Chapter Summaries

Players and wealthy heirs investigated Ding Ling’s astonishing rise, while Zhao Xiaoyu took him to Mount Penglai to meet Tong Yuan. There, Ding Ling met Zhao Yun, who bowed and called him his benefactor.

• Mercenaries investigated Ding Ling and confirmed reports of his victories, promotion, and reputation among Ji Province’s scholars, prompting their employers to suspect he came from a Hidden Family.
• Ding Ling’s Medicine skill helped Zhao Feng recover, and Zhao Xiaoyu took Ding Ling through the mountains toward Mount Penglai.
• At Mount Penglai, Ding Ling gave Zhao Xiaoyu a letter for Tong Yuan instead of taking the Players’ assessment.
• Zhao Xiaoyu returned with Zhao Yun, who greeted Ding Ling with a deep bow and called him his benefactor.

Ding Ling met Tong Yuan and was accepted for instruction despite Tong Yuan's confusion over his ordinary Root Bone. After seeing Tong Yuan's Spirit Phoenix Breathing Method and demonstrating his own spear skills, Ding Ling was set to learn the Spirit Snake Spear Technique.

• Ding Ling met Tong Yuan, who examined his Root Bone and questioned Pan Feng's praise of his talent.
• Tong Yuan agreed to teach Ding Ling a Breathing Method and spear techniques, but warned he would not let him leave the mountain until he mastered them.
• Zhao Yun and Zhao Xiaoyu warned Ding Ling that Tong Yuan's signature techniques were extremely difficult to learn.
• Tong Yuan demonstrated the Spirit Phoenix Breathing Method at the Transformation Realm before Ding Ling and the others.
• Ding Ling demonstrated his Advanced Spear Technique, and Tong Yuan praised his solid foundation before beginning to teach him the Spirit Snake Spear Technique.

Ding Ling learned Tong Yuan’s Spirit Snake Spear Technique to perfection in less than half a quarter of an hour, stunning Tong Yuan, Zhao Yun, and Zhao Xiaoyu. Tong Yuan then began teaching him the Spirit Crane Spear Technique, bringing Ding Ling closer to the master’s Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear.

• Tong Yuan demonstrated the Spirit Snake Spear Technique and said Ding Ling would have to master it before receiving further instruction.
• Ding Ling instantly mastered the Spirit Snake Spear Technique, breaking through two shackles and displaying its power.
• Zhao Yun, Tong Yuan, and Zhao Xiaoyu were shocked by Ding Ling’s speed and skill, while Zhao Bingxuan proudly admired him.
• Tong Yuan accepted that Ding Ling might be a legendary Child of the Era and demonstrated the Spirit Crane Spear Technique.
• Ding Ling watched Tong Yuan’s demonstration and resolved to change Pan Feng’s fate if the Coalition Against Dong Zhuo occurred again.

Ding Ling mastered the Spirit Crane Spear Technique in minutes and stunned Tong Yuan, Zhao Yun, Zhao Xiaoyu, and Zhao Bingxuan. Tong Yuan explained the ancient origins of his spear inheritance, then began teaching Ding Ling the more difficult Spirit Phoenix Spear Technique.

• Ding Ling demonstrated the Spirit Crane Spear Technique at max level, producing nine rapid spear flashes and an aura like a soaring crane.
• Tong Yuan and the others were astonished, and Tong Yuan questioned Ding Ling about whether he had learned the technique before.
• Tong Yuan compared Ding Ling’s talent to the legendary Chi You and explained that his inheritance preserved spear techniques Chi You had known.
• Tong Yuan began demonstrating the Spirit Phoenix Spear Technique, whose fast, fierce strikes formed dozens of points of starlight.

Ding Ling mastered Tong Yuan’s Spirit Phoenix Spear Technique instantly and demonstrated ten spear blossoms, leaving Tong Yuan shaken and earning Zhao Yun’s admiration. As Tong Yuan postponed teaching the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear until the next day, Ding Ling encouraged Zhao Yun to believe in his own future.

• Ding Ling learned the Spirit Phoenix Spear Technique to its maximum level and demonstrated ten flawless spear blossoms.
• Tong Yuan admitted he needed a day to recover before teaching Ding Ling the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear.
• Ding Ling earned achievement medals for earning Tong Yuan’s intense admiration and Zhao Yun’s deep recognition.
• Zhao Yun compared his nine-and-a-half spear blossoms with Ding Ling’s ten and felt discouraged, while Zhao Xiaoyu described his years of hard training.
• Zhao Bingxuan praised Ding Ling, and Ding Ling reassured Zhao Yun that history would remember him as an unparalleled fierce general.

Tong Yuan demonstrated the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear for Ding Ling and challenged him to learn it within a month. After watching the complete technique, Ding Ling studied its strengths while Zhao Zilong stayed on the mountain to improve his own skills.

• Ding Ling and Zhao Yun discussed Tong Yuan's spear mastery and promised to celebrate if Zhao Yun someday reached his master's level.
• Tong Yuan told Ding Ling he would treat him as a friend rather than a disciple if Ding Ling learned the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear quickly, setting a one-month deadline.
• Tong Yuan demonstrated the spear art with a piece of dead wood, creating dozens of spear blossoms that formed a fleeting image of a hundred birds paying homage to a phoenix.
• Tong Yuan lamented that his inner force still damaged the wood, while Ding Ling recognized the spear art's extraordinary lethality.
• Zhao Zilong decided to remain on the mountain longer after comparing his comprehension with Ding Ling's.

Ding Ling learned the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear Technique after Tong Yuan demonstrated it again, astonishing Tong Yuan and Zhao Yun with his instant mastery. Tong Yuan then taught him the Spirit Phoenix Breathing Method, which Ding Ling also mastered at once.

• Tong Yuan demonstrated the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear Technique a second time at Ding Ling's request.
• Ding Ling instantly mastered the spear technique, underwent another physical transformation, and displayed its signature Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix image.
• Tong Yuan, Zhao Yun, Zhao Xiaoyu, and Zhao Bingxuan marveled at Ding Ling's talent, and Tong Yuan decided to teach him the Spirit Phoenix Breathing Method.
• Tong Yuan explained that the Spirit Phoenix Breathing Method used medicinal ingredients and inner force to strengthen the body.
• Ding Ling mastered the Spirit Phoenix Breathing Method instantly and realized that his mastery might let him absorb medicinal ingredients without preparing them as a paste.

Ding Ling mastered the Spirit Phoenix Breathing Method, astonishing Tong Yuan and Zhao Yun with how quickly he surpassed Zhao Yun’s decades of study. Tong Yuan acknowledged Ding Ling as a future Martial God, and Ding Ling left eager to learn more martial arts and test how food replenished his energy.

• Ding Ling confirmed that he had mastered the Spirit Phoenix Breathing Method, leaving Zhao Yun stunned and Tong Yuan incredulous.
• Ding Ling demonstrated the method, and Tong Yuan admitted he was no longer qualified to teach him and looked forward to his becoming a Martial God.
• Ding Ling received an Achievement Medal for completely convincing Tong Yuan and anticipated learning martial arts from every school under heaven.
• Ding Ling and Zhao Yun hunted a tiger and a wild boar, and Ding Ling ate most of the meat to replenish himself after his rapid improvement.
• Tong Yuan praised Ding Ling’s appetite as a sign of limitless potential and urged him to eat more.

Ding Ling asked Tong Yuan to teach him every martial art he knew, and Tong Yuan began passing on movement techniques. After learning Flying Crane Stance Training instantly, Ding Ling was left ready to learn its advanced movement art.

• Tong Yuan listed the many martial arts he knew, and Ding Ling asked to learn all of them.
• Tong Yuan agreed and decided to teach Ding Ling movement techniques, beginning with foundational Pile Skills.
• Ding Ling demonstrated three Pile Skills he already knew, and Tong Yuan praised his Dragon-Tiger Stance Training.
• Tong Yuan taught Ding Ling the lost Flying Crane Stance Training and explained its principles to him.
• Ding Ling mastered Flying Crane Stance Training after one explanation and performed it flawlessly, astonishing Zhao Yun.
• Tong Yuan began teaching Ding Ling the advanced Flying Eaves Walking Walls Movement Technique.

Ding Ling instantly mastered Flying Eaves Walking Walls Movement Technique, Continuous Chain Palm, and Eight Trigrams Palm after Tong Yuan taught them. His attributes rose and his body changed again, leaving him examining his character panel to identify the cause of the anomaly.

• Ding Ling mastered Flying Eaves Walking Walls Movement Technique and demonstrated his speed and ability to climb six meters into the air.
• Tong Yuan praised Ding Ling's mastery and decided to recommend him to his old friends after he learned martial arts from a hundred schools.
• Tong Yuan taught Ding Ling Continuous Chain Palm, which Ding Ling mastered immediately and demonstrated with a rapid sequence of powerful strikes.
• Ding Ling mastered Eight Trigrams Palm after one viewing, and his body seemed to grow lighter as his strength, agility, and constitution increased.
• Ding Ling examined his character panel and discovered the source of the anomaly.

Ding Ling broke through Agility’s shackles, then learned Lion Gait Palm and Python Gait Palm at once, gaining Strength, Physique, and Defense. Tong Yuan was shaken by Ding Ling’s extraordinary talent, while Zhao Yun felt increasingly outclassed.

• Ding Ling discovered that his Agility had reached 20 points and could no longer be raised by low-level martial arts.
• Ding Ling told Tong Yuan he had mastered Eight Trigrams Palm, demonstrated it, and showed how much stronger his legs had become.
• Tong Yuan taught Ding Ling Lion Gait Palm, which Ding Ling immediately mastered and used to increase his Strength, Physique, and Defense.
• Ding Ling immediately mastered Python Gait Palm after Tong Yuan demonstrated it, further astonishing Tong Yuan.
• Zhao Yun watched Ding Ling learn both techniques instantly and felt ashamed by comparison.

Ding Ling mastered Iron Sand Palm, bringing his strength, agility, and constitution to their limits and astonishing Tong Yuan. After hunting and eating with Tong Yuan and Zhao Yun, Ding Ling began learning Tong Yuan’s boxing arts and quickly mastered Mantis Fist, increasing his defense.

• Ding Ling mastered Iron Sand Palm, raised his strength, agility, and constitution to 20, and felt a powerful hunger.
• Tong Yuan marveled at Ding Ling’s martial talent and believed it surpassed that of Chi You and the Yellow Emperor.
• Tong Yuan took Ding Ling and Zhao Yun hunting, and the three killed two bears and a tiger before returning to Mount Penglai.
• Ding Ling ate with Tong Yuan and Zhao Yun, then agreed to continue practicing martial arts.
• Tong Yuan demonstrated Mantis Fist, and Ding Ling mastered it immediately, increasing his defense by 0.8.
• Ding Ling practiced Mantis Fist with a powerful, swift punch that made the air roar.

Ding Ling learned Tong Yuan’s boxing and weapon techniques with astonishing speed, raising his defense and physical abilities. After hunting with Tong Yuan and Zhao Yun, Ding Ling prepared to leave Mount Penglai, and players were stunned by his rapid progress.

• Ding Ling instantly mastered Tong Yuan’s boxing techniques, including Kongmen Fist, while Zhao Yun watched in awe.
• Tong Yuan taught Ding Ling the Cloud Strike Saber Technique, which Ding Ling mastered and demonstrated with his spear.
• Ding Ling learned numerous other weapon techniques, increasing his defense to 12 and further strengthening his body.
• Tong Yuan and Zhao Yun took Ding Ling hunting, where he carried two wild boars while players marveled at his strength.
• The next day, players on Mount Penglai learned Ding Ling had mastered his martial arts and was about to leave, sparking heated discussion.

Ding Ling demonstrated his martial arts and defeated Zhao Yun in a spear spar, advancing his Path of the War God. Tong Yuan gave Ding Ling a letter of introduction to an old friend in Luoyang and sent Zhao Yun to travel with him.

• Ding Ling demonstrated the martial arts he had learned, impressing Tong Yuan, Zhao Yun, Zhao Bingxuan, and Zhao Xiaoyu.
• At Tong Yuan’s urging, Zhao Yun sparred with Ding Ling using wooden sticks and conceded after Ding Ling overpowered him.
• Ding Ling’s victory over Zhao Yun advanced his Path of the War God progress to 4 out of 20 powerful experts defeated.
• Tong Yuan gave Ding Ling a sealed letter for an old friend serving in Luoyang, who could teach him more martial arts.
• Tong Yuan told Ding Ling to take Zhao Yun and the others down the mountain the next day, and Zhao Yun agreed to follow his master’s command.

Ding Ling left Mount Penglai with Zhao Yun and the Zhao siblings, then learned that Pan Feng and others had countered Dong Xuan’s accusation against him. He planned to settle the dispute, resign as Tiger Brave General, and continue on to Luoyang.

• Ding Ling and Zhao Yun descended Mount Penglai with Zhao Xiaoyu and Zhao Bingxuan, and Ding Ling agreed to take the siblings to Luoyang.
• Zhao Yun raised concerns about bandits near Zhao Family Village, so Ding Ling promised to write to Pan Feng for help.
• Players spread news that Ding Ling had taken Zhao Zilong from Mount Penglai, making Ding Ling’s name famous throughout the Players’ Plaza.
• Ding Ling returned to Zhao Family Village and received a letter from Pan Feng, Ju Shou, Tian Feng, and others rejecting Dong Xuan’s accusation and impeaching him.
• Ding Ling told Zhao Yun he would resolve the dispute with Dong Xuan, resign as Tiger Brave General, and head to Luoyang.

Ding Ling kept his Tiger Brave General post after Dong Xuan apologized, then led troops to suppress bandits near Zhao Family Village and prepared for a journey to Luoyang. The chapter ended with Ding Ling waiting for replies to his letters before setting out.

• Ding Ling told Zhao Xiaoyu and the others that strength mattered more than holding office, and decided to keep his position after Dong Xuan’s apology.
• Dong Xuan came to Zhao Family Village with gifts and a military tally, but Ding Ling took them and ordered him to leave.
• Ding Ling rode with Zhao Yun and the others to the military camp, then sent letters asking Pan Feng, Xun Chen, and others to protect Zhao Family Village and appoint deputy generals.
• Ding Ling led two thousand soldiers in a two-day campaign that wiped out nearby bandits, settled rescued maidservants in Zhao Family Village, and gave the captured weapons and armor to the villagers.
• Ding Ling ate the captured medicinal herbs raw, gaining 0.1 Strength and 0.1 Defense, and decided to leave for Luoyang once replies arrived.

Ding Ling led Zhao Yun and his troops to confront a bandit army, relying on his Five Stone Bow and powerful generals to break the enemy. Zhao Yun challenged the bandit general Wu Lu, and their duel began with Zhao Yun striking first.

• A scout reported that more than three thousand bandits were approaching, and Zhao Yun volunteered to fight them.
• Ding Ling assembled his troops and led Zhao Yun, Zhao Feng, and the other generals toward the bandits.
• Ding Ling considered how the Five Stone Bow would let him kill enemy leaders from a distance and thought about seeking Huang Zhong's archery skills.
• Ding Ling's forces found the bandits traveling with plundered goods and captives, and Zhao Yun asked permission to engage them.
• Wu Lu rode out to fight Zhao Yun, and Zhao Yun blocked his spear before thrusting nine points of starlight at him.

Ding Ling and Zhao Yun routed a bandit force after Zhao Yun killed Wu Lu and Ding Ling shot the chief, Li Da Mu, from horseback. Ding Ling led the charge into the bandits, while their players fled in terror at his strength.

• Zhao Yun killed Wu Lu in a single exchange, boosting the morale of Ding Ling's soldiers and alarming the bandits.
• Zhao Yun identified himself as Zhao Zilong of Changshan, and the bandit-side players recognized him and began discussing Ding Ling's reputation.
• Ding Ling shot Li Da Mu through the shoulder blade, knocking the bandit chief from his horse.
• Ding Ling charged with Zhao Yun and the garrison soldiers, while the bandits panicked and the players fled.
• Ding Ling broke through the bandits' front line with his Fangtian Halberd, killing and scattering their soldiers as the fleeing players watched.

Ding Ling defeated Li Da Mu's Black Mountain bandits, learned that Zhang Feiyan led them, and sent him letters. Zhao Yun and Zhao Feng received official appointments, while the Imperial Court's messenger Duanmu Qing revealed himself as a player and asked Ding Ling about his rumored Hidden Family; the chapter left Ding Ling considering that he might soon have to leave the village.

• Ding Ling and Zhao Yun routed Li Da Mu's bandits, captured their leader and several generals, and forced the remaining fighters to surrender.
• Li Da Mu told Ding Ling that he belonged to the Black Mountain Army under Zhang Feiyan and that Zhang Niujiao had died; Ding Ling sent letters to Zhang Feiyan with a player messenger.
• A messenger returned from Yecheng with official appointments for Zhao Yun and Zhao Feng, and Ding Ling gave them their General's Armor and seals.
• Duanmu Qing delivered Ding Ling's Imperial Decree, revealed he was a player, and asked whether Ding Ling truly came from a Hidden Family.
• Ding Ling recalled earning money through translation and repair jobs while using borrowed documents, and realized he might soon have to leave the village.

Ding Ling killed Duanmu Qing after the player threatened to slander him, then agreed to meet Zhang Feiyan to negotiate an end to Black Mountain raids in Changshan Commandery. The chapter ended as Ding Ling asked Zhang Feiyan to restrain his troops.

• Ding Ling denied belonging to a Hidden Family and dismissed Duanmu Qing, who threatened to turn Dong Zhuo against him.
• Ding Ling ordered Zhao Yun to kill Duanmu Qing, and Zhao Yun stabbed him to death.
• Zhao Zhantang delivered Zhang Feiyan's offer to negotiate, and Ding Ling rewarded him with a High-Level Blade Technique manual.
• Ding Ling and Zhao Yun met Zhang Feiyan and his thousand elite troops outside Zhending City.
• Ding Ling asked Zhang Feiyan to stop Black Mountain's forces from raiding Changshan Commandery.