Chapter Summaries

He Zhao raised Poisonous Medicine Stickers to Great Accomplishment and prepared several debilitating poisons, then tested their effects on himself. After building up his medicinal-bath strength, he decided to ask Old Fan for antidotes to Misty Mushroom and Evil Mire.

• He Zhao spent days making Intestine-Breaking Powder and accumulating proficiency until Poisonous Medicine Stickers reached Great Accomplishment.
• Stone Splitting Body reached 100%, and He Zhao resolved to weaken enemies with poisons rather than confront them directly.
• He Zhao prepared Bone-Grafting Sore, Misty Mushroom, and Evil Mire, gaining Great Accomplishment proficiency for each batch.
• He Zhao tested Misty Mushroom and Evil Mire on himself and endured their disorienting and suffocating effects.
• He Zhao swallowed Bone-Grafting Sore and used a Galloping Horse Body medicinal bath, reaching 80% proficiency in the body technique.
• He Zhao decided to ask Old Fan to help concoct antidotes for Misty Mushroom and Evil Mire.

He Zhao treated a succession of wealthy men for bedroom ailments at Yuzhi Hall, earning silver and proficiency while Fan Zhong worked on his prescriptions. After learning Jade Body from the costly improved medicinal bath, He Zhao prepared poisons and tools to protect himself.

• He Zhao gave Fan Zhong prescriptions for Jade Hand and two poisons, and Fan Zhong agreed to develop them into usable formulas.
• A wealthy man paid He Zhao one thousand taels for treatment of a kidney-related ailment, and He Zhao instructed him to rest and avoid sex while recovering.
• He Zhao advanced his Art of the Chamber to Minor Accomplishment, diagnosed another patient's poor bedroom performance as a stomach and Blood Qi problem, and prescribed treatment.
• More wealthy men sought He Zhao's care, and he gained proficiency as the day's patients left Yuzhi Hall.
• Fan Zhong finished improving He Zhao's formulas, and He Zhao used the expensive Jade Hand bath to learn Jade Body.
• He Zhao gathered poisons and tools from the Medicine Hall and began preparing additional safeguards of his own.

He Zhao advanced his Qi Flow Acupuncture Classic, gained the ability to project qi with destructive force, and prepared to kill Zhang Zheng. After learning Zhang Zheng frequented Xiayu Pavilion, He Zhao went there in disguise and listened for him, leaving the encounter about to begin.

• He Zhao treated a growing stream of wealthy patients at Yuzhi Hall while Fan Zhong avoided him to research antidotes for Misty Mushroom and Evil Mire.
• He Zhao used acupuncture to strengthen his qi, then spent proficiency to advance the Qi Flow Acupuncture Classic to Great Accomplishment and discovered he could use qi to break down a bed and Bluestone.
• He Zhao decided to investigate Zhang Zheng and kill him, considering a plan to disguise the attack as the work of a Xingyi Sect disciple.
• Fan Zhong granted He Zhao a day off, and He Zhao learned Zhang Zheng often visited Xiayu Pavilion.
• He Zhao entered Xiayu Pavilion in disguise, rented a room beside Zhang Zheng's gathering place, and strained to hear as the neighboring door opened.

He Zhao learned that Zhang Zheng planned to kill him and discovered the Cao Gang might join a conflict with the Medicine Gang. After Zhang Zheng threatened Zhou Hong and left to visit the Fan Residence, He Zhao prepared to kill him that night.

• He Zhao overheard Zhang Zheng admit he had planned to kill him and learned that two seemingly ordinary gatekeepers at Yuzhi Hall were powerful martial artists.
• Medicine Gang members warned Zhang Zheng to stop pursuing Fan Zhong and threatened to expose his suspected role in the Shang Family’s deaths; Zhang Zheng then planned to kill He Zhao and claimed the Cao Gang would support the Local Gang.
• He Zhao accompanied Zhou Hong to the Liuhe Sect for a medicinal bath, but Zhang Zheng challenged Zhou Hong and threatened to report his admission of outsiders to the sect leader.
• Zhou Hong returned to Yuzhi Hall with He Zhao, who decided to kill Zhang Zheng rather than let Zhang Zheng murder him.
• After nightfall, He Zhao left in a black robe for Fan Zhong’s home as Zhang Zheng and his two lackeys set out for the Fan Residence with gifts.

He Zhao ambushed and killed Zhang Zheng and his two lackeys in Sichun City, making Zhang Zheng's death look like the work of the Xingyi Sect. After the Medicine Gang suspected Liuhe Sect retaliation, He Zhao returned to Yuzhi Hall, improved his poison weapons, and slept as news of the murders spread.

• He Zhao used poisoned smoke to disable Zhang Zheng and his two lackeys, then killed them with palm strikes and left Zhang Zheng bearing a mark that identified the Xingyi Sect's Golden Thread Palm.
• Constables examined the bodies while servants from nearby wealthy households watched, and the constable chief ordered the corpses taken to the yamen.
• Wang San and his Medicine Gang men arrived after the killings, judged the murderer to be a powerful martial artist, and hurried back to warn their gang leader about possible Liuhe Sect retaliation.
• He Zhao returned to Yuzhi Hall, gained ten percent in Jade Body, and made iron tubes that fired poison water more reliably than his bamboo smoke weapon.
• He Zhao went to sleep as word of Zhang Zheng's death spread through Sichun City.

He Zhao treated patients while learning about the rival sects and their medicinal baths, then accompanied Zhou Hong to Liuhe Sect for a medicinal bath. The chapter left He Zhao intent on obtaining Qingshan Sect’s healing bath and cautious about Medicine King Sect’s poison-based methods.

• Fan Zhong heard that the Cao Gang planned to join forces with the Local Gang against the Medicine Gang and rushed to the Medicine Gang to respond.
• He Zhao heard that Liuhe Sect disciples had ambushed Xingyi Sect’s Senior Disciple Brother, who killed five attackers, and continued treating patients while considering how to strengthen his qi.
• He Zhao gained proficiency from a busy day at Yuzhi Hall, increased Jade Body to 50%, and spent three shichen needling himself to build his qi.
• Zhou Hong told He Zhao about Qingshan Sect’s healing baths and Medicine King Sect’s poison-related baths as they traveled to Liuhe Sect.
• Zhou Hong led He Zhao into a private bath room at Liuhe Sect, and He Zhao entered to begin his medicinal bath.

He Zhao bought Qingshan Sect’s Medicinal Bath and Qi Control method, discovering that the bath strengthened his qi and unlocked the Pine Cypress Body. After Medicine King Sect refused to deal with him, he planned to investigate its feud with the Medicine Gang and pursue its poison techniques.

• He Zhao visited Qingshan Sect and paid five thousand taels for its Qi Control method, while arranging for daily Medicinal Bath deliveries.
• The Qingshan Sect Master explained that the bath stimulated the body’s potential at the cost of lifespan, and that the sect had lost its method for replenishing and strengthening that potential.
• He Zhao was rejected and driven out of Medicine King Sect, then returned to Yuzhi Hall and took his usual bath.
• He Zhao’s bath unlocked Jade Body progress, and Qingshan Sect’s Medicinal Bath strengthened his qi and unlocked Pine Cypress Body progress.
• He Zhao read the Qi Control manual, learned the skill, and realized his Qi Flow Acupuncture Classic helped him retain the qi strengthened by the bath.
• He Zhao decided to keep buying Medicinal Baths, raise his consultation fees, and investigate Medicine King Sect’s conflict with the Medicine Gang so he could pursue poison techniques.

He Zhao treated patients while learning that the White Lotus Society and Incense Army were driving a southern rebellion, leading him to suspect Prince Ning was preparing to seize power. He feared Fan Zhong and the Medicine Gang would be caught in the upheaval, so he strengthened himself and began preparing lethal poisons as the danger drew closer.

• He Zhao treated a crowd of patients, charged fees ranging from one thousand to six thousand taels, and gained proficiency.
• He Zhao overheard merchants discuss the southern rebellion, the loss of Beihu City, and the Incense Army's victories.
• He Zhao suspected Prince Ning was behind the White Lotus Society and Incense Army and might target Sichun City, with the Local Gang and Cao Gang serving his plans.
• He Zhao worried that the Medicine Gang and Fan Zhong's family would be implicated, and considered fleeing with his master.
• Zhou Hong and the Qingshan Sect sent medicinal baths, which He Zhao used to advance his body techniques.
• He Zhao decided to seek Fan Zhong if he did not return and began brewing poisons capable of killing.

He Zhao perfected Jade Body, learned to absorb Moonlight Essence, and upgraded his Qi Control and Four Forms of Scattered Hands. After finding Fan Zhong’s residence deserted, he prepared to seek information about his master and left for the Pale Lantern Three-Story Wooden Building.

• He Zhao made Blood to the Throat poison and continued treating patients at Yuzhi Hall while waiting for news of his master.
• He Zhao found Fan Zhong’s residence empty and learned from Zhou Hong where to find information brokers in the city.
• He Zhao completed Jade Body, absorbed Moonlight Essence, and upgraded Qi Control and Four Forms of Scattered Hands.
• He Zhao disguised himself, took Bearer Banknotes, and left Yuzhi Hall for the information brokers’ building in the east of the city.

He Zhao visited Ghost Tower to buy information, martial manuals, and guidance on advancing through the Martial Path, spending heavily as he prepared to grow stronger. He left with orders for several services and powerful methods, including the notoriously painful Thousand Hammer Hundred Refinements and the Fire Barbarian Clan's Stain Removal Method, then raised one final request.

• He Zhao entered Ghost Tower and paid ten thousand taels for detailed information on Fan Zhong and five thousand taels to locate the Four Forms of Scattered Hands manual and its medicinal formula.
• He Zhao bought the Eight Forms of Vajra manual for one thousand taels, then paid three thousand taels for answers about martial cultivation and Qingshan Sect's medicinal bath.
• The old man explained the stages of the Martial Path and recommended a fierce Xingyi Sect Bone Tempering Method, which He Zhao bought for three thousand taels along with the ten-tael Thousand Hammer Hundred Refinements method.
• He Zhao paid fifty thousand taels for the Fire Barbarian Clan's Stain Removal Method, and the old man included a Fire Stone needed to practice it.
• After calculating that he had spent seventy-two thousand taels, He Zhao solemnly began to make one last request.

He Zhao paid Ghost Tower to obtain martial manuals, information on Fan Zhong, and the Medicine King Sect’s medicinal bath formula. After completing Five Beasts Body and Pine Cypress Body, he received the requested materials and learned that Fan Zhong was under the Medicine Gang’s protection.

• He Zhao commissioned Ghost Tower to find Fan Zhong, obtain Four Forms of Scattered Hands, and acquire the Medicine King Sect’s medicinal bath formula and cultivation method.
• He Zhao practiced through the next five days, advanced Eight Forms of Vajra, and raised Five Beasts Body and Pine Cypress Body to 100%.
• He Zhao gained heightened senses and improved recovery, stamina, and qi from his completed constitutions.
• The Ghost Tower Elder reported that Fan Zhong had entered the Medicine Gang’s headquarters and that Fan Yan and the Fan Residence’s servants and guards had been taken away.
• The Ghost Tower Elder gave He Zhao Four Forms of Scattered Hands, Five Poisons Skill, the medicinal bath formula, and ninety thousand taels in returned funds.
• He Zhao tipped the Ghost Tower Elder ten thousand taels and asked what else he could help with.

He Zhao paid Ghost Tower to protect him and learned that his master was under the Medicine Gang’s protection, then began practicing two new martial arts. He survived the dangerous medicinal baths and gained Shattering Gold Body and Five Poisons Body, but the second bath left him severely weakened.

• He Zhao paid Ghost Tower a total of one hundred thousand taels for Grade A protection and learned that fourteen people in Sichun City, including him, held that status.
• He Zhao returned to Yuzhi Hall, read Four Forms of Scattered Hands and Five Poison Skill, and recognized the Fire Stone Ghost Tower had given him as an ingredient for Shattering Gold Hand.
• He Zhao ordered Liu Zi to gather a hundred lively Five Poisons, managed Yuzhi Hall’s patients and operations, and bought only a month’s supply of Yellow Lotus.
• He Zhao used the Fire Stone in a medicinal bath and learned Shattering Gold Body at ten percent proficiency.
• He Zhao added several deadly poisons to a bath with the Five Poisons, endured the toxins, and learned Five Poisons Body at ten percent proficiency.
• He Zhao emerged from the second bath feeling severely weakened and realized the Medicine King Sect’s baths inflicted heavy damage on the body.

He Zhao completed the cultivation of Shattering Gold Body and Five Poisons Body, discovering their extraordinary powers and the danger of poisonous qi backlash. He realized he could use proficiency to advance Five Poisons Skill and prepared to do so.

• He Zhao healed the damage from the Five Poisons medicinal bath, advanced Zhang's Medical Arts, and spent the following days treating patients while building proficiency.
• He Zhao reached 100% in Shattering Gold Body and Five Poisons Body after ten days of cultivation.
• He Zhao tested Shattering Gold Body by shattering a steel blade and enduring a candle flame without injury.
• He Zhao learned that Five Poisons Body grew stronger by consuming poison but risked toxic backlash unless he mastered Five Poisons Skill.
• He Zhao decided to spend proficiency to advance Five Poisons Skill instead of risking his life through ordinary cultivation.

He Zhao advanced Five Poisons Skill and used self-poisoning to rapidly raise his proficiency while Sichun City grew tense and Yuzhi Hall closed to the public. As he ate Horse Seeking Grass at the hall, a group of burly men burst in and demanded to see the manager.

• He Zhao advanced Five Poisons Skill to Great Accomplishment and demonstrated its corrosive poison gas.
• After hearing that the Local Gang and Medicine Gang might clash, He Zhao gave Yuzhi Hall's clerks paid leave and closed the hall.
• With no patients to treat, He Zhao poisoned himself with Horse Seeking Grass and used Yellow Lotus juice to cure the effects, rapidly gaining Minor Accomplishment proficiency.
• He Zhao continued consuming Blood to the Throat and grinding proficiency, while the Poison Sac absorbed the toxins and strengthened his body.
• A group of burly men kicked open Yuzhi Hall's doors and demanded to see the manager, then stared in surprise at He Zhao eating grass.

He Zhao protected Yuzhi Hall from the Local Gang, then followed Tuo Manxing as he sought help from the Xingyi Sect. After spending the night cultivating beneath the moon, He Zhao completed his qi mutation and gained the Jade Body.

• Xue Long drove off Tuo Manxing and the Local Gang members who tried to smash Yuzhi Hall, revealing his feared past as the Street Sweeping Tiger.
• Xue Long told He Zhao that he intended to stay at Yuzhi Hall, then urged him to flee with its valuable medicinal materials.
• He Zhao followed Tuo Manxing to a Local Gang hideout and learned he planned to recruit Xingyi Sect senior disciple brother Ren Yong.
• He Zhao waited for a chance to attack Tuo Manxing but abandoned the attempt when Ren Yong and a large group accompanied him.
• He Zhao made poison, drank three bottles of Blood to the Throat, and cultivated beneath the moon until his qi mutation completed and his Jade Body reached 100%.

He Zhao infiltrated the Local Gang’s stronghold and used poison and a surprise attack to confront Tuo Manxing and Ren Yong. After striking both men with his special Qi, he pursued Ren Yong and left him wounded by a finger technique.

• He Zhao tested his newly acquired Jade Body and discovered that his Qi carried powerful frost and consumed more energy when used.
• He Zhao sneaked into the Local Gang’s courtyard and overheard Tuo Manxing and Ren Yong planning to wear down Xue Long the next day.
• He Zhao smeared deadly poison on two wine jars, killing the gang members and Xingyi Sect disciples who drank from them while Tuo Manxing and Ren Yong survived by waiting.
• After hours of hiding, He Zhao used smoke and a rooftop ambush to strike Tuo Manxing with frigid and corrosive Qi.
• Ren Yong fled, but He Zhao caught him and evaded his Overlord Elbow before hitting him with a White Bone Finger.

He Zhao killed Ren Yong and Tuo Manxing, burned their bodies, and avoided the ensuing investigation while the Local Gang and Xingyi Sect searched for answers. After learning Thousand Hammer Hundred Refinements, he used his proficiency talent to survive its brutal training and greatly increased his strength, though its final step remained ahead.

• He Zhao killed Ren Yong with the White Bone Finger, then burned Ren Yong and Tuo Manxing's bodies before fleeing to Yuzhi Hall.
• The Local Gang and Xingyi Sect found the burned-out courtyard, and the Local Gang began investigating Tuo Manxing's movements and enemies.
• He Zhao learned the Xingyi Sect's Thousand Hammer Hundred Refinements and discovered its bone-scraping, bone-shattering, and fire-tempering stages.
• He Zhao spent proficiency to advance Thousand Hammer Hundred Refinements to Great Accomplishment and endured repeated bone scraping and crushing, nearly dying before his Poison Sac converted his toxins into healing medicine.
• He Zhao recovered with a body several times stronger, stronger Icy Qi, and stronger Highly Toxic Qi, and resolved to keep a low profile while pursuing the method's final stage.

Gao Jie led Zhong Hall’s Local Gang forces to attack Yuzhi Hall, where He Zhao killed or poisoned most of them. He Zhao then faced Gao Jie in a duel, but poisoned him despite promising to fight fairly.

• Gao Jie learned that Tuo Manxing had visited Yuzhi Hall before his death and ordered an attack on the medicine hall.
• He Zhao advanced his Zhang's Medical Arts proficiency and prepared to drink a powerful laxative, but Gao Jie’s forces burst into Yuzhi Hall.
• He Zhao killed Wang San and five or six Local Gang members with his martial techniques, then incapacitated the remaining gang members with poisonous gas.
• He Zhao convinced Gao Jie that he had been poisoned and challenged him to a fair fight, while claiming the bottle on the counter held an antidote.
• Gao Jie attacked with his sword, but He Zhao caught the blade with his bare hand and struck Gao Jie with purple poisonous smoke.

He Zhao buried the Local Gang members he had killed, then used Shattering Gold Body to digest herbs and grind Great Accomplishment proficiency until he completed Thousand Hammer Hundred Refinements. After enduring its fiery transformation, he infiltrated the Local Gang’s heavily guarded headquarters to strike at the gang’s leadership.

• He Zhao killed Gao Jie with poisoned qi and sword fragments, then buried the corpses from the Medicine Hall in the back courtyard.
• He Zhao repeatedly ate herbs and drank juice, using Shattering Gold Body to digest them and gain Great Accomplishment proficiency.
• He Zhao spent 5,000 Great Accomplishment proficiency to complete Thousand Hammer Hundred Refinements and survived its magma-like refinement.
• He Zhao disguised himself in black and left Yuzhi Hall, intending to destroy the Local Gang before its members could retaliate.
• Yuan Hong ordered the Local Gang’s forces to hold their positions while the gang searched for the missing Gao Jie.
• He Zhao entered the Local Gang’s headquarters, where frequent patrols and strict identity checks made stealthy progress difficult.

He Zhao infiltrated the Local Gang headquarters and launched a direct attack on Gang Master Yuan Hong and the gathered hall masters. He killed them all, but patrolmen arrived and charged into the hall to avenge their leaders.

• He Zhao abandoned plans to poison the Local Gang after finding its well guarded and its members living on dry rations.
• He Zhao broke through the roof of a meeting hall and attacked Yuan Hong and the eight hall masters with poison and martial arts.
• He Zhao killed two guards and severely injured the hall masters with the Iron Wall technique, while Yuan Hong tried to flee.
• Yuan Hong poisoned He Zhao with green powder, but He Zhao absorbed it with his Poison Sac and struck Yuan Hong down.
• He Zhao killed Yuan Hong with the Bone Shattering Claw, and patrolmen rushed into the hall to attack him.