Recaps

Huang Xiao navigated rising court and Jianghu tensions in Kaifeng while learning about the Taixuan Sword, the Seven-Spirit Disc, and the forces gathering around them. The arc ended with Taixuan Sect elders confronting him over Jin Yi’s death as he launched his attack.

• Huang Xiao rescued Li Wujing from Xu Wuyu and two Taixuan Sect disciples, then revealed himself as the Heavenly Demon Sect’s sect master and killed Xu Wuyu.
• Li Wujing told Huang Xiao and Dugu Sheng that the Taixuan Sword was his lineage’s secret legacy, created by Li Bai, and agreed to teach Dugu Sheng after the Taixuan Sect was destroyed.
• Huang Xiao warned Crown Prince Zhao Yuankan of the danger in Kaifeng, then learned that Gui Jiu planned to gather the Seven Spirit Blade owners using the Seven-Spirit Disc.
• Tong Jiuyang met Huang Xiao and named Tuoba Xiongzhen as the man who had killed Zhao Kuangyin and Tong Jiuyang’s wife and injured Emperor Taizu and Zhao Guangyi.
• Huang Xiao reunited with Meng Jiu, Liaochen, and Zhang Daocheng, learned that powerful Righteous Path figures had arrived in Kaifeng, and said the Heavenly Demon Sect’s forces would soon join him.
• Tuoba Xing promised to train Tuoba Ge to surpass Huang Xiao and told Gui Jiu to keep obeying the Taixuan Sect while rival factions weakened one another.
• Huang Xiao met five Heavenly Demon Imperial Guards and learned that Ran Chou had gone to Chengdu to help the Dragon Guard remove Wang Jien’s partisans.
• After learning that Taixuan Sect elders had arrived, Huang Xiao confronted Zhu Qiao and Lin Tuke, who challenged him over Jin Yi’s death, and attacked them both.

Huang Xiao fought to protect Zhao Guangyi as rival sects attacked the palace, but Tuoba Xiongzhen killed the emperor and Wu Longfeng forced the gathered sects to submit. After Zhao Yuankan’s succession was arranged, Old Sun revealed the looming Khitan invasion and sent Huang Xiao to reason with Ling Tianya.

• Huang Xiao killed Zhu Qiao and Lin Tuke, then reached Zhao Yuankan’s residence and killed Ji Yu before leaving to aid Zhao Guangyi.
• At the Imperial Palace, Tong Jiuyang and the righteous forces battled Tu Zhangyuan and the Taixuan Sect, while Tu Zhangyuan escaped their combined attack.
• The Wangyin and Liangyin Ghost Kings attacked Zhao Yunhui and Zhao Xin'er, but Liu Dacheng and Huang Xiao helped kill Wangyin Ghost King.
• Huang Xiao confronted Wu Longfeng and Wan Qingteng near the Imperial Study, while Tu Zhangyuan bypassed the defenders and killed Zhao Guangyi.
• Old Sun arrived and stopped Huang Xiao from using Heavenly Demon Disintegration, then exposed Wan Qingteng’s betrayal and brought back Mu Yi, Xu Yan Yun, and Li Cong.
• Wu Longfeng departed after claiming victory for the Taixuan Sect, and Tu Zhangyuan revealed he was Tuoba Xiongzhen before Huang Xiao and Tong Jiuyang arranged Zhao Yuankan’s accession.
• Old Sun told Huang Xiao that Ling Tianya had preserved the three seniors and revealed that Khitan was preparing to invade Great Song with a five-hundred-thousand-man army.
• Huang Xiao agreed to try to stop Ling Tianya, while Old Sun warned him about Tuoba Xiongzhen and revealed that Dalhe had mastered the Eleventh Layer of the Wild Elephant Esoteric Sect Divine Skill.

Huang Xiao traveled to Khitan to stop the planned invasion of Great Song, reunited with his birth parents, and discovered that Ling Tianya had secretly arranged for the army to abandon its southern campaign. As Huang Xiao and Xiao Yan returned toward Linhuang Prefecture, a cavalry troop blocked their way.

• Old Sun gave Huang Xiao the Dragon Nightmare Flute and Medicine King Scripture, while Huang Xiao learned that Zhao Yuankan had become emperor and warned him Khitan was preparing a massive invasion.
• Huang Xiao left for Khitan to persuade Ling Tianya to avoid war, while Zhao Yunhui developed a two-person martial art based on formations and the Eight Trigrams.
• Mu Jingfei met with Lin Zhangke, Lu Denggu, Wan Qingteng, and Fang Chongyi, who revealed that Tuoba Xiongzhen had acquired powerful scriptures and urged an alliance with the Esoteric Sect.
• Huang Xiao visited Xiao Yan in Khitan, then killed Yelü Mengdu, three Persian Black Fire Sect envoys, and Sangbie after they attacked him and Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Yan brought Huang Xiao into the palace, where Yelü Yushi and Ling Fan welcomed him as their son, but Ling Tianya refused his request to stop the campaign against Great Song.
• Xiao Yan found the Tiger Tally and forged a deployment order to disperse the army, while Huang Xiao realized Ling Tianya had likely arranged for her to discover them.
• Huang Xiao concluded that Ling Tianya had already directed the army to abandon its southern campaign, promised to honor his marriage agreement with Xiao Yan, and rode with her to scout the camp.
• Huang Xiao and Xiao Yan saw that more than half the army's tents had been packed away and headed toward Linhuang Prefecture, where a cavalry troop charged up and stopped them.

Wan Qingteng and his allies attacked the Medicine King Hall, killing Mu Yi and taking the Ageless Crystal as the Seven Spirit Blades and the Taixuan Sect’s designs drew Sun Simiao and Duan Siping into Dali’s crisis. Huang Xiao returned to Kaifeng, protected Duan Ying, and secured promises of help while preparing to leave the palace.

• Xiao Dalin reaffirmed his loyalty to the Esoteric Sect and declared his intention to claim the Xiao Clan’s power, while Wan Qingteng killed Ge Gu and attacked the Medicine King Hall with Fang Chongyi and Mu Jingfei.
• Ran Chou intervened in the fight, but Wan Qingteng’s attack left Mu Yi mortally wounded, and Mu Yi died after entrusting Xu Yan Yun to Li Cong.
• Wan Qingteng led Fang Chongyi and Mu Jingfei through the Back Mountain formations and took the Ageless Crystal, while Sun Simiao arrived too late to save Mu Yi.
• Sun Simiao and Duan Siping discussed the Taixuan Sect and Dali, revealed Duan Siping’s role in Duan Siliang’s seizure of the throne, and asked Ran Chou to carry an alliance proposal to the Heavenly Demon Sect.
• Huang Xiao returned to Kaifeng, told Zhao Yuankan that the Khitan army had dispersed, and learned that Great Song could not yet force the Taixuan Sect to yield over Dali.
• Zhao Yunhui and Zhao Xin'er tested their paired sword style against Huang Xiao, who helped them develop its principles into a broader sword-and-saber formation.
• Huang Xiao received Ran Chou’s letter, agreed to return to the Heavenly Demon Sect, and learned that Persians had traveled into Xiazhou from Uyghur territory.
• Huang Xiao and Du Ge confronted a Taixuan Sect elder following them, and Huang Xiao killed him before telling Du Ge that Duan Siping would come for Duan Ying.
• Huang Xiao told Duan Ying that Great Song was unlikely to send troops but that Duan Siping would help him leave safely, then strengthened the formations around his residence.
• Tong Jiuyang promised to protect Duan Ying and Min Yijiang offered Dragon Guard experts to help in Dali, while Huang Xiao approached Zhao Yunhui and Zhao Xin'er to say farewell.