Recaps

Oupeng gathered the Misty Six Tigers in the Council Hall to reveal the outcome of a secret search for a legendary treasure. After confirming no outsiders were listening, the brothers asked him to explain what the treasure was.

• Oupeng told the Misty Six Tigers that A Hai and Qing'er had gone with Hermit Yanming to divide the treasure, while trusted people guarded Yanming's family and Oupeng sent Yan'er to help.
• Oupeng explained that Qing'er beat Hermit Yanming at rock paper scissors, and that the group brought back medicinal herbs as an extra reward.
• Liu the Fifth joked that he wanted the Pangu Axe, but Oupeng revealed that the true treasure was something legendary, not the herbs.
• Shangguan Fengliu hinted that Liu the Fifth had guessed correctly, prompting Li Jian to search the Council Hall's surroundings for eavesdroppers.
• After Li Jian confirmed the area was clear, Hu Yunyi asked Oupeng to describe the treasure in detail.

Ou Peng revealed Longevity Pills, Qi Boosting Pills, and Bone-Strengthening Pills recovered from the Secret Realm, prompting the Misty Sect brothers to debate their dangers and value. He asked Hu the Eldest to decide how the pills should be distributed, hoping the brothers would preserve their unity.

• Hu the Eldest urged Ou Peng to keep the Longevity Pill sealed and disclose it only if danger forced them to give it up.
• Shangguan the Fourth, Li the Second, and Xu the Sixth agreed that the brothers should leave the Longevity Pill untouched for now, while Liu the Fifth joked about wanting a share.
• Ou Peng revealed Qi Boosting Pills that could grant internal martial artists twenty years of cultivation and Bone-Strengthening Pills that could strengthen external martial artists.
• Hu the Eldest praised Ou Peng for obtaining the pills and said they could greatly increase the Misty Sect's strength.
• Ou Peng asked Hu the Eldest to decide how to distribute the pills, stressing that the brothers should not let the decision damage their harmony.

Ouyang Peng revealed a new Qi Augmenting Pill and distributed the sect’s pills among the Misty Six Tigers. The brothers divided the Qi Boosting Pills and Bone-Strengthening Pills, leaving one Bone-Strengthening Pill for Ouyang Peng to assign.

• Ouyang Peng explained that Hall Master Bai had made a batch of Qi Augmenting Pills from herbs recovered from the Secret Realm, and Hu the Eldest welcomed them as a way to cultivate more disciples.
• Shangguan the Fourth proposed that Ouyang Peng take the sole Qi Boosting Pill, but Ouyang Peng opened the bottle and discovered three pills, which Hu the Eldest assigned one each to Ouyang Peng, Li the Second, and Shangguan the Fourth.
• Hu the Eldest declined a Qi Boosting Pill, but Li the Second offered his share; Hu the Eldest insisted they split it, and Li the Second cleanly cut the pill in half with a dagger.
• Liu the Fifth and Xu the Sixth each received a Bone-Strengthening Pill after Hu the Eldest opened the bottle and found three inside.
• Hu the Eldest gave the final Bone-Strengthening Pill to Ouyang Peng to distribute, and Ouyang Peng set it on the table.

Ouyang Peng and the Misty Six Tigers took their newly obtained pills in the mountain’s secret chambers, gaining major increases in cultivation. Shi Niu emerged transformed and proved strong enough to overpower Liu the Fifth in a fistfight before Liu took him off to drink.

• Ouyang Peng and the others agreed to give Shi Niu the Bone-Strengthening Pill and distribute the Qi Augmenting Pills among promising disciples, then entered the mountain chambers to cultivate.
• Ouyang Peng took the Qi Boosting Pill and found that his cultivation had more than doubled after circulating his qi eighty-one times; Hu the Eldest, Li the Second, and Shangguan the Fourth also reported major gains.
• Liu the Fifth and Xu the Sixth emerged from seclusion with greatly improved External Martial Arts, while Shi Niu remained inside practicing the Great Strength Vajra Hand.
• Ouyang Peng saw that Shi Niu was still completing the pill’s eighty-one rounds of practice and waited with the others until Shi Niu emerged much larger and stronger.
• Shi Niu beat Liu the Fifth in a test of strength, and Liu admitted Shi Niu had improved greatly before taking him to drink.

As the Misty Sect’s leaders entered seclusion, Zhang Xiaohua grew certain that his grandmother was dying and sought Liu Qian’s advice about saving her. The chapter ended with Liu Qian weeping alongside him, unable to reassure him that his grandmother would recover.

• Ouyang Peng assigned Zhang Chengyue to manage the sect while he and the Misty Five Tigers entered ten days of seclusion.
• A maid, a grocery shop owner, and an accountant carried out a covert chain of errands, after which two carrier pigeons flew out of Pingyang City.
• Zhang Xiaohua sensed that his grandmother’s worsening cough was draining her vitality, though she hid her worry from his mother.
• After tasting the morning sun, Zhang Xiaohua felt a warm current enter his body and wondered about the sensation.
• Zhang Xiaohua asked Liu Qian whether people could live forever and how someone near death could be saved.
• Zhang Xiaohua told Liu Qian that he believed his grandmother was dying, and Liu Qian held him as they both cried.

Liu Qian comforted Zhang Xiaohua about Grandmother’s approaching death, and the family brought Grandmother to town after her illness worsened. The doctor could not cure her, but his discovery that she had recently eaten something like ginseng left the family wondering what had sustained her.

• Liu Qian explained to Zhang Xiaohua that birth, aging, illness, and death were part of life, and urged him to keep Grandmother company.
• Grandmother’s illness worsened, so Guo Sufi took her to town by donkey cart while Zhang Xiaohua stayed home.
• The family helped Grandmother into the main room after she returned, and she said the doctor’s visit had wasted money because her illness could not be cured.
• Zhang Cai told Guo Sufi that the doctor had said Grandmother was too old and weak to travel farther, so the family should let her rest and spend her remaining time as she wished.
• Zhang Cai revealed that the doctor had found a small thread of vital essence sustaining Grandmother and suspected she had recently eaten ginseng, leaving the family bewildered.

Zhang Xiaohua’s family suspected that hillside well water was helping Grandmother and their injuries, but decided to keep it secret to avoid attracting danger. As the household continued using the water, Zhang Xiaolong recovered rapidly, leaving Liu Qian uncertain about whether she could bear to leave the family.

• Zhang Xiaohua worried over Grandmother’s worsening cough, then dreamed of a flickering world and felt heat enter his throat after biting at the rising sun again.
• Liu Qian reasoned that the hillside well water might be the ginseng the doctor had detected, since the family had recently begun using it for drinking and cooking.
• Zhang Cai warned that testing the water could expose a valuable resource and endanger the family, so Guo Sufi ordered everyone to keep it secret.
• The Zhang family replaced their household water with well water, while Grandmother remained weak and Zhang Cai, Zhang Xiaolong, and Zhang Xiaohu healed quickly.
• Old Chen was astonished by Zhang Xiaolong’s recovery, and Liu Qian wondered whether she had any reason to remain with the Zhang family now that Zhang Xiaolong was healed.

The Liu family visited the Zhang family, where Liu Qian and Liu Yueyue discussed whether to choose the hardworking Zhang brothers or hold out for scholarly husbands. The visit ended with Mr. Liu discovering that the tea Liu Qian had brought from home tasted extraordinarily good.

• Liu Qian welcomed her father, Liu the Butcher, and Liu Yueyue, and the families exchanged greetings over the Zhang brothers' recovery.
• Liu Qian defended Zhang Xiaolong when Liu the Butcher tried to examine his newly healed arm, and Liu Yueyue teased her about her feelings for him.
• Liu Yueyue warned Liu Qian against marrying a farmer, while Liu Qian admitted that Zhang Xiaolong had made a deep impression on her but said she had not chosen yet.
• Mr. Liu tasted the tea Liu Qian had brought, praised its remarkable flavor, and asked her where it came from.

Liu Qian realized that her connection with Zhang Xiaolong and the miraculous well water convinced her they were bound by fate, and she chose to stay in Guo Village until he recovered. Mr. Liu and Liu the Butcher returned to Baligou with Liu Yueyue, leaving Liu Qian behind.

• Mr. Liu praised the tea brewed with Guo Village's water, and Liu Qian carefully avoided revealing the well's secret.
• Mr. Liu joked about settling in Guo Village, prompting Liu Qian to reconsider her doubts about marrying far from home and see her bond with Zhang Xiaolong as fate.
• Mr. Liu explained that he and Liu the Butcher had come to take Liu Qian home and bring Liu Yueyue to replace her, but Guo Sufi said the family no longer needed help.
• Liu Qian decided to remain in Guo Village until Zhang Xiaolong fully recovered, and Liu Yueyue revealed that Mr. Liu had predicted her choice.
• After lunch, Mr. Liu, Liu the Butcher, and Liu Yueyue left for Baligou, while Liu Qian accompanied them partway down the road.

Ouyang Peng and the Misty Sect’s leaders planned to expand the sect, recruit disciples, and prepare for their meeting with three other factions at Wutong Mountain. They aimed to keep the Secret Realm hidden through a limited alliance and left the sect preparing to strengthen its forces.

• Ouyang Peng questioned Zhang Chengyue about intelligence on the other factions and ordered him to improve the Misty Sect’s espionage and recruit more disciples.
• Ouyang Peng told the leaders to send their personal disciples to cultivate with newly refined pills, select promising younger disciples, and build elite teams for expansion.
• Shangguan the Fourth proposed expanding into nearby territory, and Ouyang Peng chose the Luoshui Gang as the Misty Sect’s target while ruling out action against the Xinrong Sect and the Golden Crow Gate for now.
• Ouyang Peng and the leaders discussed the upcoming Wutong Mountain meeting and favored a private alliance among the four faction leaders to protect the Secret Realm’s secret.
• Ouyang Peng asked Li the Second about a sword manual and instructed him to guide newly recruited disciples who would learn it.

Great Gang Leader Ou traveled with Madam Ou and Shi Niu to Dragon God Temple in Yucheng, then climbed Wutong Mountain to meet old friends for their annual gathering. The chapter ended as Hermit Yanming and Tan Yefeng arrived at the summit to join him and Wan Chengjiu.

• The Misty Sect leaders arranged for Great Gang Leader Ou to travel discreetly with Shi Niu as his driver and protector.
• Great Gang Leader Ou and his party journeyed to Yucheng without trouble and offered incense at Dragon God Temple.
• Great Gang Leader Ou took Shi Niu and provisions to Wutong Mountain while Madam Ou and the maidservants rested at an inn.
• Great Gang Leader Ou and Wan Chengjiu met on the summit and waited for their other companions.
• Hermit Yanming arrived at the summit with Tan Yefeng just before noon.

Ou Peng, Wan Chengjiu, Tan Yefeng, and Hermit Yanming discussed how to return to the Secret Realm and formed an alliance limited to their search for its treasures. They agreed to send disciples there at the end of the month, while Wan Chengjiu revealed that Situ Ping was being absorbed into Wan Jian Peak.

• Tan Yefeng and Hermit Yanming arrived first after racing up the mountain, and Ou Peng introduced them to Shi Niu before the group shared wine.
• Hermit Yanming argued that the Secret Realm might be accessible before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, while Wan Chengjiu and Ou Peng urged caution about exposing its location.
• Tan Yefeng revealed he also wanted to scout the Secret Realm early, and Ou Peng proposed an alliance among the four leaders limited to the Secret Realm.
• The four leaders sealed their alliance by drinking Blood Wine and agreed to send disciples to the previous location at the end of the month, with Hermit Yanming leading them.
• Shi Niu reported tourists on the mountain path, and Ou Peng allowed them to pass while warning that others might be watching.
• Ou Peng asked about Situ Ping, and Wan Chengjiu said she had remained at Wan Jian Peak and would soon become one of its members.

Wan Jian Peak sent Qu Xiangfeng to deliver a letter from Situ Ping to the Fierce Tiger Gang, prompting Situ Liang to summon the gang’s leaders. After discovering a hidden message on Situ Ping’s token, Situ Liang quietly considered his next move as he went to meet them.

• Wan Chengjiu told Ouyang Peng that Wan Jian Peak had taken over the Fierce Tiger Gang’s affairs while Situ Ping remained away, and the assembled leaders parted after their gathering.
• Worried by Situ Ping’s month-long absence, Situ Liang and Hall Master Zhao discussed how to keep the gang steady as the New Year ended.
• Qu Xiangfeng arrived with six companions, showed Situ Liang Situ Ping’s token, and delivered her letter; Situ Liang and Hall Master Zhao read it and requested time to discuss their reply.
• After Qu Xiangfeng’s party was shown to their quarters, Situ Liang and Hall Master Zhao sent the gang’s emergency summons to gather its senior members.
• Alone in his room, Situ Liang used a hidden solution to reveal the words “Ping An Ren” on Situ Ping’s token, then concealed his discovery.
• When Elder Chu, Hall Master Xing, and Hall Master Zhang returned, Situ Liang waited, made a decision, and walked toward the main hall.

Situ Liang and the Fierce Tiger Gang leaders questioned the letter claiming that Situ Ping had joined Wan Jian Peak and that its disciples should manage the gang. Qu Xiangfeng offered few details, then defeated Hall Master Xing in a spar, demonstrating Wan Jian Peak’s strength.

• Situ Liang told Elder Chu and the hall masters that Situ Ping was safe but could not return, then showed them her letter about joining Wan Jian Peak.
• Elder Chu and the hall masters questioned why Wan Jian Peak wanted to oversee the Fierce Tiger Gang, while Hall Master Zhao insisted Situ Ping should return and explain.
• Qu Xiangfeng said Situ Ping was training in seclusion as Elder Yun’s disciple and stated that he had come to take temporary charge of the gang.
• Hall Master Xing challenged Qu Xiangfeng to prove Wan Jian Peak’s swordsmanship, and they agreed to spar in the hall.
• Qu Xiangfeng struck Hall Master Xing’s spear twice with his greatsword, knocked him down, and left him with injured hands; Hall Master Xing admitted defeat.

Qu Xiangfeng took control of the Fierce Tiger Gang on Wan Jian Peak’s behalf but left its daily affairs to Situ Liang and the elders while his group awaited further orders. Meanwhile, Situ Liang secretly sent three carrier pigeons, and Grandmother’s worsening cough continued to trouble the Zhang family.

• Qu Xiangfeng defeated Hall Master Xing in three moves, and the Fierce Tiger Gang agreed to accept Wan Jian Peak’s temporary leadership.
• Qu Xiangfeng said Elder Chu, Hall Master Situ, and the others would continue handling gang affairs, then ordered two Junior Brothers Wang to watch Lu Town and the rest to keep practicing.
• Situ Liang wrote a tiny letter, concealed it in a metal ring, attached the ring and two blank-message rings to carrier pigeons, and released all three toward the same destination.
• Grandmother spent the night suppressing a worsening cough so she would not wake Zhang Xiaohua, then waited outside until Guo Sufi found her in the morning.
• Guo Sufi helped Grandmother into the main room, where Liu Qian wondered whether the spring water could help as Grandmother’s condition deteriorated.

When Guo Sufi discovered that Grandmother had coughed blood onto her quilt, the family quietly faced the possibility that she was dying and gathered around her in the sunshine. Grandmother spoke of her acceptance of death and urged Guo Sufi to consider a match between Zhang Xiaolong and Liu Qian, but an unexpected declaration interrupted them.

• Guo Sufi found blood on Grandmother's quilt and told Zhang Xiaohua that Grandmother had coughed it up; Zhang Xiaohua vowed to find immortals to save her.
• Guo Sufi quietly showed the bloodstain to the family, and they gathered around Grandmother as Zhang Xiaohua brought her water.
• Grandmother realized the family was hiding her bloody cough and spoke with Guo Sufi about accepting death and trusting Zhang Cai to care for the family.
• Grandmother urged Guo Sufi to find out whether Liu Qian liked Zhang Xiaolong, and Guo Sufi said she would ask Liu Qian to return home the next day.
• Two people arrived at the courtyard gate and overheard the conversation, before someone ran in and announced that Qianqian was not going home.

Zhang Xiaolong and Liu Qian agreed to marry, and Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua traveled to Baligou to discuss their engagement with the Liu family. They also learned from Zhang Xiaohua that Grandmother was growing weaker, leaving the family eager to settle the marriage before her condition worsened.

• Zhang Xiaolong announced that Liu Qian would not be going home, and Liu Qian confirmed she wanted to stay with him.
• Zhang Xiaohua told Guo Sufi that he could sense Grandmother growing thinner as something drifted away from her.
• Zhang Cai and Guo Sufi decided to propose marriage to the Liu family, and Liu Qian agreed without hesitation.
• Zhang Cai took Zhang Xiaohua and gifts to Mr. Liu's home in Baligou to discuss the engagement.
• Liu Kai welcomed Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua while Mr. Liu remained busy in his study, and Zhang Cai said he had something to discuss with Mr. Liu.

Zhang Cai asked Mr. Liu to consider a marriage between Zhang Xiaolong and Liu Qian, but Mr. Liu raised concerns about their different interests, Xiaolong’s lack of education, and Liu Kai’s unmarried status. Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua left without a decision, while Liu Yueyue confirmed that Liu Qian liked Xiaolong.

• Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua waited for Mr. Liu and were greeted by Liu the Butcher.
• Zhang Cai proposed that Zhang Xiaolong and Liu Qian marry because they loved each other.
• Mr. Liu questioned whether the couple’s feelings and different backgrounds were enough for a lasting marriage, and noted that Liu Kai was still unmarried.
• Zhang Cai could not answer Mr. Liu’s objections, and the family postponed the discussion to share lunch.
• Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua left Baligou, and Liu Yueyue told Mr. Liu that Liu Qian had mentioned liking Zhang Xiaolong.

Zhang Cai returned from Baligou with Mr. Liu’s plan to take Liu Qian home, leaving the Zhang family worried that she and Zhang Xiaolong would be separated. Liu Qian affirmed her wish to marry Xiaolong, while Guo Sufi agreed the family would try to persuade her father when he came.

• Zhang Cai told the family that Mr. Liu planned to bring Liu Qian home in a few days because he believed the Zhang family could not offer her a suitable life.
• Liu Qian said she did not understand her father’s intentions and would ask him directly when he came, then nodded to reassure Zhang Xiaolong.
• Grandmother told Guo Sufi that the family should let the children follow fate and trust that Liu Qian would join them if she was meant to.
• Guo Sufi explained that Mr. Liu might want Liu Qian to marry an educated man, but Liu Qian insisted she could be happy with Xiaolong and teach him to read and write.
• Guo Sufi said she and Zhang Cai would use the silver from the bully to reassure Mr. Liu, but Liu Qian warned that cashing the banknote could expose them to a trap.
• Guo Sufi and Liu Qian agreed to wait for Mr. Liu’s visit and ask him about his intentions, while Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaolong lay awake worrying.

Zhang Xiaolong and Liu Qian decided to go to Baligou together and speak with her father before he came to fetch her. They arrived at Liu Qian’s home, where she reunited with Mr. Liu.

• Liu Qian reassured Zhang Xiaolong that she intended to stay with him, and they agreed to visit her father together.
• Zhang Xiaolong told Zhang Cai and Guo Sufi that he planned to accompany Liu Qian to Baligou, and they approved.
• Zhang Xiaolong, Liu Qian, and Zhang Xiaohu set off after packing a bottle of well water for Mr. Liu.
• The three took the shorter mountain path to Baligou, where villagers noticed Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu accompanying Liu Qian.
• Liu Qian arrived home and embraced Mr. Liu, who welcomed her back.

Liu Qian brought Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu to Baligou and spoke with her father, Mr. Liu, about marrying Zhang Xiaolong. She argued that their bond was fated and that moving to Guo Village would let her care for her father while he benefited from the village’s well water.

• Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu arrived at Liu Qian’s home, where Mr. Liu welcomed them and invited them to stay overnight.
• Liu Qian prepared food and tea for the brothers and her father, then went to speak privately with Mr. Liu.
• Mr. Liu explained that he feared Liu Qian would suffer because of the Zhang family’s poverty and the couple’s different ways of life.
• Liu Qian argued that her mother’s life and happiness had been meaningful despite her early death, and said her own meeting with Zhang Xiaolong was fated.
• Liu Qian told Mr. Liu that Guo Village’s well water had helped her grandmother recover and had improved her own health.
• Liu Qian proposed that Mr. Liu move to Guo Village after she married Zhang Xiaolong so she could care for him and he could benefit from the well water.

Liu Qian persuaded Mr. Liu to approve her marriage to Zhang Xiaolong by explaining why she trusted him and felt at home with his family. Mr. Liu accepted the match and began advising Zhang Xiaolong, whose conversation with him continued into the dark.

• Liu Qian told Mr. Liu she wanted to marry Zhang Xiaolong because he was steady and kind and his family had welcomed her.
• Mr. Liu agreed to the marriage, and Liu Qian and her father left the study to join the others.
• Liu Kai greeted Liu Qian, and she arranged a reunion dinner with help from her relatives.
• Mr. Liu took Zhang Xiaolong into the study and advised him to care for Liu Qian, read more, and consider his family's safety before taking risks.
• Mr. Liu continued giving Zhang Xiaolong instructions until someone knocked on the study door after dark.

Zhang Xiaolong returned to Guo Village with news that the Liu family agreed to the engagement, while Zhang Cai and Guo Sufi struggled to decide how much betrothal money they could afford. Zhang Xiaolong stopped them from using the dangerous banknotes and hinted that the family had something more valuable to offer Mr. Liu.

• Liu Qian stayed in Baligou while Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohu returned to Guo Village to tell Zhang Cai and Guo Sufi that Mr. Liu wanted them to choose an auspicious day and formalize the engagement.
• Zhang Cai and Guo Sufi celebrated the news but worried that they could not afford suitable betrothal gifts.
• As spring work began, Zhang Cai and Guo Sufi debated using hidden banknotes to provide more generous gifts, then called Zhang Xiaolong into the house.
• Zhang Xiaolong refused to use the banknotes, reminding his parents that Great Hero Wen had warned them against spending them and that the token from Heroine Xu was only for protection.
• Zhang Xiaolong told his parents that the Liu family valued them for more than wealth and hinted that they had something more precious than money to give Mr. Liu.

Zhang Cai and Guo Sufi arranged Zhang Xiaolong and Liu Qian’s betrothal, and the families agreed to hold the wedding at the end of February so Zhang Xiaolong’s ailing grandmother could see it. Liu Qian proposed that her father move to Guo Village and build a home near the Zhang family; afterward, she and Liu Yueyue discussed their own marriage prospects.

• Zhang Xiaolong asked Zhang Cai to invite Mr. Liu to move to Guo Village, and Zhang Cai and Guo Sufi set out for Baligou with the betrothal gifts.
• Mr. Liu accepted the gifts, and he and Zhang Cai discussed wedding dates before agreeing that the end of February was the nearest suitable day.
• Liu Qian urged the families to hold a simple wedding at the end of February and suggested that Mr. Liu build a courtyard near the Zhang family in Guo Village.
• Liu the Butcher objected to Mr. Liu moving away, but Mr. Liu explained his reasons and persuaded him that the brothers could remain close.
• Liu Yueyue told Liu Qian that Zhao Yuzhao had sent a matchmaker to propose, while Liu Qian teased her about Zhang Xiaohu.

Liu Qian defended her decision to marry Zhang Xiaolong despite the expected hardships, and the Zhang family hurried to prepare for the wedding. The wedding procession reached Baligou, where Zhang Xiaohua woke from his unexpected ride in the bridal sedan and helped lead Zhang Xiaolong into the village.

• Liu Qian told Liu Yueyue she did not regret choosing Zhang Xiaolong and believed they could shape a happy life together.
• Zhang Cai and Guo Sufi returned to Guo Village with news that the engagement was settled, and the Zhang family and villagers prepared for the wedding.
• On the wedding morning, Zhang Xiaohua slept through repeated attempts to wake him, so the family carried him in the bridal sedan.
• Zhang Xiaohua woke along the way, apologized to Zhang Xiaolong, and rode with him for the rest of the journey.
• The wedding procession reached Baligou, scattered candies to villagers and children, and continued toward the Liu residence.