Chapter Summaries

Xie Yuan drew attention on Yunshan Mountain after entering the Hidden Dragon Ranking, and Li Xingtuo discovered that he had rapidly cultivated the Yunshan Sword Intent Scripture to its fourth level. Three months of steady training passed before the story shifted to a veiled woman confronting and apparently killing a brothel madam in Jinling Prefecture.

• Yunshan Sword Sect disciples discussed Xie Yuan’s sudden placement at seventy-second on the Hidden Dragon Ranking while Xie Yuan listened in his small courtyard.
• Huang Zifeng gathered Xie Yuan, Lin Zhen, Lin Cheng, and Pei Yu to discuss swords, and Xie Yuan observed Huang Zifeng’s unreturned affection for Lin Zhen.
• Li Xingtuo summoned Zhang Shan, discovered he had reached the fourth level of the Yunshan Sword Intent Scripture, and urged him to surpass Xie Yuan on the ranking.
• Li Xingtuo told Qin Zhenyang that he would wait before admitting Zhang Shan to the main peak because he questioned Zhang Shan’s allegiance and sensed unusual fortune around him.
• Xie Yuan continued cultivating for three months, improving his martial arts while remaining on Into the Clouds Peak and secretly descending twice to hear the Little Princess play the qin.
• In Jinling Prefecture, a veiled woman entered a brothel, trapped its madam inside a formation, and attacked her after demanding the madam’s information and life.

Yao Tianchuan was ordered to kill Nether Goose, while Xie Yuan continued cultivating and reached major mastery in the Autumn Wind Falling Leaf Sword. On a mission to kill Gongsun Xiao, Xie Yuan discovered the sect master was secretly aligned with the Yao Family and had reached the Qi Blood Third Transformation Realm; after revealing his identity, Xie Yuan vanished, leaving the Honghu Broadsword Sect disciples to find blood flowing from the hall.

• The Autumn Wind Pavilion Master assigned Yao Tianchuan to kill Nether Goose as an assessment and explained that the Yao Family would sacrifice him to appease the Stove Sect.
• Xie Yuan advanced the Autumn Wind Falling Leaf Sword to major mastery while Mu Chaoyun watched his rapid cultivation progress.
• Yao Tianchuan summoned Xie Yuan for a mission to kill Gongsun Xiao, and Xie Yuan learned the Yao Family had ordered it because Gongsun Xiao had spoken up for Old Man Hanshan.
• At Gongsun Xiao's residence, Xie Yuan turned against Yao Tianchuan and tried to help Gongsun Xiao, but Gongsun Xiao revealed his hidden Third Transformation strength and attacked Xie Yuan.
• Yao Tianchuan recognized Xie Yuan as the man impersonating Nether Goose, and Xie Yuan revealed his true appearance, worsening Yao Tianchuan's distress over their past encounters.
• Gongsun Xiao called for his disciples and discovered Xie Yuan had disappeared; the disciples found the hall empty before blood began flowing from its entrance.

Xie Yuan entered the Seeing Truth Lake Relic after receiving an anonymous warning, but the lake separated him from Qin Zhenyang and his protective Jade Pendant vanished. He joined Zhang Junyi, learned that the lake’s illusions came from below, and faced a man who claimed Qin Zhenyang had been taken away.

• Xie Yuan showed Qin Zhenyang the cryptic warning about the trip, and they agreed to watch out for each other before spending ten days cultivating and reviewing their recent battles.
• Xie Yuan and Qin Zhenyang joined twelve other young talents at Seeing Truth Lake, received Jade Pendants, and entered the relic from their boat.
• Xie Yuan found himself alone in the dark lake within a lake, discovered his Jade Pendant was missing, and recognized that an apparent Zhang Junyi was an illusion.
• The real Zhang Junyi found Xie Yuan, explained that the illusions came from the lakebed, and said the exit was likely at the bottom; Xie Yuan told him his pendant had disappeared.
• A man riding a water dragon arrived with a Water Stabilizing Pearl, said Qin Zhenyang had been taken away, and announced that Xie Yuan would be unprotected before noticing Zhang Junyi.

Xie Yuan, competing as Zhang Shan, answered Yao Tianchuan’s challenge and defeated him with one sword, then went on to win the first day of the Little Hidden Dragon Meet for the Yunshan Sword Sect. He received a reward and a place at Seeing Truth Lake, while Mister Qian hinted that Zhang Shan’s slot served a larger purpose.

• Yao Tianchuan challenged the Yunshan Sword Sect, and Lin Zhen and Huang Zifeng debated who should face him before Qin Zhenyang chose Xie Yuan, who was competing as Zhang Shan.
• Xie Yuan defeated Yao Tianchuan with a single sword strike, and Yao Tianchuan tried to attack him from behind before an elder’s shout stopped him.
• Xie Yuan, Lin Zhen, and Huang Zifeng advanced through the remaining matches, and Xie Yuan won the first-day championship after the other two conceded to him.
• Yao Qinglai awarded Xie Yuan Snow Mountain Ginseng Velvet Pills and a place at Seeing Truth Lake.
• Xie Yuan told Qin Zhenyang about Yao Tianchuan’s hostility at the Yao Residence, while Mister Qian told Yao Qinglai that the Seeing Truth Lake slot falling to Zhang Shan would prove worthwhile.

Xie Yuan learned that Xie Fu had publicly supported him while the Xie Family descended into a struggle for clan leadership, and he continued living quietly with Mu Chaoyun in North Mountain Village. When the Ji Family’s Soul Extinguishing Three Elders attacked, Xie Yuan and Mu Chaoyun’s formations let him defeat all three, while Xie Bing witnessed his strength and departed.

• Xie Lingyun told Xie Yuan that Xie Fu had left the repository, scolded the Xie Family elders, and demanded that they invite Xie Yuan back, while Xie Zhi, Xie Wen, and Xie Bing contended for the vacant clan-head position.
• Xie Yuan continued cultivating and chopping wood with Mu Chaoyun, and he told Xie Dazhi to direct anyone asking for him to his mountain home.
• The Soul Extinguishing Three Elders arrived and attacked Xie Yuan, but Mu Chaoyun’s formation disrupted their array and protected the village.
• Xie Yuan killed the first elder with a sword strike, defeated the second with his spear despite her self-destruction, and killed the last with Thousand Army Breaker after she failed to trigger her blood formation.
• Xie Bing witnessed Xie Yuan defeat the three elders and left without speaking, while Xie Yuan began searching through the remains.

Xie Yuan and Yun Xing entered the Holy Mountain ritual, where rival factions targeted them and Xie Yuan killed the two Western Regions envoys and Tao Qingqing. The chapter ended with Xie Yuan trapped in Li Yun’s water sleeves while Yun Xing was held off by Mo Li and another fighter.

• Xie Yuan and Yun Xing entered the Holy Mountain as Ji Xuan and BeiTang Yue followed, then began climbing toward the summit.
• The Western Regions envoys ambushed Xie Yuan and Yun Xing, but Yun Xing fought them off until Xie Yuan killed both.
• Xie Yuan and Yun Xing continued uphill, collected a Holy Mountain Flame Scarlet Fruit and a Fire Spirit Ginseng, and encountered Tao Qingqing, Li Yun, and Mo Li.
• Xie Yuan killed Tao Qingqing with Dragon Soul, triggering Li Yun’s rage and a surge in her strength.
• Li Yun trapped Xie Yuan in her water sleeves while Mo Li and another fighter kept Yun Xing from helping him; a green-robed young man watched and a white-robed woman prepared to collect Yun Xing’s corpse.

After Wu Daoji slaughtered Tiger Might Escort Agency and framed Xie Yuan, Xie Yuan and Mu Chaoyun tracked him to Universal Salvation Temple, where he had killed again. Mu Chaoyun prepared to divine Wu Daoji’s location, but Xie Yuan stopped her and, furious at his own weakness, suddenly realized something that might help him progress faster.

• Su Xing investigated Tiger Might Escort Agency’s massacre and found the blood-painted escort banner linked it to Xie Yuan’s past at Soaring Dragon Escort Agency.
• Xie Yuan and Mu Chaoyun watched the investigation and concluded that Wu Daoji was impersonating Xie Yuan and using the banner as a threat.
• Xie Yuan tried to track Wu Daoji with the True Shadow Candlestick, but the trail ended in a forest outside Zhending Prefecture.
• Mu Chaoyun used the Heavenly Crystal Lotus to locate Wu Daoji three hundred li east of Zhending Prefecture, despite the cost to herself.
• Xie Yuan and Mu Chaoyun found the slaughtered Universal Salvation Temple, where Wu Daoji had left a message in Xie Yuan’s handwriting.
• Xie Yuan refused to let Mu Chaoyun divine Wu Daoji again, then suddenly realized something as he agonized over his slow progress.

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin hid in Peng Yue’s study, overheard his dealings with Yu Chunsheng, and escaped with an account book, a locked box, and medicinal clues. They returned safely to Situ Qin’s home, where they planned to investigate the stolen items and learn how the medicine could benefit Xie Yuan’s Inner Strength.

• Peng Yue reprimanded his steward over household matters, then discussed Cloudshine’s goods and Yu Chunsheng’s medicine and future with him.
• Xie Yuan and Situ Qin hid beneath a couch when Peng Yue entered the inner room, and they escaped when a staged pharmacy theft drew him away.
• Xie Yuan found a hidden compartment containing an account book and a locked box, and he and Situ Qin took both before fleeing the residence.
• Situ Qin directed Xie Yuan to leave the account book at the Deputy Judicial Surveillance Commissioner’s residence, where a guard discovered it.
• At Situ Qin’s home, they learned Lord Li had arranged the pharmacy diversion, and Situ Qin planned to have Master Qingyang examine the prescription and find someone to open the box.

Xie Lingyun told her mother that Xie Yuan had infiltrated the Yao Family as Yao Tianchuan, while Mu Chaoyun confirmed she had killed the hidden Heaven's Secret practitioner. Xie Yuan planned his departure from the Yao Family, but his identity was exposed, and just as Yao Yuzhi captured him, a powerful voice demanded to know where Xie Yuan was.

• Xie Lingyun recounted Xie Yuan's deeds to her mother and revealed that he was posing as Yao Tianchuan inside the Yao Family.
• Xie Lingyun's mother ordered a maid to investigate Xie Yuan after privately sketching his portrait.
• Mu Chaoyun told Xie Yuan she had killed the Heaven's Secret practitioner, and they agreed she would watch over him while he prepared to leave the Yao Family within a few days.
• Xie Yuan collected information on Autumn Wind Pavilion's assassins and learned that Jade Faced Fox had once guarded the Yao Family's Seventh Grandfather.
• Yao Yuzhi and the Autumn Wind Pavilion Master confronted Xie Yuan, foiled his escape formation, and forced him to reveal his true identity.
• Yao Yuzhi seized Xie Yuan and threatened to torment him, but a vast aura covered the Yao Residence as a voice called out, "Where is Xie Yuan?"

After returning to Jinling, Xie Yuan gained the Yao Family’s full support and secretly cultivated while investigating the human-trafficking network. He killed Qian Yangfeng and freed the captives, then learned that a legitimate young lady from the Chen Commandery Xie Family was coming to visit him.

• Yao Yuzhi explained how the Qian Family’s crisis ended with an imperial decree, and told Xie Yuan that Yao Yilong had tried to have him killed before the Autumn Wind Pavilion Master killed Yao Yilong.
• Yao Yuzhi publicly pledged the Yao Family’s resources to Xie Yuan’s cultivation, and gifts from the Wang and Xie Families confirmed that Xie Yuan had rescued their young elites at Ten Thousand Demons Mountain.
• Mu Chaoyun gave Xie Yuan records identifying Qian Yangfeng as an Autumn Wind Pavilion assassin and revealing his role in transporting human-trafficking victims.
• Xie Yuan killed Qian Yangfeng, recovered a ledger documenting the trafficking routes, and freed the captives, who brought the ledger to Su Xing at Niu’s Rice Shop.
• Spring Rain Pavilion used the ledger to dismantle the trafficking network, while Xie Yuan sent letters to Yunshan Mountain and Yun Province Prefecture and continued cultivating.
• Yao Yuzhi told Xie Yuan that a legitimate young lady from the Chen Commandery Xie Family was coming to Jinling to visit him.

After waking from a three-year coma, Xie Yuan struggled to tell whether his memories of cultivation and another world were dreams, while discovering that his family was in debt and trying to find work. Boss Wu urged him to visit the place where it all began, and Xie Yuan decided to go to Heaven's Gate Mountain.

• Xie Yuan woke in the hospital after three years and found that his cultivation techniques no longer worked, leaving him an ordinary, weakened person.
• Xie Yuan learned that his parents had concealed the family's heavy debts and decided to help them, but his health prevented him from finding suitable work.
• Xie Yuan tried streaming with Wang Yibing, but his poor gaming performance and the platform's fierce competition made it an unlikely way to earn money.
• Xie Yuan repeatedly noticed Boss Wu and, after Boss Wu told him to visit where everything began, dreamed of a mist-shrouded mountain gate.
• Xie Yuan told Xie GuoLiang and Wang YaFang that he wanted to visit Heaven's Gate Mountain.

Xie Yuan delivered lunch to Situ Qin, and the two shared an easy meal after she abandoned an awkward attempt to act like a refined young lady. Situ Qin tried to teach him swordsmanship before playing her qin for him, and the chapter ended with them silently meeting each other’s gaze.

• Xie Yuan sensed Sword Peak’s sword qi while working at the Main Peak Rear Hall, raising his Black Heaven Book progress to 138/200.
• Xie Yuan brought a special meal to Situ Qin, revealed his identity, and watched her awkwardly try to act gentle and virtuous.
• Xie Yuan reassured Situ Qin that she could be herself, and they shared the meal while teasing each other.
• Situ Qin tried to teach Xie Yuan swordsmanship, using remembered advice that helped him improve his forms.
• Situ Qin played her qin by the Sea of Clouds, and Xie Yuan listened in quiet concentration before the two met each other’s gaze.

Xie Yuan learned that Zhang Yu Feng had murdered his brother Xie Lun and fought him to the death. After killing Zhang Yu Feng and Zhang Lao Er, Xie Yuan sat alone as the first light of the new year appeared.

• Zhang Yu Feng admitted that he had lured Xie Lun into the mountains and killed him because Xie Lun interfered with his land scheme.
• Zhang Yu Feng revealed that he had learned his powerful fist technique from a manual taken from Xie Lun, intensifying Xie Yuan's fury.
• Xie Yuan used his Three-Pronged Axe to sever Zhang Yu Feng's arms and, after Zhang Yu Feng rambled about his ambitions, killed him.
• Zhang Lao Er charged Xie Yuan with a kitchen knife, and Xie Yuan struck him down as well.
• Xie Yuan ate broad beans and drank the warmed wine while watching dawn break on the first day of the new year.

Shen Xu failed to locate Xie Yuan or the Mu Family Grandmaster, but marked the latter and planned to search again. Mu Chaoyun brought Xie Yuan to Jinling, arranged for him to impersonate the slain Yao Yan and enter Autumn Wind Pavilion’s selection for access to Seeing Truth Lake, where a mysterious man appeared above him.

• Shen Xu identified the Mu Family as the force that thwarted his divination, admitted he could not find Xie Yuan or the Grandmaster, and revealed he had secretly marked the Grandmaster.
• Mu Chaoyun took Xie Yuan to Flower Hairpin House, revealed her cover identity as Spring Third Sister, and led him through an underground passage to meet Nether Goose.
• Mu Chaoyun recruited Nether Goose by promising to help him compete for a place in Seeing Truth Lake, while Xie Yuan learned his Autumn Wind Falling Leaf Sword and Small Golden River Skill.
• Mu Chaoyun killed Nether Goose, whose real name was Yao Yan, and told Xie Yuan to impersonate him to enter Autumn Wind Pavilion’s selection.
• Xie Yuan trained for a month, mastering Yao Yan’s techniques well enough to fool others, and prepared to compete for entry to Seeing Truth Lake.
• A middle-aged man with indistinct features appeared in midair above Xie Yuan as he practiced in the courtyard.

Xie Yuan and Mu Chaoyun used a heart-mirroring secret art to share their Heaven Concealing Art insights and glimpse each other’s memories, deepening their bond before Xie Yuan returned to the Yao Family. At the family banquet, he faced the upcoming Ten Thousand Demons Mountain Hunt selection with open confidence.

• Mu Chaoyun explained that her secret art would expose fragments of their innermost secrets, and Xie Yuan agreed to use it with her.
• The Heavenly Crystal Lotus showed Xie Yuan scenes from Mu Chaoyun’s childhood, while Mu Chaoyun glimpsed his past and discovered his connection to the Ancient Ruins.
• Mu Chaoyun helped Xie Yuan comprehend the Heaven Concealing Art until it reached 4891/5000, and he embraced her before leaving for the Yao Family.
• Xie Yuan returned to the Yao Residence disguised as Yao Tianchuan, refused Cuiping’s attempt to seduce him, and prepared for the family banquet.
• At the banquet, Yao Yuzhi asked whether Yao Tianchuan was confident about the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain Hunt, and Xie Yuan challenged anyone who might compete with him.

Xie Yuan was ordered to investigate himself inside Autumn Wind Pavilion, while Mu Chaoyun traced Shen Xu and killed him with heavenly lightning after he uncovered the truth about Yao Tianchuan. The chapter ended with Xie Lingyun showing her mother a portrait of the man she admired, and her mother silently staring at it.

• Autumn Wind Pavilion Master suspected Xie Yuan had infiltrated the pavilion and assigned Slaying Clouds to find him, trusting him after seeing his Great Golden River Skill.
• Xie Yuan investigated the pavilion’s assassins, learned about its personnel and weaknesses, and then met Mu Chaoyun to discuss the Pavilion Master’s suspicions.
• Mu Chaoyun discovered that Shen Xu was involved, tracked him to Honghu, and used a prepared array to bring heavenly thunder down on him.
• Shen Xu realized that Yao Tianchuan was connected to Xie Yuan and mocked the Yao Family, then died under Mu Chaoyun’s heavenly thunder after drowning several village children.
• Xie Lingyun told her mother that she admired a young man and showed her a portrait, leaving her mother staring at it in silence.

On the third day of the arena matches, Ning Zi nearly defeated Hidden Dragon Ranking prodigy Huang Hao, while Qin Zhenyang narrowly lost to He Jin after a spectacular sword duel. The next day, Luo Shuang defeated Song Qingping in a grandmaster match that looked less like a fight than a romantic quarrel, then left as he pursued her.

• Ning Zi fought Huang Hao with a desperate sword strike that nearly killed him, then conceded because her wounds left her unable to continue.
• Xie Yuan helped clean the arena while spectators speculated about the mysterious expert who had defeated Yao Tianchuan the night before.
• Qin Zhenyang and He Jin unleashed their sects’ renowned sword arts and sword qi before He Jin won by half a move.
• Luo Shuang confronted Song Qingping over their past, fought him with her Falling Moon Sword, and won when he threw down his sword rather than continue.
• Luo Shuang left the arena, and Song Qingping chased after her while Red Aunt remarked that Luo Shuang had skillfully won both the match and Song Qingping’s guilt.

Xie Yuan helped Zhu Dongming improve his Iron Cloth training, recovered from his injuries, and brought the Eight Trigrams Mountain Shaking Fist to the Initiated level. Meanwhile, Yu Chunsheng began investigating Xie Yuan, and Qin Hai summoned him to Shen Longteng over an emergency in the martial world.

• Xie Yuan gave Zhu Dongming medicine and corrected his Iron Cloth training, then promised to seek permission to teach Zhou Feng introductory martial arts.
• After Zhu Dongming left, Xie Yuan spent his remaining silver on healing medicine and practiced the Eight Trigrams Mountain Shaking Fist while recovering.
• Yu Chunsheng learned that the fire had erased nearly all evidence of Zhang Yu Feng’s death and ordered his subordinates to investigate Xie Yuan.
• Xie Yuan reached the Initiated level of the Eight Trigrams Mountain Shaking Fist and tested its force in his room.
• Qin Hai told Xie Yuan that Shen Longteng wanted him immediately because of an emergency in the martial world.

Xie Yuan learned that the official struggle in Cloud Province had left Peng Yue weakened but protected, while the acting Judicial Commissioner emerged as the victor. Mu Chaoyun revealed that Situ Qin was the daughter of Prince of the West Xue Minghe, then questioned whether Xue Minghe had truly died for treason.

• Xie Yuan read Situ Qin’s letter and learned that the Vice Commissioner had been disgraced, Peng Yue had been sent to the Capital City for questioning, and the acting Judicial Commissioner had profited from their conflict.
• Xie Yuan decided not to expose the remaining pages of Peng Yue’s account book and planned to tell Shen Longteng that Peng Yue could no longer protect Yu Chunsheng.
• Xie Yuan noticed Situ Qin’s letter and spoke with Mu Chaoyun, who guessed who had written it and asked whether he knew Situ Qin’s background.
• Mu Chaoyun told Xie Yuan that Situ Qin was the daughter of Prince of the West Xue Minghe, the famed general and prince.
• Xie Yuan recalled Xue Minghe’s rise and eventual execution for treason, and Mu Chaoyun asked whether he believed Xue Minghe had truly died for treason.

Lu Lao San and Li Tai found Deng Wan dead but could not locate Mu Chaoyun and Xie Yuan, while Su Xing investigated the killing and recognized that an axe-wielding fighter had wounded Deng Wan. Far from the scene, Xie Yuan and Mu Chaoyun followed the Eight Trigrams Plate toward Yunshan Mountain.

• Lu Lao San followed the three trails to the clearing, found Deng Wan's corpse, and guessed that a powerful stranger had carried Mu Chaoyun and Xie Yuan away.
• Li Tai arrived, recognized Xie Yuan's axe wounds on Deng Wan, and failed to find the pair's concealed tracks.
• Su Xing questioned Li Tai about Deng Wan's death and deduced that a low-realm axe-wielding fighter had helped a Mu Family Grandmaster kill him.
• Li Tai refused to help Su Xing and followed Lu Lao San's trail, while Su Xing remained to investigate the corpse.
• More than a hundred li away, Xie Yuan and Mu Chaoyun consulted the Eight Trigrams Plate and saw that their only route led toward Yunshan Mountain.