I Am Nobody Recap, Plot, Synopsis, Total Episodes

I Am Nobody Synopsis

The ordinary teenager, Zhang Chulan, was unexpectedly drawn into an unprecedented world of "Outsiders" when his grandfather's corpse mysteriously disappeared.

Facing sudden and relentless pursuit and the sudden intrusion of the mysterious girl, Feng Baobao, Zhang Chulan decided to no longer hide his own abilities.

As he traced his grandfather's past, Zhang Chulan gradually integrated into the world of strange beings, and the mysteries of history gradually emerged.

There seemed to be a shocking secret behind it all, and Feng Baobao's mysterious identity seemed to be the key to unlocking the mystery.

Faced with a series of crises, the young outsiders came together and formed deep friendships and bonds.

On this path of growth, each person is searching for their own path and values. A showdown between light and darkness is about to erupt...

I Am Nobody Recap

Episode 1 Recap

In a world where extraordinary individuals known as Outsiders possess unique abilities, a secret involving the Eight Supremes was buried during the violent conflict of the Jiashen Calamity many years ago. Our story begins one night when a mysterious body is unearthed and stolen from a grave, signaling that the unfinished business from that tumultuous year is beginning to resurface.

The next morning, a villager recounts to an older man how he witnessed the strange theft of a body from the grave of Zhang Xilin, noting the unusualness of a grave robber taking the body itself rather than valuables. Meanwhile, at Xinpukai University, a campus event is underway to introduce a celebrated alumnus. Zhang Chulan is also present, seemingly assisting with the setup. As the alumnus is about to speak, Zhang Chulan's phone rings, interrupting the proceedings.

He steps away to take the call, speaking with the Village Director. He is stunned to learn that his grandfather's body has been stolen. Initially disbelieving, he quickly decides to return home. Upon arriving in the village, Zhang Chulan is confronted by a young woman who introduces herself as Zhang Baobao, claiming to be Zhang Xilin's granddaughter and Zhang Chulan's sister.

Zhang Chulan vehemently denies having a sister, but Zhang Baobao insists, showing a photograph of Zhang Xilin's son, Zhang Yude, whom she identifies as her father. Zhang Chulan hesitates after seeing her determined demeanor. The Village Director examines the photo, noting a resemblance between the person in the picture and Zhang Chulan. The Village Director then leaves Zhang Chulan and Zhang Baobao, allowing them to speak.

Later, Zhang Chulan visits his grandfather's grave site, placing a plate of braised pork knuckles there. He speaks to his grandfather, expressing sadness and confusion about why his family seemed to always be running and why his grandfather never explained the past before he died. That night, Zhang Chulan returns to the grave and finds Zhang Baobao digging there. Suspicious, he attempts to record her actions with his phone but is discovered.

She tells Zhang Chulan he has seen too much and attempts to bury him. Zhang Chulan frantically tries to talk his way out, claiming to be her brother and praising their "father." As he is pleading, strange monsters, identified as thralls, appear. Zhang Baobao kicks Zhang Chulan into the grave and begins fighting the thralls. As the thralls focus on Zhang Chulan in the grave, she tells him she is leaving him to face the situation alone and departs.

Some time later, Zhang Baobao meets Xu San. They return to the grave area and note that they are too late as Zhang Xilin's grave has been completely excavated and the body is gone. Zhang Baobao mentions that she was ambushed by thralls earlier. Xu San identifies the thralls as being controlled by Thrall Masters from Xiangxi and questions their interest in Zhang Xilin's body. They then hear Zhang Chulan yelling for help.

Zhang Baobao confirms that he is surrounded by thralls and that she left him there, much to Xu San's surprise. As they discuss Zhang Chulan's predicament and Xu San questions how a normal person could survive so many thralls, Zhang Baobao finds Zhang Chulan's identity card nearby, speculating that someone must be secretly helping him escape. Zhang Chulan experiences a terrifying nightmare filled with grasping hands.

He yells out and wakes up, finding himself injured during Mr. Yi's lecture back at his university. During the lecture, Zhang Baobao suddenly appears in the classroom. Zhang Chulan is shocked. Outside the class, he confronts her. She initially maintains her claim of being his sister but quickly shifts her story, claiming to be an exchange student from Taiwan named Xu Baobao, even displaying a student ID. Zhang Chulan points out the inconsistencies, including her dialect.

She then calls Xu San for confirmation regarding her authority over Zhang Chulan, and subsequently declares that Zhang Chulan is now her slave. Zhang Chulan resists, yelling for help from a nearby security guard. He claims Zhang Baobao attacked him with a knife and damaged a door. The security guard arrives but sees only a toy knife, not a real weapon, despite Zhang Chulan's insistence that she used a real one.

Zhang Baobao confirms Zhang Chulan is her slave, which the security guard finds amusing. She orders Zhang Chulan to clean up the damage he caused, but when he refuses, she cleans it herself. The security guard encourages her to take him and train him. Zhang Baobao takes Zhang Chulan to a more secluded area to talk.

She demands he demonstrate how he survived the thralls the previous night, revealing that she left him there to see when he would stop pretending to be normal. Zhang Chulan denies having any special skills, cries, and claims he swore not to reveal his abilities to ordinary people. Zhang Baobao uses a cleaver to cut his clothes. She discovers a seal on his body, asking if it causes him discomfort.

She then gives him an ultimatum: accept her as his master, or she will upload a compromising photo of him (taken after she cut his clothes) to the university forum. Zhang Chulan quickly agrees to be her slave, initially calling her "Baobao," but she insists on being called "Master." She gives him an old-fashioned phone (model 6310) for communication, mentioning other phones aren't durable enough, and leaves to repair the damaged door, leaving Zhang Chulan exposed and without clothing.

Meanwhile, in a hospital basement referred to as a dungeon, Xia He receives Zhang Xilin's body from Lyu Liang, who is seeking to join the Sinister Pleasure organization (Quan Xing). Lyu Liang's thralls are present, disguised as NPCs. Xia He attempts to extract qi from the body but finds the fragmented energy insufficient for useful information. She tells Lyu Liang the body was not useful and that he cannot join Sinister Pleasure yet, as he needs to improve his skills.

Lyu Liang accuses her of breaking her promise. Xia He reminds him of the organization's disloyal nature but offers him another chance. She tells him to bring Zhang Xilin's grandson, Zhang Chulan, to her, dead or alive. If he succeeds, he can join Sinister Pleasure. Lyu Liang agrees to this new task. At night, Wang Ye, a Taoist practitioner, is seen training late. Two girls film him, mistakenly believing him to be a pervert. He quickly leaves.

Later, he takes a subway towards Wudang Mountain. Wang Ye is able to enter the "Inner Scene," a phantasmagorical dimension connected to the year of Jiashen and Zhang Xilin. He observes that Zhang Xilin's qi is still remarkably strong after his death, prompting him to investigate the power the elder must have held in life.

Intending to delve into Zhang Xilin's memories, Wang Ye states they must find his grandson and wonders about the identity of the person he saw in the Inner Scene, implied to be the grandson.

Episode 2 Recap

At Mount Wudang, Tai Chi martial arts are taught, emphasizing balance and diligent practice for mastery. A student, Wang Ye, is admonished by another student for being lazy instead of practicing, but Wang Ye's focus remains on the 'inner vision'. He states he is going to see his Grandmaster for forgiveness and to ask a question. Wang Ye asks his Grandmaster if a person can be passively drawn into the phantasmagorical dimension without intending to.

The Grandmaster explains that this dimension arises from thoughts and causes, not all of which are conscious, and that everything in the world can potentially evoke it. He notes that past causes lead to present effects, and present events can lead to future consequences, but clarifies this is not predicting the future. Wang Ye then asks the Grandmaster if he traveled by train in the year of Jiashen.

Years earlier, a young Zhang Chulan caused trouble with a slingshot, leading angry villagers to confront his grandfather, Zhang Xilin, at their home. The villagers complained that Zhang Chulan had hit their sons, with one claiming his son was even shocked with electricity. Zhang Xilin immediately silenced Zhang Chulan and sincerely apologized to the villagers, taking full responsibility.

He promised to compensate them for the children's injuries, stating he would borrow money the next morning, even from loan sharks if necessary, despite villagers questioning his ability to find his own missing son and highlighting that Zhang Chulan was fatherless. Back home, Zhang Xilin took away Zhang Chulan's slingshot and put the elastic band on his grandson's hand, instructing him to snap himself with it whenever he felt unable to endure being bullied.

He explained that enduring until the snapping no longer hurt meant he had successfully controlled himself. Zhang Xilin noted that while Zhang Chulan stood up for a friend named Yu, getting into a fight meant they had to move again. Traveling by car later that night, a sad Zhang Chulan questioned his grandfather about his father, whom he had never met, wondering if his father would come for him because he felt his grandfather was harsh.

He also asked why they always moved whenever he got into a fight. Zhang Xilin told him his father would come when he grew up and promised to explain everything clearly when Zhang Chulan was older, adding that whether he should help others would also be his decision when he was older.

Zhang Xilin outlined his hopes for Zhang Chulan in their new home: finding a good school, studying hard, graduating college, getting a respectable job, finding a good wife, and settling down to live a simple, peaceful life like an ordinary person. He expressed concern about his own age and how much longer he could stay by his grandson's side, while reiterating the crucial lesson of endurance – holding on and not losing spirit.

Time fast forwards to the present day at college. Zhang Chulan is on the campus field when he is hit by a ball. His immediate reaction is anger, but he consciously uses the rubber band on his wrist to snap himself, visibly struggling to maintain control as instructed by his grandfather. He calmly picks up and returns the ball.

Other students nearby comment on his behavior, finding him odd and unsociable, mentioning he even avoids them when going to the toilet and seems to have bad luck. Zhang Baobao is also present and observes Zhang Chulan. Later, in his dorm room, while other students go out to an internet cafe, Zhang Chulan is left alone, appearing downcast. He messages someone online named Liu Yanyan, who has a cute profile picture. They agree to meet the next day.

The following day, while Zhang Chulan is attending a Classical Chinese Studies lecture, Zhang Baobao finds him, stating she had been looking for him all morning. She tells him she is going out that night, will return later, and he must accompany her to meet someone when she gets back. Zhang Chulan attempts to decline because of his planned meeting with Liu Yanyan, asking her to wait for his call instead. Zhang Baobao simply tells him to "calm down".

That evening, Zhang Chulan goes on his date with Liu Yanyan, who orders an excessive amount of food, claiming she is never full because she raises worms in her body, which Zhang Chulan finds endearing. During the date, Zhang Chulan is secretly texting someone, receiving threatening messages from "Master" (implied to be Zhang Baobao) for not responding. Liu Yanyan notices and asks if he is texting his girlfriend, which he denies. She expresses happiness that he doesn't have one.

The date continues, eventually leading them to an amusement park area. Zhang Chulan reveals he knew her identity was fake, having checked the class roster in the Classical Chinese Studies department that morning and not finding her name, and realizing such a perfect romantic encounter was unlikely for him. Liu Yanyan then reveals she is the Xiangxi Thrall Master and was sent to bring him, dead or alive, in order to join their group.

Masked individuals, her thralls, surround Zhang Chulan. Members of Sinister Pleasure (全性), including Lyu Liang and Xia He (the "Bone Scraper"), are present. Xia He uses her charm technique on Zhang Chulan, leaving him disoriented and vulnerable. While he is affected, she senses a powerful energy within him, noticing it is sealed, and recognizes Zhang Xilin had left this protection. Lyu Liang introduces himself as a member of Sinister Pleasure who can directly examine primordial spirits and extract memories.

He intends to extract Zhang Chulan's memories, specifically all memories related to his grandfather. Liu Yanyan confirms she brought Zhang Chulan as requested and asks if she can now join Sinister Pleasure, to which Lyu Liang agrees, stating membership only requires declaring it publicly. Just as Lyu Liang is about to extract the memories, Xu San and Zhang Baobao arrive, interrupting them.

Xu San acknowledges the presence of Lyu Liang, Xia He (the Bone Scraper), and Liu Yanyan (the Xiangxi Thrall Master), noting they brought too few people for such opponents. Zhang Baobao confidently states she can handle them. Xu San attempts to negotiate, offering to let the Sinister Pleasure members leave if they hand over Zhang Chulan, but Lyu Liang refuses. Xu San tells Zhang Baobao to quickly take Zhang Chulan away as his memories haven't been extracted yet.

Liu Yanyan interferes, seeing this as a chance to prove herself to Sinister Pleasure. Xia He engages Xu San, noting his improved psychic power. Xu San warns Zhang Baobao not to underestimate Xia He, explaining her ability (charm technique) can awaken primal desires and cause people to become lost in indulgence. As the fight escalates, Xu San is significantly affected by Xia He's technique, calling out that he will become very dangerous soon.

Zhang Baobao fights fiercely alongside him, and Zhang Chulan calls out for help while still affected. Xu San, despite being compromised, instructs Zhang Baobao to retreat with Zhang Chulan. They manage to escape the Sinister Pleasure members by getting onto a roller coaster. In the aftermath, Zhang Chulan is safe but distraught, feeling his grandfather's words about luck turning around were false and despairing over being deceived by Liu Yanyan.

Zhang Baobao responds with blunt honesty, stating his bad luck isn't the issue; rather, he is an "idiot"for believing a girl like Liu Yanyan would genuinely be interested in someone who looks unlucky, dresses cheaply, and seems utterly worthless. She concludes a stranger would only want something from him if they were interested, implying she must have wanted something as he has nothing to offer otherwise. After this harsh "comfort," she tells him to get up.

They arrive at a building disguised as a courier company. General Manager Xu San (Xu Xiang) explains it is actually a special management organization for Outsiders called NDT Express, operating under cover as a courier company. He identifies the attackers as Sinister Pleasure, another group of Outsiders, but unlike NDT Express, they are irresponsible and abuse their abilities, posing a threat to ordinary people.

He clarifies NDT Express's mission: to protect the ordinary world from being affected by Outsiders, maintain stability in the Outsider world, and deal with dangerous Outsiders like those from Sinister Pleasure, working to ensure a peaceful life for ordinary people. He then invites Zhang Chulan inside to see the organization. Zhang Chulan asks if Zhang Baobao isn't coming, and the scene concludes with his entry into this "new world."

Episode 3 Recap

Zhang Chulan found himself inside what was described as the world's foremost scientific research institution, filled with exceptional researchers who were now leading global innovation after years of development, with many countries beginning to learn from them. Xu Xiang, the head of NDT's Lubei Region, introduced himself and explained that NDT was far more than just a courier service, which was merely a side hustle; the research facility was their true form.

Their work involved extensive research into areas such as the universe, time-space, energy, and life, with their core focus being the origin of Outsiders. He revealed that Outsiders could manipulate a unique energy called qi, which allows them to perform abilities beyond normal human capabilities, known as Innate Skills. He explained that their research into qi linked to traditional culture and concepts similar to dark energy, suggesting an interaction between the Observable Universe and the Dark Universe.

The person speaking to Zhang Chulan then told him that he, too, was an Outsider, a fact Zhang Chulan denied, insisting he was just a regular college student with classes to attend. As Zhang Chulan attempted to leave, the person stopped him by saying he knew his grandfather. Hearing this prompted a memory for Zhang Chulan, flashing back several years prior to when he lived with his elderly grandfather in a desolate mountain village.

The Village Director visited, concerned about young Zhang Chulan living alone with his grandfather and suggesting he be sent to a boarding school with teachers and companions. His grandfather, despite being close to ninety, staunchly refused, asserting his strength and ability to care for his only grandson.

Before leaving for a trip, the grandfather taught Zhang Chulan basic survival skills like making fire and cooking, and stressed two crucial rules: never use his martial arts easily, and only employ them for self-preservation. He prepared three pork knuckles, promising to return after Zhang Chulan had finished them. On the third day, having eaten the last knuckle, young Zhang Chulan discovered his grandfather's lifeless body by the door.

Back in the present, emotionally distraught, Zhang Chulan pressed the person he was speaking to (likely Xu Xiang) for details about how his grandfather died, but he stated he couldn't answer that directly, though he could explain how his grandfather acquired his abilities. The narrative shifted to Mount Longhu, where Zhang Lingyu consulted with his Master, Zhang Zhiwei (the Chief Celestial Taoist), about a guest list for an upcoming 2000th-anniversary celebration.

They reviewed an eighty-year-old list, noting many individuals were deceased but confirming two still-living seniors would attend. Zhang Lingyu inquired about a crossed-off name, Zhang Huaiyi, whom he couldn't find information on, but his Master dismissed it. The scene then moved to Mount Wudang, where Wang Ye discussed his experience of being involuntarily drawn into the Inner View with Master Hong.

Wang Ye described seeing a train from the Year of Jiashen carrying a bloodied young man he did not recognize. Master Hong reacted with alarm, referencing the "Jiashen Calamity" and forcefully ordering Wang Ye away. Meanwhile, at NDT, Xu Si interrogated Liu Yanyan, the sole successor of the Liu family in Xiangxi, renowned for Thrall Sorcery, who had joined Sinister Pleasure after her father reported her missing.

Liu Yanyan was defiant, expressing disdain for NDT and claiming she found freedom with Sinister Pleasure. She recounted her upbringing where she was confined to train with only puppets for company until age 15, only to be told to live a normal life without using her abilities afterward, making her feel like a controlled puppet. She criticized organizations like NDT for setting arbitrary rules and warned Xu Si that she would complain about him.

Xu Si countered that arresting her was for her own safety, as Sinister Pleasure operates without rules or principles, leaving its members vulnerable to countless enemies who also operate without restraint against them. Zhang Chulan interrupted the interrogation, confronting Liu Yanyan about her complaints by sharing his own experience of losing family at age ten and living alone without feeling pathetic.

He declared that her association with Sinister Pleasure, the group responsible for stealing his grandfather's body, had ruined his simple wish for an ordinary life. He demanded to know why Sinister Pleasure wanted the body. Xu Si revealed they sought the memory of Zhang Xilin.

He explained that over a decade ago, a large number of elite Outsiders had confronted an individual at Mount Siguniang, resulting in the death of over a dozen experts, including members of Sinister Pleasure, while the individual suffered only severe injuries. Before dying, one of the Sinister Pleasure members identified the individual's power as Qi Apotheosis, one of the Eight Supremes linked to the Jiashen Calamity. Sinister Pleasure's interest was not revenge but coveting this immense power.

Xu Si confirmed that the individual was indeed Zhang Chulan's grandfather, Zhang Xilin. Sometime later, NDT received confirmation that Zhang Xilin's coffin had been found and retrieved. After the body was recovered, Zhang Chulan had a vivid memory of his grandfather urging him to endure and be patient. Distraught, Zhang Chulan was advised by Director Xu not to harm himself but to focus on finding those responsible for hurting him. Zhang Chulan then stated his intention to join NDT.

He began working at NDT Express, learning routine tasks and confirming with a colleague that their jobs were a cover for their roles as Outsider agents between missions. He learned a universal gesture used by Outsiders to recognize one another.

Xu Si later informed him that while his grandfather's body had been returned a few days prior, Sinister Pleasure had just publicly revealed Zhang Chulan's identity online, labeling him a suspected inheritor of Qi Apotheosis and providing his personal details, including his university and workplace. Xu Si reiterated that Qi Apotheosis was one of the Eight Supremes and belonged to his grandfather, warning that Zhang Chulan's exposure would now attract the attention of the entire Outsider world.

Meanwhile, at Mount Longhu, the Chief Celestial Taoist Zhang Zhiwei and Tian Jinzhong drank together. Tian Jinzhong, in delicate health, spoke of their adherence to their Master's teachings and toasted Zhang Huaiyi, revealing that Zhang Huaiyi had gone into hiding for many years under the alias Zhang Xilin and had a grandson named Zhang Chulan. Zhang Zhiwei instructed Zhang Lingyu to travel to Xinpu City to find someone and test their qualification to inherit the Tianshidu.

While working at NDT, Zhang Chulan was approached by Liao Zhong, the head of the Lunan Region, who directly asked if he possessed the Qi Apotheosis. Zhang Chulan denied it, arguing that if he did, he wouldn't have been captured by Sinister Pleasure, nor would his grandfather have spent years hiding.

Liao Zhong insisted Zhang Xilin was extremely powerful and presented investigation details of the Mount Siguniang incident, accusing Zhang Xilin of being the murderer responsible for over a dozen deaths and calling him a scoundrel who had been hiding from his enemies and NDT. Zhang Chulan countered by pointing out the significant geographical distance and time gap between the incident and his grandfather's death, arguing his grandfather couldn't have been involved.

Liao Zhong dismissed his arguments, presenting investigation copies and stating that regardless of Zhang Chulan's personal view, his grandfather was viewed in the Outsider world as a violent criminal. Elsewhere, Xu Si discussed findings regarding Zhang Xilin. He confirmed Zhang Xilin was a fake identity and, based on clues found on puppets Zhang Chulan had recently defeated, confirmed Zhang Xilin had taught Zhang Chulan the Gold Brilliance Spell, a secret technique of the Celestial Master Mansion of Mount Longhu.

Xu Si concluded that Zhang Xilin must have deep ties to Mount Longhu and was likely considered a traitor for externalizing the skill. He noted that with Sinister Pleasure publicly identifying Zhang Chulan as the suspected inheritor of Qi Apotheosis, he had become a target sought after by various Outsider powers, including the Celestial Master Mansion and The All-Encompassing Guild.

The confrontation escalated at NDT when a group of Outsiders seeking Zhang Chulan were interrupted by three Taoists from Mount Longhu—Jiyun, Yexing, and their Martial Uncle, Zhang Lingyu—who arrived to take Zhang Chulan on their Master's orders. The initial group of Outsiders yielded to the Taoists. The Taoists initially underestimated Zhang Chulan, but after Jiyun and Yexing's attempts to provoke him failed, Zhang Lingyu stepped forward.

Zhang Lingyu, expressing confusion as to why his Master would be interested in Zhang Chulan, engaged him. Zhang Lingyu used the Gold Brilliance Spell. To his astonishment, Zhang Chulan defended himself using the same technique.

Recognizing the skill, Zhang Lingyu identified it as the Gold Brilliance Spell of Mount Longhu and demanded to know Zhang Chulan's identity and his grandfather's, ordering them to come to Mount Longhu to apologize for his grandfather's betrayal in teaching the sacred art outside the sect. He insultingly called Zhang Chulan despicable like his grandfather, implying a shared vileness.

This accusation against his grandfather deeply angered Zhang Chulan, who furiously denied the charge, shouting that Zhang Lingyu's family were the traitors, and retaliated. Zhang Lingyu struck back forcefully, leading his disciples to express concern that he had hit Zhang Chulan too hard.

Episode 4 Recap

When Zhang Chulan was about to unleash the power within him, he suddenly recalled his grandfather's teachings, urging him to suppress his anger and endure, advising him never to reveal his abilities to anyone. Seeing Zhang Chulan appear weak, Zhang Lingyu dismissed him as unremarkable and unworthy, attributing this to his grandfather, whom he called a traitor and a villain responsible for many deaths. Lingyu then used his power, knocking Zhang Chulan to the ground and preparing to leave.

However, Zhang Chulan decided he was done hiding. He stood up, declaring he had been down long enough, and prepared to use his full strength. He reflected that he had always pretended to be ordinary among normal people to avoid being seen as different, but now, among these Outsiders, he was still treated as an anomaly, seemingly because of the "Qi Body Origination."

The insults directed at his grandfather, who he knew was loving, deeply angered him, fueling his decision to finally stop hiding and fight back. Feng Baobao sensed her protégé's state and encouraged him to show Zhang Lingyu all his capabilities. Following her encouragement, Zhang Chulan pulled off his hair tie and unleashed a powerful lightning technique, engaging Lingyu in a fierce exchange whose power affected those nearby. As the fight intensified, Feng Baobao stepped in to stop the dangerous confrontation.

Witnessing Zhang Chulan's true ability, Zhang Lingyu acknowledged his strength and formally invited him to the Outsider Martial Arts Contest at Mount Longhu, scheduled for two months later, where the next Chief Celestial Taoist and Tianshidu successor would be selected. Zhang Chulan was initially dismissive of the invitation but became intrigued when Lingyu mentioned the contest could lead him to information about why his grandfather knew techniques from the Tianshi Mansion.

Zhang Chulan then openly admitted that he had been pretending to be weak and was happy to finally stop hiding. Feng Baobao told him that now that he was her "slave," he wouldn't need to hide or run anymore. Meanwhile, Wang Ye arrived at Wudang Mountain. He learned from fellow disciples about the open Outsider Martial Arts Contest at Mount Longhu and that Zhang Chulan, the successor of Qi Body Origination, was expected to attend.

Upon seeing a picture of Zhang Chulan on a phone, Wang Ye was reminded of a disturbing vision he had experienced in the phantasmagorical dimension during the tumultuous Year of Jiashen, seeing a bloody youth. Troubled, he visited his grandmaster, Hong Ye, finding him distressed and experiencing lingering visions of the past conflict during the Jiashen Calamity, involving Wudang disciples and those trying to seize the Gate of Gale technique.

Hong Ye spoke of the sacrifices made, including by his "brother," Zhou Sheng, who, along with others, desperately defended Wudang during the siege. Hong Ye told Wang Ye that his phantasmagorical dimension was extraordinary and signified he was the chosen one meant to master it. He instructed Wang Ye to perceive Zhou Sheng practicing the Gate of Gale within the inner sight, stating that Wang Ye was the successor.

Understanding the meaning of his destiny and reflecting on Hong Ye's decades guarding a "delusion" and the nature of letting go, Wang Ye asked Hong Ye for permission to attend the contest at Mount Longhu to see the "monkey" (Zhou Sheng)'s skill, though Hong Ye was wary due to the dangers associated with the Gate of Gale and the possibility of history repeating itself, threatening Wudang's existence if the technique resurfaced.

Later, Feng Baobao took Zhang Chulan to a remote, dilapidated villa, explaining that this was where they would stay for a month for rigorous training. Zhang Chulan, having initially misunderstood this as a vacation, was surprised. Feng Baobao clarified that winning the upcoming contest at Mount Longhu, where the next Chief Celestial Taoist and Tianshidu successor would be chosen, required intense preparation. Zhang Chulan expressed discouragement, recalling his fight with Lingyu and claiming he was only narrowly defeated.

Feng Baobao revealed that Lingyu had only used thirty percent of his strength to test him, which further deflated Zhang Chulan, making him feel training was pointless as he couldn't possibly win against such a gap.

When Zhang Chulan wanted to give up and leave, Feng Baobao motivated him by saying that continuing would lead him to the truth about his grandfather, urging him to use the contest as a way to climb up and reach the person holding the answers, the 99th Chief Celestial Taoist, Zhang Zhiwei. Their training began, starting with cleaning the neglected house.

Feng Baobao coached Zhang Chulan on the basics of utilizing his qi, physically correcting his posture when he struggled with the fundamental Qi circulation technique, and calling him useless. She continued supervising his practice even while taking an outdoor bath, constantly telling him to keep training. Zhang Chulan's attempts to circulate his qi were hindered by it flowing incorrectly, which he attributed to being distracted by Feng Baobao's presence.

Feng Baobao recognized that the actual problem was a seal on Zhang Chulan called the Restrictive Sand, which was intended to help him focus but had become an obstacle, noting the difficulties presented by adolescent males. Deciding the problem needed to be solved, she brought in her female friends, Meng, Tian, Jing, Han, and Lisa, introducing them to Zhang Chulan as friends of Mr. Xu who had come for a party.

She described Zhang Chulan as having been single since birth and being naive about relationships, encouraging her friends to be proactive. The friends quickly surrounded Zhang Chulan, asking about his past (like studying abroad in a noble school or playing golf) and trying to get him drunk and remove his clothes. As the female friends became more insistent and intrusive, Zhang Chulan reached his breaking point, shouting "Enough!" .

He confronted Feng Baobao, angered by her treating him like an object, asking what she took him for. He echoed her earlier insults, calling her brain-damaged and questioning her intelligence for believing that someone as unlucky-looking and useless as him could get girls to throw themselves at him. The friends, offended by his outburst, called him a coward/wimp and useless garbage nobody wants, leaving the dilapidated villa.

Alone, Zhang Chulan realized that even when Feng Baobao tried to present him favorably, she, like the girls, still saw him as unlikable and useless. He declared the master-servant game was over. He explained that his grandfather had always made him suppress himself because he didn't want him to step into the Outsider world, a lesson he had followed for many years.

However, now that he was exposed, hiding was meaningless, and he had learned that the more he acted submissive, the more others would truly treat him as such. Despite Feng Baobao warning him of the dangerous fate of continuing down this path and threatening him with a knife, repeatedly calling him back, Zhang Chulan refused to yield. He stated that while continuing might mean losing his life, losing his dignity by staying was a far worse outcome. He walked away, leaving Feng Baobao standing alone, looking at his departing back and realizing she had messed things up.

Episode 5 Recap

Zhang Chulan wakes up in the swimming pool of a presidential suite at The All-Encompassing Hotel. A staff member informs him he is a VIP guest, the room having been booked for him by someone. Feng Shayan arrives and instructs the staff to get him dressed, throwing away his old clothes despite his protests about their cost. Zhang Chulan questions why he is there and her identity, but she dismisses his questions, stating he wouldn't understand.

When he demands respect, she retorts that refraining from hitting him is the utmost respect he will receive. Recognizing she is an Outsider, he asks about her abilities, but she gives a dismissive, mocking response. As he follows her, she mockingly suggests he take a good look at the grand hall now, implying he won't have another opportunity.

Upon seeing the seemingly empty main hall, Zhang Chulan remarks that the company seems to be struggling, not comparing well to NDT Express. Feng Shayan reveals it is The All-Encompassing Guild, valued at 300 billion, warning him against touching anything as he couldn't afford to compensate. He is stunned, recognizing the name Feng Zhenghao. She confirms Feng Zhenghao is her father and introduces herself as Feng Shayan, instructing him to be respectful when they meet her father.

Inside, Feng Zhenghao welcomes Zhang Chulan warmly. He introduces Jia Zhengyu, a renowned expert from the west whom he is also trying to recruit into The All-Encompassing Guild, and extends the same invitation to Zhang Chulan. Zhang Chulan immediately refuses the invitation, stating truthfully that he doesn't know the Qi Apotheosis. Feng Zhenghao advises him not to rush his decision and suggests he first consider it.

He introduces his daughter, Shayan, again, suggesting Zhang Chulan try to pursue her, adding that a young lady shouldn't have to pursue him. Zhang Chulan questions if this elaborate arrangement is solely for the Qi Apotheosis. Feng Zhenghao sends Jia Zhengyu and Shayan out and reveals he has thoroughly investigated Zhang Chulan's past after learning he was a descendant of the Qi Apotheosis creator, including his upbringing with his grandfather and subsequent time in an orphanage after his grandfather's death.

He states Zhang Chulan has good character and abilities suitable for the Feng family, finding it natural for a father to want to entrust his daughter to such a person. Feng Zhenghao points out that even the Sinister Pleasure couldn't extract information from him, and suggests Zhang Chulan's eligibility for Tianshidu is perhaps an even greater temptation.

He explains that while they are strangers, their ancestors shared a deep connection, possessing powers created in the same significant year – these are the Eight Supremes. Feng Zhenghao confirms his grandfather, Zhang Xilin, held the Qi Apotheosis, while he possesses the Dispatch of Detained Spirits, passed down from his grandfather, Feng Tianyang, which is also one of the Eight Supremes.

He offers to show Zhang Chulan the Dispatch of Detained Spirits without reservation if he joins The All-Encompassing Guild, presenting it as his reason for wanting to bring him into the family. He invites Zhang Chulan, as a fellow heir to an Eight Supreme technique, to become part of his family so they can jointly uncover the truth of the past.

Feng Zhenghao concludes by telling Zhang Chulan there's no need to rush his answer and to make himself at home and rest. After Feng Zhenghao leaves, Feng Shayan voices her strong objection, asking if he is serious about her dating "that brat" whom she considers just a kid. Feng Zhenghao disagrees, stating Zhang Chulan's value is far greater than she imagines, citing NDT Express's interest as proof.

He explains that with Zhang Chulan currently at odds with NDT Express, it represents the prime opportunity to acquire him at the lowest possible cost. Feng Shayan realizes she is part of this "minimum cost." Feng Zhenghao confirms she is a factor but emphasizes that compared to the vast profits Zhang Chulan could bring, all costs, including his own, seem insignificant.

He describes Zhang Chulan as a "blind box": if he truly possesses the Qi Apotheosis, combined with the Feng family's Dispatch of Detained Spirits, they could be closer than anyone to the true secrets of the Jiashen Calamity, which he considers the world's greatest wealth. He stresses they cannot miss this opportunity. Feng Shayan feels reduced to a mere bargaining chip.

Feng Zhenghao argues that including her in the matter was for her future happiness, not just the business deal, stating he has many other ways to keep Zhang Chulan. When she questions what happiness she could find with Zhang Chulan, Feng Zhenghao advises her not to judge based solely on appearance, stating many people and things are not what they seem. He believes Zhang Chulan has a good heart and is trustworthy.

He points out that in their position, finding someone trustworthy is difficult, and Zhang Chulan's genuine demeanor, not trying to flatter her or hiding his flaws, indicates he has no ulterior motives or calculations concerning her. Feng Shayan reiterates her dislike. Feng Zhenghao then mentions that she is the only one in the Feng family who hasn't learned the Dispatch of Detained Spirits but asserts he has never shown favoritism among his children.

Elsewhere, Feng Baobao is visibly upset, lamenting repeatedly that she "messed up" and Zhang Chulan has left, even ignoring a phone call. Xu Xiang and San discuss Zhang Chulan's abrupt departure to The All-Encompassing Guild the previous night and express concern he might join them.

As they ponder how to handle the situation, Feng Baobao suddenly sits up, declaring she will personally go to The All-Encompassing Guild to find Zhang Chulan, apologize, and bring him back, reasoning that the problem lies with her. Xu Xiang and San immediately offer to help her get ready for the trip. Liu Yanyan arrives, stating she has accepted NDT Express's punishment and is on probation, seeking a chance to atone for past mistakes and earn merit.

She volunteers to assist in preparing Feng Baobao, focusing on a clean, presentable appearance for the apology. She insists high heels are essential for improving Feng Baobao's posture and figure, leading to a comical debate about appropriate attire for an apology, with Xu Xiang finding Liu Yanyan's taste questionable. As they help Feng Baobao, they caution her that The All-Encompassing Guild is an Outsider group filled with skilled masters.

Feng Baobao, unfamiliar with heels, expresses uncertainty about wearing them and muses aloud about whether using her abilities means she is definitively an Outsider, questioning if she should return to a normal life or remain one. Zhang Chulan is enjoying a massage from Master Liang, a skilled traditional Chinese medicine physician and Outsider employed by The All-Encompassing Guild to aid Qi circulation.

Feng Shayan arrives, apologizes for their earlier encounter, and tries to convince him to join by highlighting perks like daily massages. Zhang Chulan asks if this elaborate arrangement is simply her father's plan. Feng Shayan dismisses Master Liang and states that the source of the idea, whether it's her father or herself, is irrelevant; she can make him even more comfortable.

She attempts a more direct, physical approach as her sincerity, but Zhang Chulan remains unimpressed, humorously comparing her attempts unfavorably to Master Liang's massage skills. She continues trying different actions, but he still finds it lacking until she asks if he likes a certain action, to which he responds yes, finding it enjoyable and "amazing". Meanwhile, Feng Baobao arrives at The All-Encompassing Hotel's front desk, asking for Zhang Chulan.

When the staff is unable to locate him or grant her access to Feng Zhenghao, and attempt to escort her out, she politely warns them against using force before swiftly dislocating their joints, stating she must see Zhang Chulan. This triggers an intruder alert, and three cadres from The All-Encompassing Guild confront her. She quickly incapacitates them, dislocating their tibias, again apologizing but maintaining her objective of finding Zhang Chulan. The intruder alarm interrupts Zhang Chulan and Feng Shayan.

Feng Shayan receives a report about an unstoppable intruder heading towards her father's office. Zhang Chulan uses this as an excuse to leave, claiming the hospitality is overwhelming. As he attempts to exit, Feng Shayan suddenly appears in his path using Spatial Transfer, revealing it as her ability, linked to her Hundred Step Fist. She challenges him: if he can defeat her technique, she will let him go; if he fails, he must join The All-Encompassing Guild.

Zhang Chulan accepts the wager, betting he can break through her unpredictable punch. They engage in a brief combat, during which Zhang Chulan repeatedly anticipates the location of her seemingly unpredictable movements. He wins the bet. When Feng Shayan demands to know how he did it, he tells her to figure it out herself as he prepares to leave. True to her word, she confirms he can go, though clearly annoyed.

Zhang Chulan reveals he used a personal technique he calls "Little White Worm," which he developed after learning the Lightning Technique, enabling him to predict her moves. Feng Shayan vows to figure out his technique and defeat him next time.

Zhang Chulan observes that she seems much more relaxed now that she's agreed to let him go, suggesting her true motive was simply to provoke him because she didn't want him to leave so easily, and not because she genuinely wanted to date him. She confirms she didn't care if he stayed or left, she just didn't want him to leave so freely in front of her.

Having dispatched the cadres, Feng Baobao continues her search for Zhang Chulan, encountering Jia Zhengyu. She asks if he knows Zhang Chulan's whereabouts. He dismisses her as a young girl beneath his notice, stating it's not worth his effort to deal with someone like her. Frustrated by everyone's lack of cooperation, she decides to engage him.

Jia Zhengyu attacks using his Torrential Palm, describing it as a powerful technique where Qi cover on the hand like water flows, penetrating the body surface to directly impact internal fluids and organs, bypassing external defenses. He notes her resilience but the inability of his technique for immediate kill is its only drawback.

Feng Baobao counterattacks with her Dragon-Piercing Awl, identifying his fighting style as Object Manipulation, a technique likened to that of ancient sword masters due to its precise and tricky control over objects. Jia Zhengyu finds her tenacious, while she admits he is quite fierce and gives her a headache, acknowledging it's been a while since she met such a tough opponent. He mocks her claims of having means to deal with him.

She explains her sole purpose is to find Zhang Chulan and mentions she is wearing impractical high heels that Liu Yanyan insisted upon, despite them hindering her fighting and preventing her from winning against him, because Zhang Chulan might like them. She then points out that his protective Gold Brilliance Spell has dissipated, making him vulnerable to her next blow. He laughs, thinking she's lost her mind.

She abruptly stops fighting, calling it pointless and stating she simply wants to find Zhang Chulan and asks him to let her pass. Amused by her sudden surrender and feeling his reputation preserved for having lasted so long, Jia Zhengyu expresses admiration for her talent and, wanting to fully assert his dominance in front of the All-Encompassing Guild会长, offers to let her pass if she begs him on her knees.

Feng Baobao promptly kneels where she is, repeatedly begging him to let her pass. He clarifies he meant for her to kneel "to him", not the other way around, frustrating her. She then jokingly offers to exchange contact information to refer him massage clients since he was good at pressing, which he rejects violently. She then again remarks on how terrifying high heels are. Zhang Chulan finds Feng Baobao and recognizes her as the "crazy woman" reported earlier.

He asks if she came to bring him back, acknowledging he's not stupid enough to just go back because she asks. Feng Baobao offers a sincere apology, admitting she was wrong to try and decide his life for him, and confirms she came alone to retrieve him. Surprised by her apology, Zhang Chulan asks if she will comply with whatever he asks, and she agrees, saying she will listen to him and agree to any request.

As a form of punishment, he tells her to stand still right where she is while he considers what he wants. Others observing are astonished that this is all he makes her do. Zhang Chulan then tells Feng Zhenghao that despite his exceptional hospitality, he must return to NDT Express because he is under contract, expressing hope for understanding despite previous misunderstandings with the company.

Feng Zhenghao refuses to let him leave so easily, asking if that is truly his decision, and unleashes a powerful primordial spirit using the Dispatch of Detained Spirits, one of the legendary Eight Supremes and a Feng family exclusive technique. Zhang Chulan recognizes the technique. Feng Baobao offers to intervene, but Zhang Chulan orders her to remain standing exactly as he instructed, stating some things he must resolve himself.

Facing the intense pressure from the summoned spirit, Zhang Chulan acknowledges it as the true power of the Eight Supremes. The spirit exhibits strong bloodlust, raising concern from Feng Zhenghao's children that he might truly kill Zhang Chulan. However, Zhang Chulan stands firm, refusing to surrender or back down, stating his decision is final.

Feng Zhenghao, impressed by Zhang Chulan's courage and composure in the face of his power, states he likes him even more and grants him permission to leave with Feng Baobao, calling him a rare sight for a kid his age not to soften under his Qi. Zhang Chulan thanks him, expressing a desire to become a man like him in the future.

Jia Zhengyu appears, wanting to resume his fight with Feng Baobao, but Feng Zhenghao tells him to focus on recovering. Feng Baobao then unleashes a powerful surge of energy directed at Jia Zhengyu and the others present but stops herself, explaining to Zhang Chulan she didn't dodge the attack because he told her to stay standing still.

Episode 6 Recap

Severely injured, Feng Baobao remained still as she had been instructed, telling those around her that she had not forgotten Zhang Chulan's words. Zhang Chulan was stunned by her unwavering obedience despite her injury. With trembling lips and red eyes, he rushed to help her and attempt to stop the severe bleeding, but found it impossible. Feng Shayan's father, Feng Zhenghao, intervened, striking down the attacker, Jia Zhengyu.

He sternly criticized Jia Zhengyu for attacking a girl who had lost the will to fight. Feng Zhenghao then instructed his son, Feng Shayan, to provide basic first aid using their family's technique, Juyuan Xianjiang, which allowed them to temporarily wield a portion of a deceased expert's abilities. He summoned the spirit of Mr. Wang Zizhong, one of the Nine Great Savants renowned as a miraculous healer of external injuries.

However, he noted that Feng Baobao's liver was pierced, making it difficult to balance her Qi and blood. Xu Xiang and others arrived, immediately blaming Zhang Chulan for failing to protect Feng Baobao. They promised compensation for the damages and took Feng Baobao away in a car. During the car ride, Zhang Chulan was filled with remorse, looking at Feng Baobao, who appeared gravely injured and covered in blood.

The two people accompanying them seemed unconcerned and began discussing stopping for a meal at a restaurant known for its salt-baked meat fried potatoes and dry-fried fatty intestines, despite Zhang Chulan's urgent pleas to go to the hospital instead. Eventually, they agreed to send Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao back first. Back in a room, Zhang Chulan sat by the seemingly lifeless Feng Baobao, blaming himself.

Speaking to her as if she could hear, he tearfully apologized and promised to go to Mount Longhu to win the Outsider Martial Art Contest and obtain the Tianshidu, just as she had instructed him before. Unbeknownst to him, Xu Xiang was secretly recording his words. After placing food near Feng Baobao, she suddenly sat up, announcing she had merely slept and was hungry.

It was revealed that she possessed a powerful self-healing ability, and faking the severity of her injury was a deliberate act to prevent this secret from being discovered by the All-Encompassing Guild. After eating heartily, Feng Baobao threw some items at Zhang Chulan and urged him to continue training immediately, reminding him of his goal. Feng Baobao began supervising Zhang Chulan's rigorous training. This included patrolling the mountainside, pushing him hard and forbidding complaints.

Time passed, and they both dedicated themselves to their training. Meanwhile, in a cave, Wang Ye had a recurring vision in his consciousness of a bloodied Zhang Chulan walking towards him. He awoke coughing up blood and resolved that he had no choice but to go to Mount Longhu, realizing he needed to prevent a past version of himself from learning a certain truth. As the Outsider Martial Art Contest approached, Mount Longhu became a bustling scene.

Zhang Lingyu, who was typically uninterested in such events, decided to participate out of respect for his master, the Lao Tianshi. Upon arriving at Mount Longhu, Lu Jin, one of the Ten Elders, was greeted by his great-granddaughter, Lu Linglong. She eagerly approached Zhang Lingyu, expressing her long-held desire to meet "Spiritual Master Lingyu", but he politely brushed her off.

Lu Jin then spoke with the Lao Tianshi, explaining that he had gathered several other elders to support the momentous occasion of opening the contest to the entire Outsider world, especially since the Lao Tianshi was involving Zhang Chulan, whom they saw as an outsider. The Lao Tianshi explained his actions were necessary to address the lingering issues from the Jiashen Calamity and test Zhang Chulan, whom he believed was key but needed tempering through hardship.

Later, Lu Jin convened a meeting with several elders, noting the absence of Master Jiekong, Guan Shihua, and Na Ruhu, who sent their apologies. Lu Jin announced a significant contribution to the contest: he would personally pass down the Tongtian Lu, one of the Eight Extraordinary Skills, to the winner. He stated this was an atonement for the inaction of Mount Longhu and the Lu family during the Jiashen Calamity, which had allowed deep-seated problems to persist.

He intended to make the coveted Eight Extraordinary Skills public, telling everyone there was no need to fight for it anymore, they could simply win it. Separately, at Xia He's birthday party, she blew out her candles. Present were two brothers, Hu Sheng and Hu Jie. Shen Chong, introducing himself as being in the "loaning business," arrived and gave the brothers red envelopes containing Qi, subtly implying his loans involved lending Qi without collateral.

He provocatively suggested he could teach them how to make more money, stating his money begets money. Dou Mei, a psychological consultant among the guests, revealed her ability to see into people's hearts and exposed the brothers' hidden desires and anxieties, including their rivalry for Xia He's affection and Hu Sheng's hidden insecurity about his gift. She referenced a story by Borges about brothers fighting over the same woman.

Shen Chong skillfully instigated a confrontation between the brothers, using a simple chair to symbolize their rivalry, especially for Xia He. Hu Sheng verbally attacked Hu Jie, belittling him and declaring Hu Jie only existed to please Xia He for him. When Hu Jie seemed outmatched, Shen Chong offered him a contract and a loan of Qi to gain the power to defeat his brother. Hu Jie accepted, became powerful, and viciously attacked Hu Sheng, seemingly killing him.

Shen Chong chillingly informed Hu Jie that the borrowed Qi must be repaid with his brother's Qi. Distraught, Hu Jie realized he had been manipulated into killing his brother. Shen Chong, Dou Mei, Xia He, and Lei Yanpao then revealed themselves as the Four Crazies of the Sinister Pleasure organization. They explained their roles: Dou Mei is Wine, Xia He is Lust, Shen Chong is Wealth), and Lei Yanpao is Qi.

They told Hu Jie that he was now one of them and would go to Mount Longhu to impersonate Hu Sheng in the contest, seeing the other Outsiders there as potential sources of Qi ("food") to make him stronger. Despite the grim turn of events, the Four Crazies then jointly wished Xia He a happy birthday.

Xia He, however, seemed distant, reflecting on a past birthday encounter with Zhang Lingyu on a favorite street, a moment she described as reliving an old dream. Elsewhere, Zhang Lingyu woke up alone, also quietly wishing Xia He a happy birthday.

Episode 7 Recap

Zhang Chulan arrived at the agreed meeting spot expecting his friends, but initially, no one was there. As he prepared to leave, his colleagues San and Si arrived with significant luggage. They explained they had taken leave from the company not just to see him off, but to attend the competition on Mount Longhu, viewing it as a vacation.

Zhang Chulan confidently stated he would win and they didn't need to come, but they informed him he wasn't the sole participant from their company, revealing the rules had been altered. To Zhang Chulan's astonishment, Feng Baobao was also going; he realized his recent activities involved acting as her sparring partner, and his colleagues confirmed her presence was intended to assist him with formidable opponents.

At a security checkpoint, Feng Baobao's various items were flagged by security staff and identified as toys, creating an awkward moment for her companions. Continuing their journey towards Mount Longhu, Zhang Chulan's colleague advised him to maintain a low profile upon arrival, warning that many people were aware of him and might target him, emphasizing the need to continuously hide his identity.

As they traveled, they encountered a large crowd surrounding popular idol Zhuge Qing, who was besieged by enthusiastic fans chanting and seeking autographs. Zhang Chulan openly criticized Zhuge Qing, questioning how someone lacking both performing ability and martial skill could achieve such popularity.

His colleague Si corrected him, explaining that Zhuge Qing was a key participant in the Outsider Martial Arts Contest, the most talented successor from the renowned Zhuge family, and a top contender, thereby posing a significant challenge to Zhang Chulan's aspirations. Zhuge Qing then approached Zhang Chulan, signed Zhang Chulan's ticket, and departed in a vehicle.

Later, traveling alone in his vehicle, Zhuge Qing dropped his idol persona, confirming his true purpose for attending the contest was to evaluate Zhang Chulan, specifically mentioning his connection to the technique known as Qi Body Origination. He was determined to ascertain if any other skill could rival the inherited secret techniques of the Zhuge family. Meanwhile, Zhang Chulan and his companions reached Mount Longhu, arriving by boat.

They were cautioned to be careful and avoid getting separated in the bustling crowd. Zhang Chulan needed a restroom, and while he sought one, Feng Baobao quickly wandered off. Searching for her, Zhang Chulan found her conversing with an elderly man near the restrooms. The old man, claiming affiliation with the Beggars' Gang, offered to read Feng Baobao's palm, stating she possessed unusual potential.

He then attempted to sell her "Spotted Red Glass Beads," recounting an elaborate and implausible tale about the beads originating from the spiritual core of a dragon slain by his sect's previous leader centuries ago on that very mountain after a lengthy battle. Feng Baobao, seemingly believing the fantastical story, eagerly expressed her desire to purchase the beads for the asking price of 998 yuan. Zhang Chulan, witnessing this, displayed visible frustration at her credulity and the man's outlandish claims.

Still needing the restroom, he left the scene and, upon entering, unexpectedly encountered Wang Ye, who visibly recognized him, recalling a vision of an odd-eyed youth with a bloody face. Noticing Wang Ye's persistent gaze, Zhang Chulan directly inquired why he was being stared at.

He then openly declared his objective for attending the Mount Longhu contest: winning the championship to secure a meeting with the Chief Celestial Taoist and obtain answers regarding the secrets and history connected to himself and the mountain. Wang Ye replied that meeting the Chief Celestial Taoist was not difficult and led Zhang Chulan to where the elder was located. They found the Chief Celestial Taoist surrounded by people and media cameras.

Wang Ye formally introduced himself as "Wang Ye from Wudang Sect." The Chief Celestial Taoist immediately recognized Zhang Chulan and instructed him to address him as "Grandmaster," explaining he was the senior martial brother of Zhang Chulan's grandfather, Zhang Huaiyi, and had taught Zhang Huaiyi the Gold Brilliance Spell and Lightning Techniques. He then motioned to Zhang Lingyu, who was present, and mentioned he had invited Zhang Chulan and that they had met before.

Zhang Chulan, acknowledging their previous encounter and calculating their seniority, respectfully addressed Zhang Lingyu as "Little Martial Uncle." The Chief Celestial Taoist then excused Zhang Lingyu to attend to other guests, indicating his desire for a private conversation with Zhang Chulan, and they walked away together.

As they walked, Zhang Chulan commented on the timeless feel of the location, noting a well the Chief Celestial Taoist pointed out was used by his master for alchemy, a place he and Zhang Chulan's grandfather frequently visited. Zhang Chulan remarked that he felt the same warmth from the Chief Celestial Taoist as he did from his grandfather.

The Chief Celestial Taoist observed how little Zhang Chulan resembled his grandfather, Zhang Huaiyi, humorously referring to Zhang Huaiyi as a "short rascal" while acknowledging Zhang Chulan's social adeptness. Zhang Chulan clarified that he had only recently discovered his grandfather's true name was Zhang Huaiyi, not Zhang Xilin, which was an alias used to avoid trouble. Zhang Chulan then asked if he could inquire about his secrets at that moment.

The Chief Celestial Taoist stated that he must win the competition to ask his questions. Zhang Chulan protested that he disliked fighting and merely sought the truth, but the Chief Celestial Taoist insisted that the complete truth he sought resided within the Tianshidu, which is inherited by the champion.

Admitting uncertainty about his chances against the many experts present, Zhang Chulan asked for a hint out of respect for his grandfather, but the Chief Celestial Taoist responded that Zhang Chulan should already know if he was capable of winning simply by having the courage to participate.

He then outlined the competition structure: while the front mountain hosted a ritual accessible to tourists, the actual martial arts contest would take place on a separate mountain opposite, reachable only by Outsiders, ensuring privacy. Participants would need to cross to reach the venue. Participants navigated a challenging rope obstacle, demonstrating various skills, and Zhang Chulan successfully crossed. There, he reunited with Feng Xingtong, who expressed happiness at seeing him and mentioned his sister, Feng Shayan, was also attending.

Feng Xingtong playfully reminded Zhang Chulan about their past near-marriage. Feng Shayan approached Feng Baobao, expressing surprise at her rapid recovery from their previous conflict at the All-Encompassing Guild and stating her intention to have a proper match with her at the contest. Feng Baobao, upon Feng Xingtong's arrival, seemed unfamiliar with him and asked who he was. The participants arrived at the contest venue.

Feng Xingtong took the opportunity to introduce Zhang Chulan to several other notable contestants, including Xiao Xiao, described as outwardly friendly but internally cunning; Zhi Jinhua, noted for her intelligence; and Zang Long, whom Feng Xingtong was dismissive of. Feng Xingtong explained that his detailed intelligence gathering was motivated by his father's continued ambition for Zhang Chulan to join the All-Encompassing Guild or become his son-in-law. He identified Zhuge Qing and Zhang Lingyu as potentially Zhang Chulan's most formidable opponents.

An announcer commenced the formal introductions of the competitors entering the arena. Zhuge Qing was introduced first, recognized for being both an idol and a skilled practitioner of Qimen techniques. Next was Wang Ye from the Wudang Sect. Bai Shixue, despite her delicate appearance, was introduced with her unique ability to absorb others' qi. Various other young practitioners were also introduced.

When Feng Shayan and Feng Xingtong entered, accompanied by Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao, the announcer referred to Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao as the Feng siblings' "servants," a description that visibly displeased Zhang Chulan. Finally, Zhang Lingyu from the Celestial Taoist Mansion was introduced, celebrated for his mastery of the Gold Brilliance Spell and Lightning Techniques, and hailed as "perfect" by some in the crowd.

The announcer declared the champion's grand prize: not only the Tianshidu but also the legendary technique, the Infinite Heavenly Talisman. Among the spectators, Bai Shixue was managing a betting pool. Feng Baobao, learning of this, immediately decided to place a bet of 1000 yuan on Zhang Chulan to win.

When Bai Shixue inquired if she herself aimed to become the Celestial Taoist, Feng Baobao clarified that Zhang Chulan was the one pursuing that title, and her role was simply to eliminate any opponents who obstructed his path. The Chief Celestial Taoist, Zhang Zhiwei, then stepped forward to address the gathering. He welcomed everyone, stating that the Outsider Martial Arts Contest traditionally serves as an opportunity for qi practitioners to exchange skills. He announced that the tournament featured 128 participants competing for a single champion title. With that, the 100th Outsider Martial Arts Contest officially began.

Episode 8 Recap

The Outsider Martial Arts Contest was announced by Zhang Zhiwei, the 99th Chief Celestial Taoist of Mount Longhu. He explained that the contest, alongside traditional rituals, serves as an opportunity for qi practitioners to interact and compete. There were 128 participants, and only one champion would emerge through elimination rounds. The first round involved four contestants competing head-on, with the sole winner advancing.

Knocking down an opponent was the only criterion for victory, with no other rules, although contestants could admit defeat or forfeit if strength disparities were too great. Participants were instructed to use the official Mount Longhu application to draw lots, which assigned them a sequence for their match (Heavenly Stems) and a creature group (four contestants with the same creature symbol competed together).

Zhang Chulan noted the difficulty of the four-into-one format and his seemingly bad luck after drawing White Tiger. Zhang Zhiwei expressed regret about Zhang Chulan's grandfather, Huaiyi, wishing he had found him, lamenting what happened to him, and regretting letting Xu Xiang search alone, which led to his abilities being wasted. The first match pitted Feng Baobao, in the Chital Deer, Group One, against the Jinwei Peach Garden Trio, consisting of Liu Fang, Guan Ling'er, and Zhang Cai.

According to records, these three were childhood friends who later joined and were expelled from the same sect, earning a reputation for being troublesome and having been repeatedly detained and warned by NDT Express. The trio was known to be formidable when they fought together. Initially confident, they recognized Feng Baobao and recalled a past encounter where she had given them a "compassionately educational" experience by locking them in a container and throwing it into the Pacific Ocean.

Faced with her again, they quickly decided to admit defeat, making Feng Baobao the winner of the first match. Subsequent matches showcased diverse abilities. Jia Zhengliang, of Vermilion Bird, Group Two, impressed with his object manipulation skills, manipulating multiple flying daggers simultaneously. His opponents quickly forfeited, and he won his match.

Xiao Xiao, from Azure Dragon, Group Two, demonstrated the Sniff technique, which involves using specific vocalizations to expel qi and could even temporarily disperse an opponent's primordial spirit, leaving them utterly defenseless if hit directly. It was noted that observing when he accumulated power and keeping distance was the key defense. Xiao Xiao secured his victory using this formidable skill.

Bai Shixue, in Chital Deer, Group Three, possessed the ability to devour others' qi, a skill noted to be particularly effective against techniques like the Gold Brilliance Spell. She won her match. Wang Ye, in Black Tortoise, Group Two, faced three opponents, including Jin Meng, known for his great strength and impervious body, and Zhuge Bai, who used Qimen skills. Zhuge Bai, despite being young, attempted to use a small Bagua Array but was overwhelmed by Jin Meng.

Wang Ye then quickly defeated Jin Meng with a powerful palm strike, demonstrating his extraordinary strength effortlessly and winning his match, which caught the attention of Zhuge Qing. Zhuge Qing, in Vermilion Bird, Group Three, showcased his mastery of Wuhou Qimen, an art that uses time and space as entry points to decipher the Way of Heaven and find loopholes, allowing him to seemingly predict his opponents' attacks.

When his opponents attempted to gang up on him, one quickly admitted defeat, and Zhuge Qing emerged victorious. Zhang Lingyu, from Black Tortoise, Group Two, also demonstrated overwhelming power, defeating all his opponents in a single strike, solidifying his reputation as a formidable practitioner. Zhang Chulan's match was scheduled next, but he was initially absent, leading his three opponents to wonder if he had fled and discuss teaming up against the rumored inheritor of Qi Apotheosis.

Zhang Chulan eventually arrived, shrouded in a black cloak. Addressing the contest, he declared he was there to avenge his grandfather, who had been wronged by the Outsiders. He boldly claimed he would defeat all powerful figures, including the head of The All-Encompassing Guild, the Ten Elders, and all strong individuals. As he spoke, unusual weather phenomena occurred, including a gust of wind that blew away the Chief Celestial Taoist's banana.

This display led some to believe he possessed terrifying power, possibly the legendary Qi Apotheosis, capable of summoning nature and altering weather with mere thought, perhaps even surpassing the Chief Celestial Taoist's level, despite the fact that no qi flow could be sensed from him. Although intimidated, his opponents decided to attack him 3v1, noting that he was alone. Zhang Chulan dismissed them as "ants" and challenged them to crawl to him for their pathetic defeat.

One opponent, feeling reprimanded and inspired by Zhang Chulan's words, asked for a head-on duel to test his limits against a powerful adversary and uphold his dignity as a challenger. Zhang Chulan surprisingly sat down and told the opponent to adjust his breathing and qi to his best state, stating he wouldn't fight him until he was ready, an act the opponent thanked him for, considering it an honor to face such an opponent.

However, while the opponent was apparently preparing, Zhang Chulan suddenly placed his black cloak over him and proceeded to beat him up, securing victory through this unexpected and widely condemned method. After the match, commentators expressed shock and called Zhang Chulan shameless for his actions. As Zhang Chulan walked away, he faced insults and criticism from others.

He cheerfully approached Zhang Lingyu and called him "Martial Uncle," but Zhang Lingyu reacted coldly, telling him to maintain self-respect and stop using that address, visibly trying to distance himself. Zhang Chulan was confused by Zhang Lingyu's attitude, noting that he seemed kind to everyone else but was consistently mean to him. Later, over drinks and food like crayfish and roujiamo at Xu's Restaurant, two junior Taoists attempted to explain Zhang Lingyu's behavior to Zhang Chulan.

They initially hinted at jealousy due to special favor from the Chief Celestial Taoist, but corrected themselves, stating the true reason was related to their respective Lightning Techniques. Zhang Lingyu practices Five Elements Yin Lightning, a modified version of half the complete technique, suitable for those who have broken their virginity. Zhang Chulan, however, cultivates Five Elements Yang Lightning, the original version of half the technique, which requires the practitioner to remain a virgin.

The junior Taoists confirmed that Zhang Lingyu had previously been in a relationship, and "this" difference in their cultivation of the Lightning Techniques, particularly Zhang Chulan having access to the pure Yang version due to his state, was the source of Zhang Lingyu's jealousy. Hearing that even Zhang Lingyu had experienced romance left Zhang Chulan deeply saddened about his own lack of a love life.

In his sadness, Zhang Chulan was dragged away by Feng Baobao, who said she would cheer him up. She took him to where Shan Shitong, his next opponent, was tied up. Feng Baobao explained she intended to bury Shan Shitong in a hole, leaving his head exposed, reassuring Zhang Chulan that she had checked the area for privacy and even bought food like chicken heart, kidney, and meat so he wouldn't starve.

She revealed that this was her way of working – clearing obstacles for Zhang Chulan's path to victory. Zhang Chulan was horrified, calling it despicable and worrying it would ruin his reputation. Feng Baobao dismissed his concern about reputation and insisted she was witty and not silly. Zhang Chulan continued to object, asking about her shovel and her inclination to bury people, fearing they would be reported.

Feng Baobao suggested denying it and washing Shan Shitong before letting him go to eliminate evidence. Zhang Chulan then untied Shan Shitong. Enraged, Shan Shitong immediately attacked Feng Baobao, calling her a "madwoman." Zhang Chulan tried to intervene, suggesting they talk things out instead of resorting to violence. Shan Shitong threatened to beat Zhang Chulan as well if he didn't get out of the way, but Zhang Chulan persisted in trying to mediate the situation.

Episode 9 Recap

Watching Zhang Chulan's match, Feng Shayan's brother commented on his popularity, but Feng Shayan disagreed, believing many were there hoping to see him defeated. Nearby, Feng Baobao was asleep, completely unconcerned about Zhang Chulan's safety, convinced he would win even against an opponent known for sealing energy flow, Shan Shitong. When Zhang Chulan entered the arena for the Top 32 Elimination Round match, the crowd immediately began shouting insults at him. Despite the hostility, he walked confidently to the center.

His opponent, Shan Shitong, failed to show up after extensive searching. As a result, Zhang Chulan won the match by forfeit, leading the frustrated audience to cry foul and declare the result rigged. An angry audience member jumped from the stands, determined to expose Zhang Chulan as a despicable person and force a fight. Security personnel intervened, reminding everyone that interfering with the tournament was forbidden.

The challenger insisted he wasn't disrespecting the event but simply couldn't stand Zhang Chulan and demanded a fair fight. Zhang Chulan recognized the challenger and recalled a conversation from the previous night with Feng Baobao and Shan Shitong. Zhang Chulan had taunted Shan Shitong, offering him food while he was clearly hungry, and proposed they fight to test Shan Shitong's strength.

Zhang Chulan bet that if he won, he wouldn't fear Shan Shitong anymore, but if he lost, he would bury Shan Shitong himself. Feng Baobao warned she wouldn't help him if he lost, as they were not in the tournament arena. Shan Shitong had accepted the challenge.

During their fight the night before, Zhang Chulan had analyzed Shan Shitong's techniques, noting that while his Vermilion Book ability was strong, he relied on it too heavily, making him slow the more qi he used. Zhang Chulan admitted he only allowed himself to be hit to test its power and advised Shan Shitong to improve his qi distribution, calling it an "old problem."

In the present moment, the challenger, Shan Shitong, stated he couldn't defeat Zhang Chulan and wasn't obligated to be his sparring partner or help him get stronger. He congratulated Zhang Chulan on reaching the Top 16 before walking away from the arena. Feng Shayan's father, observing the scene, found Zhang Chulan increasingly intriguing and instructed his children to get closer to him, unconcerned about the Chief Celestial Taoist's potential involvement. His son agreed to get to know Zhang Chulan first.

In another match, Zang Long faced Zhang Lingyu. Zang Long was repeatedly struck down but kept getting back up, fueled by the hope of having dinner with Lu Linglong if he persevered. Despite Zang Long's renowned resilience, Zhang Lingyu eventually resorted to using the Celestial Taoist Mansion's Lightning Technique, the Yin Five Thunder (also referred to as Lightning Palm by commentators), noting it was his first time using it in the tournament.

The powerful black lightning attack pierced Zang Long's body, causing internal damage and ending the match. Zhang Lingyu was declared the winner. Later, someone using the name Hu Sheng brutally won a match using the Soul-Breaking Palm. During this time, news circulated about a death where someone's qi was completely drained, suspected to be the work of Hu Jie.

Shen Chong, who appeared to control Hu Jie, contacted him, demanding repayment of the qi he had borrowed and threatening him if he failed to find a target soon. Shen Chong admitted that sending Hu Jie to Mount Longhu was just to cause trouble. Separately, a group including Shen Chong and Xia He analyzed a small fragment of Zhang Xilin's memory extracted from his body, discovering who killed him and realizing their initial assumptions were wrong.

This revelation was considered more significant than finding the Qi Apotheosis. They decided to cause chaos at Mount Longhu and planned to invite someone to join them. The real Hu Sheng's body was later discovered, confirming the fighter in the tournament was an imposter. Amidst heavy rain forecasts for Chongqing, a message was sent to Xu Xiang, informing him that Zhang Xilin's killer was at Mount Longhu and inviting him there with the promise of a surprise.

Xu Xiang discussed the trip with his companion, who offered to go with him, but Xu Xiang insisted he stay behind. Zhang Chulan was approached by NDT Express staff who escorted him to meet with two elders, Wang Ai and Lyu Ci. Although Zhang Chulan didn't know them, they claimed to know his grandfather. Wang Ai and Lyu Ci immediately demanded the Qi Apotheosis from him, offering anything in return.

Zhang Chulan denied having it, mentioning that Sinister Pleasure and NDT Express had already asked him. The elders were insistent they would find out if he was lying. Lyu Gong, Lyu Ci's great-grandson and Lyu Liang's brother, appeared and claimed that Lyu Liang had killed their sister. Lyu Gong admitted he desired Zhang Chulan's Qi Apotheosis to gain the power to eliminate Lyu Liang. Zhang Chulan again denied possessing it.

Lyu Gong proposed using a non-intrusive application of the Soul Whisperer technique on the surface of Zhang Chulan's body to determine if he was truthful. Zhang Chulan reluctantly agreed. Just then, Feng Baobao arrived, asking if Zhang Chulan was being bothered. Despite being told to wait outside, she remained. Zhang Chulan accepted Lyu Gong's test again, and Lyu Gong confirmed that Zhang Chulan was indeed telling the truth; his grandfather had not taught him anything about Qi Apotheosis.

Xu Xiang arrived with other NDT Express members, interrupting the meeting. He inquired what the elders wanted with their employee. Wang Ai stated they were simply eager to meet Zhang Chulan, a rising star in the tournament. Xu Xiang prepared to take Zhang Chulan, but Wang Ai stopped him, revealing that Zhang Xilin had disappeared from the Celestial Taoist Mansion and hid for decades because he had disrupted the Outsiders' world and colluded with Sinister Pleasure.

Lyu Ci added that the full details involved scandals within the Celestial Taoist Mansion and were better revealed by the Chief Celestial Taoist himself. Xu Xiang then escorted a visibly affected Zhang Chulan away. Xu Xiang left Zhang Chulan with Feng Baobao, asking her to watch over him and ensure he didn't miss his match, to which Feng Baobao replied that Zhang Chulan was more important than the competition.

Later, Shen Chong contacted Hu Jie again, demanding the borrowed qi and threatening him if he didn't find a target within an hour. The fake Hu Sheng's match continued, and the impostor won brutally.

Separately, Xu Xiang discussed the situation regarding the fake Hu Sheng and the real one's death with the Chief Celestial Taoist, who questioned whether Xu Xiang's interest in Zhang Chulan stemmed from genuinely wanting to help him or from using him to uncover secrets about Huaiyi and the Jiashen Calamity for NDT Express or himself. Xu Xiang maintained he was only trying to help Zhang Chulan. The match between Wang Ergou and Feng Baobao began.

Commentators initially predicted an easy win for Feng Baobao, but Wang Ergou surprised them with his unique technique, Flowing Rainbow, which used infused qi to influence opponents' emotions. Despite Wang Ergou's attempts to instill negative emotions and then Fiery Passion with his attacks, Feng Baobao remained completely unaffected, astonishing the commentators. They marveled at her unshakeable mental fortitude, finding it unusual for someone her age, and questioned the nature of her qi.

Wang Ergou, unable to affect her, asked her to reveal the color of her qi and show him who she truly was. He was shocked to discover she possessed "Colorless qi." Defeated and bewildered, Wang Ergou surrendered. Feng Baobao simply stated, "Done. Time to go." Zhang Chulan, meanwhile, received a message. Shen Chong appeared to him, urging him to remain calm and offering to reveal a small part of the truth about his grandfather's death.

He showed Zhang Chulan the memory fragment from Zhang Xilin's final moments, revealing the face of the person his grandfather saw before dying. Shen Chong stated it was surprising that the killer had been beside him all along, and the memory fragment revealed Feng Baobao's face, implying she was responsible for Zhang Chulan's grandfather's death.

Episode 10 Recap

Someone reveals to Zhang Chulan that his grandfather's murderer has been near him all along, helping him extract a memory from his grandfather's last moments. Zhang Chulan dismisses this, laughing and calling the memory fake. He argues that when his grandfather died, Feng Baobao was only eight or nine years old, while the Feng Baobao depicted in the memory appears to be over twenty. He tells the person their lie is too ridiculous and they should try harder next time.

The person challenges him to verify the truth himself before leaving. As the person departs, Zhang Chulan is overcome by a sudden memory of seeing a family member fall into blood when he was very young. Disturbed, he rushes forward. Meanwhile, Mr. Xu and others confront a person they believe might have information about Sinister Pleasure. Mr. Xu pressures the person, demanding to know what Sinister Pleasure wants and accusing them of making a deal with Shen Chong.

He warns them that Shen Chong's clients lose their humanity and eventually kill their loved ones, including their own siblings, as their qi is drained. Mr. Xu directly accuses the person of killing their brother, Hu Sheng. The person becomes distressed, denying they killed anyone and insisting they "are" Hu Sheng. However, they then seem to struggle with their identity, mentioning 'Hu Jie' and lamenting their brother. Suddenly, they shift, declaring 'I am Hu Jie. I killed my brother. .

. No! Sinister Pleasure did!' As they repeat 'Sinister Pleasure' incoherently, Mr. Xu observes that it is 'time to collect what is due' and Shen Chong is draining the person's qi remotely. The person is declared lost. It is revealed that this person was actually Hu Jie, whose face had been disguised as Hu Sheng by Yu Huadu. It is concluded that Gao Ning and Shen Chong are responsible for their deaths.

Mr. Xu instructs Xu Si to issue an arrest warrant and tells Xu San to summon Zhang Chulan immediately. Feng Baobao is discovered to be missing from the scene. Mr. Xu is found severely injured, having lost a significant amount of blood. Despite his critical condition, he refuses to go to the hospital, stating he knows his body and has important information to share. Xu Xiang and others are shown caring for him.

Xu San is tasked by Mr. Xu with finding Zhang Chulan. When Zhang Chulan arrives to see Mr. Xu, there is a sudden, confusing incident involving two individuals appearing as Zhang Chulan. After this confusion, Xu San speaks to Zhang Chulan about Feng Baobao's true nature.

Xu San explains that in his past travels to perfect a technique called Flowing Rainbow by analyzing various people's qi, he visited a nation where convicted criminals had their brain white matter completely destroyed, causing them to lose their memories and sense of self. This procedure turned their qi colorless. Xu San states that Feng Baobao's qi is also colorless, indicating that her 'primordial spirit' has been reset, leaving her without the qualities that make her fully human.

He questions if Zhang Chulan truly understands who she is. Zhang Chulan immediately confronts Feng Baobao, directly asking if she killed his grandfather. Someone present questions why Baobao would do such a thing, but Zhang Chulan insists he is asking only her. He repeats his question. Feng Baobao calmly replies, "Your grandfather. . . Yes, I killed him." Someone urges Zhang Chulan to calm down. Zhang Chulan then asks Mr. Xu if he was present when his grandfather was killed.

Mr. Xu, still injured, tells Zhang Chulan to sit, stating he will share what he knows about 'Wu,' explaining that 'Wu is Baobao' and he has used that name for many years. He assures Zhang Chulan that he is safe and the people present are capable of harming him if that were their intention. Mr. Xu begins recounting events from the Year of Jiashen. He describes a time when his family lived in the mountains.

His family, including his parents and his younger self (known then as Xiang), discovered a young woman alone and silent, who didn't appear to be local. Villagers harassed her, but young Xiang defended her. His family took her in, offering food and shelter. As she didn't speak and seemed to have lost her memory, they called her 'Wu.'

After some time, while being taught to speak, read, and write by Xiang's mother (Zhao), Wu wrote 'Feng Baobao,' saying it was the only name she remembered and she thought it was hers. One day, while thinking about her past, Wu had a strange physical reaction. Xiang's mother sought help from the elder Mr. Xu, a former physician, who observed Wu in a specific meditative posture.

He suspected she was cultivating qi, explaining it was a practice of mystics, something he had attempted unsuccessfully in his youth. He felt a strange, comforting breeze around her. The elder Mr. Xu warned them not to speak of Wu to others, sensing a complex background that might cause trouble. Wu explained that her head felt like it would burst, and the posture relieved the pain by making something inside her flow smoothly, feeling comfortable afterward.

She didn't know who taught her but thought she knew it from the past. She sensed a similar 'thing' inside young Xiang and tried to teach him how to gather and settle it by calming his mind, as 'distractions' would scatter it like water. This was young Xiang's first encounter with qi. He secretly practiced cultivating qi under Wu's guidance daily, feeling himself become stronger.

He later realized how difficult and dangerous the initial step of gaining 'qi sense' was without Wu's help. Over the next five years, Wu became an integral part of the family. They lived a simple life, teaching her, taking photos (including a "family photo"), and finding joy in everyday moments, like Zhao singing the 'Huangyang shoulder pole' song. Young Xiang cherished this period as the happiest of his life.

During this time, a relative, Second Aunt, proposed that Wu marry her son, but the family refused, debating Wu's future and acknowledging that she couldn't stay forever without finding her own family. Young Xiang's deep affection for Wu became apparent as he suggested they officially adopt her if her family couldn't be found. His mother expressed reservations, finding Wu somewhat emotionally distant and questioning if she truly felt like family.

When asked if she liked them or Xiang, Wu struggled to define 'like' but affirmed that she did, repeating the word while trying to understand the feeling. Five years after her arrival, they decided to celebrate that day as her birthday, solidifying her place in the family. However, their happiness was shattered by a bandit attack. The bandits stole their possessions, injured young Xiang, and planned to burn the villagers.

Zhao desperately pleaded with the bandits to spare Wu, whom she referred to as her daughter. Witnessing Zhao's grief and tears, Wu felt a physical pain in her chest for the first time and realized this feeling was 'like' – she liked them and didn't want to see them hurt. Promising Zhao she would make the bandits pay with their lives, Wu unleashed incredible strength, brutally killing all the attackers.

Young Xiang, who was present, later reflected that while his mother feared he would be traumatized by the bloodshed, his perspective as someone already entering the world of 'outsiders' led him to see the event not as shocking violence, but as something profoundly weird and mysterious.

Episode 11 Recap

As the bandits were dealt with, Ms. Zhao had laid her husband's body to rest. Back home, the atmosphere during their meal with Awu was subdued, unlike before. Awu, however, seemed oblivious, eating her food intently. Since the incident, the neighbors had begun whispering about Awu's strangeness, particularly her unchanging appearance over the years, which struck them as unnatural and frightening. They feared her strength and insisted she leave the village.

Overwhelmed by the rumors and fearing Awu's perceived cold-heartedness, Ms. Zhao decided, for the sake of her family, to take Awu away. She led Awu to a desolate spot, left supplies, and intended for Awu to live alone. She told Awu to hide there and wait for her and her son Gou Wazi (Xiang) to find her family. Awu asked if they weren't her family, and Ms. Zhao apologized, saying she was sorry.

Despite Awu having single-handedly dealt with the mountain bandits, the neighbors feared her unnatural strength. Before leaving, Ms. Zhao placed things on Awu's hand and implored her to remember the precious name, Feng Baobao. Ms. Zhao apologized for abandoning her and explained that her previous family, who named her Baobao, must have loved her deeply, leaving her with clues like her name and being dressed well "like a wealthy young lady" when found.

She also warned Awu never to kill anyone again, though Awu seemed not to understand why killing was wrong when it had saved everyone. Ms. Zhao, fearing Awu's nature, pulled her young son Xiang away and told Awu that a grasshopper would keep her company and to wait there for them. Xiang was reluctant to leave, but Ms. Zhao insisted, feeling scared of Awu.

Ms. Zhao later reflected on her decision, wondering how her own mother would feel knowing she'd left Awu alone in the mountains for decades. Decades passed, and Xiang, now an adult known as Xu Xiang and a notable figure in the Outsiders' world, often returned to the village but found no trace of Awu. He spoke to an acquaintance, who suggested Awu might be old or even dead after forty years.

But Xu Xiang was certain Awu was still alive and vowed to find her during his lifetime. His business thrived, and he reformed his company into an express delivery service, specifically seeking a role that required extensive travel across the country to aid his search for Awu, becoming a field agent for NDT Express. Years later, while on a business trip to Southeast Asia, Xu Xiang contacted a local acquaintance named Rong, who was influential in the area.

Xu Xiang's search eventually led him to a group of human traffickers. Awu, hungry, had attempted to take Char Siu Buns from a vendor for herself and some children but was intercepted. A woman trafficker, seeing her vulnerability and naive state, pretended to know her family and lured her to a basement with others. The traffickers discussed Awu, noting her naive state ("a little foolish") but acknowledging her physical health.

Awu repeatedly asked where her family was, but they told her no one there knew her. Xu Xiang and Rong, posing as buyers, met the traffickers in the basement. Xu Xiang confirmed Awu's identity from a photograph Rong showed him, then revealed his true purpose. Despite the traffickers' attempt to restrain her, Awu easily subdued them. Awu recognized Xu Xiang, noting that his "scent" hadn't changed, and thanked him for bringing her to someone who knew her, baffling the traffickers.

Xu Xiang handed over the evidence of the trafficking ring's crimes to the local police. After rescuing her, Xu Xiang arranged for Awu to join NDT Express as a temporary employee, providing her with a position that allowed for easy changes of identity. Xu Xiang shared this long story with Zhang Chulan, explaining that it was the story of the Xu family's three generations and Awu, later known as Feng Baobao.

Zhang Chulan found the story fantastical and questioned its connection to Feng Baobao killing his grandfather. Xu Xiang explained that he had kept these details from Zhang Chulan and his brother for their own and Awu's sake. Xu Xiang revealed that his continued investigation into Awu's background showed a deep connection to the Jiashen Calamity. Most people involved had died, leaving only a few survivors, including Zhang Chulan's grandfather, who had hidden himself.

However, twelve years prior, Xu Xiang detected unusual activity. Elders from various clans gathered secretly at Mount Siguniang, seemingly pursuing something. Xu Xiang found over a dozen bodies along the way. Among them were the leaders of the First Qi Clan, Natural Skill Clan (Cosmos Clan), and Sanchuan Tang Clan's Yang Lie.

Xu Xiang overheard Yang Lie speaking to another person, threatening that if he couldn't obtain the "Origin of Qi Body," it would vanish from the world with that person, whom Yang Lie called an "old thief." This other person was Zhang Chulan's grandfather. Zhang Chulan's grandfather, appearing gravely injured, revealed himself, confirming he was the culprit behind the deaths at Mount Siguniang and one of the Jiashen survivors. He recognized Feng Baobao after decades, amazed she hadn't changed.

He admitted he knew the truth about her family but was dying and selfishly chose not to tell her directly. Instead, he offered her a way to find the truth: staying by Zhang Chulan's side. He asked Feng Baobao to protect Zhang Chulan after he was gone, preferably without revealing her presence to him initially, to avoid involving him in the Outsiders' world conflicts or making him feel special. Feng Baobao agreed, hoping it would lead her to her family.

Zhang Chulan's grandfather handed an item to Feng Baobao to give Zhang Chulan when he needed power in the Outsiders' world. Trusting Feng Baobao completely, he explained he was holding on with his innate qi due to the fatal effect of the Tang Clan's Dan. He asked Feng Baobao to end his life quickly, seeing it as a good end and a way to clear potential trouble for Zhang Chulan and other Jiashen descendants.

He reflected on the Jiashen year and a train he boarded. Feng Baobao granted his request. A flashback showed a young Zhang Chulan waiting for his grandfather, who had promised to return after he finished eating, but never did. Xu Xiang, finishing his account, suddenly collapsed, spitting blood. He reiterated that his sole motivation for involving Zhang Chulan and telling this story, including Zhang Chulan's participation in the Outsider Martial Arts Contest, was to help Awu find her past.

He entrusted Awu to Zhang Chulan's care. Feng Baobao watched as Xu Xiang passed away ("disappeared from her sight"). There were brief glimpses of childhood memories: Feng Baobao teaching a young Xiang (Gou Wazi) a Qi technique by adjusting his breathing, and Ms. Zhao leaving Wu with the grasshopper, having once considered giving Wu a place in their family if her own relatives couldn't be found.

Later, Zhang Chulan and Xu Xiang's sons were at Mount Longhu, a place their father loved, for a memorial. One son spoke of their father's dedication to the Outsiders' world and his desire for peace in this favorite spot, where he could feel like a simple person. As they mourned, Zhang Chulan looked at the uncomprehending Feng Baobao who knew nothing of these events and resolved to stay by her side until the truth was uncovered. Having been protected by her for so many years, he felt it was now his turn to do something for her.

Episode 12 Recap

Now that Xu Xiang was dead, the entire Outsiders' world was in chaos. The protection on Mount Longhu was gone, but the Outsider Martial Arts Contest was still ongoing, causing concern that villains from the Sinister Pleasure might infiltrate and cause trouble. The Chief Celestial Taoist, however, remained calm, assuring everyone there was no need to worry. He explained that the company had dispatched new persons in charge: Xu Xiang's two sons.

Others present expressed disdain, believing the sons were incapable of shouldering their father's heavy responsibilities, especially after their veteran father fell prey to the Sinister Pleasure. Xu Xiang's sons admitted they were far inferior to their father but asserted they possessed a sense of righteousness and would act decisively within their capabilities to manage affairs within their reach. They promised that no accidents would occur during the contest, which seemed to reassure those present.

Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao were then brought to meet Grandmasters Tian Jinzhong and Mr. Lu Jin. Upon seeing them, Zhang Chulan immediately adopted an overly obsequious attitude, kneeling before both. This behavior elicited scorn from onlookers who witnessed his 'boot-licking'. Zhang Chulan praised Mr. Lu Jin, noting his reverence was deserved because Lu Jin had made the tournament exciting by bringing out the Tongtian Lu.

Mr. Lu Jin dismissed the formality but offered Zhang Chulan a favor as compensation for having "pitted" him somehow, provided it wasn't harmful or immoral. Feng Baobao was present but remained quiet. Later, the Chief Celestial Taoist asked the younger disciples who were eavesdropping to leave, keeping only Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao for a private conversation. He confirmed that past incidents were true and that Zhang Chulan's grandfather, Zhang Huaiyi, had indeed been associated with the Sinister Pleasure.

It was revealed that Zhang Huaiyi, along with members from other prominent sects, including Zheng Zibu from Maoshan Shangqing Sect (who created the Tongtian Lu) and Feng Tianyang (a predecessor of Feng Zhenghao), had become sworn brothers. This group of thirty-six individuals was later known as the Thirty-Six Thieves.

Though their pact was secretive, it was discovered, leading the prominent sects to issue a kill order against them without stating specific reasons or crimes, simply to protect their reputations and hoping the thirty-six would vanish. Grandmaster Tian Jinzhong recounted that he and Zhang Zhiwei (the Chief Celestial Taoist) were sent by their master, the former Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing, to pursue Zhang Huaiyi. They split up but ultimately couldn't find him.

Tian Jinzhong was ambushed by unknown attackers who interrogated him about Zhang Huaiyi's whereabouts. Because he truly didn't know, they damaged his meridians and chopped off his limbs, leaving him severely injured. Tian Jinzhong explained that this injury prevented him from practicing physical martial arts but allowed him to focus intently on static qigong, leading to great progress, even making him no longer require sleep due to being full of spiritual energy. Hearing this, Zhang Chulan became emotional, shedding tears.

Tian Jinzhong explained that Zhang Huaiyi chose to remain in hiding rather than return to the sect because he feared bringing trouble upon them. He urged Zhang Chulan not to blame his grandfather, stating that he and Zhang Zhiwei had never resented Huaiyi. Overcome with emotion, Zhang Chulan expressed his desire to ask his grandfather why he hid the truth and acknowledged his grandfather's hardships, kowtowing to the Chief Celestial Taoist and Tian Jinzhong.

The Chief Celestial Taoist and Tian Jinzhong warmly accepted Zhang Chulan as their shared grandson, offering him the Celestial Taoist Mansion as his home and promising to look after him. Suddenly, Feng Baobao left the room. Outside, she was stopped by some individuals who spoke to her. She reacted violently, attacking them, and Zhang Chulan rushed out to intervene but was hit during the altercation.

Later, after the Zhang Lingyu vs. Lu Linglong match (which Zhang Lingyu won, prompting comments from the elders about their compatibility), Mr. Lu Jin playfully accosted the Chief Celestial Taoist, who dodged his advances, showing the two patriarchs' long-standing, boisterous friendship. Zhang Chulan then had a match against Tang Wenlong. Tang Wenlong declared he was there to seek revenge because Zhang Huaiyi had killed seven members of the Tang Sect years ago and intended to defeat Zhang Chulan.

Tang Wenlong was known for his dangerous poisonous miasma, which made close combat impossible. The match began, and Zhang Chulan displayed surprising speed. When Tang Wenlong unleashed his miasma, Zhang Chulan used numerous remote lightning attacks, wrapping Tang Wenlong in electrical currents and causing black smoke to appear, defeating him quickly without needing to get close. Zhang Chulan was declared the winner. That evening, many participants gathered, drinking and socializing. The atmosphere was lively and friendly.

Zhang Chulan, encouraged by the atmosphere and having resolved the immediate conflict with Tang Wenlong through conversation, offered to show everyone his Forbidden Seal (Jinzhi Sha), which is a rare and nearly lost technique. People gathered around eagerly to observe it up close, expressing interest in the ancient technique not recorded in modern manuals. Zhang Chulan used his qi to make the seal's symbols more visible, revealing intricate, classical patterns. He playfully described the aesthetic as "Bohemianism."

Later, Wang Ye sought out the Chief Celestial Taoist late at night. Wang Ye stated he came to inform the Chief Celestial Taoist that he intended to prevent Zhang Chulan from winning the contest and inheriting the Tianshidu. He explained his purpose was the opposite of what the Chief Celestial Taoist seemed to want, and that stopping Zhang Chulan might require defeating formidable opponents like Zhuge Qing or Zhang Lingyu. He also mentioned he had multiple teachers, including Chief Yunlong.

The Chief Celestial Taoist offered to test Wang Ye. Wang Ye used the "Chaos Golden Lock" technique, which briefly affected the Chief Celestial Taoist, making him feel detached from his surroundings. The Chief Celestial Taoist acknowledged Wang Ye's skill, noting the technique's effect on time and rhythm. He told Wang Ye to pursue his goal, stating that Zhang Chulan's fate in the tournament rested solely on himself, not the Chief or Wang Ye. Wang Ye then took his leave.

Episode 13 Recap

Morning arrived, and Zhang Chulan suddenly sat up, attempting to convince everyone to forget the embarrassing events of the previous night. However, the others present were determined to recount his actions, causing Zhang Chulan to frantically try and silence them. Seeing that everyone was teasing him, he turned to Feng Baobao, believing she wouldn't lie, and asked her what truly happened.

He was dismayed to learn that everyone had been greatly entertained by his antics and that he was even being called a legend among Outsiders, with some expressing belief in him. Discovering that someone had recorded a video, Zhang Chulan desperately chased after the person to retrieve it. Later, wearing sunglasses in an attempt to go unnoticed, he discreetly returned to the spectator stands. The match between Feng Baobao and Xiao Xiao was next.

Senior figures, including the Chief Celestial Taoist, Mr. Tian, Mr. Lu, and Mr. Feng, were in attendance, a fact that surprised many as they had not appeared for earlier matches, suggesting a specific interest in Feng Baobao. The Chief Celestial Taoist's face was noticeably swollen; he explained this was due to a mishap during his qi circulation practice while developing a new martial art, resulting in a blockage in his Yangming Meridian.

Xiao Xiao began the match by stating that he knew Feng Baobao often cleaned up after Zhang Chulan, but this match would mark the end of that duty. He then used the renowned Sniff attack, a technique targeting the primordial spirit that induces temporary defenselessness. While some onlookers found the technique repulsive, Mr. Tian explained its function. The Chief Celestial Taoist observed Feng Baobao, noting her seemingly random yet effective movements that allowed her to evade decisive blows.

He remarked on the unusual clarity in her eyes, which resembled his own state of "Shen Ying Nei Lian" (inward radiance), speculating she possessed exceptional innate talent and reacted purely on instinct without formal training. Discussions arose among the seniors that she might be a temporary agent for the NDT Express, a special, unpredictable force operating outside the company's regular structure, known for highly capable individuals with hidden identities and significant secrets.

Zhang Chulan, overhearing this, expressed worry and advised keeping a distance from such individuals. Feng Baobao attempted some long-range techniques Zhang Chulan had shown her, including Qi Bullets and Qi Grand Displacement, but they proved ineffective. Zhang Chulan tried to explain that techniques needed to be integrated with one's personal qi flow, akin to coding with source code. Feng Baobao, however, simply concluded she hadn't used enough qi.

Her subsequent attack, the 18 Formidable Ways, was weak, only managing to knock over aluminum cans. The Chief Celestial Taoist commented that she was using her qi like throwing solid gold bricks rather than utilizing it efficiently. Xiao Xiao pressed his advantage with the Sniff attack. Feng Baobao adapted, seemingly realizing the attack was stronger at close range but had a smaller, more easily dodgable area of effect.

Mr. Tian explained that she wasn't predicting Xiao Xiao's moves but was able to discern them by reading his breathing and the subtle physical tells required to use the Sniff attack from his dantian. After Feng Baobao appeared to push Xiao Xiao's own Sniff attack back into him, his primordial spirit began to disperse. To contain the diffused qi, Feng Baobao unexpectedly employed the Four-Plate Harmony Array, a formation from the Wuhou family designed to gather scattered energy from combat.

She then managed to collect the dispersed energy, securing her victory. Observing the match, Zhuge Qing reflected that his family, having maintained a low profile for too long, seemed out of touch with the remarkable abilities displayed by the younger generation. Next was the highly anticipated match between Zhuge Qing and Wang Ye. Zhuge Qing appeared confident, acknowledging Wang Ye's commendable cultivation but remarking on his perceived lack of drive.

Wang Ye surprised everyone by initiating the fight with Bajiquan, a close-quarters style. Zhuge Qing, noting Wang Ye's unusual haste compared to previous matches, acknowledged his skill in hand-to-hand combat but questioned if pure Tai Chi could defeat him. Zhuge Qing then shifted to his Wuhou Qimen techniques, first using the "Gen" spell to create an unyielding, mountain-like defense that Wang Ye found impossible to budge.

Following this, he used "Kan," conjuring water that formed into speedy cannonballs before turning into a deluge. Observers were impressed by the power of Wuhou Qimen, particularly its mastery of the Bagua art, and some predicted Wang Ye's swift defeat. Wang Ye managed to block some attacks with his Tai Chi Yang Hand. Zhuge Qing continued with "Kun," unleashing earth-based attacks. After deflecting a particularly powerful strike, Wang Ye thanked Zhuge Qing, acknowledging the apparent mercy shown.

Zhuge Qing replied that they weren't engaged in a death match but accused Wang Ye of underestimating him, having recognized that Wang Ye was himself a sorcerer (Shushi). Zhuge Qing explained that true sorcerers operate by understanding the universe's hidden rules – the "heavenly principles" – seeking fortune and avoiding danger by positioning themselves correctly in terms of location, time, and applied force.

He had noticed that in his previous matches, Wang Ye consistently positioned himself in the most auspicious spots, effectively using luck to avoid dangerous attacks. Wang Ye admitted that Zhuge Qing was perceptive and that he had hoped to defeat him before Zhuge Qing fully deployed his Qimen Dunjia skills, calling himself foolish for thinking so.

Wang Ye then posed a philosophical question to Zhuge Qing: had he ever truly failed (excluding practice), and could he accept a defeat so profound it would invalidate his past achievements? Suggesting that as fellow sorcerers they shouldn't need to fight as desperately as others, Wang Ye offered Zhuge Qing time to make a choice regarding his approach to seeking fortune and avoiding danger. A tense pause fell over the arena.

Wang Ye calmly advised Zhuge Qing to back down, stating it was the best outcome for him. Zhuge Qing revealed he had performed a divination that resulted in four words: "Moth to the flame." Despite this ominous prediction, he continued, attempting to use a "Kun" spell (earth) while standing in the "Xun" position (wood), defying the elemental principles of Qimen. This act produced power far exceeding his previous attacks.

He then used a "Li" spell (fire), launching a fireball, only for Wang Ye, using the "Xun" position (wood), to counter it with a wood-based spell called Sandalwood Succor, which seemed to make the targeted area grow denser and stronger rather than being burned. Zhuge Qing was bewildered, realizing this was not merely powerful Qimen but something that broke its fundamental laws.

Wang Ye then revealed his ability: Qimen's Immaculate Scrutiny, which enhances the user's senses and allows them to perceive the essence of things, including the underlying mechanics of techniques. From the stands, Zhuge Qing's sister cried out, begging him to stop, recognizing that their strength levels were vastly different and not wanting to see him utterly defeated. Determined to understand the nature of the power he faced, Zhuge Qing pressed on.

Wang Ye then used the "Dui" spell (metal) and the technique Black Mamba, causing Zhuge Qing to instantaneously teleport across the arena. Zhuge Qing's sister noted the similarity of this teleportation to Feng Baobao's movement style. Wang Ye restrained Zhuge Qing by controlling his Danzhong pressure point. As Zhuge Qing looked around, he saw the layout of the Qimen chart overlaid on the arena and understood.

Wang Ye explained that within this manipulated Qimen array, he was not bound by fixed positions; he himself was the position, the fortune, and the misfortune. By controlling the space, he could reach Zhuge Qing anywhere within the array and strike his vital points. Zhuge Qing countered that the Qimen chart was dictated by time. Wang Ye replied that he could manipulate time by controlling and calculating the changes occurring within the array.

He demonstrated this by altering gravity, causing a dropped pebble to fall for a full minute, and by changing the temperature and humidity within the array to mimic summer conditions despite it being springtime. Wang Ye then offered a broader philosophical perspective: being a sorcerer is not solely about being bound by heavenly principles and seeking good fortune.

He referenced Zhuge Liang, who, despite his immense power and foreknowledge of the coming chaos, chose to defy fate and throw himself into the conflict to save a doomed world. This act of "doing something knowing it's impossible" was the mark of a truly great sorcerer, transcending the limitations of merely seeking the most auspicious path. Zhuge Qing, humbled by the demonstration and Wang Ye's words, finally understood the depth of his defeat.

He surrendered, acknowledging that he was completely bested. Wang Ye was declared the winner. Watching from the stands, Zhang Chulan was intimidated, realizing he was no match for Wang Ye. Meanwhile, elsewhere, someone (implied to be Zhang Chulan's father), impressed by Wang Ye's power, ordered him to be recruited into their organization, the Tianxia Hui.

Zhang Chulan protested that Wang Ye was too strong to simply force, but his father instructed him to use his brain, suggesting that everyone has a price and that Taoists traditionally lack money, implying this could be Wang Ye's price. Elsewhere, Feng Baobao was shown reacting to the events with a noticeable expression.

Episode 14 Recap

The first match on the main stage featured Feng Shayan against Jia Zhengliang. As Feng Shayan prepared herself for the fight, her opponent, Jia Zhengliang, was still engrossed in a phone call, seemingly ignoring her presence. Despite his lack of attention, Feng Shayan remained focused, determined to win the match and demonstrate her true strength to her father. Just as she was ready to begin, Jia Zhengliang continued talking on the phone, frustrating Feng Shayan.

In a burst of anger, she acted, causing his phone to be knocked to the ground, and urged him to start the match. Jia Zhengliang reacted with alarm, concerned not about being struck, but about his phone. He explained that abruptly ending a call with his mother would cause her excessive worry, always imagining the worst scenarios. He then turned to the audience, asking if anyone could lend him a phone.

Feng Shayan's father, watching from the stands, immediately took out his own phone and threw it down to Jia Zhengliang. Jia Zhengliang resumed his call with his mother, who was concerned about the dropped connection. Upon learning he was in a match against a girl, his mother playfully suggested he pass the phone to his opponent, hoping to arrange a meeting.

Jia Zhengliang reluctantly passed the phone to Feng Shayan, who politely spoke to his mother briefly before throwing the phone back and insisting they finally start the match. Jia Zhengliang then relayed his mother's desire for him to defeat her quickly so she would go home. Despite this, he also muttered that he shouldn't use his full strength, intending to be gentle and show chivalry to impress her. Feng Shayan immediately launched her attack, striking his face.

Internally, Jia Zhengliang resolved that he could not lose this match, as his next opponent was Feng Baobao, and he needed to face her to settle accounts for his brother. Seated in the audience, Zhang Chulan was joined by Feng Baobao. He questioned if her plan was reliable and wouldn't cause trouble. Feng Baobao confidently assured him it was a type of task she handled frequently and it was under control.

Zhang Chulan conceded, agreeing that Wang Ye could spend some time in a pit, acknowledging the plan's slightly unconventional nature. Feng Baobao stated she was going to find Wang Ye and that it didn't matter who won the current match, as neither opponent could defeat her anyway. She then departed to pursue Wang Ye.

Meanwhile, the commentators remarked on the intensity of the Feng Shayan vs. Jia Zhengliang match, describing it as a full-out battle with no reservations, making it worth the price of admission. Both fighters seemed intent on not yielding, pushing themselves to the limit. Feng Shayan's father grew increasingly worried watching his daughter, urging her to give up, but Feng Shayan adamantly refused, declaring the match was hers to decide and she would not surrender.

Jia Zhengliang applied a special qi to his flying knives, noting this technique was not typically for sparring. The fight culminated in both fighters collapsing simultaneously, injured and exhausted. As both fighters lay prone, the announcer declared Feng Shayan the winner. Jia Zhengliang, lying on the ground, remarked that Feng Shayan should have listened to her mother and gone home, but also noted that she hadn't listened to her father either.

He acknowledged that she had won, but pointed out she was in no condition for the next match. He then mused about the fight, realizing his initial assessment of Feng Shayan's qi usage was wrong. He deduced that she could bridge space and that some of his own knives, seemingly striking him from unexpected angles, had come through these spatial bridges he hadn't detected initially, causing his injuries.

He acknowledged the power of her ability, which he identified as Universe Enigma, and his own luck, surprised she had shown him restraint. Feng Shayan replied that she simply couldn't bring herself to injure him. Elsewhere, Feng Baobao had located Wang Ye and was attempting to apprehend him, confronting him about upsetting Zhuge Qing and accusing him of using underhanded tactics. Wang Ye invoked a Taoist blessing and fled, with Feng Baobao in determined pursuit.

Feng Baobao relentlessly chased Wang Ye, even expressing grudging admiration for his stamina after chasing him for most of the day. Zhang Chulan received a call from Feng Baobao updating him that Wang Ye was entangled by a few people. Eventually, Wang Ye managed to find a moment of quiet, only for Feng Baobao to find him again, already digging a pit. Wang Ye asked if the pit was for him and protested being buried alive.

Feng Baobao explained her method of mixing water and mud to make the pit "comfortable" and create suction to neutralize his unique strength, identifying it as Tai Chi, thus preventing his escape. Wang Ye attempted to escape using his skill related to the Golden Light Curse, which seemed momentarily effective, but Feng Baobao countered with earth manipulation techniques, including burrowing like an earth dragon and using rock-based moves. Wang Ye managed to escape again, thanking her for the learning experience.

Feng Baobao continued her pursuit, trying other techniques like diversion and blinding attacks, but Wang Ye finally escaped using an Incense of Diversion given to him by his master/uncle. Meanwhile, Feng Shayan was recovering in the hospital, visited by her father and Feng Xingtong, among others including Zhang Chulan. Feng Xingtong offered to help with her recovery and mentioned his own recent victory.

Jia Zhengliang called his mother again, initially bragging about his match before admitting he had lost because he was too gentle with his female opponent. He quickly ended the call, noting everyone was busy. Discussions about Feng Xingtong's potential as a rising star continued between him and Feng Shayan's father. Zhang Chulan excused himself to make a call. He contacted Feng Baobao, who confirmed the situation was handled and guaranteed Wang Ye would not be present for their match.

Despite Feng Baobao's assurance, Wang Ye appeared in the arena for his match against Zhang Chulan. Spectators were buzzing with anticipation, speculating about Wang Ye's abilities, including Wind Posture Gate, and Zhang Chulan's potential inherited power, likely referencing the Source of Qi, eager to witness a clash between two potential wielders of the Eight Strikings.

Zhuge Qing, watching, expressed frustration that Wang Ye, whom he couldn't defeat, was seemingly allowing Zhang Chulan to win, lamenting that his defeat seemed insignificant compared to what was happening now. He connected Wang Ye's actions to Zhang Chulan's unusual demeanor and Feng Baobao's recent activities. As Wang Ye entered, Feng Baobao was briefly present near Zhang Chulan, admitting to him that she had messed up the capture but he should handle the situation.

Zhang Chulan acknowledged her effort, noted her uniform, and then addressed Wang Ye with a seemingly playful but sharp remark. The announcer offered to delay the match if Wang Ye had encountered any issues, stating the Celestial Taoist Mansion would provide justice. Wang Ye declined, insisting they proceed immediately. Zhang Chulan, however, immediately requested food, claiming he was starving after being chased all night and hadn't eaten steamed buns in days.

An official provided the food for Zhang Chulan, and Zhang Chulan asked for a portion for Wang Ye as well. The two opponents then sat down in the middle of the arena and began eating steamed buns, much to the confusion and annoyance of the spectators who expected a fight.

While they ate, Wang Ye explained concepts of divination to Zhang Chulan – that the past is unchangeable, but the future has multiple possibilities, though predicting it is harmful to the practitioner, especially futures with high impact on the world. He revealed that predicting matters concerning Zhang Chulan and the current tournament had nearly killed him.

He explained his reasons for coming, stating he came to offer Zhang Chulan a choice: to give up pursuing the truth, thus gaining what he truly desired, although Wang Ye suggested Zhang Chulan's many desires might cloud his understanding of what that truly was. He introduced the concept of "weight of fate," explaining that individuals influence the world differently, and Zhang Chulan had a very high weight of fate, meaning his choices would significantly alter many lives.

Zhang Chulan questioned if Wang Ye's intervention meant he himself hadn't chosen the future best for him, and Wang Ye confirmed his intervention brought him no personal benefit. Spectators continued to yell at them to stop eating and fight. Zhuge Qing lamented that his martial discipline, Wuhou Qimen, had lost more than just the match; it had lost in a broader sense due to the situation unfolding in the arena.

Seeing Zhang Chulan had finished his food, Wang Ye asked if he was ready to make his choice. Zhang Chulan reflected internally on Feng Baobao providing him family warmth and his grandfather entrusting her safety to him, noting his participation in the tournament was crucial for helping her find her past.

Having made his decision by finishing the steamed buns, he stated he would bear the consequences of his choices himself and that what he was doing was not just his own affair. He apologized to Wang Ye for disappointing him. Wang Ye accepted, reiterating he was there only to offer a choice, not to make it for him. With Zhang Chulan having eaten, Wang Ye stood up and left the arena, forfeiting the match. A commentator noted that Zhang Chulan had won.

Episode 15 Recap

After his match, Wang Ye prepared to leave, having already booked his ticket back. He called someone from Wudang, explaining that his opponent was too strong and he couldn't achieve the final victory without using Qimen Manipulation, which had now been exposed. The person on the other end, likely his master, immediately hung up the phone and forbade him from returning to Wudang, referencing the heavy casualties the sect suffered during the Jiashen Calamity.

As Wang Ye was about to leave, Zhuge Qing approached him with his luggage. Wang Ye kindly offered to help with his suitcase. Before leaving, Zhuge Qing revealed he had overheard Wang Ye's conversation using the Listening Wind Chant. He told Wang Ye that he had already given Zhang Chulan a choice, and Zhang Chulan had made a different one, but now Zhuge Qing was offering Wang Ye a choice he had to make himself.

He noted that Wang Ye coming to Mount Longhu was also his own choice and encouraged him not to be troubled or look gloomy. Wang Ye called him out for using the Listening Wind Chant. Zhuge Qing said he and Zhang Chulan were similar, knowing what shouldn't be done but doing it anyway. He admitted he hated trouble but offered to help Wang Ye if he found himself in difficulty, promising to do anything within his power.

Wang Ye remarked he shouldn't have befriended someone like him, wanting to keep some mystery, but Zhuge Qing said he wanted to be friends. The next match was between Feng Shayan and Feng Baobao. Feng Shayan eagerly anticipated the fight, ready to compete against Feng Baobao, who was casually eating a cucumber.

Feng Baobao went up to Feng Shayan and, realizing Zhang Chulan was her next potential opponent, told Feng Shayan that she was there to remove any threats to Zhang Chulan, and since Feng Shayan no longer posed a threat, her job was done. Feng Baobao then declared she was abandoning the match and started to leave. Feng Shayan was angered by this perceived insult and prepared to strike Feng Baobao, but her father, Chairman Feng, intervened.

He reminded Feng Shayan that he had told her the previous night not to participate due to her injuries and that she was no match for Feng Baobao anyway. He pointed out that Feng Baobao had shown her courtesy by withdrawing and told her to apologize and admit defeat. Feng Shayan asked if she was the "smallest price" he had mentioned.

Her father confirmed it was and reminded her that she was the only one in their Feng family who did not know Detained Spirit Manipulation, but he treated her fairly regardless. As Feng Shayan reluctantly prepared to apologize, Jia Zhengliang rushed into the arena, telling Feng Shayan not to apologize.

He challenged Feng Baobao himself, declaring he was there to fight for Feng Shayan's honor because she wanted to challenge a worthy opponent and was angry at being insulted, asking if that was wrong. Feng Baobao pushed him away. Chairman Feng told Jia Zhengliang to stop, but Jia Zhengliang defied him, saying Chairman Feng was Feng Shayan's father, not his, and couldn't control him.

Feng Shayan yelled at Jia Zhengliang for speaking disrespectfully to her father, but Jia Zhengliang claimed he was helping her. Chairman Feng told both of them to stop talking. Feng Shayan then addressed Feng Baobao, apologizing for her behavior and admitting defeat in the match. Jia Zhengliang again protested her apology, questioning if it was wrong to feel insulted and angry, and told Shayan she was her father's child, not a dog, implying she shouldn't blindly obey.

Chairman Feng ordered Jia Zhengliang to be silent and said he could stay and fight by himself. Feng Shayan then apologized to her father for her actions, saying she had been insensible, and formally admitted defeat. As Feng Shayan left the arena, Feng Baobao apologized to Chairman Feng for his daughter's display. Jia Zhengliang followed Feng Shayan, saying he didn't mean to embarrass her and that her earlier strike had hurt him.

Feng Baobao was officially declared the winner and advanced. In the next match, Feng Xingtong faced Wang Bing. Wang Bing revealed he also possessed a Qi Spirit, showing off Master Kunsheng, who he treated disrespectfully like a pet. Feng Xingtong countered by invoking his own Qi Spirit, Master Liu, and later, Wang Zizhong, a medical savant Qi Spirit. Wang Bing used a technique to consume his Qi Spirit, declaring he would become invincible. Master Liu was in danger.

Despite the rules forbidding intervention, two individuals from the Deng family tried to intervene but were stopped by someone from Celestial Taoist Mansion. Wang Bing explained his family also knew Detained Spirit Manipulation. He then attempted to consume Master Liu as well, calling him a "wonderful tonic." Feng Xingtong, desperate to protect Master Liu, had Wang Zizhong transform into needles to pierce his major meridians, forcefully circulating Innate Qi despite causing severe injury to himself.

Wang Bing pressed his attack on Master Liu. Feng Xingtong used "Detained Spirit: Set Free" to release Master Liu, telling him to escape. Wang Bing was furious at losing Master Liu and demanded compensation, then turned his attention to Wang Zizhong, attempting to consume him too. Feng Xingtong fought to protect Wang Zizhong but reached his limit.

Wang Zizhong, seeing Feng Xingtong's state, expressed his fondness for the boy and sacrificed himself by scattering his primordial spirit using Detained Spirit Manipulation: Break Treasure Clear Wind Order. Wang Bing defeated the injured Feng Xingtong. After the match, Chairman Feng went to see his son Feng Xingtong, who was badly injured. Feng Shayan also arrived and, seeing her brother's condition, angrily prepared to seek revenge. At that moment, Old Master Wang Ai, Wang Bing's great-grandfather, arrived with Wang Bing.

Old Master Wang Ai told Feng Shayan to leave, but Chairman Feng allowed her to stay. Chairman Feng questioned Old Master Wang Ai about how the Wang family knew Detained Spirit Manipulation. Old Master Wang Ai revealed that Chairman Feng's own grandfather, Feng Tianyang, had taught the technique to Wang Ai's father. He explained that during the Jiashen Calamity, Feng Tianyang was captured by the Wang family.

To save his life and his family, Feng Tianyang begged Wang Ai's father for mercy and handed over the complete technique of Detained Spirit Manipulation, also swearing never to pass on the complete technique to his descendants. Furthermore, to repay the kindness of being spared, he revealed the names of other Eight Supremes creators he knew, effectively betraying his comrades.

Old Master Wang Ai stated that the Feng family's current prosperity and safety were due to Feng Tianyang's surrender and the Wang family's subsequent protection. He said the other sect leaders who captured other creators also understood this arrangement and didn't press Feng Tianyang further, as whoever caught a creator claimed their technique. Old Master Wang Ai explained that this history was a high secret in the outsider world, which is why Feng Shayan's generation didn't know it.

He declared that the Feng family's current glory was earned through Feng Tianyang kneeling and betraying his accomplices, and was preserved by the Wang family. Chairman Feng was shocked, realizing he had been accepting the Wang family's kindness unknowingly and had been arrogant in thinking he could be their equal.

He knelt before Old Master Wang Ai, explaining that his kneeling was not out of fear of Old Master Wang Ai, but to thank Wang Ai's father for the great kindness of saving the Feng family lineage. He swore that from that day forward, he, Feng Zhenghao, and The All-Encompassing Guild would follow Old Master Wang Ai's lead and serve him.

Old Master Wang Ai told him to get up, saying he was just reminiscing, but Chairman Feng insisted he was rightfully enlightened by the truth. Old Master Wang Ai then left, suggesting their families should interact more in the future. After he left, Feng Shayan asked her father why he had knelt. Chairman Feng explained it wasn't fear of them, but fear that the turmoil of the Jiashen Calamity repeating.

He said compared to that secret, their current grievances were insignificant, and they had to endure for now. The time came for the semi-final match between Feng Baobao and Zhang Chulan. Feng Baobao immediately declared Zhang Chulan was too powerful and she was no match for him, then dramatically fell to the ground, allowing Zhang Chulan to win. The crowd reacted angrily, shouting that the match was rigged and demanding refunds.

After the match was announced, the crowd rushed towards Zhang Chulan, furious about the fake performance. Feng Baobao quickly got up. Zhang Chulan was surprised by the crowd's reaction, realizing their fake performance was too obvious and exaggerated. Members of Celestial Taoist Mansion arrived, stating that while they would prevent interference during a match, they would not intervene after it was concluded, effectively allowing the crowd to vent their anger on Zhang Chulan.

The next semi-final match was between Zhang Lingyu and Wang Bing. Wang Bing was confident, unleashing his techniques. Zhang Lingyu responded with his Lightning Palm, easily overwhelming Wang Bing's techniques. Wang Bing was shocked and disbelieving, claiming Zhang Lingyu was a fake and no one could defeat him so easily.

He began to rant, blaming Feng Xingtong for not giving him Master Liu, Lu Jin for offering the Infinite Heavenly Talisman as a prize instead of his great-grandpa Wang Ai just taking it directly, and his great-grandpa Wang Ai for making him compete instead of getting the talisman himself.

He declared he was born at the top and everything he wanted, like Master Liu and the Infinite Heavenly Talisman, should be his, expressing anger at the obstacles and calling others "trashes" for opposing him. Zhang Lingyu called Wang Bing shameless, worse than Zhang Chulan, and also incompetent. Zhang Lingyu defeated Wang Bing. Before the final match, Zhang Lingyu had breakfast with his master. His master asked if Lingyu blamed him for holding the contest for Zhang Chulan's sake.

Zhang Lingyu replied that he was indebted to his master and respected his character, virtue, and cultivation, which he aspired to learn from for a lifetime. He said he would never blame his master, even if he didn't understand his decisions. His master was relieved and instructed Zhang Lingyu for the final match: not to consider his master's intentions but to use his full strength and fiercely discipline Zhang Huaiyi's grandson, Zhang Chulan.

Finally, the day of the championship match arrived. Zhang Lingyu, the Celestial Taoist Mansion High Official, faced Zhang Chulan, the inheritor of Qi Apotheosis. As they prepared to compete in the finals of the 100th Outsider Martial Arts Contest, Zhang Lingyu told Zhang Chulan to show him his true power, stating that today, only one of them would walk out of the arena standing.

Episode 16 Recap

The 100th Martial Arts Contest Final Round is about to begin. On the stage, Zhang Chulan is meditating while the audience chants "Shameless!" at him. Meanwhile, backstage, Zhang Lingyu's senior, Rong Shan, speaks with him, noting that their other eight seniors have left Mount Longhu, leaving only the two of them to stay with their Master.

Rong Shan stresses that Lingyu must defeat Zhang Chulan, stating that if the "Shameless" fella wins, it would be a disgrace to the Celestial Taoist Mansion. Lingyu confidently assures Rong Shan he will give it his all. The day before the final round, Bao tells Zhang Chulan he must win. Zhang Chulan observes that he's never seen her so worried before. Bao confesses she doesn't know what to do and feels like she has nowhere to go or return to.

Zhang Chulan understands, acknowledging that he also has no place to go back to. He then asks Bao if she remembers the Old Farmer Technique he taught her. She says she remembers but struggles to practice it correctly. Zhang Chulan instructs her to try again and calm her mind. Zhang Chulan then appears to enter a state of deep concentration or a vision.

He finds himself back at Mount Longhu, seeing his Grandpa, who tells him Mount Longhu is his roots and where he started. Grandpa notes how much Zhang Chulan has grown and apologizes for the hardships he's faced in his absence, asking if he hates him. Zhang Chulan replies he doesn't, which relieves Grandpa. Grandpa calls himself a disappointment for hiding his whole life and forcing Zhang Chulan to do the same.

He now tells Zhang Chulan he doesn't need to hide anymore, urging him to be brave, do what he wants, live the life he chooses, and walk his path boldly, promising not to stop him. Grandpa says he will stay and watch Zhang Chulan win the contest, clean up the mess the old geezers left behind, and become a truly powerful Outsider. Zhang Chulan, visibly moved, repeats his resolve: "I must win, and I will definitely win."

The match begins with Zhang Lingyu and Zhang Chulan entering the arena. The audience cheers for Lingyu, chanting "Go, Lingyu! Defeat Shameless!" . Lingyu confronts Zhang Chulan, stating that only one of them can walk out standing today. As the fight starts, Zhang Chulan uses Qi's Form, and Lingyu responds with techniques including part of the Gold Light Mantra.

Lingyu is impressed by Zhang Chulan's ability to block his technique in just a month and notes how different his movements are compared to his previous clumsiness, recognizing his talent. He challenges Zhang Chulan to show his improved Lightning Technique. Both Zhang Chulan and Lingyu utilize Palm Lightning, identified by Lingyu as a technique of the Yang Five Lightning.

Lingyu remarks on Zhang Chulan's rapid improvement, understanding why Master holds him in high regard, and expresses his preference for the straightforward Yang Five Lightning. A voice provides commentary explaining the Five Lightning Proper Method, describing it as relating to the Five Elements and the body's Qi flows, associating pure Yang with the heart and lungs (Yang Lightning) and pure Yin with the kidneys and liver (Yin Lightning).

It notes that those who have lost their virginity will have their Yin Qi develop first, leading to Yin Lightning, also called Water Viscera Lightning. The voice observes Lingyu's struggle to fully embrace his Yin Lightning nature, always defaulting to Yang techniques like Palm Lightning in public, despite his yearning for Yang's uprightness. Zhang Chulan experiences the effects of Lingyu's Impure Water (Water Viscera Lightning), finding it sticky, repressive, dangerous yet curious.

A voice (likely Lingyu's Master) urges Lingyu to accept who he is, even if it feels difficult to display his true nature in public. Zhang Chulan questions what this substance is, and a voice explains it's Yin Lightning Water Viscera, capable of sucking bones, draining marrow, burning the heart, and destroying intelligence, which can only be countered by much higher cultivation or Zhang Chulan's own Yang Lightning.

Zhang Chulan stands up after taking the hit, admitting that as he becomes stronger, he can feel Lingyu's power more acutely. He reflects that before coming to Mount Longhu, he never expected to reach the final or face Lingyu again, acknowledging the strength of opponents like Lingyu, Zhuge Qing, and Daoist Master Wang Ye, who are all pushing their limits. He states that while he cannot stop them from getting stronger, he will strive to approach their level of dedication.

He recalls someone telling him that his true opponent is not others, but himself, surpassing his own limits. Lingyu observes that Zhang Chulan is very different today, only revealing his true self when pushed to the brink. Zhang Chulan announces he will use a newly invented move, which is unstable and lasts for only five minutes. Lingyu accepts the challenge, confident five minutes is enough time for him to win.

Zhang Chulan injects Palm Lightning into himself to stimulate his meridians, initiating Rapid Lightning. While experiencing the Impure Water's wet, heavy, sticky, dissolving sensation, Zhang Chulan remembers his Grandpa's explanation of the Yin Five Lightning's nature.

He recalls Grandpa explaining the Five Viscera corresponding to stems and branches, using the Journey to the West characters as an analogy: the Heart and Lung Yang Qi (corresponding to Shen) being the "Heart Ape" (Sun Wukong), striving for "understanding emptiness" (Wukong), needing experiences to strengthen willpower. The Kidney and Liver Yin Qi (corresponding to Hai) being like a "pig soaked in water" (Zhu Bajie), controlling desires, needing to observe "precepts" (Bajie) to become "aware" (Wuneng).

Grandpa noted the two forces (Wukong and Bajie) oppose each other but one must prevail, and warned Zhang Chulan never to disturb the "pig" (Kidney Water) or his cultivation would be ruined. Zhang Chulan now understands this opposing force is the Yin Five Lightning, the "Lightning of the Water Kidneys."

Commentary from another observer (possibly a senior figure investigating Zhang Chulan) suggests Zhang Chulan's perceived cowardly, despicable, and shameless persona is a deliberate disguise to avoid being seen as a threat, causing people to forget he's the inheritor of Qi Fluid Origin. He is described as knowing what he wants and what to give up, possessing forbearance, steadfastness, and even ruthlessness.

The observer recalls investigating Zhang Chulan, noting the company (Nadutong) marked him as a 'non-Outsider' for twelve years after his grandfather's death. During this time, Zhang Chulan gave up his grandfather's methods, hid as an ordinary person, never revealing his true power or fighting back against mistreatment, noting the likely inefficiency of any secret cultivation during this long period. Zhang Chulan's peers are thus facing an opponent with a decade-long gap in his outwardly apparent cultivation.

Back in the fight, Zhang Chulan utilizes techniques associated with Yin Lightning, including Water Viscera, Caecilian Lightning, and Little White Worm, recognizing them as the opposing force hidden within his body. Lingyu senses this, asking if Zhang Chulan feels the two forces resisting each other, noting that whoever resists first will lose. Zhang Chulan, seemingly reaching the limit of his Rapid Lightning, acknowledges he's at his limit. Lingyu offers to make his next move, suggesting Zhang Chulan make a move.

Zhang Chulan accepts and uses the Little White Long Worm, explaining its remote-controlled nature (though slowest when controlled) and its true form as a tracking lightning technique that locks onto targets. He declares his ambition is to "turn over the heavens." Lingyu is deeply impressed, calling Zhang Chulan incredible and unpredictable for using Yang Lightning in the style of Yin Lightning and acknowledging his superior talent.

Lingyu states that if Zhang Chulan were to lose, it would be solely due to a difference in cultivation level. Lingyu praises Zhang Chulan's performance as amazing and practically perfect, then resolves to defeat this "perfect" version of him by fully embracing his own Yin Five Lightning, mobilizing all the Yin Qi in his body for the first time.

However, upon doing so, Lingyu immediately suffers a backlash, falling to the ground and questioning if it's punishment for his past reluctance to accept his Yin nature. Zhang Chulan, surprised, asks if this means he won. Lingyu struggles to stand but, after hesitation, admits defeat. Zhang Chulan is announced as the winner. Bao is seen reacting, seemingly relieved. The audience chants for a play-off. Later, Lingyu is speaking with his Master.

Lingyu apologizes for his loss, feeling he failed his Master's expectations by losing in such a ridiculous manner, getting his qi flow wrong, disgracing the sect, and wasting years of training and the help of his peers. His Master reveals that he put Waylay Powder, also known as Immortal Pill, in Lingyu's breakfast. This substance blocks the flow of qi, but the dose given was small, only taking effect when Lingyu exerted all his strength, which caused his backlash.

Lingyu responds with a sigh of relief, saying, "So that's how it is." His Master is disappointed by his calm reaction, expecting him to react with terror, unease, confusion, despair, and angry questioning, like someone who felt betrayed, calling Lingyu not just upright but foolishly honest. Lingyu asks his Master why he didn't simply tell him to lose to Zhang Chulan, as he would have agreed without hesitation.

His Master replies that would have been asking too much of him and suggests the reasons are not urgent to explain, as practitioners have patience. Master then tells Lingyu that his character makes it too difficult for him to cultivate Yin Lightning to its peak realm. He gives Lingyu an instruction for the final day of the contest: if he is forced to make a decision, he must make the opposite decision of what he would normally decide.

Episode 17 Recap

Following Zhang Chulan's victory in the contest, Feng Baobao expressed her excitement, noting that his win meant she could finally uncover the truth about her own origin. After the match, Zhang Chulan was called to the stage to receive his award. Mr. Lu presented him with the Infinite Heavenly Talisman, congratulating him.

However, Zhang Chulan publicly declined the prize, explaining that the previously unseen Qi Apotheosis had already caused him significant trouble, and he feared the equally renowned Infinite Heavenly Talisman would only become another burden. He stated that returning to Mount Longhu was reward enough for him. His refusal surprised the others on stage. Mr. Lu lamented having brought the talisman only to take it back.

Another suggested that since the champion didn't want it, it should be passed to the runner-up, Zhang Lingyu, noting the Chief Celestial Taoist's cunning. Lingyu was informed of the offer. He hesitated, questioning how he, the loser, could accept it. Mr. Lu pressed him, asking if he would also refuse, making the talisman seem worthless. Lingyu, recalling an earlier instruction to make a decision contrary to his usual self, accepted the talisman, acknowledging his unworthiness but thanking Mr. Lu.

Mr. Lu told him to keep it. Meanwhile, Feng Shayan, having recovered, was on the phone with her father, discussing Zhang Chulan's victory and impending Tianshidu inheritance, though she claimed it didn't concern her. She mentioned she was down the mountain, resting after the tiring contest. Her father said they were leaving and she should join them, and she agreed. Jia Zhenliang, who was with her, asked if she was leaving. She pretended to be alone during the call.

After hanging up, Jia Zhenliang asked when she would visit his Jia Village. Shayan questioned him about his blind date, but he dismissed it, simply wanting her to visit and meet his mother, insisting he had no ulterior motives. Shayan commented on the current era and how rare it was to meet an innocent guy like him, expressing regret for acting against him knowing he was that way.

When he asked what was wrong with being innocent, she complimented his recent performance but dismissed their encounter as something not to be taken seriously since they were drunk. He asked for an explanation of their relationship, and she retorted by asking if he was seeking one from her. She then gave him a charging case as a gift, advising him it was bad for his neck to hold his phone there while talking.

As she left, he called out, asking for a new case since that one was still connected to her phone, and she told him to keep listening. Later that night, the Grandmaster called Zhang Chulan to his chambers for the Tianshidu inheritance. He instructed Feng Baobao not to follow and assigned guards.

Inside, the Grandmaster told Zhang Chulan to undress and bathe, explaining that they must first pay respect to the ancestors of Mount Longhu through purification and changing clothes before the formal inheritance ritual. Zhang Chulan was surprised, asking if they weren't proceeding with the inheritance. He tried to avoid the bath by claiming he had just washed and that the wise ancestors wouldn't mind such details. The Grandmaster simply told him to come over.

As they prepared, Zhang Chulan asked the Grandmaster about the truth of the Jiashen Calamity. The Grandmaster responded by posing a question about who is truly worthy of inheriting the Tianshidu – not the strongest fighter, shrewdest strategist, or most popular, but rather someone with a pure heart, willing to dedicate everything to protecting fellow outsiders, because the power of the Tianshidu comes with immense responsibility.

He stated that such recognition isn't just verbal but comes from accepting the secret technique itself. The Grandmaster then declared his intention to pass the Tianshidu to Zhang Chulan that very day, making him his official heir, which seemed to cause Zhang Chulan internal conflict. Seven days prior to the attack on Mount Longhu, the Sinister Pleasure organization began its preparations.

Discussions revealed that their plan involved securing the Infinite Heavenly Talisman, noting they couldn't rely solely on one member, Hu Jie, for this task and would need the Four Crazies. Separately, a memory from over a decade ago was referenced – a memory belonging to Zhang Huaiyi, a key figure in the Jiashen Calamity. This memory featured a young girl who looked unchanged even now and who had killed Zhang Huaiyi.

This girl, Feng Baobao, was identified as the primary target for the Sinister Pleasure's Interim Leader. Their strategy was formulated: with the Chief Celestial Taoist in isolated cultivation and most elders away, they would exploit the situation. Their members would infiltrate Mount Longhu and cause widespread chaos, a diversion to facilitate the capture of Feng Baobao at all costs.

A video message was then circulated, accusing the established sects and the martial arts contest of being rigged and unjust, painting the Sinister Pleasure as victims living lowly lives while the others were arrogant monopolists. The message called upon all members to wreak havoc on Mount Longhu and reclaim what they felt was theirs, turning the mountain into a laughing stock for the entire outsider world.

On the day of the attack, the Grandmaster was attempting to perform the Tianshidu inheritance ritual for Zhang Chulan inside, but it wasn't succeeding; it was the third failed attempt, and the Grandmaster attributed it to Zhang Chulan's internal hesitation or resistance. Outside, Sinister Pleasure members arrived at Mount Longhu and began their assault, causing commotion that alerted the disciples and elders, including Rong Shan, Mr. Lu, and Zhang Lingyu.

Rong Shan identified the attackers as from the Sinister Pleasure and directed Lingyu to prioritize protecting Martial Uncle Tian while he handled the immediate threat. Lingyu offered to join Mr. Lu, but Mr. Lu, considering him a guest, told him to rest while he dealt with the situation. Elsewhere, Feng Baobao was disturbed by strange crying sounds designed to confuse minds.

She followed the sound, asking who was calling her, eventually encountering figures claiming to be her parents who said they had finally found her. Unaffected emotionally by this tactic, she asked if they were manipulating the others and who they were, recognizing that their technique wasn't working on her, and decided to flee.

Zhang Lingyu was confronted by Sinister Pleasure members, including Yuan Tao and a large man called Fool, who confirmed they had been following him and now revealed themselves. Yuan Tao announced their intention to borrow the Infinite Heavenly Talisman temporarily. Lingyu recognized them as Sinister Pleasure and warned they might not leave the mountain. Yuan Tao mocked Lingyu's lack of real-world experience despite his skill and demonstrated a technique. Mr. Lu arrived, recognizing Yuan Tao and observing the situation.

Lingyu asked Mr. Lu about the technique. Mr. Lu explained it was weapon forging, a rare ability to imbue objects with independent powers, and identified Yuan Tao as a master of it. Lingyu questioned if Fool was also a weapon forger, but Yuan Tao revealed Fool was his greatest creation. Mr. Lu realized they had walked into a trap. Seeing Mr. Lu present, Yuan Tao decided to retreat with Fool, using a technique called "Running Hare" to escape quickly.

Mr. Lu pursued with Lingyu at his side, instructing some unseen "kids" (presumably his disciples) to remember his earlier orders. Yuan Tao paused his escape, asking Mr. Lu why he stopped chasing and wasn't worried about his disciples. Mr. Lu countered that his disciples were capable and Yuan Tao should worry about his own people, indicating he knew the extent of the Sinister Pleasure forces present.

Mr. Lu reassured Lingyu not to worry, saying they would handle Yuan Tao first, as Lingyu's master could handle the mansion. Yuan Tao's actions were part of the broader Sinister Pleasure strategic goal: obtain the talisman if possible, but if not, their primary objective was to use the widespread chaos on the mountain and below as a diversion to distract from their true target.

Meanwhile, Feng Baobao was engaged in combat with members of the Sinister Pleasure, including an elderly man who seemed surprised by her abilities but called her naive. Meanwhile, the main confrontation continued. Mr. Lu and Lingyu were fighting the Sinister Pleasure members. Amidst the fight, the attackers taunted them, stating their goal was to humiliate Mount Longhu for being excluded from the contest.

Lingyu sensed a larger conspiracy and suggested they help others, but Mr. Lu told him to stay out of it. Suddenly, Mr. Lu reacted violently, revealing he and Lingyu had been affected by a mind-altering technique. They realized Gao Ning, the Thunder Smoke Cannon, and Dou Mei, the Intoxicator, two of the Four Crazies, were responsible for the effect, which weakened their mental state and abilities, including the effectiveness of the Infinite Heavenly Talisman.

Gao Ning then explained his "Twelve Bewitchments Array" works by manipulating a person's emotions via their meridians, eventually causing mental breakdown and trapping them in one emotion. Mr. Lu, despite being affected and acknowledging the Four Crazies' viciousness, urged Lingyu to protect his mind and escape, saying he would fight them to the death. Lingyu refused to leave. Mr. Lu insisted again. He then noticed only three of the Four Crazies were present and asked where the fourth was.

At that moment, Xia He appeared, stating she hadn't joined the fight because Mr. Lu was still charming. She then looked at Lingyu intently. Mr. Lu commented on her being distracted by a young man. Xia He then took Lingyu away. Mr. Lu seemed to feel a sense of relief despite being left to face the remaining three Four Crazies. Left alone, Mr. Lu fought fiercely, realizing he was nearing his limit.

Gao Ning declared victory, saying since Mr. Lu was being pushed towards a 'mind demon' state, he would let it happen, but Mr. Lu could choose which emotion would consume him. The remaining Four Crazies were warned to keep their distance from Mr. Lu.

They noted that Mr. Lu had exhausted his qi and was using sheer self-control to guide his emotions, barely managing to unleash Triple Rebirth, a destructive technique fueled by extreme anger and hatred, as a final counterattack. Separately, someone inquired about Feng Baobao, noting she had been drawn away by the strange crying sounds. At the Chief Celestial Taoist's location, Mr. Xu San of NDT Express arrived, seeing the golden light from the ongoing inheritance ritual.

He argued with the guards that the Chief Celestial Taoist must be aware of the chaos and needed to intervene to save Mount Longhu. The guards refused to let him disturb the Chief Celestial Taoist, asserting that the ritual was of critical importance and they had to wait. Mr. Xu San warned them that NDT Express would hold the Celestial Taoist Mansion responsible for the consequences if they were prevented from alerting the Chief Celestial Taoist.

Inside with the Grandmaster, the inheritance ritual had failed for the third time. The Grandmaster stated the issue wasn't with the ritual itself but with Zhang Chulan, who was hesitant or resistant. He asked if Zhang Chulan truly didn't want to become the Celestial Taoist, reassuring him that it didn't require a strictly ascetic life and that others could handle the mansion's affairs if he preferred, but the title would provide him protection from the Sinister Pleasure.

Zhang Chulan said he would accept the Tianshidu willingly if the Grandmaster answered one question, clarifying it was not about the Jiashen Calamity. He asked what would happen to the Grandmaster after passing on the Tianshidu. After a moment, Zhang Chulan declared that he did not want the Tianshidu, even after the Grandmaster expressed surprise and revealed he had orchestrated the contest specifically for Zhang Chulan. Zhang Chulan reiterated his refusal.

Episode 18 Recap

Zhang Chulan burst through the door and fell to the ground, followed shortly by Grandmaster Zhang Zhiwei, who expressed frustration with Zhang Chulan's actions, stating he had turned the contest into a joke. Zhang Chulan responded that it was not the time to accept the inheritance. Just then, news arrived that the Sinister Pleasure were attacking Mount Longhu. Grandmaster Zhang Zhiwei decided to go, noting that everyone seemed to be getting on his nerves.

Watching the Grandmaster depart, Zhang Chulan heard that Feng Baobao had been lured away by a strange sound. Realizing the situation, Zhang Chulan decided to go look for her, and Xu San agreed to join him. Grandmaster Zhang Zhiwei arrived where the Sinister Pleasure members were causing chaos.

He quickly confronted them, listening as they expounded on their philosophy, claiming that to reach the ultimate limits, one must face their true nature and that disregarding the world's temptations was an achievement. The Grandmaster countered by citing their founding master Yang Zhu's full philosophy, which included "not even the smallest gain to bring any suffering," arguing that they only remembered the selfish part and were merely following their desires, calling them troublemakers and evildoers.

He effortlessly defeated several of them, demonstrating his prowess and the Gold Brilliance Spell. Others attempted to challenge him, including one identified as Ironhead Liao, but they were also easily repelled by his seemingly impenetrable defenses. Recognizing they couldn't defeat him, the remaining attackers decided to retreat. The Grandmaster spoke briefly with a young lady who thanked him for saving her from two Sinister Pleasure members and later told his younger disciples that they were paying for their lax training.

Meanwhile, Xu San and Zhang Chulan apprehended a Sinister Pleasure member. Under questioning, the captured member revealed that around a hundred Sinister Pleasure members had attacked Mount Longhu, and that the Four Crazies and other elders were present. Hearing this, Xu San and Zhang Chulan grew worried about Feng Baobao's safety. Xu San suggested they split up to cover more ground, but Zhang Chulan initially insisted they stay together as it was too dangerous.

Xu San conceded that Zhang Chulan could run if losing, but then corrected himself, stating that finding Feng Baobao was a shared responsibility. Elsewhere, Xia He led Zhang Lingyu to a secluded area. She attempted to stop him from going to aid Lu Jin, who was under attack. Xia He became affectionate and tried to provoke him, reminding him of their past and commenting on his scent and physique.

Zhang Lingyu resisted her advances, insisting he needed to help Mr. Lu. He told her not to force him to fight her. Xia He seemed surprised when he actually pushed her away. Just then, Grandmaster Zhang Zhiwei appeared, having heard their exchange. He identified Xia He as "Bone Scraper" and told her to go away.

He instructed Zhang Lingyu to go clear out other troublemakers on the front mountain, stating he would handle the situation with Mr. Lu, having been drawn there by Lu's Qi. Zhang Lingyu expressed concern for Mr. Lu, but the Grandmaster assured him he had it under control and told him to go.

As the Grandmaster spoke to Xia He, he offered her cryptic advice about deciding her own path, whether to leave or stay, and what kind of person she wanted to be. Xia He acknowledged that her toxins were useless against him, realizing she couldn't stop him. Lu Jin was engaged in a fierce battle, using the Five Thunder Vermilion Book recklessly against several Sinister Pleasure members.

These members discussed his state, realizing he was in the process of activating the Triple Rebirth technique and that their best option was to wait for him to exhaust himself. Gao Ning arrived, sensing the disturbance, and warned those who remained to leave immediately or face death, acknowledging the Grandmaster's impending arrival. Yuan and others decided to retreat, noting the Chief Celestial Taoist's presence and killing intent, realizing they wouldn't survive if they stayed longer.

Yuan mentioned he had exhausted too much Qi and needed to replenish. Grandmaster Zhang Zhiwei arrived and observed Lu Jin, diagnosing that he had lost control of his meridians, allowing his heart to be controlled by inner demons, making him deranged. The Grandmaster used a Calming Spell on Lu Jin, calling out to him, but Lu Jin was fixed on killing someone named Wu Gensheng and continued to attack the Grandmaster.

The Grandmaster provoked Lu Jin, urging him to come and kill him. Meanwhile, Zang Long was desperately trying to protect Lu Linglong from Shen Chong, known as "Source of Malice." Zang Long was severely outmatched and injured. Shen Chong offered Zang Long a contract to loan him Qi, guaranteeing he could defeat his opponents, but revealed this would turn Zang Long into his puppet, like someone named Hu Jie.

Zang Long considered it to save Linglong, who pleaded with him not to sign. Just as Zang Long was about to sign, Zhang Chulan intervened, placing himself between Shen Chong, Zang Long, and Lu Linglong. Zhang Chulan tried to talk his way out, then told Linglong and Zang Long to escape while he stayed to stall Shen Chong. Shen Chong intended to pursue them, but Zhang Chulan stayed behind to face Shen Chong alone, urging the others to run.

Despite his efforts, Zhang Chulan was quickly overwhelmed and severely injured, spitting blood, realizing he was no match and might die there. He questioned the point of his abilities or being champion if it ended like this. Facing defeat, Zhang Chulan recalled his grandpa's teachings about the nature of outsider abilities – taking in the world's energy and giving it back in one's own way, a cycle of in and out.

Remembering his friends and the color they brought to his life, finding his reason to fight, Zhang Chulan activated this cycle. Shen Chong was shocked as Zhang Chulan's Qi seemed to drain his own, calling Zhang Chulan a "Little White Worm" who only takes. Zhang Chulan asserted control over his Qi. Shen Chong was defeated and forced to retreat, acknowledging Zhang Chulan as the champion.

As he left, Zhang Chulan told someone accompanying Shen Chong named Alian to delete a video. Zhang Chulan then went to find Feng Baobao. Elsewhere, Xia He encountered an elderly man (Old Xia). He noted her unusual ability to heal quickly even from severe wounds during combat and commented on her strong resemblance to an old friend, Zhang Huaiyi. Because of this resemblance, he found himself unable to harm her.

NDT staff discussed scanning the captured Sinister Pleasure members, noting that half of them were completely unregistered with the company, which they found impossible as all outsiders were supposedly accounted for. Zhang Chulan tried to call Feng Baobao but couldn't reach her. He eventually received a message directing him to a hall on the back mountain. There, Feng Baobao casually told him she had "killed the Chief Celestial Taoist." It was revealed that Grandmaster Zhang Zhiwei was alive but injured.

He explained that Lu Jin, in his deranged state, had attacked him believing he was Wu Gensheng. The Grandmaster had focused on protecting his vital organs internally with his Gold Aura, which allowed him to survive Lu Jin's predictable attacks despite suffering broken bones. Lu Jin was with Lu Linglong and Zang Long. Lu Linglong asked Lu Jin, her great-grandfather, to save Zang Long's arm, but Lu Jin confirmed it was permanently damaged and he couldn't help.

When Zhang Chulan arrived, Lu Jin quickly healed his injuries completely, acknowledging that Zhang Chulan had saved them, not Linglong's growth. Zhang Chulan joked about wanting to keep the injuries for "credit" as a Tianshidu heir who had been beaten, but Lu Jin completed the healing, stating they were now even. After being told he was a mess, Zhang Chulan got cleaned up. Feng Baobao then asked Zhang Chulan if he had accepted the Tianshidu inheritance. Zhang Chulan in turn asked Feng Baobao if she was okay, and she confirmed she was fine, having only encountered "some minor trouble."

Episode 19 Recap

As Zhang Chulan emerged, Feng Baobao, who was waiting outside, immediately pressed him about the secrets within Tianshidu and if they held clues to his past. Before Zhang Chulan could respond, the Chief Celestial Taoist called him over. Zhang Chulan played dumb, but the Chief Celestial Taoist asked him once more if he would accept Tianshidu.

Zhang Chulan countered by asking about the consequences for the Chief Celestial Taoist if he were to accept it, to which the Chief Celestial Taoist replied that Zhang Chulan must already know the answer. Zhang Chulan then asked if he would still be able to call him Grandmaster in the future.

The Chief Celestial Taoist reassured him that as long as he did not stray from the right path, he would always be his Grandmaster and Mount Longhu would always be his home. Zhang Chulan apologized. The Chief Celestial Taoist explained that he had set up the martial arts contest for Zhang Chulan, and that winning would reveal something, but importantly, accepting the title would protect him from the Sinister Pleasure. However, Zhang Chulan stated he did not want Tianshidu.

The Chief Celestial Taoist acknowledged that the era of younger generations, including Zhang Chulan, Lingyu, and Wang Ye, was coming and they would bear heavy burdens. Noting that Feng Baobao was waiting for him outside and seemed very important to him, he told Zhang Chulan to go back to her. As Zhang Chulan was speaking with the Chief Celestial Taoist, Feng Baobao was seen observing them from a distance. Zhang Chulan noticed her, and she quickly left.

Shortly after, two Sinister Pleasure members, previously tricked by the Chief Celestial Taoist into becoming his assistants, ran past Zhang Chulan and the Chief Celestial Taoist, claiming they had been tricked by the Chief Celestial Taoist and pleading for help. Xu San and other company staff arrived. Xu San questioned Zhang Chulan's presence and asked about Grandmaster Tian's whereabouts. Zhang Chulan replied that Grandmaster Tian was still on the mountain.

Upon reaching Grandmaster Tian's room, they found him dead in his chair. The Chief Celestial Taoist demanded to know who was responsible. Xu San noted that any information about the attacker had been erased. Lyu Liang was called upon to search for clues. A specialist from Xu San's company began attempting to restore the events using residual qi, noting that it was possible since the incident had occurred less than forty minutes prior.

The restoration process began, revealing the events that transpired in Grandmaster Tian's room. It showed Grandmaster Tian (also referred to as Second Grandmaster) with Rong Shan and Qing, discussing the attack on the Celestial Taoist Mansion. Rong Shan expressed concern for the Chief Celestial Taoist, but Grandmaster Tian ordered Rong Shan to go and assist his Master, despite Rong Shan's instruction from his Master to protect Grandmaster Tian. Grandmaster Tian insisted his location was safe and this was his order.

Rong Shan left, feeling foolish for being sent away. After Rong Shan departed, Qing revealed himself to be Gong Qing, the interim leader of the Sinister Pleasure. He admitted to orchestrating the attack, focusing on non-essential areas because he had spent three years on the mountain and had developed a certain attachment to the place. Gong Qing then confronted Grandmaster Tian, acknowledging that he had finally shown himself and stating he had been waiting for this opportunity.

He explained his strong interest in the Jiashen Calamity, particularly Zhang Huaiyi, which led him to infiltrate Mount Longhu for three years. Though he initially found nothing, a recent lead prompted him to act now. Gong Qing revealed he knew Grandmaster Tian and Zhang Zhiwei had once secretly left the mountain to search for the "traitor" Zhang Huaiyi.

He questioned Grandmaster Tian directly, asking if he had found Zhang Huaiyi during that trip, explaining he deduced this from the torture scars on Grandmaster Tian, indicating someone had interrogated him for Huaiyi's whereabouts. Grandmaster Tian was shocked by Gong Qing's knowledge, confirming the torture and the search for Zhang Huaiyi but firmly denying finding him. He expressed regret that he hadn't been able to protect Huaiyi if he had been with him.

When Grandmaster Tian remained resolute in his denial, Gong Qing acknowledged his stubbornness, admitting he couldn't extract information by mere questioning, and summoned Lyu Liang. Gong Qing noted Grandmaster Tian's inability or fear of sleeping since his injury, theorizing he was afraid of revealing a secret in his sleep—a secret about meeting Zhang Huaiyi and obtaining information he wouldn't even tell his Master.

Grandmaster Tian dismissed this as creative guessing, maintaining he did not find Huaiyi and his answer would never change. Gong Qing then stated he wasn't planning to "ask" for the information and ordered Lyu Liang to extract Grandmaster Tian's memories. Grandmaster Tian cursed them as beasts. Gong Qing instructed Lyu Liang to extract past memories and delete their own presence from Grandmaster Tian's mind, claiming he wished to free Grandmaster Tian from the burden of the secret.

Lyu Liang reported that while he could attempt to copy all memories, Grandmaster Tian's primordial spirit was incredibly resilient, making specific extraction and filtering difficult and potentially taking months. Gong Qing ordered Lyu Liang to guard the door while he proceeded. The restoration continued, depicting Grandmaster Tian cursing Gong Qing and the Sinister Pleasure.

Gong Qing injected Grandmaster Tian with a needle, saying he would take responsibility for his life, and asked if Grandmaster Tian truly wished to force him to this. The memory then shifted to a flashback: Grandmaster Tian speaking with Zhang Huaiyi, who mentioned "The End of Technique is Primordial Qi Stream" before departing. Grandmaster Tian told Zhang Huaiyi he couldn't accompany him as he had to report back to his Master.

Zhang Huaiyi understood and trusted Grandmaster Tian with the secret, bidding him farewell, uncertain if they would meet again. Further memories showed Grandmaster Tian recovering from the torture, telling the Chief Celestial Taoist and Zhang Zhiwei that he had not seen Zhang Huaiyi, but his attackers refused to believe him. His Master vowed to find the culprits and avenge him. Later, Grandmaster Tian attempted to take his own life, asking his Master to let him die.

The Chief Celestial Taoist stopped him, reminding him that as cultivators, they highly valued life and must endure pain and suffering as part of their spiritual journey. Another memory showed Grandmaster Tian conversing with Zhang Zhiwei about his dreams, where he muttered about the "end" and "Primordial Qi Stream," expressing regret and apologizing to Huaiyi, feeling he should have died earlier.

This sequence of memories confirmed that Grandmaster Tian "had" met Zhang Huaiyi and learned about the Primordial Qi Stream, the secret Gong Qing sought. The restoration ended. In the present, Lyu Liang reported to Gong Qing that he had extracted as much of Grandmaster Tian's memory as possible, though it was contained within a difficult 'qi ball'. Gong Qing was satisfied that his theory had been confirmed.

He then issued instructions for the Sinister Pleasure members to observe seven days of mourning for Grandmaster Tian and threatened death for anyone who refused. Mr. Yuan questioned the decision to undertake another operation so soon after suffering significant casualties. Later, the Chief Celestial Taoist was seen alongside a grieving Rong Shan, advising him to accept the reality of death. Zhang Chulan's lively demeanor had vanished. Feng Baobao was sharpening a knife.

She commented that she thought she might finally understand what sadness was—the feeling experienced when someone known for a long time, a family member, or a loved one dies. She questioned why Zhang Chulan was sad about Grandmaster Tian, someone he had only met a few times and wasn't family, asking if he loved him.

Zhang Chulan apologized to Feng Baobao, explaining his refusal of Tianshidu meant he could not obtain the truth about the past from the Chief Celestial Taoist. He tentatively suggested she might not need to fixate on the past since so much time had passed. Feng Baobao dismissed his suggestion, stating he was wrong and that everyone, including him, had a home, gesturing to her chest area.

Zhang Chulan promised to help her find the truth and a place where she belonged. Standing over Grandmaster Tian's body, Zhang Chulan thanked him for keeping his grandfather's secret for so many years. The Chief Celestial Taoist bade Grandmaster Tian farewell, acknowledging his decades of hardship, and assured Zhang Zhiwei that Grandmaster Tian's death would not be in vain.

Episode 20 Recap

Following a period of strong thunderstorms, numerous Sinister Pleasure fugitives were reported to have been struck by lightning on Xiangchun Road and in various parts of Maqiao Street. NDT security personnel responded to the scenes, confirming the victims were Sinister Pleasure members, though the source of the lightning remained unknown. Amidst these strange events, a meeting of prominent elders took place.

Initially marked by pleasantries over tea, the atmosphere grew tense as they discussed the actions of the Chief Celestial Taoist. Lu Jin expressed impatience with the initial small talk, wanting to get to the reason for the meeting. Lyu Ci explained they had to constrain him to prevent him from going to confront the Chief Celestial Taoist himself.

They discussed the Sinister Pleasure's disruption of the Outsider Martial Arts Contest, the death of Tian Jinzhong, and the burning of Mount Longhu. They discussed the implications of the Chief Celestial Taoist's current actions, involving the illegal use of abilities for personal revenge, noting this violated the core laws of the Outsider world and could have severe consequences.

Wang stated his stance of non-interference regarding the Chief Celestial Taoist's descent from the mountain, which Lu Jin interpreted as wanting the Chief Celestial Taoist to eliminate Sinister Pleasure and Lyu Liang for him. It was noted that once the Chief Celestial Taoist made a decision, he was unstoppable.

They found it peculiar that he brought Zhao Huanjin, known as Si, with him down the mountain, rather than leaving Zhang Lingyu there, interpreting it as the Chief Celestial Taoist leaving himself no possibility of retreat and being determined to act alone. The discussion highlighted frustration among some elders, like Lu Jin, regarding the lack of decisive action and responsibility, with Lyu Ci stating he would support Lu Jin if he was willing to take responsibility.

The Chief Celestial Taoist, Zhang Zhiwei, arrived at Tianhe Building, seeking Mr. Liu Bihua. Liu Bihua was found in distress, lamenting his troubles and asserting that his current business partners were legitimate, and he could not help with Sinister Pleasure matters as he had distanced himself from them. Informed of Zhang Zhiwei's arrival, Liu Bihua became visibly agitated.

Meeting with Zhang Zhiwei, Liu Bihua claimed the incident on Mount Longhu had nothing to do with him and that he was no longer involved with the Sinister Pleasure. Zhang Zhiwei acknowledged Liu Bihua's past financial and material support for Gong Qing and Tianhe's involvement with the Sinister Pleasure, stating his purpose was to request Liu Bihua's help in meeting Gong Qing. Liu Bihua refused, reiterating his separation from the group. Suddenly, other Sinister Pleasure members burst in.

One warned Liu Bihua, recognizing him from Mount Longhu. Another attacked and disabled Liu Bihua in front of Zhang Zhiwei. Zhang Zhiwei then delivered a message to the Sinister Pleasure members present: Gong Qing must show himself, or Zhang Zhiwei would disable every Sinister Pleasure member he encountered without mercy. Meanwhile, NDT personnel were also investigating.

Xu San discovered that Sinister Pleasure members were using coded messages printed on ordinary advertisements, such as toilet unclogging flyers, as a communication method, believing their encryption was secure while NDT possessed the decryption key. He revealed the information obtained from one flyer: the message was related to the Chief Celestial Taoist, specifically conveying his demand to see Gong Qing or face the eradication of the Sinister Pleasure.

Xu San analyzed that this situation had devolved into chaos, the Sinister Pleasure would resort to desperate measures for self-preservation, and it was imperative to find Chief Celestial Taoist quickly. Elsewhere, Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao found a missing person poster offering a large reward for information leading to a 100-year-old man, featuring a picture of the Chief Celestial Taoist. Back on Mount Longhu, Zhang Lingyu found Rong Shan grieving intensely near the chair where Tian Jinzhong used to sit.

Rong Shan had been cleaning the chair for a week, withdrawn and silent. Zhang Lingyu attempted to comfort him, reminding him that death was irreversible and Tian Jinzhong would not want to see him suffering. Rong Shan, however, blamed himself for the deaths of Tian Jinzhong and Master, and tearfully asked if Zhang Lingyu was also planning to leave. The weather turned sunny after the thunderstorms.

Liu Bihua had informed the Chief Celestial Taoist of a location, as requested by the Sinister Pleasure. The Sinister Pleasure, in turn, gathered a large number of experts at this location, acknowledging Chief Celestial Taoist's strength and planning to use their numerical advantage and surprise to confront him. Gong Qing sent his regards but did not appear personally, leaving his assembled forces to face Zhang Zhiwei.

While traveling to the location, Zhang Zhiwei had a conversation with Zhao Huanjin, asking about Zhao Huanjin sending his monthly pay to the family of his deceased senior, San, which Zhao Huanjin confirmed was his duty. Zhang Zhiwei asked Zhao Huanjin if he would run if told to in a moment of danger, which Zhao Huanjin confirmed he would. Upon receiving the location from Liu Bihua, Chief Celestial Taoist and Zhao Huanjin proceeded there.

Despite initial attempts by the people at the venue to dissuade them, Chief Celestial Taoist calmly stated he was waiting for someone and ordered a drink. When the Sinister Pleasure contingent revealed themselves and stated Gong Qing would not appear but they were ready to face him, Chief Celestial Taoist swiftly defeated the entire group. He then delivered a message back to the Sinister Pleasure, stating he would wait for Gong Qing in three days on the Ganbei grassland.

Returning to Mount Longhu after his confrontation, Chief Celestial Taoist found Zhang Lingyu kneeling before him. Zhang Lingyu expressed his disappointment but acknowledged the necessity of wiping out the wicked Sinister Pleasure, yet he pleaded for mercy for Xia He, believing she was merely misguided and deserved a chance at redemption, and asked if the Master had already seen her.

Chief Celestial Taoist then asked Zhang Lingyu to rise and come upstairs, noting Zhang Lingyu's unprecedented anxiety since coming up the mountain this time. Inside, Chief Celestial Taoist spoke to Zhang Lingyu about his lifelong pursuit of perfection and avoidance of mistakes, stating he had always hoped Zhang Lingyu would make a mistake, as admitting imperfection required more courage.

He referenced their conversation during the Martial Arts Contest final, explaining he pushed Zhang Lingyu to make an independent choice because Zhang Lingyu was too influenced by others' opinions and hesitated to follow his own path. He emphasized that true growth meant facing one's inner self and daring to be oneself.

Chief Celestial Taoist then declared that from that moment, Zhang Lingyu was no longer a disciple of Mount Longhu and he was no longer Zhang Lingyu's master, encouraging him to cry to feel better. He told Zhang Lingyu that Xia He would explain the rest and advised him that all difficult detours in life were necessary paths. He directed Zhang Lingyu to meet Xia He at the place where he had previously been late.

Zhang Lingyu found Xia He waiting for him. She acknowledged his lateness, noting how long she had waited for him before when he didn't show up. Zhang Lingyu apologized, stating he had only now come to understand his true choice. Meanwhile, Lyu Liang was with Gong Qing. Gong Qing revealed his decision to go to Ganbei grassland. Gong Qing inquired if Tian Jinzhong's memory had been fully unlocked.

Lyu Liang provided the extracted memory, finding the content exciting but also surprised that it still revolved around Zhang Chulan. Lyu Liang suggested this meant Gong Qing was closer to his goal of understanding Wu Gensheng, but Gong Qing felt increasingly distant from his ambition to be a leader like Wu Gensheng, uniting the Sinister Pleasure based on their core philosophy, now finding himself in a difficult situation.

Lyu Liang suggested hiding to weather the storm before attempting to rebuild the Sinister Pleasure. Gong Qing, however, stated he could not hide this time and needed an answer from Chief Celestial Taoist, acknowledging that stepping onto this path meant there was no turning back. Lyu Liang warned Gong Qing about the immense power and danger of the secret he now possessed, capable of causing massive upheaval and potentially re-igniting conflict akin to the Jiashen Calamity.

He emphasized that Gong Qing's choices were linked to the fate of the entire Outsider world and that seeking the truth came with a heavy price. Lyu Liang bid Gong Qing farewell, expecting they would not meet again. Gong Qing replied that his entire life had been a series of costs, but he was nearing the truth he sought.

Episode 21 Recap

As the Chief Celestial Taoist prepared to continue his pursuit, he was intercepted by members of The All-Encompassing Guild and Lu Jin. Lu Jin stepped forward, desperately trying to persuade the Chief Celestial Taoist to stop his reckless actions. As an old friend, Lu Jin knew the Chief Celestial Taoist was hiding something and urged him to confide in him so he could help.

Seeing Lu Jin's persistent attempts to persuade him, the Chief Celestial Taoist decided there was nothing more to say. Disregarding their long-standing friendship, he decisively subdued Lu Jin, warning everyone else not to interfere between him and the Sinister Pleasure. He declared that he would bear full responsibility for his actions and accept punishment afterward.

Soon after, members of the Sinister Pleasure, including Ding Dao'an and Tu Junfang, appeared, stating their intention to challenge the Chief Celestial Taoist as the fight on Mount Longhu hadn't been satisfying enough. They were quickly defeated and severely punished by the Chief Celestial Taoist. It was then that Gong Qing, the Interim Leader of the Sinister Pleasure, revealed himself.

He confessed that he had audacity, having infiltrated the Celestial Taoist Mansion and posed as a disciple for three years right under their noses, learning from the Chief Celestial Taoist and Grandmaster Tian. Gong Qing admitted he killed Grandmaster Tian but believed the Chief Celestial Taoist's true motive for pursuing him so relentlessly, even defying the Ten Elders and disrupting the order, was to protect Grandmaster Tian's secret.

He correctly guessed the Chief Celestial Taoist wanted the world to forget the Jiashen Calamity to prevent history from repeating itself. However, Gong Qing argued that as long as the Eight Supremes existed, the truth would be sought. He contended that Zhang Chulan, as Zhang Huaiyi's grandson and carrier of Qi Apotheosis, was the person who would undeniably bring everything back, and only his disappearance could bring peace.

He suspected Chief Celestial Taoist knew this, which was why he tried to trap Zhang Chulan with Tianshidu, but Zhang Chulan refused. Gong Qing hypothesized that Grandmaster Tian's memory contained information even more crucial than the secrets of the Eight Supremes – the location where the former Sinister Pleasure leader, Wu Gensheng, achieved enlightenment: the Valley of 24 Terms, a place that could turn the entire Outsider world upside down.

The Chief Celestial Taoist countered that Zhang Chulan was a variable for both sides, and those with a moral compass like him were the most capable of stopping the Sinister Pleasure. He called Gong Qing smart but misguided, insisting that Grandmaster Tian's memory should not fall into the hands of people like him. He asserted that the current state of disunity among Outsiders required a "reshuffle" to return to the beginning, which was inevitable.

Gong Qing claimed the Chief Celestial Taoist couldn't stop it and that he would not miss this calamity like the last one. The Chief Celestial Taoist then prepared to act, acknowledging that killing Gong Qing would come at a price – being barred from Outsider affairs – but stated the world wasn't solely dependent on him. He declared that those capable of stopping the Sinister Pleasure had already emerged, and justice would prevail over evil.

After the confrontation, the Chief Celestial Taoist faced the consequences for his actions, having severely violated regulations in his quest for vengeance. He was sentenced to a lifetime of confinement on Mount Longhu. Zhang Chulan visited him, and the Chief Celestial Taoist admitted he had made a mistake and this would likely be their last meeting. He explained that he had broken the rules he himself helped establish and was rightfully accepting punishment.

He told Zhang Chulan that although Gong Qing was dead, Grandmaster Tian's secret could no longer be kept hidden, as Lyu Liang now possessed Tian's memory. He entrusted the remaining tasks to Zhang Chulan, saying he was old and tired and should have retired from such conflicts long ago. Zhang Chulan wished him another century of life.

The Chief Celestial Taoist then asked Zhang Chulan what he would do if he found the truth, knowing how greedy humans can be and their potential for unscrupulously pursuing benefits. Zhang Chulan replied that he didn't know for sure but had to pursue it for his grandpa, for Bao'er, and for himself. If the truth was used to harm others, he would stop them, even if it cost him his life.

The Chief Celestial Taoist expressed regret that he hadn't possessed such determination in the past, suggesting today's events might have been avoided if he had. He said he had completed the easy part and selfishly left the most difficult part to Zhang Chulan. As Zhang Chulan prepared to leave, he asked the Chief Celestial Taoist for one last favor: to help him break the restriction his grandpa had placed on him.

The Chief Celestial Taoist simply patted his head in response, acknowledging that his role in Zhang Chulan's journey was nearing its end. Down the mountain, Zhang Chulan recounted everything the Chief Celestial Taoist had told him to Xu San and Feng Baobao. They were puzzled why he had refused to inherit Tianshidu. Zhang Chulan explained that his grandpa, Zhang Huaiyi, had told Xu San that to uncover Bao'er's past, they needed to unravel the secrets of the Jiashen Calamity.

Zhang Chulan believed his grandpa had misled Xu San, explaining that while solving the calamity "could" reveal Bao'er's identity, if the secret remained hidden, Bao'er would continue to stay by his side as a powerful protector. This, Zhang Chulan suggested, was his grandpa's true intention, having used both Bao'er and Xu San to ensure Bao'er stayed with him. He clarified that his grandpa hadn't exactly lied; the secret "was" tied to the calamity.

However, Tianshidu itself was a restriction or seal. If he had accepted it, the Chief Celestial Taoist would have died, and Zhang Chulan, like the Chief Celestial Taoist, would have been bound by the same rules, unable to share the truth with anyone, including Bao'er. Zhang Chulan concluded he preferred being Bao'er's "slave" to being a keeper of secrets he couldn't share.

When asked about his next steps, Zhang Chulan declared he would fulfill his grandpa's promise to find the truth about the 36 Thieves and the Eight Supremes by following every lead. Xu San expressed skepticism, noting how many years had passed, that the 36 Thieves were likely dead, and that the current known possessors of the Eight Supremes like Wang Ai, Feng Zhenghao, and Lu Jin were formidable individuals from whom extracting information would be incredibly difficult.

Zhang Chulan acknowledged this but pointed out that Xu San had overlooked one person: Wang Ye, who possessed Qimen Manipulation. Wang Ye was their next lead, and Zhang Chulan suspected they weren't the only ones interested in him. Wang Ye, having recently been formally expelled from Wudang, found himself reflecting on his identity and his entanglement in the Jiashen Calamity since learning Qimen Manipulation.

He was offered a ride by Feng Shayan's brother, who spoke highly of him and revealed his father's desire to recruit Wang Ye to The All-Encompassing Guild with a substantial salary. Wang Ye politely declined the offer and requested to be dropped off at the nearby airport helipad. He arrived at his expansive family home, where his father's assistant, Du, greeted him.

Du explained that Wang Ye's father had recently bought more land and expanded the property, feeling it was too empty without Wang Ye around, and built more houses to make it seem livelier. Du urged Wang Ye to change clothes before seeing his father, who was supposedly ill. His mother greeted him with great affection and mentioned arranging a date for him.

Wang Ye went to his father's bedroom, where his father was complaining of various ailments like nervous breakdowns, insomnia, depression, headaches, foot aches, and general discomfort. However, Wang Ye noticed a lack of actual medicine, finding only supplements and tonic ingredients, confirming his suspicion that his father was feigning illness, likely to keep him home.

His father mentioned hearing from Taoist Zhou two days prior that Wang Ye had been expelled from Wudang and asked him to help with the family business now, pretending his memory was failing. Wang Ye also noticed prayer beads given to his father by a recently met friend. Later, Wang Ye spoke to Du about his suspicions, asking if any Outsiders had visited the house.

Du denied it, but Wang Ye revealed he found traces of qi on the door lock and in his room, where undisturbed areas were suspiciously clean, indicating someone had searched and meticulously restored everything. He realized the intruders were likely after him, not his father. Wang Ye asked Du if he would help him if something happened, and Du readily agreed. Wang Ye then asked Du to secretly hire several Outsiders to protect his family.

Du presented some potential candidates with peculiar abilities, which Wang Ye found less than ideal but hired anyway, authorizing a substantial payment despite Du's reluctance to take money directly from the family account. Later, Zhang Chulan, Wang Ye, Feng Baobao, and another person were together, with Wang Ye seemingly discussing the need for money. They went to a bar to meet Jin Yuanyuan, known as the Queen of Investment, a prodigy who managed large sums and could hold her liquor.

Zhang Chulan assigned Feng Baobao to drink with Jin Yuanyuan and himself to help Wang Ye avoid Jin's "Cupid's arrow." Wang Ye asked Jin Yuanyuan for a loan. She agreed but pressed him about why he became a monk right after she had confessed to him at the same bar previously. While Wang Ye attempted to explain, Zhang Chulan interjected, claiming Wang Ye realized Jin was his soulmate after his time in Wudang.

Jin Yuanyuan engaged in a drinking contest with Feng Baobao, who proved to be a formidable drinker. Jin Yuanyuan eventually became completely intoxicated, repeatedly murmuring about money. Wang Ye was frustrated that Feng Baobao had gotten her so drunk after she agreed to the loan. They put the inebriated Jin Yuanyuan into Wang Ye's car, along with Feng Baobao and the other person.

As they drove, Zhang Chulan, who was awake, asked Wang Ye why he had sought him out, having previously tried to deter him from seeking the truth. Wang Ye assumed Zhang Chulan had heard he refused Tianshidu and asked him to use his abilities to divine the truth about the calamity. Zhang Chulan reminded him he wasn't a fortune teller. Wang Ye then revealed they were being followed and had been for the entire trip.

Zhang Chulan suggested leading their pursuers to a secluded area to deal with them, lamenting that he felt like a jinx due to his connection to the Jiashen Calamity and that being followed was unpleasant. Wang Ye drove onto a bridge. Suddenly, a tire on the car exploded. Zhang Chulan recognized the effect, exclaiming it was Chaos Golden Space Rip. Their car was stopped on the West Buzhimen Bridge. Several individuals appeared before them, clearly ready for a confrontation.

Episode 22 Recap

Upon seeing Wang Ye, who jumped out of his vehicle appearing ready to fight, Zhang Chulan initially thought a battle was imminent. However, Wang Ye chose to flee, telling his companions, Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao, to split up and detailing a complex route to a park for rendezvous. The pursuers gave chase, using Qian, Diversion to maintain their pursuit. Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao followed separately, noting their slower pace.

The pursuers eventually caught up to Wang Ye, confirming his identity as the third son of the Zhonghai Group's head and revealing their intention to compete with him, unfazed by fighting on the street. Seeing the pursuers were serious, Wang Ye decided to fight back. He used Taiyuan, Yunmen, and Jiuwei. The opponents employed Earth Plate Bagua and Human Plate Eight Gates techniques, including moves like Banjing, Ban, Lan, Chui, Bashinli, and Liuhe.

Wang Ye countered with Tai Chi Entangle, Stick, and Extract, referring to them as Three Forces. He recognized their high skill level, stating each was comparable to Zhuge Qing within their respective techniques. During the fight, Wang Ye received a call from Zhuge Qing, who had just arrived in the city and planned to meet him soon.

Wang Ye expressed surprise that Zhuge Qing would resort to such methods, leading Zhuge Qing to realize he had encountered the three troublesome individuals. Zhuge Qing asked Wang Ye to teach them a lesson. Later, Wang Ye met with Zhuge Qing, who observed that Wang Ye seemed tense, unlike his relaxed demeanor on Mount Longhu. Wang Ye admitted he was being targeted, and even his family was under surveillance, despite their complete ignorance.

Zhuge Qing joked that if Wang Ye had simply let him win with Tai Chi during their previous encounter (where Wang Ye used Feng Hou Qi Men), perhaps none of this trouble would have happened. Wang Ye acknowledged his promise to help Zhuge Qing if he was in trouble but stated this situation was beyond his capabilities. He mentioned knowing someone who could help. Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao then joined them.

Zhang Chulan quickly grasped the situation: Wang Ye's family was being targeted by Outsiders, and Wang Ye needed help investigating who was behind these attacks, which was implied to be related to Feng Hou Qi Men. Wang Ye confirmed he needed help identifying the mastermind. Zhang Chulan found it a difficult task, but Feng Baobao simply stated they should give the attackers what they want.

Zhang Chulan suggested Wang Ye give his Feng Hou Qi Men to the attackers and offered to give away his own Qi Body Source instead, reasoning they were after it anyway. He explained he couldn't teach Qi Body Source because it would repeat the chaos of the Jiashen Calamity, he had to bear the consequences himself, and he had promised Hong Ye, who had inspired him but was now gone.

Wang Ye stated he didn't trust outside help and already had a suitable person in mind, looking at Zhang Chulan. Wang Ye reasoned that Zhang Chulan, being from NDT Express, having been kidnapped, and having dealt with stalkers, was the perfect candidate, especially since he was already there and likely also interested in Feng Hou Qi Men. He asked if Zhang Chulan wanted to uncover the people behind the attacks, requesting help as a friend and promising compensation.

Zhang Chulan agreed but stated his price was high. Wang Ye claimed he was wealthy and accepted the deal. Feng Baobao immediately interjected, naming the price of one hundred million. Although surprised, Wang Ye accepted, agreeing to send a contract that night and the deposit the following day. Zhang Chulan later confronted Feng Baobao, astonishingly showing his finger to indicate he had only intended to ask for ten thousand and scolding her for naming one hundred million.

Feng Baobao questioned if one hundred million was too little. Zhang Chulan decided against retracting the offer, emphasizing honesty and the potential to learn more about the Jiashen Calamity from Wang Ye. The following day, Wang Ye practiced Tai Chi with his father. He asked his father for money for an urgent matter.

His father was initially reluctant but relented after Wang Ye mentioned visiting Baiyun Temple and senior fellow disciples and elders there, implying he might return to monastic life. His father agreed to wire millions (initially 2 million was received) on the condition that Wang Ye not go back to Daoist temples. Meanwhile, Feng Baobao and Zhang Chulan began their investigation, searching among a crowd of square dancers.

They identified several Outsiders within the group who had previously interacted with Wang Ye's family. Zhuge Qing joined them and remarked that the situation was getting complicated with both Wang Ye and himself involved. After three days, Zhuge Qing expressed doubt about Zhang Chulan's progress, wondering if he had run off with the money, as he hadn't heard from him. However, Zhang Chulan called Wang Ye to report significant progress, having identified eleven individuals involved in total.

Zhang Chulan met with Wang Ye and Zhuge Qing to outline his findings. He explained that eleven Outsiders had approached Wang Ye's family under various pretenses but were all part of the same group. Focusing on three individuals located in a particular building, he detailed their living habits, sleeping arrangements, bathing habits, and schedules, pinpointing the optimal time for action between 3 AM and 6 AM, when the last person went to sleep and the first woke up.

Zhang Chulan declared that their small team would be formally led by Feng Baobao, and they would all follow her commands like slaves. They decided to play mahjong until 3:30 AM before starting the operation. The operation began. They found the building door unlocked. Inside, they located and subdued the three people, using a specific method to stuff their mouths and prevent them from speaking.

After subduing them, Zhang Chulan showed them a photo of Wang Ye's parents and asked why they had pictures of them. One of the captives indicated they needed to understand Wang Ye's mother's preferences to befriend her as part of their infiltration plan. Wang Ye pleaded with Zhang Chulan to handle these people, regardless of cost. Zhang Chulan agreed but noted the challenge of moving the captives.

Feng Baobao took charge, ordering the subdued individuals, whom she called useless, to get out and wait in the car. Zhang Chulan confirmed he had sent the captives' phone numbers and identity information to his company, NDT Express, for further investigation into their finances and communication records. Later, while waiting outside with the captured individuals near the car, Feng Baobao purchased jianbing from a vendor. Wang Ye commented on the total of eleven individuals and asked about the remaining eight.

Zhang Chulan clarified that the three they captured were the individuals found staking out this particular building, and were part of the larger group of eleven who had interacted with Wang Ye's family. Feng Baobao was assigned to guard the car and the captives while Zhang Chulan, Wang Ye, and Zhuge Qing went upstairs. As they ascended the stairs, Wang Ye struggled with dizziness from the height.

Zhuge Qing, prompted by Wang Ye joking about using fire, decided to use his Li technique, named Chilian, which Zhang Chulan called a "little fire snake," to deal with whoever was above. Higher up, they realized someone had used an ability to remove oxygen, creating an anaerobic zone. They were only a few levels up in a ten-story building. While Zhang Chulan and Zhuge Qing were affected by the lack of oxygen, the three pursuers from the street reappeared.

One of them, who claimed to have created the anaerobic zone, used the Xun technique, Feng Jian. Wang Ye urged Zhang Chulan and Zhuge Qing to handle the three opponents while he pursued the person who created the anaerobic zone. Zhuge Qing used Tu He Che (Boulder Toss), while one of the opponents used the Xun technique, Feng Sheng (Wind Rope). Wang Ye chased the attacker, who was hiding. Wang Ye confronted the individual, demanding to know who sent them. The attacker agreed to tell him but then suddenly pushed Wang Ye off the building.

Episode 23 Recap

As Wang Ye narrowly avoided being pushed from a height, he skillfully used his abilities to land safely just as Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao arrived. Zhang Chulan immediately began complaining to the captured individuals about their lack of professionalism before they quickly hog-tied the group, planning to take them back to the company for credit.

Noticing the leader of the group was particularly stubborn, Zhang Chulan decided to try and get information from him, but the man refused to cooperate, stating that revealing information would ruin his business as people in his line of work rely on trust. Seeing his defiant attitude, Zhang Chulan instructed Feng Baobao to show him what she could do. In response, the man picked up a brick and hit Zhang Chulan fiercely, startling Wang Ye.

To Wang Ye's surprise, Zhang Chulan was excited, explaining to the captured men that this was a work injury he would report to the company for reimbursement, ensuring they would be marked by the company and unable to easily escape consequences or continue their business outside. Even the usually good-natured Zhuge Qing found Zhang Chulan's behavior rather despicable. Wang Ye then stepped forward, confronting the captured men directly and demanding to know why they targeted his family.

The men stubbornly denied doing anything to his family, remaining defiant even as Wang Ye threatened them. Seeing Wang Ye about to resort to force, Zhuge Qing quickly intervened, pulling him back. The group retreated to the side to discuss their next steps, agreeing that Feng Baobao would guard the captives while the others prepared to activate an array and enter the Neijing, an internal dimension or mental world.

Having decided to enter the Neijing, Zhang Chulan, Wang Ye, and Zhuge Qing prepared the necessary array, with Wang Ye handling the complex setup. Zhuge Qing explained that the Neijing was a shared mental world where they could seek answers, but doing so had risks, particularly regarding fate if powerful secrets were revealed.

As a demonstration, they attempted to retrieve a lottery number, which was easily accessible but came with a warning about the consequences of affecting fate by revealing such information. They then focused on their true goal: uncovering the identity of the Jiashen Calamity's mastermind. This answer proved far more resistant, manifesting as a large, impenetrable light sphere. Inside the Neijing, they struggled to break through, their efforts consuming their vitality and causing physical distress.

Zhang Chulan, despite warnings from Zhuge Qing and the apparent futility of their combined efforts, pressed on, determined to obtain the answer. This led to the reveal that the mastermind was Chen Jinkui, a prominent figure among the Ten Greats and the current head of the Art of Technique gate. Meanwhile, outside, Feng Baobao, guarding their physical bodies, saw them spitting up blood and in distress, prompting her to intervene and assist them.

Feng Baobao's timely intervention outside helped their consciousness return to their bodies. Waking up, they were in pain, their internal energy disrupted. Zhang Chulan realized Feng Baobao had helped stabilize their condition. Looking at Feng Baobao, he felt a silent understanding and sorrow, as they now knew the formidable identity of the enemy they faced. Zhang Chulan, feeling responsible after taking payment for the job, resolved to clean up the situation.

Turning back to the captured group, he quickly called them over and resolved the misunderstanding, giving them money he had received from Wang Ye. After the men left, Wang Ye understood Zhang Chulan's intention with the money, seeing him in a different light and expressing that Zhang Chulan had taught him a lesson. Having finished their immediate tasks, Zhang Chulan, Wang Ye, and Feng Baobao went to a restaurant to eat roast duck and discuss important matters.

Wang Ye commented that the situation was easily resolved, contrasting it with the idea of directly attacking Chen Jinkui's home. He explained that Chen Jinkui's willingness to withdraw his people indicated he had concerns, making him easier to deal with. Wang Ye described Chen Jinkui as a "shameless" individual who would resort to any means, noting that such people can easily manipulate those with principles.

However, if a shameless person encounters another shameless person, they act cautiously before resorting to extremes. To protect his family from such tactics, Wang Ye decided he had to show that he too could be "shameless" if necessary and, more importantly, he needed to leave home, making his family less of a direct target and entrusting their protection to others. He struggled with who to trust, and Zhuge Qing recommended some capable friends. Later, Wang Ye spoke with his father.

His father supported his son's path but urged him not to bear burdens alone, reminding him to come home if he encountered danger or trouble and rely on his family. Wang Ye expressed his gratitude to his father, acknowledging that his father's presence had given him the freedom to choose his own path and become who he is.

Wang Ye's father agreed to hire the friends Zhuge Qing suggested to protect the family and advised Wang Ye to quietly leave after having a meal with his mother the next day, promising to handle his mother's reaction. The next morning, Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao prepared to leave the hotel. Feng Baobao obtained some cucumbers from the kitchen.

Wang Ye saw them off, and Zhang Chulan thanked him, mentioning he needed to return to work but would have liked to stay longer at the hotel. Wang Ye thanked Zhang Chulan and his companions for helping his family out of the Jiashen Calamity's shadow and stated he would handle things from now on.

Wang Ye mentioned he had transferred the extra money back to Zhang Chulan's account, but Zhang Chulan declined it, saying he didn't earn the answer in the Neijing and Wang Ye didn't owe him. They exchanged farewells, unsure when they would meet again. Zhang Chulan playfully commented on Wang Ye using an old-fashioned car window crank before driving off. After they left, Wang Ye reflected on the experience.

He found the encounters with various people interesting and admitted he was somewhat addicted to such experiences. He pondered Zhang Chulan's apparent ease in handling situations, contrasting it with his own past ability to manage relationships and achievements merely as a means of pleasing others. He recalled the inexplicable sense of superiority he felt after cultivating at Wudang, viewing worldly people as foolish, but this feeling had vanished.

He realized there were things he couldn't handle and had to rely on someone he considered the "most unbearably vulgar." He contemplated Zhang Chulan's choices but concluded that Zhang Chulan would likely be able to face any challenges ahead. He reflected on his own lack of "secular past" compared to Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao, realizing his advantage was merely a better life.

He decided that escaping the world was not something he was qualified to do yet and opted to leave home and become a wanderer, a practitioner walking the world, to test his own capabilities and allow his family's life to return to peace. Meanwhile, Lyu Liang was seen. He was confronted by Zhang Chulan, who had found him. Lyu Liang seemed surprised Zhang Chulan had come alone and asked if he wasn't afraid of being killed.

When Zhang Chulan didn't immediately act, Lyu Liang suggested he do it now, saying dying by Zhang Chulan's hand would be the best option given how many people wanted him dead. He then proposed that they were the same kind of people. Zhang Chulan denied this, accusing Lyu Liang of tricking him.

Lyu Liang stated he possessed secrets about the Eight Techniques and had nowhere else to go, noting that he had snuck out to meet Zhang Chulan and was prepared. He remarked that Zhang Chulan hadn't changed. Lyu Liang then handed Zhang Chulan something he described as a crucial memory belonging to both his grandfather and Zhang Chulan's grandfather, containing the truth of the Jiashen Calamity.

He explained only he could unlock it but gave it to Zhang Chulan knowing Zhang Chulan would seek him out. Suddenly, Lyu Liang urged Zhang Chulan to leave quickly, as they were being pursued, and told him to split up. Lyu Liang reflected on his situation, noting that Sinister Pleasure was disbanded, leaving him to hide without the power to pursue the truth further. He knew he had to return to a certain place eventually.

He had marked memories related to Zhang Chulan in advance, hoping they would meet again, believing Zhang Chulan was potentially the only one who could help him. Soon after, he was confronted by Gong, who greeted him after a long time. Lyu Liang returned the greeting, commenting it had been years since he had returned. Gong instructed him to come back to see "Grandpa" that night, and Lyu Liang agreed, asking about his health. Gong's associates then attacked Lyu Liang.

Lyu Liang cried out for them to stop, but one of Gong's men replied that the "Old Master" wanted him alive. Lyu Liang was told he couldn't escape and was taken away. The scene concluded with a thought that the secret Grandmaster Tian had tried so hard to protect ultimately could not be kept.

Episode 24 Recap

Inside the Lyu family mansion, Lyu Liang was being held captive and interrogated. Someone called him a beast who killed his own sister, Huan, a crime worthy of death for betraying his clan. The family's Great-grandpa pressed Lyu Liang to reveal memories related to the secret of the Eight Supremes, specifically mentioning those of Zhang Xilin and Tian Jinzhong. The Great-grandpa offered to spare Lyu Liang's life and reintegrate him into the family if he complied.

Lyu Liang insisted he did not kill his sister, Huan, stating it was the one thing he had never lied about. The Great-grandpa, who watched Lyu Liang grow up, expressed that he knew Lyu Liang's temperament and believed that even if Lyu Liang had killed Huan, it wasn't intentional, emphasizing how much he cherished their family's blood.

After Lyu Liang revealed knowledge of the Double Quan Palm seen in Tian Jinzhong's memories and questioned its similarity to the Lyu family's Soul Whisperer technique, the Great-grandpa was startled by his knowledge of this deep secret. He stated that since Lyu Liang was grown, it was time he knew. He promised to explain the connection between Double Quan Palm and Soul Whisperer, emphasizing it was their family's biggest secret that must be kept. "

Following this revelation, Lyu Liang's arms were severed." Internally, Lyu Liang lamented being unable to continue searching for the truth about Huan. Meanwhile, NDT Express recently experienced massive delivery mishaps and customer dissatisfaction. Xu San announced the company would halt operations for three days to address the issue, stating it was caused by an external hack to steal vital intel.

He assigned Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao to investigate, despite Zhang Chulan's protests about being an Outsider Martial Arts Contest champion doing delivery work and not being a programmer. Xu San told them he had found them a helper who would contact them. Zhang Chulan received a friend request on WeChat from "Gao Erzhuang, Part-Timer of NDT," whose profile picture was cute and messages were mysterious, suggesting phone communication or a meeting.

Feng Baobao trusted her since Xu San recommended her. Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao went to the designated cybercafe. Erzhuang directed them through on-screen instructions and voice prompts, telling them to turn on a PC and camera at station 17. She identified the hacker as Qin Peng, a 23-year-old programmer and Outsider, who recently joined the Sinister Pleasure and didn't know he was hacking a company system; it was his first mission from his superiors.

Erzhuang instructed them to bring Qin Peng back for interrogation about the mastermind behind the order. Zhang Chulan realized their task was minimal and complained about the triviality and Erzhuang's temper. Erzhuang responded, revealing she was right beside them, though they couldn't see her, and warned him not to talk badly about her. Zhang Chulan called her a pervert before she clarified she was near.

She told them Qin Peng had already been interrogated, but he had forgotten everything about the person who gave the order, including name, gender, and appearance, despite her efforts. This suggested an Outsider ability was used to wipe the memory of the order-giver, a phenomenon seen with other caught hackers as well. Erzhuang said she would report this and they were no longer needed. However, Zhang Chulan wanted to investigate how the memory wipe occurred.

Xu San appeared, declaring the suspects caught and giving Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao a break. Erzhuang confirmed Qin Peng was asleep until the next day. Zhang Chulan took Qin Peng's glasses, guessing Erzhuang could see through them and that Xu San used them to communicate with her. Putting on the glasses, Zhang Chulan could see Erzhuang, who commented on his appearance, calling him ugly while wearing them and later calling him silly multiple times.

He asked if she was AR, AI, or something else. Zhang Chulan then speculated she was the NDT central system, which she didn't explicitly deny, stating that handling delivery information was just part of her job. When asked why the Sinister Pleasure stole the information and their plans, Erzhuang refused to tell without a benefit. Since she couldn't eat, Zhang Chulan offered to describe the taste of her favorite dish, a lamb skewer, in detail.

After he provided a rich, evocative description, Erzhuang felt she had experienced the taste and agreed to share information. She revealed the stolen data was about the "creators" of the Eight Supremes, including their identities, birth details, and whereabouts, specifying if they were dead or alive. She didn't know their motive. She also added that the Sinister Pleasure had a "new" sect leader, not just an interim one as previous leaders had claimed.

Zhang Chulan pressed for clarification, but she abruptly ended the communication. Left with unanswered questions about the Eight Supremes' secrets and the new leader's purpose, Zhang Chulan decided to seek answers from Mr. Lu, since his own Grandmaster was in retreat. Zhang Chulan called Lu Linglong, who was happy to hear from him. Mr. Lu was annoyed, calling Zhang Chulan and the people from Mount Longhu dishonest liars.

Zhang Chulan offered to visit the next day to apologize on his Grandmaster's behalf. Mr. Lu agreed, curious how the apology would be delivered. Lu Linglong warned Zhang Chulan that Mr. Lu was in a bad mood due to recent deaths among the Jiashen generation elders, mentioning Taoist Fang Dongtian and Taoist Lu from Mount Wudang had passed away. Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao arrived at Mr. Lu's residence.

Lu Linglong took Feng Baobao to play with cats, while Mr. Lu spoke with Zhang Chulan privately. Zhang Chulan attempted flattery, citing stories told by Xu San and Xu Si about Mr. Lu's boldness, his confrontation with Zhang Chulan's Grandmaster at Gangbei grassland where the Ten Lords were afraid, and their five-day-five-night battle. Mr. Lu dismissed the flattery, stating Zhang Chulan's Grandmaster could defeat him easily.

He was upset that the Grandmaster had sealed himself away on Mount Longhu, abandoning his old friends, and lamented the decreasing number of Jiashen survivors. When Zhang Chulan offered to be his friend if the Grandmaster couldn't descend, Mr. Lu refused, calling him cunning and shameless and stating Zhang Chulan would destroy him if he were younger.

Pressed for the real reason for his visit, Zhang Chulan admitted he wanted to ask about the Jiashen Calamity but knew Mr. Lu wouldn't tell, so he would ask about the Eight Supremes instead. Mr. Lu agreed to discuss the Eight Supremes, starting with the 36 Thieves.

He showed Zhang Chulan a list, explaining it was obtained "only" from Feng Tianyang after he was captured by the Wang family, despite intense interrogation efforts by many powerful figures who failed to extract the full truth. He mentioned his own Infinite Heavenly Talisman was inherited from Zheng Zibu. At the time, the Eight Supremes were just names; their actual abilities were unknown.

Mr. Lu emphasized the extraordinary nature of eight individuals simultaneously developing such advanced techniques overnight, suggesting a hidden secret. He noted that the previous Chief Celestial Taoist, his Grandmaster's master, had been present and advised stopping the interrogation but was ignored. Of the 36 Thieves, nine survived and were the ones who mastered the Eight Supremes. Zhang Chulan questioned the discrepancy of nine people and eight techniques.

Mr. Lu explained that eight mastered unique supremes while the ninth was still trying. He identified the ninth person as Wu Gensheng, describing him as the "number one martial artist" whose own skills were on par with the Eight Supremes. Mr. Lu explained "Wu Gensheng" was a self-given name, his true name unknown, calling him a "madman" with unique, self-taught skills.

He became widely known by taking the long-vacant position of Sinister Pleasure Sect Leader, which had been empty for hundreds of years, giving the group a figurehead. Zhang Chulan mentioned the NDT hack and the new Sinister Pleasure Sect Leader stealing Eight Supremes data. Mr. Lu was surprised, stating Wu Gensheng had vanished after the Jiashen Calamity, and subsequent leaders only used the "interim" title. He questioned if Wu Gensheng had returned.

Zhang Chulan speculated he might be dead from age. Mr. Lu wished he was alive, declaring he "must kill" Wu Gensheng and inviting him to come anytime.

While eating hotpot, Zhang Chulan asked about the known Eight Supremes (Zhou Sheng's Feng Hou Qimen passed to Wang Ye, Zheng Zibu's Infinite Heavenly Talisman passed to Mr. Lu and then Zhang Lingyu, and Feng Tianyang's Dispatch of Detained Spirits used by the Feng and Wang families) and inquired about the abilities of the five unknown ones: Duan Muying's Double Quan Palm, Ma Benzai's Divine Forge, Gu Qiting's Daluo Dongguan, Ruan Feng's Six Vault Immortal Thievery, and his grandfather's Qi Apotheosis.

Mr. Lu reiterated that the creators only shared the names, not the full details of their techniques, even among themselves. Zhang Chulan wondered why these specific individuals mastered the techniques. Mr. Lu mentioned Feng Tianyang's account of mastering the Eight Supremes in a place called the Valley of 24 Terms, where ancients supposedly ascended and left behind a mysterious qi formation said to defy fate, revive the dead, or enable ascension.

Zhang Chulan wanted to visit, but Mr. Lu said he didn't know where it was, noting that many, including NDT, had searched for decades without success, suggesting Feng Tianyang might have lied to survive. Zhang Chulan questioned if it was a lie, how eight people could have mastered techniques there. Later, Zhang Chulan asked why the Lyu family's Soul Whisperer wasn't used during Feng Tianyang's interrogation.

Mr. Lu revealed that the Lyu family did not possess the Soul Whisperer technique before the Jiashen Calamity and advised Zhang Chulan to avoid Lyu family matters if he wished to live longer. NDT had also issued a warning that the Lyu family had significant problems and were suspected of violating Outsider regulations in multiple cases, but NDT lacked direct evidence.

Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao arrived at the Lyu family mansion, noting its grand scale, larger than Gouwazi's village, and recognized it as a Ten Lord's territory. They observed the Lyu elders gathered, acting strangely, appearing scared and repeatedly saying "scared." The Great-grandpa was present, scolding some for not mastering the Soul Whisperer, calling them useless for being scared. Zhang Chulan recognized the location and found Lyu Liang's glasses, wondering where he was.

A voice stated they saw Lyu Liang being captured by the Lyu family. A voiceover spoke of an important memory belonging to Zhang Chulan and his grandfather, holding the truth of the Jiashen Calamity that only "I" (the voice) could unlock. Then, a formal announcement was made that the "Sect Leader is here," and everyone was told to stand in line to welcome the new leader. Lyu Liang entered, wearing glasses and his arms bandaged. He announced that he had obtained the core information about the creators of the Eight Supremes and asked who would join him in recreating the true Sinister Pleasure.

Episode 25 Recap

Addressing the members of the Sinister Pleasure, Lyu Liang assumed a new identity, declaring his intention to reform and revitalize the organization to its true form. He stated this was a day he had long awaited. Ten years prior, a young Lyu Liang and Huan were close friends. Their playful time together ended abruptly as they raced home to meet their great-grandpa's eight o'clock deadline.

During their journey, Huan revealed she had used a specific technique to delete their shared memory of playing together. This act exposed to Lyu Liang a hidden secret of the Lyu family in the Outsiders' world: their Ming Hun Shu ability, which could, unexpectedly, not only extract but also "delete" existing memories – a capability Lyu Liang believed even his brother, Lyu Gong, didn't possess. Huan claimed she learned this technique from an old lady.

Upon returning home, Lyu Liang feigned ignorance about his afternoon activities. Lyu Gong attempted to extract Lyu Liang's memories to verify his story but found the afternoon's memories blank. Their great-grandpa, Lyu Ci, criticized Lyu Gong's clumsy use of Ming Hun Shu, blaming him for the missing memory, and warmly welcomed Huan. After Huan restored Lyu Liang's memory, the two children went to eat together.

At the dinner table, Lyu Liang, curious about the old lady Huan mentioned, pressed her for details. Huan refused to disclose anything further, making Lyu Liang pinky swear to keep her secret forever. Lyu Liang mused on the nature of memory and identity, presenting his "Cola Sprite Theory" to Huan. Shortly after, Huan secretly entered the Lyu family's wine cellar, where she found the old lady locked away.

The old lady, knowing Huan was connected to the Lyu family, warned her to leave, expressing intense hatred for their family. Before Huan could escape, Great-grandpa Lyu Ci entered the cellar carrying a newborn baby, the fifth generation of the Lyu family. He spoke to the old lady, revealing she was the source of the Double Quan Palm.

He explained he had kept her alive for nearly sixty years, having realized the Double Quan Palm was not a teachable manual but something inherent in her blood. Since the third generation, he had been working to incorporate her bloodline into the Lyu descendants, later renaming their derived technique Ming Hun Shu. He stated blood from the old lady was needed for the baby and he would return for more when the child was a month old.

Hidden, Huan overheard Lyu Ci's chilling confession about the family's pursuit of Double Quan Palm through her blood. After Lyu Ci left, Huan emerged and asked the old lady if she, too, had undergone a blood swap procedure when she was young, and if the old lady's blood flowed in her veins. The old lady then asked Huan to repeat the Cola Sprite theory she had mentioned earlier. When Huan left the cellar, her demeanor had significantly changed.

Meanwhile, outside the ancestral hall, other Lyu family members gathered, eagerly awaiting Great-grandpa Lyu Ci to name the new baby. The child was named Lyu Ying. As the family banquet began, Huan quietly left. Lyu Liang later admitted he didn't notice her strange behavior that day. What followed next dramatically altered his life forever. Later, it was revealed that Lyu Liang had pushed Huan off a cliff, and her body could not be found.

The family, considering Huan and Lyu Liang among their most talented Ming Hun Shu practitioners, suspected Lyu Liang acted out of jealousy. Lyu Gong brought Lyu Liang to the ancestral hall, and Lyu Ci promised the family he would handle the matter. Lyu Gong tried to interrogate Lyu Liang, but found his memory qi orb for that time blank, just like the previous instance. Lyu Ci questioned Lyu Liang directly about pushing Huan.

Lyu Liang insisted he had no memory of it and asked if Huan was truly dead, expressing disbelief that he could have harmed someone he was so close to. Despite his pleas and requests for Third Uncle and Seventh Aunt, who were present, to speak for him, they presented their memory qi orbs, which depicted Lyu Liang pushing Huan off the cliff. Lyu Liang was stunned, unable to reconcile the image with his feelings for Huan.

While some family members called for punishment according to family rules, Lyu Ci deemed Lyu Liang's blood too precious to waste and ordered him confined to the cellar. The plot summary indicates Lyu Liang pushed Huan without being aware of it. Lyu Liang spent a long, agonizing time locked in the Lyu family's cellar, enduring psychological torment from relatives like Lyu Gong, who mocked his refusal to admit guilt.

During this isolation, Lyu Liang became determined to find Huan and uncover the truth behind the events, convinced the old lady Huan mentioned held the key to what truly happened. He waited for an opportunity to escape. Eventually, Lyu Liang managed to obtain a key and flee the Lyu family mansion. To continue his investigation, specifically into Huan's fate and the underlying truth, and seeking protection, he joined the Sinister Pleasure, publicly announcing his membership.

He viewed the organization, including its interim leader and their plans, as merely tools to achieve his personal goals. Through subsequent investigations, including accessing the memories of Zhang Huaiyi and Tian Jinzhong, Lyu Liang confirmed his theory that the Lyu family's Ming Hun Shu was intricately linked to the Jiashen Calamity. However, the dispersion of the Sinister Pleasure left him without support, forcing him into hiding.

Ultimately, he realized he had no choice but to return to the Lyu family to find the answers he sought. He reappeared at the Lyu family mansion, no longer the broken boy they had imprisoned. To their shock, Lyu Liang, whose limbs had been cut off by Lyu Ci, had regenerated. He revealed he had acquired the true Double Quan Palm, which he demonstrated could not only control memory but also regenerate the physical body.

He mocked Lyu Ci, calling him a foolish and vile old man and quoting the saying, "Living on to old age, that is to be a pest." He told Lyu Ci that the act of cutting off his limbs had inadvertently given him the opportunity to master the Double Quan Palm.

He confirmed that the old lady Huan spoke of was indeed Duanmu Ying, the true source of Double Quan Palm, whose ability Lyu Ci had only superficially understood despite decades of effort. Gathering the family in the ancestral hall, Lyu Liang confronted them. He reminded them that eight years prior, they had all blamed him for Huan's death, despite knowing how much he loved her, and not a single person had defended him or questioned the accusations.

He accused them of hypocrisy, using Ming Hun Shu to torture him and force a false confession in the name of justice for Huan, while in reality, they cared little for lives. He declared Huan was the only person he truly cherished, yet they had falsely accused him of killing her. He finally understood their actions: the Lyu family had no room for genuine happiness.

They had always claimed their blood was precious, but the true value, he realized, stemmed from Lyu Ci's scheme to incorporate Duanmu Ying's bloodline. Knowing this, they had aided Lyu Ci's wickedness. He proclaimed that since they embraced evil and disregarded the lives of their kin, he would make them experience the agony of losing their most cherished loved ones and beautiful memories.

Using his perfected Double Quan Palm, he condemned his family, the accomplices in Lyu Ci's scheme, to live out their lives trapped between the beauty of their memories and the emptiness of reality. With the family defeated and imprisoned within their own minds, Lyu Liang stood before the Sinister Pleasure members and declared, "From today on, call me Sect Leader of the Sinister Pleasure."

Episode 26 Recap

Members of the Sinister Pleasure, including Mr. Xia, gathered in a room. Lyu Liang arrived and sought to speak with Mr. Xia, who initially dismissed him. Demonstrating his influence, Lyu Liang used an ability to implant a memory related to a specific woman into the minds of other Sinister Pleasure members present, ordering them to locate her at any cost.

Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao observed these events, with Zhang Chulan questioning the nature of Lyu Liang's ability, noting it was different from the Lyu family's Soul Whisperer. Lyu Liang later encountered Zhang Chulan. Appearing not to recognize him, Lyu Liang asked who he was and if Zhang Chulan's memory had also been erased. Zhang Chulan confronted Lyu Liang about something Lyu Liang had given him previously, mentioning there were two parts and asking about the second.

Lyu Liang then displayed a memory image, from which Zhang Chulan recognized his grandfather, Zhang Huaiyi, alongside another woman. Lyu Liang identified the woman as Duanmu Ying, one of the 36 Thieves and a creator of one of the Eight Supremes. He explained her technique is called Double Quan Palm and revealed that the Lyu family's Soul Whisperer is merely an incomplete fragment of it.

Lyu Liang declared that he now also possessed one of the Eight Supremes, stating his intention to find Duanmu Ying to question her and then kill her to avenge Huan. Upon hearing about Double Quan Palm's ability to manipulate memory, Zhang Chulan quickly connected it to Feng Baobao's unexplained past following the Jiashen Calamity. Realizing that Duanmu Ying likely held the key to Feng Baobao's identity, they decided they needed to find her before Lyu Liang did.

Lacking immediate leads, they first tried contacting Erzhuang, but she didn't respond, leading them to seek out Xu San. Zhang Chulan pressed Xu San for help, emphasizing the importance of uncovering Feng Baobao's history, which the Xu family had protected for generations. Reluctantly, Xu San agreed to assist them in contacting Erzhuang but cautioned he couldn't guarantee her willingness to help. Xu San directed them to Erzhuang's location within a research institution.

Meeting Erzhuang, they found her physically confined within a machine. She explained that an accident had left her in this state, and her father built the machine to keep her alive in exchange for her managing NDT's systems and data. She had also learned an Out-of-Body technique, allowing her consciousness to travel as electromagnetic waves, which accounted for her seemingly omnipresent awareness.

Erzhuang expressed her longing for experiences outside her confinement and shared that she had watched their videos from the Outsider Martial Arts Contest, feeling useless due to her condition. Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao reassured her, promising to include her in future events. Erzhuang then provided information about Duanmu Ying's Double Quan Palm, confirming its dual abilities: manipulating memory and cognition, and altering the physical body, including regenerating limbs.

She explained her father had sought Double Quan Palm to restore her body, discovering Soul Whisperer but finding it incomplete for physical restoration. He later received an anonymous report that Duanmu Ying was held by the Lyu family and arranged for her transfer to the company. Zhang Chulan questioned why Erzhuang hadn't been healed if Duanmu Ying was found.

Erzhuang replied that Duanmu Ying's situation was complex and unclear, giving them the address where Duanmu Ying was located and urging them to uncover the truth. Knowing the address was a company property with security, Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao decided they needed help but chose not to involve Xu San or Xu Si due to the potential risks.

They arrived at the location, which appeared to be a nursing home, and devised a plan for a public performance as a diversion. Amidst the distraction, they located an Old madam whom Zhang Chulan identified as potentially being Duanmu Ying, noting her state was similar to others they had seen in Lyu village. They managed to get the Old madam into a van they had arranged. Unexpectedly, the van began driving away on its own.

Zhang Chulan spotted Lyu Liang inside, who called out a farewell before escaping in the van. Feng Baobao pointed out that they didn't need to pursue on foot because Zhang Chulan's phone was in the van, enabling Erzhuang to track Lyu Liang's real-time location. Following Erzhuang's tracking, they arrived at a new location and found Lyu Liang confronting the Old madam figure, desperately demanding to know his sister Huan's whereabouts and if she was alive.

Zhang Chulan intervened, comparing Lyu Liang's aggressive approach to that of his great-grandfather and urging him to calm down. Lyu Liang insisted it was a personal matter between himself and the Old madam. Zhang Chulan pressed Lyu Liang about the details he understood regarding the day Huan fell and how Duanmu Ying left the Lyu village.

Lyu Liang recounted seeing in his great-grandfather's memory that a company representative took Duanmu Ying two days after Huan's supposed death, following an anonymous phone call reporting Duanmu Ying's detention. Zhang Chulan then played a recording of that call, revealing Huan's voice. Lyu Liang was visibly stunned upon hearing it. The Old madam figure then uttered fragmented words: "I won't tell you. Don't tell anyone else."

Recalling Huan's "Cola Sprite Theory," Lyu Liang suddenly realized the truth: Duanmu Ying had taken over Huan's body, suppressing her consciousness and leaving only a residual trace of memory within the body, while manipulating everyone else's memories to believe Huan had died. Understanding that the real Duanmu Ying was now inhabiting Huan's body, Lyu Liang proposed a temporary alliance with Zhang Chulan to find her, as they both sought her, albeit for different reasons.

Lyu Liang suggested using Zhang Chulan's grandfather's memory Qi orb, believing his enhanced Double Quan Palm abilities could extract more information than previously possible. They agreed to collaborate, and Lyu Liang began attempting to unlock the memory orb. However, he discovered a powerful restriction within it and warned that forcing it open could potentially trigger a distortion of time and space, open rifts to other dimensions, and be extremely perilous.

Zhang Chulan calmly asked Feng Baobao if she was afraid, to which she replied, "Nope." Zhang Chulan then looked at Lyu Liang, issuing a challenge by asking if he still wished to see his sister, implicitly pushing him to proceed. Lyu Liang proceeded to force the unlock. Instead of a simple collapse or explosion, the surroundings dramatically shifted. They found themselves in a peculiar rocky landscape populated by figures composed of Qi.

They realized this was not a separate dimension but a projection formed by lingering Qi from a past event, specifically depicting something that occurred decades ago during the Jiashen Calamity. Lyu Liang recognized several figures as creators of the Eight Supremes: Feng Tianyang (Creator of Dispatch of Detained Spirits), Gu Jiting (Creator of Daluo Dongguan), Ruan Feng (Creator of Six Vault Immortal Thievery), Zheng Zibu (Creator of Infinite Heavenly Talisman), and Ma Benzai (Creator of Divine Forge).

He noted that six of the eight creators were present and wondered about the remaining two, Zhou Sheng and Duanmu Ying. They then observed Zhou Sheng boarding a train carriage. Lyu Liang questioned if Duanmu Ying was in the same carriage. A figure resembling Duanmu Ying entered the carriage, and Lyu Liang then saw Huan standing next to her projected figure, crying out his sister's name in disbelief.

Lyu Liang confronted the figure resembling Duanmu Ying, accusing her of causing Huan's death. The Old madam figure, who was also present within this projection, then turned to Feng Baobao, remarking that many years had passed and Feng Baobao looked unchanged. She revealed that she not only knew Feng Baobao but also knew her father, Wu Gensheng, whom she referred to as "Fourth Brother."

Feng Baobao asked if the figure they had seen earlier in a coffin was her and if she was dead. The Old madam confirmed that she was dead, or had at least died once. Finally, she invited Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao to follow her if they desired to know the truth.

Episode 27 (Ending) Recap

After arriving in this dimension, Huan explained everything about the space. She revealed it was the place where the Eight Supremes were developed eighty years ago. Having escaped from the Lyu family, she had spent years trying all sorts of methods to return but remained only at the edge of the Outsiders' world.

She described the Valley of 24 Terms not merely as a location, but another dimension, the true Outsiders' world and the origin of all Outsider energy, capable of influencing the present, past, and future. She explained that all this time, the energy flow seemed stagnant to her, preventing her physical body from growing and making it impossible for her to enter the Valley alone, expressing surprise that they had brought her back there.

Huan also reminisced about the past, when nine of them, including herself, Fourth Brother, and Dummy, were isolated in the Valley, seeking enlightenment together, experiencing a unique camaraderie, happiness, and a true sense of fulfillment. She stated she couldn't have developed her Double Quan Palm anywhere else and described the feeling of achieving enlightenment as the most genuine sense of mastering one's own destiny, like being one with the world and feeling its rhythm.

Zhang Chulan learned that his grandfather had developed Qi Apotheosis in this same place. Lyu Liang expressed deep regret, realizing he had become the person Huan most disliked, failing to be the good brother she deserved and instead harming others. Overcome with remorse, he decided to turn himself in to NDT. He urged Zhang Chulan not to follow his path and to protect Feng Baobao, the person who meant the most to him.

Following his decision, Lyu Liang received a lighter sentence from NDT, while others associated with the Lyu family were severely punished for their unlawful detention and intentional harm to Duanmu Ying. As they proceeded under Huan's guidance, Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao discovered a statue resembling Feng Baobao, depicted looking very happy. Feng Baobao recognized it as herself and commented on her cheerful appearance. Huan revealed that Fourth Brother had carved it.

Duanmu Ying, speaking through Huan's body, continued to reveal details about the past. She explained that Feng Baobao's father, who greatly doted on her, had gathered the Eight Supremes users in the Valley eighty years ago after she was involved in an accident. His intention was for all eight to work together, as only their combined efforts could fully revive her and restore her original self, but Huan stated she couldn't come because the Lyu family had detained her.

She then promised to return what she owed, revealing that back then only Feng Baobao's body was awakened, while her memories had remained in the cave all these years. Prompted by seeing someone cry for her on the train and a strong desire to understand her past and her father, including how he doted on her, Feng Baobao expressed a clear wish for her memories and readily followed.

Zhang Chulan, witnessing this, urgently cautioned Feng Baobao not to completely trust what was being said, but she was intent on regaining her memories. Duanmu Ying, still using Huan's body, prepared to cast a qi formation, instructing them to step back. She recounted being imprisoned and tortured by the Lyu family while the other eight were reviving Feng Baobao, and how she had believed her companions would rescue her but they never did, leading her to conclude they didn't care.

Then, revealing her true, malevolent intent, Duanmu Ying, speaking directly, declared the world was filled with malice. She claimed Feng Baobao's body, housing the power of the Eight Supremes, rightfully belonged to her and stated that once she possessed its power, she would be invincible. She revealed her plan was to extract Feng Baobao's memories to make way for her own. Zhang Chulan recognized her as Duanmu Ying and accused her of harming Xu Huan.

Recognizing Duanmu Ying's true, destructive goal, Zhang Chulan immediately attempted to stop her and rescue Feng Baobao, despite knowing his strength was limited. He tried to break through a powerful qi barrier Duanmu Ying had erected, but his attacks were reflected back. Duanmu Ying declared the barrier was formed by the collective power of the Eight Supremes and was unbreakable, even by powerful figures.

As Zhang Chulan struggled desperately against the barrier, risking severe injury, he recalled cherished moments with Feng Baobao, including their 'master-slave' game, which underscored the depth of his connection to her. Despite knowing he could be gravely harmed, he felt stopping was not an option, preferring physical pain over losing his dignity by abandoning her. He pleaded with Feng Baobao, telling her their 'game' was over and urging her to come back.

Tragically, he witnessed Duanmu Ying extracting and destroying Feng Baobao's memories. He called out to her, questioning why she didn't protect herself, and saw her become confused and disoriented. Zhang Chulan collapsed, feeling close to death, yet hearing the encouraging voices of his friends and mentors. He realized his connection to them had become an inseparable part of him, like the universe and stars are integrated.

Drawing strength from these bonds and his love for Feng Baobao, he resolved to continue fighting. He acknowledged he couldn't save the entire world but was determined to protect the person he cared about most.

As he rose again to confront Duanmu Ying's formidable power, he declared that Feng Baobao had protected him for years, and now it was his turn to protect her, recognizing that the true peak of qi techniques lay not in solitary power but in the companions made along the journey. Fueled by his determination and the supportive presence of his companions (felt remotely), Zhang Chulan confronted and defeated Duanmu Ying, causing her to disappear.

Zhang Chulan subsequently fell unconscious for three months. Upon waking, he discovered that due to Duanmu Ying's actions, Feng Baobao had lost her memories and no longer recognized him, though she had diligently cared for him during his recovery. Despite her changed demeanor, Zhang Chulan accepted her memory loss and resolved to start anew, reintroducing himself and expressing his willingness to become her follower once more.

As he stepped outside, he was met by his friends, including San and Si, who had been waiting for him. Feng Baobao introduced him to them as her new slave before they all departed together on an urgent mission, lacking even time to eat. Reflecting on their journey, some felt Feng Baobao's memory loss might be the best possible outcome. This chapter of their story concluded with a partial unveiling of the Jiashen Calamity's secrets.

It became clear that Zhang Chulan's Qi Apotheosis had significantly disrupted the entire Outsiders' world, setting the stage for new adventures and revealing that the situation was urgent and they were running out of time to deal with the consequences. The narrative concludes with a delivery person arriving and startling the recipient with their striking resemblance to the female lead the recipient had drawn.