Recaps

Tang Yao learned that the Beast Taming Sect was in danger from Devil Qi and sent Xiao Linyu back with the Vermilion Bird’s Li Fire to help. She disguised herself as a man and prepared to head for the Azure Cloud Sect, but had no Spirit Stones to pay for travel.

• The Vermilion Bird revealed his recovery and warned Xiao Linyu to keep his emergence secret.
• Tang Yao read messages about her disappearance, the Beast Taming Sect’s crisis, and the threat to her standing at the Azure Cloud Sect.
• The Vermilion Bird gave Xiao Linyu Li Fire to burn away Devil Qi, and Tang Yao persuaded him to return to the Beast Taming Sect.
• Tang Yao disguised herself as a man with a Law Artifact and asked the Vermilion Bird to help conceal its aura.
• Tang Yao asked whether the Vermilion Bird had any Spirit Stones, and he had none.

Tang Yao arrived at the Azure Cloud Sect to report in and was recognized as the bearer of the Innate Sword Bone. Elder Yun Feng brought her before the sect elders, where they disputed whether she deserved to become head disciple and demanded to test her cultivation.

• Tang Yao flew to the Azure Cloud Sect with Vermilion Bird and wondered whether Taotie had recovered his memories.
• The gate disciples initially tried to turn Tang Yao away, then recognized her and learned that the new disciple competition had been postponed for her.
• Elder Yun Feng hurried to the gate, praised Tang Yao's Innate Sword Bone, and flew her to the main hall.
• Tang Yao met Sect Master Ren Linfeng and the elders, who criticized her character, cultivation, and suitability to become head disciple.
• Sect Master Ren asked Tang Yao about her cultivation, but Elder Qing ordered an attendant to fetch the Spirit Testing Stone.

Tang Yao revealed her supreme-grade fire spirit root during the test, securing her position as the Azure Cloud Sect’s head disciple. After meeting Mu Shixue, Tang Xin, and Meng Qi, she was sent with Tang Xin to the chief disciple’s residence while Mu Shixue left on her own.

• Tang Yao activated her spirit root, and the Spirit Testing Stone showed a fire spirit root with 100% purity at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection.
• Sect Master Ren asked whether anyone still opposed Tang Yao becoming the Azure Cloud Sect’s head disciple, and the elders eagerly welcomed her.
• A pair of hostile eyes watched Tang Yao from the shadows as the elders celebrated her talent.
• Sect Master Ren summoned Mu Shixue, Tang Xin, and Meng Qi, then told Tang Yao that the new disciple competition was in half a month and its top ten would enter the Ten Thousand Swords Grotto.
• Tang Yao spoke with Tang Xin as Mu Shixue led them out, then Mu Shixue told Tang Xin to show Tang Yao to Long Mountain Residence and left alone.

Tang Yao settled into the Azure Cloud Sect and attended training with the other new disciples, who openly criticized her reputation and questioned her place in the sect. She answered one disciple’s warning about her sexuality with a cutting remark before Elder Yun stopped the others.

• Meng Qi followed Mu Shixue after she left, while Tang Xin invited Tang Yao to come with her and asked who she really was.
• Tang Yao imitated her old sinister expression to deflect Tang Xin’s suspicions, then let Tang Xin show her around the Azure Cloud Sect and settle her into Long Mountain Residence.
• Tang Yao noticed signs that she was close to breaking through to Golden Core but decided to wait so she could use herself as bait.
• The next morning, Tang Yao arrived at the Martial Training Hall, where the disciples avoided Tang Xin and reacted coldly to their new eldest senior brother.
• Mu Shixue greeted Tang Yao, and the other disciples complained that she had been accepted because of her talent and repeated rumors about her.
• Tang Yao told one disciple that he was perfectly safe, then defended herself against the group’s rumors before Elder Yun told them to stop.

Tang Yao learned the first form of the Azure Cloud Sword Instruction after watching Elder Yun demonstrate it, silencing the disciples who had mocked her. Later, a black-robed man confronted Mu Shixue and offered her a pill to strengthen her before the new disciple tournament, and she recognized him.

• Elder Yun reprimanded the disciples for gossiping about Tang Yao and took them to the training grounds to teach the Azure Cloud Sword Instruction.
• Tang Yao copied Elder Yun’s Wind Breaker form after watching it once, astonishing the disciples and earning his praise.
• Elder Yun lectured the disciples about respect, then told Tang Yao to attend morning practice at the Martial Hall.
• Tang Yao warned Mu Shixue to stop the new disciples from ostracizing Tang Xin, but Mu Shixue said she had not noticed it.
• A black-robed man immobilized Mu Shixue with his Spiritual Qi and offered her a pill to help her defeat Tang Yao at the new disciple tournament.
• Mu Shixue rejected the pill and demanded to know who the man was, then recognized him when he revealed his face.

Tang Yao practiced swordsmanship at the Martial Training Hall, where Mu Shixue unexpectedly encouraged her before Tang Yao later got lost on the way back to Long Mountain Residence. She stumbled upon a hot spring and discovered an unfamiliar youth bathing there, then fled when he ordered her to stop.

• Tang Yao overheard female disciples gossiping about her and noticed the youth Yun Feng had punished giving her a strained smile.
• Mu Shixue greeted Tang Yao as her senior brother and urged her to practice hard and aim for first place among the newcomers.
• Tang Yao and Tang Xin were confused by Mu Shixue's sudden friendliness, and Tang Yao accidentally put an arm around Tang Xin.
• After practicing until dusk, Tang Yao left the Martial Training Hall and got lost while admiring the Azure Cloud Sect's mountain scenery.
• Tang Yao found a Spiritual Qi-rich hot spring and saw an unfamiliar youth bathing in it.
• The youth told Tang Yao to stop, but she ran away in alarm.

Tang Yao met Ji Yu of the Azure Cloud Sect after accidentally interrupting his bath, then discovered he was her senior and got lost on the way back to Long Mountain Residence. Back in her room, she discussed spirit-plant baths with Vermilion Bird and received a desperate message from Xiao Linyu asking her to become the Beast Taming Sect’s head disciple.

• Ji Yu recognized Tang Yao, revealed he was a senior who had lived for several hundred years, and introduced himself as a disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect’s sect master.
• After Tang Yao admitted she was lost, Ji Yu carried her by the scruff on his flying sword to Long Mountain Residence and dropped her before leaving.
• Tang Yao returned to her room and considered befriending Ji Yu for access to his hot spring, while Vermilion Bird offered to find her spirit plants for a better bath.
• Xiao Linyu messaged Tang Yao, begging her to become the Beast Taming Sect’s head disciple because Chu Song kept dragging him into sparring matches.

Ji Yu taught the inner disciples the Flowing Cloud Instruction, and Tang Yao quickly grasped the movement technique. Ji Yu directed the disciples to seek Tang Yao’s guidance, while Mu Shixue resolved to train harder and thought of someone who could help her.

• Tang Yao arrived at the Martial Hall and discovered that Ji Yu was teaching the disciples that morning.
• Ji Yu demonstrated the Flowing Cloud Instruction in the bamboo grove and explained how to use it to pursue enemies or escape.
• Mu Shixue tried the technique first and earned Ji Yu’s praise for her effort.
• Tang Yao studied the bamboo’s rhythm, performed seven quick steps, and impressed Ji Yu with her progress.
• Ji Yu told the disciples they could ask Tang Yao for guidance, drawing them to her while Mu Shixue watched from a distance.
• Meng Qi tried to comfort Mu Shixue, who sent him away and resolved to train harder, thinking someone would help her.

Tang Yao trained the new disciples and spoke with Sect Master Ren about the Azure Cloud Sect’s past losses. When the Beast Taming Sect’s distress signal appeared nearby, Ren sealed the sect and set out alone to investigate.

• Ji Yu left Tang Yao to answer the disciples’ questions, and Tang Yao arranged a morning training session at the Martial Practice Hall.
• Tang Yao noticed Mu Shixue standing alone in the bamboo grove, and Little Red warned her that Mu Shixue carried the scent of medicinal pills.
• Tang Xin asked Tang Yao to help with travel costs for their father’s birthday, and Tang Yao agreed to gather enough Spirit Stones for their teleportation.
• Sect Master Ren praised Tang Yao and told her that his fellow disciples had died in a devil extermination operation decades earlier.
• A Beast Taming Sect distress signal appeared near the Azure Cloud Sect, so Ren ordered the sect sealed and went alone to investigate.

Tang Yao and Sect Master Ren rescued Chu Song, Xiao Linyu, and their fellow disciples from devil humans identified as remnants of the Moon Worship Cult. At the Azure Cloud Sect’s meeting the next morning, Sect Master Yan tried to recruit Tang Yao before Duan Xiangyuan arrived by formation.

• Tang Yao insisted on joining Sect Master Ren, who carried her by flying sword to rescue the disciples surrounded by devil humans.
• Ren Linfeng destroyed the attackers with his sword intent, while Tang Yao gave the injured Chu Song healing pills.
• Ren Linfeng told Chu Song to warn Sect Master Yan that the Moon Worship Cult’s remnants had been found and to attend a conference at the Azure Cloud Sect.
• Tang Yao searched for information about the devil humans, found none, and decided the world might have diverged from the novel.
• At the next morning’s meeting, Sect Master Yan praised Tang Yao’s beast-cultivation talent and tried to recruit her, prompting Ren Linfeng to object.
• Duan Xiangyuan arrived at the Heavenly Sword Pavilion through a formation.

The four sect masters and their eldest disciples gathered after remnants of the Moon Worship Cult appeared near the Azure Cloud Sect. Ren Linfeng revealed the cult’s history and warned that its living puppets could be hidden among ordinary people, leaving the group unsure who might already be under the cult’s control.

• Ren Linfeng assembled the sect masters and summoned their eldest disciples after Moon Worship Cult remnants were discovered near the Azure Cloud Sect.
• Jiang Yueyan, Chu Song, and Xiao Rong arrived, and Tang Yao joined the gathering.
• Ren Linfeng showed a recording of the cult’s attackers, prompting Yang Zhouman and Duan Xiangyuan to recall the cult’s apparent destruction and past atrocities.
• Ren Linfeng explained that the Moon Worship Cult used Devil Qi and living people to create obedient puppets, including dead combat puppets and living puppets that could pass as ordinary people.
• Xiao Rong asked whether such puppets might already be among them, unsettling everyone.

Tang Yao and the sect masters discussed the Vermilion Bird’s role in cleansing Devil Qi and the possibility that the attack near the Azure Cloud Sect had been a diversion. At the new disciple tournament, Tang Yao drew Mu Shixue as her opponent, and the crowd gathered eagerly to watch their match.

• Sect Master Yan said Vermilion Bird Li Fire had tempered the Beast Taming Sect disciples infected by Devil Qi, while Tang Yao wondered why the attackers had appeared near the Azure Cloud Sect.
• Ren Linfeng agreed the attack might have been a ploy and ordered the sects to strengthen their defenses and secretly investigate.
• Tang Yao continued training until the new disciple tournament began, where opponents repeatedly surrendered rather than face her.
• Tang Yao drew Mu Shixue as her opponent, and Meng Qi asked her to go easy on his fellow disciple; Tang Yao agreed.
• Tang Xin defeated Meng Qi after noticing he was distracted, and the crowd erupted when Tang Yao’s match against Mu Shixue was announced.

Tang Yao fought Mu Shixue in the arena, where Mu Shixue swallowed a pill that unleashed Devil Qi and drove her into a violent state. Tang Yao used the Crimson Flame Sword to suppress the Devil Qi and help Mu Shixue regain control, but Mu Shixue collapsed unconscious after someone in the stands secretly intervened.

• Tang Yao avoided Mu Shixue’s opening attacks, then countered with a seamless combination of the Azure Cloud Sword’s second form and the Flowing Cloud Instruction.
• Mu Shixue swallowed a dark green pill, and the Devil Qi within her surged as she attacked Tang Yao with increased speed and strength.
• Mu Shixue struck Tang Yao into a crater, but Tang Yao summoned the Crimson Flame Sword, astonishing Sect Master Ren, Yun Feng, and the other elders.
• Tang Yao used the Crimson Flame Sword’s flames to suppress the Devil Qi and secretly treat Mu Shixue behind a barrier of fire.
• Mu Shixue tried to report what had happened, but someone in the stands moved their fingers, causing her to stiffen before she collapsed unconscious.

Tang Yao won the Azure Cloud Sect’s new disciple competition, becoming famous and raising the Tang Household’s standing. As she and Tang Xin traveled home aboard the household’s flying boat, a masked man and his armed crew intercepted them.

• Elder Yun examined the unconscious Mu Shixue and found her spiritual power disordered, while the referee declared Tang Yao the winner.
• Tang Xin conceded her match against Tang Yao, and Tang Yao became the competition’s champion after the Crimson Flame Sword recognized her.
• Tang Yao warned Sect Master Ren that something might be wrong with Mu Shixue and asked him to question her if she woke.
• Tang Yao prepared to return to the Tang Household for her father’s hundredth birthday, and Tang Xin joined her with elite guards aboard the household’s flying boat.
• Tang Yao spotted an approaching crimson airship, ordered the guards to prepare, and faced a masked man who greeted her mockingly.

Tang Yao was ambushed by the Qi Household while traveling with Tang Xin and the Tang Household guards, but the Vermilion Bird helped her turn the attack into an opportunity to break through to the Golden Core Realm. She endured the lightning tribulation and drove the Qi Household attackers from the sky, leaving the masked middle-aged man falling with his shattered airship.

• The Qi Household's airship shattered the Tang Household flying boat's defensive formation, and Tang Yao provoked the masked attackers into revealing their allegiance.
• Five Golden Core Realm cultivators attacked Tang Yao, while Tang Xin tried to lead the guards away to seek help.
• The Vermilion Bird blocked an attack and urged Tang Yao to stop suppressing her spiritual power and break through.
• Tang Yao began her Golden Core breakthrough as Tang Xin and the guards returned to protect her against the Qi Household's reinforcements.
• Tang Yao used the lightning tribulation to strike the Qi Household cultivators and destroy their airship, while she survived the ordeal and grew stronger.

After reaching the Golden Core Realm, Tang Yao returned to the Tang Household with the surviving guards and reported that the Qi Household had ambushed them. She and Tang Hua suspected an insider had leaked their route and resolved to investigate.

• Tang Yao unlocked the second level of the Complete Collection of Talismans, ordered Shushu to make mid-tier talismans, and reassured Vermilion Bird that she would not take in more companions without asking him.
• Tang Yao distributed pills to the injured guards and concluded that someone in the Tang Household had leaked their route to the Qi Household.
• Tang Yao ordered the guards to conceal the Qi Household's involvement and say they had encountered bandits, then led them back to the Tang Household.
• Tang Hua questioned Tang Yao privately, and she revealed that the Qi Household had attacked them and that an insider had likely enabled the ambush.
• Tang Hua agreed that the leak must be investigated thoroughly.

Tang Yao recruited Tang Yi'an and Tang Nan for an early-morning outing, learning about the Tang Household’s wealth and the expensive defensive robes its members wore. The three headed toward their usual place, while Tang Yao and Tang Yi'an’s comments about Tang Nan’s clothes drew his attention.

• Tang Yi'an woke Tang Yao and invited her to go have fun, and she recognized him as her cousin after he reminded her of his name.
• Tang Yao asked Tang Yi'an about the Household’s finances, and he explained that his patched robe was a costly defensive Law Artifact.
• Tang Yao had Tang Yi'an wake Tang Nan, who angrily opened his door but agreed to join her after seeing her.
• Tang Nan changed into an embroidered defensive robe, and Tang Yao asked whether Tang Wan would come, but Tang Nan said she was probably asleep.
• Tang Yao and Tang Yi'an discussed Tang Nan’s robe, and Tang Nan leaned in and asked whether they were done talking about him.
• Tang Nan suggested they go to their usual place, and the three set off together.

Tang Yao went with Tang Nan and Tang Yi'an to Auspicious Crane Pavilion, where a misunderstanding about male courtesans led to her punching Tang Nan. She smoothed things over by praising his tolerance and hinting that she could choose him instead.

• Tang Nan brought Tang Yao and Tang Yi'an to Auspicious Crane Pavilion and ordered their usual food, wine, singing, and dancing.
• Tang Yao avoided drinking and watched as Tang Nan mistakenly directed a male courtesan toward Tang Yao, then sent him to Tang Yi'an instead.
• Tang Nan urged Tang Yao to choose a courtesan, and Tang Yao pretended to confess that she had always wanted Tang Nan before punching him in the head.
• Tang Yao explained that she had only wanted to hit Tang Nan, while Tang Yi'an proudly claimed he was the ultimate king of lackeys.
• Tang Yao apologized to Tang Nan and offered to choose him instead, prompting him to hide his anger and compliment her cultivation.

Tang Yao decided to investigate the Third Elder and sneaked into his courtyard at night with Vermilion Bird’s help. She found him in his study examining a diagram.

• Rumors about Tang Yao, Tang Nan, and Tang Yi'an spread through town, leaving Tang Nan and Tang Yi'an upset.
• Tang Yi'an provoked Tang Xin in the corridor, but Tang Yao stopped him and told him to treat Tang Xin kindly.
• Tang Yao recalled the Third Elder’s residence and decided to investigate him after nightfall.
• Vermilion Bird concealed Tang Yao and opened a gap in the barrier around the Third Elder’s courtyard.
• Tang Yao slipped into the courtyard and saw the Third Elder studying a diagram in his study.

Tang Yao discovered the third elder conspiring with a man in black, then stole the man's Storage Bag after using talismans to incapacitate him. At the Sun Household, an elder discussed Tang Yao's talent with Yinyin and considered changing the household's strategy.

• Tang Yao overheard the third elder hand a Storage Bag to a man in black, but Shushu pulled her into her space when the third elder nearly discovered her.
• Tang Yao learned how to enter Shushu's space and followed the man in black after he left the courtyard.
• Tang Yao shouted for help, struck the man in black with talismans, and took his Storage Bag as he escaped with a High-Grade Teleportation Talisman.
• At the Sun Household, an old man invited Yinyin to the Tang Household head's birthday and said Tang Yao might become the Azure Cloud Sect's next sect master.
• The old man looked at Yinyin and considered changing the Sun Household's strategy.

The Tang Household hosted a birthday banquet for Tang Yao, drawing prominent guests including Chu Xuanming and Sun Yuanshan. Tang Yao left the hall with Chu Song and Sun Yin, whose attempt to get close to him ended with him awkwardly stepping away.

• The Tang Household welcomed guests for Tang Yao’s birthday, and Chu Xuanming presented Tang Hua with a supreme-grade defensive Law Artifact as a gift.
• Chu Xuanming praised Tang Yao’s cultivation and encouraged him to befriend Chu Song, while Tang Yao redirected the praise toward Chu Song.
• Sun Yuanshan arrived with his granddaughter Sun Yin, and Tang Hua sent the three young people outside together.
• Chu Song asked Tang Yao whether he had deliberately praised him, then wondered if Tang Yao had seen leaked images of him dressed as a woman.
• Sun Yin approached Tang Yao to ask about his swordsmanship, but he retreated half a step and asked whether she was a sword cultivator.

Sun Yin tried to carry out her family’s task at the Tang residence, but her repeated fainting delayed her and left Tang Yao wary. At the banquet, Sun Yin suddenly collapsed into Tang Yao’s arms, drawing every guest’s attention.

• Sun Yin tried to approach Tang Yao, but Chu Song’s remarks about sword cultivators and Tang Yao’s sudden appearance unsettled her.
• Tang Yao arranged for Sun Yin to drink cooling tea, after which Sun Yin fainted and was taken to a guest room.
• Tang Yao and Chu Song left Sun Yin with the household physician and went to the banquet, where guests praised Tang Yao and repeated rumors about her future.
• Sun Yin arrived at the banquet, gathered herself for her family’s task, and suddenly collapsed into Tang Yao’s arms as the guests watched.

At Tang Hua’s birthday banquet, Sun Yuanshan accused Tang Yao of molesting Sun Yin and demanded that they be engaged, while guests and Jiang Yueyan joined in condemning Tang Yao. Jiang Chen arrived and positioned himself between Tang Hua and Chu Xuanming, and Sun Yuanshan asked him to judge the dispute.

• Sun Yuanshan accused Tang Yao of behaving improperly toward Sun Yin and proposed an engagement to settle the matter.
• Tang Yao had maids take Sun Yin back to her room, then refused Sun Yuanshan’s demand to accept responsibility.
• Guests spread rumors about Tang Yao and Tang Yi'an, while Jiang Yueyan arrived and condemned Tang Yao based on their past encounter.
• Jiang Chen entered with Jiang Yueyan, sat between Tang Hua and Chu Xuanming, and smiled at Chu Xuanming.
• Sun Yuanshan approached Jiang Chen and asked him to judge Tang Yao fairly.