Chapter Summaries

Jiang Ning settled into the Martial Arts Hall, tracked his growing Source Energy, and trained while reading and chopping firewood. Three days later, his Firewood Chopping Blade Technique had reached Great Completion, and his Five Animal Frolics Fist was close to breaking through.

• Aunt Sun found Jiang Ning practicing late at night, guided him to a room she had prepared, and hinted at someone from her past.
• Jiang Ning checked his Panel the next morning and attributed his increased Source Energy to the richer food he had eaten.
• Jiang Ning practiced the Five Animal Frolics Fist at dawn and raised its Experience Points to 31/100.
• Jiang Li brought Jiang Ning clean clothes and, seeing him grow sturdier, returned home reassured.
• After three days of training and reading, Jiang Ning's Source Energy reached 5.4, his fist technique reached 88/100, and his Firewood Chopping Blade Technique reached Great Completion.

Jiang Ning advanced his Five Animal Frolics Fist and learned that Canglang Martial Hall was selecting one disciple to become Wang Jin’s Personal Disciple and compete for entry into the Patrol Office. He resolved to meet the three-month requirements, seeing the opportunity as protection against Xu Yunfeng and the Cao Family.

• Jiang Ning practiced two rounds of the Five Animal Frolics Fist, raised its experience to 90/100, and condensed two more strands of Qi and Blood Power.
• Jiang Ning greeted Senior Brother Cheng Ran at the Martial Arts Hall and joined the other disciples as Wang Jin addressed them.
• Wang Jin explained that the Patrol Office would be established across Great Xia under the authority of the only Martial Saint, offering powerful resources and authority to selected recruits.
• Wang Jin announced that Canglang Martial Hall had one recommendation slot left, to be awarded after three months to a disciple who mastered two fist techniques, achieved Qi and Blood Great Accomplishment, and completed Martial Dao Entry Rank.
• Jiang Ning resolved to meet the requirements, become Wang Jin’s Personal Disciple, and qualify for the Patrol Office to gain protection from Xu Yunfeng and the Cao Family.

Wang Jin announced the Patrol Office’s recruitment requirements, and Xiao Peng demonstrated his advanced fist techniques to become Wang Jin’s Direct Disciple. Jiang Ning resolved to reach Martial Dao Entry Rank within three months and calculated how quickly he could improve his Five Animal Frolics Fist.

• Wang Jin announced that candidates needed Five Animal Frolics Fist Great Completion and Martial Dao Entry Rank within three months to qualify for the Patrol Office.
• The students praised Cheng Ran as a possible candidate, but Xiao Peng revealed his Tiger Form Fist had reached Great Success and his Ape Form Fist Minor Achievement.
• Wang Jin inspected Xiao Peng’s demonstrations, confirmed his skill, and accepted him as a Direct Disciple with his tuition waived and medicinal soup provided.
• Jiang Ning resolved to reach Martial Dao Entry Rank and estimated that he could bring his Five Animal Frolics Fist to Great Completion within two months by practicing diligently.

Jiang Ning used Wild Ginseng to train the Five Animal Frolics Fist and broke through to Mastery, doubling the Qi and Blood Power he condensed with each set. After lifting a one-hundred-jin Stone Dumbbell with ease, he moved to test himself against the one-hundred-fifty-jin one.

• Jiang Ning used Wild Ginseng to recover between sets and raise his Five Animal Frolics Fist experience to 100.
• Jiang Ning broke through to Mastery and discovered that each set now condensed two strands of Qi and Blood Power.
• Jiang Ning resolved to enter the Patrol Office so he could gain the time and resources to grow stronger.
• Cheng Ran spoke with Jiang Ning about Xiao Peng’s skill and took heart from Jiang Ning’s encouragement.
• Jiang Ning lifted the one-hundred-jin Stone Dumbbell without strain and went to try the one-hundred-fifty-jin dumbbell.

Jiang Ning tested his strength, practiced the Five Animal Frolics Fist intensely, and worried about losing access to Wild Ginseng as his supply ran out. That night, he asked Wang Jin about deeper principles of the five forms, but Wang Jin told him to return to the subject after his technique advanced further.

• Jiang Ning lifted a 150-jin stone dumbbell, and Cheng Ran praised his rapid progress and outstanding martial talent.
• Jiang Ning realized his strength was around 170 or 180 jin and reflected that his Five Animal Frolics Fist had reached Mastery, improving his Qi and Blood Power gains.
• After lunch, Jiang Ning practiced the fist ten times and used the last of his Wild Ginseng, then estimated his Qi and Blood Power at about one-eighth of his eldest brother's peak strength.
• Jiang Ning worried that he could no longer afford Wild Ginseng, decided to avoid risky outings, and considered seeking more benefits from Wang Jin.
• That night, Jiang Ning asked Wang Jin about the deeper principles of the five animal forms, and Wang Jin said he should ask again after reaching greater mastery.

Jiang Ning demonstrated that he had brought the Five Animal Frolics Fist to mastery, impressing Wang Jin and earning access to medicinal decoctions three times daily. Wang Jin then demonstrated the fist’s Minor Completion realm, and Jiang Ning studied his movements before preparing to try them himself.

• Jiang Ning performed the Five Animal Frolics Fist at mastery, astonishing Wang Jin with how quickly he had learned it.
• Wang Jin reflected that Jiang Ning had great talent but had begun martial arts too late to join the Patrol Office, and considered making him a Close Disciple if he passed his test.
• Wang Jin told Jiang Ning to receive medicinal decoction from the back kitchen morning, noon, and evening, and offered to teach him the fist’s Minor Completion essentials.
• Wang Jin demonstrated the Five Animal Frolics Fist, explaining its different forms and showing how muscle patterns revealed the circulation of Jin Force.
• Jiang Ning replayed Wang Jin’s demonstration in his mind for a quarter of an hour, then said he would try the fist himself.

Jiang Ning gained a small insight into the Five Animal Frolics Fist after Wang Jin demonstrated its force, improving his experience-gaining efficiency. Wang Jin told him he could observe the caged tiger fight in eight days, and Jiang Ning left more confident about advancing quickly enough to join the Patrol Office.

• Jiang Ning practiced the Five Animal Frolics Fist slowly after Wang Jin demonstrated how force changed his muscles.
• Jiang Ning gained a slight understanding of the fist’s Minor Completion essence and earned two experience points from one cycle.
• Jiang Ning realized that mastering the five animal forms could greatly improve his experience-gaining rate, though it would not double his Qi and Blood Power gains.
• Wang Jin advised Jiang Ning to observe the animals’ movements and told him the tiger would fight a person in eight days.
• Wang Jin urged Jiang Ning to reach Great Success and promised to teach him everything if he passed his test.

Jiang Ning gained Wang Jin’s permission to use the Martial Arts Hall’s Study and began exploring its books. He left off examining medical texts and medicinal theory, eager to find knowledge that could support his martial training.

• Jiang Ning assured Wang Jin that he would soon achieve Great Completion in the Five Animal Frolics Fist, and Wang Jin told him to rest for the night.
• Jiang Ning asked to borrow books so he could study alongside his training and explained that he hoped to gain an official honor for protection; Wang Jin praised his ambition and granted him access to the Study.
• Jiang Ning visited Aunt Sun to collect the Study key and told her Wang Jin had approved herbal medicine three times a day starting the next morning.
• Aunt Sun praised Jiang Ning’s diligence and said Wang Jin had raised his treatment to that of a Direct Disciple.
• Jiang Ning entered the Study and began browsing its shelves, starting with books about medicine and medicinal theory.

Jiang Ning discovered a fragment of the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill in Wang Jin's study and used his Panel to record it as a skill. After reading a dossier, he realized Great Xia had faced widespread rebellions, including six in Zeshan Province alone the previous year.

• Jiang Ning surveyed Wang Jin's books and decided to focus on Literacy and a small number of martial skills rather than overtraining.
• Jiang Ning found the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill fragment and learned that the Daoist method could cultivate Inner Breath and prolong life.
• Jiang Ning memorized the fragment, returned it to Wang Jin's desk, and saw the skill appear on his Panel at Not Initiated 0/100.
• Jiang Ning read the Great Xia Rebellion Summary and learned that Zeshan Province had suffered six rebellions in the previous year.

Jiang Ning read dossiers explaining that Great Xia’s rebellions and the Patrol Office’s founding were part of a struggle over military authority, and he decided to join the Patrol Office. After studying intelligence on Luoshui County, he resolved to focus on reaching Martial Dao Entry Rank within three months.

• Jiang Ning realized that the rebellions and the loosening of military authority reflected a struggle between the Imperial Clan and the other forces of Great Xia.
• Jiang Ning decided that joining the Patrol Office was his best chance to gain shelter, time, and a fundamental Martial Path method.
• Jiang Ning read a detailed dossier on Luoshui County and recognized that Wang Dutou had likely supplied it to Wang Jin.
• Jiang Ning learned that Xu Yunfeng was close to Martial Dao Entry Rank and wondered why he was targeting Jiang Ning’s elder brother alongside Cao Bin.
• Jiang Ning set aside his unanswered questions and committed to reaching Martial Dao Entry Rank within three months so he could join the Patrol Office.

Jiang Ning studied martial knowledge and prepared to begin the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill, while reasoning that better nourishment increased his Source Energy. He successfully practiced the skill at sunrise for the first time, leaving his organs warm and his Blood Qi circulating on its own.

• Jiang Ning took books on the Imperial Examination and basic martial knowledge from the study, then considered how academic honors could help his prospects in the Patrol Office.
• Jiang Ning saw that his Source Energy had risen to 6.0 and concluded that greater and higher-quality nourishment increased its daily gain.
• Jiang Ning waited in the courtyard for sunrise, following the skill's instructions to practice the Breathing and Exhalation Method before the sun fully rose.
• Jiang Ning repeatedly absorbed warmth through his breathing and gained experience in the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill.
• Jiang Ning stopped before sunrise ended and felt his organs warm, his Blood Qi circulate by itself, and his body temperature rise before returning to normal.

Jiang Ning confirmed that the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill was detoxifying his body, then made rapid progress chopping wood and practicing the Five Animal Frolics Fist. He ended the day gaining double experience from each set of fists, though his Blood Qi cultivation still advanced at the usual rate.

• Jiang Ning experienced a painful purge after practicing the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill and concluded that the technique was working.
• Jiang Ning chopped wood until his Firewood Chopping Blade Technique reached 633/1000 experience points.
• Jiang Ning ate ten meat buns prepared by Aunt Sun and drank her medicinal decoction before going to practice his fists.
• Jiang Ning adjusted his form and began gaining two Five Animal Frolics Fist experience points per set by grasping softness within hardness and hardness within softness.
• Jiang Ning spent the day practicing and studying, but each set still condensed only two strands of Blood Qi.

Jiang Ning advanced his skills through daily training and brought Firewood Chopping Blade Technique to the brink of perfection. The chapter left off as his final experience point appeared to trigger a change in the panel.

• Jiang Ning reviewed his training and calculated that Five Animal Frolics Fist could reach Minor Achievement Realm within days.
• Jiang Ning noticed his Source Energy gains had slowed without Wild Ginseng and wondered about Zhou Xing and Li Qing.
• Jiang Ning trained, raising Literacy to 322, Five Animal Frolics Fist to 90, and Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill to 25.
• Jiang Ning practiced Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill at sunrise, raising it to 40, then went to chop firewood.
• Jiang Ning chopped logs until Firewood Chopping Blade Technique reached 999/1000, and the panel suddenly changed.

Jiang Ning perfected his Firewood Chopping Blade Technique and advanced the Five Animal Frolics Fist to Minor Completion while preparing to strengthen himself before the Patrol Office established its prefecture. Cheng Ran told him that the Martial Arts Hall would stage a tiger-fighting demonstration in six days, where Li Qing might also appear.

• Jiang Ning reached the Perfected Realm in the Firewood Chopping Blade Technique, gaining faster, stronger swings and greater control of the blade.
• Over the next four days, Jiang Ning advanced the Five Animal Frolics Fist to Minor Completion and increased his Blood Qi, while deciding to keep training for the coming Martial Dao selection.
• Jiang Ning checked his Panel and noted that his Source Energy was 8.4, his blade technique was ready for a breakthrough, and his Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill was nearing Initiation.
• Cheng Ran told Jiang Ning that the Martial Arts Hall would release a ferocious tiger into the courtyard in six days so its true disciples could demonstrate against it.
• Cheng Ran said Li Qing might take part in the tiger demonstration as she prepared to enter the Martial Dao ranks.

Jiang Ning watched Cheng Ran and Xiao Peng spar and compared their strength and techniques with his own. He realized that his Five Animal Comprehensive Cultivation had made him stronger than he had thought, though the contest between the two senior disciples continued.

• Jiang Ning learned that Li Qing had been pushing to enter the Martial Dao Entry Rank and listened as Cheng Ran discussed observing a Ferocious Tiger to improve his Tiger Form Fist.
• Xiao Peng challenged Cheng Ran to spar, and the two met in the front yard as the disciples watched.
• Cheng Ran and Xiao Peng traded a full-force clash, and Cheng Ran was surprised that Xiao Peng nearly matched him despite having lower Qi and Blood cultivation.
• Xiao Peng revealed that his strength exceeded four hundred jin and that he was nearing Qi and Blood Completion, then continued fighting Cheng Ran.
• Jiang Ning assessed their strengths and movements and concluded that his own cultivation in the Five Animal forms had made him more capable than he had assumed.

Jiang Ning saved Cheng Ran from crashing into a wall after Xiao Peng defeated him, and the two injured disciples discussed their progress and prospects. Xiao Peng dismissed Jiang Ning as a threat because of his poor family background, while Cheng Ran discovered that Jiang Ning’s strength exceeded two hundred jin.

• Xiao Peng used a powerful Bear Form Fist strike to send Cheng Ran flying toward the wall, and Jiang Ning caught and safely lowered him.
• The disciples praised Xiao Peng’s fighting skill and compared his progress with Jiang Ning’s.
• Xiao Peng learned that Jiang Ning came from an ordinary Outer City family and decided he was no threat to the Patrol Office quota, focusing instead on advancing himself and watching Cheng Ran.
• Cheng Ran told Jiang Ning his Skin Membrane was nearly formed and that he expected to enter the Martial Dao Entry Rank within a month.
• Cheng Ran thanked Jiang Ning, then tested his strength and realized it exceeded two hundred jin.

Cheng Ran recognized Jiang Ning's extraordinary martial talent and rewarded him with fifty taels of silver after Jiang Ning helped prevent an injury. Jiang Ning accepted the money to restore his training resources, but remained uncertain whether he could reach Martial Dao Entry Rank in time to join the Patrol Office.

• Cheng Ran estimated that Jiang Ning's strength exceeded two hundred pounds and realized his blood qi and Five Animal Frolics Fist had advanced remarkably quickly.
• Cheng Ran chose to keep his assessment of Jiang Ning's talent to himself and gave Jiang Ning a Fifty-Tael Silver Note in gratitude for helping him.
• Jiang Ning accepted the silver, intending to use it to increase his training and accumulate blood qi faster.
• Jiang Ning reflected that he had three months to reach Great Accomplishment of Qi and Blood, attain Martial Dao Entry Rank, and pass the Patrol Office's practical examination, though he doubted he could meet the rank requirement.
• Jiang Ning considered how Ninth Rank Martial Artists refined their Skin Membrane and how further Skin Training increased their strength and resistance to weapons.

Jiang Ning learned that becoming Wang Jin’s Direct Disciple would give him access to a Skin Refinement Secret Method, while he and Cheng Ran agreed to spar after Cheng Ran recovered. The next morning, Jiang Ning anticipated initiating the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill and hoped his Panel could help him master its lost higher realms.

• Jiang Ning accepted Cheng Ran’s Silver Notes, then helped the injured Cheng Ran rest while Xiao Peng privately regretted that Jiang Ning had prevented Cheng Ran from being hurt more severely.
• In Jiang Ning’s courtyard, Cheng Ran said he would recover in two or three days, agreed to keep Jiang Ning’s strength secret, and arranged to spar with him to improve their combat experience.
• After resting for several hours, Cheng Ran asked Jiang Ning to give him a couple of days to investigate the matter Jiang Ning had entrusted to him.
• The following morning, Jiang Ning saw that his Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill was nine Experience Points from Initiation and wondered whether it ranked above Upper Grade Techniques.
• Jiang Ning hoped the Panel could let him master the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill’s Perfected Realm despite having only a damaged page that recorded its Initiation Method.

Jiang Ning reached Initiation in the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill and found that it had greatly strengthened his internal organs. He successfully absorbed Great Sun Essence Qi despite lacking the skill’s Guiding Method, leaving him able to continue gaining experience and pursue Internal Strengthening.

• Jiang Ning completed the experience needed to reach Initiation in the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill, causing his heart and organs to grow stronger.
• Jiang Ning tested his improved lung capacity and considered how stronger organs would benefit his stamina, recovery, and cultivation.
• Jiang Ning attempted to absorb Great Sun Essence Qi using the skill’s Breathing and Exhalation Method, but the scorching energy surged dangerously through his organs.
• Jiang Ning’s Panel calmed the Essence Qi, allowing him to gain an experience point despite lacking the Guiding Method.
• Jiang Ning realized he could keep cultivating toward Internal Strengthening and considered the skill’s potential to unleash hidden bodily strength.

Jiang Ning trained his Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill and resolved to grow strong enough to protect his brother’s family. Cheng Ran reported that the Green Snake Gang was watching the Martial Arts Hall, the family remained safe for now, and Xu Yunfeng was a formidable threat; Jiang Ning planned to pursue Wang Jin’s tutelage and a Patrol Office position.

• Jiang Ning practiced the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill until its progress reached Initiation 6/1000.
• Jiang Ning received twenty taels of silver borrowed by Jiang Li and vowed to repay his brother and sister-in-law by changing their circumstances.
• Cheng Ran told Jiang Ning that members of the Green Snake Gang were watching the Martial Arts Hall and that increased patrols had kept Jiang Li’s family safe.
• Cheng Ran reported that Xu Yunfeng had defeated a powerful Martial Artist and was likely near Martial Dao Entry Rank, while Jiang Ning suspected the threat was tied to a larger political struggle.
• Cheng Ran recommended buying discounted Ten-Year Wild Ginseng from Zhou Xing and revealed that a Great Revival Pill had healed his injuries and strengthened his Blood Qi.
• Cheng Ran vowed to compete with Xiao Peng for the Patrol Office qualification, while Jiang Ning kept his own ambition to enter the office secret.