Chapter Summaries

The chapter revealed why Luo Defeng had abandoned the Seven Flood Dragons’ stronghold: Shang Huaitong had been promised a place at Shaolong Prefecture’s Sword Cultivation Academy. On the day of the Egret Isle Poetry Gathering, Pei Ye practiced applying makeup with Li Piaoqing as the city prepared for the academy overseer’s arrival.

• Pei Ye gave Lu Yunsheng the Soul-Seizing Pearl to hold until Heavenly Mountain’s representative arrived and they could decide its fate.
• Pei Ye learned that Li Piaoqing’s master had entered Bowang City and had received all her letters.
• The Seven Flood Dragons denied responsibility for the lake fighting and the Soul-Seizing affair, while Jade Feather planned to let Shaolong Prefecture’s Immortal Platform take over the investigation.
• The Sword Cultivation Academy announced that it would offer Bowang a Dao Student place, with Shang Huaitong expected to meet its standard and the overseer due on the second day of the ninth month.
• Pei Ye practiced drawing eyeliner under Li Piaoqing’s guidance at Changdao Martial Arts School.

Pei Ye and Li Piaoqing traveled to Egret Isle for Bowang’s poetry gathering, where Jade Feather planned to oppose Shang Huaitong’s bid for power. After arriving, Pei Ye spotted Zhang Dingyun and Fang Jidao, and Zhang approached him with something he seemed reluctant to say.

• Li Piaoqing taught Pei Ye to apply subtle disguises, and he improved before the lesson ended at noon.
• On the carriage ride to the poetry gathering, Pei Ye studied a swordcraft book and learned that Qi Zhaohua had written personal lines in his invitation.
• Li Piaoqing explained that the gathering would give Pei Ye a chance to gain fame through swordplay and poetry, but Pei Ye said their main aim was to stop Shang Huaitong.
• Pei Ye, Li Piaoqing, Yang Yan, and Zhang Junxue crossed Moon-Catching Lake and arrived on Egret Isle, where Jade Feather disciples welcomed Li Piaoqing.
• Pei Ye recognized Zhang Dingyun and Fang Jidao, and Zhang Dingyun greeted him by saying he had become completely one of Jade Feather.

At the Egret Isle Poetry Gathering, Pei Ye warned Zhang Dingyun about the Seven Flood Dragons and learned that Fang Jidao had been pressured to write a poem praising Shang Huaitong. Pei Ye joined the Jade Feather disciples as the gathering began, watched the sects and Shang Huaitong, and ended the chapter when Li Piaoqing asked to read his Booklet with him.

• Pei Ye advised Zhang Dingyun to distance himself from the Seven Flood Dragons and draw closer to Jade Feather, prompting Zhang to reconsider his family's business ties.
• Zhang Dingyun told Pei Ye that Qi Zhaohua had asked Fang Jidao to write a poem praising Shang Huaitong as a stepping stone for Shang, though Fang defended her decision.
• Pei Ye joined Li Piaoqing and the Jade Feather disciples on the Egret-Viewing Terrace, where they met Yang Yan, Zhang Junxue, and the others.
• Qi Zhaohua opened the gathering, and the House Guard instructor's demonstration began a lively exchange of swordplay, poetry, silk sashes, and released egrets.
• Pei Ye observed the troubled Seven Flood Dragons and the composed Shang Huaitong, then continued reading while the gathering carried on.
• Li Piaoqing approached Pei Ye and asked whether she could read his Booklet with him.

Pei Ye and Li Piaoqing read a difficult sword theory book before Qi Zhaohua drew him aside to discuss Moon-Catching Lake and her conflict between love and political affairs. Qi asked Pei Ye for detailed intelligence about Jade Feather’s offensive against the Seven Flood Dragons, leaving him wary of her motives.

• Pei Ye shared the Compendium of Six Dynasties Swordcraft with Li Piaoqing, explained the passage on the Intent Sword, then took the book back when she read too slowly.
• Qi Zhaohua asked Pei Ye to speak privately, and he questioned her about the stalled Moon-Catching Lake project and the Seven Flood Dragons’ opposition.
• Pei Ye suggested Qi had failed to sway Shang Huaitong, and Qi admitted she could not decide between love and political affairs.
• Qi told Pei Ye that Moon-Catching Lake’s success depended on Sect Leader Luo, not Shang Huaitong, and said she had not investigated Zhang Junyu and Gu Guang further.
• Qi asked Pei Ye for detailed information about Jade Feather’s offensive against the Seven Flood Dragons, and Pei Ye recognized her skillful acting.

Pei Ye told Qi Zhaohua that Jade Feather was rapidly dismantling the Seven Flood Dragons’ influence, then joined the disciples’ Finger Sword game at the Egret Isle Poetry Gathering. A flying message from Ming Qitian arrived with her advice about Heavenly Mountain, leaving Pei Ye ready to give the bead to its disciple.

• Pei Ye told Qi Zhaohua that Jade Feather would sever the Seven Flood Dragons’ connection to the Five Lakes Gang within three days and clear their Bowang businesses within ten days.
• Li Piaoqing urged Pei Ye to join the Jade Feather disciples’ Finger Sword game, where Shen Yao won the round.
• Pei Ye realized he had forgotten his Finger Sword and accepted a hovering white-jade sword carrying a reply from Ming Qitian.
• Pei Ye read Ming Qitian’s message advising him to give the bead to the Heavenly Mountain disciple after she had consulted their sect head.

Pei Ye reassured Jade Feather that Heavenly Mountain had no scheme against him, then joined the gathering’s contests as the Seven Flood Dragons faced mounting pressure. After Jade Feather’s fighters weakened their opponents, Pei Ye entered the longsword field and defeated a fifth-growth disciple in five moves, leaving the gathering stunned.

• Ming Qitian learned from the sect leader, Ye Wohan, and Chu Xiao that Heavenly Mountain was investigating a case without intending to harm Pei Ye, then sent him a brief reply approving the Soul-Seizing Pearl.
• Pei Ye showed Li Piaoqing the note, promised to give her a present in about ten days, and began competing in the little-sword bouts.
• A Seven Flood Dragons disciple won three bouts, but Chu Nian defeated him and two more fourth-growth opponents before losing to a fifth-growth fighter; Shen Yao then won one bout before being defeated by another.
• Li Piaoqing sent Pei Ye to the longsword field after he completed a clean sweep of the little-sword contest.
• Pei Ye drew his sword and disarmed a fifth-growth Seven Flood Dragons disciple in five moves, stunning the gathering.

Pei Ye defeated a string of challengers at the poetry gathering, drawing acclaim and becoming a leading dark horse for the Martial Competition. Li Piaoqing read a letter from his friend Ming and realized Pei Ye had been worried about his prospects, while Shang Huaitong resolved to face him at the competition; the chapter ended with Pei Ye discovering Li Piaoqing had read the letter.

• Pei Ye defeated the Seven Flood Dragons’ remaining Fifth Growth fighter and impressed the watching scholars with his swordsmanship.
• Pei Ye defeated six more challengers, while Li Piaoqing watched the poets produce several highly praised works.
• Li Piaoqing found and read Pei Ye’s letter from Ming, learning that Ming had encouraged him and asked about his study of the Compendium of Six Dynasties Swordcraft.
• Shang Huaitong considered challenging Pei Ye but followed Qi Zhaohua’s plan and decided to wait for the Martial Competition.
• Pei Ye returned to Li Piaoqing after the poetry judging, and she praised his performance before he noticed the open letter on her lap.

At the Egret Isle Poetry Gathering, Shang Huaitong stopped two rival Fifth Growth fighters from killing each other, then Lay Buddhist Qi’s poem about his intervention earned thirteen White Herons. The gathering’s honored guest, Lord Sui, arrived just as the poem took the event’s highest distinction.

• Pei Ye learned that the approaching Lord Sui was a powerful academy overseer and official whose favor could shape the gathering’s contest for renown.
• Two rival escort masters turned their sparring bout into a deadly fight, and Shang Huaitong rushed in and disarmed them before they could kill each other.
• Fang Jidao’s poem praising Shang Huaitong drew criticism, while Lay Buddhist Qi’s poem about the rescue impressed the scholars.
• Lay Buddhist Qi’s poem earned thirteen White Herons, the gathering’s maximum, and was set to be presented to Lord Sui as he arrived with Zhao Zhang.

Qi Zhaohua helped Shang Huaitong impress the visiting superintendent, then learned the Seven Flood Dragons had lost four elders and faced Heavenly Mountain’s support for Jade Feather. At the selection, Sui Zaihua introduced a magical artifact for testing the candidates, while Pei Ye watched from afar.

• Qi Zhaohua sent Fang Jidao to retrieve contracts and discussed her plans with Shang Huaitong after the poetry gathering raised his reputation.
• Shang Huaitong told Qi Zhaohua that Jade Feather and Heavenly Mountain had caused the Seven Flood Dragons to lose four elders, and she resolved to help the group respond.
• Provincial Governor Zhao Zhang and Sui Zaihua arrived at the Egret-Viewing Terrace, where Sui praised Shang Huaitong’s poem and observed the martial talents.
• Sui Zaihua announced that he would choose the number of promising candidates himself and brought out a magical artifact for a character-assessment game.
• Pei Ye examined the mirror-like artifact from a distance as the candidates hesitated over who should try it first.

At the Egret-Viewing Terrace, Sui Zaihua demonstrated the Swordheart Reflection, which tested a person's resilience and sword-bearing state of mind. After nearly every challenger received the lowest result, Li Piaoqing stepped forward and drew the old man's special attention.

• Zhao Zhang tried the Swordheart Reflection, experienced a terrifying vision, and received the result Relying on Qi, Sword-Loss.
• Sui Zaihua explained the mirror's four states of mind and four levels of resistance to fear.
• Nearly twenty challengers, including Kuang Rong and Chu Nian, failed to improve on the lowest result, while Shen Yao and Zhang Mozhu briefly slowed the black substance before it overcame them.
• Zhao Zhang hoped Shang Huaitong could uphold Bowang's dignity as Li Piaoqing rose to take her turn.
• Sui Zaihua watched Li Piaoqing and called her a spiritually clear child.

Li Piaoqing impressed Sui Zaihua by resisting the Sword Heart Reflection’s black substance and was judged to have reached Facing the Scene and All-Control. After Sui Zaihua explained the academy’s standards and higher realms, he chose Pei Ye to take the next test.

• Sui Zaihua invited Li Piaoqing to demonstrate her swordsmanship, and she performed Fire-Sweeping Through the Waterfall and Fallen Leaf Returning Tide.
• Li Piaoqing touched the Sword Heart Reflection and resisted the black substance throughout its advance, displaying her ability to control her emotions and actions.
• Sui Zaihua named Li Piaoqing’s levels Facing the Scene and All-Control, and Zhao Zhang celebrated her achievement.
• Sui Zaihua explained the Sword Cultivation Academy’s admissions standards and described the realms of Relying on Qi, Facing the Scene, All-Control, Holding the Heart, and Unchanging.
• Sui Zaihua declined to call Shang Huaitong yet and instead selected Pei Ye to try the test.

At the Sword Heart Reflection trial, Yang Yan achieved All-Control through Relying on Qi, and Li Piaoqing put forward Pei Ye as Bowang’s finest sword talent. Pei Ye rejected the Sword Cultivation Academy, then entered the trial, where his [Quail Head] first disrupted the test before he faced its overwhelming threat with a sword.

• Sui Zaihua invited Yang Yan to try the mirror, and Yang Yan’s resolve held the black substance back for forty breaths, earning him Relying on Qi: All-Control.
• Li Piaoqing praised Pei Ye as Bowang’s greatest sword talent and nominated him, intensifying the rivalry with the Seven Flood Dragons over Shang Huaitong’s standing.
• Sui Zaihua invited Pei Ye to demonstrate sword moves, but Pei Ye said he did not want to enter the Shaolong Sword Cultivation Academy before touching the mirror.
• Pei Ye recognized the mirror’s material and found that his [Quail Head] prevented the trial from erasing his memories, so he asked Little Cat to cover it up.
• After Little Cat blanked his mind, Pei Ye faced an apparently unbeatable presence in the illusion, picked up a sword, and prepared to resist it.

Pei Ye stunned the gathering by clearing the Fearlessness Pass of Sword Heart Reflection and reaching Holding the Heart · Illuminated Spirit. After Sui Zaihua invited him to the Prefectural Office for a conversation, Pei Ye returned to the Jade Feather seats, where Cui Xiaoyan eagerly praised him.

• Pei Ye faced the black substance in Sword Heart Reflection and annihilated it with a single thrust of his sword.
• Sui Zaihua announced that Pei Ye had reached Holding the Heart · Illuminated Spirit and asked what experiences had shaped him.
• Pei Ye said he was from Fenghuai and agreed to meet Sui Zaihua at the Prefectural Office after the gathering.
• Sui Zaihua told Zhao Zhang that Pei Ye could choose his own path rather than be pressured to join the Sword Cultivation Academy.
• Pei Ye returned to the Jade Feather seats, where Cui Xiaoyan rushed over and called him the best in Bowang City.

Pei Ye impressed Lord Sui with his extraordinary state of mind but remained intent on killing Shang Huaitong rather than seeking a place at the Sword Cultivation Academy. Meanwhile, Qi Zhaohua met Shang Huaitong with lake deeds, and he hinted that others had long misunderstood his feelings about Bai Yuliang.

• The girl worried that Shang Huaitong might meet Lord Sui’s standard, while Pei Ye encouraged her to speak with the supervisor about entering the Sword Cultivation Academy.
• Pei Ye exchanged a challenging look with Shang Huaitong, then told the girl he still planned to kill him.
• Fang Jidao delivered lake deeds to Qi Zhaohua and offered to accompany her, but she refused and sent him back.
• Zhang Dingyun told Fang Jidao that Pei Ye had become Bowang’s new god, then heard Fang begin to explain how Qi Zhaohua had helped him when they first met.
• Qi Zhaohua gave Shang Huaitong the lake deeds, and he said he had been misunderstood for a long time about Bai Yuliang.

Qi Zhaohua warned Shang Huaitong that Jade Feather would move against the Seven Flood Dragons, and they arranged to sell Moon-Catching Lake to the authorities before the sect lost control of it. Shang Huaitong then impressed Sword Cultivation Academy overseer Sui Zaihua with his swordsmanship, revealing his exceptional talent and his Seven Flood Dragons technique, Three Fires Conceal Life.

• Qi Zhaohua told Shang Huaitong that Jade Feather would attack the southern city and sever the Seven Flood Dragons' ties to the Five Lakes Gang within three days.
• Qi Zhaohua arranged for the authorities to buy Moon-Catching Lake at a price twenty percent above the agreed amount, and Shang Huaitong sealed the deed.
• Shang Huaitong went to meet Sui Zaihua after Qi Zhaohua handed him her cloak.
• Shang Huaitong demonstrated Three Fires Conceal Life, and Sui Zaihua praised the technique and judged him to be at the peak of the Clumsy Realm.
• Shang Huaitong told Sui Zaihua that he was twenty-three, had studied the sword for eleven years, and had entered the Clumsy Realm three years earlier.

Shang Huaitong demonstrated his self-created Weed-Pulling Chapter to Sui Zaihua and earned the Sword Cultivation Academy’s acceptance, then explained how he judged and dealt with enemies. Meanwhile, Qi Zhaohua completed the arrangements for work at Egret Isle Lake and, exhausted, found resolve in watching an egret catch a fish.

• Shang Huaitong revealed that he had created the Weed-Pulling Chapter, and Sui Zaihua tested it with him before praising its potential.
• Sui Zaihua accepted Shang Huaitong into the Sword Cultivation Academy through Kongtong’s recommendation, subject to a Hero Tally requirement that could be waived through the Prefectural Office.
• Li Piaoqing worried that Pei Ye might risk bloodshed against Shang Huaitong, while Sui Zaihua asked Shang Huaitong what kind of man he was.
• Qi Zhaohua handed over the Seven Flood Dragons’ deeds and arranged for work at Egret Isle Lake to begin after the Five Lakes Gang was cleared out and laborers were gathered.
• After the officials left, Qi Zhaohua washed away her makeup and watched an egret catch a fish, then reflected that other people’s judgments did not matter as much as finding what she needed.
• Shang Huaitong said he treated enemies according to interest, answering righteousness with righteousness and evil with evil.

Qi Zhaohua exposed Shang Huaitong’s true nature by repeating his private insult about Zhang Junyu, confirming Li Piaoqing’s accusation before the gathering. Shang Huaitong realized Qi Zhaohua had turned against him, and his composure faltered as he faced the threat of losing his chance at the Sword Cultivation Academy.

• Sui Zaihua questioned Shang Huaitong about his principles, and Shang said he could succeed even if the Sword Academy rejected him.
• Li Piaoqing accused Shang Huaitong of deceiving Zhang Junyu and Gu Guang for personal gain, but most witnesses supported Zhao Zhang’s account and left her without evidence.
• Shang Huaitong countered that he had not harmed Bai Yuliang, and the gathering continued to trust him.
• Qi Zhaohua stepped forward and asked Shang Huaitong whether he had once called Zhang Junyu easy to fool, repeating his private words as proof of Li Piaoqing’s accusation.
• Shang Huaitong recognized that Qi Zhaohua’s claim was true and realized she had turned against him, leaving him afraid that Sui Zaihua would see his true character.

Qi Zhaohua revealed that she had planned to use her knowledge of the Seven Flood Dragons’ interests to force them to sign the lake contract, but the news that they were connected to the murder of her loved one turned her plan into a desire for revenge. She accused Shang Huaitong before Sui Zaihua, who remained cautious, while Shang Huaitong challenged Qi Zhaohua over how little she had trusted him.

• Qi Zhaohua recalled how she had planned to pressure the Seven Flood Dragons into surrendering Moon-Catching Lake by tying herself to Shang Huaitong and threatening to expose their alleged role in Xu Gu and Zhang Junyu’s deaths.
• After learning that the murderer had worn Xu Cang’s face, Qi Zhaohua abandoned her willingness to compromise and asked Pei Ye whether Jade Feather could make the Seven Flood Dragons lose their property.
• Pei Ye told Qi Zhaohua that Jade Feather could force the Seven Flood Dragons to lose the property within three days, and the two joined forces against them without Shang Huaitong’s knowledge.
• Qi Zhaohua told Sui Zaihua that she would stake her life on Shang Huaitong’s guilt, and Sui Zaihua asked Shang Huaitong to answer the accusation.
• Shang Huaitong denied having a motive to harm Xu Gu and Zhang Junyu, then asked Qi Zhaohua why he had spared Bai Yuliang and whether she had ever truly trusted him.

Shang Huaitong proved through Sword Heart Reflection that his swordsmanship was untouched by murderous intent, leaving his accusations and the case against him unresolved. Pei Ye then met Sui Zaihua at the Prefectural Office, where Sui showed him a collection of swords and explained the East Sea Sword Forge’s inscriptions.

• Shang Huaitong used Sword Heart Reflection and revealed the disposition [Holding the Heart · Untouched].
• Pei Ye explained that Shang Huaitong had wanted to defeat Bai Yuliang and Li Piaoqing openly with his sword, despite using vicious methods against others.
• Sui Zaihua denied Shang Huaitong special admission for the time being and told him to win the Autumn Champion title before seeking another assessment.
• Pei Ye and Li Piaoqing went to the Prefectural Office, where Sui Zaihua showed Pei a wall of swords and identified one bearing the East Sea Sword Forge’s marks.
• Sui Zaihua explained that the East Sea Sword Forge used Sword-Casting and Sword-Appraisal inscriptions to mark and evaluate swords.

Pei Ye asked Sui Zaihua about the Soul-Seizing Pearl, and the old man explained how its heart amber could capture a person’s mind and martial skills. After helping Pei Ye document the artifact for the Immortal Platform, Sui Zaihua turned to Pei Ye’s sword talent and the Shaolong Sword Cultivation Academy.

• Sui Zaihua showed Pei Ye the costly East Sea sword and explained its craftsmanship and sword patterns.
• Sui Zaihua explained that Sword Heart Reflection used heart amber to reflect a person’s Mindscape Realm.
• Pei Ye revealed that he had the Soul-Seizing Pearl, and Sui Zaihua identified its heart-amber face and solid metal backing as features that could retain a mind.
• Sui Zaihua theorized that the pearl could make someone display their strongest swordsmanship before sealing away that part of their mind, and Pei Ye wondered whether Quail Head could protect him from it.
• Sui Zaihua wrote down his findings for the Immortal Platform and gave Pei Ye a stamped copy to take to Heavenly Mountain.
• Sui Zaihua asked about Pei Ye’s age, sword training, and progress, then challenged Pei Ye’s claim that he did not want to enter the Shaolong Sword Cultivation Academy.