Chapter Summaries

Huang Xiao revealed his demonic cultivation and killed Eunuch Gou, then helped Liu Dacheng bury Eunuch Qiu and Eunuch Gou. Liu Dacheng opened Eunuch Qiu’s jar and discovered the Yin Demon Treasure Scripture, a manual only eunuchs could practice.

• Huang Xiao unleashed his Heavenly Demon True Qi, broke Eunuch Gou’s sword, and killed him with a dagger.
• Liu Dacheng worried that Huang Xiao’s demonic cultivation could corrupt him, and Huang Xiao promised to use it only when necessary.
• Liu Dacheng and Huang Xiao reburied Eunuch Qiu and buried Eunuch Gou nearby.
• Huang Xiao stepped away so Liu Dacheng could open Eunuch Qiu’s jar alone.
• Liu Dacheng found the Yin Demon Treasure Scripture and learned that its Yin Demon Divine Skill required the practitioner to castrate himself.
• Liu Dacheng read that the manual’s needle technique could eventually control countless needles, unlike the Tang Sect’s Storm of Needles.

Liu Dacheng discovered that Eunuch Qiu’s Yin Demon Treasure Scripture had been derived from the mysterious Sui Emperor Chapter, which he gave to Huang Xiao. The two prepared to return to the palace, while Huang Xiao kept Zhao Xin’er’s delicate status secret.

• Liu Dacheng read the Sui Emperor Chapter and found its scripture too abstruse to understand, unlike the Yin Demon Treasure Scripture.
• Huang Xiao assured Liu Dacheng that he would not covet the Yin Demon Divine Skill, and Liu Dacheng revealed that practicing it required castration.
• Liu Dacheng explained that Eunuch Qiu had derived the Yin Demon Divine Skill from the Sui Emperor Chapter and offered the scripture to Huang Xiao.
• Liu Dacheng named the Origin Dragon Art, the Imperial Dragon Art, and the Supreme Yang Skill as techniques derived from the Sui Emperor Chapter, and Huang Xiao recognized the connection to the Supreme Yang Divine Lord.
• Liu Dacheng gave Huang Xiao the Sui Emperor Chapter, then agreed to return with him before anyone discovered his absence from the palace.
• Huang Xiao chose not to tell Liu Dacheng that he had asked Zhao Xin'er to look after him, keeping her status secret.

After returning from the palace, Huang Xiao learned that Hong Yi and Meng Jiu had gone on a mission, then received orders from Zhao Yunya to rush to Hangzhou Prefecture and protect the Third Princess, Zhao Yunhui. He set out with several newly appointed retainers and constables, hoping to reach her in time.

• Huang Xiao and Liu Dacheng buried the offerings at Eunuch Qiu's grave before returning to the Imperial Palace's Prison Office.
• Huang Xiao received an imperial decree sending him back to the Six Gates as a reserve constable, and Du Ge visited him after his return.
• Du Ge told Huang Xiao that Hong Yi and Meng Jiu had left Kaifeng on a mission.
• Zhao Yunya summoned Huang Xiao and ordered him to support Hong Yi and Meng Jiu in Hangzhou Prefecture, where the Third Princess's safety was at stake.
• Huang Xiao reached the Six Gates' main entrance and found Han Jing, Liu Sanfu, Zhou Ding, and four third-class constables ready to depart.

Huang Xiao led a mission toward Hangzhou Prefecture but ended up driving Yan Xi’s carriage after she insisted. The group traveled without trouble, while the chapter ended with an unknown figure standing before Youwan’s tomb, whose husband was named Tuoba Ao.

• Huang Xiao met Han Jing, Liu Sanfu, and Zhou Ding, then set out with them and Yan Xi toward Hangzhou Prefecture.
• Yan Xi ordered Huang Xiao to drive her carriage, and he agreed despite the others’ surprise.
• Yan Xi told Huang Xiao that the mission was not urgent and that Hong Yi and Meng Jiu were already near Hangzhou Prefecture.
• Huang Xiao’s group continued at the carriage’s pace and dealt easily with bandits along the road.
• An unknown figure appeared before Youwan’s tomb at the foot of an unnamed mountain, where the inscription named her husband as Tuoba Ao.

A white-haired old man took Youwan’s Urn from the Tuoba Family’s tomb and confronted Tuoba Ke and Tuoba Fang, who recognized him as the Founding Patriarch of the Medicine King Hall. Before leaving, he invoked the promise Tuoba Ao had made to Youwan, prompting Tuoba Ke to reject the Fang Family and reaffirm the Tuoba Family’s alliance with the You Family.

• The old man broke Youwan’s gravestone, opened her grave, and removed her Urn from the White Jade Stone Coffin.
• Tuoba Ke and Tuoba Fang arrived and bowed to their ancestors, then Tuoba Ke acknowledged the old man’s identity and let him take the Urn.
• The old man reminded Tuoba Ke of Tuoba Ao’s promise to Youwan and warned him not to make him repeat himself.
• After the old man vanished, Tuoba Ke ordered the tomb restored, the Fang Family alliance rejected, and the Tuoba Family’s alliance with the You Family reaffirmed.
• Tuoba Fang asked whether the visitor was the legendary Medicine King Hall Founding Patriarch, and Tuoba Ke confirmed it.

You Lian'er resisted the forced marriage to Tuoba Ge, but Madam You sealed her internal power to stop her from escaping or taking her life. Tuoba Ji then arrived to cancel the marriage while reaffirming the Tuoba Family's alliance with the You Family, leaving Madam You uncertain whether she could trust his assurances.

• You Lian'er refused to marry Tuoba Ge, but Madam You said the You Family's Ancestors had decided the marriage to protect the family from the Fang Family.
• You Lian'er briefly imagined Huang Xiao, then declared she would rather die fighting the Fang Family; Madam You revealed that she had sealed You Lian'er's power and promised an antidote after the marriage.
• A servant announced that Tuoba Ji had come to see Madam You, and You Lian'er was taken to a back room.
• Tuoba Ji asked Madam You to cancel the marriage between Tuoba Ge and You Lian'er, alarming her because she feared he intended to ally with the Fang Family.
• Tuoba Ji denied that the Tuoba Family would ally with the Fang Family, reaffirmed its alliance with the You Family, and said their Ancestors would meet with the You Family's Ancestors to discuss how to face the Fang Family.

After Tuoba Ji left the You Family, You Lian'er heard that the marriage with Ge'er was still under consideration and walked away angrily. At Medicine King Hall, two youthful granduncles learned that the Founding Patriarch was likely alive and ordered their grand-disciple to offer the You Family support and recover its Netherworld Demon Zither from the Fang Family.

• Tuoba Ji told Madam You that the marriage between You Lian'er and Ge'er should be left to fate, though he privately believed his son's affection was unreturned.
• You Lian'er overheard Tuoba Ji and left angrily, while Madam You sent a maid to follow her.
• A grand-disciple reported to two Medicine King Hall granduncles that the Founding Patriarch was likely alive, based on events at the Tuoba Family tomb and Tuoba Ji's changed dealings with the You Family.
• The senior brother concluded that Medicine King Hall should honor its old promises to the You Family and let it make the Seven Spirit Atlas public in exchange for the Hall's intervention if it faced trouble.
• The senior brother ordered the grand-disciple to visit the You Family and then retrieve the Netherworld Demon Zither from the Fang Family, whatever the cost.

After the Tuoba Family allied with the You Family, Fang Ketian canceled his plan to attack them and met with the Chiyin Ghost King. Fang Ketian agreed to the Sect Master's plan to remove three opponents inside the Fang Family, but would have to deal with the You Family himself.

• The Tuoba Family rejected Fang Ketian's terms and allied with the You Family, prompting Fang Ketian to cancel his planned attack.
• Fang Ketian decided he could not risk provoking Medicine King Hall and vowed to wait for another opportunity against the You Family.
• The Chiyin Ghost King visited Fang Ketian and asked whether he would accept the Sect Master's offer.
• Fang Ketian agreed, on the condition that the Sect Master first remove the three people opposing his control of the Fang Family.
• The Chiyin Ghost King refused to involve the Sect Master in the conflict with the You Family, explaining that he did not wish to provoke the old man from Medicine King Hall.

Fang Ketian planned to use the Soul-Losing Pill to weaken the three patriarchs and protect his bid to unite the Heavenly Demon Sect under the Fang Family. In Hangzhou, Huang Xiao and his companions learned that the princess they had been sent to protect was secretly known as Lingbo Fairy.

• Fang Ketian read the Chiyin Ghost King's instructions and resolved to poison the three patriarchs before they could remove him as family head.
• Fang Ketian sent a servant to arrange a visit with the patriarchs, using news about the You Family and Medicine King Hall as his pretext.
• Huang Xiao and his party reached Hangzhou and met Niu Tiangao, who explained that the Remnant Demon Sect planned to abduct the princess.
• Niu Tiangao told the group that the princess was staying on Lingbo Island, where Lingbo Fairy was said to live.
• Niu Tiangao revealed that Lingbo Fairy was actually Her Highness the Third Princess.

Huang Xiao and the others learned that the Remnant Demon Sect wanted to abduct Zhao Yunhui to force the emperor to hand over a cultivation method, and they prepared to travel to Lingbo Island. As they waited to depart, Huang Xiao opened the Sui Emperor Chapter to study it further.

• Niu Tiangao revealed that the Lingbo Fairy was Zhao Yunhui and that the Remnant Demon Sect sought to use her to threaten the emperor.
• Niu Tiangao said Hong Yi, Meng Jiu, and Dugu Sheng had already gone to Lingbo Island, prompting Yan Xi to insist that the group leave that afternoon.
• Niu Tiangao arranged an accelerated departure and warned that many young Jianghu experts would visit the island when Zhao Yunhui opened it to visitors in two days.
• Huang Xiao returned to his room, took out the Sui Emperor Chapter, and began studying it while the group waited to depart.

Huang Xiao and his companions headed for the Eastern Sea to protect the princess, but a crowd of young martial artists bound for Lingbo Island tried to claim their ship. Yan Xi confronted Ning Buli, a ranked young expert who had challenged the Six Gates, and revealed that she knew him.

• Huang Xiao joined Yan Xi, Zhou Ding, and the others, then rode with Niu Tiangao to the Qiantang River docks to board a ship for the Eastern Sea.
• At the crowded ferry landing, the group learned that young martial artists were traveling to Lingbo Island to see the Lingbo Fairy.
• The group found several young experts bidding for the ship, and Ning Buli offered ten thousand taels before declaring he would not yield to the Six Gates.
• Ning Buli threatened the constables guarding the ship, but Yan Xi stepped forward and challenged him by name.
• Han Jing identified Ning Buli as the Passionate Young Master, a Young Eagle Ranking expert and disciple of Gongsun Liang, the Heartless Daoist.

Huang Xiao and his companions left for Lingbo Island, where Yan Xi told him that Tuoba Xing had secretly deceived women and asked him to teach Tuoba a lesson. The next day, they spotted an island covered in peach blossoms, though it was already autumn.

• Ning Buli backed down and left after seeing Yan Xi accompanied by Six Gates retainers.
• Huang Xiao boarded the ship and spoke with Liu Sanfu about experiencing the sea for the first time.
• Yan Xi asked Huang Xiao about his strength and learned he was confident he could defeat Tuoba Xing, though he expected to be badly injured.
• Yan Xi accused Tuoba Xing of deceiving women and asked Huang Xiao to teach him a lesson.
• The next day, Huang Xiao and the others saw peach blossoms blooming across an island ahead.

Huang Xiao and his companions arrived at Lingbo Island, where Hong Yi warned them that the Remnant Demon Sect might be planning a major attack. As they followed him through the island’s formations to meet Zhao Yunhui, Huang Xiao recognized the peach grove’s design and was astonished by the changed presence of her guard, Yan Zhong.

• Yan Xi reunited with Dugu Sheng when Huang Xiao’s boat reached Lingbo Island, while Hong Yi welcomed Huang Xiao and explained that other visitors had docked elsewhere.
• Hong Yi, Meng Jiu, and Dugu Sheng discussed the possible threat from the Remnant Demon Sect and the difficulty of obtaining reinforcements from the Six Gates.
• Hong Yi led the group through a peach grove, where Huang Xiao recognized that its Confusion Formation resembled a simplified Nine Palaces Grand Mystery Formation.
• Lü Ling escorted the group to Zhao Yunhui, where Zhou Ding and his companions sensed an expert watching them.
• Huang Xiao recognized the old man beside Zhao Yunhui as Yan Zhong and was surprised that his presence now seemed unfathomable.

Huang Xiao questioned Yan Zhong’s strength, and Yan Zhong explained that a cultivation method had limited his power until recently. He revealed that he had reached Upper Peerless and brushed against the next threshold, leaving the group to prepare for Lingbo Island’s opening with greater confidence.

• Huang Xiao sensed that Yan Zhong’s aura far exceeded Low Peak and wondered whether he had concealed his strength.
• Yan Zhong warned the retainers to stay vigilant against the Remnant Demon Sect’s covert attacks and praised Huang Xiao’s rapid advancement.
• Zhao Yunhui explained that Yan Zhong had not concealed his strength, and Yan Zhong said his cultivation method had kept him from using his full power.
• Yan Zhong clarified that he was at Upper Peerless and had recently brushed against the threshold beyond it.
• Hong Yi and Yan Xi said Yan Zhong’s strength reassured them, and Zhao Yunhui dismissed the group to rest before Lingbo Island opened.

Zhao Yunhui concealed the danger in her divination, which tied her survival and marriage fate to Huang Xiao, while Huang Xiao and his companions watched a mysterious youth in black defeat Ning Buli. The youth left after glancing toward them, and the group discussed how much their martial arts had improved.

• Zhao Yunhui told Yan Zhong that her divination predicted no danger, though she privately feared a perilous tribulation that Huang Xiao might help her overcome.
• Huang Xiao, Hong Yi, Dugu Sheng, and Meng Jiu surveyed the crowd gathered on Lingbo Island before its opening.
• A youth in black cut Ning Buli’s face, disarmed him, and drove him away with a near-fatal saber strike.
• The youth in black glanced toward Huang Xiao and his companions before leaving, but none of them recognized him.
• Dugu Sheng revealed that he had comprehended all eighty-one forms of his sword technique, while Hong Yi and Meng Jiu discussed their own progress.

Dugu Sheng revealed a tide-inspired internal cultivation method that greatly enhanced his swordsmanship, while Huang Xiao discussed his strength and his limited skill with poison. That night, the Remnant Demon Sect arrived unexpectedly, and Huang Xiao suspected they sought the Yin Demon Treasure Scripture.

• Dugu Sheng demonstrated a new internal cultivation method inspired by the waves at Ghost Wave Bend, and Hong Yi admitted he was no longer sure he could defeat him.
• Huang Xiao told Hong Yi, Dugu Sheng, and Meng Jiu that he could fight at their level but was not skilled at using poison.
• The group discussed the unknown man in black and prepared for a possible Remnant Demon Sect attack.
• Meng Jiu explained that Remnant Demon Sect disciples castrated themselves to master the Remnant Demon Sword Technique, and Huang Xiao connected it to the Yin Demon Divine Skill.
• Huang Xiao reasoned that the sect might want the Yin Demon Treasure Scripture, which he knew was held by his senior brother rather than the emperor.
• At the third watch, the Remnant Demon Sect arrived sooner and more unexpectedly than Huang Xiao and the others had expected.

The Remnant Demon Sect attacked Zhao Yunhui's Peach Blossom Confusion Formation, and Huang Xiao and the others discovered their apparent scouts had concealed a trap. Long Feng, the sect's Formation Hall master, revealed himself with twenty-seven First-Class Blood Guards and ordered them to attack.

• Zhao Yunhui warned that a formation expert was breaking through the Peach Blossom Confusion Formation and explained its dangers to the defenders.
• Huang Xiao and the others entered the formation, killed the trapped intruders, and searched for the formation expert.
• Twenty-seven First-Class Realm fighters surrounded Huang Xiao and his six companions after concealing their auras with a formation.
• Long Feng revealed himself as the Remnant Demon Sect's Formation Hall master, and Hong Yi and Liu Sanfu recognized him as the former Heavenly Mechanism Sect prodigy who had slaughtered his sect.
• Long Feng rejected the group's accusations and ordered his twenty-seven Blood Guards to form up and attack.

Huang Xiao and the others struggled against Long Feng’s twenty-seven Blood Guards, whose coordinated formation became even deadlier after they used a blood sacrifice. Zhao Yunhui identified the Three-Sided Blood Refining Chain-Killing Formation and told Huang Xiao how to break it, leaving him to find a way to reach its formation eyes while Long Feng guarded them.

• Long Feng revealed that the Blood Guards had killed 9,999 people, and Huang Xiao and the others fought them.
• The Blood Guards used coordinated attacks to hold off the seven fighters, leaving Han Jing and Liu Sanfu in particular danger.
• Hong Yi gathered the group, but Long Feng reorganized the guards into three groups of nine and ordered them to perform a blood sacrifice.
• Zhao Yunhui sensed the danger and warned Yan Xi that they needed to end the fight quickly because more enemies might be hidden nearby.
• Zhao Yunhui voice-transmitted instructions to Huang Xiao, naming the formation and explaining the order in which to break its formation eyes.

Huang Xiao followed Zhao Yunhui’s guidance to destroy the Three-Sided Blood Refining Chain-Killing Formation’s three formation eyes, weakening Long Feng’s blood guards. Long Feng remained defiant and warned that breaking the formation had not made the group safe, alarming Zhao Yunhui.

• Huang Xiao secretly assigned Hong Yi and the others roles in his plan while they drew the blood guards’ attention by increasing their attacks.
• Huang Xiao approached the shifting formation eyes and waited for Hong Yi’s roar to distract everyone.
• Huang Xiao used Snake-Traveling Tiny Steps and Godslayer to kill nine blood guards and destroy all three formation eyes in one seamless attack.
• Hong Yi and the others praised Huang Xiao, while Long Feng struggled to understand how he had discovered the formation eyes.
• Zhao Yunhui revealed that she had told Huang Xiao how to break the formation and condemned Long Feng for slaughtering innocents.
• Long Feng insisted that his strength made his evil path worthwhile and warned that the group was still in danger, causing Zhao Yunhui to react with alarm.

The Peach Blossom Confusion Formation was broken, allowing the Remnant Demon Sect and Jianghu fighters to rush toward Zhao Yunhui on the island. Elder Lin confronted the defenders, and Dugu Sheng stepped forward to challenge him as Long Feng watched from afar and plotted to capture the princess.

• Zhao Yunhui and her companions realized the Peach Blossom Confusion Formation had been broken, and they retreated toward the island as Remnant Demon Sect fighters and Jianghu talents charged in.
• Long Feng revealed that the Remnant Demon Sect sought to capture Zhao Yunhui to force the emperor to surrender Eunuch Qiu, while he also hoped to learn formations from her.
• Hong Yi warned the Jianghu fighters to keep watch around Zhao Yunhui, but Elder Lin arrived and killed dozens before demanding that she come with him.
• Dugu Sheng recognized Elder Lin's Remnant Demon Sword Technique and exchanged blows with him, impressing the elder with his skill.
• Elder Lin threatened Dugu Sheng, who answered that the elder was not qualified to kill him and advanced to fight.