Chapter Summaries

Shi Tiexin bought the Azure Phoenix Body Tempering with Sister Mengmeng’s guidance and learned about Sage’s Direct Transmission, martial arts derived from the Origin Sage’s Heavenly Steles. Sister Mengmeng revealed that these techniques cannot be cultivated because of the Unknowable Phenomenon, leaving Shi Tiexin stunned as his Natural History knowledge surged.

• Shi Tiexin met Sister Mengmeng at the Martial Arts Trading Center to purchase the Azure Phoenix Body Tempering and paid a total of 1.2 million.
• Sister Mengmeng explained that the manual was a Platinum body-tempering method focused on defense, though its unusual nature made it different from cheaper defensive techniques.
• Sister Mengmeng described how martial artists discovered the Origin Sage’s Heavenly Steles and sometimes comprehended martial arts from them.
• Sister Mengmeng explained that Heavenly Stele martial arts were called Sage’s Direct Transmission and had to be made public under the Supreme Sovereign Hall’s agreement with major powers.
• Shi Tiexin asked whether the Azure Phoenix Body Tempering was Sage’s Direct Transmission, and Sister Mengmeng told him that such techniques could not be cultivated because of the Unknowable Phenomenon.

Shi Tiexin’s sudden leap in Basic Natural History overwhelmed him with pain and excess thought energy, while Sister Mengmeng explained cultivation concepts and guided him through opening a cranial nerve. The chapter left him channeling forty points of Heavenly Gifted Golden Light into the process.

• Shi Tiexin’s Basic Natural History progress surged to Profound after Sister Mengmeng explained an unknowable phenomenon, leaving him in severe pain.
• Sister Mengmeng explained that Azure Phoenix Body Tempering derived from Sage’s Direct Transmission and complemented Shi Tiexin’s Overlord Eastern Extreme Force.
• Sister Mengmeng described Natural Breakthroughs and Destiny Armaments, and Shi Tiexin’s Basic Natural History progress rose to Profound 99 as the new knowledge overwhelmed him with thought energy.
• Sister Mengmeng told Shi Tiexin to guide the excess thought energy into his vestibular nerve and open his cranial nerves one by one.
• Shi Tiexin channeled forty points of Heavenly Gifted Golden Light as he began opening the vestibular nerve.

Shi Tiexin perfected the fourth layer of Basic Natural History and transformed his Discernment attribute into Extraordinary Discernment. Sister Mengmeng explained that the Six Fundamental Mind Arts were Divine Skills and credited a succession of sages with making knowledge widely available and preserving people’s freedom.

• Shi Tiexin completed Basic Natural History’s fourth layer, and a surge of mind energy transformed his vestibular nerve.
• Shi Tiexin discovered that his four Discernment stars had merged into the Dark Gold attribute Extraordinary Discernment.
• Sister Mengmeng explained that perfecting a Divine Skill or its component could turn a +10 attribute into an Extraordinary attribute.
• Sister Mengmeng revealed that the Six Fundamental Mind Arts were Divine Skills, and Shi Tiexin realized that humanity had made them available for everyone to learn.
• Sister Mengmeng told Shi Tiexin that sages had spent a century securing a destiny for living people and opening lasting peace for all ages.

After lunch with Sister Mengmeng, Shi Tiexin witnessed Tumubao emerge from darkness and reveal the immense Shaluo City. As Sister Mengmeng pointed out their destination, the HR Manager called Shi Tiexin to the Spaceport because a challenger had arrived.

• Shi Tiexin asked Sister Mengmeng about Azure Phoenix Body Tempering, and she joked that its original name was “Eggshell.”
• Tumubao’s dome revealed the real sun and Saturn, then passed beneath the shadow of another space city.
• Tumubao emerged into sunlight beside Shaluo City, and Sister Mengmeng described its enormous size and population.
• Sister Mengmeng said Shaluo City was where their journey lay, and the HR Manager called Shi Tiexin to the Spaceport to meet a challenger.

Shi Tiexin and the HR Manager welcomed Duxin Fortress’s delegation to Shaluo City before the Nine Cities Derby. After the HR Manager and the delegation’s leader traded blows, Shi Tiexin resisted a mind-energy attack and faced Duxin Fortress’s towering contestant as their fight began.

• Shi Tiexin learned that Duxin Fortress’s people had arrived and that the Nine Cities Derby would begin at 3:15 that afternoon.
• The HR Manager stopped a furious shout from reaching Shi Tiexin, then briefly clashed with Duxin Fortress’s short, fat leader.
• Duxin Fortress’s leader accused Shi Tiexin of disrespecting Elder Yin and attacked his mind domain, but Shi Tiexin’s strengthened mind energy withstood the assault.
• Shi Tiexin said he would grow closer to the brothers from Duxin Fortress, and their leader summoned a giant contestant to fight him.
• The giant threatened to tear Shi Tiexin apart and attacked with the Startling Electric Palm as the glazed-colored secret realm spread out.

Shi Tiexin used Formless Wind to evade the Liang Group fighter’s attacks and gain new insight into the movement technique. He stopped the fighter’s strongest punch, struck his ear, and left him collapsing as the contest continued.

• Shi Tiexin repeatedly evaded the fighter’s Startling Electric Palms, causing the bald old man to recognize Formless Wind.
• Shi Tiexin used the wind around the fighter’s attacks to sense his movements and discovered how Formless Wind altered his own balance and motion.
• Shi Tiexin moved across the fighter’s fist and dodged his attacks while keeping his hands in his pockets.
• Shi Tiexin caught the fighter’s swollen fist with one hand and told him his body training needed more work.
• Shi Tiexin struck the fighter’s ear with a swift kick, and the fighter fell with blood flowing from his face.

Shi Tiexin easily defeated a Duxin Fortress contender and learned that he might be able to fight an ordinary Sharpness cultivator. At First Zhengxue Academy’s month-end assessment, Assistant Instructor Liu swiftly beat the first student, leaving Shi Tiexin to consider the HR Manager’s advice.

• The HR Manager saw off the Duxin Fortress visitor, and Shi Tiexin asked how his strength compared with Sharpness experts.
• The HR Manager said Shi Tiexin might contend with an ordinary newly advanced Sharpness cultivator and offered advice for his assessment.
• Instructor Big Sister announced that students had to defeat assistant instructors to remain in the training camp and represent the school.
• Wang Xiao entered the first assessment match against Assistant Instructor Liu while the other students waited outside.
• Assistant Instructor Liu defeated Wang Xiao quickly, and Shi Tiexin recalled the HR Manager’s tips for fighting Sharpness across ranks.

Shi Tiexin reviewed Sharp Energy’s stages and advantages as he prepared to face the instructors’ trial. After watching several classmates fail, he entered the martial arts ground to fight Assistant Instructor Wang, calm despite the opponent’s Sharp Energy.

• Shi Tiexin summarized Sharp Energy’s four stages and its traits of hardness, keen perception, transformation, and pressure.
• Shi Tiexin concluded that he needed to exploit his own strengths to overcome a Sharp Energy opponent.
• Shi Tiexin watched Shu Wangzhou, Gu Shaohuai, and Sima Liang take lengthy matches, but none had succeeded.
• Shi Yuwei and Gao Chongxiao encouraged Shi Tiexin before he entered the martial arts ground.
• Big Sister assigned Assistant Instructor Wang to fight Shi Tiexin, who remained calm as the secret realm opened.

Shi Tiexin fought Assistant Instructor Wang, whose powerful spear techniques and building momentum overwhelmed him. Shi Tiexin found an opening by falling and kicking Wang’s ankle, leaving the battle’s outcome unresolved.

• Shi Tiexin refused to use cheats as he faced Assistant Instructor Wang and tried to rely on his own training.
• Assistant Instructor Wang charged Shi Tiexin with powerful attacks, forcing him to defend and evade.
• Assistant Instructor Wang struck Shi Tiexin with Drilling Spear Fist, but Shi Tiexin crossed his arms and blocked the blow.
• Assistant Instructor Wang revealed that he had begun opening his meridians and pressed his attack as Shi Tiexin searched for an advantage.
• Shi Tiexin suddenly fell and kicked Assistant Instructor Wang’s ankle, disrupting his footing and sending his spear fist off course.

Shi Tiexin used the Formless Wind Tribulation Leg’s shifting attacks and low posture to overpower Assistant Instructor Wang, but Wang revealed that his apparent vulnerability was a trap. Wang unleashed a mind-energy shockwave as Shi Tiexin charged at him.

• Shi Tiexin kicked Assistant Instructor Wang’s ankle and evaded his counterattacks by changing between solid and feinting strikes.
• Shi Tiexin realized he could use the Formless Wind Tribulation Leg while crawling low, then rushed Wang with unpredictable attacks.
• Wang tried to counter with his spear-boxing stance, but Shi Tiexin struck his leg and the hollow behind his knee.
• Shi Tiexin broke Wang’s stance with a spinning arm strike, then kicked him into the air and pursued him.
• Wang caught Shi Tiexin’s upward kick and revealed that his apparent panic had lured Shi into a straight-line attack.
• Wang unleashed a mind-energy shockwave, shouting, “Dizzy—!”

Shi Tiexin defeated Assistant Instructor Wang by feigning vulnerability and countering his thought-energy attack, earning the instructors’ respect. He joined the other students after their assessments, and Instructor Big Sister announced the reserve team’s upcoming training before competition.

• Shi Tiexin resisted Assistant Instructor Wang’s thought-energy attack, baited him into an all-out strike, and stopped his counter-kick just short of his head.
• Shi Tiexin and Assistant Instructor Wang praised each other’s skills and agreed to fight again after Wang completed his meridian passage.
• Instructor Big Sister sent Shi Yuwei to face Assistant Instructor Zhao while Shi Tiexin went to the activity room.
• Shi Yuwei found Shi Tiexin after winning her assessment in about a minute, and Gao Chongxiao arrived five minutes later.
• Instructor Big Sister told the students they had become reserve members of the school’s representative team and would complete three weeks of further training and one week of adjustment training.

Unable to reach his cheats, Shi Tiexin continued training with Instructor Big Sister’s team and asked Assistant Instructor Zhao about Shi Yuwei’s quick victory. He advanced his body-tempering techniques, learned that his Freedom Minor Method was incomplete, and began cultivating Azure Phoenix Body Tempering.

• Shi Tiexin failed to reconnect with Scholar Stone or Black Venerable, so he returned to intensive training with Instructor Big Sister’s team.
• Assistant Instructor Zhao told Shi Tiexin that Shi Yuwei had beaten her because she underestimated her opponent, Shi Yuwei was unusually durable, and her parries and counters were unreasonable.
• Shi Tiexin repeatedly left training to complete Body Tempering levels, reaching perfect Bone Forging and advancing Overlord Eastern Extreme Force to fourth-level mastery.
• Instructor Big Sister identified Shi Tiexin’s Freedom Minor Method as an incomplete version and recommended Azure Phoenix Body Tempering to improve his short-term combat power.
• Shi Tiexin began studying Azure Phoenix Body Tempering, but found it much harder to comprehend than other Martial Arts techniques.

Shi Tiexin advanced his Viscera Training and mastered the first level of Azure Phoenix Body Tempering, discovering that it strengthened his skin with unexpected beauty benefits. The chapter ended with a woman from the Hanyang Fort branch abandoning her combative stance to ask him what skincare products he used.

• Shi Tiexin replaced his old blood with stronger new blood, using the Minor Drinking Method to control the process and planning to finish within three days.
• Shi Tiexin merged the Perfection-level progress of Hard Qi Technique into Azure Phoenix Body Tempering and raised the new technique to Perfection.
• Shi Tiexin gained Defense Counter and Tough Body attributes, while Azure Phoenix Body Tempering transformed Hard Qi Technique’s Tough Membrane into Tough Skin.
• Shi Tiexin used his new blood to strengthen his skin and found that it became tougher without restricting his flexibility or causing pain.
• A young woman from the Hanyang Fort branch arrived for a friendly spar, then blushed and asked Shi Tiexin what skincare products he used.

Shi Tiexin fended off an unexpected matchmaking attempt, then continued training and used his talent to complete the second and third layers of Azure Phoenix Body Tempering. He strengthened his defenses and began cultivating Supple Fat to fully activate his Tough Body attributes.

• A woman from the Hanyang Zhao Clan tried to match Shi Tiexin with her older cousin and tested him in a martial contest, then asked him to add her as a friend after he defeated her.
• Shi Tiexin rebuked Supervisor Zhuo for encouraging the matchmaking and asked about exchanging his points for Lightning Tribulation Hand, but Supervisor Zhuo told him to keep practicing Wind Tribulation Leg until the matches ended.
• Shi Tiexin trained day after day and defeated Beauty Corps challengers, earning points as his defensive layers gradually developed.
• Shi Tiexin merged the third layer of Hard Qi Technique into Azure Phoenix Body Tempering and perfected its second layer, strengthening his fascia and tough body.
• Shi Tiexin perfected the third layer of Azure Phoenix Body Tempering, gained Defense Counterattack and Tough Body attributes, and began cultivating Supple Fat to activate the final Tough Body attribute.

Shi Tiexin completed the fourth layer of Azure Phoenix Body Tempering and tested his improved defenses, but discovered that his remaining talent reserves were nearly exhausted. As intensive training ended, Instructor Big Sister announced the team would travel to Shaluo City for adaptation training before the competition.

• Shi Tiexin strengthened his Supple Fat and used his new Defense Counter to defeat Assistant Instructor Wang in a sparring match.
• Shi Tiexin completed the fourth layer of Azure Phoenix Body Tempering, unlocking Defense Counter +10 and Tough Body +10, though he still needed to strengthen his Tough Muscle Groups.
• Shi Tiexin tried to use his remaining talent to advance Formless Wind Tribulation Leg, but found only 43 points of Gifted Golden Light Refining Liquid remained.
• Instructor Big Sister announced that intensive training had ended and the team would depart for Shaluo City the next day to begin adaptation training at the competition venue.
• The six trainees cheered when Instructor Big Sister told them they would travel together as five competitors and one substitute.

First Zhengxue Academy of Earth and Wood sent Shi Tiexin and five other students to Shaluo City for the Nine Cities Derby, where Shi Tiexin aimed to win the championship despite doubts that he could finish cultivating Wind Tribulation Leg in time. At Tumubao Spaceport, the group gathered with their companions and supporters before departing together.

• The old principal held a farewell ceremony, gave the six competitors tailored battle uniforms, and promised rewards based on their results.
• Shi Tiexin took leave from work and trained Wind Tribulation Leg, but judged that its final layer was unlikely to reach mastery level 90 before the competition.
• Shi Yulei joined Shi Tiexin at Tumubao Spaceport and said she was returning to Lumen Academy, while Shi Yuhui planned to attend the competition to support Little Third and explore business opportunities.
• Gao Chongxiao arrived with his uncle, who could represent the Gao family at formal occasions, and Sima Liang brought a large support team and extensive supplies.
• Shi Tiexin and the others joked about freeloading on Sima Liang's staff, then Instructor Big Sister gathered everyone for a morale-boosting cheer before they departed.

Shi Tiexin and the others arrived in Shaluo City and were awed by its advanced transit system, magnificent scenery, and immense scale. In Ninghai District, Shi Tiexin saw that sharp-qi practitioners filled the streets, revealing how powerful the city was before their expedition.

• Shi Tiexin and the students traveled from Tumubao Spaceport to Shaluo City through the anchored route.
• The group boarded a Mount Lan Line guide car and marveled at its speed, comfort, and the city's natural and architectural scenery.
• Shi Tiexin compared Shaluo City favorably to Tumubao as the group arrived at Ninghai District.
• After disembarking, Shi Tiexin noticed that sharp-qi practitioners were common throughout the streets and wondered whether the Loan King could survive there.

Sister Mengmeng guided Shi Tiexin and the others through Shaluo City, where the abundance of powerful and striking residents showed them how different it was from their home. She explained that Sharp Energy practitioners numbered in the billions, leaving the group stunned by the scale of humanity’s cultivation.

• Shu Wangzhou and the others marveled at how ordinary Sharp Energy practitioners seemed in Shaluo City, and Gu Shaohuai compared their experience to ascending into a world full of immortals.
• Sister Mengmeng led the group into the city and explained that its elite showcase district concentrated talented residents, making its population seem unusually powerful and attractive.
• Shi Tiexin observed the city’s exceptionally handsome and accomplished residents and reflected that martial arts could drive human evolution.
• Sister Mengmeng said the Saturn System had one Sharp Energy practitioner for every thirteen people, including children too young to train.
• Sister Mengmeng revealed that the Saturn System had 1.85 billion Sharp Energy practitioners and humanity had nearly 10 billion, shocking Shi Tiexin and Gao Chongxiao.

Shi Tiexin asked Sister Mengmeng how many ultimate geniuses lived in the Saturn System and learned that their numbers were far greater than he had imagined, but he resolved to keep striving. After several days of acclimating to the competition environment, he and his companions went to meet Gao Chongxiao’s brother Gao Shaoling, whose appearance startled Shi Tiexin.

• Sister Mengmeng explained that about one in ten thousand people reached the First Heavenly Layer ultimate, and urged Shi Tiexin to focus on competitors at his current level.
• Shi Tiexin and his companions toured large cities to adapt to life among sharpness cultivators and restore their fighting spirit.
• Gao Chongxiao announced that Gao Shaoling had invited the group to a reception at Lumen Academy.
• Shi Yuwei agreed to join the visit despite her earlier loss to Gao Shaoling.
• Shi Tiexin recalled how far he had come since the provincial examination, then noticed that something seemed wrong when he saw Gao Shaoling.

Shi Tiexin and his fellow townsmen attended a banquet hosted by Gao Shaoling in Shaluo City, where they discovered Gao Shaoling had grown weak and was being bullied by a local. The local attacked Gao Shaoling in front of the group, leaving him lifted by the throat and demanding that he beg for mercy.

• Shi Tiexin noticed Gao Shaoling's bruises and weak cultivation as the group gathered for the banquet.
• Gao Shaoling entertained his fellow townsmen and described life in Shaluo City and at Lumen Academy.
• A local bully arrived and tried to draw Gao Shaoling's guests into a confrontation, but Gao Shaoling warned him to leave them out of it.
• The bully threatened to beat Gao Shaoling and dragged him toward the table, insulting the people from Tumubao.
• Gao Shaoling attacked the bully, who opened a secret realm, slapped him down, seized him by the throat, and demanded that he beg for mercy.