Chapter Summaries

Lin Chen learned from Zhao Canghu that the previous Chu Dynasty had sacrificed people to the Lake God and that Fish Demons might still exist under Great Liang. After sending his elder brother and the village chief home, Lin Chen resolved to investigate the authorities’ handling of the matter and keep his brother safe.

• Lin Chen hosted Lin Liang, Zhao Canghu, Gu Fei, and Yang Hao at a tavern, then sent Gu Fei and Yang Hao away on errands so he could discuss Lin Liang’s strange behavior with Zhao Canghu.
• Zhao Canghu revealed that fishermen had disappeared after encountering something on Poyang Lake, and that a drought fourteen years earlier had led villagers to uncover a book from the Chu Dynasty.
• Zhao Canghu recounted how Chu worshipers and the county yamen had sacrificed children and livestock to the Lake God, and explained that the village still sent animal offerings into the lake to appease it.
• Lin Chen concluded that demons might remain in Great Liang and warned Zhao Canghu and Lin Liang not to speak of what Lin Liang had seen.
• Lin Liang promised to keep silent, and Lin Chen decided to privately question Captain You about the matter before sending the villagers home by carriage.

After the County Magistrate summoned Lin Chen over his knowledge of the Poyang Lake Fish Demon, Su Lingchuan and He Ruyun explained the Founding Emperor’s laws and Great Liang’s history of resisting demons. Lin Chen learned that demons still threatened the borders and other countries, then returned to the academy with advice to focus on cultivation.

• Government officers brought Lin Chen to the county office, where He Ruyun introduced Commander Fang, who tried to take him to a military camp for knowing about Demonic Beasts.
• Su Lingchuan recited the Founding Emperor’s edict forbidding public knowledge of demons, then explained that Lin Chen was not committing a crime by learning about them.
• He Ruyun described how the Founding Emperor overthrew Great Chu and established policies to fight demons, open martial arts to the people, and bind martial families to service.
• He Ruyun, Su Lingchuan, and Fang Ze recited the Founding Emperor’s three declarations, and Su Lingchuan explained why the old secrecy edict remained in force.
• Lin Chen asked about Poyang Lake, and the officials said demons had left contingencies behind while other countries sought to weaken Great Liang.
• Fang Ze left without taking Lin Chen to camp, and Su Lingchuan urged Lin Chen to return to the academy and cultivate to protect his family and friends.

Lin Chen advanced to nine apertures and reached proficiency in the Iron Bone Technique before joining students from Poyang County at the Martial Park, where challengers from Qianshan County were humiliating local fighters. When Wu Ming called Lin Chen out, Lin Chen removed his mask and stepped in to face him, leaving Fei Hong to cheer from the sidelines.

• Lin Chen opened his ninth aperture and advanced his Iron Bone Technique to the proficient stage, then learned from Fu Ang that students from Qianshan County had arrived to challenge local martial academies.
• Lin Chen and Fu Ang went to the Martial Park, where Zhu Tao defeated Zhang Qing with vicious claw attacks and forced him to admit defeat.
• Wu Ming revealed that he had opened eleven acupoints and reached minor mastery in Flying Eagle Claw, then challenged the absent Lin Chen while Fei Hong prepared to fight him.
• Shao Hong revealed through his thoughts that he had arranged for Wu Ming to target Lin Chen, but Lin Chen had not been identified because he wore a mask.
• Lin Chen removed his mask, apologized to Fei Hong, and asked to take his place against Wu Ming; Fei Hong stepped down and agreed to cheer him on.

Lin Chen defeated Wu Ming despite their cultivation gap, then exposed that the He Family had arranged for the Flying Eagle Martial Arts Hall to attack him. The chapter ended with Shao Hong's ties to the He Family revealed and Poyang County's martial arts students turning away from him.

• Lin Chen faced Wu Ming in the arena and overcame his eleven-aperture cultivation with his perfected Clear Wind Palm.
• Lin Chen injured Wu Ming with repeated strikes, then warned the Qianshan County students that those who humiliated others would be humiliated in return.
• Fei Hong threatened to obstruct the Flying Eagle Martial Arts Hall's access to treatment and transport unless Zhu Tao explained why they had attacked so ruthlessly.
• Zhu Tao revealed that the He Family had ordered them to attack Lin Chen, and Gu Shan noted that Shao Hong's elder sister had married into the He Family.
• The students from Poyang County's martial arts halls left Shao Hong behind, while Song Yu advised him to discuss the matter with his father.

Lin Chen learned that Qianshan County’s top competitors were formidable and discovered how genuine and Pseudo Martial Arts Will differed. Yan He'an then led him to view Martial Garden’s Thousand Hammer Diagram, leaving Lin Chen inside the iron house as Yan wondered how long he could endure it.

• Fu Ang explained that Qianshan County’s two top students had opened at least eleven apertures and might reach great completion in their techniques before the County Competition.
• Fu Ang described genuine Martial Arts Will and Pseudo Martial Arts Will, and Lin Chen realized the scroll from Zhou San’s home had helped him master Clear Wind Palm unusually quickly.
• Yan He'an congratulated Lin Chen on taking first place and brought him to Courtyard Two because he was cultivating Iron Bone Technique.
• Yan He'an revealed that Martial Garden’s Thousand Hammer Diagram could aid external cultivation but caused extreme pain, and Lin Chen chose to enter the iron house.
• After Lin Chen went inside, Yan He'an reminded him that he could view the diagram only twice a month and wondered whether he could endure a hundred breaths.

Lin Chen endured the Thousand Hammer Diagram in the Iron House and synchronized the Iron Bone Technique with its strikes until he reached the proficient stage. Yan He'an recognized his extraordinary potential, while a youth in Qianshan County prepared for the County Competition.

• Lin Chen discovered that matching the Iron Bone Technique’s qi-and-blood rhythm to the hammer’s impact helped him withstand the Thousand Hammer Diagram.
• Lin Chen tracked where each strike first hit and repeatedly adjusted his breathing and qi circulation as the diagram’s force grew stronger.
• Lin Chen endured enough strikes to raise the Iron Bone Technique to the proficient level, then emerged from the Iron House covered in blood and fainted.
• Yan He'an caught Lin Chen, confirmed his qi and blood were stable, and carried him away for treatment.
• In Qianshan County, a youth heard his junior fellow disciple mention Lin Chen and the Extreme Martial Path, then rushed into a sea of fire to cultivate.
• The junior fellow disciple watched and believed his senior brother would take first place in the County Competition.

Lin Chen repeatedly studied the Thousand Hammer Diagram and advanced the Iron Bone Technique to Great Accomplishment, while learning more about the Martial Arts Garden’s mysterious origins. The chapter leaves Su Lingchuan and Qiu Rufeng investigating an anonymous accusation against Lin Chen ahead of the public contest.

• Lin Chen learned from Yan He'an that Su Lingchuan’s Amethyst Marrow Liquid was exceptionally valuable, and that the Martial Arts Garden’s Elder Zhao had arranged his training.
• Lin Chen returned to the Iron House regularly, improving his Iron Bone Technique and developing Stone Body.
• After a month and a half of increasingly frequent sessions, Lin Chen endured the Thousand Hammer Diagram and achieved the first signs of Returning Aura, bringing Great Accomplishment within reach.
• Su Lingchuan read an evidence-free letter accusing Lin Chen of falsifying his Martial Hall performance and secretly using pills.
• Qiu Rufeng told Su Lingchuan to find the person behind the accusation, and Su Lingchuan suspected either a rival wary of Lin Chen or someone holding a grudge against him.

Shao Hong confessed to framing Lin Chen, and Su Lingchuan forced the Shao Family to leave Raozhou Prefecture while offering Lin Chen the family’s Fish Market. After discovering Lin Chen had advanced the Iron Bone Technique to Greater Accomplishment, Su Lingchuan encouraged him to compete for County Competition rewards and summoned two martial arts academy figures.

• Shao Zhen brought Shao Hong to the Martial Arts Administration to confess that he had falsely accused Lin Chen.
• Su Lingchuan gave the Shao Family three days to leave Raozhou Prefecture or send Shao Hong to the frontier, and Lin Chen agreed to transfer the Shao Family’s Fish Market to someone else.
• Lin Chen told Su Lingchuan that he had nearly run out of silver, and Su Lingchuan advised him to focus on the Iron Bone Technique and prepare for special genius training.
• Su Lingchuan tested Lin Chen’s Iron Bone Technique and discovered that Lin Chen had reached Greater Accomplishment, prompting him to support Lin Chen competing for County Competition rewards.
• After Lin Chen left, Su Lingchuan called for Zeng Qingyao and Tai Rubai.

Su Lingchuan revealed that Lin Chen had achieved major success in Iron Bone Technique, prompting Tai Rubai to argue that Town Yue Martial Arts Academy needed him and leading to a joint arrangement with Still Water Martial Arts Hall. Lin Chen, unaware of the dispute, arranged for Zhao Dongyang, Lu Yongfeng, and Cheng Ying’s families to take over the Fish Market and urged his fellow disciples to keep advancing.

• Su Lingchuan asked Zeng Qingyao and Tai Rubai whether Lin Chen still belonged to Still Water Martial Arts Hall after learning Iron Bone Technique, and both agreed that he did.
• Su Lingchuan revealed that Lin Chen had reached major success in Iron Bone Technique in under three months, and Tai Rubai pleaded for Lin Chen to join Town Yue Martial Arts Academy.
• Tai Rubai offered to take Lin Chen to meet Lord Li for guidance, so Su Lingchuan ruled that Lin Chen would be cultivated jointly by Still Water Martial Arts Hall and Town Yue Martial Arts Academy.
• Zeng Qingyao told Kong Yinglei that Lin Chen’s progress in Clear Wind Palm and Iron Bone Technique could leave Still Water Martial Arts Hall’s Water Cloud Palm looking incomplete, but decided to wait until after the County Competition.
• Lin Chen agreed that Zhao Dongyang, Lu Yongfeng’s father, and Cheng Ying’s father would jointly buy the Shao Family’s Fish Market for fifteen hundred taels.
• Lin Chen thanked Zhao Jingchuan, Lu Yongfeng, and Cheng Ying for their fellowship, then urged them to train harder and break through the Ten Apertures.

Lin Chen and Tai Rubai traveled from Poyang County to Quzhou Prefecture so Lin Chen could seek guidance from Lord Li, whose family owed Town Yue Martial Arts Academy an old connection. Lord Li was away, and after Lin Chen began practicing in the guest courtyard, Li Qi sent a servant to order him to stop.

• Lin Chen rode with Tai Rubai to Quzhou Prefecture and learned that merchant caravans hired martial artists to protect their goods.
• Tai Rubai brought Lin Chen to Li Manor to seek an audience with Lord Li, but Li An arranged for them to stay because Lord Li was away.
• Tai Rubai told Lin Chen that the academy had agreed to use its precious connection with Lord Li to help him.
• Lin Chen settled into a guest courtyard and practiced Water Cloud Palm while Tai Rubai went out to visit friends.
• Li Qi brought Wang to a neighboring courtyard and had a servant tell Lin Chen that martial arts practice was forbidden in Li Manor.

Lin Chen left the Li Residence after Li Qi intruded on his guest quarters and insulted him, while Tai Ruyu chose to leave with him. Li Yueshan returned too late to meet Lin Chen, recognized his exceptional insight in the calligraphy he had copied, and set out with Li An and Li Qi to catch up and bring him back.

• Lin Chen copied Li Yueshan’s Stone Soul Copybook and found that brushwork made his qi and blood circulate like martial cultivation.
• Li Qi, Wang Yuyao, and another young woman entered Lin Chen’s courtyard, questioned him about eavesdropping, and Li Qi searched his study before threatening him to keep quiet.
• Lin Chen decided to leave the Li Residence, and Tai Ruyu joined him despite the academy’s valuable connection to Lord Li.
• Li Yueshan returned and learned that Lin Chen and Tai Ruyu had already departed.
• Li Yueshan examined Lin Chen’s calligraphy, praised his sharp but controlled state of mind, and ordered Li An and Li Qi to accompany him in pursuit.

Li Yueshan tested Lin Chen in combat and used Martial Arts Will to guide him through the true meaning of perfected Iron Bone Technique. Lin Chen comprehended the technique and reached perfection, then recognized and thanked Lord Li.

• Lin Chen joined Tai Rubai and Li Yueshan in a sparring match, impressing Li Yueshan with his strength and perfected Iron Bone Technique.
• Li Yueshan secretly increased his strength, then used Iron Bone Technique to redirect Lin Chen's Clear Wind Palm and Water Cloud Palm back at him.
• Li Yueshan displayed Martial Arts Will, guiding Lin Chen to see himself as a reef dividing the force of the waves.
• Lin Chen grasped how to break and redirect force, harmonized his bones, skin, qi, and blood, and perfected Iron Bone Technique.
• Lin Chen recognized Li Yueshan as Lord Li and thanked him for his guidance.

Lin Chen met Li Yueshan, who explained why he was preserving his favor rather than binding Lin Chen to the Li family and advised him to follow the Martial Affairs Department’s path. Li Yueshan revealed that the perfected Iron Bone Technique was only its upper volume and sent Lin Chen to Mount Huang in Huizhou Prefecture to seek the lower volume.

• Li Yueshan apologized to Lin Chen over tea and told Tai Rubai to leave so they could speak privately.
• Li Yueshan explained that he wanted Lin Chen’s favor to remain unused, since Lin Chen’s future might surpass his own and close ties could burden the Li family.
• Li Yueshan advised Lin Chen to avoid entanglement with powerful clans and rely on Great Liang’s Martial Affairs Department system to advance.
• Li Yueshan told Lin Chen to continue practicing the Iron Bone Technique, revealing that it was a Middle-Grade art for Ranked Martial Artists and that its lower volume was called the Town Yue Manual.
• Li Yueshan told Lin Chen that the lower volume of the Iron Bone Technique could be found at Mount Huang in Huizhou Prefecture.

Lin Chen learned that Qianshan County had two students with fifteen apertures, making Poyang County’s chances in the County Competition uncertain. Despite Su Lingchuan’s advice to save his precious Aperture Unblocking Pills, Lin Chen chose to take them and fight for Lord Su, confident he could still win.

• Li Yueshan left without letting Lin Chen see him off, and Lin Chen explained that Li Yueshan had forbidden him from coming out.
• Su Lingchuan learned that Qianshan County had two students with fifteen apertures and that the County Competition would allow one student to fight multiple opponents.
• Tai Rubai reported that Lin Chen had opened eleven apertures and perfected the Iron Bone Technique, but Su Lingchuan told him not to focus on the competition or use his pills yet.
• Tai Rubai explained to Lin Chen why Su Lingchuan wanted him to save the Aperture Unblocking Pills for later.
• Lin Chen resolved to take the pills and fight for Lord Su, citing the support that had helped him advance in martial arts.

Lin Chen used Aperture Unblocking Pills to advance to fourteen apertures and prepared to compete in the County Competition, while Su Lingchuan added a personal reward to encourage him. As Poyang County’s students gathered to travel to Raozhou Prefecture, Tai Rubai claimed Lin Chen as a Town Yue Martial Arts Academy disciple and teased Zhao Qifeng about his doubts.

• Lin Chen reviewed his System Panel, swallowed an Aperture Unblocking Pill, and began breaking through apertures after reaching twelve.
• Su Lingchuan learned that Lin Chen had perfected Iron Bone Technique with Lord Li’s help and added an Aperture Unblocking Pill to the reward for first place, then sent an aide to challenge Zhang Wangshan of Qianshan County.
• Lin Chen consumed two pills over four days, reached fourteen apertures, and gained enough confidence to face Qianshan County’s strongest students.
• Lin Chen, Fu Ang, Gu Shan, and the other eligible students gathered at the Martial Arts Administration to depart for Raozhou Prefecture and the County Competition.
• Tai Rubai told Zhao Qifeng that Lin Chen was officially registered as a disciple of Town Yue Martial Arts Academy, and Zhao dismissed the academy’s claim and Lin Chen’s prospects of learning a third technique.

Zhao Canghu warned Lakeside Village’s residents to protect Lin Chen’s reputation and helped Lin Liang reject a potential marriage alliance with the Chen Family in favor of Er'ya. Meanwhile, Lin Chen arrived in Raozhou Prefecture City for the County Competition and learned that Poyang County and Yanshan County were scheduled first because they were considered the weakest.

• Zhao Canghu sent three villagers to wait outside the Martial Affairs Department and bring back the County Competition results, while warning them not to cause trouble or misuse Lin Chen’s name.
• After learning that wealthy young ladies were approaching Lin Liang, Zhao Canghu told Lin Jiang and Mother Lin that Second Miss Chen was interested in Lin Liang because of Lin Chen’s status.
• Lin Jiang objected to the Chen Family match, and Lin Liang confirmed he had no interest in Second Miss Chen and preferred Er'ya.
• Lin Jiang agreed to arrange Lin Liang’s engagement to Er'ya, and Zhao Canghu offered to help find a plot for a new house.
• Lin Chen and the others reached Raozhou Prefecture City at dusk, where Tai Rubai explained that the County Competition included other counties and that Poyang County and Yanshan County had been scheduled first because they ranked poorly in the Prefecture Exam.

Lin Chen and the Poyang County students arrived in Raozhou Prefecture, where new County Competition rules and his use of an Aperture Unblocking Pill stirred tension with Qianshan County. Qianshan County secured a one-day delay so Zhang Qi could take a pill and prepare to face Lin Chen, while Lin Chen was left to deal with the other counties’ resentment.

• Lin Chen met Zhang Qi and Shen Ge from Qianshan County at the city gate, exchanged a brief challenge with Zhang Qi, and entered the city with his companions.
• Tai Rubai explained that the competition would award doubled points for victories in challenges against multiple opponents and that anyone who lost would have no further chance to challenge.
• Zhang Wangshan learned Lin Chen had opened fourteen apertures, and Zhang Qi volunteered to take an Aperture Unblocking Pill so he could face Lin Chen without competing against Shen Ge for first place.
• Zhang Wangshan arranged a one-day delay for the Poyang County–Qianshan County competition so Zhang Qi could digest the pill, publicizing Lin Chen’s choice to the other counties.
• Tai Rubai told Lin Chen that the delay had stirred criticism among students and martial artists, so the Martial Affairs Department arranged to deliver food to Lin Chen and his companions.

Jiang Qing brought Lin Chen to Water Cloud Pool, where he used its strange currents to comprehend the Water Cloud Palm and reach mastery. As the County Competition approached, he began attempting to fuse it with the Clear Wind Palm, and Jiang Qing left to delay the competition so he would not be disturbed.

• Lin Chen met Jiang Qing and rode with her to Three Pools Mountain, where she revealed that the Water Cloud Pool had helped her master the Water Cloud Palm.
• Jiang Qing gave Lin Chen Warm Sun Pills and explained how to enter the pool safely, hoping he would help Still Water Martial Arts Academy in the County Competition.
• Lin Chen studied the mist-like currents beneath the water and, after practicing through the night, reached mastery in the Water Cloud Palm.
• Lin Chen began combining the Water Cloud Palm with the Clear Wind Palm, creating fierce wind and layered waves as he continued cultivating on shore.
• Jiang Qing's Aunt Wan recognized that Lin Chen was attempting to fuse two Ranked Martial Arts Techniques and urged Jiang Qing to delay the County Competition rather than interrupt him.

Lin Chen’s absence left Poyang County facing Qianshan County without its strongest student, and Zhang Qi challenged ten opponents at once. After Zhang Qi defeated Poyang County’s students in thirty breaths, Lin Chen appeared at the Training Ground just as Jiang Qing considered intervening.

• Su Lingchuan refused to postpone the County Competition again, and Poyang County’s students went to the Training Ground without Lin Chen.
• Jiang Qing told Su Lingchuan that Lin Chen was working on fusing two Ranked Martial Arts Techniques, and Su Lingchuan chose to let the match proceed.
• Qiu Rufeng asked about Lin Chen, then ordered the competition to begin when Su Lingchuan explained that Lin Chen had not arrived.
• Zhang Qi challenged ten Poyang County students, saying he had left the other nine for Shen Ge, and defeated all ten in thirty breaths with Great Accomplishment Tiger Roar Fist.
• Jiang Qing spotted Lin Chen arriving at the Training Ground and smiled.

Lin Chen arrived at the County Competition after Zhang Qi and Shen Ge had defeated Poyang County’s students, and he stepped forward to face Qianshan County. The chapter ended with Lin Chen asking all of Qianshan County’s senior brothers for guidance.

• Zhang Qi defeated Poyang County’s students, and Shen Ge then chose eight opponents and displayed his perfected Blazing Cloud Palm.
• Lin Chen arrived at the Training Ground and reassured Poyang County’s students that he would give the competition his all.
• Lin Chen told Fu Ang that Zhang Qi and Shen Ge were no weaker than him, while Su Lingchuan revealed that Lin Chen had perfected Clear Wind Palm in three months.
• Shen Ge defeated Fei Hong and the other Poyang County students, leaving the crowd convinced that Poyang County had lost.
• Lin Chen comforted his defeated junior brothers, walked onto the stage, and challenged all the senior brothers of Qianshan County for guidance.