Chapter Summaries

Xiao Cheng and Xiao Wu killed Mu Li’s ambush party, then forced Mu Li to reveal the Wolf Head Mercenary Group’s strength before Xiao Wu killed him. After receiving a system quest to display his might, Xiao Cheng headed for the group’s headquarters to confront them.

• Xiao Cheng and Xiao Wu encountered Mu Li and ten Wolf Head Mercenary Group members waiting to ambush them.
• Xiao Wu killed the mercenaries with a single powerful attack after Xiao Cheng told him to stop holding back.
• Xiao Cheng questioned the terrified Mu Li, who revealed that his father Tahiti was the group’s strongest member and named its other senior fighters.
• Xiao Wu killed Mu Li on Xiao Cheng’s order, and the system issued Xiao Cheng a quest that would advance him to One-star Great Dou Master.
• Xiao Cheng told Xiao Wu to carry Mu Li’s corpse as they set off for the Wolf Head Mercenary Group’s base near Qingshan Town.

Xiao Cheng and Xiao Wu tracked the Wolf Head Mercenary Group to its camp, killing several squads along the way. Xiao Cheng attacked the camp’s guards and called Mu She out, leaving the two sides poised for a fight.

• Jia Lie Te found Mu Li’s group dead and hurried to Wutan City to warn Jia Lie Bi.
• Xiao Cheng and Xiao Wu reached Qingshan Town, where Xiao Wu forced a mercenary to reveal that the Wolf Head Mercenary Group’s camp was nearby.
• Xiao Cheng ordered Xiao Wu to kill a squad and bring its strongest member for questioning, then had Xiao Wu kill the captive after learning the camp’s location.
• Xiao Cheng and Xiao Wu wiped out three or four more squads before reaching the camp, where Xiao Cheng knocked down the two guards.
• Mu She and two senior members heard Xiao Cheng’s challenge and went outside as Xiao Cheng stood surrounded by mercenaries.

Xiao Cheng and Xiao Wu destroyed the Wolf Head Mercenary Group after Mu She’s men ambushed Xiao Cheng. With Mu She captured, Xiao Cheng headed to Wutan City to confront the Jia Lie Family.

• Mu She arrived with more than a hundred men, and Xiao Cheng confronted him over the ambush before Xiao Wu brought Mu Li’s body forward.
• Enraged by his son’s death, Mu She ordered his men to kill Xiao Cheng, but Xiao Wu slaughtered the mercenaries and defeated Hermon and a Nine-star Dou Zhe.
• Mu She tried to bargain with Xiao Cheng, who refused to spare him and ordered Xiao Wu to cripple him.
• Mu She attempted to flee, but Xiao Wu struck him down and sealed his Dou Qi.
• Xiao Cheng ordered Xiao Wu to carry Mu She to Wutan City, where they would go straight to the Jia Lie Family, and the Wolf Head Mercenary Group was destroyed.

Jia Lie Bi, the Xiao Clan, and others sensed trouble after Xiao Cheng wiped out the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, while Xiao Cheng rushed toward Wutan City with Mu She and Xiao Wu. The system warned him that Xiao Wu’s core components were damaged, but Xiao Cheng remained intent on destroying the Jia Lie Family.

• Jia Lie Bi heard that the Wolf Head Mercenary Group’s corpses had been found but Xiao Cheng and Mu Li were missing, so he sent Jia Lie Te to investigate the group’s camp.
• At Ruyi Zhai, Yue'er asked about Xiao Cheng while Gu He and Xiao Yi Xian noticed fewer customers and an oppressive feeling in Wutan City.
• Xiao Zhan and the Three Elders discussed rumors of a plot against Xiao Cheng and decided to send people to Qingshan Town to investigate.
• Xiao Yan advanced to a Three-star Dou Zhe, and Old Yao promised to take him to the Tagor Desert for training once he reached Five-star Dou Zhe.
• The system told Xiao Cheng that excessive use had damaged Xiao Wu’s core components and warned that the puppet might be scrapped if used in battle again.
• Xiao Cheng learned that Xiao Wu could be repaired and continued toward Wutan City, intent on destroying the Jia Lie Family.

Xiao Cheng and Xiao Wu confronted the Jia Lie Family after learning that Jia Lie Bi had colluded with Mu She to ambush him. Xiao Wu killed Jia Lie Bi and Jia Lie'ao, then wiped out the family, and news of its destruction spread through Wutan City.

• Xiao Cheng and Xiao Wu arrived at the Jia Lie Family with the badly injured Mu She, while Jia Lie Bi realized Xiao Wu was likely a powerful expert.
• Xiao Cheng smashed the family’s gate and challenged Jia Lie Bi, who came outside with Jia Lie'ao and the family’s guards.
• Xiao Wu threw Mu She before Jia Lie Bi, and Xiao Cheng accused him of plotting with Mu She to ambush him.
• Xiao Cheng ordered Xiao Wu to kill everyone in the Jia Lie Family after Jia Lie Bi refused to accept blame.
• Xiao Wu killed Jia Lie Bi and Jia Lie'ao, then slaughtered the remaining family members as Xiao Cheng returned to Ruyi Zhai.
• News that the Jia Lie Family had been destroyed spread throughout Wutan City.

After Xiao Cheng destroyed the Jia Lie Family and the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, the system warned him that Xiao Wu was badly damaged and needed repairs. Xiao Cheng put the puppet away, resolved to rely more on himself, and left Gu He to guard Ruyi Zhai as Ya Fei began investigating his connection to the massacre.

• Xiao Cheng returned to Ruyi Zhai and told Gu He that the blood on him came from magical beasts.
• Xiao Wu failed to find Jia Lie Te, and the system warned Xiao Cheng that the puppet's core components were severely worn and required repairs.
• Xiao Cheng retrieved Xiao Wu, accepted the system's advice to rely on himself, and told the others that Xiao Wu had gone away to train.
• Xiao Cheng asked Gu He to protect Ruyi Zhai and postponed using the system's reward to raise his realm by three minor levels.
• Gu Ni reported that the Jia Lie Family and Mu She had been killed, and Ya Fei ordered an investigation into Xiao Cheng's movements.
• Xiao Cheng checked his personal panel, mourned Xiao Wu's damaged condition, and rested at the shop.

Xiao Zhan investigated the destruction of the Jia Lie Family and ordered the Xiao Clan to keep a low profile. Xiao Cheng raised his cultivation and learned what rare materials were needed to repair Xiao Wu, then led the shop employees through Broadcast Gymnastics the next morning.

• Xiao Zhan and the Three Elders discussed the Jia Lie Family's destruction and the discovery of Mu She and other Wolf Head Mercenary Group members among the dead.
• Xiao Zhan ordered the Xiao Clan to act cautiously and continue investigating the destruction.
• Xiao Cheng used his reward to advance from Five-star Dou Zhe to Eight-star Dou Zhe, then learned that repairing Xiao Wu required rare materials and a Heavenly Flame alchemist.
• Xiao Cheng decided to postpone repairing Xiao Wu until he was stronger and could seek the materials elsewhere.
• Xiao Cheng woke the shop employees early and made them perform Broadcast Gymnastics before the day's work began.

Xiao Cheng concealed the source of Broadcast Gymnastics from Gu He while the Xiao Clan and Ao Ba Pa Family divided the Jia Lie Family’s assets after its destruction. With the crisis over, Xiao Cheng began planning a membership system for Ruyi Zhai, but struggled to decide how it should work.

• Xiao Cheng told Gu He that Broadcast Gymnastics came from his master, then played Gomoku with him.
• The First Elder visited Ruyi Zhai and told Xiao Cheng that the Jia Lie Family had been destroyed and Mu She had died.
• The First Elder explained that the Xiao Clan and Ao Ba Pa Family had divided the Jia Lie Family’s assets and would manage its marketplaces together.
• Gu Ni tried to learn more from Xiao Cheng, failed, and left after buying pastries.
• Xiao Cheng decided to advance his plans for a membership system, then struggled to work out its design.

Xiao Zhan and Ya Fei ended their investigations into the destruction of the Jia Lie Family and the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, while Xiao Cheng worked on inventing a new pastry at Ruyi Zhai. Protector Wu used the dead mercenaries’ souls to grow stronger and sent a puppet after Xiao Cheng, who later decided to teach the boastful Xiao Ning a lesson.

• Xiao Zhan and Ya Fei learned that the Wolf Head Mercenary Group’s members were long dead, but both chose to stop investigating the strange destructions.
• Xiao Cheng struggled to devise a membership system, then began planning a new kind of little cake for Ruyi Zhai.
• Protector Wu absorbed the scattered souls at the mercenary camp, turned a dead Nine-star Dou Zhe executive into a puppet, and ordered it to kill Xiao Cheng.
• Xiao Ning visited Ruyi Zhai, asked Xiao Yi Xian about her cultivation, and bought Peanut Nougat instead of the new Horseshoe Pastry.
• Xiao Ning proudly told Xiao Cheng he had reached Three-star Dou Zhe, and Xiao Cheng privately decided to give him a taste of the real world.

Xiao Cheng finalized the basic membership points rules and had the system create a customized, anti-counterfeit Ruyi Zhai membership card. With the card design and rules settled, he planned to wait for a suitable chance to introduce the system.

• Xiao Cheng decided that Ruyi Zhai would use one unified membership card and award one point for every ten Gold Coins spent, but he worried about how large top-ups might affect future lotteries.
• Xiao Lu visited Ruyi Zhai, explained that he had become a squad captain at the former Jia Lie Family market, and revealed that he had reached Four-star Dou Zhe.
• Xiao Lu bought three jin of Honeyed Shortbread while Xiao Cheng returned his attention to the membership system.
• Xiao Cheng paid the system three thousand Gold Coins to design a card featuring Ruyi Zhai's storefront and images of Xiao Yi Xian and Yue'er.
• The system produced a card with real-name registration, replacement, and ownership rules, plus an embedded chip to record data and prevent counterfeiting.
• Xiao Cheng settled on a token application fee of one hundred Gold Coins and waited for the right opportunity to launch the membership system.

Xiao Cheng visited the Xiao Clan to check on its growth and discuss finding people with cultivation problems, while Nalan Su traveled to Ruyi Zhai for help with Nalan Jie's worsening Scorching Poison. Yun Yun suspected her master was preparing to move against Ruyi Zhai and secretly warned Xiao Cheng; meanwhile, Protector Wu's puppet encountered a Sixth-tier Magical Beast in the Monster Mountain Range.

• Xiao Cheng left Ruyi Zhai with pastries and went to the Xiao Clan to check on its development and see Xiao Yan.
• Nalan Su prepared gifts and hurried to Wutan City as the Mung Bean Cakes could no longer reliably suppress Nalan Jie's Scorching Poison.
• Yun Yun suspected her master planned to attack Ruyi Zhai and sent Xiao Cheng a secret warning through a messenger.
• Xiao Zhan told Xiao Cheng that the Xiao Clan had grown stronger through its pastries and cooperation with the Ao Ba Pa Family, and agreed to watch for people with cultivation problems.
• Xiao Cheng learned that Xiao Yan was cultivating at home and went to visit him.
• Protector Wu's puppet killed a third-tier Magical Beast in the Monster Mountain Range, then faced the approaching pressure of a Sixth-tier Magical Beast.

Xiao Cheng visited Xiao Yan with pastries, then received a letter warning that Yun Shan intended to take over Ruyi Zhai. As he fretted over how to respond, another problem arrived outside the shop.

• Xiao Cheng brought Xiao Yan another large batch of pastries and learned that Xiao Yan had only recently advanced to Three-star Dou Zhe.
• Xiao Cheng revealed that he was probably an Eight-star Dou Zhe, impressing Xiao Yan, while Xiao Xun'er arrived and invited Xiao Yan to the marketplace.
• Xiao Cheng left the Xiao Clan and returned to Ruyi Zhai, where Gu He gave him a letter from the Sect Master.
• Xiao Cheng read that Yun Shan wanted to take over Ruyi Zhai and worried that he lacked help to defend the shop.
• Xiao Cheng's system told him that making pastries was his only way out, and another trouble arrived outside the shop door.

Nalan Su asked Xiao Cheng to travel to the Imperial Capital and cure Nalan Jie’s worsening Scorching Poison, and Xiao Cheng agreed after receiving a quest that offered upgraded Mung Bean Cakes. As Xiao Cheng departed, the puppet continued hunting Magical Beasts, while a mass of Black Mist appeared near Ruyi Zhai.

• Nalan Su hurried to Ruyi Zhai and asked Xiao Cheng to save Nalan Jie from his worsening Scorching Poison.
• Xiao Cheng accepted a system quest and learned that an Upgraded Mung Bean Cake had ten times the detoxifying effect of an ordinary one.
• Xiao Cheng gave instructions to Xiao Yi Xian, Yue'er, and Gu He, then left for the Imperial Capital with Nalan Su.
• The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King encountered the puppet in the Monster Mountain Range, sensed something strange about it, and left without attacking.
• The puppet resumed slaughtering low-tier Magical Beasts, while a mass of Black Mist appeared near Ruyi Zhai amid eerie laughter.

Protector Wu attacked Gu He at Ruyi Zhai, but the shop’s automatic defenses drove him off and left him wary of its hidden strength. Xiao Cheng then treated Nalan Jie with an upgraded Mung Bean Cake, curing his Scorching Poison, and stayed for a banquet with the Nalan Family.

• Protector Wu attacked Gu He at Ruyi Zhai, but a bolt of lightning struck him and forced him to retreat.
• Protector Wu concluded that Ruyi Zhai concealed a powerful Dou Zong and left to recover from his injuries.
• Xiao Cheng learned that Protector Wu had attacked the shop and traveled with Nalan Su to see Nalan Jie.
• Xiao Cheng gave Nalan Jie an upgraded Mung Bean Cake, which expelled the Scorching Poison and improved his condition.
• Nalan Su arranged a banquet to thank Xiao Cheng, who decided to stay before seeking Haibodong.

Luobu returned to Stone Desert City with Mo Family backing to attack the Mo Tie Mercenary Group, but Xiao Ding and Xiao Li mobilized reinforcements to meet him. Xiao Cheng received a quest to help the brothers and decided to leave the Imperial Capital for Stone Desert City with Haibodong.

• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li built the Mo Tie Mercenary Group into a force with five Da Dou Shi, while Xue Lan led a squad into the desert.
• Xue Lan spotted Luobu approaching with more than a dozen riders and sent Dan Zai to warn the group leaders and request reinforcements.
• Luobu had gained Mo Ran and the Mo Family's support after agreeing that the Sand Mercenary Group would serve the family.
• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li received Dan Zai's warning, suspected Luobu had powerful backing, and set out with fighters to join Xue Lan.
• Xiao Cheng received a two-day quest to help the Xiao Ding brothers and decided to take Haibodong to Stone Desert City.

Xiao Cheng collected Haibodong from the Mitel Family to accompany him to the Tagor Desert. They arrived as Xue Lan and her companions faced Luobu’s forces, with Commander Xiao’s arrival giving them hope.

• At Nalan Su’s banquet, Xiao Cheng accepted his apology for Yanran’s past trouble and said he was heading to the Mitel Family.
• Mitel Tengshan welcomed Xiao Cheng, who explained that he had come to take Haibodong as his promised bodyguard for a year.
• Haibodong remembered his promise and agreed to accompany Xiao Cheng to the Tagor Desert after learning Xiao Wu had returned home.
• Xiao Cheng used the system to teleport himself and Haibodong to the Tagor Desert, where Xue Lan and the others were surrounded by Luobu’s men.
• Xue Lan heard hoofbeats approaching and felt relieved, believing Commander Xiao and the others had arrived.

Luobu threatened the Mo Tie Mercenary Group and demanded that Xiao Ding withdraw from Stone Desert City, while Xiao Cheng and Haibodong arrived and offered the brothers crucial support. The chapter ended with the group’s spirits lifted as Luobu’s mercenaries secretly plotted nearby.

• Luobu gave Xiao Ding three days to leave Stone Desert City, but Xiao Ding and Xiao Li refused and challenged the Sand Mercenary Group.
• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li returned to Stone Desert City and gathered their allies to discuss Luobu’s strength and possible support.
• Xiao Cheng and Haibodong arrived after Xiao Cheng’s late-onset teleportation sickness triggered an involuntary dance as punishment from the system.
• Xiao Cheng pointed out that Haibodong, a Dou Huang, could face Luobu’s hidden helper, and Haibodong agreed to help.
• Xiao Ding dragged Xiao Cheng off to drink while Haibodong advised the mercenary group’s experts, as Luobu’s forces plotted nearby.

Luobu agreed to make the Sand Mercenary Group an affiliate of the Mo Family, surrendering most of its profits as he prepared to attack the Mo Tie Mercenary Group. In Stone Desert City, Xiao Ding gathered intelligence and strengthened defenses while the others spent the morning playing Gomoku and doing Broadcast Gymnastics.

• Mo Ran claimed the Mo Family could easily destroy the Mo Tie Mercenary Group and demanded eighty percent of the Sand Mercenary Group's yearly profits and its obedience; Luobu reluctantly agreed.
• Mo Ran boasted that the Mo Family Head was a Dou Ling and that the Misty Cloud Sect backed the family.
• Haibodong and Xiao Li played Gomoku, repeatedly blocking each other's attempts to win until Haibodong cleared the board to start again.
• Xue Lan told Xiao Ding that Luobu's group was camped near Stone Desert City, and Xiao Ding sent her and Dan Zai to investigate Luobu's support and circumstances.
• At Ruyi Zhai, Gu He told Gu Ni that Xiao Cheng's Broadcast Gymnastics was a supreme Cultivation Method, and Gu Ni joined the morning exercise.

Xiao Cheng learned that Luobu had joined the Mo Family and arranged for Haibodong to face its strongest fighter. As Xiao Cheng and the others turned to card games, Luobu began planning his next move and a crisis drew near.

• The Mitel Family steward bought several kinds of pastries from Ruyi Zhai, where Xiao Yi Xian and Gu He were struggling to keep up with growing business.
• Xiao Cheng woke with a hangover, bought a hangover pill from the system, and found Haibodong, Xiao Li, and Xiao Ding playing Gomoku.
• Xiao Ding told Xiao Cheng that Luobu had joined the Mo Family, which was backed by the Misty Cloud Sect.
• Xiao Cheng asked Haibodong to help the Xiao brothers, and Haibodong agreed to fight only their strongest opponent.
• Xiao Cheng and the others switched from Gomoku to Dou Dizhu while Luobu planned his next move.

After Xiao Cheng cured Nalan Jie, the Nalan Family discussed thanking him and repairing ties with the Xiao Clan, while Nalan Yanran resented their respect for the shop owner. In Stone Desert City, Xiao Cheng began preparing a series of pranks for Luobu and his men, who remained unaware of what was coming.

• Nalan Su and Nalan Jie planned to thank Xiao Cheng with rare spiritual herbs and considered offering the Nalan Family’s younger members discounted pastries from Ruyi Zhai.
• Nalan Yanran questioned why her family should cooperate with a shop owner, and Nalan Su and Nalan Jie scolded her for disrespecting Xiao Cheng.
• Nalan Jie advised Nalan Su to visit the Xiao Clan and ease tensions between their families, and Nalan Su agreed.
• At Ruyi Zhai, Gu He and Payne played Gomoku while Xiao Lu and Yue'er competed with increasingly ruthless blocking moves.
• In Stone Desert City, Xiao Cheng proposed pranking Luobu and his men with powder bombs, Stinky Tofu, and other tricks, and Xiao Li agreed to help.
• Xiao Cheng prepared the prank items and imagined giving Luobu electric chewing gum, while Luobu shuddered at the Sand Mercenary Group’s base without knowing what awaited him.