Recaps

Zhou Wuji grew suspicious when Zhang Yuan's grain convoy arrived at Old Cang Village and warned Wuzheng and Wuming to prepare for danger. Outside the village, renegade soldiers led by Wang Jing prepared to attack the Daoists and convoy, and Wang Jing killed Zhang Yuan before ordering the assault.

• Zhou Wuji recognized Zhang Yuan's convoy and wondered why it had stopped so close to Siming County.
• Zhou Wuji warned Wuzheng that Zhang Xinhu might be plotting against them, and Wuzheng ordered the Daoists to keep watch in pairs.
• Zhou Wuji told Wuming to stay alert and checked his weapons and talismans while preparing for the night.
• Wang Jing's renegade soldiers met Zhang Yuan outside the village, and Zhang Yuan revealed where Zhou Wuji and Wuzheng were staying.
• Wang Jing ordered his soldiers to attack the Daoists, block the roads, and kill the Zhang Household's convoy as well.
• Wang Jing killed Zhang Yuan and promised his soldiers they could loot the village and assault its women after the killings.

Wang Jing led a band of renegade soldiers into the village and slaughtered the grain convoy, while Zhou Wuji recognized their attack and prepared to defend his fellow disciples. The soldiers stormed the disciples’ lodging as Zhou Wuji hid nearby, ready to ambush their seventh-rank leader.

• Wang Jing led his soldiers into the village, where they killed everyone in the grain convoy and grew frenzied from the bloodshed.
• Zhou Wuji spotted the renegades through the gate and realized the Zhang Household had arranged for them to receive the grain.
• Zhou Wuji decided not to flee and woke Wuzheng, explaining that they had to kill the renegade leader to survive.
• Zhou Wuji warned Wuming and Wuye to hide, then took cover by the firewood shed to ambush the soldiers.
• Wuzheng prepared a Yin Thunder Pearl attack as two renegade soldiers kicked open the main gate and charged inside.

Zhou Wuji and Wuzheng fought off Wang Jing’s marauding soldiers as the squad stormed their lodging. Zhou Wuji killed the seventh-rank Wang Jing, leaving Wuming, Wuye, and Wuzheng stunned by the victory.

• Wang Jing led his soldiers into the lodging and ordered them to kill Wuzheng.
• Wuzheng unleashed two Yin Thunder Pearls, burning and weakening the marauders, but Wang Jing endured their power and archers wounded Wuzheng.
• Zhou Wuji attacked from behind, cutting both archers and using fire techniques to disrupt the sabermen.
• Wang Jing blocked Zhou Wuji’s attacks and withstood repeated Yin Thunder strikes, but the barrage exhausted his strength.
• Zhou Wuji used Water Moon Sword to pierce Wang Jing’s throat and send his head flying.
• Wuming, Wuye, and Wuzheng watched Zhou Wuji’s victory in astonishment.

Zhou Wuji killed the remaining rebel soldiers in the courtyard and sent Wuming, Wuzheng, and Wuye to safety. He used the fate weights of his slain enemies to improve his Xiaoxiang Sword, but heard more armored soldiers approaching.

• Zhou Wuji killed eight more rebel soldiers, using the Azure Mountain Mist Sword to defeat an Eighth-Rank Martial Artist whose saber had pinned his sword.
• Wuming, Wuzheng, and Wuye left the courtyard after Zhou Wuji urged them to meet up with the others.
• Wuming offered to stay and help, but Zhou Wuji gently persuaded her to leave with Wuzheng.
• Zhou Wuji opened the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment and invested the three highest fate weights from the slain rebel soldiers into the Xiaoxiang Sword.
• Armor clattered behind Zhou Wuji as he began improving his swordsmanship.

Qian Yong led his soldiers into the courtyard and discovered Zhou Wuji had killed Wang Jing and the rest of their comrades. Zhou Wuji defeated the remaining renegades, leaving the courtyard strewn with bodies.

• Qian Yong hesitated outside the house, then led fifteen soldiers through the fence after the sounds from the courtyard stopped.
• Qian Yong and his men found Wang Jing and the others dead, with Zhou Wuji standing alone in the courtyard.
• Qian Yong ordered the soldiers to fire a volley of heavy arrows at Zhou Wuji.
• Zhou Wuji knocked the arrows aside with his sword, then used a burst of firelight to blind the soldiers and charge their spear formation.
• Zhou Wuji unleashed Dusk Snow Reaching the Heavens and killed the renegade soldiers with a flurry of sword strikes.

After killing the bandits who attacked the Taoists, Zhou Wuji returned to the courtyard and reassured Wuzheng that they were safe for now. He recovered with Wuming’s medicine and help washing his hair, just as Wuzheng came to ask him for an account of the fight and what they should do next.

• Wuming worried about Zhou Wuji, but Wuzheng told her not to interfere; Zhou Wuji then arrived at the courtyard drenched in blood.
• Zhou Wuji told Wuzheng that he had dealt with the bandits and credited Wuzheng’s fight against their leader, preserving Wuzheng’s standing with the Taoists.
• Wuzheng escorted Zhou Wuji inside, while Wuming followed and gave him a Purple Gold Eight Treasures Pill that restored his strength and increased his lifespan.
• Wuzheng arranged hot water and clean clothes for Zhou Wuji, and Wuming helped wash and tie up his hair.
• Wuming blushed when Zhou Wuji teased that she should wash his hair in the future, and Wuzheng entered to ask about the dead bandits and their next steps.

After the rebel soldiers attacked, Zhou Wuji learned they had been hired by Zhang Xinhu, but Wuzheng decided to conceal the accusation until the lower monastery could send help. Zhou Wuji used the soldiers’ fate weights to strengthen his cultivation, opened the Yuheng Star acupoint, and wondered whether the Rejuvenation Technique could restore True Qi.

• Zhou Wuji told Wuzheng that the rebel soldiers had been hired by Zhang Xinhu, and explained why he had left no survivors.
• Wuzheng decided they would keep Zhang Xinhu calm and report the rebels to the lower monastery, while Wuming agreed to keep the matter secret.
• Zhou Wuji converted the rebel soldiers’ fate weights to improve the Northern Dipper Tianshu Scripture, raising it to major accomplishment.
• Zhou Wuji opened the acupoint corresponding to Yuheng Star in his left nostril, increasing his Qi value to 509.
• The Northern Dipper Tianshu Scripture’s improvement raised the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword to proficiency, and Zhou Wuji considered whether the Rejuvenation Technique could restore True Qi.

Zhou Wuji perfected the Rejuvenation Technique, gaining the ability to restore his True Qi instantly at the cost of some lifespan, and strengthened his cultivation and spirit. After settling how the mutiny would be reported, he began exchanging swordsmanship lessons with Wuming for her Heavenly Pivot Hand technique.

• Zhou Wuji spent origin profound spirit to raise the Rejuvenation Technique to perfection, learning that it could instantly restore his True Qi but consumed about ten days of lifespan per use.
• Zhou Wuji practiced the Northern Dipper Tianshu Scripture, increased his True Qi, and calculated that he could reach the seventh rank in about three months.
• Wuzheng told Zhou Wuji that the bodies had been collected and that officials from Siming County would arrive; Zhou Wuji asked him to report that everyone had joined forces against the mutinous soldiers.
• Wuzheng agreed to cover Zhou Wuji's role in the account to the imperial court and promised to explain his achievement to the lower monastery's abbot.
• Zhou Wuji asked Wuming to teach him her White Eyebrow Needle technique, and she proposed exchanging lessons in it for his swordsmanship.
• Wuming introduced the sect's Heavenly Pivot Hand, a finger and palm art suited to Heavenly Pivot True Qi, and began teaching Zhou Wuji.

Wu Di investigated the deaths at Old Cang Village, suspected the Zhang Household’s involvement, and met with Wuzheng and Zhou Wuji at Hidden Dragon Temple. As they left the temple, Zhang Xinhu arrived and fixed Zhou Wuji with murderous intent.

• Wu Di ordered Zhang Huai to record the deaths and burn the bodies after the coroner examined them.
• Jin Chuan reported that thirty-three rebel soldiers had died, and Wu Di ordered him to seek the missing weapons and pressure the Li Household and Zhang Household for money.
• Wu Di decided not to antagonize Hidden Dragon Temple and went to meet Wuzheng, where he congratulated Zhou Wuji on attaining Qi Consumption.
• Zhou Wuji introduced Wuzheng as the Daoist who would take charge of Hidden Dragon Temple, and the two escorted Wu Di out of the temple.
• Zhang Xinhu rode into the village with a party of riders and fixed Zhou Wuji with killing intent, leaving Zhou Wuji wary of a possible attack.

Zhang Xinhu offered Wu Di gold, a hundred-year-old Purple Blood Ginseng, and information about rebel soldiers in exchange for killing Zhou Wuji. After returning to Siming County, Zhou Wuji demonstrated his growing mastery of the Heavenly Pivot Hand to Wuming, leaving her astonished.

• Zhang Xinhu asked Wu Di to kill Zhou Wuji and offered him one thousand taels of gold, a hundred-year-old Purple Blood Ginseng, and help earning merit against the rebels.
• Wu Di accepted the Purple Blood Ginseng as a deposit but left the timing and method of killing Zhou Wuji open.
• Wuzheng and Zhou Wuji discussed Wu Di's greed and Zhang Xinhu's danger before traveling with the patrolmen back to Siming County.
• The group stayed at an inn in Siming County, where Zhou Wuji cautiously ate little because he feared the Zhang Household might poison the food.
• Wuming asked Zhou Wuji to continue practicing the Heavenly Pivot Hand, and he pierced, shattered, and gathered scraps of straw paper with precise control, astonishing her.

Zhou Wuji mastered the Heavenly Pivot Hand and tested how effectively he could use White Eyebrow Needles as weapons. After sensing how powerful Zhang Xinhu was, he resolved to strengthen himself and return to Hidden Dragon Temple as soon as possible.

• Wuming gave Zhou Wuji a hundred White Eyebrow Needles made from frost-patterned silver and admired his rapid progress in the Heavenly Pivot Hand.
• After Wuye came to collect Wuming, Zhou Wuji tested a needle on an armor plate and found it could pierce the steel.
• Zhou Wuji spent two fate patterns to advance the Heavenly Pivot Hand to perfection, then used five needles to pin mosquitoes without damaging the window paper.
• Zhou Wuji demonstrated that his perfected hand techniques let him release powerful palm strikes, though they consumed too much True Qi for sustained use.
• Zhou Wuji sensed Zhang Xinhu's formidable presence and resolved to return to Hidden Dragon Temple and improve his cultivation by hunting the monsters in Mount Siming.

Zhou Wuji and Wuzheng went to the Ironclad Guard station to seek the release of villagers from Old Cang Village, whom Wu Di had arrested for taking armor and weapons from the dead. Wu Di agreed to release them if Zhou Wuji brought him Red Flower Honey from Golden-Ringed Poison Bees within seven days.

• Zhou Wuji returned to Hidden Dragon Temple with Wuming and the others, then welcomed Li Ruyi when she arrived seeking help for the arrested villagers.
• Li Ruyi and Wuming pleaded with Zhou Wuji to save the villagers, and he agreed to do what he could.
• Zhou Wuji took Li Ruyi to Siming County, where he met Wuzheng and explained the situation; Wuzheng agreed to intervene.
• Zhou Wuji and Wuzheng visited Wu Di at the guard station and asked him to release the villagers.
• Wu Di demanded a few jin of Red Flower Honey from Golden-Ringed Poison Bees within seven days in exchange for releasing the villagers.

Wuzheng became the abbot of Hidden Dragon Temple, while Zhou Wuji prepared to investigate Red Leaf Ridge and the dangerous Golden-Ringed Poison Bees. After Zhou Wuji left for the Siming Mountains, Zhang Xinhu urged Wu Di to strike, and Wu Di promised to have Zhou Wuji killed.

• Wuzheng and Zhou Wuji concluded that Wu Di's demand for red flower honey made the Red Leaf Ridge mission suspicious and dangerous.
• Wuzheng assumed the abbacy of Hidden Dragon Temple and appointed Zhou Wuji hall master, while assigning the temple's powerful administrative posts to his own people.
• Wuming worried that Zhou Wuji would risk his life, gave him two Northern Pole Heavenly Gang Divine Talismans, and urged him to be careful.
• Zhou Wuji packed protective gear and supplies, strengthened his Golden Light Incantation, and entered the Siming Mountains alone at dawn.
• A temple servant reported Zhou Wuji's departure to Zhang Xinhu, who told Wu Di it was the perfect time to act.
• Wu Di assured Zhang Xinhu that Zhou Wuji's head would be delivered to his residence within a few days.

Zhou Wuji hunted the seventh-grade golden toad at Yueming Peak to strengthen his body by killing monsters. He killed it with a surprise attack, leaving the story with the toad dead and its treasure still undiscovered.

• Zhou Wuji reached Yueming Peak and examined the traces of the golden toad's poisonous Qi, which briefly clouded his senses before he cleared it with the Heart-Purifying Divine Incantation.
• Zhou Wuji purified the grove of lingering Yin Qi with the Golden Light Incantation, then planned how to approach the toad while it cultivated.
• The golden toad emerged from the pool and breathed in moonlight essence as Zhou Wuji approached it under cover of its poor vision.
• Zhou Wuji stunned the golden toad with the Golden Light Incantation and pierced its eyes with two White Eyebrow Needles.
• Zhou Wuji slashed the golden toad's head and back with his Seven Star Sword, killing it.

Zhou Wuji killed a golden toad, a black leopard, and a giant black-scaled python while hunting demonic creatures on Mount Siming. At Xiuming Peak, he defeated the powerful tiger demon with a divine talisman, ice silkworm silk, and White Eyebrow Needles, then checked its entry in the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment.

• Zhou Wuji searched the golden toad's corpse but found no treasure before a black leopard attacked him, and he killed it with White Eyebrow Needles and his sword.
• A giant black-scaled python came to the bloody shore, and Zhou Wuji blinded and beheaded it.
• Zhou Wuji left the three creatures untouched and headed for Xiuming Peak, planning to use the tiger demon as one of the Yin Spirits needed for his Five Yin Pouch.
• Zhou Wuji strung ice silkworm silk between pine trees and used a wounded squirrel's blood to lure the tiger demon toward him.
• The tiger demon dodged one of Zhou Wuji's needles and attacked, but his Northern Dipper Heavenly Gang Divine Talisman shielded him while he wounded the beast and retreated through the silk trap.
• The ice silkworm silk cut into the tiger demon, and Zhou Wuji blinded it with his needles before thrusting his sword through its jaw into its head.

Zhou Wuji interrupted a Yin Yang Dao operation after killing Li Sanjin, who had murdered a believer and was about to kill a woman. He questioned Fang Dashan about the captured red-haired apes, and Fang lied that the group had hunted them to protect villagers.

• Fang Dashan drove the laborers carrying drugged red-haired apes down the mountain and bragged to Li Sanjin about the Yin Yang Dao’s plans to conquer Siming County.
• Li Sanjin tried to assault a woman, then beheaded a man who pleaded for her; Fang Dashan told him only to clean up the blood.
• When Li Sanjin raised his saber against the sobbing woman, Zhou Wuji deflected the blade and killed him with a steel pellet.
• Zhou Wuji confronted Fang Dashan and asked why the Yin Yang Dao had captured the apes.
• Fang Dashan claimed the apes had threatened villagers, and Zhou Wuji sneered at his false explanation.

Zhou Wuji killed Fang Dashan and the captured demon monkeys, then refined the Five Yin Pouch using the monkeys as Yin Spirits. By daybreak, he had tested the pouch’s ability to store a massive rock and considered its usefulness against the Golden-Ringed Poison Bees.

• Zhou Wuji killed Fang Dashan with a palm strike and judged that his unarmed attack would not threaten a seventh-grade martial artist.
• The Yin Yang Dao believers prayed over Fang Dashan’s body, while Zhou Wuji killed the monkey king and the other four drugged demon monkeys.
• Zhou Wuji searched Fang Dashan’s corpse, left the money for the believers, and went uphill to refine the Five Yin Pouch.
• Zhou Wuji used the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment to turn the five demon monkeys into Yin Spirits and bind them into the pouch.
• Before sunrise, Zhou Wuji used the Five Yin Pouch to store a large rock and assessed its carrying capacity, upkeep, and potential against the Golden-Ringed Poison Bees.

Fang Jing refined Golden-Ringed Poison Bees’ venom while preparing to kill Zhou Wuji at Wu Di’s request. Zhou Wuji arrived at Red Leaf Ridge, strengthened himself with the Northern Emperor’s Book of Heavenly Punishment, and used the Six Yang Dharma Eye to spot a sinister presence on the ridge.

• Fang Jing continued refining bee venom to cultivate the Thousand Poisons and Ten Thousand Baleful Intents Arrow, using believers to lure Golden-Ringed Poison Bees from their hives.
• Jin Chuan told Fang Jing that Wu Di wanted Zhou Wuji killed, and Fang Jing left the request unanswered while deciding he might act if Zhou Wuji appeared.
• Fang Jing declined Jiang Sangu’s suggestion to watch the ridge entrance and planned to send the hundred spirits to patrol at night.
• Zhou Wuji reached Qingming Peak at dusk, admired Red Leaf Ridge, then rested and circulated his Qi before entering the ridge.
• Zhou Wuji converted the black panther in the Northern Emperor’s Book of Heavenly Punishment into Origin Mystic Essence, raising his body stat to 175 and extending his lifespan by two years.
• Zhou Wuji activated the Six Yang Dharma Eye and saw Sha Qi, resentment Qi, and a conspicuous eerie presence on Red Leaf Ridge.

Zhou Wuji discovered a Yin Yang Dao ritual at Red Leaf Ridge and upgraded his Six Yang Dharma Eye and Heart-Purifying Divine Incantation before approaching the group. He watched as Fang Jing released ghosts to attack a swarm of Golden-Ringed Poison Bees, creating an opening for Zhou Wuji to strike.

• Zhou Wuji used fates to raise his Six Yang Dharma Eye to perfection and his Heart-Purifying Divine Incantation to major attainment.
• Zhou Wuji identified a Yin Yang Dao ritual on Red Leaf Ridge and prepared to confront the group before stealing a hive of Golden-Ringed Poison Bees.
• Zhou Wuji approached the altar and saw Fang Jing, a woman, an attendant, and more than twenty followers gathered around the Yin-Yang Hundred Spirits Banner.
• Fang Jing sent two followers into the woods, and they returned with a swarm of Golden-Ringed Poison Bees chasing them.
• Fang Jing shook the Yin-Yang Hundred Spirits Banner and released ghosts to attack the bees, and Zhou Wuji saw his chance to strike.

Fang Jing tried to gather Golden-Ringed Poison Bees for his weapon, but Zhou Wuji attacked his ritual altar and swiftly killed Jiang Sangu and another follower. Zhou Wuji cut apart Fang Jing’s hundred ghosts, then confronted him on the altar as Fang Jing used the Yin Yang Mirror to meet Zhou Wuji’s sword with his reflection.

• Fang Jing used the Yin-Yang Hundred Spirits Banner to overwhelm a swarm of Golden-Ringed Poison Bees and ordered his followers to collect them.
• Zhou Wuji rushed toward Fang Jing, who summoned the banner’s hundred ghosts to attack him.
• Zhou Wuji’s Sunset Sword shredded the ghosts and forced Fang Jing to plead for a chance to talk.
• Jiang Sangu threw knives at Zhou Wuji, but he killed her and another follower with White Eyebrow Needles.
• Fang Jing caught Zhou Wuji’s needles with his Yin-Yang Dharma Robe, then held his ground on the ritual altar.
• Fang Jing turned the banner into a black mirror with the Yin Yang Mirror technique, and Zhou Wuji’s sword struck his reflection’s blade.

Zhou Wuji fought Fang Jing and his Hundred Spirits Banner, surviving the Devil Cultivator’s attacks and killing him. He destroyed the escaped Ghost Soldier with a Yin Thunder Pearl and confirmed that both Fang Jing and the Ghost Soldier had been executed.

• Zhou Wuji shattered Fang Jing’s illusion, but was driven back by the banner’s surge of Yin-Yang True Qi.
• Fang Jing released his hundred ghosts on the worshippers, who were drained of their Qi, Blood, and souls.
• Zhou Wuji rejected Fang Jing’s attempt to blame him for the deaths and declared that he would kill him.
• Fang Jing recognized Zhou Wuji and formed a sixth-grade Ghost Soldier from the hundred ghosts, while Zhou Wuji suppressed it with the Five Yin Pouch.
• Zhou Wuji defended against Fang Jing’s poisonous arrows, located him through the banner’s concealment, and beheaded him.
• Zhou Wuji destroyed the escaping Ghost Soldier with the Yin Thunder Pearl and confirmed both executions in the Northern Emperor’s Book of Heavenly Punishment.

After defeating Fang Jing, Zhou Wuji converted the ghosts and two yao creatures, advancing his cultivation to the seventh rank and greatly strengthening his body. He buried the dead followers and decided to wait until the new year before seeking formal recognition of his promotion.

• Zhou Wuji examined Fang Jing and Jiang Sangu's possessions, then found that the followers had all been drained of their Essence Blood.
• Zhou Wuji converted the ghosts into origin profound spirit, opened his seventh aperture, and reached the seventh rank in Qi-refining.
• Zhou Wuji decided to delay applying for seventh-rank recognition until the new year, despite being eligible to seek an ordination certificate and register reception.
• Zhou Wuji converted the giant python and golden toad into origin mystic essence, raising his body stat to two hundred and fifty and his lifespan to ninety-five years.
• Zhou Wuji dug a large pit, buried the followers and other corpses, and recited the Supreme Rebirth Incantation for them.

Zhou Wuji returned to Hidden Dragon Temple with the red flower honey and several Law Artifacts, then asked Abbot Wuzheng to teach him pill refining. With the lower monastery’s experts still absent, Zhou Wuji asked Wuzheng to ransom the prisoners from the Ironclad Guard.

• Zhou Wuji returned to Hidden Dragon Temple carrying the red flower honey and recovered items from Red Leaf Ridge.
• Wuzheng examined the Law Artifacts, identified the Yin-Yang Hundred Spirits Banner and the poisoned-arrow ring, and warned Zhou Wuji about Fang Boxiong of the Yin Yang Dao.
• Zhou Wuji gave Wuzheng a jar of red flower honey in exchange for pill-refining lessons, and Wuzheng explained the basics of controlling Qi, water, fire, Yin, and Yang.
• Zhou Wuji learned that a kitchen servant had been the first person to leave the temple after his departure, but he told Wuzheng to leave the servant alone for now.
• Since the lower monastery’s experts had not arrived and Zhou Wuji feared confronting Wu Di, he asked Wuzheng to ransom the prisoners from the Ironclad Guard, and Wuzheng agreed.

Wu Di learned that Zhang Yunfeng was bringing troops to Siming County to eliminate the rogue troops. Meanwhile, Zhang Xinhu persuaded Wang Qi to attack Zhou Wuji at Hidden Dragon Temple, promising a route into Chubei Commandery as the story left them preparing to strike that night.

• Wu Di agreed to release the villagers, then received a dispatch saying Zhang Yunfeng was bringing a force to Siming County to wipe out the rogue troops.
• Wang Qi surveyed Siming County from Huamei Mountain and confronted Zhang Xinhu over the deaths of his men and younger brother.
• Zhang Xinhu warned Wang Qi that the Ironclad Guard would soon encircle the rogue troops and urged him to flee after killing Zhou Wuji.
• Zhang Xinhu offered to help Wang Qi reach Chubei Commandery through his merchant caravans, and Wang Qi agreed to attack Hidden Dragon Temple.
• Zhang Xinhu said he would keep the county's experts occupied at a banquet and suggested striking during the second watch.

Zhou Wuji shared a moonlit evening with Wuming, kissed her, then prepared defenses against possible attackers and waited alertly for the lower temple’s experts. A muffled thud suddenly roused him from meditation.

• Wuming played Zhou Wuji a flute piece in the osmanthus grove, and he praised her music with a poem that delighted her.
• Wuming taught Zhou Wuji how to play the flute, and he kissed her cheek; she blushed and hurried back to her daily practice.
• Zhou Wuji practiced on the jade flute, removed a large boulder with his Five Yin Pouch, and strung Ice Silkworm Silk trip lines around the temple grounds.
• Zhou Wuji decided to save the fate weight from the seventh-rank Devil Cultivator until he could use it to improve his swordsmanship.
• Zhou Wuji stayed dressed and armed while meditating for the expected arrival of the lower temple’s experts, then woke at the sound of a muffled thud.