Chapter Summaries

Ye Jingtang brought Hua Qingzhi to the Western Sea Protectorate to reunite her with Hua Junchen, but her return raised questions about her reputation and where she would live. When Eunuch Chen’s inspection threatened to expose Ye Jingtang, he killed the eunuch and his two followers, then staged their deaths as an attack.

• Ye Jingtang spotted Hua Junchen near the southeastern corner tower and carried Hua Qingzhi over the wall to meet him.
• Hua Qingzhi reunited with Hua Junchen, who explained that the Hua Family had claimed she eloped with Ye Jingtang and worried that sending her home would damage her reputation.
• Ye Jingtang proposed keeping Hua Qingzhi with him until Hua Junchen could find a solution, but Eunuch Chen arrived before they could settle the matter.
• Ye Jingtang and Hua Qingzhi hid in a room while Hua Junchen entertained Eunuch Chen in the courtyard.
• Ye Jingtang killed Eunuch Chen and knocked out his two followers, then moved the bodies and staged their deaths as an intruder’s attack.

Ye Jingtang arranged for Cao Aning to mislead Northern Liang about Eunuch Chen’s murder while learning that Hua Junchen and Xu Tianying had been assigned to guard an envoy carrying medicinal pills. Unable to attack the delegation, Ye Jingtang decided to pursue Huang Liansheng in the Great Desert, while Hua Qingzhi remained at the medicine shop, grieving her separation from home.

• Cao Aning identified the techniques used to kill Eunuch Chen and the other two eunuchs, leading Eunuch Xu to order a search for Jiang Zhawu.
• Hua Junchen invited Cao Aning to Tianyun Tower, and Cao Aning remembered the meeting details before politely declining.
• Ye Jingtang comforted Hua Qingzhi as he carried her to the vacant Dongming Tribe medicine shop, where she resolved to serve the Southern Dynasty as an adviser until she could return home in honor.
• Fan Qinghe, Perfected Person Xuanji, Green Pearl, and Niao Niao joined Ye Jingtang and Hua Qingzhi at the medicine shop before the group went to Tianyun Tower.
• Cao Aning told Ye Jingtang that Hua Junchen and Xu Tianying would escort Li Si and the medicinal pills to Huang Liansheng, making the delegation too risky to attack.
• Ye Jingtang decided to let the delegation deliver the pills and then kill Huang Liansheng in the Great Desert.

Xue Baijin and Zhe Yunli left Cape Harbor for Shuofeng City to investigate Bei Yunbian, while Li Si set out with Monk Jingkong to negotiate with the Shatuo Tribe. Ye Jingtang followed the envoy party toward the Great Desert with Hua Qingzhi and their companions, relying on Perfected Person Xuanji to guide them through the Unreturning Plains.

• After searching Northern Liang for the last three Dragon-Mingling Diagrams without success, Xue Baijin took Zhe Yunli to Cape Harbor, where Yunli heard martial wanderers speculate about Bei Yunbian's rise.
• Xue Baijin decided to travel to Shuofeng City to investigate Bei Yunbian, and she and Zhe Yunli left Cape Harbor without entering Yangguan Temple.
• Li Si arrived in Heicu City and departed with Monk Jingkong and the Shatuo envoys to negotiate with the Shatuo Tribe, choosing the dangerous route across the Unreturning Plains instead of traveling through Liangzhou.
• Ye Jingtang followed the envoy party after sending Niao Niao ahead, and he bought supplies while reassuring Hua Qingzhi that her father would be safe.
• Perfected Person Xuanji agreed to guide Ye Jingtang and his companions through the desert, saying she could find water and knew the Unreturning Plains.

Ye Jingtang’s party rested near Dolan Valley while Li Si’s group encountered Zen Master Shenchen, who tried to stop Huang Liansheng’s plans. Huang Liansheng seized Li Si and fled west, and Ye Jingtang pursued, leaving Monk Jingkong and the others to turn back toward Liangzhou.

• Ye Jingtang and his companions camped near a river, where Hua Qingzhi sang with Fan Qinghe before Niao Niao flew toward Dolan Valley with an urgent message.
• Li Si’s party entered the abandoned village in Dolan Valley and heard a wooden fish, while Monk Jingkong recognized Zen Master Shenchen and knelt to ask him to spare the others.
• Zen Master Shenchen argued that Huang Liansheng’s uprising would bring disaster to Shazhou and warned Huang that the Green Bandits were cultivating potential rulers like gu.
• After Shenchen left, Huang Liansheng abruptly seized Li Si and fled west, prompting Hua Junchen and Xu Tianying to pursue them.
• Ye Jingtang arrived, pinned Monk Jingkong down, learned that Huang Liansheng had taken Li Si west, and raced after them with Niao Niao.
• Monk Jingkong and the remaining Northern Liang party abandoned the pursuit and turned back toward Liangzhou.

Ye Jingtang and his companions endured a sandstorm, found water, and followed Li Si’s party into the desert after discovering a clue left by Xu Tianying. Meanwhile, Huang Liansheng revealed his plan to use an eight-thousand-man force against the Western Sea Tribes, while Zen Master Shenchen took Monk Jingkong back toward Thousand Buddha Temple.

• Ye Jingtang’s group waited out the sandstorm, shared their scarce water, and learned that Niao Niao had located four people more than seventy li to the northwest.
• Huang Liansheng told Li Si that his eight-thousand-man Vanguard Army was waiting north of Huangming Mountain and that it needed supplies before crossing.
• Xu Tianying secretly left a Snowflake Mark on an Auspicious Beast Stone Carving as Huang Liansheng led Li Si, Hua Junchen, and Xu Tianying onward.
• Ye Jingtang’s group found water, followed Niao Niao’s directions, and discovered Xu Tianying’s Snow Lake Mark pointing north, so they pursued Li Si’s party.
• Zen Master Shenchen reunited with Monk Jingkong and refused to let him return to secular life until he could give up his ambitions.

Ye Jingtang and his companions pursued Li Si and Huang Liansheng into the mountains, where they discovered Huang Liansheng had gathered eight thousand warriors in an ancient military passage to attack the Wuma Tribe. As Ye Jingtang’s group neared the tribe, Niao Niao detected Li Si’s party near its horse enclosure, and they moved in to investigate.

• Ye Jingtang’s group reached Huangming Mountain and sent Niao Niao to search for Li Si and Huang Liansheng while they continued toward the Wuma Tribe.
• Hua Junchen and Li Si followed Huang Liansheng through an ancient military passage and found eight thousand warriors waiting inside.
• Huang Liansheng gave the Immortal Elixir to himself and departed to cultivate alone, while Li Si and the warriors prepared to seize the Wuma Tribe’s settlement.
• Two days later, Ye Jingtang’s group crossed the mountain ridge and saw the Wuma Tribe’s settlement below, believing Li Si and the others might have vanished underground.
• Niao Niao detected Li Si’s party near the Wuma Tribe’s horse enclosure, and Ye Jingtang led the others northeast to investigate.

Ye Jingtang arrived at the Wuma Tribe stronghold just as Northern Liang and Shatuo forces launched an attack, then single-handedly stopped the assault and forced the soldiers to surrender. Yao Cishan thanked him for saving the tribe, and Ye Jingtang declared that the Western Sea Tribes would no longer have to kneel to anyone.

• Li Si, Chu Yuanqi, Hua Junchen, and Xu Tianying prepared to attack the Wuma Tribe stronghold and debated how to handle the women and children near the horse ranch.
• A watchdog alerted the people in the ranch, and an archer shot at a woman before Ye Jingtang appeared and caught the arrow.
• Chu Yuanqi ordered the Shatuo soldiers to charge, while Ye Jingtang fought them in the narrow channel and Perfected Person Xuanji sent boulders crashing into the hollow.
• Hua Junchen, Xu Tianying, and Li Si fled as Ye Jingtang overwhelmed the soldiers, who eventually dropped their weapons and surrendered.
• Yao Cishan arrived with Wuma tribespeople, thanked Ye Jingtang, and heard him say the Western Sea Tribes would never need to kneel to anyone again.

Ye Jingtang defeated the Shatuo surprise force at the Wuma Tribe and pursued its remaining soldiers through an ancient military passage. The inscriptions revealed a link between the First Emperor’s Nine Arts and a legendary white lotus, while Huang Liansheng prepared a counterattack against Ye Jingtang.

• Ye Jingtang ordered the surrendered Shatuo soldiers registered and incorporated into the Wuma Tribe, then followed Shui'er into the mountains to pursue the troops who had escaped.
• Ye Jingtang, Shui'er, and Yao Cishan discovered ancient inscriptions in the passage, and Hua Qingzhi identified them as a proclamation by the First Emperor Wu Yi mentioning a sacred lotus and the Northern Wasteland.
• Ye Jingtang connected the inscription to the Western Sea Tribes’ white lotus legend and carried Hua Qingzhi deeper into the passage to search for more clues.
• Li Si, Hua Junchen, and Xu Tianying retreated through the passage with the remaining Shatuo soldiers and encountered Huang Liansheng.
• Huang Liansheng learned that the ambush had failed and ordered his remaining troops to break out, proposing to kill Ye Jingtang and seize the Wuma Tribe’s Main Stronghold.

Ye Jingtang caught up with the Wuma Tribe in the limestone caves, where he rescued them from a sudden flood and confronted Huang Liansheng's forces. He overwhelmed Huang Liansheng despite the man's healing White Lotus medicine, then pursued him toward his lair while the Shazhou soldiers surrendered.

• Ye Jingtang collapsed a rock barrier to divert a sudden torrent and save the Wuma men in the underground river.
• Hua Junchen rushed to Hua Qingzhi, then attacked Ye Jingtang after Hua Qingzhi claimed she had been abducted; Ye struck him down and maintained their ruse.
• Ye Jingtang brutally overpowered Huang Liansheng, who used a White Lotus seed to heal his injuries and return to the fight.
• Ye Jingtang defeated Huang Liansheng repeatedly, and Huang fled into the military passage while Li Si and Hua Junchen withdrew.
• The Shazhou soldiers dropped their weapons and surrendered, and Ye Jingtang took Hua Qingzhi with him to pursue Huang Liansheng.

Ye Jingtang pursued Huang Liansheng into a hidden chamber beneath Huangming Mountain, where Huang Liansheng revealed the First Emperor’s legacy and attacked with the Son of Heaven Sword. Ye Jingtang defeated and killed him, though the battle left Ye Jingtang badly wounded.

• Ye Jingtang carried Hua Qingzhi through the caverns while pursuing Huang Liansheng, and they found inscriptions describing the First Emperor’s legacy and warning against claiming it without worthiness.
• Ye Jingtang and Hua Qingzhi crossed an underwater passage into a vast lotus pond, where Huang Liansheng ambushed them with the Son of Heaven Sword and cut a deep wound into Ye Jingtang’s back.
• Huang Liansheng revealed that he had found the chamber as a young man and planned to use the sword, his army, and the First Emperor’s teachings to conquer the realm.
• Huang Liansheng attacked after deciding Ye Jingtang was bluffing, but Ye Jingtang evaded his sword and wore him down with repeated attacks.
• Huang Liansheng hurled the Son of Heaven Sword at Ye Jingtang, who stopped it between his palms and sent it through Huang Liansheng’s chest.
• Ye Jingtang cut off Huang Liansheng’s head before his regenerative ability could save him, and Huang Liansheng died recalling that Zen Master Shenchen had judged him accurately.

Ye Jingtang survived his battle with Huang Liansheng and used the White Lotus petals to treat his wounds while Hua Qingzhi helped him explore Huang Liansheng’s refuge. They discovered the First Emperor’s writings, which pointed toward a Heaven-Gifted Stone Stele near Crescent Moon Lake, and planned to investigate it after escaping Panlong Cave.

• Ye Jingtang climbed out of the lotus pond after defeating Huang Liansheng, and Hua Qingzhi helped him reach the Square Platform.
• Ye Jingtang and Hua Qingzhi found Huang Liansheng’s severed head, which frightened Hua Qingzhi, before they reached the refuge’s furniture and supplies.
• Ye Jingtang discovered that fresh White Lotus petals eased his injuries, and Hua Qingzhi applied soaked petals to his back.
• Ye Jingtang read the First Emperor’s martial arts manual and concluded that its techniques were foundational but limited by their era.
• Ye Jingtang and Hua Qingzhi learned that the First Emperor had hidden a Heaven-Gifted Stone Stele in the Heavenly Pool near Crescent Moon Lake, and they agreed to seek it after escaping.

Ye Jingtang swallowed a black lotus seed that proved far more potent than he expected, and its force began ravaging his body as the Flame-Rebirth Diagram repeatedly healed him. Hua Qingzhi tried to help him survive, and the chapter left Ye Jingtang submerged in the pool while she watched anxiously from the platform.

• Hua Qingzhi found a jar of lotus seeds, and Ye Jingtang chose a black seed after they reasoned that the green ones were likely more potent.
• The seed’s medicinal force overwhelmed Ye Jingtang, healing his wounds while repeatedly damaging his body and causing him immense pain.
• Hua Qingzhi tried to cool Ye Jingtang and offered to let him look at her chest, but he plunged into the pool instead.
• When Ye Jingtang remained underwater, Hua Qingzhi bravely dived in and tried to revive him by breathing air into his mouth.
• Ye Jingtang surfaced with Hua Qingzhi, kissed her again before submerging himself to cool down, and helped her climb onto the platform.
• Hua Qingzhi changed into dry clothes and waited anxiously to see whether Ye Jingtang would recover.

Perfected Person Xuanji found Ye Jingtang in the lotus pool while he was suffering a severe internal crisis, and she stayed with him as he lost control. Meanwhile, Dongfang Liren and her companions reached Thousand Buddha Temple, where they learned that a rite was being held for Huang Liansheng and set out to investigate his apparent death.

• Fan Qinghe waited for Ye Jingtang outside the Wuma Tribe’s stockade, while Perfected Person Xuanji searched the caves for him.
• Perfected Person Xuanji followed Huang Liansheng’s trail through the caves and swam through the lotus pool passage.
• Hua Qingzhi recognized Perfected Person Xuanji and warned her that something had happened to Ye Jingtang, who then emerged from the water and clung to her in his delirious state.
• Perfected Person Xuanji tried to calm Ye Jingtang and examine his condition, while Hua Qingzhi watched as the crisis continued through the day.
• Dongfang Liren, Pei Xiangjun, and Luo Ning discussed whether to seek revenge at Thousand Buddha Temple, and Luo Ning chose to let Ye Jingtang speak to Shenchen Monk later.
• Dongfang Liren’s party learned that Shenchen Monk was conducting a rite for Huang Liansheng, then left to investigate whether the Shatuo chief was dead.

After the black lotus seed and Flame-Rebirth Diagram healed and strengthened Ye Jingtang, he and Hua Qingzhi tended to Perfected Person Xuanji. As they prepared to leave the lotus pool, Xuanji teased Hua Qingzhi about becoming Ye Jingtang’s principal wife, leaving Hua Qingzhi hurt by his hesitation.

• Ye Jingtang carried Perfected Person Xuanji from the lotus pool, and Hua Qingzhi covered and cared for her.
• Perfected Person Xuanji said she did not blame Ye Jingtang, while he promised to take responsibility and Hua Qingzhi worried about Prince Jing.
• Ye Jingtang checked his condition, found that he had fully recovered, and gave Hua Qingzhi a Grain Pill that she accidentally chewed.
• Hua Qingzhi accused Xue Baijin of causing her predicament and asked Ye Jingtang to help her get revenge.
• Perfected Person Xuanji suggested that Hua Qingzhi become Ye Jingtang’s principal wife and Xue Baijin his concubine, but Ye Jingtang rejected the idea as a joke.
• Ye Jingtang proposed leaving, and Hua Qingzhi helped Perfected Person Xuanji get dressed while telling him to turn around.

After returning from the mountain cave with Shui'er and Hua Qingzhi, Ye Jingtang addressed the Western Sea Tribes and asked them to join him as their leader in a campaign against Northern Liang. The tribes accepted his leadership, and he prepared to gather fighters and march south to Liaoyuan.

• Fan Qinghe and Niao Niao found Ye Jingtang carrying the exhausted Hua Qingzhi and sleeping Shui'er back from the mountains, where they had also found Northern Wasteland White Lotus.
• Ye Jingtang returned to the Wuma Tribe stronghold, sent Shui'er to rest, and went with Fan Qinghe to meet the gathered tribal leaders and warriors.
• Ye Jingtang rejected relying on his heritage as the Tianlang King's heir and told the tribes he would avenge the fallen Yechi tribespeople and fight Northern Liang with or without their support.
• Ye Jingtang declared that the tribes would follow his new rules as his followers rather than revive the old Royal Court, and Yao Cishan and Fan Qinghe led the tribes in accepting him as leader.
• Ye Jingtang called for skilled riders and archers to register with Yao Cishan and join him on the march to Liaoyuan in three days, then said he held no grudge against the Gouchen Tribe for Sima Yue's crimes.

After the Northwestern Royal Court was restored, Ye Jingtang returned to the residence and helped Hua Qingzhi work through her grievance against Xue Baijin. Fan Qinghe’s attempt to celebrate his new position with an ancient blessing rite led Ye Jingtang to identify its connection to martial cultivation, before Xuanji joined them in a teasing late-night tussle.

• Fan Qinghe celebrated the restoration of the Northwestern Royal Court, and Ye Jingtang teased her about marking the occasion.
• Ye Jingtang carried the exhausted Hua Qingzhi to her room and promised to protect her when she confronted Xue Baijin; he reminded her of her embarrassing confession under Dreamlike Illusion Powder, and she hid under the blanket in shame.
• Hua Qingzhi asked whether Ye Jingtang’s injury had healed, and he reassured her before returning to Fan Qinghe.
• Fan Qinghe prepared an ancient Blessing Rite for Ye Jingtang, who realized its chanting and movements could pass down a method related to the Dragon-Mingling Diagram.
• Ye Jingtang carried Fan Qinghe to the bedroom, where they began a private celebration, and Perfected Person Xuanji came in and teased them.

Ye Jingtang returned to Liaoyuan with the Western Sea Tribes and negotiated a military alliance with the Empress of Great Wei, who invested him as Prince Lang. After the officials departed, he told Yu Hu about the Nine Arts and Dragon-Mingling Diagrams, then stayed with her in the tent.

• The Empress and Great Wei's officials waited at Liaoyuan as Ye Jingtang approached with nearly seventeen thousand Western Sea and surrendered Shatuo troops.
• Ye Jingtang met the Empress and the Western Sea leaders negotiated with Great Wei to receive supplies and fight Northern Liang together.
• The Empress invested Ye Jingtang as Prince Lang and granted him the lands north of Liangzhou as his fief.
• After the officials left, Ye Jingtang told the Empress that records from Huangming Mountain linked the Nine Arts to the Dragon-Mingling Diagrams, and he planned to investigate them.
• Ye Jingtang and the Empress stayed alone in the tent, while he attended to her.

Li Si, Hua Junchen, and Xu Tianying nearly died of thirst in the desert before Old Liu found them and brought news that the Western Sea Tribes had joined Ye Jingtang. At camp, Ye Jingtang disciplined Yu Hu, inspected the tribesmen receiving military equipment, and visited Hua Qingzhi as she recovered.

• Li Si, Hua Junchen, and Xu Tianying wandered the Unreturning Plains for half a month, then spotted a traveler and ran toward him for water.
• Old Liu gave the three men water and explained that Eunuch Ziliang had been searching for them after the Shatuo Tribe surrendered and the Western Sea Tribes allied with Ye Jingtang.
• Li Si learned that Northern Liang's position in the Western Sea was worsening and urged Old Liu to take him to Eunuch Ziliang so he could meet Shenchen Monk.
• Ye Jingtang made Yu Hu admit she was wrong, then left her to attend to military affairs.
• Ye Jingtang watched Western Sea tribesmen receive Wei Arms before visiting Hua Qingzhi, where Niao Niao had pretended to be poisoned by her medicine.

Ye Jingtang helped Hua Qingzhi begin learning the Flame-Rebirth Diagram to treat her damaged meridians, while sharing the bitter medicine she hated. Later, Fan Qinghe challenged Perfected Person Xuanji to match her actions, and their contest ended with both of them demanding equal treatment from Ye Jingtang.

• Ye Jingtang joked with Hua Qingzhi while coaxing her to take her bitter medicine, then offered her the Flame-Rebirth Diagram instead of making her rely on it alone.
• Ye Jingtang guided Hua Qingzhi through the Flame-Rebirth Diagram and examined her meridians, discovering severe damage below her waist as he accidentally touched her more intimately than intended.
• Hua Qingzhi accepted that recovery would take time, drank her medicine, and made Ye Jingtang drink some too before he left her tent.
• Ye Jingtang entered Shui'er's tent and found Fan Qinghe and Perfected Person Xuanji arguing over whether they would share whatever the other endured.
• Fan Qinghe performed a blessing ritual for Ye Jingtang, and Perfected Person Xuanji answered with a Daoist chant, turning their argument into a contest of magic.
• Fan Qinghe and Perfected Person Xuanji abandoned the ritual contest and told Ye Jingtang to treat them equally.

Ye Jingtang prepared to leave the Western Sea camp for Shazhou and brought Hua Qingzhi along to read an ancient inscription. Meanwhile, Li Si’s party learned of the First Emperor’s Nine Arts and diverted into the desert to search for them.

• Ye Jingtang watched the Western Sea Tribes drill, received the Empress’s permission to leave for Shazhou, and kissed her privately before departing.
• Ye Jingtang learned that Prince Jing might not read Ancient Liang Script, so he brought Hua Qingzhi as a translator and lured Niao Niao into following them with the promise of roast camel hump.
• In the Great Desert, Li Si and Eunuch Ziliang discussed whether Shenchen Monk could be recruited to Northern Liang, while debating his harsh treatment of criminals.
• Li Si revealed that an inscription at the Limestone Cave mentioned the First Emperor’s Nine Arts, and the party decided to search for them near Crescent Bay.