Chapter Summaries

Wang Zhi took Chen Sanshi under his wing and taught him the superior Vast Exhalation Breathing Technique alongside the Basic Soldier Spear Technique. Chen Sanshi began training, while Wang Zhi asked about his supposed grudge against Liang Zhan and the Tianyuan Martial Arts Academy.

• Wang Zhi pulled Chen Sanshi away from Commanders Liu and Xiong, who had both offered to teach him.
• Wang Zhi examined Chen Sanshi and praised his sturdy bones and superior bone structure, then showed him two versions of the Basic Soldier Spear Technique.
• Wang Zhi explained that the Vast Exhalation Breathing Technique could produce stronger qi and blood but demanded sturdier bones, slower progress for less talented learners, and greater expense.
• Chen Sanshi chose the Vast Exhalation Breathing Technique, and Wang Zhi taught him to combine breathing with stance and spear practice.
• Chen Sanshi practiced until he was exhausted, and his System Panel showed Basic Soldier Spear Technique progress at 8/100.
• Wang Zhi told Chen Sanshi to rest and eat plenty of meat, then asked whether he had a grudge against Liang Zhan; Chen Sanshi denied it.

Chen Sanshi trained hard, then joined Zhao Qiao, Wu Da, and Zhuang Yi to hunt a man-eating Black Bear. He lured the wounded bear out of the forest and faced it with his Plum Blossom Spear.

• Chen Sanshi suspected Qin Feng had used Tianyuan Martial Arts Academy to interfere on his behalf, but resolved to rely on his own strength.
• Song Yan learned the spear technique with a breathing method, while Luo Dongquan gave him expensive Leopard Gall to help him cultivate blood and qi.
• After spending down the household's savings on food and training, Chen Sanshi joined Zhao Qiao, Wu Da, and Zhuang Yi to hunt Black Bear.
• Chen Sanshi tracked the bear to North Mountain and discovered it had been waiting in ambush near an empty tree hollow.
• Chen Sanshi shot Black Bear in the eye, then drew its attacks while dodging and repeatedly shooting it with his heavy bow.
• After weakening Black Bear and luring it from the dense forest, Chen Sanshi took up his Plum Blossom Spear and faced it head-on.

Chen Sanshi killed a Black Bear and generously shared the hunting profits with Zhao Qiao, Zhuang Yi, and Wu Da. On the way home, he saved Zhuang Yi by shooting an arrow out of the air, then returned with bear heart to restore his depleted qi and blood.

• Chen Sanshi fought the wounded Black Bear until his spear pierced its skull, rapidly improving his Basic Soldier Spear Technique.
• Chen Sanshi offered the hunting party generous shares of the bear, though Zhao Qiao, Zhuang Yi, and Wu Da accepted only half a share each.
• Li Hao and Zhang Chao shot an arrow toward Zhuang Yi, but Chen Sanshi split it with a Wolf-fang arrow and drove them off.
• Chen Sanshi and the others sold the bear for fifty-one taels; Chen Sanshi kept the bear heart and thirty jin of meat, leaving him with twenty taels of Silver Flakes.
• Chen Sanshi hurried home with the bear heart, hoping it would replenish his depleted qi and blood.

After killing the Black Bear, Chen Sanshi used its heart and Deer Blood Wine to fuel his martial training and returned to the Military Camp. He finally produced his first thread of qi and blood, initiating the Basic Soldier Spear Technique.

• Chen Sanshi returned to Yanbian Village with Zhao Qiao and refused offers of apprentices and concubines, while Gu Xinlan prepared the bear heart for him.
• Chen Sanshi ate bear heart and trained his spear technique, rapidly increasing his progress without suffering from physical depletion.
• After two days at home, Chen Sanshi headed to the garrison and heard from Scabby Head that Qin Feng had been treating a high-ranking Military Camp official to drinks.
• Wang Zhi gave Chen Sanshi a jar of Deer Blood Wine and was startled to learn that Chen Sanshi was close to beginning Blood Training.
• Chen Sanshi ate the rest of the bear heart, drank Deer Blood Wine, and practiced until a thread of qi and blood flowed from his heart and his Basic Soldier Spear Technique became Initiated.

Chen Sanshi reached Blood Refinement in six days, impressing the officers and earning Wang Zhi’s backing for the Vanguard selection. While Wang Zhi met Liang Zhan and Qin Feng in Chunman Tower, Qin Feng corrected Wang Zhi about the country hunter they wanted dealt with: Chen Sanshi.

• Chen Sanshi demonstrated his newly cultivated qi and blood by thrusting at Wang Zhi, stunning the officers who learned he had reached Blood Refinement in six days.
• Wang Zhi told Chen Sanshi that he would recommend him for the Vanguard selection and explained the recruit weapon rules; Chen Sanshi chose to keep training with the spear.
• Wang Zhi warned Chen Sanshi not to assume his talent guaranteed success, but promised to protect him as one of his subordinates.
• After Wang Zhi and the other officers left for a mission in the city, Chen Sanshi considered how to act against Qin Feng despite the unrest.
• At Chunman Tower, Liang Zhan paid Wang Zhi to deal with a country hunter, and Qin Feng corrected Wang Zhi when he named the wrong man, specifying Chen Sanshi.

Qin Feng tried to persuade Wang Zhi to help him target Chen Sanshi, but Wang protected Chen and Liang Zhan ordered Qin Feng to drop the matter. After discovering his Longevity Lock was missing, Qin Feng set out to kill Chen himself, only to hear a mysterious voice say his brother had sent it to take him to see him.

• Qin Feng told Wang Zhi he suspected Chen Sanshi had made his elder brother Qin Xiong disappear, but Wang demanded evidence and dismissed the accusation.
• Liang Zhan backed Wang and warned Qin Feng to end the matter, while Wang promised to question the barbarians about Qin Xiong.
• Qin Feng left the banquet and discovered that his Longevity Lock was missing, then realized Wang might have taken it when he patted his shoulder.
• Qin Feng decided to kill Chen Sanshi himself, returned to his empty home in Yanbian Village, and prepared in disguise to attack at night.
• At midnight, a ghostly voice called Qin Feng and said his brother had sent it to take him to see him.

Chen Sanshi killed Qin Feng after luring him to his brother Qin Xiong’s remains, then discovered a wounded barbarian had hidden a box. He learned the Zhao Clan Martial Arts School and Lord Thousand Households Xiang Tingchun were secretly searching for an immortal treasure, and decided to keep the box for himself.

• Chen Sanshi led Qin Feng to Qin Xiong’s remains and killed him with his Plum Blossom Spear.
• Chen Sanshi took silver from Qin Feng, concealed the evidence of his weapons, and gained new Tracking abilities.
• Near Sujia Village, Chen Sanshi watched a fatally wounded barbarian bury a box and retrieved it after the man died.
• Zhao Ben and two disciples searched the area for the missing object and revealed that they were seeking an immortal treasure with Lord Thousand Households Xiang Tingchun.
• Chen Sanshi hid the box and decided to keep it rather than reveal that he had found it.

Chen Sanshi examined the mysterious sandalwood box and learned that the masked killers had rescued the barbarian assassin before he died. At the Military Camp, he refused Luo Dongquan’s offer to delay his Elite Selection, then learned why the timing mattered as his batch gathered for an official inspection.

• Chen Sanshi returned home before dawn, failed to open the immortal-treasure box, and wondered whether another group held its key.
• At the Military Colony, Chen Sanshi heard that masked killers had rescued the barbarian assassin from Xiang Tingchun and other martial arts masters.
• Luo Dongquan offered Chen Sanshi one hundred taels to give Song Yan the first-half Elite Selection opportunity, but Chen Sanshi refused.
• Wang Zhi took Luo Dongquan’s silver note and explained that Governor Sun would stop taking personal disciples after the first-half selection.
• Wang Zhi told Chen Sanshi that Xiang Tingchun and Assistant Magistrate Zhang would inspect the recruits, and the assembly horn sounded.

Chen Sanshi demonstrated his spear skills in an assessment spar against Xu Bin, overwhelming the more experienced soldier despite using the same level of blood qi. The match ended with Chen Sanshi disarming Xu Bin and holding his spear at Xu Bin’s throat, while Xiang Tingchun watched.

• Xiang Tingchun ordered Chen Sanshi to spar with Xu Bin using only Blood Refinement Initiation-level blood qi.
• Xu Bin attacked with his saber, but Chen Sanshi used his Plum Blossom Spear to keep him at a distance and withstand his strikes.
• Xu Bin tried to exhaust Chen Sanshi through repeated attacks, but Chen Sanshi’s blood qi and endurance outlasted his own.
• As Xu Bin’s blood qi dwindled, Chen Sanshi turned from defense to a fierce spear assault.
• Chen Sanshi knocked Xu Bin’s saber away and stopped his spear tip before Xu Bin’s throat.

Chen Sanshi defeated Xu Bin in the assessment and was promoted to Officer Chen, earning a command and a superior warhorse. As he took charge of his men, he rescued Xu Wencai from being sent away and prepared to try riding his new horse.

• Chen Sanshi defeated Xu Bin, and Xiang Tingchun praised his potential while Assistant Magistrate Zhang agreed to report his qualifications for elite selection.
• Xiang Tingchun assessed the other recruits, then promoted Chen Sanshi to Officer Chen and assigned him to Wang Zhi’s command.
• The commanders distributed the recruits, and Chen Sanshi took Xu Wencai into his unit despite Zhu Tong’s objections.
• Chen Sanshi received vouchers for supplies and a superior White Crane horse, then mounted it to test his horsemanship.

Chen Sanshi struggled to tame the wild White Swan Horse as Xiang Tingchun and Luo Dongquan discussed using the search for an immortal treasure to gather resources for a military campaign. At Tianyuan Martial Arts Academy, Liang Zhan concluded that Chen Sanshi had probably killed the missing Qin Feng.

• Chen Sanshi rode the White Swan Horse through a half-hour struggle, gaining progress in Horse Riding before the exhausted horse and rider called a truce.
• Xiang Tingchun rode out with Luo Dongquan and explained that the immortal treasure search would help them pressure the martial arts academies and gentry for resources for a planned strike against the Yuwen Tribe.
• Xiang Tingchun told Luo Dongquan he trusted him and promised to support his advancement if their plans succeeded.
• At Tianyuan Martial Arts Academy, Liang Zhan learned that Qin Feng had disappeared and suspected Chen Sanshi had killed him, but refused to risk revenge without evidence.
• Liang Zhan reflected that Qin Feng had overheard a secret conversation and had been accepted as his personal disciple, then wondered about Chen Sanshi's connection to the barbarians' escape.

Chen Sanshi settled into an officer’s residence, discovered that the box he possessed was the lost Exquisite Jade Box, and went looking for Xu Bin after learning Wang Zhi had punished him. The chapter ended as Chen Sanshi arrived at Xu Bin’s home and called to him.

• Commander Liu explained Chen Sanshi’s duties and arranged a vacant military officer’s residence for him.
• Chen Sanshi moved his belongings from Yanbian Village into the new home, where Gu Xinlan began settling in.
• Chen Sanshi read that the Exquisite Jade Box could only be opened with its Jade Key and realized the box in his possession was the lost invention.
• Chen Sanshi learned that Wang Zhi had beaten Xu Bin and that Xu Bin had been ordered to pay twenty taels of silver.
• Old Xu urged Xu Bin to seek Chen Sanshi’s help, but Xu Bin felt ashamed of having fought him so fiercely.
• Chen Sanshi knocked on Xu Bin’s door and called out to him.

Chen Sanshi reconciled with Xu Bin and asked him to spar, then joined a military search for Witch God Cult followers in Poyang City. The search began targeting minor martial arts academies, while Chen Sanshi suspected Xiang Tingchun was using the cult investigation to pressure powerful interests.

• Chen Sanshi visited Xu Bin, returned the armory slip, and assured him he held no grudge, earning Xu Bin's gratitude and agreement to spar with him.
• Chen Sanshi, Gu Xinlan, and Lan Jie'er shared a meal with Xu Bin's family before the assembly horn summoned the soldiers.
• Xiang Tingchun ordered half the Thousand Household Office's men to search Poyang City for Witch God Cult followers and treat any suspects as traitors.
• Xu Wencai explained that the Witch God Cult had helped the Yuwen Tribe rise to power and lead recent barbarian attacks on Great Sheng.
• Chen Sanshi joined the citywide searches, which focused on minor and unranked academies, then returned to the armory to redeem his weapon slip and seek Blood Replenishing Soup.

Chen Sanshi replaced his ordinary spear, learned about the scarcity and cost of cultivation medicine, and trained with the Reed Leaf Spear while considering why Tianyuan Martial Arts Academy had sought him out. After six days of intense practice, he advanced to Blood Training Mastery and brought his Basic Soldier Spear Technique to Mastery.

• Chen Sanshi took the Reed Leaf Spear from the armory and found that it made his spear practice feel more natural.
• Chen Sanshi collected Blood Replenishing Soup, and Officer Jiang explained its risks, expense, and the martial arts academies’ control over medicinal gardens.
• Chen Sanshi trained with the Reed Leaf Spear and used the soup’s medicinal potency to accelerate his cultivation.
• Gu Xinlan told Chen Sanshi that Tianyuan Martial Arts Academy had invited him as a guest, and he suspected the invitation might concern the immortal treasure.
• Chen Sanshi devoted himself to training over the following days and, six days later, broke through to Blood Training Mastery and mastered the Basic Soldier Spear Technique.

Chen Sanshi reached mastery in qi and blood, bought medicine for his cultivation, and prepared to hunt for money. On his way home, Liang Zhan confronted him and tried to force him to dinner, leaving Chen Sanshi facing the academy heir’s old servant.

• Chen Sanshi reached mastery in qi and blood, and Xu Bin was astonished by how quickly he had improved.
• Chen Sanshi patrolled the city with his men, found no trace of the Witch God Cult, and bought two batches of medicine at Yunhe Pharmacy.
• Wang Zhi praised Chen Sanshi’s breakthrough, offered him a Longevity Lock, and learned that he planned to go into the mountains.
• Liang Zhan stopped Chen Sanshi on the road, hinted that Tianyuan Martial Arts Academy would overlook the Qin brothers’ deaths, and invited him to dinner.
• Chen Sanshi refused, and Liang Zhan’s old servant reached to grab him as Chen Sanshi tightened his grip on his spear.

Liang Zhan searched for Qin Feng’s Longevity Locket and concluded that the Witch God Cult had taken the immortal treasure, while Wang Zhi promised to protect Chen Sanshi and asked him to deliver a message to Governor Sun. Chen Sanshi sought a tiger’s whereabouts, learned of a possible den, and crossed into the forest alone to hunt.

• Liang Zhan spotted Qin Feng’s Longevity Locket on Wang Zhi, then left and told Uncle Wu to search for the immortal treasure before Xiang Tingchun.
• Wang Zhi gave Chen Sanshi two taels, offered to protect him, and asked him to tell Governor Sun that he wanted to redeem his merits while bearing guilt if Chen entered the Eight Great Camps.
• Chen Sanshi decided to hunt a tiger to improve his strength and planned to ask Uncle Zhao where one could be found.
• Chen Sanshi tried and failed to tame his horse, then went to Yanbian Village and asked Zhao Qiao, Wu Da, and Zhuang Yi for help locating a tiger.
• Zhao Qiao pointed out a cave where a Great Worm had been seen five years earlier and warned the group about the danger of crossing into the forest to hunt.
• Chen Sanshi crossed the stream alone, carrying his bow, arrows, and spear, and entered the dense forest.

Chen Sanshi tracked a tiger called the Great Worm to its cave and lured it out with a wounded roe deer. His Wolf-fang arrow pierced the tiger’s skull but failed to kill it, and the enraged beast charged at him.

• Chen Sanshi learned that Tailei Martial Arts School disciples were searching for a White Deer to heal their injured school master.
• Wei Xu offered to team up with Chen Sanshi to hunt a tiger, but Chen ignored him and continued alone.
• Chen Sanshi tracked the Great Worm to a hidden cave and used arrows to drive a wounded roe deer toward it.
• The Great Worm emerged, killed the roe deer, and began dragging it back to its cave.
• Chen Sanshi shot the tiger in the skull, but it survived and charged toward him.

Chen Sanshi killed the Great Worm and drove off two martial arts school disciples who tried to claim a share. He returned to County Town with Zhao Qiao, Wu Da, and Zhuang Yi, sold most of the tiger, and found he had nearly enough resources for Minor Accomplishment in Blood Refining.

• Chen Sanshi blinded the charging Great Worm, wounded it with arrows from tree to tree, then killed it with his Reed Leaf Spear.
• Wei Xu and another martial arts school disciple approached to claim part of the kill, but Chen Sanshi nearly shot Wei Xu in the neck and forced them to back away.
• Chen Sanshi carried the tiger and roe deer past the intimidated disciples and saw that his Tracking and Archery skills had gained proficiency.
• Chen Sanshi met Zhao Qiao, Wu Da, and Zhuang Yi across the stream and asked them to help carry his prey to County Town, offering to follow their usual arrangement.
• The group sold the Great Worm and roe deer; Chen Sanshi kept several tiger parts and meat, earned sixty-eight taels of silver, and concluded he had nearly enough resources for Minor Accomplishment in Blood Refining.

Chen Sanshi hunted a Great Worm, used its meat to fuel intense spear practice, and asked a military craftsman to make him a powerful bow. After learning that the Witch God Cult had not been fully captured, he kept hoping to find the key to the immortal treasure.

• Chen Sanshi returned home with a blood-soaked Tiger Skin, startled Gu Xinlan and Tong Shi, and had Gu Xinlan prepare the Tiger Heart and Tiger Meat.
• After eating Tiger Heart and Blood Replenishing Soup, Chen Sanshi practiced the Basic Soldier Spear Technique until its progress reached 120/1000, then carried Gu Xinlan to the bedroom.
• The next day, Chen Sanshi saw Luo Dongquan bring a Witch God Cult member to the Military Camp and learned that the rest of the cult had not yet been captured.
• Chen Sanshi asked Niu Gai at the craftsmen's forge about making a ten-stone bow, and Niu Gai said exotic White Deer sinew could make one exceeding ten stone.

Chen Sanshi trained toward Minor Accomplishment in Blood Refining while investigating the White Deer he hoped to hunt for his bow materials. When Witch God Cult traces were found in Poyang County, the garrison assembled to encircle and exterminate them.

• Chen Sanshi learned that the Young Master of the Yunhe Martial Arts School had broken through to Bone Tempering, killed his uncle, and reclaimed the family business.
• Chen Sanshi bought Nine Revolutions Vitality Soup and borrowed a book about rare treasures and exotic beasts from Xu Wencai.
• Chen Sanshi read that White Deer lived on Tiger Mountain and decided to seek one after improving his cultivation.
• Chen Sanshi sparred with Xu Bin and overwhelmed him, nearing Minor Accomplishment in Blood Refining.
• A messenger announced Witch God Cult traces in Poyang County and ordered all three hundred garrison troops to assemble.