Chapter Summaries

After the Hidden Dragon Ranking placed Lin Chen eighth on the Earth Ranking, people across the kingdoms learned he was alive, and Jiang Qing’s worries eased. Returning to Great Liang, Lin Chen intervened when Zhao family members pursued Bao Chenfeng and then asked Bao Chenfeng to pass a message to the Young Marquis.

• Zhuang Min and the old woman learned that Lin Chen was safe when the updated ranking listed him eighth on the Earth Ranking, and Zhuang Min knew Jiang Qing would see the news.
• Liu Yue, Murong Yan, and officials in Great Liang noticed Lin Chen’s new ranking; Murong Yan ordered Su Qin to investigate why he had risen so suddenly.
• At Azure Ripple Martial Arts Academy, Jiang Qing saw Lin Chen’s name on the ranking and smiled with relief.
• On a ship in Great Liang, Lin Chen listened as Bao Chenfeng boasted about his Northern Border experience and tossed Zhao Xin into the river after Zhao Xin criticized the court’s campaign against the demons.
• When Zhao Xin’s brothers pursued Bao Chenfeng, Lin Chen struck from a distance, knocked the three Zhao family members into the river, and split their boat apart.
• Lin Chen asked Bao Chenfeng to tell the Young Marquis that Lin Chen expected an explanation for concealing his identity, while hoping the message would prompt the Young Marquis to look after Bao Chenfeng.

Lin Chen returned to Azure Ripple Martial Arts Academy and told Hua Qianwu how he escaped the Azure Ripple Sea and helped end the sea race’s attack. Hua Qianwu explained that Great Liang faced growing pressure from Han Country and its allies, but would keep the United Martial Arts Academy open and grant its disciples unprecedented resources over the next three months.

• Jiang Qing welcomed Lin Chen at the academy gates and explained that the disciples were training hard in the Azure Ripple Mountain Range amid the pressure on Great Liang.
• Lin Chen told Hua Qianwu and the vice deans that he had escaped through the Azure Ripple Sea after destroying the sea race’s old lair, prompting its withdrawal.
• Hua Qianwu explained that Great Liang’s forces had killed two Second Rank Martial Artists from Wu Kingdom and sealed the border in response.
• Lin Chen privately told Hua Qianwu about the legacy of True Lord Azure Ripple and the Azure Ripple Sect, and Hua Qianwu promised to ask Lord Kong for information.
• Hua Qianwu told Lin Chen that Ze Country had sealed its border with Great Liang, but the United Martial Arts Academy remained open because its ranking competition benefited the other kingdoms.
• Hua Qianwu said Great Liang would stay in the United Martial Arts Academy and provide its disciples with unprecedented resources over the next three months.

Lin Chen discovered that the reforged Martial Path Seal let him enter the Yan Imperial Dynasty’s Martial Path Mountain and fight its ranked geniuses. After seven days of challenges, he reached rank 97,000 and was offered the chance to exchange his points.

• Lin Chen gave Jiang Qing ten Azure Ripple Pearls and Fang Zhan five, then inspected his cultivation progress and considered how to complete his final two revolutions.
• Lin Chen used the Martial Path Seal to enter Martial Path Mountain’s newly opened second stairway, registered as a member of the Azure Ripple Sect, and learned that it connected to the Yan Imperial Dynasty.
• Lin Chen fought nearly five hundred opponents over three days, then defeated a ranked youth and entered the rankings at 99,985 with 23 points.
• Lin Chen kept challenging opponents for seven days, improving his combat ability and climbing to rank 97,000 with 3,008 points.
• Martial Path Mountain offered Lin Chen access to the point exchange, and he accepted.

Lin Chen absorbed a wisp of Heavenly Gang Thunder Flame and used cross-ranking challenges to rapidly earn enough points for more. After winning one hundred consecutive challenges and reaching 12,700 points, he stopped to recover and prepare to refine more flame, while the Myriad Water Sect took notice of his potential.

• Lin Chen absorbed a wisp of Heavenly Gang Thunder Flame and realized that reaching the ninth revolution might require a hundred wisps and 10,000 points.
• After learning that his 3,000-match winning streak let him challenge across one hundred rankings, Lin Chen waited three days before activating the challenge.
• Lin Chen defeated Zhang Qi with his physical strength, then won ten consecutive cross-ranking matches and drew the attention of the Myriad Water Sect.
• The Myriad Water Sect's sect master ordered two disciples to approach Lin Chen and offer him the treatment of a future sect master.
• After accumulating 12,700 points through a hundred consecutive victories, Lin Chen stopped challenging so he could recover and refine more Heavenly Gang Thunder Flame.

Lin Chen learned that the Founding Emperor had come from the Yan Imperial Dynasty and that Great Liang’s imperial family had concealed the truth to protect the country. The Third Prince delivered an imperial secret and a Snow Lotus Pill to help Lin Chen endure the remaining revolutions of his organ-refining method.

• Hua Qianwu told Lin Chen that the Earth Ranking top-ten tournament in Ze Country had been canceled, leaving several countries resentful of Han Country.
• Lin Chen told Hua Qianwu that he had discovered a way to pursue the Eighth and Ninth Revolutions through changes to the Martial Path Seal, and Hua Qianwu warned him to keep it secret pending Kong Qifeng’s reply.
• Kong Qifeng brought the Third Prince to meet Lin Chen, and the prince revealed that the Founding Emperor had come from the Yan Imperial Dynasty.
• Liang Xun explained that the imperial family had kept the Yan Imperial Dynasty secret to protect Great Liang and confirmed that Lin Chen had reached the Seventh Revolution.
• Liang Xun gave Lin Chen a Snow Lotus Pill, which the Emperor said could ease the damage from Heavenly Gang Thunder Flame during the remaining revolutions.

Lin Chen attempted to advance directly from the Seventh Revolution to the Ninth Revolution by absorbing a hundred wisps of Heavenly Gang Thunder Flame while immersed in Cold Marrow Fluid. As the conflicting energies battered his organs, he recalled the hardships that had brought him this far and forced himself to endure.

• Kong Qifeng and Hua Qianwu examined Lin Chen's Martial Path Seal, and Hua Qianwu prepared Cold Marrow Fluid to help counter the Heavenly Gang Thunder Flame.
• The next morning, Lin Chen entered a vat of Cold Marrow Fluid as Jiang Qing, Kong Qifeng, Liang Xun, and Hua Qianwu watched.
• Lin Chen entered Martial Path Mountain, exchanged for a hundred wisps of Heavenly Gang Thunder Flame, and pulled the flames into his mouth.
• As the fire damaged his body, Lin Chen withdrew from Martial Path Mountain and returned to the vat, where the Cold Marrow Fluid helped bring the raging energy under control.
• Lin Chen endured the icy and fiery energies assaulting his organs and recalled his difficult path through martial arts, resolving not to give up.

Lin Chen endured the Cold Marrow and completed all nine revolutions of organ refining before beginning the breakthrough into the ranks. Five days later, he emerged as a Ranked Martial Artist, shared a kiss with Jiang Qing, and was recognized by Hua Qianwu as Great Liang’s second martial artist in three hundred years to perfect the Nine Revolutions technique and enter the ranks.

• Lin Chen took the Snow Lotus Pill to protect his organs and endured the Cold Marrow until he completed the Nine Revolutions Organ Refining technique.
• Lin Chen began condensing his Dantian Figure and chose to evolve all his martial arts rather than enter the ranks through only one Martial Arts Will.
• After a day, Lin Chen’s Dantian Figure entered the spiritual platform, and Jiang Qing stayed to watch over him as his aura faded.
• Five days later, Lin Chen awoke with the strength of a Ranked Martial Artist, shattered an ancient tree with a palm strike, and emerged from the bronze vat.
• Lin Chen embraced and kissed Jiang Qing before Liang Xun interrupted them, and Hua Qianwu confirmed that Lin Chen had perfected the Nine Revolutions technique and entered the ranks.

Murong Yan learned that Lin Chen was expected to stay in Great Liang for the Martial Arts Academy Ranking Competition, but then sensed that he had reached the Ranked Martial Artist realm and concluded he would participate. Lin Chen prepared to challenge Martial Path Mountain before the trip to Yan Kingdom, while the Myriad Water Sect's sect master reacted grimly to his challenge.

• Su Qin told Murong Yan that the other kingdoms' disciples were heading to Yan Kingdom and that Lin Chen was unlikely to compete because Great Liang wanted to protect his reputation and avoid exposing him to Han Country.
• Murong Yan accepted that Lin Chen would not come, but later summoned Su Qin and asked her to gather detailed information on the competing disciples.
• Murong Yan told Su Qin that Lin Chen would represent Azure Ripple Martial Arts Academy and revealed that he had reached the Ranked Martial Artist realm.
• Lin Chen decided to keep his breakthrough secret and use the ten days before departure to challenge Martial Path Mountain and gain experience.
• When Lin Chen challenged across a hundred places on Martial Path Mountain, the Myriad Water Sect's sect master in the Yanhuang Dynasty looked grim.

After becoming a Ranked Martial Artist, Lin Chen rose through Martial Path Mountain and began cultivating the Azure Ripple Finger. When the System Panel revealed a new title and a changed destiny, he suspected that condensing his rank through his own Martial Arts Will had granted him an extraordinary path through the Ninth Rank Martial Path.

• Lin Chen activated cross-ranking challenges, while the Myriad Water Sect Master decided to report the Three Springs Sect to the Yan Imperial Dynasty for manipulating challenges.
• Lin Chen defeated his first opponent with one palm, then won ten matches and rose one thousand places, reaching above eighty thousand in the rankings.
• Lin Chen recognized that Yan Imperial Dynasty geniuses had powerful techniques, including attacks against the soul, and decided to cultivate the Thousand Machine Soul Refining Art and the Azure Ripple Finger.
• Jiang Qing told Lin Chen she was returning to Raozhou Prefecture to prepare to become a Ranked Martial Artist, and Lin Chen sent letters to his family, Instructor Yu, and his teacher.
• Lin Chen noticed the System Panel had granted him the Martial Path Prosperity title and changed his destiny to Ninth Rank Martial Path, leading him to suspect that his self-condensed rank had removed his cultivation bottlenecks.

Lin Chen prepared for the Nine Kingdoms Martial Arts Academy Ranking Competition and traveled with Great Liang’s representatives to Soaring Cloud City. As the academies set out for Yan, Murong Yan learned that Lin Chen was on Great Liang’s roster and requested information on the competitors.

• Lin Chen recognized that his Ninth Rank Martial Path fate could accelerate his cultivation later and continued challenging opponents on Martial Path Mountain to build experience and victories.
• Lin Chen joined Azure Ripple Martial Arts Academy’s delegation, where he congratulated Li Yuan on reaching the Eighth Rank before the academy sent them off toward Soaring Cloud City.
• In Soaring Cloud City, Meng Xing, Kong Qing, and Zhang Ming discussed whether Lin Chen should compete, while Lin Chen left the decision to the instructors.
• Hou Zhantian questioned Vice Dean Chen about Lin Chen’s inclusion, then agreed to lead the Four Great Martial Arts Academies’ delegations to Yan after Lord Kong’s approval was confirmed.
• Su Qin gave Murong Yan Great Liang’s roster, and Murong Yan asked for information about the competitors from the other kingdoms as well as Yan.

Lin Chen arrived in Yan Kingdom for the Martial Arts Academy Ranking Competition and witnessed rising hostility between Great Liang and Han Country. After reaching the academy, he learned Murong Yan was a princess and received detailed intelligence about the competing martial artists, including formidable Han Country experts.

• The academies gathered in Yan Kingdom, while disciples from Ze Kingdom, Wu Kingdom, and Zheng Kingdom discussed Lin Chen and their plans to target him.
• Great Liang and Han Country's ships arrived at the docks together, where their disciples traded insults and Han Country's martial artists revealed they hoped to use the competition to help blockade Liang Kingdom.
• A Han Country disciple beat Senior Brother Qian to shore by using a spear to interrupt the race, and Dang Baixuan prepared to fight before the Vice Prime Minister of Yan Kingdom intervened.
• Lin Chen and the other disciples entered Yan Kingdom's Royal Martial Arts Academy, where their leaders ordered them to remain inside until the competition began.
• Su Qin delivered a box on Murong Yan's instructions, and Lin Chen realized she was a member of Yan Kingdom's imperial family.
• Lin Chen read a booklet detailing the participating martial artists' realms, techniques, and demonstrated strength, then grew solemn at the power of several Han Country experts.

The Nine Kingdoms’ academy leaders agreed to hold the first-round points competition in Yan Country’s Thousand Illusions Secret Realm, while Lin Chen recalled Murong Yan’s detailed information about it. Lu Qiguang then challenged Hou Zhantian to make the ranking competition decide whether Han Country would withdraw its troops from the Northern Border, leaving Hou to answer.

• Murong Song announced that sixty academies would compete, with later matches arranged according to points and results.
• Vice Dean Chen explained the competition rules to Lin Chen and the Azure Ripple Martial Arts Academy disciples, and Lin Chen recognized that Yan Country’s secret realm would likely be involved.
• Murong Song revealed that the first round would take place in the Thousand Illusions Secret Realm and consist of three stages, and the kingdoms accepted the rules.
• Murong Song invited the leaders and geniuses to a royal banquet, which the elders understood was also an opportunity to select a royal son-in-law.
• Lu Qiguang asked Hou Zhantian to let the rankings determine the Han Country–Great Liang dispute, offering to withdraw Han Country’s troops if any Great Liang academy ranked above a Han Country academy and demanding an end to hostilities if all four ranked lower.

Lin Chen attended a Yan royal banquet, where Murong Yan disguised herself as a palace maid to meet him privately. After Su Zhe claimed Murong Yan had personally invited him to Yan, she grew angry and decided to appear at the Imperial Garden despite the excuse that she was unwell.

• Lin Chen entered the Imperial Garden with the Great Liang disciples and learned that the gathering was arranged for royal women to meet young martial artists from the Nine Kingdoms.
• Murong Yan disguised herself as a palace maid, poured Lin Chen wine, and left after privately greeting him; she later declined to attend the banquet as a princess.
• Fourth Princess Murong Shuang and Fifth Princess Murong Xin appeared, but Sixth Princess Murong Yan was absent, prompting Su Zhe to ask why she had not come.
• Su Zhe claimed Murong Yan had invited him to visit Yan and promised to show him its delicacies, surprising Lin Chen, Murong Shuang, and Murong Xin.
• After hearing Su Zhe's claim reported in the side hall, Murong Yan called it false and ordered Su Qin to help her change so she could go to the Imperial Garden.

At the Yan Kingdom banquet, Fifth Princess Murong Xin chose Lin Chen as her toast, while Su Zhe tried to claim he was devoted to Sixth Princess Murong Yan. Lin Chen declined Murong Xin’s wine, saying he could not hold his liquor, and left the hall in an uproar.

• Su Zhe told his fellow disciples that he had come to Yan Kingdom for Murong Yan, while Lin Chen suspected he was lying because Murong Yan was healthy.
• Murong Xin asked Murong Shuang about Lin Chen, then decided she was interested in him after learning of his humble origins and martial arts achievements.
• Murong Shuang encouraged Murong Xin to act, and Murong Xin chose Lin Chen rather than Su Zhe, who had declared his feelings for Murong Yan.
• Murong Xin approached Lin Chen with a cup of wine, and Lin Chen declined it, saying he had already drunk too much and could not hold his liquor.

Lin Chen rejected Murong Xin and Murong Yan arrived, openly revealing her connection to him and exposing Su Zhe’s false claims. After Su Zhe insulted Murong Yan and challenged Lin Chen to a fight, Lin Chen accepted, leaving their confrontation about to begin.

• Lin Chen bluntly rejected Murong Xin, and Murong Yan arrived to ease the awkwardness by claiming he could not hold his liquor.
• Murong Yan greeted Lin Chen as an old acquaintance and reminded him that he had promised to visit Yan, contradicting Su Zhe’s claim that she had invited him.
• Murong Xin left, and Murong Yan explained that her past invitation had been a general courtesy, exposing Su Zhe’s boast as wishful thinking.
• Su Zhe insulted Murong Yan and accused her of favoring Lin Chen for his martial potential, but Lin Chen said he believed her.
• Su Zhe challenged Lin Chen to a fight, and despite Li Yuan’s and Murong Yan’s warnings, Lin Chen accepted.

Lin Chen accepted Su Zhe’s challenge in the Imperial Garden and overwhelmed him in a duel, fighting barehanded against Su Zhe’s Spirit Weapon. The other countries’ martial artists watched in disbelief as Lin Chen continued to press his advantage.

• Murong Shuang sent a palace maid to inform the Emperor that Lin Chen and Su Zhe were about to duel.
• Su Zhe froze the lake around himself and challenged Lin Chen, who stepped onto the water and melted the ice beneath him from a distance.
• Su Zhe attacked with his Ice Soul Longsword and Cold Marrow Sword Intent, trapping Lin Chen between strikes from above and below.
• Lin Chen used the Town Yue Manual and his bare palms to disperse Su Zhe’s Sword Qi, knock him backward, and keep striking him.
• Kong Qing called Lin Chen a Legendary Martial Artist, prompting Benshan Lang and Hu Bing to remember their past defeats.

Lin Chen defeated Su Zhe in the Imperial Garden, drawing attention from the Nine Kingdoms and prompting Murong Yan to help spread news of the contest. After returning to the academy, Lin Chen learned that Hou Zhantian had rejected Han Country’s proposal to let the Ranking Competition decide whether Han Country would support Great Liang’s war in the Northern Border.

• Lin Chen overwhelmed Su Zhe and sent him crashing into the lakeside railing, while Murong Shuang intervened before Su Zhe could continue the fight.
• The Han Country delegation left after its leader warned Lin Chen he hoped to see him at the Ranking Competition, and the Zheng and Elephant Kingdom groups followed.
• Murong Yan admitted Yan Kingdom had informants in every country, then agreed to spread news of Lin Chen’s victory and both princesses’ interest in him, especially throughout Great Liang.
• Hou Zhantian told Lin Chen that Lu Qiguang had proposed making the Ranking Competition determine whether Han Country would withdraw its troops from the north, but he had refused.
• Hou Zhantian urged Lin Chen not to take reckless risks and declared that Great Liang would fight Han Country if it insisted on war.

Lin Chen reached two thousand consecutive victories on Martial Path Mountain, then joined the Nine Kingdoms' Martial Arts Academy Ranking Competition and watched the soul test reveal Han Country's overwhelming advantage. After Bian Xinjie reached fifteen zhang and mocked the other kingdoms, Lin Chen stepped forward to take the test.

• Lin Chen's Martial Path Mountain ranking rose after he achieved two thousand consecutive victories, doubling his Martial Arts Comprehension and strengthening his soul.
• Murong Song opened the points competition with a soul test, requiring competitors to make the Soul Testing Tablet's light reach one zhang to qualify for the Thousand Illusions Secret Realm.
• Wan Fei and Li Yuan each reached three zhang, while many later contestants failed the requirement and were eliminated.
• Lu Chuanning reached more than nine zhang, Ling Tianhao reached twelve and a half zhang, and Bian Xinjie reached fifteen zhang, earning Han Country a commanding points lead.
• After a Zheng Kingdom disciple taunted Liang Kingdom and Dang Baixuan tried to stop him, Lin Chen walked toward the Soul Testing Tablet to test himself.

Lin Chen tested his divine soul at the Soul Testing Tablet and produced six pillars of light, each reaching eighteen zhang, far surpassing Bian Xinjie's result. Lu Chuanning tested the tablet himself and confirmed it was functioning normally, leaving the crowd stunned by Lin Chen's feat.

• Lin Chen placed his hand on the Soul Testing Tablet, resisted its suction on the little figure in his dantian, and produced a pillar of light that reached three zhang.
• A second pillar appeared and both pillars rose to six zhang, prompting Murong Song to explain that Lin Chen had separated his divine soul.
• A third pillar appeared and all three pillars reached nine zhang as Lu Qiguang asked how Lin Chen's score would be counted.
• Lin Chen produced three more pillars, bringing the total to six pillars that each reached eighteen zhang and surpassing Bian Xinjie.
• Lin Chen withdrew his hand, and Lu Chuanning struck the tablet to test it, confirming that it still produced his previous result of a little over nine zhang.

Lin Chen earned 600 points for displaying six pillars of light, then entered the Thousand Illusions Secret Realm and absorbed its soul attacks while fighting soul creatures. As the other martial artists emerged, Lin Chen remained inside, leaving Azure Ripple Martial Arts Academy poised to contend for first place.

• Murong Song awarded Lin Chen 600 points despite Lu Qiguang's objection, and Hou Zhantian accepted the decision on Liang Country's behalf.
• After the soul test, Murong Song sent the disciples who passed into the Thousand Illusions Secret Realm, where they had to endure soul attacks and battle soul creatures for points.
• Lin Chen used the Thousand Machine Divine Refining Technique to absorb the red radiance, then formed divine-sense flying knives to destroy the soul creatures and successfully divided his divine sense into ten strands.
• Outside the Stone Gate, martial artists from other kingdoms emerged in succession, while Lin Chen, Lu Chuanning, and Bian Xinjie remained inside after five hundred breaths.
• Bian Xinjie emerged before Lin Chen, and the crowd recognized that Heavenly Que Martial Academy and Azure Ripple Martial Arts Academy were competing for first place.