Chapter Summaries

Gu Shao'an treated Huang Xuemei’s damaged meridians with pills and confirmed she was ready to fight. They set out for Round Moon Gate to stop its threat, and Huang Xuemei struck down the gate’s elder as they arrived.

• Huang Xuemei told Gu Shao'an that her Gang Yuan control was inadequate because her meridians could not bear her excessive internal power.
• Gu Shao'an gave Huang Xuemei a Marrow Cleansing Pill, which strengthened her dantian and meridians and greatly increased her Gang Yuan circulation.
• Gu Shao'an gave Huang Xuemei another pill to heal her meridians and internal organs, then decided they would leave for Round Moon Gate at once.
• Gu Shao'an and Huang Xuemei raced to Round Moon Gate, where an elder ordered the guards to alert the sect master.
• Huang Xuemei played a piercing zither note that sent a sound blade across the elder’s neck.

Huang Xuemei and Gu Shao'an infiltrated Round Moon Gate and used the Sky Demon Qin to draw out the sect’s fighters. Huang Xuemei slaughtered hundreds with the Eight Sounds of the Heavenly Dragon, while Round Moon Gate’s remaining disciples struggled to withstand the music.

• Huang Xuemei killed the Round Moon Gate guards and questioned the last survivor about the sect’s forbidden ground, but he did not know its location.
• Huang Xuemei snapped the survivor’s neck, and she and Gu Shao'an decided to force Ren Donghai to appear by attacking the manor.
• Huang Xuemei sent up a purple signal flare, then played the Sky Demon Qin, injuring weaker disciples and drawing hundreds of Round Moon Gate fighters to the clock tower.
• Huang Xuemei killed Elder Li with a sound wave, and another elder identified the Sky Demon Qin and ordered everyone to attack her.
• Huang Xuemei killed the charging elder and unleashed a barrage of sonic attacks, killing four to five hundred disciples and elders in ten breaths.

Gu Shao'an and Huang Xuemei attacked the Round Moon Gate to demand justice for the sect’s ancestor, Guo Xiang, whom Ren Zhenbei had injured decades earlier. Huang Xuemei battled Ren Donghai while Gu Shao'an killed elders preparing to interfere, and the fight remained underway.

• Huang Xuemei killed hundreds of Round Moon Gate disciples and elders with the Sky Demon Qin before Ren Donghai arrived and clashed with her qin attack.
• Gu Shao'an told Ren Donghai that he had come to settle the Emei Sect’s grievance over Ren Zhenbei’s injury of Guo Xiang, and Ren Donghai argued that the old matter should have been forgotten.
• Gu Shao'an said Ren Zhenbei was his target and that Huang Xuemei would settle her own account with Ren Donghai; Ren Donghai dismissed Huang Xuemei and challenged her.
• Huang Xuemei met Ren Donghai’s saber strike with a sound wave, forced him back, and then used a barrage of qin attacks to prevent him from closing the distance.
• Several Round Moon Gate elders tried to circle around and intervene, but Gu Shao'an killed them with the Finger Flicking Divine Skill, frightening the remaining elders into retreat.

Huang Xuemei defeated and killed Ren Donghai with the Eight Sounds of the Heavenly Dragon, then called Ren Zhenbei out of hiding. Ren Zhenbei emerged in a killing-intent-fueled state with the Round Moon Saber, and Gu Shao'an recognized that he had fallen into qi deviation.

• Gu Shao'an sensed no Heaven and Earth Power or Gang Yuan fluctuations from within Round Moon Gate and suspected Ren Zhenbei was concealing his cultivation.
• Ren Donghai unleashed his full-strength saber strike, but Huang Xuemei’s soundwaves wore it away before it could reach her.
• Huang Xuemei used the Eight Tones Piercing the Heart to disrupt Ren Donghai’s heartbeat and injure his organs, then killed him with an azure sound blade.
• Huang Xuemei called for Ren Zhenbei, who burst from the rear mountain and found Ren Donghai dead.
• Ren Zhenbei erupted with overwhelming killing intent, while Gu Shao'an saw his scarlet eyes, signs of qi deviation, and the Round Moon Saber in his hand.

Ren Zhenbei, consumed by the Round Moon Saber’s demonic nature, attacked Huang Xuemei before Gu Shao'an intervened. Gu Shao'an overwhelmed Ren Zhenbei in their duel and finished with a sword strike across his throat.

• Huang Xuemei’s sound attacks failed to break through Ren Zhenbei’s saber defense, and he charged at her with overwhelming speed.
• Gu Shao'an stopped Ren Zhenbei’s charge with a dragon-shaped burst of force and sent Huang Xuemei out of danger.
• Ren Zhenbei attacked Gu Shao'an, who parried his strikes and used Sword Three, Thousand Willows to disperse his barrage of saber shadows.
• Gu Shao'an wounded Ren Zhenbei’s left arm, but Ren Zhenbei poured his blood-colored Gang Yuan into the Round Moon Saber and launched a desperate slash.
• Gu Shao'an used Emei Sword Manual, Sword Seven: Fussing Snow, to sweep his sword across Ren Zhenbei’s throat.

Gu Shao'an killed Ren Zhenbei and helped Huang Xuemei destroy the Round Moon Gate, whose wealth and prisoners were dealt with by the Heavenly Dragon Gate. After returning to the Flying Tiger Escort Agency, Gu Shao'an opened his achievement chest and was startled to receive a Seven-Colored Trait Card.

• Gu Shao'an killed Ren Zhenbei, took the Round Moon Saber, and learned that it carried a sinister energy and could enhance the Round Moon Gate's saber art.
• Huang Xuemei killed Ren Tianyang and summoned the Heavenly Dragon Gate, then declared that the Round Moon Gate would cease to exist.
• The Heavenly Dragon Gate searched the Round Moon Gate, found its manuals, wealth, prisoners, and secret correspondence, and received Huang Xuemei's orders to distribute the spoils and release the prisoners.
• Gu Shao'an and Huang Xuemei returned to the Flying Tiger Escort Agency, where Gu Shao'an said he planned to return to Emei within a day or two.
• Gu Shao'an opened the chest earned for killing Ren Zhenbei and received Hundred Kings Ginseng, Mang Gu Zhu Ha Liver, and a Seven-Colored Trait Card.

Gu Shao'an obtained the seven-colored [Heavenly Sword] trait and underwent a profound transformation in his swordsmanship, forming a Sword Pellet as his intent affected Dongyang Prefecture. His uncontrolled sword qi endangered Huang Xuemei, who fled the courtyard and struck at Cheng Shifei and Fan Sanshan.

• Gu Shao'an activated the Seven-Colored Trait Card and gained the [Heavenly Sword] trait, flooding his mind with swordsmanship knowledge and transforming how he perceived the world.
• Gu Shao'an's growing sword intent spread across the Flying Tiger Escort Agency and Dongyang Prefecture, frightening Huang Xuemei and causing Qin Mengyao's Qingyou Sword to tremble.
• Gu Shao'an condensed his sword intent into a Sword Pellet, briefly ending the pressure before Heaven and Earth Power surged into his room and formed circling sword qi.
• Stray sword qi nearly struck Huang Xuemei, but Gu Shao'an drew it back toward himself; Huang Xuemei escaped through a window and encountered Cheng Shifei and Fan Sanshan outside.
• Huang Xuemei raised her hand and struck at Cheng Shifei and Fan Sanshan before Fan Sanshan could speak.

Gu Shao'an entered the Heavenly Sword Realm, unleashing sword qi that destroyed a courtyard before he mastered the ability to turn things around him into swords. As Gu Shao'an prepared to return to Emei, Qin Mengyao learned of his departure and decided to take a risky gamble.

• Huang Xuemei flung Fan Sanshan and Cheng Shifei away from Gu Shao'an's courtyard, then barred the Flying Tiger Escort Agency members from approaching as his sword qi destroyed the building.
• Huang Xuemei told Lu Tengkong and the others that Gu Shao'an's strength surpassed her understanding and that the Round Moon Gate would no longer exist.
• Gu Shao'an emerged from his cultivation able to draw Heaven and Earth Power into sword qi, and realized the [Heavenly Sword] entry had greatly increased his strength.
• Gu Shao'an apologized to Lu Tengkong for the ruined courtyard with a healing pill, thanked Huang Xuemei for guarding him, and returned to cultivation in another courtyard.
• Qin Mengyao confirmed that Gu Shao'an's sword intent had reached the third realm and learned he would leave for the Emei Sect within two days.
• Worried she would lose her chance to approach Gu Shao'an, Qin Mengyao decided to take a risky gamble.

Gu Shao'an entered the Heavenly Sword Realm and created a new Emei Sword Manual technique, Sword Eleven: Flying Immortal. Later that night, Qin Mengyao fled into the Flying Tiger Escort Agency while poisoned and pursued by Tian Zhongxing, whom Huang Xuemei killed; as Gu Shao'an approached the unconscious Qin Mengyao, he sensed something was wrong.

• Gu Shao'an practiced the Emei Sword Manual with a pine branch and used his new understanding of sword Dao to create Sword Eleven: Flying Immortal.
• Qin Mengyao arrived at the Flying Tiger Escort Agency while fleeing Tian Zhongxing, and Huang Xuemei recognized her as poisoned and injured.
• Qin Mengyao warned Huang Xuemei that Tian Zhongxing was a poison-skilled Flower Thief in the Condensing Yuan Realm.
• Huang Xuemei killed Tian Zhongxing with a single palm strike, and Qin Mengyao collapsed unconscious after thanking her.
• Huang Xuemei used her Gang Yuan to treat Qin Mengyao as Gu Shao'an came outside and sensed something was wrong.

Gu Shao'an discovered that Qin Mengyao had used rare tonics to trap him, but Huang Xuemei was affected as well, and the two spent the night together. The next morning, Gu Shao'an promised to take responsibility for Huang Xuemei and explained Cihang Jingzhai's scheme, while realizing he had absorbed some of her cultivation.

• Gu Shao'an recognized the rare medicines on Qin Mengyao and realized she was pretending to be unconscious as part of a scheme against him.
• The tonics affected Gu Shao'an and Huang Xuemei, and Huang Xuemei's Gang Yuan amplified their effects as she tried to suppress them.
• Gu Shao'an killed Qin Mengyao with sword qi, carried the affected Huang Xuemei into a room, and spent the night with her.
• The next morning, Gu Shao'an discovered his cultivation had risen to one hundred and fifty years after absorbing some of Huang Xuemei's cultivation, then disposed of Qin Mengyao and Tian Zhongxing's bodies.
• Gu Shao'an told Huang Xuemei he would take responsibility for her and invited her to return to Emei with him after she settled her younger brother's matter.
• Gu Shao'an explained Cihang Jingzhai's plan to control him through Qin Mengyao and said he could refine the cultivation he had absorbed within half a year.

Gu Shao'an left for Cihang Jingzhai after arranging for Huang Xuemei to care for Cheng Shifei and Fan Sanshan. At Emperor's Foot Peak, Yan Jing'an learned Qin Mengyao had been missing for nearly a month, then sensed a powerful sword expert approaching the mountain.

• Gu Shao'an told Huang Xuemei he planned to confront Cihang Jingzhai and arranged for her to take Cheng Shifei and Fan Sanshan to the Emei Sect when she left in a month.
• Gu Shao'an left Huang Xuemei three life-saving pills refined from Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom, then departed for Emperor's Foot Peak.
• While refining Huang Xuemei's inner power by the Baishui River, Gu Shao'an reflected that it could take six months to absorb the power and then set off toward Cihang Jingzhai.
• Yan Jing'an stopped her sword practice when she could not draw upon Heaven and Earth Power, and weighed her options for entering the Heavenly Human Realm.
• Song Miyun informed Yan Jing'an that Qin Mengyao had disappeared from Dongyang Prefecture nearly a month earlier; Yan Jing'an suspected something had happened to her.
• Yan Jing'an sensed a sharp aura approaching and recognized that a sword expert had come up the mountain.

Gu Shao'an arrived at Cihang Jingzhai and challenged the sect to a sword duel, destroying its mountain gate and steps with a single strike. After he injured Liu Baishan for trying to intervene, several powerful figures rushed down from the mountain, and Gu Shao'an fixed his gaze on the woman leading them.

• Gu Shao'an shattered Cihang Jingzhai's mountain gate and carved a ravine through its stone steps, then announced his challenge to the sect.
• More than a hundred Cihang Jingzhai disciples and several visiting jianghu men gathered at the mountain gate, where Liu Baishan tried to act as peacemaker.
• Gu Shao'an asked Liu Baishan why he was interfering, then pierced both of Liu Baishan's knees with sword qi after he continued lecturing him.
• Several figures rushed down from the mountaintop, and Gu Shao'an recognized powerful auras among them before fixing his attention on the woman at the forefront.

Gu Shao'an confronted Cihang Jingzhai over Qin Mengyao’s disappearance, crippling several disciples and elders before Lü Qingluo challenged him. He overwhelmed Lü Qingluo with his Falling Sun sword technique, leaving her badly wounded as the fight continued.

• Yan Jing'an asked Gu Shao'an why he had attacked Cihang Jingzhai, and he pointed to Qin Mengyao’s disappearance.
• Gu Shao'an used Finger Flicking Divine Skill to destroy the dantians of several Cihang Jingzhai disciples and elders.
• Lü Qingluo stepped forward to accept Gu Shao'an’s challenge after he questioned whether she had the right to face him.
• Gu Shao'an unleashed Falling Sun, and Lü Qingluo countered with Cihang Jingzhai’s Shore Sword Art.
• Gu Shao'an’s sword qi broke through Lü Qingluo’s defense and cut her repeatedly, leaving her drenched in blood.

Gu Shao'an defeated Yan Jing'an and Lü Qingluo with two sword techniques, then crippled Lü Qingluo and confronted Yan Jing'an over Cihang Jingzhai's schemes against him. He warned that another plot against him or the Emei Sect would bring the sect's destruction, then left the mountain gate.

• Yan Jing'an joined Lü Qingluo against Gu Shao'an, but his Startling Wind sword qi pierced their defenses and wounded them both.
• Gu Shao'an destroyed Lü Qingluo's dantian, leaving her unconscious, and accused Cihang Jingzhai of repeatedly plotting to drug and control him.
• Yan Jing'an questioned Gu Shao'an's accusations, but he insisted his reputation and the Emei Sect's standing would outweigh her denial among the martial world’s major forces.
• Gu Shao'an seized Yan Jing'an, sealed her cultivation, and warned that he would destroy Cihang Jingzhai if it plotted against him or the Emei Sect again.
• Gu Shao'an released Yan Jing'an and walked away into the clouds and mist.

After leaving Cihang Jingzhai, Gu Shao'an encountered a masked Heavenly Human Realm expert who said a Heavenly Pride like him was bad for the Great Wei Kingdom. They fought fiercely by the Baishui River, and the masked man escaped into the forest after crushing Gu Shao'an's sword Qi.

• Song Miyun examined Yan Jing'an and Lü Qingluo, then Yan Jing'an declined help removing her seal and asked Song Miyun to take her to the rear mountain.
• Gu Shao'an left Emperor's Foot Peak and detected a black-robed, masked man hiding in the forest near the Baishui River.
• The masked man revealed that he considered Gu Shao'an's presence in the Great Wei Kingdom dangerous, then attacked him with powerful punches.
• Gu Shao'an countered with his sword and wounded the masked man's robe with Emei Sword Manual—Sword Ten: Dawn.
• The masked man threw a poisonous iron pellet and used the resulting smoke to retreat, but Gu Shao'an pursued with Sword Nine: One Sword Separates Worlds.
• The masked man caught and crushed Gu Shao'an's golden sword Qi before escaping into the forest.

After Gu Shao'an fought the masked black-robed man, he identified the opponent as likely connected to Bai Xiaosheng and continued along the riverbank. Bai Xiaosheng healed Yan Jing'an and discussed a plot to send Gu Shao'an to the Great Sui Kingdom for the Evil Emperor's Relic, while Yan Jing'an's private reaction and Bai Xiaosheng's hidden presence left their motives uncertain.

• Gu Shao'an examined the black-robed man's blood, deduced that he was likely Bai Xiaosheng or one of his men, and declared that another player had entered Jiuzhou's struggle.
• Yan Jing'an told Song Miyun that Gu Shao'an's Gang Yuan had sealed her acupoints and sent her on a mission to the Great Sui Kingdom.
• Bai Xiaosheng appeared after Song Miyun left and used his Gang Yuan to remove Gu Shao'an's seal and sword qi from Yan Jing'an.
• Bai Xiaosheng told Yan Jing'an that Gu Shao'an could rival a Greater Three Harmonies Heavenly Human Realm martial artist and revealed plans to send him after the Evil Emperor's Relic once their preparations were complete.
• Yan Jing'an rejected Bai Xiaosheng's advances, and after he left, she laughed with growing excitement while Bai Xiaosheng watched her unseen and questioned his own feelings.

Zhu Houzhao learned that Gu Shao'an had defeated Cihang Jingzhai’s elders and ordered an investigation into Tu Baichuan’s disappearance while preparing for an Azure Dragon Society operation. Back at Emei Sect, Gu Shao'an accepted responsibility for Huang Xuemei and told Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan the truth; the chapter ended when he sensed a disturbance in the eastern bamboo grove.

• Cao Zhengchun reported that Gu Shao'an had crippled Cihang Jingzhai disciples and defeated Yan Jing'an and Lü Qingluo, prompting Zhu Houzhao to question his strength.
• Zhu Houzhao dismissed the possibility that Gu Shao'an had killed Tu Baichuan and ordered Cao Zhengchun to investigate Shaolin while arranging the Azure Dragon Society matter.
• Gu Shao'an returned to prosperous Jiading Prefecture and then went to Emei Sect, where he recounted his encounter with Cihang Jingzhai and his relationship with Huang Xuemei.
• Abbess Miejue and Juechen approved Gu Shao'an’s handling of Cihang Jingzhai and agreed to discuss a wedding with Huang Xuemei when she arrived.
• Gu Shao'an told Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan about Huang Xuemei, then resolved to spend more time cultivating the Diamond Body Divine Skill after a difficult night.
• Gu Shao'an sensed a disturbance in Heaven and Earth Power coming from the eastern bamboo grove.

Gu Shao'an watched Gu Santong demonstrate the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Art and learned that Sun Baifa and Sun Xiaohong had come to Emei to stay. When they arrived, Sun Baifa recognized that Gu Shao'an had entered the third realm of the sword dao, the realm of unity between man and sword.

• Gu Santong manifested the Wind God Dharma form while practicing the first move of the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Art, reaching the level of Ascend the Hall.
• Gu Santong said the art was difficult to master but that Heaven and Earth Power could help him condense the Three Flowers and enter the Heavenly Human Realm.
• Gu Shao'an told Gu Santong that Huang Xuemei was escorting his son toward Emei after Cihang Jingzhai had drugged them.
• Gu Shao'an sensed Sun Baifa and Sun Xiaohong approaching before Gu Santong did, and Gu Santong explained that they had been staying near the mountain pool because of Sun Baifa's enemies.
• Sun Baifa examined Gu Shao'an and recognized that he had reached the realm of unity between man and sword, astonishing Sun Xiaohong and Gu Santong.
• Gu Santong challenged Sun Baifa to compare the third and second realms of the sword dao, but stopped himself before testing Gu Shao'an.

Gu Shao'an fought Sun Baifa with a bamboo branch and effortlessly countered the Weapon Ranking's top fighter, leaving Sun Baifa questioning whether he had entered the Heavenly Human Realm. Gu Shao'an confirmed he had not, then suggested that unity of man and sword alone could not explain the full extent of his strength.

• Sun Baifa accepted Gu Santong's challenge to test Gu Shao'an, hoping to gain insight into the unity of man and sword.
• Gu Shao'an used a bamboo branch to calmly deflect Sun Baifa's increasingly powerful rod techniques without moving from his place.
• Sun Baifa stopped fighting and asked whether Gu Shao'an had entered the Heavenly Human Realm, since his strength seemed far beyond his stage.
• Gu Shao'an said he had not condensed Essence, Qi, and Spirit into flowers and had not entered the Heavenly Human Realm.
• Gu Shao'an explained that unity of man and sword alone could not account for his strength, making Sun Baifa and Gu Santong tense.

Gu Shao'an explained how his Sword Domain and the Heavenly Sword Realm surpassed ordinary unity between man and sword, demonstrating how he could control sword intent and turn natural forces into sword qi. He left Sun Baifa reflecting on how his own stagnant spirit had held back his progress toward unity between man and rod.

• Gu Shao'an showed Sun Baifa, Gu Santong, and Sun Xiaohong how his Sword Domain spread his sword intent, sharpened his perception, and let him strike distant targets.
• Gu Shao'an explained that unity between man and sword let a swordsman control Heaven and Earth Momentum, then revealed that he had advanced beyond it into the Heavenly Sword Realm.
• Gu Shao'an demonstrated the Heavenly Sword by gathering moisture into a droplet and flicking it into sword qi that cut a deep, straight trench through the ground and bamboo.
• Gu Shao'an told Sun Baifa that the rod master's skill was already at its peak, but his aged, lifeless state of mind kept him from advancing to unity between man and rod.
• Sun Baifa recognized the burden of his own state of mind, thanked Gu Shao'an for the lesson, and reflected that he had pretended to be a pig for so long that he was nearly becoming one.