Chapter Summaries

He Zhao prepared a medicinal soak for his hands, gathered wild vegetables to earn proficiency, and endured the painful treatment, which unlocked Stone Splitting Hand. After practicing and studying his Herbal Medicine Book, he received a proficiency prompt and ended the chapter poised to advance his skills.

• He Zhao prepared the medicinal liquid and practiced Monkey Steps, then spent the day gathering wild vegetables to earn proficiency points.
• He Zhao soaked his hands in the liquid and discovered that he had unlocked Stone Splitting Hand at five percent progress.
• He Zhao struck a stone with his hands to absorb the medicinal power while the Rogue Trio outside mistook the sounds for him entertaining a woman.
• He Zhao felt his strength had increased, then read his Herbal Medicine Book to help himself sleep.
• He Zhao received a prompt offering him one point of Roughly Understand proficiency after reading the book.

He Zhao raised his herbal identification and martial skills by studying, strengthened his body through training, and headed to the village grain shop to buy food. On the way, he watched Liu Jiao’s gang seize Wang Gou over gambling debt and take him away to be sold to a brothel, while Liu Jiao’s men gave He Zhao pointed looks.

• He Zhao gained proficiency by reading the Herbal Medicine Book, advanced Herb Gathering to Proficient, and used his stored points to improve Monkey Steps, which made him far more agile.
• He Zhao trained Stone Splitting Hand in the medicinal solution and later spent one hundred proficiency points on Eight Forms of Vajra, gaining martial knowledge, strength, and muscle.
• After the skill upgrade left him ravenously hungry, He Zhao hid his medicinal materials and went toward the village shops to buy grain with his silver.
• He Zhao found Liu Jiao and his hooligans dragging Wang Gou from his home over fifteen taels of gambling debt, while Wang Gou’s father begged them to stop.
• Liu Jiao said he had arranged to sell Wang Gou to Chunhua Brothel, then departed with his men after they warned He Zhao with meaningful glances.

He Zhao trained his skills and gathered herbs, discovering that gaining Proficient-level proficiency was slower than he had hoped. On his way back from the mountains, hunters confronted him after an arrow nearly struck him, and a conversation with Tang Hu left him wondering what martial arts Tempering meant.

• He Zhao learned that Liu Jiao had taken Wang Gou away to be sold to Chunhua Brothel, then bought millet from Zhang Laosi and carried ninety-three jin home.
• He Zhao ate twenty-three jin of millet, practiced Stone Splitting Hand, and found that gathering wild vegetables no longer advanced his Herb Gathering proficiency.
• He Zhao discovered that Monkey Steps and Eight Forms of Vajra each required five practice rounds to gain one Proficient point, and he realized maxing them out would demand extensive effort.
• He Zhao gathered Ground Cage Grass for hours and gained ten Proficient points, then resolved to find a faster way to gain proficiency.
• An arrow landed near He Zhao as he left the mountains, and Tang Yuankui’s hunting party emerged; He Zhao recognized Tang Hu among them.
• Tang Hu explained that he had joined the hunting team for real combat training, and He Zhao asked about Tempering after hearing the term.

He Zhao learned about the stages of martial arts training and heard that Yuzhi Hall was hiring herb gatherers. After passing a harvesting test, he began working in a Medicine Gang herb garden, where he discovered the job let him steadily increase his proficiency.

• Tang Hu explained that Tempering required strenuous training and abundant food, while Tang Yuankui described Hammering, the effects of medicinal oils, and the Power Circulation stage.
• Yu Ling told He Zhao that Yuzhi Hall was hiring experienced herb gatherers for three hundred copper coins a day, and He Zhao decided to investigate.
• He Zhao traveled to Sichun City and passed Mr. Fan's test by pulling Hu Mountain Grass from a medicine basin without damaging its roots.
• Xiao Wu took He Zhao to a Medicine Gang herb garden, where a gang member set him to work picking Hu Mountain Grass and warned that he needed to fill eight baskets to earn his wages.
• He Zhao spent the day harvesting herbs, gained proficiency from the work, and eagerly planned to return the next day.

He Zhao worked hard at the Medicine Gang’s herb garden to gain proficiency, then used his accumulated points to master Monkey Steps and Eight Forms of Vajra, transforming his agility and physique. After his new strength left him desperately hungry and short on food, he disguised himself and slipped out at night to sell his twenty-year-old mountain ginseng at the Black Market.

• He Zhao gathered extra Hu Mountain Grass at the Medicine Gang’s herb garden and earned half a tael of silver each day, while eating thirty jin of millet at the communal meal.
• After several more days of work, He Zhao spent 499 Proficient proficiency points to learn Monkey Steps, which made his movements exceptionally light and silent.
• He Zhao spent another 499 Proficient proficiency points on Eight Forms of Vajra, growing taller and stronger, then accidentally smashed his table with a punch.
• He Zhao ate a large pot of millet after his transformation and realized his remaining food would not last long without more money.
• He Zhao prepared his Stone Splitting Hand medicinal liquid, disguised himself, and left his home at night with the twenty-year-old mountain ginseng while Liu Jiao’s sleeping thug failed to notice him.

He Zhao visited the Black Market, sold mountain ginseng, bought medicinal oils and medical books, and left with a profitable haul. Unbeknownst to him, Boss Gu and his men followed him into the mountains, planning to rob and kill him.

• He Zhao entered the Black Market and overheard a group of Brutes meeting a mysterious man surnamed Shen about a book.
• He Zhao sold twenty-five-year-old mountain ginseng at the Medicine Hall for one hundred sixty taels of silver.
• He Zhao bought Xingyi Sect and Liuhe Sect Medicinal Oil in the West District.
• He Zhao bargained the stall owner down to half a tael for four medical books and headed home.
• Boss Gu persuaded his hesitant lackeys to follow He Zhao and attack him in the mountains.

He Zhao lured four armed men into Old Forest and used his martial skills to kill them one by one, taking their weapons and money. After killing Boss Gu, he found a booklet titled Art of the Chamber on the corpse.

• He Zhao noticed Boss Gu and three men following him and led them into Old Forest, where he hid in a tree.
• He Zhao silently killed the sword-wielding man at the rear and took his longsword and four taels of silver.
• When the remaining men discovered their companion was missing, He Zhao killed another during their retreat and pursued the survivors through the forest.
• He Zhao killed the fleeing underling, then confronted Boss Gu and defeated him after cutting his sword hand.
• Boss Gu offered He Zhao two thousand taels of banknotes, but He Zhao disbelieved him and killed him.
• He Zhao searched Boss Gu's body, found fifteen taels of silver, and discovered a booklet called Art of the Chamber.

After returning from the forest with silver and books, He Zhao spent the day studying and using experience to advance his medical knowledge. He planned to test the Qi Flow Acupuncture Classic the next day, but ended the chapter hungry and eyeing a jar of Qi and Blood Replenishing Soup.

• He Zhao returned home before dawn with five taels of silver, slept late, then practiced Stone Splitting Hand until it reached 55%.
• He Zhao reviewed his finances, set aside thoughts of robbing the Black Market, and began reading the books he had bought.
• He Zhao learned Art of the Chamber, Herbal Treatise, Poisonous Medicine Stickers, Zhang's Medical Arts, and Qi Flow Acupuncture Classic, earning experience from each.
• He Zhao spent 100 Roughly Understand experience each to raise Herbal Treatise and Poisonous Medicine Stickers to Proficient, gaining extensive knowledge of herbs and poisons.
• He Zhao decided to study Zhang's Medical Arts for more experience and planned to upgrade Qi Flow Acupuncture Classic after gaining another 50 points.
• He Zhao felt hungry, remembered the Qi and Blood Replenishing Soup from Tongchun Hall, and picked up the clay jar.

He Zhao completed the Stone Splitting Hand and gained the Four Forms of Scattered Hands, then used his strength to smash and crush stone. He decided to build a reputation as a physician to earn money and protection, and began advancing Zhang's Medical Arts before collapsing under the influx of knowledge.

• He Zhao drank the Qi and Blood Replenishing Soup, practiced the Stone Splitting Hand, and advanced the Qi Flow Acupuncture Classic to Minor Accomplishment, gaining a deeper understanding of qi and acupoints.
• He Zhao spent seven days studying Zhang's Medical Arts and other medical texts, bought millet, and brought the Stone Splitting Hand to ninety-five percent.
• He Zhao completed the Stone Splitting Hand, learned the Four Forms of Scattered Hands, and advanced it to Proficient.
• He Zhao demonstrated his strength by splitting a stone with his palm and crushing a fragment, then decided to avoid risky schemes and earn a living as a doctor.
• He Zhao spent 100 Roughly Understand Proficiency to advance Zhang's Medical Arts to Proficient, and the influx of medical knowledge made his vision go dark.

He Zhao used his newly acquired medical knowledge to demonstrate acupuncture at Yuzhi Hall, hoping to win Mr. Fan’s trust and obtain needles. After treating an assistant’s back and leg pain, he earned proficiency points from both his acupuncture and medical skills.

• He Zhao raised Art of the Chamber to Proficient and calculated how long it would take to improve his skills through study.
• He Zhao went to Yuzhi Hall and offered twenty-five taels for a complete set of acupuncture needles.
• Mr. Fan refused to sell the needles until He Zhao proved his ability, then promised to provide them for free if He Zhao could treat someone.
• He Zhao diagnosed the young assistant’s back and leg pain, used five needles, and prescribed a medicinal paste.
• The assistant felt warmth and relief in his knee, and Mr. Fan recognized that He Zhao’s treatment matched the prescription he had planned.
• He Zhao received five Minor Accomplishment proficiency points and five Proficient proficiency points for treating the assistant.

He Zhao used his medical skills to gain proficiency while persuading Mr. Fan to accept him as a disciple. The chapter ended with Mr. Fan visiting He Zhao’s home with lavish gifts and accepting him as his successor after He Zhao offered the five-hundred-tael banknote back as a filial offering.

• Mr. Fan decided to take He Zhao as his disciple after the clerk praised his steady work and good character, but He Zhao delayed agreeing so he could treat a patient first.
• He Zhao went to Zhang Si’s grain shop, treated Zhang Si’s chronic headaches with acupuncture, and gained Proficient and Minor Accomplishment proficiency.
• Mr. Fan learned about He Zhao’s life and became convinced of his filial, benevolent character, then ordered rice, food, liquor, and five hundred taels to be brought to Qingshan Village.
• Mr. Fan arrived at He Zhao’s home and offered him gifts and a five-hundred-tael banknote if he would become his disciple.
• He Zhao initially refused the money, then accepted it when Mr. Fan insisted and immediately presented it back as a filial offering, prompting Mr. Fan to laugh and accept him.

He Zhao faked drunkenness after Fan Zhong accepted him as a disciple, then prepared for trouble when Liu Jiao’s gang came to his home. Liu Jiao canceled He Zhao’s debts and asked him for a future favor, leaving He Zhao to wonder how the village tyrant had seen so far ahead.

• He Zhao pretended to pass out after drinking with Fan Zhong, then watched his new master leave and celebrated the food, liquor, and money he had gained.
• Liu Zi reported Fan Zhong’s visit to Liu Jiao, who led a drunken group of hooligans to He Zhao’s home that night.
• He Zhao opened the door and told Liu Jiao that Fan Zhong intended to take him as a disciple, and Liu Jiao tore up his loan contracts and declared the debts settled.
• He Zhao secretly put something into the food while warming it, then drank with Liu Jiao’s men as Liu Jiao watched without eating.
• Liu Jiao asked He Zhao to help him someday after his reputation grew or he inherited Yuzhi Hall, then called him shallow in experience when He Zhao questioned his certainty.

He Zhao rejected Liu Jiao’s plan to use him as leverage against the Medicine Gang, then incapacitated Liu Jiao’s men with anesthetic and fought the gang leader when he escaped. The chapter ended with He Zhao defeating Liu Jiao by striking him in the groin.

• Liu Jiao explained Sichun City’s three gangs and proposed that He Zhao become Fan Zhong’s successor so they could bring down the Medicine Gang together.
• Liu Jiao demanded that He Zhao sign a contract as leverage, but He Zhao refused and secretly revealed that he had drugged the wine with anesthetic.
• He Zhao’s anesthetic felled Liu Jiao’s men, but Liu Jiao took a pill and managed to flee through the window.
• He Zhao used one of the fallen ruffians to ambush Liu Jiao, then struck him with more anesthetic powder.
• Liu Jiao launched a desperate Green Snake Fist attack, and He Zhao stopped him by shattering his balls.

He Zhao killed Liu Jiao and the other attackers, hid their bodies, then formally became Fan Zhong’s disciple at Yuzhi Hall. After learning about medicinal baths and their sect-specific effects, he wondered what would happen if he used the Stone Splitting Hand’s prescription for one.

• He Zhao defeated Liu Jiao, who revealed where he had buried two hundred taels before dying, and He Zhao found a sleeve arrow on the corpse.
• He Zhao carried Liu Jiao and Daomei back to his grass hut, buried more than ten bodies in his backyard, and concealed the disturbed soil.
• He Zhao arrived late at Yuzhi Hall, where Fan Zhong welcomed him and formally accepted him as a disciple after he kowtowed and offered tea.
• Fan Zhong explained that medicinal baths were a costly second stage of martial training and described the different effects of the Xingyi Sect, Liuhe Sect, and Medicine Gang formulas.
• Fan Zhong said the Medicine Gang’s formula had been adapted for a military Strange Troop and that his grandmaster had helped develop it, then gave He Zhao two Medical Books to study.
• He Zhao wondered what would happen if he used the Stone Splitting Hand’s prescription for a medicinal bath.

He Zhao studied the Treatise on Miscellaneous Diseases at Yuzhi Hall, used the Simulator to master its knowledge, and attended an awkward dinner with Fan Zhong and Fan Yan. The chapter ended with He Zhao reciting a lengthy passage from memory and leaving Fan Zhong dumbfounded.

• Wang San paid He Zhao fifty-eight thousand taels for medicine, and Fan Zhong signed the contract before giving He Zhao the Treatise on Miscellaneous Diseases to study.
• He Zhao read the book in the pavilion, ate an enormous meal, and used the Simulator to raise his knowledge of the text to Proficient.
• Fan Zhong brought He Zhao to his residence, where He Zhao met Fan Yan; the two ignored each other during an awkward dinner, and Fan Yan stormed away afterward.
• Fan Zhong questioned He Zhao's claim that he had memorized the entire book, then challenged him to recite a passage from specific pages.
• He Zhao recited the passage word for word, leaving Fan Zhong staring at him in disbelief.

He Zhao began training as a physician under Fan Zhong and treated Zhou Hong with acupuncture for a private ailment. The treatment earned He Zhao a large proficiency reward, while Zhou Hong was left to recover behind the screen.

• He Zhao recited the Treatise on Miscellaneous Diseases, the Herbal Treatise, and the banned Poisonous Medicine Stickers, so Fan Zhong agreed to train him at Yuzhi Hall.
• He Zhao rejected the idea of inheriting Yuzhi Hall and said he intended to establish his own signboard.
• Zhou Hong visited Yuzhi Hall seeking help for premature ejaculation, and Fan Zhong prescribed medicine alongside a year of abstinence.
• He Zhao offered an acupuncture treatment that required no abstinence but would leave Zhou Hong weak for fifteen days.
• He Zhao used qi and more than a dozen needles to treat Zhou Hong, who agreed to rest and avoid fighting.
• He Zhao received notifications offering 50 proficiency points each for Minor Accomplishment and Proficient.

He Zhao turned the Stone Splitting Hand formula into a painful whole-body medicinal bath and learned Stone Splitting Body, then confessed his experiment to Fan Zhong. Fan Zhong scolded him and began reviewing the formula while He Zhao returned to treating patients.

• Zhou Hong woke weak and left Yuzhi Hall after He Zhao advised him to rest and recover.
• Fan Zhong entrusted He Zhao with ordinary patients and the first six difficult illnesses in the Treatise on Miscellaneous Diseases, gave him Yuzhi Hall's keys, and warned him that the Local Gang had sent men to Qingshan Village.
• During a storm, He Zhao used more than five hundred taels' worth of ingredients to make a whole-body medicinal bath and learned Stone Splitting Body after enduring its pain.
• Fan Zhong discovered the medicinal materials' cost, and He Zhao explained the Stone Splitting formula and showed him the leftover liquid.
• Fan Zhong reprimanded He Zhao for experimenting recklessly, took the formula to adjust it, and ordered him back to the clinic.

He Zhao treated patients at Yuzhi Hall, advanced his Poisonous Medicine Stickers proficiency, and tested Fan Zhong’s improved Stone Splitting Hand formula, which doubled his progress. The next day, Fan Zhong grew concerned about Zhang Zheng pursuing Fan Yan and took He Zhao to visit the Medicine Gang, where they discussed combining medicinal baths with He Zhao’s training.

• He Zhao treated patients at Yuzhi Hall and spent 500 Proficient-level proficiency to raise Poisonous Medicine Stickers to Minor Accomplishment.
• Fan Zhong gave He Zhao an improved Stone Splitting Hand formula, and He Zhao’s bath increased his Stone Splitting Body progress to 20%.
• Fan Zhong learned that Zhang Zheng, a Liuhe Sect Inner Courtyard disciple, kept pursuing Fan Yan despite her rejection and was suspected of having ulterior motives.
• Fan Zhong ordered that Liuhe Sect disciples not be treated at the city’s medical halls and decided to seek the Medicine Gang’s support.
• Fan Zhong brought He Zhao to meet the Medicine Gang leader and said Yuzhi Hall could use their medicinal bath formula, but questioned whether He Zhao could endure it.

He Zhao visited the Medicine Gang with Fan Zhong and secured daily deliveries of its stamina-enhancing medicinal bath, while learning that multiple baths could dangerously strain the body. After returning to Yuzhi Hall, He Zhao chose to build his strength before investigating the trouble Fan Zhong had hidden, then began his first bath.

• Fan Zhong explained that medicinal baths damaged the body and that even gifted martial artists risked danger by taking several different formulas.
• He Zhao arrived at the Medicine Gang, where Steward Wang described its training and recruitment system and its leaders argued over conflict with the Local Gang and the Cao Gang.
• Gang Leader Li agreed to have the Medicine Gang deliver its stamina-enhancing medicinal bath to Yuzhi Hall, and He Zhao asked to bathe continuously.
• After Fan Zhong left without revealing his real reason for visiting, Gang Leader Li ordered Wang Long to investigate whether Fan Zhong's household faced trouble.
• He Zhao treated patients at Yuzhi Hall, then decided to strengthen himself before looking into Fan Zhong's situation.
• Wang San delivered a bath barrel, and He Zhao plunged into the dark green medicinal liquid as intense pain overwhelmed him.

He Zhao learned the Liuhe Sect’s medicinal baths could help him develop his abilities, and Zhou Hong arranged access while explaining the sect’s martial ranks. Zhou Hong also revealed that Zhang Zheng had angered Fan Zhong by harassing Fan Yan, leaving He Zhao considering how to deal with him without confronting him directly.

• He Zhao completed medicinal baths for Galloping Horse Body and Stone Splitting Body, gaining stamina and advancing Stone Splitting Body to 30%.
• Zhou Hong knelt before He Zhao to thank him for curing his ailment, then invited him to Tianxiang Residence and offered a thousand taels of silver.
• He Zhao asked about Liuhe Sect medicinal baths, and Zhou Hong explained how he could arrange access through his position as Senior Disciple Brother of the Outer Courtyard.
• Zhou Hong described Power Circulation, Bone Tempering, and Internal Strength to He Zhao.
• Zhou Hong said Zhang Zheng had harassed Fan Yan, prompting Fan Zhong to bar Liuhe Sect members from the city’s Medical Halls and Medicine Halls.
• He Zhao learned Zhang Zheng was as strong as Zhou Hong and considered dealing with him without relying on martial arts.