Chapter Summaries

Huang Xiao discussed Tuoba Xing’s growing strength with Zhao Xin'er and Du Ge after injuring three of Tuoba’s retainers, while rumors exaggerated what had happened at the Wine Shop. The next morning, Tuoba Xing went to meet Huang Qitao at the Six Gates headquarters, where Huang Qitao kept him waiting before finally looking up at him.

• Zhao Xin'er praised Huang Xiao for injuring three retainers, and Huang Xiao said he had spared them to avoid trouble with the Six Gates.
• Huang Xiao told Zhao Xin'er that Tuoba Xing’s martial power had improved, though he remained confident about the coming Arrest Sage contest.
• Du Ge repeated rumors that Huang Xiao and Tuoba Xing had fought, and Huang Xiao clarified that he had only injured the three retainers.
• Huang Xiao and Du Ge discussed Tuoba Xing’s strength and prepared for their contest in three days.
• Tuoba Xing arrived at the Six Gates headquarters and ignored the constables who greeted him, prompting resentment among them.
• Huang Qitao summoned Tuoba Xing, then made him wait in the study for an hour before looking up from his confidential reports.

Huang Qitao warned Tuoba Xing that Huang Xiao and powerful young rivals, including disciples of the Six Buddhist Sects, might compete for the Yellow Gate Arrest Sage position. Tuoba Xing remained confident, though Huang Qitao left him uncertain about the strength of the newcomers.

• Huang Qitao questioned Tuoba Xing’s claim to the Arrest Sage position and warned him that Huang Xiao had become a serious rival.
• Tuoba Xing dismissed Huang Xiao’s strength and insisted his years of training would let him defeat him.
• Huang Qitao asked how Tuoba Xing would fare against Liaochen and revealed that the Six Buddhist Sects had sent disciples into the world.
• Tuoba Xing learned that the Six Buddhist Sects had once rivaled Shaolin and vowed their disciples would not dominate the contest.
• Huang Qitao recounted how six disciples of the Six Sects had injured Liaochen, fought Huang Xiao, and were stopped only when the Beggar Gang Leader arrived.

Huang Xiao learned that disciples of the Six Buddhist Sects would compete for the position of Arrest Sage, alongside Tuoba Xing and others. After registering for the contest, he reviewed what little was known about the monks and prepared for the competition in two days.

• Huang Qitao told Tuoba Xing that the Six Buddhist Sects were entering the contest and urged him to prepare, while privately weighing how their involvement might affect his plans.
• Master Kongming informed Huang Xiao that disciples of the Six Buddhist Sects would compete for Arrest Sage, and Du Ge recognized that several monks had recently joined the Six Gates.
• Du Ge registered Huang Xiao for the contest in two days and agreed to investigate the monks’ records.
• Master Kongming explained that the Six Sects wanted to raise their standing in the Jianghu, and advised Huang Xiao to spare any opponent who did not try to kill him.
• Huang Xiao read Du Ge’s findings and learned the names Mingyi, Mingzhong, and Shanren, but found no useful information about their strength.

Huang Xiao entered the Yellow Gate Arrest Sage contest and learned that his only opponent was Mingzhong of the Pure Land Sect. When Huang Xiao asked why Tuoba Xing and the other candidates were absent, Perfected Huayang explained that they had failed to meet the minimum strength requirement, leaving Huang Xiao’s question about Tuoba Xing unresolved.

• Huang Xiao arrived at the Six Gates contest arena with Du Ge, but guards allowed only invited retainers and the contestants inside.
• Huang Xiao entered the courtyard, assessed the five Arrest Sages and five senior retainers, and greeted them.
• Mingzhong of the Pure Land Sect arrived, and Huang Qitao announced that he and Huang Xiao would compete for the Yellow Gate Arrest Sage position.
• Huang Xiao questioned why the other candidates, especially Tuoba Xing, were missing.
• Perfected Huayang said the other candidates had been disqualified for failing the minimum strength requirement, while Huang Xiao continued to question Tuoba Xing’s absence.

Huang Xiao faced Monk Mingzhong in the contest for the position of Arrest Sage, fighting without relying on the Heavenly Demon Skill. After their powerful palm techniques clashed, Huang Xiao unexpectedly changed his attack into a finger strike, catching Mingzhong off guard.

• Huang Qitao said Tuoba Xing had withdrawn because cultivation injuries had weakened him, and Huang Xiao accepted the explanation.
• Huang Xiao and Monk Mingzhong began their duel, with Huang Xiao cautious because he could not use the Heavenly Demon Skill without risking suspicion.
• Huang Xiao used his Lingbo Ethereal Steps to evade Mingzhong, then channeled his Northern Darkness True Qi through the Everlasting Spring Youth-Restoring Art.
• Huang Xiao's Blazing Yang Palm clashed with Mingzhong's Amitabha Palm, and Huang Xiao was forced to retreat but suffered no injury.
• Huang Xiao charged again and changed his palm strike into a finger strike against the center of Mingzhong's palm, startling the monk.

Huang Xiao fought Monk Mingzhong and learned that Mingzhong’s Infinite Buddha Palm grew stronger with each strike. Despite warnings that he could be seriously injured, Huang Xiao refused to concede and revealed that he still had a trump card.

• Huang Xiao struck Mingzhong’s palm with Heart-Severing Finger, then Mingzhong unleashed a powerful palm technique that sent Huang Xiao staggering back with blood at his mouth.
• Master Jueyi identified the technique as the Infinite Buddha Palm and explained that each successive strike doubled in power; Mingzhong said he could barely manage a third strike and warned Huang Xiao to stop.
• Huang Xiao refused to concede despite Master Jueyi and Perfected Huayang urging him to withdraw, while Huang Qitao encouraged him to persist.
• Huang Xiao told Mingzhong that he had a trump card and said it was time to decide the victor, leaving Master Jueyi and Perfected Huayang surprised.

Huang Xiao used the Heavenly Demon Subduing Tiger Fist to withstand Monk Mingzhong’s third Infinite Buddha Palm and win their contest. He left Mingzhong injured but treated him before accepting his concession.

• Huang Xiao revealed a powerful fist technique and met Monk Mingzhong’s second palm strike with the third layer of the Heavenly Demon Subduing Tiger Fist, matching its force.
• Monk Mingzhong risked severe injury to unleash his third palm strike, and Huang Xiao countered with the fist’s fourth layer of force.
• Huang Xiao outlasted Mingzhong’s palm force, then softened his attack and struck Mingzhong’s chest to treat the backlash.
• Monk Mingzhong recovered enough to stand, conceded to Huang Xiao, and thanked him for showing mercy.

Huang Xiao was appointed the new Yellow Gate Arrest Sage after defeating Monk Mingzhong, and he aligned himself with the Imperial Court. He left the training grounds with You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi as the watching constables greeted him in his new position.

• Monk Mingzhong accepted his defeat, bowed to Huang Xiao, and left the arena with injuries that would take weeks to heal.
• Huang Qitao announced Huang Xiao’s promotion to Yellow Gate Arrest Sage, and the Retainers agreed.
• Huang Qitao and two allied Arrest Sages departed, while You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi congratulated Huang Xiao and called him their brother.
• Huang Xiao inferred that Zheng Zhiyi was choosing to align with the Imperial Court and accepted You Yidao’s invitation to celebrate.
• You Yidao prompted the constables to pay their respects to Huang Xiao, and they congratulated him as their new lord.

After Huang Xiao became the Yellow Gate’s new Arrest Sage, You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi took him to the Immortal Abode to celebrate and treated him as a close ally. They settled for Master Hao’s eldest disciple to cook after learning the elderly chef could no longer prepare a meal himself.

• Huang Xiao left with You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi, while Du Ge accepted congratulations from the constables who believed Huang Xiao had defeated Tuoba Xing.
• You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi brought Huang Xiao to the Immortal Abode and explained that Master Hao was a famed retired imperial chef.
• You Yidao asked the manager, Old Man Zhu, to have Master Hao cook for them, but Old Man Zhu said the eighty-year-old chef had not cooked in over half a year.
• Huang Xiao and Zheng Zhiyi persuaded You Yidao to accept a meal prepared by Master Hao’s eldest disciple, and You Yidao agreed for Huang Xiao’s sake.

Huang Xiao, You Yidao, and Zheng Zhiyi witnessed the Tuoba Family’s Third Young Master harassing Xiao Qin at the Immortal Abode. Huang Xiao struck the Third Young Master and demanded that he apologize and slap himself a hundred times.

• Old Zhu heard a commotion and joined Huang Xiao, You Yidao, and Zheng Zhiyi as they went to investigate.
• Old Zhu tried to protect Xiao Qin from the Third Young Master, who insisted on taking her away and ordered his men to seize her.
• The Third Young Master’s men refused to fight and tried to leave, but Old Zhu ordered the restaurant guards to subdue them.
• The Third Young Master pushed past the guards and threatened to take Xiao Qin, so Huang Xiao slapped him and sent him flying.
• Huang Xiao demanded that the Third Young Master apologize to Xiao Qin and slap himself a hundred times or face further punishment.

Huang Xiao punished the third young master for bullying Liu Qin and revealed himself as an Arrest Sage of the Six Gates. As the third young master was forced to apologize, his eldest brother arrived with another young man.

• Huang Xiao slapped the third young master and ordered him to slap himself a hundred times, while You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi revealed that Huang Xiao was an Arrest Sage too.
• Huang Xiao delivered the hundred slaps, forced the third young master to kneel, and called Liu Qin forward to receive an apology.
• Huang Xiao recognized Liu Qin as the daughter of Liu Qiang, the chief of the mountain stronghold where he had once been held, and reassured her that no one would bully her.
• The third young master resisted apologizing until an angry voice rebuked him; his eldest brother then arrived with another young man, while Huang Xiao kept the third young master pinned down.

Huang Xiao intervened when Tuoba Defu harassed Xiaoqin, and Tuoba Dezheng disciplined his younger brother after learning Huang Xiao was an Arrest Sage. The chapter ended with Tuoba Dezheng rewarding Xiaoqin and inviting Huang Xiao to meet again, while Huang Xiao remained wary of his intentions.

• Tuoba Dezheng identified Huang Xiao as an Arrest Sage and ordered Tuoba Defu to apologize to Xiaoqin.
• Huang Xiao healed Xiaoqin's swollen cheek, and Master Hu and Xiaoqin's young husband arrived.
• Tuoba Dezheng revealed that he was a Commandery Prince and confined Tuoba Defu to his residence without permission to leave.
• Huang Xiao warned Tuoba Dezheng that he would deal with Tuoba Defu himself if he harmed anyone again.
• Tuoba Dezheng moved Xiaoqin to the accounts office, raised her wages, and promised her a thousand taels of silver.

Huang Xiao reunited with Xiao Qin, learned that she and her father were the only survivors of their village, and promised to help avenge the villagers killed by the Wang Family. Back with You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi, he asked whether Tuoba Dezheng was connected to the Tuoba Family of Lin'an.

• Tuoba Dezheng rewarded Xiao Qin because of her connection to Huang Xiao, and Huang Xiao reassured her husband that she was family to him.
• Huang Xiao asked Xiao Qin about the village survivors, and she explained how she and her father had endured the past two years before she married Hu Fan.
• Huang Xiao promised to visit Xiao Qin's father and help with the Wang Family, then returned to You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi.
• Huang Xiao asked who Tuoba Dezheng really was, and Zheng Zhiyi guessed that he wanted to know whether the prince belonged to the Tuoba Family of Lin'an.

Huang Xiao learned that Tuoba Dezheng's family and Tuoba Xing's family were separate branches of the same ancestral Tuoba Family, and that Crown Prince Zhao Yuankan had accompanied Tuoba Dezheng. After celebrating Huang Xiao's new Arrest Sage position, Du Ge heard why Tuoba Xing had missed the contest, while Tuoba Xing raged over Huang Xiao's victory and wondered what he could do next.

• You Yidao explained that Tuoba Dezheng's and Tuoba Xing's families had split from the original Tuoba Family and had little contact, and Zheng Zhiyi identified the man beside Tuoba Dezheng as Crown Prince Zhao Yuankan.
• Master Hao thanked Huang Xiao for protecting Xiao Qin and served dishes he had cooked himself.
• Du Ge congratulated Huang Xiao on becoming an Arrest Sage, then told him that people were questioning the legitimacy of his victory because Tuoba Xing had not competed.
• Huang Xiao told Du Ge that Tuoba Xing had injured his meridians while training and could not attend the contest.
• Tuoba Xing smashed his study in anger over Huang Xiao becoming an Arrest Sage and demanded to know what he could do about him.

Tuoba Xing accepted his new Inspector post as a chance to expand his influence and target Huang Xiao, while Huang Xiao struggled with the duties of being an Arrest Sage. The chapter ended when Du Ge told Huang Xiao that Tuoba Xing had been appointed Inspector.

• Tuoba Xing resented Huang Xiao's rise to Arrest Sage and asked Old He how he compared with Mingzhong, then decided to keep advancing his martial power rather than consolidate his cultivation.
• Old He explained that Tuoba Xing's Inspector authority let him inspect Six Gates branches and replace personnel, and Tuoba Xing resolved to use it against Huang Xiao's allies.
• Huang Xiao arrived at the Six Gates and was overwhelmed by the documents awaiting his review, realizing that his new role came with substantial duties.
• Huang Xiao decided to seek advice from You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi, but Du Ge arrived and informed him that Tuoba Xing had become Inspector.

Huang Xiao learned that Tuoba Xing had been appointed Inspector of the Six Gates and sought Zhao Yunya’s advice on his new post. Zhao Yunya revealed that she had agreed to the appointment in exchange for Huang Qitao allowing Huang Xiao to compete for the Arrest Sage position.

• Du Ge told Huang Xiao that Tuoba Xing had become Inspector, and a Heaven Gate constable confirmed that the decision had been made before Huang Xiao took office.
• Huang Xiao instructed Du Ge to warn the Yellow Gate constables not to give Tuoba Xing grounds to accuse them.
• Du Ge suggested that Huang Xiao seek Zhao Yunya’s advice, and Huang Xiao went to her residence, where he met her with Zhao Xin'er and Zhao Yunhui.
• Zhao Yunya shared her experience managing Six Gates affairs with Huang Xiao while the two princesses listened.
• Huang Xiao asked whether Zhao Yunya had approved Tuoba Xing’s appointment, and she explained that it was part of an agreement that let him compete for the Arrest Sage position.

Huang Xiao discussed the Six Gates with Zhao Yunya, then accompanied Zhao Xin'er and Zhao Yunhui until he met Liu Qin and went with her to see Liu Qiang. The princesses gave Liu Qin valuable jewelry as wedding gifts, and the chapter ended as Liu Qiang emerged and greeted Huang Xiao.

• Zhao Yunya advised Huang Xiao to consult You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi while managing Tuoba Xing's oversight of the Six Gates.
• Huang Xiao left to visit Liu Qin and walked with Zhao Xin'er and Zhao Yunhui toward the Immortal Abode.
• Huang Xiao encountered Liu Qin, who told him Liu Qiang had returned and wanted to visit the Six Gates to find him.
• Zhao Yunhui gave Liu Qin a jade bracelet, and Zhao Xin'er gave her a jade hairpin as gifts for their first meeting and Liu Qin's wedding.
• Huang Xiao accompanied Liu Qin to her home, where Liu Qiang hurried out to greet him.

Huang Xiao reunited with Liu Qiang and taught him internal cultivation so he could eventually avenge the villagers killed by the Wang Family. After settling into his new role as Yellow Gate Arrest Sage, Huang Xiao faced complaints about Tuoba Xing arresting Yellow Gate constables and upheld the Inspector’s authority to punish those who broke the rules.

• Liu Qiang welcomed Huang Xiao back and asked him to help avenge the stockade’s villagers, but Huang Xiao taught him cultivation methods so he could take revenge himself.
• Huang Xiao opened Liu Qiang’s meridians and taught him a cultivation method and moves, predicting he could reach the second-class realm within a year.
• Master Hao identified Liu Qin’s bracelet and hairpin as items from the inner Imperial Palace and inferred that the women who gave them to her held high status.
• Huang Xiao took up his duties, ordered an investigation into his Eldest Senior Brother’s disappearance and the destruction of the Green Ox Gate, and continued guiding Liu Qiang.
• Du Ge reported that Tuoba Xing had arrested and tortured twelve Yellow Gate constables, and Huang Xiao told him to let the Inspector act.
• When Du Ge protested that other gates had fewer arrests, Huang Xiao rebuked him for defending constables who had violated the Six Gates’ Sect Rules, and Yellow Gate constables gathered outside afterward.

Huang Xiao learned that Beggar Gang Leader Zhu Zhentong had died and worried that Hong Yi might lose the succession to deputy leader Chi Si. Huang Qitao summoned the five Arrest Sages to discuss the Beggar Gang’s leadership dispute and the Six Gates’ response.

• Du Ge reassured the constables after Huang Xiao declined to intervene against Tuoba Xing, while Huang Xiao privately approved of Tuoba Xing’s crackdown on corrupt officials.
• A constable told Huang Xiao that Zhu Zhentong had been killed by an Esoteric Sect expert in Tubo and that Hong Yi had survived with grave injuries.
• Huang Xiao learned that Chi Si had rallied elders and disciples against Hong Yi’s supporters, leaving the Beggar Gang divided over who would become its next leader.
• Huang Qitao summoned the five Arrest Sages and explained that the Six Gates could not ignore the succession dispute because the Beggar Gang’s leader would influence the Jianghu.
• You Yidao asked Huang Qitao whether the Six Gates should send a representative to the Beggar Gang.

Huang Xiao accepted Huang Qitao’s assignment to represent the Six Gates at the Beggar Gang’s leadership contest, despite his colleagues’ warnings. He revealed that he wanted to help his friend Hong Yi and set off to prepare, while You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi decided to consult the Commandery Princess about his safety.

• Huang Qitao assigned Huang Xiao to represent the Six Gates at the Beggar Gang’s leadership contest and warned him not to interfere without authorization.
• After Huang Xiao left the study, Huang Qitao, Chen Feidiao, and Jiang Ang discussed using the assignment to put Huang Xiao in danger and considered killing him through another’s hand.
• You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi reprimanded Huang Xiao for accepting the mission, but he explained that he had agreed to help his friend Hong Yi.
• Huang Xiao refused their offer to go in his place, said he would be careful, and left to make preparations.
• You Yidao and Zheng Zhiyi decided to discuss Huang Xiao’s safety with the Commandery Princess.