Recaps

Li Miaozhen entered the capital after discovering a murdered man whose damaged ghost repeated a warning about a bloodbath over three thousand li. There, she learned Xu Qi'an was alive, confronted him at Daoist Jinlian’s residence, and threatened to reveal his identity as Number Three.

• Li Miaozhen summoned the murdered man's remnant soul, which repeated, “A bloodbath over three thousand li,” and she took the corpse and soul to the capital for investigation.
• Li Miaozhen entered the capital and was stunned to find a notice revealing that Xu Qi'an was alive.
• Xu Qi'an learned through the Earth Book chat that Li Miaozhen had arrived and agreed to meet her at Daoist Jinlian’s residence.
• Daoist Jinlian explained that Xu Qi'an had survived by taking a Rebirth Pill and entering feigned death.
• Xu Qi'an arrived and greeted Li Miaozhen and Susu, and Li Miaozhen threatened to tell every Earth Book Fragment holder that he was Number Three.

Xu Qi'an and Li Miaozhen sparred, then traveled to his residence and discussed the Daoist sects and the Heaven and Human Contest. Li Miaozhen revealed that she had discovered a silenced corpse and uncovered something major, leaving Xu Qi'an to hear the details in his study.

• Li Miaozhen attacked Xu Qi'an with her flying sword, but he caught it with his Buddhist golden body before their clash tore apart the room.
• Daoist Jinlian suggested Li Miaozhen stay at Xu Qi'an's residence, and she agreed so she could meet Number Five and ask Xu Qi'an for help investigating a corpse.
• On the ride to the residence, Xu Qi'an told Li Miaozhen about an ancient tomb and questioned her about the Heaven Sect's attachment to the Heaven and Human Contest.
• Xu Qi'an, Li Miaozhen, and Susu arrived at the Xu Residence, where Lina and Xu Lingyin were sharing water chestnut cakes.
• Li Miaozhen told Xu Qi'an that she had found a man apparently killed to silence him and learned something major from his remnant soul, so Xu Qi'an took her to the study.

Xu Qi'an investigated a headless corpse brought by Li Miaozhen and found evidence that the dead man was a northern martial wanderer carrying a message about a bloody slaughter. Wei Yuan took the corpse and its damaged soul to the palace, where officials debated the Prince Who Guards the North’s request for military supplies, and Emperor Yuanjing asked Wei Yuan for his view.

• Xu Qi'an examined the corpse and deduced from its calluses and lack of riding marks that the dead man was a northern bowman, likely a martial wanderer delivering a message.
• Xu Qi'an presented the corpse and remnant soul to Wei Yuan, who recognized the urgency of the message and took them to the palace.
• Wei Yuan warned Xu Qi'an that Li Miaozhen could face danger from the court and foreign spies during the Celestial Person Pact.
• Emperor Yuanjing asked his ministers how to provide the Prince Who Guards the North with military pay and grain, and Yuan Xiong proposed making the common people transport the supplies.
• Grand Secretary Wang opposed the new corvée levy, while Chu Xianglong and the nobles argued that the northern army needed supplies; Emperor Yuanjing then asked Wei Yuan for his opinion.

Wei Yuan warned Emperor Yuanjing that the northern frontier might be in grave danger, prompting the court to send an investigation north while continuing to gather supplies. At the Xu Residence, Li Miaozhen agreed to teach Xu Lingyin, and Xu Qi'an learned the history behind Susu’s family’s downfall as he prepared to investigate it.

• Wei Yuan revealed a dead northerner’s testimony about a slaughter across three thousand li, and Emperor Yuanjing ordered the corpse examined.
• After an arcanist confirmed Chu Xianglong’s account of the northern campaign, Wei Yuan and Grand Secretary Wang urged a thorough investigation, and Emperor Yuanjing approved an imperial delegation to the northern frontier.
• Li Miaozhen stayed at the Xu Residence and offered to teach Xu Lingyin, while Xu Lingyin tried to lure Susu toward a wok of hot oil.
• Xu Qi'an learned that Xu Xinnian had declined another invitation from Miss Wang to tour the lake because the palace examination was near.
• Xu Qi'an asked Susu about their agreement, and Li Miaozhen explained that Susu’s father had been executed in Jiang Prefecture during Yuanjing’s fifteenth year and that her mother had killed the household women, including Susu, to spare them from the Imperial Music Bureau.

Xu Qi'an helped Li Miaozhen and Susu investigate the Su family massacre and warned Li Miaozhen that people might target her during the Heaven and Human Contest. Xu Xinnian sat the palace examination, where Yang Qianhuan caused an uproar at the Meridian Gate, and afterward Xu Qi'an invited him to celebrate at the Imperial Music Bureau.

• Li Miaozhen explained that Susu's father, Su Hang, had been executed for corruption, while Susu's missing memories suggested something had happened before the family's deaths.
• Xu Qi'an promised to look for Susu's younger brother, Su Chengzhi, and advised Li Miaozhen to remain cautious in the capital until the Heaven and Human Contest ended.
• Susu revealed to Xu Xinnian that Xu Qi'an knew she was a ghost and had promised to rebuild her body before making her his concubine for three years.
• Xu Xinnian set out for the palace examination with his family and encountered Hengyuan and Chu Yuanzhen, who mistakenly believed he was Number Three.
• Yang Qianhuan blocked officials at the Meridian Gate and recited a line from Xu Qi'an's poem, causing an uproar before Xu Xinnian entered the Golden Throne Hall to take the examination.
• After the examination, Xu Qi'an met Xu Xinnian outside the imperial city and invited him to celebrate at the Imperial Music Bureau.

Li Miaozhen arrived in the capital and challenged the Human Sect to a duel with Chu Yuanzhen at the Wei River in three days. As the news spread and Luo Yuheng considered how to delay the larger Heaven and Human Contest, an orange cat approached Xu Qi'an with a request that left him suspicious.

• Xu Qi'an fetched Zhong Li from the Directorate of Astronomy and learned that Yang Qianhuan had been whipped and confined for reciting Xu Qi'an's poem at the Meridian Gate.
• Li Miaozhen flew above the imperial city's walls and publicly challenged a Human Sect disciple to exchange techniques and discuss the Dao; Chu Yuanzhen accepted the fight for three days later at the Wei River.
• The challenge spread through the capital, and martial-world travelers discussed Li Miaozhen's identity and stories of Xu Qi'an's deeds in Yunzhou.
• Emperor Yuanjing warned Luo Yuheng that the Heaven Sect's Dao Chief would threaten her, and she said the contest could be postponed if neither side won.
• An orange cat told Xu Qi'an that Li Miaozhen had issued her challenge and asked for his help, prompting Xu Qi'an to suspect a trap.

Xu Qi'an agreed to challenge Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen in exchange for an Azure Pill, hoping to delay the Heaven and Human Contest and protect his friends. As the contest began, the chapter followed several spectators and ended with Miss Wang learning that Li Miaozhen had been staying at the Xu Residence.

• Daoist Jinlian asked Xu Qi'an to challenge Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen to delay the Heaven and Human Contest, and Xu Qi'an demanded a treasure and an Azure Pill in return.
• Emperor Yuanjing failed to recruit Yang Qianhuan or the capital's young fourth-rank martial artists, while Nangong Qianrou refused because of his promise to Wei Yuan.
• Luo Yuheng agreed to give Xu Qi'an her Azure Pill after learning that Li Miaozhen's full-power sword strike had failed to hurt him.
• Daoist Jinlian gave Xu Qi'an information about Li Miaozhen's Heaven Sect abilities, and Xu Qi'an swallowed the Azure Pill before the contest.
• Three days later, Chu Yuanzhen set out for the contest with Hengyuan, who asked him not to draw his sword, while Lin'an and Huaiqing traveled to watch.
• Miss Wang invited Xu Xinnian to the contest, then learned that Li Miaozhen had been staying at the Xu Residence.

Huaiqing, Lin'an, and a crowd of officials and martial-world figures gathered at the Wei River to watch Chu Yuanzhen face Li Miaozhen in the Heaven and Human Contest. Just as the duel was about to begin, Xu Qi'an arrived by boat to the sound of zither music.

• Xu Xinnian told Wang Simu that Li Miaozhen and his elder brother had forged a close friendship during the Yunzhou case, and Wang Simu praised Xu Qi'an's talent.
• Wang Simu declined Lin'an's invitation to share her carriage, claiming she still had a cold, then admitted to Xu Xinnian that Huaiqing intimidated her.
• Huaiqing and Lin'an traveled to the Wei River with Nightwatchers and palace guards, where they joined a vast crowd awaiting the Heaven and Human Contest.
• Lan Caiyi told the crowd that Xu Qi'an was only seventh rank, prompting outrage among the capital's commoners, while Biaobiao defended him.
• Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen arrived by flying swords and prepared to fight, but zither music interrupted them as Xu Qi'an appeared on a black-canopied boat.

Xu Qi'an challenged Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen during the Heaven and Human Contest, enduring their combined attacks before falling into the Wei River with a serious wound. His body then absorbed the surging medicinal power and blood essence, and he emerged glowing with golden light, leaving the crowd stunned.

• Xu Qi'an arrived by boat and recited a poem revealing his intention to challenge Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen, who accepted.
• Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen broke Xu Qi'an's protective Qi shield with a coordinated attack and battered him with water swords and a flying weapon array.
• Li Miaozhen used her mental art to turn Xu Qi'an's sabre against him, breaking his golden body and sending him into the river with a deep chest wound.
• Beneath the river, Xu Qi'an's wound healed as the medicinal power and Monk Shenshu's remaining blood essence boiled through his body, covering him in brilliant golden light.
• Xu Qi'an burst from the Wei River and landed on the bank, astonishing the spectators as the golden light receded.

Xu Qi'an revealed that his Vajra Divine Art had reached minor accomplishment and fought back against Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanzhen using Confucian spells and a Golden Core. After a fierce battle in the Wei River, he emerged carrying the unconscious Li Miaozhen, leaving the spectators to witness his victory.

• Xu Qi'an explained that Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanzhen's attacks had helped him advance his Vajra Divine Art, and the two decided to join forces against him.
• Xu Qi'an used pages from a book to summon invisible wings and increase his speed, striking Li Miaozhen and dodging Chu Yuanzhen's attacks.
• Li Miaozhen trapped Xu Qi'an in a ghost formation, but Xu Qi'an used his Golden Core to destroy the ghosts and break the formation.
• Xu Qi'an reflected Chu Yuanzhen's Heart Sword attack, strengthened his Primordial Spirit with Words Become Law, and defeated him after whispering something in his ear.
• Xu Qi'an pursued Li Miaozhen across the river, used Words Become Law to pull her into his embrace, and fought with her underwater.
• Xu Qi'an emerged from the Wei River carrying the unconscious Li Miaozhen, while the spectators watched in silence.

Xu Qi'an won the contest after defeating two Fourth Rank experts with Confucian magic, then suffered its backlash and fell from the sky with Li Miaozhen. Chu Yuanzhen returned to Numinous Treasure Temple and told Luo Yuheng that Xu Qi'an had interrupted the Heaven and Human Contest, which had yet to begin.

• The crowd celebrated Xu Qi'an's victory, while Chu Yuanzhen realized Xu Qi'an had used his poem to help him abandon his plan to kill Li Miaozhen.
• Xu Qi'an flew away with Li Miaozhen, reviewed the costs of the contest, and collapsed when the Confucian magic backlash struck.
• Chu Yuanzhen returned to Numinous Treasure Temple and told the Human Sect's Daoists that he had lost.
• Luo Yuheng comforted Chu Yuanzhen, who explained that Xu Qi'an had defeated both him and Li Miaozhen and that the Heaven and Human Contest had not yet begun.

After Xu Qi'an stopped the Heaven and Human Contest, Luo Yuheng and Daoist Jinlian suspected that his rapid progress and hidden secrets were connected to the Buddhist Order. Xu Qi'an woke at home, reconciled with Li Miaozhen, and began questioning Lina about how she knew he collected silver.

• Chu Yuanzhen told Luo Yuheng that Xu Qi'an had defeated him and Li Miaozhen, and described Xu Qi'an's unexpectedly advanced Vajra Divine Art.
• Luo Yuheng and the orange cat discussed how Daoist Jinlian's Azure Pill had helped Xu Qi'an and suspected his secret was linked to the Buddhist Order.
• Emperor Yuanjing learned that Xu Qi'an had stopped the Heaven and Human Contest, while Wei Yuan heard the Gold Gongs' account and sent them disciplinary notes before heading to the Directorate of Astronomy.
• Xu Qi'an woke at the Xu Residence and learned that Luo Yuheng had retrieved his soul after it left his body.
• Li Miaozhen confronted Xu Qi'an about intervening, warned him that Heaven Sect elders might act, and promised to help keep the sect under control.
• Xu Qi'an asked Lina how she knew he was the person picking up silver and what else she knew.

After learning that Heaven Gu Granny linked Xu Qi'an to two thieves who stole something precious twenty years ago, Xu Qi'an investigated the clues and connected them to Great Feng's Fate and the Battle of Shanhai Pass. He ended his deductions with a sudden realization about the Tax Silver Case.

• Xu Qi'an coaxed Lina into revealing that Heaven Gu Granny identified him as Number Three and said two thieves had stolen something precious twenty years earlier.
• Lina told Xu Qi'an that one thief was Heaven Gu Granny's husband, who left the Southern Frontier to avert the Gu God's prophesied apocalypse and never returned.
• Xu Qi'an sent Lina away, and she took Xu Lingyin to Laurel Moon Tower before making the child practice her horse stance.
• Xu Qi'an wrote down clues linking the theft to the Battle of Shanhai Pass, Great Feng's Fate, and a mysterious Yunzhou arcanist.
• Xu Qi'an suddenly connected the stolen Fate and his own hidden past to the Tax Silver Case.

Xu Qi'an pieced together possible links between the Tax Silver Case, the Fate hidden inside him, the Gu God, and the mysterious sorcerer, then investigated Zhou Xianping and the Battle of Shanhai Pass. He concluded that he needed to become stronger and went to the Righteous Qi Tower to ask Wei Yuan for answers.

• Xu Qi'an reasoned that the Tax Silver Case may have been designed to get him out of the capital so the mastermind could reclaim the Fate hidden inside him, and he connected the Gu God’s prophecy to the Confucian Sage statue in the Extreme Abyss.
• Xu Qi'an realized Monk Shenshu’s presence inside him may have deterred the mastermind in Yunzhou and suspected the Superintendent had arranged for Shenshu to protect him.
• Xu Qi'an visited the Nightwatchers' office, read Zhou Xianping’s file, and learned the former vice minister had embezzled two million taels but died on the way to exile after only a few thousand taels were found at his home.
• Xu Qi'an set goals to increase his noble rank and reach the Fourth Rank, then reviewed records describing the Battle of Shanhai Pass as a conflict involving Great Feng, the Buddhists, and several allied enemies.
• Xu Qi'an decided to ask Wei Yuan about the Battle of Shanhai Pass and left for the Righteous Qi Tower.

Xu Qi'an reported his intervention in the Heaven and Human Contest to Wei Yuan, learned how to cultivate fifth-rank Transforming Force, and heard Wei Yuan recount the Battle of Shanhai Pass. The chapter ended with Yang Qianhuan emerging from seclusion and asking what had happened while he was underground.

• Xu Qi'an told Wei Yuan that Daoist Jinlian had asked him to intervene in the Heaven and Human Contest and had paid him with an Azure Pill.
• Wei Yuan explained that fifth-rank Transforming Force let martial warriors control their strength without wasting force, and described how comprehension became more important than resources after the fifth rank.
• Wei Yuan recounted how the southern barbarians, northern barbarians, Demon Race, Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons, Buddhist Kingdom, and Shaman God Cult entered the Battle of Shanhai Pass, which ended in a costly victory for Great Feng and the Buddhist Kingdom.
• Xu Qi'an concluded that the two thieves had helped incite the war and wondered why the mysterious warlock had stolen Fate, but he chose not to tell Wei Yuan that he carried it.
• An unidentified writer sent an honored master a secret letter predicting Great Feng's decline and describing Xu Qi'an's Mahayana Dharma teaching as an opportunity in the west.
• Yang Qianhuan emerged from five days of seclusion underground, dismissed a warning not to imitate Xu Qi'an, and asked the ninth-rank warlock what had happened outside.

Yang Qianhuan learned that Xu Qi'an had stolen the spotlight at the Heaven and Human Contest and began following him to reclaim future opportunities. Daoist Jinlian recruited the Heaven and Earth Society members to help protect the Nine-Colored Lotus, while Emperor Yuanjing learned that the Prince Who Guards the North had sent for his princess consort.

• The white-robed Physician told Yang Qianhuan that Xu Qi'an had defeated Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen, and Yang praised Xu's poem after hearing how he had won the crowd's attention.
• Yang Qianhuan learned that Emperor Yuanjing had wanted him to intervene in the contest, but the Supervisor had kept him underground, so he went to Xu Qi'an's residence and vowed to watch for chances to steal back the spotlight.
• Daoist Jinlian gathered Xu Qi'an, Chu Yuanzhen, Hengyuan, Li Miaozhen, and Lina, then explained that the Nine-Colored Lotus he had hidden was nearing maturity and asked them to help him defend it from the Earth Sect's demonic Daoists.
• The group agreed to help Daoist Jinlian in exchange for lotus seeds, with Xu Qi'an receiving two because he had defeated Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanzhen.
• Chu Xianglong told Emperor Yuanjing that he had been tasked with escorting the Prince Who Guards the North's princess consort to the frontier, and the emperor eagerly asked whether the prince was almost there.

Xu Qi'an brought his companions to the Directorate of Astronomy, where Susu hoped to see Song Qing's human-transmutation work. The visit ended with the alchemists eagerly surrounding Xu Qi'an, whose influence and alchemical writings astonished Li Miaozhen.

• Emperor Yuanjing learned that Chu Xianglong's cultivation had gone wrong and arranged for the princess consort to travel north with an investigative party in disguise.
• Xu Qi'an led Zhong Li, Li Miaozhen, and their companions to the Star Observation Tower while Chu Caiwei and Lina left to share food.
• The group learned that Song Qing had transmuted a person but kept the creation hidden from nearly everyone, disappointing Susu.
• When Zhong Li entered Song Qing's laboratory, the Alchemy Masters panicked over their experiments, but nothing exploded; Xu Qi'an then stopped Zhong Li from leaving.
• Xu Qi'an asked Song Qing to show his transmuted person, and Song Qing and the other Alchemy Masters welcomed Xu Qi'an enthusiastically, praising his help with alchemy and asking for the next volume of the Blue Book.

Xu Qi'an toured Song Qing's Life Alchemy workshop and discovered that his experiments included living hybrids and a body without a soul. Susu could not inhabit the body, so Xu Qi'an agreed to study Song Qing's notes and seek a solution.

• Xu Qi'an promised the Alchemy Masters that he would finish the Blue Book before the end of the year and discuss Alchemy with them.
• Song Qing led Xu Qi'an and the others into a secured chamber and showed them unusual weapons and his Life Alchemy experiments, including a Tree Cat and a short-lived human-horse embryo.
• Song Qing revealed a soulless humanlike body that was deteriorating and would likely die within days.
• Li Miaozhen suggested the body could serve as Susu's vessel, but Susu was expelled when she tried to possess it.
• Song Qing asked Xu Qi'an to teach him Life Alchemy, and Xu Qi'an requested his notes so he could study them.

Xu Qi'an persuaded Song Qing to prepare a beautiful female body for Susu and discovered a new way to train toward Fifth Rank. The court appointed him lead investigator of the Three-Thousand-Li Blood Massacre Case, and Wei Yuan hinted that the appointment had political motives.

• Xu Qi'an suggested that the Nine-Colored Lotus could awaken Song Qing's created body, then privately asked Song Qing to refine a beautiful female body with a large chest for Susu to possess.
• Xu Xinnian told Xu Qi'an that Miss Wang seemed attracted to his looks, and Xu Qi'an advised him to decide for himself whether to pursue her.
• Xu Qi'an experimented with the Heaven and Earth One-Saber Slash using physical strength alone and realized it could help him advance toward Fifth Rank faster.
• Emperor Yuanjing asked the court to choose a lead investigator for the Three-Thousand-Li Blood Massacre Case, and the officials agreed that Xu Qi'an should take charge.
• Xu Qi'an questioned Wei Yuan about why the court had chosen him, and Wei Yuan praised his growing political awareness before preparing to explain the appointment.

Xu Qi'an prepared to investigate the bloodbath across three thousand li in the Northern Territory, gathering allies and magical resources before leading the delegation north. The chapter ended with him sailing from the capital while Li Miaozhen went ahead to meet him there.

• Wei Yuan warned Xu Qi'an that the court had chosen him as chief investigator partly to put him at risk, and advised him to investigate secretly with Yang Yan as his escort.
• Chu Xianglong informed the princess consort that she had been ordered to accompany the delegation to the Northern Territory, and she reacted with anger.
• Xu Qi'an recruited Li Miaozhen's help, then asked the Great Confucians at Cloud Deer Academy to record a spirit-summoning spell; Dean Zhao Shou gave him a book of spells and spoke to him about the people as the source of Fate.
• Xu Qi'an boarded the northbound ship with Yang Yan, the investigative delegation, and Chu Xianglong after saying farewell to his family and allies at the docks.
• Li Miaozhen secretly told Xu Qi'an she would go ahead to the Northern Territory, while Yang Qianhuan, Chu Caiwei, and Zhong Li watched him sail away.

Xu Qi'an traveled north with the delegation investigating the bloodbath across three thousand li, clashed with the princess consort, and treated sick imperial guards aboard the ship. After learning General Chu had confined the soldiers to the foul, poorly ventilated hold, Xu Qi'an ordered them onto the deck to scrub their chamber pots.

• Xu Qi'an encountered the disguised princess consort on deck and repeatedly called her “Auntie,” angering her.
• Fuxiang learned that Xu Qi'an had departed the capital on business and discovered a white hair in her reflection.
• The princess consort complained to Chu Xianglong about Xu Qi'an, then learned he was the chief official of the northward mission.
• Xu Qi'an treated the sick imperial guards with an antidote pill and learned General Chu had forbidden them from leaving the bottom hold.
• Xu Qi'an ordered the soldiers onto the deck to scrub their chamber pots, and they cheered and obeyed.

Xu Qi'an clashed with Chu Xianglong over the imperial guards’ harsh conditions aboard the boat and asserted his authority as chief investigator. With Chen Xiao and the soldiers backing him, Xu Qi'an forced Chu Xianglong to accept the soldiers’ deck schedule, recognize Xu’s command, and apologize.

• Chu Xianglong caught the imperial guards emptying chamber pots on deck and ordered them punished for violating his ban.
• Xu Qi'an defended the soldiers, gave them six hours of daily deck access, and attacked Chu Xianglong after he dismissed Xu’s authority.
• Several officials sided with Chu Xianglong and demanded Xu Qi'an apologize, while the princess consort listened from behind a group of maids.
• Xu Qi'an declared Chu Xianglong and his subordinates expelled from the delegation, but the imperial guards returned armed and drew their blades in support of him.
• Yang Yan refused Chu Xianglong’s appeal, and Chu Xianglong accepted Xu Qi'an’s conditions and apologized.

Xu Qi'an established his authority over the delegation, learned that Chu Xianglong was secretly escorting the Prince Who Guards the North’s consort, and spent the night entertaining the imperial guards and teasing the consort. The official ship reached Butter Commandery, where Xu Qi'an planned a shore leave while the exhausted consort blamed him for frightening her.

• Xu Qi'an intimidated Chu Xianglong into leaving the deck, then learned from Yang Yan that Chu Xianglong was escorting the consort to the Northern Territory under a verbal imperial order.
• Yang Yan warned Xu Qi'an that Chu Xianglong would likely make trouble for him and that the Three Offices could not be relied upon to pursue the case enthusiastically.
• Xu Qi'an regaled Chen Xiao and the imperial guards with embellished tales of his past cases, then promised them half a day off when the ship reached Jiang Prefecture.
• Xu Qi'an recited a poetic couplet to the consort, then frightened her with a story about a water ghost and laughed when a splash made her fall in fright.
• The ship docked at Butter Commandery the next morning, and Xu Qi'an arranged supplies and shore leave while the sleepless, seasick consort ignored him and returned to her cabin.

Xu Qi'an investigated why there were no refugees in Butter Commandery and grew suspicious of the Consort’s secret journey north with the delegation. After questioning her and observing Chu Xianglong’s reaction, he concluded that her trip might involve a confidential scheme or danger.

• Xu Qi'an questioned a port foreman and searched Butter Commandery for refugees, finding none despite the reported fighting in the north.
• Xu Qi'an explained to the Silver Gongs that the absence of refugees made the massacre case more troubling, then reassured them with his confidence.
• Xu Qi'an brought lunch to Fu Wenpei and asked why the Consort was traveling with the party without his knowledge.
• The Consort ate the sour and spicy soup Xu Qi'an had brought, and Chu Xianglong warned her not to associate too closely with him.
• Xu Qi'an considered the Consort’s secret travel arrangements and suspected that her journey involved a hidden scheme or a threat requiring protection.

Xu Qi'an suspected the Consort of the Prince Who Guards the North was in danger, persuaded the delegation to travel overland, and left Yang Yan to test the river route. The ship was destroyed at Flowing Stone Shoal, but the attackers believed the princess consort was still with the delegation and planned to pursue her.

• Xu Qi'an carved butter jade gifts and wrote letters for seven women, then summoned Chu Xianglong and the officials to warn that the consort might be targeted in an ambush.
• Xu Qi'an persuaded the officials to switch to an overland route and wagered three thousand taels of silver and the Northern Territory garrison’s departure records against Chu Xianglong’s control of the delegation.
• The delegation left Butter Commandery by road while Yang Yan remained behind with six boatmen to test the water route.
• At Flowing Stone Shoal, a black-scaled flood dragon smashed the official ship, and Yang Yan escaped with the boatmen.
• A black-robed attacker and a white-robed man concluded that they had been deceived, then resolved to pursue the princess consort, whom they believed was still with the delegation.