Chapter Summaries

Li Pingjiang finally encountered Chen Ping'an on the road and was killed after his saber strike was overwhelmed by Chen Ping'an’s palm and finger techniques. Chen Ping'an returned to Five Peaks Mountain City carrying Li Pingjiang’s head, then learned that the Wei River Town Pacification Office had sent him a new appointment and another letter from the Azure Dragon Province Town Pacification Office.

• Li Pingjiang found Chen Ping'an on the road and attacked him with his Soul Severing Saber, expecting to kill him in one strike.
• Chen Ping'an broke Li Pingjiang’s saber attack with the Great Vajra Palm, then killed him with the Three Points of Human Tribulation Finger.
• Chen Ping'an searched Li Pingjiang’s belongings, took his treasured saber and head, and destroyed the corpse to erase traces of his technique.
• Chen Ping'an returned to Five Peaks Mountain City carrying the head, prompting rumors and drawing the attention of Wei Zhixing, Meng Yude, and others.
• Chen Ping'an ordered Zhong Shanyong to identify the dead man and heard that a new appointment and a letter from the Azure Dragon Province Town Pacification Office had arrived.

Chen Ping'an left White Stone City with Chen Er'ya and his entourage, while the updated Azure Dragon Province New Talent Rankings named him twenty-first and revealed that he had killed Gu Wu. Li Pingjiang learned Chen Ping'an had gone to Wei River County City and decided to wait for him at the Five Peaks Mountain Garrison.

• Chen Ping'an accepted gifts from White Stone City's factions, rewarded his subordinates, and prepared to leave with Chen Er'ya and Peony.
• Chen Ping'an departed White Stone City with a convoy of more than twenty people bound for Wei River County City.
• The updated New Talent Rankings listed Chen Ping'an at twenty-first and reported his martial arts, his victory at Five Peaks Mountain, and Gu Wu's death.
• Li Pingjiang read Chen Ping'an's ranking in White Stone City and realized he had missed him again.
• Li Pingjiang chose to return to the Five Peaks Mountain Garrison and wait to ambush Chen Ping'an when he came back.

Chen Ping'an returned to Northern Cang as its Town Guardian and consolidated his authority by refusing the families’ banquets, accepting their tribute gifts, and hearing reports from his subordinates. He learned that Wang Lingzhi was investigating Xue Kunsheng’s death and agreed to attend Flame Saber’s birthday banquet, leaving Northern Cang’s forces aligned under his rule.

• Chen Ping'an noticed Wang Lingzhi had skipped the welcome gathering and reflected on how their careers had diverged after earlier struggles among the Xue, Wang, and Gu Families.
• Chen Ping'an entered Northern Cang Stronghold as its newly promoted Town Guardian, declined the families’ welcome banquets, and accepted nearly two thousand Origin Crystals in gifts delivered by representatives including Gu Hongxiu.
• Chen Ping'an received reports from Xiong Sanrang, Ma Yuanbang, Liu Gongxi, and Yu Jinjue, learning about the stronghold’s affairs and considering which subordinates he could trust and cultivate.
• Yu Jinjue told Chen Ping'an that Wang Lingzhi had been investigating the Evil Extremity Path while pursuing Xue Kunsheng’s death, and Chen Ping'an allowed the investigation to continue.
• Chen Ping'an accepted Yu Jinjue’s invitation to attend his master Flame Saber’s birthday banquet at Dragon Peace Stronghold, where he hoped to learn more about Grandmaster circles.

Chen Ping'an brought the corpse of an assassin he had killed to the South City Pacification Office and revealed to Mu Wanjun that he had reached the Inner Qi Realm. After Mu Wanjun identified the assassin as Shadowless Kick, she suggested Chen Ping'an's newly revealed strength might offer another solution to their predicament.

• A servant woman discovered the dead assassin in Chen Ping'an's courtyard and helped him take the covered corpse to the South City Pacification Office.
• Mu Wanjun told Chen Ping'an that the lineage had refused to help him and revoked the marriage alliance, but he reassured her and said he did not blame her.
• Chen Ping'an told Mu Wanjun he had killed an Inner Qi Realm expert and demonstrated his own Inner Qi Realm cultivation.
• Mu Wanjun identified the corpse as Shadowless Kick, while constables and onlookers learned Chen Ping'an had killed an Inner Qi Realm expert.
• Mu Wanjun returned to the office and told Chen Ping'an that his strength might provide another solution to their predicament.

At Zhong Lisheng’s birthday banquet, Chen Ping'an met Du Moyuan, the Top Grandmaster whose past judgment had damaged his reputation, but neither man provoked a confrontation. Chen Ping'an learned that the Dragon Peace Grand Assembly would take place in Long'an in a little over a month, including a major treasure auction, and Zhong Lisheng approached him with Zhou Zhaowu.

• Zhong Lisheng introduced Chen Ping'an to the gathered Grandmasters, who eagerly greeted the renowned Hidden Dragon Heavenly Talent.
• Zhong Lisheng introduced Du Moyuan, and Chen Ping'an recognized the Azure Mist Sect elder as the Top Grandmaster who had once predicted he would struggle to become a Grandmaster within half a century.
• Chen Ping'an and Du Moyuan exchanged polite greetings without discussing their past, and the banquet grew more relaxed as the guests mingled.
• Chen Ping'an heard guests discuss the Dragon Peace Grand Assembly, its talent discussion, and a large auction jointly hosted by the two provinces’ treasure houses.
• Chen Ping'an decided the upcoming auction could be a valuable opportunity, and Zhong Lisheng approached him with Zhou Zhaowu.

Chen Ping'an challenged the credit Zheng Shiyong and Tan Huacong claimed for killing Mottled Fish, but Zheng Zhenwu accepted their altered records and dismissed his proof. Chen Ping'an left without a public victory, while Tan Huacong and Zheng Shiyong believed their forged account was safe.

• Chen Ping'an learned that Zheng Shiyong and Tan Huacong had been credited with killing Mottled Fish and confronted Zheng Zhenwu with his proof token.
• Tan Huacong and Zheng Shiyong denied Chen Ping'an's claim, and Tan Huacong said the token only proved Chen Ping'an had reported a lead.
• Zheng Zhenwu inspected the sealed archive, whose contents had been changed, and ruled against Chen Ping'an.
• Chen Ping'an accepted the ruling without further argument and left the office as Zheng Shiyong mocked him.
• Zheng Zhenwu warned Zheng Shiyong not to repeat the incident, while Tan Huacong admitted they had burned the original file and Zheng Shiyong assured him they were safe.

Chen Ping'an chose to delay killing Guan Yuping and focused on finding another way to confront the forces behind him while continuing to cultivate. At the Wei Family, Wei Zhixing agreed to help the Heavenly Luo Sect one last time, despite fearing its hold over his family.

• Chen Ping'an suppressed his urge to kill Guan Yuping, deciding to wait until he could deal with Guan Yuping and Liu Yuanhua together.
• Chen Ping'an checked his cultivation progress and left Five Peaks Mountain City to pursue other ways forward.
• Wei Zhixing and Wei Zhenheng discussed Guan Yuping's open hostility toward Chen Ping'an and the danger facing unsupported geniuses.
• A mysterious visitor confronted Wei Zhixing in his secluded courtyard and demanded one final favor for the Heavenly Luo Sect.
• Wei Zhixing agreed to help the sect once more, warning that he would turn against it if it came back afterward.

Chen Ping'an punished South City Prison’s guards for drinking on night duty, making an example of those who denied their wrongdoing and establishing his authority. After dismissing the guards, he left for the South City Pacification Office to handle Chu Qirong’s case.

• Chen Ping'an ordered five, ten, or twenty strokes for guards who admitted to drinking, and eighty strokes for those he singled out for refusing to confess.
• The guards carried out the punishments, leaving the eighty-stroke recipients severely injured but alive.
• Chen Ping'an warned the guards to take responsibility and mend their ways, then ordered Constable Head Min to dismiss unregistered offenders and seek the removal of registered offenders’ Prison Guard status.
• Chen Ping'an told the guards that loyal followers would be rewarded, while those who defied him would face consequences.
• After dismissing the Prison Guards, Chen Ping'an left South City Prison for the South City Pacification Office to continue dealing with Chu Qirong’s matter.

Chen Ping'an ambushed Dream-Eating Lotus Lord and the Heavenly Lotus Sect Pseudo Celestials, killing Red Lotus and overwhelming Lotus Lord with his treasures and martial power. After Shadow narrowly escaped annihilation but was badly wounded, Chen Ping'an unleashed the Deep Sea Pearl and trapped Lotus Lord inside a vast Deep Sea Realm.

• Dream-Eating Lotus Lord broke free of Chen Ping'an's illusionary barrier and discovered that Red Lotus had been killed by the ambush.
• Chen Ping'an attacked Dream-Eating Lotus Lord with the Ice Jade Hairpin and Evil Extremity Pupil, suppressing him despite their matching First Realm Perfection.
• Chen Ping'an fired an Annihilation Light Ray at Shadow, who scattered into mist to evade it, but a follow-up finger strike pierced and grievously wounded him.
• Dream-Eating Lotus Lord blocked Chen Ping'an's next strike on Shadow, while Chen Ping'an judged his own combat strength and prepared to end the fight.
• Chen Ping'an summoned the Deep Sea Pearl and flooded the valley with a Deep Sea Realm that swallowed Dream-Eating Lotus Lord and his treasures.

Chen Ping'an returned home after learning that Liu Er, the Tiger Head Gang’s Sixth Master, had died, and found Chen Er'ya safe and trusting him. While he tried to cover the Flying Locust Stone marks on the courtyard wall, the Tiger Head Gang arrived at his gate.

• Chen Ping'an heard that the Ten Thousand Demons Sect had appeared in the city and recalled its role in Old Chen's death.
• Uncle Liang told Chen Ping'an that Sixth Master Liu Er of the Tiger Head Gang had been killed.
• Chen Ping'an returned home and found Chen Er'ya unharmed; she said she understood and trusted him about what happened the previous night.
• Chen Ping'an noticed the many Flying Locust Stone marks on the courtyard wall and began disguising them.
• The Tiger Head Gang knocked on Chen Ping'an's gate and demanded that he open up.

As the North Azure Grand Meet approached, Chen Ping'an’s forceful rule kept Northern Cang’s factions in line while he focused on cultivation and planned a trip to Azure Dragon Province City. The Wu Family delegation arrived for the event, and the chapter ended with a Gu Family woman requesting an audience with Chen Ping'an.

• Ma Yuanbang rallied the Patrol Defense Office to secure the town and trade routes for the North Azure Grand Meet, while Yu Jinjue and the Inspection Office also aligned themselves with Chen Ping'an.
• Xue Kunsheng oversaw the Grand Meet preparations and regretted failing to support Chen Ping'an earlier, while Chen Ping'an kept his attention on cultivation and considered his unanswered letters to the Province Town Pacification Office and the Azure Dragon Gu Family.
• Chen Ping'an planned to sell resources at the Grand Meet and then visit Azure Dragon Province City to see the Little Girl, seek cultivation arts and treasures, and discuss the Gu Family’s proposed marriage alliance.
• Wu Ruixing led the Wu Family delegation into the North Azure Stronghold, praised Wu Zicheng’s work, and asked about his prospects in the North Azure Grand Competition.
• Wu Zicheng hoped to distinguish himself in the competition and gain a chance to become the Gu Family’s son-in-law through Gu Jinyu.
• As Chen Ping'an cultivated, a messenger announced that Lady Gu of the Gu Family had requested an audience with him.

Lan Yingjun questioned why Chen Ping'an had refused her challenge, while Lan Yingying urged her to focus on her own desires. At the North Azure Auction, Chen Ping'an assessed the venue and its wealthy rivals as Heavenly Crippled Foot Li Dongshan opened the three-day event and presented the first lot.

• Lan Yingjun told Lan Yingying that Chen Ping'an's calm refusal made her wonder whether he had another reason for declining her challenge.
• Lan Yingying advised Lan Yingjun to stop guessing at Chen Ping'an's thoughts and focus on what she herself wanted, while privately resolving to prepare her disciple to inherit her legacy.
• Xue Kunsheng received the last distinguished guest, Tantai Jinfeng, as the North Azure Auction's admission period drew to a close.
• Chen Ping'an surveyed the packed auction hall, considered the top-floor guests who might compete for heavyweight lots, and continued cultivating the Soul Severing Saber mental art.
• Heavenly Crippled Foot Li Dongshan took the central platform with four Top Experts and Town Pacification Office guards protecting the auction.
• Li Dongshan welcomed the guests, explained that the auction had 728 lots over three days, and began the bidding by bringing out the first item.

The Heavenly Luo Saintess opened the final barrier of the Purple Eye Demon Lord’s secret treasure and began collecting its legacy, while Chen Ping'an discovered her concealed entrance and followed her into the underground realm. As the Saintess approached a hidden inner hall, Chen Ping'an launched a sudden attack with his Seven Kill Heavenly Dipper Fist.

• The Heavenly Luo Saintess broke open the stone door, contained most of the escaping spirituality, and entered the secret treasure hall.
• Chen Ping'an found the Saintess’s concealed waterway, disguised himself, and entered while suppressing his aura.
• The Heavenly Luo Saintess broke the central restriction and obtained the Purple Extreme Secret Canon and Thousand Illusions Treasure Art.
• The Heavenly Luo Saintess collected the hall’s other treasures and discovered a light curtain leading to an inner hall.
• Chen Ping'an ambushed the airborne Heavenly Luo Saintess with the Shocking Kill, Startling Thunder Break technique.

Chen Ping'an and Black Rock Old Freak attended Alchemist Hua’s Mystic Spirit Trading Convention, where they encountered numerous powerful Celestials, including Cang Mingzi of the Guan Hong Realm. The gathering began, and Chen Ping'an displayed rare treasures and named the items he wanted to trade for, drawing the guests’ interest.

• Black Rock Old Freak told Cao Penghai to find Chen Ping'an’s whereabouts and promised to resolve the Horizontal Mountain Sect’s dispute after three days.
• Chen Ping'an settled into an Elegant Courtyard Lodge and waited for the convention while Mystic Spirit Major City remained busy after the auction.
• Alchemist Hua welcomed the invited guests, and Black Rock Old Freak froze when he saw Chen Ping'an arrive as Fellow Daoist Seven Banned.
• Cang Mingzi, a Guan Hong Realm Celestial and Whale Sea Sect Guest Elder, arrived, and Alchemist Hua formally opened the trading convention.
• Chen Ping'an displayed several items and asked to trade for confinement- and restriction-type treasures, secret arts, divine skill scrolls, heavenly-grade demon beast flesh, fourth-rank enhancement pills, and Spirit Water.
• The Red-haired Old Man eagerly asked Chen Ping'an how he would trade the Shangqing Pill.

Chen Ping'an traded the Wishful Exquisite Ring with Gu Qingchan for a substantial quantity of Earth Dragon True Blood, then resisted her advances to protect his secret identity. Back in his room, he set aside his suspicions about Gu Qingchan and prepared to study the Azure Sun Blood Refinement Method.

• Chen Ping'an left the Gu Family Residence with Earth Dragon True Blood obtained from Gu Qingchan in exchange for the Wishful Exquisite Ring.
• Gu Qingchan asked Chen Ping'an to grant her a wish and embraced him, but he stopped their intimacy before it could expose that he was Night Owl and Reckless Saber.
• Chen Ping'an declined Gu Qingchan's invitation to stay the night, promised they might continue their bond if fate brought them together again, and returned to his residence.
• Chen Ping'an considered Gu Qingchan's unusual behavior and his precautions to conceal his identity, including leaving a trace of simulated aura as a decoy.
• Chen Ping'an put aside the Heavenly Ecstasy · Yin-Yang Pivot and took out the Azure Sun Blood Refinement Method to begin studying it.

Chen Ping'an thanked Gu Qingchan for resolving his impeachment review and established a connection with her and the Azure Dragon Gu Family, though he failed to obtain a divine skill. He left North Azure Stronghold for Five Peaks Mountain City, reflecting on the threats still facing him and resuming cultivation.

• Chen Ping'an thanked Gu Qingchan for helping him, and she encouraged him to seek a divine skill through the Town Pacification Office Treasury after rejecting his request for one from the Gu Family.
• Gu Qingchan revealed that the Heavenly Luo Saintess had taken her Wishful Exquisite Ring, though the battle had also helped her advance toward the Jade Balance Middle Stage.
• Gu Qingchan told Chen Ping'an to contact her through Shui Furong if he needed help, and she judged him worth the Gu Family placing a wager on.
• Chen Ping'an left North Azure Stronghold by carriage for Five Peaks Mountain City and learned that Lan Yingjun ranked third on the New Talent Rankings while he ranked fifth.
• Chen Ping'an considered the unresolved matters surrounding Cao Yingxiong, the Ten Thousand Demons Sect elders, and Li Pingjiang, then cultivated the Three Points of Human Tribulation Finger during the journey.

As Azure Dragon Province City buzzed over Gu Qingcheng’s upcoming promotion ceremony and marriage to Chen Ping'an, several young prodigies reflected on their feelings for her. Chen Ping'an continued cultivating in seclusion, improving his movement technique, until a Gu Family Clan Elder arrived with news.

• Azure Dragon Province City residents and factions debated Gu Qingcheng, Chen Ping'an, and the rivalry between saber and sword wielders while the Gu Family remained quiet.
• Mu Chenjie told Mu Qingyao that the Ninth Clan Elder would take them to Gu Qingcheng’s promotion ceremony, and both looked forward to attending.
• Wang Siyuan recalled his long-standing love for Gu Qingcheng and regretted that his hesitation had cost him the chance to stand beside her.
• Chen Ping'an spent ten days cultivating and refining weapons while Gu Qingcheng remained in seclusion, strengthening his concealment and other preparations.
• Chen Ping'an advanced the Grand Void Wind Riding Step to entry level, learned Wind Step, and shifted his training focus from the Seven Kill Heavenly Dipper Fist to the movement technique.
• Two more days passed before a Gu Family Clan Elder visited Chen Ping'an to deliver news.

Chen Ping'an escaped Azure Dragon Province City after defeating old man Qing Fan, removed a tracking mark and Li Wusheng’s traces from the items he had taken, then returned to the Gu Family in disguise. He reached his room without being detected and sealed it off to recover.

• Chen Ping'an confirmed that his pursuers had stopped, discovered and erased the tracking mark old man Qing Fan had planted on him, and escaped Azure Dragon Province City.
• He reflected on the hidden experts who had watched the fight and the weakening loyalty within the dynasty, then cleansed Li Wusheng’s aura from the items he had taken.
• Chen Ping'an changed his appearance, concealed his aura, and cautiously made his way back through the province city toward the Gu Family.
• Near the Gu Family, he changed back into the guise of Reckless Saber Chen Ping'an and confirmed that no one had disturbed his courtyard.
• Chen Ping'an returned to his room, set up a Spirituality Restriction, and sealed the room with True Essence.

After learning that the Dragon Peace Turmoil had triggered sweeping personnel changes, Chen Ping'an prepared to leave Long'an for his new post in Leiming and sent letters to his Gu Family contacts, including a hesitant invitation to Gu Qingcheng. He departed Long'an for Northern Cang, while Old Jian fumed that Chen Ping'an had left without returning to commission a divine weapon.

• Gu Rencheng told Chen Ping'an that Nie Yunlong, Jing Xingyan, and other Dragon Peace officials had been removed or reassigned as the Two Provinces Town Pacification Offices launched reforms.
• Chen Ping'an wrote to the Gu Family, Gu Qingchan, and Gu Qingcheng about his transfer, asking for help finding Snow Spirit Tea and adding an invitation to share an umbrella with Gu Qingcheng.
• Chen Ping'an said farewell to Yao Guang, who gave him several Snow Spirit Leaves, and then visited Du Moyuan, Zhong Lisheng, and Zhou Zhaowu before deciding not to revisit Old Jian about forging a divine weapon.
• Chen Ping'an left Long'an, reasoning that contacting the Nangong Family through his alternate identity to seek Snow Spirit Tea could expose his true identity.
• Old Jian learned that Chen Ping'an had departed and angrily wondered why he had rejected the marriage alliance and left without returning to commission a divine weapon.
• Chen Ping'an's carriage arrived in Northern Cang.

The updated Hidden Dragon Rankings placed Chen Ping'an fifty-ninth, prompting factions across Great Qian to reassess him and compete for his allegiance. As new prodigy Li Wangchen entered ninth and upheaval spread through the rankings, Chen Ping'an’s carriage arrived at Thunderous Roar Great City.

• In Black Mist Valley, Ying Er celebrated reaching ninety-eighth on the Hidden Dragon Rankings, and her mother urged her to cultivate the Five Poison Divine Palm by combining five poisonous palm arts in reverse.
• Nangong Family elders praised Chen Ping'an’s fifty-ninth-place ranking and privately predicted that Wan'er’s restored cultivation art could let her surpass him.
• The Azure Mist Sect increased mission rewards and announced a grand competition after learning Chen Ping'an had become a Top Grandmaster before age twenty-six.
• The Heavenly Luo Saintess asked Li Xiangjun to describe Chen Ping'an, while Azure Cang Prince Manor and other factions discussed improving their offers to recruit him.
• Li Wangchen entered the Hidden Dragon Rankings at ninth, drawing attention from factions across Great Qian and prompting reactions from prodigies and their elders.
• Yin Shangjin raged at falling to tenth and declared that he would soon marry Qu Feiyan, while Chen Ping'an’s carriage reached Thunderous Roar Great City.