences.
• Luo Hui hurried to greet Li Chen after learning the emperor had arrived, and Fang Qian's colleagues questioned him once Li Chen left.
• Li Chen went to the Ministry of Justice, where Pang Jin greeted him and explained that he and Luo Hui had both been defending their subordinates.
• Li Chen told Pang Jin to follow normal procedures in the dispute without going too far, then learned Wei Manying led a wealthy herbal-trading family from Shanghe City.

After settling the dispute between the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Personnel, Li Chen earned Pang Jin’s renewed loyalty. Li Xian’s plans against Li Chen suffered another setback, while Li Chen traveled to the Guixu Boundless Sect to pursue the Jade-Washing Fairy and make contact with the Hidden Sects.

• Pang Jin stopped the Ministry of Justice from continuing its dispute with the Ministry of Personnel, then resolved to work harder for Li Chen.
• Feng Wuhen told Li Xian that Li Chen had dug up the Dragon Emperor’s grave and claimed the Dragon Emperor’s treasure and Dragon Cavalry.
• Li Xian abandoned his Dragon Emperor plan and decided that joining the Guixu Boundless Sect still gave him a chance, then set out to visit Li Yu.
• Li Chen traveled to the Guixu Boundless Sect with Wu Nanzhi and Xuan Ji, intending to find the Jade-Washing Fairy and use Jun Zhantian as his pretext for visiting.

Li Chen entered the Guixu Boundless Sect hoping to meet the Jade-Washing Fairy, only to learn she had gone to the East Sea. Instead, he met her friend Fairy Yunya, who began testing whether he was a worthy prospective cultivation partner for her friend.

• Li Chen learned that Jun Zhantian and the Jade-Washing Fairy were away at the East Sea with the sect master.
• Li Chen met Fairy Yunya in the Jade-Washing Fairy's courtyard and said he was the Fairy's prospective cultivation partner.
• Fairy Yunya invited Li Chen for tea and questioned him about his relationship with the Jade-Washing Fairy and Jun Zhantian.
• Fairy Yunya tested Li Chen while they tended a Seven-Colored Flower, and he politely caught her when she pretended to stumble.
• Fairy Yunya offered Li Chen a Nine-Turn Meridian-Stabilizing Pill, but he refused it because he had not earned it, passing her second test.

Fairy Yunya tested Li Chen’s loyalty to her close friend Jade-Washing Fairy by tempting him, but he saw through her act and turned the test against her. After three days together, they agreed to keep the affair secret, and Li Chen demanded that Fairy Yunya accept two conditions in return.

• Fairy Yunya invited Li Chen to dinner, dressed provocatively, and pretended to be drunk to test whether he would take advantage of her.
• Li Chen recognized that Fairy Yunya was testing him, but took her to her room and overpowered her when she appeared defenseless.
• Fairy Yunya explained that she had only meant to test Li Chen, but he said he was testing her too and continued until noon the next day.
• Fairy Yunya worried that Jade-Washing Fairy would discover what happened, while Li Chen remained unconcerned and misunderstood her reproachful looks.
• Li Chen and Fairy Yunya spent three days together, then agreed to keep their affair secret; Li Chen asked her to meet two conditions in exchange.

Li Chen visited Jun Zhantian's residence and found Ao Jiao and the other Sea Clan women waiting for Jun to return. After learning they wanted to check on their families, he offered to take them back himself, leaving with all of them volunteering to go.

• Li Chen made Fairy Yunya accept his conditions, then left Jade-Washing Fairy's residence and followed the Tracking Stone to Jun Zhantian's courtyard.
• Wu Nanzhi welcomed Li Chen, and Xuan Ji introduced Ao Jiao and the other Sea Clan women as Jun Zhantian's confidantes.
• Ao Jiao told Li Chen that Jun Zhantian had gone to the East Sea and that she wanted to return home to learn whether her clan had been harmed.
• Li Chen offered to take Ao Jiao back, and the other Sea Clan women asked to go with him to visit their families.
• Li Chen agreed to take all the Sea Clan women and told them to leave their troubles to him.

Li Chen took Ao Jiao and the other Sea Clan women to the Heavenly Sound Retreat, where his thoughtful hospitality made them compare him favorably with Jun Zhantian. After spending the night with Wu Nanzhi, he found Ao Jiao and Po Xi both embarrassed and unusually attentive to him the next day.

• Li Chen questioned Ao Jiao and the others about how they had met Jun Zhantian and learned they had been drawn to his looks, strength, and attention.
• Li Chen brought the women to the Heavenly Sound Retreat and arranged for the hot springs to be filled with seawater.
• Li Chen prepared Wu Nanzhi's favorite foods at dinner, making the Sea Clan women envy their affectionate relationship.
• Ao Jiao confided to Po Xi that she feared her father would punish her mother for helping her run away.
• Ao Jiao and Po Xi listened through the night as Li Chen and Wu Nanzhi made noise next door, then woke late and avoided Li Chen's gaze.

Li Chen escorted Ao Jiao and the other Sea Clan women to the Jade Abyss Dragon Palace, earning their trust as they traveled through the deep sea. Ao Jiao’s brother accused Li Chen of luring her away and breaking into the palace treasury, despite her insistence that Li Chen was innocent.

• Li Chen treated Ao Jiao, Po Xi, and the other Sea Clan women kindly on their journey to the sea, and they grew fond of him.
• Li Chen joined the women in the deep sea, where Ao Jiao explained that the Sea Clan had attacked the Human Race to redirect fierce internal conflicts.
• Ao Jiao led Li Chen and the others through the deep sea to the Jade Abyss Dragon Palace, the Sea Clan’s imperial city.
• A dragon-horned commander recognized Ao Jiao and angrily confronted Li Chen, accusing him of leading his sister astray.
• Ao Jiao defended Li Chen and denied that he had entered the palace treasury, but her brother called Li Chen a coward who refused to admit what he had done.