Recaps

Li Ping'an traveled north with Old Ox and Cat Immortal, delivered a dying cultivator’s letter to Qian He, and discovered that Zhang Yuan had killed the field mice. When the Yikun Sect imposed only minor penalties, Li Ping'an attacked the sect and split Cloudmist Mountain with a single slash.

• Cat Immortal caught the Rat Demon, and Li Ping'an collected the bounty before defending her from the demon’s former master.
• Li Ping'an guarded a caravan, rescued Young Master Chu from assassins, and declined his offer of a house and treasures before leaving Wind and Snow City.
• Li Ping'an traveled north with Old Ox and Cat Immortal, fought the White Dragon, and refused to abandon either companion in exchange for treasure.
• Li Ping'an delivered Li Xuanzhi’s letter and Storage Ring to Qian He at the Yikun Sect, then attended the Seven Peaks Sword Gathering before setting out again.
• Li Ping'an returned to the field mice’s restaurant and learned from the Lord of the Land that Zhang Yuan had burned it and killed its inhabitants.
• Li Ping'an demanded justice at the Yikun Sect, but after the sect imposed only minor penalties on Zhang Yuan, he warned that he would act himself.
• Li Ping'an breached the sect’s defenses, defeated its peak leaders and Martial Fool, then split Main Peak with the Fusang Saber and destroyed the Seven Peaks Sword Formation.

Li Ping'an and Kitten traveled from Yong Province to the capital, where they reunited with old friends and met Liu Yun’s family. After leaving the capital, Li Ping'an visited Yan Shisan at Floating Jade Mountain Gate and began inspecting the sect’s spirit medicine fields.

• Li Ping'an helped defeat the demons threatening Yong Province, then went with Old Ox and Kitten to Shicha Sea, where Yan Shisan defeated True Person Yunshan and avenged himself.
• Li Ping'an reunited with Jing Yu in the capital and spent time with Jingyun, Aliya, Zhao Ling'er, and Liu Yong as he learned of Great Sui’s political troubles.
• Liu Yun visited Li Ping'an with Prince Heng and Princess Hewan, and Li Ping'an advised her against changing the country too hastily.
• After celebrating the New Year, Li Ping'an left the capital with Old Ox and Kitten and met Song Ziyun on the way to Floating Jade Mountain.
• Li Ping'an stopped Lin Xiao from harming Song Ziyun’s group, then reached Floating Jade Mountain Gate, where the disciples recognized him as their patriarch.
• Yan Shisan and Octopus Swordsman welcomed Li Ping'an, who shared stories of his travels with the sect disciples.
• Li Ping'an toured the sect with Yan Shisan and Octopus Swordsman, met Bi Qing and Bi An in the spirit medicine fields, and asked how they controlled pests.

Li Ping'an returned to Heaven-Reaching Peak, then traveled to Nantong, where he uncovered the murder of Prefect Li Maocai and a plot tied to the Nuo masks and the Female Emperor’s southern tour. The arc ended with Li Ping'an confronting Zhao Ling'er and the Lineage leaders as they prepared to assassinate the Female Emperor.

• Li Ping'an and Old Ox returned to a lavishly renovated Heaven-Reaching Peak, where Li Ping'an refined an eighth-rank Spirit Pill before sharing a farewell gathering with Run Tu, Qingfeng, and Kitten.
• Li Ping'an traveled toward Nantong with Little Girl and Old Ox, met the newly appointed Prefect Li Maocai, and learned about the region’s unrest and Zhao Ling'er's efforts to keep order.
• In Tortoise-Carried City, Li Ping'an reunited with Ning Ninglong, who described the troubles surrounding her coming appointment as an Orthodox God, and freed the Third Young Master to negotiate with dragonkind.
• After reaching Nantong, Li Ping'an rescued Li Maocai's son from two beggars and discovered that Li Maocai and his wife had been murdered, and Zhao Ling'er promised to investigate.
• Zhao Ling'er revealed that local officials had murdered Li Maocai to hide a treasury shortfall, while Li Ping'an learned that the prefect’s son had inherited his father’s skill as a mask-maker.
• Li Ping'an heard that the ancient willow in Riverside Valley had fallen and connected the news with the Nuo masks and the Female Emperor’s southern tour, then suspected Zhao Ling'er was preparing a reckless act.
• Li Ping'an confronted Zhao Ling'er and the Lineage leaders as they prepared to assassinate the Female Emperor, and Liu Yunhan admitted the leaders had killed Li Maocai after he discovered irregularities in the masks.
• Zhao Ling'er argued that the Female Emperor’s taxes had driven commoners to desperate acts, while Li Ping'an insisted that war would continue whoever ruled.

Li Ping'an reunited with Changqing, dealt with a foreign-powered jiangshi, and punished a Mountain God who abused his authority. He crossed the Eastern Snowfield with Old Ox and Kitten, helped a barbarian tribe, and entered the Cave-Heaven Paradise with Tushan Ya.

• Li Ping'an defeated Zhao Ling'er in a sword duel, then agreed to accompany her to see the emperor after she asked him to keep Nantong's officials from being implicated.
• Li Ping'an reunited with Changqing at the temple and helped him destroy a jiangshi whose body concealed foreign evil energy.
• Li Ping'an sealed the abusive Mountain God inside a split peak and left Qian Youcai to guard the seal and oversee local affairs.
• Kitten decided to stay with Li Ping'an and Old Ox, and Old Ox disrupted Cao Gui and Wang Ying’s battle on their snowy climb.
• Li Ping'an and his companions traveled with a barbarian tribe, treated a girl’s mother, and taught the tribe basic medical care before setting out again.
• Li Ping'an stopped an avalanche, and the barbarians began worshipping him as the Snowfield God.
• Tushan Ya recognized Li Ping'an’s Knight-Errant Brush and brought him, Old Ox, and Kitten to the Cave-Heaven Paradise.
• Tushan Ya adjusted Kitten’s size for the paradise and left the group at Wen Yuan Tea Shop, where locals whispered that newcomers were often swindled.