Recaps

Xie Yuan developed his martial skills while earning a place as a Core Disciple and resisting Zhang Yu Feng’s efforts to control him. He joined the Soaring Dragon Escort Agency, where Zhao Xingyang set him to learning saber art as the County Commandant arranged a test of his ability.

• Xie Yuan began the Xie Family Martial Repository trial by challenging all eight divisions on the first floor, while Uncle Thirteen placed large bets on his progress.
• Xie Yuan trained with Mu Chaoyun, advanced to Bridge to Heaven, and later learned the Great Golden River Skill and Shadowless Step as he prepared for the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain Hunt.
• In his woodcutter life, Xie Yuan gained the Chopping Wood skill, joined Iron Clothes Gate, and began training Iron Cloth despite his frail constitution.
• Xie Yuan joined Zhu Dongming and the other villagers to hunt a tiger, but a black bear confronted him after he took a fragrant fruit from a spirit tree.
• Xie Yuan formed a timber crew, defeated Zhang Lao Er’s gang when they tried to seize the crew’s wood, and won bouts against Yu Jin and other challengers at Iron Clothes Gate.
• After defeating Yu Jin, Xie Yuan was promoted to Core Disciple, while Zhang Yu Feng tried to force him into work at the County Commandant’s back garden and accused him of crimes.
• Qin Hai brought Xie Yuan to the Soaring Dragon Escort Agency, where Zhao Xingyang gave him the Galloping Wolf Saber Art and set a seven-day test of his progress.
• The County Commandant sent Zhang Yu Feng back to Vajra Gate and ordered disciples to test Xie Yuan, who reached Entry Level in the Galloping Wolf Saber Art within a day.

Xie Yuan rose through the escort agency while undertaking dangerous journeys, confronting bandits, and expanding his martial skills. After a major convoy ambush exposed a traitor within the agency, Xie Yuan faced more bandits and uncovered the involvement of the Vajra Gate.

• Xie Yuan advanced his saber skills, became an Advanced Escort, and defeated several formidable opponents, including Meng Tuo, Fang Wei, and Wang Black Tiger.
• While training near the withered Azure Tree, Xie Yuan met the Black Robed Figure, learned of the scattered golden books, and found Black Heaven Book on his panel.
• Xie Yuan completed covert and ordinary escort jobs, surviving ambushes at Nine Mile Gorge and elsewhere while earning merit and strengthening his martial arts.
• Xie Yuan met Mu Chaoyun during a dangerous flight and considered joining the Yunshan Sword Sect, while his swordsmanship advanced and he gained a trace of Sword Intent.
• Boss Song’s bandits ambushed Zhao Xingyang’s convoy at Thunder Duke River, where Xie Yuan helped kill Boss Song and Zhao suspected an agency mole.
• Shen Longteng exposed Xu Mo as the traitor, and Xu Mo confessed that Yu Chunsheng had forced him to betray the agency by holding his son.
• Xie Yuan charged a bandit group alone, suppressed its leader, killed a hidden Vajra Gate fighter, and challenged the remaining men about their affiliation.

Xie Yuan settled old grudges, uncovered more about the Black Heaven Book, and advanced his martial arts while moving between Yunshan Sword Sect and the Floating Pagoda. After returning to village life for the New Year, he mastered Chopping Wood and prepared to visit Iron Clothes Gate.

• Situ Qin brought the wounded Xie Yuan home, where he recovered and agreed to complete a task in return for a cultivation prescription.
• Xie Yuan defeated Peng Wei in a spar, learned that Mu Chaoyun carried a page of the Black Heaven Book, and advanced his cultivation with her help.
• Xie Yuan’s escort agency defeated Vajra Gate, and he later killed Deng Wan and confronted Yu Chunsheng to settle his grudges.
• Yun Xing took Xie Yuan through a secret passage to the Holy Maiden’s Residence, while he later traveled to Yunshan Sword Sect under the identity Zhang Shan.
• Xie Yuan absorbed sword qi near Sword Peak, entered a sword-art vision, gained initial-stage Sword Heart, and advanced the Cloud Dragon Nine Forms.
• Xie Yuan entered the Floating Pagoda, rescued Lin Zhen and the others, cleared its first four floors, and began the fifth floor’s trials.
• Xie Yuan used his merit points for a medicinal bath and reached the Second Level of Practice before setting out for Small Stone Village.
• Xie Yuan helped Li Lan’s family with firewood, reached Chopping Wood proficiency 100/100, and decided to stop in Coiling Dragon Town to visit Iron Clothes Gate.