Chapter Summaries

Zhao Hongming traveled from Great Liang City toward Ying Commandery, considering the local powers and challenges awaiting him. As refugees fleeing famine appeared along the road, he ordered his party to conceal his identity and learned that they were heading for Ying Commandery and Zhao Country.

• Zhao Hongming rode with the Imperial Guards to Wugong Mountain and learned they would reach Heyuan County after crossing the peak.
• Zhao Hongming considered the influence of prefect Chen ShengHai, the Eastern Army, and the powerful Martial Arts Forces in Ying Commandery.
• Zhao Hongming had Gao Yanshi distribute Qi and Blood Pills to the soldiers before they continued to Cheng County, where they spent the night.
• Zhao Hongming set out again at dawn and, as refugees grew more numerous near Ying Commandery, ordered Gao Yanshi and Chang Wubing to conceal his identity as Wei Wuji.
• Gao Yanshi reported that the refugees had fled famine in southern Wei Country and were traveling toward Ying Commandery or Zhao Country.

Zhao Hongming encountered a vast column of refugees on the way to Ying Commandery and learned they were drawn there by an Upper Immortal Sect distributing food. As an Old Daoist led hungry refugees toward a temple to carry grain, a starving brother and sister remained behind.

• Zhao Hongming saw the refugees and learned from Gao Yanshi that the Ying County Governor allowed them through and an Upper Immortal Sect gave out porridge.
• Zhao Hongming ordered his party to detour and changed his appearance to avoid being recognized.
• A brawny refugee tried to seize food from the Old Daoist, who invited him and his companions to help carry more grain from the temple.
• The Old Daoist persuaded a hundred refugees to follow him, while a boy and his little sister watched and chose not to go with them.
• The Old Daoist led the refugees to a temple, where they rushed inside at the promise of stored grain.

The Old Daoist lured refugees into a pit and refined their blood into a Longevity Pill, which extended his life by ten years. He set out to hunt a group of Martial Warriors, while two riders headed for Heyuan County to investigate him.

• The Old Daoist trapped refugees in an Impaling Pit, and the brawny man who escaped the fall was beheaded after telling him about sixty or seventy nearby Martial Warriors.
• The Old Daoist used an array and the refugees’ blood to refine a Longevity Pill, then swallowed it and regained some youth.
• The Old Daoist ordered his disciples to burn the temple and pit, then set off to find the Martial Warriors and make more pills.
• A man and a woman rode from Ying Commandery toward Heyuan County, hoping to find proof that the Old Daoist was a demonic Taoist.
• The man said he had reached Innate Fifth Rank and assured the woman he could handle the Old Daoist.

Fang Mingda and his junior sister pursued an Old Daoist after discovering the corpses of more than a hundred refugees. Fang Mingda attacked the Old Daoist but was struck down by his strange protective technique.

• Fang Mingda and his junior sister found a pit filled with more than a hundred burned corpses and decided to pursue the Old Daoist responsible.
• Fang Mingda and his junior sister caught up with the Old Daoist and his disciples as they searched the plains for refugees.
• Fang Mingda struck first and killed one disciple with a sword, then charged at the Old Daoist.
• The Old Daoist protected himself with a golden barrier, causing Fang Mingda's sword to shatter against it.
• The Old Daoist landed a palm strike on Fang Mingda's chest, making him spit blood.

The old Daoist killed Fang Mingda and pursued Fang Mingda’s Junior Sister, but Zhao Hongming cut down the old Daoist when he attacked the Imperial Guards. Zhao Hongming ordered his guards to kill the old Daoist’s disciples, leaving the woman stunned.

• The old Daoist used his Triangular Flag to restrain Fang Mingda, then killed him when Fang Mingda fought back and tried to help his Junior Sister escape.
• The old Daoist pursued Fang Mingda’s Junior Sister, who fled toward Zhao Hongming and his armored Imperial Guards.
• The woman warned Zhao Hongming that the old Daoist used an unbreakable Array Flag and the Ancient Immortal Method.
• The old Daoist attacked Zhao Hongming, but Zhao Hongming’s saber broke the Triangular Formation Flag and then cleaved the old Daoist in two.
• Zhao Hongming ordered Wu Qi and the Imperial Guards to kill the old Daoist’s disciples, while Fang Mingda’s Junior Sister watched in shock.

Zhao Hongming’s guards defeated the Old Daoist’s disciples, and Jing Qiao Yan explained that her senior brother had pursued the Old Daoist for refining pills with human lives. Zhao Hongming reached Lu Ling City before nightfall and prepared to meet Ying Commandery’s Prefect.

• Wu Qi led the Imperial Guards in pursuing and killing the Old Daoist’s fleeing disciples.
• Jing Qiao Yan told Zhao Hongming that the Old Daoist had been refining pills with human lives and was connected to the Upper Immortal Sect.
• Gao Yanshi found an array for refining human lives among the Old Daoist’s belongings, and Zhao Hongming ordered it burned.
• Zhao Hongming’s party traveled to Ying Commandery, while Jing Qiao Yan followed with Fang Mingda’s body.
• Jing Qiao Yan parted from the group near Lu Ling City, and Zhao Hongming’s appearance returned to normal.
• Zhao Hongming led his subordinates toward Lu Ling City to meet Prefect Chen ShengHai.

Zhao Hongming arrived in Ying Commandery and found that local martial factions had taken over its government while officials denied knowing about the influential Upper Immortal Sect. At the Martial King Residence, Chen ShengHai moved to impose guards on Zhao Hongming, leaving him to face the commandery’s attempt to control him.

• Zhao Hongming reached Lu Ling City, where Ying Commandery prefect Chen ShengHai and local officials welcomed him at the gate.
• Chen ShengHai hosted Zhao Hongming at a banquet, where Zhao learned that martial factions controlled every official post and had driven out court-appointed officials.
• Zhao Hongming asked about the Upper Immortal Sect, but the officials all denied knowing of it, and he stopped pressing them.
• Chen ShengHai escorted Zhao Hongming to the Martial King Residence and offered martial artists as guards, claiming Zhao’s own guards had been sent to the military camp after drinking too much.
• Zhao Hongming recognized that Chen ShengHai intended to restrict his freedom, while Chen ShengHai insisted that Zhao had little choice but to accept the guards.

Zhao Hongming feigned cooperation after Chen ShengHai confined him to the Martial King Residence, while arranging to gather intelligence and prepare his guards. After three days of waiting, he secretly changed his appearance and began killing the patrols inside the residence.

• Zhao Hongming entered the guarded Martial King Residence and told Chang Wubing to check on Wu Qi while ordering Gao Yanshi to investigate Ying Commandery’s forces and families.
• Chen ShengHai let Chang Wubing leave under surveillance and ordered more than two hundred Martial Warriors to watch the residence and prevent Zhao Hongming from leaving.
• Chang Wubing found Wu Qi and the drugged Imperial Guards in an abandoned camp, relayed Zhao Hongming’s orders, and helped revive them.
• Zhao Hongming remained quiet in the residence for three days, then reshaped his face and slipped out of his room late at night.
• Zhao Hongming ambushed a patrol of Meridian Opening Realm Martial Warriors, decapitated them, and moved toward the next patrol point.

Zhao Hongming secretly slaughtered the Martial Warriors guarding the Martial King Residence, including Jia Yacheng, so no one would remain to watch him. He returned to his quarters, ordered Chang Wubing to bring Wu Qi and the others to take over the guard, and made himself appear injured to continue his deception.

• Zhao Hongming entered a room where Martial Warriors were feasting and killed them before they could react.
• Zhao Hongming continued killing the guards throughout the Martial King Residence as the night grew quiet.
• Jia Yacheng noticed something was wrong and sent two Martial Warriors to protect the Martial King, but Zhao Hongming killed them and then killed Jia Yacheng.
• Zhao Hongming returned to his sleeping quarters in his original appearance and told Chang Wubing to have Wu Qi and the others take over the guard.
• Zhao Hongming injured himself by reversing his qi and told Gao Yanshi that he had to keep up the act.

After an assassin nearly killed Zhao Hongming, Chang Wubing summoned Wu Qi and the Imperial Guards to reinforce the Martial King Residence. Zhao Hongming blamed Chen ShengHai for the failed protection, dismissed him, and said his own troops would guard him until Chen caught the culprit.

• Chang Wubing told Wu Qi that Zhao Hongming had been attacked, and Wu Qi led the Imperial Guards out of camp after ordering them to kill the guards who tried to stop them.
• Chen ShengHai learned that an assassin had killed or incapacitated most of the Martial Warriors at the Martial King Residence and rushed there to investigate.
• Wu Qi and the Imperial Guards entered the residence as Chen ShengHai arrived and found Zhao Hongming vomiting blood in his bedchamber.
• Zhao Hongming accused Chen ShengHai of arranging the attack by dismissing his Imperial Guards and providing inadequate replacements.
• Zhao Hongming dismissed Chen ShengHai and said his own troops would protect him until Chen caught the culprit.
• Chen ShengHai left with an ugly expression and ordered his subordinates to investigate the assassin.

Zhao Hongming exploited the aftermath of an assassination at the Martial King Residence to end the Martial Arts Forces’ protection of the residence and secure a foothold in Ying Commandery. After his enemies withdrew, he revealed that his injuries were healed and rallied his trusted followers to prepare for the struggles ahead.

• Chen ShengHai arrived at the Martial King Residence and suspected that a traitor had used knowledge of the patrol routes to frame him and benefit from the killings.
• The gathered Martial Arts Forces denied involvement and swore oaths, while Chen ShengHai ordered them to investigate and keep watch outside the residence.
• Zhao Hongming’s Imperial Guards remained at the entrance as the Martial Arts Forces withdrew their protection and later cleaned up the corpses and blood.
• After Chen ShengHai and the others left, Zhao Hongming used the Eight Desolations Eternal Youth Technique to heal his injuries, surprising Wu Qi and the others.
• Zhao Hongming urged his followers to unite and said he would secretly build his forces before dealing with the people obstructing him.

Zhao Hongming discussed building his own forces with Wu Qi, who proposed replacing Wei’s temporary troop mobilization with a professional elite army. Zhao Hongming agreed with the strategy but planned to obtain the resources by harvesting the wealth of Ying Commandery’s Martial Arts Forces, while ordering Gao Yanshi to investigate them.

• Zhao Hongming told Wu Qi he wanted to establish Martial Arts Forces of his own in Ying Commandery.
• Wu Qi criticized Wei’s temporary troop mobilization and proposed separating soldiers from farming to create an elite professional army.
• Zhao Hongming recognized Wu Qi’s strategy, praised him, and raised the problems of funding, grain, Wish Stones, and training grounds.
• Zhao Hongming proposed building and training the army through Martial Arts Forces outside the King's Residence, with farmers left to produce in peace.
• Zhao Hongming implied that Ying Commandery’s nearly hundred Martial Arts Forces would be plundered after the autumn wheat harvest.
• Zhao Hongming reminded Gao Yanshi to investigate Ying Commandery, and Gao promised to gather information the next morning.

Refugee Zhang Yi brought his little sister into Lu Ling City and offered his treasured sword to Gao Yanshi in exchange for work. Gao Yanshi hired him to uncover every Martial Arts Force in Ying Commandery within five days, and Zhang Yi used part of his payment to buy candy for his sister.

• Zhang Yi refused to take his sister to the Upper Immortal Sect, suspecting the Daoists who offered food were trapping refugees, and instead led her into Lu Ling City.
• Zhang Yi persuaded the gate guards to admit him and his sister by presenting himself as a gentleman seeking the prefect's patronage.
• After a candy vendor drove Zhang Yi away, he noticed Gao Yanshi and offered him his treasured sword in exchange for silver and a chance to serve.
• Gao Yanshi hired Zhang Yi to identify every Martial Arts Force in Ying Commandery within five days and gave him twenty taels of silver, keeping the sword as security.
• Zhang Yi took his sister back to the candy vendor and offered ten taels of silver to buy all the candy.

Zhang Yi gathered intelligence on the Martial Arts Forces in Ying Commandery by trading candy with little beggars, then delivered his findings to Gao Yanshi. Zhao Hongming reviewed the report and chose the Iron Tiger Gang as his first target because it was one of the weakest forces but also the richest.

• Zhang Yi persuaded the maltose vendor to return his change by claiming he had received the silver from an official of the Martial King Residence.
• Zhang Yi and the little girl used candy to recruit little beggars to gather information about Martial Arts Forces in Lu Ling and Ying Commandery.
• Zhang Yi collected and verified intelligence for several days, then compiled it into a booklet ranking nearly a hundred forces.
• Zhang Yi presented the booklet to Gao Yanshi, who rewarded him with ten taels of silver and agreed to meet him every five days.
• Zhao Hongming praised the report and announced that the Iron Tiger Gang would be his first target because it was weak but wealthy.

Zhao Hongming arrived at the Iron Tiger Gang branch hall just as a Wang Family man and an Upper Immortal Sect daoist seized control of the gang. The gang leader was killed, and Zhao entered the hall as the survivors were ordered to serve the Wang Family.

• Zhao Hongming ordered Gao Yanshi to secretly gather Imperial Guards and deal with the Iron Tiger Gang and similar gangs.
• Zhao Hongming reviewed his cultivation progress, reached the Innate Sixth Rank, and used a transformed face to travel to the Iron Tiger Gang branch hall.
• A White Robe Man from the Wang Family tried to recruit the Iron Tiger Gang Leader, while an Upper Immortal Sect daoist joined him.
• The daoist killed the Iron Tiger Gang Leader with a flying sword after the gang leader refused to submit.
• The White Robe Man claimed the Iron Tiger Gang and ordered its members to serve the Wang Family, while Zhao Hongming entered the branch hall.

Zhao Hongming entered the Iron Tiger Gang’s hall to claim its leadership and fought the White Robe Man and an Upper Immortal Sect daoist. After killing them both, he asked the gathered disciples whether anyone objected to him becoming leader.

• Zhao Hongming entered the Iron Tiger Gang’s main hall and announced that he intended to become its leader.
• The White Robe Man attacked Zhao Hongming, then transformed into a Three Heads Six Arms form using a small triangular flag.
• Zhao Hongming fought the White Robe Man and overwhelmed him with a barrage of punches, killing him with a blow to the head.
• The Upper Immortal Sect daoist attacked with a Sword Rainbow, but Zhao Hongming caught and snapped the sword before killing him.
• Zhao Hongming asked the silent Iron Tiger Gang disciples whether they objected to him becoming their leader.

Zhao Hongming took control of the Iron Tiger Gang after killing its leader, then learned the gang had already been at odds with the Wang Family and the Upper Immortal Sect. He renamed it the Bright Cult's Tiger Hall and declared his intention to establish a religion in Ying Commandery.

• An Iron Tiger Gang member mourned her father, and Zhang Yubao pleaded with Zhao Hongming not to punish her.
• Zhang Yubao accepted Zhao Hongming as the new Gang Leader, and the Iron Tiger Gang members bowed to him.
• Zhang Yubao described the gang's property and its newly established Boat Gang on the Ying River.
• Zhang Yubao warned Zhao Hongming that the Wang Family and Upper Immortal Sect would seek revenge for their dead members.
• Zhao Hongming ordered the gang to keep its affairs unchanged and renamed it the Bright Cult's Tiger Hall.
• Zhao Hongming declared that he, Wei Wuji, intended to establish a sect and religion in Ying Commandery.

Zhao Hongming founded the Bright Cult by conquering four gangs, drawing the attention of Ying Commandery’s prefect Chen ShengHai. While investigating the Upper Immortal Sect and its suspicious ties to disappearing refugees and the Wang Family, Zhao Hongming cultivated for three months and reached the threshold for Martial Courage.

• Zhao Hongming ordered Zhang Yubao to send Tiger Hall men with him as he set out to absorb more gangs into the Bright Cult.
• Zhao Hongming killed the Flying Eagle Gang leader with one punch, then subdued or defeated four gangs and established five Bright Cult branch halls with over a thousand members.
• Prefect Chen ShengHai heard of Wei Wuji’s rising influence, ordered an investigation, and prepared to attend the Upper Immortal Sect’s Longevity Celebration.
• Zhao Hongming read Gao Yanshi’s reports about disappearing refugees, the declining Wang Family, and the Upper Immortal Sect, and examined a Small Triangular Flag taken from a Wang Family member.
• After three months of uninterrupted cultivation, Zhao Hongming reached Innate Ninth Grade and chose to break through to Martial Courage.

Zhao Hongming used Heaven's Reward to overcome the National Destiny's pressure and break through to the Martial Courage Realm. Afterward, he found that his physique had become a Spirit Embryo and that further cultivation would require vastly more progress.

• Zhao Hongming circulated the Eight Desolations Eternal Youth Technique and poured True Intent into his True Intent Mark, beginning to condense Martial Courage.
• His flesh and blood ran out of essence before Martial Courage could stabilize, and the National Destiny pressing down on him made the crisis worse.
• Zhao Hongming called upon Heaven's Reward, which strengthened the mysterious power and drew Spiritual Qi into his body to sustain his Martial Courage.
• He broke through an invisible barrier and saw a towering giant in his visualization, then checked his Martial Arts Panel and confirmed he had reached Martial Courage First Grade.
• Zhao Hongming noticed that the progress required for another breakthrough had increased tenfold and that his physique had changed to Spirit Embryo.

Zhao Hongming discovered new ways to shape his Dharma Form, while Chen ShengHai plotted to use Wei Wuji to weaken the Wang Family and advance his own ambitions. At the Lu Ling docks, a man accused the Wang Family of killing his gang leader as their ship prepared to leave.

• Zhao Hongming formed extra arms from his Green Mist Dharma Form and found that he could also create a tough protective layer around his body.
• Chen ShengHai’s informant linked Wei Wuji to the Martial King’s assassination and reported that he was recruiting gang members in Ying Commandery.
• Chen ShengHai decided to provoke the Wang Family by helping Wei Wuji attack its river-transport interests and secretly killing more of its members.
• Chen ShengHai explained that he wanted to weaken the Wang Family and the Upper Immortal Sect before the Yin Kingdom Heritage and an anticipated military return gave him a chance to rise.
• A man rushed onto a Wang Family ship at the Lu Ling docks and shouted that the family must repay his gang leader’s life.