Chapter Summaries

Liang Qu returned to the martial arts school after becoming Master Yang’s Personal Disciple, dressed in fine clothes and greeted as a senior by the other apprentices. He shared pastries with Li LiBo and Chen Jiechang, and their old closeness returned as they celebrated his rise.

• Liang Qu bought inexpensive cotton clothes, repaid Xiang ChangSong the three taels he had borrowed, and purchased pastries for Li LiBo, Chen Jiechang, and Uncle Chen’s family.
• Liang Qu arrived at the martial arts school with Xiang ChangSong and Hu Qi, noticed Lu Shaohui was absent, and drew everyone’s attention with his new attire and status.
• Zhao Xueyuan led the apprentices in greeting Liang Qu as Senior Brother, and the others followed.
• Xiang ChangSong and Hu Qi left Liang Qu to speak with Li LiBo and Chen Jiechang, promising to teach them how to break through the Breaking Skin Realm.
• Liang Qu gave Li LiBo and Chen Jiechang pastries from Wu Fang Zhai, and the three laughed together as they celebrated his new position.

Hu Qi taught Liang Qu how to guide his Qi and blood to refine his skin and gave him the accompanying medicinal formulas, while Liang Qu continued training and met Lu Gang to choose a spear design. The chapter ended with Liang Qu rushing to Yi Xing City after A Fei discovered another Treasure Fish.

• Hu Qi gave Liang Qu a Human Body Atlas and warned him to keep the Three Fists Technique medicinal formula secret.
• Hu Qi demonstrated Skin Refining, and Liang Qu learned to guide his Qi and blood into his skin; Hu Qi estimated that he could break through within twenty days if food remained plentiful.
• Hu Qi advised Liang Qu to learn Ape Fist's fighting techniques after recalling how poorly he had fought Lu Tingcai and his group.
• Liang Qu ate with Hu Qi and Xiang ChangSong, then continued training before visiting Lu Gang's Blacksmith Shop.
• Liang Qu chose a Tiger Head Spear design that Lu Gang said would take around twenty days to make.
• Liang Qu hurried toward Yi Xing City after A Fei discovered another Treasure Fish.

Liang Qu caught a Red Blood Perch Treasure Fish during a storm, then followed A Fei toward the wharf as the rain and waves worsened. A sudden palpitation stopped him on the lake, where lightning revealed an enormous black shadow with silver-bright pupils.

• Liang Qu rowed to unfamiliar waters with Cannot Move, Fist, and the Fat Catfish, whose bodies had grown dramatically since the previous day.
• The Fat Catfish led Liang Qu to a Red Blood Perch, which he immobilized and caught with his ability.
• As heavy rain and high waves battered the sampan, Liang Qu fed the beasts and sent Cannot Move and Fist back to guard his Lotus Root Field.
• Liang Qu followed A Fei toward the wharf through the storm, then stopped when an inexplicable palpitation filled him with unease.
• Lightning revealed a gigantic black shadow with silver-bright pupils before it vanished into the darkness.

Liang Qu survived a colossal wave caused by a battle between a Toad Great Demon and a giant flaming bird in the Jianghuai Marshlands. He returned to the dock with A Fei, where he found his skiff and belongings badly damaged but his Red Blood Perch safe.

• Liang Qu watched a Toad-shaped Great Demon and a giant flaming bird collide, and their fall into the lake sent a towering wave crashing toward his skiff.
• Liang Qu kept the skiff afloat through the wave, then vomited swallowed water and slowly recovered from his exhaustion.
• Liang Qu realized the battle's wave had nearly killed him and decided to leave the dangerous Deep Water Area.
• Liang Qu found A Fei unharmed and returned with the Fat Catfish to the riverbank, then went alone to the dock.
• Liang Qu found the dock dark and wrecked, with most of his gear lost, but his fish basket and Red Blood Perch remained.

Liang Qu used a Red Blood Perch and Spirit Concentration Incense to accelerate his Skin Refining, bringing his breakthrough much closer before sleeping through the day. At the dock, he learned fishermen planned a River God Sacrifice after the River God supposedly appeared during the storm, while Li Dakang and Chen Cheng celebrated their sons’ supposed martial training.

• Liang Qu ate the Red Blood Perch and practiced through the night, completing twenty-eight rounds of Skin Refining and reducing the remaining work before his breakthrough to twenty-two rounds.
• Exhausted, Liang Qu slept from morning until night and woke eager to train in the water, feeling that his Marsh Spirit fusion and Skin Barrier were nearing major advances.
• At the dock, Li Dakang and Chen Cheng asked Liang Qu why Li LiBo and Chen Jiechang had not come home, and Liang Qu told them the two were training at the Martial Arts School after catching a Martial Master's attention.
• Li Dakang and Chen Cheng proudly announced their sons’ prospects to the other fishermen, who congratulated them.
• Li Dakang warned Liang Qu that the River God had appeared during the storm and urged him to wait until the village held a River God Sacrifice before going out on the water.

Liang Qu learned that the fishermen planned to pay for a River God sacrifice, but he decided to go fishing anyway and accepted Lin Songbao’s invitation to dinner with Lin Di. He took his boat out with Cannot Move, Fist, and A Fei, whose playful antics showed how much they had grown.

• Li Dakang told Liang Qu that each household with an able-bodied man would likely pay about a hundred copper coins for the River God sacrifice, but Liang Qu chose to fish rather than wait.
• Lin Songbao said Lin Di wanted to treat Liang Qu to a meal, and Liang Qu agreed to meet them the following evening.
• Liang Qu took his boat onto the river with Cannot Move, Fist, and A Fei, observing the creatures’ rapid growth.
• A Fei knocked Fist into the water, and Fist retaliated by biting A Fei’s whiskers until Liang Qu ordered them to stop.
• Liang Qu told A Fei to catch as many valuable fish as it could.

Liang Qu tested his growing Water Control and sensing abilities, then checked the Ze Cauldron and the Treasure Lotus Root. The chapter left him examining a glowing red feather that the Fat Catfish and Cannot Move had brought back, which appeared to belong to the Firebird Great Demon.

• Liang Qu tested his underwater endurance, sensing range, and Water Control, and considered the limits of controlling water and blood.
• Liang Qu checked the Ze Cauldron and found the Water Monkey's fusion rate had reached 49%.
• Liang Qu inspected the Treasure Lotus Root and cleared stones to give it more room to grow.
• The Fat Catfish and Cannot Move approached while tossing a glowing object between them, and Liang Qu stopped to investigate.
• The two beasts dropped a massive red feather before Liang Qu, and he recognized it as a feather from the Firebird Great Demon.

Liang Qu recovered a blazing feather from a Great Demon and brought it home, then saw the suffering winter had brought to the poor and gave away buns in the alleys. After practicing Skin Refining, he visited Chen Qingjiang’s home with pastries, where Chen Qingjiang questioned why he had bought Shunzi such an expensive treat.

• Liang Qu learned that Cannot Move and A Fei had found a huge, scorching feather, recognized it as belonging to the Blazing Flame Giant Bird, and decided to show it to his Master and Senior Brother.
• Liang Qu sold his fish to Lin Songbao for three qian of silver and heard Chen Hu struggle to earn enough from his catch.
• Liang Qu saw hungry families and children in Yellow Mud Alley, left buns for them, and walked away angry at the hardship around him.
• Liang Qu cooled the Great Demon Feather in a water vat, practiced Skin Refining, and felt his body grow tougher.
• Liang Qu visited Chen Qingjiang’s house with peach crisp and gave a piece to Shunzi, prompting Chen Qingjiang to ask why he had bought such an expensive treat.

Liang Qu visited the Chen family to share his good fortune, offer them gifts and medicine, and arrange a fishing partnership. As he left, Chen Qingjiang warned him that Martial Master Lu Shaohui had died in town.

• Liang Qu stopped Chen Qingjiang from taking Xiao Shunzi’s peach crisp and insisted that the Chen family accept his gifts.
• Liang Qu told the Chen family that the master of Yang Martial Hall had made him a Personal Disciple and that Xiao Shunzi could later train there without tuition.
• Liang Qu gave Chen Renxing medicine for his injury and asked Chen Qingjiang to fish with him, offering to split the catch fifty-fifty.
• Liang Qu left two qian of silver with A Di to pay anyone collecting his debt while he was away for the Great Demon sacrifice.
• Chen Qingjiang warned Liang Qu that a Martial Master had died in town, then recalled the dead man’s name was Lu Shaohui.

Liang Qu learned that Lu Shaohui had died and brought the blazing feather he found to Lu Gang for identification. After learning it could be forged into a self-repairing spiritual weapon, Liang Qu gave Lu Gang permission to use it for his spear and then set out to investigate Lu Shaohui’s death.

• Liang Qu heard that Lu Shaohui had died and hurried toward Ping Yang Town, suspecting the death might be connected to recent events.
• Liang Qu asked a tea server for directions to the ruined temple where Lu Shaohui had been found, then went to Lu Gang’s blacksmith shop first.
• Liang Qu showed Lu Gang the feather, and Lu Gang identified it as a Crimson Fire Mourning Feather from a Crimson Fire Bird.
• Lu Gang explained that the feather’s Life Essence could forge a spiritual weapon, so Liang Qu chose to use it for his long spear.
• Liang Qu asked Lu Gang about Lu Shaohui, told him that Lu Shaohui had died, and left to continue his investigation.

Liang Qu and Lu Gang investigated Lu Shaohui’s death at the ruins of Fahua Temple, where Hu Qi identified a Mountain Ghost as the killer. They learned it had already hatched a Little Mountain Ghost, while Lu Gang urged Liang Qu to return and refine his Crimson Fire Mourning Feather.

• Lu Gang agreed to accompany Liang Qu to investigate Lu Shaohui’s death and brought Fire Red Stones to preserve the Crimson Fire Mourning Feather’s energy.
• Lu Gang and Liang Qu found fresh constable footprints leading to Fahua Temple and entered after Lu Gang showed his Waist Token.
• Liang Qu saw Lu Shaohui’s corpse with his chest torn open and his organs missing.
• Hu Qi arrived with Fast Squad Leader Shi Guangxi and identified a Mountain Ghost as the likely killer.
• Hu Qi explained that the Mountain Ghost had hatched a Little Mountain Ghost and advised Shi Guangxi to increase patrols.
• Lu Gang left Liang Qu with Hu Qi and told him to return to refine the Crimson Fire Mourning Feather.

Xue Dingyi was beaten by Xue Chengquan for neglecting martial arts and causing trouble, while Liang Qu watched Lu Gang begin forging his spear and settled into a new routine of martial arts and academy study. Liang Qu neared a Skin Refining breakthrough and then went to meet Lin Songbao, whose father wanted to treat him to a meal.

• Xue Chengquan discovered Xue Dingyi's visits to brothels and other misdeeds, beat him until he fainted, and ordered him to apologize to Master Yang's ninth disciple.
• Lu Gang explained how he would use Fire Red Stone and Crimson Fire Mourning Feather to forge Liang Qu's Tungsten Gold spear without changing its stable affinity.
• Liang Qu returned to the Martial Arts School, refined his skin, and arranged to attend the academy each afternoon for study.
• Liang Qu toured the academy with Xiang ChangSong and learned that he could fully condense Blood Qi three times a day, bringing him close to a breakthrough.
• Li LiBo told Liang Qu that Lin Songbao was waiting for him, and Liang Qu guessed Lin Songbao's father wanted to host him because Master Yang had accepted him as a personal disciple.

Liang Qu attended a dinner with Lin Di, who tried to recruit him to protect the Fishing Wharf in exchange for a share of its profits. Liang Qu refused to profit from oppressing fishermen, reclaimed the Black Awning Boat, and walked alone beside the river, where a familiar scent rode the cold wind.

• Lin Di enthusiastically praised Liang Qu and introduced his eldest son, Lin Fuyun, before arranging food, music, and dancing at Lang Yun Tower.
• Lin Di offered Liang Qu a share of the Fishing Wharf's annual income in return for lending it his status, but Liang Qu refused even when Lin Di raised the offer.
• Liang Qu explained that he would not profit by oppressing fellow fishermen, then left after complimenting the dancers and reclaiming the Black Awning Boat.
• As Liang Qu walked beside South Stone Bridge, he considered why he would not help the fishermen by changing their rental fees and reflected on the risks to his reputation and interests.
• Liang Qu sensed a familiar scent carried by the cold wind from the river.

Liang Qu took Chen Qingjiang fishing with the help of fish-herding beasts and filled both boats with a huge catch. When they returned to the wharf, someone warned Liang Qu that trouble had broken out outside his home.

• Liang Qu told Chen Qingjiang to stop traveling to town to sell fish because a dangerous Demon Beast was still at large.
• Liang Qu recovered his family's Black Awning Boat and took Chen Qingjiang to a fishing spot, where he secretly used Mental Link to have two beasts herd fish toward them.
• Chen Qingjiang repeatedly cast his net and hauled in enough fish to fill both boats within several hours.
• Liang Qu assured Chen Qingjiang that his bait would keep bringing in fish, and the two men headed back to the wharf.
• Someone called out to Liang Qu and told him to hurry home because someone was causing trouble outside his door.

Liang Qu heard that a richly dressed master and a kneeling man had come to his home, and he went to investigate with a crowd of villagers. He discovered that Xue Chengquan had brought his son Xue Dingyi to apologize and offered Liang Qu a thorned whip, leaving Xue Dingyi begging for mercy at Liang Qu’s feet.

• Chen Yi spread word that a Blue-Clothed Master and someone kneeling had appeared at Liang Qu’s doorstep, prompting villagers to follow Liang Qu toward home.
• Lin Songbao agreed to watch Liang Qu’s boat while Chen Qingjiang and Chen Yi joined the growing crowd.
• Liang Guangtian and his wife followed the procession, and a villager rebuked Liang Guangtian for neglecting Liang Qu despite his past generosity.
• Xue Chengquan scolded and beat Xue Dingyi, then praised Liang Qu when he arrived and offered his son up for punishment.
• Xue Dingyi clung first to Xue Chengquan and then to Liang Qu, pleading for forgiveness as Xue Chengquan waited for Liang Qu to take the thorned whip.

Liang Qu’s new status as Yang Dongxiong’s Personal Disciple became known in the village after Xue Chengquan brought Xue Dingyi to apologize. Liang Qu forgave Xue Dingyi and arranged for Xue Chengquan to cover the River God Sacrifice costs and provide porridge, leaving the villagers celebrating his generosity.

• Xue Chengquan told the villagers that Xue Dingyi had angered Yang Dongxiong’s Personal Disciple, Liang Qu, and the crowd learned Liang Qu had formally become Yang Dongxiong’s disciple.
• Liang Qu forgave Xue Dingyi, who thanked him while still kneeling.
• Xue Chengquan offered to repair Liang Qu’s home, but Liang Qu declined and asked him to cover the villagers’ River God Sacrifice contributions and fund a congee stall.
• Xue Chengquan agreed and gave copper coins to children to spread the news that Liang Qu would pay for the sacrifice and provide porridge.

Liang Qu broke through the Skin Barrier, greatly strengthening his body and Water Control while gaining room to command another Water Beast. His uncle Liang Guangtian arrived with rice and tried to enlist him to help Liu Zi enter Master Yang’s school, but Liang Qu rejected his false concern and faced his request coldly.

• Liang Qu completed his final skin refinement, emerging with tougher skin, stronger blood and Qi, and Water Control capable of moving five hundred jin.
• Liang Qu discovered that his Mental Link had gained room for another Water Beast command, while the Water Monkey’s fusion level remained at forty-nine.
• Liang Guangtian arrived at Liang Qu’s home carrying rice and pretended he had come out of concern after previously refusing to help him.
• Liang Qu refused the rice and tried to close the door, remembering how Liang Guangtian had insulted and driven him away.
• Liang Guangtian stopped the door and asked Liang Qu to bring his son Liu Zi into Master Yang’s school.

Liang Qu rejected Liang Guangtian’s attempt to place Liu Zi in his martial arts school for free, and Chen Zhaoan intervened when Liang Guangtian caused a scene. Chen Zhaoan praised Liang Qu’s service to Yi Xing City and appointed him Chief Priest for the River God Sacrifice.

• Liang Qu agreed to teach Liu Zi at the martial arts school, but quoted Liang Guangtian fees for training, lodging, meals, medicinal broth, and a Medicinal Bath.
• Liang Guangtian tried to barge inside, struck his face on the door, and then pounded on it while accusing Liang Qu of refusing to help his relatives.
• A Di defended Liang Qu by reminding Liang Guangtian how he had neglected the family, and Chen Zhaoan arrived and slapped and berated Liang Guangtian before driving him away with his cane.
• Liang Qu thanked Chen Zhaoan, who praised him for helping Yi Xing City and refusing payment for house repairs.
• Chen Zhaoan said the townspeople would repair Liang Qu’s house and appointed him Chief Priest to recite the Sacrificial Text at the River God Sacrifice.

Liang Qu accepted the role of Chief Priest, shared his fish-sale earnings with Chen Qingjiang, and began studying at Shanghu Academy while continuing his martial training. After several uneventful days searching the waterways for treasures, he received a message from Cannot Move.

• Liang Qu agreed to become Chief Priest after returning to his small, dilapidated house.
• Chen Qingjiang gave Liang Qu half a tael from selling the fish, and Liang Qu insisted they split the proceeds evenly.
• Xue Chengquan's people opened a congee stall by the wharf, where Lin Songbao chased away people pretending to be poor.
• Liang Qu began studying literacy at Shanghu Academy, impressed his teacher with his rapid progress, and borrowed two books about martial arts and the world.
• Liang Qu traveled between Ping Yang Town and Yi Xing City, avoided land routes because of the Mountain Ghost, and searched the waterways twice without finding treasure.
• While practicing calligraphy, Liang Qu received a message through his link with Cannot Move.

Liang Qu presented his newly devised Pinyin Method for learning characters to instructor Si Hengyi, hoping to earn recognition and rewards while demonstrating his talent. Si Hengyi found the method promising and took the symbols home to study, leaving them to discuss it further the next day.

• Liang Qu finished his copybook, and Si Hengyi praised his progress before dismissing the other children.
• Liang Qu showed Si Hengyi his Pinyin Method, a separate set of symbols for indicating character sounds.
• Liang Qu explained that Pinyin simplified learning by using a small set of symbols instead of characters to annotate other characters.
• Si Hengyi examined the method, asked Liang Qu to explain it repeatedly, and concluded that its framework was simpler than Fanqie.
• Si Hengyi kept Liang Qu at the academy until dark, then took the symbols home to memorize and study before their discussion the next day.