As they head to the capital, Ning Que finds out from Qing Chen that eleven of his seventeen acupuncture points are blocked, rendering him unable to cultivate. Despite, he asks Qing Chen to teach him the cultivation levels for his own knowledge. He keeps getting recurring dreams that haunt him about the sky becoming dark. The official for the department of transport is murdered.

Ning Que and Sang Sang visit Zeng Manor upon entering the capital. After 15 years, Ning Que reunites with his sworn brother, Zhuo Er. They both have sworn revenge upon General Xia, who killed both of their families when they were young. At the time, they also found Sang Sang as a baby, among the dead. Princess Li meets with her father, Emperor Li

Ning Que and Sang Sang set up a shop so they can sell Ning Que’s handwriting, but the landlord thinks they won’t be able to stay open for long. After a day of exploring, they see a dead Zhuo Er and look for clues as to the cause of his death. Their sleuthing leads them to Zhang Yi Qi, the transport bureau official, who was previously the Imperial Censor that framed General Lin and causing his death. Prince Long Qing continues his search for the son of Hades.

As Ning Que seeks out Zhang Yi Qi for revenge, Xiao Shu, leader of the Dragon gang catches him in action. Everyone goes after Xiao Shu who has significant control of revenue in the capital. Xiao Shu invites Ning Que to help him and though Ning Que agrees to help in exchange for some money, that is not the main reason he decides to assist him.

Reinforcements come to help Ning Que and Xiao Shu at the last minute. Unbeknownst to Grand Prince Li Pei Yan, Xiao Shu has a strong backer in the Imperial Court helping him. Battling together has forged a brotherly bond between Ning Que and Xiao Shu. Prince Long Qing sees the eternal night looming.

In recognition for helping Xiao Shu, Ning Que is promoted by General Xu as a secret imperial guard, called into action whenever asked of him. Xiao Shu decides to step down as the leader of the Dragon gang, upsetting the Emperor. Prince Long Qing escapes punishment from Luo Kedi, while Prince Chong Ming and He Ming Chi of Xiling Academy collude to take down the Emperor.

The examination begins for Tang Academy and Ning Que is off to a rolling start. The Emperor doesn’t attend so the target is shifted to another Imperial person. During the assassination attempt, Ning Que springs into action. He encounters Jun Mo and pleads with him to take him as his student disciple. He is then tasked by General Xu to figure out who is behind the assassination attempt.

Ning Que struggles studying on the second floor of the Old Books Building, but perseveres. He learns more about accessing the Two-Story Building and how to become Fu Zi’s personal disciple. Prince Long Qing and Hong Yu try to thwart Luo Kedi’s assassination attempt on Elder Lin Feng. On the way to Princess Li’s birthday banquet, Ning Que confronts Chen Zi Xian, General Lin’s most trusted aide.

Ning Que does not get a reasonable answer from Chen Zi Xian as to who is behind the killing of Lin Manor, except for a cryptic response “the child of Hades.” His new pen pal, Chen Pi Pi helps him unlock the secret of 2nd floor of Old Books Building. Hong Yu and Long Qing are promoted as the Department Head of Justice and Deputy Head, respectively, making them suspicious of the Justice Department.

Ning Que recovers with the help of Chen Pi Pi. General Xia becomes suspicious when three people involved with framing General Lin have all died. Rumors are spreading that Princess Li is the cause of the 6th little prince’s chronic illness, so Prince Hun Yuan decides to do something about it. Xiao Shu is severely injured, while Ning Que tries out some cultivation tricks.

The Emperor blames Princess Li and Prince Hun Yuan for poisoning the 6th Prince, but Princess Li thinks it’s a ruse concocted by Empress Xia to frame her. Prince Chong Ming is summoned back to the Yan Empire so that Long Qing can replace him and be a disciple of Fu Zi. He and Princess Li commiserate over their misfortunes, then decide to work together to achieve their goals.

To garner additional support, Princess Li reaches out to Grand Prince Pei Yan. The Emperor, befuddled by Ning Que’s calligraphy, continues his search for the unidentified calligrapher. Ning Que searches for his birth object and is surprised when he discovers what it is.

Chen Pi Pi tries to convince Ning Que to take the exam to be Fu Zi’s disciple, but Ning Que feels he’s not good enough. So Chen Pi Pi brings him to see Fu Zi’s 2nd disciple, Jun Mo, who inspires him. To make Prince Hun Yuan more disciplined, he enrolled in the military for training. The students of Tang Academy face off with Prince Long Qing.

Ning Que and Long Qing go after each other’s throats when Ning Que refuses to give Sang Sang to Long Qing. Ning Que embarrasses Long Qing, making him an enemy. Worried about not passing the exam, Ning Que turns to Cheng Pi Pi. Before heading back to Yan Empire, Chong Ming meets with Long Qing to bid farewell.

For the exam, the candidates are to travel up the mountain, where the first person to reach the mountaintop and retrieve the gourd from the tree will win. Things are not as simple as they seem when the candidates are suddenly beset with challenges throughout their climb. Yan Se’s and Qing Shan’s interest in Qing Nue is renewed when they hear stories of him cultivating when they had previously assessed that his acupoints were blocked, preventing cultivation.

Yan Se rushes to the two-story building exam, hoping he can get to Ning Que before the winner of the exam is decided. Meanwhile, State Preceptor Qing Shan informs the Emperor that Ning Que is the calligrapher he’s been searching for. Up in the mountain, Ning Que and Long Qing battle internal demons to find their way to the mountaintop.

General Xia Hou and Wei Guang Ming both target Ning Que, and he suddenly goes missing. Sang Sang and Yan Se search for him while he's held captive. General Xia Hou learns that Ning Que was behind the murders of Su Qin, Chen Zi Xian, and Zhang Yi Qi. Worried Ning Que survived the Lin Manor massacre, he doubles down on ensuring he is killed so the truth can remain hidden.

Juan Da Jia’s old friend taught Jun Mo the Awe-Inspiring Sword technique and also happens to be Ning Que’s Little Junior Uncle Ke Haoran. Given Xiling is sending the Justice Department and various Southern Jin states to the wilderness to suppress the Demon Sect, the Emperor decides to send Ning Que to lead the Tang Academy students to the wilderness to practice.

Remembering all the adventures they’ve had together, Sang Sang and Ning Que bid a tearful farewell as he goes off to the wilderness. Fu Zi and Lee Man Man continue their search for the Drunkard and the Butcher, who have survived the last Eternal Night a thousand years ago. Wei Guang Ming enters the Tang capital, while Ning Que meets Mo Shan Shan, though hides his identity from her.

To gain the support of Princess Li, He Ming Chi discloses that the Empress is meeting with the Third Elder of the barbarians. Ning Que, pretending to be Zhong Da Jun, helps Mo Shan Shan and then volunteers to guide her and her students in the deep wilderness to supply the Yan army with rations. Sang Sang meets an old, homeless man who asks her to be his student.

Although Mo Shan Shan has expressed her admiration for Ning Que, he still hides his real identity from her and gives her advice on how to deal with the powerful leaders. Third Elder gives Hun Yuan a lesson after learning he’s been giving the 6th Prince diarrhea medicine. Mo Shan Shan and Chen Jia meet, while the Third Elder and the Empress face off.

Princess Li rushes to the palace to reveal the Empress is from the Demon Sect, but unbeknownst to her, her father already knows. The Third Elder sacrifices himself for the Empress and for the lives of the barbarians being slaughtered. Mo Shan Shan tries to get justice for the people killed in her group, but General Luo and Qu Ni hinder her efforts, forcing Ning Que to reveal his true identity.

Princess Li asks the Emperor to Sang Sang but learns that Xiling will be coming to take Sang Sang to the Peach Mountains to inherit the Holy Seat of the Light as successor to Guang Ming. Despite Fu Zi’s rule that Tang Academy doesn’t get involved in court affairs, Chen Pi Pi comes to rescue Sang Sang. Princess Li invites Sang Sang to the banquet the Empress is hosting, where one of the official’s wives takes a keen interest in Sang Sang

Sang Sang’s mother and father urged her to go back with them instead of staying as a servant maid for Ning Que. Given she’s spent all of her years growing up with Ning Que, she doesn’t want to go with them. When Ning Que returns, Sang Sang sees Shan Shan and tries to avoid Ning Que. She brings him the pots of Yan Se and Guang Ming, but he is upset that the teacher she admires took part in the massacre of the Lin Manor.

Grand Prince Li admits his crimes to the Emperor and asks to lose his royal status as punishment. General Xia Hou admits he killed the people of Lin Manor but righteously proclaims that his misdeeds in the past should not overshadow all of his achievements as a General over the years. Ning Que challenges General Xia Hou to a battle of life and death, but the Emperor tries to prevent this by decreeing General Xia Hou is guilty. All are shocked when Ning Que reveals his true identity and doesn't back down from his challenge.