Chapter Summaries

Jiang Ning revealed that his Five Animal Frolics Fist had reached the Perfected Realm and that he had fused its five kinds of Jin Force into one, astonishing Wang Jin. He then disclosed that he had also condensed his skin membrane and entered Martial Dao Ninth Rank, while Wang Jin urged him to pursue a place in the Patrol Office; afterward, Jiang Ning counted his remaining training supplies and considered his finances.

• Jiang Ning told Wang Jin that his Five Animal Frolics Fist had reached the Perfected Realm and demonstrated Five Forms United as One.
• Wang Jin praised Jiang Ning's progress and urged him to strengthen his qi and blood so he could seize the opportunity to join the Patrol Office when it established its prefecture.
• Jiang Ning revealed that he had already condensed his skin membrane and entered Martial Dao Ninth Rank, leaving Wang Jin stunned.
• Wang Jin concluded that Shen Congyun must have given Jiang Ning valuable resources, then congratulated him on his rapid progress.
• Jiang Ning returned to his room, counted his remaining Wild Ginseng and Qi and Blood Pills, and assessed the money he had available for buying a residence and funding his training.

Jiang Ning returned home to find Cao Bin offering gifts and an apology to smooth over their conflict. Cao Bin’s brutal second gift revealed his threat against Xu Yunfeng’s family, but Jiang Ning rejected the message and arranged for Xu Yunfeng’s mother to be buried; he left with the Gold Leaf.

• A disciple summoned Jiang Ning from the Martial Arts Hall, and Yang Zong escorted him by carriage to Jiang Li’s home, where Cao Bin and Head Constable Feng were waiting.
• Cao Bin greeted Jiang Ning warmly, offered him a Gold Leaf worth a thousand taels of silver, and apologized for nearly having him arrested.
• Cao Bin presented Xu Yunfeng’s murdered mother’s head as another gift, claiming she deserved punishment for her son’s actions and asking whether Jiang Ning was satisfied.
• Jiang Ning calmly dismissed Cao Bin and Head Constable Feng, then told Jiang Li that he had killed Xu Yunfeng and the others who followed him out of the city.
• Jiang Ning told Jiang Li to arrange a proper burial for Xu Yunfeng’s mother, and Jiang Li urged him to keep the Gold Leaf to support his martial training.

Jiang Ning decided to accept Cao Bin’s attempt to ease relations while using the time to grow stronger. He continued tempering his body and asked Cheng Ran about houses in the Inner City, learning of two properties with very different prices and sizes.

• Jiang Ning told Jiang Li that he would go along with Cao Bin’s goodwill because antagonizing the Cao Family was unwise.
• Jiang Ning practiced the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill and used Skin Grinding Sand to speed up his Indestructible Vajra Body training.
• Jiang Ning reflected that his remaining Skin Grinding Sand would last only nine or ten days and that he needed a larger house for private training.
• Cheng Ran arrived with news of two Inner City residences, one priced at six hundred and forty-eight taels and the other at one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight taels.
• Cheng Ran described the larger residence as a five-mu property near Luoshui, with good scenery and feng shui.

Jiang Ning bought a spacious Inner City residence from Manager Tong for 666 taels and reflected on finally owning the home he had dreamed of. After settling in and training the next morning, he brought the land deed to Jiang Li’s family and invited them to move in with him.

• Jiang Ning chose to view Manager Tong’s Luoshui River residence, and she offered it to him for 666 taels to make his acquaintance.
• Jiang Ning accepted the deal and received the land deed, then spent the evening alone in his new home, moved by how different his life was from his previous one.
• The next morning, Jiang Ning checked his skills panel and practiced the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill, gaining 27 points of progress.
• Jiang Ning visited Jiang Li’s family and invited them to move into his Inner City residence, showing Jiang Li the land deed as proof.

After moving his family into the Jiang Residence, Jiang Ning spent more than ten days training and improving his skills while learning that Medicine King Valley had sent powerful fighters to capture Tian Buyi for an unusually large bounty. His progress brought him close to reaching Stone Skin, where he expected his strength to rise sharply.

• Jiang Ning persuaded Jiang Li and Liu Wanwan to move with their family into his spacious residence in the Inner City.
• More than ten days passed as Jiang Ning trained between the Martial Arts Hall and the Jiang Residence, where privacy improved his cultivation.
• Jiang Ning learned that a Medicine King Valley Elder and three Martial Arts Eighth Rank fighters had come to capture Tian Buyi, whose bounty seemed suspiciously high.
• Jiang Ning practiced the Five Animal Frolics Fist, gained experience, and replenished his strength with Wild Ginseng.
• Jiang Ning checked his Panel and saw his Source Energy, fist experience, and other skills had advanced, while his Indestructible Vajra Body neared the Stone Skin realm.
• Jiang Ning estimated that eight or nine more days of training would bring him to Stone Skin and let him regularly use Double Layered Strength against stronger opponents.

Jiang Ning went to Myriad Blossom Pavilion to find a potent, affordable tonic and tested a vial of Grass and Wood Essence. Qingyi noticed his improved qi and blood and came to speak with him, while he considered whether to buy the tonic.

• Jiang Ning visited Myriad Blossom Pavilion because he had used up his wild ginseng and wanted a cost-effective tonic.
• Xiao Lu introduced Grass and Wood Essence, which had effects comparable to twenty-year wild ginseng and cost thirty taels per vial.
• Jiang Ning drank a vial of Grass and Wood Essence to assess how his body responded to it.
• Qingyi heard Jiang Ning had arrived and wondered whether Shen Congyun had left him a defensive treasure after he killed Hong Chengtao.
• Qingyi saw Jiang Ning's stronger qi and blood, and Jiang Ning greeted her as Sister Lin.

Jiang Ning revealed his rapid progress in the Indestructible Vajra Body to Qingyi, who proposed finding him a wife after he rejected joining the Vajra Temple because of its strict vows. He then bought fifty bottles of Grass and Wood Essence at Myriad Blossom Pavilion, where Manager Han offered him a steep discount.

• Qingyi discovered Jiang Ning had reached the Martial Dao Ninth Rank and asked whether he would join the Vajra Temple.
• Jiang Ning declined after Qingyi explained that joining required strict monastic vows and severing ties with the mortal world.
• Qingyi teased Jiang Ning about marriage and decided to find him a suitable girl, while Jiang Ning privately resolved to refuse.
• Jiang Ning used Shen Congyun’s Token to order fifty bottles of Grass and Wood Essence at Myriad Blossom Pavilion.
• Manager Han brought the bottles and reduced the bill to one thousand taels of silver, giving Jiang Ning a larger discount than his Token alone allowed.

Jiang Ning used Grass and Wood Essence to sustain his training and pushed his Indestructible Vajra Body to a breakthrough. After reaching proficiency, his skin membrane transformed fully, and he achieved Stone Skin.

• Jiang Ning bought fifty bottles of Grass and Wood Essence at Myriad Blossom Pavilion and returned home to resume training.
• Over the next seven days, Jiang Ning raised his Indestructible Vajra Body to 987/1000 and gained Source Energy by absorbing Grass and Wood Essence.
• Jiang Ning trained his Five Animal Frolics Fist and used Skin Grinding Sand to prepare for his Indestructible Vajra Body breakthrough.
• Jiang Ning reached 1000 experience points, advancing the Indestructible Vajra Body to proficiency as the white color spread across his skin membrane.
• Jiang Ning's skin membrane finished transforming, and he celebrated reaching the Stone Skin level.

Jiang Ning tested his newly hardened skin and found that his body could withstand the strain of Double Layered Strength, leading him to plan to advance his Canglang Saber Technique. He then visited Canglang Martial Hall, where Wang Jin introduced him to Elder Liu and two other visitors.

• Jiang Ning confirmed that his strength exceeded twelve hundred jin and that his stone-hard skin let him shatter rocks without injury.
• Jiang Ning tested Double Layered Strength with his saber and concluded that his body could bear the strain as he trained toward Triple Strength and Fivefold Jin Force.
• Jiang Ning noticed the deep mark his saber strike had left in the ground, then bathed and decided to visit the martial hall.
• Jiang Ning arrived at Canglang Martial Hall and greeted Wang Jin, Li Qing, and the gathered visitors in the backyard.
• Wang Jin introduced Jiang Ning to Elder Liu, who recognized his name from the incident involving Shen Congyun and Myriad Blossom Pavilion.

Elder Liu Qingsong failed to persuade Wang Jin to help mobilize troops against Tian Buyi, while Jiang Ning reaffirmed his confidence in the upcoming Luoshui County Patrol Office Establishes Prefecture. Li Qing challenged Jiang Ning to spar, but he effortlessly caught her kick and accidentally took off her shoe before hurrying away from its stench.

• Elder Liu Qingsong asked Wang Jin to arrange military and City Guard support for an expedition against River Dragon Tian Buyi, but Wang Jin refused and suggested he approach the authorities directly.
• After Elder Liu left, Wang Jin asked Jiang Ning about his training and confidence ahead of the Luoshui County Patrol Office Establishes Prefecture in about twenty days; Jiang Ning said he was confident.
• As Jiang Ning and Li Qing left the backyard, Li Qing asked him to spar, then launched a whip-like kick at his face.
• Jiang Ning caught Li Qing's kick with one hand, and when she pulled free, her shoe came off in his grasp.
• Jiang Ning returned Li Qing's shoe and hurried out of the Martial Arts Hall, overwhelmed by its smell.

Jiang Ning practiced the Canglang Saber Technique in Luo River Lake, where battling the currents greatly increased his saber and Water experience. He also advanced Swimming to Mastery and planned to continue training in the lake.

• Jiang Ning decided to focus on the Canglang Saber Technique and suspected that practicing beside the stormy Luo River would improve his progress.
• Jiang Ning entered the lake, adapted to the currents, and independently gained the Swimming Skill.
• Jiang Ning swam into deep water and practiced the Canglang Saber Technique against the undercurrents, gaining experience in both saber and Water.
• After practicing underwater for half an hour, Jiang Ning surfaced and found his saber experience had increased rapidly; he attributed part of the gain to his Divine Blade Control trait.
• Jiang Ning resumed underwater training and advanced Swimming from Initiation to Mastery, becoming more comfortable and secure in the currents.

Jiang Ning trained the Canglang Saber Technique underwater until it reached Minor Completion, unlocking Triple Strength and testing its power. He returned to shore planning to keep training in the water and master Fivefold Jin Force as a life-saving trump card.

• Jiang Ning practiced the Canglang Saber Technique underwater until it broke through to Minor Completion.
• Jiang Ning reviewed his practice and gained insights that let him erupt Triple Strength.
• Jiang Ning cleaved through the lake water with a Triple Strength saber strike and found that his Stone Skin physique could barely withstand the strain.
• Jiang Ning swam toward shore and saw that Swimming had reached Minor Completion.
• Jiang Ning decided to keep practicing in the water to advance his saber technique, master Fivefold Jin Force, and improve his Swimming.

Jiang Ning discovered a wave-battered island on the Luo River where he could train his saber and swimming, while Tian Buyi also reached the island after escaping Liu Qingsong. Injured but carrying Leopard Embryo Transformation Body Tempering Pills, Tian Buyi planned to find and kill Jiang Ning before fleeing Dongling County.

• Jiang Ning returned home soaked from practicing, and Jiang Li had kept dinner warm for him before going to accompany Wan Wan.
• Two days later, Jiang Ning trained at a desolate island in the Luo River and used Grass and Wood Essence to recover as his saber and swimming skills neared breakthroughs.
• Tian Buyi escaped Liu Qingsong to the same island, treated his injuries, and admired the Leopard Embryo Transformation Body Tempering Pills he had stolen.
• Tian Buyi decided to find and kill Jiang Ning, then leave Dongling County once he had fulfilled his promise to Cao Rong.

Jiang Ning broke through his Canglang Saber Technique to Great Success and advanced Swimming beyond its limit, gaining the Underwater Breathing trait. After finding a valuable Blood Lotus in Luo River Lake, he surfaced and was spotted by the injured assassin Tian Buyi, who recognized him as Cao Rong’s target.

• Jiang Ning trained underwater until his Canglang Saber Technique reached Great Success, allowing him to control Fivefold Jin Force.
• Jiang Ning filled Swimming’s experience and spent ten Source Energy to break through, gaining the Underwater Breathing trait and becoming faster in the water.
• Jiang Ning tested Underwater Breathing and found it could supply him with enough oxygen even while he exerted himself underwater.
• Tian Buyi arrived near the Luo River shore, searched for Jiang Ning, and resolved to kill him so he could flee Luoshui County.
• Jiang Ning found a fifty-year, five-leaf Blood Lotus at the lake bottom and surfaced with it.
• Tian Buyi saw Jiang Ning emerge from the lake, recognized him as Cao Rong’s target, and rejoiced at the chance to complete his commission.

On a desolate island, Jiang Ning recognized the wanted bandit Tian Buyi, who had been sent to kill him, and lured him underwater to exploit his weaker breathing and swimming. As Tian Buyi tried to surface, Jiang Ning intercepted him and prepared to test his fourfold jin force against an Eighth Rank Martial Artist.

• Jiang Ning spotted Tian Buyi on the cliff and realized he could earn a hundred-tael reward by capturing him, while Tian Buyi revealed that someone had hired him to kill Jiang Ning.
• Jiang Ning plunged into the water to escape, and Tian Buyi followed, confident that his swimming skill would let him catch his prey.
• Jiang Ning suspected the Cao Family had arranged the assassination and used his underwater breathing and swimming ability to keep Tian Buyi chasing him into deeper water.
• When Tian Buyi's chest pain and dwindling breath forced him to turn toward the surface, Jiang Ning suddenly accelerated and blocked his path.
• Jiang Ning released his bodily restrictions and prepared to strike Tian Buyi with fourfold jin force, choosing not to risk his fivefold technique.

Jiang Ning fought Tian Buyi underwater and killed him after repeated saber strikes worsened Tian Buyi’s internal injuries and left him unable to breathe. Realizing the Cao Family remained a major threat, Jiang Ning resolved to join the Patrol Office in half a month for protection.

• Jiang Ning and Tian Buyi exchanged powerful blows underwater, and Jiang Ning realized he could risk only a few more strikes before injuring his arm too badly.
• Jiang Ning struck again, reopening Tian Buyi’s internal injuries and causing him to cough up blood and lose the air he had left.
• Jiang Ning continued attacking while Tian Buyi sank deeper, unable to recover or reach the surface.
• Jiang Ning stopped attacking and watched until Tian Buyi died, then confirmed his death.
• Jiang Ning assessed the danger posed by the Cao Family and determined that he had to enter the Patrol Office to gain protection.

After killing Tian Buyi, Jiang Ning searched his belongings and discovered two Leopard Embryo Transformation Body Tempering Pills, realizing they were the reason Medicine King Valley had placed a hundred-tael gold bounty on the bandit. He abandoned the bounty, hid Tian Buyi’s body in the lake, and left the island to avoid suspicion from Medicine King Valley.

• Jiang Ning searched Tian Buyi’s corpse and collected his Black Gloves, silver notes, broken silver, and two jade bottles of unknown pills.
• Jiang Ning opened a sandalwood box and identified its two remaining pills as Leopard Embryo Transformation Body Tempering Pills, realizing Tian Buyi had stolen them from Medicine King Valley.
• Jiang Ning decided the pills were worth more than the bounty and threw Tian Buyi’s corpse into the lake to conceal his death.
• Jiang Ning collected the Fifty-Year Blood Lotus and his supplies, then left the island to avoid being linked to Tian Buyi’s disappearance.

Jiang Ning refined the first layer of the Leopard Embryo Transformation Body Tempering Pill and felt his strength increase. After recognizing Luo River Lake as a source of future wealth, he ate a Blood Lotus leaf and began practicing his fists to absorb its powerful medicinal force.

• Jiang Ning swallowed the Leopard Embryo Transformation Body Tempering Pill and endured its first wave of pain before feeling warmth spread through his body.
• Jiang Ning used Internal Vision to discover that the pill contained multiple layers that would release their medicinal effects gradually.
• Jiang Ning sensed that his strength had increased after refining the pill's outermost layer and reflected on how Tian Buyi had withstood his saber strikes.
• Jiang Ning saw the Fifty-Year Blood Lotus as a valuable find and considered searching Luo River Lake for sunken ships and other treasures.
• Jiang Ning ate a Blood Lotus leaf, felt his Blood Qi surge, and practiced his fists to digest its medicinal force.

Jiang Ning spent 100 Source Energy to break through his Firewood Chopping Blade Technique for a fourth time and unexpectedly mastered Blade Intent. He realized his old saber was wearing out under his strength and decided he needed a new one.

• Jiang Ning checked his increased Source Energy and qi and blood after absorbing the Fifty-Year Blood Lotus, then assessed his strength as far above ordinary Skin Refinement martial artists.
• Jiang Ning recalled how Tian Buyi had withstood his powerful strikes and wondered at the strength of Martial Saints.
• Jiang Ning spent 100 Source Energy on the Firewood Chopping Blade Technique and absorbed a flood of new insights.
• Jiang Ning tested his new technique with a slash and recognized that he had mastered Blade Intent.
• Jiang Ning saw that the breakthrough had granted him the Blade and Man as One trait and noticed his Hundred-Forged Refined Iron Saber was chipped and rolled from battle.

Jiang Ning tested his skin-refinement progress and found that stronger Blood Qi made Skin Grinding Sand largely unnecessary, while his Five Animal Frolics Fist continued to advance. Meanwhile, Liu Qingsong followed a Gu Insect to evidence of Tian Buyi’s trail, began to suspect Tian Buyi was dead, and then lost the scent.

• Jiang Ning practiced Five Animal Frolics Fist, tempered his skin with Indestructible Vajra Body, and used Great Sun Essence Qi to advance Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill.
• Jiang Ning tested skin refinement without Skin Grinding Sand and found that Blood Qi and Five Animal Force kept his progress high despite his skin membrane reaching its limit.
• Liu Qingsong and his attendants followed a Gu Insect to a dried bloodstain on a desolate island and spread out to search for the injured Tian Buyi.
• Liu Qingsong found Tracking Dust on a reef and Tian Buyi’s damaged clothing, leading him to wonder whether Tian Buyi had died.
• Liu Qingsong urged the Gu Insect onward, but it stopped moving, leaving him unable to track Tian Buyi’s scent.