Chapter Summaries

Huang Xiao and Li Deming brought news of the true antidote to the King of Xia's Princess Consort and planned how to hide it while buying time. They suspected the antidote thieves wanted the Li Family Armory's secret manuals, but left the chapter waiting for the thieves to reveal their demands.

• Li Deming hurried past Li Dezhao with Huang Xiao to meet his mother, the King of Xia's Princess Consort.
• Li Deming told the princess consort how the antidote had been contested, and Huang Xiao explained that the thieves had taken a false antidote and should be stalled for three days.
• Li Deming suspected the thieves were targeting the secret manuals in the Armory, which could only be opened by the King of Xia's command.
• Huang Xiao advised the princess consort and Li Deming to meet the thieves' demands where possible while keeping the true antidote safe.
• The princess consort agreed to conceal her relief and maintain her appearance of worry as they waited for the thieves to make contact.

Huang Xiao used an antidote pill and Everlasting Spring True Qi to restore vitality to the poisoned King of Xia, Li Jiqian. After seeing the treatment work, Li Deming prepared for the arrival of the people demanding secret manuals from the Armory.

• Huang Xiao advised Li Deming to tell the secret-manual seekers that the mansion could not meet their demand, and the King of Xia's Princess Consort agreed to wait and see what they wanted.
• Li Deming brought Huang Xiao to Li Jiqian's bedchamber before dawn, where Huang Xiao saw how close the King of Xia was to death.
• Li Deming fed Li Jiqian an antidote pill, and Huang Xiao used Everlasting Spring True Qi to guide its vitality through the king's body.
• Huang Xiao confirmed that the treatment was effective and said Li Jiqian's poison would be purged after three days of treatment.
• Li Deming calmed his anger and prepared for the arrival of the people who had poisoned his father.

Ge Yi pressured the Princess Consort of Xia and Li Deming to put Li Deming on the throne in exchange for access to the Armory and the promised antidote, while warning that rival princes might seize power. The Princess Consort agreed to prepare for a staged accession, and Ge Yi returned to his allies just as their lord arrived.

• Ge Yi proposed that Li Deming become king so he could issue a royal decree opening the Armory, and set a deadline for the Princess Consort of Xia to accept.
• The Princess Consort explained that Ge Yi’s faction wanted the manuals and intended to let Li Jiqian die, while Li Deming worried about appearing to covet his father’s throne.
• The Princess Consort decided to prepare for Li Deming’s accession as part of their plan and told him to focus on his father’s treatment.
• Ge Yi returned to the Fang Family’s base, where his eldest brother said they expected Li Deming to accept and intended to obtain the manuals regardless of Li Jiqian’s fate.
• A messenger announced that the envoy had arrived, and Ge Yi’s eldest brother welcomed the arrival of his lord.

The Fang Family’s envoy ordered Fang Hu to prioritize killing Li Jiqian over obtaining the manuals, while the Prince’s Mansion prepared for Li Deming’s succession. Before dawn, Consort Ying confronted Li Deming and Huang Xiao outside Li Jiqian’s bedchamber, accusing them of plotting treason and murder.

• The envoy told Fang Hu that the Lineage head demanded Li Jiqian’s death, even if the Fang Family had to abandon the Armory’s secret manuals.
• Fang Yi said their plan was progressing as expected and predicted turmoil as Li Deming prepared to succeed Li Jiqian.
• The envoy reported that Li Jiqian’s residence was heavily guarded and voiced concern that the Prince’s Mansion might be treating his poison, then arranged an investigation and went to see Master Bayan.
• The Prince’s Mansion began preparations for Li Deming’s succession under the King of Xia’s Princess Consort’s orders.
• Before dawn, Li Deming and Huang Xiao arrived at Li Jiqian’s bedchamber and encountered Consort Ying, who challenged Li Deming and ordered the guards to seize Huang Xiao as an assassin.
• Consort Ying accused Li Deming of preparing to murder Li Jiqian, but the guards did not act against him.

Li Deming and Huang Xiao prepared to give Li Jiqian the second antidote pill while keeping the secret treatment secure. Consort Ying learned the truth and stayed to care for Li Jiqian as the pill’s effects began restoring his strength.

• Li Deming ordered Consort Ying escorted away, but the King of Xia's Princess Consort intervened and explained that he was not plotting against Li Jiqian.
• The King of Xia's Princess Consort revealed that the stolen antidote was a fake and that Li Deming’s apparent preparations to succeed the throne were a ruse; Consort Ying promised to keep the secret and remain nearby.
• Li Deming allowed Consort Ying to stay on the condition that she not interfere with the treatment, and the group saw that Li Jiqian had improved after the first antidote pill.
• Huang Xiao began treating Li Jiqian with the second antidote pill while Li Deming stood guard between him and the two women.
• Li Jiqian absorbed the pill’s medicinal power, his complexion and vitality improved, and an inexplicable emotion showed beneath Consort Ying’s excitement.

Huang Xiao said Li Jiqian should recover after taking the final antidote pill the next day, while Li Deming and Consort Ying stayed to guard him. Meanwhile, Bayan identified the stolen antidote as only half-finished, and the Fang Family’s envoy began preparing a secret plan to kill Li Jiqian.

• Huang Xiao reassured Consort Ying that Li Jiqian would be fine by the next day, and Li Deming chose to stay and guard his father until he took the final antidote pill.
• The King of Xia's Princess Consort left to deal with Ge Yi while Li Deming, Huang Xiao, and Consort Ying remained at the prince’s bedside.
• Bayan told Fang Hu and the black-robed envoy that the stolen antidote was only half-finished, so Li Jiqian might still be cured only after the remaining doses.
• The envoy ordered Fang Hu to summon Fang Yi and secretly evacuate their people from Xiping Prefecture, while revealing that he had kept a plan in reserve.
• Bayan departed for his sect, hoping to study the antidote pills and eventually create a cure for the poison he had supplied.

As Li Deming prepared to give Li Jiqian the final Antidote Pill, Consort Ying seized it and revealed that she had been waiting to avenge her murdered family. She destroyed the antidote, leaving Li Jiqian's recovery—and Li Deming's attempt to save him—uncertain.

• On the third morning, Huang Xiao and Li Deming prepared to give Li Jiqian the last Antidote Pill while Consort Ying watched.
• Consort Ying suddenly snatched the pill and declared that she intended to kill Li Jiqian and wipe out the Li Family in revenge for her father's death and the slaughter of her family.
• Consort Ying demanded that Li Deming die in exchange for the pill, and Li Deming tried to strike himself before Huang Xiao stopped him.
• Consort Ying admitted she had never planned to return the pill and crushed it into powder, then blew it away.

After Consort Ying destroyed the last Antidote Pill and escaped, Li Deming faced the possibility that his father would die without treatment. Huang Xiao began using his Everlasting Spring Ageless True Qi to suppress or neutralize Li Jiqian’s poison while Li Deming sent for Wang Yuantu.

• Consort Ying struck Li Deming with First-Class Realm strength, destroyed the Antidote Pill, and fled before the guards could catch her.
• Huang Xiao treated Li Deming’s injuries as Li Deming realized the sun had risen and there might not be time to fetch Wang Yuantu before his father’s condition worsened.
• Huang Xiao offered to use the Everlasting Spring Art to buy time, and Li Deming ordered a subordinate to summon Wang Yuantu.
• Huang Xiao pressed both palms against Li Jiqian’s back and began channeling his Everlasting Spring Ageless True Qi to counter the poison.

Huang Xiao cured Li Jiqian by drawing the remaining poison into his own dantian, where his Northern Darkness Absorption Method could not neutralize it. As the poison threatened to break into his meridians, his Heavenly Demon Skill activated on its own and began destroying it.

• Huang Xiao found that Li Jiqian's remaining poison had turned dangerously violent, and his everlasting spring ageless true qi could not suppress it.
• Huang Xiao used the Northern Darkness Absorption Method to draw a small amount of poison into himself, but all the lingering poison and Li Jiqian's internal power surged into his dantian.
• Huang Xiao neutralized Li Jiqian's poison, while Li Jiqian briefly woke before falling asleep again.
• Li Deming confirmed that Li Jiqian was out of danger but saw Huang Xiao in pain and did not know the poison had entered him.
• Huang Xiao struggled to contain the poison in his dantian until his Heavenly Demon Skill began circulating on its own and heavenly demon true qi rapidly broke the poison apart.

Huang Xiao cured Li Jiqian’s poison after the third Antidote Pill was destroyed, but Li Jiqian lost his cultivation in the process. Back at the Gathered Friends Residence, Huang Xiao learned that Wang Yuantu wanted him to return to Poison God Valley, then received an invitation from Miss Zhang.

• Huang Xiao neutralized the poison in his body and told Li Deming that Li Jiqian’s cultivation had dissipated, though his life was no longer in danger.
• Huang Xiao returned to the Gathered Friends Residence and explained to Wang Yuantu how he had cured Li Jiqian after Consort Ying destroyed the third Antidote Pill.
• Wang Yuantu told Huang Xiao to prepare to leave for Poison God Valley and said the Valley Master had ordered Huang Xiao to return as soon as possible.
• Huang Xiao worried that he would need to hide how he had healed and reforged his injuries, as well as his possession of the Everlasting Spring Youth-Restoring Art and the Heavenly Demon Canon.
• Steward Wu brought Huang Xiao an invitation sent by Miss Zhang.

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.