Recaps

Li Yingling recounted an unofficial history claiming Black Tortoise helped Zhao Taizu found the dynasty in exchange for a deeply compromising arrangement, and Chu Xingchen assigned her to investigate the Guardian Divine Beast. Meanwhile, Qinghe clung to Xie Lingyu above the Cangzhou River, afraid of what Granny Bai’s plans might mean for her.

• Li Yingling told Chu Xingchen and Li Xingtian that Zhao Taizu’s rebellion began in defeat and that Black Tortoise later helped him seize power after Empress Chen bore his second son.
• Li Yingling described the unofficial history’s claim that Zhao Taizu’s son renamed the Tangchi Kingdom the Black Tortoise Kingdom after Zhao Taizu died, summing it up as a turtle’s journey of acknowledging his father and founding a kingdom.
• Li Xingtian called the account slander, while Li Yingling said it was more plausible than other unofficial histories and contained details that matched recorded history.
• Chu Xingchen tasked Li Yingling with researching Black Tortoise and took Li Xingtian to the Water Vein area to prepare a surprise.
• Above the Cangzhou River, Qinghe clung to Xie Lingyu and worried Granny Bai might leave her in danger, while Xie Lingyu tried to reassure her.

Qinghe and Xie Lingyu searched Cangzhou for a rumored opportunity, but Qinghe became distracted by the city’s food and declared its steamed buns an excellent opportunity. As Xie Lingyu prepared to return to the Heavenly Derivation Sect, Qinghe teased her about seeking out an old sweetheart, and Xie Lingyu swung a fist at her.

• Qinghe defended her love of happiness and slacking off when Xie Lingyu questioned whether she could become a mighty expert.
• Qinghe complained that Granny Bai had given them no details about Cangzhou’s opportunity and followed the smell of food to a steamed bun stall.
• Xie Lingyu paid for a bag of buns, and Qinghe eagerly ate them while praising their taste and low price.
• Xie Lingyu said she would return to the Heavenly Derivation Sect the next day and leave Qinghe to search for the opportunity alone.
• Qinghe teased Xie Lingyu about returning to the Black Tortoise Kingdom to find her old sweetheart, and Xie Lingyu swung a fist at her face.

Li Yingling searched through unofficial histories and confessions at the Demon-Suppression Bureau to understand Chizhou’s place in a hidden stretch of history. After reviewing the archivist’s notes, she figured out Chizhou’s role and left.

• Li Yingling criticized the archivist’s materials for being flattering stories rather than the unofficial histories she had requested.
• Li Yingling reviewed her summaries and noticed that different accounts consistently mentioned defeat, strategic retreat, Cangzhou, and Black Tortoise, while leaving Chizhou’s role unclear.
• Li Yingling considered how the Black Tortoise Kingdom’s decline, the unending rain, and eastern rebellions might be groundwork for the thief’s plans.
• The archivist brought Li Yingling the confessions of people arrested for spreading unofficial histories and warned her to read them quickly before he burned them.
• Li Yingling read the confessions, understood what role Chizhou had played, and left the archives.

Li Yingling used unofficial histories to deduce that Zhao Taizu’s concealed attack on Chizhou might explain the connection between Chizhou and Cangzhou, and Chu Xingchen agreed to investigate Cangzhou’s Water Veins. Meanwhile, Xie Lingyu forced Qinghe to search for opportunities with her in Cangzhou, leaving Qinghe regretting her complaints.

• Li Yingling completed a diagram tracing Zhao Taizu’s retreat, the Black Tortoise’s appearances, and his briefly successful attack on Chizhou.
• Chu Xingchen praised Li Yingling’s deductions, then asked her to decide their next move.
• Li Yingling proposed going to Cangzhou to investigate whether its Water Veins connected to Chizhou, and Chu Xingchen agreed after asking Li Xingtian for his opinion.
• In Cangzhou, Qinghe followed Xie Lingyu, whose bruising she could have healed, as Xie Lingyu insisted they search for opportunities together and threatened to report her if she slacked off.

Qinghe tried to bargain with Xie Lingyu to avoid working, then probed the Cangzhou River while enjoying the chance to slack off. Masked strangers ambushed her underwater, and their Monkey-Masked leader seized her and dragged her toward the riverbed.

• Qinghe offered to reveal that Granny Bai had visited Xie Lingyu’s old flame, but Xie Lingyu already knew and refused to bargain.
• Qinghe went to the Cangzhou River and casually probed its water veins while floating downstream.
• Qinghe sensed strange spiritual fluctuations and tried to flee, but spiritual water chains suddenly bound her.
• Qinghe transformed into her Flood Dragon form and broke free of the chains.
• Qinghe saw three masked figures, then tried to escape toward Xie Lingyu, but the Monkey-Masked man grabbed her tail with a giant Nascent Soul hand and dragged her toward the riverbed.

Chu Xingchen and his disciples ambushed Qinghe, mistook her intentions, and fled after discovering she belonged to the Heavenly Derivation Sect. Qinghe rushed to protect Xie Lingyu, only to realize the men she accused were on her side when Chu Xingchen showed the Grand Heavenly Derivation Token.

• Chu Xingchen pinned Qinghe in the river and questioned her, while Qinghe cursed him and claimed ties to Central Province's Life-Reaping King of Hell and the Heavenly Derivation Sect.
• Qinghe showed Chu Xingchen her Heavenly Derivation Sect jade token, and he asked whether Bai Xuanling had come with her.
• Chu Xingchen struck Qinghe again, trapped her with water chains, and fled with Li Yingling and Li Xingtian.
• Qinghe escaped, transformed into a girl, and hurried to find Xie Lingyu, then raced toward her when she sensed three others approaching.
• Qinghe accused Chu Xingchen and his companions of attacking her and seeking revenge on Bai Xuanling, but Chu Xingchen showed Xie Lingyu the Grand Heavenly Derivation Token, leaving Qinghe speechless.

Chu Xingchen reunited with Xie Lingyu and Qinghe in Cangzhou, where they discussed why they had come and agreed to investigate the city's water veins together. Qinghe ended the walk happily after Chu Xingchen offered to treat her to food, while Li Yingling and Li Xingtian understood his pointed look about her thanking them.

• Qinghe suspected Chu Xingchen and his companions had clubbed her, but accepted that it was likely a coincidence after seeing Xie Lingyu's gentle manner toward Chu Xingchen.
• Chu Xingchen and Xie Lingyu explained that they had come to Cangzhou to investigate the unnatural flooding in Chizhou and pursue an opportunity for Qinghe.
• Xie Lingyu realized Chu Xingchen's cultivation had advanced beyond what she could gauge and offered to help him if she had time.
• Chu Xingchen agreed to handle Qinghe's tasks while she rested, since his group also needed information about Cangzhou's water veins.
• Qinghe persuaded Chu Xingchen to buy her food, and Li Yingling and Li Xingtian watched him point out that she now had to thank them.

Xie Lingyu, Chu Xingchen, and Qinghe compared their reasons for investigating the Black Tortoise Kingdom’s water veins and realized they were likely pursuing the same opportunity. Qinghe embarrassed Xie Lingyu by offering to praise Chu Xingchen to Bai Xuanling, and Xie Lingyu kicked her out of the room.

• Xie Lingyu hosted Chu Xingchen and Qinghe at the house she had rented in Cangzhou while Li Yingling and Li Xingtian went to work.
• Xie Lingyu asked Chu Xingchen whether Bai Xuanling had troubled him, and Chu Xingchen praised Bai Xuanling’s help and support.
• Qinghe doubted Chu Xingchen’s praise of Bai Xuanling and teased him for flattering someone who was not present.
• Chu Xingchen explained that his group suspected the unrest was tied to something in the Black Tortoise Kingdom and that controlled river demons were destroying dams in Chizhou.
• Xie Lingyu and Qinghe recognized that their opportunity and Chu Xingchen’s investigation were likely connected.
• Qinghe offered to put in a good word for Chu Xingchen with Bai Xuanling, and Xie Lingyu kicked Qinghe out of the room.

Li Yingling and Li Xingtian surveyed Cangzhou’s river veins when Qinghe joined them, claiming she wanted to help. The three set off together, while Qinghe believed Li Yingling had fallen for her excuse.

• Li Yingling wondered whether their encounter with Lingyu in Cangzhou had been arranged, but Li Xingtian declined to speculate about their master.
• Li Xingtian and Li Yingling sensed Qinghe approaching and watched as she praised their cultivation.
• Qinghe claimed she had come to help survey the river veins, and Li Yingling proposed that they split up to cover more ground.
• Qinghe insisted they stay together, and Li Yingling agreed while concealing that she understood Qinghe wanted to slack off.
• Qinghe decided Li Yingling was easy to fool as they prepared to survey together.

Chu Xingchen and Xie Lingyu investigated the Water Vein theft, and Chu Xingchen concluded it was likely tied to the Black Tortoise Kingdom and a conspiracy against its foundations. With neither of them having reliable leads, Xie Lingyu asked him to explain his extreme plan.

• Chu Xingchen and Xie Lingyu left to gather information about the fortune thief and the Water Vein.
• Xie Lingyu explained that the Heavenly Derivation Sect had sent her to Cangzhou based on the Sect Leader’s unreliable divination about an opportunity involving the sea, dragonkind, and the Water Vein.
• Xie Lingyu said the Heavenly Derivation Sect still held remote jurisdiction over the Black Tortoise Kingdom, which would discourage most Central Province sects from interfering.
• Chu Xingchen told Xie Lingyu that rebellions and worsening rain suggested a plot tied to the Black Tortoise Kingdom, its royal family, or the legendary Black Tortoise.
• Chu Xingchen warned that infiltrators would likely obstruct information, and Xie Lingyu told him to explain his extreme method.

Chu Xingchen planned to disrupt the enemy’s efforts in the Black Tortoise Kingdom and assigned his group to investigate and keep watch over the Water Vein. Xie Lingyu stayed behind with Li Xingtian, while Chu Xingchen prepared to leave with Li Yingling; Qinghe surfaced when Xie Lingyu played her flute, thinking it was time to eat.

• Chu Xingchen explained to Xie Lingyu that he would sabotage the enemy’s plans and investigate the rebellions in the Black Tortoise Kingdom.
• Chu Xingchen planned to leave Li Xingtian and Qinghe to guard and map the Water Vein while he took Li Yingling to the Black Tortoise Kingdom.
• Chu Xingchen asked Xie Lingyu whether she would stay in Cangzhou or come with him, and she later remained with Li Xingtian at the river.
• Chu Xingchen told Li Xingtian that Xie Lingyu would help keep Qinghe in line, and Xie Lingyu elbowed him for the remark.
• Xie Lingyu played her jade flute to summon Qinghe, who shot up from the riverbed and asked if it was time to eat.

Zhao Xuan faced worsening disasters, grain shortages, and military defeats as the Black Tortoise Kingdom struggled to contain the eastern rebels. After Elder Wang proposed conscripting refugees and sending them to the front, Zhao Xuan rejected the plan and insisted he would not sacrifice his people.

• Zhao Xuan reviewed urgent reports about refugees, flood victims, grain shortages, and repeated defeats against the eastern rebels.
• Elder Wang proposed opening the granaries and recruiting disaster victims to march and train on the way to the battlefront.
• Elder Wang warned that displaced people might turn against Zhao Xuan if they were not made to serve the throne.
• Elder Zhang denounced Elder Wang’s plan as murderous and argued that the kingdom would fall if it lost the people’s hearts.
• Zhao Xuan recalled his imperial father’s command to love the people and refused to send a million subjects to their deaths.

After rejecting Elder Wang's proposal, Zhao Xuan withdrew to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where news arrived that Chu Xingchen of the Heavenly Derivation Sect had come to the palace. Chu Xingchen promised to resolve the Black Tortoise Kingdom's predicament, but clarified that the sect would not do so on Zhao Xuan's behalf.

• Zhao Xuan returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation exhausted by his decision to reject Elder Wang's scheme, and Lin Wen told him he had done well.
• A eunuch announced that a guest carrying the Black Tortoise Token had arrived from the Heavenly Derivation Sect, and Zhao Xuan hurried to meet him.
• Chu Xingchen criticized the palace tea and asked the palace maid to brew tea he had brought, while Li Yingling read an imperial history.
• Zhao Xuan greeted Chu Xingchen, brushed aside Lin Wen's warning about imperial household rules, and drank the tea Chu Xingchen offered.
• Zhao Xuan asked whether Chu Xingchen had come to save the kingdom, and Chu Xingchen said he would resolve the crisis but not for Zhao Xuan.

Chu Xingchen learned why the Black Tortoise Kingdom could not simply use its cultivators to crush the rebellion and went to hear the ministers’ proposals. He told Zhao Xuan to make a substitution and let a stand-in take over.

• Zhao Xuan defended his choice to act as sovereign and father to his people, then left Chu Xingchen’s side hall with Lin Wen.
• Chu Xingchen asked a palace maid for her opinion on how to prevent Zhao Xuan from resenting him, and offered her an opportunity.
• Chu Xingchen studied the Imperial Archives and learned how national fortune and the Heavenly Dao restricted cultivators from slaughtering mortals.
• Chu Xingchen concluded that the Black Tortoise Kingdom had no easy way to surrender but still had a chance, then went with Li Yingling to the Council Hall.
• Chu Xingchen heard the grand secretaries arguing over their plans and told Zhao Xuan to let a stand-in take over.

Yu Zhu realized that the Black Tortoise Kingdom’s grain requisition could deprive his rebel army of the starving refugees it relied on, and he concluded that a capable strategist was countering him. He ordered his forces to take Jinshui City within ten days.

• Yu Zhu rejected his general’s proposal to storm Jinshui City and ordered the army to wait for news from Chizhou.
• A letter reported that the Black Tortoise Kingdom was requisitioning merchants’ grain to provide disaster relief, prompting wealthy merchants to offer secret support to the rebels.
• Yu Zhu warned that merchants would abandon the rebellion if it faltered and that relief would keep starving refugees from joining his army.
• Yu Zhu ordered his generals to mobilize and enter Jinshui City within ten days.

Chu Xingchen left the Black Tortoise Kingdom after confirming Zhao Xuan had prepared its cities for the rebel advance, and set out for Chizhou to confront the mastermind. At Jinshui City, Yu Zhu learned that the defenders had removed every possible source of food, even stripping bark from nearby trees.

• Zhao Xuan brought Chu Xingchen an unofficial history about the founding empress, but Chu Xingchen stopped him and asked for something more proper to read.
• Chu Xingchen confirmed that Jinshui City and the cities beyond it had evacuated their supplies and destroyed what they could not carry.
• Chu Xingchen told Zhao Xuan to manage the rebels according to plan and focus on Chizhou, then left with Li Yingling to investigate the mastermind.
• Yu Zhu stood among the ruins of Jinshui City's granary as a scholar reported that the city had no food left and nearby trees had been stripped of bark.

Qinghe reluctantly installed linked formation foundations along Cangzhou's Water Vein while Li Xingtian coaxed her with a promised dinner and dessert. Xie Lingyu then ordered Li Xingtian to Chizhou immediately, leaving Qinghe without her meal and him pleased to save his master money.

• Qinghe carefully buried formation foundations in the Great River, recalling how earlier mistakes had triggered explosions that blasted her away.
• After Qinghe finished a stretch of the Water Vein, Li Xingtian told her more ambush sites remained and persuaded her to continue with a promise of dinner and dessert at the Moon Gazing Tower.
• Li Xingtian and Qinghe headed for the next site, where Xie Lingyu arrived with his master's order for him to go to Chizhou at once.
• Qinghe pleaded for Li Xingtian to leave the next day because she expected him to buy her dinner, but Xie Lingyu told him to go immediately.
• Li Xingtian set off for Chizhou, while Qinghe watched reluctantly and he thought he had saved his master money.

Li Yingling and Chu Xingchen explained how the Demon Kingdom Rebellion and Bingzhou Rebellion connected to the Thief’s plans, then asked Li Xingtian to investigate in Chizhou because his cultivation method might help him get recruited. The chapter ended with Li Xingtian insisting his method was not evil, while Chu Xingchen avoided backing him up.

• Li Xingtian arrived at the inn in Chizhou and grew suspicious when Chu Xingchen and Li Yingling appraised him.
• Li Yingling told Li Xingtian that she and Chu Xingchen had traced the Bingzhou situation to the Demon Kingdom Rebellion and encountered the Tiger Demon's former adviser, a fox.
• Li Xingtian recognized the fox from Cui Hao's summary, prompting Li Yingling to decide she would beat Cui Hao up again.
• Li Yingling said the fox's memories revealed that a black-robed Nascent Soul Great Demon had encouraged both rebellions and may have been laying groundwork for the Thief.
• Li Yingling asked Li Xingtian to investigate in Chizhou because his cultivation method made him likely to be recruited by the rebels.
• Li Xingtian protested that he did not practice an evil cultivator method, but Chu Xingchen lowered his head and drank tea.

Li Zhong tried to destabilize Chizhou for the Black Tortoise Cult, but his followers’ conspicuous rumors exposed the cult to Li Xingtian of the Evil Spirit Cult. He agreed to take Li Xingtian to the cult’s leaders, while realizing his subordinates had ruined the operation.

• Chizhou’s relief efforts stabilized the disaster, though Li Zhong resented the turn of events because it undermined his assignment to stir up chaos.
• Li Zhong explained that he had joined the Black Tortoise Cult for its cultivation supplies and Spirit Stones, not its doctrines, and now worked between clever leaders and foolish subordinates.
• Li Zhong sent his followers to spread rumors among refugees while eating the Black Tortoise Kingdom’s relief porridge, but the orderly relief station showed that the plan had failed.
• A muscular stranger appeared beside Li Zhong’s adviser, and Li Zhong first denied belonging to the Black Tortoise Cult before recognizing the stranger as an evil cultivator.
• Li Xingtian identified himself as a member of the Evil Spirit Cult and asked Li Zhong to take him to someone influential in the Black Tortoise Cult.
• Li Zhong agreed, then learned Li Xingtian had found him because his followers loudly praised the cult’s doctrines while stirring up the crowds.

Li Xingtian reported what he had learned while infiltrating the Black Tortoise Cult, including its plans in Chizhou, and brought back an advance payment of Spirit Stones and materials. Qinghe arrived to accuse Xie Lingyu of copying Li Xingtian’s strict habits, then reminded him he had promised to treat her to meals and desserts.

• Li Xingtian told Chu Xingchen and Li Yingling that the Black Tortoise Cult planned to stir up trouble in Chizhou and had accepted him after he demonstrated evil cultivation methods.
• Li Xingtian reported that many cult members were fanatically devoted to Black Tortoise and said the cult wanted the Evil Spirit Cult to cause a commotion at a certain time.
• Li Xingtian gave Li Yingling the Spatial Ring containing his advance payment, and Chu Xingchen proposed asking the cult for more formation materials.
• Qinghe kicked open the door and accused Xie Lingyu of bullying her and trying to squeeze more out of her for Li Xingtian’s sake.
• Xie Lingyu scolded Qinghe for kicking the door and threatened to withhold dinner, while Qinghe complained that Xie Lingyu had stopped giving her meals and desserts.
• Qinghe reminded Li Xingtian by voice transmission that he had promised to treat her to meals and desserts, leaving him speechless.

Chu Xingchen told Xie Lingyu to stay in Chizhou while he handled the trouble threatening Cangzhou. At a Black Tortoise Cult outpost, the old fox met Li Xingtian and Qinghe, who requested a large shipment of materials for the Evil Spirit Cult.

• Chu Xingchen sent Li Xingtian to take Qinghe along, and she happily followed him, expecting a meal.
• Xie Lingyu reported that someone disguised as a boatman was tampering with the Cangzhou River, but Chu Xingchen told her to remain in Chizhou while he dealt with the threat.
• The old fox reflected on Yu Zhu’s hidden demon soldiers and its own decision to seek revenge for Tiger Seven, despite expecting to die in Chizhou.
• Li Zhong introduced Li Xingtian and Qinghe to the old fox at the Black Tortoise Cult’s outpost, explaining that they were allies from the Evil Spirit Cult.
• Li Xingtian gave the old fox a list of materials to gather by the next day, and Li Zhong confirmed that the Evil Spirit Cult had verified their identities and requested supplies.

Chu Xingchen’s group prepared for an imminent attack as the Black Tortoise Cult rushed its plans forward, while Yu Zhu ordered a full assault and Li Zhong learned the supposed Evil Spirit Cult operatives were impostors. The old fox revealed he had knowingly allowed the deception to continue for revenge, leaving Li Zhong desperate to survive.

• Li Xingtian reported that Qinghe had revealed her Flood Dragon form in Chizhou and Cangzhou, spreading word with the Black Tortoise Kingdom’s cooperation.
• Qinghe explained that the Evil Spirit Cult had apparently accepted the Black Tortoise Cult’s claims without checking details and had demanded supplies, then fled when Xie Lingyu guessed she had obtained the information while asking for Spirit Stones.
• Chu Xingchen concluded that the Black Tortoise Cult was running out of time and that his group’s preparations gave them an advantage.
• Yu Zhu burned the letter about the worsening situation and ordered General Wang to launch an unrestricted, full-army attack in two days.
• The old fox told Li Zhong that the boy and girl were not from the Evil Spirit Cult and admitted he had let the deception continue to take revenge on humans and the Demon Lord.
• Li Zhong grabbed the old fox and cried that he wanted to live, and the old fox replied that wanting to live did not mean he could.

Chu Xingchen gave Qinghe the Founding Imperial Jade Seal so they could monitor the Black Tortoise Kingdom’s National Fortune. When Qinghe touched the dark clouds over Bingzhou with her Divine Sense, they surged toward and devoured the kingdom’s fortune, and the seal began to crack.

• Chu Xingchen explained that the Founding Imperial Jade Seal could help them sense changes in the National Fortune.
• Qinghe took the seal and used her Divine Sense to examine its map of the Black Tortoise Kingdom.
• Qinghe touched the dark clouds over Bingzhou, triggering them to thicken and rapidly devour the surrounding Xuanhuang Qi.
• Qinghe panicked and handed the seal back to Chu Xingchen, but it trembled and developed tiny cracks.

Chu Xingchen watched the Black Tortoise Kingdom’s fortune collapse through the Imperial Jade Seal, which then released Xuanhuang Qi and flew toward Cangzhou. As Chu Xingchen pursued it, an approaching cultivator with an aura resembling Spirit Transformation forced him to turn back and prepare to hold the enemy off.

• Chu Xingchen used the Imperial Jade Seal to observe black clouds spreading across Bingzhou and Chizhou, and told Qinghe to prepare to act.
• The seal expelled Chu Xingchen’s Divine Sense as Chizhou’s black clouds rapidly diluted the Xuanhuang Qi inside it.
• The seal released Xuanhuang Qi, broke free of Chu Xingchen’s grasp, and flew south toward Cangzhou with a phantom of a Black Tortoise forming around it.
• Chu Xingchen pursued the seal while Qinghe struggled to keep up, then returned after sensing an approaching cultivator with an aura resembling Spirit Transformation.
• Chu Xingchen told Qinghe to head to Cangzhou and prepare the formation foundations while he stayed behind to stop the approaching cultivator.

Chu Xingchen ambushed Xu Yuan, a massive turtle with incomplete early Spirit Transformation cultivation, while Qinghe hurried toward Cangzhou. At Cangzhou's Great River, Li Xingtian and Xie Lingyu discovered that the Black Tortoise Colossus was actually Baxia, which had pulled a golden Wordless Stele from the river, as Qinghe arrived.

• Chu Xingchen scanned Xu Yuan, concealed his aura, and attacked the giant turtle while Qinghe continued toward Cangzhou.
• Qinghe recognized Chu Xingchen's Karmic Nascent Soul as the attacker who had clubbed her before and decided to trust his arrangements.
• Li Xingtian and Xie Lingyu fought their way to Cangzhou's Great River to attack the demon soldiers and investigate the unfolding ritual.
• Li Xingtian gave Xie Lingyu a Compass to control the Formation Bases as the Black Tortoise Colossus disrupted the river's Water Vein.
• The Colossus pulled pale-gold fortune from the river, which became a Wordless Stele, and Li Xingtian realized the creature was Baxia.
• Qinghe arrived at the Great River and headed straight toward Baxia.