General Ma of Wei City asks Ning Que to escort Princess Li’s maidservant, of the Tang Empire, back to the capital. Although Ning Que doesn’t want to, he relents because an experienced cultivator, Lu Qing Chen is part of her entourage. He figures out that Princess Li is pretending to be her maidservant, who is fleeing from being murdered by her late husband’s tribe

Su Qing reveals who was behind the plot to frame General Lin and murder his entire manor. He and Ning Que battle to the death. Shortly afterward, the vermillion bird awakens, signaling the Child of Hades is alive. Severely injured, Ning Que’s life hangs by a thread as Chen Pi Pi and Sang Sang scramble to try to save him.

Ning Que has difficulty juggling being a student of both Yan Se and Fu Zi. His brethren Fu Zi disciples are playfully giving him a hard time. Chong Ming returns to the Yan Empire, but his father discovers that his love for Princess Li clouds his judgement, putting their plan at risk. Long Qing becomes the Shrine Leader’s disciple. Princess Li spends more time with Sang Sang, while Ning Que keeps busy with this studies.

The Grand Priest of Light tells Long Qing he lost to Ning Que because of his fear of the Eternal Night, then he suddenly breaks out of prison to search for the Child of Hades. A tired Ning Que gets inspiration from Chen Pi Pi. The State Preceptor is worried Yan Se is pushing Ning Que too fast and too hard, to the point of breaking him. Ning Que begins learning the Awe-Inspiring Sword technique from Jun Mo.

Ning Que begins to look at Yan Se as the father he lost at a young age, and out of the blue while appreciating the rain, he writes his first talisman. As a result, his name appears in the Character Ri Scroll of the Heavenly Scrolls, quickly becoming the target of the Justice Department. As the Eternal Night spreads, barbarians from the wilderness begin moving out of the south and into the north, led by Tang of the Demon Sect.

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.

Shan Shan and Ning Que encounter Long Qing and to stay alive, Ning Que makes a bet with Long Qing on who will reach the next level first. While Long Qing, nears reaching the next level, Ning Que discovers the hidden Main Gate of the Demon Sect. Soon after, his birth element allows him to reach the next level before Long Qing. Angered, Long Qing viciously ambushes Ning Que and Shan Shan.

While battling, Yan Se and Guang Ming attain Dao by breaking through all five of the levels. To exit the Main Gate of the Demon Sect, Ning Que, Shan Shan, and Hong Yu rely on Tang Xiao Tang, who agrees to lead them out if Ning Que promises to help her become a student of the Tang Academy. With the help of Lee Man Man, Ning Que convinces Shan Shan to go to Tang Academy with them.

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

The disciples pick sides on who Ning Que should marry, but in the end, they agree it is his decision. Ning Que is again challenged to a duel, but this time, it is against Qu Ni’s son. The demon in Ning Que comes out, and the battle doesn’t end well, though it suddenly dawns on him that Sang Sang has been in his heart all along. He makes things clear with Shan Shan, then unexpectedly meets Fu Zi while drinking away his sorrows.

Sang Sang hears Ning Que is severely injured, so hurries home to care for him. Things seem to have gone back to normal between them as Shan Shan heads back to Grand River State. Xiling uses the death of Dao Shi to send Liu Yi Qing to challenge Ning Que. Fu Zi punishes Ning Que by locking him up at the Repenting Cliff to reflect on himself and not allowing him to leave until he has thought everything through

Chen Mou helps Long Qing recover his hope and faith in the light, allowing him to go to the Monastery of Knowledge and Obeisance. After leaving the Repenting Cliffs, Ning Que is officially acknowledged by Fu Zi as his student, then sends him back to the Repenting Cliffs. Ning Que and Sang Sang meet with the Grand Priest of Revelation to discuss when Sang Sang goes to Xiling. Chao Xiao awakens in a remote village, while Liu Bao forsakes the Justice Department

The Empress tries to find out what is causing the feud between Ning Que and her brother, Xia Hou. Ning Que and Sang Sang go to great lengths to purchase Yanming Lake for their future planning. Long Qing is getting impatient with his weak cultivation and chances upon the Heavenly Channeling Pills. Hong Yu has regained her cultivation strength thanks to Liu Bai and teaches General Luo a lesson

Ning Que’s brothers and sisters help him prepare Yanming Lake for his showdown with General Xia. The sage that Long Qing encounters in a cave gives him ideas about making his own Heavenly Channeling Pill. General Xia meets with the Shrine Leader before heading back to the capital and is surprised by what is told to him. Ning Que meets General Xu Shi who warns him not to fight against General Xia

Chen Pi Pi likes Xiao Tang, but because she is a saintess of the Demon Sect, he knows it could never be possible between them. The Shrine leader implies that Hong Yu has been corrupted by Ning Que, prompting her older brother, Ye Qing, to go after him. Hong Yu arrives at Ning Que’s doorstep, asking him for accommodations. Xia Hou has arrived at the capital and is eagerly awaiting his battle with Ning Que.

Xia Hou invites Ning Que to a meal to try and provoke him, but Hong Yu tags along to keep him from making rash decisions. Hong Yu knows Ning Que is at a disadvantage so she lets him borrow Liu Bai’s sword to learn the Grand River Sword Force technique. Ye Qing enters the capital looking for Ning Que and Xia Hou. Chen Pi Pi meets with Ye Qing to explain why he left the Monastery of Knowledge and Obeisance

Man Man and Jun Mo help Ning Que by making sure he gets a fair battle with Xia Hou. The battle is fierce and grueling, with Ning Que using all the tools and different abilities he has learned thus far. Alas, he is forced to use his birth object, but it comes with a great consequence. Meanwhile, cultivating alone in a cave, Long Qing announces his return.