Chapter Summaries

After the Heavenly Seal Sect’s defeat, Wan Ling and Wan Qingqing discussed Shangguan Ji’s continued inaction as they traveled home with Wei He. Meanwhile, the Chijing Army ambushed Daoist Jin Xu and his disciples, killing them and showing how its formations could overwhelm powerful martial artists.

• Wan Qingqing told Wei He that Master was fairly well, but the Chijing Army might be preparing to attack the Heavenly Seal Sect.
• Wan Ling said Shangguan Ji could not be relied on and lamented that his repeated endurance had helped bring the sect to ruin.
• Daoist Jin Xu rode away with Xue Ji and another Arc Light Court disciple, furious that Zhou Xingtong had used the challenge to build his reputation.
• Zhou Wang and Chijing Army soldiers blocked the riders’ path and opened fire on Jin Xu and his disciples.
• Military officers repeatedly attacked Jin Xu with coordinated blade formations while Zhou Wang waited for an opening.
• Zhou Wang struck Jin Xu in the chest with his short spear, killing him, while the two Arc Light Court disciples also died.

The Chijing Army attacked the Heavenly Seal Sect’s branches, while Zhou Xingtong forced Du Han to surrender and revealed that Shangguan Ji had concealed a lasting injury. You Muxuan ambushed Wan Ling and Wan Qingqing on their way to West Mountain, and Wei He raced back after discovering the Chijing Army’s musketeers.

• The Chijing Army killed or captured the leaders and disciples of several Heavenly Seal Sect branches, including Lu Yuanzhen, Jiang Lin, Zhu Min, and Chen Yuan’s remaining disciples.
• Zhou Xingtong cornered Du Han, revealed that Shangguan Ji was badly weakened by an old injury, and persuaded Du Han to join the Golden Punishment Department.
• Wan Ling and Wan Qingqing reminisced about the Heavenly Seal Sect’s former strength as their carriage crossed Little He’s stone bridge toward West Mountain.
• You Muxuan and armored cavalry attacked Wan Ling and Wan Qingqing, while hidden musketeers and Flying Knives prevented them from escaping.
• Wei He eliminated twenty ambushing musketeers, realized the Chijing Army was targeting the Heavenly Seal Sect, and sprinted back toward the bridge after hearing gunfire.

You Muxuan’s forces nearly killed Wan Ling and Wan Qingqing, but Wei He intervened with poison and helped them escape. He revealed himself among the retreating soldiers and faced You Muxuan, who attacked him with her Nine Mountain Saber Art.

• You Muxuan’s explosive arrows and Flying Knives badly wounded Wan Ling and Wan Qingqing in the river.
• When Wan Ling prepared to cut her own face to save her daughter, poison spread among the soldiers and warhorses, giving Wan Ling time to carry Wan Qingqing toward West Mountain.
• You Muxuan ordered her surviving troops to pursue the women, but the disguised Wei He revealed himself and poisoned the heavy cavalry at close range.
• Wei He identified himself to You Muxuan and taunted her as the poison weakened her forces.
• You Muxuan charged Wei He with her saber and shield, unleashing the Nine Mountain Saber Art’s Nine Layers Slash.

Wei He killed You Muxuan with poison and revealed his strength to Wan Ling, who was left stunned by what she witnessed. As the Chijing Army learned of the deaths and Zhou Xingtong marched on Wan Qing Court’s West Mountain base, the sect began evacuating.

• Wei He poisoned You Muxuan and evaded her attacks until he killed her and took her head.
• Wan Ling found Wei He among the corpses, and he asked her to keep his strength secret.
• Wang Shaojun learned that the Chijing Army had attacked the Heavenly Seal Sect and worried about Wei He and Wan Qing Court.
• Zhou Xingtong learned that poison had killed You Muxuan and ordered his troops to wear anti-poison masks before marching on Wan Qing Court’s base.
• Wan Ling and the others hurriedly evacuated the West Mountain base as Zhou Xingtong’s forces advanced.

After the Chijing Army shattered the Wanqing Sect, Wan Ling and twelve disciples followed Wei He toward Black House Mountain to hide. When Wei He sensed a lone pursuer closing in, he stayed behind to confront him while the others continued into the mist.

• Yao Hansheng and more than half the Wanqing Sect’s followers left to protect their families, leaving twelve disciples with Wan Ling and the unconscious Wan Qingqing.
• Wei He told Wan Ling about Black House Mountain, and she agreed to lead the remaining disciples there under his guidance.
• A purple hawk reported to Zhou Xingtong that Wei He’s group was heading west, and Zhou Xingtong set off alone to intercept them.
• As the group neared Black House Mountain, Wei He sensed a fast-moving pursuer and told the others to continue without him.
• Wan Ling led the disciples onward, and Wei He put on white silk gloves and walked back to face the pursuer.

Wei He fought Zhou Xingtong in the forest, but Zhou's powerful defenses and techniques kept him from gaining the upper hand. Wei He eventually poisoned Zhou, slowing him down, though the fight remained unresolved.

• Zhou Xingtong rushed through the forest and encountered Wei He after mistaking him for the man who had killed his subordinates.
• Wang Shaojun found Wanqing Sect's former camp burned down and followed the hoofprints toward Zhou Xingtong's path.
• Wei He unleashed Whale Flood Art and clashed head-on with Zhou Xingtong, but Zhou's strength and bronze skin withstood his attacks.
• Zhou Xingtong used his Invisible Whip and concealed steel needles while Wei He evaded and struck back, leaving both unable to finish the other.
• Zhou Xingtong's roars briefly stunned Wei He, but Wei He dodged his next attack as poison weakened Zhou's arms.
• Zhou Xingtong realized Wei He had poisoned him despite his Poison Cleansing Pearl.

Wei He and Zhou Xingtong fought to a standstill as poison and a dangerous sonic technique weakened them both, while Wei He kept his distance and wore Zhou down. As they traded thrown debris in the misty forest, Wang Shaojun approached after concealing his Wang Family identity.

• Wei He struck Zhou Xingtong repeatedly and coated him with many kinds of poison, slowing him despite his Poison Cleansing Pearl and Copper Skin Iron Bones.
• Zhou Xingtong unleashed Myriad Manifestations Dragon Sound, stunning and injuring Wei He before pursuing him through the trees.
• Wei He recovered quickly, and his strikes triggered Zhou Xingtong's coughing, interrupting a second attempt to use the sonic technique.
• Wei He and Zhou Xingtong held their distance, each waiting for the poison or reinforcements, until a Black Lion Wolf attacked Zhou Xingtong and he killed it.
• Wei He and Zhou Xingtong began hurling trunks, stones, and other debris at each other in a chaotic exchange.
• Wang Shaojun hurried through the misty forest, hid the signs identifying him as part of the Wang Family, and continued following the tracks toward the fight.

Wang Shaojun killed Zhou Xingtong’s soldiers while Wei He fought Zhou Xingtong to a standstill, then Wei He wiped out more Chijing Army search parties. As the Golden Punishment Department reeled from its losses, Wei He recovered and prepared to use the Boundary-Breaking Pearl to advance Iron Ridge Garment.

• Wang Shaojun ambushed and killed a Chijing Army force, then pursued the fleeing musketeers to prevent them from reporting what they had seen.
• Wei He and Zhou Xingtong ended their fight without a victor and withdrew because their injuries made continuing too dangerous.
• Wang Shaojun met Wei He, gave him healing medicine, and agreed to gather information about two Returning Goose Pagoda men for a planned attack in three days.
• Wei He killed several Golden Punishment Department search parties, leaving more than half of the fifteen teams dead and prompting Zhou Xingtong to vomit blood upon hearing that eight martial masters had fallen.
• Wei He became widely known in Xuanjing City for defeating Zhou Xingtong and using unpredictable poisons, while the Chijing Army’s other divisions began maneuvering during Zhou Xingtong’s recovery.
• Wei He began preparing to use the Boundary-Breaking Pearl to advance Iron Ridge Garment to Jin and strengthen his defenses.

At Baisheng Restaurant, Old Fish told a sensational account of the Heavenly Seal Sect’s battle with the Chijing Army, while Zhao Zheng returned to Xuanjing and became captivated by a woman at a nearby table. The crowd’s argument over Old Fish’s exaggerations ended with a muscular woman claiming that Wei He had poisoned more than three hundred soldiers at Black House Mountain.

• Old Fish described the Heavenly Seal Sect’s losses and drew a crowd eager to hear how Shangguan Ji and the surviving Nine Sons had fared against the Chijing Army.
• Old Fish claimed that Wan Qingqing defeated Zhou Xingtong at Black House Mountain, but listeners disputed his account and accused him of inventing details.
• Zhao Zheng discussed his new post overseeing Industry Development Path and, after noticing a smiling woman nearby, found himself unable to stop thinking about her.
• A muscular woman challenged Old Fish’s story, saying Wei He had poisoned more than three hundred Chijing Army soldiers and fought Zhou Xingtong to a mutual defeat.
• The crowd erupted in astonishment as the woman said the Chijing Army had established defensive lines and sentries around Black House Mountain to guard against Wei He.

Wei He reunited with Wei Ying and asked Zhen Qi to keep his sister safe while he faced his own troubles. After they left, he used the Boundary-Breaking Pearl to strengthen his Overturning Rain Vigor until it rivaled the protection of Bone Jin.

• People in an inn discussed the Chijing Army's wanted notice and condemned Wei He for allegedly poisoning more than three hundred Golden Punishment Department soldiers.
• Zhen Qi reassured Wei Ying that Wei He was alive and arranged to meet him outside the city.
• Wei He appeared in the grove, and Wei Ying tearfully embraced him after fearing he had died.
• Wei He asked Zhen Qi to keep Wei Ying with her because he could not safely take his sister along.
• After Wei Ying and Zhen Qi departed, Wei He used the Boundary-Breaking Pearl to transform his Iron Ridge Garment Imprinted Blood and double his protective vigor.

Wei He tested Wan Qingqing’s recovery, helped the Wanqing Sect prepare for survival, and entered Xuanjing City in disguise to secure grain. He met Wang Shaojun, who revealed his breakthrough and asked Wei He to help eliminate Returning Goose Pagoda’s Bone Forging experts amid Taizhou’s growing political conflict.

• Wei He tested Wan Qingqing’s strength and confirmed she had recovered enough to travel, then asked the Wanqing Sect members to gather medicinal herbs and exotic beasts.
• Wei He and Wan Qingqing disguised themselves, entered Xuanjing City, and ordered over a hundred shi of coarse grain for the sect.
• Wei He sent Wan Qingqing to collect the grain while he met Wang Shaojun, who offered supplies from a Wang Family grain shop and revealed he had broken through toward Organ Refining.
• Wang Shaojun told Wei He that Returning Goose Pagoda had sent the Bone Forging masters of Feather Hall and Ruyi Hall into Taizhou, and asked him to help kill them.
• Wang Shaojun explained that the Chijing Army’s refusal to obey orders had angered those above, while his Wang Family had sided with the Taian Army.

Wei He and Wang Shaojun encountered the Returning Goose Pagoda’s massacre of Thousand Crane Mountain Villa, and Wei He killed the attackers before learning the He family had guarded a Mica Bug. He took the insect for its valuable eggs and left determined to strengthen himself against Zhou Xingtong and the Chijing Army.

• Wei He asked Wang Shaojun about Organ Refining and learned that stronger jin force could accelerate Bone Forging.
• The Silver Goose Mask and Returning Goose Pagoda assassins attacked Thousand Crane Mountain Villa, killing He Qianhe and most of his family and disciples.
• Wei He and Wang Shaojun arrived; Wei He killed the Silver Goose Mask with one strike and used poison to stop the other assassins from escaping.
• Wang Shaojun freed He Yuxin and He Yiru, who later took their own lives, and took the two surviving girls, He Wei and Xiang Ling, into his care.
• Wang Shaojun gave Wei He a Mica Bug, whose eggs could serve as a plentiful source of food, and warned him that it might have brought disaster to the villa.
• Wei He accepted the Mica Bug and resolved to advance his martial arts so he could confront Zhou Xingtong and the Chijing Army.

Wei He returned to the Wanqing Sect with the Mica Bug and began using its eggs to support his cultivation. As Lin Xiaoxiao and Wen Lian prepared to move their businesses to the Prefectural City, Wei He tested whether deep water pressure could speed his progress toward Bone Forging perfection.

• Two gray figures examined the bodies at Thousand Crane Mountain Villa and suspected that either Zhou Xingtong or Wei He had killed the martial masters there.
• A veiled woman from Returning Goose Pagoda inspected her disciple's corpse and ordered her followers to investigate nearby martial masters with innate Great Strength.
• Wen Lian persuaded Lin Xiaoxiao to stop working and prepare for their planned relocation to the Prefectural City, and Lin Xiaoxiao noticed that snow had begun to fall.
• Wei He trained at Black House Mountain, ate a Mica Bug egg, and found that the eggs provided abundant nutrition.
• Wei He entered a deep pool with a large stone to test whether water pressure could accelerate the jin penetrating his bones.

Wei He trained deep beneath a pool, using the pressure and cold to accelerate his Bone Forging, while an unknown red butterfly revealed how much of the world remained unexplored. A year later, with the Chijing Army marching against Li Tong and the Heavenly Seal Sect’s branches collapsing, Wei He planned to claim the Tianya Tower and challenge Wan Ling for leadership of the Wanqing Sect.

• Wei He descended into the pool and encountered a glowing red butterfly that examined him before swimming away into the darkness.
• Wei He made deep-water training part of his daily routine, accelerating his Bone Forging while consuming large amounts of strange beast meat.
• Wang Shaojun told Wei He that Li Tong’s veteran army was advancing on Taizhou and that the Chijing Army had marched to confront it.
• Wang Shaojun reported that Shangguan Ji had left Taizhou with his family, leaving the Thousand Bat Water Pavilion and Tianya Tower sealed by the authorities.
• Wei He declared that he would claim the Tianya Tower’s martial arts manuals and make the Wanqing Sect’s Overturning Rain Gathering Clouds Technique his path to greater strength.
• Wei He told Wang Shaojun that he would challenge Wan Ling and take the position of Wanqing Sect Master, and Wang Shaojun offered his support.

As the Chidi Sect and Lishan Sect maneuvered over Tianya Tower, Du Han refused to help Yan Haochun confront Wei He, whom he considered dangerously powerful. Deep beneath Black House Mountain, Wei He began using the Boundary-Breaking Pearl to complete the Bone Forging of his skull.

• Tavern patrons discussed the Peerless Sword Sect massacre, the Zhou Family killings, and the unrest following the Heavenly Seal Sect's decline.
• Liu Hulu fell silent after a warning that the Lishan Sect had sent people to Xuanjing, and the crowd watched the Chidi Sect procession head toward Tianya Tower.
• In the carriage, Du Han told Yan Haochun that the Chidi Sect would not take over Tianya Tower because Wei He would intervene.
• Yan Haochun proposed sealing off Tianya Tower until Yan Junshan arrived, intending to draw Wei He into a confrontation, but Du Han refused to participate.
• Under Black House Mountain, Wei He used the Boundary-Breaking Pearl to drive scorching heat toward his skull and begin its Bone Forging.

Wei He reached Bone Forging and accepted Wan Ling’s offer to become the Wanqing Sect’s leader, then set out for Tianya Tower to retrieve its manuals. At the tower, Granny Zeng and another elder faced rival forces seeking to claim the collection, while the leaders of the former Heavenly Seal Sect had yet to appear.

• Wei He completed Bone Forging, tested his Bone Jin, and decided to head to Tianya Tower before the Boundary-Breaking Pearl could recharge.
• Wei He told Wan Ling he wanted to claim Tianya Tower and needed authority to represent the Wanqing Sect.
• Wan Ling gave Wei He the Sect Master’s token and arranged for Wan Qingqing to accompany him to Tianya Tower.
• At Tianya Tower, Granny Zeng and a shriveled old man refused to let outsiders enter, while the Lishan Sect, You Family, and Zhou Family gathered to claim the manuals.
• Yan Haochun urged the elders to abandon their defense, saying Du Han would not come and the whereabouts of Xie Yan, Xiao Qingyu, and Wan Ling were uncertain.

As Zhou Rong and the other families attacked the two guardians at Tianya Tower, Wei He and Wan Qingqing rushed to help but were ambushed by a woman seeking revenge for Thousand Crane Mountain Villa. Wei He gained the upper hand in their duel and left the woman reeling from a sudden attack.

• Zhou Rong fought the pipe-smoking old man while the white-haired You Family elder restrained Granny Zeng, and Yan Haochun joined the assault on Tianya Tower.
• Wei He and Wan Qingqing hurried toward Tianya Tower, passing the Chijing Army sentries without being stopped.
• A masked woman in white and more than a dozen followers blocked their path, and the woman demanded to know whether Wei He had visited Thousand Crane Mountain Villa.
• Wei He told Wan Qingqing to go on and fought the woman, whose sword briefly broke through his protective force.
• Wei He used his speed and strength to overwhelm the woman in white, then shouted and caused her to reel with dizziness as she tried to withdraw.

Wei He escaped the white-clad woman and arrived at Tianya Tower, where the Heavenly Seal Sect faced an overwhelming ambush by the Lishan Sect, the You Family, and the Chijing Army. He disrupted the confrontation by threatening Zhou Rong’s family and revealing that he had poisoned You Ce, leaving the assembled forces to face the newly declared Wanqing Sect Master.

• Wei He escaped after the white-clad woman activated her secret technique and failed to catch him.
• At Tianya Tower, Zhou Rong defeated the pipe-smoking old man while Yan Haochun and a Zhou Family elder overwhelmed Granny Zeng until Wan Qingqing intervened.
• Zhou Rong, Yan Haochun, and the You Family elder advanced on the tower, but Xiao Qingyu and Xie Yan joined Wan Qingqing to defend it.
• Yan Junshan appeared, and the Chijing Army commanders Zhao Zhong and Zhao Cheng blocked Xie Yan’s escape as the forces surrounded the Heavenly Seal Sect.
• Wei He arrived and revealed that Zhou Rong’s family had been seized, forcing Zhou Rong to hold back Yan Junshan, and that You Ce had been poisoned.
• Wei He announced that he had become the Wanqing Sect Master, then warned Yan Junshan against speaking carelessly.

Wei He fought Yan Junshan at Tianya Tower while the Water Punishment Department’s guards repeatedly interrupted their duel. After killing the Zhao brothers and breaking through the soldiers’ formations, Wei He defeated Yan Junshan and left the Water Punishment Department’s forces devastated.

• Wei He attacked Yan Junshan, whose defense began to falter as a chilling poison slowed his movements.
• The Zhao brothers repeatedly interrupted Wei He’s attacks, so he turned on them and killed both with a strike to the backs of their heads.
• Wei He swept through five Water Punishment Department formations, killing or injuring more than half their soldiers.
• Wei He struck Yan Junshan with Overturning Rain Vigor, immense strength, and Bone Jin, breaking his arm and crushing his chest.
• Yan Junshan collapsed after trying to flee, and Wei He crushed his neck; more than a hundred Water Punishment Department elites also died.

Wei He defeated the forces opposing him at Tianya Tower, forced the You family and Zhou Family to accept compensation, and took the tower’s books. He then promised to rebuild the Heavenly Seal Sect, while Wang Shaojun and his father discussed secretly approaching him.

• Granny Zeng, Xiao Qingyu, and Wan Qingqing killed Yan Haochun after Wei He rescued Zhou Rong’s poisoned relatives from Tianya Tower.
• Zhou Rong and You Ce pleaded for mercy, and Wei He let their families leave with a promise to send a compensation list in five days.
• Wei He warned the families that trying to cure his Lock Poison could trigger a fatal outbreak, then told Wan Qingqing to move the books.
• Wei He invited Xie Yan to join him and promised that he would rebuild the Heavenly Seal Sect when the time was right.
• Wei He and his allies carried the books away before the Chijing Army arrived to find Tianya Tower empty and the ground covered in corpses.
• Wang Shaojun and his father assessed Wei He’s strength and agreed to contact him secretly, using sincerity as their foremost principle.