Chapter Summaries

While traveling to the eastern Monster Mountain Range for training, Xiao Yan encountered three more robbers and tried to persuade them to stop preying on ordinary people. When they attacked him, he swiftly defeated them and showed the bald leader no mercy.

• Xiao Yan traveled with the Black Xuan Heavy Ruler on his back, using its Dou Qi suppression to temper himself.
• Three Six-star Dou Zhe robbers demanded Xiao Yan's money, and he urged them to earn a living through legitimate means.
• The robbers mocked Xiao Yan and attacked after he refused to hand over his money.
• Xiao Yan instantly sent two robbers flying and pinned the bald leader to the ground.
• The bald leader begged for mercy, but Xiao Yan said it was too late and struck him.

Xiao Yan defeated a group of robbers and forced them to surrender their valuables, then burned the loot and destroyed their Storage Ring as punishment. He left the robbers alive, but Yao Chen remained concerned about the immense Black Qi that appeared when he acted ruthlessly.

• Xiao Yan left the Bald Robber alive after beating him, while Yao Chen sensed the Black Qi withdraw and worried about its power.
• Xiao Yan ordered two robbers to surrender their valuables and Storage Rings, then gave them medicine to treat the Bald Robber and wake him.
• After the Bald Robber awoke, Xiao Yan challenged his excuse about having a family by pointing out that his victims might have families too.
• Xiao Yan burned the robbers' valuables, threw the Bald Robber's Storage Ring to the ground, and smashed it with the Black Xuan Heavy Ruler.

Xiao Yan tested whether punishing robbers and warning them could lead them to honest work, and briefly believed he had succeeded with three men. When they stopped a passing carriage to rob it after agreeing to reform, Xiao Yan fell into profound disappointment, and Yao Chen noticed the Black Qi rising again.

• Xiao Yan destroyed the robbers’ possessions, warned them to find honest work, and secretly watched to see what they would do.
• The Bald Robber agreed with his two underlings to give up robbery and seek honest work, briefly making Xiao Yan believe his method had worked.
• The three robbers let a passenger carriage pass, and Xiao Yan eagerly prepared to approach them and explain how to make amends.
• The Bald Robber proposed robbing the carriage one last time, and the three men stopped it as Xiao Yan watched in despair.
• Yao Chen connected Xiao Yan’s rising Black Qi to his profound disappointment in human nature and reflected that he suppressed his negative emotions rather than eliminating them.

Xiao Yan killed three robbers who stopped a carriage, while a cloaked Dou Emperor watched in shock at his speed, strength, and killing intent. After regaining control, Xiao Yan mourned the deaths and felt despair over how lost he had become.

• A cloaked woman traveling by carriage identified three road-blocking robbers as Six-star Dou Zhe and prepared to kill them.
• Xiao Yan appeared between the robbers and the carriage, and his killing intent made them collapse and beg for mercy.
• Xiao Yan swung the Black Xuan Heavy Ruler and crushed all three robbers' heads with one strike.
• The cloaked woman shielded the carriage driver and wondered how a Two-star Dou Zhe could move and strike with such power.
• Yao Chen recognized that Xiao Yan's violence came from the Black Qi rather than his intentions and worried about him.
• Xiao Yan regained his senses, looked at the corpses, and lamented the despair and confusion he felt after a week away from home.

After killing three bandits, Xiao Yan reflected on the fear his strength inspired and realized that forcing people onto the righteous path undermined its principles. He buried the bandits and met the powerful woman from the carriage, who introduced herself as Yun Zhi.

• Xiao Yan saw the driver cower after he killed the three bandits and realized the driver feared his overwhelming power, not merely his brutality.
• Xiao Yan reassured the driver, checked that he was unharmed, and sent him safely on his way.
• Xiao Yan buried the three bandits beside the road and paid his respects at their graves.
• Yun Zhi appeared beside Xiao Yan and questioned why he had buried the men he killed; he explained that their bodies preserved proof they had lived.
• Yun Zhi removed her cloak, introduced herself, and asked Xiao Yan his name; he told her he was Xiao Yan.

Yun Yun learned that Nalan Yanran had found her fiancé, Xiao Yan, and tried to marry him immediately, but he refused. Ge Ye arranged a Three-Year Pact, and Yun Yun now faced Xiao Yan in person, curious about the young man who had rejected her disciple.

• Yun Yun recalled allowing Nalan Yanran to visit the Xiao Family to annul her engagement, despite her concerns that it would look like the Misty Cloud Sect was bullying the Xiao Family.
• Nalan Yanran told Yun Yun she had found Xiao Yan, her fiancé and the boy she loved, and Yun Yun learned that Nalan Yanran had demanded to marry him on the spot.
• Ge Ye explained that Xiao Yan had refused the marriage and that he arranged a Three-Year Pact: if Nalan Yanran won, they would marry; if Xiao Yan won, the engagement would end.
• Yun Yun questioned why Xiao Yan had rejected Nalan Yanran, then looked at him in person and decided she no longer needed to travel to Wutan City to meet him.

Yun Zhi insisted on following Xiao Yan for several days, though she refused to explain why and denied having romantic intentions. At the Misty Cloud Sect, Nalan Yanran resumed cultivating and renewed her determination to consummate her marriage with Xiao Yan in three years.

• Xiao Yan tried to leave Yun Zhi, but she stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder.
• Yun Zhi claimed she had fallen in love with Xiao Yan at first sight, then admitted she had no interest in men or marriage.
• Xiao Yan asked Yun Zhi to explain her real reason for stopping him, but she refused and said she would follow him until she was satisfied.
• Xiao Yan tried to dissuade Yun Zhi by saying their journey might be uncomfortable or boring, but she brushed off every objection.
• Nalan Yanran sneezed at the Misty Cloud Sect, learned from Ge Ye that her teacher would be away for over a month, and returned to cultivating.
• Nalan Yanran vowed to consummate her marriage with Xiao Yan at the Misty Cloud Sect three years later.

Xiao Yan shared roasted meat with Yun Zhi as they traveled together, while mistakenly assuming she was a sheltered disciple from a reclusive sect. His kindness reminded Yun Zhi of a warm childhood memory with Yun Shan, and she thanked him with renewed feeling.

• Xiao Yan gave Yun Zhi roasted meat by the bonfire and wondered about her identity and lack of outdoor skills.
• Yun Zhi grew embarrassed and frustrated after remembering how badly she had roasted her own meat.
• Xiao Yan reflected on how relentless cultivation could deprive strong people of ordinary joys, then offered Yun Zhi another piece of meat.
• Xiao Yan’s gentle gesture reminded Yun Zhi of Yun Shan caring for her when she was young.
• Yun Zhi accepted the meat and thanked Xiao Yan twice, leaving him unsure what she meant.

After Yun Zhi finally cooked edible roasted meat with Xiao Yan’s help, she realized how much happier she had become during their journey and began to recognize her growing feelings for him. She tried to suppress them because Xiao Yan was engaged to her disciple Nalan Yanran, while Xiao Yan admitted to Yao Chen that he would want to marry Yun Zhi if he could.

• After eighteen failed attempts, Yun Zhi successfully roasted meat for the first time and shared it with Xiao Yan.
• Xiao Yan observed that Yun Zhi seemed far more cheerful than when they first met, and she realized their journey had let her rest from her burdens as Misty Cloud Sect Leader.
• Yun Zhi recognized that Xiao Yan had helped her become happier and felt a pang of regret that he belonged to Nalan Yanran.
• Yun Zhi startled Xiao Yan by slapping her forehead, then meditated while reminding herself not to pursue her disciple’s fiancé.
• Yao Chen told Xiao Yan that Yun Zhi had fallen for him, and Xiao Yan privately admitted that he would want to marry her.

Xiao Yan set aside his hope of marrying Yun Zhi, but a Dou Wang assassin attacked him in the night. Yun Zhi saved him, and Yao Chen suspected the Misty Cloud Sect had ordered the hit to prevent Xiao Yan from reaching the Three-Year Pact.

• Xiao Yan listed why he wanted to marry Yun Zhi, then accepted that she did not share his feelings and fell asleep.
• Yao Chen sensed danger and alerted Xiao Yan, while Yun Zhi also awoke and watched the forest.
• A black-cloaked Dou Wang appeared, confirmed Xiao Yan’s identity, and lunged at him with a dagger.
• Yun Zhi blocked the assassin’s strike and stood between him and Xiao Yan.
• Yao Chen reasoned that the Misty Cloud Sect had likely commissioned the assassination to stop the Three-Year Pact by eliminating Xiao Yan.

Yun Zhi realized the Misty Cloud Sect had likely ordered the assassination of Xiao Yan and erupted in fury. She killed the fleeing attacker’s escape and learned that he had accepted the anonymous commission through an assassination board in the Black Corner Region.

• Yun Zhi deduced that the Misty Cloud Sect was the only likely force behind the attack and felt ashamed that the sect she led had targeted Xiao Yan.
• Yun Zhi’s Dou Emperor aura erupted, and the black-cloaked Dou Wang tried to flee.
• Yun Zhi struck the black-cloaked man with four Wind Blades, crippled him, and stomped on his back.
• Yun Zhi demanded to know who had hired him, and he said he had never seen the client.
• The black-cloaked man explained that he had taken the commission through an assassination-mission posting place in the Black Corner Region and had received half the reward in advance.

Yun Zhi and Xiao Yan buried the assassin and reached Green Mountain, where Yun Zhi decided to leave him. Xiao Yan watched her go, while Yao Chen urged him to pursue her as his future wife.

• Yun Zhi killed the black-cloaked assassin and resolved to investigate the Misty Cloud Sect's problems more seriously.
• Xiao Yan recovered the assassin's body, buried him, and reflected on how necessary strength was to protect himself and pursue his goals.
• Xiao Yan and Yun Zhi traveled in silence until they reached Green Mountain near the Monster Mountain Range.
• Yun Zhi said goodbye to Xiao Yan and left, feeling guilty because the Misty Cloud Sect had caused the danger he faced.
• Yao Chen scolded Xiao Yan for letting Yun Zhi go and offered to help him win her over, leaving Xiao Yan exasperated.

Xiao Yan visited Myriad Medicine Pavilion in Qingshan Town to learn about medicinal herbs and met its owner, Boss Yao, whose healing medicine impressed Yao Chen. Boss Yao offered to introduce Xiao Yan to alchemy, revealing that he had raised and taught Xiao Yi Xian.

• Xiao Yan noticed mercenaries crowding outside Myriad Medicine Pavilion to see Xiao Yi Xian and chose to enter the shop instead.
• Xiao Yan introduced himself to the shop owner, Boss Yao, and learned that mercenaries gathered daily to enter the Monster Mountain Range.
• Boss Yao explained that he was a physician who made healing medicine by fusing herbs with flames, and Yao Chen praised its quality.
• Boss Yao offered to teach Xiao Yan the basics of alchemy and said he had raised and taught Xiao Yi Xian.

Xiao Yan waited at Myriad Medicine Pavilion while Boss Yao rushed to treat a sick grandmother, then discovered that a herb labeled Yellow Lotus Essence was actually rare Blood Lotus Essence. After Boss Yao explained that the patient needed an herb guarded by Second-tier Magical Beasts, Xiao Yan proposed making a deal.

• Boss Yao invited Xiao Yan to observe him refining medicine after Xiao Yan explained that he already had an alchemy teacher.
• A tearful boy summoned Boss Yao to treat his grandmother, and Xiao Yan stayed behind to watch the empty shop.
• Yao Chen identified a displayed Yellow Lotus Essence as rare Blood Lotus Essence, but Xiao Yan refused to exploit Boss Yao’s mistake.
• Boss Yao returned and said the grandmother had barely survived, but her treatment required an herb from an area inhabited by Second-tier Magical Beasts.
• Xiao Yan offered to make a deal with Boss Yao.

Xiao Yan agreed to retrieve a medicinal herb from an area inhabited by Second-tier Magical Beasts in exchange for Boss Yao’s Blood Lotus Essence, refusing to exploit the shop’s mistake. After Xiao Yan left, Boss Yao considered introducing him to Xiao Yi Xian, then coughed blood and reconsidered because he feared his illness would not let him hold on much longer.

• Xiao Yan offered to retrieve the medicinal herb after Boss Yao described the danger, and asked for the Blood Lotus Essence he had spotted on the shelf.
• Boss Yao discovered that the herb had been mislabeled as Yellow Lotus Essence, while Xiao Yan insisted on paying the remaining value rather than taking advantage of the mistake.
• Boss Yao agreed to reserve the Blood Lotus Essence and gave Xiao Yan maps showing the herb’s location and appearance.
• Xiao Yan left the Myriad Medicine Pavilion with his Black Xuan Heavy Ruler, and Boss Yao considered introducing him to Xiao Yi Xian before deciding it might harm Xiao Yan.
• Boss Yao coughed blood, took a pill, and decided Xiao Yan should still meet Xiao Yi Xian so she might have someone trustworthy by her side.

Xiao Yan traveled through the Monster Mountain Range and reached a mercenary group fighting a Second-tier Crimson Ice Snake. After rescuing the Little Fairy Doctor from a second snake, he destroyed the beast with one strike, leaving both the mercenaries and himself astonished.

• Xiao Yan drove off a pack of Wood Swallowing Foxes and told Yao Chen he was worried about fighting a Second-tier Magical Beast as a Three-star Dou Zhe.
• Xiao Yan followed Boss Yao’s map and found mercenaries battling a Crimson Ice Snake, with the Little Fairy Doctor watching nearby.
• Xiao Yan spotted a second Crimson Ice Snake sneaking up behind the Little Fairy Doctor and shouted a warning.
• Xiao Yan threw the Black Xuan Heavy Ruler to shatter the attacking snake’s head, then killed the snake the mercenaries were fighting with Eight Extremes Collapse.
• Xiao Yan and the mercenaries stared at the shattered beast in disbelief, and Xiao Yan wondered why the Second-tier Magical Beast had seemed so easy to defeat.

Xiao Yan joined Mu Li’s mercenary group after killing a Crimson Ice Snake, believing he needed their help to find medicinal herbs in the Monster Mountain Range. The group set off with Xiao Yi Xian beside him, while Yao Chen silently fumed at Xiao Yan’s mistaken belief that he could not handle the beasts alone.

• Xiao Yan killed the Crimson Ice Snake with one punch and pulled the Black Xuan Heavy Ruler from the ground.
• Xiao Yi Xian thanked Xiao Yan for saving her, and Xiao Yan explained that he had accepted Boss Yao’s commission.
• Mu Li introduced himself as the young leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group and invited Xiao Yan to travel with them.
• Xiao Yan agreed to join the group because he was unfamiliar with the route and believed the Second-tier Magical Beasts might be too much for him alone.
• Xiao Yan showed Xiao Yi Xian the medicinal-herb drawings and said he had joined the group because he could not handle so many Second-tier Magical Beasts alone, startling her.

Xiao Yan followed Xiao Yi Xian after she secretly left the camp at night and discovered her climbing down a cliff, where he suspected she was searching for treasure. The chapter left him watching her descent as he realized what she might be doing.

• Xiao Yi Xian wrongly concluded that Xiao Yan had been hired by Boss Yao to protect her and grew furious over the expense.
• The mercenaries noticed Xiao Yi Xian's anger and nervously avoided speaking to her.
• After everyone fell asleep, Xiao Yi Xian secretly left camp with a rope, and Xiao Yan followed her.
• Xiao Yan found Xiao Yi Xian climbing down a cliff and wondered what she was seeking.
• Yao Chen reminded Xiao Yan that he and his siblings had once dug in their Back Mountain for treasure, and Xiao Yan suspected Xiao Yi Xian was doing the same.

Xiao Yan rescued Xiao Yi Xian after her rope snapped, then agreed to help her reach the treasure at the bottom of the cliff. The chapter ended with Xiao Yi Xian climbing onto his back as he prepared to carry her down.

• Xiao Yan caught Xiao Yi Xian when her rope broke and pulled her safely back to the cliff's edge.
• Xiao Yi Xian accused Xiao Yan of being sent by Boss Yao to protect her, but he said he had only followed her after seeing her leave camp.
• Xiao Yan asked whether there was treasure below, and Xiao Yi Xian agreed to share it if he helped her reach it and protected her.
• Xiao Yan offered to carry Xiao Yi Xian on his back rather than hold her around the waist, making her laugh at his modesty.
• Xiao Yi Xian climbed onto Xiao Yan's back, and they prepared to descend the cliff.

Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian discovered a hidden tomb beneath the cliff, where Xiao Yan refused to take its treasures out of respect for the deceased. As they tried to leave, the dead tomb master’s skeleton suddenly awakened and confronted them.

• Xiao Yan carried Xiao Yi Xian to the hidden cave entrance, and they entered after she opened its stone door.
• Xiao Yan spotted Ice Spirit Flame Grass among the treasures, then noticed the skeleton and its request that visitors leave its possessions undisturbed.
• Xiao Yan bowed to the tomb master and chose to wait outside while Xiao Yi Xian gathered what she wanted.
• The skeleton touched Xiao Yan’s shoulder, and Yao Chen warned him as Xiao Yi Xian cried out for him to watch out.
• Xiao Yan apologized to the tomb master and prepared to lead Xiao Yi Xian out while staying ready to fight.