Chapter Summaries

Duàn Yì prepared his disguise and weapon while waiting for One-Eyed Dragon and the Zhao Family's Three Heroes to join the assault on the Xu Residence. Once One-Eyed Dragon arrived, they set out to attack, with Duàn Yì intent on taking Zhuang Shili's silver.

• Duàn Yì changed into a fitted gray outfit, disguised his face, and took a Fine Steel Longsword to avoid revealing his identity.
• The Zhao Family's Three Heroes arrived and waited with Duàn Yì for One-Eyed Dragon, discussing their regret at missing Yan Chongtian's battle against Aorgel.
• One-Eyed Dragon arrived disguised and carrying a tachi, a weapon from beyond Great Xia.
• One-Eyed Dragon told Duàn Yì that twenty of his men were waiting near the Xu Residence and laid out the plan to attack when the signal appeared.
• Duàn Yì agreed to handle the expert left by the southerner, and the group set off toward the Xu Residence to take Zhuang Shili's silver.

Duàn Yì and One-Eyed Dragon prepared to raid Xu Residence and seize its hidden silver as coordinated disturbances began across Ji County. Duàn Yì led the assault by destroying the residence’s plaque, leaving the group poised to break inside.

• Duàn Yì spotted One-Eyed Dragon’s men disguised as street vendors and urged the chief to act before the battle outside the city ended.
• One-Eyed Dragon gathered his men and waited for the signal while some shopkeepers and vendors quietly fled the street.
• A red flare appeared over Ji County, and Duàn Yì and his allies recognized it as the signal to begin their operation.
• One-Eyed Dragon rallied his men to kill everyone they encountered and seize the Xu family’s wealth.
• Duàn Yì led the group to Xu Residence and shattered its plaque with his sword, declaring his intent to make Xu Ruobo regret interfering in his conflict with Zhuang Shili.

Duàn Yì and his allies stormed the Xu Residence, slaughtering its guards as they fought their way toward Gathering Stars Tower. After the Xu family’s defenses collapsed, an enraged young swordsman charged at them.

• A Zhao Family's Three Heroes fighter smashed open the Xu Residence gate, killing two gatekeepers with the flying debris as One-Eyed Dragon and his men surged inside.
• Duàn Yì leapt over the attackers and killed more than thirty Xu Residence guards with a single sword technique.
• Duàn Yì, the Zhao Family's Three Heroes, One-Eyed Dragon, and his bandits cut down the guards they encountered while advancing through the residence.
• The group learned that Xu Ruobo and many of the Xu family's strongest recruited fighters were away watching Yan Chongtian and Aorgel's battle, leaving only weaker defenders behind.
• A furious young man in his twenties charged at Duàn Yì and the others with a longsword.

Duàn Yì’s raiding party fought through Xu Residence while Xu Yanfei confronted the eldest of Zhao Family’s Three Heroes. Duàn Yì pressed on toward Gathering Stars Tower, where the chapter left a lone wooden tower standing in an eerily silent part of the blood-soaked estate.

• Xu Yanfei arrived with four experts and challenged Duàn Yì’s group after evacuating Xu Residence’s inner quarters.
• The eldest of Zhao Family’s Three Heroes recognized Xu Yanfei and stepped forward to fight him with Five Tiger Mourning Gate Fist.
• Xu Yanfei evaded the force of the Zhao brother’s punch and shattered its tiger-shaped fist radiance with his sword.
• Duàn Yì ignored their duel and raced toward Gathering Stars Tower as One-Eyed Dragon and the others held back Xu Residence’s defenders.
• Xu Yanfei let Duàn Yì pass, while the rest of Xu Residence descended into slaughter and the wooden tower remained silent and empty.

Duàn Yì reflected on how he had been forced into trouble throughout his time in the jianghu and resolved to change by taking control of events. After setting the Zhao Family's Three Heroes and One-Eyed Dragon's men against the Xu family, he reached Gathering Stars Tower to claim the secret bounty.

• One-Eyed Dragon's plan left Ji County's authorities too occupied with fires and disorder to respond to the slaughter at the Xu Residence.
• Duàn Yì raced through the Xu Residence, driven to prove that his heart had changed.
• Duàn Yì recalled how others had repeatedly dragged him into conflicts and decided he would no longer drift passively with events.
• Duàn Yì used the Zhao Family's Three Heroes and One-Eyed Dragon's men as pieces in his plan to storm the Xu Residence.
• Duàn Yì arrived at Gathering Stars Tower, where at least one of Zhuang Shili's subordinates waited.

Duàn Yì confronted Poison Hand Celestial Heart at Gathering Stars Tower, where Xu Residence’s immense treasure was kept. After Duàn Yì deflected the poison master’s concealed attack, he prepared to defeat him and weaken Zhuang Shili.

• Duàn Yì surveyed the treasure vault and found Poison Hand Celestial Heart guarding the route to Gathering Stars Tower.
• Duàn Yì kicked a stone beast-head ornament at Poison Hand Celestial Heart, who evaded it with Star Picking Steps as the pavilion was shattered.
• Poison Hand Celestial Heart sent a poisoned Heart Piercing Nail toward Duàn Yì.
• Duàn Yì intercepted the nail with his sword and drove it into the teak floor.
• Duàn Yì recognized the danger of Poison Hand Celestial Heart’s poison arts and resolved to defeat him for the treasure and to weaken Zhuang Shili.

Duàn Yì countered Poison Hand Celestial Heart’s devastating poison art with his breath and true qi, then used his sword qi to overwhelm him. The chapter ended as Duàn Yì launched a brilliant sword strike at Poison Hand Celestial Heart.

• Poison Hand Celestial Heart unleashed poisonous smoke that transformed the pool and lotuses into a lifeless ruin.
• Duàn Yì inhaled deeply and roared, scattering the poisonous smoke and blowing it back toward Poison Hand Celestial Heart.
• Duàn Yì sent uprooted teak flooring flying at Poison Hand Celestial Heart, who blocked the attack with two enormous palms formed from true qi.
• Duàn Yì concealed himself in the settling dust and sensed imperfections in Poison Hand Celestial Heart’s outwardly released Qi Aura.
• Duàn Yì unleashed a dazzling sword strike that raced toward Poison Hand Celestial Heart.

Duàn Yì overwhelmed Poison Hand Celestial Heart with his swordsmanship, breaking through the Myriad Transformations Palm and damaging his Divine Wood King Cauldron. Poison Hand Celestial Heart called for Yang Kai as Duàn Yì seized the opening and unleashed a powerful Ice Profound Energy sword technique.

• Poison Hand Celestial Heart used the Great Art of Dissolving Power and Myriad Transformations Palm to defend against Duàn Yì's Meteor from Beyond the Heavens.
• Duàn Yì's sword qi tore apart the Myriad Transformations Palm and struck the Divine Wood King Cauldron.
• Duàn Yì used Cold Iron Sword Qi to cleave open the cauldron, injuring Poison Hand Celestial Heart and destroying his crown.
• Poison Hand Celestial Heart called out to Yang Kai for help, causing his concentration to falter and the cauldron to weaken.
• Duàn Yì advanced and unleashed Controlling Sword with Qi, channeling his Ice Profound Energy into a surging river of sword light.

Duàn Yì nearly killed Poison Hand Celestial Heart with a freezing sword strike, but Yang Kai, the Shadow Assassin, intervened from hiding. Poison Hand Celestial Heart recognized Duàn Yì as the fugitive who had killed Zhuang Shiyi and prepared to face him alongside Yang Kai.

• Duàn Yì unleashed a freezing sword strike that slowed Poison Hand Celestial Heart's mind, body, and true qi, leaving him unable to defend himself.
• Yang Kai attacked Duàn Yì from the shadows, but Duàn Yì sensed his Killing Intent and intercepted the assassin's sword.
• Yang Kai retreated after the clash, and Duàn Yì identified him as the Shadow Assassin, one of Zhuang Shili's three great experts.
• Poison Hand Celestial Heart recovered and recognized the masked Duàn Yì as the man who had killed Zhuang Shiyi and his subordinates.
• Poison Hand Celestial Heart complained that Yang Kai had waited until the last moment to intervene, then resolved that they could take Duàn Yì together.

Duàn Yì faced Poison Hand Celestial Heart and the hidden Shadow Assassin when an unfamiliar, powerful martial artist arrived at Xu Residence. Duàn Yì proposed that they join forces against the two opponents, while Poison Hand Celestial Heart considered fleeing.

• Duàn Yì judged that he could not easily defeat Poison Hand Celestial Heart and Shadow Assassin together, so he planned to hold out until his allies arrived.
• An unfamiliar man with formidable, opposing inner strength flew into the corridor, alarming both Duàn Yì and Poison Hand Celestial Heart.
• The stranger asked Duàn Yì whether he had come to Xu Residence to steal treasure, and Duàn Yì admitted it and proposed they cooperate against the two enemies.
• The stranger found Duàn Yì's proposal amusing, while Poison Hand Celestial Heart weighed retreat and wondered whether Yang Kai was still nearby.

Duàn Yì watched the unfamiliar young man repel Yang Kai’s sudden assassination, leaving Yang Kai afflicted by clashing Ice and blazing sun true qi. Poison Hand Celestial Heart treated Yang Kai, who recovered enough to vanish into the void again.

• Yang Kai launched a hidden sword attack at the unfamiliar young man, who seized the blade and dragged the Shadow Assassin out of the void.
• The unfamiliar young man and Yang Kai exchanged blows, and Yang Kai suffered from Ice True Qi and blazing sun true qi clashing inside him.
• Poison Hand Celestial Heart stood beside Yang Kai and used his Great Art of Dissolving Power to help purge the alien true qi.
• Yang Kai exhaled black smoke and cold mist, then vanished into the void again.

Duàn Yì and Yang Kai teamed up against Poison Hand Celestial Heart while the Shadow Assassin aided him from hiding. Duàn Yì sealed his five senses and used spiritual consciousness to locate Yang Kai, whose faint glow appeared amid the primordial qi.

• The young man agreed to help Duàn Yì fight the two opponents in exchange for first choice of one item from the Xu Residence treasury.
• Duàn Yì and the young man attacked Poison Hand Celestial Heart together, forcing him into a desperate defense as Yang Kai interfered from the shadows.
• Duàn Yì inferred that Yang Kai's invisibility deceived the five senses and could be countered by sensing beyond them.
• Duàn Yì told the young man to handle Poison Hand Celestial Heart, then sealed his five senses and searched the void with spiritual consciousness.
• Duàn Yì perceived Yang Kai as a faintly glowing figure moving through the primordial qi.

Duàn Yì used his heightened spiritual awareness to find Shadow Assassin Yang Kai and fought him to a draw in an intense battle of swordsmanship. After their swords shattered, Duàn Yì continued with the Ice Divine Palm as Yang Kai abandoned his attempts to disappear into the void.

• Duàn Yì closed his eyes, sensed Yang Kai in the void, and attacked him with the Songshan Swordplay.
• Yang Kai countered with his mysterious sword art and shifting footwork, while the young expert and Poison Hand Celestial Heart watched their duel.
• Duàn Yì and Yang Kai fought evenly until their swords shattered in a final collision, and a fragment wounded Poison Hand Celestial Heart.
• Duàn Yì's fighting pressure accelerated his Essence Condensing and strengthened him as the battle continued.
• Duàn Yì attacked Yang Kai with the Ice Divine Palm, and Yang Kai stopped trying to conceal himself in the void.

Yang Kai shattered Duàn Yì’s Ice Divine Palm and fought him with the Black Hand Demonic Skill against the Frost-Stepping Ice-Breaking Palm. Their collision shook Xu Residence, and Xu Yanfeng retreated while the bandits hurried toward Gathering Stars Tower.

• Yang Kai condensed his true qi and broke Duàn Yì’s frost-white palm print with a single strike.
• Duàn Yì withdrew the true qi sealing his senses and returned to the battle more powerful, then forced Poison Hand Celestial Heart into a corner with a crimson punch.
• Yang Kai rushed Duàn Yì and attacked with the Black Hand Demonic Skill, while Duàn Yì countered with the Frost-Stepping Ice-Breaking Palm.
• Yang Kai and Duàn Yì’s palms collided, blasting apart the corridors around Gathering Stars Tower and shaking the ground.
• Xu Yanfeng ordered his remaining subordinates to retreat, and One-Eyed Dragon and the other bandits headed toward Gathering Stars Tower to help Wang Feng.

Duàn Yì and Yang Kai fought a fierce duel of seventy-two palm strikes that left both badly damaged. Yang Kai accepted defeat and died, while Duàn Yì remained standing.

• Duàn Yì and Yang Kai exchanged seventy-two increasingly concentrated palm strikes as Poison Hand Celestial Heart and the others watched from a safe distance.
• Duàn Yì's iron mask shattered, and the battle left him exhausted, bleeding, and injured in body and spirit.
• Yang Kai's white scale-armored robe broke apart, revealing his face as his body trembled from the fight.
• Yang Kai praised Duàn Yì's palm technique and internal energy, accepted his defeat, and died as his body froze over.
• Poison Hand Celestial Heart stared in disbelief as Yang Kai died.

Duàn Yì’s allies killed Yang Kai, then defeated and burned Poison Hand Celestial Heart to death. Reflecting on the battle, Duàn Yì recognized how much his cultivation and Ice Profound Energy had advanced, and expected further progress after recovering.

• Poison Hand Celestial Heart lost his fighting spirit after Yang Kai’s death and failed to defend against the young expert’s crimson fist aura.
• The young expert burned Poison Hand Celestial Heart alive, leaving both of Zhuang Shili’s elite guards dead.
• Duàn Yì saw the two corpses and recalled his promise to use the Southern Demonic Cult’s experts as whetstones for his growth.
• Duàn Yì assessed that his Essence Condensing cultivation had advanced to thirty percent and that his Ice Profound Energy’s Droplet Strength had reached perfection.
• Duàn Yì believed that resting and consolidating his gains for two months would let him enter the second stage, Surging Waves Strength.

Duàn Yì faced One-Eyed Dragon after the bandit chief decided to kill him and take a larger share of the profits. Duàn Yì’s overwhelming presence stopped One-Eyed Dragon from attacking, and he proposed that they enter Gathering Stars Tower to claim the goods.

• One-Eyed Dragon arrived with the Zhao Family's Three Heroes and his subordinates, saw the ruined corridor, and approached the wounded Duàn Yì while planning to kill him.
• The Zhao Family's Three Heroes and the unfamiliar young expert watched without offering Duàn Yì help, each for their own reasons.
• Duàn Yì recognized One-Eyed Dragon’s gathering stance and calmly advanced toward him, exposing his center.
• One-Eyed Dragon felt Duàn Yì’s oppressive presence, lost his resolve, and could not draw his tachi.
• Duàn Yì pressed One-Eyed Dragon’s hands down, forced the tachi into the ground, and suggested they enter Gathering Stars Tower to take the goods.

After the battle, Duàn Yì reassured the robbers that the unfamiliar young expert wanted only one treasure from Xu Residence’s treasury. As the robbers began loading the loot, Duàn Yì stayed outside Gathering Stars Tower and watched for the Xu family’s return.

• The One-Eyed Dragon asked Duàn Yì about the young expert, and Duàn Yì said he would take only one treasure and would not share in the rest of the plunder.
• The One-Eyed Dragon kicked open Gathering Stars Tower’s doors, and Zhao Family's Three Heroes joined his men in preparing to carry off the treasures.
• Duàn Yì questioned the young expert about his formidable internal strength and limited fighting skill, and the man said he had recently descended from the mountain and come to steal a treasure that would aid his cultivation.
• The young expert explained that he had also wanted to see the battle between the Central Plains' and the grasslands' foremost young prodigies before learning about Xu Residence’s treasure.
• As the robbers cheered over the riches inside, Duàn Yì waited outside to keep watch and avoid being trapped if Xu Residence’s people returned.

Duàn Yì and his companions celebrated their haul of bounty money, gold, silver, and precious treasures from Gathering Stars Tower. The young martial expert chose a crimson firebird banner that gathered the sun’s yang essence, then prepared to leave with a treasure suited to his cultivation.

• One-Eyed Dragon and the others carried chests from Gathering Stars Tower and showed Duàn Yì their gold, silver, and treasures.
• Duàn Yì admired the wealth and estimated that the bounty’s greatest value lay in precious jewels and artifacts.
• The young martial expert regretted not asking for a share when he saw the treasures, but did not go back on his word.
• One-Eyed Dragon and the others invited the young martial expert to choose one treasure, hoping to keep him away from their plans for the rest of the haul.
• The young martial expert probed the chests with his true qi and chose a crimson brocade banner embroidered with a firebird.
• Duàn Yì sensed that the banner gathered the sun’s yang essence and recognized that it could benefit the young martial expert’s cultivation.

A young man explained the Blazing Plains Hundred Strikes’ history and demonstrated its devastating power before departing with the treasure. Duàn Yì led One-Eyed Dragon and the others out of the Xu Residence with their haul, while their men arranged transport and covered their tracks.

• The young man revealed that the Blazing Plains Hundred Strikes had belonged to the Blazing Sun Demon Venerable and explained its fiery properties.
• Duàn Yì recognized the banner’s hidden ability to seize yang and primordial qi but kept that knowledge to himself because his Ice Profound Energy would not benefit from it.
• The young man demonstrated the banner’s power by sweeping it across the ground and reducing everything in its path to ash.
• The young man took the banner and left, and Duàn Yì urged One-Eyed Dragon and the others to flee before the Xu Residence’s experts returned.
• Duàn Yì led the group out with the treasure chests as One-Eyed Dragon’s men took charge of transporting the loot and erasing their trail.