Fateful Love Recap, Plot, Synopsis

Fateful Love Synopsis

Han Ziqing, a concubine daughter of a prime minister, accidentally encounters Jun Beiyue, the god of war of Tianming. She is forced to get involved in the strife between powerful countries and foreign clans.

In order to unravel the mystery, Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue fight together with various powerful forces on the Longyuan Continent.

After going through a lot of difficult tests, they finally solve the mystery of their identity and kill the demons along the way, and become a couple.

Fateful Love Recap

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At the border of Country M, Han Ziqing (played by Zhu Xudan) was leading a team in search of biological resources. Along the way, they accidentally encountered a large snake, which made them even more cautious. As they moved forward, the signal suddenly strengthened, suggesting the presence of a cave. Han Ziqing decided to go inside alone to investigate. Inside, she discovered a dagger, and as she carefully opened it, a bright light flashed, and she suddenly fainted.

When Han Ziqing woke up again, she found herself surrounded by a group of people, all dressed in ancient clothing. Before she could figure out what was happening, a woman rushed over, shouting and calling her "Han Ziqing," accusing her of being improperly dressed and embarrassing herself, insisting on taking her away. Although Han Ziqing was confused, she instinctively fought back and quickly subdued the people who came at her.

Suddenly, a basin of water was thrown at her, and she instantly recalled something. She clearly remembered that last night, Xuanyuan Zhaoxi had helped her into a room before leaving. When she woke up again, she was in her current situation. She thought she was dreaming, but she wasn’t about to let herself suffer, even in a dream.

So, she stripped off the outer robe of the woman in front of her, put it on herself, and then dragged her home, demanding to see Xuanyuan Zhaoxi! The onlookers were shocked, as the old Han Ziqing would never have dared to speak loudly, let alone act like a completely different person! Soon, Han Ziqing dragged her stepmother to the entrance of the Xiangfu.

Xuanyuan Zhaoxi had already heard the commotion, but she was worried that the selection of the concubine couldn’t proceed, so she kept everyone outside. As more and more people gathered to watch, Han Ziqing remained unfazed, stating that everything would be clear once Xuanyuan Zhaoxi came out. Shortly after, the master of the house returned. Seeing the situation, he asked Han Ziqing to let go of the stepmother, saying it was unseemly. Han Ziqing wasn’t afraid at all.

When the master picked up a whip to punish her, Han Ziqing grabbed the whip and resisted, insisting on seeing Xuanyuan Zhaoxi. The master had no choice but to call her out. Xuanyuan Zhaoxi immediately played the innocent, acting as if everything was Han Ziqing’s fault. She claimed that after escorting someone to the upper room last night, she had left, and she had no idea why things had turned out this way.

In the crowd, the manager found an opportunity to rush out and kneel, apologizing, saying that last night, Young Master Chen had specifically requested an upper room, and due to some mix-up, things ended up like this. He hadn’t seen the Second Miss’s face clearly this morning, so he threw her out. As soon as he finished speaking, Young Master Chen ran out to apologize, even saying he was willing to marry her.

The master couldn’t believe it, but Han Ziqing clearly remembered that the person she saw last night was not this man. The master then dismissed the crowd, but in the distance, several people were discussing why someone who had been poisoned with Mo Xunzhi’s venom could still be unharmed and decided to investigate Han Ziqing. Han Ziqing glanced at the two people kneeling on the ground and then said she was hungry and wanted to eat!

The master stayed by her side, worried about what had happened, but Han Ziqing remained silent. Seeing this, the stepmother suggested marrying Han Ziqing into the Chen family, but Han Ziqing flatly refused. She vividly recalled all the things this stepmother and Xuanyuan Zhaoxi had done to her and made up her mind that from now on, she would take control of her own life!

Even when Xuanyuan Zhaoxi poured her tea, begging for forgiveness, Han Ziqing coldly poured it out on the ground! On the way back to her room, Han Ziqing passed by a luxurious house, but Yunxi reminded her that the shabby room next door was actually hers. Han Ziqing was shocked by the state of her room.

After Yunxi went off to find her something to eat, Han Ziqing realized that Yunxi might be the only person in the entire residence who truly cared for her. As she wandered around the room, memories from Han Ziqing's childhood suddenly resurfaced. She recalled that in her mother’s chest, there was a dagger exactly like the one she had seen, but when she opened it, there was nothing inside. Later, Yunxi brought her some noodles.

Everyone in the house was waiting for the Fourth Prince, except for the Second Brother, who knew that he had been poisoned and wouldn’t be coming. However, to their surprise, the Fourth Prince appeared, unharmed! Neither the Second Brother nor the mother knew what had gone wrong.

At this moment, a girl brought news that there was a big commotion at the Xiangfu’s gate and that there were rumors that Xuanyuan Zhaoxi had framed her half-sister to marry the Fourth Prince. The Second Brother and the mother immediately came up with a plan: they absolutely could not let the Fourth Prince marry into the Xiangfu!

Han Ziqing carefully recalled her situation and realized that returning to the real world might be related to that dagger. She returned to her room to search for it but found nothing, and even Yunxi didn't know where it was. All of her mother's belongings had been thrown away by her stepmother, so there was no way to find them now. Yunxi thought that the Second Miss was acting very strange today.

Han Ziqing even encouraged Yunxi to be more assertive, telling her to stop being so timid as her maid. Yunxi advised that it was fine to act this way inside the house, but once outside, it would be better to be more restrained, especially since marrying into the Chen family without her maternal family's support would be pitiful.

Han Ziqing knew she wouldn’t marry into the Chen family, but she also realized that she needed to investigate Young Master Chen to understand what Xuanyuan Zhaoxi was plotting. So, she instructed Yunxi to investigate her mother’s belongings and find out where Young Master Chen was living. That night, Han Ziqing changed into night clothes and went to Young Master Chen's house, only to witness two black-clad figures forcing him to sign a statement accusing Xuanyuan Zhaoxi before killing him.

Han Ziqing realized their target was the Xiangfu but didn’t dare make a sound. Later, another black-clad figure appeared, and the two sides started fighting. Han Ziqing’s position was exposed, and she also ended up fighting one side, but the difference in strength was too great, forcing her to retreat. Early the next morning, the Second Brother hurriedly went to find their mother, panicked because the two people who had gone with him last night were missing.

The mother advised him that they couldn’t leave any evidence behind and that they must find the bodies, even if the men were dead. As for the accusation letter, she said to hold onto it for now. Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince’s men reported back to him, stating that the Second Brother’s two men were already dead and had been buried.

The Fourth Prince then inquired about Han Ziqing, to which his subordinate replied that she was no different from any other noblewoman. The Fourth Prince was shocked because he had seen Han Ziqing’s skills the previous night, and she was definitely not an ordinary woman! News of Young Master Chen's death quickly spread, causing Xuanyuan Zhaoxi to panic, fearing that Han Ziqing might participate in the selection process. However, when Han Ziqing heard the news, she wasn’t surprised at all.

Soon after, someone brought clothes for Han Ziqing, urging her to participate in the selection. Han Ziqing was not very interested, but Xuanyuan Zhaoxi came in soon after, trying to intimidate her, claiming that there was no way Han Ziqing would be chosen. Han Ziqing could clearly see that Xuanyuan Zhaoxi was trying to scare her into not participating, so she did the opposite and immediately grabbed Yunxi to leave.

The selection was about to begin, and the ministers had arrived, along with the candidates. Han Ziqing walked at the back of the line, causing quite a stir among the others. Soon, the Fourth Prince arrived and went straight to Xuanyuan Zhaoxi, asking her what skills she had. Xuanyuan Zhaoxi presented herself as the perfect noble lady, as rumors had already spread that she was the predetermined choice.

However, the Fourth Prince then asked her if she could kill someone, leaving Xuanyuan Zhaoxi stunned. The Fourth Prince then walked over to Han Ziqing, who casually saluted him, saying she had no skills at all. To everyone’s surprise, the Fourth Prince announced that he would choose her. Even Han Ziqing was momentarily stunned. Voices of doubt quickly arose, with some saying Han Ziqing was unfit and others claiming that choosing her would make the people laugh.

The Fourth Prince rebutted all the criticisms, stating that from now on, how they treated him would be how they treated Han Ziqing! He then took Han Ziqing’s hand, preparing to leave together. Initially, Han Ziqing wanted to refuse, but then she noticed the dagger at the Fourth Prince’s waist! So, when the Fourth Prince asked her, Han Ziqing immediately agreed.

On the carriage ride back, Han Ziqing kept staring at the Fourth Prince and even asked him why he chose her, to which the Fourth Prince simply replied, "Because it’s interesting. "After arriving at the prince’s residence, the Fourth Prince was called away, and Han Ziqing was arranged by a servant in red to stay in the West Garden.

The Fourth Prince was summoned by his father, who indeed brought up the matter of choosing a consort. The Fourth Prince knew his father was asking something he already knew and responded that he had followed his father’s wishes by forming an alliance with the Xiangfu. However, as for which lady he would choose, he wanted to make that decision himself.

Outside, the Fourth Prince’s subordinates were all worried about him, and even those close to him couldn’t understand why he insisted on choosing Han Ziqing. They thought that even if she had been poisoned because of the prince, that was not a reason to make her his consort. Some smart individuals noticed that there must be something wrong since the Fourth Prince knew Han Ziqing had been poisoned but was still in good health, so they decided to investigate thoroughly.

Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince was playing chess with his father, who hinted that the move he was making was incorrect and that if he didn’t change it, he would surely lose. However, the Fourth Prince stuck to his strategy, angering the King, who ordered that the Fourth Prince be locked up and starved for a few days. On Han Ziqing’s side, the Queen sent someone to invite her to the palace for tea.

Hongyi knew that the Queen didn’t get along with the Fourth Prince’s residence, but she also wanted to use the Queen’s hand to get rid of Han Ziqing, so she arranged for a carriage to take Han Ziqing to the palace. Han Ziqing, knowing that the invitation was not well-intentioned, entered with caution.

Inside, she found a room full of noblewomen chatting, and Han Ziqing couldn’t help but think that she had expected something grand, only to find it was just a group of gossiping women. After greeting the Queen, some who understood the Queen’s intentions began to point out Han Ziqing’s flaws. The Queen then asked about her sister at home, and someone timely reminded the Queen that Han Ziqing was that sister.

The Queen feigned disbelief and deliberately led the conversation toward Han Ziqing’s past disgrace, implying that the person the Fourth Prince chose must be virtuous and talented. She demanded that Han Ziqing admit whether the rumors about her beauty were true. Han Ziqing calmly confirmed that they were. The Queen then ceremoniously served Han Ziqing tea. Although Han Ziqing noticed that the tea was poisoned, she didn’t expose it and drank it, deciding to play along with the act.

The Queen believed the poison would take effect in seven days and that Han Ziqing wouldn’t survive until the day the imperial edict was issued. After saying a few more polite words, the Queen dismissed Han Ziqing. Upon leaving, Han Ziqing found Hongyi waiting for her in the carriage. The first thing Han Ziqing did after getting in the carriage was to force the poison out of her body.

Hongyi was shocked by what she saw and began to admire Han Ziqing, admitting her mistake and promising not to repeat it. Han Ziqing said she forgave her but insisted that today’s events must not be disclosed to anyone. After all, the relationship between the Fourth Prince and the Queen was already strained, and further conflict could cause serious trouble. After returning to the residence, Han Ziqing’s life became much easier, but she still had to drink medicine.

Han Ziqing explained that she was still useful. The sisters from the General’s residence came to visit, and Han Ziqing knew they were the Queen’s people. She decided to test whether her medicine was effective, so she appeared weak before them. The Han sisters made a few harsh remarks, and Han Ziqing suddenly spat blood on one of them, scaring them out of their wits. A physician was then summoned, who diagnosed her with tuberculosis.

The Han sisters were pleased, as they had confirmed Han Ziqing’s condition and happily returned to report. As soon as they left, Han Ziqing praised everyone’s acting skills before confidently returning to her room in high spirits. Meanwhile, two individuals were secretly testing poisons, seemingly trying to find the person immune to all poisons. They began to suspect Han Ziqing!

Following the Queen’s suggestion, the King released the Fourth Prince on the sixth day, announcing that someone would be sent to the Fourth Prince’s residence to deliver an imperial decree. The Fourth Prince was very happy, but on his way back, he heard from his subordinate that shortly after he left, the Fourth Princess Consort had been invited by the Queen for tea and had returned with tuberculosis!

The moment the Fourth Prince returned, Han Ziqing immediately pretended to be ill. Seeing this, the Fourth Prince quickly ordered his people to check her pulse. At first, Han Ziqing didn’t want to be examined, insisting that the imperial physician had already treated her and that it was nothing serious. However, the Fourth Prince persisted, so Lao Guo went ahead and checked her pulse. After the examination, he confirmed that it was indeed tuberculosis.

Han Ziqing, fearing that the Fourth Prince might touch her, tried to avoid being alone with him. But when she noticed the dagger at the Fourth Prince’s waist, her expression changed immediately. She straightforwardly asked if she could take a look at the dagger, saying that she liked it very much and that she seemed to have seen it when she was a child. The Fourth Prince refused outright, explaining that the dagger was a keepsake from his mother.

He added that if she wanted to see it, she would have to wait until she officially became the Fourth Princess Consort. Han Ziqing inwardly sighed, realizing that she had to continue playing her role. Lao Guo actually suspected that Han Ziqing might have been poisoned by the Queen, but now there was only a little residual poison left in her body. He wondered who had been helping her detoxify the poison during this time.

If she had the ability to detoxify poisons, then could it be possible that she had detoxified the Mo Xun poison herself? Lao Guo dismissed the idea, reasoning that the Fourth Prince's poison had been transferred to the Princess Consort, who had surely died as a result. Another possibility was that the Princess Consort had never been poisoned in the first place! During the days when the Fourth Prince wasn’t around, Han Ziqing ate and drank well.

But as soon as the Fourth Prince appeared, she would become extremely weak. Then, the Fourth Prince informed Han Ziqing that she needed to return to the Xiangfu to receive an imperial decree. Han Ziqing was secretly overjoyed, but the Fourth Prince suddenly entered and, putting his arm around her shoulders, said he would accompany her back! A large crowd had gathered at the gate of the Xiangfu to welcome them.

Han Xier thought Han Ziqing had come back to show off, but the stepmother noticed that Han Ziqing appeared seriously ill, and the Fourth Prince had to support her as they returned inside. The eunuch who was supposed to deliver the imperial decree was delayed, but many onlookers arrived. The Ouyang sisters didn’t take long to arrive, and soon after, the Second Prince also showed up, claiming he was there to pick up his Princess Consort.

In reality, he sat down to enjoy the spectacle. The Fourth Prince didn’t hold back, publicly humiliating the Second Prince and telling him to go back to his mother and learn how to speak properly. Infuriated, the Second Prince left with the Second Princess Consort. Finally, the eunuch arrived to deliver the decree. He paid close attention to Han Ziqing's condition, while the Fourth Prince kept urging him.

To everyone’s surprise, the moment the imperial decree was announced and Han Ziqing received it, she instantly recovered from her illness. The Fourth Prince laughed, remarking that the Princess Consort’s recovery was remarkably swift. Now, everyone in the Xiangfu knew that Han Ziqing had been faking her illness. The Queen and the eunuch who delivered the decree both went to the King to confess their mistakes.

The Queen herself couldn’t understand why, despite Han Ziqing having clearly consumed poison, she was unharmed when the decree was delivered at precisely the right time. Now that the imperial decree had been issued, there was no reason to retract it, especially since the King still needed the Fourth Prince. However, the King mentioned that the Queen should keep an eye on the case involving Young Master Chen.

The Queen understood the King’s intentions and ordered the Second Prince to bring out the previously drafted lawsuit. The Second Prince exclaimed that this move would kill two birds with one stone. Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince’s subordinates made new progress, connecting the dots to the islanders who were immune to all poisons! Years ago, the islanders had mutated, and it was the Nan Zhao royal family who had driven them out.

Recently, there had been efforts to find the orphaned descendants of the islanders. The Fourth Prince returned to Han Ziqing, immediately lying down beside her. Knowing she could no longer pretend to be asleep, Han Ziqing got up and asked to see the dagger. The Fourth Prince, however, replied that she could only be considered the true Fourth Princess Consort after they consummated their marriage!

At that moment, someone outside reported urgent news from the border, so the Fourth Prince left. Han Ziqing knew she couldn’t sit idly by any longer and decided to take the initiative to steal the dagger! Just as Han Ziqing was searching, the Fourth Prince suddenly returned. Han Ziqing quickly hid under the bed, but the Fourth Prince walked straight to the bed and lay down!

Han Ziqing didn't know how long she had been hiding under the bed, but she finally couldn't hold out any longer and emerged. To her surprise, the moment she got out, the Fourth Prince woke up, grabbed her, and asked what she was doing. Han Ziqing stammered and said she was hungry, but when the Fourth Prince offered to have someone prepare food for her, she refused. In a panic, Han Ziqing hurriedly fled the room.

The Fourth Prince then opened his box and found the dagger at the very bottom. Early the next morning, after waiting for Han Ziqing to get ready, the Fourth Prince was about to head out with her when they encountered Lord Jiang from the Li Shen Si (Judicial Review Office) waiting at the gate with a large group of people.

Upon seeing the two of them, Lord Jiang informed them that the Li Shen Si was investigating Young Master Chen’s case and had come to escort the Princess Consort. He presented a royal arrest warrant, explaining that it had been urgently processed overnight for an audience with the Emperor. Just as the Fourth Prince was about to refuse, Han Ziqing spoke up, saying she would cooperate to avoid appearing guilty.

The Fourth Prince asked if she knew what kind of place the Li Shen Si was, and Han Ziqing replied that the truth would eventually come to light and that she trusted Lord Jiang. Lord Jiang nodded in agreement, and the Fourth Prince assured her that he would protect her no matter what. The Fourth Prince quickly went to the palace to see his father.

The Emperor brought up the matter, mentioning that the envoy would soon arrive, and it would not look good for the Princess Consort to be a suspect. He subtly suggested that the Fourth Prince should resolve the issue quickly, even hinting at the possibility of deposing the Princess Consort. The Fourth Prince made it clear that unless the Princess Consort confessed and signed a statement admitting to the crime, he would not discuss deposing her further.

He also mentioned Ouyang Jingshi, candidly stating that she had intentionally caused trouble during the announcement of the imperial decree the previous day. He said that Ouyang Jingshi was now detained at his place, and he was awaiting the Emperor’s instructions on how to deal with her. After leaving the palace, the Fourth Prince ordered his men to keep a close watch on Ouyang Jingshi.

He knew that his father was trying to use the two factions to check each other’s power. He then had his men leak information about the two men in purple who had been buried earlier, so that the common people would discover it and report it to the authorities. Han Ziqing was alone in her cell when a shadowy figure appeared, revealing a black-clad man—the same silver-masked person she had fought with before.

The man expressed concern for Han Ziqing's well-being and mentioned that the two black-clad men had been buried in the outskirts, and the information would soon be leaked. He added that he was helping her this time. Han Ziqing tried to ask who he was, but the man pushed her down. Han Ziqing fought back and even bit his neck! After leaving a message, the man departed.

Later, Hongyi came to bring food to Han Ziqing, and Han Ziqing asked her for a favor. After the black-clad man returned, he removed his mask—it was actually the Fourth Prince. He looked in the mirror at the bite mark Han Ziqing had left and seemed pleased. The next day, the Chen family murder case was publicly tried, with the Emperor himself attending.

Han Xier and Han Ziqing were both brought forward, and the complaint written by Young Master Chen played a crucial role. However, Han Ziqing requested a re-examination of the body, and as a result, the first coroner, Xie Zhe, was called in—this was the favor Han Ziqing had asked Hongyi to arrange the previous night. After examining Young Master Chen's wounds, Xie Zhe concluded that the crime had been committed by an adult male.

As for the suspects, the two newly discovered men in purple outside the city were highly suspicious. Their identities were quickly uncovered, and it turned out they were people from the palace, leading the Emperor to immediately punish the relevant individuals. Han Ziqing then mentioned that the case wasn't over yet, as Han Xier had conspired with the shopkeeper to frame her. The Emperor stated that there was insufficient evidence and that further investigation was needed.

Han Ziqing expressed that she looked forward to the truth being revealed. After the trial, Han Ziqing couldn’t find the Fourth Prince, but she noticed a black-clad figure and chased after him, asking why he had helped her, but received no response. Upon returning home, she found the Fourth Prince there, dressed in high-collared clothes! She thought to herself that he was always out of sight, claiming to protect her, but in reality, men are all liars!

The Fourth Prince then instructed Hongyi to take Han Ziqing to buy high-collared clothes. Han Ziqing asked Hongyi if Xie Zhe had truly been summoned in the name of the Fourth Prince. Hongyi explained that it was as if someone had notified him in advance, as Xie Zhe was already there waiting when she arrived.

Han Ziqing and Hongyi were out shopping when they encountered a beggar being chased and beaten by a woman. It sounded like the child had stolen something. Hongyi didn't want the Princess Consort to get involved in such matters, but Han Ziqing still stepped in. After spending ten taels of silver to solve the issue, the child ran away.

Hongyi chased after the child, and the two of them arrived at the child’s home, where they found that he was taking care of a whole house full of children. It turned out they were all sick, and only the little girl in front of them was caring for the others. Han Ziqing expressed that she understood how difficult it was for the girl, but stealing was not justified.

So, Han Ziqing gave her the name Shiliang and took the little girl back with her. However, by the time the three of them returned, it was already late. The servant at the door reminded her that the Fourth Prince had been waiting for her for a long time. Han Ziqing immediately replied, "Why is he waiting for me? Does he expect me to feed him? " After saying that, she walked inside.

As a result, the Fourth Prince straightforwardly said that he had already eaten and suggested that Han Ziqing, who returned late, must have eaten as well, so he ordered the food to be taken away. Han Ziqing, feeling indignant, thought she would prepare a midnight snack for herself. So, she pulled Hongyi and Shiliang along to eat hotpot. Seeing this, the Fourth Prince secretly ordered his men to prepare a portion for himself too!

The next day, Han Ziqing was asked to change her clothes early in the morning, as she was to enter the palace to express gratitude. She followed the Fourth Prince into the palace. During the audience with the Emperor, Han Ziqing performed very well. Then the Emperor wanted to play chess with the Fourth Prince, so Han Ziqing wandered off to explore the imperial garden. While there, she heard the sound of a qin being played.

Although Han Ziqing wasn't musically inclined, memories of her mother teaching her to play the qin began to surface in her mind. Listening to the music, she seemed to intuitively grasp the melody of the piece. Absorbed in the music, she was startled when the Second Prince suddenly opened a fan to cool himself. Han Ziqing recalled that one of the men in black she had seen at Lord Chen's residence that night used a fan just like this!

At a crucial moment, the Fourth Prince appeared and pulled Han Ziqing away. What Han Ziqing didn’t know was that upon seeing her face, Xuanyuan Lige, the one playing the qin, was reminded of his master! The Fourth Prince informed Han Ziqing that he would be leaving for a while and instructed her to learn horsemanship and archery during his absence, expecting to see results when he returned.

Han Ziqing asked Hongyi about the Second Prince, knowing he was not simple, but more pressing matters demanded her attention. Without even eating, she headed to the training grounds. However, upon arrival, no one came to greet them. Hongyi directly sought out the leader, Sima Xun, but he showed no interest in teaching the Princess Consort. He casually assigned a low-ranking soldier to instruct her and sent them off to the post station.

That evening, Han Ziqing and her companions visited the group of little beggars. Han Ziqing declared her intention to change their current situation, giving them a set time to climb to the mountain's peak and return. Her goal was to form a battalion so that they could survive on the Longyuan Continent even when she wasn’t with them. In the end, everyone completed the task successfully, which greatly impressed Han Ziqing.

She even gave one of them, who showed concern for his companions, the name Guxi, because he reminded her of someone from the real world named Guxi! All the while, someone had been keeping an eye on the Princess Consort for the Fourth Prince. Hearing about her recent actions, the observer became puzzled and tightened the surveillance.

Meanwhile, the people in the shadows had finished preparing the poison they intended to use on Han Ziqing, but they accidentally poisoned themselves instead. The crucial point was that the antidote was not within reach! Soon, the Fourth Prince returned. Han Ziqing bluntly stated that Sima Xun had no intention of teaching her, so she went to the post station herself, thinking it was the right thing to do. Unexpectedly, the Fourth Prince immediately put her on a horse. Then, the two of them galloped across the plains!

The Fourth Prince and Han Ziqing finished their ride and returned together. The Fourth Prince praised Han Ziqing for her impressive horseback riding skills, to which Han Ziqing, without modesty, remarked that she might have a natural talent for it. At this moment, one of the Fourth Prince's subordinates reported that someone from the palace was looking for him, saying that the envoy from Xiling would arrive tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the spy from the Second Prince's side reported that the Fourth Prince had gone to the palace. Suddenly, a man in black appeared and lured the Second Prince outside. The man immediately asked if the incident involving the "Guo Se Tian Xiang" was his doing. The Second Prince quickly deduced that the person was Han Ziqing! Han Ziqing also confirmed that it was indeed the Second Prince who caused the trouble that night.

The two engaged in a fierce fight, with the Second Prince sustaining serious injuries. He also noticed that the techniques Han Ziqing used were not ordinary. Just as the Second Prince's reinforcements arrived, he managed to injure Han Ziqing's leg! Both were wounded, with the Second Prince's injuries being more severe. However, Han Ziqing, being in good health, didn't let the minor injury trouble her.

The next day, the Fourth Prince was at the city gate to welcome the envoy from Xiling, while Han Ziqing waited in the watchtower. The entire day passed without any sign of the envoy, and Hongyi had already noticed the suppressed anger within the Fourth Prince. It wasn't until nightfall that the Xiling envoy finally appeared. However, the Fourth Prince did not take the initiative to greet them.

Only after the envoy greeted them first did the Fourth Prince invite them into the palace. The palace banquet began, and everyone seemed joyful, except for Chu Tiange, who seemed preoccupied. Not long after, news arrived that the princess had reached the entrance of the hall. Chu Tiange seized the opportunity to invite the princess in. Shortly after the princess took her seat, she started talking about the marriage alliance, directly asking if the Fourth Prince found her unworthy.

The Emperor quickly denied this, stating that Jun Beiyue should speak for himself. Jun Beiyue skillfully redirected the question to Han Ziqing. Chu Feiyan then bluntly stated that there could only be one princess consort, so they should simply dismiss the one currently in the position. Before the Fourth Prince could speak, Han Ziqing loudly agreed.

However, the Fourth Prince quietly whispered in Han Ziqing's ear that if this woman entered the mansion, Han Ziqing would never see that dagger again! After a brief moment of hesitation, Han Ziqing tearfully left her seat and knelt before the Fourth Prince, asking why he wanted to discard her! Jun Beiyue denied having such an idea, and the two put on a convincing display of marital harmony, which even Chu Feiyan found hard to watch.

Chu Feiyan then suggested a literary and martial competition with Han Ziqing. Although Jun Beiyue thought the competition unnecessary, the Emperor strongly supported it, leaving Han Ziqing with no choice but to accept. That night, Jun Beiyue's subordinate approached Han Ziqing, sincerely wishing for her victory, as Xiling's intentions were malicious, always aiming to seize the lands of the Three Realms.

The Emperor was pleased with the competition because it could weaken the Fourth Prince's power, so he earnestly requested the princess consort to do her best in the competition. Han Ziqing seemed to understand the situation. Hongyi also hoped for her victory, as failure would result in everyone becoming Chu Feiyan's maidservants! Later that night, Jun Beiyue also visited Han Ziqing. Han Ziqing asked him if Chu Feiyan would marry into the mansion if she lost.

She knew Jun Beiyue didn't want that, but he also understood that it might be inevitable. Han Ziqing then said that as long as she won, everything would be fine, but she had one condition: she wanted the dagger, not to keep it, but just to borrow it temporarily! Jun Beiyue agreed. The next day, the martial competition began. The contest included two parts: horseback riding and archery.

Chu Feiyan even raised the stakes, declaring that if she won, she would take Han Ziqing's hands; if she lost, she would give away ten thousand treasured horses. Han Ziqing accepted the challenge and raised the stakes further, stating that if she won, Xiling would never be allowed to set foot in the Three Realms! The Xiling envoy hesitated, but Han Ziqing used reverse psychology to force them into agreeing, and the competition was on!

At first, both sides were evenly matched, but soon, Han Ziqing's leg injury began to flare up. Although she managed to overcome it in time, she still fell behind, and everyone believed that Chu Feiyan was destined to win!

Han Ziqing fell far behind in the first half of the race. Her leg injury was still causing her trouble, and everyone present believed that Chu Feiyan would be the final winner. However, Han Ziqing quickly adjusted her condition, gradually closed the gap with Chu Feiyan, and even caught up to her. Then, as they crossed the obstacles, she surpassed Chu Feiyan.

Everyone was astonished, but Han Ziqing continued to spur her horse and ultimately secured victory in the first round! Everyone was happy for her, but only Jun Beiyue noticed Han Ziqing's leg injury. He brought her back to the tent, sent everyone else away, and then questioned her about the injury. Han Ziqing claimed it was from a bump while riding, but Jun Beiyue could tell it was a wound from a fight.

Han Ziqing avoided the topic, but cold sweat continued to drip from her forehead. Finally, Han Ziqing fainted, and Jun Beiyue immediately called for Old Gu to treat her. To his surprise, he discovered that Han Ziqing had already bandaged the wound herself. The Fourth Prince realized that Han Ziqing had been hiding many things from him. Just then, Eunuch Yin arrived to announce the content of the night's written exam, which involved shooting incense sticks while riding.

Jun Beiyue asked Han Ziqing if she could do it, and Han Ziqing said she couldn't. Jun Beiyue responded that he would closely watch to see what else she was hiding from him! On the other side, at the introduction of the Tenth Prince, the King listened to Xuanyuan Lige's qin playing and praised it repeatedly. Following the Second Prince's instructions, the Tenth Prince claimed in front of the King that he was the one who had invited Xuanyuan Lige.

The King was pleased, and later the Queen arrived. The Tenth Prince withdrew, and the Queen presented the iron arrows commonly used by the Xiling people, suggesting they be used in the competition. Initially, the King was concerned that Jun Beiyue might find it unfair, but the Queen subtly suggested that this could temper Jun Beiyue's sharpness, so the King agreed.

The Queen then whispered something else into the King's ear, calculating that this time, she would definitely strike a blow against Jun Beiyue. The competition arrived quickly. Unexpectedly, the King changed the rules, stating that instead of shooting at incense sticks, they would shoot at copper coins, and whoever hit the smallest coin would win. Chu Feiyan was shocked. As the competition officially began, both participants gave it their all.

Han Ziqing was the first to hit a copper coin, but just before her arrow struck the target, Chu Feiyan's arrow also landed, knocking Han Ziqing's arrow aside. In the end, the results on the target determined the outcome, and despite some people speaking up for Han Ziqing, Chu Feiyan still emerged victorious! Next came the written exam, and Han Ziqing genuinely lacked confidence, so she sought help from Jun Beiyue.

Jun Beiyue offered to teach her how to write poetry, but Han Ziqing, unable to grasp it, brushed it off and left. When the exam began, the Tenth Prince suggested that Xuanyuan Lige should set the topic, and the King agreed. The final test involved musical skills, with Xuanyuan Lige playing a new piece that the two contestants needed to perform together. Xuanyuan Lige's skills were exceptional, and neither contestant kept up in the first round.

In the second round, Chu Feiyan played blindly, impressing everyone with her ability to follow along. However, Han Ziqing still didn't start playing, though memories of her mother teaching her to play the qin kept surfacing in her mind. Han Ziqing began to suspect that she knew how to play this piece. In the third round, Han Ziqing finally began to play, and everyone marveled at the Fourth Princess's mastery of the qin.

Chu Feiyan wasn't fazed, as she had already made up her mind about the outcome, but Xuanyuan Lige declared Han Ziqing the winner. The first round was a tie, but Han Ziqing won the second and third rounds. Xuanyuan Lige explained that the second round wasn't suited for a duet, so Han Ziqing was correct not to play! Jun Beiyue then urged the King to announce the final result, declaring the Fourth Princess the winner!

The Xiling siblings were frustrated and prepared to leave, but Han Ziqing promptly reminded Jun Beiyue to fulfill his promise. Chu Tiange, suppressing his emotions, wrote the contract, and Jun Beiyue made sure he left his seal on it! The Second Prince quietly approached Xuanyuan Lige and questioned him about why he didn't judge the competition as instructed. Xuanyuan Lige replied that he only judged based on musical skill.

What no one knew was that the previous night, the Second Prince had met with Chu Tiange and promised that the Xiling ironclad soldiers could enter the city through a secret passage!

Han Ziqing sought out Shi Liang to inquire about the training of the battalion and learned that Gu Xi had been the most diligent in training and had fully mastered the method of using fire explosives. Han Ziqing was very pleased, inwardly hoping that Shi Liang and Gu Xi could become her trusted aides! Just then, Jun Beiyue arrived and asked her if this was what she meant by not knowing how to play the qin.

Han Ziqing couldn't explain it herself, but the moment her hands touched the qin, she could play. Jun Beiyue hadn't expected that Han Ziqing would use the wager to help him resolve the troubles of the Three Realms, but Han Ziqing was clear about her goal and directly asked Jun Beiyue for the dagger.

Jun Beiyue assured her that he would keep his promise and would present the dagger to her as a reward during the autumn hunt the next day. Han Ziqing was very satisfied, and the atmosphere between them was quite harmonious. However, they were unaware that the Second Prince had secretly summoned his uncle back to the royal city and was conspiring with Chu Tiange to execute a plan during the autumn hunt.

The next day during the autumn hunt, Han Ziqing was in a good mood, her eyes frequently glancing at the dagger on Jun Beiyue's waist, thinking that she could finally return to the real world today. However, the autumn hunt suddenly encountered trouble—an ambush! Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing immediately joined the battle.

Han Ziqing noticed that Jun Beiyue was in a bad situation and thought to herself that she couldn't let anything happen to him, or she wouldn't get the dagger. So, when Jun Beiyue was surrounded, Han Ziqing intervened just in time to help. The two were forced to the edge of a cliff.

After obtaining the dagger, Han Ziqing didn't hesitate to open it, and then the two of them leaped off the cliff together, with Jun Beiyue protecting Han Ziqing the entire time! When Han Ziqing woke up, she fantasized that she had returned home, but when she turned around, she saw Jun Beiyue. Han Ziqing was very disappointed. Jun Beiyue thanked her for helping him, and Han Ziqing admitted that she had her own selfish reasons—it was to return home.

Jun Beiyue asked her if the home she was referring to was the royal residence or Xiangwang Mansion. Han Ziqing initially didn't want to say anything, but remembering how Jun Beiyue had protected her, she told him that her home wasn't in the Longyuan Continent. She had thought she had found a way back, but it didn't seem to work, which made Han Ziqing very upset.

Jun Beiyue told her that since she was here, she should make the best of it, and then he went to sleep. Han Ziqing thought that maybe after a night's sleep, things would be better, but the next day, nothing had changed. However, thinking that she should make the best of her situation, she felt more at ease. Jun Beiyue then gave her the dagger, asking only that she not hide anything from him in the future.

Han Ziqing, happy to be able to study the dagger, directly pledged her loyalty to the Fourth Prince. Jun Beiyue smiled, but in his heart, he had already accepted that she might be from the isolated island, given that there were too many suspicious points about Han Ziqing. Before Jun Beiyue could return, the Second Prince demanded control of the troops to confront the ironclad soldiers. The King hesitated, and the ministers also disagreed.

But at the critical moment, the enemy attacked again, and under the pressure of the situation, everyone sided with the Second Prince. The Second Prince secretly smirked. Chu Feiyan was displeased with her brother's actions, insisting that a marriage alliance was the best solution. Chu Tiange knew that she was doing this for Jun Beiyue, but he had his own grand plans and didn't want his sister to interfere.

Moreover, their father only wanted a result, leaving Chu Feiyan at a loss. Jun Beiyue's subordinates found him and informed him that the Second Prince was about to head to the military camp. After ensuring Han Ziqing was safe, the Fourth Prince immediately mounted his horse. By the time he reached the camp, the Second Prince had already arrived, but Sima Xun firmly refused to relinquish control of the troops. At the crucial moment, Jun Beiyue arrived just in time.

The Second Prince was shocked, and Jun Beiyue exposed his schemes. The Second Prince tried to claim it was by their father's order, but Jun Beiyue insisted they should settle the score properly! Meanwhile, Han Ziqing encountered an ambush by Chu Tiange. Chu Tiange burst into her carriage, but he underestimated her—he never expected Han Ziqing to stab him directly!

Chu Tiange underestimated his opponent, resulting in an injury. However, Han Ziqing was outnumbered, and in the end, she fell. At the critical moment, Xuanyuan Lige suddenly appeared and helped Han Ziqing repel Chu Tiange. His qin seemed to have a magical power; with just a few strums, he managed to control the enemy. Chu Tiange realized that this was the legendary sound-based killing technique!

Chu Tiange and Chu Feiyan continued their journey, but they encountered the Fourth Prince's men conducting a routine inspection. Chu Feiyan tried to stop them, but the soldiers insisted on checking. In the end, Chu Tiange pretended to be asleep, forcing the Fourth Prince's men to let them go, though they couldn’t help but wonder why the Fourth Princess was not in the carriage.

Meanwhile, the Second Prince was complaining about the Fourth Prince to the King, who was shocked that Jun Beiyue dared to defy his orders. Just then, Jun Beiyue entered and frankly stated that there was no great enemy at the border. He presented solid evidence and questioned why the Second Prince tried to seize his military power, revealing that his uncle had falsely reported military intelligence from the border.

The Second Prince panicked and hastily explained that he was only nervous upon hearing the alarming news and didn't know any better. The King, in his fury, declared that Ouyang should be beheaded as a warning to others! On Han Ziqing's side, Xuanyuan Lige rescued her and, while applying medicine, accidentally discovered that Han Ziqing had been poisoned with Mo Xun's poison! Seeing that the poison was taking effect, Xuanyuan Lige immediately used cold water to suppress it.

He began to suspect that Han Ziqing might have a body immune to all poisons, which made him think of the people from the isolated island. The Fourth Prince had yet to find Han Ziqing, and he inquired about Xuanyuan Lige's whereabouts. His subordinates reported that Xuanyuan Lige had already left the city, making it difficult to track him down.

They didn't find anything suspicious, but Lao Gu was worried that Han Ziqing's immunity to poisons could be exploited by someone with ill intentions. However, the Fourth Prince was confident in Han Ziqing's intelligence and believed she wouldn't be easily manipulated. The Queen and the Second Princess both pleaded with the King and the Fourth Prince, but the King refused to see them.

The Fourth Prince declared that if Han Ziqing couldn't be found, he would take everyone down with him! The King summoned the Fourth Prince, hinting that Ouyang had already been executed and that he claimed sole responsibility for the plot, exonerating the Second Prince. Understanding the King’s intentions, the Fourth Prince expressed his belief in the Second Prince, but pointed out that with the Fourth Princess still missing, it was clear that the visitors from Xiling had ill intentions.

He then volunteered to lead an expedition to Xiling, insisting that the Second Prince accompany him, which the King approved. When Han Ziqing awoke and saw Xuanyuan Lige, she immediately wanted to leave, but Xuanyuan Lige insisted on teaching her to play the qin. Han Ziqing was reluctant but couldn’t find a way out. She also realized that Xuanyuan Lige's qin could influence people's minds.

In the end, Han Ziqing agreed to learn the qin on the condition that for each song she mastered, Xuanyuan Lige would answer one of her questions. Xuanyuan Lige agreed. As Han Ziqing listened to him play, she was reminded of memories of her mother playing the qin, though she didn’t understand why. The Second Prince was preparing to set out and discussed with the Queen the possibility of using Nanzhao’s forces to eliminate Han Ziqing.

Meanwhile, Han Ziqing continued learning the qin, and Xuanyuan Lige kept his promise by answering her questions. This was how Han Ziqing first learned that Xuanyuan Lige was her mother's disciple and heard for the first time about her immunity to poisons and the isolated island people. Xuanyuan Lige promised to reveal more if she learned another song.

The Second Prince secretly arranged to meet Xuanyuan Lige, demanding Han Ziqing, but Xuanyuan Lige refused, revealing that he was the Crown Prince of Dongling. Their conversation was overheard by the Fourth Prince’s men! After receiving this information, the Fourth Prince ordered the Second Prince to lead the troops against Xiling. The King soon received news of the Second Prince’s defeat and retreat, causing him great anxiety, as he couldn’t figure out what Jun Beiyue was planning!

Meanwhile, Han Ziqing had a dream about her mother warning her not to remove a mask. She awoke in shock and discovered a totem on her face, identical to the one on the dagger. What could this mean?

A soldier rushed into the great hall, reporting that King Xiang of Xiling had requested a truce and that Chu Tiange intended to host a banquet at Sanjie Cliff to apologize to Jun Beiyue. The ministers found this peculiar, as Sanjie Cliff was known as the highest cliff in the Longyuan Continent, towering thousands of feet with extremely strong winds.

However, since King Xiang had announced this publicly, if the Fourth Prince did not attend the banquet, it would become a laughingstock throughout the land and harm the morale of the army. Jun Beiyue received the invitation and instructed his soldiers to prepare 80,000 Tiger Troops in advance to guard against a sneak attack from Dongling. Chu Tiange sat at Sanjie Cliff, drinking wine while waiting for Jun Beiyue to arrive.

As Jun Beiyue crossed the bridge, Chu Tiange shot three arrows at him, but Jun Beiyue easily deflected them with a wave of his robe. The two then drew their swords and engaged in battle. Chu Tiange's every move was fierce, aiming to kill Jun Beiyue, but in the end, he could not defeat him and was severely injured. Meanwhile, Jun Beiyue’s 20,000 troops were confronting Chu Tiange’s 100,000-strong army and successfully breached and surrounded the Xiling royal city.

Xuanyuan Lige, as Han Ziqing’s master, was teaching her to play the qin by the water. The music was grand and occasionally intense, resonating with the sounds of battle. However, Xuanyuan Lige's old illness relapsed, making Han Ziqing even more suspicious of his identity. Xuanyuan Lige then confessed to her that he was a member of the Dongling royal family. In Dongling, anyone with the Xuanyuan surname had to change it to Ying.

Speaking of his identity, Xuanyuan Lige appeared sorrowful, explaining that the Queen of Dongling was now in power, and all the male members of the royal family had died young, leaving him as the sole survivor. Han Ziqing recalled that Jun Beiyue had once told her that Xiling and Dongling were the greatest threats to Tianque. Xiling occupied Tianque’s territory, and Dongling had ambitions to restore its power.

She had heard that Dongling had seized the opportunity to attack Tianque, and that Xuanyuan Lige, traveling as a qin master, was actually a spy for Dongling. This made her even more hostile toward Xuanyuan Lige.

Noticing Han Ziqing’s concern for Jun Beiyue, Xuanyuan Lige bluntly stated that it was impossible for Jun Beiyue to make her, a woman of humble birth, his concubine and suggested that his interest in her was likely due to her being from the isolated island. Although saddened by his words, Han Ziqing chose to trust Jun Beiyue.

The news of Jun Beiyue and Chu Tiange's full-scale mobilization was relayed to Xuanyuan Lige, who then planned to take advantage of the war between Tianque and Xiling to attack Tianque. However, Jun Beiyue had anticipated this move, and Dongling’s soldiers were ambushed by Tianque. Upon hearing this news, Xuanyuan Lige was so anxious that he coughed up blood.

Realizing he had wronged Han Ziqing, he decided that holding her hostage was not the act of a gentleman and planned to send her away. Xuanyuan Zhaoxi volunteered to escort Han Ziqing out, but she secretly harbored hatred for Han Ziqing due to her desire for revenge for her lost country and intended to kill her.

Just as she was about to act, Xuanyuan Lige arrived in time to stop her, stating that Han Ziqing was their only bargaining chip against Jun Beiyue. Xuanyuan Lige applied a rare ointment made of Xuanbing purple mud to Han Ziqing’s wounds. Though they were on opposing sides, they were still master and disciple. Before parting, Xuanyuan Lige gifted her the sheet music for "Lishang.

"Jun Beiyue's army reached the gates of Dongling City, demanding that Xuanyuan Lige personally escort Han Ziqing to the city gate. As the two were about to leave on horseback, Xuanyuan Zhaoxi suddenly blocked Xuanyuan Lige’s path, demanding that he hand over the tiger tally and his troops. However, Xuanyuan Lige had a military order, and Xuanyuan Zhaoxi could not stop him. Xuanyuan Lige escorted Han Ziqing alone, knowing it was like walking into a lion’s den.

Han Ziqing, remembering their bond, worried for Xuanyuan Lige’s safety and urged him to leave first, offering to hold off Jun Beiyue’s pursuers. Unexpectedly, Jun Beiyue had never intended to kill him, and Han Ziqing couldn’t hide her guilt. Han Ziqing, having learned of her identity as a person from the isolated island, mistakenly believed that Jun Beiyue had ulterior motives for being with her.

She confronted him, and Jun Beiyue frankly admitted that it was indeed because of her identity and for her safety that he kept her by his side. Hearing the truth, Han Ziqing felt disappointed and returned the Liuguang to him, proposing instead that they cooperate to uncover the secrets of her past and the isolated island. Jun Beiyue felt a pang of bitterness, as he truly cared about Han Ziqing.

That night, Han Ziqing heard that Jun Beiyue had been neglecting sleep and food for days while fighting to save her. Reflecting on their shared experiences, she realized she might have been too harsh and went to apologize to Jun Beiyue. He wasn’t angry to begin with, and their relationship quickly improved. Jun Beiyue then suggested that she represent him in negotiating with Xiling, and Han Ziqing readily agreed.

Jun Beiyue promised to inform her if he received any news about the isolated island and placed his ring on her finger, hoping it would help her in times of danger. The next morning, despite the suggestions of her subordinates, Han Ziqing dressed simply and rode with Jun Beiyue to meet Chu Feiyan.

Jun Beiyue sent Han Ziqing to negotiate with Chu Feiyan. He asked her if she now understood what Tianque wanted, and Han Ziqing confidently replied that she had her own plan and that Jun Beiyue just needed to wait. Han Ziqing then set off, ignoring the doubts of his second-in-command about her ability to negotiate. Chu Feiyan was surprised when, after waiting so long, the person who arrived was Han Ziqing.

Chu Feiyan repeatedly mentioned that the only person she had been waiting for was Jun Beiyue, reminding Han Ziqing that she was representing Xiling’s generals. She then questioned Han Ziqing's current status, implying that she was still just a concubine-born daughter of the Prime Minister’s manor. Although Han Ziqing didn’t want to use her status to make a point, she had no choice but to reveal the scorpion-shaped ring on her hand, which represented Jun Beiyue himself!

Chu Feiyan’s momentum instantly weakened, but she quickly regained her composure and presented her terms. From this, Han Ziqing discerned that Xiling intended to shift the war toward the Snow Region. Han Ziqing did not expose this, instead proposing her own conditions: if Chu Feiyan agreed, she would accept Xiling’s terms. Chu Feiyan was furious, but Han Ziqing showed no fear and began to leave.

As Han Ziqing was about to exit, Chu Feiyan called her back at the last moment and signed the agreement. Still seething with anger, Chu Feiyan attempted to wound Han Ziqing by mentioning that Jun Beiyue would never touch her, but Han Ziqing calmly stated that she didn’t care at all. She then took the agreement and went to find Jun Beiyue. Jun Beiyue was very pleased, and the entire camp was filled with joy.

At this moment, Situ Xin'er called out to Jun Beiyue from afar, hopping and skipping as she approached. Jun Beiyue smiled, but Han Ziqing felt awkward. Jun Beiyue then introduced them to each other, and Xin'er immediately brought up the matter of Guose Tianxiang, embarrassing Han Ziqing. Han Ziqing retorted sharply and left first. Later, Jun Beiyue sent someone to find Han Ziqing but did not allow Xin'er to leave the tent.

The second-in-command wanted to discuss claiming credit, but Jun Beiyue bluntly stated that the matter had nothing to do with him, infuriating the second-in-command, who could only return to his room to vent his anger. When he later learned that Jun Beiyue had left alone and left Xin'er in the tent, the second-in-command hatched a plan. Xin'er was eager to find Jun Beiyue, and the second-in-command easily tricked her into following him.

Han Ziqing witnessed the entire scene and followed them, discovering that the second-in-command intended to kill Xin'er and frame her for the crime. Han Ziqing intervened to help, but Xin'er misunderstood her intentions. That night, Han Ziqing played the qin alone, stewing in her frustration. Jun Beiyue came to check on her, but Han Ziqing did not treat him kindly.

Even an outsider like Hongyi could see that the two liked each other, but Han Ziqing silently reminded herself that this was all just a dream that would eventually end. She told herself that everyone here had nothing to do with her. No sooner had Jun Beiyue left than Han Ziqing heard Xuanyuan Lige’s qin music.

She followed the sound and continued to learn "Lishang" from Xuanyuan Lige, as it was related to the fate of the Longyuan Continent and might even involve her. Unexpectedly, Jun Beiyue appeared soon after. Han Ziqing instinctively shielded Xuanyuan Lige, but Jun Beiyue called her away. What they didn’t know was that the second-in-command followed closely behind and met with Xuanyuan Lige, establishing a new partnership between them.

Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing then quarreled over Xuanyuan Lige, with Jun Beiyue harshly declaring that he would no longer care about her. Meanwhile, the people of Nanzhao had not given up on capturing Han Ziqing. As for Han Ziqing, she continued to play her qin, ignoring the celebration banquet Jun Beiyue was hosting at the foot of the mountain.

Hongyi and Shiliang could tell from Han Ziqing's expression that she had quarreled with the Fourth Prince, Jun Beiyue, again. The two of them fought constantly, and Shiliang was anxious just watching them. Hongyi tried to persuade Han Ziqing, but she remained unmoved. Meanwhile, Jun Beiyue was also in a foul mood at the foot of the mountain, drinking alone. The second-in-command silently observed everything. That night, Jun Beiyue got drunk and went to bed early.

Xin'er also got drunk and, ignoring the guards' attempts to stop her, insisted on finding Jun Beiyue, eventually barging into his sleeping quarters! Under Hongyi's persuasion, Han Ziqing decided to check on the drunken Jun Beiyue. However, when she entered, she saw Jun Beiyue and Xin'er lying together! Xin'er woke up and innocently woke Jun Beiyue as well.

Jun Beiyue was shocked to see Xin'er beside him but, recalling the image of Han Ziqing and Xuanyuan Lige playing the qin together, he felt an inexplicable urge to anger Han Ziqing. So, he turned his attention to Xin'er, who dutifully brought him tea, and then he asked her to leave. Han Ziqing stood there in a daze, explaining that Hongyi had sent her, and then said she wouldn't disturb him before leaving.

Hongyi was surprised to see Han Ziqing exit so quickly, and even more surprised that Xin'er had just come out as well—what on earth had happened? Han Ziqing offered no explanation. Instead, she returned to her tent, packed her belongings, and left with Shiliang. Hongyi couldn't stop her, so she decided to go back and find the Fourth Prince. However, the second-in-command blocked her way, preventing her from entering the commander's tent.

With no other option, Hongyi waited outside, while the second-in-command secretly contacted the people from the Department of Justice. It wasn't until the next day that Hongyi informed Jun Beiyue that Han Ziqing had left. Jun Beiyue, still sulking, turned back to his tent and didn't go after Han Ziqing. But it wasn't long before he regretted it. However, just as he prepared his horse to set out, Shiliang returned alone—Han Ziqing had been captured by the Department of Justice!

The second-in-command was also nowhere to be found, making it clear that he was behind this. Without any hesitation, Jun Beiyue set off alone to rescue Han Ziqing. At that time, Han Ziqing was standing alone in the courtroom, with the case of Young Master Chen being brought up again. The reasoning was that they suspected the two black-clad men had been bribed, so the Han family was still under suspicion.

Han Ziqing listened quietly as Han Xier pretended to be innocent, even bringing in so-called witnesses. The witness claimed that Young Master Chen was not in the Fourth Princess's room that night, but someone else was. Han Xier then chimed in, distancing herself from the crime of conspiring with others to frame her sister. The crowd then demanded to know who was in Han Ziqing's room that night!

Han Ziqing knew that whether she identified the person or not, it would bring no benefit to Jun Beichen or Jun Beiyue. The second-in-command thought the same, confident that Han Ziqing would have no choice but to name him, which would result in Jun Beiyue being ridiculed by the entire world. But Han Ziqing declared that she would take the blame for everything. At that critical moment, the masked black-clad man reappeared, bringing with him the manager of Guose Tianxiang.

The black-clad man stated that he would reveal the truth, and the manager confessed that Han Xier had instructed him to harm Han Ziqing. The black-clad man added that he had injured Young Master Chen in passing, so the person in the room that night was himself! Upon hearing this, Han Ziqing was furious and stabbed the black-clad man, who, unprepared, fell to the ground, and his mask broke, revealing Jun Beiyue's face!

Han Ziqing was in disbelief and instantly regretted her actions deeply. Jun Beiyue said that this was his debt to her and asked Han Ziqing to promise him two things: first, to protect herself, and second, to protect Tianque. Han Ziqing single-handedly covered Jun Beiyue's retreat, led by Old Gu, and then asked the king how the case would be judged.

After receiving a satisfactory answer, she used the scorpion-shaped ring to command the Fourth Prince's men to defend the city, and then rushed to Jun Beiyue's side. Both Yingzi and Old Gu were furious, as in their eyes, Jun Beiyue had always been protecting Han Ziqing. Now that such a thing had happened, they felt it was unfair to the Fourth Prince. Tears welled up in Han Ziqing's eyes as she learned the whole truth.

Old Gu and Yingzi explained that they were not blaming Han Ziqing, but if something really happened to the Fourth Prince, how would Han Ziqing handle herself? After speaking, the two left. Han Ziqing, now alone, looked at Jun Beiyue lying on the bed, praying in her heart that he would recover. She hadn’t wished for things to turn out this way—she just wanted to find a way home. She sincerely hoped that Jun Beiyue would wake up soon.

Meanwhile, the Queen went to report the situation to the King. However, the Fourth Prince's mansion was tightly guarded, and no news could be gathered. The Queen asked the King what they would do if the Fourth Prince didn’t make it. The King responded that, if that were the case, Jun Beichen should immediately take command of the military! The Queen was pleased, assuring that she would keep an eye on the Fourth Prince's mansion.

Jun Beiyue still showed no signs of improvement, and Han Ziqing grew anxious. She sought Old Gu for information, and he revealed that the blade had pierced the prince's vital energy channels. Without someone using internal energy to sustain him, the prince might not survive more than two months. Han Ziqing asked if anyone could help. Old Gu thought of the Lu family from Donghai.

Years ago, the Lu family patriarch had taken Jun Beiyue as his last disciple, teaching him internal energy. If he could help, the prince might recover. Han Ziqing immediately decided to send them to Liuxian Island to find the patriarch. Old Gu and Yingzi were hesitant, but Han Ziqing revealed a scorpion-shaped ring. With that, she and Situ Haonan stayed behind in Tianque, while Yingzi and Old Gu escorted Jun Beiyue to Liuxian Island overnight.

If all went well, they would arrive in ten days. The King and Queen could no longer restrain themselves and went directly to the Fourth Prince’s mansion. Han Ziqing blocked their way, saying that rest was necessary for recovery. Nevertheless, they entered, only to find Situ Haonan being kicked out, cursing under his breath. The group left, but their doubts remained. The King reminded the second prince to pay more attention to the matter.

As a result, the number of assassins increased, including those from Nanzhao. Han Ziqing ordered that no matter what happened outside, the inner courtyard must not be disturbed. Meanwhile, a person pretending to be Jun Beiyue lay in bed, causing wave after wave of intruders to leave without success. On Liuxian Island, the Lu family was having a meal and discussing the upcoming Liuxian Conference. However, the patriarch's children were restless.

The eldest daughter, Mei Ting, and her husband, Jiang Chen, quarreled even during casual conversation with the younger daughter, Su Ying. The patriarch, aware that they were all vying for the family leadership, felt disappointed. He couldn't help but think how much better things would be if Jun Beiyue were here at this time. At that moment, a subordinate quietly reported that an urgent guest requested a meeting. The patriarch went out and found the unconscious Jun Beiyue.

He immediately ordered his men to carry Jun Beiyue inside. Old Gu explained their purpose, and the patriarch quickly agreed to help while promising to keep things confidential. However, the patriarch's internal energy was limited, and his wife was worried about him. She sought help from Jiang Chen, but Jiang was reluctant to assist. The patriarch eventually used 70% of his power, and Jun Beiyue finally showed signs of recovery.

Meanwhile, the children in the household began to gossip, and Jiang Chen even suspected that Jun Beiyue might be the patriarch’s illegitimate child! Su Ying, who usually clashed with Jiang, even took the initiative to invite him for a chat. Back at Tianque, Han Ziqing received news that Jun Beiyue was recovering and had taken the alias "Nianbei.

" Meanwhile, Ouyang in Tianque originally intended to ask Prince An for help to suppress the assassins so that Han Ziqing could go to Liuxian Island, but no matter how they asked, they couldn’t get him to agree. Han Ziqing decided to go herself. The assassins continued to come, and this time they captured another person from Nanzhao! Han Ziqing went to find Prince An but was turned away at the door. Unexpectedly, the Nanzhao assassins followed her!

Han Ziqing subdued the person, asking who they were. The person replied that they could take her to meet Prince An. Only then did Han Ziqing release them. The person explained that they were a veterinarian who had helped Prince An before, but it was very difficult to meet him. He asked Han Ziqing to agree to one condition. The person then asked if Han Ziqing had captured a child last night.

Realizing that they were accomplices, Han Ziqing still agreed, as she was eager to meet Prince An. However, because Prince An liked peace and quiet, the person suggested that Han Ziqing go alone. He gave a fan to a child at the gate, and sure enough, the gate opened, but the person ran away, leaving only his name, Baili Weisheng. He warned that if his junior brother wasn’t released, he would come back to settle the score with her.

Once inside the courtyard, Han Ziqing met with Prince An. He advised her to leave, but Han Ziqing pleaded for him to help Jun Beiyue. Upon hearing Jun Beiyue's name, Prince An became immediately concerned. After learning the full story, he agreed to step in and help defend Tianque, but only for one month—no longer than that.

Over on Liuxian Island, Jun Beiyue was being personally cared for by Old Gu, and the Lu family patriarch was providing him with the finest medicine. However, Su Ying had sinister intentions. She took advantage of a moment when Old Gu was discussing the quality of ginseng to secretly poison Jun Beiyue’s medicine! Late at night, Old Gu noticed that Jun Beiyue's condition had worsened and immediately sent Yingzi to find the Lu family patriarch.

Given the urgency, the Lu family matriarch didn’t hesitate and transferred her internal energy to Jun Beiyue, but she ended up spitting blood in the process. Old Gu and Yingzi were extremely grateful to the Lu family patriarch and his wife for their help, and they hoped even more that the prince would wake up soon. Meanwhile, Han Ziqing continued to train the military, even inviting Ouyang to serve as their mentor.

However, the King hadn’t given up and once again brought people to the Fourth Prince's mansion, disregarding Han Ziqing’s attempts to stop them. This time, Prince An intervened and blocked the King himself. The King was surprised to see Prince An and, feeling uneasy, left. Nonetheless, he couldn’t help but marvel at Han Ziqing's capabilities. Despite this, Han Ziqing couldn’t stop worrying about Jun Beiyue, so she decided to go to Liuxian Island.

Prince An promised to safeguard the Fourth Prince’s mansion. What Han Ziqing didn’t know was that Baili Weisheng and his junior brother had also boarded the ship, leaving Tianque with her. Jun Beiyue's condition began to improve, and after Old Gu’s diagnosis, he determined that the prince would wake up in no more than five days! Old Gu quickly sent Yingzi to relay the good news to the Lu family patriarch, who was overjoyed.

The patriarch shared his happiness with his wife, even saying that the future of the Lu family’s prosperity would depend on Jun Beiyue. However, the Lu family matriarch, still favoring her own children, felt uneasy hearing this. Su Ying also overheard her father’s intention to pass the family leadership to Nianbei (Jun Beiyue’s alias), and she realized that she had to act. Su Ying then reached out to Jiang Chen, and the two quickly conspired.

Jiang Chen somehow acquired blood spirit grass, claiming it would help his mother’s health. However, after sending it to the kitchen, it soon disappeared! Jiang Chen shifted the blame to the outsiders, and Mei Ting indeed found the blood spirit grass in Nianbei’s room. With the Lu family patriarch away, they demanded that Old Gu and Yingzi be locked up.

The Lu family matriarch wanted to intervene but, remembering her husband’s words from the other night, hesitated and tacitly allowed their actions. Later, Jiang Chen volunteered to take care of Nianbei, and the matriarch agreed. When Jiang Chen and Su Ying saw that Nianbei was about to wake up, they immediately forced more medicine on him! Jiang Chen even contemplated killing him!

Han Ziqing finally arrived at the dock of Liuxian Island, but Commander Xu and his men immediately surrounded her. Han Ziqing explained that she was a guest of the Lu family manor, but the commander insisted that not just anyone could enter the manor unless they had a token of proof. Han Ziqing gave her subordinate a signal, and a bag of silver was thrown over.

Commander Xu's demeanor changed instantly, and he quickly prepared to take Han Ziqing to the manor. However, Jiang Chen suddenly appeared, scolding Commander Xu for bringing just anyone to the island and insisting that Han Ziqing could not enter. Han Ziqing asked for his identity, and Jiang Chen hesitated, unable to give a straight answer. She quickly guessed his status and even suggested he should change his surname to Lu.

Infuriated, Jiang Chen was about to lash out when the island's guards caught Baili Weisheng and his junior brother sneaking onto the island. Han Ziqing recognized them immediately, and Jiang Chen redirected his anger towards them. Han Ziqing intervened, warning Jiang Chen, even threatening to hit him. Sensing that Han Ziqing was not someone to be trifled with, Jiang Chen reluctantly backed down to avoid public embarrassment.

Han Ziqing wasn't going to let it go easily, though—she demanded that Jiang Chen apologize in person, which he did. Just as she was about to leave, Han Ziqing remembered that Baili Weisheng was still locked up, so she rescued him and his junior brother but made sure to warn him not to follow her again. Even before Han Ziqing reached the manor, word had already spread.

Jiang Chen complained about being bullied by Han Ziqing, but Lady Lu, knowing Han Ziqing’s identity, disregarded her children’s grumblings and went to greet her personally. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Han Ziqing immediately requested to see Nianbei (Jun Beiyue), not even stopping for tea. Upon seeing him again, Han Ziqing was filled with emotions, but she told herself not to cry. At that moment, Mei Ting barged in noisily, claiming she was there to seek justice for Jiang Chen.

Han Ziqing didn’t want things to get too ugly, but with Old Gu and Yingzi not by Nianbei's side and the others around having hidden agendas, she couldn’t help but intervene. Just then, Su Ying rushed in, frantically reporting that Steward Li was trying to kill the two prisoners, and now they were missing. As Han Ziqing was pondering this, Old Gu and Yingzi returned.

Old Gu immediately checked Nianbei’s pulse, while Yingzi explained all that had happened and how they had been falsely accused. Han Ziqing calmly analyzed the situation and, not wanting to cause too much of a scene, warned them but requested that Lady Lu give her a proper explanation. However, Mei Ting continued to make a fuss, and Han Ziqing, unable to hold back any longer, kicked her away. Lady Lu hurriedly apologized and then took everyone away.

Han Ziqing quickly turned her attention to Nianbei’s condition, and Old Gu reported that while his internal energy had recovered, the fact that he hadn’t woken up indicated he had been poisoned. The Lu family patriarch soon returned, and after hearing what had happened, he immediately banished Mei Ting and Jiang Chen to live at the foot of the mountain and punished Su Ying. The news quickly reached Han Ziqing, but she wasn’t surprised.

Old Gu noted that the only people in the manor who truly cared about the prince were the Lu family patriarch and Lady Lu. However, Lady Lu was too soft-hearted and easily influenced. Despite this, Old Gu still couldn’t figure out what poison Nianbei had been given. Han Ziqing, knowing that Baili Weisheng had been following her, stepped out of the room, and sure enough, Baili Weisheng appeared.

He gave her a medicine, and though Han Ziqing was skeptical, she took it back to Old Gu for use. At that moment, Mei Ting and Jiang Chen were complaining about the poor conditions at the foot of the mountain. Jiang Chen tried to convince Mei Ting to find a way to get rid of "those two people. "Old Gu tested Baili Weisheng’s medicine and discovered it could indeed counteract the poison, but there wasn’t enough of it.

He decided to search for more. Han Ziqing learned from Old Gu that Jun Beiyue could hear her speak, so she continued talking to him, hoping he could hear her. To her surprise, Jun Beiyue actually responded!

Han Ziqing wasn’t sure if Jun Beiyue had truly responded to her, so she leaned closer to hear better. To her surprise, Jun Beiyue raised his hand, gently touching her head, and stopped her from moving. When Han Ziqing slightly turned her head, she realized that Jun Beiyue had woken up. Overjoyed, she couldn't contain her happiness.

She asked him why he was pretending to sleep, and Jun Beiyue replied that he wanted to hear what she had been saying earlier. Embarrassed, Han Ziqing sat up quickly. Jun Beiyue then asked her why she had come. Han Ziqing explained that she had left Tianque in the hands of Prince An. Jun Beiyue praised her for handling things well and teasingly asked if she came because she missed him.

Han Ziqing remained silent, and Jun Beiyue told her that he had long regarded her as his wife. Shortly after, Old Gu and Yingzi returned. They were overjoyed to see the prince awake. Jun Beiyue explained that once his internal energy had recovered, he had become aware of everything around him and knew that Jiang Chen and Su Ying were the ones who had harmed him.

However, he suggested that they keep the news of his recovery a secret for now and wait to see what would happen next. Meanwhile, late at night, Jiang Chen ignored Mei Ting's attempts to stop him and insisted on going out. Su Ying stood guard outside, aware that Jiang Chen was going to meet someone from the Bai family. She warned him to be cautious and not to think he could rise to power by stepping on the Lu family.

Jiang Chen shamelessly dismissed her concerns, prompting Su Ying to slap him, deepening his hatred for the Lu family. The Lu family patriarch received an invitation to the qin gathering at Qinse Valley. Lady Lu suggested not attending, but the patriarch insisted, as it concerned their ranking. He hoped that Jun Beiyue could help revitalize the family’s reputation, though Lady Lu’s heart leaned more toward their own child.

Yingzi conveyed the news to Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue, explaining that Qinse Valley was the place where Xuanyuan Lige had once practiced the qin with Han Ziqing’s mother. Jun Beiyue knew they had to attend because uncovering Han Ziqing’s true identity was the most important thing at the moment. He even told Han Ziqing that she didn’t need to hide her identity anymore.

With that, Han Ziqing went to speak with the Lu family patriarch, who readily agreed to let her go. Su Ying immediately relayed the news of Han Ziqing and Nianbei’s (Jun Beiyue's) trip to Qinse Valley to Jiang Chen. Jun Beiyue asked Han Ziqing to help him change clothes. Embarrassed, Han Ziqing hesitated, saying she wasn’t used to it. Jun Beiyue didn’t push her, instead telling her that he could wait.

Soon after, Han Ziqing and her group arrived at Qinse Valley. The Lu family patriarch gave her a brief introduction, and Han Ziqing was curious about who exactly the Bai family was. Soon, the two elders of Qinse Valley announced the start of the qin gathering, and Xuanyuan Lige performed. Many in the audience were affected by the music, but Han Ziqing, knowing that Xuanyuan Lige was playing under someone’s instruction, remained unaffected.

Xuanyuan Lige also knew she wouldn’t be disturbed, and all of this was observed by Jun Beiyue from above. Then, the young master of the Bai family suddenly appeared and stepped directly onto the stage. Han Ziqing immediately sensed that he was not someone to be trifled with. To everyone’s surprise, the young master proposed that they combine the ranking competition with the qin gathering, offering the Fusang seed as a prize.

The two elders of Qinse Valley were so pleased that they agreed. The Lu family patriarch panicked but had no choice but to send Jiang Chen to compete. The result was a complete defeat, with Jiang Chen barely holding his own. Su Ying, fearing a similar outcome, didn’t dare to step forward, so Han Ziqing volunteered. Though Han Ziqing wasn’t familiar with the Lu family’s techniques and was at a disadvantage, her skill in sound-based attacks gave her an edge.

In a critical moment, Han Ziqing pulled out a dagger and made a startling discovery—the young master of the Bai family was actually a woman. The Lu family patriarch burst out laughing, realizing that the Bai family had no male heir after all. In the end, the Bai family retreated in defeat, leaving the Fusang seed in Han Ziqing’s hands.

Holding the precious seed, Han Ziqing declared that she didn’t dare to keep it all to herself and decided to auction it off, starting the bid at one tael of silver, with the highest bidder winning. The crowd was excited, and Xuanyuan Lige suddenly called out a bid of ten thousand taels. All eyes turned toward him, and just then, Jun Beiyue approached, raising the bid to thirty thousand taels.

The Lu family patriarch introduced Jun Beiyue to the crowd, and Jiang Chen and Su Ying were instantly filled with panic. Jun Beiyue, meanwhile, was invited to join the gathering.

Su Ying and Jiang Chen were drenched in cold sweat the moment they realized that Nianbei was actually the Fourth Prince, Jun Beiyue. As Jun Beiyue passed by them, he deliberately paused, picked up an apple from in front of them, and then walked away. Neither Su Ying nor Jiang Chen dared to even breathe. After Jun Beiyue took his seat, Han Ziqing asked if anyone was going to raise the bid further.

Xuanyuan Lige hadn’t given up yet and immediately raised the bid from 30,000 to 90,000. Jun Beiyue smiled lightly and raised the bid to an astounding 1,000,000. The entire audience was stunned by the enormous number, and Xuanyuan Lige didn’t seem interested in raising the bid any further. Just before the auction was finalized, Baili Weisheng suddenly appeared, loudly claiming that the value of the Sacred Tree’s seed far exceeded 1,000,000 taels.

Han Ziqing knew he was here to cause trouble again, so she asked if he was going to raise the bid. Baili Weisheng rambled on, but in the end, he only added one copper coin to the bid. Han Ziqing then asked the crowd if anyone wanted to raise the bid above 1,000,000 taels and one copper coin. To her surprise, neither Jun Beiyue nor Xuanyuan Lige raised their bids further, leaving Baili Weisheng in a panic.

Han Ziqing declared the auction closed and announced that all proceeds would be donated to Qinse Valley, thus leaving Baili Weisheng with a huge debt of 1,000,000 taels to the valley. Later, Han Ziqing was applying ointment on her own when Jun Beiyue came over to help, making her feel shy. Han Ziqing understood that Jun Beiyue’s bidding during the day was aimed at Xuanyuan Lige, but Jun Beiyue was more curious about the fool who appeared at the end.

Han Ziqing explained that he was a veterinarian who had helped with Prince An’s affairs and even with Jun Beiyue’s poisoning. She expressed her gratitude to him. Jun Beiyue immediately questioned her, and Han Ziqing realized he was jealous, so she thanked him for helping her apply the ointment. As Jun Beiyue stood up to leave, he said he would return the next day to help her again.

Meanwhile, Su Ying and Jiang Chen were completely panicked, as the matter of poisoning Jun Beiyue was far too serious. They began blaming each other but eventually decided to seek out the young master of the Bai family. The Bai family assured them that they were all in this together. Outside, Han Ziqing was playing the qin when Baili Weisheng appeared, wailing about the enormous debt he had signed for. Han Ziqing smiled without saying a word.

Soon after, Jun Beiyue arrived, and Baili Weisheng immediately turned his attention to him, but to no avail, and he left in frustration, blaming the entire debt on Han Ziqing. Knowing that Jun Beiyue was jealous, Han Ziqing noticed that he even refused to help her stand up. The two elders of Qinse Valley asked Xuanyuan Lige about Han Ziqing, having guessed that she might be connected to Mu Ci. Xuanyuan Lige confirmed that she was indeed his master’s daughter.

The two elders reminisced about Mu Ci, remembering how they had saved her years ago. Grateful, Mu Ci stayed on Liuxian Island and, with her natural talent for music, later became Xuanyuan Lige’s master. The elders always felt guilty toward Mu Ci, and now, with Xuanyuan Lige’s health in decline, they hoped to pass on the teachings of the Qu family to Han Ziqing. Xuanyuan Lige was pleased with this idea.

Meanwhile, Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing ventured into a mysterious cave in the valley, where they saw many fireflies. Han Ziqing also discovered the natural sound of the world. To their surprise, Xuanyuan Lige appeared, explaining that the melody was from *Lishang*. It was only then that Han Ziqing realized there were more than ten volumes of *Lishang*.

Afterward, Xuanyuan Lige took Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue to meet the two elders of Qinse Valley, who expressed their desire to keep Han Ziqing there. However, Han Ziqing declined, much to Jun Beiyue’s relief, as he was worried she might stay. Nonetheless, they knew they had to continue investigating *Lishang* because it was tied to Han Ziqing’s ability to return. Xuanyuan Lige, on the other hand, was facing tremendous pressure. Between the weight of restoring the kingdom and his feelings for Han Ziqing, even his nanny could see his inner conflict.

The second prince received news about Jun Beiyue being on Liuxian Island and immediately informed the queen, suggesting that they should tell the king. The queen quickly understood the implication—Han Ziqing had been preventing the king from visiting Jun Beiyue, which amounted to deceiving the monarch. Without delay, the queen set off and arrived to find the king playing chess with Prince An.

Just as the queen was about to speak about Jun Beiyue, Prince An preemptively mentioned that Jun Beiyue was not at the royal residence and that he had already recovered. The king was upset that Han Ziqing had not informed him of this. The queen, adding fuel to the fire, accused Han Ziqing of treason. However, Prince An spoke in defense of Jun Beiyue, making the king hesitate and unable to pursue the matter further.

The queen, understanding the situation, realized that they didn’t need to rush, especially with the impending threat from the southern kingdom, Nanzhao. Meanwhile, Nanzhao had also received the news but knew they couldn't act recklessly due to Han Ziqing's unique status. With the grand Nanzhao celebration approaching, they planned to invite Han Ziqing, intending to take action once she was there.

Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue were following the Lu family back to their estate when Su Ying quietly told Jiang Chen that the young master of the Bai family was waiting for him in the distant woods. Jiang Chen found it odd but managed to slip away. Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue noticed this, and Jun Beiyue knew it was time to help the Lu family deal with internal matters.

Back at the Lu family estate, Mei Ting was loudly searching for Jiang Chen, and only then did the Lu family head realize Jiang Chen wasn’t with the group. Soon, word spread that the Jiang family had gone to the Bai family looking for Jiang Chen. Mei Ting wanted to see for herself, but Su Ying tried to stop her parents from going, as it would damage the Lu family's reputation.

However, the Lu family still went and found the Jiang family accusing the Bai family of being involved with Jiang Chen. A large crowd had gathered, and soon the young master of the Bai family appeared. The Lu family demanded an explanation for what had transpired between Jiang Chen and the Bai family. The young master of the Bai family bluntly stated that it was Su Ying who had killed Jiang Chen and was trying to frame them.

Su Ying and the young master accused each other, but nothing was clear. Mei Ting grew anxious upon hearing about Jiang Chen’s connection with the Bai family, and the situation became chaotic. Unexpectedly, Jiang Chen appeared, revealing that Shadow had saved him. Jiang Chen openly admitted that he did have dealings with the young master of the Bai family and that Su Ying had been scheming to control the Lu family.

The three of them had mutually benefited from their relationship. However, now that they were trying to kill him, Jiang Chen decided to expose everything, even revealing that the young master of the Bai family had a birthmark. Humiliated in front of everyone, the young master had no choice but to leave with their father, while the Lu family also returned home. The head of the Lu family immediately expelled Su Ying and ordered Mei Ting to divorce Jiang Chen.

If not, she could return with him to the Jiang family. Having seen Jiang Chen’s true colors, Mei Ting agreed to the divorce. However, Jiang Chen refused to let go, insisting that Mei Ting endure hardships with him. At that moment, Jun Beiyue arrived and forced Jiang Chen to sign the divorce papers before expelling him. With the Lu family’s affairs settled, Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing set off to return to Tianque.

When facing the king, Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing remained calm and composed. The queen deliberately made slanderous remarks, but Han Ziqing directly countered, refusing to give an inch. Jun Beiyue also assured the king that they would attend the Nanzhao celebration on time. The queen, however, was secretly waiting to see Han Ziqing encounter trouble in Nanzhao. Before their departure, Jun Beiyue had been researching Nanzhao’s situation, and Han Ziqing realized that it would be quite dangerous.

Later, Ouyang also offered to join them on the journey. Ouyang reminded Jun Beiyue that the news about Xiner had already reached the family, and it was possible that the two might really end up betrothed. Jun Beiyue emphatically dismissed the idea as impossible! Meanwhile, Baili Weisheng and Chu Feiyan were also on their way to Nanzhao.

Xuanyuan Lige and his sister arrived in Nanzhao from Dongling, followed shortly by Chu Feiyan from Xiling. Chu Feiyan remained as arrogant as ever, while Xuanyuan Lige's sister was equally proud. She didn’t like Chu Feiyan and deliberately brought up Han Ziqing, suggesting that she would likely arrive with the Fourth Prince. Xuanyuan Lige knew what she meant and simply ignored her. Soon, Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing also arrived.

Under the guidance of the Nanzhao King, they toured the courtyard before preparing to rest. Unexpectedly, Princess Nangong Qianqian appeared and started chasing after Situ Haonan, who quickly ran away. Nangong Qianqian then turned her attention to Han Ziqing, pressing her about her relationship with Situ Haonan. Han Ziqing ignored her and went inside to change clothes. Jun Beiyue asked Nangong Qianqian to sit down and introduced her to Han Ziqing.

When Han Ziqing finished changing and came out, only Situ Haonan was still there, as Jun Beiyue and Nangong Qianqian had already left. Situ Haonan teased Han Ziqing, asking if she wasn’t afraid that Jun Beiyue would be stolen away. Han Ziqing calmly ate a banana and brought up Nangong Qianqian, causing Situ Haonan to fall silent and leave.

Meanwhile, Concubine Qin of Nanzhao suggested that they conduct the "Divine Guidance" ceremony in Fog Valley as a way to test Han Ziqing's identity. Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing were also studying the Nanzhao map, with their target being a mysterious ice pool. However, Nanzhao didn’t allow free movement. Jun Beiyue suggested that they go openly and with authority, meaning that if the Divine Guidance pointed towards Langya Mountain, they would pass by the ice pool.

This way, they could visit it openly! Han Ziqing knew the so-called Divine Guidance was manipulated by someone, so she quietly said that they should ensure the guidance points to their destination. The next day, everyone participated in Nanzhao’s unique activities. While everyone was quietly paying respects, Nangong Qianqian kept pestering Han Ziqing with questions about Situ Haonan. Han Ziqing ignored her, but Qianqian continued causing trouble, eventually knocking into Chu Feiyan behind her.

The Nanzhao King, enraged, ordered both of them to be thrown out. Chu Feiyan used the excuse of needing to bathe and change clothes to leave on her own. As for Nangong Qianqian, Han Ziqing spoke up on her behalf, preventing her from being expelled. Grateful, Qianqian now considered Han Ziqing her best friend. During the Divine Guidance ceremony, both Nanzhao’s side and Han Ziqing’s side were secretly manipulating things, but Han Ziqing prevailed!

The Nanzhao King was furious, but Concubine Qin quickly suggested that traveling via Lingshui River would have the same effect as going through Langya Mountain. The medicine valley people agreed, and the Nanzhao King’s anger subsided. Han Ziqing soon received news that the route had been changed to the river, though they couldn’t figure out why.

Baili Weisheng returned and visited his master, who warned him not to focus on the island people, as it would cause trouble if his golden merman identity was discovered. Baili Weisheng explained that he became a bounty hunter to help his master live a better life. His master advised him to stay at home, as they were about to leave with the king. Hearing that Han Ziqing might be there, Baili Weisheng insisted on going along.

Meanwhile, Xuanyuan Lige secretly met with Concubine Qin to gather information. She was upset that he was always focused on Han Ziqing. Xuanyuan Lige explained that there was nothing between him and Han Ziqing, which made Concubine Qin happy. She then mentioned that the Nanzhao King had taken an interest in Han Ziqing and planned to test her identity. Though she didn’t provide details, she promised to continue investigating. Soon, everyone boarded the ship to Langya Mountain.

Not long after, Jun Beiyue was called by the Nanzhao King to play chess. Before leaving, he reminded Han Ziqing to stay safe. Xuanyuan Lige then appeared quietly, warning Han Ziqing to be cautious of a trap. As Han Ziqing was pondering this, Concubine Qin arrived and invited her along. Unable to refuse, Han Ziqing joined the group, with all the women gathering on the deck.

Suddenly, someone appeared behind Han Ziqing and, following a signal from Concubine Qin, pushed her into the water. The water was known to be poisonous, and no one dared to save her. Xuanyuan Lige arrived in time to rescue Han Ziqing, but Concubine Qin's people claimed that the antidote was not on the ship, only bringing a blanket. As someone covered Han Ziqing with the blanket, she suddenly dragged Concubine Qin into the water as well!

Han Ziqing pulled Concubine Qin into the water with her, and people immediately threw ropes down to pull both of them up. Concubine Qin was in a panic. Jun Beiyue and the Nanzhao King quickly arrived at the scene. Concubine Qin pleaded with the king to save her, while Jun Beiyue noticed something was wrong and demanded an explanation from the Nanzhao King.

The Nanzhao King ordered his subordinates to bring the antidote, but they insisted that the medicine was still in the carriage. The king warned that if anything happened to either of the princesses, their lives would be forfeited. One of the attendants mentioned that he had previously prepared a small lifesaving pouch for the king, which might contain the antidote.

The antidote was quickly retrieved, and Jun Beiyue gave it to Han Ziqing immediately, also handing a pill to everyone who had come into contact with the princess. Jun Beiyue understood that someone had orchestrated this incident behind the scenes, but Han Ziqing remarked that being in Nanzhao, they still needed to tread carefully. Meanwhile, Concubine Qin was deeply apologetic for having messed up the situation.

She wanted to play a song for the king to relax him, but the king told her to rest and instead went to see Concubine Meng. Chu Feiyan found Concubine Qin and hinted that the incident with the fall into the river might have been intentional on Han Ziqing's part. However, Concubine Qin argued that the river was poisonous, and no one would willingly fall into it—perhaps it was just an accident.

She advised Chu Feiyan not to overthink it, but Chu Feiyan wasn’t convinced. Over on Xuanyuan Lige's side, his sister reminded him to stop getting involved in Han Ziqing's matters. Xuanyuan Lige responded bluntly, saying that she was meddling and even threatening that he had the power to either elevate or drag her down. The competition was about to begin. Chu Feiyan specifically approached Han Ziqing, warning her that this time she would not lose again. Han Ziqing remained indifferent.

When the qin-playing competition began, Han Ziqing was placed last in the order. Concubine Qin questioned why the Fourth Princess was placed at the end. Jun Beiyue knew that Concubine Qin was trying to make a grand entrance herself, so Han Ziqing offered to give the finale spot to Concubine Qin. Concubine Qin quickly downplayed it, saying she was just there to enjoy the event.

The qin competition began, and most of the players' skills were mediocre until Chu Feiyan played, which brought a smile to the Nanzhao King’s face. Concubine Qin noticed this. When it was Han Ziqing's turn, to everyone's surprise, the usually average Han Ziqing played terribly. Chu Feiyan stood tall with confidence, unaware of the danger that was approaching.

The Nanzhao King then invited Chu Feiyan to participate in the later performances and even extended an invitation for her to join him and Concubine Qin in their cabin for some "pleasant time. " Chu Feiyan immediately realized something was wrong! Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing happily left the scene. Soon, the king ordered Concubine Qin to invite Chu Feiyan again, but Concubine Qin subtly pointed out that the king’s love for music was too intense for her to overshadow.

Chu Feiyan then realized that Han Ziqing had done everything deliberately earlier, but for the sake of peace between the two countries, she still went. During the water-splashing festival that followed, the king splashed Chu Feiyan, which in Nanzhao symbolized affection. Chu Feiyan was utterly disgusted, but she had no choice but to endure the king's repeated invitations. Nangong Qianqian told Situ Haonan that she would be sent off for a political marriage after returning home.

Situ was visibly uncomfortable hearing this. Nangong Qianqian handed him something her mother had left for her, and Situ said he would accompany her back. But Nangong Qianqian, not caring, left directly. Jun Beiyue was about to leave, and Han Ziqing knew he wanted her to go hunting to help cover for him. Although Han Ziqing was worried about Jun Beiyue, she kept reminding herself not to let her feelings get in the way.

The next day, everyone set out for the hunt. Han Ziqing claimed that Jun Beiyue was sick and wouldn’t be attending. Baili Weisheng overheard that they were headed for Misty Valley and followed his master there. Once the Nanzhao people announced the rules, everyone set off. Concubine Qin was up to her tricks again. Han Ziqing noticed that the rabbit they encountered seemed off, and while protecting Nangong Qianqian, she fell into a trap. By accident, she discovered that her blood could protect her!

Han Ziqing fell into the valley, but only Situ Haonan and Nangong Qianqian managed to climb back up. Concubine Qin realized it was time to inform the king, and Xuanyuan Lige also sensed something was wrong, so he quickly made his way over. On his way, he encountered Situ Haonan and Nangong Qianqian and learned that Han Ziqing was still at the bottom of the valley.

Xuanyuan Lige wanted to rush down to save her immediately, but Concubine Qin, the Nanzhao King, and Xuanyuan Zhaoxi arrived. Concubine Qin explained that there was a poison, called Zhang Qi, rising from the bottom of the valley, and anyone who fell in would be poisoned. Attempting a rescue would not only be unsuccessful but would also endanger the rescuer.

Situ Haonan knew they were targeting Han Ziqing and wanted to shout a warning to her about the poison below, but Concubine Qin stopped him. Everyone had their own hidden agendas. At this critical moment, Han Ziqing’s voice suddenly echoed from below, and shortly after, she appeared, acting as if nothing had happened. She asked the group what they were looking for. Concubine Qin, noticing that Han Ziqing was unharmed, brought up the situation, causing suspicion among the group.

Unexpectedly, Baili Weisheng appeared with his master, Changning Yaoshi, claiming that his master had saved the Fourth Princess while gathering herbs at the bottom of the mountain. However, only Baili Weisheng knew that he had overheard Concubine Qin and the Nanzhao King's conversation and intentionally went looking for Han Ziqing. Han Ziqing, being clever, cooperated with Baili Weisheng’s act, playing along for Changning Yaoshi’s benefit, and successfully received the antidote.

On the other side, Jun Beiyue went alone to the icy pool. To his shock, he found many corpses inside, each bearing the Lonely Island totem, some red, some black. The faces of those with black totems were particularly grotesque. As Jun Beiyue ventured deeper, he discovered a person bound inside! Back at the Nanzhao Palace, Concubine Qin and the Nanzhao King insisted on explaining the day's events to the Fourth Prince.

Han Ziqing, however, insisted that Jun Beiyue was still recovering from illness and couldn't meet anyone, which only fueled suspicion. Xuanyuan Zhaoxi directly questioned whether the Fourth Prince was even in his chambers. Sensing the danger, Baili Weisheng quickly shouted that there was an assassin, diverting everyone's attention. However, Xuanyuan Zhaoxi still forcibly entered Jun Beiyue’s room, only to be kicked out by Jun Beiyue himself. His sudden appearance silenced all doubts, and the crowd quickly dispersed.

Jun Beiyue then told Han Ziqing about everything he had seen at the icy pool, even showing her the score he had found for the "Song of Parting Sorrows. " Han Ziqing deduced that there were ten volumes of the score, with six still missing. Elsewhere, Chu Tiange also arrived in Nanzhao.

Chu Feiyan naively believed he had come to take her back to Xiling, but it was obvious he had come for the marriage negotiations between her and the Nanzhao King. Xiling’s national power had significantly weakened, and a marriage alliance with Nanzhao would greatly benefit the country. Although Chu Feiyan was unwilling, she had no choice. This only deepened her hatred for Han Ziqing, and she resolved to kill her.

However, Han Ziqing was unshaken by Chu Feiyan's threats, leaving Chu Feiyan even more furious. The next day was the wedding. That night, the Nanzhao King visited Chu Feiyan’s chamber. Chu Feiyan told him that she yearned for freedom and didn’t want to be bound in the palace like the other concubines. She wanted the freedom to come and go from Nanzhao. Naturally, the Nanzhao King understood that Xiling would no longer take her back.

Chu Feiyan also mentioned Han Ziqing, expressing her hatred for her, and noticed that the Nanzhao King harbored a similar animosity. Seizing the opportunity, she offered to cooperate with him. The next day, the wedding ceremony officially began. Though Chu Feiyan was filled with resentment, she had no choice but to go along with it. During the ceremony, Han Ziqing noticed that the music being played was the "Song of Parting Sorrows.

" Xuanyuan Lige noticed it too and went out of his way to remind Han Ziqing, for which she was grateful. Meanwhile, Jun Beiyue had discovered that the totem was related to an ancient music cave, but entry to the cave was forbidden unless something major occurred. Jun Beiyue was adamant that they had to go!

On the night of the wedding, tears flowed uncontrollably from Chu Feiyan's eyes. Despite this, the Nanzhao King still appeared and bestowed upon her the title of Concubine Yun. Chu Feiyan, however, was not happy. Her only concern was whether the Nanzhao King would keep his promise to deal with Han Ziqing, but the King was focused on greater matters. Not far from the door, Concubine Qin stood for a long time.

Just as she was about to leave, news came from the palace that the dragon and phoenix candles had gone out! This was a terrible omen. According to Nanzhao's tradition, they needed to go to the ancient music cave to pray for blessings. Concubine Qin quickly went to check the situation and came up with the idea of using this opportunity to test Han Ziqing once more.

The Nanzhao King, who now fully trusted Chu Feiyan, made no effort to hide any plans from her. Concubine Qin met with Xuanyuan Lige again and informed him that everyone would be going to the ancient music cave the next day, but she was still reluctant to reveal specific details. It wasn’t until Xuanyuan Lige promised to stay in Nanzhao for a few more days after everything was over that she finally disclosed the Nanzhao King’s plan.

Early the next morning, a messenger came to Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing, informing them of the trip to the ancient music cave. Neither of them was surprised. Everyone soon gathered and set off for the cave, but upon entering, it was customary for men and women to walk separately. Han Ziqing indeed found the "Song of Parting Sorrows" engraved on the walls. Meanwhile, Concubine Qin and Chu Feiyan were scheming about the antidote they had taken beforehand.

Han Ziqing also noticed a suspicious totem on the wall, but she couldn’t determine its exact significance. After a brief regrouping, the men and women were again required to walk separately. As expected, something went wrong. Han Ziqing was pushed into a trap, but in the process, she pulled Chu Feiyan in with her. Chu Feiyan, relieved she had taken the antidote, watched in horror as Han Ziqing coughed up blood. Chu Feiyan panicked and called for help.

Jun Beiyue arrived just in time, rescuing Han Ziqing and angrily rebuking the Nanzhao people. Afterward, Han Ziqing asked Jun Beiyue how her performance was. He praised her acting but remarked that they needed to leave Nanzhao as soon as possible. Han Ziqing thanked Xuanyuan Lige, knowing that their parting was near.

He gifted her a sound-transmitting stone, so even if they were separated by great distances, she could still hear his music, and they could communicate in case of emergencies. Nangong Qianqian bid farewell to Han Ziqing, while Situ Haonan seemed concerned. However, Nangong Qianqian had already come to terms with everything and no longer intended to pursue Situ. Yet, when Situ returned Nangong Qianqian’s token, she couldn’t help but feel saddened.

Jun Beiyue immediately sent a message to the Nanzhao King, announcing their departure. The Nanzhao King, still angry that things hadn’t gone as planned, ignored Chu Feiyan entirely. Xuanyuan Lige watched as Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue left and also obtained the totem from the ancient music cave. The nursemaid beside him recognized the pattern, recalling that she had seen it before on Mingsha Mountain.

She paid no mind to the totem, though, as her only concern was Xuanyuan Lige’s health. Meanwhile, the Nanzhao King learned of another way to determine if Han Ziqing was from Lonely Island: by checking for a totem on her face. They feared that the woman who escaped from Lonely Island years ago may have left descendants. Han Ziqing couldn’t afford to relax. Concubine Qin suggested having her sister test Han Ziqing.

If a totem was found on her face, they would immediately arrest her. Chu Feiyan overheard everything! When Concubine Qin later tried to inquire about Chu Feiyan’s whereabouts, she found out that Chu Feiyan had already received the King’s orders to return to Xiling for a family visit. Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue finally returned to Tianque, only to discover that Xiner had also arrived. Feeling uncomfortable, Han Ziqing excused herself.

Soon after, a messenger from the palace invited everyone to a banquet the next day, which Jun Beiyue accepted. Han Ziqing didn’t like heavy makeup, so when attending the banquet, she only applied a light layer of powder. At the banquet, the queen and the second prince deliberately cozied up to Xiner and even coaxed her into offering Han Ziqing a toast!

Xiner didn't like Han Ziqing, so at first, she was reluctant to offer her a toast. However, the second prince and the queen kept coaxing her, even suggesting that if Han Ziqing refused to drink, she could just throw the wine in her face to vent her anger. Faced with their encouragement, Xiner agreed and headed over. When Jun Beiyue realized Xiner's intent, he told her to sincerely apologize to Han Ziqing.

Xiner acted respectful, but Han Ziqing refused to drink the wine. Jun Beiyue then said that Han Ziqing would not drink it, and asked Xiner to drink it herself. Angered, Xiner took advantage of a moment when no one was paying attention and splashed the wine directly on Han Ziqing's face! Furious, Jun Beiyue immediately summoned Situ Haonan to take Xiner away. Han Ziqing, meanwhile, left with Hongyi to change her clothes. Han Ziqing’s makeup was ruined.

Just as Hongyi was about to leave, a maid arrived, bringing makeup supplies that she claimed were sent by the fourth prince. After checking them, Hongyi took the items inside for Han Ziqing to use. However, unbeknownst to her, the rouge had already been tampered with by the queen. While the rouge was fine by itself, when mixed with alcohol, it caused problems. When Han Ziqing returned to the banquet after getting ready, her face showed a strange reaction.

Knowing that the totem on her face must not be seen, Han Ziqing immediately ran off. Jun Beiyue quickly stood up and chased after her, but all he found was an unconscious Hongyi. She told him that Han Ziqing had been taken, but she didn’t see who the captors were. At the banquet, King An declared that no matter what happened, this was a matter for the royal family, and if word got out, it could be exploited by others.

The king agreed and ordered the situation to be kept secret. At the same time, the second prince was escorting Han Ziqing to Nanzhao, but they unexpectedly encountered Chu Feiyan on the road! Chu Feiyan immediately attacked and took Han Ziqing away. The second prince tried to stop her, but Chu Feiyan killed him. Xuanyuan Lige appeared, attempting to rescue Han Ziqing, but he too was subdued. Chu Feiyan bound them both and took them away.

Back at the palace, Jun Beiyue couldn’t find Han Ziqing. King An warned him to be careful with his actions, but Jun Beiyue assured him that he knew what he was doing. He prepared to leave the city with his shadow guards to search for her. Ten Liang and Han Ziqing’s army also came to assist. Xuanyuan Lige eventually regained consciousness but found himself weak and powerless.

Chu Feiyan told him that she had only given him a mild poison—it wouldn’t kill him, but it would prevent him from resisting. Xuanyuan Lige, now helpless, was then drugged again and fell back asleep. Chu Feiyan went to check on the bound Han Ziqing, showing her a mirror. Seeing her scarred face, Han Ziqing sarcastically remarked that she looked great. Enraged by Han Ziqing’s arrogance, Chu Feiyan whipped her. Despite the pain, Han Ziqing remained defiant.

Just as Chu Feiyan was about to kill her, she was stopped by Chu Tiange. It turned out that Chu Tiange also wanted to use Han Ziqing for his own plans involving Lonely Island people. However, the challenge now was figuring out how to transport Han Ziqing back to Xiling. Chu Feiyan then took Chu Tiange to meet Xuanyuan Zhaoxi.

With all the land routes sealed off by Jun Beiyue, their only option was to use Dongling’s sea route to return to Xiling. When Xuanyuan Lige saw Xuanyuan Zhaoxi, he was still weak, but he managed to leave a small blood mark as a clue. Jun Beiyue brought the second prince’s body back to the palace and confronted the king and queen. The queen, upon seeing her dead son, was devastated. In her grief, she admitted to everything. However, Chu Feiyan had already made plans to take Xuanyuan Lige and Han Ziqing away.

Chu Feiyan brought Xuanyuan Lige and Han Ziqing to meet Xuanyuan Zhaoxi. Zhaoxi said that the ship would arrive soon. Xuanyuan Lige expressed concerns that using the sea route through Dongling would require the royal family's approval, meaning they would need to return to Dongling's capital first. However, Zhaoxi assured him that her mother had already approved the plan, so Lige didn't need to worry. Even though Xuanyuan Lige wanted to take action, he was powerless to do anything.

Jun Beiyue's men finally found the mark Xuanyuan Lige had left earlier. He deduced that Chu Feiyan was planning to escape by sea, so he led his men to the docks. Sure enough, they discovered a suspicious ship. Jun Beiyue ordered his men to drill a hole in the ship’s hull. At that moment, Xuanyuan Zhaoxi, who was being manipulated by Chu Feiyan, was poisoning Han Ziqing. Water began slowly seeping into the ship.

Xuanyuan Lige, using all his strength, managed to wake Han Ziqing, but they were still trapped. Chu Feiyan had already fled by this point, and Xuanyuan Zhaoxi was quickly subdued. However, she refused to reveal where Han Ziqing was being held. Inside the ship, Xuanyuan Lige desperately protected Han Ziqing while banging on the deck, hoping for someone to hear. Jun Beiyue heard the sounds and immediately rushed to their rescue, successfully saving Han Ziqing.

However, Xuanyuan Lige sank into the water. Jun Beiyue left men to assist, while he personally took Han Ziqing to safety. Baili Weisheng, seeing the situation, immediately dove into the water to save Xuanyuan Lige. As Baili Weisheng entered the water, his entire body glowed with a golden light! After much effort, Xuanyuan Lige was rescued.

In his dreams, Lige kept thinking about his mother’s words—that the Dongling Crown Prince wouldn't live past thirty—and how she had urged him to support Xuanyuan Zhaoxi. When Xuanyuan Lige awoke, he tried to speak, but Baili Weisheng told him to rest and focus on recovering. Lige soon fell back into unconsciousness. Chu Feiyan returned to Xiling, where Chu Tiange reprimanded her for botching the mission.

He told her that if Jun Beiyue made any moves during the upcoming Sand Sacrifice Ceremony in ten days, they wouldn’t let it go easily. He also instructed Chu Feiyan to humble herself before the King of Nanzhao, so that Nanzhao might offer assistance if needed. Chu Feiyan regretted her decision to get involved in such a messy affair. Jun Beiyue finally found a doctor for Han Ziqing.

The doctor said her body wounds would heal quickly, but the scars on her face would be difficult to completely erase. While Han Ziqing lay unconscious, Jun Beiyue expressed his deep regret and declared that no matter what, she would always be his princess. Over in Nanzhao, Consort Qin tearfully complained that her sister and nephew had died unjustly, pleading with the king to seek justice.

Reports from Nanzhao indicated that Chu Feiyan had been involved in Han Ziqing's kidnapping, but they had no idea what had truly transpired. Meanwhile, Baili Weisheng placed Xuanyuan Lige in the care of his junior disciple. Xuanyuan Lige realized that Baili Weisheng was a golden merman (jinjiao), but Baili Weisheng’s only concern was to help him recover. After all this, the king grew significantly weaker.

King An suggested writing a letter to inform the Fourth Prince about the situation in Xiling, believing that he would not ignore such important matters. Jun Beiyue, after making arrangements for Han Ziqing’s safety, set off alone. Chu Tiange was surprised that Jun Beiyue had come alone. Chu Feiyan, knowing that Jun Beiyue was coming for her, decided not to attend the welcoming banquet. Nangong Qianqian also arrived but was not allowed to leave her room by her maid.

She wanted to find Han Ziqing, but when she realized Han Ziqing wasn’t there, she began to worry that something had happened to her. During the palace banquet, the King of Xiling requested that Nangong Qianqian perform a dance, which she agreed to. The king also announced Nangong Qianqian’s engagement to Chu Tiange, causing Situ Haonan to feel uneasy.

Jun Beiyue, seeing this, decided to present a “gift” to Chu Tiange, and had Xuanyuan Zhaoxi thrown in front of him before leaving the banquet. Jun Beiyue noticed Situ Haonan's discomfort and tried to counsel him. Meanwhile, Baili Weisheng was doing his best to take Xuanyuan Lige to a doctor, but the doctor refused to see them!

Baili Weisheng struggled to bring Xuanyuan Lige to Lao Sha’s door. However, before Jun Beiyue left, he had instructed Lao Sha to take good care of Han Ziqing and to stop seeing other patients. As a result, Lao Sha was reluctant to treat Xuanyuan Lige. But Baili Weisheng was persistent—his master had brought him to Lao Sha before, and Baili Weisheng knew that Lao Sha couldn’t resist treating difficult cases.

He persuaded Lao Sha to at least take a look at Xuanyuan Lige. Once Lao Sha saw him, he decided to take Xuanyuan Lige inside for treatment. After settling Xuanyuan Lige, Lao Sha left, and Baili Weisheng reassured him, saying Lao Sha’s medical skills were excellent. Meanwhile, Han Ziqing’s condition was deteriorating, with Shiliang constantly by her side, caring for her.

Late at night, Baili Weisheng fell asleep, but Xuanyuan Lige woke up and wandered around, eventually discovering the sleeping Han Ziqing. Xuanyuan Lige was shocked to see her and became so excited that he made some noise. The guards appeared, ready to kill him, but Shiliang stepped in and said Xuanyuan Lige was a lifesaver. Lao Sha also arrived, saying Xuanyuan Lige had caused him serious trouble, warning that if the Fourth Prince found out, it would be over.

Xuanyuan Lige, however, was only concerned about Han Ziqing's current condition. Lao Sha bluntly stated that to fully restore her face, they would need to take skin from a living person. Without hesitation, Xuanyuan Lige offered his own skin. Lao Sha didn’t want to trade one life for another, but Xuanyuan Lige threatened to sacrifice himself, reminding Lao Sha that the death of the Dongling Crown Prince would be hard to explain. Left with no choice, Lao Sha agreed.

Chu Feiyan kept a close watch on Princess Qianqian, but Jun Beiyue had a plan to help Situ Haonan free her. After learning that Chu Feiyan was spying on Qianqian, Jun Beiyue deliberately leaked the information, knowing Chu Feiyan would take the bait and hope to find out where Han Ziqing was. Everyone gathered for the Sand Sacrifice Ceremony, and after making the necessary arrangements, Jun Beiyue sent Situ Haonan on his mission.

Concerned about Han Ziqing’s condition, Jun Beiyue sent his shadow to check on her, while he stayed behind in Xiling. Situ Haonan, following Jun Beiyue’s men, successfully found Nangong Qianqian, but Chu Feiyan was right behind them. Situ Haonan finally reunited with Qianqian, but she was still angry and said some harsh words. Situ Haonan then confessed his true feelings—he didn’t want her to marry Chu Tiange. After clearing up their misunderstandings, they embraced.

Chu Feiyan overheard everything and locked the door from outside! However, she didn’t realize that this was all part of Jun Beiyue’s plan. Han Ziqing finally woke up. Baili Weisheng asked if she remembered what had happened before she fainted. Han Ziqing recalled her disfigured face, and Shiliang handed her a bronze mirror. To her surprise, her face had been restored. Lao Sha explained that he had made a human-skin mask for her, so no one would notice anything.

He mentioned that the person who had sacrificed their skin for her was willing to give up their life for her. Han Ziqing guessed who it was, but the person had already left. Seeing Han Ziqing’s anxious expression, Baili Weisheng felt a pang of sadness, knowing that when they had gone to the East Sea, the person he had wanted to save was Han Ziqing, yet fate had twisted things in an unexpected way.

Jun Beiyue planned to capture Chu Feiyan, but she was prepared to die along with him. Jun Beiyue ended up trapped, and Situ Haonan and Qianqian hurried to escape. Just as Chu Tiange was about to catch them, Han Ziqing intervened in time to help. Han Ziqing even blew up Xiling’s city wall, threatening Chu Tiange to reveal Jun Beiyue’s location. Afterward, Han Ziqing blew up the cave where Chu Feiyan had hidden.

Although Chu Feiyan managed to crawl out, she immediately encountered Han Ziqing, who remained arrogant. At that moment, Jun Beiyue appeared and kicked Chu Feiyan down.

Chu Tiange used Han Ziqing’s identity to threaten Jun Beiyue. However, Jun Beiyue demanded proof. Knowing he didn’t have the upper hand, Chu Tiange proposed that both the incident of Chu Feiyan kidnapping Han Ziqing and Han Ziqing’s true identity be ignored, as if nothing had ever happened. Han Ziqing, however, had a condition: Chu Tiange had to allow Nangong Qianqian and Situ Haonan to be together. Chu Tiange was unwilling, but Han Ziqing was resolute.

She added that if Chu Tiange refused, they would go their separate ways, and Chu Feiyan could wait for King Nanzhao to question her. Forced to compromise, Chu Tiange agreed, saying he would annul the marriage in three days during the Sand Sacrifice Ceremony. Only then did Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue let the matter go and left. As Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing departed together, Jun Beiyue praised Lao Sha’s exceptional skills.

Han Ziqing thanked Jun Beiyue and, for the first time, hugged him voluntarily. This made Jun Beiyue very happy. Xuanyuan Lige, who was hiding in the shadows, witnessed this but quietly left without saying anything. Meanwhile, in Nanzhao, the High Priest was preparing to head to Xiling. Having heard about Chu Feiyan’s actions, King Nanzhao issued an order to execute Han Ziqing, stating that he no longer wanted to waste time on her.

Additionally, regarding Chu Feiyan, King Nanzhao declared that she was no longer welcome to return. Consort Qin overheard this and wrote a letter to Xuanyuan Lige, though she had already sent several letters without any response. Even her maid began to suspect that something might have happened to Xuanyuan Lige. At that moment, Xuanyuan Lige was being rescued and was given a Heart-Protection Pill to recover.

Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing returned to Lao Sha’s house, but Lao Sha had gone out to gather herbs. Jun Beiyue, however, was more concerned about Han Ziqing’s situation, and the two of them recalled the incident at the Ice Pool. Chu Feiyan resented Jun Beiyue deeply, but Chu Tiange still demanded that she return to Nanzhao. Chu Feiyan was terrified and didn’t dare to face the people of Nanzhao, yet the High Priest came looking for her directly.

It was only then that Chu Feiyan realized that Nanzhao already knew about her actions. The High Priest asked her about the results, and Chu Feiyan revealed that Han Ziqing was indeed an Islander, as she had personally seen the totem on her face. Chu Feiyan claimed that Han Ziqing was immune to all poisons, leaving the High Priest in shock upon hearing this. On the other hand, Xuanyuan Lige had been rescued by Yu Xiaomeng.

Although Xuanyuan Lige initially wanted to leave, Xiaomeng and her mother took such good care of him that he felt it was impolite to refuse and decided to stay for a while. In Dongling, Xuanyuan Lige’s mother hadn’t received any news from him, but Xuanyuan Zhaoxi had committed a grave mistake. If the Tianque Kingdom sought retribution, they would not be able to resist.

Xuanyuan Lige received a letter but immediately burned it, no longer wishing to be involved in these affairs. The High Priest, following the king’s orders, devised a plan to kill Han Ziqing. However, since he was in Nanzhao, he needed Chu Feiyan’s help. During the Sand Sacrifice Ceremony, Chu Feiyan publicly accused Han Ziqing of being an Islander, inciting the crowd to attack her. Han Ziqing, remaining calm, defended herself, but Chu Feiyan had nearly lost her sanity.

Han Ziqing was forced to use her deadly sound technique to retaliate. Just then, the High Priest launched a secret attack, and Han Ziqing fell into a trap. Jun Beiyue frantically tried to save her but failed. Meanwhile, Xuanyuan Lige heard Xiaomeng mention that a war had broken out outside. Initially, he didn’t care, but when Xiaomeng mentioned that the Princess of Xiling had killed the Nanzhao Fourth Princess Consort, Xuanyuan Lige could no longer remain still. Despite his weak condition, he grabbed his clothes and headed for the door, with Xiaomeng unable to stop him.

Even though Han Ziqing was completely buried under the sand, Jun Beiyue and the others did not give up digging. Baili Weisheng was frantically digging as if he'd gone mad. To his surprise, Xuanyuan Lige also arrived and started digging desperately. None of them wanted to believe that Han Ziqing could die like this. Eventually, Jun Beiyue, exhausted, collapsed! On the other side, Shiliang found a handkerchief on the ground and tightly gripped it in his hand.

Han Ziqing finally woke up, realizing that the plants around her were very strange. She desperately tried to escape, but no matter how far she ran, she always ended up back where she started. Just as Han Ziqing was feeling lost, she was suddenly bound by a poisonous plant. It turned out that the High Priest had cast a spell, claiming that Islanders shouldn’t exist in this world.

He demanded Han Ziqing banish herself and become a puppet, explaining that this poisonous plant world was designed specifically for Islanders. Han Ziqing screamed in defiance, insisting that she was not an Islander, nor was she Han Ziqing, and that she refused to become a puppet! The High Priest hadn’t expected Han Ziqing to be so difficult to control, but since the entrance to the barrier had already disappeared, he knew he would have to return and rethink his plans.

Jun Beiyue was taken back to safety, but he was unconscious and delirious, thinking he had grabbed Han Ziqing’s hand. In reality, Shiliang was smiling secretly. Instead of rejecting Jun Beiyue’s hand, Shiliang tightly held it. Meanwhile, Baili Weisheng quietly snuck into the library, hoping to find some information about Mount Mingsha. Elder Jin was so shocked when he found out that he nearly jumped up in panic.

Knowing that Elder Jin was most afraid of the ancient texts being destroyed, Baili Weisheng used a trick to lure him away, successfully obtaining the vital scrolls. However, during his escape, Elder Jin threw the Seven Insect Powder at him. Luckily, Baili Weisheng had golden scales on his body, otherwise, his arm might have been crippled. Baili Weisheng quickly flipped through the texts and finally found a clue.

Meanwhile, Han Ziqing was still trying to escape the poisonous plant world, but before she could find an exit, her stomach growled loudly. Starving, Han Ziqing couldn’t resist picking a fruit, despite knowing everything in this world was poisonous. After eating it, she fainted from stomach pain. Before losing consciousness, she hoped Jun Beiyue would come to rescue her. It seemed that Jun Beiyue had heard Han Ziqing’s thoughts, as he finally woke up.

As soon as he did, he asked where Han Ziqing was and immediately prepared to go search for her. Fortunately, Baili Weisheng arrived just in time with the news that Han Ziqing was trapped in a barrier. Only the people of the Dream Clan could find a way to open it, so Jun Beiyue quickly sent his shadow to request help from the Dream Clan! Meanwhile, in Nanzhao, the High Priest returned to report.

They knew they wouldn’t be at ease without seeing Han Ziqing’s body, so they decided to target the Dream Clan. However, instead of the Dream Clan elders, their aim was to get the support of the second and third sons of the Dream Clan, who weren’t favored by their father. After a bit of provocation from King Nanzhao, they agreed!

Jun Beiyue’s men couldn’t get the Dream Clan elders to come, so Baili Weisheng set out on his own to search for the barrier’s entrance. Xuanyuan Lige headed for the Dream Clan but collapsed outside the Dream Clan elder’s house, his body unable to hold on any longer. The people of the Dream Clan quickly brought him inside.

Xuanyuan Lige soon woke up, intending to say something, but the Dream Clan elder cut him off, saying that if they wanted to save him, they’d need to act quickly. Xuanyuan Lige passed out again. The Dream Clan elder, although reluctant to get involved, couldn’t stand by and do nothing. The second and third sons of the Dream Clan eventually found the barrier’s entrance—right at Jun Beiyue’s place!

When Situ Haonan heard that the Dream Clan people had arrived, he invited them in. To their surprise, they determined that the entrance to the barrier was located inside Jun Beiyue’s room! At the same time, Baili Weisheng also seemed to have made progress in his search.

Meng Lao Er and Meng Lao San determined that the entrance to the barrier was located in Jun Beiyue's room. However, they needed to set up a formation to pinpoint the exact location, so they asked Situ and Lao Gu to step back. The two then whispered to each other, revealing that the entrance to the barrier was actually in Jun Beiyue's chest.

They decided to keep him asleep for a while longer and pretended that they couldn’t find the entrance, saying they would try again the next day. Situ hurriedly arranged for them to rest. Xuanyuan Lige finally woke up, feeling much better. The people of the Dream Clan explained that the elder had saved him using barrier magic. As long as the barrier remained intact, Xuanyuan Lige could rely on it to stay alive.

Xuanyuan Lige was grateful to the elder but still had to ask for help for Han Ziqing. The Dream Clan elder explained that the Evil Mirror was set up by their ancestors, who sealed it away because it was too dangerous. The elder had no intention of touching it again. Xuanyuan Lige understood the elder’s reasoning, but he argued that redemption didn’t come from avoidance, but from resolving the issue.

The elder acknowledged Xuanyuan Lige’s words with a slight nod, making Xuanyuan Lige very happy! Back at Jun Beiyue's place, Meng Lao Er and Meng Lao San tried to tamper with the barrier entrance late at night but were caught, so they had to wait until the next day. The next morning, they sent everyone away and were about to act when Shadow returned, announcing that Xuanyuan Lige had brought the Dream Clan elder.

Situ and Lao Gu finally realized something was wrong with the two men. The elder was also puzzled when he heard that there were other Dream Clan members present. When he saw his two wayward sons, he was furious and vowed to punish them for leaving the island without permission. However, more pressing was the need to check on Jun Beiyue's condition.

The elder quickly noticed that the two had cast a binding spell on Jun Beiyue, which was why he couldn’t wake up. Though they were skilled, the elder easily lifted the spell, and Jun Beiyue woke up. The elder revealed that the entrance to the barrier was indeed on Jun Beiyue’s chest. The elder also found it strange that although this was his first time meeting the fourth prince, he felt a strong sense of familiarity.

But the most urgent task was to go to the place where Han Ziqing had fallen into the barrier and rescue her. Meng Lao Er and Meng Lao San volunteered to go with them, and the elder agreed. Meanwhile, Han Ziqing was starving and, after searching for a while, found only the same fruit tree. She ate the fruit and passed out again. The elder led the group to Mount Mingsha, where Han Ziqing had disappeared.

He instructed the others to protect Jun Beiyue as he entered the barrier. Once Jun Beiyue found Han Ziqing, they would be able to come out. The process required unwavering focus. Baili Weisheng arrived just in time but was too late—Jun Beiyue had already entered the barrier. In her dazed state, Han Ziqing heard someone calling her name. She couldn’t believe it until she saw Jun Beiyue with her own eyes. She mustered all her strength to run toward him.

Jun Beiyue comforted her, then led her out. The elder sensed that everything was going smoothly, and sure enough, the two emerged from the barrier safely. Han Ziqing thanked everyone and left. Xuanyuan Lige, watching her leave, resolved to work hard and win her acceptance. Han Ziqing was no longer in danger, and Jun Beiyue expressed his deep gratitude to the elder. During their conversation, the elder unexpectedly discovered that Jun Beiyue was his grandson!

The seal on his chest had been placed by Jun Beiyue’s mother. Han Ziqing was thrilled that Jun Beiyue had found another family member. After all they had been through, the two cherished each other even more. However, Han Ziqing quietly reminded herself not to fall too deeply, or it would be hard to leave. Baili Weisheng’s poison was severe, but when Han Ziqing came to visit him, he pretended to be fine and prepared to leave.

However, he soon passed out. Han Ziqing rushed to check on him, and after an examination, Lao Gu realized he had been poisoned! Baili Weisheng no longer hid his identity as a golden merman. Han Ziqing quickly sent someone to Nanzhao to fetch his junior disciple, Xiaosheng. Shiliang, being observant, offered to take good care of Baili Weisheng.

Han Ziqing was grateful to Shiliang for previously looking after Jun Beiyue, but Jun Beiyue said it would be better if Shiliang focused on taking care of Han Ziqing from now on. Shiliang couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed for reasons he didn’t fully understand.

The Dream Clan elder didn’t stay long before leaving. Jun Beiyue was reluctant to part with him but had no way to keep his grandfather from going. He only hoped to learn more about his mother. The elder told him that, years ago, his mother had left after a quarrel. As for more details, he didn’t say much, only mentioning that she had passed away and choosing not to dwell on it. Jun Beiyue didn’t press further.

Meanwhile, the King of Nanzhao kept a close watch on Han Ziqing’s movements and soon learned that she had been released. Chu Tiange continued sending letters, urging them to send troops to Tianque. However, both the King of Nanzhao and the Grand Master were unwilling to do so. The Grand Master suggested that the King write back, offering to support Chu Tiange from the rear if they sent troops.

Their goal had never been Tianque, so outwardly, they maintained a peaceful front. The King of Nanzhao agreed with the Grand Master’s advice. When Chu Tiange received the letter, he was furious, but there was nothing he could do about Nanzhao. His troops were already on the move, and even if they couldn’t defeat Tianque, they intended to at least intimidate them. This time, Chu Tiange was truly enraged.

Xiaosheng was carefully attending to Baili Weisheng, upset that Baili Weisheng had left him alone in Nanzhao. But now, seeing his condition, Xiaosheng was more worried, fearing that Baili Weisheng might die. Jun Beiyue then received word that Chu Tiange was stirring up trouble at the border, but he remained unfazed, knowing they couldn’t cause much damage. What was surprising, however, was that Xuanyuan Lige also seemed to be making some moves!

The next day, Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing saw off Situ Haonan and Nangong Qianqian, who were about to formalize their engagement. Everyone was happy about it. Meng Lao Er and Meng Lao San were punished upon their return. The elder sighed, remembering how their brilliant elder sister had been banished for making a mistake; he certainly wasn’t going to let these two off easily.

As Baili Weisheng slowly recovered, he finally remembered to give Han Ziqing the blood token he had stolen from Nanzhao. Han Ziqing asked Shiliang to take it back to her room, but Shiliang cheekily remarked that Han Ziqing shouldn’t be keeping another man’s belongings. Han Ziqing shot him a look, and Shiliang quickly explained himself. Han Ziqing didn’t say anything further.

Later, when Jun Beiyue came in, Shiliang brought up the blood token again, and even Jun Beiyue felt that Shiliang was overstepping his boundaries as a servant. That night, when Han Ziqing returned to her room, she found the blood token missing. After asking Gu Xi, she discovered that Shiliang had gone out with his qin. Han Ziqing immediately went to find him. Before she could question him, they were attacked by someone who seemed to be from Nanzhao.

Fortunately, a mysterious figure in black came to their aid, helping Han Ziqing escape danger. Later that night, as Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue were discussing how to rest, they heard a commotion outside—it was the black-clad figure again. This time, they removed their mask and revealed that they were Jun Beiyue’s mother! As she recounted how she had been deceived and nearly blown up, Jun Beiyue still found it hard to forgive her.

That night, he drank alone on the rooftop. Han Ziqing joined him to offer comfort, and Jun Beiyue felt warmth from her company. By morning, he had come to terms with things and asked his mother to stay. Together, they all returned to Tianque. After returning to Tianque, Han Ziqing reminded Jun Beiyue to spend more time with his mother. Meanwhile, Shiliang started to act out, even going so far as to mend Jun Beiyue’s personal clothes.

Hongyi, noticing this, immediately accused Shiliang of overstepping her role. Unexpectedly, Shiliang got defensive. Gu Xi, who had been observing Shiliang’s odd behavior for a while, directly confronted her, asking if she had feelings for the prince. Shiliang was left speechless.

Shiliang was hiding in a corner, gazing at Jun Beiyue’s handkerchief. From a distance, Lady Wan, Jun Beiyue’s mother, noticed her and approached with concern. Shiliang quickly explained that she had just forgotten to return the handkerchief and that her red eyes were due to sand getting in them—it would be better soon. Lady Wan mentioned that she wanted to know more about Jun Beiyue’s past and began asking Shiliang questions.

Shiliang, eager to chat, shared everything she knew, including details about Situ Xin’er. Lady Wan then showed Jun Beiyue her favorite hairpin, asking him to give it to Han Ziqing as a gift. She also said that she wanted to do something for him and suggested helping with the wedding arrangements. Hearing his mother say this made Jun Beiyue happy, so he went to find Han Ziqing. However, he didn’t understand what Han Ziqing was thinking.

From his perspective, she seemed to be avoiding him, and he began to believe that she didn’t love him. Without pressing her further, he chose to leave. Han Ziqing, too, felt conflicted and hurt. Jun Beiyue wandered by the river, drinking alone, lost in a haze. Han Ziqing knew all of this. Finally, she made up her mind.

Ignoring her shadow guard’s attempts to stop her, she went to find Jun Beiyue, snatched the wine from his hands, and drank it herself. Han Ziqing had stopped overthinking; at that moment, she just wanted to follow her heart and avoid future regrets. Jun Beiyue understood her feelings, and the two were finally together! The wedding preparations began quickly. Lady Wan took charge of arranging the invitations, and Shiliang was always by her side.

Lady Wan gave her the guest list to check for any omissions, and Shiliang immediately noticed a name that shouldn’t have been there—Jian’an City! Lady Wan praised Shiliang for her attention to detail and even gave her the bracelet she was wearing as a gift. The wedding arrangements proceeded smoothly. When Han Ziqing tried on her wedding dress, Jun Beiyue couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Jokingly, Han Ziqing said she wanted to change the dress to white, and Jun Beiyue playfully agreed. Once the wedding was fully prepared, Lady Wan expressed her joy at being able to see Jun Beiyue get married, even if she couldn’t partake in the traditional tea ceremony. Shiliang stayed by her side to comfort her. The wedding went smoothly, and after the ceremony, Han Ziqing even kissed Jun Beiyue during their bow to heaven and earth.

Jun Beiyue was overjoyed, but both were taken aback when guests from Jian’an City unexpectedly arrived. General Situ and his wife stormed in, angrily accusing Jun Beiyue of having proposed to Xin’er recently! Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing were stunned. Jun Beiyue explained that there must be a misunderstanding and that he would never marry anyone else. Situ Haonan also clarified to his parents that the incident was a misunderstanding.

Jun Beiyue promised to investigate and give Jian’an City an explanation. When Lady Wan heard about this, she suggested to Jun Beiyue that he could marry Xin’er to resolve the issue, believing that Han Ziqing would understand. However, Han Ziqing was not one to compromise and firmly stated that she would not share her husband with anyone. Jun Beiyue’s stance was equally clear, and for a moment, Lady Wan found herself in an awkward position.

Later, Jun Beiyue took Han Ziqing to the special pavilion he had prepared for her, called "Xinqing Pavilion. " At that moment, Lady Wan began to cry. Despite Hongyi’s attempts to stop her, Shiliang insisted on entering to comfort Lady Wan. When Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing returned, they heard from Shiliang that Lady Wan had fallen ill. They went to see her, and Lady Wan apologized, resolving the issue.

Lady Wan and Shiliang later had a private conversation in which Lady Wan hinted at her concerns that Han Ziqing might hold a grudge against her. She then asked Shiliang if she had feelings for Jun Beiyue. Shiliang didn’t dare respond, but Lady Wan confessed that she liked her and would help her in this matter. Overcome with joy, Shiliang couldn’t contain her excitement!

Xuanyuan Lige had not given up on the idea of going to war with Jun Beiyue. He even planned to form an alliance with the Xueyu region, instructing Madam Qin to send a letter. Though Madam Qin was puzzled, Xuanyuan Lige simply said that his mind was made up. Meanwhile, Han Ziqing was playing the qin in her room. Hongyi had noticed that Shiliang had been acting strangely recently, frequently visiting Lady Wan’s room.

She brought this up with Han Ziqing, who seemed to already have a plan in mind. Han Ziqing simply explained that it was normal for Shiliang to act out occasionally since she had never received much education, and she would find a chance to speak with her about it. Sensing that Han Ziqing had things under control, Hongyi didn’t press further. Later, Lady Wan came over, saying she had been drawn in by Han Ziqing’s music.

Noticing Han Ziqing’s dagger, Lady Wan inquired about it. Han Ziqing quickly explained that Jun Beiyue had given it to her and that she knew it had originally belonged to Lady Wan. She hoped Lady Wan wouldn’t mind. Lady Wan replied that it didn’t matter where the dagger was kept. Han Ziqing mentioned she had seen the dagger with her mother before, and Lady Wan asked if her mother’s name was Mu Ci.

Han Ziqing was shocked that Lady Wan knew her mother. Lady Wan, too, was surprised but explained that she and Han Ziqing’s mother had been good friends, and that the dagger had originally come from her, so now it had rightfully returned to its owner. Lady Wan also mentioned that Han Ziqing’s music sounded familiar, saying she had heard her mother play before, though she didn’t know much beyond its connection to a place called "Wuxie Abyss.

"Lady Wan soon learned that Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue were planning a trip to Wuxie Abyss and offered to join them. She decided to bring Shiliang along as well, hinting to Shiliang that she would help her, prompting Shiliang to pledge her loyalty on the spot. As everyone was preparing to depart, the King sent someone to summon Jun Beiyue.

Unable to refuse, Jun Beiyue suggested delaying the trip, but Lady Wan proposed that they set off first and let Jun Beiyue catch up later. He agreed. On the journey, Baili Weisheng felt something was off about Lady Wan, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what. They soon arrived at their destination, but the area was so deep that it seemed bottomless. Baili Weisheng suggested they rest and wait for Jun Beiyue to arrive before proceeding.

Han Ziqing agreed, but Lady Wan insisted on going ahead. Left with no choice, Han Ziqing followed. Not long after they descended, they were ambushed. The attackers claimed this was the "Mitianshen Sea" and that outsiders were not allowed. Lady Wan’s assassin was confused, as the books had mentioned that the Golden Jiao had already been exterminated, so how was it possible that people still resided in the Golden Jiao Palace?

The assailants weren’t particularly skilled, and Han Ziqing quickly dealt with them. However, their leader’s mother soon appeared and surrounded Han Ziqing and the others, escalating the conflict. Baili Weisheng realized that the attackers were Silver Jiao. Suddenly, Baili Weisheng heard a mysterious voice telling him that the Silver Jiao’s weakness was their navel. However, he could not see the woman who had been sealed nearby. Before long, the Silver Jiao suffered heavy losses.

Lady Wan took advantage of the chaos and attempted to harm Han Ziqing, but Xiaosheng noticed and rushed out to protect her. The Silver Jiao retaliated, and Baili Weisheng was forced to reveal his Golden Jiao powers. The sealed woman even called him "son.

" Upon seeing this, the Silver Jiao immediately bowed in submission, stating that the dagger in Han Ziqing’s hand was made from Golden Jiao scales, and that it was the island people who had caused the Golden Jiao’s demise. The sealed woman warned Baili Weisheng not to believe them, but he couldn’t hear her and chose to trust them instead. Jun Beiyue arrived just in time, but Han Ziqing was already injured.

Jun Beiyue asked his mother to break the barrier and free Han Ziqing, but Lady Wan, appearing weak, claimed she couldn’t do it. Helpless, Jun Beiyue could only watch as Han Ziqing was captured. Jun Beiyue took everyone to Liuxian Island to recuperate. Lady Wan seemed unwell, but the island’s master was quite pleased. Knowing that Xiaosheng wouldn’t wake up too soon, Lady Wan signaled Shiliang to take some action.

Jun Beiyue was unaware of Lady Wan's intentions toward Han Ziqing in the Mitianshen Sea. He was solely focused on letting his mother rest. However, Lady Wan kept insisting on returning to Tianque. Jun Beiyue asked if she was truly asking him to leave Han Ziqing behind, disregarding her safety. Lady Wan quickly explained that she was just as worried about Ziqing. Jun Beiyue didn’t say much more and simply told her to rest.

At that moment, Han Ziqing was being tortured by the Silver Jiao. However, the moment Baili Weisheng appeared, the Silver Jiao immediately started behaving properly. Baili Weisheng forbade them from torturing Han Ziqing any further and ordered them to accept their punishment. He then went in to check on Han Ziqing. She asked him if he truly believed that the people of the isolated island were responsible for the massacre of his entire clan.

Baili Weisheng confirmed that he believed it, but he still gave Han Ziqing medicine to stop her bleeding. Baili Weisheng’s mother had been trying to communicate with him all along, but he neither saw nor heard her. Lady Wan went outside for some fresh air, and the Master of Lu Manor approached her, bringing up events from the past. Lady Wan didn’t want to dwell on it and only thanked him for everything he had done for Beiyue.

The Master of Lu then asked if she was still practicing "that. " Lady Wan immediately told him to stop mentioning it and left. What the Master of Lu didn’t expect was that Lady Lu appeared behind him, mocking him for his futile attempts. The Master of Lu was visibly flustered, insisting that this must remain a secret. Little did they know that Jun Beiyue had witnessed the entire scene from a distance.

Meanwhile, Xuanyuan Lige was also watching the Mitianshen Sea, revealing that he was planning to build a tunnel there to connect Dongling and Xiling. Shiliang received Lady Wan's hint and, while tending to Xiaosheng alone, attempted to harm her. However, she hesitated and was interrupted by Jun Beiyue. Shiliang quickly regained her composure and told Jun Beiyue that Xiaosheng was actually a girl. Noticing her nervousness, Jun Beiyue didn’t say anything but gave Shadow some instructions after leaving the room.

Shiliang went to see Lady Wan, who handed her a bottle of poison, saying that Xiaosheng waking up wouldn’t benefit anyone. She even threatened that Jun Beiyue wouldn’t tolerate her presence if Xiaosheng woke up. Shiliang, feeling cornered, accepted the poison but made sure to confirm Lady Wan’s promise to her. Satisfied with the answer, Shiliang nodded.

Meanwhile, Baili Weisheng was drinking alone, and his mother watched in pain, wishing she could help him, though she was powerless to do so. Shiliang made another attempt but was caught by Shadow. Jun Beiyue quickly arrived, and before Shiliang could confess, Lady Wan appeared, immediately accusing Shiliang of harming others. Jun Beiyue ordered Shiliang to be imprisoned and asked the Master of Lu to take care of Xiaosheng.

Jun Beiyue then questioned his master about his mother’s past, but the Master of Lu was unwilling to reveal much, only expressing concern about when Jun Beiyue would rescue Han Ziqing. Jun Beiyue responded that he had found a secret passage and would rescue Ziqing that night. When Lady Wan tried to visit Shiliang, she was stopped. When Jun Beiyue found Ziqing, the Silver Jiao were preparing to harm her.

Jun Beiyue immediately picked her up, but they were quickly surrounded by the Silver Jiao. In the end, Baili Weisheng let them go. Upon returning, Jun Beiyue found that Xiaosheng had already woken up. Lady Wan tried to visit Xiaosheng, but she was again denied entry. When Lady Wan saw that Jun Beiyue had successfully rescued Han Ziqing, her first instinct was to pack her things and leave. However, Jun Beiyue blocked the door.

Xiaosheng accused Lady Wan of attempting to harm Han Ziqing in the Mitianshen Sea. Lady Wan tried to defend herself, but Jun Beiyue connected her previous words and confronted his master, discovering several inconsistencies. Soon after, the Dream Clan’s leader arrived and bluntly stated that Lady Wan had never had pure intentions, and that she had been exiled years ago for practicing forbidden arts.

Lady Wan tried to defend herself, claiming she had been forced into it, but she accidentally mentioned Nanzhao, making Jun Beiyue realize that Lady Wan might have been involved in Mu Ci's death as well. Heartbroken, Jun Beiyue watched as Lady Wan continued to justify her actions, even injuring his men in the process. In the end, it was the clan leader’s barrier that finally stopped her. After some time, Han Ziqing finally woke up, and Jun Beiyue was overjoyed!

The Dream Clan leader was curious whether Baili Weisheng tried to stop Jun Beiyue when he went to rescue Han Ziqing. Beiyue recalled that Baili Weisheng did not interfere, and everyone believed that Baili Weisheng was also conflicted. Han Ziqing remembered that under the Silver Jiao's instigation, Baili Weisheng wanted to kill her, but he never actually made a move.

Baili Weisheng's identity as a Gold Jiao had already been confirmed, and the Dream Clan leader knew that the so-called Mitianshen Sea was actually the Gold Jiao Palace. Years ago, it was the Dream Clan that had set up the barrier, which could only be maintained by the power of the Gold Jiao.

Since Baili Weisheng had only recently arrived at Mitianshen Sea, the clan leader was certain that there must have been a Gold Jiao within the sea all these years! Han Ziqing wanted to return to Mitianshen Sea. At first, Jun Beiyue was worried about her injuries, but Ziqing was determined, so Beiyue agreed to accompany her. The Dream Clan leader also offered to go with them.

Xiaosheng, still recovering from her injuries, couldn't go, but she sincerely wished her senior brother would reconcile with Han Ziqing soon. The three of them returned to Mitianshen Sea, and as soon as they reached the entrance, the Dream Clan leader noticed several barriers inside. More importantly, one of the barriers was holding someone! The Dream Clan leader rescued the person, who introduced herself as Lady Gold Jiao. She hurried inside to find Baili Weisheng.

When she saw her son drowning in sorrow, her emotions were incredibly complex. At first, Baili Weisheng couldn’t believe it, but with the Dream Clan leader's confirmation and Lady Gold Jiao recounting the truth from years ago, everything became clear. It turned out that it was all the Silver Jiao's doing. Years ago, when the Gold Jiao King and Lady Gold Jiao attended a banquet in Nanzhao, the Silver Jiao uncovered that Nanzhao was secretly practicing human puppet techniques.

When the human puppets were accidentally released, they went on a killing spree, and the Gold Jiao clan was heavily impacted. In pursuit of power, the Silver Jiao submitted to the King of Nanzhao and began hunting down Lady Gold Jiao. While pregnant, Lady Gold Jiao gave birth on the run but was later captured and imprisoned here. With the truth revealed, Lady Gold Jiao apologized to Han Ziqing on behalf of her misled son, Baili Weisheng.

Han Ziqing, however, casually remarked that she often argued with Baili Weisheng and that it was nothing serious. With all misunderstandings cleared up, Baili Weisheng even performed a sound wave technique that Han Ziqing recognized as *Lishang*. Lady Gold Jiao also showed them a totem she had discovered by chance, though its meaning remained unknown. Later, Lady Gold Jiao followed everyone back to Liuxian Island.

Upon returning, the first thing Baili Weisheng did was visit Xiaosheng, only to find her in women's clothing. He instinctively ran away, feeling awkward. Lady Gold Jiao had grown close to Xiaosheng, having witnessed her bravery in protecting Han Ziqing. The Dream Clan leader decided to take Lady Wan away and imprison her, ensuring she could no longer cause harm. Jun Beiyue felt conflicted about this decision. Meanwhile, Shiliang threatened to commit suicide.

Jun Beiyue, showing no tolerance, immediately ordered her execution. Han Ziqing volunteered to send her off, and Gu Xi urged Ziqing to plead for leniency on Shiliang's behalf. However, Shiliang remained as stubborn as ever, so Han Ziqing directly instructed Gu Xi to act. Gu Xi tied a slipknot and threw Shiliang into the water. Han Ziqing asked Gu Xi if Shiliang would definitely make it out, to which Gu Xi replied that, barring any accidents, she should.

The Dream Clan leader took Lady Wan away, while Jun Beiyue said his farewell. Lady Wan ignored him. Xiaosheng and Lady Gold Jiao got along well, but Baili Weisheng found himself uncomfortable with Xiaosheng in women's clothing. Finally, there was a clue regarding the totem. It pointed toward the Yushui Qiongjian Heavenly Pool!

The group began studying the Yushui Qiongjian Heavenly Pool, and Jun Beiyue introduced its geographical location, noting that there was a small tribe nearby called the Liangye Clan. Baili Weisheng had heard that the Liangye Clan had many skilled individuals, particularly in the field of medicine. Because of this, Baili Weisheng wanted to take Xiaosheng with him, hoping it might help her illness.

Han Ziqing agreed with this idea and immediately decided that they should set off as soon as possible. However, since so many people were going, they needed a legitimate reason. Conveniently, the Heavenly Pool's Shengxiao Gathering was about to take place, providing the perfect opportunity for their visit, and everyone began making preparations. Lady Gold Jiao also expressed her desire to join them, but Baili Weisheng was concerned about her health.

Lady Gold Jiao insisted that she wanted to take care of Xiaosheng. Baili Weisheng grumbled, but Lady Gold Jiao passed the task of caring for Xiaosheng to him instead, even saying she needed Xiaosheng's birthdate and astrological signs, leaving Baili Weisheng helpless. Meanwhile, at Xuanyuan Lige’s camp, a familiar person suddenly appeared—it was Yu Xiaomeng! She said she had specifically come to find him and wanted to stay.

Qin Mama signaled to Lige, who eventually agreed, but he made it clear that they weren’t friends, and if she stayed, it would only be as a servant under his command. Surprisingly, Xiaomeng accepted. Afterward, Lige took her to the Snowy Plains to negotiate with the leader. Lige’s bargaining chip was the tunnel beneath Mitianshen Sea and his sound wave weapons.

The Snowy Plains people were skeptical about the sound wave weapons, but Lige simply told them they’d see for themselves whether they were real. In Nanzhao, the Grand Priest heard that Han Ziqing and her group were heading to Yushui Qiongjian Mountain. However, the Nanzhao King had already declined the invitation to the Shengxiao Gathering. Upon learning this, the Grand Priest immediately decided to enter the palace and meet with the king.

On the road, Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue were concerned about whether the Dream Clan leader had made it home safely. At that moment, the Dream Clan leader was already punishing Wanyue and had specifically summoned Dream Er and Dream San to witness it. Meanwhile, Xuanyuan Lige led the Snowy Plains people through the tunnel in Mitianshen Sea, successfully arriving at Xiling.

Lige explained that the tunnel connected the three realms, and the Snowy Plains people realized that Lige's ambitions went far beyond just attacking Xiling. As Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue’s journey progressed smoothly, they encountered the Xiao siblings, who were out for a ride. Their carriage was moving too fast and ended up crashing into Jun Beiyue’s group, causing their carriage to break and the people inside to be thrown out.

Jun Beiyue didn’t want to get entangled with them, so he had his shadow give the siblings two horses, and they left. Han Ziqing found a Xiao on the ground, which seemed to belong to the Xiao siblings. Jun Beiyue recognized them and knew they would also be going to the gathering the next day, so he decided to return it to them then.

When the Xiao siblings got home and realized that their white jade Xiao was missing, they knew the situation was critical and immediately went out to search for it. Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue soon arrived at Yushui Qiongjian Mountain, where they were welcomed by Sheng Zimo. In private, Sheng Zimo’s father reminded him that the upcoming Shengxiao Gathering was crucial for the selection of the clan leader.

He urged Sheng Zimo to give it his all, while also lamenting his late youngest daughter, whose extraordinary talent far surpassed Sheng Zimo's abilities. Already feeling anxious, Sheng Zimo was surprised when the Nanzhao Grand Priest approached him, offering help in exchange for involving Han Ziqing in the Heavenly Pool. Sheng Zimo agreed. The competition began quickly, with everyone’s attention focused on Sheng Zimo. However, it seemed that his abilities weren’t enough.

Although he defeated his opponent, he still failed to open the Heavenly Pool. As everyone awkwardly watched Sheng Zimo struggle, Xiaosheng, who had been listening to the music, found her thoughts drifting uncontrollably, as if the melody had entered her mind. Just when it seemed Sheng Zimo wouldn’t be able to open the Heavenly Pool, Xiaosheng unexpectedly stepped forward.

Xiaosheng stepped forward and took the Phoenix Tail Sheng from Sheng Zimo's hands. The crowd was confused about who she was, and when they heard that she could play the Phoenix Tail Sheng, they were even more shocked. Unexpectedly, Xiaosheng successfully opened the Heavenly Pool! Even the Sheng family was surprised, but what was even stranger was that several corpses emerged from the Heavenly Pool.

No one knew what was happening, except for Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing, who understood the origins of the corpses. They intended to use this as a way to force the King of Nanzhao to admit his crimes. Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing immediately took action, questioning the King of Nanzhao if he knew the origin of the corpses. The King remained silent, so Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue directly pointed out that these people were from the isolated island.

The tattoos on their faces, originally black, had turned red because they had been refined into human puppets. The two also followed Baili Weisheng's suggestion and brought out soul worms to prove that these people had been refined. However, the people of Nanzhao firmly denied it, saying there was no evidence to accuse them. At this point, Lady Gold Jiao no longer concealed her identity and stepped forward, declaring herself as the proof.

The King of Nanzhao recognized her, and Lady Gold Jiao revealed the truth of what happened years ago, stating that the people of the isolated island had been wrongfully accused all these years, and the real evil was Nanzhao! Knowing they were in the wrong, the people of Nanzhao quickly left. Xiaosheng no longer held onto the Phoenix Tail Sheng, as she wished to return to Baili Weisheng's side.

However, the Sheng Clan Leader stopped her, claiming she was his daughter. Xiaosheng, frightened, only wanted to return to Baili Weisheng. Lady Gold Jiao also stood up for Xiaosheng, saying that even if this were true, they should handle the matter with careful consideration. The Sheng Clan Leader then invited everyone back to the manor for a small gathering. Xiaosheng was deeply worried that Baili Weisheng would abandon her, so she didn’t want to acknowledge her family.

However, Baili Weisheng told her that after returning to the Sheng Clan Manor, she would become the leader of the Liangye Clan, as she had important responsibilities to fulfill. Xiaosheng, in tears, didn’t want to go back, but Lady Gold Jiao repeatedly promised that she and Baili Weisheng would come back to get her, and Xiaosheng finally nodded. Upon returning to the manor, Xiaosheng met her biological parents.

The Sheng Clan Leader was very emotional upon seeing his daughter and began asking Xiaosheng about what happened back then. Xiaosheng only remembered that she fell asleep, and when she woke up, she was in the hands of human traffickers. Meanwhile, Sheng Zimo became anxious, which the Sheng Clan Leader noticed. He immediately punished Sheng Zimo and scolded him away, revealing that he had long known something was wrong but had needed an heir since Xiaosheng had gone missing.

Han Ziqing, holding the white jade Xiao in her hand, thought that combining the white jade Xiao with the Phoenix Tail Sheng might reveal the remaining musical scores. Xiaosheng and Han Ziqing found a cave and played the instruments together, finally completing the melody of "Lishang. " However, Han Ziqing's doubts remained unsolved, so she asked Xiaosheng to leave first. Not long after Xiaosheng left, Sheng Zimo blocked her path, blaming her for everything.

Xiaosheng was terrified, but luckily Baili Weisheng appeared in time to protect her. Xiaosheng knew that Baili Weisheng wouldn’t abandon Han Ziqing, so she couldn’t force him to stay with her. The Dream Clan Leader decided to destroy the harmful Xuyu Tower. Dream Er and Dream San, full of schemes, went to find the Grand Priest of Nanzhao. The Grand Priest, understanding their desire for the position of Clan Leader, still decided to visit the Dream Clan.

It turned out that many years ago, the Dream Clan’s elder had cooperated with the Grand Priest in refining human puppets. During this visit, the Grand Priest killed the Dream Clan Leader and handed the Clan Leader's seal to Dream Er. He also learned from clues left by the Dream Clan ancestors about the connection between the Devouring Spirit Pearl and the blood of the Holy Maiden from the isolated island, declaring that this trip had not been in vain.

With the Clan Leader dead, the barrier around Wanyue broke, and she took advantage of the chaos to escape. Meanwhile, Xiling launched an attack on Tieyan, all under Xuanyuan Lige’s control!

Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing received news that Tieyan had been attacked by Xiling. They were very worried about Nangong Qianqian and Situ Haonan, so they immediately decided to return to Tianque. Baili Weisheng also insisted on going with them right away. Xiaosheng, feeling sad, bid them farewell. She confirmed many times that they would return to see her, but still shed tears as she watched them leave. Meanwhile, Chu Tiange received news of Tieyan’s counterattack.

He couldn’t understand who had helped them, as Tieyan was still dealing with internal strife. His men reported that Xueyu had secretly aided Tieyan. Chu Tiange confronted the leaders of Xueyu, but they didn’t bother with unnecessary talk. Instead, they incited Chu Tiange’s subordinates to surrender. Since Chu Tiange had not treated his men kindly, he had lost their loyalty. In the end, his own men stabbed him to death! Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue finally returned to Tianque.

They pondered why Xiling was able to directly attack Tieyan without passing through the Three Realms. An suggested the possibility of the underground paths in the Mi Tian Deep Sea, but Jun Beiyue had been there personally. He knew it wouldn’t be easy for an army to pass through that route. However, there was no time to dwell on this mystery. The most important thing was to meet with the army and discuss strategies. An Wang also went with them.

Han Ziqing received news that Nangong Qianqian had arrived. Qianqian was covered in wounds, and Han Ziqing was heartbroken. Qianqian told her that Situ Haonan had died! It turned out that Xuanyuan Lige had conspired with Chu Tiange. Qianqian recounted everything she had witnessed. Han Ziqing was shocked, and Qianqian was also confused as to why Xuanyuan Lige had taken over Xiling’s royal city afterward. It became clear that Xuanyuan Lige had been orchestrating everything from behind the scenes.

Baili Weisheng overheard this but didn’t believe that Lige would do such a thing, so he decided to confront him and demand an explanation. Baili Weisheng brought Xuezheng with him when he went to find Lige, asking him to explain himself. Lige directly admitted that it was all his doing. Baili Weisheng mentioned Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue, to which Lige responded that he had been waiting for Jun Beiyue to send troops!

He then had Xiaomeng escort Baili Weisheng out. Baili Weisheng was baffled by Lige’s transformation. Not long after, Han Ziqing and her group arrived to confront Lige. Lige sighed, saying, “Finally, you’ve come. ” Qianqian rushed in first, followed by Han Ziqing, who pointed a knife at Lige, demanding to know what was going on. She said that if Lige would explain, she would believe him.

But Lige stubbornly insisted that everything he had done was for the restoration of his kingdom and that his intentions were sincere. Jun Beiyue, hearing this, burst in and attacked Lige, injuring him. Suddenly, the hidden sound-killing soldiers emerged from the shadows. Their music disturbed Jun Beiyue’s mind, but Han Ziqing didn’t hesitate. She immediately used the sound-killing techniques Lige had taught her to counterattack.

Jun Beiyue seized the opportunity to strike Lige again, but at the crucial moment, a barrier appeared, protecting Lige. While everyone was confused, Wanyue emerged from the shadows and took Lige away. Jun Beiyue knew that his mother’s escape indicated that something had happened to his grandfather. He decided to return to Mengjie Island to check, while Han Ziqing stayed in Tianque. When Jun Beiyue arrived, he didn’t even get the chance to see his grandfather one last time.

Jun Beiyue wanted to see his grandfather’s body, but Dream Er and Dream San stopped him, saying that the clan leader had died of illness and had already been buried. They claimed it was unlucky to reopen the coffin. Jun Beiyue decided to handle the funeral arrangements himself and opened the coffin. To his horror, he found bite marks from poisonous insects on his grandfather’s neck. Jun Beiyue immediately realized that Dream Er and Dream San were behind it.

He summoned them, and knowing they couldn’t hide the truth any longer, they blamed everything on the Grand Priest. In a fit of rage, Jun Beiyue killed them both! Meanwhile, Xuanyuan Lige finally woke up. Seeing Wanyue meditating, he actually tried to sneak up and attack her!

Xuanyuan Lige struggled to pull out the dagger, but he didn’t have the strength to stab Wanyue. The commotion woke Wanyue, and she immediately revealed her identity. She also noticed that Lige’s father had placed a barrier on him, but this barrier had activated the Five Elements Power within him. It turned out that only those destined by the heavens possessed the Five Elements Power, and Lige was the chosen one.

The Five Elements Power could help Wanyue lift the poison curse on her, freeing her from Nanzhao’s control. After that, she planned to go after Han Ziqing, but Lige refused to cooperate and even attempted to kill Wanyue. However, Wanyue had set up a barrier on herself, making it impossible for Lige to harm her. Wanyue then began absorbing the Five Elements Power. Baili Weisheng rescued Xiaomeng, and together they set out to find Xuanyuan Lige and Wanyue.

Baili Weisheng knew they would be in a hidden location, and they eventually found them. Baili Weisheng and Xiaomeng desperately tried to break the barrier. Sensing that something was wrong, Wanyue realized that Xuanyuan Lige was forcibly using the Five Elements Power in an attempt to perish together with her. The power exploded, sending Lige flying, while Wanyue was gravely injured and died. Baili Weisheng frantically called out Lige’s name, but there was no response.

Qin Mama arrived at the cave, and with her last breath, Xiaomeng told Qin Mama that Wanyue had killed Lige. Qin Mama took the news back to Dongling, hoping the king would avenge Lige, but the king didn’t care. After all, Lige wasn’t destined to live long. The king even decided to appoint Princess Yinyue as the heir! Meanwhile, Princess Xuanyuan Zhaoxi also lost her position of power.

When she learned that her mother had decided to make Princess Yinyue the heir, her heart broke. Qin Mama, unable to convince the king, sought a meeting with Princess Xuanyuan Zhaoxi. She told the princess about Lige’s death and claimed that it was all caused by Jun Beiyue’s mother, even though she was already dead. Now, everything would be blamed on Jun Beiyue.

After everything she had been through, Xuanyuan Zhaoxi realized that both she and her brother were merely pawns in their mother’s plans. She began to miss the days when her brother was still alive and became even more determined to avenge him. That night, Qin Mama worked with Xuanyuan Zhaoxi to distract the guards. Xuanyuan Zhaoxi seized the opportunity to escape. Together, she and Qin Mama went to Nanzhao to find Consort Qin.

Consort Qin hadn’t heard any news about Lige for a long time, and now Xuanyuan Zhaoxi and Qin Mama brought the news of his death. Consort Qin couldn’t accept it at first, but Qin Mama assured her that she had witnessed it with her own eyes. After calming down, Consort Qin began to understand what had happened. Qin Mama explained that Lige had been using a Sound Transmission Stone to communicate with Han Ziqing.

Consort Qin was heartbroken, as she had given Lige that stone. Filled with resolve, Consort Qin decided that since Han Ziqing had taken something that belonged to her, she would take Han Ziqing’s life in return. She began plotting to kill her. Consort Qin was shocked when the Grand Priest visited the palace. The Grand Priest had discovered the letters Consort Qin had written to Lige.

Knowing her plan had been exposed, Consort Qin begged only for the chance to kill Han Ziqing. Afterward, she would accept whatever punishment the Grand Priest decided. Coincidentally, the Grand Priest’s target was also Han Ziqing, so the two of them struck a deal. Consort Qin planned to use the Sound Transmission Stone, pretending to be Lige, to lure Han Ziqing out. Meanwhile, Han Ziqing was worried about Lige’s whereabouts.

As if guided by fate, she took out the Sound Transmission Stone and found that it was active! Han Ziqing told Nangong Qianqian that she had found a lead on Lige, and although Qianqian wanted to go with her, Han Ziqing insisted that Qianqian stay behind to recover from her injuries. Han Ziqing went alone and eventually encountered Consort Qin. She wasn’t afraid and turned to leave, but the Grand Priest blocked her path.

The Grand Priest’s Soul-Devouring Pearl was immensely powerful, and Han Ziqing struggled to resist it. She could only leave a mark on a stone using her ring. Jun Beiyue finally returned to the palace, only to receive news that Han Ziqing had been captured. Filled with anxiety, Jun Beiyue decided to declare war on Nanzhao!

Xiaosheng went to the Fourth Prince's residence to find Lady Jinjiao. She was searching everywhere for Baili Weisheng, but Lady Jinjiao informed her that Baili Weisheng had disappeared. Left with no choice, Xiaosheng decided to stay for a while. However, with Lady Jinjiao by her side, Xiaosheng was still quite happy. Meanwhile, Jun Beiyue’s troops were pressing hard on the border of Nanzhao. The King of Nanzhao ordered the Grand Priest to release Han Ziqing.

However, the Grand Priest’s ambitions extended far beyond Han Ziqing. He had secretly turned ordinary people into mindless puppets! Consort Qin accused him of breaking his promise, but the Grand Priest immediately grabbed her by the throat! The King of Nanzhao was fully at the mercy of the Grand Priest, who soon replaced the king and started issuing commands himself. He unleashed an army of puppet soldiers, led by Han Ziqing, to attack Jun Beiyue’s forces.

When Jun Beiyue’s soldiers saw the current state of Han Ziqing, they were heartbroken. Jun Beiyue ordered his men not to harm her, as they shouted her name, hoping to wake her from the Grand Priest’s control. The strength of the puppet soldiers was overwhelming, and Jun Beiyue’s troops couldn’t hold them off. The Grand Priest even used his Soul-Devouring Pearl to turn fallen soldiers into more puppets. Seeing the dire situation, Jun Beiyue pulled out Liuguang!

Yet, he still couldn’t bring himself to hurt Han Ziqing. Fortunately, seeing Jun Beiyue caused Han Ziqing to slowly regain some of her consciousness, but the Grand Priest continued to control her. Desperately, Han Ziqing, in a moment of clarity, begged Jun Beiyue to kill her. In the end, Liuguang pierced Han Ziqing’s body! Jun Beiyue tried his best to transfer his inner strength into her wound, but eventually, he too collapsed. They had no choice but to retreat.

Baili Weisheng finally returned, and he brought Xuanyuan Lige with him. It turned out Xuanyuan Lige hadn’t died after all, and Baili Weisheng had saved him. Upon hearing this, Nangong Qianqian rushed over, intent on killing Xuanyuan Lige to avenge Situ Haonan. However, Xuanyuan Lige revealed that Situ Haonan wasn’t dead! Nangong Qianqian didn’t believe him, so Xuanyuan Lige wrote a letter to Qin Mama, explaining that she was his trusted confidante.

He told Nangong Qianqian that if she brought the letter to Qin Mama, she would learn everything. Left with no other option, Nangong Qianqian chose to believe him. Despite barely recovering, Xuanyuan Lige wanted to set out to find Han Ziqing, and Baili Weisheng had to support him as they went. But by then, both Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue were in a comatose state.

Xuanyuan Lige immediately decided to play the complete *Lishang* melody to help guide them back to consciousness. As the melody of *Lishang* filled the air, Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue found themselves lying by the seaside, dazed and confused. They both woke up one after the other, but neither of them knew where they were. Around them, there were many busy people and children playing, yet no one seemed to notice them.

Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing asked the people where they were, but they received no response, as if they were invisible. Jun Beiyue then noticed the totems on the people’s faces and realized they might be from the Island of Illusions! Unable to get answers, the two continued to explore the island. Finally, someone could see them—it was Han Ziqing’s mother!

Han Ziqing’s mother explained that years ago, when she was being hunted, she had no choice but to destroy part of the musical score and leave some totems as clues. Now that they had found the complete score, they had arrived at the Island of Illusions. One of the powers of *Lishang* was to locate this hidden place. Han Ziqing’s mother had been waiting in the illusion to tell them that *Lishang* had another crucial function—it could awaken the puppet soldiers! This was the first time Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing had heard of this, and they both formed a plan in their hearts.

Han Ziqing's mother told them that one of the conditions was to immediately play both Xuezheng and Wuzheng together. She also mentioned that years ago, she had saved a woman from the Jin Jiao clan and revealed the entire truth to her. Afterward, she secretly returned to the Nanzhao Palace, carrying Liuguang with her, intending to end her life at a crucial moment.

She had wandered ever since, and eventually found a way to break the Soul-Devouring Pearl's curse in an ancient text. However, when Han Ziqing's mother spoke of this, she hesitated. Han Ziqing urged her mother to speak directly, so her mother quietly whispered something to Han Ziqing, saying she trusted her. As mother and daughter faced another farewell, Han Ziqing returned to Jun Beiyue's embrace, and her mother vanished.

Han Ziqing and Jun Beiyue finally woke up, while Xuanyuan Lige could hold on no longer. Baili Weisheng and Han Ziqing visited Xuanyuan Lige’s grave one after the other, and Han Ziqing played her qin for him, wishing that in his next life, he could live long and find his soulmate. Nangong Qianqian finally arrived in Dongling and showed Xuanyuan Lige’s letter to Qin Mama and Xuanyuan Zhaoxi.

She finally got to meet Situ Haonan, but he had been so tortured that he was unrecognizable. Nangong Qianqian hugged Situ Haonan tightly. Meanwhile, Baili Weisheng was drinking alone in misery. Xiaosheng had gone through much effort to see Baili Weisheng, but he appeared utterly defeated. Xiaosheng asked if he wanted her to stay, and if he didn’t, she said she would return to the Sheng clan’s manor. Baili Weisheng still acted indifferent.

Feeling hurt, Xiaosheng packed her things and prepared to leave. Lady Jinjiao angrily scolded Baili Weisheng, and though he couldn’t bear the thought of Xiaosheng leaving, it wasn’t until his mother revealed his true feelings that he had the courage to go after Xiaosheng. Still upset, Xiaosheng tried to leave, but Baili Weisheng grabbed her hand, begging her to stay, confessing that he couldn’t bear to part with her.

Hongyi arrived, calling Baili Weisheng and Xiaosheng to the main hall for urgent matters. The puppet army from Nanzhao was growing stronger by the day, and if they didn’t act soon, the entire Longyuan Continent would be destroyed. Han Ziqing wanted to ensure everyone's safety, but Nangong Qianqian, Lady Jinjiao, and the others refused to abandon their comrades at such a critical time. They all decided to stay and fight together against the enemy. The Grand Priest arrived first.

Han Ziqing immediately pulled out her qin and began playing both Xuezheng and Wuzheng together. As expected, it worked. The puppet soldiers' combat abilities began to weaken, and the power of the Soul-Devouring Pearl was significantly reduced. However, the Grand Priest had another dark power. He swallowed the Soul-Devouring Pearl, and his strength exploded, transforming him into a black puppet! Jun Beiyue’s power was not enough to resist him.

Han Ziqing strapped the qin to her back, and the holy blood of the Saintess flowed from her, playing a crucial role in the battle. However, there was only one way to destroy the Soul-Devouring Pearl—using the heart's blood of the Saintess! Severely injured, Jun Beiyue could do nothing but watch as Han Ziqing collapsed.

Liuguang hovered in the air, and in Han Ziqing’s mind, memories of her time with Jun Beiyue played, tears unconsciously flowing from the corners of her eyes. When Han Ziqing opened her eyes again, she had returned to the real world. Her teammate told her they had called a rescue team and saved her from the cave. He also mentioned going to get her some food.

Han Ziqing had no choice but to believe that it was all just a dream, but then she noticed Liuguang lying beside her pillow! Her teammate said it might have been left behind by the person who saved her. Han Ziqing immediately ran outside, and when she saw that familiar figure, she rushed over and hugged him. The man asked if she had mistaken him for someone else. Han Ziqing asked, “Isn’t Liuguang yours?” To which he replied, “It belongs to you. ” Han Ziqing smiled!

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