Recaps

Xu Qi'an returned to the capital, confronted the court, and resumed gathering Dragon Qi while uncovering corruption and recruiting powerful allies. As Xu Pingfeng and Ji Xuan moved against the Martial Arts Alliance, Xu Qi'an headed for Jianzhou, where the Alliance held a host carrying nine strands of Dragon Qi.

• Xu Qi'an reunited with the women at the Directorate of Astronomy, then accepted Emperor Yongxing’s request to help secure donations for disaster relief as Luo Yuheng publicly declared herself his Dao companion.
• Xu Qi'an helped Xu Xinnian face the backlash against his donation proposal, then took charge of the Nightwatchers by confronting the court and announcing his authority.
• Xu Qi'an visited Cloud Deer Academy, learned that the Confucian Sage had sealed the Buddha as well as the Shaman God and Gu God, then comforted Mu Nanzhi and reconciled with Lin'an.
• Xu Qi'an left the capital to gather Dragon Qi, reported his progress to Wei Yuan, and investigated strange events in Shengyi County, where he exposed the spirit medium’s crimes and defeated the Heaven-Encompassing Divine Mirror.
• Xu Qi'an traded the mirror to the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox for her help removing two Demon-Sealing Nails, then reported Shengyi County’s corrupt officials to Huaiqing and continued the Dragon Qi search.
• Xu Qi'an collected Dragon Qi in Jiang Prefecture as his allies gathered thirty scattered strands, while Sun Xuanji warned that other forces were also hunting hosts and the Seven Azure Dragon Mansions had seized one in Yuzhou.
• Wang You secretly investigated Cao Qingyang’s children as possible Dragon Qi hosts, but Cao Qingyang discovered the inquiry and sought counsel about the guarded rear mountain.
• Xu Pingfeng and the Vajras prepared to destroy the Martial Arts Alliance, while Xu Qi'an traveled toward Jianzhou and learned that the Alliance held a host with nine strands of Dragon Qi.

Xu Qi'an defended the Martial Arts Alliance and its Dragon Qi from the Buddhist Order, the Shaman God Cult, and Xu Pingfeng, culminating in Emperor Gaozu’s return and the deaths of the Vajras. Afterward, Xu Qi'an questioned captured enemies about Hidden Dragon City and agreed to help the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox recover Shenshu’s severed limbs.

• Ji Xuan assembled allies to attack Mount Quanrong, while Cao Qingyang prepared the Martial Arts Alliance and Xu Qi'an resolved to intervene.
• The attackers overwhelmed the Alliance’s defenses, but Cao Qingyang killed Azure Dragon and the Seven Azure Dragon Mansions before Dufan badly wounded him.
• Xu Qi'an arrived with the Nation-Guarding Sword and fought Dufan, Dunan, and Nalan Tianlu, surviving Nalan Tianlu’s lightning spear through Jade Shatters.
• The Alliance’s ancestor emerged at Second Rank and fought the Vajras, but Xu Pingfeng arrived and used a Vajra Dharma Idol to overpower him and kill Kou Yangzhou.
• Xu Qi'an absorbed Dragon Qi and summoned Emperor Gaozu, whose heroic soul killed Dunan and Dufan before Xu Qi'an dismissed him and absorbed the Asura Vajra’s divine blood.
• Xu Qi'an and his allies captured several attackers, and Xu Qi'an killed White Tiger and Qihuan Danxiang before turning them into puppets.
• The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox asked Xu Qi'an to help recover Shenshu’s severed limbs and investigate the Buddhist Order’s hidden experts, and Xu Qi'an agreed.

As Yunzhou declared independence and invaded Qingzhou, Xu Qi'an allied with the southern demons and helped recover Shenshu’s legs from the Southern Dharma Temple. His actions diverted the Buddhist Order from its eastern campaign, and he traveled onward to the Gu Race while Qingzhou prepared for further rebel attacks.

• Emperor Yongxing rejected Xu Xinnian’s refugee strategy, and Xu Qi'an enlisted the Heaven and Earth Society to organize refugees and redirect bandits against predatory wealthy households.
• Yunzhou declared itself the state Revival, Ji Xuan entered the Transcendent Realm, and Qi Guangbo led the rebel army into Qingzhou.
• Xu Qi'an healed Yeji and arranged with the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox to recover Shenshu’s sealed limbs from the Southern Dharma Temple.
• Shenshu’s torso removed two Demon-Sealing Nails from Xu Qi'an and revealed that the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox was his daughter.
• Xu Qi'an fought Asuro while Sun Xuanji broke the sealing tower and recovered Shenshu’s legs.
• Xu Xinnian advised Qingzhou’s defenders to wear down Yunzhou’s elite troops, while Xu Qi'an’s alliance with the southern demons caused the Buddhist Order to cancel its eastern campaign.
• Xu Qi'an removed another Demon-Sealing Nail, sent Miao Youfang away to pursue his own path, and reunited with Lina and Xu Lingyin.
• Qi Guangbo ordered new attacks and announced expected Gu Race reinforcements as Lina guided Xu Qi'an’s party to Strength Gu Tribe territory, where Mutou shot an arrow at her.

Xu Qi'an won the Gu Race chiefs’ neutrality and gathered their support while investigating the Gu God’s awakening and the Gatekeeper’s secret. As the Gu armies marched to aid Qingzhou, Xu Erlang’s defenders faced a looming assault at Songshan County and an unexpected band of flying riders arrived.

• Lina brought Xu Qi'an, Mu Nanzhi, and Xu Lingyin to Mount Bo, where the Strength Gu elders challenged Xu Lingyin’s place as her disciple until Xu Qi'an revealed his Vajra Divine Art.
• Xu Lingyin began absorbing the Gu God’s power at the Extreme Abyss, while Xu Qi'an let the Seven Absolutes Gu absorb some of it and gained new Gu Arts.
• Ge Wenxuan recruited several Gu Race leaders to hunt Xu Qi'an, but Long Tu refused to join Yunzhou, and Xu Qi'an defeated the chiefs who attacked him.
• Xu Qi'an negotiated the Gu chiefs’ neutrality with promises of supplies and offered You Shi an ancient corpse in exchange for keeping the Corpse Gu Tribe out of Yunzhou’s alliance.
• Ge Wenxuan summoned the White Emperor at the Extreme Abyss, triggering a surge of the Gu God’s power, and Heaven Gu Granny revealed that she had let him proceed to learn the Gatekeeper’s secret.
• Xu Qi'an recruited the Shadow, Heart, Corpse, and Strength Gu Tribes to send warriors and supplies toward Qingzhou, while Xu Erlang and Miao Youfang fought to hold Songshan County against Zhuo Haoran’s forces.
• The Nine-Tailed Fox told Xu Qi'an that the Dao Venerable had driven the Gods and Devils’ descendants from the Nine Provinces, as Xu Erlang’s battered defenders awaited another attack.
• A flock of flying beasts approached Songshan County, but Miao Youfang realized the riders on black, lizardlike creatures were strangers, and their smiling leader waved to the defenders.