Chapter Summaries

After Lin Zhen rescued Shi Lei, Ye Tiancheng, and Xu Mao from the monkey beasts, the group argued over supplies and whether Xu Mao would lead them out of Yilan County. Lin Zhen agreed to pay Xu Mao goods worth fifty million, though he suspected the greedy veteran had ulterior motives.

• Lin Zhen met Xu Mao, a Level Seven War General, and learned that the others had fled a Giant Palm Human Bear near the gymnasium.
• Xu Mao demanded food from Lin Zhen and threatened to abandon the group when Lin Zhen refused.
• Shi Lei and Ye Tiancheng urged Lin Zhen to cooperate with Xu Mao, agreeing that they needed his help to escape Yilan.
• Lin Zhen offered Xu Mao goods worth fifty million to protect them, but rejected his demand for one hundred million.
• Xu Mao accepted the deal and demanded the goods immediately, while Lin Zhen watched him with a faint smile.

Lin Zhen paid Xu Mao for protection and traveled with him, Shi Lei, and Ye Tiancheng toward the city outskirts. Xu Mao trapped Lin Zhen in the armored vehicle’s cargo compartment and demanded his backpack, but an unexpected change began as he reached for it.

• Lin Zhen gave Xu Mao fifty C-Rank Mutated Beast crystals and had Shi Lei and Ye Tiancheng each transfer him twenty-five million.
• Xu Mao agreed to escort Lin Zhen, and the group rested before setting out across Yilan County.
• Lin Zhen noticed Ye Tiancheng growing close to Xu Mao and suspected his teammate could no longer be trusted.
• The group reached the Demon God Squad’s armored vehicle, and Ye Tiancheng drove while Xu Mao sat with Lin Zhen in the sealed cargo compartment.
• Near the city outskirts, Xu Mao revealed that Ye Tiancheng had locked the door and demanded Lin Zhen’s backpack.
• Lin Zhen handed over his backpack, and an unexpected change occurred as Xu Mao reached for it.

Lin Zhen killed Xu Mao in the armored vehicle by exploiting the cramped carriage and using his spear and Gold-level Mind Power. After Shi Lei learned that Ye Tiancheng had locked the partition door and endangered the others, Lin Zhen killed Ye Tiancheng as well.

• Lin Zhen surprised Xu Mao with the shortened Black Dragon Spear, then used five Flying Knives to grievously wound him.
• Xu Mao lunged at Lin Zhen, but Lin Zhen bent and snapped the spear shaft into Xu Mao's lower abdomen before driving a spear tip through his throat.
• Lin Zhen left the carriage and showed Shi Lei and Ye Tiancheng Xu Mao's corpse.
• Lin Zhen told Shi Lei that Ye Tiancheng had locked the partition door, and Shi Lei acknowledged the betrayal.
• Ye Tiancheng charged Lin Zhen with twin swords, but Lin Zhen's Flying Knives cut him into eight pieces.

Lin Zhen returned from Yilan and let Shi Lei keep half the cargo payment, securing his silence about Lin Zhen's Mind Power. On the road to Ice City, Zhao Liang told him that Azure Sky Martial Hall had recruited Russian disciples who were challenging local martial halls, and Lin Zhen was eager to face them.

• Lin Zhen killed Ye Tiancheng and Xu Mao, then asked Shi Lei to keep his identity as a Mind Power Master secret.
• Shi Lei asked for a share of the cargo to fund his retirement, and Lin Zhen let him keep half the proceeds in exchange for no favor.
• Lin Zhen retrieved his Raptor Off-Road and drove toward Peony City, carrying valuable Mutated Beast crystals and a Dark Energy Stone.
• Zhao Liang called Lin Zhen and told him Azure Sky Martial Hall had recruited Russian disciples who were challenging other martial halls.
• Zhao Liang said the Martial Hall offered three free rewards to anyone who defeated Azure Sky's disciples, and Lin Zhen welcomed the opportunity.

Lin Zhen recalled the Meteorite Trading Permit and the man who had once injured him while defeating Azure Sky Martial Hall’s Russian fighters. After selling his Mutated Beast haul and receiving Shi Lei’s transfer, Lin Zhen had 1.1 billion and asked whether Space Rings were available.

• Lin Zhen remembered that Chen Jingchou would defeat Azure Sky Martial Hall’s Russian fighters, win the Meteorite Trading Permit, and damage Lin Zhen’s dantian in the process.
• Lin Zhen drove into Ice City and sold his Mutated Beast crystals and materials to Huanyu Auction House for 800 million, earning a VIP card.
• Shi Lei transferred 150 million to Lin Zhen, bringing his total wealth to 1.1 billion.
• Lin Zhen asked the Huanyu salesgirl whether Space Rings were available.

Lin Zhen bought a Space Ring and returned home, where he resolved to earn enough money to buy Vitality Potions so his parents could cultivate. After watching Russian Martial Artists defeat Huaxia fighters in a series of challenges, he waited for an opportunity to change his fate.

• Lin Zhen bought a Space Ring for 200 million at the Huanyu Auction House and returned to his family’s villa.
• Lin Zhen decided he needed 40 billion to buy two Vitality Potions for his aging parents and give them another chance to cultivate.
• Lin Zhen watched a video of Nielov defeating a Level Nine Warrior from Light and Shadow Martial Arts Academy, while Eva badly wounded another fighter who challenged him.
• Lin Zhen read comments condemning Azure Sky Martial Hall and the Russian challengers, then closed the forum and waited for the growing uproar to give him an opportunity.

Lin Zhen opened an online shop to sell the first layer of Nine Heavy Spears River and learned that Azure Sky Martial Hall would challenge Raging Wind in three days. He decided to keep his Mind Power Master identity secret and searched for information about Chen Jingchou so he could prevent him from joining the fight.

• Lin Zhen ordered a customized Qi Sense Assistance Potion and prepared one hundred helmet chips containing the first layer of Nine Heavy Spears River, Gale.
• Lin Zhen registered Neighbor's Shop and listed the helmet chips for ten million each.
• Zhao Liang told Lin Zhen that Azure Sky's Russian Trio had defeated Dragon Slayer and would challenge Raging Wind in three days.
• Lin Zhen learned that Chen Jingchou was away and that Long Wind had refused challenges until he returned, while Ice City's mayor offered a billion and other rewards for defeating the trio.
• Lin Zhen told Zhao Liang he would stay away from the Martial Hall until the challenge and asked him to keep his Mind Power Master identity secret.
• Lin Zhen searched the Martial Artist Forum for information about Chen Jingchou, intending to keep him out of the battle.

Lin Zhen tracked Chen Jingchou’s route and went to ambush him near Petroleum City, deciding that killing the powerful Mind Power Master was worth the risk of making Changfeng his enemy. Chen Jingchou arrived, and the two began a fight to the death.

• Lin Zhen found information indicating Chen Jingchou would return through Petroleum City and decided to intercept him despite the consequences of killing Changfeng’s favored successor.
• Lin Zhen received ten million from the sale of the first Nine Heavy Spears River manual, then left Ice City and passed Li Mengxi and Ruo Ruo arguing by the roadside.
• Lin Zhen drove to Petroleum City, rested overnight, and went south to wait near a river crossing where Chen Jingchou was likely to pass.
• Chen Jingchou arrived in his modified Hummer, recognized Lin Zhen, and challenged him after Lin Zhen declared that only one of Ice City’s geniuses should remain.
• Lin Zhen and Chen Jingchou drew their weapons and clashed in a desperate battle in the winter night.

Lin Zhen defeated Chen Jingchou by revealing his Early Gold-level Mental Power, then found a Lightning Star Core among Chen Jingchou’s belongings. He realized the Star Core could help him absorb Gravity and lightning power, though he still needed to prepare before advancing to the General Stage.

• Lin Zhen and Chen Jingchou fought across the snowy wilderness, and Chen Jingchou gained the upper hand with his stronger physique and twin blades.
• Chen Jingchou launched two Flying Knives in a sneak attack, but Lin Zhen seized control of them with his Early Gold-level Mental Power and killed him.
• Lin Zhen felt close to a breakthrough but decided to wait until he had prepared a Qi Sense Assistance Potion.
• Lin Zhen searched Chen Jingchou’s Hummer and took his Mutated Beast Crystals and materials.
• Lin Zhen discovered a Lightning Star Core in Chen Jingchou’s backpack and recognized its potential to grant him Gravity and lightning powers.

Raging Wind prepared its Warriors to face Azure Sky and the Russian Trio, while its fighters argued over Lin Zhen’s strength and who deserved to be Ice City’s top figure. The Russian Trio arrived just as Shen Tuohua and Fu Chengya were about to duel, ending the hall’s internal dispute before the challenge began.

• Tong Yuehu assigned Meng Dong to fight Nielov, Fu Chengya to face Eva, and Shen Tuohua to hold off Ivan.
• Tong Yuehu promised the fighters a share of Base City’s one-billion reward and honorary citizenship of Ice City if they performed well.
• Shi Lei said Raging Wind would only be truly confident if Lin Zhen returned, prompting Fu Chengya, Zhao Liang, Meng Dong, and Shen Tuohua to argue about Lin Zhen and their own strength.
• Shen Tuohua and Fu Chengya prepared to duel after Shen Tuohua insulted both Lin Zhen and Fu Chengya.
• Ivan, Eva, Nielov, and Azure Sky’s Martial Artists arrived at Raging Wind to begin the challenge.

Azure Sky challenged Raging Wind Martial Hall, and Nielov gained the upper hand against Meng Dong in the opening bout. As spectators demanded Lin Zhen’s appearance, Zhao Liang tried calling him but received no answer.

• Lu Ming tried to stop Azure Sky’s challenge, but Yang Jianying insisted that Martial Artists settle the matter themselves.
• Dongfang Jun told Zhao Liang that Raging Wind could not afford to lose and wondered where Lin Zhen was.
• Nielov mocked Raging Wind before fighting Meng Dong, then overwhelmed him with powerful, rapid punches.
• Livestream viewers criticized Raging Wind’s lineup and called for Lin Zhen to fight, while Ouyang Yu called him a coward.
• Zhao Liang secretly called Lin Zhen, but Lin Zhen did not answer as Meng Dong neared defeat.

Qin Yunfei learned that Xu Mao and Chen Jingchou had died, and his investigators linked Lin Zhen to both cases without proving his guilt. Fearing Raging Wind Martial Hall would gain an advantage if Lin Zhen returned, Qin Yunfei ordered his men to find Lin Zhen before anyone else did.

• Tie Shan, Zhao Shenji, Han Fengju, and Wu Ming reported that evidence placed Xu Mao's death near Yilan and suggested Shi Lei, Lin Zhen, and Ye Tiancheng had been involved.
• Qin Yunfei learned that Chen Jingchou had died and angrily rejected a list of more than a hundred possible suspects.
• Tie Shan identified the young master of Golden Jade Group, Flowing Fire, and Lin Zhen as key suspects in Chen Jingchou's death, though investigators lacked proof against them.
• Qin Yunfei ordered the squad to find Lin Zhen alive or dead before anyone else, so he could not return to Raging Wind Martial Hall while Azure Sky Martial Hall was challenging its rivals.
• Han Fengju and Wu Ming continued investigating the other suspects, while Zhao Shenji and Tie Shan set out to find Lin Zhen.

Zhao Liang, Shi Lei, and Gao Yan used satellite tracking to search for Lin Zhen while the martial hall’s fighters struggled against Nielov’s team. They found Lin Zhen’s phone at the Water Park waterfall but not Lin Zhen, and Fu Chengya was defeated before they could locate him.

• Zhao Liang and Gao Yan failed to reach Lin Zhen, and Shi Lei revealed that he trusted Lin Zhen and knew he was a Gold-level Mind Power Master.
• Zhao Liang agreed to use satellite tracking, and Lu Ming sent Zhao Liang, Shi Lei, and Gao Yan to the monitoring center by helicopter.
• Meng Dong withdrew from the arena, and Fu Chengya began fighting Eva as Nielov mocked Raging Wind Martial Hall.
• The monitoring center traced Lin Zhen’s phone to the Water Park waterfall, so Zhao Liang and the others flew there and searched the area.
• Zhao Liang’s group found Lin Zhen’s ringing phone on a bench but could not find him, while Fu Chengya was defeated at the martial hall.

After killing Chen Jingchou, Lin Zhen avoided going home and tried to strengthen himself quickly by drawing lightning from the Star Core. He endured a painful half-hour of electrical current and finally sensed the lightning Ions within it.

• Lin Zhen returned to the Base City with the Star Core and went to the Water Park, fearing Changfeng's people would pursue him for killing Chen Jingchou.
• Lin Zhen considered advancing to the General Stage but decided to remain a warrior until he had dealt with the Russians from Azure Sky Martial Hall.
• Lin Zhen explained that he could not yet condense a Dark Star, so he chose to cultivate the lightning element using metal wires and batteries.
• Lin Zhen connected the wire to the Star Core and endured the current as it coursed through his body for thirty minutes.
• Lin Zhen sensed tiny golden orbs moving through the current and recognized them as Lightning Ions.

Lin Zhen endured increasingly powerful currents until his soul’s resilience helped him master Lightning Ions, then began adapting his spear technique to the new power. He left his phone behind and tested a Lightning-Ion-infused version of Nine Heavy Spears River’s first move against the Waterfall.

• Lin Zhen increased the current through the Star Core and endured successive waves of agony while trying to resonate with Lightning Ions.
• When Lin Zhen applied five metal wires, his powerful soul let him withstand the pain, and Lightning Ions resonated throughout his body.
• Lin Zhen gripped the Star Core and let its Lightning Ions strengthen his body, then decided to develop his own spear technique before returning to Azure Sky Martial Hall’s challenge against Raging Wind.
• Lin Zhen left his phone and other equipment behind, stepped onto the fragile ice before the Waterfall, and infused the first move, Gale, with Lightning Ions.
• Lin Zhen’s spear attack sent a gale across the water and blasted deep pits into the Waterfall before its full impact arrived.

Lin Zhen fused Lightning Ions with his spear techniques and created Thunderclap Nine Transformations, mastering its Gale and Rainstorm forms before struggling with Waterfall. When Tie Shan confronted him at the pool, Lin Zhen knocked a sniper bullet aside with his spear.

• Lin Zhen combined Lightning Ions with the Gale Spear Art and named his new technique Thunderclap Nine Transformations.
• Lin Zhen practiced beneath the waterfall and mastered the Rainstorm form by morning, but could not grasp the Waterfall form.
• Tie Shan arrived at the pool and accused Lin Zhen of killing Xu Mao and Chen Jingchou.
• Tie Shan threatened to kill Lin Zhen, but Lin Zhen turned and deflected a sniper rifle bullet with his spear.

Lin Zhen defeated Tie Shan and Zhao Shenji after surviving their coordinated ambush, but Zhao Shenji transmitted a fragmentary warning to Long Wind Martial Arts Academy before dying. Lin Zhen was left aware that his victory had been dangerously close.

• Lin Zhen knocked Zhao Shenji's sniper bullet aside and exploited Tie Shan's momentary shock to wound him with Rainstorm.
• Tie Shan burned his Dantian Dark Force and charged, so Lin Zhen used Waterfall to pierce his shield and kill him.
• Lin Zhen threw Tie Shan's shield to block Zhao Shenji's grenade launcher round, then used Mental Power to fly toward the sniper.
• Zhao Shenji abandoned his rifle and tried to warn the Martial Hall, but Lin Zhen's flying dagger pierced his neck before he could finish his message.
• Zhao Shenji's incomplete warning reached Long Wind Martial Arts Academy's internal network, and Lin Zhen realized how close he had come to losing.

After killing Changfeng’s fighters, Lin Zhen dealt with the Water Park guard and returned to collect his phone, where he reunited with Zhao Liang, Shi Lei, and Gao Yan. Shi Lei took the guard away to safety as the others headed back to Raging Wind Martial Hall, while Changfeng’s men arrived at the deserted park and began investigating Lin Zhen’s possible connection to the deaths.

• Lin Zhen found the elderly Water Park guard had witnessed the incident, paid him, and staged a bloody scene before taking him away.
• Realizing he had left his phone behind, Lin Zhen returned to the park and met Zhao Liang, Shi Lei, and Gao Yan.
• Lin Zhen briefly told the three men what had happened, and Zhao Liang and Gao Yan prepared to return with him to Raging Wind Martial Hall.
• Shi Lei offered to take the guard to Capital City Base City, and Lin Zhen agreed as the others departed by plane.
• Qin Yunfei, Han Fengju, and Wu Ming found the park deserted and blood in the Guard Room, then ordered an investigation while Qin doubted Lin Zhen could have killed Tie Shan and Zhao Shenji.

Raging Wind Martial Hall agreed to wager five kilograms of Liquid Metal against Azure Sky after Shen Tuohua defeated Ivan’s apparent advantage, only for Ivan to reveal he was a Heavenly Speedster and decisively defeat him. As Dongfang Jun prepared to concede, Zhao Liang arrived and announced that Lin Zhen would still fight.

• Yang Jianying offered to concede if one Raging Wind Warrior defeated Azure Sky’s three Russian fighters in succession, but demanded five kilograms of Liquid Metal if Raging Wind failed.
• Dongfang Jun accepted the wager after Zhao Liang told him that he and Lin Zhen were returning.
• Ivan revealed his Heavenly Speed and overwhelmed Shen Tuohua with hundreds of attacks, knocking him from the arena.
• Long Wind Martial Arts Academy announced that Chen Jingchou could not participate and conceded its challenge, while online critics blamed Lin Zhen for Raging Wind’s apparent defeat.
• Yang Jianying demanded the Liquid Metal as Dongfang Jun prepared to hand it over, but Zhao Liang arrived and announced that Lin Zhen would take the stage.

Lin Zhen returned to the Raging Wind Martial Hall and negotiated rewards for taking on the Russian fighters, including permission to trade Meteorites and five kilograms of Liquid Metal. Before he went onstage, he used a Dark Energy Stone to tempt Yang Jianying into considering a wager.

• Lin Zhen returned to the lobby, greeted Meng Dong, and checked on the injured Fu Chengya and Shen Tuohua.
• Dongfang Jun warned Lin Zhen that Ivan was a Heavenly Speedster and that he would have to defeat all three Russian fighters in succession.
• Lin Zhen persuaded Lu Ming to grant him the right to buy and sell Meteorites if he won, accepting the risk of being branded a national sinner if he lost.
• Lin Zhen exchanged his three Martial Hall Store rewards for five kilograms of Liquid Metal after making an extravagant alternative demand.
• Yang Jianying dismissed Lin Zhen's chances, so Lin Zhen showed him a Dark Energy Stone and caught his interest.