Who Rules The World Recap, Plot, Synopsis

Who Rules The World Synopsis

Feng Lanxi, who has a paragon of beauty and a very deep mind, it seems that everyone is in his calculations, is called “black fox” by Bai Fengxi.

With the name of “benevolent king”, Feng Lanxi is very popular among the people.

Determined to win the world, Feng Lanxi marries Feng Xiyun (Bai Fengxi).

Feng Lanxi has cultivated the most beautiful flower “Lanyin Biyue” for eight years just for Feng Xiyun.

Ten years together, there is still a gap between Feng Lanxi and Feng Xiyun.

In the battle of Dongdan, Feng Xiyun is badly injured.

Feng Lanxi realizes his real feeling, not hesitating to use all his energy to launch “Xuelao Tianshan” to save Feng Xiyun, and makes his own face aged 30 years.

After being cured by Jiu Wei, he restores as before.

Feng Lanxi gives up the final struggle for supremacy and the half of the country and retires with Feng Xiyun.

Who Rules The World Recap

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At present, the world is divided into seven regions, with the Imperial Family of Dadong being the most revered. It has been a century since Emperor Weilie founded the nation. With the Empyrean Token balancing the six states, the various feudal lords have kept to their boundaries. But once news of the Token’s disappearance began to spread, Crown Prince Jingyan rushed into the palace to seek an audience.

Emperor Chunxi immediately issued an edict, commanding the kings of the six states to search for it with all their might. Meanwhile, in the martial world, the renowned Fountain Abode was also quietly gathering intelligence from all sides and reporting to their master, Hei Fengxi, at once, secretly investigating the reason behind the incident. Because the Empyrean Token symbolizes supreme imperial authority, all heroes of the realm desire it to ascend to the highest throne.

With the Imperial Family already weakened, ambitions within the six states are on the rise—none more so than the Lord of Yongzhou. Though many forces intervened, they found no trace of it until, a month later, the Empyrean Token fell into the hands of Yan Yingzhou. The heir of Jizhou, Huang Chao, was overjoyed upon hearing this and ordered General Xiao Xuekong to send troops quickly to assist.

Little did he know, at the foot of Mount Xuan, a man dressed in black was being pursued—none other than Yan Yingzhou, one of the Four Generals of Jizhou, famed across the six states as the Fierce Wind General. The route had long been ambushed. Though Yan Yingzhou was highly skilled in martial arts, even he could not fight off many with just two fists.

Before long, he was gravely injured twice, leaving him exhausted and trapped in a deadly siege. At this critical moment, Bai Fengxi appeared and rescued Yan Yingzhou, later settling him in a cave on the northern peak of Mount Xuan. The reason Bai Fengxi was willing to help was because Yan Yingzhou was a man of great righteousness.

Three years ago, in order to protect the people of Changfeng City, he defied the orders of the Lord of Jizhou and led his army to annihilate the Shangzhou forces at Fierce Wind Pass, north of the city. This deeply impressed Bai Fengxi, who was thus willing to go to the Han family to retrieve medicine for him. Coincidentally, Hei Fengxi had just received an invitation from the Han family and set out immediately.

It was widely known that the Han family, though part of the martial world, was not famous for their martial skills but for their family’s secret medicinal formulas, especially the Purple Palace Powder for external wounds and the sacred detoxifying Fo Xin Dan. In a world where people live by the sword and often suffer injuries or poisoning, the Han family’s miraculous medicines were highly sought after. However, the Han family’s medicines were closely guarded secrets and rarely given away.

Though their martial skills weren’t strong, they were still treated with respect. It was the sixtieth birthday of the Han patriarch, Han Xuanling, and the front of the estate was filled with carriages and horses. A hundred banquet tables were set in the garden. Gentry and celebrities from the city arrived in admiration, as did martial heroes from other states to offer their congratulations. As host and guests enjoyed themselves, a clear voice suddenly rang out, silencing the garden's noise.

The guests looked toward the sound and saw Bai Fengxi reclining against the eaves on the rooftop, smiling brightly at Han Xuanling and bluntly asking for the elixir as if casually borrowing salt from an old friend. Han Xuanling, however, looked displeased, shielding his young son Han Pu. He soon became enraged, glaring and scolding, with snippets of his words revealing past grievances between them.

Bai Fengxi was known for her elusive nature and often forcibly took the Han family's elixirs, hence her enmity with Han Xuanling. But as she was highly skilled in martial arts and came and went from the Han household freely, Han Xuanling could do nothing. Today, with many heroes present, he finally found the courage to confront her. Sure enough, some in the crowd voiced support for Han Xuanling.

Seeing Bai Fengxi as a young woman, they underestimated her martial prowess. Several people attacked her at once, weapons gleaming coldly as they aimed for vital spots. The garden was instantly thrown into chaos, shadows darting everywhere. Yet Bai Fengxi remained composed and quickly dispatched her attackers. Amid the jesting, there were cries of pain, shattering dishes, and breaking furniture.

In just a moment, the garden was in shambles, with the most miserable being those heroes who had attacked Bai Fengxi. Hei Fengxi stood outside the gate, not in a hurry to enter. When the time seemed right, he had the guards announce him. Han Xuanling, upon seeing Hei Fengxi, sighed in relief as if receiving a royal pardon and rushed forward to greet him.

The "fox" Hei Fengxi, as Bai Fengxi called him, resolved the conflict smoothly under his title as the Benevolent King. With a few words, he apologized and compensated Han Xuanling on Bai Fengxi’s behalf, then appeased the rest of the guests. Han Xuanling had long heard the outside world jokingly refer to the pair as "Hei Feng and Bai Xi" and did not wish to offend Hei Fengxi, so he graciously gave in.

After leaving the Han residence, Bai Fengxi returned with the medicine to the cave, only to find that Yan Yingzhou had left without a word. Meanwhile, Hei Fengxi hosted a banquet to keep guests from going after Bai Fengxi. His attendants, Ren Chuanyu and Zhong Li, both believed their young master had fallen for her. When Hei Fengxi learned of Yan Yingzhou's disappearance, he guessed that it was to avoid burdening Bai Fengxi.

Given her meddlesome nature, a fierce battle that night was inevitable. As Hei Fengxi had predicted, Bai Fengxi found Yan Yingzhou in the forest. After taking the Fo Xin Dan, he was able to temporarily suppress the poison. But before they could catch their breath, danger approached. They simultaneously leapt back, narrowly dodging the attack. A white ribbon and a long sword met the black-clad attackers descending from the air.

These enemies were top-tier martial artists, unlike the mixed bunch they faced earlier. Four out of ten went for Yan Yingzhou, while six surrounded Bai Fengxi. The two fought side by side to break out of the siege, but it was a struggle. During the battle, one of the attackers ambushed Yan Yingzhou, causing the Empyrean Token in his bundle to fall out. Bai Fengxi instinctively reached to catch it—only to be poisoned as a result.

Yan Yingzhou quickly sealed her acupuncture points and left her four Fo Xin Dan pills. Though they couldn't cure the poison, they could delay its effects. To save her life, Yan Yingzhou went out alone to lure away the attackers. Before leaving, he begged her to pass his blade to Huang Chao. Since Bai Fengxi’s acupoints were sealed, she couldn’t stop him and could only watch him leave the cave, heart aching.

Elsewhere, attendant Sun Si was ordered to stop others from going up the mountain, thus avoiding a direct encounter with Bai Fengxi. When she woke and went to look for Yan Yingzhou, she was surrounded by members of the Soulbreaking Sect. Fortunately, at the critical moment, Hei Fengxi arrived in time to rescue her. He personally treated her injuries, using Snow Jade Lotus as a primer, but Bai Fengxi remained ungrateful.

As for the silver blade that Bai Fengxi had risked her life to protect—it concealed within it an Empyrean Token. But to Hei Fengxi, it appeared to be a replica. Yan Yingzhou was one of the Four Generals, and Huang Chao had always valued talent. He would never let him die in vain. Now that a fake Token had been thrown out, the real purpose was to lure heroes of the realm to their deaths—so the mastermind behind the scenes could reap the benefits.

Yan Yingzhou was indeed dead, having suffered thirty-two stab wounds, three of which were fatal. He protected the fake Empyrean Token, drawing the pursuit of all under heaven, yet never revealed the truth even to his dying breath—such loyalty was truly rare. Precisely because Hei Fengxi admired and respected Yan Yingzhou, he was willing to send people to find his body and bury it at Xuan Mountain.

After a few days of rest, Bai Fengxi came to Yan Yingzhou's grave to pay her respects. Her attitude toward Hei Fengxi remained as cold as ice. In truth, she had already discovered from the scattered clues along the way that Hei Fengxi had long known of the black-clad figures. Yet even though he had the opportunity to save Yan Yingzhou, he watched him fight bitterly to the death.

Hei Fengxi offered little explanation, allowing Bai Fengxi’s misunderstanding to deepen, believing that one day she would realize that it was the Lord of Jizhou’s greed that doomed Yan Yingzhou. That night, flames lit up the mountain base, staining the night sky crimson. The entire Han family was massacred, and since Bai Fengxi had once had a feud with Han Xuanling, she naturally became the prime suspect.

Hei Fengxi stepped forward to vouch for Bai Fengxi, temporarily fending off those seeking revenge. By then, the great fire at the Han estate had been extinguished, but all dozens in the household had perished. Bai Fengxi examined the corpses and, judging from the curved blade wounds, suspected the involvement of Duanhun Sect—perhaps in pursuit of the Han family's medicinal recipe.

If they obtained the formula and created pills, it would become a powerful asset both on the battlefield and in the martial world. According to information Hei Fengxi had, there were fifty-five members in the Han family, yet one corpse was missing—conveniently, that of a child. He suspected that Han Xuanling had hidden his young son Han Pu. The two entered the inner hall, found a mechanism, and opened a secret chamber.

As expected, they discovered Han Pu and the medicinal formula hidden within. Due to the trauma, Han Pu fainted on the spot. Bai Fengxi intended to take the child away, but Hei Fengxi took the opportunity to suggest they publicly announce that Han Pu and the formula had been found—this might lure Duanhun Sect out, though it would also invite danger.

Bai Fengxi placed Han Pu in an inn, personally prepared congee for him, and, finding Hei Fengxi’s plan reasonable, decided to take the risk. Meanwhile, on his way back, Hei Fengxi was ambushed and noticed the enemy bore a silver leaf emblem. He immediately ordered his men to change course toward the inn. Han Pu was treated with silver needles by Hei Fengxi and was finally able to sleep soundly.

Hei Fengxi noticed Bai Fengxi’s internal energy was still unstable and wondered why she hadn’t used the Han family’s formula to make the Foxin Pill to detoxify herself. But Bai Fengxi had her principles—no matter how badly she needed the Foxin Pill, she would not proceed without Han Pu’s consent. Bai Fengxi asked Hei Fengxi if he had any leads on Duanhun Sect. He showed her a silver leaf, and all signs pointed to the Shang family in Yucheng.

As one of the two major clans in Yucheng, the Shang family was immensely powerful and wealthy. If they wanted to find out why the Shang family colluded with Duanhun Sect to seize the formula, a trip to Yucheng would be inevitable. The next morning, a carriage slowly made its way forward. Inside sat three people: Bai Fengxi and Han Pu sat on either side, while Hei Fengxi sat in the middle, reading without distraction.

Occasionally, he and Bai Fengxi exchanged sharp words, neither giving ground. Bai Fengxi mocked Hei Fengxi’s aloof nature, claiming no woman would ever win his favor. Unexpectedly, Hei Fengxi suddenly mentioned Feng Xiyun of Qingzhou, and every recollection of her was full of praise. A poem recitation reminded Han Pu of his father, and he began to cry uncontrollably. Later, his crying left him famished—only to discover that Bai Fengxi had already eaten everything in the food box.

While Bai Fengxi got off the carriage to search for food nearby, Hei Fengxi brought out several rare medicinal ingredients and asked Han Pu to identify them, saying he had tried many times to create the Foxin Pill without success. Han Pu believed the failure was likely due to the incorrect extraction method and offered to help solve the problem.

Xiao Xuekong reported to Huang Chao that Bai Fengxi had gone missing and suspected that she and the Empyrean Token had both fallen into Hei Fengxi’s hands. Huang Chao ordered that Yan Yingzhou’s tomb be opened and his body taken back to Jizhou for a state funeral. He also instructed Xiao Xuekong to investigate Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi, expressing his desire to meet these two formidable masters personally.

The case of the Han family massacre remained unresolved, but factions from across the martial world had already gathered at Tianshuang Sect, demanding they hand over Bai Fengxi and the Empyrean Token. Sect Leader Bai Jiande publicly vowed that Tianshuang Sect would not interfere in court affairs and had no interest in the Empyrean Token. No one dared provoke Bai Jiande’s authority, so they left for the time being. That night at the inn, Duanhun Sect's people came after them.

Unable to match Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi in combat, they took their own lives after a fierce fight. In this way, the Han family was avenged. Bai Fengxi reminded Han Pu that he must never kill—killing brings no joy—and she would take care of the remaining members of Duanhun Sect herself. Ren Chuanyun learned that Hei Fengxi had gone to Yucheng and feared further trouble. Fortunately, Hei Fengxi had prepared a letter for him.

So, he took his younger brother Ren Chuanyu to find Huan Niang and follow the instructions. Meanwhile, the leader of Duanhun Sect guessed that Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi had already uncovered clues. He decided to wait for them in Yucheng and had already destroyed the Fountain Abode's stronghold in Yucheng. These strongholds were like Hei Fengxi’s eyes—without them, he had effectively lost nearly half his strength.

However, the true stronghold of the Fountain Abode was extremely well-hidden, and Hei Fengxi had also recruited many experts. Still, he had not expected Duanhun Sect to be capable of wiping out the Yucheng base in a single night—it was clear that a powerful force was backing them. Though troubled by the loss of the Fountain Abode’s aid, which would make uncovering the Shang family's secrets more difficult, Hei Fengxi already had a plan.

Yucheng was a major city in Shangzhou, famed for its wealth. The Shang family was one of two dominant clans in Yucheng. To deal with one snake, one must enlist the help of another. For this reason, Hei Fengxi chose a fine inn, calmly ordered food, and waited for the big fish to bite.

Sure enough, a commotion came from outside—it turned out that Qi Yun, the young master of the Qi family in Yucheng, had taken a liking to Hei Fengxi’s horse and tried to buy it. When Hei Fengxi refused, Qi Yun angrily ordered his man to teach him a lesson. The man possessed deep internal strength, and Zhongli was no match for him.

Bai Fengxi immediately recognized his identity and couldn’t help but sigh in surprise that Zhao Qinghou, the leader of the Qiujiang Alliance, was actually working as a house guard. With that, she kicked him to the ground, terrifying Qi Yun into fleeing with his servants.

This time, Bai Fengxi punished Qi Yun only out of necessity. The original plan was to cooperate with the Qi family, but unexpectedly, they ended up at odds. However, Hei Fengxi was completely unfazed, as if everything was firmly under his control. He believed that the stronger one’s stance in a collaboration, the more one would gain.

Qi Yun ran home to complain to his father, but after hearing the whole story, Qi Yannian immediately brought him to apologize to Hei Fengxi in person, even offering thirty percent of the Qi family’s wealth. Qi Yannian also had an agenda—he hoped Hei Fengxi could help him obtain the official document granting the right to sell government salt. Since the document was in the hands of the Shang family, acquiring it was no easy task.

Hei Fengxi seized the opportunity to demand half of the Qi family’s fortune and successfully extracted intel about the Shang family from Qi Yannian. He learned that Shang Ye visited Lifang Pavilion on the third day of every month, which happened to be today. After the Qi father and son left, Bai Fengxi emerged from the side, marveling at how Hei Fengxi, the black fox, not only obtained information but also secured an unexpected windfall. Soon it was evening.

Bai Fengxi followed Hei Fengxi to Lifang Pavilion and couldn’t help but mock the dancers performing seductive dances, saying only lustful men would be bewitched. Hei Fengxi retorted that not all men were so vulgar. Unexpectedly, Bai Fengxi leaned in close and flirted with him, making him visibly nervous. Considering the rules of the Duanhun Sect, which required members to commit suicide if captured, they couldn’t force the truth. They had to guide the target into revealing it.

At Hei Fengxi’s request, Bai Fengxi had to disguise herself as a dancer to seduce Shang Ye and get him to unknowingly reveal his connection to the Duanhun Sect. Seeing the timing was right, Hei Fengxi struck Shang Ye’s acupoint. It was the first time he saw Bai Fengxi in red attire, and he was briefly stunned by her beauty. After the moment of awkwardness passed, Hei Fengxi pressed Shang Ye to disclose the location of the Duanhun Sect.

Shang Ye claimed he only knew that a branch was located in Yucheng and, under the pretense of drawing a map, took the chance to jump out of the window and escape. The two gave chase and soon arrived at the Duanhun Sect’s branch. The place was eerily quiet, with no sign of people, and something felt off. Hei Fengxi told Bai Fengxi to follow his lead and not act impulsively, but she didn’t take it seriously.

Although the sect used a hidden “Eight Ghosts Formation,” Hei Fengxi easily broke it, avenging the ambush at the Yucheng stronghold. Shang Ye and the others escaped too quickly, and for the first time, Hei Fengxi failed to capture them, feeling humiliated. Fortunately, the enemy dropped something. The symbol on it was strange—representing “Qiongqiong” and “Juxu,” signifying a power strong enough to make the richest man in Yucheng bow down.

With this matter settled, the Duanhun Sect would not reappear for a while. Next, Bai Fengxi needed to take Han Pu back to the Tianshuang Sect. But that very night, a fire engulfed the entire Shang family estate, and the next day came the news of Shang Ye’s self-immolation. Bai Fengxi misunderstood, thinking Hei Fengxi orchestrated it to seize both families’ wealth and gain a good reputation. She angrily scolded him as a cunning, selfish, and heartless black fox.

Just as she finished, Bai Fengxi noticed several familiar men downstairs—Shang family guards. Realizing her mistake, she understood Hei Fengxi hadn’t taken lives lightly. Hei Fengxi admitted he hadn’t expected Shang Ye to burn down his entire fortune without hesitation, and even remembered his wife and children before leaving, proving he still had some humanity. Giving up immense wealth willingly showed he was still a man of worth. Because of this, Bai Fengxi felt she had acted too rashly.

She took Han Pu and left, feeling guilty and regretful. Along the way, she found two injured birds—one black, one white—charming and lovely. She suggested to Hei Fengxi that they each raise one as an act of kindness. After leaving Yucheng, Bai Fengxi took Han Pu to Taizhen in Shangzhou. They still had to cross a mountain to reach the Tianshuang Sect. Han Pu deeply regretted following Bai Fengxi.

His handsome face was drained of spirit, his eyes dull, and he murmured weakly. Bai Fengxi felt bad, so she took him to a nearby noodle shop, only to discover a large number of refugees flooding into Taizhen. Upon inquiry, she learned they were from the ten cities under Qi Yun’s rule. With the Empyrean Token now lost, Shangzhou took the opportunity to launch an attack on Luocheng, planning to assault the Imperial Family. More conflicts were inevitable.

Bai Fengxi, unable to bear it, gave her only silver leaf to a merchant to help the refugees buy food. Hei Fengxi also noticed the refugees along the road and deduced that the Lord of Shangzhou was testing the Imperial Family’s limits. He vowed not to let such foolish men ruin his plans. At that moment, Shangzhou’s army had reached the gates of Luoyang.

The city lord, Fei Sheng, was at a loss—unable to flee, unwilling to surrender—and could only discuss countermeasures with General Liu Wenxiang. Suddenly, the world-renowned gentleman Yu Wuyuan arrived alone, bluntly stating that Luocheng was in a hopeless situation and offering to personally persuade the Lord of Shangzhou to withdraw his troops. Meanwhile, Bai Fengxi was grilling fish with Han Pu on the mountain.

But Han Pu blew on the fire too hard, turning her fair face into a patchwork of black and white. Fearing reprimand, Han Pu ran into the bushes, only to nearly be killed by Xiao Xuekong’s sword. Luckily, Bai Fengxi arrived in time, pinching the blade between two fingers and demanded that Xiao Xuekong apologize to Han Pu. Huang Chao stepped out from the side, intrigued by Bai Fengxi, and challenged her.

The sound of clashing swords rang out as they fought in close combat. After a few rounds, they were evenly matched. Huang Chao was impressed by her skills and began to suspect her identity. In the world today, she was the second person not to fall behind in a fight—the first being Yu Wuyuan.

The lead general shouted arrogantly beneath the city tower. Moments later, the city gates opened, and a single man in white stepped out. This man looked like a powerless scholar, making others underestimate him. Just as the general prepared to strike and teach him a lesson, he was unexpectedly knocked off his horse in one move by Yu Wuyuan, who then loudly requested to see the commander of Shangzhou, Fan Shiji.

It was widely known that the celestial Yu Gongzi was unparalleled, the foremost among the four noble sons of the time. Though Fan Shiji respected his compassion, he still had no intention of retreating. Yu Wuyuan stated bluntly that undercurrents were surging across the six provinces, and the lords harbored treacherous thoughts. If Fan Shiji insisted on initiating such a disloyal and unjust war, it would only give the Five Provinces a chance to invade Shangzhou.

Although Shangzhou was relatively wealthy, its military strength ranked low among the six provinces. Therefore, Yu Wuyuan promised to consult with the lord of Luocheng and assured that if Fan Shiji agreed to retreat, Shangzhou would henceforth be exempt from taxes. Fan Shiji, somewhat tempted, agreed on the spot to report back to the King of Shang. Yu Gongzi’s mere words to halt war won him praise from all present. Bai Fengxi scrutinized Huang Chao carefully.

Despite having known Hei Fengxi for years and believing she should now see all men’s appearances with a calm heart, she couldn’t help but be amazed today and saw through his true identity. As Bai Fengxi observed Huang Chao, he too was sizing her up. A name that could stand beside Hei Fengxi’s faintly surfaced in his mind. However, it was hard to match the reputation to the appearance.

At a glance, there was little to admire—far from the breathtaking figure known in the martial world. Thus, Huang Chao made a pact with Bai Fengxi: when he transformed this barren mountain into a clear lake, he would invite her to cleanse away worldly dust. Bai Fengxi gladly agreed. After a hearty meal, she instructed Han Pu to pack the leftover food, then handed him Yan Yingzhou’s silver knife. To see the knife was to see the man.

Since it had once fallen into Bai Fengxi’s hands, Huang Chao finally confirmed her identity and couldn’t help but marvel that she truly was the most extraordinary woman under heaven. Considering the troubles Bai Fengxi had faced and to repay her grace and carefree nature, Huang Chao decided to visit the Tianshuang Sect first to deal with those seeking the Empyrean Token. Fan Shiji responded by raising a banner of no battle and immediately sent a letter back to Shangzhou.

Unexpectedly, Eunuch Liu accused him of violating military law and ordered his execution as a warning. Meanwhile, Yu Wuyuan was also wary of sudden changes, and sure enough, before his words faded, Eunuch Liu led the Shangzhou army to encircle the city, vowing to break into Luocheng. Yu Wuyuan promised to stand with Luocheng through thick and thin, confident in victory. Upon ascending the tower, he commanded the army to use the Three Talents Formation.

The soldiers at the main gate stood ready under his command, using the Mystic Pouch Formation to hold off the army and boost morale with war drums. Just as both sides were about to clash, Hei Fengxi arrived in time and subdued Eunuch Liu, warning that attacking now would expose the Shangzhou army to attacks from both sides. He also revealed that Jizhou’s Sky Riders were already en route and would arrive within half a day.

Terrified, Eunuch Liu’s legs trembled as he hurriedly agreed to withdraw the troops. Once the army had retreated, Yu Wuyuan came down from the tower and went straight to Hei Fengxi, clasping hands in gratitude. That night, the city lord ordered an all-night celebration. Yu Wuyuan and Hei Fengxi enjoyed a deep and cheerful conversation.

In their exchanges of smiles, salutes, and greetings, one was as elegant as if in a golden hall, the other as ethereal as if standing atop white clouds. Hereditary Prince Huang Chao sent a letter bearing two good news and one bad. Hei Fengxi guessed the bad news was that Yan Yingzhou had died protecting the Empyrean Token, while the good news was that the token had fallen into Huang Chao’s hands.

However, upon hearing that Huang Chao had encountered Bai Fengxi on the mountain outside the Tianshuang Sect and spoke highly of her, Hei Fengxi felt a twinge of jealousy. Now that Yu Wuyuan had halted the war at Luocheng, he still worried about the world’s future. True to his name, Huang Chao’s possession of such a virtuous minister revealed his evident ambitions, which made Hei Fengxi all the more cautious.

Meanwhile, on the road back to the Tianshuang Sect, Bai Fengxi and Han Pu, thanks to Huang Chao’s intervention, finally escaped the pursuit of martial world figures. Bai Fengxi reported to her master about the battle with the Soulbreaker Sect, which was filled with skilled warriors, especially proficient in deadly formations like the Blade Formation, Six Ghost Formation, and Eight Ghost Formation. All were fiercely ruthless.

Bai Jiande, upon hearing that a handkerchief bore embroidery of the qiongqiong and juxu beasts, recalled the chaos during Dadong’s Chongde era. Back then, a mysterious army had attacked, leading him to suspect that they had been in hiding for a hundred years and now resurfaced as the Soulbreaker Sect—possibly to spark new conflict. After the conversation with her master, Bai Fengxi prepared a Tianshuang Sect disciple’s outfit for Han Pu and told him not to rush growing up.

For now, he only needed to train diligently; only with a goal could life be meaningful. Han Pu wished to become as powerful as Bai Fengxi and thought of Huang Chao, wondering if he would one day become emperor and whether, like the stories, he would find the throne cold and lonely.

The third prince of Yongzhou, Feng Ju, took advantage of military drills as a pretext to visit his bedridden second brother, Feng Lanxi, though in truth he wanted to investigate. Unfortunately, Hei Fengxi had not returned yet, and the stewardess of Lanxi Manor, Huan Niang, guarded the door resolutely, refusing him entry. It wasn’t until the eldest prince, Feng Chang, intervened that the situation was defused.

He publicly whipped Huan Niang in front of others—a ruse that successfully intimidated Feng Ju. Before Feng Ju could react, Yongzhou governor Ren Rusong arrived from outside, angrily questioning how the eldest prince could strike a palace maid. Seeing that his brother and Ren Rusong were about to argue, Feng Ju quickly stepped forward to mediate. Ren Rusong seized the opportunity to propose going to see the second prince Feng Lanxi to settle things.

Through the window, Feng Ju vaguely saw someone being treated for injuries, which dispelled his suspicions, and he soon found an excuse to leave. As Feng Ju disappeared from the doorway, Ren Rusong finally let out a sigh of relief and quickly thanked Feng Chang. Without his intervention, there would have been no way to scare off the third prince. However, the more Feng Ju thought about it afterward, the more he felt something was wrong.

Realizing he had been duped, he decided to report the matter to the Lord of Yongzhou. The Lord didn’t believe Feng Lanxi would leave the palace without permission and, since the next day was a rest day, planned to take Feng Ju to the Hot Springs Palace.

Less than a hundred li away from the Hot Spring Palace, two carriages were racing each other—one appeared luxurious and traveled with a grand entourage, while the other took a side path. Even with Hei Fengxi urging his horse forward, he was likely to fall behind. At that moment, Ren Rusong was already at the gates of the Hot Spring Palace with his son, awaiting the arrival of the Lord of Yongzhou.

Feng Ju was certain his second brother wasn’t in the room, only to push open the door and find him lying in bed, looking sickly and extremely weak. The accompanying imperial physician Wu took Hei Fengxi’s pulse and confirmed it was feeble, with an intense cold in his body—likely due to overwork triggering an old illness. Upon hearing this, the Lord of Yongzhou became angry and questioned him.

Hei Fengxi then confessed honestly, saying he had not remained in the palace all the time but had occasionally gone to Anyu Mountain to mourn his late mother. Hei Fengxi’s original name was Feng Lanxi. His birth mother was Princess Yige of the Eastern Court, later buried at nearby Anyu Mountain. Over time, the Hot Spring Palace was built nearby. He had concealed his outings to avoid upsetting his father and to prevent gossip among court and commoners.

The Lord of Yongzhou, feeling guilty for failing the late queen and touched by his son's filial piety, chose not to pursue the matter further. With the autumn hunt approaching, the Lord of Yongzhou ordered Hei Fengxi to pack and return to Yongjing with him. After this incident, the Ren brothers sighed at how the young master always managed to escape danger—surely with divine aid. But Ren Rusong remained cautious.

Upon learning Hei Fengxi had recently spent considerable time with Bai Fengxi, he instructed Zhongli and others to keep a close watch. As Feng Lanxi's master, Ren Rusong knew him thoroughly, including why he feigned weakness in public and concealed his strength. In truth, there was little affection between Hei Fengxi and the Lord of Yongzhou. Even in the Hot Spring Palace, he could clearly sense the disappointment in his father’s gaze.

Had Hei Fengxi not been in the palace that day, the title of heir would undoubtedly have gone to the third son, Feng Ju—precisely what the Lord of Yongzhou hoped for. But Hei Fengxi would not give up the position easily. Otherwise, years of patience would have been in vain. Ren Rusong hinted that in three days, a daughter of the Feng family’s main branch would be involved.

This woman, Feng Qiwu, was the family head and concurrently held the position of Minister of History. She had reached marriageable age, and the Feng elders were pressing for a match. Naturally, Ren Rusong hoped Hei Fengxi would marry Feng Qiwu, thereby securing the Feng family’s support. Hei Fengxi understood his meaning, but a public alliance with the Feng family might provoke hostility from Feng Ju and Madam Baili. As for cooperation, he would find a way.

This time, the crisis was smoothed over in part thanks to Huan-niang’s efforts. Hei Fengxi personally inquired after her injuries and had someone fetch a hairpin from the Workshop of Heavenly Craftsmanship, which drew envy from the other maids. Everyone knew Hei Fengxi never cared for such trinkets, so his personal gift signified deep regard. These words filled Huan-niang’s heart with sweetness. The Lord of Yongzhou sent over the autumn hunt guidelines.

After reading them, Hei Fengxi realized that the so-called hunt was actually a large-scale husband selection event. Evidently, the Feng family head had considerable influence—enough to have the Lord of Yongzhou change the rules. Originally, the hunting grounds had three entrances, allowing the three princes to lead ten personal guards each and demonstrate their command. Duanhun Sect suddenly attacked Luoyan Sect, resulting in the deaths of fifty-seven members. Only three survived. Tianshuang Sect vowed to seek justice for Luoyan Sect.

Master Bai Jiande summoned Bai Fengxi and ordered her to gather disciples to descend the mountain. Unexpectedly, the Tie family in Pei City had also been wiped out. Before their departure, Bai Jiande instructed everyone to split into two groups to investigate and regroup at Xuanyi Inn in the eastern part of the city by nightfall. Hei Fengxi learned that Bai Fengxi had returned to Tianshuang Sect.

The martial world had been in turmoil lately—over ten sects, including Lieyang Sect, Luoyan Sect, and Xuanyuan Clan, had all fallen to Duanhun Sect. Concerned that Tianshuang Sect was involved, Hei Fengxi told Zhongli to have Cang Yi monitor developments—more clues were likely to emerge. Bai Fengxi followed her master to Yizhuang to examine the Tie family’s corpses and confirmed they were killed by Duanhun Sect. It appeared the enemy force had revived and needed to be eliminated swiftly.

That night, Bai Fengxi analyzed Duanhun Sect’s true intent based on available clues. Her conclusion matched Hei Fengxi’s: Duanhun Sect aimed to create a powerful army, and their next target might be the Ma family of Jizhou. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Hei Fengxi immediately instructed Zhongli to have Cang Yi deliver a message to Bai Fengxi and ordered the Jizhou branch to send reinforcements. In the blink of an eye, the day of the autumn hunt arrived.

The eldest and third princes were full of spirit, while Hei Fengxi still appeared sickly, quietly sipping tea and reading beside a tea stove. Feng Qiwu observed the Lord of Yongzhou’s three sons from a distance. She saw that the eldest, Feng Chang, used a fawn as bait to hunt the stag king—far too cruel. Feng Ju focused only on hunting wolves, revealing his craving for glory, emboldened by the support of Madam Baili, the late queen.

When Feng Qiwu’s gaze fell upon Hei Fengxi, she too dismissed him as a weakling. But during the hunt, she was unexpectedly surrounded by wolves and was saved just in time by Hei Fengxi. This completely changed her perception and sparked admiration in her heart. Seeing Hei Fengxi’s true strength, so different from his outward frailty, intrigued Feng Qiwu. She willingly kept his secret.

As the hunt neared its end, the Lord of Yongzhou announced that the winner would receive the Cloud-Cutting Sword passed down from their ancestors. Feng Chang shared some of his prey with his second brother, earning a total of twenty points. Feng Ju caught two elk and two wolves for a score of thirty. On the surface, Hei Fengxi had no visible game and thus earned no points.

Just as the Lord of Yongzhou was about to award the sword to Feng Ju, Feng Qiwu unexpectedly asked for recognition and revealed her score was ten points higher than Feng Ju’s—forty in total. Truly, a woman who could rival any man.

Just as everyone thought Feng Qiwu would be the winner of this autumn’s hunt, Hei Fengxi had already ordered his guards to rush over with twenty elk, making him the one with the most game among those present. Hei Fengxi said that due to being ill for a long time, he had become half a doctor, and while studying medicine, he happened to learn that the juice of the blue-tailed flower could temporarily tame wild beasts.

Since he could not bear to kill, he resorted to this last-resort method and presented it with a poem, expressing his wish to hunt on behalf of his father. When Feng Qiwu returned home, she instructed her family elders to go to the Fountain Abode and purchase intelligence regarding Feng Lanxi. She wanted to see what kind of man this rumored Second Prince really was—how cunning he must be to deceive everyone present, including herself.

She had no idea that Hei Fengxi and Feng Lanxi were in fact the same person. Ren Chuanyun had witnessed the Second Prince's extraordinary skills during the hunt and was very curious why he concealed his strength and acted weak in front of outsiders. Huan Niang hesitated for a moment but eventually recounted the truth—it all started when the former Queen married the Lord of Yongzhou.

Back then, the former Queen was virtuous and modest, known for her wisdom and grace. She knew the Lord of Yongzhou had taken a concubine, Madam Baili, before their wedding, yet still welcomed her into the palace and even raised her son—Eldest Prince Feng Chang—at her side. Because of this, Feng Chang was cold and harsh to others but showed exceptional affection toward Feng Lanxi. However, when the former Queen gave birth to Feng Lanxi, her health deteriorated significantly.

Madam Baili took the opportunity to win the Lord’s favor and soon gave birth to Third Prince Feng Ju, thereby being promoted to consort. The former Queen, constrained by her status, did not compete with Madam Baili for affection, fearing she would be seen as jealous. A few years later, she died in tears. Not long after, Madam Baili was established as the new Queen—she is now the current Queen who went to pray at Mount Ning ten days ago.

The public praises Madam Baili as gentle and virtuous, treating Feng Lanxi as her own son, but what they don't know is that she was trying to ruin Feng Lanxi by assigning him seductive maids to serve him, all to help her biological son Feng Ju vie for the position of Hereditary Prince. After the former King passed away, the Lord of Yongzhou neither immediately named Feng Lanxi the Hereditary Prince nor ever truly cared for him.

Poor Feng Lanxi had to pretend to get along with Madam Baili while working hard in secret, enduring for three years. He finally seized the chance to drive them away by pretending to be poisoned by something she had given him. This is the real reason why Feng Lanxi has been acting weak. When Hei Fengxi learned that the Tianshuang Sect had already set out for Mawang Fort, he felt relieved—they shared the same thoughts after all.

On the other hand, Feng Wutong had already made a move, so Hei Fengxi naturally wouldn’t sit idly by. He had Zhongli send her a message, arranging to meet the next day at noon at the White Cloud Pavilion. Bai Fengxi and the others followed their master and arrived in Jizhou before Duanhun Sect. The best strategy now was to set a trap to lure the enemy in.

Since it involved a larger plan, the Ma family’s cooperation was essential to stop Duanhun Sect’s scheme. With Bai Jiande’s approval, Bai Fengxi personally visited and revealed to the clan leader, Ma Mengqi, the true purpose behind Duanhun Sect’s slaughter of the four great sects—it was to gather the four supreme arts of war, medicine, formations, and horses to secretly build an unrivaled army and seize the world.

Ma Mengqi had thought that the conflict among the Han, Tie, and Xuanyuan families was just martial rivalry, but upon learning it involved national power, he readily agreed to work with the Tianshuang Sect from within and without. Since the hunting competition, Eldest Prince Feng Chang had not seen his younger brother, so he went to confront him, upset that he had intentionally kept secrets, and worried that Feng Ju’s jealousy might lead him to harm him.

Hei Fengxi knew his brother’s concern came from a good place, so he patiently explained his reasons and personally offered a gift of apology, restoring their relationship. Feng Qiwu arrived at the White Cloud Pavilion as agreed and indeed saw the Second Prince she had been longing for. Compared to the submissive image he projected in public, he now appeared more genuine and confident, exuding a completely different aura.

Thus, Feng Qiwu opened up to Hei Fengxi, using the story of Sima Xiangru as a metaphor, willingly likening herself to Zhuo Wenjun, pledging to support him. Hei Fengxi responded in kind, officially forming an alliance with her. Thanks to the Tianshuang Sect’s planning, they successfully ambushed the assassins from Duanhun Sect at Mawang Fort, avoiding a massacre.

However, Bai Fengxi believed that since Duanhun Sect had not achieved its goal, they would not give up easily and would likely return with even stronger agents. The Tianshuang Sect needed to remain stationed at the fort. Zhongli reported to Hei Fengxi that the mysterious Ten Yama Kings of Duanhun Sect had sent six members to Mawang Fort, expected to arrive within three days. Very little was known about the Ten Yama Kings due to their secretive nature.

All that was known from the Fountain Abode was that one of them, called "Chujiang," had once single-handedly killed five top masters from the Mingyue Manor and escaped unharmed. Concerned for Bai Fengxi's safety but unable to leave, Hei Fengxi deliberately angered the Lord of Yongzhou during court, prompting him to issue a punishment of house confinement for half a month. Feng Ju was delighted by this, unaware that Hei Fengxi had done it on purpose.

After court, the Lord of Yongzhou visited Lanxi Manor again, saying he had reconsidered and thought there was some merit in Hei Fengxi’s statements. The Lord of Yongzhou hoped Hei Fengxi would recover soon so he could assign him an important role. However, Hei Fengxi politely declined by citing poor health. The Ren brothers were puzzled by this, but Hei Fengxi had his own plan.

He knew that his father was always suspicious, regardless of his sons' abilities, and didn’t want them eyeing the throne too soon. Sun Si was ordered to inform Bai Fengxi that Duanhun Sect had already sent experts, and Hei Fengxi asked him to relay a message urging her to be cautious. If there was any trouble, she could seek help from the Fountain Abode.

Bai Fengxi suddenly remembered something she needed Sun Si to help with—setting up an ambush in advance at the Ma family’s secondary estate to protect the family from harm. Sure enough, Duanhun Sect attacked Mawang Fort again that night. Though Bai Fengxi was a top martial arts master, the six Yama Kings were formidable. The Tianshuang Sect fought with all their might but gradually fell into a disadvantage.

Bai Jiande was seriously injured after being distracted out of concern for his daughter. Meanwhile, Ma Mengqi and others were also wounded one after another. Seeing this, Bai Fengxi urged them to leave quickly while she stayed behind to face the enemy alone. Fortunately, at the critical moment, Hei Fengxi descended from the skies. Seeing Bai Fengxi injured, he flew into a rage and killed three enemies in a row. The last Yama King was also slain by the sword of Yu Wuyuan.

Originally, Yu Wuyuan was not planning to go to Xiangzhou on this trip. However, halfway there, he heard that Bai Fengxi was at Mawang Fort. Recalling how highly Huang Chao praised her, he decided to drop by and see the legendary number one extraordinary woman of the realm. As expected, Bai Fengxi did not disappoint Yu Wuyuan—in fact, he found her quite intriguing. Bai Fengxi had also long heard of Yu Wuyuan's great reputation.

The two conversed delightfully, clearly neglecting Hei Fengxi at their side, causing him to be consumed with jealousy. Now that her master Bai Jiande was properly settled and no longer in danger after taking healing medicine, Bai Fengxi invited Yu Wuyuan to join her on the journey ahead. This made Hei Fengxi even more sour-faced.

Even on the way back, Bai Fengxi continued to praise Yu Wuyuan while teasing that Hei Fengxi only knew how to scheme against the world, unlike Yu Wuyuan, who schemed for the world. When Hei Fengxi learned that Bai Fengxi had arranged to meet Yu Wuyuan at Zhishan the next day, he felt especially upset. The next morning, he saw Yu Wuyuan buying a pearl hairpin as a gift for Bai Fengxi.

Pretending to make casual conversation, Hei Fengxi asked, “Why have the Yu clan’s heaven-blessed people never enjoyed longevity? ”—a veiled reference to how none of the Yu clan ever lived past thirty. At the appointed time, Bai Fengxi went alone to meet Yu Wuyuan at Tianzhishan. She first thanked him for helping at Mawang Fort, then suddenly challenged him to a duel, determined to test their skills.

Yu Wuyuan was very surprised, never expecting their meeting today would turn into a match. He couldn't help but sigh that only someone like Bai Fengxi truly deserved the title of an extraordinary woman. Since Bai Fengxi now regarded Yu Wuyuan as a friend, she refused to fight him seriously and instead proposed a contest of qinggong—whoever reached the far side of the lake first would win. Hei Fengxi watched the whole event from a distance, finally feeling relieved.

In the end, both Bai Fengxi and Yu Wuyuan landed at the same time, resulting in a draw. After bidding farewell to Yu Wuyuan, Bai Fengxi returned alone to her lodgings. Her junior martial sister Bai Langhua was certain she had feelings for Hei Fengxi, scaring Bai Fengxi so much that she quickly covered Bai Langhua’s mouth in panic. Just then, Bai Jiande came in from outside.

Considering that the Soulbreaking Sect had suffered heavy losses, he decided to visit an old friend and told Bai Fengxi to take their junior brothers and sisters back first. At that morning's imperial court session, the Lord of Yongzhou issued a decree: the eldest prince would enter the Ministry of Personnel, the second prince the Ministry of Works, and the third prince the Ministry of Revenue.

The Feng clan elders were puzzled, but Feng Qiwu clearly understood that the Lord of Yongzhou intended to assess the three princes through this arrangement. Since the three had only minor differences in their backgrounds, the Hereditary Prince must be chosen based on virtue and ability. Coincidentally, the Vice Minister of Works came from the Feng faction, so Feng Qiwu went straight to Lanxi Palace and promised to deliver the relevant dossiers before nightfall.

As Hei Fengxi and Feng Chang shared a deep brotherly bond, Feng Qiwu specifically reminded Hei Fengxi not to let emotions interfere—there was no room for error in the fight for the Hereditary Prince. However, Hei Fengxi kept emphasizing that his elder brother had always looked after him. No matter how fierce the struggle for the throne, Feng Chang would always be his brother. The only one he aimed to oppose was Feng Ju.

On Hei Fengxi’s first day of assuming his post at the Ministry of Works, Feng Ju led men from the Ministry of Revenue to forcefully break in, claiming to be under the king's orders to investigate the accounts of the Ministry of Works. Minister Zheng Kui appeared flustered, and when Hei Fengxi questioned him, he had no choice but to admit that a hail disaster last year had caused problems in the construction of Xuncheng’s city walls.

Fearing the king’s stubbornness, they had secretly diverted 500,000 silver leaves—meant for the Lord of Yongzhou’s future imperial tombs. The situation was too critical to investigate further. Hei Fengxi personally stepped forward to negotiate with Feng Ju. Seeing that Feng Ju insisted on pursuing the matter, he calmly presented pre-prepared banknotes, explaining that silver leaves were hard to store, so they had been exchanged at the time.

Since Feng Ju had forged the king’s order, Zheng Kui and others seized the chance to report to the Lord of Yongzhou, accusing him of falsely delivering a royal decree and adding crimes afterward. Hei Fengxi naturally knew that his father intended to cover for Feng Ju, so he went along to do a favor, stating that Feng Ju was young and had made a first-time mistake, deserving only a light punishment.

But Minister of Revenue Baili Heng could not be let off lightly due to dereliction of duty. Seeing that the other ministers echoed this view, the Lord of Yongzhou had no choice but to remove Baili Heng from office and ordered Feng Ju to withdraw from the Ministry of Revenue for self-reflection. Recently, the Lianjiang River had flooded.

Hei Fengxi requested permission from the Lord of Yongzhou to bring several Ministry of Works officials to construct embankments, and the king readily approved. After court dispersed, the ministers all commented on how impressive the second prince was—despite being chronically ill, he still demonstrated sharp intelligence.

He had dealt a heavy blow to the queen's faction and even deliberately mentioned the distinction between legitimate and concubine-born sons in court, clearly intending to suppress Feng Ju with his status as the legitimate heir. Because Feng Ju's plans were thwarted, Zhongli guessed that he would not be willing to accept this and might resort to underhanded methods.

That night, the eldest prince Feng Chang visited Hei Fengxi, complaining that he had not been informed beforehand about the move against their younger brother and regretted missing the chance to see Feng Ju humiliated. However, Hei Fengxi repeatedly denied ever intending to harm his own brothers. Bai Fengxi and her group traveled by water back to the Tianshuang Sect. Unfortunately, she suffered from severe seasickness. Xiu Jiurong considerately brought her orange oil, which made Bai Langhua jealous.

In truth, Bai Fengxi had already noticed the mutual affection between Bai Langhua and Xiu Jiurong, so she advised her junior sister that as people of the martial world, they should not be restrained by shyness. On the day of Hei Fengxi’s inspection tour, a massive wave struck while he was en route to Decheng by boat. Unexpectedly, assassins damaged the deck on purpose, causing the boat to capsize.

When Feng Ju heard that his subordinates had taken it upon themselves to assassinate his second brother, he was furious. Though he fought with Hei Fengxi daily, he had never intended to take his life. Knowing the deed was done, he rushed back to the palace to avoid arousing the king’s suspicion. Decheng had already dispatched all troops to search for Hei Fengxi’s whereabouts. Everyone in Lanxi Palace knew he had suffered from hydrophobia since childhood.

When Bai Fengxi found Hei Fengxi, he was already unconscious. He had also caught a chill from nearly drowning, injuring his lungs. In a daze, Hei Fengxi clutched Bai Fengxi’s hand and murmured, “Mother, don’t leave…” The words deeply moved Bai Fengxi—she never imagined that the normally cunning fox could reveal such vulnerable fragility.

In order to get Hei Fengxi to drink the medicinal soup, Bai Fengxi coaxed him as gently as possible, promising to buy candied fruit afterward. Sure enough, as soon as she said that, Hei Fengxi was no longer as resistant as before. However, by the latter half of the night, he began to shiver and cry out from the cold repeatedly, even muttering in his unconscious state for Nurse Huan to close the window.

Considering that Hei Fengxi’s body had suffered too much from the cold, Bai Fengxi didn’t hesitate and reached out to hold him in her arms. It wasn't until early the next morning that Hei Fengxi woke up and, upon discovering someone beside his pillow, was so startled he immediately shut his eyes.

Bai Fengxi, realizing that she had held Hei Fengxi throughout the night, hurriedly sat up, but then felt that her act of saving someone was out of sincerity, so there was no need to feel guilty. Fortunately, after a whole night of care, Hei Fengxi’s fever finally subsided, and he sincerely thanked Bai Fengxi for saving him. Hei Fengxi’s politeness, however, made Bai Fengxi feel slightly uncomfortable.

She went to the kitchen to cook him some noodles, which surprisingly reminded him of his mother. Though the Second Prince is still missing, the corpse of the boatman floated to the surface and turned out to be someone from the residence of the First Prince, Feng Chang. Upon learning that the Lord of Yongzhou had summoned Feng Chang to the palace, Feng Qiwu felt that the real culprit was someone else.

After all, the First and Second Princes had a close relationship; even if there had been foul play, he would never have sent one of his own men. Feng Qiwu firmly believed that the Second Prince would be safe, so the top priority was to quickly gather enough evidence and prepare the necessary weapons to fight back before his return. Feng Chang cried out in injustice, believing that someone had deliberately framed him and used another’s hand to kill.

He asked his father to discern who had the most to gain. However, the Lord of Yongzhou still demanded that Feng Chang prove his innocence himself and gave him only seven days to find Feng Lanxi or the real mastermind behind it all. Watching Hei Fengxi finish a whole bowl of noodles, Bai Fengxi felt that her cooking hadn’t been in vain. Curious about his past, she learned of the painful memories he carried.

Though born into a prestigious family, Hei Fengxi rarely felt familial warmth. Beneath the glamorous surface, he was merely a pitiable man. Hei Fengxi explained the identity of Nurse Huan to Bai Fengxi, and although she appeared indifferent, she was secretly delighted. When Feng Ju learned that his father hadn’t harshly punished the First Prince, he panicked, fearing the investigation would eventually point to him. Meanwhile, the Lord of Yongzhou was also analyzing the identity of the culprit.

He already had a rough idea but didn’t know how to handle it. He could only sigh that everything he had gone through back then was now being repeated by these children—such was the fate of those born into royalty. Ren Rusong hurried over upon hearing the news.

Learning that there was still no word from the Second Prince, he was so angry that he nearly killed his youngest son on the spot, berating him for failing to protect his master. Feeling ashamed before the late king and queen, he knelt by the lake in deep grief. As for the First Prince, Feng Chang, he was equally anxious, hoping to find his younger brother soon but dreading the possibility of finding his corpse.

Since Hei Fengxi had slept for nearly ten hours, Bai Fengxi deliberately teased a bird to wake him up. Watching him obediently drink the soup, she finally felt at ease. Bai Langhua was peeking through the window but accidentally made a noise. Bai Fengxi didn’t mind and, considering how boring and stifling the past few days on the boat had been, agreed to let her junior brother dock the boat.

Upon reaching the nearby market, Bai Fengxi took Hei Fengxi strolling about and bought him brown sugar buns, claiming they would replenish his blood. What she didn’t expect was that the local Ruyu Pavilion turned out to be a stronghold of the Fountain Abode.

Hei Fengxi asked the shopkeeper to send a message back to Yongjing and also gifted Bai Fengxi a set of clothing, personally placing a hairpin in her hair, repeatedly reminding her not to sell it for wine. When Yu Wuyuan returned to Jizhou, he went to see Huang Chao at once. Unexpectedly, Huang Chao uncharacteristically asked about Bai Fengxi, completely different from the Hereditary Prince who once cared about the world.

Because of this, Yu Wuyuan suspected that Huang Chao had fallen for Bai Fengxi. Although Huang Chao immediately denied it, the admiration he showed for Bai Fengxi was genuine. Thinking about the matter of the Empyrean Token, Huang Chao had Yu Wuyuan repeatedly verify its authenticity and eventually confirmed that the token he held was a counterfeit, suspecting that someone had swapped it.

Previously, he had heard of Hei Fengxi appearing at Xuanshan and later saving Bai Fengxi, which inevitably raised suspicion, but Yu Wuyuan firmly believed that Hei Fengxi had nothing to do with it. For several days afterward, no clues about Feng Lanxi could be found. Subordinate Wang Yuan attempted to use a similar-looking corpse as a stand-in for the Second Prince. With no other choice, Feng Ju ordered several monks to perform rituals.

The Lord of Yongzhou felt that the chance of Feng Lanxi’s survival was slim, so he halved the search personnel. But Feng Qiwu found this decision inappropriate. After all, rumors among the people said that the Second and Third Princes didn’t get along.

If the order was given now, it would make the people think the Lord of Yongzhou was favoring Feng Ju, indirectly admitting that Feng Ju had killed his brother and was now using that to gain fame in hopes of becoming the future Hereditary Prince. While distributing porridge was acceptable, it should be presided over by the Lord of Yongzhou, not the Third Prince. Hei Fengxi received a message from Yongjing and told Bai Fengxi that the contents were mixed.

His father felt no sorrow, but his elder brother was truly heartbroken. Even his closest aides remained loyal—only his third brother was the mastermind behind this incident. At the same time, Feng Qiwu received a secret letter confirming that Hei Fengxi was still alive, finally putting his mind at ease. Due to acclimatization issues, Bai Langhua contracted typhoid and urgently needed a doctor.

Hei Fengxi suggested they go to Yongjing first, where he could recommend the best physician, and return to the Tianshuang Sect once she recovered. Bai Fengxi readily agreed. Fortunately, the treatment was timely, saving Bai Langhua’s life, though Bai Fengxi spent almost all her remaining silver for her junior sister. Feng Qiwu immediately went to see Hei Fengxi and reported the Third Prince’s situation and the collusion with Wang Yuan to prepare a fake corpse to confirm the death.

Hei Fengxi knew that Wang Yuan was the mastermind and that Feng Ju kept him by his side only because of his ambition and willingness to take risks. According to Feng Ju’s scheme, even if their father truly found out the truth, Wang Yuan could be sacrificed to take the blame. His cunning was no less than Madam Baili’s and was perhaps even more dangerous.

Hei Fengxi sincerely thanked Feng Qiwu for helping him at his lowest point. Feng Qiwu replied that the Feng family had always assisted future kings and naturally would give their utmost effort. In Feng Qiwu’s eyes, Feng Lanxi possessed both literary and martial talents and excelled in strategy—no one but Feng Lanxi was fit to sit upon that golden throne.

Feng Qiwu asked about Feng Lanxi’s next plan, and he said that since he had turned misfortune into a blessing, it was time to visit his father. The Lord of Yongzhou believed Feng Lanxi had met with misfortune and held a ritual for him, hypocritically praying for his safe return. At that moment, Ren Rusong came to report that Feng Lanxi was still alive and had returned to the mansion.

The Lord of Yongzhou became furious and ordered Feng Ju to find out who the dead body really belonged to. He then went to Feng Lanxi’s residence, showing concern for Feng Lanxi’s health. Seeing that he didn’t look well, he arranged for the imperial physician to stay. Since Feng Lanxi had fallen into the water for the sake of the people, the Lord of Yongzhou insisted on giving him a generous reward.

Feng Lanxi earnestly asked his father to investigate who had tried to harm him and punish them severely. He claimed to have some clues but did not wish to be branded as one who turned against his brothers—though all the evidence pointed to his third brother, Feng Ju.

The Lord of Yongzhou was angry and scolded Feng Lanxi for doing so much after falling into the water, saying that he had no regard for his father, which alone was enough to charge him with deceiving the monarch. Feng Lanxi explained that he wasn’t framing Feng Ju, and that if the investigation continued, evidence would surely surface. The Lord of Yongzhou told Feng Lanxi to stay home and recover, and he would give him an explanation.

The Lord of Yongzhou knew it was someone close to Feng Ju who had harmed Feng Lanxi. He also felt that Feng Lanxi’s questioning earlier was justified—he had indeed neglected Feng Lanxi over the years. If pursued, the matter would cause fratricidal strife and family discord. So he ordered Yuan Lu to draft two decrees. Feng Lanxi asked whether the people from Tianshuang Sect arranged by Zhongli had been settled.

Ren Rusong was surprised that Bai Fengxi was also in Yongjing. Feng Lanxi stated that he owed his life to Bai Fengxi; without her, no one would have seen him again. Although Ren Rusong disapproved of Bai Fengxi, since she had saved Feng Lanxi, he had no room to speak ill of her. The Lord of Yongzhou issued a decree conferring the title "Lord Yongping" upon Feng Lanxi and granted him the right to establish an official residence and staff.

He also instructed Yuan Lu to deliver a message: if he considered the relationship from the standpoint of ruler and subject, then national law took precedence; if from that of father and son or brothers, then familial affection was paramount. He hoped Feng Lanxi would remember this well. Feng Ju went to the Ning Mountain temple. When his mother, Madam Baili, saw him, she slapped him and scolded him for hiding away praying after learning Feng Lanxi had returned safely.

She said he might as well carve the word "guilty" on his forehead. Madam Baili had been plotting for Feng Ju in Ning Mountain and had finally persuaded Prince Ning to speak up, only for Feng Ju to bring news that the king had conferred the title "Lord Yongping" on Feng Lanxi—a grand gesture. Madam Baili knew Feng Ju was unwilling to accept this, but he had to face failure.

After all, the king only took Prince Yuan's life, while she not only wanted Feng Ju to surpass Feng Lanxi but to one day ascend to the throne himself. Now that Prince Yuan was gone, Madam Baili left her confidant Li Jiaxian with Feng Ju, as her business at the temple was concluded, and she planned to return to the palace in a few days. In truth, Li Jiaxian had been placed beside Madam Baili by Feng Ju.

Prince Yuan had been one of her people. Eliminating him allowed Li Jiaxian to return to Feng Ju’s side. Feng Ju knew his mother was scheming for the position of Hereditary Prince. But since his father was still in his prime, he was nothing more than a puppet.

Feng Ju also knew that even though he had attacked Feng Lanxi, his father hadn’t blamed him, because in his father’s eyes, he was nothing but a useless son who obeyed his mother in all things. But Feng Ju was content with that—he hoped everyone in the world would see him that way. In fact, he planned to act even more unruly, so that Feng Lanxi would lose control. Only then would his father turn his hostility toward Feng Lanxi.

Feng Ju’s ambition was no small matter—he likely sought to usurp the throne. The Emperor of Dadong spoke with the Crown Prince Jingyan. It turned out the Empyrean Token had never been lost—only the news of its loss was spread to incite conflict among the Six States. A swift report came from Jizhou. After reading it, the Emperor of Dadong's expression darkened. He remarked that Jizhou had schemed well—turns out they wanted to return the Empyrean Token.

The emperor gave orders to thank Jizhou for returning the token and to hold a Sixfold Banquet in the palace, which he would personally attend to receive them. Feng Ju tried to sow discord between Feng Chang and Feng Lanxi, saying that although Feng Lanxi was safe, he still refused to appear in public while Feng Chang had been suffering in the rain by the riverside.

Feng Chang had treated Feng Lanxi like a brother, but Feng Lanxi clearly did not feel the same. Feng Chang felt uneasy about it. He went to Lord Yongping’s residence and advised Feng Lanxi not to hold grudges now that he had been granted a title. Although this incident ended without real danger, his conflict with Feng Ju was now completely out in the open. Madam Baili would surely know, so he needed to be cautious.

Feng Lanxi knew Feng Chang had always worried about him and had already prepared a gift to be sent to his elder brother’s residence. After all, they had grown up together as brothers. Hei Fengxi came to find Bai Fengxi and invited her out for a walk. As they strolled through the market, they unexpectedly saw Feng Qiwu. Hei Fengxi quickly pulled Bai Fengxi aside to avoid being seen. But Feng Qiwu still caught a glimpse of their backs.

Her maid commented that the figure looked like the second prince. Feng Qiwu scolded her—how could the second prince possibly be out holding hands with a woman in public? It was Hei Fengxi’s first time touring Yongjing City with Bai Fengxi, and he was very happy. Bai Fengxi saw a sea of flowers, and an old man told her they were designed by the king’s second prince, Feng Lanxi.

Bai Fengxi praised Feng Lanxi as a refined gentleman, one of the Four Gentlemen, very elegant. Hei Fengxi, feeling jealous, asked if he wasn’t elegant. Bai Fengxi replied that Hei Fengxi and Feng Lanxi were more than just one character apart—just one character could mean a world of difference. At this moment, Bai Fengxi still didn’t know that Hei Fengxi was Feng Lanxi. Hei Fengxi even sat down and drew a portrait of Bai Fengxi himself, making her smile joyfully.

Later, when Bai Fengxi saw a child trying to retrieve a ball that had fallen into the river, she leapt forward to save him and accidentally sprained her ankle. Hei Fengxi carried her on his back all the way home. Just as they arrived, Zhongli reminded Hei Fengxi it was time to return. Hei Fengxi was reluctant to part from Bai Fengxi. Madam Baili was returning to the palace.

Feng Lanxi's intention was precisely to bring her back and see what tricks she still had. Feng Qiwu was worried something might happen during tomorrow’s reception. When Madam Baili returned to the palace, the king welcomed her personally. She indeed had skill—upon her return, she immediately began winning over people’s hearts. Madam Baili reported to the king that she had recently met the matriarch of the ancestral clan, who revealed in conversation that the queen mother belonged to the Xiao clan of the previous dynasty.

The Lord of Yongzhou reminded Feng Lanxi that the Queen has deep maternal affection. Yongzhou has always valued filial piety, and Feng Lanxi must honor and respect the Queen in the future. At this moment, Feng Qiwu submitted a memorial to the Lord of Yongzhou, stating that the Queen holds a noble status. Even if she insisted on traveling with the commoners, how could the guard general, Sun Mingyang, not repeatedly dissuade her?

Was the crowd of refugees carefully searched for traitors or rebels? The six states are currently unstable, and Feng Lanxi had just narrowly escaped death after being attacked by a traitor. If the Queen were to be harmed again, it would be a great tragedy for Yongzhou. Feng Qiwu believed Sun Mingyang should be punished publicly with whipping to serve as a warning.

The Lord of Yongzhou felt that such public punishment was too harsh and decided instead to dock his salary for three years. Feng Qiwu then proposed that Minister Yang of the Rites Department should also be punished—what if there had been an assassin among the people? The Lord admitted that the Queen's actions today were indeed improper and thus arranged for Feng Lanxi to carry out the whipping on her behalf.

Chuan Yun was curious why the Lord of Yongzhou looked so pleased upon hearing about the Xiao family. Ren Rusong explained that His Majesty’s biological mother was originally a palace maid and had no chance of attaining her current status. It was only due to the death of the previous hereditary prince that Madam Baili, whose methods far surpassed even the Third Prince, managed to rise.

Now that Feng Lanxi has returned to the capital, he is likely to face great injustice. The Lord of Yongzhou told Madam Baili that Feng Ju was becoming increasingly unruly and even dared to plot against his brother. He instructed Madam Baili and Feng Ju to behave and stop stirring trouble.

Having Feng Lanxi carry out the whipping on Madam Baili today was meant to show the world a united image of a loving father, filial son, virtuous mother, and respectful child. Whichever of the six states falls into chaos first will become prey to the remaining five. He also urged Madam Baili to pay more attention to Feng Chang.

At this moment, Feng Chang felt especially sorrowful—outside the city gates, his mother, Madam Baili, would rather put on a show of maternal kindness with Feng Lanxi than spare him, her biological son, a glance. Madam Baili never anticipated that Feng Lanxi was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. She knew that over the years, Feng Ju had overshadowed Feng Lanxi both openly and in secret, and the king had tacitly approved of this.

In her eyes, the Lord of Yongzhou had always felt inferior because he was the son of a palace maid. From the beginning, he disliked Yige and therefore disliked Feng Lanxi, who carried Yige’s blood. Only royal power and ambition stirred his heart. The king disliked that Feng Ju directly endangered Feng Lanxi’s life. After all, Feng Lanxi was his legitimate son.

Madam Baili told Feng Ju that if anyone else took action, it would have nothing to do with them. Bai Fengxi ran out of money and could only pawn some items, but they were worth at most five silver leaves—not nearly enough to cover the daily expenses of so many people. The shopkeeper suggested she pawn her hairpin, which would fetch a better price. Since the hairpin was a gift from Hei Fengxi, Bai Fengxi naturally refused.

This reminder made her recall that Hei Fengxi had previously said if she ever needed something in a pinch, she could go to the Ruyuxuan branch, and anything under a thousand silver leaves was hers to take. Bai Fengxi went to Ruyuxuan to ask the shopkeeper for fifty silver leaves, only to encounter Feng Chang, who was having a seizure. She ended up saving his life.

In his nightmare, Feng Chang dreamed that his mother, Madam Baili, was trying to strangle him, and he woke up in terror. Feng Chang could not allow others to know he suffered from seizures, so he ordered his subordinates to dispose of everyone who had witnessed his episode. The physician prescribed more medicine for Langhua’s recovery. Bai Fengxi was surprised to learn that even grinding the medicine costs money, so she decided to do it herself.

Unexpectedly, she fell asleep while grinding, and Hei Fengxi happened to come by. Seeing Bai Fengxi sleeping on the table, he was filled with tenderness. Bai Fengxi hadn’t expected that acting as the sect leader would be so exhausting. She envied how Hei Fengxi could manage a vast place like Fountain Abode with such order. Hei Fengxi offered to teach her, and the tuition fee would be just a bowl of noodles—the kind from the boat.

Bai Fengxi went to cook noodles, and Hei Fengxi ate happily. Feng Qiwu came to see Feng Lanxi. Now that the Lord of Yongzhou had conferred the title of Yongping Lord upon Feng Lanxi, it was time to consider their marriage. As long as he agreed to the formal three letters and six rites, she was confident she could give him peace of mind for the rest of his life. Feng Lanxi politely declined.

If he agreed, he would become a man who relied on his wife’s family to flaunt power. Feng Qiwu said she had already fallen out with the Queen publicly outside the city gates and came to Feng Lanxi because she had no one else to rely on. Feng Lanxi rejected Feng Qiwu again, saying he had always been indifferent to matters of love and didn’t want to ruin her life.

Feng Qiwu guessed that Feng Lanxi already had someone in his heart. Feng Lanxi claimed that his heart was set on the world and feared he would disappoint Feng Qiwu’s kindness. Though he couldn’t promise the formal marriage rites for now, he could still grant the Feng family supreme honor, second only to one. Feng Qiwu didn’t expect that among all men, only Feng Lanxi would dare treat her so coldly.

Then again, if Feng Lanxi had agreed so easily, he wouldn't be the Feng Lanxi she knew. Huan Niang reviewed Ruyuxuan’s accounts and found items like Snow Cloud Gauze and jewelry—clearly things Feng Lanxi wouldn’t use. She ordered the bill sent back. Feng Qiwu volunteered to deliver it herself, wanting to see who these items were for, since Feng Lanxi claimed to have no interest in romance.

At Ruyuxuan, she showed the bill to the shopkeeper, who cleverly deflected her inquiries. The carrier pigeon that delivered a message to her master returned, making Bai Fengxi worry about her master’s safety. She went to Ruyuxuan and asked the shopkeeper to help her contact Hei Fengxi. Meanwhile, Huang Chao and Yu Wuyuan were discussing returning the Empyrean Token to the emperor when Princess Huang Yu overheard them and insisted on Yu Wuyuan accompanying her.

Huang Yu happily played the zither for Yu Wuyuan, but Yu Wuyuan’s mind was on Bai Fengxi. Though Yu Wuyuan knew of Huang Yu’s feelings for him, his heart belonged elsewhere, so he refused her by saying that those born into the Yu family rarely lived past thirty.

A group of men in black were ordered to assassinate Bai Fengxi. However, before they could exchange more than a few blows, Hei Fengxi appeared, forcing them to retreat. Observing their moves, Bai Fengxi determined they were not from the Duanhun Sect. As for why they were trying to kill her, she could not figure it out. Hei Fengxi promised to investigate the matter thoroughly. Meanwhile, Feng Chang flew into a rage upon hearing that the assassination had failed.

The problem, however, lay in Bai Fengxi's formidable martial skills—and the fact that Feng Lanxi of Yongzhou seemed to be on friendly terms with her, which greatly puzzled him. After calming down, Feng Chang decided to personally lead a siege to eliminate Bai Fengxi, leaving her no chance to survive. Seeing how resolute Feng Chang was, De Shu couldn’t help recalling the suffering Feng Chang had endured in childhood.

He silently sighed that even after more than twenty years, the former queen still remained ruthless and refused to acknowledge the first prince. Bai Fengxi followed Hei Fengxi to Ruyuxuan for a drink and was relieved to hear that he had sent people to investigate her master’s whereabouts. While she was eating in peace, a bug landed on her shoulder.

Hei Fengxi was just about to catch it when Bai Fengxi instinctively grabbed his hand, making him blush and his heart race. Embarrassed, he quickly made an excuse and left. Because she had teased Hei Fengxi, Bai Fengxi was in a rather good mood. But on her way home, she once again encountered those men in black. Not wanting to fight with them again, she was irritated by their relentless pursuit.

Just then, she ran into Feng Chang in a narrow alley and found him strangely familiar. Feng Chang silently clenched the dagger hidden in his sleeve, ready to strike. Unexpectedly, Bai Fengxi suddenly claimed she didn’t recognize him at all. So Feng Chang decided to wait and see if she was truly clueless or merely pretending. In fact, Bai Fengxi had already figured out that Feng Chang wanted to silence her over his hidden illness.

If she were alone in Yongjing, she wouldn’t have cared, but since her junior brothers and sisters were also here, she didn’t want to stir up trouble. During morning court, under the recommendation of the royal minister, the Lord of Yongzhou assigned Feng Ju to attend the Liuhe Banquet in the Imperial Capital. After the court session ended, Feng Qiwu reported the details of the imperial examination to Hei Fengxi and handed over a list of tribute scholars.

Among them, three were talents recommended by the Grand Academician Pei Youshuo. Since Hei Fengxi had already been granted a noble title, he would naturally need more of his own people in court. As for Feng Shiying, whom Hei Fengxi was particularly concerned about, she was already part of the Feng family and would surely support him. The Ren brothers had investigated Bai Fengxi’s movements after arriving in Yongjing, including what had happened at Ruyuxuan.

It seemed to involve both Feng Qiwu and the first prince, Feng Chang. That day, Feng Chang was still tailing Bai Fengxi, which caught her attention. Seizing a clever idea, she handed him a bun, which happened to remind him of pleasant memories of the late queen, momentarily leaving him dazed.

Now the Lord of Yongzhou had decreed that the imperial examination be held on the ninth day of this month, to be supervised jointly by Duke Yan Shizhang of Liang and Pei Youshuo. The meaning behind this was clear—after all, Duke Yan’s daughter was the female official from the Baili family, and everyone knew that this official, Yan Niang, would eventually marry the third prince, Feng Ju.

In truth, whether it was the Feng family or Pei Youshuo’s matters, Hei Fengxi had never intended to hide anything from his father. It just felt suspicious that Madam Baili wanted Feng Ju to leave Yongjing at such a time. So he instructed Ren Rusong to warn Feng Qiwu that this examination must be handled with utmost care—no mistakes could be allowed. After two encounters, Feng Chang still couldn’t determine whether Bai Fengxi was feigning ignorance.

He had De Shu rent a nearby courtyard to keep an eye on her at all times. Meanwhile, Huang Chao was heading to the Liuhe Banquet carrying the Empyrean Token. But outside the capital, twenty li away, he was attacked. Emperor Chunxi ordered General Dongshu Fang of Dadong to lead his men to rescue him—but they arrived too late. Upon hearing the news, Hei Fengxi believed the Empyrean Token was a fake anyway.

Even if Huang Chao brought it back, he likely wouldn't be able to explain himself. It would’ve been better for it to be “lost” on the road. This made it highly probable that Huang Chao staged the entire incident. It also made Hei Fengxi suspect that the Emperor’s decree would be difficult to enforce in the six provinces. He lamented that with Yu Wuyuan assisting him, Huang Chao was like a tiger with wings.

Just as Hei Fengxi expected, when Huang Chao entered the palace to meet Emperor Chunxi, the hereditary princes of the other five provinces, fearing implication, all rushed to distance themselves and prove their innocence. In the end, Huang Chao volunteered to make amends. Emperor Chunxi ordered the six provinces to assist Huang Chao in investigating the matter and personally bestowed upon him the imperial sword to enforce the decree. Yu Wuyuan advised Huang Chao to prevent Jizhou from suffering disaster.

The plan was for the Empyrean Token to be stolen by people from the martial world. But now, Huang Chao unexpectedly had Lin Lancang pose as an assassin, even dragging Yu Wuyuan into the scheme. Although Yu Wuyuan did not want the six provinces to fall into chaos over the Empyrean Token, that outcome was now inevitable. Since Huang Chao had received the Emperor’s decree, it would be easier for him to act in the future.

Despite still being upset, Yu Wuyuan agreed to accompany Huang Chao to the six provinces, but insisted on visiting Misty Mountain first. Before the imperial examination, the royal minister introduced the tribute scholar Song Sihan to Madam Baili. He was their chosen grand gift for the second prince. On the day of the exam, Grand Academician Pei Youshuo met with Minister of Rites Wang Liangde and Yan Shizhang. After ensuring all candidates had been checked, they opened the examination together.

Hei Fengxi entered the palace by imperial summons to see the Lord of Yongzhou and Madam Baili, only to find that they wanted to choose a bride for him. He tactfully declined, saying that he had not yet achieved anything noteworthy, and marrying too hastily would only draw criticism from the court. Madam Baili suspected that the second prince favored Feng Qiwu.

Hei Fengxi, knowing she was testing him, admitted that he was close to Feng Qiwu but had no personal intentions—he only wanted what was best for Dayong. As for marriage, he would wait until he had accomplished something and then let his father decide. The news quickly reached Feng Qiwu. She understood Madam Baili’s true intent, and this response would avoid raising the Lord of Yongzhou’s suspicions.

Since falling into the water, Feng Lanxi had begun to show signs of brilliance. Madam Baili knew he intended to compete for the position of Hereditary Prince, so she could only suppress him through rituals and etiquette. Meanwhile, Zhongli noticed that his master had changed quite a bit since the incident—becoming more approachable and often smiling. Hei Fengxi had Zhongli deliver supplies to Bai Fengxi, though he did not appear in person and instead waited at the alley’s entrance.

When Bai Fengxi saw all the delicious food, she restrained her craving and went to see Hei Fengxi. Learning that he had done this to win hearts for her sake, she couldn’t help feeling touched. Not only that, Hei Fengxi also confirmed that Bai Jiande had gone to Misty Mountain, meaning Bai Fengxi would need to stay in Yongjing for a while longer.

On the day of the imperial examination, the examinee Xu Yuxin was caught red-handed by the supervisors for bringing in a cheat sheet. Xu Yuxin admitted that the cheat sheet had been sold by a middleman within the examination academy, which shocked everyone present. Given the severity of such a scandal in the exam, Pei Youshuo ordered the examination to be halted and all candidates to be searched.

Feng Qiwu reported the incident at the examination academy to Hei Fengxi, but to her surprise, he already knew. It seemed some people could no longer hold back, and Madam Baili had presented him with a dilemma. If Hei Fengxi insisted on protecting Lord Pei, Madam Baili would use the voices of the court officials to accuse him of forming factions for personal gain and disregarding the law. However, if he did not help, it would dishearten many senior ministers.

Considering that the Lord of Yongzhou would surely send someone to investigate the cheating incident in the next morning's court session, Hei Fengxi asked Feng Qiwu to assist him in taking on the task. Facing the largest cheating scandal in the history of Yongzhou, the Lord of Yongzhou asked Yuan Lu for his opinion.

Yuan Lu believed that the key issue was not the leaking of the exam questions because he had reviewed the examinees’ answers on-site, which were completely different from the cheat sheets. Even the answers of Feng Shiying and Song Sihan differed greatly. Bai Langhua, unable to reach her father, angrily confronted Bai Fengxi, believing she was deliberately hiding the truth. Bai Fengxi consoled her junior, assuring her that their master was always careful and cautious and wouldn’t be in danger.

Besides, she had already asked Hei Fengxi to look for him and hoped Bai Langhua could remain calm. Unexpectedly, their second senior brother Gu Yu sowed discord, insisting that Bai Fengxi hoped something bad had happened to their master so that she could naturally take the position of sect leader. He continued questioning her about why she concealed their master’s disappearance, claiming it was a guilty conscience.

Bai Fengxi publicly stated that she had never wanted the position of sect leader. However, Bai Langhua, emotionally agitated, insisted on going out to look for her father. In the end, Bai Fengxi had to tap her acupuncture point and asked Xiu Jiurong to escort her back to her room to rest. Once the others had left, Bai Fengxi ignored Gu Yu and firmly stated that the matter would be decided by their master.

She also warned Gu Yu that if he dared to stir up more trouble, she wouldn’t show any regard for their fellowship. Little did she know, Bai Jiande had already arrived in Misty Mountain, intending to seek out Wang Shuilong of the Ten-Thousand Sword Manor. The next morning in court, the Lord of Yongzhou flew into a rage, furious that such a scandal had occurred in Yongjing.

He questioned what his ministers had been doing—were they just incompetent officials who bowed their heads in shame, bearing the disgrace of cheating in the imperial exam before the world? Feng Qiwu proactively offered a suggestion, proposing that Feng Lanxi take charge of the investigation. Since the exam served the royal family and was crucial to selecting talents for the realm, it had wide-reaching implications and was tied to the royal family's reputation.

Therefore, it was most appropriate for someone from the royal family to take charge. The ministers echoed the proposal, and Hei Fengxi followed suit, expressing willingness to relieve the Lord of Yongzhou’s concerns. In the end, the Lord of Yongzhou ordered him to get to the bottom of the cheating case within seven days.

After the court session, the Lord of Yongzhou couldn’t understand why his second son would take on such a mess, so he summoned Minister of Justice Zhang Zhongge into the palace. Although Feng Lanxi was now in charge of the investigation, the cheating scandal still fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, so Zhang Zhongge was expected to step up when the time came. Bai Langhua quarreled with Bai Fengxi over their father’s disappearance.

Bai Fengxi comforted her junior and admitted that she had concealed the truth to avoid the current outcome and was more worried that Bai Langhua’s outburst would worsen her condition. As the Tianshuang Sect was their master’s lifelong effort, Bai Fengxi took it especially seriously and hoped Bai Langhua would help her protect the sect.

Hei Fengxi personally interrogated Xu Yuxin and learned that the cheat sheet had been copied onto gold-foil paper, which only ministers of third rank or above could use. The Ministry of Personnel kept records of gold-foil usage, so he tasked Feng Qiwu with checking its distribution. Based on Xu Yuxin’s account, he also sketched a portrait of the middleman. Gu Yu lost money at the Xifeng Gambling Den and borrowed five silver leaves from the middleman.

Now, with interest, he owed twenty silver leaves, which caused trouble at their residence. Although Gu Yu stubbornly refused Bai Fengxi’s help, she still found the middleman and offered to repay only the five-leaf principal. The middleman, seeing Bai Fengxi was a woman, tried to take advantage of her, not knowing she was highly skilled in martial arts. Bai Fengxi forced him to produce the IOU.

Coincidentally, Hei Fengxi arrived with the portrait and offered to take care of the IOU, telling Bai Fengxi to go back and wait. Bai Fengxi realized that every time she got into trouble, Hei Fengxi resolved it for her. She also noticed that he moved about Yongjing freely, sparking her curiosity about his true identity. The middleman confessed that the IOU was with Lord Wu San, a local thug who ran the Xifeng Gambling Den and several brothels.

Hei Fengxi brought the middleman to the Ministry of Justice and forced him to confess about selling exam questions. Upon learning that Wu San had ordered it, he instructed the Ren brothers to bring Wu San in. Meanwhile, Zhang Zhongge reported the investigation progress to the Lord of Yongzhou. Considering Feng Lanxi’s poor health, the Lord told him to go back and rest.

Hei Fengxi understood this was his father’s message—after all, this was a power struggle, and everyone was caught in the whirlpool of politics. Accepting this, Hei Fengxi went to Huai Tree Alley to find Bai Fengxi and handed her Gu Yu’s IOU. In a moment of spontaneity, the two played cuju in the courtyard, and Feng Chang, who had just moved in next door, happened to see the scene.

His once sickly brother now appeared healthy—Feng Chang should have been happy, but the fact that his brother hid it from him left him feeling deeply disappointed. Soon after, Hei Fengxi reported the case details to the Lord of Yongzhou. According to Wu San’s confession, the person who initially gave him the answers was the steward of the Duke of Liang’s residence.

The steward admitted that it was Duke Liang who leaked the questions and later instructed him to pass them to Wu San for fake distribution. Minister of Justice Zhang Zhongge verified that among the seven examinees suspected of cheating, only three had actually transacted with the middleman. The other four were framed—and all four were disciples of Grand Scholar Pei Youshuo. They found gold-foil paper with copied questions from the middleman, and the handwriting matched Duke Liang’s.

It was also confirmed that one sheet of gold-foil paper was missing from Duke Liang’s residence. However, the Prime Minister objected, claiming that the missing sheet from Duke Liang’s estate was in his possession and earnestly requested the Lord of Yongzhou to re-investigate the case.

Hei Fengxi, titled Prince Yongping, has been placed under house arrest by the Lord of Yongzhou for falsely accusing a government official. The case regarding the civil examination fraud has been reassigned to Zhang Zhongge for re-investigation. Gongsheng Song Sihan could not withstand the torture and ultimately confessed that the original exam paper was handwritten by Pei Youshu.

He admitted that, on the eve of the examination, Pei Youshu had dismissed the servants to speak with four candidates and had inspected every examination room. Upon confirming that Pei Youshu was involved in leaking the exam questions, the Lord of Yongzhou ordered his imprisonment. When Feng Qiwu learned of this, she was about to discuss countermeasures with the Second Prince, but Hei Fengxi unexpectedly came without invitation.

He had already uncovered Madam Baili’s plan, as everything had progressed far too smoothly, as if prearranged. Thus, Hei Fengxi knew that the Duke of Liang was not the true source of the leak and decided to go along with the plan, feigning that he had fallen into Madam Baili’s trap while secretly investigating the real suspect. Madam Baili surely now believes the matter is settled and would take the next step to destroy the evidence.

Hei Fengxi instructed his people to uncover the truth in time. Bai Fengxi received a letter from Ruyuxuan, finally understanding that her master was originally going to visit an old friend. By chance, he heard news about Elder Taiyin planning to pass on his legacy, which led him to change course. Since Elder Taiyin had set a trial in Misty Mountain, with his abilities, the homing pigeon would naturally fail to find the master.

Because of this, Bai Langhua prepared to head to Misty Mountain, but Bai Fengxi persuaded her to first recover in Yongjing, assuring her there was no rush. While delivering a meal to Hei Fengxi, Zhongli also shared updates about the Duke of Liang’s residence, noticing that the steward often had dealings with Lu Xiumu. Hei Fengxi then had him inform the Ren brothers to keep watch over the Lu residence.

That night, Feng Ju, acting on Madam Baili’s instructions, ordered his subordinates to secretly assassinate Lu Xiumu. Coincidentally, Gu Yu, still struggling with his gambling habit, encountered someone from Feng Ju’s entourage. The man not only paid off his debts but even offered a thousand taels of silver to hire a killer. Gu Yu believed the lie, thinking Lu Xiumu was a corrupt official, and sneaked into the Lu residence to assassinate him.

Before dying, Lu Xiumu uttered the words “Mulan. ” Bai Fengxi had been tracking her junior, but she was a step too late. She watched as he was captured by people from the Fountain Abode, and noticed those same people coming and going from Prince Yongping’s residence. She began to suspect a connection and suddenly realized that Hei Fengxi and Feng Lanxi differed by only one character in their names. She quickly understood that they might be the same person.

As Bai Fengxi suspected, Hei Fengxi candidly admitted his identity. In fact, he had never intended to hide it from her but had not found the right opportunity to explain. Bai Fengxi was convinced that Gu Yu had been manipulated into attempting to kill Lu Xiumu.

After hearing the full story of the exam scandal, she lamented that the treachery in court politics far exceeded the dangers of the martial world, making her favor the clarity of the jianghu even more. Just then, news broke that Gu Yu had committed suicide by poisoning in prison, cutting off all leads. To avenge her junior, Bai Fengxi decided to investigate the mastermind behind the case alongside Hei Fengxi.

They soon noticed that the royal seal on the exam paper was too faint and, upon using a divided-seal press, discovered there were two sets of exam papers. Feng Qiwu reported to the Lord of Yongzhou that the exam paper was not the original one and that the only person capable of leaking it was Lu Xiumu. As for the Second Prince Feng Lanxi, he had merely been misled.

With the Lord’s approval, Feng Qiwu sent people to thoroughly search the Lu residence. Though Lu Xiumu had burned the exam paper in front of the Prime Minister, Madam Baili remained uneasy and instructed the Prime Minister to check for any hidden courtyards in the Lu estate. Meanwhile, Hei Fengxi analyzed Lu Xiumu’s final words and confirmed that “Mulan” referred to a whistle used in deer hunting.

Just then, news arrived from the Fountain Abode that Lu Xiumu’s courtyard was used to store hunting gear. Hei Fengxi and Feng Qiwu rushed over and were able to stop the arsonist just in time. They found crucial evidence, which Feng Qiwu handed to the Lord of Yongzhou, clearing Feng Lanxi of any charges of framing to protect Pei Youshu.

Unexpectedly, the Lord of Yongzhou ordered Feng Lanxi to stop involving himself in the case, reminding him that as Prince Yongping, he should care for the greater good and not fuss over personal grievances. Ultimately, all blame would stop with Lu Xiumu. Hei Fengxi felt disappointed with his father—despite knowing that further investigation would reveal the real culprit, the Lord still chose to cover it up.

Shortly after Hei Fengxi left, the Lord of Yongzhou summoned Madam Baili and reprimanded her for the exam scandal. Realizing she could no longer conceal the truth, Madam Baili confessed that she did it to avenge past injustices. Had it not been for Feng Lanxi’s mother interfering in her relationship, she would not have been separated from the Lord for five long years, suffering from longing.

The Lord, unable to bear her pain, forgave her and advised her not to repeat her mistakes. He urged her to align with him so they could stand firm amid the coming turmoil. Ren Rusong, hearing of recent palace events, also knew that Hei Fengxi had endured much.

Now that Hei Fengxi and Madam Baili were completely at odds and the struggle for the throne had already been set in motion, he advised Hei Fengxi not to dwell on temporary setbacks and to focus on the bigger picture. If he wanted to become Hereditary Prince, he would have to endure certain grievances. Moreover, Hei Fengxi's ambitions went beyond Yongzhou.

If he truly harbored such aspirations, he would face greater trials ahead—just like Su Wu herding sheep or Han Xin enduring humiliation, all for a greater purpose. Ren Rusong also knew that Madam Baili intended to find a consort for the Second Prince. To avoid complications, he suggested that Hei Fengxi should consider Feng Qiwu. However, Hei Fengxi firmly refused, stating that the path he chose should not be hindered by matters of romance.

Therefore, the selection of a consort would be postponed. In truth, Hei Fengxi’s frustration lay in everyone demanding he let go and think of the bigger picture. Yet the very reason he entered this game was to settle those accounts.

Although the true culprit had been brought to justice, Gu Yu’s crime was the murder of a court official, so he was denied a complete burial and ultimately thrown into a mass grave. Bai Fengxi was invited to visit Lanyun Pavilion, where she learned it was also owned by Hei Fengxi. The name “Lanyun Pavilion” came from combining Feng Lanxi and Xiyun’s names. Hei Fengxi still had feelings for Feng Xiyun, but she no longer recognized him.

They had met once as children at the Liuhe Banquet, and he still remembered the youthful spirit she had back then. That night, on the way back from escorting Bai Fengxi, Hei Fengxi expressed his gratitude to her and also learned she disliked the court and preferred the freedom of the martial world. Bai Fengxi had once thought Hei Fengxi was overly scheming, but now she saw it was a product of power.

Given his ambition, he probably wanted more than just Yongzhou. If that day came, would they still be able to be as carefree as they were now? As Feng Lanxi, the Lord Yongping, was rooted in the court while Bai Fengxi yearned for freedom, she decided to depart for Misty Mountain the next day since Bai Langhua was gradually recovering. She bid farewell to Hei Fengxi.

As he watched Bai Fengxi leave, Hei Fengxi pretended to be indifferent, but in truth, he was hiding his reluctance to part. On the way to Misty Mountain with her fellow disciples, Bai Fengxi also felt a deep sense of loss. But since she and Hei Fengxi were not walking the same path, the only option was to leave early. Zhongli was curious why Hei Fengxi didn’t go to see her off in person. Hei Fengxi, however, was downcast.

Though he admired Bai Fengxi’s freedom and carefree nature, his own path was filled with deceit and conflict. Since their paths differed, he couldn't force it; a farewell would only deepen the attachment. After the imperial exam, Hei Fengxi was assigned an important task: personally overseeing the purchase of warhorses. He knew very well what the Lord of Yongzhou truly intended.

The horse buying was merely a pretext—he wanted to use Hei Fengxi to check the ambitions of the Prime Minister, creating a balance of power. So the matter had to be approached from two sides. Hei Fengxi instructed the Ren brothers to immediately inform Ruyuxuan and gather the merchant teams to head to Eastern Territory to trade horses. He also earnestly asked Feng Qiwu for help, hoping to find evidence of Wang Minghai's embezzlement before the caravan returned.

The Prime Minister personally entered the palace to meet with Madam Baili to discuss countermeasures. Although Madam Baili initially didn’t want to get involved, he threatened her using the Third Prince, Feng Ju. For the sake of her son, Madam Baili agreed to help her brother Wang Minghai and decided to send a "gift" to Feng Lanxi to ensure he would be attacked from both front and rear.

Following the Prime Minister's instruction, Wang Minghai had his merchants raise the price of horses in the Eastern Territory. Madam Baili instructed Feng Ju to leave the capital that night and borrow several thousand horses from Prince Ning. Hei Fengxi suspected that even if Wang Minghai was embezzling funds, he would still pretend to make the purchase, so he had Feng Qiwu start with the merchants to gather evidence.

This would surely offend many people, but that was the Lord of Yongzhou's real intent—he didn’t want the Prime Minister to grow too powerful and also wanted Feng Lanxi to lose public favor. Meanwhile, Huang Chao followed Yu Wuyuan to Misty Mountain, knowing he came for Elder Taiyin's legacy. Only through this could he obtain the mystical item “Lanyin Biyue,” which might break the Yu family curse.

However, Yu Wuyuan denied it, saying he came to solve the mystery so that the martial artists trapped here could leave. Coincidentally, Bai Fengxi and her group arrived, and the two parties decided to travel together. Unexpectedly, Misty Mountain was full of danger—maple leaves as sharp as blades that could slice through iron. Xiu Jiurong fell into a cave along with Bai Langhua while trying to save her.

Concerned for their safety, Bai Fengxi suddenly heard Elder Taiyin’s voice, who assured them the two would be fine and urged them to continue with the trial. Madam Baili summoned Feng Chang to the palace under the pretense of caring for her eldest son, appearing gentle and kind. But beneath the surface, she had the heart of a venomous woman. In truth, she never cared for her eldest son.

Introducing him to the daughter of the Duke of Qi was merely a means to her own ends. To outsiders, their mother-son bond seemed deep, but to Feng Chang, it was just manipulation. The Duke of Qi held power over three cities—Ming, Ping, and Yuan—and was always at odds with Feng Lanxi. If Feng Chang married the duke’s daughter, it would pit him directly against Feng Lanxi, forcing them into a deadly rivalry, with Feng Ju reaping the benefits.

However, since Madam Baili had too many spies, Feng Chang had no choice but to meet the duke’s daughter. The more time he spent with her, the more he disliked her. Likewise, Qi Cheng despised Feng Chang, mocking him as the illegitimate son of a palace maid. Madam Baili didn't care and forced Feng Chang to marry Qi Cheng; otherwise, their mother-son relationship would end.

Upon learning of this from Zhongli, Hei Fengxi realized Madam Baili could no longer sit still. She knew he had a good relationship with his elder brother, and this move was aimed at destroying the only brotherly bond he had left. With the military horse matter making Madam Baili uneasy, she would stop at nothing to deal with him, even using her own son. Hei Fengxi was not afraid of her, but he pitied his brother.

Xiu Jiurong and Bai Langhua fell into a valley but landed safely on a pile of hay. Suddenly, they heard a sound. Looking toward it, they saw Bai Jiande, their father. Bai Langhua was overjoyed. Bai Jiande guessed that those who failed the trial would be trapped here by some means, likely because Elder Taiyin didn’t want to reveal the trial’s details. Only when someone completed the trial could they leave. Feng Chang drank to drown his sorrows.

His father didn’t like him, his mother used him to control his younger brother Feng Lanxi, and even Feng Lanxi had lied to him. Yet, he still didn’t want Feng Lanxi to be distracted by his affairs. Feng Lanxi visited Feng Chang, offering to help cancel the marriage if Feng Chang didn’t want to marry Qi Cheng. But Feng Chang no longer trusted him and believed he was just a pawn in the struggle between Feng Lanxi and Madam Baili.

Feng Chang tested Feng Lanxi, surprised by his formidable martial arts, and even more by his cunning. Though Feng Lanxi had never plotted against him, Feng Chang had lost all trust and told him not to interfere in the matter of Qi Cheng. Feeling guilty that his brother had to marry someone he didn’t love because of him, Feng Lanxi’s thoughts drifted to Bai Fengxi. He sighed that the path he walked was one of solitude.

Chuan Yun sent word: a warhorse now cost ten silver leaves, showing Wang Minghai was sparing no expense to stop Feng Lanxi’s horse trade. Even if Feng Lanxi was willing to spend that money, it would arouse suspicion from his father about his identity. So he decided to write a letter to Chuan Yun.

At the same time, Chuan Yun and Chuan Yu had already bought a thousand warhorses at four silver leaves each and sent them back through Yu Ruxuan’s people. Feng Lanxi reported to his father the successful purchase of a thousand horses. Then, Minister of War Wang Minghai came to report that those horses had come from illegal traders. The Lord of Yongzhou was furious. Feng Lanxi remained calm.

Wang Minghai, eager to catch him, took the Lord of Yongzhou to inspect the horses, only to find that they were not the ones from the black market. It turned out that these horses had been prepared by Ma Mengqi, head of the Ma family, in gratitude for Feng Lanxi’s past help in resolving the Duanhun Sect crisis. Feng Lanxi accused Wang Minghai of slander and reported that there was no illegal horse trade.

Wang Minghai had embezzled the funds and framed others to cover it up. Feng Lanxi presented evidence. Enraged, the Lord of Yongzhou ordered Wang Minghai imprisoned in Tian Prison. While in prison, Feng Ju instructed Li Jiaxian to have Wang Minghai killed by fellow inmates. News came from the prison: Wang Minghai had hanged himself. The Prime Minister knew his brother, greedy and cowardly, could never commit suicide—this was Madam Baili’s doing.

He feared Wang Minghai would betray Feng Ju to save himself and vowed revenge. Chuan Yu brought Feng Lanxi’s token to the Yongzhou military camp to deliver the horses. Xun Anhou accepted them, knowing he now owed Feng Lanxi a great debt—the outcome of the game was now certain. Bai Fengxi and Yu Wuyuan crossed a cliff. Yu Wuyuan suggested they act separately, then deliberately triggered a mechanism inside the mountain to cause an earthquake, trapping Bai Fengxi.

Elder Taiyin hadn’t expected Yu Wuyuan to be so ruthless for the sake of Lanyin Biyue, trapping Bai Fengxi in a cave. Enraged, he ordered his people to lure Yu Wuyuan into the Yan Gui Formation. News from the post station: a merchant convoy was transporting a large number of horses from Eastern Territory to Yongjing, a gift from Feng Lanxi to the Lord of Yongzhou. If successful, Feng Lanxi would be one step closer to becoming the Hereditary Prince.

Madam Baili couldn’t allow this and ordered someone to sabotage the mission and steal the horses. News from Misty Mountain: an earthquake had occurred, destroying nearby villages and causing landslides. People might have been buried. Feng Lanxi was extremely worried about Bai Fengxi’s safety. News also came from the Fountain Abode: several groups of horse bandits were gathering, likely targeting their merchant convoy.

Feng Lanxi prepared to personally handle the matter and coordinated with the people from the Abode to assist Chuan Yu. After dealing with the bandits, Feng Lanxi rushed to Misty Mountain, concerned about Bai Fengxi’s safety. Fortunately, the saker falcon found her and rescued her from the cave. Learning that Bai Fengxi had been traveling with Yu Wuyuan in recent days, Feng Lanxi was jealous and insisted she travel with him from then on.

He also wanted to test how formidable Elder Taiyin truly was. He roasted food for Bai Fengxi, and she gave him fruit she had picked. The next day, Feng Lanxi and Bai Fengxi arrived at a cave, where the Liu Yao Formation of King Lanling had been set. To break the formation, they had to find the key. Every stone tile on the ground was a hidden trap—it couldn’t be forced, only solved with wit.

Bai Fengxi spotted complete characters on the ground and remembered the portraits of seven kings in the Tower of Eight Wastelands, each with a poem. With perfect teamwork, they successfully broke the Liu Yao Formation. They passed another trial. Bai Fengxi asked Elder Taiyin where her master was. Elder Taiyin replied her master was currently safe, but to rescue them, they needed the Lanyin Biyue.

Everyone who received his hero’s invitation had to undergo trials—what followed depended on their own fate. Feng Lanxi was confident that together, they could succeed.

Hei Fengxi was invited to play a game of chess with Elder Taiyin. At the beginning, he experienced hallucinations, seeing multiple versions of himself. He knew clearly that his greatest enemy was himself, but no matter how much those illusions resembled him, they were still just pawns. Hei Fengxi also saw a childhood memory — when he snuck out of the palace to play and returned to find his mother dead. This had always been the demon in his heart.

He blamed himself, thinking that if he hadn’t gone out to play, his mother wouldn’t have died. Over the years, Hei Fengxi had constantly battled his inner demons, urging himself to cast off shackles to move forward. Self-blame was useless; one must face things bravely. Elder Taiyin praised Hei Fengxi’s temperament and said that the final trial remained. People often say life is like chess — the board being a weave of three thousand vexations.

Hei Fengxi would break the formation if he could sever those vexations. Hei Fengxi, however, didn’t want to cut off emotional ties. Seeing his pain, Bai Fengxi destroyed the chessboard without hesitation. Hei Fengxi knew that Bai Fengxi’s heart was unburdened, so she would naturally not be ensnared by the illusion of the chess game. Bai Fengxi gently wiped Hei Fengxi’s sweat, displeased by his earlier claim that she only knew how to indulge in pleasure.

The formation was broken, and Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi finally saw Elder Taiyin’s true appearance. Elder Taiyin sighed that everyone in the martial world longed for the "Lan Yin Bi Yue" technique, but only the two of them kept declining it. Hei Fengxi entered Misty Mountain because of Bai Fengxi. Obtaining the manual would be great, but even if he gained nothing, it would still be fine.

Bai Fengxi came to Misty Mountain to save her master and junior sister and had no desire for the manual. If Hei Fengxi were to obtain it and master an unparalleled martial art, at most she would force him to teach her — surely he wouldn’t want to live in a world without a worthy rival.

Elder Taiyin lamented that his "Lan Yin Bi Yue" technique had never reached the intended realm and decided to pass it on to them, to see how much they could learn. Watching the two practice, Elder Taiyin was surprised at how high their comprehension was. Hei Fengxi’s internal energy became chaotic while cultivating the "Lan Yin" technique, risking deviation into madness. Bai Fengxi could only use the "Bi Yue" method to save him.

She was about to circulate a full cycle of internal energy, but in order to save Hei Fengxi, she reversed her meridians on the spot. Hei Fengxi realized that in life, some things must be let go of in order to gain others. But some things can never be cast aside. He had thought he had nothing to hold onto, but the one thing he could never give up was Bai Fengxi.

If there are three thousand vexations, what harm is there in keeping one? Let this one thread bind him for life. Bai Fengxi restored Hei Fengxi’s internal energy, but since he had just suffered a deviation, to restore his clarity of mind, she had to strike four acupoints including Baihui and Shenting. These were all fatal points, so she had to be extremely careful — Hei Fengxi’s life was in her hands.

The two successfully mastered "Lan Yin Bi Yue", and Elder Taiyin finally understood that it required perfect mutual understanding, sacrifice, and life-or-death dependency to succeed. Yu Wuyuan was at the Yan Gui Formation, unexpectedly finding it a deadly natural trap. Now the mountain’s formation had failed, and he guessed someone had successfully broken through. Yu Wuyuan ordered Soulbreaker Sect members to gather outside Misty Mountain. It turned out that Yu Wuyuan was the young master of Soulbreaker Sect.

Martial artists heading down the mountain had to pass through here. Yu Wuyuan arranged an ambush, determined to see who obtained the "Lan Yin Bi Yue" technique. After passing the trials, Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi met Elder Taiyin, who knew his time was near. He gave the "Sheji Kanyu Diagram" to Hei Fengxi, hoping it would be used for a righteous cause.

He also gave Bai Fengxi a "Lan Yin Bi Yue" flower he had cultivated by hand — a flower that blooms once every several decades and can be kept alive forever through internal energy. It might bring a chance of survival in a future life-or-death crisis. Elder Taiyin arranged for someone close to him to escort Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi out of Misty Mountain.

Once they had gone far, the mountain collapsed in an earthquake — in fact, Elder Taiyin had chosen this as his grave. He would stay behind to guard it. Yu Wuyuan interrogated the person escorting them, demanding to know who had obtained "Lan Yin Bi Yue". When the man refused to speak, Yu Wuyuan used the Heart-Piercing Palm. It turned out Yu Wuyuan was a descendant of Qiongqiong.

After killing Elder Taiyin’s man, Yu Wuyuan encountered Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi. To test who among them had obtained "Lan Yin Bi Yue", he mentioned a fight occurring at the foot of the mountain. Bai Fengxi became extremely worried and rushed down at once. Soulbreaker Sect ambushed Bai Jiande’s group, but Bai Fengxi and Hei Fengxi joined forces to drive them back. Yu Wuyuan observed in secret and realized the truth.

The court assembly was imminent, but Feng Lanxi had yet to return. Zhongli and the others were extremely anxious. At court, the Lord of Yongzhou was furious at Feng Lanxi’s absence, believing he was using his warhorse victory as leverage. Feng Ju spoke in Feng Lanxi’s defense. At that moment, Feng Lanxi arrived and presented the "Sheji Kanyu Diagram" to his father, explaining that the delay was due to acquiring the diagram en route. Feng Ju questioned its authenticity.

Minister Qin had seen the original and was asked to verify it. Upon close inspection, he confirmed it was drawn by Elder Taiyin himself. The courtiers were curious how Feng Lanxi knew Elder Taiyin. Feng Lanxi claimed it was Elder Taiyin who had saved him when he fell into the water. The Lord of Yongzhou was overjoyed. Feng Lanxi had rendered an unprecedented service to Dayong and must be heavily rewarded. Just then, an envoy from the imperial capital arrived.

The Lord of Yongzhou quickly ordered Yuan Lu to put away the "Sheji Kanyu Diagram". This envoy had been arranged by Feng Lanxi, who, knowing the Feng family had a distant relative in the Ministry of Rites in the capital, asked Feng Qiwu for help. This time, he wanted to strike first. The envoy brought imperial gifts on behalf of the Emperor, as it was the upcoming 40th death anniversary of Princess Yige — he came to support Feng Lanxi.

The envoy requested to pay respects at the Princess's mausoleum. The Lord of Yongzhou panicked, for he had never properly buried Feng Lanxi’s mother. Feng Lanxi stepped in to smooth things over, advising his father to set up an altar before his mother’s memorial day. The next day, the late queen's memorial ceremony would last two hours. Madam Baili, not wanting to attend, pretended to be ill in front of the Lord of Yongzhou.

Perhaps seeing through her excuse, the Lord of Yongzhou declared that as queen of Dayong, even if Madam Baili were bedridden, she couldn’t miss the grand ritual. Feng Lanxi paid tribute to his mother, using her memorial to give Madam Baili a warning. He knew his mother wouldn’t have liked him doing this. When he was young, she had told him never to harbor ill intentions toward others.

Yet, in the end, he had done many things — some right, some wrong. He didn’t know whether she would be proud or disappointed, but he was not willing to go with the flow. He wanted to fight.

Hei Fengxi, burdened with worries and with no one to confide in, could only find a moment of peace while worshiping his mother in the ancestral hall. The few words he spoke were filled with genuine emotion. Ever since the passing of the former queen, the Second Prince Feng Lanxi had been like a drifting duckweed without roots. Yet he refused to go with the flow and fought to attain his current position, despite often feeling exhausted and lonely.

Fortunately, he met Bai Fengxi, in whom he saw a reflection of the former queen, and she became his only motivation to carry on. The next morning, Madam Baili ordered a wedding robe to be sent to Feng Chang. Her intentions were clear, but Feng Chang had no interest in the marriage. After all, an ill-fitting robe could be altered, but forcing a union without mutual affection only brought discomfort.

Realizing that someone was still scheming against him from behind the scenes, he couldn't help but feel disheartened by the cruelty. Feeling increasingly stifled, Feng Chang decided to stroll alone through the marketplace, where he happened to run into Bai Fengxi. Discovering that she belonged to a sect, he greatly admired the freedom they enjoyed and yearned for life in the martial world.

Bai Fengxi advised him not to overly dwell on it, warning that although life in the pugilistic world was alluring, it was also extremely dangerous. Upon learning that he was being forced into marriage, she shared her perspective, inspiring him. On the memorial day of the former queen, the Lord of Yongzhou and Hei Fengxi, among others, paid tribute through song and ritual.

When it was Madam Baili’s turn to kneel and raise her cup, memories from the past suddenly overwhelmed her with guilt and fear. Just then, thunder roared and lightning flashed across the sky. Startled, she dropped the wine cup and collapsed to the ground. Seeing this, Feng Chang stepped forward and helped her up.

Because Madam Baili lost composure in front of the court officials, the Lord of Yongzhou was furious, reprimanding her harshly in private for being scheming and never clearly defining her own position. She came from humble origins, and had it not been for his years of hardship and struggle against the court to crown her as queen, she would never have attained such status. Yet instead of being grateful, she grew increasingly greedy for power.

It seemed she had sat on the phoenix throne for too long and had forgotten her place. The Lord of Yongzhou had doted on Madam Baili for over twenty years out of pity for all the grievances she had suffered. Thus, he had turned a blind eye to her repeated meddling in court affairs. But her ambitions only grew; she had always plotted to secure the title of Hereditary Prince for Feng Chang.

Perhaps she was eagerly hoping for the Lord’s early demise. She ignored all his previous warnings, and he was fully aware that she was the mastermind behind the civil exam fraud and the military horse scandal. Unable to endure any longer, he placed her under house arrest for thirty days in a fit of rage.

Considering that Huan Niang had served him faithfully for many years, Hei Fengxi expressed that if she had someone she cared for, she could regain her freedom at any time. Upon hearing this, Huan Niang immediately knelt and declared that she wished only to remain in the residence and serve the Second Prince for the rest of her life, which left Hei Fengxi feeling emotionally conflicted.

With nothing to do in the evening, Bai Fengxi took her fellow disciples out for a stroll. Bai Langhua, ever gossipy, questioned the nature of her relationship with Hei Fengxi, insisting that the way he looked at her was full of affection. Bai Fengxi stubbornly denied it, claiming they were merely close friends, but Bai Langhua was far from convinced. At that moment, Bai Fengxi suddenly noticed Yu Wuyuan not far away.

However, since her junior disciples were around, she chose not to engage. Yu Wuyuan had come to Yongjing to deliver a mission for the leader of Duanhun Sect. Now that he had obtained the supreme artifacts from the four major sects, he no longer cared about the casualties Duanhun Sect suffered. After all, it had always been a puppet of Qiong Qiong Juxu.

Yet since Lanyin Jade Moon was now in the hands of Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi, Yu Wuyuan had no choice but to stay in Yongjing a while longer. Even though Madam Baili was confined to the tower, she showed no sign of remorse. Her lowly background as a cloth seller’s daughter made her loathe to acknowledge it. After her disgrace during the memorial ceremony for the former queen, she vowed never to be the butt of ridicule again.

She cut her wrist under the guise of copying scriptures with her blood and instructed her lady-in-waiting to leave the palace and inform her brother, the State Duke, that the marriage between the Grand Prince and Qi Cheng must be finalized before the New Year. Knowing that his elder brother’s marriage was approaching, Hei Fengxi wrote a letter and sent it to Feng Chang, advising him to follow his heart.

If he truly wished to marry Qi Cheng, he could still use some strategies to ensure a harmonious union. Feng Chang, recalling Bai Fengxi’s advice, went to visit his mother, Madam Baili. When she deliberately exposed her wounded wrist to elicit pity, he only grew more repulsed. On the spot, he rejected the marriage and refused to follow her arrangements anymore. To his surprise, Madam Baili revealed her true face, attempting to sow discord between Feng Chang and Feng Lanxi.

She even threatened to expose Feng Chang’s epilepsy to ruin his reputation in court if he refused to marry Qi Cheng. On the other hand, if he complied, she promised no more trouble in the future. Feeling coerced and furious, Feng Chang returned to his residence alone, drowning his sorrows in alcohol. Uncle De looked on with deep concern. Bai Jiande, knowing Hei Fengxi’s true identity, was eager to leverage the Fountain Abode to investigate the Empyrean Token.

He proactively requested a meeting with Hei Fengxi and asked him to find out who was using a fake token to plunge the world into chaos. Hei Fengxi agreed without hesitation and later went to see Bai Fengxi, saying that the world ought to be peaceful, and he hoped that ordinary, unarmed people could live better lives amidst the warmth of everyday life.

Elsewhere, Yu Wuyuan believed that to obtain Lanyin Jade Moon, he had to create the right opportunity—waiting until Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi joined forces. He instructed the leader of Duanhun Sect to closely monitor them without making any mistakes. Through Bai Fengxi, Hei Fengxi learned that Yu Wuyuan had arrived in Yongjing and was shocked that Fountain Abode had failed to detect it.

He ordered Zhongli to track Yu Wuyuan’s movements and was informed that the Grand Prince had submitted a marriage request. Hei Fengxi assumed his brother had grown disappointed in him and was unaware that Feng Chang had been coerced by Madam Baili. Princess Hua Chunran of Youzhou, upon hearing that her father planned to choose a husband for her, calmly suggested that it would be better to hold a public selection.

She then ordered an investigation into who had advised the King of Youzhou. Meanwhile, Feng Chang submitted a formal marriage proposal to his father, expressing his sincere desire to marry Qi Cheng. The Lord of Yongzhou was overjoyed and immediately instructed the Imperial Astrologer to match their birth charts. If no major issues were found, a formal betrothal would be arranged, and the imperial edict of marriage would be granted on New Year's Day.

To counterbalance Hei Fengxi, the Lord of Yongzhou issued a decree promoting Feng Chang to Lord Yongxin, and instructed Yuan Lu to notify the Ministry of Works to ensure the production of armor and weapons before the winter break. Feng Ju had already been displeased that Feng Lanxi had surpassed him; now hearing that the violent and incompetent First Prince was also granted a lordship, he flew into a rage. Among the three princes, he alone remained without a title.

After calming down, Feng Ju ordered someone to pass a message to his mother, saying it was time to put their preparations to use. He whispered a few words to Li Jiaxian, sending him to his uncle Baili Jing to forge an imperial edict and pass it to Feng Chang. Meanwhile, Madam Baili gifted a hairpin to Qi Cheng to win her favor, preparing for both outcomes.

Hei Fengxi received an invitation from Feng Chang to admire the plum blossoms together the next day. Sensing a trap, he grew suspicious and secretly ordered an investigation, discovering that Baili Jing had met with his elder brother in private. That evening, on his way home, Hei Fengxi was suddenly doused in black dog blood by someone who accused him of causing their family's ruin. Afterwards, Zhongli found that the perpetrator was a merchant who had colluded with Wang Minghai.

When Wang was imprisoned, the merchant was also punished for bribery and thus bore a grudge against Feng Lanxi. In fact, this incident had been orchestrated by Feng Chang himself in hopes of preventing his second brother from going out. However, Feng Lanxi insisted on meeting Minister Liu and dismissed the supposed omen. Huan Niang couldn't persuade Hei Fengxi, so she let him leave the residence.

By chance, she overheard Zhongli’s conversation and realized he was not going to see Minister Liu, but merely using it as an excuse to meet Bai Fengxi. Upon learning that Hei Fengxi had been doused in dog blood, Bai Fengxi had her own method to ward off the misfortune. The two happily dined at a street stall. Later, Bai Fengxi took Hei Fengxi sightseeing, eating along the way.

Unexpectedly, they ran into her junior apprentice sister Bai Langhua and Xiu Jiurong. To avoid misunderstandings, Bai Fengxi quickly hid Hei Fengxi, but still failed to escape Bai Langhua’s sharp eyes. Bai Langhua tactfully pulled everyone away first. After they disappeared from sight, Hei Fengxi came out and questioned Bai Fengxi about her fear of causing misunderstandings, prompting her to quickly make up an excuse.

Following orders, Zhongli prepared a gift and accompanied Hei Fengxi to the plum garden for the appointment. Present were also the Third Prince Feng Ju and Baili Jing. The servant serving tea had drugged it, and when Hei Fengxi completely lost consciousness, they placed Qi Cheng’s corpse beside him, attempting to frame Feng Lanxi for the murder of the daughter of the Duke of Qi.

At that moment, Feng Chang rushed to the attic and was shocked by the scene before him, not expecting Madam Baili to be so ruthless. Just as a servant reported to Feng Chang, Hei Fengxi suddenly woke up and knocked the man unconscious. He knew very well what kind of person his elder brother was and suspected there was a mastermind behind all this. Feng Chang didn’t reveal the truth.

Instead, he rebuked his second brother for always hiding things from him and never treating him sincerely. He was especially furious that Fengxi came to the meeting despite their agreement to sever ties. But Hei Fengxi bluntly said that his brother’s life was pitiful—shunned by their birth mother since childhood—so their mother had asked him to take good care of his elder brother and never turn a blind eye when he was in trouble.

In fact, all along it had been Feng Chang who cared more for Hei Fengxi. Even though he had resolved to end their brotherly bond, Hei Fengxi bore no resentment. He even gave Feng Chang his gold-threaded whip. Although Feng Chang was heartbroken, he still spoke harsh words to protect his younger brother. When Hei Fengxi was about to leave, Feng Chang deliberately staged a scene in front of Feng Ju and faked a fall from the building.

Fortunately, an imperial physician was present to examine him. Though his life was not in danger, his right leg was broken. The Duke of Qi, grief-stricken over his daughter’s death, accused Feng Lanxi of being the murderer. Just then, Baili Jing rushed in madly, with obvious scratch marks on his face—enough to prove he was the killer.

Hei Fengxi had sensed something was amiss beforehand and collaborated with Zhongli to stage a scene, turning the situation around and directing suspicion toward Baili Jing. They made him appear mentally unstable and insane. This not only proved Fengxi's innocence but also helped resolve his elder brother’s current predicament.

The Duke of Qi entered the palace to see the Lord of Yongzhou, begging him to seek justice for his wrongly killed daughter, and insisted that Feng Lanxi had framed Baili Jing. But in the main hall, Hei Fengxi remained calm and confidently refuted the Duke’s baseless accusations against the royal family, leaving him speechless. Seeing this, Zhang Zhongge stepped forward and stated that the Duke was overwhelmed with grief and had spoken rashly.

A final judgment should wait until Feng Chang regained consciousness. After dismissing the courtiers, the Lord of Yongzhou asked Yuan Lu for his opinion, believing that while Baili Jing was a scoundrel, he wouldn’t commit such acts out of lust. Perhaps it was Feng Chang who had attempted to frame Feng Lanxi, only to be outwitted. Yuan Lu believed Feng Chang was likely framed—he might plot against someone, but not at the cost of his own life.

After Yuan Lu’s analysis, the Lord of Yongzhou concluded that the most suspicious were Feng Ju and Madam Baili, especially the Third Prince. This move would allow him to eliminate both of his elder brothers and secure the position of Hereditary Prince. Just then, Madam Baili suddenly requested an audience. The Lord of Yongzhou was furious and ordered Yuan Lu to send her away.

However, Madam Baili forcibly entered and voluntarily returned her phoenix coronet, claiming to restore order in the inner palace. The Lord ignored her, but she declared the incident had nothing to do with her and believed the Lord’s sharp insight would reveal that the true mastermind was the one who benefited most. Back in the palace, she slapped Feng Ju hard and questioned his foolish decision.

Feng Ju shifted the blame to his uncle Baili Jing, but Madam Baili remained doubtful. Zhang Zhongge led a team to seal off and search the plum garden. There, they discovered a corpse—the missing servant in blue from Xuliu Pavilion. Moreover, a piece of Empyrean fur was found in the corpse’s palm, stained with wine—the same type found on Qi Cheng’s body.

The Lord of Yongzhou immediately issued a decree placing all young noblemen who attended the plum banquet under house arrest. Zhang Zhongge went to the residence of Lord Yongping to inspect the Empyrean fur Feng Lanxi had worn that day, but Feng Qiwu had already prepared a replacement. After Zhang Zhongge left, Feng Qiwu instructed Xiao’er to keep the fur safely. She hadn’t destroyed it because Feng Chang had not yet awakened. Everything was still uncertain.

To fully clear Feng Lanxi of guilt, Feng Chang needed to personally confirm Baili Jing's crime. Since Feng Lanxi was now confined to his residence and unable to act freely, many matters had to be handled by Feng Qiwu on his behalf. Though she knew Feng Lanxi had no romantic feelings for her, she remained content, hoping that one day she could win his favor and that he could go wherever he wished.

When Bai Fengxi heard that Hei Fengxi had been locked up, she sneaked into Lord Yongping’s residence in the middle of the night. Sure enough, she saw him sitting there, downcast and melancholic. Ever since the previous turmoil, these royal disputes and brotherly conflicts had become the butt of the common people's jokes. Yet Hei Fengxi was deeply remorseful about it. He had once prided himself on his cleverness, but still failed to foresee every possibility.

Not only had he mistakenly caused the death of Qi Chengniang, he had also implicated his elder brother. After understanding the deep bond between Hei Fengxi and Feng Chang, Bai Fengxi advised him to visit Feng Chang, express his heartfelt thoughts, resolve their conflict, and face their enemies together as brothers. Bai Fengxi knew that Hei Fengxi tended to bury his emotions deep inside, which often led to misunderstandings. If he didn’t speak up, how would anyone ever understand him?

By this time, Feng Chang had already regained consciousness. He instructed the imperial physician to fabricate a medical case, claiming publicly that Lord Yongxin had sustained a permanent injury in his right leg and would need a crutch for the rest of his life. He also fabricated symptoms of memory loss. In truth, Feng Chang did all of this to protect his younger brother Lanxi.

Only by appearing as a disabled and useless man could he truly prevent Madam Baili from using him. However, Feng Chang still underestimated Madam Baili's cruelty. She dispatched a maid to serve Lord Yongxin and took the opportunity to poison his medicine, intending to drive him mad and then shift the blame onto Feng Lanxi. Fortunately, Hei Fengxi came to visit his brother that very day. Even though he found him unconscious, he poured out his heart sincerely and honestly.

Just as Uncle De was about to feed Feng Chang the medicine, Hei Fengxi discovered it was laced with deadly poison. Upon questioning, he learned that it was connected to Madam Baili. Considering Madam Baili’s strategy of sacrificing pawns to protect key pieces, Hei Fengxi grew increasingly grim. He warned Uncle De not to speak a word of this to anyone—he would handle everything himself. After Hei Fengxi left, Feng Chang slowly opened his eyes, completely disheartened and hopeless.

Before long, news of Lord Yongxin's awakening reached the palace. The Lord of Yongzhou personally came to inquire about the truth of what happened in the Plum Garden. Unexpectedly, Feng Chang claimed he remembered nothing. The imperial physician stepped in just in time to confirm that a blood clot in his brain had caused memory loss. Coincidentally, Zhang Zhongge found a damaged fox fur cloak at Baili Jing’s place, with a scent similar to that of Qi Chengniang.

The Lord of Yongzhou grew suspicious and issued an order to close the case, forcing Baili Jing to confess and be punished, and lifting the restrictions on the other noble sons—a warning to Madam Baili. Every year on the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, Feng Lanxi and his brother would sit by the fire and play chess. He did not miss the occasion this year either.

Unfortunately, Feng Chang responded harshly, suppressing his reluctance and bluntly stating that the rift between them was too deep and could never be repaired. In truth, Hei Fengxi could see Feng Chang's feelings clearly. From childhood to adulthood, he had always sacrificed himself to protect his younger brother, and even now, he was still doing the same. Passing by a clay figurine stall, Hei Fengxi couldn’t help but stop and watch, recalling the clay deer his mother once gave him.

Bai Fengxi encountered Hei Fengxi at the market and noticed how fond he was of the clay figures, so she crafted one in his likeness. Hei Fengxi was deeply fond of the figurine. Thinking about all the moments he had shared with Bai Fengxi, a barely perceptible smile curved his lips. As the power of the blood curse grew stronger, Yu Wuyuan was clearly showing signs of exhaustion in resisting it.

He had to obtain the Lanyin Jade Moon as soon as possible to completely suppress the curse. The master of the Duanhun Sect presented a spirit stone and reported Hei Fengxi’s true identity. Yu Wuyuan, as a descendant of the Yu family, had learned from his aunt that years ago a mysterious elite force had tried to overthrow Dadong’s rule. They were recorded in history as the Juxu—a coalition of three great families, including the Yu family.

After the failure of the Chongde Uprising, all three families had been cursed through the Empyrean Token, which explained why no male heir in the Yu family had ever lived past the age of thirty. Now that Yu Wuyuan knew the truth, he was determined to inherit his ancestors’ mission: overthrow Dadong, seize the Empyrean Token, and lift the blood curse. As the New Year approached, Madam Baili summoned Feng Ju to the palace and personally offered him strategies.

If he could ensure a surplus of silver in the Ministry of Revenue and secure the rear of the Lord of Yongzhou, he would undoubtedly gain the most credit and outshine Feng Lanxi. Madam Baili mentioned three court officials—Fu Wenbo, Luan Qiya, and He Youde. She told Feng Ju that he only needed to fabricate a charge of oppressing the people against one of them to justify confiscating their homes and property, thereby replenishing the national treasury.

Feng Ju agreed without revealing any emotion, but he was deeply shocked at how thoroughly his mother understood him. Meanwhile, Zhongli reported recent developments in Yongzhou to Hei Fengxi. Hei Fengxi concluded that Yu Wuyuan had orchestrated it all, so he ordered Zhongli to continue monitoring Yu Wuyuan’s movements and uncover his true intentions.

The Lord of Yongzhou, upon receiving the news, immediately ordered Eunuch Yuan to summon Yu Wuyuan to the palace and held a banquet in his honor, hoping to retain him to help achieve the unification of the empire. Yu Wuyuan tactfully declined, stating that his heart was not confined to a single province or city, nor did he wish to serve any royal house. As someone born of common folk, he only wished to serve all common folk under heaven.

Feng Ju had already heard of Yu Wuyuan’s reputation and took the opportunity during the New Year to pay him a visit with lavish gifts. However, Yu Wuyuan bluntly dismissed him, thus refusing the invitation. But Feng Ju was not offended. He knew well that the Yu family, gifted with celestial insight, understood the grand affairs of the world.

Even Huang Chao, the Hereditary Prince of Jizhou, revered him as a sage and mentor, so why not try multiple times to seek his guidance? Yet Feng Ju was unaware that he had stepped into a vortex. He had no idea that Yu Wuyuan’s real intention was to use him to target Hei Fengxi and provoke internal turmoil in Yongzhou. Yu Wuyuan was laying a long trap to catch a big fish. He guessed that Feng Ju would return in a few days and had already instructed the master of the Duanhun Sect to deal with him on his behalf.

During the following New Year festival, Bai Fengxi specially went to bring Han Pu down the mountain. The disciples and master of the Tianshuang Sect gathered together in joy and harmony. In contrast, at the palace banquet in Yongzhou, the three princes offered gifts to the Lord of Yongzhou in turn.

The Lord then rewarded Feng Chang with a residence and household retainers, clearly indicating he was now a leisure prince, entirely removed from the possibility of becoming the Hereditary Prince. Next came Feng Lanxi, who presented a painting scroll detailing the complete water management system of Dayong. It had the potential to strengthen the military might of Yongzhou and ensure the prosperity of the nation. If the waterworks succeeded, it would be equivalent to a million troops.

The Lord of Yongzhou was greatly pleased and rewarded Feng Lanxi with the Sun and Moon Pearl, the most prestigious gift traditionally granted to establish the Hereditary Prince. Feng Chang had been genuinely happy for his younger brother, but unexpectedly, Feng Ju presented a pillow to the Lord, symbolizing peace of mind. The Lord laughed heartily and publicly stated that Feng Ju would assist him in managing state affairs from now on.

The courtiers below were shocked, unable to fathom the Lord’s true intentions, showing that Feng Lanxi and Feng Ju were evenly matched. At that time, the palace banquet in Jizhou was still waiting for Grand Tutor Ran. Huang Chao reported to his father that Grand Tutor Ran was advanced in years and did not survive this winter. In reality, Grand Tutor Ran, who oversaw the Censorate, had repeatedly colluded with inner court officials in an attempt to frame Huang Chao.

Huang Chao had to eliminate him. Although the Lord of Jizhou was somewhat skeptical about the cause of death, he did not show it. Meanwhile, at the Youzhou palace banquet, Princess Hua Chunran personally presented a gift to the Lord of Youzhou, stating she asked for no reward and only wished to please her father. She then lamented that if she were to marry next year, she might not be able to reunite with her family again.

The Lord of Youzhou deeply favored his daughter and was moved by her sentiments. Unwilling to part with her if she married far away, he decided to inform all provinces that any man wishing to marry the princess must reside in Youzhou for several years. After many visits, Yu Wuyuan finally agreed to meet Feng Ju. Feng Ju candidly stated his purpose: that his father was still in his prime and had never officially appointed a Hereditary Prince.

His second brother Feng Lanxi was cunning and scheming, and he hoped Yu Wuyuan would lend him a helping hand. Yu Wuyuan tactfully declined, saying that the Yu family never participated in succession struggles and that he was truly powerless. Feng Ju then explained that he sincerely wished to share his father’s burdens by exposing corruption and replenishing the state treasury. However, he feared that such actions might harm his supporters at court.

Yu Wuyuan then offered him a clever plan, one that could both protect Feng Ju’s allies and cause Feng Lanxi to stumble. The Tianshuang Sect set up shelters and distributed porridge to the poor in the streets of Yongjing. He Youde’s subordinates were extremely arrogant, threatening them to leave quickly. At a critical moment, Zhongli arrived with Feng Qiwu’s token to resolve the situation—it was actually Hei Fengxi’s idea, and Bai Fengxi clearly understood his intention.

During the court session that day, Feng Ju accused three Ministry of Revenue officials of embezzling eight million taels. The Lord of Yongzhou was furious and ordered a crackdown on government corruption. These three officials were from Feng Ju’s own faction. Ren Rusong couldn't understand why Feng Ju would harm his own allies. Feng Lanxi mentioned that Yu Wuyuan was aligned with Huang Chao from Jizhou and had come to the capital with unclear motives.

If Yu Wuyuan was backing Feng Ju with strategies, then they must be plotting something more. Yu Wuyuan surely wouldn’t help Feng Ju for nothing; he likely aimed to incite chaos in Yongzhou. Feng Ju hurriedly reported to the Lord that the national treasury had been robbed, with the account books also stolen. The Lord was furious; just as he was about to punish corruption, the treasury was robbed—clearly someone had manipulated events.

Seeing the plan was half successful, Feng Ju further revealed that an assistant minister, Zhou Zhong, from the Ministry of Revenue was involved. Zhou Zhong was a relative by marriage to the Feng family. After the court session yesterday, he had even seen Feng Qiwu secretly meeting Feng Lanxi. The Lord ordered Zhou Zhong to be imprisoned and interrogated.

Feng Qiwu, upon receiving the news, immediately went to Hei Fengxi, expressing her willingness to vouch for Zhou Zhong’s honesty and integrity. Hei Fengxi instructed her to uncover the truth before Feng Ju did, as that was the only chance to turn things around. He sent her to the imperial prison to warn Zhou Zhong to confess. However, that night Feng Qiwu was ambushed by Yu Wuyuan and force-fed a blue pill, which caused her to show signs of poisoning.

Hei Fengxi immediately went to Bai Fengxi, openly stating that a loyal subordinate from his faction had been poisoned by a traitor and that only the power of pure Yin and pure Yang could neutralize the poison. He needed Bai Fengxi’s Biyue power to help. Bai Fengxi didn’t hesitate and was about to go save her, but Hei Fengxi suddenly held her back and awkwardly explained that this person had once admired him. He said this to avoid future misunderstandings.

Bai Fengxi didn’t think much of it and, in order to detoxify Feng Qiwu, didn’t mind damaging her own internal strength, which angered Hei Fengxi to the point he couldn't help but scold her. Once the two calmed down, Hei Fengxi deduced the mastermind’s motive was likely to use Feng Qiwu’s poisoning to test whether they could wield the Lanyin Biyue. At this time, Feng Qiwu had already awakened.

Bai Fengxi visited her with Hei Fengxi, and the two women instantly became close. Since Feng Qiwu had not seen the black-clad attacker’s face, the identity of the mastermind remained unknown. Meanwhile, Zhongli, entrusted by Bai Jiande, discovered that around the time the fake Empyrean Token appeared, a renowned imperial forgemaster named Gongye Zhi had gone missing. Based on the clues, it was highly likely that he had once been a token guardian.

Hei Fengxi, with Bai Fengxi in disguise, snuck into the treasury at midnight to search for clues. They found signs suggesting multiple people had collaborated in the crime. The stacked boxes made it look like a giant, but it was merely a trick by a few people playing games. Being able to steal five chests without a sound showed considerable skill. They also found some sealing wax on a wooden frame, which served as a new clue.

Yu Wuyuan entered Feng Qiwu’s boudoir and extracted a jade piece from her body, absorbing the Lanyin Biyue power to temporarily suppress the blood curse. However, to resolve it completely, he needed to wield the Empyrean Token. For this reason, Yu Wuyuan decided to stay longer in Yongjing to see how Hei Fengxi would resolve the situation.

Based on the current clues, the only thing that can be confirmed is that the group is skilled in using mechanical devices in coordination. However, how they managed to transport the goods back into the city without a trace remains puzzling. Hei Fengxi was about to voice his opinion, but Feng Qiwu unexpectedly jumped in first, directly analyzing that during festival times, theatrical troupes from surrounding cities would enter the capital to perform, bringing along their costumes and stage props.

Thus, if the mechanical devices were hidden among these items, they could easily avoid detection. These troupes typically stayed until the Lantern Festival before leaving, so the stolen silver must still be in their possession. Hei Fengxi found her reasoning sound and immediately sent people to search for the troupe. However, Bai Fengxi shared a similar view with Feng Qiwu and paid no attention to Hei Fengxi’s opinion.

Meanwhile, the two went shopping at the market and picked out hairpins for each other, while Hei Fengxi quietly followed, feeling somewhat like an unnecessary extra. Taking the opportunity, Zhongli mentioned the storybooks he had read, in which talented men and beautiful women would put aside their pride and eventually win each other’s hearts. Not only that, Zhongli had even prepared a mask for Hei Fengxi, but he still stubbornly refused to admit his feelings.

Encouraged by Bai Fengxi, Feng Qiwu gathered her courage, put on the mask, and joined the Magpie Bridge Dance troupe alongside Bai Fengxi. Seeing this, Hei Fengxi quickly followed, unexpectedly encountering Bai Fengxi. After dancing with her, he shyly and hurriedly left, making Bai Fengxi unable to hold back her laughter. The next day, Hei Fengxi went to find Feng Qiwu and found that she had only prepared food that Bai Fengxi liked, which made him feel slightly embarrassed.

However, Hei Fengxi’s purpose for the visit was to investigate the Dafuxi Troupe in the southern city. Bai Fengxi believed that to conduct a proper investigation, they needed Hei Fengxi’s help, so the two disguised themselves in plain clothes and went to the Dafuxi Troupe to learn the art of performing. To gain the troupe leader’s trust, Hei Fengxi performed a piece of singing on the spot, stunning everyone present.

The troupe leader also had his own thoughts—keeping Hei Fengxi around could serve as good cover. If they truly were from the authorities, then this place would become their burial ground. That night, Bai Fengxi, dressed in black and masked, sneaked into the troupe leader’s bedroom. Just as he was about to return to rest, she leaped out the window, but was still spotted.

The troupe leader led his men to storm into Hei Fengxi’s residence and directly interrogated him about Bai Fengxi’s whereabouts, only to discover she was hiding in a cupboard, her face filled with fear. Seeing the situation was critical, Bai Fengxi immediately lied that she was Li Yulan of the Li family from Sui City, and that her husband was Shang Yunhai, a famous actor from the Qingyan Troupe.

Because they were in love but were opposed by her father, they had changed their names and fled to Yongjing. Coincidentally, someone in the Dafuxi Troupe had heard of Shang Yunhai and knew about his elopement with Miss Li a month ago, which dispelled the troupe leader’s suspicions. For the next two days, Bai Fengxi and Hei Fengxi continued to pretend to be a loving couple and eventually found the stolen silver hidden inside roof tiles.

Hei Fengxi ordered the arrest of the troupe members, but they had already colluded on their testimonies. The interrogation yielded no results, and word came that Feng Ju had found enough evidence to convict Zhou Zhong at tomorrow’s court meeting. Pressed for time, Bai Fengxi had a sudden idea and pretended to execute, one by one, the troupe members who knew the truth but refused to speak.

This frightened the troupe leader into confessing that the accomplice was Li Mu, a clerk in the Ministry of Revenue’s Treasury Division. Feng Qiwu couldn’t help but praise Bai Fengxi as a remarkable woman—her behavior unorthodox yet surpassing that of most men, truly inspiring admiration and envy. Zhongli managed to apprehend Li Mu just in time. With the account books in hand, Zhou Zhong could now be exonerated.

Hei Fengxi couldn't stop thinking about the storybooks Zhongli mentioned and asked him to recount how the characters expressed their feelings, but all Hei Fengxi could think about was battlefield duels, which were far from romantic entanglements. At the court meeting, Feng Qiwu reported to the Lord of Yongzhou, revealing the identity of the person who stole from the national treasury due to dereliction of duty.

It turned out that the three corrupt officials captured by Feng Ju were all co-conspirators who had framed Zhou Zhong out of guilt. Now that the stolen silver had been recovered, Feng Ju flew into a rage, accusing Feng Qiwu of returning the silver just to absolve Zhou Zhong and using a scapegoat. However, Feng Qiwu immediately presented the evidence and Li Mu’s confession. The Lord of Yongzhou was greatly pleased, regarding it as a major achievement.

Since Feng Qiwu had investigated the case without imperial permission, the Lord declared her merits and demerits canceled each other out and chose not to pursue her misconduct. He ordered her and Feng Ju to continue the investigation into corruption within the Ministry of Revenue. The master of the Soulbreaker Sect, Yu Wuyuan, received a report on the day’s court proceedings.

Feng Ju was already leaving the palace and on his way there, expected to arrive in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. In truth, Yu Wuyuan never intended to win in this corruption case—it was merely a setup. Only by making Hei Fengxi lower his guard could the next phase of the plan continue.

The lost treasury silver was just a decoy; the real goal was to uproot Hei Fengxi and completely eliminate the Fountain Abode, stripping him of his eligibility to compete for the world. Feng Ju arrived to angrily confront Yu Wuyuan, frustrated that the plan had been seen through by Feng Lanxi. To make up for the failure, Yu Wuyuan decided to help him win the position of Hereditary Prince.

Overjoyed, Feng Ju hadn’t expected such a blessing in disguise—with Yu Wuyuan’s help, no less. Since Feng Lanxi was the eldest legitimate son and older than the Third Prince Feng Ju, there was only one method: make the Lord of Yongzhou grow wary of Feng Lanxi. Yu Wuyuan gave Feng Ju a silk pouch containing a plan to deal with Hei Fengxi and instructed him to act out a grand performance in cooperation.

To help Hei Fengxi better understand the situation in Liang City, Ren Rusong specially conducted an investigation and discovered that the city had long been under the control of the military governor Yu Ming, making it difficult to advance even with a royal decree. In order to control Liang City, Yu Ming had proactively suggested to the Lord of Yongzhou to build a dam upstream of the Nu River, but the progress was extremely slow—it was merely a stalling tactic.

Therefore, for Hei Fengxi to enter Liang City, he would first have to eliminate Yu Ming. At that moment, Zhongli came to report that after court, Feng Ju had gone to see Yu Wuyuan. Not long after, Feng Ju left in a rage, apparently having fallen out with Yu Wuyuan, who was then seen leaving Yongjing with his men.

Although this corruption case had been instigated by Yu Wuyuan behind the scenes, Hei Fengxi was not suspicious of his departure from the capital, guessing that it was Feng Ju’s persistent pressure that had made him give up. That night, Bai Jiande entrusted Sect Master Wang to find two token guardians: Zeng Jiuhai, the chief escort of the Jiuhai Escort Agency in Jizhou, and Qian Henian, the owner of the Xiangyun Store in Beizhou.

Bai Jiande mentioned that someone was using fake tokens to wreak havoc across the land, and during his secret investigation, he discovered that another token guardian, Gongye Zhi, had gone missing. He suspected that the tokens were co-manufactured by Gongye Zhi and his accomplices, and thus wanted everyone’s help in investigating the identities of the remaining token guardians. This day marked the first snowfall.

Hei Fengxi wanted to take advantage of the scene to confess his feelings, and on Zhongli’s advice, planned a romantic setting for his confession. Little did he know, Bai Fengxi was at that very moment enjoying stew and drinks by the stove with Feng Qiwu, happily chatting away. At first, Feng Qiwu was not used to spicy food, but after tasting it, she found it surprisingly delicious.

Feng Qiwu, curious as to why Bai Fengxi, a disciple of the Tianshuang Sect, would be so familiar with the antique stew from Qingzhou, heard Bai Fengxi frankly admit that she was from Qingzhou, and that “Feng” was the royal surname of Qingzhou. Upon hearing this, Feng Qiwu was deeply moved—first there was Princess Feng Xiyun of Qingzhou, now there was Bai Fengxi—both were remarkable women worthy of envy.

The more the two talked, the more they enjoyed each other’s company. Bai Fengxi became more excited and proposed that the next day, they dress as men and go horse riding in the wild, free from the restrictions of womanhood. Feng Qiwu readily agreed. Meanwhile, Hei Fengxi had been waiting in the courtyard for a long time, but Bai Fengxi never showed.

It wasn't until Zhongli came to report her whereabouts that he learned she had spent the entire day with Feng Qiwu, and he felt upset. Zhongli consoled Hei Fengxi not to be too pessimistic. Even if the first snowfall plan failed, there were other activities to try. Indeed, taking inspiration from the storybooks, Hei Fengxi thought of inviting Bai Fengxi to his residence to watch fireworks.

Hei Fengxi made all the preparations and waited quietly for Bai Fengxi to arrive, only to learn unexpectedly that Bai Fengxi and Feng Qiwu had dressed as men and entered Xiangle Pavilion together—and hadn't come out since. Inside Xiangle Pavilion, the courtesan Shaoyin was hosting a banquet for many young masters, using poetry to make friends. Only the winner of the poetry contest would be allowed to spend the night with her.

Out of curiosity, Bai Fengxi composed a poem on the spot, earning applause from the entire room and gaining Shaoyin’s favor. Just as Shaoyin invited Bai Fengxi into her tent for drinks, Bai Fengxi suddenly remembered her prior engagement and hurriedly took her leave. Hei Fengxi rushed to Xiangle Pavilion and arrived just as the poetry contest ended. Without a word, he dragged Bai Fengxi out angrily, upset that she never seemed to take him seriously.

Realizing something was wrong, Bai Fengxi came up with a way to appease him. Seeing their emotions soften, Zhongli immediately ordered the fireworks to be lit. Taking advantage of the romantic atmosphere, Hei Fengxi put his arm around Bai Fengxi’s shoulders. Unexpectedly, Bai Fengxi placed her hand on his shoulder as well, not like lovers, but more like brothers, and even criticized the fireworks as being lame—completely unaware of the darkening expression on the face beside her.

In the end, Hei Fengxi returned to his room in embarrassment and anger, leaving Bai Fengxi standing there, finally realizing the fireworks had been his carefully planned surprise. Although the romantic plan of fireworks on a snowy night failed, Hei Fengxi did not give up. He ordered Zhongli to bring him many storybooks for research and eventually decided to invite Bai Fengxi to admire lanterns on the Lantern Festival night.

As Huan Niang brought tea to the door and overheard their discussion, her expression became pensive before she quietly left. Since that day, Bai Fengxi had been absent-minded. Even when playing chess with Feng Qiwu, she kept replaying the scene from that night in her mind. Feng Qiwu admired Bai Fengxi as an extraordinary woman and fully understood that her own relationship with Hei Fengxi was strictly one of ruler and subject.

She decided to support Bai Fengxi and teased her, saying that even when she talked about Hei Fengxi's flaws, there was a smile in her eyes and joy on her brows. Hearing Feng Qiwu’s words, Bai Fengxi instantly blushed and couldn't help but feel regretful about the past. But Feng Qiwu believed that Hei Fengxi would confess his feelings again. Hearing this, Bai Fengxi looked shy and began imagining what might happen next, finally feeling at ease.

Huan Niang took the initiative to find Ren Rusong and revealed that Hei Fengxi had set his heart on Bai Fengxi and would marry her no matter how difficult the path. She hoped Ren Rusong could speak with the Tianshuang Sect leader to persuade Bai Fengxi to leave His Highness. At first, Ren Rusong refused outright, unwilling to be that kind of manipulative person. But Huan Niang took it upon herself to send a visiting card to Bai Jiande.

Ren Rusong angrily scolded her for her reckless behavior but reluctantly agreed after she brought up the late king’s dying wish regarding the orphaned princess. After careful consideration, Ren Rusong went to meet with Bai Jiande and stated his purpose bluntly. Although the Tianshuang Sect was a prestigious one, it ultimately belonged to the martial world. If Bai Fengxi wished to marry Lord Yongping, it would be very difficult.

Moreover, her free-spirited nature would never suit the role of a noble wife. Bai Jiande understood what Ren Rusong meant and did not try to hide it—it was merely an attempt to break up the couple.

Bai Jiande understood Ren Rusong's intention. He believed that young people should handle their own affairs. Ren Rusong merely thought that Bai Fengxi, being a person of the martial world, was not worthy of Feng Lanxi, but Bai Jiande advised him not to worry. In Ren Rusong’s view, heroes of the martial world were still commoners, and he hoped Bai Jiande would think carefully.

As Bai Fengxi returned to the separate courtyard, she kept thinking about how Hei Fengxi wanted to express his feelings to her. Just as she was deep in thought, Lang Hua revealed that Ren Rusong had visited to ask her father to discipline Bai Fengxi. Bai Fengxi had already guessed this. At that moment, Zhongli arrived, relaying that Hei Fengxi had invited her to meet by the riverside on the night of the Lantern Festival.

Bai Fengxi guessed Hei Fengxi was unaware of what had happened. Bai Fengxi gifted Ren Rusong a bottle of Qingyun Brew, which had been personally brewed by Elder Taiyin of Misty Mountain. However, she had some doubts in her heart and hoped Ren Rusong could clarify them. She guessed Ren Rusong knew about Hei Fengxi’s journey to Misty Mountain, and that the Qingyun Brew was something she and Hei Fengxi had obtained together after passing many trials.

She asked how many people in the world could achieve what Hei Fengxi had done in such an unparalleled place. Ren Rusong insisted that love and marriage should be between families of equal status, with mutual respect. But in Bai Fengxi's eyes, love was a matter of fate, shared by two hearts. Ren Rusong did not deny that Bai Fengxi had a point, but reminded her that assessing the situation was part of Feng Lanxi’s duty.

Upon meeting her today, Ren Rusong was surprised by Bai Fengxi’s knowledge and insight—unlike anything he had encountered—so he admitted that he had indeed overstepped. Zhongli reported to Hei Fengxi that the message had been delivered to the separate courtyard, but Bai Fengxi had been in a hurry and didn’t reply. However, the person they sent confirmed she went to Ren Rusong’s residence. Hei Fengxi was puzzled why Bai Fengxi went to see Ren Rusong.

At that moment, Ren Rusong arrived to admit his mistake. He confessed that he had gone to the separate courtyard to urge Bai Jiande to restrain and discipline his disciple, thinking that someone from the martial world and a noble from a prestigious family simply did not belong together.

Although he knew he was acting on his own and had erred, given the importance of the Second Prince’s marriage and the Empress’s entrusted wish, he felt it could not be ignored. Hei Fengxi was furious upon hearing this. He had said before that no one was to interfere in Bai Fengxi’s affairs. Ren Rusong believed that Bai Fengxi, after all, was a woman from the martial world, and compared to Hei Fengxi’s noble status, the difference was vast.

Moreover, Hei Fengxi was not yet the Hereditary Prince. Ren Rusong was willing to accept punishment. Hei Fengxi noticed that Huan Niang, standing to the side, was extremely nervous. He knew Ren Rusong was not a reckless man, so he asked who had incited him. Ren Rusong didn’t answer, but Huan Niang was terrified. Hei Fengxi understood and told Ren Rusong to leave for now. Hei Fengxi ordered Huan Niang to leave the residence at dawn the next day.

Huan Niang tried to explain that she had acted on her own for his sake, but Hei Fengxi refused to hear any explanation. What Huan Niang had done was tantamount to betrayal. On the night of the Lantern Festival, Hei Fengxi invited Bai Fengxi out to apologize for Ren Rusong’s visit to the separate courtyard. Bai Fengxi was unhappy that Hei Fengxi had only invited her to apologize.

Hei Fengxi invited her to enjoy the lanterns and was about to confess his feelings when Chuan Yun appeared in a panic, cutting him off. Seeing Hei Fengxi had urgent matters, Bai Fengxi told him to go ahead. With the spring tides approaching, Yu Ming redirected floodwaters to Qingzhou to release pressure. The Hereditary Prince of Qingzhou, Xie Yue, stationed troops fifty li outside Liangcheng. Yu Ming requested reinforcements.

The King’s Chancellor saw this as a good opportunity to weaken Yu Ming, but Chancellor Qin argued that although it would weaken Yu Ming, it would also bring hardship to the people of Liangcheng. He suggested sending troops to help and reclaim Liangcheng. Hei Fengxi requested an audience with his father, offering to go to Liangcheng and build a dam to ease his father's worries.

The King’s Chancellor submitted a memorial opposing this, arguing that traditionally, the princes did not leave the capital or establish their own fiefs. Chancellor Qin believed Hei Fengxi was doing it for Da Yong, and the Lord of Yongzhou ordered Hei Fengxi to lead 500 troops and depart at dawn the next day. The former king, fearing the decentralization of military power, had long set the rule that princes could only remotely govern their fiefs.

Yet, the Lord of Yongzhou broke this rule for Hei Fengxi. Madam Baili worried that Hei Fengxi might seize both military and political power in Liangcheng. But considering that although Hei Fengxi was clever, he might not outwit the cunning and experienced military governor of Liangcheng, Yu Ming, she felt it might not be a concern. Bai Fengxi received a letter stating that Qingzhou was in trouble and sought permission from her master Bai Jiande to go to Liangcheng.

Huan Niang left, with only Zhongli seeing her off. What the Lord of Yongzhou gave Hei Fengxi was not elite soldiers, but military riffraff. Hei Fengxi understood his father had two reasons: first, he didn’t want peace, but war. If Liangcheng fell, it would be the perfect chance to attack Qingzhou. Second, his father was naturally suspicious—giving elite troops might make him fear Hei Fengxi would establish power in Liangcheng, so he intentionally weakened the forces.

Bai Fengxi was also heading to Liangcheng and would travel with Hei Fengxi. Feng Ju received news that Hei Fengxi had left the capital. He couldn’t wait to open the embroidered pouch given by Yu Wuyuan and learned that Hei Fengxi and Hei Fengxi were the same person. A spy from Madam Baili in Feng Ju’s residence reported the same. Madam Baili was truly shocked.

Since Hei Fengxi had been hiding his trump card, they needed to find a way to force it into the open. As heavy rain fell, the soldiers complained loudly, saying they wouldn’t continue. Hei Fengxi got out of the carriage himself, knowing how hard it was to march through muddy ground, so he took the lead and walked in front to open the path.

Yu Wuyuan revealed to Huang Chao that Hei Fengxi was indeed the same person from the Fountain Abode. Huang Chao found the battle for the realm all the more interesting. Currently, Princess Hua Chunran of Youzhou was about to choose a husband, and Huang Chao wanted to form a marriage alliance with Youzhou. But before going to Youzhou, he needed to resolve internal issues in Jizhou and asked Yu Wuyuan for help.

News of Hua Chunran’s husband selection spread across the six states. All responded except Yongzhou, promising to soon come with proposals. The Heir of Huang Chao would personally attend, and Hua Chunran realized this was no simple matter. Huang Chao’s goal was not her, but Youzhou. If she chose a weak husband, she might remain in Youzhou. But if Huang Chao came, even if her father wanted her to stay, it wouldn’t be possible.

Hua Chunran was determined to remain in Youzhou. After all, the first King of Qingzhou was a woman, and she wanted to follow that example. Therefore, Huang Chao was not a suitable husband, and she had to come up with a solution. Halfway through the march, they suddenly encountered a landslide. Hei Fengxi disregarded his own safety to help with the rescue. His actions that day completely won over the soldiers. Bai Fengxi treated Hei Fengxi’s wounds.

Hei Fengxi told her to sleep in the room while he stayed with the soldiers. Bai Fengxi stopped him, saying that though sharing a bed with fellow warriors was fine, it would lower his prestige. As a commander, he still needed to maintain boundaries. Bai Fengxi told Hei Fengxi to stay, claiming that as someone from the martial world, she didn’t fuss over propriety.

Yet in the end, she took the soft bed and let Hei Fengxi sleep on the floor. Hei Fengxi accepted it gladly. Though the march was tough and long, with Bai Fengxi by his side, he felt that nothing was more beautiful than this. At dawn the next day, a sudden flock of crows appeared—a very bad omen that severely affected morale. Bai Fengxi, however, felt it wasn’t all bad.

While Hei Fengxi had won the people's hearts the previous day, he had yet to establish authority. The arrival of these crows was just in time.

Since ancient times, people have always sought good omens before taking action, so Bai Fengxi felt that this group of crows had come at the perfect time. Hei Fengxi understood Bai Fengxi’s intent. He stepped outside and told the soldiers that this group of crows was not an evil omen, but a good wind heading to the azure sky.

In the past, Liu Bang, the founding emperor of Han, killed a white serpent and later brought prosperity to the Han dynasty. Today, he would follow that example — pacifying Liang City and bringing peace to the world — and this sword would surely yield results. Hei Fengxi raised his sword toward the sky and sliced off a crow’s feather, causing the flock to scatter at once. The soldiers cheered with excitement.

Now that Heaven had sent a favorable sign, Hei Fengxi named this troop the Ink Feather Cavalry. Yu Ming, the military governor of Qingzhou’s Liang City, knew Qingzhou would not initiate an attack, yet still submitted a report to Yongzhou. It was a warning to others — after all, the Lord of Yongzhou was determined to reclaim control of Liang City. Not reporting would not prevent his arrival.

This time, the one coming was Lord Yongzhou’s second son, Hei Fengxi — a man even Feng Ju and Madam Baili could not subdue. But Yu Ming didn’t take Hei Fengxi seriously. There’s a saying: even a powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake. If Hei Fengxi were a dragon, he’d have to coil; if a tiger, he’d have to crouch. Yu Ming led troops to greet them outside the city.

He was puzzled that the Lord of Yongzhou had ordered Hei Fengxi to send 500 soldiers to support, but only a hundred had arrived. Suspecting a miscommunication, he ordered all the troops to be stationed at the western suburb camp. Chuan Yun reported to Hei Fengxi that the pay had been delivered to the governor’s residence and that Ink Feather Cavalry guards were stationed outside the courtyard. This was actually Zhong Li disguised as Hei Fengxi.

The clever Hei Fengxi had anticipated Yu Ming’s suspicion, so he deliberately dispersed the Ink Feather Cavalry, left the main force outside the city, and brought only a small unit inside, instructing the soldiers to appear fatigued. This trick succeeded, especially as Yu Ming’s greed quickly diverted his attention. Hei Fengxi took Bai Fengxi to Hongluo Temple, the matchmaking shrine of Liang City. Bai Fengxi curiously asked what Hei Fengxi wished for.

Hei Fengxi wanted a full map of the Liang City canal system. Bai Fengxi immediately noticed the disorder of the waterways. Though seemingly interconnected, they were tangled and incapable of proper flood discharge. Hei Fengxi was surprised that Bai Fengxi understood hydraulics, sighing that she always managed to surprise him. Liang City was unstable, so Hei Fengxi also gave Bai Fengxi a peace amulet he had requested from the matchmaker deity to ensure her safety.

As Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi strolled through Liang City, they noticed that prices were even higher than in Yongjing. This was mainly because Liang City was on the frontier, lacking provisions and relying on self-sustenance. Goods were not brought in large quantities, leading to price surges, disorganized labor, and underdeveloped trade — the root cause of the city’s issues. Bai Fengxi, with her chivalrous heart, was pained by the suffering of the people, who lived in bitter poverty.

While drinking tea at a street stall, they saw many civilians being taken to dig canals. The shopkeeper revealed that government silver never reached the people. Bai Fengxi declared that if Hei Fengxi ever decided to kill the corrupt officials in the city, she would definitely assist him. To test whether Hei Fengxi was truly weak, Yu Ming personally delivered tonics and even offered him the military tally and official seal.

Hei Fengxi declined, stating that he was only assisting Liang City this time, and Yu Ming remained its military governor. Yu Ming's approach of advancing by retreating was a tactic to test Hei Fengxi. Fortunately, Hei Fengxi returned in time without exposing himself and ordered Zhong Li to thoroughly investigate Liang City’s defenses. Hei Fengxi dared not accept the tally and seal, fearing it would appear too convenient and arouse Yu Ming’s suspicion.

He might truly be ill or a wolf in disguise — the intelligence provided earlier was insufficient, so Yu Ming instructed his subordinates to investigate further. Wang Shuilong requested an audience with Bai Jiande, revealing that Zeng Jiuhai had been killed. Bai Jiande didn’t expect the forger of the counterfeit token to be hiding among the Guardians. Wang Shuilong also found Zeng Jiuhai’s luggage, which contained a fine piece of Han white jade.

Such a jade pendant implied a high status, even in the imperial capital. Bai Jiande decided to go to the capital personally. Yu Wuyuan received information that remnants of Grand Tutor Ran’s faction, led by Yan Ling, were plotting a usurpation. He hadn’t expected such a major upheaval in Jizhou. An urgent report from the capital indicated the Guardians had discovered Yu Wuyuan’s identity, but his hidden sentries in Yongjing had already neutralized them.

Yu Wuyuan had earlier advised the Emperor to use fake tokens to stir chaos in the world. But Bai Fengxi had unexpectedly disrupted his plans. There were three fake tokens in total, so the plan needed to be accelerated. Although Yu Wuyuan had temporarily suppressed his blood curse, he still needed Huang Chao. Huang Chao had both power and ambition — the perfect candidate. This time, Yu Wuyuan would help him unify Jizhou and conquer the world.

No one could stop this war now. Yu Ming inquired about Hei Fengxi’s condition. It was too calm — and too weak — which didn’t seem right. A letter from Yongjing stated that while Hei Fengxi was clever, he was physically frail. The consistency of this intelligence raised doubts. Yu Ming decided to host a banquet under the pretense of boosting morale to further test Hei Fengxi. Yu Ming invited Hei Fengxi, who confirmed he would attend.

Bai Fengxi volunteered to accompany him. At the banquet, the guests urged Hei Fengxi to drink. Unable to refuse, Hei Fengxi teasingly lifted Bai Fengxi’s chin and pulled her into his arms, having her drink on his behalf. Yu Ming toasted Hei Fengxi, who felt dizzy after drinking. It turned out Yu Ming had laced the wine with datura to try and control him. Fortunately, Hei Fengxi used inner strength to suppress its effects. Yu Ming begged for his life.

Bai Fengxi scolded Yu Ming for exploiting the people under the guise of familiarity with Liang City and deceiving superiors under the banner of governance. She then killed him with a sword, deeming his death well deserved. Hua Chunran arrived in Dadong to present the Buddha’s relics. As she reached the palace, lotus flowers bloomed. The Emperor was overjoyed and ordered the joyous event to be announced to the world. Hua Chunran, for her service in escorting the relics, was granted the title of "Heavenly Maiden of Dadong."

Hua Chunran insisted on being named Heavenly Maiden, believing that only with that title would she be considered equal in power and capable of negotiating on fair terms — even Huang Chao meant little to her. In their youth, Hei Fengxi, Feng Xiyun, Huang Chao, and Hua Chunran had known each other. As a child, Hua Chunran had longed to wear the Phoenix Crown of the Empress. She now wondered who would place it on her head.

Bai Fengxi remarked that Hua Chunran was the most beautiful woman in Youzhou and now had been named Heavenly Maiden of Dadong. No matter whom she married — whether Hei Fengxi or Huang Chao — she would not be at a disadvantage. Hei Fengxi was surprised that the news of Hua Chunran choosing a husband was only circulating among royal circles, yet Bai Fengxi knew. Bai Fengxi brushed it off.

She guessed that Hei Fengxi would be shocked upon seeing Princess Xiyun. Hei Fengxi asked if she thought Princess Xiyun was inferior to Hua Chunran. Bai Fengxi hastily denied it, leaving Hei Fengxi puzzled. Zhong Li came in with tea and, seeing Bai Fengxi’s expression, revealed that she was jealous. Hei Fengxi was pleased — jealousy meant she cared.

Zhong Li reminded Hei Fengxi to do everything he could to win her over, and informed him that the Qingzhou army was preparing to approach Liang City in a few days. Hei Fengxi sighed that this battle seemed unavoidable. It would be best to resolve it peacefully to avoid bloodshed. Zhong Li was confused, saying the king wanted them to go to war with Qingzhou. Hei Fengxi replied that in the field, a general’s orders could override royal commands.

He decided to write to the Hereditary Prince of Qingzhou, Feng Xieyue. If they could align, things would be easier — but they must still prepare the Ink Feather Cavalry for any scenario. At the Qingzhou camp, Feng Xieyue was planning the battle when Bai Fengxi arrived and called him “big brother. ” It turned out Bai Fengxi was none other than Princess Feng Xiyun of Qingzhou, as Hei Fengxi had once mentioned.

She had come to ask her brother for peace, informing him that Yu Ming was dead and that the new person in charge of Liang City was Hei Fengxi, second son of the Lord of Yongzhou. She suggested that it would be better to talk directly with Hei Fengxi — after all, war would benefit neither Qingzhou nor Yongzhou.

Feng Xieyue agreed to send envoys to Liang City the next day and persuaded Bai Fengxi to stay, luring her with good wine. Zhong Li still hadn’t received word from Bai Fengxi, and Hei Fengxi blamed himself deeply. He hadn’t expected Bai Fengxi to care so deeply, that just one word could upset her so much. Little did he know that Bai Fengxi was enjoying drinks and conversation with her brother, Feng Xieyue.

She asked about their father, who was both worried and proud of her. If not for the risk of exposing her identity, he would have long announced to the world that the famous Bai Fengxi was actually Princess Feng Xiyun of Qingzhou. Feng Xieyue was curious about her and Hei Fengxi’s relationship. Bai Fengxi explained everything and warned him not to reveal her identity when meeting Hei Fengxi.

Feng Xieyue said he would judge whether Hei Fengxi was qualified to be his brother-in-law. Bai Fengxi blushed — her smile when mentioning Hei Fengxi was impossible to hide. Feng Xieyue insisted he must give Hei Fengxi a hard time. Bai Fengxi objected, not wanting him to trouble Hei Fengxi. Bai Fengxi returned. Thinking she had been out all night, she prepared to be scolded by Hei Fengxi.

But instead, Hei Fengxi was full of concern and kindness, showering her with attention. He guessed she was jealous over Feng Xiyun of Qingzhou. Bai Fengxi was shocked, thinking Hei Fengxi had figured out her identity. But then he said he wouldn’t mention Feng Xiyun’s name again, leading Bai Fengxi to mistakenly think he wanted to avoid exposing her. Hei Fengxi kept getting closer to her, just about to kiss her — when Chuan Yu appeared and interrupted.

Chuan Yu reported that the Hereditary Prince of Qingzhou, Feng Xieyue, had sent envoys to negotiate peace with Hei Fengxi and would arrive personally tomorrow. Hei Fengxi summoned everyone to a meeting in the side hall and made two preparations. First, integrate the Liang City defense troops into the Ink Feather Cavalry to guard the city gates and prevent a sneak attack.

Second, set up an ambush inside the capital office — if Feng Xieyue made any suspicious moves, he would be detained. Hei Fengxi discussed with Bai Fengxi their conversation earlier about Hua Chunran and Feng Xiyun. Only then did Bai Fengxi realize Hei Fengxi didn’t know her identity, and she admitted she had been jealous these past two days, telling him not to take it to heart.

The Lord of Jizhou played chess with Huang Chao when a subordinate arrived with news. Furious, the Lord scolded Huang Chao for killing Grand Tutor Ran. Huang Chao explained that Ran had colluded with palace eunuchs and slandered him repeatedly. The Lord of Jizhou berated Huang Chao for lacking a ruler’s mercy, saying he had raised a wolf. Suddenly, the Lord collapsed. Thanks to Yu Wuyuan’s antidote, his life was spared.

Huang Chao was enraged that someone dared poison his father, intending to frame him for patricide. Once he was denounced by the people, they could support a new ruler. Huang Chao gave the order to assemble the Zheng Tian Cavalry — tonight, he would pray for the King and sacrifice traitors to Heaven. Feng Ju reported to the Lord of Yongzhou that Ruyuxuan was involved in treasonous activity.

Investigation showed it was linked to an organization in the martial world called Fountain Abode. Its leader, Hei Fengxi, along with Huang Chao, and Yu Wuyuan, was one of the Four Gentlemen of the World. The organization’s numerous shops secretly gathered intelligence. The Lord asked Feng Ju about his marriage. Feng Ju said he would leave the decision to his parents. The Lord of Yongzhou officially arranged his marriage to the daughter of the Duke of Liang.

Later, the Lord ordered Zhang Zhongge to secretly investigate Ruyuxuan. If it was truly involved in treason, arrest its manager. If Fountain Abode could be used, all the better. Today, Hei Fengxi would negotiate peace with Feng Xieyue. Bai Fengxi said she wanted to come too, claiming it was to see Feng Xieyue. Hei Fengxi was jealous. Hei Fengxi wanted to build a dam in Liang City.

Publicly, to solve the flooding problem and help with farming — a win-win for the people. Privately, as a member of the Imperial Family, only with a flourishing Yongzhou could he have something to rely on. Especially with someone in the world worth protecting. Feng Xieyue praised Hei Fengxi as a wise ruler and decided to withdraw his troops the next day — for he, too, had someone in the world he wished to protect.

As he said this, he glanced at Bai Fengxi, making Hei Fengxi jealous. With peace achieved, Hei Fengxi asked Zhong Li to host Feng Xieyue. He then invited Bai Fengxi for a walk, only to be rejected.

Bai Fengxi meets with her older brother. Feng Xieyue praises his sister's good judgment, saying Hei Fengxi is indeed a wise ruler who cares for the people. In truth, Feng Xieyue came for two reasons: peace talks and to observe Hei Fengxi’s attitude toward Bai Fengxi. During their conversation, Feng Xieyue repeatedly glances at Bai Fengxi, showing concern that Hei Fengxi may discover Bai Fengxi’s true identity, because truly loving someone means always paying attention to them.

Bai Fengxi is not worried, as she believes that while Hei Fengxi is rational in other matters, he is irrational only when it comes to her—perhaps because there is nothing else in his mind but her. As the siblings are happily chatting, Hei Fengxi suddenly arrives, prompting Bai Fengxi to hide quickly. Hei Fengxi confronts Feng Xieyue, asking why he kept looking at Bai Fengxi earlier. Feng Xieyue jokingly claims that he fell for Bai Fengxi at first sight.

Hei Fengxi expresses his wish that Feng Xieyue not harbor any thoughts toward Bai Fengxi. Unfortunately, Feng Xieyue indeed asks if Hei Fengxi would be willing to part with her. Hei Fengxi firmly states that Bai Fengxi is not an attachment, but a companion—she belongs to no one but herself. He reprimands Feng Xieyue for treating her like an object.

Feng Xieyue then asks, if Bai Fengxi were to develop mutual feelings for him, would Hei Fengxi allow her to leave. Hei Fengxi replies that he would, of course, respect Bai Fengxi’s wishes. Feng Xieyue mentions his sister Feng Xiyun is unparalleled in the world—every man desires to see her. If Feng Xiyun were interested in Hei Fengxi, who would he choose? Hei Fengxi replies that Bai Fengxi is unique in his heart and cannot be compared to anyone.

From this conversation, Feng Xieyue realizes that Hei Fengxi does not judge based on status, harbors deep love, cares for the people, and has a free and compassionate heart. One day, Hei Fengxi will understand why he was tested today. Bai Fengxi catches up with Hei Fengxi, wanting to go for a stroll together. Hei Fengxi, annoyed that she only comes to him when she has nothing else to do, refuses.

Bai Fengxi pretends to leave, prompting Hei Fengxi to quickly stop her. Since she’s insisting, he reluctantly agrees. Bai Fengxi notices the smiles on the people's faces—smiles brought by Hei Fengxi, who has lifted the dark clouds from them. She remarks that to protect the people in such turbulent times, it must be done through the court; the martial world can only save a few.

If Hei Fengxi continues to act like this, she is willing to stand by his side. Suddenly, it starts to rain. Hei Fengxi immediately helps shield Bai Fengxi from the rain and finds shelter. He goes to buy an umbrella and rushes back through the rain. Bai Fengxi feels that even rainy days can be nice—though the umbrella is too small, and she fears getting wet.

Unexpectedly, Hei Fengxi crouches down to carry her on his back, creating a romantic and sweet moment. Hei Fengxi brings Feng Xieyue to view the water canal in Liang City. If it connects to the Grand Canal, in time, trade will flourish with Liang City at the center. Hei Fengxi wants to govern the land and work alongside Feng Xieyue, who assures that Qingzhou will be his strongest ally.

The Lord of Jizhou awakens to find Huang Chao by his side all night. Deeply touched, he advises Huang Chao that if he seeks to rule the world, he must rule with compassion. If driven only by ambition and bloodshed, he will not be a wise ruler. Huang Chao promises to keep the people in his heart and not to betray them.

The Lord of Jizhou says he will issue a decree admitting his faults and declaring Huang Chao’s loyalty and compassion to silence court criticism, urging him not to forget today’s words. Subordinates report to Yuan Lu that Hei Fengxi eliminated Yu Ming in Liang City, held peace talks with Feng Xieyue, and is now building a dam. Yuan Lu decides Hei Fengxi must be eliminated to protect his own plans and also orders the gathering of intelligence on Youzhou.

Now that Jizhou is under Huang Chao's control, he plans to visit Youzhou to choose a consort. After posting a recruitment notice for dam construction, only a hundred people sign up. The townsfolk are unwilling because, even with wages, they can’t buy grain. A minister suggests that Hei Fengxi distribute grain first—if the people see no threat to survival, they’ll help. Hei Fengxi orders grain distribution at market prices.

Bai Fengxi suggests that to win back the people’s trust, they must be compensated. She proposes using the silver that Yu Ming extorted from the people, hiding it beneath the canal, then spreading word of it. If the people dig up silver while digging the canal, they will naturally be eager to continue. Hei Fengxi, delighted by her cleverness, decides to try it. As rumors spread, people flock to dig the canal.

To thank Bai Fengxi, Hei Fengxi decides to cook for her that evening. Zhang Zhongge investigates Ruyu Pavilion and finds illegal dealings linked to many court officials, though clues are scarce. The Lord of Yongzhou suspects that Hei Fengxi, whose surname is Feng, may be a descendant of Yongzhou’s royal family. Since they’ve found a lead on the Fountain Abode, he orders Zhang Zhongge to secretly arrest Ruyu Pavilion's manager for interrogation, hoping to expose Hei Fengxi.

Receiving intelligence from Liang City, the Lord of Yongzhou is pleased and allows Hei Fengxi temporary governance of Liang City, but insists on bestowing honors. Feng Ju arranges for Li Jiaxian to promote Hei Fengxi’s achievements, planning to ruin him by exaggerating his merit—knowing that emperors fear subordinates with too much power. Bai Fengxi accompanies Hei Fengxi to inspect the dam. The townsfolk shout that Bai Fengxi is the Prince’s consort.

Hei Fengxi is secretly delighted, and Bai Fengxi, though shy, doesn’t deny it. As the canal is finally joined, the crowd erupts in cheers. Ren Rusong receives word that something has happened at Ruyu Pavilion. Since it’s tied to the Fountain Abode and Hei Fengxi’s identity, and the enemy is still in the shadows, he urges Feng Qiwu to act with caution. Bai Fengxi goes to town to treat the sick. Hei Fengxi jokes that she never rests.

An old man injured during grain transport is treated by Bai Fengxi, who applies medicine for bruises. The people complain that all the pharmacies in town are closed and they can’t buy medicine. Hei Fengxi arrives, saying he brought some medicine with him to Liang City and tells them to collect it at the estate with prescriptions.

After seeing many injured people near the dam, Bai Fengxi sets up a clinic in the city. Hei Fengxi helps her and shares the workload. When night falls, they return together. Bai Fengxi complains of back pain from sitting too long, so Hei Fengxi gives her a massage. It’s so comfortable she dozes off. Just then, Zhong Li reports on the situation at Ruyu Pavilion.

Hei Fengxi immediately orders the Ren brothers to guard Liang City and prepares to return to Yongjing the next morning. As Zhong Li leaves, Hei Fengxi prepares to carry Bai Fengxi to her room, but she suddenly wakes up, boldly admitting she pretended to sleep and insists on returning to Yongjing with him. The two embrace under the moonlight. On the road, the escort for the Youzhou Princess is ambushed.

Luckily, Hua Chunran had anticipated danger and wasn’t in the carriage but hiding nearby. She narrowly escapes. Investigation reveals that the attackers were sent by the Hereditary Prince of Youzhou—her brother—who wants to kill her to eliminate competition for the throne. Now that Hua Chunran’s identity as the Celestial Maiden is known across the land, gossip abounds, glorifying her legend. While at a teahouse, she overhears nearby chatter and feels proud.

Just as she’s about to leave, she encounters a refugee mother and child. Seeing the elderly woman coughing, Hua Chunran sympathizes and allows them to travel with her, using them as cover. News of the princess’s disappearance spreads to all provinces. The Lord of Youzhou grows anxious and sends men to search. Meanwhile, Huang Chao believes that a woman like Hua Chunran would have made backup plans and muses that having her by his side would be far from dull.

Yuan Lu reveals that Hei Fengxi met Feng Xieyue in Liang City—if Qingzhou and Yongzhou form an alliance, their strength would greatly increase. Like Hua Chunran, Feng Xiyun is now also renowned across the land. Yuan Lu asks Huang Chao which woman he would choose. Unexpectedly, Huang Chao confidently says he would choose Hua Chunran for now and ally with Youzhou to fight Jizhou. After taking the throne, he believes he can win Feng Xiyun too.

Moreover, Qingzhou is far from Jizhou, and with war imminent, he must not overlook the near for the distant. Since the Hereditary Prince of Youzhou tried to kill his sister, Huang Chao thinks Hua Chunran shows extraordinary survival skills. If she wants Youzhou, she’ll need outside help—making him more valuable. That night, Hua Chunran and her attendants stay at an inn. The mother and child secretly drug the group. Everyone is poisoned.

Hua Chunran barely escapes, yelling for help and bursting into Huang Chao’s room. The man posing as a refugee hides his dagger, but Huang Chao subdues the two and saves Hua Chunran. Traumatized, Hua Chunran faints. When she wakes, she thanks Huang Chao and calmly prepares herself to continue traveling. Her composure impresses Yuan Lu, who praises her. Hua Chunran smiles and says her appearance reflects her spirit—she must stay strong even at her lowest.

Considering the dangers ahead, she requests Huang Chao escort her further to Youzhou. In Qingzhou Palace, Feng Xieyue reports on Liang City and his encounter with Feng Lanxi. Learning that Feng Lanxi is the Second Prince of Yongzhou, the King of Qingzhou warns his son to remain cautious. But Feng Xieyue trusts Feng Lanxi and vouches for his character, explaining their story. The King of Qingzhou acknowledges Feng Lanxi’s talent and meticulousness.

If he is sincere, his daughter Feng Xiyun will not suffer. But knowing the Lord of Yongzhou’s temper, if he discovers that Feng Lanxi is Hei Fengxi of the Fountain Abode, he won’t take it lightly. If it comes to that, as long as Feng Lanxi truly cares for Feng Xiyun, Qingzhou will always stand by her. Recently, the king gave Feng Xieyue his governance strategies, saying someone must protect Qingzhou after he is gone.

Hei Fengxi secretly returns to the capital and meets Ren Rusong at a private residence. He learns about the sudden incident at Ruyu Pavilion and how suspicious it seems. No clues have been found in either court or the martial world after over half a month. Other Ruyu Pavilion shops outside Yongjing remain unaffected. Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi both suspect the Lord of Yongzhou. Fortunately, the Lord of Yongzhou still doesn’t know Hei Fengxi’s true identity.

Zhang Zhongge presents his findings, shocked by the scope and management strength of the Fountain Abode. If used for the state, such a person would be invaluable. But if Hei Fengxi refuses to submit, he could become a dire threat. In that case, the Lord of Yongzhou would rather destroy him than let others gain this power. Bai Fengxi arrives near the Ministry of Justice and sees people frequently coming and going.

Several crates are soon moved to the outskirts—inside are the Ruyu Pavilion’s manager and staff. Meanwhile, Ren Rusong suspects that Feng Ju will take advantage of the situation and urges Hei Fengxi to lie low. But Hei Fengxi refuses—he founded the Fountain Abode to protect people, not to abandon them. As the Ministry of Justice finds nothing, Feng Ju petitions the Lord of Yongzhou. If the mastermind doesn’t appear within three days, all of Ruyu Pavilion’s people will be executed.

Sensing danger, Hei Fengxi knows he must act cautiously to avoid falling into a trap. Bai Jiande decides to lead his disciples to rescue Ruyu Pavilion’s people. They will claim the title of the Fountain Abode’s master to keep Hei Fengxi out of a dilemma, knowing it’s the only way to protect him. Unbeknownst to them, Feng Lanxi had gone alone to meet Feng Ju, and the brothers were engaged in a head-on confrontation.

Now that the Lord of Yongzhou has grasped too much information about the Fountain Abode, it’s only a matter of time before he traces it back to Feng Lanxi. Feng Ju, in no rush to make this public, is eagerly awaiting his second brother’s countermeasures. In Feng Ju’s view, Hei Fengxi may appear righteous on the surface, but he truly disregards the lives of others—otherwise, how could he turn a blind eye to the fate of Ruyu Pavilion?

However, Hei Fengxi was unconvinced and countered by asking Feng Ju if he was truly confident in their father's choices—between his son’s life and the power of the Fountain Abode, which was more important? Yet Feng Ju already knew that the Tianshuang Sect was planning a prison break, and he stated that those people were no match for the imperial guards. As expected, Hei Fengxi’s expression changed instantly at those words.

Feng Ju grew even more smug, declaring that both the Tianshuang Sect and Ruyu Pavilion were doomed to a tragic end. Meanwhile, Bai Jiande led a group of disciples to the prison but was ambushed. Knowing that this incident was due to him, Hei Fengxi felt he had to be the one to resolve it. He boldly revealed his identity and submitted a memorial.

The Lord of Yongzhou was furious, and when Zhang Zhongge tried to speak on Feng Lanxi’s behalf, the Lord was too enraged to listen. Hei Fengxi knelt outside the palace, refusing to leave, determined to plead guilty before his father. The Lord of Yongzhou agreed to give him a chance. Though only a few dozen steps separated them, the Lord insisted that he approach on foot. Having knelt for half the night, Hei Fengxi nearly collapsed upon rising.

As he took each step forward, the imperial guards struck him with batons. Despite this, the Lord of Yongzhou showed no pity. He even remarked that Hei Fengxi was no longer the Yongzhou’s Prince Yongping but the renowned Hei Fengxi. By the time Hei Fengxi reached him, he was covered in wounds and coughing blood. The Lord of Yongzhou turned and left without giving him a chance to speak.

Yuan Lu, unable to bear it, urged Hei Fengxi to return home and recover. But Hei Fengxi refused to give up. After enduring the ordeal, he finally gained entrance to the hall and personally paid respects to the Lord of Yongzhou. Unexpectedly, the Lord asked him with biting sarcasm what identity he now claimed, and what ulterior motives lay beneath his exterior. Hei Fengxi admitted that he created the Fountain Abode initially for self-preservation, and later to protect others.

He also explained how he had once feigned illness to stay in bed while secretly learning martial arts, and vowed that all the Fountain Abode’s income would be used for the people. The Lord of Yongzhou condemned him for forming cliques and harboring selfish motives, accusing him of treason. From the moment Hei Fengxi hid the truth, he had become no different from traitors and rebels.

To prove his innocence, Hei Fengxi offered to give the Fountain Abode to the Lord of Yongzhou. But the Lord not only wanted the Abode, he also sought to abolish Hei Fengxi’s martial arts by forcing him to drink a wine that would dissolve his internal power. Pressured relentlessly, Hei Fengxi drank the wine with a heavy heart.

The Lord immediately issued an edict conferring Feng Lanxi the title of Marquis Yongping and ordered him to represent Yongzhou in the upcoming suitor selection in Youzhou. When he married Hua Chunran in the future, that would mark the release of the martial artists. Upon hearing what happened in the palace, Bai Fengxi stayed at Hei Fengxi’s bedside for three days until he finally woke up. Overjoyed, she hugged him tightly.

But Hei Fengxi, having lost all his internal power, could barely withstand the intensity of her embrace. He sighed that after pretending to be sick for so many years, he no longer had to fake it. Bai Fengxi was disheartened by his words and comforted him, reminding him that in the martial world, Hei Fengxi had never won through force, but through strategy and cunning. Zhongli personally brought medicine and updated Hei Fengxi on the Fountain Abode.

They had withdrawn most of their main forces, leaving only a few people listed by name. Although the Fountain Abode now belonged to the Lord of Yongzhou on the surface, as long as the core remained, it would still obey Hei Fengxi’s command. Just then, an imperial edict arrived, ordering Hei Fengxi to depart for Youzhou immediately.

Knowing it was for the suitor selection, Bai Fengxi decided to accompany him—ostensibly to protect him—and jokingly said she wanted to see the famed beauty of Dadong’s celestial maiden. On the other hand, Hua Chunran had a safe journey thanks to Huang Chao and others escorting her. Huang Chao already knew her true identity but acted indifferent, neither overly flattering nor attentive, perfectly showcasing his charm and increasing his chances of winning.

The master of the Duanhun Sect reported to Yu Wuyuan about the situation in Yongzhou and the news that Hei Fengxi had lost his martial power. Yu Wuyuan was shocked that Hei Fengxi would give up the Fountain Abode and his inner strength. Upon learning that Hei Fengxi himself was heading to Youzhou, Yu Wuyuan became thoughtful and resolved to take this chance to eliminate him once and for all.

Before Hua Chunran entered the palace, the Lord of Youzhou had already learned about the attack on his daughter and flew into a rage. Seeing her return safely, he was finally relieved and rushed forward to check on her. Meanwhile, Bai Jiande and others were still imprisoned. An elderly cellmate noticed the jade pendant in Bai Jiande’s hand and became excited, revealing that he was once Dadong’s top jade sculptor.

He had been invited by the Lord of Yongzhou to carve a giant Buddha statue but was imprisoned afterward instead of being allowed to leave. The old man stated the pendant came from the Yu family of the Imperial Capital. The Yu family had commissioned him years ago, but their lineage had short lives, and he was unsure if any descendants remained. Bai Jiande repeatedly questioned the man for confirmation. Once certain, he began to suspect the true mastermind behind Qiong Qiong.

Although Hei Fengxi had now fallen from power, the final candidate for the title of Hereditary Prince remained undecided. Madam Baili advised Feng Ju, revealing that in two months it would be the Lord of Yongzhou’s birthday—a chance to make a move. Meanwhile, as Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi traveled to Youzhou, they noticed they were being followed—the spy sent by the Lord of Yongzhou to monitor Hei Fengxi. Hei Fengxi was aware yet powerless to act.

These spies would report his every move in Youzhou back to the Lord of Yongzhou, which would help put him at ease. With the selection day approaching, Hei Fengxi, via the Fountain Abode, obtained the list of participants and the competition rules. From the Lord’s perspective, he didn’t want Hei Fengxi to marry the Youzhou princess. Should Hei Fengxi gain her support, he could stage a comeback.

However, to save face for Yongzhou, the Lord used this as a test to probe Hei Fengxi’s loyalty. This so-called trip to Youzhou was merely a test—the Lord of Yongzhou would only entrust Bai Jiande and the others’ safety to someone with proven capability and loyalty. Bai Fengxi sighed that the court officials were all shrewd schemers, and the Youzhou princess was no ordinary woman. Hei Fengxi decided to approach her in the palace.

But Hua Chunran, clever and calculating, was extremely wary. She only opened up to those who had no interest in her power—and preferably, women. Therefore, Bai Fengxi volunteered to help Hei Fengxi, believing it was the only way to quickly rescue the Tianshuang Sect members. A maid reported to Hua Chunran about the various Hereditary Princes, heaping praise on Huang Chao, who had recently become the most talked-about figure in the city.

The newly arrived Feng Lanxi, Prince Yongping, was also elegant, charming, and one of the Four Gentlemen. Hua Chunran indeed showed interest in Feng Lanxi, while Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi entered the palace quietly and met her under their martial world identities. Hei Fengxi personally brought a grand gift: signed confessions from two of the assailants who attacked Hua Chunran earlier.

Hua Chunran went to attend the luncheon arranged by her father and mentioned her maid Hong’er, saying she would avenge her. Conveniently, she had evidence linking the assassin to her eldest brother. The Hereditary Prince was shocked. Just as the Lord of Youzhou was about to accuse him, Hua Chunran changed her tone, urging her father not to be provoked—it might be someone trying to sow discord. She even spoke in her brother’s defense.

Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi eavesdropped from outside the window and marveled at Hua Chunran’s cunning. She had pointed the finger yet made herself seem innocent and pitiful. Everything Hua Chunran did proved she was harder to deal with than expected. If Bai Fengxi wanted to learn more about her, she’d have to get close to her maids first. The more guarded someone is, the lonelier they become—such a person would yearn for a true friend.

This was the time for Bai Fengxi to showcase her strengths. Over the next few days, Bai Fengxi got along well with the maids, while Hei Fengxi subtly drew closer to Hua Chunran. One day, while he was playing chess with Hua Chunran, Bai Fengxi entered and helped her with tactics that forced Feng Lanxi to admit defeat—an indirect way of showing how well she knew him.

The Lord of Youzhou heard his daughter had taken in two martial world guests and learned they were Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi. He summoned Hua Chunran and questioned her. She admitted it openly, saying they were martial arts elites and she sought to recruit such rare talents to help him conquer the world, without fearing the powers of Jizhou or Youzhou. Her words calmed the Lord of Youzhou.

With the suitor selection publicly announced, it was time to consider a suitable match. He focused on Jizhou’s Huang Chao and Yongzhou’s Feng Lanxi. However, Hua Chunran’s heart was set on Hei Fengxi. But the Lord firmly opposed, saying a princess could not marry a mere commoner. During leisure time, Hua Chunran personally painted Hei Fengxi’s portrait, though it lacked spirit. By contrast, Bai Fengxi’s brushwork captured his essence more vividly.

Hua Chunran praised her generously, recognizing the unusual closeness between her and Hei Fengxi. Still, she had already decided to choose Hei Fengxi as her prince consort and subtly hinted at her desire for Bai Fengxi’s help. Bai Fengxi relayed Hua Chunran’s thoughts to Hei Fengxi. He understood her intentions weren’t driven by love—Hua Chunran cared more about Youzhou’s future and her own power.

Among all the Hereditary Princes, Hei Fengxi was powerful in the martial world but lacked court backing. This made him a perfect ally—she could use his strength without being controlled by him. Meanwhile, Hua Chunran was certain Bai Fengxi would help her, having already investigated their motives. Her request was both a test and a strategy—by using Bai Fengxi, she could influence Hei Fengxi to her advantage. Bai Fengxi also understood Hei Fengxi’s plan.

If he appeared as Prince Yongping Feng Lanxi on the selection day, to outsiders Hei Fengxi would still be Hei Fengxi—making them a perfect match. But to Hua Chunran, it would be a completely unexpected outcome. Soon, two letters arrived at the Lord of Yongzhou’s hands—one from Ruyu Pavilion in Youzhou, and the other sent by someone accompanying the Marquis Yongping. Though the content was similar, Ruyu Pavilion’s was more detailed, even listing all the suitor candidates.

Yuan Lu had been organizing intelligence from the Fountain Abode. Just sorting through it took more than half a month, and he couldn’t help but marvel at Hei Fengxi’s ability to run such a vast intelligence network. The Lord of Youzhou knew well that Feng Lanxi was never one to remain in the shadows. If he had gone to Youzhou, he must have a backup plan.

Hei Fengxi was well aware that the Lord of Yongzhou was only allowing him to go to Youzhou as a backup plan, so this time, what he sought was not the princess, but to regain the Lord of Yongzhou's trust. In contrast, when Huang Chao heard that the Hereditary Prince of Youzhou had been confined, he believed that the Prince of Youzhou must have disagreed with him. Once the confinement ended, the prince’s position would likely be at risk.

The key issue was that the four sons of the Prince of Youzhou were all lacking in talent and learning, unable to shoulder great responsibility. At today’s court assembly, many officials from the Censorate submitted memorials, indicating that there was another reason for the confinement. As for Hua Chunran, she was chosen as Dadong’s Celestial Maiden and returned to Youzhou less than half a month before toppling her elder brother.

This aroused Huang Chao's interest; he was eager to obtain this woman, believing that having her by his side for life would bring peace to the world. On the eve of the marriage selection, Hua Chunran ordered her maids to dress Bai Fengxi, but Bai Fengxi, drowsy and swaying, bluntly stated that she only wanted to defeat everyone except Hei Fengxi so that no one else would have the nerve to propose to Hua Chunran.

Hei Fengxi came to bid farewell to Hua Chunran, while Hua Chunran kept Bai Fengxi in the palace, claiming she had a favor to ask. On the way back, Hei Fengxi was tailed by assassins and was ambushed in an alley, where he discovered they were killers from the Duanhun Sect. Although he had lost his inner power, he had learned battlefield combat skills and was able to deal with the thugs.

But at a critical moment, another extremely skilled fighter appeared, someone who knew the technique Lan Yin Bi Yue. Fortunately, Bai Fengxi appeared in time and barely managed to drive the attacker away. That evening, while tending to his wounds, Hei Fengxi reflected on the day’s events and became increasingly convinced that the opponent used Duanhun Sect’s techniques.

Though the internal energy resembled Lan Yin Bi Yue, the technique was unrefined and unlike one gained through cultivation—more like it had been stolen. He suspected it was the work of a mysterious person from Yongzhou. Because of this, Hei Fengxi believed the matter was related to Qiongqiong Juxu, and that the Duanhun Sect was acting under their command to overthrow Dadong’s rule, which would bring chaos to the world.

Hei Fengxi made a pact with Bai Fengxi to change this fate, which happened to match Bai Fengxi's intentions. Soon, it was the day of the spouse selection. Hua Chunran unexpectedly discovered that Huang Chao was the gentleman who had once saved her at the inn, and that Hei Fengxi and Feng Lanxi were the same person.

Upon realizing this, Hua Chunran immediately went to report to the Prince of Youzhou, stating that Hei Fengxi had a close relationship with Bai Fengxi and could use her to get close to her. His intentions were not to win the selection but to approach Youzhou with ulterior motives.

To further observe him, Hua Chunran decided that the next day’s palace exam would be based on the “Vast Endgame,” a puzzle created by Elder Taiyin and Elder Tianji, later renowned throughout the land. It was said that if one could solve it, they could predict the conflicts of the world. Given Hei Fengxi’s exceptional intellect, this might be the only thing that could stump him.

If he truly solved it, then he was destined to be the future unifier of the world—and Hua Chunran would be willing to marry him. During the following martial arts contest, Bai Fengxi disguised herself as Hua Chunran and performed a piece on stage, then announced the challenge.

The first round required each Hereditary Prince from the six states to leap from the pavilion to the lotus-picking platform, allowed to step on flowers across the lake but not use any tools—those who fell into the water would be disqualified. Yu Wuyuan was certain Hei Fengxi, having lost his inner power, would not pass easily. But with Bai Fengxi’s secret help, Hei Fengxi passed with ease.

This caused Huang Chao and Yu Wuyuan to notice Bai Fengxi, recognizing that among all the women in the world with profound martial arts and the courage to impersonate a princess, only she could fit the description. After Huang Chao cleared the round, he confessed his feelings to Bai Fengxi privately, promising that when he ruled the world, he would make her his empress and that she would be his one and only wife.

Despite his sincerity, Bai Fengxi remained unmoved—she had no interest in becoming empress and could not accept a future husband who might take other wives. She refused him without hesitation. The Prince of Youzhou received the list of those who passed the lotus platform challenge and was glad to see both Huang Chao and Hei Fengxi included. He commented that Hei Fengxi’s actions were difficult to predict—his thoughts deep and terrifying. In the six-state struggle, Youzhou might be devoured.

Though the Prince knew Hua Chunran genuinely loved Feng Lanxi, especially knowing he was Hei Fengxi, when comparing with Huang Chao of Jizhou, the latter was no lesser man. Moreover, Huang Chao promised to help Youzhou attack Qingzhou, making Qingzhou as good as theirs. Therefore, the Prince of Youzhou believed that if Hua Chunran had to choose a husband, she should prioritize the Hereditary Prince Huang Chao.

Though Huang Chao sought domination, he used righteous means, which still gave Youzhou a chance of survival. Hua Chunran understood the prince’s reasoning and could only go along and see how things unfolded. In private, Yu Wuyuan spoke with Bai Fengxi, asking her view on the six-state situation and subtly revealed he knew she was Feng Xiyun from Qingzhou.

Meanwhile, Hei Fengxi successfully passed the martial test and anticipated the palace exam featuring the “Vast Endgame”—a key part of his plan. Having lost his martial arts, the power of the Fountain Abode had waned. If he wanted to compete for the world, he needed another method. If he could truly solve the endgame, then he could avert the coming disaster. Hei Fengxi promised Bai Fengxi that after tomorrow, when the Youzhou situation was settled, he would personally accompany her back to Tianshuang Sect.

During the palace exam, the Prince of Youzhou asked everyone’s opinion on the current state of the world. Huang Chao believed the six-state structure should be prioritized, while Hei Fengxi argued that the fate of the world ultimately hinged on “Qi Yun”—destiny and vitality. A nation's qi was tied to the people’s livelihood and will, and also to imperial strategy. All officials and citizens were bound within these two words.

Thus, now was the time to regard the people as qi and use imperial strategy to guide it—this was true Qi Yun. His words were well-received, and the Prince of Youzhou was pleased. He invited the suitors into the inner hall, where the “Vast Chessboard” was laid at the center. He declared that only the victor could become Youzhou’s ideal son-in-law.

Others had already heard of Elder Taiyin and the chessboard and did not dare challenge it—choosing instead to withdraw from the palace, leaving only Huang Chao and Hei Fengxi. Feng Ju had already arranged things at the dungeon and instructed the Duanhun Sect to rescue disciples of Tianshuang Sect. Someone would then meet them, disguised as members of the Yongping Marquis Residence.

They were to wait at the rendezvous point until the Imperial Guards arrived, making sure not to let a single Tianshuang Sect member escape, and leave solid evidence proving that Feng Lanxi had sent people to break the prisoners out. Bai Jiande was unaware of the plot. He initially wanted to leave with the jade carver, but the carver insisted on staying, saying that although he had offended the Lord of Yongzhou, he was not yet sentenced to death.

Escaping now would truly make him guilty beyond redemption. Just as Bai Jiande and the others were about to leave, Feng Chang arrived in time and exposed Feng Ju’s scheme, forcing them to return to the dungeon and wait for the right moment. Meanwhile, Hei Fengxi and Huang Chao faced off over the chessboard. Outwardly, it was a game of chess, but in truth, it was a battle for control of the world.

Huang Chao realized Hei Fengxi was not to be underestimated—he could quickly see through his tactics. Hei Fengxi praised Huang Chao’s brilliance, saying he possessed both open strategies and unfathomable intrigue. All the earlier moves had been tests. Huang Chao took the world as the board, with all living beings as pieces, setting a life-and-death game. Huang Chao believed that conquering the world relied on offense, not defense.

Hei Fengxi immediately refuted this, stating that defense was to ensure better offense; comprehensive defense stabilized the grand picture. Huang Chao had failed to “slay the dragon,” losing his initiative and momentum—how could he win? In truth, Huang Chao fought with sharpness and vigor, while Hei Fengxi relied on using everything to its fullest. Even seemingly discarded pieces could shift the outcome at crucial moments.

To Hei Fengxi, the world ultimately belonged to the people—this was the true intention of Elder Taiyin and Elder Tianji. At the final moment, Hei Fengxi placed a piece and voluntarily conceded. Though the Prince of Youzhou didn’t fully understand, he still announced Huang Chao as the winner. After leaving the palace, Hei Fengxi mustered the courage to confess his feelings to Bai Fengxi, unwilling to miss another chance. When Bai Fengxi responded, he leaned in and kissed her.

Zhang Zhongge reported the dungeon situation to the Lord of Yongzhou, confirming that the Tianshuang Sect had not attempted escape. This astonished the prince and suggested Hei Fengxi knew the weight of things. They would see how he acted in Youzhou. Meanwhile, word from Yongjing revealed to Yu Wuyuan that Feng Ju's plan had failed.

Yu Wuyuan no longer had hope in him and now only awaited Huang Chao and Hua Chunran’s wedding, which would unite the forces of Jizhou and Youzhou in the battle for supremacy. The Duanhun Sect master revealed that the jade carver was also in the Yongzhou dungeon, though he doubted the massive prison would bring him into contact with Bai Jiande.

Yet fate has its ways, and Yu Wuyuan wouldn’t miss this investigative opportunity—he decided to visit Tianshuang Sect in a few days. Not long after, a letter from Youzhou announced that Hua Chunran had chosen Huang Chao, and a wedding would be held soon. The Lord of Yongzhou believed that Feng Lanxi giving up the chance to marry Youzhou’s princess and saying he wanted to establish the Fountain Abode for self-preservation might actually be credible.

He then ordered Yuan Lu to instruct Zhang Zhongge to release the Tianshuang Sect members. At the same time, Hei Fengxi sent Feng Qiwu two letters, asking Ren Rusong to retire and return to the countryside—Liangcheng would be his ideal destination. Ren Rusong understood that since Hei Fengxi did not marry Hua Chunran, he lost his backing in Youzhou and would be less influential upon returning to court.

Even though Feng Chang withdrew from the succession race, the struggle between Hei Fengxi and Feng Ju was just beginning. Feng Qiwu understood Hei Fengxi’s reasoning. Zhongli conveyed the message and prepared documents on the Fountain Abode, stating that the Feng family had deep roots in Yongzhou. These documents could serve as a token of loyalty to win the Lord of Yongzhou’s trust, allowing him partial control over the Fountain Abode's power and preventing total wrath toward the Feng family.

Yu Wuyuan bid farewell to Huang Chao, repeatedly urging him to wait for the right opportunity if he planned to use Youzhou to attack Qingzhou. Hei Fengxi accompanied Bai Fengxi back to Tianshuang Sect. Now that he had voluntarily given up the Fountain Abode, it was enough to prove his sincerity and ensure the safety of Tianshuang Sect's people. Bai Jiande asked Hei Fengxi about his future plans. With Huang Chao and Hua Chunran’s marriage, war was on the horizon.

He hoped that when the time came, Hei Fengxi would protect the people. Meanwhile, Feng Qiwu personally sent off Ren Rusong, and Madam Baili subtly tested the Lord of Yongzhou, confirming that Feng Chang no longer coveted the heir's position. With Feng Lanxi gone from Yongzhou, the title of Hereditary Prince would go to Feng Ju alone. The Lord of Yongzhou had long known Madam Baili’s indulgence.

Even though she knew Feng Chang had made accusations and tried to break into the prison, she still protected him. But the Lord no longer wanted to pursue the matter. With rebels rife in the south, if Feng Ju could suppress them, he would be qualified to become Hereditary Prince.

Yu Wuyuan arrived uninvited, taking the initiative to visit the Tianshuang Sect. Although he admitted the broken jade pendant came from the Yu family, he lied, claiming to have lost it years ago. Bai Jiande took the opportunity to ask if Yu Wuyuan knew of the bearer of the Empyrean Token, saying that during his investigation, he suspected the jade pendant was somehow connected to the Qionglin Garden. This comment from Bai Jiande aroused Yu Wuyuan’s suspicion.

He hadn’t expected the other party to know so many secrets and thus decided to kill him. That very night, Bai Jiande sought out Bai Fengxi for a casual chat, expressing his wish to retire from the martial world while he still had the freedom to travel. However, his greatest concern remained the Tianshuang Sect, so before leaving, he hoped to appoint a suitable sect leader.

Though Bai Fengxi was the best candidate for sect leader, her identity made it impossible for her to remain there long term. Following her suggestion, it was decided that her daughter Bai Langhua would take over the leadership. Bai Langhua was still young and inexperienced, but she was not alone—Xiu Jiurong was by her side, and thus it was agreed that he would serve as deputy leader to assist her.

With conflict raging across the six states, Bai Fengxi knew Qingzhou would inevitably be affected. Yet she believed there was no need to return for now. After all, wherever Hei Fengxi was, that was her home. Bai Jiande, knowing she would not go back on her decision, warned her to be cautious no matter what she faced and to never forget the dangers of the world. He also wished her true happiness.

The next morning, shocking news came from the Tianshuang Sect—the sect leader had been murdered. Since Bai Jiande had met Bai Fengxi before his death, Bai Langhua insisted she killed him to seize the position. Hei Fengxi believed something was off, but Bai Langhua refused to listen, accusing Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi of collusion—one poisoned, the other covered it up. Bai Langhua’s slander left Bai Fengxi bitterly disappointed, but there was no evidence to clear her name.

The crowd grew increasingly agitated. Just as Hei Fengxi was about to take Bai Fengxi away, Bai Langhua accused them of fleeing out of guilt and, in a panic, stabbed Bai Fengxi in the chest with her sword, then froze in shock. Summoning her last ounce of strength, Bai Fengxi stopped Hei Fengxi from killing in revenge.

Ultimately, Hei Fengxi used his identity tied to the Fountain Abode to forcefully take her away, hiding her in a dilapidated temple outside the city. As she hovered between life and death, Bai Fengxi instead comforted Hei Fengxi, wondering what would happen if she really were to die here. Before she could finish, Hei Fengxi interrupted her, declaring that if the King of Hell insisted on taking her, he would storm the gates of Fengdu itself to bring her back.

With no doctors in the remote area, Hei Fengxi remembered the Lan Yin Flower Elder Taiyin had given him. He chewed the petals and fed them to Bai Fengxi. To his surprise, her inner strength suddenly returned, and he used it to refine the petals into medicine, saving her life. When Bai Fengxi awoke, three days had passed. From Hei Fengxi, she learned that he had saved her using the Lan Yin Flower and restored her meridians and inner power.

During this time, Zhong Li continued to protect the Tianshuang Sect, and Bai Langhua officially took over as leader, later holding a funeral for Bai Jiande. Remembering Bai Jiande’s dying words, Bai Fengxi felt there was more to his death. Hei Fengxi also noticed the condition of Bai Jiande’s corpse was eerily similar to that of his late mother—the skin on their hands was wrinkled, a sign they both died from the same rare poison.

Since someone had framed Bai Fengxi to sow chaos in the Tianshuang Sect, the culprit must be someone powerful. Hei Fengxi suspected the incident was linked to the counterfeit Empyrean Token. Just then, Han Pu entered, reporting that his silver needle test on Bai Jiande’s corpse showed no signs of poisoning. Hei Fengxi recalled there was a type of poison undetectable by silver needles—Qianji, a highly secret toxin crafted by the Dadong royal family.

The Han family’s ancestors had served as imperial physicians and had accidentally discovered its existence. Given the involvement of the Dadong royal family, Hei Fengxi accompanied Bai Fengxi to mourn Bai Jiande, then decided to head to the Imperial Capital. Meanwhile, the King of Qing’s health was rapidly declining, with only months or weeks left. He instructed Feng Xieyue to take on more state responsibilities and never forget his original intentions.

In the past, Qingzhou bordered Youzhou, and there had long been animosity. Now that Youzhou’s princess had married Jizhou’s hereditary prince, Youzhou was likely to attack. Feng Xieyue must not lose even a single city and must protect the people from a brutal war. Knowing his time was short, the King of Qing wanted to see his daughter one last time and asked Feng Xieyue to write to Feng Xiyun. Elsewhere, Huang Chao had married Hua Chunran.

The two drank happily with the Lord of Youzhou, when a palace servant interrupted, reporting that the Hereditary Prince of Qingzhou had been governing for over two months. Given the King of Qing’s usual hands-on approach, this sudden shift meant his condition was dire—both Youzhou and Jizhou saw this as the perfect time to invade.

Unaware of all this, Bai Fengxi arrived at the Imperial Capital of Dadong with Hei Fengxi and others, meeting the head of the Wuyun Thirty-Eight Strongholds. Though their last meeting had been a hostile clash, this time, Bai Fengxi came seeking a favor—three masks to help them infiltrate the Hidden Market.

Yu Wuyuan arrived uninvited, taking the initiative to visit the Tianshuang Sect. Although he admitted the broken jade pendant came from the Yu family, he lied, claiming to have lost it years ago. Bai Jiande took the opportunity to ask if Yu Wuyuan knew of the bearer of the Empyrean Token, saying that during his investigation, he suspected the jade pendant was somehow connected to the Qionglin Garden. This comment from Bai Jiande aroused Yu Wuyuan’s suspicion.

He hadn’t expected the other party to know so many secrets and thus decided to kill him. That very night, Bai Jiande sought out Bai Fengxi for a casual chat, expressing his wish to retire from the martial world while he still had the freedom to travel. However, his greatest concern remained the Tianshuang Sect, so before leaving, he hoped to appoint a suitable sect leader.

Though Bai Fengxi was the best candidate for sect leader, her identity made it impossible for her to remain there long term. Following her suggestion, it was decided that her daughter Bai Langhua would take over the leadership. Bai Langhua was still young and inexperienced, but she was not alone—Xiu Jiurong was by her side, and thus it was agreed that he would serve as deputy leader to assist her.

With conflict raging across the six states, Bai Fengxi knew Qingzhou would inevitably be affected. Yet she believed there was no need to return for now. After all, wherever Hei Fengxi was, that was her home. Bai Jiande, knowing she would not go back on her decision, warned her to be cautious no matter what she faced and to never forget the dangers of the world. He also wished her true happiness.

The next morning, shocking news came from the Tianshuang Sect—the sect leader had been murdered. Since Bai Jiande had met Bai Fengxi before his death, Bai Langhua insisted she killed him to seize the position. Hei Fengxi believed something was off, but Bai Langhua refused to listen, accusing Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi of collusion—one poisoned, the other covered it up. Bai Langhua’s slander left Bai Fengxi bitterly disappointed, but there was no evidence to clear her name.

The crowd grew increasingly agitated. Just as Hei Fengxi was about to take Bai Fengxi away, Bai Langhua accused them of fleeing out of guilt and, in a panic, stabbed Bai Fengxi in the chest with her sword, then froze in shock. Summoning her last ounce of strength, Bai Fengxi stopped Hei Fengxi from killing in revenge.

Ultimately, Hei Fengxi used his identity tied to the Fountain Abode to forcefully take her away, hiding her in a dilapidated temple outside the city. As she hovered between life and death, Bai Fengxi instead comforted Hei Fengxi, wondering what would happen if she really were to die here. Before she could finish, Hei Fengxi interrupted her, declaring that if the King of Hell insisted on taking her, he would storm the gates of Fengdu itself to bring her back.

With no doctors in the remote area, Hei Fengxi remembered the Lan Yin Flower Elder Taiyin had given him. He chewed the petals and fed them to Bai Fengxi. To his surprise, her inner strength suddenly returned, and he used it to refine the petals into medicine, saving her life. When Bai Fengxi awoke, three days had passed. From Hei Fengxi, she learned that he had saved her using the Lan Yin Flower and restored her meridians and inner power.

During this time, Zhong Li continued to protect the Tianshuang Sect, and Bai Langhua officially took over as leader, later holding a funeral for Bai Jiande. Remembering Bai Jiande’s dying words, Bai Fengxi felt there was more to his death. Hei Fengxi also noticed the condition of Bai Jiande’s corpse was eerily similar to that of his late mother—the skin on their hands was wrinkled, a sign they both died from the same rare poison.

Since someone had framed Bai Fengxi to sow chaos in the Tianshuang Sect, the culprit must be someone powerful. Hei Fengxi suspected the incident was linked to the counterfeit Empyrean Token. Just then, Han Pu entered, reporting that his silver needle test on Bai Jiande’s corpse showed no signs of poisoning. Hei Fengxi recalled there was a type of poison undetectable by silver needles—Qianji, a highly secret toxin crafted by the Dadong royal family.

The Han family’s ancestors had served as imperial physicians and had accidentally discovered its existence. Given the involvement of the Dadong royal family, Hei Fengxi accompanied Bai Fengxi to mourn Bai Jiande, then decided to head to the Imperial Capital. Meanwhile, the King of Qing’s health was rapidly declining, with only months or weeks left. He instructed Feng Xieyue to take on more state responsibilities and never forget his original intentions.

In the past, Qingzhou bordered Youzhou, and there had long been animosity. Now that Youzhou’s princess had married Jizhou’s hereditary prince, Youzhou was likely to attack. Feng Xieyue must not lose even a single city and must protect the people from a brutal war. Knowing his time was short, the King of Qing wanted to see his daughter one last time and asked Feng Xieyue to write to Feng Xiyun. Elsewhere, Huang Chao had married Hua Chunran.

The two drank happily with the Lord of Youzhou, when a palace servant interrupted, reporting that the Hereditary Prince of Qingzhou had been governing for over two months. Given the King of Qing’s usual hands-on approach, this sudden shift meant his condition was dire—both Youzhou and Jizhou saw this as the perfect time to invade.

Unaware of all this, Bai Fengxi arrived at the Imperial Capital of Dadong with Hei Fengxi and others, meeting the head of the Wuyun Thirty-Eight Strongholds. Though their last meeting had been a hostile clash, this time, Bai Fengxi came seeking a favor—three masks to help them infiltrate the Hidden Market.

\------------------------33----------------------- Now that Youzhou and Jizhou had formed an alliance and were secretly amassing troops, seemingly preparing to attack Qingzhou, the Lord of Yongzhou summoned his ministers for a discussion. Minister Wang argued that the two states together would not easily defeat Qingzhou. Furthermore, the alliance was a double-edged sword—Youzhou would certainly be wary of Huang Chao, who in turn would try to annex Youzhou. Yongzhou should stay neutral for now.

Minister Qin immediately objected, pointing out that Qingzhou bordered Yongzhou. If Qingzhou fell, Yongzhou would be trapped, making survival difficult. He advocated for secretly allying with Qingzhou to disrupt Jizhou and Youzhou’s plans. A memorial from Feng Ju had arrived the previous night, reporting successful progress and the eradication of the Nanman bandits. The Lord of Yongzhou decided to reward the troops and move to station forces along Qingzhou’s border.

As the conspiracy gradually came to light, Hei Fengxi finally understood why others feared him so much, feeling a deep sadness. He still didn’t know if his father was aware of the truth, and wondered what would happen when everything was revealed. Bai Fengxi took his hand, promising they would face whatever came—together. Once the masks were ready, Hei Fengxi, Bai Fengxi, and Zhong Li entered the Hidden Market under the pretense of buying lingzhi, seeking out the Medicine Sage.

Sensing someone was following them, they remained calm. Since the Medicine Sage never showed his real face, Hei Fengxi speculated about his identity and discovered he was actually Eunuch Hu, head of the Imperial Pharmacy. From Eunuch Hu, they learned that Qianji poison, though an imperial secret, existed only in small quantities and was extremely expensive, with only two known buyers.

Hei Fengxi wanted to investigate who purchased it and successfully obtained their portrait, sneaking into the palace with Eunuch Hu that night. While reviewing the buyer’s album, Hei Fengxi noticed one woman’s peace amulet was a Yongzhou ornament. He suspected she was the buyer and possibly linked to his mother’s death, and requested another dose of Qianji poison from Eunuch Hu.

Meanwhile, Yu Wuyuan, whose Lan Yin Bi Yue could only suppress part of his blood curse, needed the Empyrean Token to remove it entirely. Just as Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi were preparing to leave the palace, news came of an assassination attempt on the emperor, whose death was highly suspicious. Eunuch Han denied involvement, insisting he had never intended to kill. General Dongshu was ordered to search for the assassin. Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi hid in a cabinet.

Meanwhile, Imperial Eunuch Zhang Jin secretly met with Yu Wuyuan, confirming the mission’s success. Just as General Dongshu was about to search the cabinet, news came that Zhang Jin had gone missing, sparing Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi from discovery. The palace was quickly locked down. Yu Wuyuan immediately went to see the Crown Prince, advising him to publicly announce the emperor’s death.

General Dongshu suspected Yu Wuyuan had ulterior motives, but Yu Wuyuan said that once the six states learned of the emperor’s passing, they would march on the capital. In such chaotic times, only if the Crown Prince ascended the throne would there be a chance for survival. As Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi left the palace, they unexpectedly encountered Bai Langhua and others. Han Pu’s examination confirmed that Bai Jiande had indeed died from the rare Qianji poison.

Realizing she had misunderstood her senior sister, Bai Langhua felt deeply remorseful. The two reconciled, and Zhong Li found a body outside the palace—the missing eunuch Zhang Jin, who had been killed with a single strike by the Duanhun Sect. Hei Fengxi sensed the situation was far from simple. Whoever used Qianji poison to lure them to Dadong and then murdered the emperor had orchestrated a grand conspiracy. Bai Jiande’s death was likely tied to a secret he uncovered.

With the emperor gone and all forces eyeing the throne, turmoil was inevitable. Bai Fengxi comforted Bai Langhua, promising to uncover the truth. A member of the Duanhun Sect secretly met with Minister Wang, saying the old Yongzhou case should be reopened—it was time to use the troops long prepared. Hei Fengxi recalled that shortly after his mother’s death, someone left the royal palace bearing a striking resemblance to a person in the portraits. He resolved to return to Yongzhou.

Bai Fengxi accompanied him to visit Du Xianniang, who revealed that she had once gone to the Hidden Market in the Imperial Capital to buy poison on Madam Baili’s orders, lured by money. It wasn’t until the former queen was assassinated that she learned the true purpose of the poison. She survived and escaped the palace only because someone secretly helped her.

Upon learning that his mother had been poisoned, Hei Fengxi was heartbroken and swore to expose Madam Baili’s crimes and seek justice. Feng Qiwu, reviewing recent affairs, noticed that the Lord of Yongzhou was using the army reward as a pretext to deploy troops, gauging the situation before making a decision. Yongzhou was currently the weakest in defense. If someone tried to exploit this, the consequences would be dire.

Hei Fengxi told Feng Qiwu to keep an eye on court movements and report any signs of trouble. Upon hearing of Qingzhou’s plight, Bai Fengxi immediately sent word back. Qingzhou’s ministers advised Feng Xieyue to seek help from Yongzhou. Madam Baili, upon hearing that Feng Lanxi had discovered the Qianji poison, angrily rebuked Minister Wang for abandoning her. He had once dragged her into this, and now sought to keep himself clean.

Minister Wang reminded her she had already achieved her wish and now ruled Fengyi Palace. The only path forward was a palace coup. Feng Ju, having suppressed the Nanman rebellion, had many troops under his command. They could use the excuse of purging corrupt elements near the throne to capture Feng Lanxi and eliminate any rivals for the position of Hereditary Prince. With the Lord of Yongzhou’s birthday seven days away, it would be the perfect time for a coup. Madam Baili, however, was still hesitant and needed more time to consider.

Now that Hei Fengxi has obtained solid evidence, if he is allowed to submit it to court, it will undoubtedly cause a great stir. No matter how favored Madam Baili is, she will likely be unable to protect herself. So after much deliberation, she decided to first probe the intentions of the Lord of Yongzhou, deliberately revealing that Feng Ju had rendered meritorious service in suppressing bandits.

Unexpectedly, the Lord of Yongzhou still asserted that the position of Hereditary Prince was not yet timely. Upon receiving the news, Feng Ju rushed back to Yongjing to meet Madam Baili. After hearing that the truth about the death of the late queen had been exposed, he decided to take the opportunity to launch a palace coup. He planned to wait for his father’s army to march south and would still need Madam Baili’s help.

After some hesitation, she steeled herself and agreed to the Chancellor's plan. Hei Fengxi discovered the name of the Duke of Liang on the list of officials who had plotted against the late queen, so he brought Bai Fengxi to confront him. Faced with the evidence, the Duke of Liang had no choice but to confess: the late queen was from the Dadong Imperial Family.

She was initially used to strengthen ties, but once Dayong prospered, her continued existence would have permanently tied Yongzhou to the declining Imperial Family, thwarting any ambitions to seize the realm. At those words, the officials from the Ministry of Justice entered and immediately sentenced the Duke of Liang. When Hei Fengxi learned that Feng Ju was planning a coup, he ordered Zhongli to fetch Du Qianniang and have the Duke of Liang stand by, ready at any moment.

Today was the Lord of Yongzhou’s fiftieth birthday. As the Emperor of Dadong had recently passed away, the celebration had to be kept simple. Madam Baili deliberately stirred trouble by mentioning that during a trip to the imperial capital to procure ganoderma, her people unexpectedly encountered Feng Lanxi. The Lord of Yongzhou was displeased upon hearing this, believing that Feng Lanxi was still closer to the Dadong Imperial Family.

Zhang Zhongge thought they should immediately enter the palace to report to the Lord of Yongzhou and was preparing to leave with Hei Fengxi when Feng Qiwu suddenly appeared. She reported that she had seen the commander of the imperial guards, Zhao Hai, and that the guards had swapped with the city defense troops—now under the Chancellor’s control. With most of the forces in Yongjing already redeployed, the only nearby city capable of resolving the crisis was Yancheng.

The Feng family army, which had followed their ancestors in campaigns in the northern frontier, had since been stationed covertly in Yancheng as a hidden force, meant to deal with unexpected events such as today. Upon learning this, Hei Fengxi instructed Feng Qiwu to personally go to Yancheng and mobilize reinforcements before the coup took place. Bai Fengxi offered to accompany her.

As the birthday banquet commenced, the enemy army approached the city gates, which were inadequately guarded and in imminent danger. Upon learning this, the Lord of Yongzhou was furious. What shocked him even more was that the vanguard troops bore the banner of the Marquis of Yongping. He immediately ordered further reconnaissance. Meanwhile, Feng Qiwu and Bai Fengxi led their generals through fierce combat, leaving corpses in their wake.

The ministers all submitted memorials accusing Feng Lanxi of staging a coup. Feng Ju volunteered to break out of the city to seek reinforcements for his father, but he required the military token. The Chancellor and Feng Ju worked in concert, persuading the Lord of Yongzhou not to hesitate. Eventually, the Lord ordered Yuan Lu to bring the military token and handed it to Feng Ju, reminding him of its great responsibility.

However, Hei Fengxi publicly denied any rebellion, and Zhang Zhongge confirmed that the rebel army had acted under Feng Ju’s instructions in an attempt to frame Feng Lanxi. As Zhang Zhongge presented the evidence, Feng Ju was shocked and realized that things could no longer be reversed. The Chancellor warned Feng Ju not to relinquish his military authority, or their plans would fail completely.

The Lord of Yongzhou ordered Feng Ju's arrest, but the Chancellor forced the Lord to issue a decree of abdication to resolve the crisis. Hei Fengxi then exposed the Chancellor as a spy from Jizhou planted in Yongzhou. Enraged, Feng Ju gave the signal, and dozens of archers stormed in from outside, aiming straight at Feng Lanxi. But ultimately, the Chancellor had miscalculated.

He had believed he controlled Feng Lanxi’s fate, but had not anticipated that Feng Qiwu had already led a successful effort to subdue the rebels. Upon learning that Madam Baili had murdered the late queen, the Lord of Yongzhou ordered the arrest of her and her son, along with the Chancellor. Hei Fengxi seized the opportunity to bring Du Qianniang, the Duke of Liang, and others as witnesses.

Though Madam Baili continued to resist, claiming she had been deceived by the Chancellor, Hei Fengxi presented ample evidence of her many crimes: poisoning the late queen and plotting rebellion. Feng Chang questioned whether Madam Baili had ever felt a shred of guilt toward the queen, while Feng Ju showed no remorse at all. His thirst for power stemmed from his disbelief in the father-son bond the Lord of Yongzhou pretended to uphold.

In Feng Ju’s view, the Lord of Yongzhou had never cared for Feng Lanxi. He only had eyes for the throne, even guarding against his own son—going so far as to cripple Feng Lanxi’s inner power and banish him from Yongzhou. Had the Lord truly valued family, none of this would have happened. Everything Feng Ju did was for his own survival. Furious, the Lord of Yongzhou ordered the Chancellor and others thrown into the dungeon.

Madam Baili was sentenced to take her own life with a white silk sash. Feng Ju was demoted to commoner status and permanently exiled from the capital. Before leaving the palace, he was given one last chance to see Madam Baili, only to find her already dead, which dealt him a devastating blow.

Once the coup was quelled, the Lord of Yongzhou issued an order to confer the title of Hereditary Prince, and the Marquis of Yongping was undoubtedly the best candidate. Through this ordeal, the Lord realized how foolish he had been and, speaking as a father, earnestly advised his son: when ruling Yongzhou, he must be wary of ambitious forces from other states and always prioritize the people.

After finishing the conversation with his father, Hei Fengxi seized the moment to propose to Bai Fengxi. He expressed that with her by his side, he had seen much beauty in the world and wished to spend the rest of his life with her. At court that day, Hei Fengxi was officially named the Hereditary Prince of Yongzhou. He took Bai Fengxi to the ancestral hall to pay respects to his late mother.

In front of the late queen's memorial, Bai Fengxi swore to protect Lanxi with her life and never let him come to harm. Now that everything had settled, Hei Fengxi began preparing for their wedding and reminded her that once she made her choice, she must never regret it. The two exchanged knowing smiles and embraced sweetly. Originally, Bai Fengxi was to stay in Yongzhou. However, unforeseen events struck—urgent news arrived from Qingzhou: the Youzhou army was attacking.

Although Feng Xieyue was holding the line, the King of Qing was gravely ill and feared he had little time left. Feng Xieyue hoped his sister would return quickly, and Bai Fengxi, deeply worried, did not notice that Hei Fengxi had overheard the conversation nearby. That night, Bai Fengxi personally cooked for Hei Fengxi, preparing delicate pastries. Under the moonlight, she prayed for his future happiness and peace for the people of Yongzhou.

Hei Fengxi noticed she was different than usual and, reflecting on the day’s events, could easily guess the reason for her mood. Hei Fengxi had believed his own background was already mysterious enough, yet was surprised to learn that Bai Fengxi’s origins were even more remarkable. He brought up the promise he made during the mountaintop oath—that no matter what happened, they would face it together.

Naturally, when Bai Fengxi faced danger, he would not turn a blind eye and decided to go with her to Qingzhou. Moved, Bai Fengxi agreed, and they set off immediately, eventually arriving in Qingzhou. After seeing her brother, she went to visit her father, only to find that the King of Qing’s illness was worse than imagined.

The King was overjoyed to see his daughter, but warned that Youzhou and Jizhou were attacking jointly, and he feared Feng Xieyue would not match Huang Chao. Bai Fengxi promised to help her brother defend Qingzhou. Returning home also made Bai Fengxi feel deep guilt. She had spent too much time traveling and neglected her aging father, only learning of his illness after a year. Feng Xieyue comforted her, urging her to focus on the war.

The siblings discussed their plans—Bai Fengxi would remain in the palace to handle state affairs, while Feng Xieyue would lead the army and promised to return safely, certain of victory. Meanwhile, Huang Chao was arranging military deployments in the rear. Despite the defeat of Youzhou’s vanguard, he remained calm. Under his scheme, the Lord of Youzhou had feigned an attack on Langcheng, angering Hua Chunran, who believed the Golden Cavalry could easily crush the city.

Huang Chao explained that the time wasn’t right—storming Langcheng would compromise the surprise attack on Qingzhou. Only by deceiving the enemy into letting their guard down could they lure them deep into the trap. Moreover, Hei Fengxi had become the Hereditary Prince of Yongzhou and was still looking for an opportunity to undermine Qingzhou. Yu Wuyuan revealed that Qingzhou was not only defended by Feng Xieyue, but also by the famed Princess Feng Xiyun.

Learning that the Hereditary Prince of Yongzhou had traveled there as Bai Fengxi’s beloved, the King of Qing summoned him to the palace to judge his daughter’s choice. Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi were famous in the martial world, and the King was quite satisfied with what he saw. However, he had heard rumors that Hei Fengxi liked to bully people, so he made one request: that Hei Fengxi never bully his daughter again.

In truth, the King of Qing also hoped the young couple could truly love each other with open hearts. Though they came from different realms, with shared purpose, they could overcome anything. While national duty was important, one must also make time for family—or risk lifelong regret. That was the King’s heartfelt advice to the younger generation.

Back in Qingzhou’s military camp, General Xu reported to Feng Xieyue that although the Lord of Youzhou had lost his vanguard, the elite Golden Cavalry had yet to appear. They suspected a major offensive was imminent. Huang Chao and Yu Wuyuan were both at the Youzhou base, and now two more divisions were attacking Qingzhou, less than a mile from the city gates.

Feng Xiyue ordered General Xu to escort the civilians to Licheng and decided to personally lead the charge. But treachery is hard to guard against. Yu Wuyuan had already laid an ambush, aiming to kill Feng Xieyue. As expected, a poisoned arrow was loosed. Feng Xieyue could not evade it and died from the poison. The terrible news and Feng Xieyue’s body were returned to Qingzhou. Bai Fengxi was devastated but forced herself to face her father.

The King of Qing, having heard of the tragedy, gave her his final instructions: after his death, she was to inherit the throne and become the second queen of the Dadong Dynasty. Because Feng Xieyue had died in battle, Qingzhou now bore deep hatred toward both Jizhou and Youzhou. With the world heading into chaos, Bai Fengxi had no choice but to rise to the occasion.

In the current world, the Imperial Family has declined, and talents have emerged across the various states. It is a time of turmoil and opportunity, and the balance among the six states may not last.

Therefore, the Lord of Qingzhou, unwilling to see the people suffer, advised his daughter that if she had grand ambitions, she should strive to become an even greater queen than any of her ancestors—a queen the likes of which had never been seen since the beginning of time. After the Lord of Qingzhou departed, Bai Fengxi was overwhelmed with grief.

At that moment, Youzhou achieved a great victory, and the Lord of Youzhou prepared to take Qingzhou in one swift strike. Yu Wuyuan advised him not to be reckless—after all, with Lang City lost, the people of Qingzhou were filled with anger and sorrow and would surely recover and prepare for a counterattack. Caution was needed. Now that her father and brother had both passed away, Qingzhou had no one to hold the line.

It was decided that Princess Feng Xiyue would inherit the throne. Bai Fengxi resumed her identity as Feng Xiyun and, with the support of the ministers, was successfully crowned Queen of Qingzhou. Upon hearing that Qingzhou had raised the phoenix banner, Huang Chao was surprised to learn she was following the example of her ancestor. He lamented that among the younger generation, it was Feng Xiyun who first ascended the throne.

In truth, when Huang Chao first met Bai Fengxi, he had a vague suspicion of her connection to Feng Xiyun. Moreover, wherever Bai Fengxi appeared, Hei Fengxi was always nearby—this battle would not be easily won. Yu Wuyuan believed retreat was the best strategy, but the stubborn Lord of Youzhou would never agree. Fortunately, his devastating defeat would benefit Huang Chao in seizing control of Youzhou.

Hearing this, Huang Chao was shocked that Yu Wuyuan would voice such a ruthless plan. As for the newly crowned Queen Feng Xiyun, she constantly faced unpredictable danger and was deeply uncertain about the future. Hei Fengxi comforted her, promising to stay by her side and never betray her trust. Moreover, the Mo Yu Riders and the Fountain Abode stood firmly behind her—he would do everything in his power to protect her.

Feng Xiyun understood Hei Fengxi’s intentions, but unless it was absolutely necessary, she would not let him exhaust all his resources to aid her. A scout suddenly reported that Youzhou’s Golden Armored Riders vanguard would arrive by dusk the next day or at dawn the day after. Since Yishan was the only path they could take, Feng Xiyun decided to ambush there.

She ordered General Cheng Zhi of the Fengyun Riders to stay behind and oversee the kingdom, while Generals Qi Xu and Lin Ji were to count the remaining Fengyun Riders and accompany her to Licheng to confront the enemy. She was determined to show Youzhou that Qingzhou was not to be trifled with. As Feng Xiyun had predicted, thirty thousand Golden Armored Riders passed through the area, losing several thousand before even reaching Licheng.

The soldiers were in high spirits, and Feng Xiyun calculated that the vanguard would likely arrive at dawn and attack immediately. Thus, they would need to deploy the Blood Phoenix Formation, created by her ancestor. The military texts of Yu Yan recorded the power of the Blood Phoenix Formation.

Hei Fengxi believed that since Youzhou and Qingzhou had been at odds for many years, Youzhou must have countermeasures by now, and that some adjustments should be made to the current formation. Feng Xiyun understood his concerns—though Youzhou’s troops were not a threat by themselves, the presence of Huang Chao and Yu Wuyuan meant they needed to remain vigilant.

The Blood Phoenix Formation was originally created by Feng Duying, the first Queen of Qingzhou, to help Emperor Weilie pacify the realm. She was the only female general among the Six Kings. Deeply grateful, Emperor Weilie had intended to marry her and share the empire. However, Feng Duying loved her freedom and declined, eventually being enfeoffed as the Queen of Qingzhou. Qingzhou had always valued peace, and its rulers disliked bloodshed.

The Blood Phoenix Formation had lain dormant for generations, only now seeing the light of day. When the Golden Armored Riders approached within a hundred paces of the city, Feng Xiyun gave the order, and Youzhou’s thirty-thousand-strong army was annihilated under the formation. The Lord of Youzhou flew into a rage and asked Yu Wuyuan if there was a way to break it. Yu Wuyuan knew the formation was incredibly powerful and unpredictable.

The Phoenix King had once used it to crush armies, and no one had ever broken it. But the Lord of Youzhou was unwilling to retreat. Huang Chao believed victory was still possible but that one must first observe the formation to find its flaw. Upon hearing this, the Lord of Youzhou immediately ordered Meng Kai to lead five thousand elite troops to attack the city at si hour (9 a. m. ).

Before the Golden Armored Riders even attacked, Yu Wuyuan had already given the method to break the formation to Ye Yan. However, Feng Xiyun had modified the formation, suggesting last-minute changes. With Hei Fengxi’s assistance, her momentum was unstoppable. Huang Chao saw that if he wanted to conquer the world, these two would be his biggest threats. Yu Wuyuan waited for Youzhou’s artillery to arrive. Huang Chao, however, felt that such firepower would bring devastating bloodshed—something he couldn't bear.

But surprisingly, the usually kind Yu Wuyuan was obsessed with the cannons. He believed that such weapons should be in their hands to prevent even greater bloodshed. Meanwhile, the Lord of Youzhou’s five thousand elite soldiers scouted for weaknesses, only to find that Feng Xiyun hadn’t activated the Blood Phoenix Formation again, resulting in a further loss of three thousand troops.

That night, inquiring about the Zhen Tian Riders, the Lord of Youzhou finally realized that Huang Chao was waiting to benefit from Qingzhou and Youzhou’s mutual destruction. He ordered preparations for artillery, planning to take Licheng the day after tomorrow. It wasn’t just the Hereditary Prince of Jizhou, Huang Chao—Feng Xiyun, too, was forcing the Lord of Youzhou to use the cannons, because she had decided to destroy them with Hei Fengxi. Unfortunately, their actions were limited.

Feng Xiyun managed to destroy one cannon, but Huang Chao appeared to stop her. His power was overwhelming, and she had to retreat strategically. Yu Wuyuan suspected Feng Xiyun deliberately gave up Licheng to target the four cannons, as attacking Youzhou directly would be too difficult. Licheng, familiar terrain, had only one possible location to hide the cannons. That night, Huang Chao and Yu Wuyuan waited for Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi at the location, planning to stop them.

But during a moment of distraction in their conversation, all the cannons were destroyed. The Lord of Youzhou was furious upon hearing the news, vowing to be irreconcilable with Feng Xiyun. Huang Chao observed quietly and made no move. Instead, Bai Langhua and Xiu Jiurong arrived at Licheng with Han Pu, stating that while sorting her father’s belongings, they discovered a broken jade pendant.

It had come from the Tianren Jade Family, as told by a jade carver she met in Yongzhou’s prison. But now the pendant was missing, and Bai Langhua suspected Yu Wuyuan of murdering her father and taking the pendant.

While organizing her father’s belongings, Bai Langhua unexpectedly learned her senior sister’s true identity. Now that she had found clues about the jade pendant, she decided to set off immediately for the frontier. Since Han Pu was too young to endure the journey, she entrusted him to Bai Fengxi. Bai Fengxi had planned to send him back to the sect, but Han Pu insisted on staying, so Hei Fengxi instructed Zhongli to take care of him.

The Empyrean Token was part of Dadong’s conspiracy, and the connection to Yu Wuyuan was puzzling. Hei Fengxi would have the Fountain Abode investigate thoroughly and expected answers soon. As for the heavy losses in the battle with Youzhou, both Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi suspected Huang Chao of deliberately provoking a mutual defeat between Qingzhou and Youzhou, predicting that the Lord of Youzhou would soon take the field himself.

Just as they anticipated, the Lord of Youzhou prepared to lead the army personally, with his mind set. Huang Chao did not dissuade him but instead wished him victory and then went to observe the battle with Yu Wuyuan from afar. The Blood Phoenix Formation of Qingzhou remained fierce—unstoppable like the wind, consuming like fire. The Golden Armored Riders had no defense and fell immediately, much to the Lord of Youzhou’s dismay.

One of the four Fengyun Generals, Qi Xu, fought bravely and took down many enemies alone. Surrounded by the Blood Phoenix Formation, the Golden Armored Riders had no way to break through. The outcome was sealed. Huang Chao seized the chance to advise retreat, but the Lord of Youzhou, completely deranged, refused. Bai Fengxi, unable to watch her soldiers die in vain, shot an arrow that pierced his helmet and knocked him from his chariot.

Gravely wounded and mentally broken, the Lord of Youzhou fell into a coma. Hua Chunran knew Huang Chao had allowed the two sides to exhaust each other, but she didn’t pursue it further. After all, they were both shrewd. With no one able to lead Youzhou, Huang Chao openly offered to help Hua Chunran ascend as queen. But first, Huang Chao wanted military authority in Youzhou, promising to lead personally and follow her command.

Hua Chunran understood the implications and, before the entire army, handed over the Tiger Seal, ordering all Golden Armored Riders to obey Huang Chao and help him defeat the Fengyun Riders and restore their honor. In the next battle, Bai Fengxi fought Huang Chao one-on-one. Their duel was fierce. Bai Fengxi accused him of becoming ruthless, using soldiers to test formations even knowing the battle would be lost.

She warned him: if he withdrew now, she would not pursue the matter, but if he insisted on fighting, she would meet him to the end. After a moment of hesitation, Huang Chao ordered a retreat. The Qingzhou generals rejoiced, praising Bai Fengxi’s divine tactics. That night, urgent news came from Yancheng—Zhen Tian Riders had breached the gates. With their numbers exceeding one hundred thousand, the disparity in forces made defending Wuhui nearly impossible.

Hei Fengxi said the Mo Yu Riders were prepared in Liangcheng and that he would summon them personally. He urged Bai Fengxi to be cautious and wait for reinforcements. She gladly agreed and gave him a Yue Lao Talisman, symbolizing their unbroken red thread of fate and shared concern, promising mutual protection. On the front, the Golden Armored Riders faced off with the Fengyun Riders, while the Zhen Tian Riders flanked and took Yancheng, placing Qingzhou in a dire position.

Huang Chao pondered how Qingzhou would respond. Things had gone too smoothly, and the Blood Phoenix Formation remained a threat. Coincidentally, Yu Wuyuan had secretly met with the leader of the Duanhun Sect and obtained a method to break the formation. Still, Huang Chao believed Hei Fengxi had a backup plan. Yu Wuyuan disagreed, convinced Hei Fengxi lacked the military authority to command troops. Lin Ji reported to Bai Fengxi that military supplies were ready.

After reporting, he hesitated and indirectly voiced concern about Hei Fengxi. As the Hereditary Prince of Yongzhou, his state had always been tough. If they won the war, Yongzhou might suppress Qingzhou, deepening their conflict. However, Bai Fengxi believed that if the world could be unified and the people could live in peace, there was no need for Qingzhou’s Feng Clan or Yongzhou’s Feng Clan to dominate. Qingzhou had never aimed for supremacy—it only wanted to protect its people.

Now, with war everywhere and the people suffering, if a wise ruler were to emerge, Bai Fengxi was willing to lead Qingzhou in laying down arms and submitting. She conveyed these thoughts to the Fengyun Riders to share her true intentions. Before the battle, Huang Yu was assigned to stay by Yu Wuyuan’s side on Huang Chao’s orders to look after his sister.

Bai Fengxi led the army into battle but was shocked to find the enemy had already learned how to counter the Blood Phoenix Formation. It was no longer a secret. With their current forces, they could no longer rely on the formation. When Bai Fengxi asked about the Mo Yu Riders, the scouts had no news—they likely wouldn’t arrive in time. Determined, she drew her sword and ordered the troops to charge with her. Meanwhile, Hei Fengxi was racing to the battlefield with the Mo Yu Riders, unaware that Bai Fengxi was already surrounded and completely exhausted.

The Blood Phoenix Formation was no longer formidable, while the Youzhou army attacked fiercely. Bai Fengxi had no choice but to lead a handful of commanders into a fierce battle that lasted an entire day and night. Fortunately, at the critical moment, Hei Fengxi arrived in time with the Mo Yu Cavalry. Considering the overwhelming enemy momentum and the exhaustion of the remaining Youzhou troops, Huang Chao realized there was no chance of victory and ordered a retreat.

However, upon seeing Bai Fengxi badly wounded in several places, Hei Fengxi flew into a rage and charged at Huang Chao and Yu Wuyuan, unexpectedly discovering the Lanyin Biyue inside Yu Wuyuan’s body. Knowing he was no match, Yu Wuyuan stayed cautious, while Huang Chao was greatly shocked—he had never imagined that Hei Fengxi could assemble such an elite force in such a short time without leaving any trace.

Now that Qingzhou had formed a pincer movement, the situation was very unfavorable for Youzhou. Yu Wuyuan believed that Wuhui Valley was not the place for a final battle. Given the current circumstances, it was also not suitable for a life-or-death confrontation. Just then, a subordinate reported that Shangzhou had captured the four cities of Qiyun. As Yu Wuyuan had predicted, the situation did not allow for a battle, or both sides would suffer irreparable damage.

Moreover, the Lords of Shang and North would not give up easily. If they missed this opportunity, once they captured Qiyun, their strength would greatly increase. Considering the current situation, a direct confrontation with the armies of Qingzhou and Yongzhou might not lead to victory—the odds were fifty-fifty. Huang Chao agreed with Yu Wuyuan’s view and decided to seek temporary peace. Fortunately, Bai Fengxi’s injuries were not serious, which slightly eased Hei Fengxi’s mind.

Reflecting on the confrontation with Yu Wuyuan, he suspected that the chaos in Yongzhou and the Duanhun Sect were all part of Yu Wuyuan’s schemes. While Hei Fengxi analyzed the situation across the six states, he speculated that Youzhou would likely choose to cease hostilities. As expected, just as he said this, the Lord of Youzhou suddenly sent a peace proposal.

Bai Fengxi thought of how Yu Wuyuan was praised for his compassion throughout the world, yet secretly plotted so many schemes. She feared he would become a destabilizing factor in the balance of the six states. Regardless, Hei Fengxi remained firm—no matter how the future unfolded, he would stay by Bai Fengxi’s side. Now that the conflict had settled, it was time to request a marriage alliance from his father.

The victory in this battle brought glory and also strengthened friendly relations between the two states. Hei Fengxi not only gained his father’s trust, but their father-son relationship also improved. When the Lord of Yongzhou learned that the Qingzhou princess was actually Bai Fengxi, he was shocked, but still agreed to his son's request and approved the marriage alliance between the two states.

He even decided that the day of Feng Lanxi's wedding would be the day he passed on the title of Lord of Yongzhou. Since the last palace upheaval, the Lord of Yongzhou had reflected deeply. He realized it was time to yield to a worthy successor. Especially since Hei Fengxi’s wings had fully grown, his prestige was rising, and he had earned the respect of the court. It was inevitable that the realm would one day be his.

The Lord of Yongzhou admitted to his aging and understood that the more exalted the throne, the more lonely it was. Still, having made the decision to abdicate, he felt a sense of peace. A year later, in the ancestral temple of Qingzhou, Bai Fengxi poured out her recent experiences before her parents’ memorial tablets. Just then, an envoy from Yongzhou arrived—it was none other than Feng Qiwu, who had a close relationship with Bai Fengxi.

Since this was a marriage alliance between two states, many considerations were involved. Especially since Bai Fengxi was Queen of Qingzhou, Qingzhou’s ministers felt that Hei Fengxi’s status as Hereditary Prince was not sufficient and deliberately made things difficult for the envoy.

To show Yongzhou’s sincerity, Feng Qiwu conveyed the Lord of Yongzhou’s intent: as long as Bai Fengxi agreed to the marriage, he would abdicate on the day of the wedding and pass the title of Lord of Yongzhou to the Hereditary Prince. Furthermore, Feng Qiwu declared that Qingzhou and Yongzhou would forever be allies, willing to share the world. She also brought generous betrothal gifts to be registered by the Ministry of Rites.

Upon hearing this, the ministers nodded in satisfaction, and Bai Fengxi immediately made a public proclamation. Soon after, the wedding was held in the palace of Yongzhou. The bridal procession stretched for miles, adorned in red with silken veils and bridal carriages. Bai Fengxi, dressed in a magnificent wedding gown, was stunning beyond words.

Hei Fengxi led her by the hand up the grand hall, and in the presence of the Lord of Yongzhou and others, they performed the rites and drank the ceremonial wine. Deeply gratified, the Lord of Yongzhou specially bestowed twin clam pearls upon them, wishing the couple a lifetime of mutual support and harmony. He then publicly announced that the title of Lord of Yongzhou would be passed to Feng Lanxi.

On their wedding night, Hei Fengxi poured two cups of Lanruo wine. After drinking with Bai Fengxi, they indulged in deep affection before the bed. In the blink of an eye, five years had passed. The six states were still engulfed in war, and the people everywhere were suffering. The new emperor, Jing Yan, after much contemplation, decided to hold the Empyrean Token at the imperial capital, waiting for a worthy leader to emerge.

Now that the North State had submitted, the world was split between Yong and Ji. The situation was momentarily stable. Upon hearing that Jing Yan had issued an imperial edict, Bai Fengxi speculated that Hei Fengxi was planning to dispatch troops to the royal domain. A few days earlier, Jizhou had surrounded Shangzhou’s royal domain. The King of Shang, in plain clothes, exited the city holding the Xuanxu Token—symbol of royal authority—and submitted to the Lord of Jizhou, Huang Chao.

Thus, she believed Huang Chao would soon head for the royal domain. In fact, Hei Fengxi saw through Jing Yan’s move, suspecting it was merely an attempt to delay the inevitable while watching Yong and Ji states fight it out. However, Hei Fengxi had already received the abdication edict. Only by attaining the legitimate throne could he win the hearts of the people and ensure the rightful continuation of the imperial line.

Though Huang Chao was his opponent, he was still considered a wise ruler. Hei Fengxi’s struggle with him was for the sake of the people—this was true kingship. What concerned Hei Fengxi the most was Yu Wuyuan’s whereabouts. Since the incident at Wuhui Valley, no one had heard from him. The world believed that this top-ranked noble had retired to avoid further bloodshed, but in reality, he had other ambitions.

Hei Fengxi wasn’t the only one worried—Huang Yu also missed him daily and planned to visit the Qionglin Garden in the imperial capital during the Qingming Festival, hoping to see him again. Han Pu had grown into a commanding officer of the Fengyun Cavalry. He longed to go to the battlefield, but Bai Fengxi did not wish to see that happen. Meanwhile, Huang Chao received a message from Yu Wuyuan and immediately ordered his troops to be reorganized—he must reach the imperial capital before Hei Fengxi.

Jizhou had long since taken control of You and Shang states, while Yongzhou controlled Qing and North. The situation was urgent. However, the new emperor Jing Yan paid no attention to military affairs. General Dongshu advised him that, as the ruler, he should prioritize state matters and not indulge in scholarly leisure. Jing Yan dismissed the warning and told General Dongshu and Yu Wuyuan to discuss it themselves.

To gain General Dongshu’s trust, Yu Wuyuan revealed his trump card—his secret elite army, which amazed the general. Upon learning that Yu Wuyuan commanded 100,000 troops and appeared fully prepared, Dongshu shifted from suspicion to deep trust, mistakenly believing Yu Wuyuan truly intended to defend Dadong. Little did he know, Yu Wuyuan had used the Empyrean Token to lift his curse and was now waiting quietly for the results.

According to his plan, the Yong and Ji armies would soon enter the royal domain, and before that happened, they would likely fight to the death. Meanwhile, Huang Yu, listening outside the door, accidentally made a sound. Yu Wuyuan then ordered the leader of the Duanhun Sect to take action against her. At court, opinions were divided.

Bai Fengxi believed the battle for the royal domain was inevitable and was most concerned about Yu Wuyuan lurking in the shadows—an unpredictable and dangerous man. Hei Fengxi speculated that Huang Chao would surely send his main force from Jizhou to Yancheng, so he ordered the Ren brothers to lead 100,000 Mo Yu Cavalry troops through the North to press toward Jiaocheng and charge straight to the royal domain.

In addition, the Mo Yu Cavalry and the northern Yongzhou forces, led by Hei Fengxi and Ren Rusong, would break through the Yong-Shang border and enter the royal domain, forming a pincer against Huang Chao. Bai Fengxi would then lead Qingzhou troops to seize Juan City. While Hei Fengxi engaged with Huang Chao, Bai Fengxi could storm into the royal domain, and the two would reunite in the imperial capital. Huang Chao, too, mobilized his forces.

A great war between the two nations was imminent. He had anticipated Hei Fengxi’s strategy. The battle of Dongdan would be the decisive moment. Huang Chao ordered Xue Kong to lead the army to Dongdan first, while Qiu Jiushuang was sent to Jiaocheng to prepare an ambush in case Yongzhou entered the capital.

With the imperial family weakened and insufficient troops, both Hei Fengxi and Huang Chao advanced toward the royal domain, forcing Jing Yan to summon his troops back to the capital as a final move. Hei Fengxi learned that the city was deserted, suspecting Yu Wuyuan might have gone to the capital and possibly usurped Jing Yan’s power.

After assigning tasks to Qi Shu and General Xu, Bai Fengxi received intel that General Dongshu had not stayed to guard the royal domain but had instead gone to Juan City. Intrigued, she wanted to test her skills against the legendary general. But Juan City’s walls were low and thin, hard to defend, and the city’s food supplies were halved, lasting at most twenty days. Nevertheless, Bai Fengxi was determined—this battle was inevitable.

Soon, Bai Fengxi and her forces annihilated most of the imperial guards. Seeing Juan City was too weak to defend, and unwilling to see the people suffer, she changed her plan to hold the decisive battle at Xiyuan. Upon arriving outside Juan City and seeing the ground littered with imperial corpses, General Dongshu rushed to Xiyuan. Elsewhere, the Ren brothers arrived three days earlier than expected.

Qi Shu and others brought the provisions as ordered, and just as news came from Juan City, Hei Fengxi finally felt some relief and ordered the march on Dongdan the next day. At dawn, Hei Fengxi and Huang Chao each led their armies into battle. Like the strategic match in Youzhou years ago, both advanced cautiously, launching flanking attacks. After dozens of rounds, neither side gained the upper hand, and both retreated temporarily.

While the army rested en route, Han Pu suddenly recalled that the enemy’s weapons were unusual, their formations well-coordinated, and their injuries healed quickly—suggesting the use of secret medicine from the Han family. Upon hearing this, Bai Fengxi immediately thought of Yu Wuyuan. For being so devoid of humanity and causing chaos, he would one day have to be eliminated. After so many brushes with death, Bai Fengxi longed for the war to end.

Han Pu also dreamed of opening a clinic afterward—for a true hero not only roamed the world but also saved lives. Unfortunately, something unexpected occurred. While passing through Luoying Mountain, Bai Fengxi and her group were ambushed. Half of the 30,000 Fengyun Cavalry were lost.

Bai Fengxi fought desperately to protect Lin Ji and the others, who broke through the siege and hurried to seek help from Hei Fengxi, stating that the attackers were not imperial troops, but vicious soldiers who endangered civilians. Because Bai Fengxi shared life and death with her soldiers and held Luoying Mountain despite the danger, Hei Fengxi grew increasingly anxious and mobilized 100,000 troops to support her.

Ren Rusong sent Zhongli to replace Hei Fengxi at the Jizhou camp to negotiate with Huang Chao, proposing that Yongzhou give up the Dongdan route to show goodwill, hoping that Huang Chao would also withdraw temporarily so they could first eliminate their common enemy. Huang Chao was in no rush and instead assembled a great army to march directly on the capital.

Upon hearing this, Yu Wuyuan revealed the truth to Jing Yan—that the world would inevitably fall into his hands. Jing Yan was shocked, but before he could react, Yu Wuyuan suppressed him with internal force, rendering him immobile—a complete puppet. Han Pu prepared a poison and gave it to Bai Fengxi. Once applied to a blade, it could paralyze the enemy.

When Bai Fengxi noticed the campfires near the barracks had decreased, she suddenly realized that General Dongshu had blocked the reinforcements overnight, using them as bait to lure Hei Fengxi. Knowing Hei Fengxi well, Yu Wuyuan intended to destroy him in one blow. Fearing for Hei Fengxi’s safety, Bai Fengxi quickly assembled her troops for a night breakout. Unbeknownst to her, Hei Fengxi had encountered an ambush on the way and was delayed.

General Dongshu observed the battlefield from a short distance. Upon witnessing the Fengyun Cavalry risking their lives to protect Bai Fengxi, he was moved by their loyalty and bravery. In an instant, the battlefield turned into a sea of blood. Bai Fengxi was too busy to notice the looming danger—until a volley of arrows rained down. To save her, Han Pu threw himself in front of the arrows.

Just as Bai Fengxi and the others were surrounded on all sides, ready for a battle of life and death, fortunately, Hei Fengxi arrived with his army in time to provide support. Although the enemy troops were repelled, the Fengyun Riders suffered heavy casualties, and Han Pu was killed by an arrow. Bai Fengxi was overwhelmed with grief and personally built a grave and erected a tombstone for him.

She knew well that the battlefield allowed no hesitation, yet still dragged him into the conflict, resulting in the loss of his life. But the dead are gone, and the living must carry on. After calming down, Bai Fengxi decided to rename Luoying Mountain to Ying Mountain and instructed everyone to remember this day. If they ever face another hopeless battle in the future, they should retreat if possible and protect themselves as much as they can.

It was reported that the Dongshu army was less than three li away. Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi led everyone to face the enemy, vowing to avenge the fallen soldiers. Bai Fengxi engaged Dongshu Fang head-on, and after a few rounds, decisively killed him with her sword. However, the cannon fire was too intense.

Seeing more soldiers fall, Bai Fengxi ignored Hei Fengxi’s attempts to stop her and rushed forward, using her sword to block the cannon muzzle just in time. The cannon exploded, and Bai Fengxi was caught in the blast, gravely injured. When she collapsed into Hei Fengxi's arms, she was already on the brink of death. Hei Fengxi ordered his men to head to the Imperial Capital, determined to stop Yu Wuyuan's conspiracy.

If Huang Chao faced trouble, they were to provide aid. Meanwhile, he took Bai Fengxi to find Elder Tianji. The grand army arrived outside the Imperial Capital. Huang Chao noticed someone familiar atop the city wall. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a follower of Yu Wuyuan, finally understanding that Yu Wuyuan was the mastermind. Yu Wuyuan’s cruelty knew no bounds; he used the citizens within the city as hostages, forcing Huang Chao to hesitate in ordering an assault.

Meanwhile, Hei Fengxi, determined to save the woman he loved, decided to use the life-exchange technique of Elder Xue from Tianshan. As a result, he would only have ten years left to live, unable to spend a lifetime with Bai Fengxi. Yet, even so, Hei Fengxi had no regrets. He knew that without Bai Fengxi, even an eternal life would be meaningless. Only by meeting her did he understand the true purpose of living.

When Bai Fengxi awoke, she found herself in a secluded dwelling. Following the path outside, she saw Hei Fengxi with a head full of white hair, and her heart ached. She had once heard of the secret technique from Elder Xue of Tianshan but never imagined Hei Fengxi would willingly sacrifice his lifespan. Bai Fengxi wept, calling him foolish, but given the circumstances, all she could do was accept reality.

At least they still had ten years to share and enjoy the seasons together. News came from the Fountain Abode that Huang Chao had failed in all three assaults on the city. Yu Wuyuan used a hundred thousand citizens as leverage, causing severe losses to the Jizhou army. While Hei Fengxi was contemplating how to thwart Yu Wuyuan’s plot, Elder Tianji suddenly arrived and revealed a secret about the Yu family’s ancestors.

The world knew that the six lords and Emperor Weilie founded Dadong, but few knew that Yu Yantian, ancestor of the Yu family, was their teacher. Without him, Dadong might never have existed. Emperor Weilie had promised to share the world with the Yu family, but at the founding of the state, fearing their capabilities, he had the entire Yu clan executed. Perhaps fate would not let the Yu line perish.

Yu Yantian’s youngest son narrowly escaped, preserving the bloodline, but the family was cursed — never to live past thirty for generations. Although Bai Fengxi understood that Emperor Weilie was an unjust ruler who committed inhumane acts, and Dadong’s current downfall was karma, Yu Wuyuan should not use the lives of commoners to pursue his selfish desires, plunging the world into chaos and misery.

Elder Tianji said that Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi had already inherited Taiyin’s Lanyin Biyue, which was a great blessing. Taiyin lost his wife in middle age and could never fully master the technique. He now placed his hopes in Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi, believing that if their hearts were in harmony, they could reach the peak of its power. Now, the Ren family father and son led their troops to break into the Imperial Capital.

Qiu Jiushuang and Xue Kong also led the Zhengtian Riders to join with the Yongzhou allied forces. After bidding farewell to Elder Tianji, Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi entered the palace with Huang Chao, where Yu Wuyuan had long been waiting in the main hall. Faced with their accusations, Yu Wuyuan not only showed no remorse but arrogantly declared he would claim the world.

Because Yu Wuyuan had mastered powerful martial arts, he could fight three opponents at once, leaving Huang Chao at a disadvantage. Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi thought of Lanyin Biyue, coordinated their moves, and ultimately ended Yu Wuyuan’s life. Seeing Hei Fengxi, Bai Fengxi, and Huang Chao together, Jing Yan realized the outcome was sealed. He voluntarily abdicated and personally handed the abdication decree to Hei Fengxi.

When all was settled, Huang Chao willingly pledged loyalty to Hei Fengxi, supporting him as the ruler of the world. However, Hei Fengxi, knowing that Huang Chao was a wise ruler who cared for the people, handed him back the abdication decree, hoping he would fulfill his promise to bring peace and prosperity.

Watching Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi walk out of the hall hand in hand, Huang Chao was filled with emotion and determined to govern the country well, not to let them down. Bai Fengxi cherished the time they had left and publicly announced that she was no longer Queen of Qingzhou, but a wandering heroine who had stolen away Feng Lanxi, Lord of Yongzhou.

As for Hei Fengxi, he immediately ordered everyone to follow the arrangements of Feng Qiwu and General Xu, then took Bai Fengxi and flew off with her, vanishing into the mountains. From then on, all soldiers of Yongzhou and Qingzhou followed orders to support the Lord of Jizhou and bring peace to the world.

In the fourth month of that same year, Huang Chao ascended the throne, naming the nation "Huang" and the era "Xize," and made Hua Chunran his empress. In a distant land, within a secluded valley home, Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi lived as an enviable couple, preparing meals together, walking side by side beneath the window, and expressing their love in every little gesture.

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