Chapter Summaries

Song Ankang’s repeated cultivation with Dong Xinjie unexpectedly pushed him to the limit of Qi Cultivation Layer Seven. After absorbing the Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance’s feedback, he broke through to Qi Cultivation Layer Eight, while the chapter explained why the Xia Kingdom forbade monk-like professions.

• Song Ankang visited Dong Xinjie night after night, repeatedly breaking the Boy Demonic Cultivation Technique and receiving its side-effect feedback.
• Song Ankang realized that his encounters with Dong Xinjie had advanced him to the limit of Qi Cultivation Layer Seven, despite his plan to focus on his physical fitness.
• At Huanxiang Residence, Song Ankang absorbed the Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance’s feedback and prepared to break through his bottleneck.
• Song Ankang repeatedly struck the bottleneck dam with his Childhood Purity True Qi until it collapsed and his cultivation reached Qi Cultivation Layer Eight.
• The chapter explained that the Xia Kingdom destroyed groups promoting celibacy because the Human Race’s birth rate could not keep pace with deaths.

After reaching Qi Cultivation Layer Eight, Song Ankang trained with the Seven Injuries Demonic Scripture and found that the Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance now returned side-effect feedback much faster. He continued enduring painful cultivation at Shengyun Tower, where the women’s advances also repeatedly broke his cultivation technique and fueled his growth.

• Song Ankang reached Qi Cultivation Layer Eight and practiced the Seven Injuries Demonic Scripture to adapt to his stronger body and improve his mental will.
• Song Ankang used the scripture’s combat forms and received rapid feedback from the Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance as his damaged body grew stronger.
• Song Ankang threw five hundred punches before stopping to wait for feedback after cracks appeared across his body.
• Song Ankang remained at Shengyun Tower despite the women pursuing him, and Yang Ying once broke his cultivation technique in a sneak attack.
• Song Ankang reflected that his strenuous cultivation had helped him rise from Qi Cultivation Layer One to Layer Six in a few months, even while others judged him for his romantic reputation.

Song Ankang reflected on his relentless cultivation and visited Dong Xinjie before preparing a lavish meal for Little Concubine Qiushi and Lin An'an. After thanking Qiushi for caring for him, he promised to take her somewhere after breakfast, leaving her curious about the surprise.

• Song Ankang resolved to keep working hard to grow stronger, protect his family and the Human Race, and escape if an overwhelming enemy appeared.
• Song Ankang visited Dong Xinjie late at night, but several days later he chose not to see her and instead cooked a feast.
• Little Concubine Qiushi was astonished and moved when Song Ankang told her he had made the meal especially for her.
• Song Ankang served Qiushi and Lin An'an wine and food, thanked Qiushi for taking care of him, and said he would take her somewhere after they ate.
• Lin An'an thanked Song Ankang and urged him to eat more.

Song Ankang surprised little concubine Qiushi with her favorite pastries, Kyoto delicacies, and a beautiful residence, then brought her to a room filled with gemstones and three brocade boxes. Qiushi began to realize he had prepared something special for her as he asked her to open the boxes.

• Song Ankang took little concubine Qiushi to Guoguo's Pastry Shop, where she excitedly chose pastries.
• Song Ankang treated little concubine Qiushi to her favorite dishes, including delicacies brought from Kyoto, and she wept at his thoughtfulness.
• Song Ankang showed little concubine Qiushi a three-courtyard residence like the one she had dreamed of owning for her family.
• Song Ankang brought little concubine Qiushi to her room, where gemstones covered the room and three brocade boxes waited on the desk.
• Song Ankang asked little concubine Qiushi to open the boxes, and she looked at him through tears.

Song Ankang celebrated Qiushi’s eighteenth birthday by giving her a pastry shop, a residence for her family, and a precious jewelry set, fulfilling her greatest wishes. Qiushi gave herself to him that night, while Chunhua watched and regretted not accompanying him to Chaoyun Manor.

• Qiushi opened the first two brocade boxes and discovered deeds to Guoguo's Pastry Shop and a three-courtyard residence, both registered in her name.
• Song Ankang urged Qiushi to open the third box, where she found a custom jewelry set and realized he had remembered her eighteenth birthday.
• Overwhelmed by Song Ankang’s gifts, Qiushi embraced him and spent the night with him.
• Chunhua watched from outside with the jewelry Tang Yelan had prepared, then left and envied Qiushi’s gifts and fulfilled wishes.
• Chunhua regretted that she and the other maids had not volunteered to accompany Song Ankang to Chaoyun Manor.

Song Ankang read Tang Yelan’s plans for the White Jade Mulberry Forest and agreed to help her exploit its value while concealing his Qi Cultivation Layer Eight strength. Tang Yelan sent Chunhua to serve as his personal maid, leaving Chunhua wondering whether she would also share his bed.

• Chunhua reflected on Song Ankang’s success and waited until he emerged after spending the night with Guoguo.
• Chunhua delivered Tang Yelan’s letter, and Song Ankang learned how the White Jade Mulberry Forest could strengthen the Tang Family’s influence and profits.
• Song Ankang praised Tang Yelan’s business acumen and decided to cooperate with her plans.
• Song Ankang accepted the pills Tang Yelan sent but chose to hide that he had reached Qi Cultivation Layer Eight so he could keep cultivating in secret.
• Tang Yelan assigned Chunhua to serve as Song Ankang’s personal maid, and Chunhua wondered if she would have to share his bed.

Song Ankang delegated much of the White Jade Mulberry Forest’s management to Chunhua while growing closer to Qiushi. He broke through to the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation and consolidated his strength as the feedback from the Boy Demonic Cultivation Technique continued.

• Song Ankang decided Chunhua would manage most of the White Jade Mulberry Forest’s affairs and arranged for her to live next door.
• Chunhua brought Tang Yelan’s coming-of-age gifts to Qiushi, who told her how Song Ankang had waited until she turned eighteen before sharing a bed with her.
• Song Ankang returned to cultivation, and over the following days he spent most of his free time with Qiushi.
• Song Ankang broke through to the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation and used the technique’s feedback to stabilize his new realm.
• Song Ankang’s true qi and physical defense grew stronger, while his talent advanced closer to the Five Yang Body.

Song Ankang’s cultivation advanced to the limit of Qi Cultivation Layer Nine as he endured Dong Xinjie’s attentions and received powerful feedback from the Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance. He began breaking through to Qi Cultivation Layer Ten, leaving the bottleneck dam cracked but not yet broken.

• Dong Xinjie visited Song Ankang at the White Jade Tower and tripped him up for the day before he returned to Huanxiang Residence.
• Chunhua took over the affairs of the White Jade Mulberry Forest and managed them so well that Dong Xinjie had more time with Song Ankang.
• Song Ankang’s repeated cultivation progress brought him to the limit of the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation.
• The Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance healed Song Ankang’s injuries and strengthened his cultivation foundation, true qi, talent, aptitude, and spiritual will.
• Song Ankang gathered Childhood Purity True Qi and repeatedly struck the bottleneck between Qi Cultivation Layer Nine and Layer Ten until cracks appeared in the dam.

Song Ankang reached Qi Cultivation Layer Ten and strengthened his cultivation while the Yin-Devouring Beast terrorized the Qinhuai River. Unaware of the danger and a bounty that could free Peng Xuan'er, he continued cultivating until the beast entered Shengyun Tower and targeted someone close to him.

• Song Ankang broke through to Qi Cultivation Layer Ten, refined his Childhood Purity True Qi, and strengthened his foundation as he approached the limit before Foundation Establishment.
• The Yin-Devouring Beast killed courtesans across the Qinhuai River, evaded hunts by Qi Nourishing cultivators and Foundation Establishment experts, and spread panic among brothels and guests.
• The brothels and Painted Boats offered a bounty that rose to fifty thousand taels of gold for discovering or killing the Yin-Devouring Beast, but Song Ankang remained unaware of it.
• The Yin-Devouring Beast finally visited Shengyun Tower and went after the person there who had the closest relationship with Song Ankang.

Song Ankang abstained from women and trained to strengthen his body before attempting to advance from the Qi Nourishing Stage to the Foundation Establishment Realm. After reaching the pinnacle of the Qi Nourishing Stage, he prepared to break through with about ninety percent confidence, while the Yin-Devouring Beast attacked Shengyun Tower during his absence.

• Zhen Shuang longed for Song Ankang at Shengyun Tower before a Yin-Devouring Beast swallowed her and left her a dried corpse.
• Song Ankang decided to abstain from women and entered seclusion to improve his physical strength with the Seven Injuries Demonic Scripture.
• Song Ankang raised his physical strength and flexibility to the level of a Ninth-grade High-grade Mortal Artifact, then resumed visiting Dong Xinjie and Qiushi.
• The Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance healed Song Ankang's injuries and strengthened his foundation after he broke his Boy Demonic Cultivation Technique.
• Song Ankang reached the pinnacle of the Qi Nourishing Stage and prepared to condense his true qi clouds into rain to enter the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Song Ankang used the Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance’s feedback to prepare for a breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment Realm, compressing his immense true qi despite the strain on his body. After repeated efforts, fragrant, sweet nectar appeared in his dantian, marking the breakthrough’s first sign of success.

• Song Ankang entered the Training Room and prepared for his breakthrough after restoring his injuries and reaching his peak state.
• Song Ankang received feedback that slowly strengthened his cultivation foundation, then began compressing the true qi cloud in his dantian.
• Song Ankang endured the cloud’s growing pressure, lightning, and pain as he repeatedly forced the true qi to gather.
• Song Ankang compressed the cloud a third time until it turned completely black, and fragrant, sweet nectar appeared in his dantian.

Song Ankang broke through to the Foundation Establishment Early Stage and learned that a Yin-Devouring Beast was killing women along the Qinhuai River. After confirming Peng Xuan'er was still alive, he decided to use his strength to protect her and his other former lovers at Shengyun Tower.

• Song Ankang condensed his true qi clouds into rain, stabilized his Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation, and adapted to his new strength.
• Song Ankang took Qiushi and Lin An'an to Jinyu Mantang to celebrate his breakthrough.
• Song Ankang overheard diners say that a Yin-Devouring Beast was draining women to death along the Qinhuai River while Shengyun Tower refused to let its girls leave.
• Song Ankang investigated and learned that the beast had killed Shengyun Tower's previous Courtesan Queen, not Peng Xuan'er.
• Song Ankang resolved to deal with the Yin-Devouring Beast and protect Peng Xuan'er and his other former lovers.

Song Ankang cultivated the Evil Warding Sword Technique, whose harmful side effects the Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance turned into improvements to his body and cultivation. After strengthening the technique to prepare for the swift Yin-Devouring Beast, he set out for Shengyun Tower and arrived nearly penniless.

• Song Ankang chose the Evil Warding Sword Technique for its speed and killing power, relying on the Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance to transform its side effects into benefits.
• Song Ankang cultivated the technique for over two days until it reached the beginner level, giving him sword moves fast enough to contend with the Yin-Devouring Beast.
• Song Ankang left the White Jade Mulberry Forest under the pretense of closed-door cultivation and hurried toward Shengyun Tower in An City, Kyoto.
• Song Ankang bought the Eighth-Rank Low-Grade Azure Gavel Sword, spending his savings and part of the White Jade Mulberry Forest's reserve silver.
• Song Ankang reached Shengyun Tower with almost no money and realized he needed to find a way to earn more.

Song Ankang returned to Shengyun Tower, where the girls welcomed him as the celebrated poet Zhao Xiyu. Peng Xuan'er warned him that the dangerous Yin-Devouring Beast threatened the Qinhuai River, but he revealed that he had come back because of it.

• Song Ankang arrived at Shengyun Tower and was mobbed by the girls, who celebrated his return and praised his reputation as Zhao Xiyu, the Flower-Breaking Young Master.
• The customers learned that Song Ankang's poems had made him famous and brought Shengyun Tower great success.
• After a lavish welcome meal, Peng Xuan'er took the tipsy Song Ankang to her pavilion and cared for him.
• Peng Xuan'er warned Song Ankang that the Yin-Devouring Beast was dangerous and urged him to leave Shengyun Tower.
• Song Ankang said he had returned as soon as his seclusion ended because he had heard the beast was threatening Shengyun Tower, and Peng Xuan'er wept and pleaded for him not to risk his life for her.

Song Ankang reassured Peng Xuan'er that he had advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm and could protect her from the Yin-Devouring Beast. He decided to stay at the Bamboo Forest Small Pavilion until the beast was slain and offered to shelter Peng Xuan'er’s sisters there as well.

• Peng Xuan'er urged Song Ankang to leave Shengyun Tower before nightfall, fearing the Yin-Devouring Beast would kill him.
• Song Ankang embraced Peng Xuan'er and revealed that he had broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm during his secluded cultivation.
• Peng Xuan'er was astonished and relieved, then considered whether Song Ankang might redeem her without owing Shengyun Tower a favor.
• Song Ankang said he would stay at the Bamboo Forest Small Pavilion until the Yin-Devouring Beast was slain and offered to protect Peng Xuan'er's sisters there.

After Zhen Shuang was killed by a Yin-Devouring Beast, Song Ankang agreed to use a treasure to protect the women at Shengyun Tower. The girls crowded into Bamboo Forest Small Pavilion for safety, leaving him surrounded by far more people than he had planned to shelter.

• Song Ankang told Peng Xuan'er that a treasure could detect nearby Yin-Devouring Beasts, while keeping his spiritual senses secret.
• Peng Xuan'er spread the news that Song Ankang had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm and could protect the girls, prompting a flood of women to seek shelter.
• More than two hundred girls packed Bamboo Forest Small Pavilion, while guards and servants gathered nearby hoping for protection.
• Song Ankang approved building multi-tiered beds to make room, and the girls quickly filled the pavilion and garden with beds.

Song Ankang sheltered the girls and others at Shengyun Tower while preparing to face the Yin-Devouring Beast, then spent the night cultivating the Seven Injuries Demonic Scripture. The next morning, Shengyun Tower's master, Li Xiaoqing, arrived to visit him.

• Hundreds of girls gathered in Song Ankang's courtyard, and he told them he would abstain from breaking cultivation until the Yin-Devouring Beast was dead.
• Song Ankang used the Seven Injuries Demonic Scripture to strengthen his body, with the Heavenly Book of Fate Defiance easing the technique's backlash.
• Song Ankang cultivated through the night and rapidly improved his bodily strength and flexibility.
• Song Ankang received breakfast and attentive care from Shengyun Tower's staff.
• Li Xiaoqing arrived with several stewards to visit Song Ankang.

Song Ankang accepted a storage bag and valuable compensation from Li Xiaoqing for protecting Shengyun Tower’s courtesans from the Yin-Devouring Beast. Li Xiaoqing explained to Li Jilang that securing a Foundation Establishment Realm powerhouse’s protection was worth far more than the gift and left Shengyun Tower honored by his presence.

• Li Xiaoqing presented Song Ankang with a storage bag as thanks for guarding Shengyun Tower, and he accepted it.
• Song Ankang found three thousand taels of gold and other valuable items in the bag, bringing his earnings at Shengyun Tower to nearly Ten Thousand Taels of gold.
• Li Jilang complained that Shengyun Tower had given Song Ankang too much despite his comfortable stay and the gifts from its women.
• Li Xiaoqing explained that a Foundation Establishment Realm powerhouse’s protection would prevent further losses and said Shengyun Tower was fortunate to have Song Ankang stationed there.

Li Xiaoqing explained to Li Jilang why befriending Zhao Xiyu was valuable, while Song Ankang advanced his cultivation and sword technique. The chapter ended with a wealthy guest demanding that Peng Xuan'er receive him during her Good Fortune Period and offering Song Ankang one thousand taels to agree.

• Li Xiaoqing scolded Li Jilang for failing to recognize the value of Zhao Xiyu's favor and explained that Zhao Xiyu rejected even her generous offer.
• Song Ankang practiced the Evil Warding Sword Technique by day and the Seven Injuries Demonic Scripture by night, strengthening his body and reaching Minor Accomplishment in the sword technique.
• A guest arrived at Bamboo Forest Small Pavilion and demanded that Peng Xuan'er receive him despite her Good Fortune Period.
• The guest offered Song Ankang one thousand taels of silver to agree to Peng Xuan'er spending a night with him.

Song Ankang beat Tang Quanli for insulting Peng Xuan'er, ignoring the escalating sums Tang offered to spend a night with her. The chapter ended with Tang Quanli pleading to pay five hundred thousand taels of silver, leaving everyone stunned by his offer.

• Tang Quanli arrived at Shengyun Tower and offered Song Ankang one thousand taels of silver for a night with Peng Xuan'er.
• Song Ankang recognized Tang Quanli as Tang Yelan's enemy and repeatedly slapped him while Tang Quanli threatened him and invoked the Tang Family.
• Tang Quanli raised his offer to ten thousand taels, then one hundred thousand taels of silver, but Song Ankang continued beating him.
• Tang Quanli offered two hundred thousand taels of silver, and Peng Xuan'er feared Song Ankang might accept and hand her over.
• Tang Quanli begged for mercy and offered his entire wealth of five hundred thousand taels of silver for one night with Peng Xuan'er, shocking the onlookers.