Chapter Summaries

At the Witch Gu Holy Land, the Yin-Yang Gu awakened and chose Li Chen as its master, prompting the Holy Lord to welcome him with a lavish banquet. Li Meng returned with the bracelet Li Chen wanted, and the two left together while the Holy Lord considered Li Chen a powerful patron for the holy land.

• The Yin-Yang Gu emerged from its cocoon and flew into Li Chen's palm, acknowledging him as its master.
• The Holy Lord gave the Yin-Yang Gu to Li Chen and hosted a welcoming banquet, while Ma Hei explained Li Chen's identity to Ma Bu.
• Yangci Daoist enthusiastically sampled the insect dishes at the banquet, surprising Zhu Zhuying.
• Li Meng returned with the silver bracelet for Li Chen, spilled wine on him, and agreed to show him the way to change clothes.
• The Holy Lord saw Li Chen's bond with Li Meng as a chance to secure support for the holy land, while Ma Bu stopped Chi Chuan from getting up.

Li Chen took Li Meng to a secluded flower garden, where they grew closer after she explained that accepting her silver bracelet made him hers. He promised to protect her and hold a flower festival for her in the Imperial Capital, leaving the pair sharing a tender moment beneath the moonlight.

• Ma Bu prevented Chi Chuan from causing trouble, while Zhu Zhuying considered befriending Li Meng to build connections in the imperial harem.
• Li Chen followed Li Meng to her favorite secluded spot behind the holy land, where she told him she had sneaked there as a child to watch fireflies.
• Li Meng said that accepting her silver bracelet meant Li Chen was hers, and Li Chen kissed her after she nervously pecked his cheek.
• Li Meng showed Li Chen the Moon-Viewing Gu Flowers, and he promised to hold a flower festival for her and let her bring her pet spider to the Imperial Capital.
• Li Meng embraced Li Chen and hummed a love song as they stood together beneath the moonlight.

After Li Chen left the Witch Gu Holy Land, the Holy Lord’s deference showed how his strength protected him from trouble. In the Imperial Capital, Xu Zifeng reunited with Li Meng and Ma Hei, who were preparing to introduce Southern Borderlands specialties and Gu insects to the Central Plains.

• The Holy Lord personally escorted Li Chen beyond the Holy Land’s mountain gate, while Chi Chuan’s father and Ma Bu kept Chi Chuan locked in seclusion to prevent him from offending Li Chen.
• Chi Chuan’s father ordered him to remain in seclusion until he reached the Heavenly Abyss Realm, leaving Chi Chuan unaware that Li Meng’s affection belonged to another man.
• Xu Zifeng grew worried when Ma Hei failed to return, but Yun Xu told him that Ma Hei was carrying out a secret order from His Majesty.
• After the army reached the Imperial Capital, Xu Zifeng reassured his mother and aunt, then went to Ma Hei’s residence.
• Xu Zifeng found Li Meng tending plants and learned she had come to promote the Insect Feast and cooperation in raising Gu insects.
• Li Meng showed Xu Zifeng cages of venomous insects, and Ma Hei returned to the courtyard.

Xu Zifeng invited Ma Hei’s Gu Cultivators and Li Meng to a banquet, hoping to help with their plans through his court connections. He then invited Xiao Ming and Liu Hao, while Xiao Ming looked forward to getting closer to Wei Manying without Fang Qian interfering.

• Xu Zifeng offered to invite Wu Qi to dinner to help Ma Hei and the Gu Cultivators with their military screening.
• Li Meng declined Xu Zifeng’s offer to help promote her Insect Feast through his contacts, explaining that she was already speaking with the Myriad Treasures Chamber of Commerce, but accepted his invitation to the banquet.
• Xu Zifeng went to the Ministry of War to find Wu Qi and learned that he was at the nearby Pureheart Teahouse.
• At the teahouse, Xu Zifeng heard Xiao Ming complain about Fang Qian and invited Xiao Ming and Liu Hao to the banquet at the Prince of the South’s Residence.
• Xiao Ming accepted, hoping the banquet would give him a chance to grow closer to Wei Manying without Fang Qian showing up.

Xu Zifeng gathered nobles and officials for a banquet, where Wei Manying and Li Meng drew the guests’ attention in very different ways. Wei Manying left early with Xiao Ming, just before the arrival of a powerful figure who made everyone stand.

• Xu Zifeng invited Liu Hao, Li Ji, and Wu Qi to his banquet, but Lin Yue'e and Lin Mo were unavailable.
• Xu Zifeng hosted a crowded banquet at the Prince of the South's Residence, where Li Ji, Wu Qi, and Liu Hao arrived first.
• Xiao Ming arrived with Wei Manying, who charmed the guests with her impeccable manners.
• Li Meng arrived with Ma Hei, and the guests flocked to her; Xiao Ming briefly abandoned Wei Manying's side before Xu Zifeng kicked him under the table.
• Wei Manying left early, and Xiao Ming went with her; another guest then arrived, prompting everyone to stand.

Li Chen arrived at Xu Zifeng’s banquet incognito, and the officials realized he was the emperor while Li Meng greeted him as her big brother. To delight Li Meng, Li Chen declared that a Ten Thousand Flowers Festival would take place the day after tomorrow and promised to make her an honored guest.

• Li Chen arrived at Xu Zifeng’s banquet and silenced Li Ji before introducing himself as Li Chen of the Myriad Treasures Chamber of Commerce.
• Li Meng greeted Li Chen affectionately, and the officials inferred that she was close to the emperor.
• Li Chen took the seat beside Li Meng, while Li Ji, Wu Qi, Liu Hao, and the others treated him with great respect.
• Li Meng told Li Chen about her trip to the capital and worried about meeting President Jiang to discuss selling Southern Borderlands handicrafts.
• When Li Meng asked about the flower festival, Li Chen prompted Li Ji to announce a Ten Thousand Flowers Festival for the day after tomorrow.
• Li Chen promised to take Li Meng to the festival and make her an honored guest.

Li Meng secured favorable support for her Southern Borderlands business from Jiang Rong while believing the upcoming Ten Thousand Flowers Festival was a longstanding tradition, unaware Li Chen had created it for her. Elsewhere, Charles Stan went to answer the Pope’s summons, Zhao Jing failed to meet Jiang Rong, and Li Meng prepared for the festival.

• Li Chen arranged for the Ten Thousand Flowers Festival to be established for Li Meng, who still believed it was a traditional celebration.
• Li Meng met Jiang Rong, who offered generous terms for promoting Southern Borderlands goods and gave her a silver hairpin.
• Li Chen returned to the Imperial Study and read rumors accusing him of colluding with Charles Stan.
• Charles Stan received the Pope’s summons and prepared to go to the Holy Hall to defend himself.
• Zhao Jing was refused an appointment with Jiang Rong, then returned to his inn and ordered his attendants to keep a low profile.
• Li Meng happily chose a dress for the festival, unaware of the truth about its origins.

The Ten Thousand Flowers Festival drew crowds and boosted Imperial Capital trade, while Li Chen met Zhao Jing and promised to introduce him to Chairman Jiang. Li Chen then brought exquisite earrings to Li Meng as she prepared to attend the festival, leaving her amazed by the gift.

• The Ten Thousand Flowers Festival filled the Imperial Capital with visitors, and Liu Minghan saw that its commercial tax revenue had already surpassed its preparation costs.
• Li Chen declined Zhao Jing’s Luminous Pearl and promised to put in a word with Chairman Jiang after the festival.
• Zhao Jing guessed that Li Chen was the scion of a powerful noble family and arranged to meet him at the Myriad Treasures Chamber of Commerce.
• Li Chen arrived at Ma Hei’s residence and found Li Meng dressed in elaborate Southern Borderlands festival attire.
• Li Chen presented Li Meng with the Starry Expanse earrings, and she stared at them in astonishment.

Li Chen revealed to Li Meng that he was the Emperor of the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty and welcomed her into the Imperial Palace. Their flower festival date was interrupted by urgent news of unusual troop movements by the Eternal Day Empire.

• Li Chen gave Li Meng precious earrings, and the two explored the flower festival while Li Ji and covert guards kept watch.
• Li Chen led Li Meng to the Imperial City, where the Imperial Clan and officials knelt and greeted him as Your Majesty.
• Li Meng realized Li Chen was the emperor, and Jiang Rong welcomed her as family.
• Li Chen showed Li Meng the Imperial Garden, and Jiang Rong said Rosy Clouds Palace had been prepared for her.
• Eunuch Cui told Li Chen that Yun Xu had sent urgent military intelligence about unusual troop movements by the Eternal Day Empire.

After learning the Eternal Day Empire was moving troops, Li Chen ordered a plan to make its Pope suspect Emperor Charles Stan of colluding with the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty. He also invited the Southern Kingdoms' rulers to the Ten Thousand Flowers Festival, and the King of Tasha rushed to prepare for the journey.

• Li Chen sent Li Meng to Rosy Clouds Palace with Jiang Rong, then read Yun Xu's report that the Eternal Day Empire was deploying troops.
• Li Chen ordered Yun Xu to follow the contingency plan and the Ministry of Rites to invite the Southern Kingdoms' emperors to the festival.
• Li Chen told Guo Poyun and the Minister of War to stage a show of cooperation with Charles Stan, deepening the Pope's suspicion that Charles was secretly allied with Li Chen.
• Guo Poyun agreed to direct Yun Xu to make the military display grand while keeping the fighting controlled, and the Minister of War planned to let visiting rulers discover supposed evidence of collusion.
• After the invitation spread across the continent, the King of Tasha hurried to prepare to attend the festival himself.

The Southern Kingdoms’ rulers rushed to Heavenly Strategy’s Imperial Capital for the Ten Thousand Flowers Festival, hoping to secure Li Chen’s favor as political alliances shifted. Li Chen appointed Yangci Daoist to a minor job caring for imperial horses, and Yangci mistook the assignment for profound spiritual guidance.

• The kings of Hundred Brahma and Starfall hurried to the Imperial Capital, joining other rulers who competed to bring gifts and gain an audience with Li Chen.
• The Ministry of War planned to spread evidence of Charles’s supposed collusion, while envoys urged their kings to attend the festival and choose a side.
• Li Chen asked Zhao Wenyuan and Luo Hui to find Yangci Daoist a low-ranking, well-paid position and approved a deputy superintendent post at the Imperial Stud.
• Yangci Daoist received the appointment and concluded that tending imperial horses was Li Chen’s lesson in mastering himself and understanding the great Dao.

Yangci Daoist settled into his new post at the Imperial Stud, while Li Chen met Zhao Jing and offered to help him bring his clan’s mineral resources into use. The conversation opened a path toward supplying iron for Li Chen’s planned railways across the Southern Kingdoms.

• Yangci Daoist studied and groomed the imperial horses, drawing cultivation insights from their movements and leaving Luo Hui puzzled.
• Zhao Wenyuan told Luo Hui that Yangci Daoist seemed well suited to his post and needed no assistant.
• Li Chen met Zhao Jing at the Drunken Immortal Tower and explained that Jiang Rong was unavailable to receive him.
• Zhao Jing showed Li Chen a map of his clan’s mineral deposits, including a high-quality iron mine in the Starfall Kingdom.
• Li Chen told Zhao Jing to provide an address so someone could meet him in a few days, then encouraged him to visit the Ten Thousand Flowers Festival.

Zhao Jing and the kings of the Southern Kingdoms were summoned to the Imperial Palace, where they discovered that Young Master Li was Emperor Li Chen. Li Chen welcomed them and asked what they thought of Heavenly Strategy’s Railway Train.

• Zhao Jing sent for his family’s mine ledgers after deciding that Li Chen’s promise could bring the Zhao family great fortune.
• Three days later, imperial guards summoned Zhao Jing to the palace, where he joined more than a dozen kings of the Southern Kingdoms, including Dai Xiaoyao.
• The kings and Zhao Jing marveled at the Heavenly Strategy Imperial Guards, the jade Path to the Clouds, and the imposing palace as they were led toward the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
• Li Chen appeared on the Dragon Throne, and Zhao Jing recognized him as the Young Master Li he had met at the Drunken Immortal Tower.
• The kings and Zhao Jing knelt to pay their respects, and Li Chen asked what they thought of the Railway Train.

Li Chen won the Southern kings’ support for building a Southland Railway, and Dai Xiaoyao and Zhao Jing gained prominent places at his banquet. After the banquet, Dai Xiaoyao went to a private residence near the Imperial Palace.

• Dai Xiaoyao and the other kings pledged iron, minerals, and labor to support Li Chen’s railway plan, while Zhao Jing offered the Zhao Trading House’s mineral holdings.
• Li Chen ordered the Ministry of Works to prepare a detailed railway plan and invited the kings to a banquet at the Jade Radiance Pavilion.
• Li Chen seated Dai Xiaoyao and Zhao Jing beside the place of honor, and Dai Xiaoyao flattered him while Zhao Jing promised to help with the railway project.
• After Li Chen left the banquet, Dai Xiaoyao told the other kings he had once met Li Chen while studying in Heavenly Strategy, keeping his mother’s place in the imperial harem secret.
• After the banquet, Dai Xiaoyao quietly went to a private residence near the Imperial Palace.

Dai Xiaoyao met with his mother, who urged him to stay close to Li Chen, then reunited with Tang Shan in the Imperial Capital. Each man saw a chance to advance his own interests, and they agreed to travel together to Greenwood Village and the Starfall Kingdom.

• Dai Xiaoyao's mother told him that Heavenly Strategy was stronger than he realized and advised him to cling to Li Chen's support.
• Dai Xiaoyao recalled how he had become king of the Starfall Kingdom and praised Li Chen as a true sovereign.
• Dai Xiaoyao ran into Tang Shan, who revealed that he had built a business and following in the Imperial Capital.
• Tang Shan asked Dai Xiaoyao to introduce him to high-ranking officials, while Dai Xiaoyao secretly considered using Tang Shan's mother to gain Li Chen's favor.
• Tang Shan told Dai Xiaoyao that his mother lived in Greenwood Village, and the two agreed to travel there together before visiting the Starfall Kingdom.

Li Chen brought Li Meng to meet the Empress Dowager, who welcomed the new consort warmly before asking Li Meng to leave so she could speak privately with him. The Empress Dowager tried on clothes she had sewn for Li Chen, and their intimate moment was interrupted by approaching footsteps.

• Li Chen took Li Meng to the Imperial Garden, where Jiang Rong had arranged rare flowers for her.
• Li Chen introduced Li Meng to the Empress Dowager, who welcomed her and gave her jade bangles after Li Meng candidly praised her beauty.
• The Empress Dowager sent Li Meng away and dismissed the maids before showing Li Chen the sleeping robes and undershirts she had made for him.
• Li Chen tried on a sleeping robe while the Empress Dowager adjusted it, and she grew flustered after touching his back and abdomen.
• Footsteps sounded outside just as the Empress Dowager was about to discuss altering the robe.

The Empress Dowager tried to explain her growing closeness to Li Chen as a way to secure her position, but she remained unsure of her own feelings. At the cultivation grounds, Li Chen checked on Li Sining, demonstrated his immense power, and received a new mission to explore immortal ruins.

• The Empress Dowager asked Li Chen to visit again for clothing alterations, then privately wondered whether she was convincing her maid or herself that her gestures were political.
• Li Chen met Li Sining at the Imperial cultivation grounds and learned she had reached the middle stage of the Void-Insight Realm.
• Li Chen warned Li Sining to prepare for the Imperial Clan's Grand Competition in three months and demonstrated his power by making the grounds' spiritual energy and restrictions tremble.
• Li Chen gave Li Sining miraculous pills and medicines, then received rewards for completing the Yin-Yang Gu mission and a new mission to explore the Fallen Immortal Mountain Range.

Li Chen spent the night with a gathering of consorts, then appeared sleepy at Morning Court. His officials mistook his dark circles for proof of tireless work and launched a court-wide push for diligent governance.

• Li Chen reassured Li Sining that she could cultivate at her own pace because he would protect her.
• Li Chen summoned Orchid Fairy, Jiang Rong, Jiang Ningyue, Xie Minjun, and many other consorts to the Bedchamber Palace.
• The consorts attended to Li Chen through the night, leaving him sleepy at Morning Court.
• Guo Poyun, Luo Hui, and Zhao Wenyuan praised Li Chen's supposed devotion to governing and proposed recording it in the histories.
• Officials across Heavenly Strategy began rotating shifts and clearing backlogged files after mistaking Li Chen's exhaustion for overwork.

Dai Xiaoyao visited Tang Shan’s mother in Greenwood Village and grew determined to uncover why she remained there, hoping to bring Li Chen to meet her. Meanwhile, Tang Shan secretly planned to use Dai Xiaoyao’s status to help the Wang Family remnants rebuild in the Starfall Empire.

• Li Chen introduced overtime pay for officials, prompting the younger officials to work eagerly at the County Yamen.
• Dai Xiaoyao accompanied Tang Shan to Greenwood Village, met Tang Shan’s mother, and learned she refused to move to the Imperial Capital.
• Dai Xiaoyao noticed Tang Shan’s mother could locate spiritual plants and that fierce beasts treated her with unusual fear and respect.
• Dai Xiaoyao questioned Tang Shan’s mother about her difficulties, but she refused to discuss the past, so he decided to invite Li Chen to visit her.
• Tang Shan went to contact the Wang Family remnants and planned to use Dai Xiaoyao’s influence to help them relocate and regain power.

Dai Xiaoyao returned to the Starfall Kingdom as Li Chen’s plan spread suspicions that Charles was colluding with the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty. The Pope prepared to investigate Charles, while Chet and Li Xian plotted to remove him, but Li Xian questioned why they could not target Li Chen instead.

• Dai Xiaoyao and Tang Shan left Greenwood Village for the Starfall Kingdom, while the Southern Kingdoms’ rulers returned home and spread rumors about Li Chen and Charles.
• Yun Xu carried out Li Chen’s plan to coordinate the Southern Army’s movements with the Eternal Day Empire, deepening suspicion among the Southern Kingdoms.
• The Pope demanded to inspect Charles’s military orders, and Charles suspected Chet of engineering the rumors before considering how to replace the Pope.
• The Pope ordered surveillance of the Imperial House, a search for Chet, and preparations for a Cardinal Meeting.
• Chet celebrated the growing pressure on Charles, but Li Xian warned that Charles had to die before Chet could claim the throne.
• Chet asked why Li Xian could not deal with Li Chen, leaving Li Xian privately baffled at the suggestion.