Chapter Summaries

He Zhao slaughtered the Local Gang’s main hall, killed its leader and upper ranks, and took Yuan Hong’s Treasure Armor. The Local Gang collapsed across the city, while He Zhao tested the armor’s defenses and planned his next cultivation.

• He Zhao slaughtered the Local Gang members who attacked him, then drove the survivors into a panicked retreat.
• He Zhao searched Yuan Hong’s corpse, found the Treasure Armor beneath his clothes, and escaped across the rooftops to Yuzhi Hall.
• The Local Gang’s reinforcements failed to arrive at Sanshui Street after a messenger revealed that He Zhao had killed the gang leader and much of its elite; the Local Gang fled and lost the street.
• The Local Gang’s remaining members returned to find the main hall burning after its looters fought over the valuables.
• He Zhao tested the Treasure Armor and found that it resisted blades, fire, water, impact, Cold Qi, and Highly Toxic Qi.
• He Zhao went to sleep after deciding to cultivate Stain Removal Method and pursue the Extreme Transformation Body.

After Sichun City’s gangs settled into a wary truce, He Zhao stayed home to cultivate and began learning the Fire Barbarian Clan’s Stain Removal Method. He endured its punishing heat and a dangerous medicinal bath to gain Fire Qi and learn Extreme Transformation Body, then planned to adjust the formula before continuing his training.

• The Cao Gang and Medicine Gang avoided another fight after the Local Gang’s leaders were killed, while the Medicine Gang took over the Local Gang’s assets and Sichun City’s constables patrolled amid public fear.
• He Zhao practiced proficiency at home, studied the Fire Barbarian Clan’s Stain Removal Method, and used a Fire Stone to advance it to Proficient.
• He Zhao endured Fire Qi burning through his body, expelled black smoke as impurities, and shattered the Fire Stone while cleansing his organs.
• He Zhao used the newly acquired Fire Qi to leave a black palm print on a wall and prepared an expensive medicinal bath for Extreme Transformation Hand.
• He Zhao survived the scalding bath by combining Pine Cypress Body, Great Accomplishment Qi Control, and Highly Toxic Miracle Healing, learned Extreme Transformation Body, and adjusted the prescription to include more Wood-in-Fire medicinal materials.

He Zhao bought Fire Stones from Ghost Tower and advanced the Fire Barbarian Clan’s Stain Removal Method to Great Accomplishment, gaining Clear Qi and greater control of Fire Qi. While he slept, scavengers fought over the Local Gang’s ruins, and a hand emerged from beneath the rubble before dawn.

• He Zhao spent the afternoon building Great Accomplishment proficiency, then visited Ghost Tower at midnight and bought twenty-five Fire Stones for 250,000 taels.
• He Zhao used the Fire Stones to raise the Stain Removal Method to Great Accomplishment, purging more filth from his organs and developing Clear Qi that expelled poisonous gas.
• He Zhao discovered that he could summon Fire Qi with a thought, hid the nineteen remaining Fire Stones, and went to sleep.
• Poor scavengers and groups of fighters searched the Local Gang’s ruins for valuables, with the central area divided among competing parties.
• Ma San found a Jade Pendant and buried it, but Liu Wu discovered his secret and demanded a share; Ma San killed Liu Wu with a bloodstained stone.
• Just before dawn, a hand broke through the rubble and reached up from below.

He Zhao learned that Old Gang Leader Yuan had attacked the Medicine Gang and was hiding in the city after a bloody fight with the Yan Yun Wuzu. He sought information at Ghost Tower and prepared to pursue Yuan for the True Transformation Method as many other experts hunted him.

• He Zhao perfected the Fire Barbarian Clan Stain Removal Method, then planned to raise several other skills while working toward the True Transformation Method.
• Zhou Hong warned He Zhao that Old Gang Leader Yuan had nearly killed Gang Leader Li and might target him, but He Zhao focused on Yuan's True Transformation Method.
• He Zhao perfected the Five Poisons Skill, took his silver, and went to Ghost Tower to request detailed information about Yuan.
• The Old Man told He Zhao that Yuan had escaped east into Tianshui Alley after killing three Yan Yun Wuzu centurions, but the Cao Gang had sealed the boats and Yuan could not leave by river.
• He Zhao learned that many other experts were hunting Yuan and left Ghost Tower, confident that he could claim the True Transformation Method.

He Zhao watched from hiding as Old Ghost Yuan fought off the martial artists searching Tianshui Alley, only to be struck down by Zhang Jing’s ambush. With the crowd closing in on the wounded master, the chapter left his fate uncertain.

• More than a hundred martial artists gathered in Tianshui Alley and agreed to search for Old Ghost Yuan before competing for the True Transformation Method.
• Old Ghost Yuan recalled his failed escape from the Medicine Gang and the Cao Gang’s blockade, then prepared to fight his way out before his old rivals arrived.
• Old Ghost Yuan burst from his hiding place and killed the first wave of attackers, while He Zhao detected Manic Poison and suspected the Cao Gang had used the crowd as cannon fodder.
• Old Ghost Yuan continued slaughtering attackers until Zhang Jing revealed himself and struck him down with a surprise attack.
• As Zhang Jing explained his strategy, the remaining martial artists rushed toward the wounded Old Ghost Yuan.

Zhang Jing’s ambush against Old Ghost Yuan turned into a trap for the Organ-Entering Realm experts, but He Zhao rescued Yuan and escaped Zhang Jing’s pursuit. As the Cao Gang attacked the Medicine Gang and Old Miser Li fled with his family, He Zhao treated Yuan and made clear he did not intend to let him live.

• Old Miser Li revealed himself among the experts, struck Old Ghost Yuan down, and joined Zhang Jing before Zhang Jing betrayed him and ordered eight hundred crossbows to fire on the gathered experts.
• He Zhao activated his Bright Jade Body and Shattering Gold Body, deflected the crossbow bolts, grabbed the injured Yuan, and fled; Zhang Jing pursued but was driven back by He Zhao’s elbow and qi.
• Old Miser Li escaped the crossbow barrage, while Zhang Jing ordered the Cao Gang to destroy the Medicine Gang and take control of the city.
• Old Miser Li returned to the Medicine Gang Main Hall, warned his family to flee through a concealed tunnel, and knocked Fan Zhong unconscious as Cao Gang members began attacking the Medicine Gang.
• He Zhao brought Yuan to Yuzhi Hall, treated his wounds, and rejected Yuan’s offer to teach him the True Transformation Method, saying he would not let Yuan live.

He Zhao learned Yuan Tianxiao’s Ksitigarbha True Transformation Method and fused five kinds of qi into a self-circulating Five Elements True Qi. After burying Yuan and preparing to leave Sichun City, he unexpectedly met Fan Zhong, who told him the conflict had already been settled.

• Yuan Tianxiao taught He Zhao the Ksitigarbha True Transformation Method before dying, and He Zhao learned it through the system.
• He Zhao advanced the method, gained earth-based true qi, and realized his other abilities produced qi corresponding to the Five Elements.
• He Zhao fused his golden, ice, healing, fiery, and earth true qis; they restrained and strengthened one another while circulating in his Dantian.
• He Zhao buried Yuan Tianxiao in Yuzhi Hall’s herb garden and prepared to leave for the Medicine Gang Main Hall to find Fan Zhong.
• Fan Zhong and his party arrived at Yuzhi Hall, recognized He Zhao, and Fan Zhong said the conflict was over.

After Sichun City changed hands peacefully, He Zhao resumed treating patients and used his accumulated proficiency to perfect Qi Control and Four Forms of Scattered Hands. He then placed each type of Five Elements True Qi in its corresponding organ, where their faster circulation produced wind, thunder, and white electric sparks.

• Fan Zhong explained that Old Miser Li’s Medicine Gang had surrendered to Zhang Jing, and Prince Ning had approved the surrender and the peaceful transfer of Sichun City.
• He Zhao bathed in medicinal liquid to raise Extreme Transformation Body to 20%, then returned to Yuzhi Hall as it reopened.
• He Zhao treated a flood of patients and gained 10,000 Great Accomplishment proficiency points in one day.
• He Zhao advanced Qi Control and Four Forms of Scattered Hands to Perfection, gaining powerful new techniques using Blazing Fire True Qi.
• He Zhao separated his Five Elements True Qi and placed each stream in its corresponding organ, strengthening his viscera and accelerating the qi’s circulation.
• He Zhao heard wind and thunder within his body as white electric light spread across him.

He Zhao discovered that the Five Elements True Qi had produced powerful Thunder True Qi, while a Grasslands shaman named Tuoman Heng came to Sichun City searching for Tuo Manxing. The chapter ended when Tuoman Heng's search led him to He Zhao's room, where He Zhao recognized the face outside his door as Tuo Manxing.

• He Zhao tested his new Thunder True Qi, accidentally blasting his room apart, then discovered it greatly increased his speed and could unleash explosive force.
• He Zhao gained another 10% Extreme Transformation Body progress while working at the Medicine Hall and bathing in medicinal water.
• Tuoman Heng used a scapula divination and concluded that his nephew Tuo Manxing was likely dead, then killed Shi Duncang and took his Jade Token.
• Tuoman Heng led Grasslands guards into Yuzhi Hall and performed an incantation that brought a strange wind and whispers to He Zhao.
• He Zhao heard someone approach and open his door, then recognized the person outside as Tuo Manxing.

He Zhao defeated Tuo Manxing’s Killing Intent-protected corpse, then faced Tuoman Heng and twelve Killing Intent-infused guards. He resisted Tuoman Heng’s ritual drum and destroyed the guards with Thunderbolt lightning, leaving Tuoman Heng stunned.

• He Zhao fought Tuo Manxing’s corpse, whose Killing Intent barrier resisted his true qi and Blazing Fire attacks.
• He Zhao overwhelmed the corpse with repeated punches and shattered its protective membrane with a 200% strike, exploding its head.
• Tuoman Heng revealed himself as the last member of the Tuoman Clan and sent twelve Killing Intent-infused Viscera Entry Stage guards against He Zhao.
• Tuoman Heng played a ritual drum that distorted He Zhao’s senses, but He Zhao’s Dhyana power restored his clarity.
• The twelve guards struck He Zhao from all sides, nearly breaking his defenses, and He Zhao answered with Thunderbolt lightning and Gutting Fist.
• He Zhao blasted all twelve guards apart, leaving Tuoman Heng and himself as the only two standing.

He Zhao killed the Grassland Shaman Tuoman Heng after surviving his yin souls and Fire Ghouls, but Tuoman Heng’s dying Blood Curse marked him for the Grasslands and threatened to erode his mind within three months. He Zhao hurried to Fan Zhong’s residence and pretended to be terrified, leaving his master alarmed by his account of the supernatural attack.

• He Zhao killed Tuoman Heng after his Lightning True Qi weakened the shaman’s defenses and his Blazing Fire True Qi devoured the twelve Fire Ghouls.
• Tuoman Heng’s Blood Curse entered He Zhao’s body, warning that he would be drawn to Tengger Mountain and become a servant if he failed to remove it within three months.
• He Zhao realized the curse could help him draw attention to the shamans and their ties to Shiyue Kingdom or Prince Ning, then dirtied himself and rode to the Fan Residence.
• He Zhao burst into Fan Zhong’s bedroom and claimed that Yuzhi Hall had been attacked by a fire-breathing Specter and reanimated corpses, leaving Fan Zhong confused and concerned.

He Zhao stayed at Fan Zhong’s residence while Prince Ning sent Talisman Envoys to investigate the Grassland Shaman and the events at Yuzhi Hall. When the envoys arrived at the Medicine Gang main hall, Envoy Gao silenced He Zhao before he could answer, and his female companion reacted with disdain.

• He Zhao told Fan Zhong that a revived corpse and a mysterious flame-wielding figure had appeared during the fight, while Fan Zhong admitted Gang Leader Li had arranged the earlier test.
• Fan Zhong learned from Gang Leader Li that outsiders cultivated sha, and He Zhao grew eager to obtain the sha-refining manual the old gang leader had once seen.
• Fan Zhong told He Zhao that Prince Ning had dispatched Talisman Envoys and warned him to answer their questions truthfully.
• A Medicine Gang messenger summoned Fan Zhong and He Zhao to the main hall, where they met Envoy Gao and a female Talisman Envoy.
• Envoy Gao stopped He Zhao from speaking, and the female envoy covered her nose after Gang Leader Li described him as a countryside child.

He Zhao accompanied the Talisman Envoys as they investigated the massacre at Yuzhi Hall, where Envoy Gao struggled to explain the evidence left by the mysterious killer. After learning the killer would need supplies to break a Blood Curse, He Zhao followed the Envoys’ trail toward the market, where the Mysterious Gate was due to open that night.

• He Zhao retold his account of the attack to Envoy Gao and Envoy Wang, who then headed to Yuzhi Hall to inspect the scene.
• Envoy Gao examined the corpses and concluded that a Tengger Mountain Shaman’s Fire Ghoul spell had been involved, while Envoy Wang suggested the killer had used True Qi.
• Envoy Gao discovered that the shaman’s Bronze Mirror had been shattered and learned that the mysterious killer had taken the shaman’s Divine Staff and Leather Drum.
• Envoy Gao told Gang Leader Li that the killer would suffer a Blood Curse and would likely visit a Sha Refiner market to find what was needed to break it.
• After the courtyard was cleaned and the others settled in, He Zhao followed the tracking powder he had scattered and set out for Green Mountain to find the market before the Mysterious Gate opened.

He Zhao followed the Talisman Envoys to a hidden market, using the Ksitigarbha True Transformation Method to overcome the Bewitching Formation. At Ping'an Market's gate, the Stone Lions explained the rules and recognized the shaman's Blood Curse on him, leaving He Zhao ready to ask how to remove it.

• He Zhao lost the Talisman Envoys' trail at a river, discovered the Bewitching Formation, and nearly drowned while testing it.
• He Zhao entered Dhyana and crossed the formation, then found a dark pool and realized it could lure people to drown.
• He Zhao wrapped the Divine Staff, kept the Leather Drum, and approached the gate of Ping'an Market.
• The Stone Lions explained the market's laws, fees, and shop signs, while He Zhao pretended to be a penniless newcomer.
• He Zhao showed the Stone Lions the Leather Drum and Divine Staff, and they recognized them as a Grassland Shaman's ritual implements and confirmed that He Zhao had been struck by the Blood Curse.

He Zhao entered Ping'an Market, persuaded the gate’s Spirit Lions to give him their savings, and proposed that they start an appraisal business. At Baoguang Pavilion, he learned ways to remove his Blood Curse, bought a Soul Transfer Talisman, and left with plans to use the lions as appraisers.

• He Zhao discovered that the Spirit Lions could appraise his Divine Staff and Leather Drum, then talked them into handing over one hundred Five Elements Stones.
• He Zhao suggested the lions earn money by offering cheaper magical-artifact appraisals and continued into Ping'an Market.
• He Zhao reached Baoguang Pavilion and learned that removing his Blood Curse could cost a fortune, require a Heart-Cleansing Jade Pendant, or involve transferring the curse with a Soul Transfer Talisman.
• He Zhao bought one Soul Transfer Talisman for one hundred Five Elements Stones and sold his Divine Staff and Leather Drum to Elder Li for thirty-five stones.
• He Zhao bought two mid-grade Stone Fruits for the Spirit Lions, hoping to win their favor and use their appraisal skills.

He Zhao recruited the Spirit Lions into a scheme to profit from referrals, appraisals, and shop promotions, then learned how costly single-attribute Malevolent Jade was. After Envoy Gao and Envoy Wang tracked him to Ping'an Market, He Zhao evaded them and followed them out, unaware that he would soon get his revenge.

• He Zhao gave the Spirit Lions Stone Fruits and persuaded them to charge shops for referrals and a share of their profits.
• He Zhao proposed paid shop rankings and promotional sales, taking twenty-five percent of the Spirit Lions' earnings.
• The Spirit Lions explained that one piece of Malevolent Jade cost about a thousand Five Elements Stones, and He Zhao left Ping'an Market.
• Envoy Gao and Envoy Wang asked Old Master Wei to find the person who had bought a Soul Transfer Curse, and his subordinate traced the purchase to Baoguang Pavilion.
• The Envoys asked the Spirit Lions about a man in night clothes, and the Spirit Lions said he had claimed he was returning to Sichun City.
• He Zhao hid by the river, let the Envoys pass, and followed them while vowing to make them pay.

He Zhao followed the Talisman Envoys to the Local Gang ruins, where they investigated a dried corpse and ordered the workers to withdraw. As Gao Jie and Envoy Wang tried to track the danger with a talisman, a blood-red creature began picking off the fleeing workers while He Zhao watched from hiding.

• Gao Jie and Envoy Wang found workers digging through the Local Gang ruins and learned that a dried corpse identified as the missing Liu Wu had been unearthed.
• Gao Jie promised the workers a reward from Li and ordered them to leave the ruins in Prince Ning's name.
• Envoy Wang used a Sha Revealing Talisman and sensed that a threat was targeting the workers who had left.
• He Zhao followed the Envoys' scent to the ruins, then hid as the workers departed.
• A blood-red creature snatched workers from the rear of the group, and He Zhao saw more than fifty disappear before one worker turned and faced its mangled visage.

He Zhao watched Gao Jie and Envoy Wang battle the Blood Corpse, which survived their powerful spells and left both Talisman Envoys injured. After the pair fled, He Zhao followed them, while the charred Blood Corpse remained in the ruins roaring in frustration.

• The Blood Corpse attacked the gathered crowd, and Gao Jie used a Command Flag to summon five specters while Envoy Wang swept the survivors away with a gale that killed some of them.
• The Blood Corpse shattered one specter's head, but Gao Jie and Envoy Wang combined fire and wind into a Flame Storm that scorched it without killing it.
• Gao Jie struck at the Blood Corpse with a homing Fire Dragon, but it grabbed him and the blast injured both Talisman Envoys before they escaped.
• He Zhao realized the wounded Gao Jie might leave an opening and followed the fleeing Talisman Envoys, while the Blood Corpse stayed among the ruins holding a charred garment.

He Zhao ambushed the exhausted Medicine Gang envoys, killed Gao Jie, and severely injured Envoy Wang. He escaped with both bodies after punishing Gang Leader Li and threatening the witnesses, leaving the second debt in his Little Black Book to settle.

• Gao Jie and Envoy Wang fled the Fiend Corpse, but He Zhao followed and waited until they reached the Medicine Gang main hall.
• He Zhao struck the pair with lightning and blazing palms, broke Gao Jie's Golden Robe protection, and killed him with a final blow.
• He Zhao burned Envoy Wang, then struck her with Lightning True Qi and left her badly injured.
• He Zhao took Gao Jie and Envoy Wang's bodies, struck Gang Leader Li with a palm that planted Fire Toxin in him, and threatened the crowd into silence.
• He Zhao vanished into the night, crossed out the first debt in his Little Black Book, and prepared to settle the second.

He Zhao interrogated the injured Envoy Wang and learned the Five Elements Art, several spells, and the powers of the artifacts carried by her and Gao Jie. He left with a path toward Sha Refining but discovered that the method only reached the completion of the Pulse-Building Realm and that the Five Ghoul Banner required human sacrifices.

• He Zhao searched Gao Jie and Envoy Wang, then woke her by splashing urine on her face and threatened her into answering his questions.
• Envoy Wang explained that only people with special bloodlines could endure killing intent and refine sha, leaving He Zhao uncertain about his own prospects.
• Envoy Wang recited the Five Elements Art, and He Zhao learned that it could build five types of Sha Meridians but could not advance beyond the completion of the Pulse-Building Realm.
• Envoy Wang taught He Zhao the Golden Robe Technique, Fireball Spell, Divine Movement Technique, and Whirlwind Technique.
• Envoy Wang described the stone tablets, the Golden Thread Robe, and the Five Ghoul Banner, revealing that its five Specters demanded ten children as food on the first and fifteenth of each month.