Recaps

Lu Ming joined Wuji Sect as an Outer Sect Disciple and learned of Zhu Ningyun, a prodigy who had reached the Zhen Qi Realm at thirteen. After witnessing the dangers of sect missions at the Mission Hall, he exchanged his beginner-stage selections for Contribution Points and resolved to break through before taking a mission.

• Lu Ming learned that he could exchange his unused cultivation technique and martial skill choices for Contribution Points.
• Chu Yunxiao told Lu Ming that Zhu Ningyun had become a Zhen Qi Realm cultivator at thirteen and was already an Inner Sect Disciple.
• At the Mission Hall, Lu Ming and Chu Yunxiao heard that Yun Jianhai had died during a mission to kill the Black Wind Bandit Leader.
• An elder warned the disciples not to underestimate opponents, and several disciples went to accept the bandit-leader mission.
• Lu Ming exchanged his choices for Contribution Points, returned to his residence, and decided to focus on breaking through to the Zhen Qi Realm before accepting a mission.

Lu Ming broke through to the Zhen Qi Realm after calming his mind and advancing the Heavenly Saber Art, then went to take the Wuji Sect’s inner-sect assessment. Elder Ming recognized his name, confirmed his true qi, and summoned Gongsun He, who took Lu Ming away before the assessment began.

• After failing to break through, Lu Ming nearly suffered Qi Deviation, realized he needed to strengthen his will, and turned to reading the books Old Man Zhao had given him.
• Three days later, Lu Ming sensed an opportunity and advanced the Heavenly Saber Art to its seventh layer, refining his inner qi into true qi and breaking through to the Zhen Qi Realm.
• Lu Ming tested his new saber qi, planned to claim two martial skills after joining the Inner Sect, and went to the assessment hall.
• At the hall, Elder Ming recognized Lu Ming’s name, confirmed his true qi, and sent a Steward Disciple to fetch Elder Gongsun He.
• Gongsun He arrived, confirmed Lu Ming’s identity, and left with him at Elder Ming’s direction, leaving the other three assessment candidates uncertain.

Lu Ming learned that the Wuji Sect wanted to keep his extraordinary cultivation talent secret to protect him from rival sects. He returned to the inner sect entrance examination, where the examinees began a hunt in the Hundred Beasts Courtyard.

• Gongsun He and Elder Ming warned Lu Ming that the Nine Heavens Sect targeted talented Wuji Sect disciples and told him not to reveal how quickly he had cultivated.
• Elder Ming and Gongsun He reassured Lu Ming that his age and the sect’s protection would help keep him safe, while the sect would give him no special treatment.
• Lu Ming returned to the examination hall, where the elders explained away their earlier behavior by claiming he was the descendant of an old friend.
• Elder Ming announced that the examinees had to hunt one Early Stage Level 2 Demonic Beast in the Hundred Beasts Courtyard within half an hour, with Steward Disciples following to intervene if needed.
• Elder Ming ignited the incense, and the nine examinees charged into the grounds as the Steward Disciples followed.

Lu Ming swiftly killed an Ironclad Rhinoceros in the Hundred Beasts Garden and passed the Inner Sect Disciple examination. As other candidates emerged, Elder Ming learned of Lu Ming’s performance and continued assessing the remaining disciples.

• Lu Ming spotted an Ironclad Rhinoceros and crippled its limbs with four swift, precise saber strikes at its weak points.
• Lu Ming killed the beast and returned with it after only a few minutes, astonishing the Steward Disciple and Elder Ming.
• The Steward Disciple reported Lu Ming’s feat, and Elder Ming declared that Lu Ming had passed and would become an Inner Sect Disciple after the other examinations ended.
• A disciple who panicked when he encountered a demon beast failed the examination, and Elder Ming advised him to gain more practical combat experience.
• Another candidate emerged carrying a black bear, saw Lu Ming and the Ironclad Rhinoceros, and realized Lu Ming had defeated a formidable beast.

Lu Ming and four other disciples passed the assessment, while two others failed and were dismissed after Elder Ming explained their shortcomings. Elder Ming showed the successful disciples the inner sect rankings and the names of confirmed dead disciples, then asked whether they still wanted to join the inner sect.

• Cui Bai and four other disciples passed the assessment, while one disciple failed after attracting three demon beasts and left after Elder Ming refused to make an exception.
• The final disciple was disqualified for running from a demon beast until time ran out, and Elder Ming reprimanded him after comparing his movement technique with Lu Ming's and the other successful disciples'.
• Elder Ming brought the five successful disciples to the Jade Tablet and explained that its green side listed living inner sect disciples by strength ranking, while its gray side listed confirmed dead disciples.
• Lu Ming saw Chu Yunxiao ranked six-hundred-and-seventh on the green Jade Tablet.
• Elder Ming asked the five disciples whether they still wished to join the inner sect after seeing the confirmed deaths.

Lu Ming and Cui Bai arrived at White Cloud Peak to settle into their new inner sect lodgings, but Du Shaohai challenged Cui Bai for the courtyard. After Cui Bai lost, Lu Ming stepped in and accepted Du Shaohai’s challenge to defend their lodgings.

• Elder Ming made Lu Ming, Cui Bai, and the others inner sect disciples and gave them identity tokens and jade tablets for martial arts and weapons.
• Lu Ming and Cui Bai went to White Cloud Peak, where they learned they had been assigned neighboring courtyards.
• Du Shaohai confronted Cui Bai and demanded that he give up his courtyard, claiming he had grown stronger since joining the inner sect earlier.
• Cui Bai fought Du Shaohai with his Thick Earth Art but was defeated and caught by Lu Ming as he was thrown backward.
• Lu Ming refused to surrender the courtyard and accepted Du Shaohai’s challenge, agreeing to wager his own courtyard as well.

Lu Ming defeated Du Shaohai with a swift saber strike, then settled into his new courtyard and received a powerful saber from the Wuji Sect. He named it Ghost and headed to the Martial Skill Pavilion.

• Lu Ming dodged Du Shaohai’s five streams of fist force and slashed open his clothes before Du Shaohai could react, prompting Du Shaohai and his companions to leave.
• Cui Bai thanked Lu Ming, and Lu Ming encouraged him to keep improving; Cui Bai resolved to continue moving forward.
• Lu Ming inspected his courtyard and organized his belongings, including books, money, and spare sabers in his Storage Ring.
• Lu Ming visited the weapon pavilion, where an elder gave him a saber forged from Black Mountain Profound Iron.
• Lu Ming named the saber Ghost, stored it in his Storage Ring, and headed to the Martial Skill Pavilion.

Lu Ming chose the Hundred Li Qi Merging lightness art and the Iron Elephant Art, then exchanged the Heavenly Saber Art and Tiger Fiend Claw at the Martial Skill Pavilion. Elder Kang awarded him thirty thousand Contribution Points and permission to choose an Earth-grade, low-stage martial art before asking why he had traded away the technique he relied on.

• Lu Ming browsed the Martial Skill Pavilion’s second floor and chose the Hundred Li Qi Merging lightness art and the Iron Elephant Art.
• Lu Ming presented his beginner benefits and offered the Tiger Fiend Claw and Heavenly Saber Art in exchange for Contribution Points.
• Elder Kang examined the Heavenly Saber Art and valued it as two Earth-grade, low-stage martial arts of upper-middle quality.
• Elder Kang awarded Lu Ming thirty thousand Contribution Points and a token allowing him to choose one Earth-grade, low-stage martial art.
• Elder Kang asked Lu Ming why he had exchanged the martial art he relied on to establish himself.

Lu Ming finished cultivating his martial skills and went to the Mission Hall to earn money for the medicines his Iron Elephant Art required. There, he heard that Feng Chao had accepted a dangerous mission to exterminate the Yanshan Bandits, stirring Lu Ming’s interest in taking on missions.

• Elder Kang accepted Lu Ming’s reasons for exchanging his entry benefits and waived the Contribution Point deduction for the Iron Elephant Art.
• Lu Ming spent more than four months cultivating his martial skills, completing three techniques and reaching the first stage of the Iron Elephant Art before running out of money for medicine.
• Lu Ming tested his completed techniques, then told Cui Bai he planned to take on missions and traveled with him before they parted at a crossroads.
• At the Mission Hall, Lu Ming heard that Feng Chao had accepted a five-star, two-grade mission to exterminate the Yanshan Bandits on Iron Horse Plain.
• After hearing the other disciples discuss Feng Chao and the mission, Lu Ming entered the hall, feeling provoked to take action.

Lu Ming accepted a task to kill the river bandit Yu Yuan and rode out from the Wuji Sect. After the sect's leaders discussed Lu Ming's talent and ordered another reward for Chu Yunxiao, Lu Ming confronted Yu Yuan in Rouyun Town.

• Lu Ming took the task to slay Yu Yuan, registered it, rented a horse, and left the Wuji Sect.
• Gongsun He and the Sect Master praised Lu Ming's progress, discussed Zhu Ningyun and the newly emerged Yang Xuan, and the Sect Master ordered Chu Yunxiao to be rewarded again.
• Yu Yuan seized a young woman in Rouyun Town and defeated her father and the Plum Ridge Twin Swords when they tried to stop him.
• Lu Ming appeared in Yu Yuan's path and identified himself as an Inner Sect Disciple of the Wuji Sect who had come to kill him.

Lu Ming killed Yu Yuan while rescuing a kidnapped woman, then declined the Liu Family’s hospitality and left. As he rode away, he collected Yu Yuan’s possessions and decided to learn the martial arts manuals he had found.

• Lu Ming ignored Yu Yuan’s attempts to unsettle him and killed him with a swift saber strike, rescuing the kidnapped woman.
• The woman and her father thanked Lu Ming, while Qi Shaobin and Jiang Mulan praised his skills; the woman resolved to train in martial arts.
• Lu Ming refused the Liu Family’s invitation and departed, leaving the family and the Plum Ridge Twin Swords to return to the Liu residence.
• Lu Ming retrieved his horse from Fuyun Tower, whose owner had provided the information that led him to Yu Yuan.
• Lu Ming found Yu Yuan’s Storage Ring, counted its money and Yuan Stones, and discovered the [Whirlwind Sweeping Leaves Leg] and [Great Demon Execution Palm] manuals.
• Lu Ming decided to learn both martial arts because the Jade Pendant would let him master them without scattering his efforts.

Lu Ming returned to the sect after completing his mission and learned about several prominent inner-sect disciples. After half a month of training, he tested his second-stage Iron Elephant Art against Cui Bai and then practiced newly obtained techniques.

• Lu Ming returned to the Mission Hall, where he witnessed Feng Chao return from and complete a dangerous bandit-clearing mission.
• Lu Ming submitted Yu Yuan's corpse, received his reward, and told You Feng his name and inner-sect rank.
• You Feng told Lu Ming about Chi Xuan, the inner sect's top disciple, before they parted ways.
• Half a month later, Cui Bai struck Lu Ming with increasing strength, but Lu Ming's second-stage Iron Elephant Art kept him from being injured.
• Cui Bai left to cultivate, and Lu Ming began practicing his newly obtained leg and palm techniques.

Lu Ming accepted a mission to guard the Liu Family from Lan Wuying, a notorious bandit, and traveled to the family estate. As the bandit's deadline drew near, sect disciples gathered to defend the Liu Family, and another visitor arrived just as they were being led to a banquet.

• Lu Ming accepted the third-level guard mission despite warnings that Lan Wuying was a dangerous, fast-moving opponent, and the Sect Master instructed the registering Elder to let him go.
• Old Patriarch Liu explained to Liu Qing why the family had sought help from many sects and why they could not destroy their ancestral cultivation art.
• Disciples from Nine Heavens Sect, Jade Luo Sect, and several lower-ranked sects arrived at the Liu estate, with only Wuji Sect absent among the three Seventh-Rank Sects.
• The Nine Heavens Sect disciple Chen boasted that he could defeat Lan Wuying and demonstrated his Primal Chaos Golden Jade Art, intimidating the other disciples.
• Old Patriarch Liu intervened and invited the gathered disciples to a banquet, but a servant arrived with another guest as they headed to the hall.

Lu Ming arrived at the Liu Family gathering and defeated Chen Jiang of Nine Heavens Sect after Chen Jiang mocked and attacked him. As the gathered disciples prepared to discuss Lan Wuying, Lu Ming announced that Lan Wuying had arrived.

• Lu Ming arrived at the Liu Family gathering, where Old Patriarch Liu doubted his strength because he was only at the Early Zhen Qi Realm.
• Chen Jiang of Nine Heavens Sect mocked Lu Ming, and Lu Ming challenged his insults and claimed he could deal with Lan Wuying alone.
• Chen Jiang attacked Lu Ming with Thunder God Palm, but Lu Ming met his strike with Great Demon Execution Palm and held his ground.
• Lu Ming battered Chen Jiang with Wind Sweeps Away the Clouds, then shattered his Primal Chaos Qi Shield with Vajra Subdues Demons and sent him flying through a wall.
• Old Patriarch Liu ordered servants to treat Chen Jiang, while the other sect disciples introduced themselves to Lu Ming.
• Old Patriarch Liu invited everyone to discuss Lan Wuying, but Lu Ming refused and said Lan Wuying was there.

Lu Ming deduced that Wu Yong was the thief Lan Wuying in disguise and exposed him at the Liu Family. Lan Wuying attempted to escape, but the sect disciples and Old Patriarch Liu cornered and killed him.

• Lu Ming explained that Lan Wuying had likely impersonated a sect disciple and identified Wu Yong by his unusually intense anger.
• Lu Ming attacked Wu Yong, who revealed himself as Lan Wuying and used the Demonic Cult movement technique Shadow Tracing to flee.
• Jiang Ruoshui blocked Lan Wuying's escape with her Hibiscus Soul Seal while Lu Ming, Yu Shan, and Zhou Heng closed in.
• Lan Wuying tried to escape above the encirclement, but Old Patriarch Liu returned with a refined-iron net and caught him.
• Lu Ming and the others struck Lan Wuying until he died.

After Lan Wuying’s death, Lu Ming and Jiang Ruoshui left Shattered Stone Town, only to be confronted by his powerful accomplice, Xiao Zan. Li Ansheng, the Master of Wuji Sect, arrived in time to save them and pursued Xiao Zan, leaving Lu Ming and Jiang Ruoshui to return.

• Lu Ming proposed an even division of Lan Wuying’s valuables and declined Old Patriarch Liu’s invitation to stay overnight.
• Jiang Ruoshui left with Lu Ming and warned him that Nine Heavens Sect disciples might seek revenge for his injury to their fellow disciple.
• On the road, Lu Ming sensed an ambush, and Xiao Zan appeared, blaming him for the death of his disciple.
• Lu Ming told Jiang Ruoshui to escape, but she refused to abandon him as Xiao Zan attacked.
• Li Ansheng appeared, drove Xiao Zan off with his Purple Sun Palm, and pursued him after telling Lu Ming to return.

Lu Ming returned to Wuji Sect after helping Jiang Ruoshui escape and learned that the Demonic Cult had rescued Xiao Zan from Sect Master Li Ansheng. He completed his mission, broke through his cultivation, and began learning to borrow Wind Momentum, leaving his martial arts improved but the concept still only beginning to take shape.

• At a crossroads, Lu Ming explained to Jiang Ruoshui that he remembered a woman who had once helped him when he was destitute, then rode away.
• Several days later, Lu Ming returned to Wuji Sect and heard that Li Ansheng had severely wounded Xiao Zan before Demonic Cult remnants rescued him.
• Lu Ming submitted his mission proof at the Mission Hall, received his reward, and returned to his courtyard to cultivate.
• With the aid of essence stones, Lu Ming saturated his true qi, advanced the Heavenly Saber Art to its eighth layer, and broke through his realm.
• After considering the idea of martial momentum, Lu Ming spent six days comprehending Wind Momentum and learned to borrow the wind to improve his movement and saber techniques.
• Lu Ming ended his practice when someone knocked at his door.

Lu Ming learned about the inner-sect Preliminary Competition, scheduled early because a secret realm was about to open, and continued advancing his cultivation and martial insights. With a month left before the competition, he set out to find a place with enough pressure to break through the third stage of the Iron Elephant Art.

• Cui Bai visited Lu Ming, learned that he had reached the mid-stage of the Zhen Qi Realm, and told him about the upcoming Preliminary Competition and its checkpoint examinations.
• Lu Ming treated Cui Bai to a meal at Cuiyun Tower after hearing that the competition had been moved forward to accommodate a secret realm opening.
• Lu Ming spent five hundred Contribution Points consulting an elder about momentum, then devoted more time to cultivation, Wind Momentum, and saber intent.
• Lu Ming's saber intent advanced toward taking shape, while he continued refining his true qi and Iron Elephant Art.
• With a month remaining before the Preliminary Competition, Lu Ming decided to seek a place of tremendous pressure to break through the third stage of the Iron Elephant Art.

As the inner sect prepared for the tournament preliminaries, disciples gathered to register and discuss the rising talents. Lu Ming arrived just in time to register, then spotted an unexpected mid Zhen Qi Realm disciple at the back of his line.

• Huan Shaoyue and He Jianjun appeared on the sect avenue, drawing attention ahead of the preliminaries.
• At registration, Li Biehe rebuked disciples for discussing Zhu Ningyun, then nearly fought a green-robed youth before the elders arrived.
• Lu Ming appeared behind the anxious Cui Bai, and Cui Bai told him about the talented experts gathered for the tournament.
• Lu Ming and Cui Bai joined the registration line, where Lu Ming ranked nine hundred sixty-nine among the inner disciples.
• Cui Bai pointed out a mid Zhen Qi Realm disciple at the end of their line, and Lu Ming turned to look, then froze.

Lu Ming reunited with Zhu Ningyun, the woman whose gift of silver had helped him begin cultivating, and she was astonished by his progress. After Zhu Ningyun told Li Ansheng and Gongsun He about Lu Ming, she secured permission to enter the secret-realm trial if she placed in the grand competition’s top ten and reached the peak of the Zhen Qi Realm.

• Lu Ming recognized Zhu Ningyun at registration, thanked her for giving a roadside beggar ten taels of silver, and revealed that he had been that beggar.
• Lu Ming and Zhu Ningyun talked over dinner at Cuiyun Tower before parting at dusk.
• Zhu Ningyun told Li Ansheng and Gongsun He about Lu Ming’s rapid cultivation, prompting Li Ansheng to order another reward for Chu Yunxiao.
• Zhu Ningyun asked to participate in the secret-realm trial, and Li Ansheng agreed on the condition that she entered the grand competition’s top ten and reached the peak of the Zhen Qi Realm.
• After Zhu Ningyun left, Li Ansheng and Gongsun He discussed how well Lu Ming might place in the competition.

Lu Ming and Cui Bai attended the Wuji Sect’s preliminary competition, where they met Zhu Ningyun and observed the top inner sect disciples. Li Biehe provoked Lu Ming over his low cultivation, but Zhu Ningyun defended him before the preliminary competition began.

• Li Ansheng and Gongsun He discussed Lu Ming’s prospects, estimating he could place in the top thirty or possibly the top twenty.
• Lu Ming and Cui Bai went to the plaza, where Zhu Ningyun greeted them and Cui Bai was surprised to meet the famed genius.
• The top-ranked inner sect disciples arrived, and Chi Xuan noticed Lu Ming watching him; Zhu Ningyun said Chi Xuan’s sharp senses likely came from his advanced swordsmanship.
• Li Biehe approached Zhu Ningyun and mocked Lu Ming and Cui Bai for their low cultivation, then challenged Lu Ming to meet him in the grand competition.
• Zhu Ningyun told Li Biehe to leave and apologized to Lu Ming and Cui Bai; the elders arrived around seven, and the preliminary competition began.

Lu Ming, Cui Bai, and Zhu Ningyun took part in the Puppet Warrior preliminary trial, where each stage tested their strength against increasingly difficult opponents. Lu Ming and Zhu Ningyun reached the fourth stage, while Cui Bai was eliminated at the third.

• Elder Wang introduced the trial and opened the stone paths, where Puppet Warriors guarded each stage.
• Chi Xuan, He Jianjun, and Zongzheng Yunlou easily passed the first stage as the assessment began.
• Lu Ming and Cui Bai passed the first stage, while two of the three other newly promoted inner sect disciples succeeded and the rest failed.
• Zhu Ningyun toppled her Puppet Warrior through technique, and thirty-seven members of the tenth team advanced to the second stage.
• Lu Ming, Cui Bai, and Zhu Ningyun passed the second stage, but at the third only Lu Ming and Zhu Ningyun succeeded; Cui Bai timed out.
• At the fourth stage, the elder told Lu Ming and Zhu Ningyun to merge with the remaining ninth-team participants into the eighth team.

Lu Ming and Zhu Ningyun advanced through the sixth trial, where Lu Ming easily defeated two powerful puppets and reunited with Chu Yunxiao. They entered the seventh trial with hundreds of other candidates, while Li Biehe hoped Lu Ming would fail so he could fight him later.

• Lu Ming and Zhu Ningyun advanced through the trials and reached the sixth, where Chu Yunxiao defeated two peak mid-stage Zhen Qi Realm puppets.
• Lu Ming easily defeated the two sixth-trial puppets, and Zhu Ningyun followed him into the seventh trial.
• Lu Ming entered the seventh trial and caught up with Chu Yunxiao, who was astonished by his progress.
• Zhu Ningyun joined Lu Ming and Chu Yunxiao, while Li Biehe grew jealous and hoped Lu Ming would be eliminated.
• After 478 candidates gathered, the seventh trial began, with 178 people set to be eliminated.

Lu Ming passed the seventh trial and joined the three hundred candidates selected for the arena battle a month later. As the inner sect reshuffled its rankings, disciples were astonished by his rise from rank 969, while Cui Bai believed he could reach the top fifty.

• The seventh-trial candidates defeated the guardian puppets, and Lu Ming passed easily despite being in the mid Zhen Qi Realm.
• The elders selected the final three hundred candidates for the arena battle, including Lu Ming, Zhu Ningyun, and Chu Yunxiao.
• Li Biehe challenged Lu Ming to look forward to their arena match, but Lu Ming dismissed him and walked away.
• The inner sect revised its rankings, rewarded standout disciples such as Cui Bai, and expelled Yuan Heng after his failed trial.
• Disciples noticed Lu Ming had risen from rank 969 into the top three hundred and debated how high he could place.
• Cui Bai heard their doubts and left believing Lu Ming might even reach the top fifty.

Lu Ming broke through to great mastery in the third stage of the Iron Elephant Art, raising his physical strength to the Power of One Elephant, while the Wuji Sect prepared for its top-three-hundred competition. After drawing Group Eleven, Number Seven, Lu Ming learned that Feng Chao was his group’s seeded contestant, and the competition began the next morning.

• Li Biehe told Li Zaihu that he had cultivated the Heavenly Sun Divine Art to its ninth level and planned to contend for the top ten to win favor for his request concerning Zhu Ningyun.
• A giant python attacked Lu Ming in a deep pool, and the struggle helped him reach great mastery in the third stage of the Iron Elephant Art.
• Lu Ming’s physical strength rose to ten thousand jin, and his Zhen Qi became denser, though he remained at the mid-stage of the Zhen Qi Realm.
• Lu Ming drew Group Eleven, Number Seven, and Chu Yunxiao explained that the three hundred contestants were divided into thirty groups, with Feng Chao seeded in Lu Ming’s group.
• Lu Ming returned to his courtyard to cultivate and rest, while the sect grew busy with anticipation for the competition the next morning.