Recaps

Huang Xiao received a rare invitation from Zhang Pu’s daughter, whom Steward Wu praised as the most beautiful and sought-after woman in Xiazhou. Wang Yuantu revealed that she was Zhang Pu’s adopted daughter with an unknown and potentially dangerous background, and Huang Xiao chose to meet her while Wang Yuantu and Li Yuncong returned to the valley.

• Steward Wu told Huang Xiao that Miss Zhang had invited him, surprising Huang Xiao and exciting Li Yuncong with tales of her beauty and influence.
• Steward Wu explained that Miss Zhang was Zhang Pu’s daughter and that even Li Deming treated her with courtesy.
• Wang Yuantu recognized Zhang Pu’s name, then changed his mind about leaving and told Huang Xiao to stay and meet Miss Zhang.
• Wang Yuantu revealed that Miss Zhang was Zhang Pu’s adopted daughter and warned Huang Xiao that her unknown identity and her suitors’ rivalry could bring mortal danger.
• Huang Xiao decided to meet Miss Zhang, while Wang Yuantu and Li Yuncong planned to return to the valley and told him to follow once he had met her.

Huang Xiao stayed in Xiping Prefecture after Wang Yuantu departed and accepted an invitation from Zhang Lian. Li Deming told him about the upcoming Martial Arts Tournament, where Zhang Lian would appear, and Huang Xiao agreed to attend.

• Wang Yuantu warned Huang Xiao about the dangers posed by older experts, then left with Li Yuncong.
• Huang Xiao read Zhang Lian's invitation to visit her residence the following afternoon and wondered how she had learned of him.
• Li Deming arrived, regretted missing Wang Yuantu, and invited Huang Xiao to the Martial Arts Tournament on Helan Mountain.
• Li Deming told Huang Xiao he could enter the Li Family Armory to choose a cultivation method and that tournament winners could also earn that privilege.
• Li Deming revealed that Zhang Lian would attend the tournament and explained that he had once hoped to marry her, but his father had forbidden the idea.

Huang Xiao visited Miss Zhang after receiving her invitation, unsure why she had summoned him. When she turned to face him, he recognized her and asked whether he should call her Miss Zhang or Miss You.

• Li Deming was astonished that Huang Xiao had received Miss Zhang’s invitation and guessed she was interested in him because he had cured the prince’s poisoning.
• At the Zhang Residence, Miss Zhang waited for Huang Xiao and told her maid Xiaolian that his healing ability and Poison God Valley affiliation made a meeting worthwhile.
• Xiaolian said the steward had identified Huang Xiao as the man in a portrait and as the person the Heir Apparent had been waiting for; Miss Zhang murmured that he must be dead before giving another explanation.
• Huang Xiao arrived at the Zhang Residence and was escorted to the rear garden, where he met Miss Zhang in a pavilion.
• Miss Zhang turned around, and Huang Xiao recognized her, asking whether he should call her Miss Zhang or Miss You.

You Lian'er revealed that she knew Huang Xiao had survived the cliff fall and explained why the You Family’s Jade Maiden Purity Heart Sutra was essential to the Heavenly Demon Sect’s masters. She left Huang Xiao understanding the sutra’s role in helping them cultivate the Heavenly Demon Skill without falling into deviation.

• You Lian'er told Huang Xiao to treat her as Zhang Lian and asked him to keep her identity secret, trusting him because he had once saved her and risked his life for Zhao Xin'er.
• You Lian'er explained how she recognized Huang Xiao from a portrait and invited him after learning he had cured Li Jiqian's poisoning.
• You Lian'er insisted on repaying Huang Xiao for saving her life and began telling him about the You Family's hereditary cultivation methods.
• You Lian'er revealed that the Jade Maiden Purity Heart Sutra calmed the spirit and helped the Heavenly Demon Sect's masters cultivate the Heavenly Demon Skill without suffering cultivation deviation.
• Huang Xiao understood that the sect masters had relied on the You Family's sutra to advance their demonic cultivation safely.

You Lian'er offered Huang Xiao a technique and proposed exchanging it for the Fierce Tiger Fist Manual, while probing whether he knew its secret. After Huang Xiao left, she and Auntie Guo disagreed over whether to observe him or capture him, leaving Auntie Guo intent on acting without permission.

• You Lian'er explained that the Jade Maiden Purity Heart Sutra could protect cultivators of the Heavenly Demon Skill from inner demons through the first six levels, then offered Huang Xiao a technique in repayment for saving her.
• You Lian'er asked to exchange a technique for Huang Xiao's Fierce Tiger Fist Manual, and Huang Xiao claimed the manual had been destroyed but offered to write a copy from memory.
• You Lian'er invited Huang Xiao to the upcoming Martial Arts Tournament, and he accepted before leaving four hours later.
• You Lian'er told Auntie Guo that she had found no Demonic Path aura on Huang Xiao and planned to observe him, hoping he would seek the You Family's help if he had practiced the Heavenly Demon Skill.
• Auntie Guo insisted the matter should be settled quickly and, after You Lian'er dismissed her, decided to capture Huang Xiao and interrogate him.

Huang Xiao struggled to advance his Heavenly Demon Skill while preparing to enter the Armory, but a masked woman attacked him in the night. He survived her blows with his movement art and healing true qi, then startled her by revealing Power-Devouring Poison Force.

• Huang Xiao worried that cultivating the Heavenly Demon Skill beyond the third level could cause cultivation deviation without the You Family’s Jade Maiden Purity Heart Sutra.
• Li Deming informed Huang Xiao that the king had approved his request to choose a cultivation method from the Armory the next day.
• A masked assassin attacked Huang Xiao in his quarters, and he escaped through the door and called for help.
• Huang Xiao used Snake-Traveling Tiny Steps to evade the assassin, but she killed the arriving guards and repeatedly struck him down.
• Huang Xiao endured the assassin’s attacks with the Everlasting Spring Youth-Restoring Art, then used Power-Devouring Poison Force to make her retreat.

Huang Xiao survived Auntie Guo’s assassination attempt by using his Northern Darkness Absorption Method, which she mistook for the Power-Devouring Poison Force. Back at the Zhang Residence, You Lian'er considered whether Huang Xiao had concealed his demonic cultivation and turned to a secret manual called the Demon-Attracting Formula.

• Auntie Guo’s attack on Huang Xiao ended when two First Rank Hall experts arrived, and she fled as one pursued her.
• A First Rank Hall expert checked Huang Xiao’s injuries and apologized for arriving late, while Huang Xiao thanked him for the rescue.
• You Lian'er reprimanded Auntie Guo for acting without permission, and Auntie Guo warned her that Huang Xiao might know the Power-Devouring Poison Force.
• After Auntie Guo left, You Lian'er wondered whether Huang Xiao could conceal the Heavenly Demon Skill’s aura and took out the Demon-Attracting Formula.

After recovering from an assassination attempt, Huang Xiao accompanied Li Deming to the Prince's Mansion to choose a cultivation method, where he unexpectedly met You Lian'er. Once they left for the armory, Li Jiqian punished Li Deming for harboring feelings for You Lian'er.

• Li Deming visited Huang Xiao, who said he had recovered from the failed assassination attempt.
• Huang Xiao transcribed a copy of the Fierce Tiger Fist manual for You Lian'er, unaware that her family already had designs on him.
• Li Jiqian welcomed Huang Xiao to choose a cultivation method in gratitude for saving his life and explained that he wanted to maintain ties with the Poison God Valley for Li Deming's sake.
• You Lian'er arrived at the Prince's Mansion, greeted Li Jiqian familiarly, and joined Huang Xiao on the trip to the armory.
• After Huang Xiao and You Lian'er left, Li Jiqian rebuked Li Deming for pursuing You Lian'er and ordered him to remain behind closed doors for a month.

Huang Xiao and You Lian'er entered the Prince's Mansion Armory, where they could each choose one manual from its eighteen thousand cultivation methods. With his hour nearly over, Huang Xiao rushed to inspect the final entries and found a manual called the Demon-Attracting Formula.

• Huang Xiao and You Lian'er arrived at the Armory, and the old eunuch warned them that its experts were proud and not to be offended.
• A middle-aged expert let You Lian'er choose first, and she emerged with a manual after an hour.
• You Lian'er advised Huang Xiao to check the first and last manuals because there were too many to examine in the time allowed.
• The expert explained that the Armory listed its eighteen thousand methods by name and brief description, and that Huang Xiao had one hour to choose.
• Huang Xiao spent most of his hour reading the entries, then hurried to the final page and read the name of the last manual: Demon-Attracting Formula.

Huang Xiao chose the Demon-Attracting Formula, hoping it would help him advance his Heavenly Demon Skill, and discovered the manual was incomplete. Using it alongside his skill, he broke through to its second level, but the cultivation continued circulating.

• Huang Xiao chose the Demon-Attracting Formula from the Armory despite the middle-aged man's warning that it would not help someone outside the Demonic Path.
• The old eunuch told Huang Xiao that You Lian'er had left and that Li Deming would be confined for a month; Huang Xiao then returned to the Gathered Friends Residence.
• After studying the manual, Huang Xiao concluded it contained only the first few levels and might help him break through to the second level of the Heavenly Demon Skill.
• Huang Xiao asked Steward Wu to keep everyone away while he cultivated, then combined the Demon-Attracting Formula with the Heavenly Demon Skill.
• Huang Xiao suppressed the growing murderous urge and broke through to the second level, but noticed that the Demon-Attracting Formula was still guiding his cultivation.

Huang Xiao used the Demon-Attracting Formula to break through to the Second Layer of the Heavenly Demon Skill and began consolidating his cultivation before attempting the Third Layer. You Lian'er realized he had found the Heavenly Demon Canon, then received a warning that the Fang Family might cause trouble at the Martial Arts Tournament, where the original Netherworld Demon Zither remained beyond the You Family’s reach.

• Huang Xiao found that the Demon-Attracting Formula greatly strengthened his Heavenly Demon True Qi, helped him break through to the Second Layer, and began attempting the Third Layer.
• You Lian'er learned that Huang Xiao had chosen the Demon-Attracting Formula and concluded that he had discovered the Heavenly Demon Canon; she considered ways to obtain it from him.
• Auntie Liu warned You Lian'er that the Martial Arts Tournament had attracted many outsiders and that the Fang Family had made a move, possibly targeting her.
• Auntie Liu told You Lian'er that the Netherworld Demon Zither could not be retrieved from the Fang Family and brought a family replica to strengthen her Netherworld Demon Eight Tones.

Huang Xiao broke through to the third level of the Heavenly Demon Skill, then traveled to the Martial Arts Tournament at the foot of Helan Mountain. He surveyed the enormous gathering and heard that Miss Zhang would attend, while reflecting that You Lian'er’s status meant her future partner would be no ordinary person.

• Huang Xiao reached the third level of the Heavenly Demon Skill and found that its true qi made his Heavenly Demon Subduing Tiger Fist his strongest technique.
• Huang Xiao concealed the demonic aura by drawing the Heavenly Demon True Qi back into his dantian, where it transformed into northern darkness true qi.
• Huang Xiao rode to the Martial Arts Tournament and arrived to find a vast arena surrounded by thousands of tents and many Jianghu experts.
• Huang Xiao heard attendees discuss the Prince's Mansion's first-class techniques and the tournament's unusually generous rewards.
• Huang Xiao overheard people speculate that the winner might attract Miss Zhang's attention, then thought about You Lian'er and her future partner.

Huang Xiao met Duan Ying at the Martial Arts Tournament, where they discussed the Five-Elements Divine Finger and Miss Zhang. They watched You Lian'er arrive as the tournament’s opening contests began, and Duan Ying started explaining how the Li Family had amassed its martial arts manuals.

• Huang Xiao reflected on You Lian'er’s limited freedom to choose her own marriage before greeting Duan Ying, the second prince of Dali.
• Duan Ying said he had come to enjoy the tournament and admitted he was only an admirer of Miss Zhang; Huang Xiao revealed that he already knew her.
• Huang Xiao and Duan Ying found a raised viewing spot beneath a tree and watched You Lian'er arrive carrying a zither.
• Three Peak Realm experts landed on the platform as judges, while Huang Xiao and Duan Ying discussed the tournament’s large free-for-all contests and the King of Xia’s Armory.
• Duan Ying said the Li Family had gathered its many secret manuals from two major sources, prompting Huang Xiao to ask what they were.

Duan Ying explained to Huang Xiao why the Fang Family coveted the Li Family's Armory and how its deep reserves made it a threat to the King of Xia and the other Heavenly Demon Sect branches. Huang Xiao suspected the Fang Family was behind Li Jiqian's poisoning and wondered how You Lian'er planned to respond, before she noticed him watching her.

• Duan Ying told Huang Xiao that the Li Family's cultivation manuals came from Tang imperial collections and possibly the Heavenly Demon Sect, drawing the former sect's factions toward the Armory.
• Duan Ying explained that the Fang Family's thousand-year legacy and hidden experts made it powerful enough to threaten the King of Xia, including through assassination.
• Duan Ying said the Fang Family wanted the Heavenly Demon Sect manuals to learn how to counter the You Family and its allies.
• Huang Xiao suspected the Fang Family had poisoned Li Jiqian and realized the Martial Arts Tournament might be recruiting experts against its growing threat.
• Huang Xiao looked toward You Lian'er on the dais, and she noticed his gaze and smiled.

Huang Xiao and Duan Ying witnessed renowned Great Song sects arrive at the Martial Arts Tournament, prompting the arena matches to be suspended. As the visitors waited for the King of Xia, You Lian'er stayed to manage the situation and noticed Huang Xiao in the crowd.

• Huang Xiao spotted members of the Beggar Gang, while Duan Ying pointed out Shaolin monks led by Master Kongming, whom Huang Xiao had once helped save.
• Huang Xiao and Duan Ying saw Shaolin, Dragon Tiger Mountain, the Beggar Gang, and other famous Great Song sects gathering, and they moved closer to learn what was happening.
• A peerless expert suspended the arena matches, and guards from the King of Xia’s residence cleared the contestants from the platforms.
• Lu Yuan introduced himself and his companions from First Rank Hall, and You Lian'er greeted Master Kongming and the leaders of the Great Song sects.
• You Lian'er invited the visitors to wait for the King of Xia while she and the First Rank Hall experts calmed the crowd; she declined Lu Yuan’s suggestion to leave and then noticed Huang Xiao.

Huang Xiao and Duan Ying waited at the arena while You Lian'er wondered why Huang Xiao showed no signs of practicing the Heavenly Demon Skill. Zhang Pu arrived to meet Great Song’s sect leaders, who admitted they had come seeking the secret of the Armory.

• Huang Xiao avoided You Lian'er and chose to stay with Duan Ying near the arena while they waited for the King of Xia’s response.
• You Lian'er sensed no trace of the Heavenly Demon Skill in Huang Xiao and wondered whether he had found the Heavenly Demon Canon or begun practicing it.
• A carriage escorted by nearly a hundred guards arrived, and Zhang Pu came out to meet the people from Great Song.
• Zhang Pu asked why the Great Song sects had come to Xiazhou, and Kongming replied that Zhang Pu already knew their purpose.
• Zhang Pu stated that they had traveled to obtain the secret of the Armory.

Zhang Pu told the Great Song martial artists that clues to the Daoist Canon’s secret lay in the Seven Spirit Blades and promised the King of Xia would share what he knew the next day. He suggested the rest of the Seven Spirit Atlas might belong to the You or Fang families, while You Lian’er stayed behind and the sect leaders debated his claims.

• Zhang Pu explained that the Li Family’s ancestor had received an incomplete Seven Spirit Atlas, and that the Heavenly Demon Sect had once possessed the complete atlas and the Seven Spirit Blades without discovering the Daoist Canon’s secret.
• Zhang Pu said the King of Xia would reveal his known clues the next day, and advised the Great Song contingent to seek the remaining atlas among former Heavenly Demon Sect factions, especially the You or Fang families.
• Zhang Pu urged You Lian’er to return to the city, but she insisted on staying until the King of Xia spoke and he left four First Rank Hall guards to protect her.
• After Zhang Pu departed, You Lian’er resolved to investigate Huang Xiao’s background.
• The Great Song sect leaders questioned Zhang Pu’s reliability and debated whether the missing Seven Spirit Atlas was more likely held by the You Family or the Fang Family.

Reverend Demu and the gathered martial artists changed their plan to pursue the Fang Family before the You Family for the Seven Spirit Atlas. That night, Huang Xiao and Duan Ying talked by a campfire until You Lian'er approached.

• Master Kongming and Reverend Demu argued that the Fang Family might obtain the You Family's clues if the group pursued the You Family first.
• Reverend Demu persuaded the gathering to target the Fang Family before the You Family, after obtaining the King of Xia's portion of the Seven Spirit Atlas.
• The Martial Arts Tournament arena matches were postponed, and the King of Xia provided wine and meat to the gathered martial artists as an apology.
• Huang Xiao and Duan Ying roasted lamb by a campfire, and Duan Ying grew alarmed when Huang Xiao joked about poisoning the food.
• Huang Xiao recalled the deaths he had witnessed at the hands of Medicine King Hall, then noticed You Lian'er approaching.

You Lian'er took Huang Xiao aside and tested him while discussing the Heavenly Demon Canon and the origins of Fierce Tiger Fist. As she played an imitation Netherworld Demon Zither, Huang Xiao sensed his Northern Darkness True Qi beginning to circulate according to the Heavenly Demon Skill, risking exposure.

• You Lian'er asked Huang Xiao to speak with her alone after arranging to exchange for his Fierce Tiger Fist manual the next day.
• You Lian'er told Huang Xiao that her zither was an imitation and asked whether the Heavenly Demon Canon had truly vanished with Zhang Hu; Huang Xiao concealed that he had obtained it.
• You Lian'er explained that Fierce Tiger Fist evolved from Heavenly Demon Subduing Tiger Fist and said her family hoped it might reveal clues to the Heavenly Demon Canon.
• You Lian'er played the imitation zither, and Huang Xiao relaxed to the music before noticing his Northern Darkness True Qi was about to circulate according to the Heavenly Demon Skill.

You Lian'er used her qin music to drive Huang Xiao's Heavenly Demon Skill into a dangerous, uncontrolled circulation as she tried to confirm his demonic cultivation. Meanwhile, Ghost Gu Miasma swept through the gathering, killing people within breaths, but You Lian'er refused to stop playing as it approached.

• You Lian'er intensified her qin music, and Huang Xiao struggled to suppress the Heavenly Demon True Qi surging in his dantian.
• Huang Xiao realized the music was forcing his Heavenly Demon Skill to circulate like the Demon-Attracting Formula and feared You Lian'er knew about his cultivation.
• Duan Ying waited by the campfire, heard the distant qin, and mistakenly thought Huang Xiao and You Lian'er had grown close.
• A strong wind carried Ghost Gu Miasma into the gathering, and many Jianghu people died after being exposed to it.
• You Lian'er's four guards urged her to flee, but she continued playing because she was close to exposing Huang Xiao's demonic cultivation.

You Lian'er stopped Huang Xiao’s demonic arts from being exposed and led him away from the spreading Ghost Gu Miasma, which had killed most of the Martial Arts Tournament participants. As they prepared to return to the city, a six-person group led by a black-robed old man arrived and demanded that You Lian'er accompany them.

• One of You Lian'er's experts took the Imitation Zither from her, stopping its music and calming the True Qi raging inside Huang Xiao.
• You Lian'er ordered her experts to protect Huang Xiao and take him away from the advancing Ghost Gu Miasma, and Huang Xiao agreed to go with her.
• After they escaped the miasma, You Lian'er learned that the attack had killed at least sixty or seventy percent of the Jianghu participants and blamed the Fang Family.
• You Lian'er decided to return to the city with Huang Xiao, while he resolved to look for a chance to escape or contact Poison God Valley.
• Six newcomers arrived, including Consort Ying, and their black-robed leader told You Lian'er to come with them as he noticed her Imitation Zither.

Consort Ying and the Fang Family’s black-robed envoy confronted You Lian'er and Huang Xiao, intending to capture You Lian'er and kill Huang Xiao. As the two sides prepared to fight, Huang Xiao assessed their opponents and looked for a chance to escape.

• The black-robed envoy recognized You Lian'er's Netherworld Demon Zither as a replica and inferred that Zhang Pu had ties to the You Family.
• Consort Ying demanded Huang Xiao's death because he had helped cure Li Jiqian's poison, and Fang Hu agreed that Huang Xiao had ruined their plans.
• The black-robed envoy revealed that his group planned to seize You Lian'er and that others would deal with the Jianghu experts, including those from Great Song.
• You Lian'er challenged the Fang Family's men and told Huang Xiao they would have to fight together, while her four guards prepared to protect them.
• Fang Hu assigned Consort Ying to deal with Huang Xiao and ordered her not to harm You Lian'er; Huang Xiao judged that he might escape if she came after him alone.

Huang Xiao fought Consort Ying while You Lian'er offered to help with her imitation zither. You Lian'er began playing, but the Black-Robed Envoy judged the tune to be too weak to hinder the fighters.

• Consort Ying attacked Huang Xiao, who evaded her sword and accidentally punched her in the chest.
• You Lian'er told Huang Xiao not to hold back against an enemy who intended to kill him.
• You Lian'er challenged Consort Ying and sat down with the Imitation Zither to play a tune.
• The Black-Robed Envoy heard You Lian'er's music and decided it was an ordinary Sound Art that would barely affect the fighters.

You Lian'er used her zither music to disrupt Consort Ying and Fang Yi, giving Huang Xiao openings to strike and withstand Fang Yi's attack. Fang Yi ordered Consort Ying to subdue You Lian'er so her music could no longer interfere.

• You Lian'er's urgent zither note disrupted Consort Ying's attack, allowing Huang Xiao to injure her while she struggled to recover.
• Fang Yi charged Huang Xiao, but You Lian'er's music scattered his gathered power, and Huang Xiao's fist drove him back several steps.
• Fang Yi called You Lian'er a wretched girl, while Huang Xiao taunted him and claimed he might defeat a Peerless Expert with her help.
• Fang Yi ordered Consort Ying to subdue You Lian'er, and Consort Ying agreed after stabilizing her injuries.

You Lian'er revealed her overwhelming strength by killing Consort Ying, changing the battle against Fang Yi and the other Fang Family fighters. With her zither music supporting him, Huang Xiao prepared to use the second layer of the Heavenly Demon Subduing Tiger Fist against Fang Yi.

• Fang Yi attacked Huang Xiao, but Huang Xiao evaded him with Snake-Traveling Tiny Steps while counting on You Lian'er to handle Consort Ying.
• You Lian'er sprang up, knocked away Consort Ying's hands, struck her, and killed her with her own sword.
• Huang Xiao praised You Lian'er, and she hinted that she wanted to see him use his full strength.
• The Black-Robed Envoy realized You Lian'er and Huang Xiao had put the five remaining fighters in a dire position.
• You Lian'er resumed her zither music, and Huang Xiao decided to use Second Layer Force against Fang Yi.