Chapter Summaries

Chen Ping'an spoke with Zuo about the Literary Sage and his own feelings, while Yao Chongdao and Ning Yao watched; the Literary Sage then arrived at Sword Qi Great Wall to negotiate with Chen Qingdu. Afterward, he reunited with Chen Ping'an, leaving the young man surprised as the chapter ended.

• Chen Ping'an went to Zuo and asked where the Literary Sage had gone, then told Zuo he should have visited Treasure Bottle Continent as an eldest senior brother.
• The Literary Sage appeared on the city wall, chastised Zuo, and asked Chen Qingdu to lend the Temple of Literature three people, but Chen Qingdu refused.
• The Literary Sage urged Zuo to consider a newly opened territory, but Zuo preferred to remain at Sword Qi Great Wall; the Literary Sage continued negotiating with Chen Qingdu.
• Chen Ping'an sat outside Diezhang's shop and answered questions from local children before sending them away.
• The Literary Sage appeared beside Chen Ping'an, patted his shoulder, and told him he had grown up and endured much.

Chen Ping'an reunited with the Literary Sage, who shared wine with him and Zuo You outside a small shop on the Sword Qi Great Wall. Before leaving, the old scholar sat between his two disciples, glad that he was no longer accompanied by Zuo You alone.

• Chen Ping'an greeted the Literary Sage and brought out chairs and stools while Ning Yao fetched food and wine.
• Ning Yao and Diezhang went for a walk as Chen Ping'an and the old scholar ate, drank, and reminisced together.
• Zuo You arrived to spend more time with his teacher, and the old scholar teased him and Chen Ping'an about their senior-junior relationship.
• Chen Ping'an explained why he had chosen the Literary Sage as his teacher, and the old scholar told Zuo You to treat his junior brother to wine and teach him swordsmanship when he wished.
• Zuo You warned that the Ascension Realm Great Demons might prevent the old scholar from leaving, but the old scholar asked to sit longer with both disciples beside him.

Chen Ping'an reunited with his eldest senior brother Zuo You, discussed his cultivation plans, and partnered with Diezhang to open a wine shop on the Sword Qi Great Wall. As the shop found customers, Chen Ping'an began teaching and telling stories to local children, turning a quiet lane into an informal schoolhouse.

• Ning Yao explained that Chen Ping'an had known Zuo You for years, while Zuo You asked Chen Ping'an why he had not sought their teacher's help and reassured him that he had done well.
• Zuo You read the travelogue Chen Ping'an had given their teacher and decided that Chen Ping'an was the junior brother he had hoped for.
• Chen Ping'an and Diezhang agreed to open a wine shop, stocked jars with ordinary wine, bamboo leaves, and a Wine Bug, and named their product Bamboo Sea Cave Heaven Wine.
• Ning Yao brought Guo Zhujiu to Chen Ping'an, who postponed deciding whether to take her as an apprentice and told her to return in a year and a half.
• Diezhang opened the wine shop, where Pang Yuanji, Wei Jin, and Guo Zhujiu's friends bought wine; Chen Ping'an reassured Ning Yao that he loved her most.
• As the shop prospered, Chen Ping'an spent time teaching characters and telling stories to children, creating an informal schoolhouse in a remote lane.

Chen Ping'an and Diezhang kept the wine shop thriving despite its dwindling wine supply, while Chen Ping'an helped his friends resolve a lingering hurt. The shop welcomed several Sword Immortals from Northern Juluzhou, and Huang Tong prepared Li Cai for the dangers ahead as she set out to fight demons.

• Chen Ping'an trained with Nun Bai and Grandpa Nalan while helping the wine shop attract customers with its named Peace Talismans and unusual wine offerings.
• Diezhang discussed the wine supply problem with Yan Zhuo and Chen Sanqiu, and Yan Zhuo offered to help find raw wine; Chen Ping'an used the conversation to ease the strain between Diezhang and Yan Zhuo.
• Dong Sangeng arrived at the shop with Li Cai and other Sword Immortals, drank with the group, and joked about the shop's couplets.
• Huang Tong gave Li Cai three books about demons, warfare, and his own battlefield experience, and urged Han Huaizi to return to Taihui Sword Sect while he remained at the Sword Qi Great Wall.
• Li Cai and Han Huaizi left for the night after writing on Peace Talismans, and Chen Ping'an called after them to collect their wine money.

Chen Ping'an balanced his cultivation and life at the wine shop, encouraged Zhang Jiazhen, and bonded with Ning Yao and Guo Zhujiu. After Wei Jin relayed Zuo’s question about when Chen Ping'an would Practice Sword, Chen Ping'an hurried to the Sword Qi Great Wall, where Zuo wondered how his junior brother had become so bold.

• Chen Ping'an trained daily with Nun Bai and Nalan Yexing while Ning Yao explained the dangers of spreading A Liang’s revised Eighteen Stops of Sword Qi too widely.
• Chen Ping'an discussed Diezhang’s fighting ability and the wine shop’s business with Ning Yao, then carried her to the shop and gave customers a discount.
• Chen Ping'an told stories and taught the children the Six-Step Stance, praised Zhang Jiazhen’s literacy, and gave him a bamboo leaf to help him endure the cold.
• Chen Ping'an told Guo Zhujiu that he would consider taking her as a disciple in a year and a half, then returned to the Ning Residence with Ning Yao.
• Wei Jin relayed Zuo’s question about when Chen Ping'an would Practice Sword, so Chen Ping'an asked Nun Bai to prepare the medicine vat and hurried to the Sword Qi Great Wall.
• Zuo wondered how his junior brother had grown so bold while their teacher was away.

Chen Ping'an discussed the growing tensions around the Ning Residence with Zuo You, who agreed to watch over the children near the tavern and help with a concern about the Eighteen Stops of Sword Qi. Zuo You began punishing Chen Ping'an through sword practice, while Guo Zhujiu survived an assassination attempt and Chen Ping'an resolved to take her as his disciple.

• Chen Ping'an outlined how his presence and ties to the Ning Residence could fuel rumors and force the Guo family to distance itself, and asked Zuo You to protect the alley children and investigate a possible threat to Zhao Gaoshu.
• Zuo You promised to handle the concern about Zhao Gaoshu, then challenged Chen Ping'an to approach within thirty paces in a hundred punches and began sword practice that sent Chen Ping'an flying back.
• Wei Jin drank at Diezhang's tavern and mourned his feelings for He Xiaoliang before rushing to an alley when Guo Zhujiu was attacked.
• Guo Zhujiu killed the assassin who had attacked her, while Wei Jin and Nalan Yexing intervened against the attackers; Guo Jia arrived and took his injured daughter home under confinement.
• Nalan Yexing told Chen Ping'an about Guo Zhujiu's injury, and Chen Ping'an said the incident could benefit the Ning and Guo families and that he intended to make her his disciple.
• Zuo You ended Chen Ping'an's brutal training after he had effectively died ninety-six times, and Nalan Yexing joked that approaching Zuo You would get him killed.

Chen Ping'an and Ning Yao discussed the dangers targeting the Ning Mansion and the Sword Qi Great Wall, while she confided her fears that they might grow apart. At Diezhang's wine shop, Chen Ping'an killed a young sword cultivator who provoked him over Ning Yao's family, then rallied the gathered sword cultivators to drink before the next battle.

• Chen Ping'an treated his wounds and told Ning Yao and Nun Bai about the attempt to assassinate Guo Zhujiu, then shared stories from his Dragon Kiln days with Ning Yao.
• Chen Ping'an drank with Nalan Yexing and revealed that a tiny wisp of Sword Qi occupied one of his acupoint passes, slowing his Eighteen Stops of Sword Qi cultivation.
• Ning Yao told Nun Bai she feared Chen Ping'an might someday find her dull and stop talking with her, and Zuo You advised Wei Jin that love did not have to hinder a sword cultivator's swordsmanship.
• Chen Qingdu asked Zuo You to bring Chen Ping'an to his thatched hut for swordsmanship training and said he would later propose marriage for him to the Yao Household.
• Ning Yao told Chen Ping'an about the surviving sword cultivators of older generations, and Chen Ping'an explained that enemies might provoke him to isolate the Ning Mansion and test his character.
• At Diezhang's wine shop, a young sword cultivator insulted Ning Yao's parents and challenged Chen Ping'an, who killed him with one punch and invited the gathered sword cultivators to drink before heading south to the wall.

Chen Ping'an discussed the schemes behind Huangzhou’s death with Diezhang, while Lord Yin Guan dismissed Wang Zai’s attempt to question him. As the New Year passed, Chen Ping'an returned to training and confronted Fan Dache’s heartbreak, leaving him drinking alone at the wine shop.

• Chen Ping'an told Diezhang that the hidden schemer was testing him and probing how he would fight in the coming battle, then she toasted him for enduring the world’s filth.
• Wang Zai argued that Chen Ping'an should answer for Huangzhou’s death, but Lord Yin Guan sent him away and explained to Pang Yuanji that Wang Zai had been trying to draw them into defending Chen Ping'an.
• Ning Yao asked Chen Ping'an to prepare New Year decorations, and later found him injured after Zuo trained with him on the city wall.
• Chen Sanqiu brought Fan Dache and two friends to Diezhang’s shop, where Chen Ping'an challenged Fan Dache’s excuses for Yu Qia leaving him.
• Fan Dache threw a bowl and threatened Chen Ping'an, but Chen Ping'an stayed calm, helped clean up the shards, and drank alone after the others left.

Chen Ping'an advised Diezhang about love, life, and the dangers of misunderstanding the people one loved, then left the wine shop after sharing drinks with her. On the Sword Qi Great Wall, Chen Qingdu encountered a fading woman who had come to see her master and ordered him to get away from her.

• Chen Ping'an warned Diezhang not to risk her life recklessly and asked whether she liked the Confucian Gentleman for his character as well as his status.
• Chen Ping'an told Diezhang the story of a scholar and a Bride Ghost, urging her to think carefully about love and the people around the Gentleman.
• Chen Ping'an and Diezhang continued drinking and talking about Fan Dache, friendship, and learning from mistakes.
• Chen Ping'an left the wine shop, briefly sensed something strange, and looked toward the Sword Qi Great Wall.
• Chen Qingdu came out of his thatched hut and saw a tall, fading woman standing on the city wall.
• The woman told Chen Qingdu she had come to see her master, then ordered him to get the hell away from her.

Chen Qingdu confronted the sword spirit, who revealed the ancient origins of swordsmanship and challenged his treatment of Chen Ping'an. She reunited with Chen Ping'an on the Sword Qi Great Wall, and they left together as he spoke of the person he hoped to become.

• Chen Qingdu and the sword spirit discussed his regrets, the ancient swordsmanship lineages, and why he had let Chen Ping'an struggle to cultivate.
• The sword spirit confronted Chen Qingdu over delaying her master's progress, then gathered the golden light of his offered sword intent across the Sword Qi Great Wall.
• Chen Qingdu brought Chen Ping'an to the wall, where the sword spirit embraced him and called him her master.
• The sword spirit told Chen Ping'an how she had honed her sword at Dragon Slaying Cliff and taught sword techniques to people at the Wind and Snow Temple and Ruan Qiong.
• Chen Ping'an said he wanted to become someone whose words followed reason and whose actions followed the Way, then vowed to thrust his sword beyond the heavens and punch so every Martial Cultivator felt the sky looming overhead.

Chen Ping'an reunited with the sword spirit, introduced her to Ning Yao, and saw her depart with the old scholar toward Treasure Bottle Continent. Back at the tavern, he comforted Fan Dache and walked with Ning Yao, but his thoughts turned to the grief of leaving her and their possible children behind.

• Chen Ping'an promised the sword spirit he would remember those who had died and refused to take the path she and her master had once followed.
• The sword spirit met Ning Yao in the training ground, then left with Chen Qingdu and the old scholar, who discussed the passage of three people and the merit he had spent.
• Chen Ping'an drank with Han Rong at Diezhang's tavern, where Yu Qia apologized for Fan Dache's drunken insults and asked him to understand Fan Dache.
• Fan Dache arrived in tears, and Chen Ping'an tried to ease his heartbreak by beating him in a street fight before walking him back toward the shop.
• Chen Ping'an answered Zhang Jiazhen's question about the meaning of steadfast, then Ning Yao took his hand and walked with him.
• Chen Ping'an asked Ning Yao what she and their children would do if he died first, revealing the grief he carried at the thought of leaving them.

Chen Ping'an prepared seals to help launch Yan Zhuo’s silk shop while developing his cultivation and supporting Ning Yao. When sword cultivators from the Central Divine Continent arrived to challenge the Great Wall’s young fighters, Chen Ping'an confronted one of them after the boy insulted the Literary Sage lineage.

• Chen Ping'an, Yan Zhuo, Diezhang, and their friends discussed buying into Yan Zhuo’s silk shop and promoting it with Chen Ping'an’s carved seals.
• Ning Yao explained Chen Ping'an’s cultivation prospects, and Dong Budé commissioned seals while reporting that young sword cultivators from the Central Divine Continent had arrived for the customary three trials.
• Chen Ping'an practiced against Nalan Yexing and learned that the visitors planned three fights at the Sea Gazing, Dragon Gate, and Golden Core realms, with one loss deciding the contest.
• At Diezhang’s wine shop, Chen Ping'an warned Fan Dache that the visitors had arranged the trials to exploit their advantage, while the customers grumbled about the outsiders’ arrogance.
• After a tall visitor mocked the Literary Sage lineage, Chen Ping'an seized the hulking sword-carrying youth by the skull and demanded that he repeat his words.

Chen Ping'an confronted visiting sword cultivators, then began refining his fourth Destiny Item while Ning Yao worried over the difficult process. At the three-gate contest, Lin Junbi defeated Gao Youqing, and Ning Yao challenged him to face her if he broke through during a fight.

• Chen Ping'an restrained Jiang Guancheng, rebuked the visiting cultivators, and refused to guard the first gate so the private dispute would not interfere with the public contest.
• Chen Ping'an explained his predictions about the three matches to his companions, then learned from Wang Zai that Huangzhou's death would not bring punishment but that no one would formally clear his name.
• Chen Ping'an prepared to refine a Buddhist scripture as his Metal of the Five Elements Destiny Item, while Ning Yao and Nun Bai worried outside the secret room.
• Yan Zhuo gave his father, Yan Ming, a seal from Chen Ping'an, and Yan Ming wondered whether he had been too harsh on his son.
• Lin Junbi defeated Gao Youqing at the first gate, and Yan Lü stepped forward to face him in the second match.
• Ning Yao warned Lin Junbi that she would suppress her realm to fight him if he broke through during battle, silencing the crowd and drawing Sword Immortals from the city wall.

Lin Junbi admitted defeat to Ning Yao, but her display of swordsmanship and his failed attempt to retaliate left him bloodied and shaken. After the three trials ended, Chen Ping'an learned Fan Dache counted him as a friend, while an unexplained disturbance at the Ning Household remained unresolved.

• Lin Junbi admitted defeat without drawing his sword, but Ning Yao challenged him and trapped him with imitations of flying swords, including his Natal Flying Sword, Flood Dragon Slayer.
• Lin Junbi summoned Flood Dragon Slayer and sent his Yin God to attack Ning Yao, but she restrained his sword, wounded him, and warned him to cherish his life.
• Lin Junbi accepted Ning Yao's guidance and left with Bianjing, while Yan Lü narrowly defeated Liu Tiefu and Situ Weiran defeated Jin Zhenmeng in the remaining trials.
• Chen Ping'an assured Fan Dache that he was his friend and invited him to train with Chen Sanqiu, then promised him wine if he broke through a realm.
• Ning Yao returned to cultivate, and Chen Ping'an told Yan Zhuo that he had been injured while refining his Destiny Item; Chen Sanqiu recalled that an earlier disturbance had drawn Old Ancestor Chen Xi's attention.

Sun Juyuan warned Ku Xia against the Shaoyuan Dynasty’s plans involving Lin Junbi and Ning Yao, while Bianjing watched the visiting young cultivators nurse their resentment after Lin Junbi’s defeat. Chen Ping'an spent the day with the children and his friends before training with Nalan Yexing left him bedridden; as he recovered, Ning Yao watched him reunite in his heart with a little bald-headed friend.

• Sun Juyuan told Ku Xia that Lin Junbi should not pursue Ning Yao and warned that Chen Ping'an could make trouble for the Shaoyuan Dynasty.
• Bianjing listened as Jiang Guancheng and the other young cultivators blamed Ning Yao and Chen Ping'an for Lin Junbi’s loss, while Lin Junbi acknowledged Chen Ping'an’s ability.
• Chen Ping'an entertained the children with a story about Qi Jinglong, then visited the wine shop, invited Fan Dache to spar, and went to the Ning residence with a pot of wine.
• Nalan Yexing sparred with Chen Ping'an and accidentally injured him badly enough to leave him bedridden, while Chen Ping'an insisted the recovery would aid his cultivation.
• Ning Yao watched Chen Ping'an practice Breathing and Exhalation and recalled his joyful reunion in his heart with the little bald head.

At the Sword Qi Great Wall, Chen Ping'an uncovered a spy among Nalan Yexing’s disciples and arranged a cautious way to communicate with him. Meanwhile, the Sage of Literature secretly visited Luopo Mountain and reflected on his past as Chen Ping'an’s teacher; the chapter ended with a sword cultivator master and disciple arriving from Northern Juluzhou.

• Chen Ping'an continued training with Fan Dache, Yan Zhuo, and Dong Huafu while the Yan family silk shop drew attention with its seal manuals and complimentary folding fans.
• Chen Ping'an reviewed his detailed records of Longquan County’s kilns and clans before Nalan Yexing brought Cui Wei to meet him.
• Cui Wei confessed that he had been planted in the Sword Qi Great Wall by Cui Chan’s arrangements and offered to carry secret letters, but Chen Ping'an refused to trust him and established cautious terms for future contact.
• Chen Ping'an told Nalan Yexing about the Heart Questioning Game at Book Scroll Lake, easing the old Sword Immortal’s regret over Cui Wei’s betrayal.
• The Sage of Literature visited Luopo Mountain’s Patriarch Hall, met Pei Qian, Chen Warm Tree, and Zhou Mili, and reflected on Chen Ping'an and his own failings as a teacher.
• A Guihua Island ferry arrived from Treasure Bottle Continent carrying a Northern Juluzhou Sword Immortal and his disciple.

Chen Ping'an reached the fifth realm, joked with children on the Sword Qi Great Wall, and then trained with Zuo while Ning Yao remained in seclusion. Meanwhile, Qi Jinglong and Bai Shou explored Inverted Mountain, where Qi Jinglong agreed to seek a Sword Nurturing Gourd for his disciple; Chen Ping'an later entertained a child with an unfinished tale about Sword Immortal Qi.

• Fan Dache and Chen Sanqiu discussed Chen Ping'an’s promise to let Fan Dache join the next battle under his protection as a Sword Master.
• Chen Ping'an gave Yuan Zao Hua two folding fans after she named the ten greatest Sword Immortals and added him to the list; he stamped one fan with a seal wishing for separated people to reunite.
• Zuo learned that Chen Ping'an had become a fifth-realm Qi cultivator and reminded him not to neglect scholarship and cultivating the heart before putting him through painful sword practice.
• Jin Su guided Qi Jinglong and Bai Shou around Inverted Mountain, and Qi Jinglong agreed to ask Spring Banner Lodge whether it could provide Bai Shou with a Sword Nurturing Gourd.
• Qi Jinglong reassured Bai Shou that he did not consider his disciple inferior to anyone and urged him to focus on surpassing himself.
• Chen Ping'an continued fighting Nalan Yexing and told Feng Kangle an unfinished story about Sword Immortal Qi before eating plain noodles alone.

Chen Ping'an treated the Sword Qi Great Wall wine patrons while reflecting on its strongest sword cultivators, as Qi Jinglong and Bai Shou arrived at the Great Wall with Lu Sui and Ren Longcong. Elsewhere, a visiting female martial artist arrived intent on challenging Chen Ping'an, while Bian Jing watched a deadly arena match and heard his hidden ally promise him power.

• Chen Ping'an persuaded two sword cultivators to buy him Bamboo Sea Cave Heaven Wine, then pretended to offer drinks to everyone while telling them to settle their tabs.
• Qi Jinglong escorted Bai Shou and the Osmanthus girls around Inverted Mountain, accepted Lu Sui's invitation to the Spring Banner Zhai, and reserved a Sword Nurturing Gourd from Shao Yunyan in exchange for a future sword strike.
• Qi Jinglong explained that Inverted Mountain was an immortal weapon built around a grand formation, and he told Lu Sui that his friend Chen Ping'an was practicing fistwork at the Sword Qi Great Wall.
• Sword Immortal Ku Xia taught swordsmanship to Lin Junbi and the visiting Shaoyuan Dynasty sword cultivators while Yan Lü judged their motives and Bian Jing watched a sword cultivator face a captured Demon Race opponent in the Martial Arts Field.
• A hidden being promised Bian Jing an immortal weapon and an Immortal Realm breakthrough if he completed their plan.
• Qi Jinglong, Bai Shou, Lu Sui, and Ren Longcong entered the Sword Qi Great Wall, while a female martial artist arrived separately, unaffected by its suppressive magic and intent on challenging Chen Ping'an.

Qi Jinglong and Bai Shou settled into the Taihui Sword Sect’s Armory Storehouse, then visited Chen Ping'an, where they discussed Bai Shou’s defeat by Pei Qian and the arrival of Yu Juanfu. The chapter ended as Yu Juanfu entered the pavilion and Bai Shou hurriedly warned Chen Ping'an not to accept her challenge.

• Qi Jinglong declined Lu Sui’s invitation to visit Song Lü and took Bai Shou to pay respects to Han Huaizi at Armory Storehouse.
• Han Huaizi welcomed Qi Jinglong and Bai Shou, explained the residence’s history, and reassured Bai Shou about the sect’s customs and values.
• Yu Juanfu reached the Sword Qi Great Wall, met Wei Jin, and went to find Sword Immortal Ku Xia, who greeted her warmly.
• Qi Jinglong told Chen Ping'an that Pei Qian had beaten Bai Shou in a sparring match, and Chen Ping'an teased Bai Shou about the defeat.
• Qi Jinglong said Yu Juanfu wanted to practice boxing with Bai Shou, and Yu Juanfu entered the pavilion as Bai Shou warned Chen Ping'an against accepting her challenge.

Chen Ping'an met Qi Jinglong and discussed his businesses at the Sword Qi Great Wall, then faced Yu Juanfu in a fist inquiry that ended with him taking her punch without retaliating. Yu Juanfu agreed to continue the contest, while Chen Ping'an hurried to the tavern and found Qi Jinglong with Fairy Lu of Water Classic Mountain.

• Ning Yao instructed Bai Shou to take sword practice seriously before returning to closed-door cultivation, and Qi Jinglong toured the Dragon Slaying Platform and Mustard Seed Small World with Chen Ping'an.
• Qi Jinglong praised Chen Ping'an's wine shop, seal manual, folding fans, and street storytellers, then studied Chen Ping'an's map of the Dragon Kilns and recognized its dragon-holding-a-pearl formation.
• Chen Ping'an received Ning Yao's message not to lose and later lay in bed for half a month after sparring on the city wall.
• Yu Juanfu came to challenge Chen Ping'an, struck him with one punch, and conceded the first bout when he stood back up; Chen Ping'an invited her to continue fighting on the city wall.
• Yu Juanfu told Ku Xia that Chen Ping'an could take responsibility for his words without relying on senior protectors, then compared his martial path with Cao Ci's.
• Chen Ping'an went to the tavern and found Qi Jinglong sharing a table with Fairy Lu of Water Classic Mountain and another woman.