Chapter Summaries

Zhang Rongfang advanced his Guanxu Skill, discovered that the Golden Seal Pill strengthened him and reduced the pain of martial training, and received a promotion from the State Yamen. He left for the Exchange Meeting with Li Huoyun, who lamented that he had not dressed to impress the women attending.

• Zhang Rongfang broke through to the Body Transformation realm of the Guanxu Skill and saw his Life value increase on his Attribute Panel.
• Zhang Rongfang found that his qi-and-blood training hurt less, then suspected the Moon Chasing Blade was connected to a secret of Ling Ting.
• Zhang Rongfang swallowed a Golden Seal Pill and spent more than a day cultivating as its medicinal power steadily nourished his body.
• The State Yamen promoted Zhang Rongfang to General Squad Coordinator of the Ministry of Justice and Captain of the Ninth Squad.
• Zhang Rongfang completed one set of the Soul Fixing Talisman with reduced pain, then rode with Li Huoyun to the Exchange Meeting in ordinary clothes.

Zhang Rongfang attended the Yaoyuan Book Club’s Exchange Meeting with Li Huoyun and discovered that a Dao Gate Statue fragment at auction matched an earlier component he had collected. He bid on it, eager to assemble the pieces, while wondering why these fragments could be sold openly when a similar component had caused deadly conflict.

• Sun Chaoyue inspected the Exchange Meeting preparations, adjusted attendees’ seating, and moved Zhang Ying up two places.
• Li Huoyun brought Zhang Rongfang to the Exchange Meeting, where Zhang Rongfang took a seat in the inner venue and watched the auction.
• The auction offered several Foreign God Statue components, and Zhang Rongfang’s Attribute Panel identified them as fragments hiding a secret.
• When a Dao Gate Statue fragment appeared, Zhang Rongfang’s Attribute Panel indicated it might match his earlier component, so he bid two hundred and ten taels.

Zhang Rongfang failed to win any suspected Dao Gate Statue fragments at the Exchange Meeting, while Wan Yanlu gathered nearly ten components. On the final day, she defied the ridicule around her and sent Zhang Ying an invitation, hoping he would accept in exchange for the components.

• Zhang Rongfang lost his bid for a Statue fragment and spent the evening being urged by Li Huoyun to take the initiative with women.
• Over the following days, Zhang Rongfang repeatedly failed to win components as the Blue-Clothed Iron-Fan Young Master and another bidder outbid him.
• Wan Yanlu bought nearly ten antique components and decided to stay for the final exchange rather than leave.
• Sun Chaoyue announced that participants could invite one another by submitting exchange documents, while several women mocked Wan Yanlu.
• Wan Yanlu endured the stares, then sent her document to Table 172 for Zhang Ying, hoping he would accept her invitation in return for the components.

Zhang Rongfang accepted Wan Yanlu’s invitation to eat, drawing ridicule and suspicion from the inner hall. At their meal, he identified why her attempts to lose weight had failed, and Wan Yanlu offered him access to her collection of Antique Fragments, including the Dao Gate Statue fragment he wanted.

• Zhang Rongfang rejected Xie Wen’s document but accepted Wan Yanlu’s invitation after seeing her mocked outside Mingxin Field.
• Zhang Rongfang met Wan Yanlu at the carriage, while Sun Chaoyue and Zhong Yuran mistook his choice for an attempt to gain wealth and power.
• Zhang Rongfang and Wan Yanlu shared a meal at Qiuyun Caiting Garden, where he ate a large quantity of food.
• Wan Yanlu explained that she had reduced staple foods and meat but still could not lose weight, and Zhang Rongfang learned she drank ten jin of milk tea and ate ten jin of bean cake daily.
• Wan Yanlu offered to let Zhang Rongfang choose from the Antique Fragments in her home, including the Dao Gate Statue fragment he had sought before.

Zhang Rongfang helped Wan Yanlu begin losing weight through swimming and a controlled diet while rumors about their relationship spread. After his application to transfer back to Mingjing Palace was rejected, he returned to his routine and gained another Attribute Point.

• Zhang Rongfang agreed to help Wan Yanlu and found that her natural constitution was strong, but her weight made ordinary martial arts training dangerous for her knees.
• Zhang Rongfang had Wan Yanlu swim for exercise, then guided her through rest, recovery, and a controlled diet as she gradually lost weight.
• Li Huoyun warned Zhang Rongfang about Wan Yanlu's social circle, but Zhang Rongfang said they were only friends and he was helping her lose weight.
• Zhang Rongfang denied rumors about Wan Yanlu to his squad and submitted an application to transfer back to Mingjing Palace.
• Chief Captain Zhang Xiangyang informed Zhang Rongfang that his transfer application had been rejected, and Zhang Rongfang continued his work and help for Wan Yanlu.
• On November 14th, Zhang Rongfang gained another Attribute Point and considered using it to improve the Guanxu Skill.

Zhang Rongfang advanced his Guanxu Skill and learned that the Black Ten Sect was closing in on his past, while Qing Su tried to protect the Bai Family Merchant Group from its investigation. The Black Ten Sect's ambush turned into a counterambush, and Moka Molu was struck by a masked High Grade Expert whose identity remained unknown.

• Zhang Rongfang used an Attribute Point to advance Guanxu Skill to the Foundation Establishment Realm, increasing his Life Attribute and his capacity to practice the Soul Fixing Talisman technique.
• Qing Su warned Zhang Rongfang that the Black Ten Sect was investigating his route from Huaxin County to Tanyang and had begun looking into the Bai Family Merchant Group.
• Moka Molu received orders to target the Bai Family Merchant Group and Yang Hongyan, then sent First Squad to seize people connected to the merchant group.
• Qing Su and Golden Wing Tower members ambushed five Black Ten Sect agents outside the Bai Family Firm, but Moka Molu confronted her.
• A masked giant attacked Moka Molu from behind, knocked him into a wall, and revealed himself as a formidable High Grade Expert.

Zhang Rongfang defeated Moka Molu and attacked the Black Ten Sect’s Saint Luofa Church, killing Annuowa during a sudden assault. The State Governor vowed to capture the attacker as the sect mourned its fallen altar master.

• Zhang Rongfang broke Moka Molu’s weapons and killed him after evading his poisoned daggers.
• Zhang Rongfang ordered Qing Su to take the Bai Family Merchant Group into house arrest and asked about the Yang Family.
• Annuowa learned that Moka Molu had sent a distress Signal Flare, then Zhang Rongfang burst into her room and attacked her.
• Zhang Rongfang poisoned Annuowa’s wounds and killed her with the Wish Wheel before escaping over the wall.
• The State Governor promised Big Beard that he would capture the attacker and bring him to justice.

Zhang Rongfang dealt with the aftermath of the Black Ten Sect assassinations while resuming his routines and training Wan Yanlu. As the sect’s turmoil faded and heavy rain flooded Tanyang, Wan Yanlu offered him twenty metal fragments, whose presence made his Attribute Panel react.

• Zhang Rongfang learned that the Yang Family had secretly left their residence, ordered Red Haze to stop investigating, and told his men to distribute compensation for the casualties.
• Xu Miaotong warned Zhang Rongfang that the Golden Wing Tower’s backing could not shield him if he continued provoking other factions, while he dismissed responsibility for the Black Ten Sect deaths.
• Zhang Rongfang examined his lingering knee injury and concluded that Annuowa might have beaten him in a fair fight, before returning to training Wan Yanlu and gathering intelligence on metal components.
• The Black Ten Sect fractured over territory, Fu Luo became its new Altar Master, and State Governor Sun stopped pressing for revenge as November gave way to December rain.
• Wan Yanlu lost fifty pounds through Zhang Rongfang’s training and, after learning he planned to return to the Dao Palace, offered him twenty Antique Fragments.
• Zhang Rongfang watched the Attribute Panel flicker as he looked over the fragments.

Zhang Rongfang collected and assembled most of a forbidden Daoist Statue, then investigated its origins through old records and Golden Wing Tower contacts. He learned that key pieces were missing and sent for information about the tomb where the Statue had been found, while waiting for his next Attribute Point.

• Zhang Rongfang chose twenty Statue fragments from Wan Yanlu’s collection, and Wan Yanlu warned him that Ling Ting forbade anyone but Spirit People from collecting them.
• Zhang Rongfang assembled most of the Statue at home, but its head and half of its Golden Bead were still missing.
• Zhang Rongfang asked Qing Su to bring records about the fragments, and she delivered the remaining files from the Tower.
• Zhang Rongfang read about forbidden Yin Diagrams and learned that Bronze Parts were often found in tombs, abandoned religious sites, and private collections.
• Zhang Rongfang sent a coded request through a red bird for information about the tomb where the Statue had been found, then waited for news and another Attribute Point.

Zhang Rongfang traveled to Chicken Neck Forest to retrieve the missing Statue fragments and discovered a hidden inscription and a piece of written cloth in the tomb. After defeating a woman who attacked him and mistook him for a remnant of the Secret Teaching, he left with the cloth and the unconscious woman.

• Zhang Rongfang followed Golden Wing Tower's lead to Chicken Neck Forest and entered the burial pit where the Statue had been unearthed.
• Zhang Rongfang knocked out two tomb raiders who tried to stop him from entering the tomb.
• Zhang Rongfang recovered three Bronze Parts that completed the Statue's head and matched the missing section.
• Zhang Rongfang found an ancient inscription, followed an Attribute Panel warning, and uncovered a piece of pale yellow cloth bearing unfamiliar writing.
• A woman in dark green leather armor attacked Zhang Rongfang, but he knocked her unconscious and left the tomb carrying her and the cloth.

Zhang Rongfang learned about the Secret Teaching from Dai Huanxi and completed the mysterious Statue, but his Attribute Panel warned that worshipping it was dangerous. He decided to test it on a greedy scoundrel, whom he brought to a forest and offered fifty taels of silver.

• Xiong Wuye fled into the forest after Zhang Xingyue attacked and killed his teacher, Du Tao, for helping him escape.
• Zhang Rongfang questioned Dai Huanxi about the Secret Teaching, then broke her neck and took her silver and Treasure Notes.
• Zhang Rongfang killed the two Tomb Raiders who had seen his face and returned to Tanyang with the Statue Fragments.
• Zhang Rongfang assembled the Statue and used the Attribute Panel, which warned that a profound danger lurked within it.
• After two days of ordinary training and work, Zhang Rongfang brought the Statue to a forest and offered a greedy scoundrel fifty taels to test it.

Zhang Rongfang witnessed a Secret Teaching Statue transform an ordinary gambler into a powerful attacker before the man died and the Statue crumbled. After receiving an order to find a Secret Teaching Scripture near Tanyang City, Zhang Rongfang learned about the Statue’s deadly Baptism and decided to investigate the scripture’s Locked Script in secret.

• Zhang Rongfang watched the Gambler bow to the Statue, after which a glimmer entered the man's forehead and drove him into a frenzy.
• The Gambler attacked Zhang Rongfang with rapidly increasing strength, injuring him before collapsing and dissolving into rotten mud; the Statue shattered into sand.
• Two gray-cloaked figures arrived at the Woodland, found the Statue used up, and left without discovering the Gambler’s body.
• At Pingya Temple, Zhang Rongfang received Red Spirit’s order to find a Secret Teaching Scripture or its possessor near Tanyang City.
• Zhang Rongfang found records describing the Statue’s deadly Baptism, learned that few people understood Locked Script, and memorized three names listed in Xiong Wuye’s report.
• Zhang Rongfang burned the report and decided to investigate the Secret Teaching Scripture privately while keeping his possession of the yellow cloth secret.

Zhang Rongfang handed the Secret Teaching Scripture Silk to Rust Lock, who confirmed it was genuine and rushed to take it to the Prefectural City. On his way back, Zhang Rongfang was confronted by a mysterious Shadow who blamed Golden Wing Tower for upsetting Tanyang’s balance and attracting Snake King Xue Jinghao.

• Zhang Rongfang received a summons and met Rust Lock, an Eagle Rank messenger sent to investigate the Secret Teaching Scripture Silk.
• Rust Lock warned Zhang Rongfang that Snake King Xue Jinghao, a Super Grade expert, had arrived in Tanyang with two powerful Envoys.
• Zhang Rongfang recognized the Scripture Silk pattern and gave Rust Lock the genuine cloth he had found; Rust Lock set off for the Prefectural City with it.
• Zhang Rongfang told Zhao Tianming, Qing Su, and Red Haze to disperse and avoid gathering while the situation remained dangerous.
• Near Tanyang’s city gate, a masked Shadow confronted Zhang Rongfang and blamed Golden Wing Tower for drawing Xue Jinghao to the city.
• Zhang Rongfang questioned whether Xue Jinghao had come solely because of Golden Wing Tower, making the Shadow pause.

Zhang Rongfang formed an Inner Core through the Guanxu Skill, confirmed that his physical limit had risen to Ninth Grade, and planned to learn Locked Script. Meanwhile, Xiong Wuye reached the Tanyang contact he thought would protect him, but Zhao Tianming attacked him and took the Statue and Notebook.

• A masked staff-wielder fought Zhang Rongfang, warned him that at least three people in Tanyang were stronger than him, and left without pursuing the fight.
• Zhang Rongfang used his two Attribute Points to advance the Guanxu Skill, formed an Inner Core, and found that practicing the Soul Fixing Talisman no longer caused him pain.
• Zhang Rongfang concluded that he had broken his innate limit and raised his body's bottleneck to Ninth Grade, then decided to learn Locked Script and examined his backup copy of the Scripture Silk.
• Xiong Wuye fled through the forest toward Tanyang, carrying a Statue and Notebook and hoping the local Golden Wing Tower would protect him.
• Zhao Tianming met Xiong Wuye, struck him down, and took the Statue and Notebook, revealing himself as a Secret Teaching spy.

Zhang Rongfang visited Wan Yan Hongda, who warned him against assembling the metal fragment antiques and told him about the Crimson List expert Silver Masked Cicada's escape from Great Yang Temple. Zhang Rongfang prepared to return to Mingjing Palace and planned to seek out Xiong Wuye for information about teachers of Locked Script.

• Zhang Rongfang praised Wan Yanlu's weight loss, cautioned her about exercising, and agreed to meet her brother, Wan Yan Hongda.
• Wan Yan Hongda warned Zhang Rongfang that collecting metal fragments was acceptable, but trying to assemble them was forbidden by a rule from above.
• Wan Yan Hongda told Zhang Rongfang that Silver Masked Cicada had escaped after fighting Governor Sun and other experts, and warned him about the speed of Crimson List fighters.
• Zhang Rongfang learned that Li Ran had approved his return to Mingjing Palace while retaining Zhang Ying's Ministry of Justice post, but Li Ran refused his private visit.
• Zhang Rongfang checked his progress, found that reaching Ninth Grade required two more Attribute Points, and decided to find Xiong Wuye before choosing a Locked Script teacher.

Zhang Rongfang settled into his new post as Supervision Room Master and used his Attribute Points to advance his Mixed Origin Talisman to Ninth Grade. Meanwhile, Secret Teaching agents discovered that the Scripture Silk was missing and began investigating White Eagle, leaving their plans and suspicions in motion.

• Zhang Rongfang received the Supervision Room Master post at Mingjing Palace and devoted his spare time to cultivation.
• Two gray-robed figures found the Secret Scroll missing from the tomb and discussed finding the Original Scripture Silk and approaching Heavenly Maiden Tong Zhang.
• Zhao Tianming realized White Eagle might have made a copy of the Scripture Silk and considered using the Secret Teaching against him.
• Zhang Rongfang spent his two Attribute Points on the Mixed Origin Talisman and reached Ninth Grade, with his Life Attribute unchanged.

Young Master Fan mistook a female escort’s kindness for deception and killed her and her companions. In Mingjing Palace, Zhang Rongfang learned about the Great Dao Sect’s Wheel of Wishes Art and the history of the Black and Crimson Lists, while an intruder broke into his empty courtyard and fled after Qing Su recognized his metal arm guard.

• Young Master Fan dreamed of falling feathers, then woke in the forest and joined a group of escorts on their journey to Tanyang.
• After accepting soup from a female escort, Young Master Fan decided the escorts meant to deceive him and killed her and two male escorts.
• Zhang Rongfang discussed cultivation with Void One Daoist, who explained the Great Dao Sect’s Wheel of Wishes Art and how Ling Ting’s Ninth Grade system arose from past conflicts involving the Secret Teaching.
• Zhang Rongfang asked about the Black List and Crimson List, and Void One Daoist said both lists named key Imperial Court fugitives, some of whom could rival the strongest Ninth Grade masters.
• A Black-Clad Man broke into Zhang Rongfang’s courtyard and tried to steal a locked box, but Qing Su caught him and fought him.
• The Black-Clad Man escaped over the courtyard wall after Qing Su struck his arm with a Flying Dagger, exposing a Silver-Black Metal Arm Guard; Qing Su recognized the clue and pursued him.

Zhang Rongfang rescued Qing Su from an Envoy, then pursued Zhao Tianming to recover the stolen box. In an alley, he fought Black Ten Sect cultists and faced Snake King as reinforcements arrived.

• Qing Su pursued Zhao Tianming but was overwhelmed by an Envoy until Zhang Rongfang intervened and killed him.
• Zhao Tianming escaped with the box, while Zhang Rongfang set off after him to discover who was probing his foundations.
• Zhang Rongfang intercepted Zhao Tianming at an alley entrance, where two Black Ten Sect fighters ambushed him.
• Zhang Rongfang defeated one fighter and seized another, but Snake King arrived with a force of Curved Blade Cultists and challenged him.

Zhang Rongfang fought Snake King Xue Jinghao in an alley and escaped despite suffering an injury to his right hand. The next morning, government constables searched Mingjing Palace for the wounded fugitive but withdrew when they recognized Zhang Ying.

• Zhang Rongfang killed a blade warrior and fought Snake King, using Breaking Limit Skills to hold him off before escaping with an injured right hand.
• Snake King identified Zhang Rongfang as a mixed-studies expert and ordered his followers to search for people with injured right hands.
• Zhang Rongfang returned to Mingjing Palace, treated his injury, and realized Black Ten Sect would use its connections to look for him.
• Government constables arrived at Zhang Rongfang's room to search for a fugitive, but the bald captain recognized him and hurried away with his squad.
• A constable noticed the scent of internal hemostatic medicine, but his companions warned him not to mention it, and the squad continued its search.

Zhang Rongfang learned that the Golden Wing Tower had ordered its branches to go completely into hiding while he weighed the dangers surrounding the Scripture Silk and the Black Ten Sect. Meanwhile, the Snake King Xue Jinghao discussed the scripture with Governor Sun, and Zhao Tianming decided to expose White Eagle and Qing Su to the Secret Teaching; the chapter ended with Xu Miaotong visiting Zhang Rongfang and asking about his weight-loss method.

• Zhang Rongfang received Red Spirit's order to suspend all Golden Wing Tower activity in Tanyang City for a month and considered the threat posed by the Snake King.
• Xue Jinghao told Governor Sun that the Secret Scroll contained the final pieces of the Yin Fu Xi Sheng Scripture and mentioned that someone had brought him a lead about the killer.
• Zhao Tianming discovered that Zhang Ying's box was empty and decided to expose White Eagle to the Secret Teaching, while arranging for Qing Su to be caught up in the danger.
• Xu Miaotong visited Zhang Rongfang, exchanged intelligence with him, and asked whether his weight-loss method worked before inviting him to Cloud and Mist Residence after the hiding period.