Recaps

Li Ping'an traveled through Tortoise-Carried City to Guangling Prefecture, where he returned the Fusang Tree seed to the Yan Clan, helped Yan Shisan advance, and brought a trafficking ring and the Gan'ye Temple abbot to account. After leaving the Duke of Southern State's Residence, he learned that Great Dao Runes might offer him a path to cultivation.

• Li Ping'an met Zi Fang and Grasshopper, learned of the Turtle God's rule in Tortoise-Carried City, and accepted incense offerings that hastened Ning Yan's death.
• Ning Ninglong told Li Ping'an that Ning Yan had abducted women and murdered her mother, then asked him to save the city, and Li Ping'an said he lacked the strength, but Ning Yan soon died.
• Li Ping'an entered Guangling Prefecture by killing Cao Guangshan, returned money to the dead man's wife, and played the erhu before deciding to visit the Duke of Southern State's Residence.
• Li Ping'an returned the Fusang Tree seed to the Yan Clan, and his words and calligraphy helped Yan Shisan break his inner knot and advance in cultivation.
• Li Ping'an and Grasshopper uncovered a gang trafficking women, killed its members and the Gan'ye Temple abbot, and discovered that the abbot had pursued immortality through the demonic path.
• Zhang Tai invited Yan Shisan to study with him and Su Xinlan, while Li Ping'an refused Yan Jingyang's offer and killed Wu Peitong when he attacked.
• Li Ping'an discussed cultivation with Gu Xizhou and learned that Great Dao Runes in his six secret repositories might let him enter the Dao, so he resolved to search for them.

Li Ping'an traveled north with Old Ox, growing stronger as he faced demons, floods, and the Black Cavalry Gang. At an inn, a purple-faced man killed Li Ziao, while Monk Changqing encountered a strange trial from the proprietress and an old monk’s manifestation.

• Li Ping'an left for Demon-Suppressing Pass with Old Ox after saying goodbye to his friends, then traveled through villages and met an old Daoist who traded him a Wine Gourd for an introduction to Qin Shi.
• Li Ping'an killed a predatory City God who had threatened Jiang Yun and the villagers, then left as the old Daoist took Qin Shi to Dragon-Tiger Mountain.
• Li Ping'an joined Scarface’s caravan, killed Spider Demons that attacked Hezi and Red Girl, and later parted from the caravan to continue north with Old Ox.
• Li Ping'an cultivated in Xiong Da’s cave as floods rose, learned that Zhang San was attempting to become a Jiao, and watched the python die under Tribulation Lightning before killing Tong Zisheng and taking his gallbladder.
• Li Ping'an met Yiha and Monk Changqing, then helped them confront the Black Cavalry Gang after Yiha stood against the gang to defend his stockade.
• Li Ping'an and Monk Changqing defeated the Black Cavalry Gang, encouraged Yiha and Le Huan, and continued their journey together.
• At an inn, Li Ping'an shared a table with a purple-faced man who killed Li Ziao after Zhang Song yielded his place, then Li Ping'an resolved to avoid unnecessary confrontations.
• The inn’s proprietress summoned Monk Changqing and tried to seduce him, but an old monk’s golden manifestation intervened before Li Ping'an found Changqing embracing a stool and promising to take responsibility for it.

Li Ping'an crossed the Vast Sea with his companions, survived an attack on their ship, and traveled through Cloud Province while helping people and fighting bandits and a demon. He reached Demon-Suppressing Pass, where he began taking work for Spirit Stones and heard about a strange murder case.

• Li Ping'an joined Zhou Youcai's expedition to Cloud Province with Changqing, Wen Tao, and Zhang Song, then survived the ship's destruction and stopped the storm with his Knight-Errant Brush.
• Li Ping'an and his companions crossed the Vast Sea in joined canoes, with the old turtle Qiheng towing them to Cloud Province.
• Li Ping'an foiled attempts to kill Zhou Youcai, escorted him to Yu City, and continued north with Old Ox.
• Li Ping'an killed Golden-Eyed Biao and his bandits, freed their captives, and later escaped bounty hunters and an ambush at a tavern.
• Li Ping'an encountered the Spider Demon, wounded it, and rescued Zhou Baoshan, Lin Xuan, and Zhang Song from its cave.
• Li Ping'an, Zhang Song, and Xiao Jun reached Demon-Suppressing Pass, where Li Ping'an stopped Baoshan from buying Xiao Jun and Jing Yu invoked Li Ping'an's name in the Capital City.
• Li Ping'an struggled to pay for a meal, explored Demon-Suppressing Pass, and took a commission at the Myriad Affairs Pavilion after hearing that three people had been skinned and had their hearts removed.
• Li Ping'an visited his client, who described a problem with a sow that screamed miserably at night.

Li Ping'an left Demon-Suppressing Pass, uncovered a centipede cult at an ancient temple, and fought his way through the Turkic encirclement at Sal'er Pass. He returned to find his courtyard and Aliya's house destroyed, with his friends’ whereabouts unknown, and set out with Old Ox to find a quiet place to cultivate.

• Li Ping'an watched Zhang Song challenge Demon-Suppressing Pass, place Tang Xuan’s sword No Regrets in the Sword Pool, and die, then buried him before leaving the pass with Old Ox.
• At an ancient temple, Li Ping'an exposed the abbot’s use of Thousand-Legged Centipedes to control villagers, killed the abbot and the Thousand-Legged Centipede King, and rescued Chang Jian’s family.
• Li Ping'an and Old Ox found Zhao Mu among the dead at Sal'er Pass, and Li Ping'an killed Deng Qiankun after he tried to assault Zhang Shi and her daughter.
• Li Ping'an and Zhao Mu helped Zhang Shi and her daughter escape, then gathered scattered Great Sui soldiers and fought Huyan Zhuo, whom Li Ping'an killed with Old Ox’s help.
• Li Ping'an rallied routed soldiers, led repeated counterattacks, and brought a force of nearly a thousand to break through the Turkic encirclement at Sal'er Pass.
• Li Ping'an killed Qiyan and led the Great Sui soldiers through the breach, while Liu Yun learned of the escape and asked Zhao Mu where Li Ping'an was.
• Li Ping'an returned to find his courtyard and Aliya’s house in ruins, learned Duha had gone to Yumen Pass with the Wang Family, and left with Old Ox after hearing nothing of his other friends.