Chapter Summaries

Li Chen flirted with Orchid Fairy in a restaurant, unaware that she had come to the Imperial Capital with Heaven-Topping High Person to attack him. When she revealed her Saint Realm power to discourage him, Li Chen answered with overwhelming might that left her shaken and intrigued.

• Wu Nanzhi told Li Chen to approach Orchid Fairy if he liked her, and he immediately left their table to chat with her.
• Li Chen introduced himself to Orchid Fairy and claimed Wu Nanzhi was his older sister, angering Wu Nanzhi.
• Orchid Fairy privately reflected that she and Heaven-Topping High Person had come to the Imperial Capital to attack Emperor Li Chen, while Li Chen unknowingly offered to help her with her business.
• Orchid Fairy released her Saint Realm aura to show Li Chen that an ordinary person could not help her, terrifying the restaurant patrons.
• Li Chen unleashed great dao immortal radiance and divine might, overwhelming Orchid Fairy and making her curious about him.

Li Chen displayed his saint realm strength at the Exotic Charm restaurant, where Orchid Fairy suspected he might be the emperor and secretly followed him to Prince Jing'an's Residence. At the banquet, Li Chen avoided greetings from his relatives by asking Pang Jin to report on his work, then noticed Prince Jing'an's ostracized son-in-law, Chen Xuannan.

• Li Chen and Orchid Fairy unleashed their auras at the Exotic Charm restaurant, making the other diners wary of them.
• Orchid Fairy wondered whether Li Chen was the saint realm emperor and decided to follow him to learn his identity.
• Li Chen left the restaurant with Wu Nanzhi, who threatened to tell his wife about their encounter, and he turned her threat into leverage by teasing her about their first meeting.
• Orchid Fairy followed Li Chen to Prince Jing'an's Residence and concluded that the imperial family might have another saint realm expert there.
• Li Chen arrived at the crowded banquet and asked Pang Jin to report on his work to avoid being interrupted by relatives greeting him.
• Li Chen and Pang Jin went to the rear garden, where Li Chen noticed the young imperial family members mocking and ostracizing Chen Xuannan, Prince Jing'an's live-in son-in-law.

At Prince Jing'an's birthday banquet, Chen Xuannan refused to explain why he had given medicinal herbs to Li Yang's injured horse, while Li Ling tried to shield him from her brother's anger. Li Chen's arrival defused the confrontation, and the chapter ended with Chen Xuannan resolving to help Li Ling pursue greater power as an important guest arrived at Cloud Deer Academy.

• Li Yang blamed Chen Xuannan when his horse stopped running, but Li Ling defended her husband and urged her brother to trust him.
• Chen Xuannan stayed silent because he had treated the horse's injury with medicinal herbs and knew the gathered nobles would not accept his explanation.
• Li Ling knelt to greet Emperor Li Chen, causing Li Yang and the others to abandon their confrontation with Chen Xuannan.
• Pang Jin explained that the horse was recovering from an injury, and Li Ling told Li Chen she hoped to distinguish herself at the approaching Spring Hunt.
• After Li Chen left, Chen Xuannan asked whether Li Ling wanted to become emperor; she warned him to keep such dangerous words private, while he resolved to help her.
• An important guest arrived at Cloud Deer Academy.

Heaven-Topping High Person secured Master Yu’s support for Li Xian’s planned attack at the Spring Hunt, while keeping his plans and allies secret. Xiao Ming and Lin Yue'e traced Li Xian to Cloud Deer Academy, identified his mysterious master as a likely Saint Realm threat, and Lin Yue'e went to warn the emperor.

• Heaven-Topping High Person persuaded Master Yu to support Li Xian, then kept the details of their agreement from his disciple.
• Heaven-Topping High Person rejected Orchid Fairy’s suggestion to recruit another Saint Realm cultivator and told her to stay inside until the operation.
• Xiao Ming used an investigation into the Second Prince to invite Lin Yue'e to a meal, where he revealed that Li Xian was hiding at the Entertainment Bureau.
• Lin Yue'e and Xiao Ming followed Li Xian to Cloud Deer Academy and saw him leave with a mysterious man whom he treated with great respect.
• Xiao Ming reasoned that the mysterious man was probably Li Xian’s Saint Realm master, and Lin Yue'e left to warn the emperor while Xiao Ming watched the inn.

At Prince Jing'an's birthday banquet, the Crown Princess asked Li Chen for refuge, but he ordered Pang Jin to investigate her residence instead. After Lin Yue'e reported a threat against him, Li Chen planned to go early to the Vast Wilderness Mountain Range to prepare an ambush, then Ji Lianyu and Chu Ruoyan arrived at his chambers.

• Pang Jin followed Li Chen around Prince Jing'an's birthday banquet, while Li Chen noticed the Crown Princess among the guests.
• The Crown Princess asked to stay temporarily in the Imperial Palace because of strange deaths and noises at her residence, but Li Chen ordered Pang Jin to investigate the Crown Prince's former residence and she left.
• Lin Yue'e reported her findings to Li Chen and advised him to avoid the dangerous Spring Hunt grounds.
• Li Chen decided to take Lin Yue'e to the Vast Wilderness Mountain Range the next day to prepare for an ambush against those plotting to attack him, and she eagerly accepted.
• Ji Lianyu visited Li Chen again, and Chu Ruoyan arrived afterward; Li Chen beckoned Chu Ruoyan to stay.

Lin Yue'e finished her investigation with Xiao Ming and prepared to accompany Li Chen on official business to the Wild Desolate Mountain Range. As several other figures set out there with their own plans, Li Chen and Lin Yue'e departed together to prepare for the Spring Hunt along a route of his choosing.

• Lin Yue'e returned to the inn and learned from Xiao Ming that the powerful person he was watching had not come out, then asked him to investigate the Second Prince while she was away.
• Chen Xuannan decided to go to the Vast Wilderness Mountain Range to secretly help Li Ling earn points in the Spring Hunt.
• Li Chen attended Morning Court, where officials reported on the Northern Expedition preparations and the Spring Examination arrangements.
• After leaving the Imperial Capital's Prison, Xu Zifeng met Ma Hei, visited his aunt, then followed the Second Prince toward the Wild Desolate Mountain Range.
• Li Chen met Lin Yue'e, brought a pouch of props he had refined, and headed with her to the Wild Desolate Mountain Range.

Xu Zifeng and Ma Hei followed the Second Prince through the Wild Desolate Mountain Range while Xiao Ming tracked the same party ahead of them. Meanwhile, Li Chen prepared powerful automatic formations along one of the Spring Hunt routes and returned to the Imperial Capital, leaving the Second Prince’s party still in the mountains.

• Ma Hei detected traces of another tracker while leading Xu Zifeng through the mountains, and Xiao Ming continued following the Second Prince under the Saint Remnant Soul’s guidance.
• The Second Prince’s party laid traps along the emperor’s planned routes, Xiao Ming marked their locations, and Xu Zifeng and Ma Hei placed counter-traps behind him.
• Li Chen chose the easiest of three Spring Hunt routes near Small Stone City and used automatic formation-setting stones to install three powerful formations.
• Li Chen explained the formations’ destructive, space-sealing effects to Lin Yue'e and promised to teach her cultivation.
• Li Chen and Lin Yue'e returned to the Imperial Capital before dark while the Second Prince’s party remained in the mountains.

Yun Shang weighed her ambitions after the crown prince’s death while Li Chen investigated the Second Prince’s master and his wife at an inn. After identifying the master’s wife, Li Chen chose to try to win her over, and Lin Yue'e agreed to help.

• Ji Lianyu worried that Xu Zifeng was safer in Prison, while Li Ling found that Chen Xuannan had left on business.
• Yun Shang reflected on her lost chance to become empress and considered backing Li Chen, while the Third Prince remained devoted to her.
• Li Chen and Lin Yue'e investigated an inn and learned that Heaven-Topping High Person had departed while his female companion remained.
• Lin Yue'e urged Li Chen to eliminate the woman, whom she suspected was the Second Prince’s master’s wife, but Li Chen planted a Recording Stone in her companion’s room instead.
• Li Chen told Lin Yue'e he planned to win the woman over, and she interpreted his plan as a way to recruit a powerful ally and prevent conflict.

Li Chen arranged a grand awakening ceremony for Li Sining after she became ready to awaken her talent. She manifested a lightning attribute and a hidden bone-eroding poison body, and the chapter ended when the Empress Dowager arrived and questioned why she had not been invited.

• Li Chen and Lin Yue'e staged a chance encounter with the Orchid Fairy at the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, where Li Chen introduced Lin Yue'e as his younger sister and openly admired the Orchid Fairy.
• Li Sining told Li Chen that her cultivation was ready for a talent awakening, and he arranged a grand ceremony for the following day.
• After Morning Court, Li Chen attended Li Sining's awakening ceremony at the Imperial Ancestral Hall with Chu Ruoyan and Consort Yi.
• Li Sining awakened a lightning attribute marked by a purple dragon on her forehead, while Li Chen noticed her concealed bone-eroding poison body.
• Li Sining celebrated with Li Chen, and Consort Yi tearfully embraced her daughter and thanked Li Chen.
• The Empress Dowager arrived and asked why no one had invited her to Li Sining's awakening ceremony.

The Empress Dowager visited the Ancestral Hall and proposed finding Li Sining a husband, but Li Chen privately revealed Li Sining’s extraordinary cultivation talent and persuaded her to invest in her future instead. The Empress Dowager agreed to help raise Li Sining, bringing her closer to Li Chen’s side.

• The Empress Dowager arrived at the Ancestral Hall and suggested that Li Sining meet her nephew as a marriage prospect.
• Li Chen pulled the Empress Dowager aside and asked whether she had noticed Li Sining’s cultivation talent.
• Li Chen explained that Li Sining had reached the late stage of the Meridian Opening Realm and awakened Heavenly Thunder Purple Lightning.
• Li Chen persuaded the Empress Dowager that marrying Li Sining off would let someone else benefit from her future achievements.
• The Empress Dowager agreed to invest in Li Sining and asked Li Chen to include her in similar opportunities.

Li Chen persuaded the Empress Dowager to let Li Sining remain unmarried in the Imperial Palace, where she could cultivate and build a relationship with her. After Zou Yi saw Li Sining and became determined to marry her, he set out to handle his family’s other business in the Imperial Capital and was beaten by the Heir of the Prince of the South.

• Li Chen promised the Empress Dowager cake, and she agreed to let Li Sining stay in the Imperial Palace rather than marry Zou Yi.
• The Empress Dowager told Zou Yi that he was not a suitable match for Li Sining, and he left relieved without having met the princess.
• Zou Yi saw Li Sining, learned she was the Ninth Princess, and rushed back to ask the Empress Dowager about marrying her, but she refused and left with Li Sining.
• A trusted palace maid slapped Zou Yi when he insulted her, and he apologized before leaving the Imperial Palace determined to pursue Li Sining.
• Zou Yi went to deliver his father's letter to the Jinan Bai's affairs overseer, but he and his four subordinates were beaten after failing to yield the road to the Heir of the Prince of the South.

Xu Zifeng and Xiao Ming fought without realizing their identities, while Zou Yi was beaten, collected a sealed coffin, and planned to earn merit by investigating the Prince of the South. Li Chen’s cake vanished before he could taste it, and Lin Yue'e praised Xiao Ming for bringing intelligence about the Second Prince’s traps.

• Xu Zifeng fought Xiao Ming in the forest until the Saint Remnant Soul raised Xiao Ming’s cultivation, forcing Xu Zifeng to flee.
• Zou Yi was beaten by Xu Zifeng, taken to Bai Medical Hall, and left with a sealed white jade coffin his father had stored there.
• Zou Yi decided to seek evidence of the Prince of the South’s rebellion so he could earn merit and ask to marry the Ninth Princess.
• The Empress Dowager, Li Sining, and Chu Ruoyan ate Li Chen’s cake, and Li Chen caught Chu Ruoyan when he returned to find it gone.
• Xiao Ming showed Lin Yue'e a map of the Second Prince’s traps, and she promised to report his contribution to Li Chen.

Li Chen visited Orchid Fairy at the inn while investigating Heaven-Topping High Person, but learned nothing useful from his Recording Stone. Heaven-Topping High Person explained his plan to control Li Chen during the Spring Hunt, while Li Chen remained unaware that crucial information would reach him the next night.

• Lin Yue'e reported that the Second Prince had returned, and Li Chen agreed to revisit the inn to investigate Heaven-Topping High Person.
• Li Chen found a White Jade Coffin being carried into the inn, then used a Recording Stone to retrieve sounds from another room.
• Li Chen invited Orchid Fairy to the Lantern Festival and showed his admiration, but she declined and made no progress with him.
• Heaven-Topping High Person told Orchid Fairy he had arranged the Heavenly Evolution God-Sealing Formation and planned to use a Soul-Controlling Needle to control Li Chen during the Spring Hunt.
• Heaven-Topping High Person described plans to raise Li Xian to the throne and prepare for the Third Prince, while Master Yu privately prepared escape routes.
• Li Chen returned to the Imperial Palace without useful intelligence, unaware that crucial information would come to him the next night.

Ji Lianyu secured Li Chen’s promise to give Xu Zifeng a chance if he proved himself, while rival princes and outside forces prepared for upheaval around the Spring Hunt. As the investigation into the Crown Prince’s death pointed toward the Empress Dowager and Li Yang, Pang Jin summoned Xiao Ming to discuss the case.

• Ji Lianyu urged Li Chen to spare Xu Zifeng, and Li Chen said Xu Zifeng would have to prove his worth before he could receive a chance.
• Xu Zifeng and Ma Hei planned to humiliate Li Chen and turn him against Li Xian during the Spring Hunt while they waited in the prison.
• At Green Mound City, Third Prince Li Yu received Minister of War Zou Chong, but neither man learned what the other intended.
• The Princess of the South read Ji Lianyu’s letter and felt relieved that Xu Zifeng was safe in the Imperial Capital as the Prince of the South prepared for war.
• Li Chen approved the crowded Spring Hunt roster, while Pang Jin’s investigation linked the Crown Prince’s death to the Empress Dowager and raised questions about Li Yang.
• Pang Jin summoned Xiao Ming after reviewing clues in the Crown Prince’s death investigation.

Xiao Ming was promoted to constable and began investigating the mysterious death of Fan Kuai, while Li Chen uncovered Heaven-Topping High Person’s plan and prepared to turn it against him at the Spring Hunt. The hunt began with Li Chen readying equipment and trusting Master Yu to choose his side when the confrontation came.

• Pang Jin promoted Xiao Ming to constable, gave him a dangerous assignment to investigate Li Yang and Fan Kuai, and warned him to keep the matter confidential.
• Xiao Ming visited Lin Yue'e, then tried to find a way into Prince Jing'an's Residence and left the Imperial Capital to investigate land seized by the prince's household.
• Xu Zifeng agreed to attend the Spring Hunt after Ji Lianyu told him to behave and perform well for a promised surprise.
• Li Chen and Lin Yue'e recorded Heaven-Topping High Person's plan and learned that Master Yu was involved and that Heaven-Topping High Person carried a Soul-Controlling Needle.
• Li Chen decided to use the Spring Hunt to counter Heaven-Topping High Person, told Lin Yue'e to prepare to arrest Li Xian's forces afterward, and collected equipment from the imperial vault.
• The Spring Hunt officially began the next day.

Li Chen began the Spring Hunt, addressed the assembled ministers, and chose the route that the Second Prince Li Xian had hoped he would take, despite Minister of Rites Yan Hai’s misgivings. As hostile factions waited in the mountains, Li Chen demonstrated his archery by killing a wolf demon and a falcon, leaving Xu Zifeng and Ma Hei astonished.

• Li Chen led the Spring Hunt procession to Small Stone City, where the Ministry of Rites explained the rules and released hundreds of marked Demon Beasts into the Wild Desolate Mountain Range.
• Li Chen urged the ministers to display their talents, and participants including Liu Hao and Li Ling rode into the mountains to hunt designated prey.
• Yan Hai presented Li Chen with a route map and watched anxiously as Li Chen chose the leftmost path, while Zhao Wenyuan relied on his concealed protector to guard against threats at the hunt.
• Li Chen rode into the forest and shot a fleeing wolf demon with a single arrow, impressing the ministers and Imperial Guards.
• Li Chen used a Meridian Art to shoot a falcon from the sky, and Xu Zifeng and Ma Hei watched in shock at his accuracy.

Li Chen led a hunt that exposed and destroyed the Second Prince’s traps before Heaven-Topping High Person trapped him in a formation. Li Chen broke free with his own formation and overwhelmed Heaven-Topping High Person, while Master Yu suddenly pledged loyalty to the emperor.

• Li Chen assigned hunting quests to the court officials, and Pang Jin repeatedly outshot Guo Poyun before letting the others claim prey.
• Li Chen sent Xu Zifeng to hunt near the Second Prince’s traps; Ma Hei destroyed the trap formations, and Xu Zifeng returned safely.
• Li Chen led the party through the Second Prince’s remaining traps, while Li Xian and Feng Wuhen watched their plans fail and Heaven-Topping High Person prepared his own formation.
• Heaven-Topping High Person activated the Heavenly Evolution God-Sealing Formation, but Li Chen countered with the Dragon Roar Violet Firmament Divine Formation and badly wounded him.
• Heaven-Topping High Person attacked with the Heavenly Evolution Heaven-Splitting Sword Art, but Li Chen’s dragon formation shattered his sword and sent him flying.
• When Heaven-Topping High Person called for help, Master Yu knelt before Li Chen, revealed himself as an inside man, and offered to kill the sect master.

Li Chen defeated Heaven-Topping High Person, Orchid Fairy, and Master Yu, killing Master Yu and capturing Heaven-Topping High Person while taking control of Orchid Fairy. After the Spring Hunt battle, Li Chen reflected on his strength and wondered which opponent to challenge next.

• Master Yu attacked Heaven-Topping High Person with Ink-Dyed Heaven and Earth, but Orchid Fairy shielded him with starry rivers and brought the clash to a draw.
• Li Chen told Yu Zhong he would not spare him, then unleashed golden power that overwhelmed all three Saint Realm experts and left them severely injured.
• Master Yu chose to die by rupturing his own meridians, and Li Chen reduced his body to ashes.
• Li Chen crippled Heaven-Topping High Person, took the Soul-Controlling Needle, and used it to control Orchid Fairy before sending her away and knocking Heaven-Topping High Person unconscious.
• Officials arrived as Li Chen ordered Heaven-Topping High Person taken to the Imperial Prison, and the Spring Hunt drew to a close.
• On the journey back, Li Chen considered his unused formations and defenses, judged that only an ascension-level expert might threaten him, and wondered whom to fight next.

Li Chen named the commanders and recruits for the Northern Expedition after defeating the Second Prince’s rebellion, while Xu Zifeng and Li Ling prepared to join the campaign. Li Xian fled with Feng Wuhen and plotted to claim his sect, as Li Chen returned to the capital and spent two days with Orchid Fairy.

• Li Chen appointed Guo Poyun Northern Expedition Marshal, Xu Zifeng Vanguard General, and Liu Hao Deputy Vanguard General.
• Li Ling asked to join the Northern Expedition, and Li Chen approved her appointment as a guard captain near the command tent; Chen Xuannan agreed to accompany her.
• Li Longyu objected to Li Ling going to war but eventually pretended to accept it, then gave Li Yang money to pursue a mine investment.
• Xu Zifeng told Ji Lianyu about his appointment and concluded that the Empress Dowager intended him to serve her interests in the Northern Expedition; Ma Hei agreed to follow him.
• Li Xian and Feng Wuhen fled and planned to hide near the sect while Li Xian sought to inherit it, unaware that Orchid Fairy was with Li Chen.
• Li Chen restored Orchid Fairy’s memories during their time together, then missed court for two days.

Li Chen held the Palace Examination, appointed the new Top Three, and punished officials tied to Second Prince Li Xian’s rebellion plot. Pang Jin’s purge continued at court, and he stepped forward to impeach someone else before the acting Minister of War could speak.

• After two days with Li Chen, Orchid Fairy met Li Sining and Chu Ruoyan in the palace and learned how they were connected to him.
• Li Chen questioned the new Top Three at the Palace Examination, praised their answers, and bestowed Spring Hunt game upon Zhang Gongquan.
• Minister of Revenue Liu Minghan assigned the three scholars official posts, including Zhang Gongquan’s appointment as a Hanlin Academy Compiler.
• Pang Jin accused Minister of Rites Yan Hai of involvement in Li Xian’s rebellion plot, and Li Chen stripped Yan Hai of his office but spared his life.
• Pang Jin impeached more officials, leading to several being arrested, then stepped forward again before the acting Minister of War could speak.