Chapter Summaries

Huang Shaojie persuaded Nguyen Dan to ally Annan with Great Chu against India and took the former king to Giant Rock Ridge to meet Li Chengbiao. The pair entered Li Chengbiao’s command tent, where the general was drinking wine.

• Huang Shaojie convinced Nguyen Dan that Annan should join forces with Great Chu to drive out India, and Nguyen Dan agreed.
• Nguyen Dan asked Huang Shaojie’s name and learned his fabricated story about being Wu Di’s cousin, then agreed to visit Li Chengbiao at Giant Rock Ridge.
• Huang Shaojie disguised Nguyen Dan, and the two traveled by horseback toward Giant Rock Ridge.
• After arriving near Giant Rock Ridge three days later, Huang Shaojie used a centurion’s token to gain an audience with Li Chengbiao.
• Huang Shaojie led Nguyen Dan into Li Chengbiao’s command tent and found the general seated and drinking wine.

Nguyen Dan sought Li Chengbiao’s support in turning against India and joining Great Chu, then secured Zhang Xian’s loyalty at Jiuzhen Commandery. He stayed at the General’s Residence to await the Chu army while Huang Shaojie rode back to Yong Prefecture.

• Nguyen Dan revealed his identity to Li Chengbiao, who knelt and acknowledged him as king.
• Nguyen Dan persuaded Li Chengbiao that Annan Kingdom needed Great Chu’s help to drive India out, and Li agreed to join the Chu army against India when it arrived.
• Nguyen Dan ordered Li Chengbiao to keep the plan secret and remain stationed at Giant Rock Ridge.
• Nguyen Dan and Huang Shaojie traveled to Jiuzhen Commandery, where Zhang Xian pledged obedience and Nguyen Dan appointed him Commander-in-Chief.
• Nguyen Dan stayed at the General’s Residence to await the Great Chu army, and Huang Shaojie departed for Yong Prefecture.

Japan’s court decided to send troops and warships to harass Great Chu while waiting for an opportunity to invade. In Yongzhou, Huang Shaojie revealed that India controlled the Annan Kingdom and had stationed a million troops there, then learned that Princess Pingyang would lead only two hundred thousand Chu soldiers against them.

• The Japanese Emperor heard that Princess Pingyang was marching south with two hundred thousand troops and approved Okamura Sota’s plan to send three hundred thousand soldiers and one thousand warships to Great Chu’s southeastern coast.
• Huang Shaojie returned to Yongzhou and told Meng Xing that India had taken control of the Annan Kingdom and deployed a million troops there.
• Huang Shaojie recounted how Nguyen Canh had used India’s Great General to seize power before falling under India’s control.
• Meng Xing told Huang Shaojie that Princess Pingyang would command the Western Expedition Army of two hundred thousand troops.
• Huang Shaojie and Meng Xing questioned how Princess Pingyang could defeat India’s million-man army with such a small force.

Huang Shaojie told Meng Xing that the Annan Kingdom’s King had agreed to join Great Chu against India, then investigated whether General Chou Sihai was the assassin who had targeted Imperial Uncle. Princess Pingyang arrived in Yong Prefecture with her army and convened a military council, where she learned that India had stationed over a million troops in the Annan capital.

• Huang Shaojie informed Meng Xing that he had rescued the King of Annan and persuaded him to fight alongside Great Chu against India.
• Meng Xing told Huang Shaojie that Chou Sihai had been raiding the Annan border, practiced palm and finger techniques, and had taken leave to visit his hometown in Datong, deepening Huang Shaojie's suspicion that Chou was the assassin.
• Xiang Qingyang arrived in Yong Prefecture with two hundred thousand orderly troops, and Meng Xing and Huang Shaojie welcomed her before she called a military council.
• Xiang Qingyang asked Meng Xing about the Annan Kingdom, and he reported that scouts had found over a million Indian troops stationed in its capital.
• Meng Xing told Xiang Qingyang that Huang Shaojie had gathered more important intelligence during his solo journey to the Annan Kingdom.

Huang Shaojie briefed Xiang Qingyang on India’s control of the Annan court and the enemy’s formidable forces, then revealed that he had secured the Annan king’s alliance with Great Chu. Xiang Qingyang rewarded him and ordered him to bring Nguyen Dan and a map to her, intending to take the king along as a hostage during the campaign.

• Huang Shaojie reported that Nguyen Canh had seized power with Indian support and that India planned to trap the Chu Army in Annan.
• Huang Shaojie confirmed that India’s General Azim was a Great Grandmaster and warned that the Indian and Annan armies greatly outnumbered Xiang Qingyang’s forces.
• Xiang Qingyang and the generals reacted with shock when she described Huang Shaojie as invincible below the Great Grandmaster realm.
• Huang Shaojie explained that he had rescued Nguyen Dan and arranged for the Annan king, Li Chengbiao, and Zhang Xian to join Great Chu against India.
• Xiang Qingyang praised Huang Shaojie, promised him promotion and a noble title, and ordered him to bring Nguyen Dan and an Annan map to her.
• Xiang Qingyang decided to take Nguyen Dan on the campaign as a hostage to keep the Annan army from turning against Great Chu.

Princess Pingyang sent Huang Shaojie to persuade King Nguyen Dan to join Great Chu against India, using Prince Ning’s supposed presence and overwhelming force to secure his cooperation. Nguyen Dan agreed to become a hostage and joined the Chu forces, and the chapter ended as Tang Feng’s vanguard confronted Zhang Xian outside Jiuzhen Commandery.

• Princess Pingyang ordered Huang Shaojie to tell Nguyen Dan that Great Chu would invade unless he came as a hostage, and to claim that Prince Ning led eight hundred thousand troops.
• Huang Shaojie arrived at Jiuzhen Commandery and told Nguyen Dan and his generals that Great Chu would fight India, but demanded that Nguyen Dan travel to Yong Prefecture to prove Annan’s sincerity.
• Huang Shaojie warned Nguyen Dan that Prince Ning could destroy Annan without its help, and Nguyen Dan agreed to meet Great Chu’s envoy.
• Nguyen Dan and the Chu envoys agreed on a plan for Zhang Xian and Li Chengbiao to feign or stage an ambush against the Indian army at Giant Stone Ridge, then attack it alongside Great Chu.
• Three days later, Tang Feng led thirty thousand Tiger Swift Guards across the border toward Jiuzhen, while Princess Pingyang followed with the main force and Meng Xing commanded the rear.
• Zhang Xian led twenty thousand troops out of Jiuzhen to face Tang Feng, and the two generals exchanged challenges.

Tang Feng led the Chu Army to capture Annan City as part of a deception, while Azim learned that Prince Ning was advancing and ordered an ambush at Giant Rock Ridge. The chapter left Azim preparing to face Great Chu as Ashu took command of the troops guarding Annan Kingdom’s capital.

• Tang Feng fought Zhang Xian while holding back his strength, then led thirty thousand Chu Army troops in a staged pursuit that captured Annan City.
• Azim brooded over the palace maid who had crippled him and vowed revenge, then received news that the Chu Army was advancing toward Jiuzhen Commandery.
• Azim learned that Prince Ning was leading Great Chu’s invasion and declared that he would defeat him.
• Azim ordered eight hundred thousand troops to set an ambush at Giant Rock Ridge and assigned the remaining two hundred thousand to guard the capital under Ashu’s command.

In Jiuzhen Commandery, Huang Shaojie proposed killing Azim to weaken the India Army and demonstrated a disguise powerful enough to infiltrate its ranks. Xiang Qingyang accepted that he could enter the enemy camp but urged him to abandon the assassination if it was too dangerous.

• Huang Shaojie studied the map with Xiang Qingyang and warned that the Chu Army could suffer heavy losses if it faced the India Army's ambush at Giant Rock Ridge.
• Huang Shaojie proposed assassinating Azim, the India Army's Great General, to throw the million-strong army into disarray.
• Xiang Qingyang objected that Azim was a Great Grandmaster protected by experts and worried Huang Shaojie would die attempting the task.
• Huang Shaojie transformed his appearance and build with a human-skin mask and Bone Shrinking Technique, astonishing Xiang Qingyang and the guards.
• Huang Shaojie spoke in the language of India, convincing Xiang Qingyang that he could infiltrate the India Army.
• Xiang Qingyang warned Huang Shaojie to proceed cautiously and abandon the plan if he lacked confidence in killing Azim.

Huang Shaojie infiltrated the India Army camp near Giant Rock Ridge, learned its password and command structure, and disguised himself as a patrol captain while planning to kill Azim during battle. Days later, Azim prepared to spring his ambush on the advancing Chu Army and the fleeing Annan Kingdom troops.

• Huang Shaojie reached Giant Rock Ridge, confirmed the India Army was concealed on both ridges, and entered its camp disguised as an officer.
• Huang Shaojie captured and searched a patrol captain, learned the camp password and Azim's location, then killed the captain and took his identity.
• Huang Shaojie returned to the camp with the captain's soldiers and continued patrolling, intending to attack Azim during the battle.
• Several days later, Zhang Xian led ninety thousand Annan Kingdom soldiers toward Giant Rock Ridge as the Chu Army pursued them.
• Azim watched the Chu Army approach and ordered his troops to wait until they entered the gorge before firing arrows and charging, while Li Chengbiao was ordered to attack from behind.

Princess Pingyang’s forces sprang a counter-ambush against Azim’s India Army, joining with the Annan troops to attack from multiple directions. As Azim entered the battle and struck at Tang Feng, Huang Shaojie launched a surprise attack on the India Army’s Left Commander.

• Princess Pingyang sent fifty thousand elite troops around the left ridge, while Xiang Qingyang, Li Chengbiao, Zhang Xian, and Meng Xing positioned forces to strike the India Army from several directions.
• Tang Feng led the Chu vanguard into the canyon, where India Army archers opened fire before hundreds of thousands of soldiers charged down from both ridges.
• The Chu Army held its formation and attacked the India Army, while the Annan troops turned against their former allies and attacked them from behind.
• Azim realized the Annan troops had betrayed him and leaped into battle, striking at Tang Feng with his Earth God's Palm.
• Shi Fei intercepted Azim’s palm as Tang Feng thrust his spear, but the clash sent Shi Fei flying and drove Tang Feng into the mountainside.
• Huang Shaojie, disguised among the India Army, unleashed the tenth form of the Heavenly Frost Fist at Left Commander Qiao Hari, freezing nearby soldiers as he attacked the commander from behind.

Huang Shaojie killed the Left and Right Commanders of the India army by ambushing them, while Princess Pingyang and Li Chengbiao attacked the India forces from behind. The India soldiers’ morale crumbled, but Great General Azim remained in command as Huang Shaojie revealed himself and struck down their troops.

• Huang Shaojie killed the Left Commander with an Ice Frost Giant Fist, then announced his death in the India language to shake the army’s morale.
• Tang Feng and the grey-clothed elder attacked Azim as Princess Pingyang’s fifty thousand troops and Li Chengbiao’s hundred thousand Annan Kingdom soldiers charged the India forces from behind.
• Azim rallied the India soldiers and ordered deputy generals to hold back the attacking Chu and Annan Kingdom troops.
• Huang Shaojie ambushed the Right Commander, smashed his arm, and killed him in a pit before proclaiming his death to the India army.
• India soldiers recognized Huang Shaojie as the attacker, and he stopped hiding and swept through them with a Dragon Subduing Palm.

Huang Shaojie devastated the India Army with the Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms while the Chu and Annan forces drove the enemy into retreat. As Chengkong joined Tang Feng and Shi Fei against Azim, Huang Shaojie covertly approached the fight to catch the Great Grandmaster off guard.

• Huang Shaojie killed thousands of India soldiers with the Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms, throwing their army into panic and boosting the morale of the Chu and Annan forces.
• Xiang Qingyang told Chengkong to save Shi Fei as Azim battered Shi Fei and Tang Feng.
• Chengkong attacked Azim and joined Tang Feng and Shi Fei, but the three supreme experts remained at a disadvantage against him.
• Meng Xing led fifty thousand rear troops into the valley as the India Army suffered heavy losses and began to lose its will to fight.
• Huang Shaojie approached Azim through the battlefield, intending to surprise him while Azim continued to dominate the fight.

Azim attacked Princess Pingyang to break the Chu Army’s command, but Huang Shaojie struck him from behind and killed him. Huang Shaojie announced Azim’s death to the Indian army, leaving its soldiers stunned.

• Azim drove back the Black-clothed Old Woman, the Grey-clothed Elder, and Tang Feng, then charged toward Xiang Qingyang, whom he recognized as the Chu Army’s commander.
• Xiang Qingyang leaped to evade Azim’s Earth God's Palm as her Grandmaster guards joined forces to block it.
• Huang Shaojie used Three Points Return to One to strike Azim in the back while Azim was attacking Xiang Qingyang.
• Huang Shaojie beheaded Azim with the Full Moon Scimitar and threw his head toward the Indian army, announcing that their commander had been killed.
• Several hundred thousand Indian soldiers heard Huang Shaojie’s announcement and stood stunned.

Huang Shaojie killed Great General Azim and shattered the Indian army’s will, then unleashed devastating attacks as its troops fled through the valley. The Indian rout continued while Huang Shaojie pressed into their ranks, though his strongest punch had consumed much of his internal energy.

• Xiang Qingyang thanked Huang Shaojie for saving her, kept the Black-clothed Old Woman by her side, and sent Shi Fei to attack the enemy.
• An Indian general recognized Azim’s severed head, and news of the deaths of Azim and both commanders spread through the Indian army, sending its soldiers fleeing toward the Annan troops.
• More than six hundred thousand Indian soldiers charged at Zhang Xian’s Annan forces as Chu and Annan troops pursued them from behind.
• Huang Shaojie used Frost River Reflection to freeze and shatter more than ten thousand Indian soldiers with one punch.
• After spending much of his internal energy, Huang Shaojie charged into the fleeing Indian ranks and slaughtered them with Wind God Leg.

Huang Shaojie and the allied Chu and Annan armies routed the India forces at Giant Stone Ridge, pursuing the fleeing remnants to Jiaozhi City. The armies camped there for the night, with Xiang Qingyang planning to march on the Annan capital the next day.

• Huang Shaojie, Tang Feng, the grey-clothed elder, Meng Xing, Chou Sihai, and the other Great Chu experts tore through the India ranks as Chu and Annan soldiers joined the assault.
• The India army charged Zhang Xian's troops to break out of the valley, inflicting heavy losses before the surviving Annan soldiers joined Li Chengbiao's forces in pursuit.
• Huang Shaojie and the allied forces chased the India remnants for more than a hundred li, killing most of them and driving several tens of thousands toward the Annan capital.
• Xiang Qingyang ordered the Chu Army to camp in Jiaozhi City and march for the capital the next day, while Li Chengbiao camped the Annan Army outside the city.
• The allied armies celebrated a major victory after routing the eight hundred thousand India soldiers, though fewer than one hundred thousand Annan troops remained.

At Princess Pingyang's victory banquet, Huang Shaojie warned that India's Great Mage Ashu was a dangerous opponent and received the Three Points Divine Finger and ten restoration pills from the system. The next day, Xiang Qingyang led the Chu and Annan forces toward Annan's capital to besiege the remaining India Army.

• Xiang Qingyang toasted the generals and praised Huang Shaojie for his leading role in defeating the India Army.
• Huang Shaojie reported that roughly 270,000 to 280,000 India Army troops remained in Annan's capital under Great Mage Ashu, and warned that India's mages were formidable.
• The system rewarded Huang Shaojie with the Three Points Divine Finger and ten Profound Grade Restoration Pills, which he stored before going to sleep.
• Xiang Qingyang left 10,000 troops to garrison Jiaozhi City and marched with the Chu and Annan forces toward the capital, sending scouts ahead to investigate.
• Xiang Qingyang ordered Li Chengbiao to gather Annan troops stationed along the route and send them to the capital for the siege.

After India’s crushing defeat at Giant Rock Ridge, Great Mage Ashu ordered the remaining India forces to retreat from the Annan Kingdom. Princess Pingyang’s army learned of the withdrawal, and Xiang Qingyang ordered a pursuit led by Tang Feng and supported by Huang Shaojie and Annan cavalry.

• India generals learned that Azim had been killed and most of his eight hundred thousand troops had been lost, and they urged Great Mage Ashu to retreat.
• Great Mage Ashu ordered the India army to withdraw to India and kill the Annan Kingdom royal family.
• A scout reported to Princess Pingyang that Great Mage Ashu had led the India troops west out of the capital.
• Xiang Qingyang asked Huang Shaojie whether to pursue, and he urged the Chu Army to annihilate the fleeing forces.
• Xiang Qingyang ordered Tang Feng to pursue with fifty thousand elite cavalry, accompanied by Huang Shaojie, Meng Xing, and senior generals, while Li Chengbiao sent thirty thousand Annan cavalry.

Great Mage Ashu split the India Army, leaving Kunale and Rahal to ambush the pursuing Chu and Annan forces. Huang Shaojie shattered the ambush and the India Army’s morale, leaving its soldiers fleeing as the allied forces slaughtered them.

• Great Mage Ashu sensed the pursuers and ordered Kunale and Rahal to lead one hundred thousand soldiers into an ambush while he took the rest by another road.
• Tang Feng detected the ambush, and he, Huang Shaojie, and the other masters devastated the India archers in the forest.
• Kunale and Rahal led their hundred thousand soldiers into battle against the Chu and Annan armies, while Tang Feng and the Grey-robed Elder confronted the generals.
• Huang Shaojie froze more than ten thousand India soldiers with Frost River Reflection, then devastated more with Cloud Sea Billows and his Full Moon Scimitar.
• The India Army broke and fled, while Tang Feng, the Grey-robed Elder, Meng Xing, Chou Sihai, and the other generals pursued and killed its soldiers; Kunale and Rahal were slain.

Huang Shaojie led the Chu and Annan armies in annihilating one hundred thousand India troops, then tracked Great Mage Ashu and the remaining India forces. Ashu halted his retreat and formed ranks to face the pursuing cavalry as the armies prepared to clash.

• Tang Feng, the Grey-robed Elder, Meng Xing, Chou Sihai, and Huang Shaojie’s other commanders slaughtered the India troops, while Huang Shaojie killed at least twenty thousand himself.
• Tang Feng urged the army to return to the imperial capital, but Huang Shaojie said Ashu and more India troops had escaped and spotted that they had taken another route.
• Huang Shaojie retraced the army’s path, found tracks on a fork in the road, and led the Chu and Annan cavalry in pursuit.
• Ashu heard the pursuing army approaching, ordered his 180,000 India troops to halt, form ranks, and prepare to fight.
• Tang Feng led the Chu cavalry toward the India army, with Huang Shaojie and other senior commanders at the front as India archers readied their bows.

Huang Shaojie and the allied Chu and Annan forces attacked the Indian army, while Great Mage Ashu fought the coalition’s strongest warriors. Huang Shaojie shattered Ashu’s golden Buddha palm with Three Points Return to One Qi, leaving their duel unresolved.

• Huang Shaojie and the allied experts devastated the Indian archers, but Great Mage Ashu attacked them with his prayer beads and killed several Chu and Annan generals.
• The cavalry and infantry of India charged into battle against the forces of Great Chu and Annan Kingdom.
• Huang Shaojie froze thousands of Indian soldiers with Heavenly Frost Fist, prompting Great Mage Ashu to target him with a golden Buddha palm.
• Huang Shaojie used Three Points Return to One Qi to destroy the golden Buddha palm in a powerful clash.