Chapter Summaries

Xie Jinhuan caught Wu Su as the mastermind behind the Dried Corpse Case, but kept the investigation open after Wu Su claimed another murderer was involved. As Xie Jinhuan’s enemies in the Nether God Sect and the Scarlet Qilin Guard grew alarmed, Zhang Chu and Lu Qian separately prepared to strike at him that night.

• Xie Jinhuan identified Wu Su as the Dried Corpse Case murderer, and Prefect Chen ordered the case closed while allowing a separate search for the other killer to continue.
• Xie Jinhuan defended County Magistrate Wu and learned that Prefect Chen would provide files about his father’s old case.
• Zhang Chu questioned the wounded He Can, learned that the Nether God Sect did not know who had killed Xie Jinhuan’s father, and declared that he would attack Xie Jinhuan at the Golden Tower.
• Han Jingchuan and Lu Qian discussed Xie Jinhuan’s rapid investigations, and Han Jingchuan agreed to wait for an opportunity to kill him that night.

Xie Jinhuan reunited with Fei Ji, bantered with Linghu Qingmo about his supposed love tribulation, and learned that Han Jingchuan would be inspecting nearby entertainment establishments. As Xie Jinhuan considered using the evening outing as cover to kill Han, Lin Wanyi returned home and faced her mother’s questions about her relationship with him.

• Xie Jinhuan attended a welcome banquet with Fei Ji and the county officials, then returned to the Prince’s Manor, where Linghu Qingmo tended his wound.
• Xie Jinhuan invented a story about a love tribulation, and he and Linghu Qingmo negotiated a wager giving each of them three chances to stop the other.
• Zhao De invited Xie Jinhuan to the Golden Tower, and Xie Jinhuan learned Han Jingchuan would lead a Scarlet Qilin Guard inspection nearby.
• The Ghost Wife suggested Xie Jinhuan use his wound as an excuse to leave the outing and get half an hour to kill Han Jingchuan.
• Lin Wanyi returned to the Lin Residence, where Madam Lin questioned her about her closeness with Xie Jinhuan and learned Zisu would return to the capital in a few days.

Xie Jinhuan entered the Golden Tower’s Social Death Contest after friends wagered on him, while Wei Lu and Zhang Huaiyu began their face-off on the river platform. The contest was about to start when a mysterious white-clad figure dropped onto the platform.

• Xie Jinhuan learned that the contest would test the contestants’ composure with Echo Drums and agreed to compete for the prize money.
• Linghu Qingmo, Zhao De, Yang Dabiao, Coal Ball, and the Nightly Great Succubus supported Xie Jinhuan with wagers and encouragement.
• Wei Lu waited on the platform until Zhang Huaiyu arrived and took his seat beside him.
• Wei Lu urged the Golden Tower’s owner to begin, but Fan Guangyuan asked him to wait for another guest.
• A white-clad figure leaped from the Golden Tower and crashed onto the center of the platform.

Xie Jinhuan and Linghu Qingmo arrived at the Echo Drum contest, where Xie Jinhuan’s reputation and composure impressed the contestants. The first round began with the unveiling of a lifelike black-jade phallus, sending the contestants’ drums into a frenzy.

• Xie Jinhuan and Linghu Qingmo landed at the contest, introduced themselves, and drew attention from the contestants and spectators.
• Linghu Qingmo spotted Lin Wanyi watching from a restaurant window and worried about facing her afterward.
• Zhang Huaiyu questioned Xie Jinhuan’s decision to join the contest, while Xie Jinhuan sincerely downplayed his own righteousness and Wei Lu decided he would rather lose to him than to Zhang Huaiyu.
• Fan Guangyuan announced the contest’s rules and began the first round after the Pill King's Heir struck the gong.
• Fan Guangyuan unveiled a lifelike black-jade phallus presented as the foundation of the state and root of the people, causing the Echo Drums to thunder.

The Golden Tower’s composure contest escalated when a hidden-weapon test sent silver needles flying at the contestants. Xie Jinhuan swept the needles away to protect everyone, but the other contestants dodged, leaving him apparently disqualified as the spectators condemned the test.

• The giant sculpture in the first round drove most contestants from the arena, leaving seven composed participants to continue.
• The Golden Tower’s owner unveiled a honeycombed sphere that fired silver needles at the contestants.
• Xie Jinhuan drew his sword and swept the needles away with a powerful slash, while Wei Lu, Zhang Huaiyu, and several others dodged.
• The Golden Tower’s owner and spectators realized Xie Jinhuan had intervened in the test, and Xie Jinhuan objected that the challenge punished anyone who protected others.
• The crowd denounced the Golden Tower’s unfair test and demanded their money back.

The Golden Tower soothed the crowd after its second trial went awry, then announced a final beauty trial designed to expose contestants through their actions. Xie Jinhuan steeled himself against the honey trap as Ye Hongshang hinted she could make the challenge harder for him.

• Fan Guangyuan apologized for the second trial’s flawed rules and awarded the contestants a hundred taels each while advancing them to the final.
• Xie Jinhuan objected that the contest was meant to expose hypocrites, and the spectators demanded a more scandalous final trial.
• When the Golden Tower announced a beauty trial, Xie Jinhuan reacted strongly, blamed his spear wound, and received sympathy from Zhang Huaiyu and Wei Lu.
• The proprietor explained that the Echo Drum could sound without disqualifying anyone, but contestants would lose if they touched or kissed the beauties before thousands of witnesses.
• Xie Jinhuan resolved to stay composed, while Ye Hongshang suggested the trial would use beguiling illusions and offered to make it harder for him.

The Golden Tower’s Beauty Trial used the Bliss Bell to show five contestants their deepest obsessions, and the illusions left them struggling to hold their composure. Xie Jinhuan nearly attacked what he saw, while the crowd mistook his disgust for righteous demon-slaying; someone then left the contest.

• Fan Guangyuan introduced the Bliss Bell, explaining that contestants had to endure their illusions without resisting or breaking free.
• Wei Lu saw himself on the Snow Eagle Ridge Sect Leader’s Throne surrounded by scantily clad women, while Zhang Huaiyu saw a scholarly young lady and Linghu Qingmo saw Xie Jinhuan beckoning him toward immortality.
• Xie Jinhuan saw Chief Steward Hou dressed and dancing in women’s clothes, and he struggled to keep from drawing his Heavenly Gang Mace.
• The spectators interpreted Xie Jinhuan’s disgust as proof that his deepest obsession was slaying demons, and they praised him for restraining himself.
• As Xie Jinhuan pressed his mace back down, the crowd noticed that someone had left the contest.

Xie Jinhuan outlasted Wei Lu in the Golden Tower’s illusion contest, though the ordeal left him furious and humiliated. As Xie departed, Hundred-Household Commander Lu Qian decided to keep tracking him while sending his deputy to report.

• Zhang Huaiyu broke free of the illusion first, while Xie Jinhuan struggled against visions of Chief Steward Hou dancing provocatively.
• The Astronomy Student fled in embarrassment, and Linghu Qingmo used the Spirit-Awakening Incantation to escape the illusion.
• Wei Lu finally leaped backward into the river, leaving Xie Jinhuan as the contest’s last contestant and winner.
• The beautiful woman ended her technique, and Wei Lu conceded the plaque to Xie Jinhuan.
• Xie Jinhuan left in anger as the crowd praised his self-control, while Lu Qian sent his deputy to report and stayed behind to follow him.

After winning the Social Death Contest, Xie Jinhuan avoided the celebrations and arranged an alibi so he could slip away. Lin Wanyi received his sword and was left guessing at the meaning of his message while witnesses saw what seemed to be Xie Jinhuan upstairs.

• Xie Jinhuan regretted entering the contest and told Linghu Qingmo that the vision he had seen was too horrifying to describe.
• Xie Jinhuan planned to leave the Golden Tower briefly and used Ye Hongshang’s illusions to make people believe he remained there.
• Xie Jinhuan pretended to need rest, gave the Zhenglun Sword to Linghu Qingmo for Lin Wanyi, and slipped out through a window.
• Linghu Qingmo delivered the sword and Xie Jinhuan’s message, leaving Lin Wanyi to speculate about what he meant.
• Several young ladies saw what appeared to be Xie Jinhuan looking down from the second-floor railing before returning to his room.

Han Jingchuan and Xie Jinhuan each tried to ambush the other at the Golden Tower, but both found their targets absent and began searching for them. Xie Jinhuan spotted a likely attacker approaching the tower while the other Scarlet Qilin Guards remained hidden, leaving him unsure how to strike safely.

• Han Jingchuan led Lu Qian and two followers toward the Golden Tower to assassinate Xie Jinhuan, but they found his room empty and waited there in ambush.
• Xie Jinhuan searched for a weapon, took an Octagonal Hammer, and went to Han Jingchuan's room, where he found the commander and his men gone.
• Xie Jinhuan took valuables from the Scarlet Qilin Guard uniforms, left the inn, and returned toward the Golden Tower while scouting with the Yellow Qilin Seal.
• Xie Jinhuan spotted a shadow creeping toward the Golden Tower and cautiously searched for the other hidden attackers before making a move.

Zhang Chu and Han Jingchuan’s assassins attacked Xie Jinhuan at the Golden Tower, but Xie Jinhuan’s trap turned the ambush into a bloody fight. Zhang Chu escaped into the night, leaving Xie Jinhuan to wonder why so many enemies in Capital City were so quick to kill him.

• Zhang Chu searched the Golden Tower for Xie Jinhuan and discovered Han Jingchuan and three Hundred-Household Commanders hiding in a room.
• Han Jingchuan’s group attacked Zhang Chu through the wall, but Zhang Chu escaped their blades and fled across the rooftops.
• Xie Jinhuan hurled his Octagonal Hammer at Zhang Chu, but the Demon Bandit’s black mist caused it to strike Han Jingchuan instead, killing him.
• Xie Jinhuan killed Lu Qian and the remaining Scarlet Qilin Guard, while Zhang Chu escaped and Wei Lu failed to catch him.
• Xie Jinhuan told Wei Lu he was fine and suspected that the Nether God Sect had tried to assassinate him after he solved a case.

Xie Jinhuan killed Han Jingchuan during the attack on the Golden Tower, while the Pill King's Heir prepared to complain to the emperor. After the chaos, Xie Jinhuan reassured Lin Wanyi and arranged to visit the Lin Residence.

• Linghu Qingmo rushed to check Xie Jinhuan and scolded him for confronting the attackers alone.
• The Pill King's Heir accused the Scarlet Qilin Guard of attacking him and ordered Laifu to prepare a complaint to the emperor.
• Xie Jinhuan examined the mortally wounded Han Jingchuan, questioned him, and watched him die.
• The Pill King's Heir declared that Han Jingchuan had been attacking Xie Jinhuan and decided to lodge a complaint with the emperor.
• Lin Wanyi asked Xie Jinhuan about the Zhenglun Sword, and he explained that he had given it to her for protection.
• Xie Jinhuan told Lin Wanyi he would visit the Lin Residence after finishing at the Golden Tower, and she left with Qinwen and Coal Ball.

Cao Fo'er and Li Gongpu disputed how to handle Han Jingchuan’s death, while the Nether God Sect survivors pieced together the cause of the ambush. Xie Jinhuan remained a threat to both Li Gongpu and the sect as they turned their attention to refining another Blood Demon Pill.

• Cao Huai'an explained that Han Jingchuan had ambushed Xie Jinhuan and died when the two plots against Xie Jinhuan collided.
• Li Gongpu questioned whether Xie Jinhuan had killed Han Jingchuan deliberately, but Cao Fo'er and Cao Huai'an said the Scarlet Qilin Guard had no grounds to investigate him.
• Cao Fo'er proposed that Li Gongpu lend him his head as a pretext to investigate Xie Jinhuan, and Li Gongpu left after trading barbs with him.
• Cao Huai'an asked whether they should interfere in the coming conflict between Xie Jinhuan and Li Gongpu, but Cao Fo'er said they should stay out of it.
• He Can mocked Zhang Chu over Han Jingchuan’s death, and a white-haired elder explained how Han Jingchuan’s guilt over framing Xie Jinhuan’s father had led him to strike first.
• The elder said the Nether God Sect should focus on refining another Blood Demon Pill after its failure in Danyang.

After the Golden Tower, Xie Jinhuan teased Linghu Qingmo about the illusion he had seen, then used a wager to steal a kiss. Linghu Qingmo left in fury while Xie Jinhuan prepared to visit Wanyi's home to study the Martial Dao Divine Canon.

• The group returned to the Heir's Residence, where Xie Jinhuan received his share of the Pill King's Heir's winnings and found the Upright Gentleman plaque waiting in his room.
• Linghu Qingmo stayed to guard Xie Jinhuan while he bathed, and Xie Jinhuan asked what Linghu Qingmo had seen in the illusion.
• Ghost Wife replayed Linghu Qingmo's vision, prompting Xie Jinhuan to reenact a confession and discover that Linghu Qingmo had imagined becoming his Dao Companion.
• Ghost Wife showed Xie Jinhuan an illusion of his own desires, which he dismissed as lecherous thoughts while Linghu Qingmo tried to comfort him.
• Xie Jinhuan invoked Linghu Qingmo's promise not to get angry and kissed him; Linghu Qingmo restrained himself, then left with Coal Ball.
• Xie Jinhuan prepared to visit Wanyi's home to study the Martial Dao Divine Canon.

Xie Jinhuan danced with Ye Hongshang in his abandoned ancestral home and planned to investigate her past through Fan Li. He then visited Lin Wanyi to order ingredients for the Dragon and Tiger Vitality Pill, gave her a hairpin, and began transmitting the Martial Dao Divine Canon, leaving her falling into darkness.

• Xie Jinhuan returned to his ancestral home, remembered his father, and danced with Ye Hongshang after she changed her size.
• Xie Jinhuan told Ye Hongshang he planned to ask Fan Li about the author of The Tale of Golden Orchids and her background.
• Xie Jinhuan secretly visited Lin Wanyi and gave her five thousand taels to order ingredients for the Dragon and Tiger Vitality Pill from Missing Moon Manor.
• Lin Wanyi agreed to place the order in her own name and asked Xie Jinhuan to repay her favor.
• Xie Jinhuan gave Lin Wanyi a pearl-inlaid Peony Hairpin and sat with her to transmit the Martial Dao Divine Canon.
• Xie Jinhuan began casting a Spell, and Lin Wanyi felt dizzy as the bed vanished and she plunged into darkness.

Lin Wanyi and Xie Jinhuan entered a dream where they studied the Martial Dao Divine Canon, and Lin Wanyi unexpectedly gained Inner Vision while discovering a dangerous flaw in her cultivation. Meanwhile, Li Gongpu arranged for Zhou Ming'an to lure Xie Jinhuan into an ambush at Pine Crane Bay.

• Lin Wanyi and Xie Jinhuan found themselves atop a stone stele in a starry dream, where they examined the Martial Dao Divine Canon.
• Xie Jinhuan studied the star chart and devised a way to combine five-element powers with the Upside-Down Candle, though his body and cultivation could not yet support it.
• Ye Hongshang guided Lin Wanyi through the star chart, and Lin Wanyi gained Inner Vision and saw that her cultivation could cause yin coldness to accumulate.
• Lin Wanyi realized Xie Jinhuan possessed abundant yang energy, blushed at her thoughts, and returned her attention to practicing.
• Zhou Ming'an told Li Gongpu that Xie Jinhuan might pursue him over the unjust Han Jingchuan case, and Li ordered him to recuperate at Pine Crane Bay as bait for an ambush.

Lin Wanyi woke to find herself embracing Xie Jinhuan after falling asleep while studying a cultivation method, while Xie Jinhuan pursued a lead on Jiazi Lotus and learned its seller would only negotiate in exchange for Resurrection Herb. Xie Jinhuan asked Yang Sichen to arrange a meeting anyway, leaving the dangerous request awaiting an answer the next morning.

• Lin Wanyi woke in Xie Jinhuan's arms, and Xie Jinhuan claimed she had hugged him and talked in her sleep.
• Lin Wanyi secretly tried on the Peony Hairpin Xie Jinhuan had given her after he left for the Prince's Manor.
• Xie Jinhuan visited Yang Sichen at Yang's Medicine Shop and learned the merchant had found a possible Jiazi Lotus lead near Jingzhao Prefecture.
• Yang Sichen explained that the unknown seller would only negotiate for Jiazi Lotus Root in exchange for Resurrection Herb.
• Ghost Wife urged Xie Jinhuan to arrange a meeting, and Xie Jinhuan asked Yang Sichen to contact the seller despite having no Resurrection Herb.

Xie Jinhuan returned to Wanan County Yamen and learned the details of the Imperial Palace Haunting Case that had condemned his father three years earlier. The old case remained unresolved, and Fei Ji warned him to investigate carefully while Xie Jinhuan turned his attention back to the Nether God Sect.

• Fei Ji, Yang Dabiao, Linghu Qingmo, and Coal Ball waited at the yamen while the runners searched for the other culprit in the Dried Corpse Case.
• Xie Jinhuan arrived, greeted Fei Ji, and received a dossier on the Imperial Palace Haunting Case and the attack on Xie Wen.
• Fei Ji explained how Han Jingchuan had blamed Xie Wen for the haunting and how Zhou Ming'an had repeatedly pushed for harsher punishments before Xie Wen was demoted.
• Xie Jinhuan and Linghu Qingmo questioned the suspicious handling of the case, but Xie Jinhuan set aside a new investigation until later.
• Fei Ji warned Xie Jinhuan to think carefully before acting, and Xie Jinhuan left to investigate the Nether God Sect's whereabouts.
• Fei Ji caught Yang Dabiao trying to steal the remaining tea and chased him out.

Lin Wanyi met with Bu Hanying, who outlined Missing Moon Manor’s plan to rebrand the Gu Poison Sect and asked her to help resolve the crisis caused by the manor lord poisoning Nangong Ye. The manor promised Lin Wanyi the position of Holy Maiden if she could persuade Nangong Ye to make peace, leaving Lin Wanyi to consider how to approach the task.

• Lin Wanyi visited Bu Hanying, who feared Xie Jinhuan had discovered her Witch Cult identity after questioning him about the sect.
• Bu Hanying proposed renaming the Gu Poison Sect and its branches to sound more respectable, including calling it the Witch Cult Wormwood Sect.
• Lin Wanyi asked Missing Moon Manor to gather medicinal ingredients, but Bu Hanying told her the manor had a more urgent assignment.
• Bu Hanying explained that the manor lord had poisoned Nangong Ye with Immortal-Burning Gu after taking Phoenix Feather Grass, and that Nangong Ye had only two or three months left to live.
• Bu Hanying asked Lin Wanyi to find a way to persuade Nangong Ye to make peace, promising to name her Missing Moon Manor’s Holy Maiden if she succeeded.
• Lin Wanyi agreed to think of a solution.

Mu Yunling and the Pill King discussed Fanyun Temple’s bid for Purple Emblem Mountain, while Nangong Ye concealed her blood-alliance troubles with Bu Yuehua. In the capital, Xie Jinhuan set out to kill Zhou Ming'an, and Linghu Qingmo went demon-hunting with Coal Ball.

• The Pill King asked Mu Yunling about Xie Jinhuan, and Mu Yunling explained that a Hidden Immortal Sect elder had answered cryptically about cause and consequence.
• The Pill King told Nangong Ye that Fanyun Temple wanted to establish a temple near Danyang City, which could force Purple Emblem Mountain to surrender its ancestral grounds; Nangong Ye agreed to assess the situation in the capital.
• Nangong Ye recalled that she and Bu Yuehua had sworn a blood alliance in the Vermilion Bird Mausoleum, then remained at odds over the Phoenix Feather Grass and their inability to remove each other's bindings.
• After finding no clues about the Nether God Sect, Xie Jinhuan returned to the Prince's Manor and decided to investigate Zhou Ming'an, with Ye Hongshang offering to make his death look like suicide.
• Xie Jinhuan told Linghu Qingmo he was visiting Doctor Lin, then left to deal with Zhou Ming'an.
• Linghu Qingmo asked Coal Ball what Xie Jinhuan did when bored, interpreted its gesture as demon-hunting, and went out with his sword to hunt evil beings and Outer Dao followers.