Chapter Summaries

On his day off, Chu Mu rescued a stray dog and read a history of Great Chu, whose nearly seven centuries of uninterrupted peace and stable rule seemed impossible to him. The chapter left him wondering what made this era so bizarre.

• Chu Mu reflected on the remaining flaws in his saber swings, then returned to his room after realizing he was off duty.
• Chu Mu found a shivering dog cub in his courtyard, brought it inside, and fed it.
• Chu Mu read a history book recording that Great Chu had lasted 693 years under twelve emperors.
• Chu Mu learned that Great Chu had avoided major unrest and wars for centuries despite neighboring nations, then questioned how such an unchanging dynasty could exist.

Chu Mu reflected on Great Chu’s apparent stability and the mysteries of its society, then went to eat at You Ke Lai after finding the Private School closed for a holiday. He settled in to listen to the Storyteller, hoping the restaurant’s patrons and tales would broaden his knowledge of the world.

• Chu Mu considered how Great Chu had maintained a vast, peaceful realm for seven hundred years despite signs that its society was more complicated than the history books claimed.
• Chu Mu went to Chang Residence to attend the Private School but found it closed for a holiday.
• Chu Mu decided to eat at You Ke Lai so he could hear people’s conversations and learn more about the world.
• Chu Mu ordered wine, Perfect Spicy Chili, and roast goose at a second-floor table overlooking the busy restaurant.
• Chu Mu watched a nearly seventy-year-old Storyteller captivate the diners with his eloquent performance.

Chu Mu listened to a Storyteller recount the mysterious deaths surrounding Li Family's Wife, then ate and drank while considering whether the tale was true. After leaving the restaurant, he wandered into Wind and Moon Tower.

• The Storyteller described how Li Family's Wife died in a brothel, after which Li Family's Man went mad and the brothel's tyrant hanged himself in the same spot.
• People in the restaurant said the incident had been investigated by the Patrol Inspectorate and Patrol Bureau, and claimed Li Family's Man still lived as a madman near the county city's south gate.
• Chu Mu doubted that grievance souls existed but remembered the report of the madman and planned to look for him when he visited the county city.
• Chu Mu ate roast goose with Perfect Spicy Chili and drank a pot of Burning Blade before paying and leaving the restaurant.
• Chu Mu strolled through the streets and found himself at Wind and Moon Tower, where women came out to welcome him.

After hearing the story of Tinglang Brothel’s destruction, Chu Mu read the Nanshan Records and learned that the Nanshan Iron Mine had seen three uprisings in over sixty years, revealing the exploitation and corruption behind its labor system. He realized the latest uprising happened six years earlier, the year the original owner’s father was transferred to Nanshan Town, but he could not recall the event from the original owner’s memories.

• Chu Mu heard that a betrayed singing girl and a poor scholar died after trying to elope, and that a fire later killed seventy-eight people at Tinglang Brothel.
• Chu Mu returned home, calmed himself by petting Dog Cub, and read the Nanshan Records.
• Chu Mu learned that the Nanshan Iron Mine had faced three popular uprisings in more than sixty years, including one that swept through Nanshan Town.
• Chu Mu connected the mine’s harsh labor and the county officials’ greed to the uprisings and the burdens placed on Qinghe County’s people.
• Chu Mu noticed that the latest uprising had occurred six years earlier, when the original owner’s father was transferred to Nanshan Town, but he found no memory of it.

After confirming that the oppressed Forced Laborers could revolt, Chu Mu reflected on his role as a patrol inspector and hoped to learn more about public sentiment when his squad was posted in town. He tested his saber skills, devised training equipment to improve his combat ability, and left with his blueprints and money.

• Chu Mu read the Nanshan Records and concluded that the Forced Laborers could rise up, then planned to learn more about unrest during his squad’s upcoming town duty.
• Chu Mu watched another batch of Forced Laborers pass the courtyard and considered how little contact he had with the outside world in Nanshan Town.
• Chu Mu tested his saber against six falling pebbles and struck only two, realizing that his technique needed practical training and better reaction speed.
• Chu Mu sketched blueprints for a wooden dummy and another training device, then took the plans and banknotes and hurried into the crowd.

Chu Mu had a Wooden Dummy and Hanging Ball Array installed in his courtyard to improve his saber skills. After practicing into the night, he grew more capable of handling the swinging targets but was left exhausted and eager to test himself against a real opponent.

• Chu Mu paid the workers who installed his Wooden Dummy and Hanging Ball Array in the courtyard.
• Chu Mu practiced saber strikes on the Wooden Dummy and saw his saber technique proficiency rise by five points.
• Chu Mu entered the Hanging Ball Array, struggled to dodge its swinging balls, and repeatedly retreated after being struck.
• Chu Mu calmed himself and practiced controlling the balls’ swings, gradually improving his reactions and saber work.
• Chu Mu finished his late-night training exhausted and wondered whether his skills could hold up in a real fight, then remembered how much stronger his Squad Leader was.

Chu Mu continued training his blade technique and reflected on his growing inclination to solve problems with force. At the Mine, he saw the forced-labor workforce expanding and wondered where the vast quantities of ore were going, but he found no answers.

• Chu Mu checked his Light Screen Panel and saw his Basic Blade Technique proficiency had risen to 20/500 after his training.
• Chu Mu fed the dog cub, ate, and spent the night practicing with the Wooden Dummy and Hanging Balls by bonfire light.
• Chu Mu trained the next morning, dressed in his Patrol Inspector's uniform, and went to report for duty at the Mine.
• Chu Mu observed that the Mine had gained many Forced Laborers and questioned why the authorities were extracting so much ore.
• Chu Mu considered how ore from Qinghe County and nearby counties passed through official channels without entering the market, but he could not discover its final destination.

Chu Mu learned that a senior official would inspect Nanshan Iron Mine and linked the inspection to the increased production and the search for a rumored treasure. As he guarded the Forced Laborers, he reflected on the peaceful empire and found himself increasingly eager to build his martial skills in case future unrest offered him a chance to advance.

• Li Gang told the patrol inspectors that an important figure would arrive to inspect the Mine in a few days and warned them to avoid problems.
• The patrol inspectors speculated that the inspection was connected to a rumored treasure, while Chu Mu recalled the production increase and the commanders' search throughout the Mine.
• Chu Mu read a travelogue and considered how cheap, abundant grain helped keep the Great Chu peaceful, while resolving to continue training for a future opportunity.
• Chu Mu reflected on the Mine's strict system for assigning Patrol Inspectors and Forced Laborers, and noted that nearly a hundred armored inspectors stood ready near the dining hall.

At the mine, Chu Mu learned that several forced laborers had frozen to death, then was ordered to leave town with the patrol inspectors. Qinghe County Commandant Li Jinghong met the assembled force and sent them onward after ordering that they be told the news.

• Chu Mu let the forced laborers use his firewood to build a fire and spent the morning studying while they worked.
• At lunch, Chu Mu asked Xu Yuan to come to his house and help him practice martial arts as a sparring partner.
• Xu Yuan reported that several forced laborers had frozen to death, with frost covering their bodies.
• Both Hundred Household officers ordered the Third and Fourth Squads to assemble, and the patrol inspectors marched out of Nanshan Town.
• The force met Thousand Household officer Li Jinghong at a crossroads, and he ordered He Ping to tell the patrol inspectors the news before they set out.

After Qili Village rebelled against the forced labor levy and killed nearly an entire Patrol Inspector squad, Chu Mu joined a force marching from Nanshan Town to investigate. At the mountain entrance, Li Gang was ordered to scout ahead, but his trusted men refused to go, leaving Chu Mu unsure how the situation would unfold.

• Xu Yuan panicked over the rebellion, and Chu Mu told him to stay close and not run around.
• Chu Mu learned that Qili Village’s people lived in the mountains and might be skilled with bows, traps, and other weapons.
• Li Jinghong halted the force at a mountain path, ordered scouts to investigate, and told the Patrol Inspectors to rest and eat.
• He Ping instructed Li Gang to lead a scouting party into the mountains and earn the Thousand Household’s notice.
• Li Gang named several of his trusted men, but they immediately made excuses and refused, complicating the scouting mission.

Li Gang led a small group toward Qili Village, but rebels ambushed the government troops with poisoned arrows from the forest. As the frightened inspectors regrouped under Li Jinghong's orders, Chu Mu realized their survival depended on the Thousand Household's next move.

• Li Gang ordered the patrol inspectors to follow him, promising rewards and Martial Arts lessons to those who went.
• Chu Mu declined to join Li Gang and imagined that earning merit might let him become a Squad Leader.
• Rebels in the forest fired a volley of poisoned arrows, killing or wounding Li Gang's patrol inspectors as Li Gang shielded the Thousand Household.
• Li Jinghong stopped He Ping from charging into the forest and ordered the troops to retreat five hundred paces while maintaining formation.
• Chu Mu retreated to the rear, comforted the terrified Xu Yuan, and watched the troops reorganize as he prayed Li Jinghong would make a wise decision.

Li Jinghong ordered his demoralized Patrol Inspectors to enter the mountains and suppress Qili Village, threatening punishment while promising Imperial Court military rewards. Tempted by the chance to gain rank and status, Chu Mu decided to take the risk but warned Xu Yuan to stay behind and protect himself.

• He Ping urged Li Jinghong to report the ambush and wait for reinforcements, but Li Jinghong refused and declared the villagers rebels who had to be executed.
• Li Jinghong threatened disobedient soldiers and forced laborers with execution and exile to the Bitter Camp, then announced that the Imperial Court's Military Merit Reward System would apply.
• Chu Mu considered the rewards for beheading rebels and decided the opportunity was worth risking his safety.
• Chu Mu told Xu Yuan to hide behind the others and avoid charging into danger, assuring him that he would not act recklessly.

Chu Mu and the Patrol Inspectors advanced through the snowy forest toward Qili Village, where rebels ambushed them with hidden arrows and a young fighter’s knife. The boy escaped after clashing with Chu Mu, leaving the patrol force bloodied and still pursuing.

• Chu Mu noticed that the rebels had carefully concealed their tracks and warned his team to stay alert for more attacks.
• A hidden arrow killed a Patrol Inspector, and Chu Mu cut down an arrow aimed at him as rebels attacked from all directions.
• Chu Mu pursued a fleeing rebel while other Patrol Inspectors fired back and chased the exposed attackers.
• Chu Mu spotted an ambusher in the treetops, but the figure killed several Patrol Inspectors before revealing himself as a young boy.
• The boy charged Chu Mu and overwhelmed him in a brief blade clash before escaping through the forest as the Patrol Inspectors shouted after him.

After surviving a fierce ambush by skilled attackers, Chu Mu received a manual of real martial arts from Wu Shuo. The Patrol Inspectors assessed the costly clash and prepared to report the unexpected strength of the rebels.

• Chu Mu realized he had blocked eight attacks from a young fighter with help from the other Patrol Inspectors, and he noticed the attackers were unusually skilled.
• Wu Shuo praised Chu Mu’s saber work, while Li Gang criticized his weak strength and carried a slain rebel’s head away to report to the Thousand Household.
• Wu Shuo gave Chu Mu a booklet titled Body Forging Art, explaining that he had received it from the Thousand Household and urging Chu Mu to practice.
• Li He gave Chu Mu a replacement saber, and Chu Mu put away the martial arts manual to read later.
• Chu Mu surveyed the aftermath, where the attackers had withdrawn and nearly ten Patrol Inspectors lay dead, while his own squad remained unharmed.

Chu Mu reflected on how his first real battle had improved his mindset and blade technique as the Patrol Inspectors fought their way through ambushes to Qili Village. In the deserted village, he found a courtyard equipped for martial training and suspected a skilled instructor had trained the villagers who resisted the levy.

• Chu Mu saw five heads at the Thousand Household's position and discovered his Basic Blade Technique proficiency had risen to 103 after his eight-slashed clash.
• The Patrol Inspectors were ambushed again, and they killed or drove off most of the nine attackers, though the young man who had nearly killed Chu Mu escaped while badly wounded.
• The Patrol Inspectors traveled safely to Qili Village, where Chu Mu and Xu Yuan realized the villagers had fled while the attackers delayed their advance.
• Chu Mu entered a courtyard filled with training equipment and inferred that someone had taught the village youths martial skills, prompting the violent resistance.

Chu Mu inspected an emptied house in Qili Village and joined the Patrol Inspectors as they pursued the village’s fleeing residents through the snowy mountains. The villagers ambushed the exhausted force at night, and He Ping organized the response as the attacks began.

• Chu Mu searched a house in Qili Village and found it thoroughly emptied, though the scent of offering incense suggested its main hall had once held a spirit tablet.
• Chu Mu reported what he had found to Wu Shuo, and the Patrol Inspectors searched the village without finding any living residents or other clues.
• He Ping led the Patrol Inspectors out of the village to pursue the villagers, whom the authorities called traitors.
• Chu Mu noticed livestock tracks, dung, and cart ruts, and realized the villagers’ families and possessions would slow their flight.
• An agonized scream signaled a nighttime ambush, and Patrol Inspectors shouted warnings as He Ping organized their defense.
• The Patrol Inspectors lit torches and restored order, but the movement in the darkness appeared to stop.

Chu Mu's patrol inspector team pursued the Qili Village villagers into a pitch-black mountain forest and was ambushed by a powerful swordsman. Chu Mu fought to hold him off, but his saber broke, leaving him facing the attack with only half a blade.

• Chu Mu warned the patrol inspectors to stay alert as they changed formation and entered the dangerous, snow-covered forest.
• Xu Yuan pointed out the lights ahead, and Chu Mu spotted an attacker just in time to block a blow from above.
• The attacker killed one patrol inspector with a saber and fatally crushed another's chest with a punch.
• Chu Mu chose to confront the attacker as an Iron Armor Strongman charged toward the fight.
• Chu Mu exchanged several blows with the attacker, but the force of the fourth clash snapped his saber in two.

Chu Mu survived the black-clad man's attack and joined the battle after deciding not to retreat. Using Spirit Radiance Wisdom, he began to withstand the man's strikes with greater composure.

• The Iron Armor Strongman interrupted the black-clad man's attack on Chu Mu and fought him, but a wound shifted the advantage to the man in black.
• Chu Mu saw that his scattered team had been reduced to a few frightened Patrol Inspectors and discovered that his Spirit Radiance Value had reached one hundred percent.
• Chu Mu ordered Xu Yuan to seek reinforcements and charged the man in black, while the Iron Armor Strongman warned the Patrol Inspectors that retreat would endanger their families.
• The man in black turned to strike Chu Mu, who invoked Spiritual Radiance and used precise angles and posture to blunt the force of the man's blows.

Chu Mu helped the Patrol Inspectors and the Iron Armor Strongman corner and kill the black-clad man, then searched his corpse and claimed his Banknotes and fine saber. Exhausted but alive, Chu Mu remained in the forest with a new weapon after the others carried the wounded Iron Armor Strongman away.

• The black-clad man tried to retreat, but the Iron Armor Strongman used his chains and Chu Mu pressed him from the other side.
• Reinforcements approached, and the Patrol Inspectors joined the attack, forcing the black-clad man to defend himself against blades from all sides.
• Chu Mu stabbed the black-clad man in the abdomen, then pursued him as the Iron Armor Strongman struck him and Chu Mu finished him with a blow to the neck.
• Chu Mu ordered the Patrol Inspectors to carry the collapsed Iron Armor Strongman toward the Thousand Household.
• Chu Mu searched the corpse, found Banknotes, and took the black-clothed man's undamaged saber.

Chu Mu killed a bandit and claimed the severed head as military merit, then faced Li Gang's offer to buy it. Wu Shuo intervened, accusing Li Gang of stealing another inspector's merit and leaving Chu Mu caught between their feud.

• Xu Yuan and the reinforcements found Chu Mu holding a bandit's bloody head after he killed the attacker.
• Chu Mu told the iron-armored man that Li Tie had been injured and sent to the Thousand Household, and the man left without questioning him further.
• Li Gang, badly wounded, offered Chu Mu one hundred silver and lessons in his family's martial arts for the head.
• Wu Shuo confronted Li Gang for trying to buy military merit and accused him of seizing Li Sang's merit by force.
• Li Gang argued with Wu Shuo, then left after Wu Shuo said he had reported the matter to the Hundred Household.