Chapter Summaries

Shen Qian read the AFK Record of his treatment of Tantai Qin and discovered that he had comprehended her divine ability, Blood Guanyin, while she was unconscious. After learning the cultivation restrictions and dealing with university matters, he began selecting courses, then received a message from Yang Lingjie about the Storm and Cloud Rankings.

• Shen Qian read the AFK Record and worried that his prolonged study of Tantai Qin’s body might have crossed a line, though he hoped she had been unconscious.
• Shen Qian checked the notes and learned Blood Guanyin was a body-tempering divine ability that could only be attempted after he attained the Dao, with a chance of achieving sainthood through the flesh.
• Cheng Qingqing told Shen Qian that she had resolved his disciplinary issue, and Yu Shouyi confirmed that the planned punishment had been withdrawn.
• Li Le visited Shen Qian, told him he had been elected Class 1 monitor, and asked him to complete course selection that day.
• Shen Qian began choosing courses, then received Yang Lingjie’s message telling him to come to the arena because the Martial High Alliance had released the Storm and Cloud Rankings.

Shen Qian discovered he ranked twenty-eighth on the Jiangzhong Ranking and instantly defeated senior student Man Hu when challenged. Qu Bai then appeared, leaving the crowd anticipating a confrontation between him and Shen Qian.

• Shen Qian completed his course registration, declined to attend Li Jiaqi's class event, and went to the arena with Yang Lingjie.
• Shen Qian found himself ranked twenty-eighth on the Jiangzhong Ranking, the only first-year student in its top one hundred.
• Zhao Keyi decided to challenge Shen Qian to seek a breakthrough, but Man Hu challenged Shen Qian first.
• Shen Qian used his speed to defeat Man Hu in a single move, stunning the gathered students and frightening Zhao Keyi out of challenging him.
• Qu Bai arrived and greeted Shen Qian, prompting the crowd to wonder which of them was stronger.

Shen Qian and Qu Bai discussed hidden geniuses, the history of the Gates, and the national rankings before learning that Jiangzhong Military University's secret realms would open soon. Qu Bai warned that a nationwide competition would test the newly established university, and Shen Qian looked forward to facing the concealed talent gathering across the martial arts world.

• Qu Bai recognized that Shen Qian had killed many people, and the two agreed to postpone a fight until a more suitable time.
• Qu Bai told Shen Qian that Martial Arts College enrollment had expanded before a past crisis in which ten high-ranked Gates opened, and he linked Candle Dragon to one of them.
• Shen Qian discovered he was absent from the national Hidden Dragon List, and Qu Bai explained that rankings depended on Combat Power Value and access to secret realms, which Jiangzhong Military University had not yet opened.
• Qu Bai explained the importance of the Myriad Manifestations Tower and showed Shen Qian a Martial Practice Token; Shen Qian claimed to have sixteen, but Qu Bai did not believe him.
• Qu Bai told Shen Qian that the university's secret realms would open in three days and warned that Jiangzhong Military University's upcoming nationwide competition would pit them against formidable hidden geniuses.
• After Qu Bai left, Shen Qian reflected on the coming competition and welcomed the challenge.

Shen Qian attended Jiangzhong Military University's first martial arts theory class as rumors about him fueled tensions ahead of the year-end competition. Several provincial champions arrived late after competing to reserve Simulation Machines, and their explanation revealed they had made a bet not to fall behind Shen Qian; the chapter left him researching the university's Secret Realms, especially the Six-star Secret Realm.

• Shen Qian met Ouyang Fei and Yang Lingjie, who told him that online posts were making him a target in disputes between Jiangzhong Military University and other schools.
• Shen Qian recognized that sensational headlines falsely attributed boastful claims to him and were likely meant to provoke students from the Four Great Schools.
• Ning Zhiyuan began martial arts theory class, but Yue Dakuan, Geng Qianqiu, Zhao Keyi, Xiao Ye, Ye Shicong, and Shangguan Ting arrived late one after another.
• Ning Zhiyuan threatened the late students with severe conduct-point deductions, and they explained they had been reserving Simulation Machines before class.
• Shangguan Ting revealed that the champions were competing because they did not want to fall behind Shen Qian or one another, and Ning Zhiyuan reduced their punishment to three points and a thousand-word self-criticism.
• Shen Qian turned to researching the university's Secret Realms, particularly the rare Six-star Secret Realm.

Shen Qian learned how Secret Realms and their Point Cards worked, then impressed Professor Ning Zhiyuan with a question about Origin Energy Transformation and earned a Point Card. After class, he met Wan Ning and Dao Jiu at the university, where they brought his completed saber and armor along with the Emperor Monkey.

• Shen Qian read about Secret Realms, learned their entry requirements and rewards, and noticed that River of Death required extensive prior achievements.
• Ning Zhiyuan called Shen Qian out for losing focus in class, but Shen Qian answered with a question about methods of Origin Energy Transformation and gained the professor's approval.
• Ning Zhiyuan awarded Shen Qian twenty conduct points and a Secret Realm Point Card, then invited him to bring future questions to his office.
• Shen Qian visited Ning Zhiyuan's office after class, received the Point Card, and felt their earlier tension had eased.
• Teaching assistant Li Le told Shen Qian that visitors had arrived, and Shen Qian met Wan Ning, Dao Jiu, and the Emperor Monkey near the school gate.
• Wan Ning told Shen Qian that his saber and armor were finished, while Dao Jiu set down a large bundle for him.

Shen Qian examined Master Gu’s A-Class saber, named it Mountains and Rivers, and tested a B-Class battle armor before preparing for Jiangzhong Military University’s secret realm. He arranged Great Sage’s enrollment, gained approval to attend Northern Martial University, and sought out Ye Shicong at the Azure Dragon Physical Testing Hall.

• Shen Qian drew the saber and triggered its Hidden Edge effect, then explained how it stored power and named it Mountains and Rivers.
• Shen Qian tested the B-Class battle armor against Dao Jiu’s punches and found that it greatly reduced incoming force.
• Shen Qian saw Wan Ning and Dao Jiu off, asked Wan Ning to watch for housing near Jiangzhong Military University’s affiliated university town, and requested a flight to North Capital next week.
• The Emperor Monkey wrote Great Sage as its name, and Shen Qian completed its enrollment and tracking-chip registration; Yu Shouyi approved Shen Qian’s regular classes at Northern Martial University.
• Shen Qian went to the Azure Dragon Physical Testing Hall to prepare for the secret realm and learned that Ye Shicong was in Simulation Machine Training Room No. 3.

Shen Qian entered the A Thread of Sky simulation stage at Jiangzhong Military University while staff monitored his run, expecting him to set a record. He cleared it with a B+ rating, leaving the monitoring team baffled.

• Shen Qian triggered the fire alarm to get Ye Shicong out of Training Room No. 3, warned him about overusing Mental Power, and agreed to fight him after he recovered.
• Shen Qian entered Jiangzhong Military University's Simulation Machine, logged in under his real name, and selected A Thread of Sky at two-star difficulty.
• Staff at the Martial Arts Education Institution Data Monitoring Center noticed Shen Qian had logged in and gathered to watch his stage result.
• Shen Qian left the stage after 25 minutes and 19 seconds with a B+ rating, while Cao Qian's SS rating remained the highest, surprising the staff.

Shen Qian improved his A Thread of Sky rating to S, then sparred with Ye Shicong before finding Tantai Qin waiting in his home to question what happened when she lost control. Tantai Qin confronted him over the marks on her body, and the chapter ended after she accepted Shen Qian’s reckless offer to let her ruin his innocence in return.

• Shen Qian repeatedly attempted A Thread of Sky with his strength restricted, discovered an array hidden beneath the peasant woman’s pear baskets, and eventually earned an S rating.
• Ye Shicong waited for Shen Qian, brought him dinner, and challenged him to a spar; Shen Qian defeated him after fifty-one moves.
• Shen Qian returned to Villa No. 7 and found Tantai Qin waiting, so he explained how her energy had run wild and how he had brought her to the basement.
• Tantai Qin offered to repair Shen Qian’s array flags and make him a new sword, then questioned why she had been unclothed and covered in bruises.
• Tantai Qin pressed a sword to Shen Qian’s throat over the marks on her body, and Shen Qian swore he had examined her only to treat her.
• When Shen Qian told Tantai Qin she could ruin his innocence in return, she replied, “Alright.”

Tantai Qin used her Ask Three Lives divine ability on Shen Qian to investigate him, but Earl Pingyang stopped her before she could destroy his three lives. Earl Pingyang revealed that Tantai Qin came from behind the Gates, and Shen Qian realized Ji Ruoshui might have come from there as well.

• Tantai Qin agreed to Shen Qian’s proposal to settle their dispute, then touched him and struck three phantoms from his body with her Ask Three Lives divine ability.
• Shen Qian relived memories and saw the White-robed Man confront an enormous Buddha before Earl Pingyang’s voice ended the vision.
• Earl Pingyang arrived, sent Tantai Qin away, and explained that her divine ability could investigate, foresee, or completely erase someone from existence.
• Earl Pingyang told Shen Qian that Tantai Qin had awakened from ancient times and came from behind the Gates.
• Shen Qian connected Tantai Qin’s strange presence to Ji Ruoshui and wondered what lay behind the Gates.

Shen Qian wrote Ji Ruoshui a letter, tested the Hundred Kings Hall’s rapid courier service, and dealt with Yue Dakuan’s challenge and his classmates’ increasingly bizarre attempts to fight him. He entered Jiangzhong Military University’s Bronze Man Formation secret realm, where he appeared as a lay disciple at Shaolin Temple.

• Shen Qian wrote Ji Ruoshui a letter and paid ten contribution points to have Mountains and Seas deliver it to her.
• A Mountains and Seas expert collected the letter, and Shen Qian concluded that Earl Pingyang likely knew about the Hundred Kings Hall.
• Yue Dakuan asked Shen Qian to fight him and offered six hours of Simulation Machine access and a Peak Gathering Pill; Shen Qian defeated him after fifty-two moves.
• Yue Dakuan uploaded a video claiming he had nearly beaten Shen Qian, while Zhao Keyi’s group continued their outrageous efforts to provoke Shen Qian into fighting them.
• Shen Qian entered the one-star Bronze Man Formation secret realm and found himself dressed as a lay disciple at Shaolin Temple.

Shen Qian entered Shaolin Temple’s Arhat Hall Secret Realm and learned Arhat Fist from Ji Gang, then discovered the monk could teach Arhat Golden Body if Shen Qian met demanding prerequisites. He spent the rest of his allotted time studying Shaolin techniques, left without clearing the Bronze Man Formation, and an observer reacted excitedly to his D rating.

• Shen Qian entered Arhat Hall and learned the eighteen forms of Arhat Fist from Ji Gang.
• Shen Qian questioned Ji Gang about other martial arts and learned that he had mastered the Arhat Golden Body divine ability.
• Ji Gang agreed to teach Shen Qian Arhat Golden Body after he became proficient in the Seventy-two Ultimate Skills, mastered seven Zen Arts, and learned three Heart Sutras.
• Shen Qian studied Shaolin techniques with Ji Gang until his one-hour Secret Realm challenge ended before he could clear the Bronze Man Formation.
• Shen Qian received a D rating for the challenge, while a monitoring-center employee celebrated the result as news of a genius’s apparent decline.

Shen Qian tested his rapidly growing physical and mental abilities and realized he might be able to attain the Dao before reaching Mountains and Seas, potentially letting him cultivate divine abilities early. After his Mental Power training was interrupted by Cheng Qingqing, she offered to help him improve it in exchange for a favor later.

• Shen Qian used his new professional testing machine and discovered that his physical potential exceeded the theoretical limit while his Mental Power measured 956 frames.
• Liu Changqing explained that 1,000 frames was enough to form a Mental Core, the standard for Mountains and Seas, and mentioned that he was at Wuding Bridge.
• Shen Qian considered that his strength and Mental Power might let him attain the Dao early and possibly cultivate divine abilities before reaching Mountains and Seas.
• Shen Qian spent the day cultivating Mental Power with the Primordial Spirit Refining method until Cheng Qingqing appeared in his lap and startled him.
• Cheng Qingqing offered to help Shen Qian improve his Mental Power in exchange for a favor later, then told him to take off his clothes.

Shen Qian endured Cheng Qingqing’s Seven Steps Grass treatment to strengthen his Mental Power, but his power surpassed its limits before he knew how to form a Mental Core. Cheng Qingqing helped him through the breakthrough, and Shen Qian awoke with a new core and troubling questions about their shared memories.

• Cheng Qingqing forced Shen Qian into a bath dosed with Seven Steps Grass sap, guiding him to endure the pain and absorb it with his Mental Power.
• Shen Qian repeatedly asked Cheng Qingqing to add more sap, eventually using the remaining supply from his own bottle as his Mental Power grew.
• When Shen Qian’s Mental Power became dangerously chaotic, Cheng Qingqing entered the bath and connected her power to his to help him form a core.
• Shen Qian followed Cheng Qingqing’s guidance and formed a crystalline Mental Core, gaining heightened perception and greater control over his body and yuan energy.
• Shen Qian woke to find Cheng Qingqing gone and wondered whether she recognized the white-robed figure in the memory he had experienced during their connection.

Shen Qian arrived in North Capital and narrowly escaped the attention of Duke of Yanshan before heading to Northern Martial University, where he learned that the press had declared him a fallen genius. He discovered that he may have missed the seed quota for Step Nine Heavens and asked Wei Sijian what it meant.

• Shen Qian sensed an oppressive presence near the airport, saw Duke of Yanshan's enormous black eye through Mental Power, and fled after an unknown voice warned him to leave.
• Duke of Yanshan confronted Wu Wei at the airport, accused someone of obstructing his fortune and new path, and vowed to settle the grudge before agreeing to act when needed.
• Shen Qian resolved to keep a low profile in North Capital and learn a divine ability before returning to troublemaking.
• Wei Sijian and School of Pharmacy students greeted Shen Qian with banners and a band at Northern Martial University, embarrassing him as he entered the campus.
• Shen Qian read newspaper reports calling him a fallen genius because of his poor Simulation Machine and Martial Arts secret realm results.
• Wei Sijian told Shen Qian that he had missed the Hidden Dragon List and might have missed the seed quota for Step Nine Heavens, prompting Shen Qian to ask what the quota was.

Shen Qian learned about the Step Nine Heavens competition and confronted Wang Shuo at Northern Martial University, where Wang Shuo attacked after Shen Qian mocked him. Acting on a mysterious voice’s warning, Shen Qian fought back without using his full strength and sent Wang Shuo flying.

• Shen Qian examined Northern Martial University’s rankings and read about the Nine Heavens Cup and the Step Nine Heavens individual competition.
• Wang Shuo and Luo Yi approached Shen Qian, but Luo Yi refused to be used to provoke a fight and returned the money Wang Shuo had given him for pills.
• Luo Yi accused Wang Shuo of doing nothing to help Li Changxing after Shen Qian damaged his cranial nerves, and Shen Qian mocked Wang Shuo for his underhanded schemes.
• Wang Shuo revealed himself to be an Advanced Martial Artist and charged at Shen Qian after Shen Qian reminded him of their past encounter.
• A mysterious voice told Shen Qian to fight without using his full strength, and Shen Qian collided with Wang Shuo, sending him flying several meters.

Shen Qian fought Wang Shuo at Northern Martial University, but Wang Shuo unleashed the Ancient Six-Star Martial Skill Dragon's Roar Transformation and wounded him. Cheng Shanhe stopped the fight, then Nie Han tried to take Shen Qian to Plum Garden with an arrest token until an unseen voice invoked the Huaxia Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Huaxia Alchemist Association.

• Shen Qian and Wang Shuo exchanged hundreds of blows, astonishing the watching students with their speed and martial skill.
• Wang Shuo unleashed Dragon's Roar Transformation, while Nie Han stopped Dao Jiu from protecting Shen Qian.
• Wang Shuo struck Shen Qian in the chest and sent him crashing onto the plaza, but Cheng Shanhe arrived and ended the fight.
• Nie Han demanded that Shen Qian accompany him to Plum Garden, displaying an arrest token when Cheng Shanhe objected.
• An unseen speaker asked whether the Huaxia Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Huaxia Alchemist Association were enough to oppose Nie Han.

Qiu Zhijian stopped Nie Han from taking Shen Qian away by revealing Shen Qian’s seven-star Alchemy Grandmaster status and new appointments. Meanwhile, Gao Wenyuan met Wu Wei on a rooftop and hinted that he had come to North Capital because someone had broken the rules.

• Qiu Zhijian healed Shen Qian’s wound and refused to let Nie Han take him in for questioning over the Mei Yuan Theft Case.
• Qiu Zhijian revealed Shen Qian was a Seven-Star Alchemy Grandmaster and appointed him an academician of the Huaxia Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences and a council member of the Huaxia Alchemist Association.
• Cheng Shanhe said Shen Qian’s contributions could benefit even Nie Han, who rejected the idea and left with Wang Shuo and the others.
• Qiu Zhijian told Shen Qian that a bonus from Huake Academy would arrive soon, then a mysterious voice summoned Shen Qian to the rooftop of Teaching Building Five.
• Gao Wenyuan appeared before Wu Wei and explained that he had come because someone had broken the rules, while denying that he planned to act recklessly.

Gao Wenyuan bid farewell to Wu Wei before leaving China, and Wu Wei confronted Shen Qian about his connection to the Plum Garden incident and urged him to understand the weight of becoming National Martial Champion. Meanwhile, Wu Jun trapped Nie Han in a coffin-like space and attacked him, leaving the outcome uncertain.

• Gao Wenyuan told Wu Wei he was leaving China, shared a final cup of wine with him, and vanished from the rooftop.
• Shen Qian met Wu Wei, who deduced that Shen Qian had been involved in the Plum Garden incident and explained that traces of cause and effect had drawn suspicion to him.
• Wu Wei confirmed that the ultimate reward of Step Nine Heavens included a Nine Kings inheritance and warned Shen Qian to understand the burden of becoming National Martial Champion.
• Nie Han found himself alone in a distorted, coffin-shaped alley, where Wu Jun appeared carrying a God Burying Coffin and said he had come to see him off.
• Nie Han transformed into a flaming bird and charged Wu Jun, who struck him twice with a whip made from his own spine.

Wu Jun killed Nie Han, but Duke of Yanshan revived him and set plans in motion against Plum Garden’s enemies. Shen Qian then reunited with Ding Yi and discovered bruises on her arm.

• Wu Jun killed Nie Han, took his Mental Core, and left it with his spear and a porcelain bottle at Plum Garden’s entrance.
• Duke of Yanshan learned that Wu Jun had killed Nie Han and used the Creation pill Shen Qian developed to begin restoring him.
• Duke of Yanshan sent Ren Zihan overseas and gave Guo Zhouyuan a letter for their Eldest Senior Sister as Plum Garden prepared to respond.
• Shen Qian returned to the School of Pharmacy to finish his lesson, then went to meet Ding Yi by Nameless Lake.
• Shen Qian embraced Ding Yi, noticed her reaction, and found a mass of bruises on her arm.

Shen Qian learned why Ding Yi trained so desperately: she hoped to become strong enough to enter the A-rank door that had swallowed her mother. After returning to Jiangzhong, he discovered that students from Suke Martial University had injured Military Martial University students in a challenge, and he went to investigate.

• Shen Qian treated Ding Yi’s scarred back, and she explained that combat helped her grow stronger as she pursued a chance to find her mother, who had disappeared into a door at Jiangzhong Military University.
• Ding Yi told Shen Qian she loved him, and he gave her an ancient Cultivation Diagram scroll that could help her cultivate Mental Power.
• Shen Qian returned to Jiangzhong after the release of the Creation pill made him famous and sparked debate about his alchemy achievements and martial progress.
• Shen Qian learned that Suke Martial University students had challenged Military Martial University and injured several students, so he agreed to visit the infirmary and look into what happened.