To protect Empress Xia Tian, General Xia Hou sets a trap for Princess Li, whose entourage is attacked on their way to the capital. Qing Chen is overpowered by someone in the Demon sect, so Ning Que helps kill the attacker, while Sang Sang protects the princess and her son. Qing Shan, State Preceptor, and General Xia perceive Ning Que as an unknown variable in the struggle for power

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.

Due to the failed assassination attempt, Prince Chong Ming looks for a way out. Prince Long Qing is framed for the murder of Priest Xuan Yi, his teacher. As they attempt to arrest him, Ye Hong Yu from the Monastery of Knowledge and Obeisance, rescues him. Ning Que is miraculously admitted into Tang Academy.

Long Qing requests to be the Grand Priest of Light’s disciple, but he is rejected. His father believes he can be a student of Fu Zi of Tang Academy, so sets him up for the Two Story Building entrance exam. Ning Que checks out Yan Su Qing, the next lead in his investigation. He also learns more about his pen pal, whom he stumps with a mathematical question.

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 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.

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.

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.

While practicing the Awe-Inspiring Sword technique, Ning Que wreaks havoc with his disciple brethren. Given his low cultivation power, they decide to help him out. Due to Ning Que’s innate abilities suitable for talismans, Fu Zi allows him to spend more time with Yan Se to learn. Yan Se reveals to Ning Que that he was chosen to be the protector of the God Startled Formation, just as Yan Se was

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.

Ning Que tells Sang Sang that she can’t accompany him to the wilderness, then asks Princess Li to take care of her while he’s away. Mo Shan Shan is enthralled with Ning Que’s Chicken Soup post and looks forward to meeting him in the wilderness, but her teacher reminds her she must find the Heavenly Scroll. Yan Se also tells Ning Que to retrieve the Heavenly Scroll and tells him the background story behind it

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.

Although they were able to destroy Lian Sheng, they couldn’t find the Heavenly Scroll. Battered and injured, Ning Que, Shan Shan, and Hong Yu look for a way out of the gate. Yan Se is concerned that Guang Ming’s target is Ning Que after seeing him stay with Sang Sang. A fight between them is inevitable, pitting the master of Ning Que against the master of Sang Sang

Yan Se finally realizes that Sang Sang is a student of Guang Ming. He spends the day with Guang Ming for old times' sake, but they are unable to sway the beliefs each other possesses. They prepare for battle the next day, and Sang Sang is saddened that two good people are determined to fight each other. Pi Pi and Jun Mo attend the battle to help protect Sang Sang.

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

At the Justice Department, the handkerchief from Mu You reminds Hong Yu of Ning Que. Ning Que spends his days giving Shan Shan tours of the capital, while Sang Sang wonders if it will be the three of them eating dinner henceforth. Guan Hai from the Heavenly Pillar Sect challenges Ning Que, who is anxious about not revealing his demonic cultivation. Sang Sang sees the affection between Ning Que and Shan Shan growing

Tang Xiao Tang not only makes a good impression on Chen Pi Pi, but she also becomes a student of Yu Lian. All of Ning Que’s brothers and sisters help him control the Awe-Inspiring Energy and pass the time in the Repenting Cliff. After 3 months, the Xiling envoy arrives to take Sang Sang. Ning Que springs into action and not only stops them but also conquers Liu Yi Qing

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

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

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.

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.