Arc 5Chapters 102–126
No recap yet.
No recap yet.
Xie Jinhuan infiltrated Zhou Ming'an’s residence, uncovered more details about the frame-up of his father, and forced Zhou to write a confession before making his death look like suicide. He left the residence after checking for evidence that could expose him.
Xie Jinhuan killed Zhou Ming'an without the ambushers noticing, then headed to Li Gongpu’s residence to learn more about the corrupt official. After hearing Li Gongpu dismiss the threat, Xie Jinhuan broke into his home and looted his prized possessions, leaving the plan to kill him for later.
Li Gongpu's investigation confirmed Zhou Ming'an's apparent suicide, while Xie Jinhuan's theft of Li Gongpu's possessions left the official furious. Xie then posed as Thief Saint Bai Zhan and arranged to sell the stolen goods to Bu Hanying at Carefree Cave.
Lin Wanyi prepared a late-night meal for Xie Jinhuan, and the two shared a warm evening before entering a dream where she was meant to memorize a cultivation method. The dream left them stranded together on wreckage in a stormy sea, with Xie Jinhuan still unsure how to control it.
Linghu Qingmo followed Coal Ball to a suspected den for hiring assassins and fetched Xie Jinhuan from Lin Wanyi’s residence. Xie Jinhuan discovered the place was a Blood Rain Tower muscle-broker’s office and learned that someone had recently bought a large supply of Drunken Bone Incense that might be connected to the Nether God Sect.
After spending the night investigating, Xie Jinhuan learned that Blood Rain Tower operated a branch in the capital and headed to the East Market, while Linghu Qingmo returned to the Prince's Manor. There, Xie Jinhuan encountered a mysterious black-clad swordswoman at an instrument shop, but she coldly ignored his attempt to approach her.
Xie Jinhuan met the disguised Nangong Ye, who was seeking a cure for the Immortal-Burning Gu, and explained several possible treatments, including one involving a Missing Moon Manor disciple. Nangong Ye left without revealing his identity, intending to observe Xie Jinhuan further, while Xie Jinhuan headed to meet Yang Sichen and an ancestor at Yang's Medicine Shop.
Xie Jinhuan lost his chance to trade for the Jiazi Lotus and returned to find Commandery Princess Changning punishing Zhao De for squandering her money. At dinner, Changning proposed using the Empress's birthday banquet to search for the Nether God Sect's hidden agent, and Xie Jinhuan wondered whether Li Gongpu was the culprit.
Xie Jinhuan discussed how to bring down Li Gongpu with Commandery Princess Changning, then devised a plan with Ye Hongshang to make Li believe Emperor Qian was near death. The chapter ended with Ye Hongshang possessing Xie Jinhuan and teasing him.
Xie Jinhuan accompanied Commandery Princess Changning to Empress He’s birthday banquet at the palace, where he met Fan Li, the Imperial College chancellor and a disciple of Ye Ci. Linghu Qingmo vouched for Xie’s calligraphy, leaving the gathered young nobles to see proof of his skill.
Xie Jinhuan impressed Fan Li with his calligraphy and learned that The Tale of Golden Orchids might hint at the troubled past of Qixia True Person. At the night banquet in Linde Hall, he searched for the Nether God Sect’s hidden operative and considered how to trap Li Gongpu, but the palace’s protections and crowded hall left him without a lead.
At the Empress’s birthday banquet, Northern Zhou envoy Guo Ziyan challenged Great Qian’s court and presented an ancient Blessing and Sacrifice ritual to demonstrate Northern Zhou’s heritage. Xie Jinhuan recognized the ritual’s power and, with Ghost Wife’s help, began developing a curse to expose hidden Nether God Sect agents.
Xie Jinhuan answered Guo Ziyan’s criticism of Great Qian’s birthday celebration by performing a powerful war-drum piece that stirred the court. Ghost Wife identified a brocade-robed old man as a concealed Demon Path practitioner, but Xie Jinhuan chose not to expose him yet.
Xie Jinhuan impressed the Qian court with his music and Northern Darkness Sect technique, earning a Qilin Pendant, then used the banquet to draw Li Gongpu’s attention toward rumors about Emperor Qian’s health. The chapter ended with Li Gongpu deciding he needed to secure his future by turning to Crown Prince Zhao Jing Huan.
Xie Jinhuan set a trap for Li Gongpu and discussed the suspected Nether God Sect agent with Commandery Princess Changning. After they identified Ye Shirong as a possible link to a powerful imperial relative, Xie Jinhuan left to investigate, following a strangely flirtatious exchange with the princess.
Nangong Ye secretly followed Xie Jinhuan, first discovering that he was investigating Nether God Sect activity and then catching him entering a young woman’s bedroom. He left believing Xie Jinhuan had a sweetheart, but began to suspect the apparent tryst might conceal another purpose.
Lin Wanyi discussed lending thirty thousand taels to Missing Moon Manor with Xie Jinhuan, who reassured her before leaving to investigate the Nether God Sect. At Ye Shirong's hideout, the conspirators discussed Xie Jinhuan and their Blood Demon Pill plans, then heard an explosion above.
Xie Jinhuan infiltrated Ye Shirong’s residence to investigate the Nether God Sect, but discovered Ye had returned through a secret passage. After ambushing him and forcing him into his half-demon form, Xie Jinhuan demanded answers about his father’s affair and the sect’s leader, and the chapter ended with the two preparing to fight.
Xie Jinhuan defeated Ye Shirong in a brutal fight and tried to learn who had arranged the Imperial Palace haunting. A distant Gu Curse killed Ye Shirong before he could reveal anything, and Xie Jinhuan took valuables from a hidden compartment before leaving the ruined courtyard.
Nangong Ye wounded the Nether God Sect operative who had silenced a witness, then hid to suppress his Yang Poison. Xie Jinhuan found the unconscious Muyun Hong and tried to identify her protective Dharma Artifact, but his attempt to cool her down threatened to worsen the situation.
Nangong Ye’s Yang Poison drove him to drain Xie Jinhuan’s icy energy while disguised as Muyun Hong, then he fled after recovering and kept his identity secret. Xie Jinhuan suspected he had been cheated out of the jiazi lotus and went to report to the authorities at Ye Shirong’s burning residence before pursuing Muyun Hong.
After Xie Jinhuan killed Ye Shirong and uncovered a Nether God Sect hideout, he asked Fei Ji to investigate Li Gongpu’s interest in the Crown Prince. He then left Linghu Qingmo to go meet Doctor Lin, while Linghu Qingmo and Coal Ball stayed behind to investigate the case.
After discovering Xie Jinhuan’s handprint on his bodice, Nangong Ye resolved to avoid him, but Xie arrived at his riverside home seeking the jiazi lotus and a way to cure his poison. Nangong Ye finally let him enter through the back door to discuss the cure and a possible trade.
Xie Jinhuan tried to help Nangong Ye find a cure for his poison, but he had no reliable remedy and instead used his icy energy to ease Nangong Ye’s symptoms. The chapter ended with Xie Jinhuan acting as Nangong Ye’s radiator and demanding a jiazi lotus in return.
Xie Jinhuan helped Nangong Ye suppress the Yang Poison, but Nangong Ye became furious when he realized Xie Jinhuan had seen him undressed. After hearing Xie Jinhuan’s plea for a Jiazi Lotus, Nangong Ye agreed to borrow one for him, while vowing to make the demoness Qingmo pay for the ordeal.