Chapter Summaries

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.

• Zhou Ming'an and Gongsun Duan prepared an Imperial Guard ambush to kill Xie Jinhuan and give the guards grounds to arrest him.
• Xie Jinhuan used Ye Hongshang’s illusion to locate the five ambushers, then slipped into Zhou Ming'an’s study unseen.
• Xie Jinhuan threatened Zhou Ming'an and learned that Li Gongpu had forced him to help frame Xie Jinhuan’s father, while two constables had also accepted bribes.
• Zhou Ming'an told Xie Jinhuan that Han Jingchuan had sought to escape accountability, but denied involvement in the demon attack on Xie Jinhuan’s father.
• Xie Jinhuan made Zhou Ming'an write down his bribes and a confession expressing remorse and resentment toward Li Gongpu.
• Xie Jinhuan used his ability to make Zhou Ming'an hang himself, then checked the study for evidence before leaving.

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.

• Gongsun Duan found Zhou Ming'an hanged in his study and rejected the suggestion that he had killed himself, then ordered the others to inform Li Gongpu.
• Xie Jinhuan ate near the Li Residence and discussed how he would need to understand Li Gongpu’s ties to the emperor before arranging his death.
• Li Gongpu left his residence for Pine Crane Bay, and Xie Jinhuan overheard him ordering an investigation into Zhou Ming'an’s death and claiming Xie would not dare attack him.
• Xie Jinhuan decided to search Li Gongpu’s home for valuables, while Ye Hongshang distracted a retainer so he could slip into the main room.
• Xie Jinhuan found no useful evidence against Li Gongpu, but packed more than a hundred catties of the official’s treasured paintings, calligraphy, and curios before leaving without a trace.

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.

• The Scarlet Qilin Guard and the Directorate of Celestial Observation confirmed that Zhou Ming'an had written his repentance letter himself and found no evidence that he had been murdered.
• Li Gongpu ordered Du Mushan to investigate Xie Jinhuan and discuss eliminating him, but they discovered that Li Gongpu's study had been stripped bare, and Li Gongpu fainted from rage.
• Xie Jinhuan brought the stolen antiques and valuables to Bu Hanying at Carefree Cave, introducing himself as Thief Saint Bai Zhan.
• Bu Hanying agreed to buy the goods for sixty percent of their market value and promised to gather the silver within five days.
• Xie Jinhuan left the bundle with Bu Hanying and vanished into the darkness.

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.

• Lin Wanyi waited half the night with a homemade meal, and Xie Jinhuan arrived late after investigating a case.
• Xie Jinhuan ate the dishes Lin Wanyi had prepared, discussed the medicinal ingredients and Nangong Ye with her, and washed the dishes himself.
• Lin Wanyi warned Xie Jinhuan to sleep on the floor, and he agreed before using his dream ability to guide her cultivation.
• Lin Wanyi awoke on floating ship planking amid a violent storm and pulled Xie Jinhuan out of the sea when he began to drown.
• Lin Wanyi tried to memorize the lightning diagram in the sky, while Xie Jinhuan studied his own cultivation method and wondered if they were dreaming on a bed again.

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.

• Linghu Qingmo searched the city with Coal Ball, which led him to a shack near Carefree Cave that he suspected was an assassin-for-hire den.
• Xie Jinhuan left Lin Wanyi’s room to meet Linghu Qingmo, and they went together to investigate the shack.
• Xie Jinhuan found several hired bruisers inside and learned that Fan Hainie ran a muscle-broker business backed by Blood Rain Tower.
• Xie Jinhuan paid Fan Hainie for information about the Nether God Sect, and Fan Hainie said someone had recently bought a large batch of Drunken Bone Incense in Wei Prefecture.
• Fan Hainie offered to help contact Southern Border drug dealers for a hundred taels, but Xie Jinhuan declined and left.

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 told Linghu Qingmo that the hidden alley housed a Blood Rain Tower branch that sold information and accepted jobs, and they heard rumors that the Saint Thief had stripped Li Gongpu's residence.
• Xie Jinhuan sent the sleepless Linghu Qingmo back to rest and went toward the East Market to pursue information about the Demon Bandits and Drunken Bone Incense.
• At the Prince's Manor, Linghu Qingmo learned from Commandery Princess Changning and Duoduo that Li Gongpu had concealed the true extent of the Saint Thief's theft.
• Xie Jinhuan spotted a black-clad swordswoman browsing in an instrument shop, and Ye Hongshang warned him that the woman carried an artifact that concealed her aura.
• Xie Jinhuan demonstrated his qin playing and tried to speak with the swordswoman, but she moved away without acknowledging him.

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 noticed Nangong Ye's yang poison and offered to help, introducing himself to the disguised sect leader as Muyun Hong of Azure Nether Sword Manor.
• Nangong Ye drew on Xie Jinhuan's icy energy for temporary relief, but his powerful cultivation nearly overwhelmed Xie Jinhuan.
• After learning Nangong Ye had contracted Immortal-Burning Gu from Missing Moon Manor, Xie Jinhuan described three possible cures, including using an intermediary to transfer a disciple's Yin Coldness.
• Nangong Ye gave Xie Jinhuan the name of his lodging, Plain Cloud Studio, and recognized him as the famed hero, but chose to keep his identity secret and assess him further.
• After Nangong Ye left, Xie Jinhuan joked with the shopkeeper and went to Yang's Medicine Shop to await Yang Sichen and an ancestor.

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.

• Nangong Ye watched Xie Jinhuan meet Yang Sichen and concluded that Xie Jinhuan lacked a Resurrection Herb, leaving him suspicious about the boy's intentions.
• Yang Sichen told Xie Jinhuan that the Jiazi Lotus seller had refused to meet him, so Xie Jinhuan asked him to keep searching for another seller.
• Xie Jinhuan returned to the manor and found Commandery Princess Changning had tied Zhao De to a pig-killing bench over the three thousand taels he had squandered; Xie Jinhuan persuaded her to give Zhao De three days to repay it.
• Commandery Princess Changning told Xie Jinhuan that the Pill King wanted him to investigate the Nether God Sect's hidden agent, and she suggested searching among the powerful guests at the Empress's birthday banquet.
• Ye Hongshang explained how she might identify a concealed Demon Path follower by provoking a reaction, and Xie Jinhuan asked whether Li Gongpu could be the hidden agent.

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.

• Commandery Princess Changning explained why Li Gongpu was unlikely to be a Demon Path agent and described an earlier plan to catch him corrupting the Crown Prince.
• Xie Jinhuan decided that exposing Li Gongpu’s efforts to secure his future could make Emperor Qian turn against him.
• Commandery Princess Changning gave Xie Jinhuan his share of the Golden Tower winnings, and he played a lively tune that led her, Duoduo, and Ghost Wife to dance.
• Xie Jinhuan returned to his lodgings, checked that Linghu Qingmo was asleep, and planned with Ye Hongshang to use an illusion to make Li Gongpu believe Emperor Qian was dying.
• Ye Hongshang explained that she could possess Xie Jinhuan to enter the palace unseen, then took control of him and began 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.

• Li Gongpu blamed Xie Jinhuan for Zhou Ming’an’s murder and wondered whether he was also the Thief Saint who had robbed his study, while Du Mushan doubted the accusation.
• Li Gongpu’s carriage passed the Pill King’s procession, where Xie Jinhuan served as Linghu Qingmo’s bodyguard and explained Changning’s dance as a martial movement technique.
• Xie Jinhuan and the others reached the palace for Empress He’s birthday banquet, and Changning went to pay her respects to the emperor and empress.
• Linghu Qingmo and Xie Jinhuan encountered Wei Lu, Zhang Huaiyu, and Fan Li on their way to the banquet area.
• Xie Jinhuan greeted Fan Li and said he had copied the scholar’s calligraphy models since childhood.
• Linghu Qingmo showed Fan Li Xie Jinhuan’s calligraphy and said the Prince had praised it as “Fan’s Sinews and Ye’s Bones.”

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.

• Xie Jinhuan showed Fan Li and the gathered guests his calligraphy, explaining that he had practiced writing since childhood and focused on martial arts only during the past three years.
• Fan Li recognized Xie Jinhuan’s poem from The Tale of Golden Orchids, privately revealed that his master Ye Ci had written the book, and advised him to ask Sect Leader Nangong about Qixia True Person’s past.
• Xie Jinhuan inferred that Qixia True Person’s story might involve a dangerous supernatural being or inner demon, and worried about what would happen if he opened the Demon-Suppressing Mausoleum.
• Linghu Qingmo escorted Xie Jinhuan into Linde Hall for the banquet, where Xie Jinhuan used A Piao’s Possession to survey the attendees and search for the Nether God Sect’s operative.
• Ghost Wife could not identify any Demon Path cultivators in the heavily protected palace, and Xie Jinhuan found no suspicious person among the guests as he considered how to trap Li Gongpu.

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.

• Linghu Qingmo explained to Xie Jinhuan that Northern Zhou’s envoy Guo Ziyan was negotiating for the Four Towns of Yunbei, while Xie Jinhuan unexpectedly fed him a piece of pork.
• Zhao De borrowed money from Crown Prince Zhao Jing Huan, and Emperor Qian considered Xie Jinhuan for an official post until Li Gongpu argued that the Dried Corpse Case should be resolved first.
• Commandery Princess Changning presented the Phoenix Crown, and Guo Ziyan criticized Great Qian’s gifts and its construction of Cloudstride Terrace.
• Guo Ziyan announced a performance of ancient Nuo Music, and a masked Northern Zhou priest led a ritual that soothed the banquet guests.
• Ye Hongshang identified the performance as a Spirit-Calming Spell and suggested using the Blessing and Sacrifice lineage’s methods to provoke hidden Demon Path agents.
• Ghost Wife devised a Restless Spirit Curse for Xie Jinhuan, who beckoned Duoduo over to help put the plan into motion.

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.

• Guo Ziyan praised Empress He while accusing Great Qian’s officials of offering her only gold and jewels, and Commandery Princess Changning challenged his criticism of the Nuo Music performance.
• At Changning’s signal, Xie Jinhuan stepped forward and said he would play a piece inspired by the lost ‘Mountain and River Command.’
• Xie Jinhuan performed thunderous war drums using the Blessing and Sacrifice branch’s method, stirring the officials’ bloodlust and astonishing the court.
• The Northern Darkness Sect priest recognized that Xie Jinhuan’s drumming used a technique from his sect, adapted to invoke the God of War.
• Ghost Wife identified a goateed old man in the southeastern corner as a concealed Demon Path practitioner, and Xie Jinhuan noticed him but refrained from confronting him.
• Emperor Qian praised Xie Jinhuan’s performance, and the assembled officials applauded him.

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 demonstrated the Spirit-Calming Spell, answered Guo Ziyan’s challenge, and received a Qilin Pendant from Emperor Qian.
• Xie Jinhuan kissed Linghu Qingmo, learned about Ye Shirong’s past, and wondered about his concealed Demon Path foundation.
• At the fireworks, Xie Jinhuan approached Hou Jiye and brought up the lost Luojing Rhapsody, prompting the officials to criticize Li Gongpu.
• Li Gongpu eavesdropped on Xie Jinhuan and the officials, then saw Emperor Qian cough blood and regard the Crown Prince with a farewell-like gaze.
• Fearing he would lose his protection when Emperor Qian died, Li Gongpu decided to seek security by approaching 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.

• Xie Jinhuan used Ghost Wife to make Li Gongpu glimpse Emperor Qian's impending death, hoping to draw him into betraying the Crown Prince, and asked Fei Ji to watch the Li Residence.
• Xie Jinhuan told Commandery Princess Changning that Ye Shirong had seemed suspicious during his War Drum performance.
• Commandery Princess Changning explained why Emperor Qian was unlikely to be the Nether God Sect's hidden agent and suspected Ye Shirong served a powerful imperial relative.
• Commandery Princess Changning offered Xie Jinhuan banknotes, and a strange force made him lift her chin and call himself her kept man.
• Commandery Princess Changning tucked the money into Xie Jinhuan's collar and teased him before he left to investigate the hidden agent.

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.

• Nangong Ye watched Qingmo with the black eagle and worried that Xie Jinhuan was not a trustworthy match for his disciple.
• Xie Jinhuan disguised himself as Wei Kun and questioned Bu Hanying about large purchases of Drunken Bone Incense, which might be linked to the Nether God Sect.
• A Piao warned Xie Jinhuan that someone was watching, and Ye Hongshang identified the watcher as Muyun Hong.
• Nangong Ye concluded the incense could be used to create a Blood Demon Pill and continued following Xie Jinhuan as his unseen guardian.
• Xie Jinhuan slipped into a residence marked with the character Lin and kissed a young woman in her boudoir, leaving Nangong Ye shocked and concerned for Qingmo.
• After leaving, Nangong Ye reconsidered the scene and wondered whether Xie Jinhuan had noticed him and entered the boudoir to hide his investigation.

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 surprised Lin Wanyi with a kiss, claiming he was pretending to fool someone who might be following him.
• Lin Wanyi told Xie Jinhuan that Missing Moon Manor had asked to borrow thirty thousand taels, and he agreed to back her if the money went missing.
• Xie Jinhuan left Lin Wanyi's residence and headed toward Ye Shirong's home after Ye Hongshang confirmed no one was nearby.
• Ye Shirong told He Can and Zhang Chu that Xie Jinhuan had impressed the emperor with Nuo Music and discussed their plan to let him and Li Gongpu clash.
• Ye Shirong said the Nether God Sect's Blood Demon Pill arrangements were proceeding smoothly, and He Can offered to help.
• An explosion sounded above the basement, prompting Zhang Chu to wonder whether they had been discovered while He Can suggested Xie Jinhuan might have arrived.

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 entered Ye Shirong’s residence with Ye Hongshang’s help and found files about Empress He’s return to her ancestral home, along with signs that Ye followed the Demon Path.
• Xie Jinhuan heard a secret door open and learned from Ye Hongshang that Ye Shirong had returned through a passage beneath the well.
• Ye Shirong sensed a human presence, but Xie Jinhuan smashed through the wall and struck him with the Heavenly Gang Mace, breaking his arm and driving him into his half-demon form.
• Xie Jinhuan confronted Ye Shirong and demanded information about his father’s affair and the Nether God Sect’s master, while Ye Shirong threatened to kill him and escape.
• Xie Jinhuan and Ye Shirong faced off in the courtyard as Sect Leader Nangong watched from a distant rooftop.

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.

• Ye Shirong attacked Xie Jinhuan, but Xie Jinhuan's armor and defensive technique let him withstand the assault.
• Ye Shirong tried to escape, but Xie Jinhuan caught him with chained mace strikes and smashed his limbs and spine.
• Xie Jinhuan questioned the incapacitated Ye Shirong about his backer and the Imperial Palace haunting, but Ye Shirong refused to answer.
• Xie Jinhuan began threatening and cutting Ye Shirong, when a distant flute awakened a Gu Curse that made Ye Shirong bleed and die.
• Ye Hongshang explained that the curse was a Death Hand, and Xie Jinhuan heard explosions in the distance before searching a hidden compartment for valuables.

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 attacked the Nether God Sect operative at the old dyehouse, but the target escaped after taking his blows and left black blood and clothing fragments behind.
• Nangong Ye fled to an empty courtyard and began suppressing his Yang Poison as Xie Jinhuan and the Immortal Officials investigated Ye Shirong's residence.
• Xie Jinhuan followed a disturbance in the flow of qi and found Muyun Hong unconscious and suffering from a flare-up of Yang Poison.
• Ye Hongshang determined that a high-grade Dharma Artifact concealed Muyun Hong's condition, and Xie Jinhuan found its pendant at her neck.
• Xie Jinhuan was shocked when he tried to remove the pendant, then used icy energy to cool Muyun Hong at Ye Hongshang's suggestion.