Chapter Summaries

Zhou Ling introduced Xu Qingxiao to his senior fellow disciple, Chen Xinghe, and explained how the Prefectural Examination would change under the new reign. Meanwhile, Cheng Lidong’s men copied Xu Qingxiao’s unfamiliar writing, leaving Cheng curious about its meaning as he continued the hunt.

• Zhou Ling introduced Xu Qingxiao to Chen Xinghe and told them that every Prefectural Examination paper would go to the Grand Academy for review, with the top essays submitted to Her Majesty.
• Chen Xinghe learned that Xu Qingxiao had studied for only three or four days and planned to enter a rank before the examination, while Zhou Ling dismissed his boast with an unbothered “Oh.”
• Cheng Lidong told his men that he had requested an expert from the Prefectural authorities and ordered them to keep watch on Xu Qingxiao.
• One of Cheng Lidong’s men delivered a copy of Xu Qingxiao’s strange writing, and Cheng copied the unfamiliar characters onto the ground before leading his men away.

Xu Qingxiao spent ten days studying and improving his handwriting at Zhou Ling’s home as he prepared for the Southern Yu Prefectural Examination. Zhou Ling predicted five possible exam topics and explained their political context before Lord Cheng of Southern Yu Prefecture summoned Xu Qingxiao, leaving his studies interrupted.

• Xu Qingxiao practiced his handwriting and studied while Chen Xinghe wrote essays for Zhou Ling to review.
• Zhou Ling told Xu Qingxiao and Chen Xinghe that the examination would likely cover stabilizing the nation, revitalizing the nation, vassal kings, the frontier, or demons.
• Zhou Ling explained why stabilizing the nation was his leading prediction, given the Female Emperor’s accession and the requirement to submit examination essays to the Capital.
• Zhou Ling named revitalizing the nation as his backup topic and outlined why the depleted treasury made it important.
• A caller announced that Lord Cheng of Southern Yu Prefecture requested Xu Qingxiao’s presence.

Xu Qingxiao was summoned by Cheng Lidong and went to the Ping'an County Yamen with Chen Xinghe, who defended his junior brother from the constables. Cheng Lidong questioned Xu Qingxiao about the fugitive, and Xu Qingxiao concealed what he knew before revealing that he had become Zhou's disciple and planned to sit the Prefectural Examination.

• Hooked-Nose summoned Xu Qingxiao to meet Cheng Lidong, and Chen Xinghe insisted on accompanying him despite Xu Qingxiao's concerns.
• Zhou Ling warned the constables to treat Xu Qingxiao carefully by mentioning Master Xu Qing.
• At the yamen, County Magistrate Li praised Chen Xinghe as Suicheng County's foremost talent.
• Cheng Lidong asked Xu Qingxiao whether the fugitive had done anything or taken anything from the Document Archive, and Xu Qingxiao claimed he knew nothing because he had fainted.
• Xu Qingxiao told County Magistrate Li that Zhou had accepted him as a disciple and that he planned to sit the Prefectural Examination, stunning the assembled runners and constables.

Xu Qingxiao announced that he would take the Prefectural Examination, then learned Cheng Lidong had searched his home and met the fugitive, Wu Yan. Wu Yan gave him five days to leave Ping'an County before he moved against Cheng Lidong, and Xu Qingxiao began preparing to depart.

• Chen Xinghe confirmed Xu Qingxiao had the aptitude to take the Prefectural Examination, and County Magistrate Li gave him twenty taels for travel expenses.
• Xu Qingxiao found evidence that someone had tampered with his door lock and realized Cheng Lidong was watching him.
• Wu Yan visited Xu Qingxiao, asked about the hidden item, and told him to leave Ping'an County within five days so he could attack Cheng Lidong without implicating him.
• Xu Qingxiao packed his belongings and left his key and fifty taels for Doctor Zhao at the medicine shop.
• Cheng Lidong concluded that Xu Qingxiao had practiced an unorthodox art, alarming Hooked-Nose.

Cheng Lidong arranged to have Xu Qingxiao escorted to Southern Yu Prefecture for a Confucian scholar to examine, while Zhou Ling and Chen Xinghe discussed the danger of Xu’s suspected practice of an unorthodox art. That night, Zhou Ling reassured Xu and offered to bestow a courtesy name, and Xu knelt to accept.

• Cheng Lidong ordered men to watch Xu Qingxiao and escort him to Southern Yu Prefecture, where a Confucian scholar could test him for demonic nature.
• Xu Qingxiao told Zhou Ling and Chen Xinghe how he had recovered from Netherworld Poison, while concealing that he had practiced an unorthodox art.
• Zhou Ling explained the severe penalties for unorthodox arts and proposed that Xu pass the Prefectural Examination or be examined by a Sixth-Rank Orthodox Confucian.
• Xu Qingxiao worried that his secret could bring harm to Zhou Ling and Chen Xinghe, and considered leaving for Southern Yu Prefecture alone.
• Zhou Ling visited Xu late at night, affirmed his faith in him, and asked whether he would accept a courtesy name.
• Xu Qingxiao knelt before Zhou Ling and asked his teacher to bestow the name.

Xu Qingxiao received the courtesy name Shouren from Zhou Ling, studied and trained while preparing to leave Ping'an County, and set out with Chen Xinghe for Southern Yu Prefecture. The two began their five-day journey under escort from Cheng Lidong's constables.

• Zhou Ling gave Xu Qingxiao the courtesy name Shouren and advised him to focus on reading and leave other matters for later.
• Xu Qingxiao practiced writing Shouren through the night, trained with the Golden Crow Body Tempering Art, and chose to delay condensing his veins until he reached Southern Yu Prefecture.
• Xu Qingxiao questioned Chen Xinghe about Sage Zhu's Treatise on Human Desires and the schools of thought among scholars, then resolved to avoid ideological disputes.
• Cheng Lidong's constables offered to escort Xu Qingxiao and Chen Xinghe to Southern Yu Prefecture, and the two accepted.
• On the thirtieth day of the fourth month, Xu Qingxiao and Chen Xinghe said farewell to Zhou Ling and Wu and departed by carriage with the constables.

Cheng Lidong tried to persuade Wu Yan to cooperate in finding the Martial Emperor's Legacy Treasure, but Wu Yan used the negotiations to attack him and unleash netherworld cold poison. Cheng Lidong survived, identified Xu Qingxiao as the person behind the attempt on his life, and collapsed after learning a clue about the treasure.

• Cheng Lidong offered Wu Yan a share of the Martial Emperor's Legacy Treasure and agreed to his demands, including obtaining an Exquisite Seven-Orifice Pill within three years.
• Wu Yan revealed that the treasure required yin-yang power to open and contained the Pill Deity Ancient Scripture, then attacked Cheng Lidong while explaining yin-yang power.
• Cheng Lidong overpowered Wu Yan and pinned him to a tree stump, demanding the full details of the treasure.
• Wu Yan released netherworld cold poison through his wound, poisoning Cheng Lidong before dying.
• Cheng Lidong cut open his wrists to drain the poison, deduced that Xu Qingxiao had ordered his death, and collapsed.

On the road to Southern Yu Prefecture, Xu Qingxiao learned that a demon was causing trouble near the prefectural capital and heard about the powerful new Embroidered Guard. When his Righteous Haoran Qi revealed that the cooling tea had been tampered with, he stopped the others from drinking and entered the tea stall to investigate.

• Yang Bao and Yang Hu stopped at a deserted tea stall, where the owner said a man-eating demon had prompted the prefectural authorities to warn travelers.
• Xu Qingxiao read the notice and learned from the Yang brothers about the Embroidered Guard, an imperial organization with authority to execute first and report afterward.
• Xu Qingxiao saw a faint white mist rising from the cooling tea after his Righteous Haoran Qi surged, and he knocked the bowls from Yang Bao's and Yang Hu's hands.
• Xu Qingxiao told Yang Bao to watch the old owner and Yang Hu to protect Chen Xinghe, then entered the tea stall alone to investigate.

Xu Qingxiao discovered that the tea at a roadside stall had been tainted by a secret art and questioned the frightened shopkeeper. After the group left with samples of the tea, Xu Qingxiao advised them to report the danger rather than risk luring the hidden culprit out themselves.

• Xu Qingxiao found a green glow over the tea in the stall's vats and took two waterskins of it as evidence.
• Xu Qingxiao startled the apparently unconscious shopkeeper into waking, then questioned him about when the tea was brewed and who had visited.
• Xu Qingxiao ordered Yang Bao and Yang Hu to destroy the tainted tea vats and gave the shopkeeper silver for the damage.
• On the road, Chen Xinghe warned Xu Qingxiao against risking himself, while Xu Qingxiao falsely explained that his knowledge of medicine had revealed the poison.
• Yang Bao proposed pretending to be poisoned to draw out the culprit, but Xu Qingxiao rejected the plan and urged the group to report the evidence to the prefectural office.
• Xu Qingxiao told Yang Bao and Yang Hu to recover the cost of the vats from the authorities, and Yang Bao returned the silver he had offered.

Xu Qingxiao arrived in Southern Yu Prefecture with Chen Xinghe and the Yang brothers, who warned him about demons outside the city. At the inn, Chen Xinghe ran into Wang Ru, who invited them to a banquet hosted by Li Xin that evening.

• Yang Bao and Yang Hu praised Xu Qingxiao's fair conduct and offered to treat him to Wenwu Tower, but Chen Xinghe reminded them that the Prefectural Examination was their priority.
• Xu Qingxiao and Chen Xinghe entered Southern Yu Prefecture, where Yang Bao warned Xu Qingxiao that demons had appeared outside the city and a night curfew might soon begin.
• Yang Bao and Yang Hu booked rooms for Xu Qingxiao and Chen Xinghe at an inn, then left for the Prefectural Yamen.
• Wang Ru recognized Chen Xinghe at the inn and invited him and Xu Qingxiao to a grand banquet hosted by Li Xin that evening.
• Chen Xinghe told Xu Qingxiao that Li Xin was the Prefectural Lord's son and assured him they would both attend the banquet.

Xu Qingxiao prepared for a banquet at Bright Mind Studio, hoping to build connections in Southern Yu Prefecture while planning to study and leave after the Prefectural Examination. He charmed several scholars with lavish compliments, and Wang Ru ended the chapter asking whether Xu Qingxiao's teacher or senior brother had praised him too.

• Xu Qingxiao practiced the Golden Crow Body Tempering Art and planned to read more before leaving Southern Yu Prefecture under an assumed identity.
• Xu Qingxiao changed into elegant clothes prepared by Chen Xinghe and went with Wang Ru to the banquet at Bright Mind Studio.
• Wang Ru advised Xu Qingxiao to think before speaking and to make connections with Southern Yu Prefecture's influential guests.
• Xu Qingxiao praised Zhao Zhiyuan, Lin Ning, and Wang Zhao, winning their goodwill.
• Wang Ru asked Xu Qingxiao whether his teacher or senior brother had ever praised him.

Xu Qingxiao won over the scholars at the banquet with his praise and social tact, then learned that the Prefectural Lord had predicted a topic for the upcoming examination. The chapter ended with Li Xin unveiling the predicted topic: “Secure the Nation.”

• Xu Qingxiao praised the scholars he met, quickly making friends and earning invitations from many of them.
• Xu Qingxiao declined offers to sit with others and stayed with Wang Ru, who appreciated his consideration.
• Xu Qingxiao and Wang Ru watched the banquet performances and toasted Li Xin, the Prefectural Lord’s eldest son.
• Li Xin explained that his father had consulted Confucian masters to predict the upcoming Prefectural Examination topic.
• Li Xin had servants unveil a sheet bearing the predicted topic, “Secure the Nation.”

At Li Xin’s banquet, the scholars debated the predicted Prefectural Examination topic, “Secure the Nation,” while Xu Qingxiao privately concluded that it concerned the people’s livelihoods and economy rather than foreign warfare. As the gathering turned to anger at the northern barbarians, a guest singled Xu Qingxiao out and asked him to compose a poem, leaving him stunned and unwilling.

• Li Xin revealed the predicted topic, “Secure the Nation,” and invited the scholars to discuss it.
• Young Master Xun argued that securing the nation meant dealing with the northern barbarians, and the other guests largely agreed.
• Xu Qingxiao calmed the guests when their complaints about the emperor grew reckless, then privately reasoned that the topic should focus on domestic stability and the people’s livelihoods.
• The gathering condemned the northern barbarians and recalled their atrocities, including the Jingcheng Humiliation.
• Li Xin asked whether anyone would compose a poem, and a guest nominated Xu Qingxiao because of his fellow disciple Chen Xinghe’s poetic reputation.
• Xu Qingxiao was stunned and resolved not to compose a poem that would expose his poor literary ability.

At Li Xin’s banquet, Xu Qingxiao recited a stirring lyric about avenging the Jingcheng Humiliation, astonishing the guests and advancing to the Ninth Rank of the Confucian Dao. He opened his apertures, while the handsome man advised him to complete the advancement inside the Literary Palace once he was alone.

• Li Xin and the banquet guests urged Xu Qingxiao to compose a poem, so he recited a lyric he had written for a general.
• Xu Qingxiao’s lyric about reclaiming Great Wei’s lost territory moved the guests, who praised him and offered toasts.
• Literary Qi gathered around Xu Qingxiao as he advanced to Ninth Rank, Aperture Opening, shocking everyone at the banquet.
• Righteous Haoran Qi opened Xu Qingxiao’s apertures and gathered in his eyes, nurturing a new Confucian Dao Divine Ability.
• The handsome man used the Literary Palace to suppress Xu Qingxiao’s Literary Qi and told him to finish advancing once he was alone.

After composing the Timeless Verse “Man Jiang Hong: Rage Crowns My Head” at Li Xin’s banquet, Xu Qingxiao returned to the inn to imprint a second piece of writing. He formed a Discipline Ruler and gained the Confucian Dao divine ability Sight.

• Xu Qingxiao named his lyric “Man Jiang Hong: Rage Crowns My Head,” toasted the guests, and left the banquet with Wang Ru to stabilize his literary qi.
• Li Xin revealed that Princess Yongping and the Heir of Yongping had been expected at the banquet but could not attend.
• At the inn, Wang Ru met Chen Xinghe, who said he had composed a lyric, and hurried him toward the banquet.
• Xu Qingxiao entered the Heaven and Earth Literary Palace and imprinted Man Jiang Hong in the Literary Pool.
• Xu Qingxiao visualized a three-foot Discipline Ruler, while his Literary Brush gained dragon markings.
• Xu Qingxiao’s second Confucian Dao divine ability gathered in his eyes as Sight, which could perceive arts and objects and reveal demons, ghosts, and monsters.

After Xu Qingxiao’s Man Jiang Hong advanced him to the Ninth Rank, he planned to search Bailu Academy for clues about the handsome man’s lost memories. Meanwhile, word of Xu Qingxiao’s poem spread through Southern Yu Prefecture, drawing scholars and academies eager to recruit him.

• Xu Qingxiao asked the handsome man about his memories, learned they were linked to a Great Sage, and promised to investigate at Bailu Academy.
• Xu Qingxiao woke refreshed, practiced suppressing the Golden Crow Power, and set out for Bailu Academy with Wang Ru after seeing Chen Xinghe’s despondent reaction to his own failed poem.
• Wang Ru explained that he had taken Chen Xinghe to a banquet, where Chen’s poem had paled beside Xu Qingxiao’s Man Jiang Hong.
• Scholars across Southern Yu Prefecture copied and praised Man Jiang Hong, telling others that Xu Qingxiao had reached the Ninth Rank at only twenty years old.
• A respected old scholar learned of Xu Qingxiao’s poem and hurried off with his student to try to recruit him.
• A scholar and his father also resolved to approach Yingtian Academy’s Master Liu about recruiting Xu Qingxiao.

Li Guangxin learned that Xu Qingxiao had written a stirring verse about avenging Great Wei’s humiliation and realized it could win the support of powerful generals. Cheng Lidong then reported that Xu Qingxiao was a bailiff suspected of involvement with Wu Yan and an Unorthodox Art, leaving Li Guangxin and Li Xin stunned by the revelation.

• Li Guangxin praised Xu Qingxiao’s verse and explained to Li Xin how it could inspire generals to support its author.
• Cheng Lidong reported that he had killed Wu Yan but failed to recover the item connected to the conspiracy.
• Cheng Lidong described how a Ping'an County bailiff recovered from Wu Yan’s poison, found a Pure Yang Unorthodox Art, and later became Zhou Ling’s student.
• Li Guangxin questioned why Cheng Lidong had not arrested the bailiff, and Cheng Lidong explained that the county magistrate had intervened and the man had been recommended for the Prefectural Examination.
• Cheng Lidong identified the bailiff as Xu Qingxiao, stunning Li Guangxin and Li Xin.

Cheng Lidong accused Xu Qingxiao of practicing an unorthodox art, but Li Guangxin refused to let him act without evidence and ordered a discreet investigation. As Li Xin prepared to warn Xu Qingxiao, crowds learned he had gone to Bailu Academy and hurried there to see him.

• Cheng Lidong told Li Xin and Li Guangxin that he was ninety percent certain Xu Qingxiao practiced an unorthodox art, but admitted he had no evidence.
• Li Xin defended Xu Qingxiao, citing his Timeless Verse and advance to the Ninth Rank of the Confucian Dao.
• Li Guangxin authorized Cheng Lidong to investigate Xu Qingxiao secretly and warned him not to act without conclusive evidence.
• Li Guangxin told Li Xin to keep some distance from Xu Qingxiao, investigate him discreetly, and report what Cheng Lidong had said.
• Li Guangxin studied the paper bearing Man Jiang Hong and privately hoped his suspicions about Xu Qingxiao were wrong.
• Scholars learned Xu Qingxiao had gone from his inn to Bailu Academy, and crowds rushed there to find him.

After Man Jiang Hong spread through Southern Yu Prefecture, three renowned masters visited Bailu Academy to meet Xu Qingxiao, but found him absorbed in reading and chose to wait. The verse then reached the Capital, where generals and other powerful figures praised it and awaited Xu Qingxiao’s arrival.

• Thousands of scholars gathered at Bailu Academy as Master Qi, Master Chen, and Master Liu arrived to meet the author of Man Jiang Hong.
• Master Liu and the other masters saw Xu Qingxiao reading intently and ordered everyone not to disturb him, praising his dedication and predicting he would become a Grand Confucian.
• The three masters waited for Xu Qingxiao at the academy while he continued reading through the next day, unaware of the attention he had drawn.
• Man Jiang Hong reached the Capital, where a white-haired old man praised its martial spirit and promised to help Xu Qingxiao when he came to serve as an official.
• More than a dozen voices across the Capital echoed the old man's excitement over the verse.

The Female Emperor ended the Capital’s brawl over Man Jiang Hong and refused to summon its author, while Xu Qingxiao searched Bailu Academy’s library for clues about his Literary Palace. After identifying its handsome figure as Zhaoge, the Great Sage’s foremost disciple, Xu Qingxiao emerged from the library boasting—only to find thousands of people staring at him.

• The Female Emperor ordered the dukes to stop fighting and decreed punishment for other participants, while declining to summon the verse’s author.
• Xu Qingxiao spent days reading Bailu Academy’s library and found records linking the Literary Palace’s handsome figure to the Great Sage’s disciples.
• Xu Qingxiao discovered that the figure was likely Zhaoge, the Great Sage’s foremost disciple, who sacrificed himself to seal a Peerless Demon.
• Xu Qingxiao left the library feeling confident, declared that the Confucian Dao would be an endless night without him, and froze when thousands of people stared at him.