Chapter Summaries

Xu Yan flew to the Qi Kingdom’s Capital City to face Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan, Inner Domain martial artists who had come seeking Xue Wuxin. Xu Yan revealed that his master had killed Xue Wuxin, then challenged Xie Lingfeng; their fight began outside the city, where Xie Lingfeng’s swordwork surprised Xu Yan but Xu Yan evaded his opening attack.

• Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan arrived at the Capital City and demanded that Guo Rongshan summon his grandson, believing Xu Yan was secretly Xue Wuxin.
• Guo Rongshan sent word to Xu Yan, who eagerly set out to meet the hostile Inner Domain visitors; Li Xuan later followed to keep watch.
• Xu Yan arrived at the imperial palace, told Xie Lingfeng that Xue Wuxin was dead and that his master had killed him, then accepted Xie Lingfeng’s challenge.
• Xu Yan and Xie Lingfeng flew beyond the city and exchanged introductions before Xu Yan attacked with the Dragon Subduing Palm.
• Xie Lingfeng split Xu Yan’s dragon-shaped palm strike with his sword and counterattacked, but Xu Yan spotted the attack’s weakness and used Shape-Shifting Evasion to dodge.

Xu Yan battled Xie Lingfeng, mastered the principles of his sword techniques through Clear Sword Heart, and began using improved versions against him. The chapter ended with Xu Yan revealing Clear Sword Heart and questioning whether Xie Lingfeng understood it, leaving the furious swordsman stunned.

• Xu Yan used Dragon Subduing Palm to withstand Xie Lingfeng's Ten Thousand Rivers Sword Technique and achieved great mastery of the palm technique's second stage.
• Xie Lingfeng unleashed Rainbow Sword Technique, forcing Xu Yan to evade before Xu Yan drew his sword.
• Xu Yan reproduced and improved Ten Thousand Rivers Sword Technique, shocking Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan by explaining that he had learned it during their battle.
• Xu Yan copied Rainbow Sword Technique and other sword moves, while insisting that sword-dao practitioners could freely learn and use their opponents' techniques.
• Xu Yan sheathed his sword, told Xie Lingfeng that he had mistaken his understanding of the sword dao, and asked whether he knew of Clear Sword Heart.

Xu Yan defeated Hu Shan’s concealed sword technique and shook Xie Lingfeng’s confidence by claiming that the Inner Domain cultivated False Martial Dao. After Xie Lingfeng explained his cultivation system, Xu Yan began describing his own, leaving Xie Lingfeng stunned by its foundation realms.

• Xu Yan explained Clear Sword Heart to Xie Lingfeng, who refused to believe it and hesitated to attack.
• Hu Shan challenged Xu Yan with the Gale Sword Technique and a concealed ground-skimming sword move, but Xu Yan copied the move and used it more powerfully, forcing Xie Lingfeng to intervene.
• Xie Lingfeng admitted he could not win and asked Xu Yan for guidance, then learned that Xu Yan came from the Border Wasteland and practiced what he called True Martial Dao.
• Xie Lingfeng described the Inner Domain’s ranks and Qi Refining Grandmaster realm, while the secretly watching Li Xuan judged his own martial path superior.
• Xu Yan described Skin Tempering, Iron Bone, Copper Bone, Golden Bone, and Jade Bone, leaving Xie Lingfeng questioning whether his own Martial Dao was false.

Xie Lingfeng struggled to accept Xu Yan’s explanation that the Inner Domain’s martial arts were a False Martial Dao, while Qi Kingdom’s court fell under Guo Rongshan’s control. Back in Yunshan County, Meng Chong comprehended the momentum of wind and thunder and mastered the Wind Thunder Diamond Fist, leaving Li Xuan worried that lightning might strike him.

• Xu Yan told Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan that their martial arts were a False Martial Dao, and Xie Lingfeng left shaken after acknowledging Xu Yan’s strength.
• Guo Rongshan called a grand court assembly, and the ministers effectively transferred Qi Kingdom’s government into his hands while the Qi Emperor repeatedly vented his anger on the First Prince.
• Xie Lingfeng recovered enough to visit Xu Yan, while Hu Shan remained behind, still bewildered by the revelation.
• Meng Chong watched a storm and grasped the momentum of wind and thunder, then used it to master the Wind Thunder Diamond Fist.
• Li Xuan watched the storm from beneath the eaves and worried that lightning might strike Meng Chong as he trained in the forest.

Li Xuan taught Meng Chong the Bagua diagram so he could develop his own movement technique, while Xu Yan comprehended Sword Intent through sparring with Xie Lingfeng. Xu Yan named his first Sword Intent Mountain River Sword Intent and demonstrated its overwhelming power, leaving Xie Lingfeng determined to enter the true sword path.

• Li Xuan received feedback that Meng Chong had mastered the Wind Thunder Diamond Fist and promised to teach him Bagua and the blade path.
• Li Xuan explained Bagua to Meng Chong, who began studying it in hopes of comprehending his own movement technique.
• Xu Yan and Xie Lingfeng sparred with wooden swords as Xu Yan explained Sword Intent and reflected on his master's teachings.
• Xu Yan comprehended Clear Sword Heart and Sword Intent, naming his first Sword Intent Mountain River Sword Intent.
• Xie Lingfeng attacked Xu Yan's Mountain River Sword Intent with a hundred strikes before dispersing it, then resolved to become a true sword dao martial artist.

Xu Yan returned to Yunshan County after comprehending Mountain River Sword Intent, and Li Xuan received the same mastery through his golden finger. Xu Yan then broke through to the Innate Realm, opening his Heaven and Earth Bridge and beginning to form his Dantian Sea of Qi.

• Xu Yan told Xie Lingfeng that a clear state of mind was the foundation of Clear Sword Heart and described how he had tempered his resolve in the Qi Emperor's harem.
• Xie Lingfeng shared Xu Yan's account of Mountain River Sword Intent with Hu Shan and declared that he would pursue true martial arts and enter the gate of swordsmanship.
• Xu Yan left for Yunshan County after advising Guo Rongshan and the others, while Li Xuan received mastery of Mountain River Sword Intent through his golden finger and unintentionally helped Shi Er advance his bone tempering.
• Li Xuan praised Xu Yan's sword intent and told him to explore how it could temper the self; Xu Yan then discussed the Bagua with Meng Chong before preparing to break through.
• Xu Yan merged Mountain River Sword Intent and Dragon Subduing Palm into his Vital Energy, opened the Heaven and Earth Bridge, transformed his Vital Energy into Innate True Qi, and began forming his Dantian Sea of Qi.

Xu Yan broke through to the Innate Realm, comprehended the Dragon Might Intent, and gained a Dragon Soaring Mountain River Spiritual Bone, while Li Xuan received the corresponding spiritual body and a major increase in strength. After Xu Yan returned, Li Xuan agreed to meet Xie Lingfeng and his companion, hoping to learn more about the Inner Domain’s martial arts.

• Xu Yan opened his Dantian Sea of Qi, entered the Innate Realm, and comprehended the Dragon Might Intent of the Dragon Subduing Palm alongside his Mountain River Sword Intent.
• The cheat’s feedback raised Li Xuan to the peak of the Innate Realm, strengthened his power, and granted him the Dragon Soaring Mountain River Spiritual Body after Xu Yan’s Jade Bone transformed.
• Meng Chong resonated with the sun while practicing the Great Sun Golden Bell Shield, accelerating his cultivation, and Xu Yan returned three days after his breakthrough.
• Xu Yan asked whether Sword Intent could help his parents refine their bones, and Li Xuan explained when such assistance could safely accelerate cultivation.
• Xu Yan told Li Xuan that Xie Lingfeng and his companion wanted to visit; Li Xuan agreed, intending to build connections and obtain Inner Domain martial arts methods.

Xu Yan and Meng Chong exchanged their Bagua insights, helping Meng Chong comprehend Horizontal Shift Evasion and Li Xuan gain the fused Heaven and Earth Shift. After learning the Wu Kingdom had organized a Jianghu Gathering to capture him, Meng Chong set out for Tianping Mountain to claim the promised reward.

• Xu Yan and Meng Chong discussed their different Bagua insights and movement techniques, and Meng Chong comprehended Horizontal Shift Evasion.
• Li Xuan received feedback that Meng Chong's breakthrough had helped him master Horizontal Shift Evasion and the fused Heaven and Earth Shift.
• Shi Er told Meng Chong that Wu Emperor had raised the bounty on him and that the Wu Kingdom's Jianghu would gather at Tianping Mountain to elect a leader and capture him.
• Meng Chong decided to attend the gathering, claim Wu Emperor's promised reward, and bring Li Xuan rare books from the imperial palace.
• Meng Chong rode toward Tianping Mountain while Xu Yan offered to have books sent to Li Xuan.

Meng Chong disrupted the Wu Kingdom’s Jianghu conference on Tianping Mountain, defeated its assembled experts, and took the alliance leader’s token before heading for the capital. Wu Emperor was still demanding Meng Chong’s capture when Meng Chong arrived at court to claim the reward.

• Li Xuan studied medical texts and considered developing a new branch of martial arts, while Xu Yan prepared to return to Donghe Commandery.
• Elder Wu presided over the Jianghu conference on Tianping Mountain and mocked the Qi Kingdom’s claims about peerless martial arts.
• Meng Chong reached the conference carrying his horse, revealed his identity, and defeated the Wu Kingdom’s assembled experts without moving from the platform.
• Elder Wu fled and left the alliance leader’s token embedded in a tree; Meng Chong retrieved it and set out for the Wu Kingdom’s capital.
• Wu Emperor berated his ministers for failing to capture Meng Chong, then Meng Chong called out from outside the main hall and demanded his reward.

Meng Chong defeated Wu Kingdom’s Heavenly Profound Guard, collected his promised rewards, and discovered an ancient leather booklet marked “Taicang.” Back in Yunshan County, Li Xuan examined its mysterious patterns while pretending to understand them, and the chapter left him studying the booklet’s second page.

• Meng Chong barged into the imperial court, forced the Wu Emperor to honor his debt, and defeated the Heavenly Profound Guard at the training grounds.
• Meng Chong collected ginseng, Precious Medicines, and books from the imperial treasury, where he found an ancient leather booklet marked “Taicang.”
• Elder Wu heard of Meng Chong’s strength and ordered his grand-disciples to prepare for a journey into the Endless Mountains.
• The Wu Emperor confronted the mysterious voice in a stone chamber about Meng Chong, but the voice denied that a martial artist could arise in the Taicang borderlands and then fell into a deranged rant.
• Meng Chong returned to Yunshan County and showed the booklet to Li Xuan, who examined its strange lines and opened the second page.

Li Xuan failed to decipher the changing patterns in the ancient leather book and let Xu Yan examine it, but Xu Yan understood no more than he did. Meanwhile, Xie Lingfeng tried to temper his state of mind by watching the Qi Emperor’s consorts, then traveled to Yunshan County and met Li Xuan, whose aura left him and Hu Shan awestruck.

• Li Xuan studied the ancient leather book, found that its patterns seemed to change whenever he looked at them, and decided to have Xu Yan examine it.
• Xu Yan returned from Donghe Commandery, looked through the book, and mistook its unclear lines for a possible treasure map before Li Xuan took it back and urged him to focus on cultivation.
• Xie Lingfeng decided to temper his state of mind by watching the Qi Emperor’s consorts dance, while the Qi Emperor hid his anger and learned that the First Prince had fled the capital.
• After Guo Rongshan told Xie Lingfeng that Li Xuan was willing to meet him, Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan traveled to Yunshan County, where Xu Yan introduced them to Meng Chong.
• Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan entered Li Xuan’s courtyard, mistook his mysterious aura for that of a peerless expert, and knelt to pay their respects.

Li Xuan taught Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan a method to refine their impure True Qi and return to the proper martial path. Afterward, Xu Yan and Xie Lingfeng sparred, while Meng Chong’s strength and fist techniques astonished Hu Shan.

• Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan showed Li Xuan their cultivation techniques, and he explained that their unstable foundations came from impure True Qi.
• Li Xuan passed Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan a method for refining True Qi, though Hu Shan admitted afterward that he had not memorized it all.
• Xu Yan used Innate True Qi and a tree branch to overwhelm Xie Lingfeng in their sword spar.
• Meng Chong’s body withstood Hu Shan’s Sword Qi, and his powerful strikes made Hu Shan realize the strength of Body Cultivation Martial Dao.
• Hu Shan put aside his sword to spar with Meng Chong using fists, but Meng Chong’s Wind Thunder Diamond Fist quickly overwhelmed him.

Li Xuan compared Inner Domain martial arts with his own system, learned about Spirit Crystals, and realized Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan could not condense true qi in the Border Wasteland because it lacked Spiritual Qi. After the two left for the Inner Domain, Xu Yan gained a revelation while studying the Bagua and created a movement technique that made him vanish in an instant.

• Li Xuan examined Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan’s cultivation methods and wondered whether the Ancient Leather Booklet held secrets beyond the Grandmaster realm.
• Xie Lingfeng explained Inner Domain cultivation, spiritual medicine, and Spirit Crystals, then gave five Spirit Crystals each to Xu Yan and Meng Chong.
• Li Xuan determined that Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan could not condense true qi in the Border Wasteland because Inner Domain martial arts required Spiritual Qi.
• Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan decided to return to the Inner Domain, and Xu Yan and Meng Chong accepted their offer to invoke their names if they encountered trouble.
• Xu Yan gained a revelation on the Zhen trigram and created a movement technique that made him disappear from Meng Chong’s sight.

Xu Yan and Meng Chong each comprehended a thunder-based movement technique, allowing Li Xuan to gain Divine Thunder Crossing the Void. Li Xuan then taught Meng Chong how to pursue the Way of the Saber by nurturing his blade, and Meng Chong began the practice while promising not to neglect his cultivation.

• Xu Yan demonstrated Heavenly Thunder Flash to Meng Chong, who decided to develop a movement technique better suited to his forceful style.
• Meng Chong comprehended Raging Thunder Across the Sky, and Li Xuan gained great accomplishment in both disciples' techniques and obtained Divine Thunder Crossing the Void.
• Li Xuan used a strand of true qi to accelerate Shi Er's Organ Refining, then appeared before Xu Yan and Meng Chong and advised them to focus on cultivation until their realms improved.
• Meng Chong asked to learn the saber, and Li Xuan explained that entering the Way of the Saber required awakening the Blade Soul.
• Li Xuan taught Meng Chong to nurture his blade with his body, heart, will, and vital energy, while warning him to keep cultivating.
• Meng Chong began nourishing his treasured saber with vital energy and resolved not to let the practice interfere with his cultivation.

Meng Chong mastered the Great Sun Golden Bell Shield and discovered how to begin nurturing his blade with intent, while Li Xuan taught him the Body Cultivation Martial Dao technique for the Innate Realm, the Great Sun Golden Body. The chapter left Meng Chong eager to comprehend the method and advance his cultivation.

• Meng Chong mastered the Great Sun Golden Bell Shield, reaching the major accomplishment stage of the Qi and Blood Realm and strengthening Li Xuan through the resulting feedback.
• While cultivating, Meng Chong realized that the blade in his heart could resonate with the blade in his hand, marking his first true step toward nurturing the blade with intent and awakening the Blade Soul.
• Li Xuan arrived and told Meng Chong he would teach him the Body Cultivation Martial Dao technique for the Innate Realm.
• Li Xuan explained that the Great Sun Golden Body required opening and nourishing thirty-six golden body acupoints, which could eventually unite into an imperishable body and transform him into a Three Zhang Golden Body.
• Meng Chong listened eagerly to Li Xuan's instruction and resolved to comprehend the Great Sun Golden Body.

Li Xuan taught Meng Chong the Great Sun Golden Body and planned to impart a technique above the Innate Realm to Xu Yan when he returned. Meanwhile, the Heavenly Mother of the Tianmu Cult lured Steward Zheng into a pit and began burying him for his crimes.

• Li Xuan explained the Great Sun Golden Body’s acupoints and urged Meng Chong to cultivate patiently, while Meng Chong began studying the technique.
• Li Xuan reflected on Xu Yan’s cultivation, checked Shi Er’s progress, and continued examining the ancient leather book.
• The Heavenly Mother visited Steward Zheng in Nanhe County, where he pretended to repent while plotting to drug and assault her.
• The Heavenly Mother and Aunt Zhou revealed a pit prepared in Steward Zheng’s bedroom and kicked him into it when he arrived.
• Steward Zheng begged for mercy and promised to reform, but the Heavenly Mother kept shoveling earth onto him, saying that buried people never did evil again.

Su Lingxiu’s brutal method of “persuading” evil people was exposed when Li Xuan met her in Yunshan County. After learning that her medical skills were genuine, Li Xuan became interested in her as a possible third disciple.

• Su Lingxiu buried Steward Zheng alive, then had his steward impersonate him and publicly give away his fortune and repent.
• After the steward left Nanhe County, Su Lingxiu buried him too, explaining that her promise to spare him had come from the Heavenly Mother, not from her.
• Su Lingxiu and Aunt Zhou headed for Yunshan County to meet the rumored expert, while tales of the Heavenly Mother’s miraculous persuasion spread through the Tianmu Cult.
• Li Xuan heard the rumors from Shi Er and wondered how Su Lingxiu could make evildoers change their ways.
• Su Lingxiu arrived at Li Xuan’s residence, where he and Aunt Zhou sensed each other’s formidable strength.
• Su Lingxiu told Li Xuan that she buried evildoers so they could never do evil again, then said her medical skills were genuine and introduced herself as Su Lingxiu.

Li Xuan accepted Su Lingxiu as his disciple and began teaching her the Medicinal Dao, a cultivation path he had invented. After introducing her to Meng Chong, he explained Evergreen Bone and alchemy, leaving Su Lingxiu eager to cultivate and already imagining a Vital Energy-replenishing Pill Formula.

• Li Xuan tested Su Lingxiu's medical knowledge, recognized her talent, and offered to teach her the Medicinal Dao if she could begin cultivating within a year.
• Su Lingxiu accepted Li Xuan as her master, while Zhou Ying worried that the Border Wasteland's lack of Spiritual Energy made cultivation impossible; Li Xuan assured them his martial arts could be cultivated there.
• Li Xuan introduced Su Lingxiu to Meng Chong as her possible junior sister and explained the Medicinal Dao's Skin Tempering, Bone Refining, Organ Refining, and Evergreen Bone.
• Li Xuan taught Su Lingxiu his principles of alchemy, explaining how refining Precious Medicines removed impurities and fused their essence into elixirs.
• Su Lingxiu became determined to master alchemy and conceived a formula combining Mountain Ginseng, Nine-Leaf Spirit Ganoderma, and tiger blood to replenish Vital Energy.

Li Xuan taught Su Lingxiu the theories and cultivation principles of the Medicinal Dao, and she quickly began organizing her insights into pill formulas. She left Zhou Ying to search for materials for an Alchemy Furnace while she worked to understand the path, and Li Xuan hoped she would eventually develop its cultivation method.

• Su Lingxiu recalled Li Xuan’s alchemy lessons and proposed a Pill Formula, prompting him to teach her the King, Minister, Assistant, and Envoy principles.
• Li Xuan explained pill refining, Medicinal Dao cultivation, and needle techniques, then told Su Lingxiu to ask Xu Yan for guidance on cultivation when he returned.
• Su Lingxiu asked when Xu Yan would return and learned that he was expected within a few days; Li Xuan also described Meng Chong’s blade cultivation.
• Su Lingxiu drew a blueprint for an Alchemy Furnace and asked Zhou Ying to seek suitable Treasure Artifact materials through the Tianmu Cult and Kou Ruozhi.
• Su Lingxiu spent the day recording medicinal properties and her insights, while Li Xuan arranged for Shi Er to cook for her and watched her work with approval.

Su Lingxiu developed her understanding of pills and, with Xu Yan’s guidance, sensed Vital Energy and began comprehending the Medicinal Dao Martial Dao. Her insights led her to create the rudimentary Medicinal Dao Tome, and Li Xuan received the complete tome through the golden finger.

• Su Lingxiu organized Precious Medicine into Pill Formulas while struggling to comprehend the Medicinal Dao cultivation method, and Li Xuan decided Xu Yan could help her.
• Xu Yan returned as an Innate Realm martial artist and began guiding Su Lingxiu, but Meng Chong admitted he could not understand her cultivation method.
• Xu Yan advised Su Lingxiu to understand the Spiritual Qi of plants through her knowledge of medicine, and she sensed Vital Energy at her Tanzhong Acupoint.
• Su Lingxiu planned pills for martial cultivation and created formulas including the Skin Tempering Pill, Bone Tempering Pill, Viscera Refining Pill, and Minor Qi and Blood Pill.
• Su Lingxiu comprehended the Medicinal Dao theory and formed the rudimentary Medicinal Dao Tome, granting Li Xuan the complete Medicinal Dao Tome through the golden finger.