Chapter Summaries

Jia Nanzhu arranged for Lin Chen to study the Town Yue Manual and train under Li Yueshan, while Lin Chen endured punishing cultivation and advanced to its second layer. He challenged Martial Path Mountain again, defeated his first opponent, and fought Feng Jinhua as news of the challenge spread through Great Liang.

• Jia Nanzhu explained the Dragon Shadow Bow's connection to a Flood Dragon and planned to help Lin Chen refine Flood Dragon Blood, while Lin Chen continued studying and practicing archery.
• The Martial Affairs Hall delivered the sealed Town Yue Manual, and Lin Chen read it before asking Jia Nanzhu to obtain the rare ingredients required for its cultivation.
• Lin Chen trained under Li Yueshan with fifty thousand jin of black-iron shackles and endured Earth-Burning Tremor, then steadily advanced his Town Yue Manual over the following month.
• After reaching the manual's second layer and opening eighteen apertures, Lin Chen returned to Martial Path Mountain and quickly defeated the senior he had fought before.
• Lin Chen faced Feng Jinhua, countered his swift boxing with Wind Cloud Palm, and drove him back while officials and onlookers across Great Liang reacted to the challenge.

Lin Chen successfully left his name on Martial Path Mountain and received the cultivation method Nine Revolutions True Blood Organ Refining. As news of his achievement spread, Zhao Cangsheng learned that Lin Chen was the new prodigy, while Lin Chen returned to the instructors with his reward.

• Lin Chen chose to record his real name on Martial Path Mountain, and the ranking listed him as having opened eighteen aperture points.
• Jia Nanzhu, Li Yueshan, and the other instructors celebrated Lin Chen's success, while Shao Jingshan recognized that the new name came from Jiangnan Province.
• Feng Jinhua told Xiao Pingyao that a Jiangnan Province prodigy had erased his Martial Path Mountain record, and Zhao Cangsheng asked whether the youth was Lin Chen.
• Feng Jinhua confirmed Lin Chen's identity, and Zhao Cangsheng hurried to return home after learning of his achievement.
• The Martial Arts Administration Department sent an urgent request to the Jiangnan Martial Affairs Hall for information on Lin Chen.
• Martial Path Mountain bestowed Nine Revolutions True Blood Organ Refining on Lin Chen, who memorized the method and descended to greet the instructors.

After Lin Chen left his name on Martial Path Mountain, Jiangnan’s authorities publicly praised his humble origins and achievements, making him the province’s Student Exemplar and drawing attention to his village. The announcement crushed Li Zhe’s hopes and exposed Huo Shu to his anger, while Zhang Jiang and the others reacted furiously to the news.

• Jia Nanzhu explained Organ Refining methods to Lin Chen, and he and Li Yueshan discussed delaying the announcement of Lin Chen’s achievement until hidden dangers had been addressed.
• The Jiangnan Martial Affairs Hall announced that Lin Chen had left his name on Martial Path Mountain and urged students throughout the province to follow his example.
• At Li Manor, Li Qi defended Lin Chen against the guests’ mockery, then read the announcement aloud after a youth revealed Lin Chen’s achievement.
• Li Zhe learned that Lin Chen had left his name on Martial Path Mountain, conceded the Student Exemplar title, and blamed Huo Shu before coercing her after ending their engagement.
• The Jiangnan Provincial Administration issued a second notice honoring Lin Chen, and Zhao Canghu prepared Lakeside Village for his return and a possible memorial stele.
• After reading the Martial Affairs Hall notice, Zhang Jiang and the others cursed Chen Ping and Min Huanbo.

Lin Chen received public recognition for leaving his name on Martial Path Mountain, but chose to remain at the Special Training Ground and continue training. Jia Nanzhu prepared Flood Dragon Blood for him, while Min Huanbo persuaded the neighboring training ground to agree to a no-restrictions group fight against Lin Chen.

• Stillwater Martial Arts Hall, Town Yue Martial Arts Academy, and Gale Martial Arts Hall celebrated Lin Chen’s achievement, while Clearwind Martial Arts Hall blamed Qi He and Zhao Ce for its disgrace.
• He Ruyun told Su Lingchuan that he had opposed Xing Huaifeng to uphold his duty as county magistrate, and revealed that Raozhou Prefecture had requested a detailed account of Lin Chen for the Martial Valor Stele.
• Jia Nanzhu showed Lin Chen the joint announcements and offered him the chance to return home, but Lin Chen declined because his three months at the Special Training Ground were not over.
• Lin Chen continued practicing Gale Leg and the Greedy for Life, Fearful of Death Arrow, earning the admiration of his fellow students as they accepted how far he had surpassed them.
• Min Huanbo convinced Zhang Jiang and the neighboring training ground to hold a no-restrictions group fight against Lin Chen, and the sides began discussing the stakes.
• Jia Nanzhu finished preparing the medicinal liquid and warned Lin Chen that Flood Dragon Blood was extremely tyrannical; Lin Chen said he was ready to endure it.

Lin Chen endured the refinement of Flood Dragon Blood, greatly increasing his qi and blood and opening another aperture before returning to Martial Path Mountain. His second name appeared there only days after the first, astonishing the Martial Arts Administration Department and prompting Kong Qifeng to delay his reward until Lin Chen could potentially make the ranking a third time.

• Jia Nanzhu gave Lin Chen an Ice-Blue Flower, sealed the Flood Dragon Blood in his dantian with silver needles, and put him in a medicinal tub after he endured the struggle for half an hour.
• Lin Chen awoke with 2.4 million qi and blood, a limit of 4.7 million, and 1.9 million True Blood, then sensed Flood Dragon energy in his qi and blood and went to Martial Path Mountain to test his strength.
• The Martial Arts Administration Department reviewed Lin Chen's background, assigned Old Zhuang to study a Work-Study Program policy, and discussed how to reward Lin Chen for leaving his name on Martial Path Mountain.
• A bell announced a new name on Martial Path Mountain, and the officials discovered that Lin Chen had left his name there again only days after his first achievement.
• Kong Qifeng postponed Lin Chen's reward and said he would visit Jiangnan Province if Lin Chen left his name a third time.
• In Guixi Province, Ye Feng told his teacher he was ready to challenge Senior Liang Bo, then learned that another name from Jiangnan Province had appeared and renewed his determination to succeed.

Lin Chen returned to Martial Path Mountain and left his name at nineteen apertures, defeating Senior Liang so easily that Ye Feng was gravely injured after challenging the same opponent. His new record stirred excitement and rivalry across Great Liang, while Lin Chen wondered how far he could continue advancing.

• Ye Feng attacked the figure at nineteen apertures, but Senior Liang had been replaced by Lin Chen; Lin Chen's battle intent overwhelmed Ye Feng and left him unconscious.
• Ye Feng's teacher realized the challenger had faced a newly recorded opponent at nineteen apertures and regretted not sending Ye Feng earlier.
• People across Great Liang discussed Jiangnan Province's second name on Martial Path Mountain, while Yue Lingxu, Shen Ze, and the other capital youths felt pressure to make their own challenges.
• Shao Jingshan learned Jiangnan Province had produced another name and ordered Zhang Dingfeng to contact the Special Training Ground to ask about Lin Chen.
• Lin Chen easily defeated Senior Liang, left his name at nineteen apertures, and wondered whether he could set records at still higher apertures.

Lin Chen registered on Martial Path Mountain for a second time and received a Two-Star Martial Path Seal, which gave him access to the mountain and a reserve of Martial Path Battle Intent. After agreeing to fight the other Special Training Ground alone, he revealed his second registration to Jia Nanzhu, while Shao Jingshan received orders to conceal the news.

• Lin Chen received a Two-Star Martial Path Seal after registering on Martial Path Mountain at nineteen apertures unlocked, and learned that it granted him two Martial Points, entry to the mountain, official assistance, and a strand of battle intent.
• Lin Chen met Yu Fei, Shen Ge, and another youth, who were surprised he could return to Martial Path Mountain so soon, and he kept his second registration secret from them.
• Min Huanbo and the other instructors asked Lin Chen to face the opposing Special Training Ground's students alone in a group battle; Jia Nanzhu secured half the stakes for Lin Chen, and Lin Chen agreed to fight.
• A flying letter from the Martial Affairs Hall asked whether Lin Chen had registered on Martial Path Mountain again, prompting Chen Ping and the others to hurry to question him.
• Lin Chen showed Jia Nanzhu his Martial Path Seal and asked about its features and the mountain's second tier; Jia Nanzhu said Lord Shao could explain more after the battle.
• Shao Jingshan received a message from the Martial Arts Administration Department ordering the Martial Affairs Hall to conceal Lin Chen's second registration.

Lin Chen defeated the students at the second Special Training Ground and learned that the Li Family of Hongdu Prefecture had used the Huo Family to target him. After crippling Huo Tong and defeating the remaining opponents, Lin Chen confronted Jiang Qing, then suddenly fired five arrows at her.

• Lin Chen reached minor mastery in Gale Leg and traveled with Min Huanbo to the island where the competition would take place.
• Jiang Qing refused to join the students planning to gang up on Lin Chen, but Huo Tong persuaded eleven of them to wait together at the shore.
• Lin Chen overwhelmed the eleven students in twenty breaths, then threatened Huo Tong until Huo Tong revealed the Li Family of Hongdu Prefecture was behind the Huo Family's hostility.
• Lin Chen crippled Huo Tong's dantian, and Xu Li covered for him as Lin Chen continued across the island and shot four more students with his Dragon Shadow Bow.
• Jiang Qing surrendered, but Lin Chen abruptly fired five arrows at her, and she ducked and rolled toward him to evade them.

Lin Chen and Jiang Qing discovered that a Demon Race assault on the Special Training Ground was far more serious than the instructors first let on. With Lord Xu’s group surrounded and the iron armory unable to hold the Demonic Beasts for long, Lin Chen prepared to defend the students himself.

• Lin Chen rescued Jiang Qing from a Fish Demon ambush, and they found that Fish Demons were attacking multiple sides of the island.
• Instructor Zhang brought Lin Chen and Jiang Qing to Xu Li, who ordered the students to shelter inside the iron armory while the instructors fought back.
• After a red flare signaled that Xu Li’s group was in grave danger, Lin Chen saw hundreds of Demonic Beasts surrounding them from atop the iron gate.
• Min Huanbo left to aid Xu Li, and Lin Chen took charge of the students, striking down a boy who challenged his authority.
• Lin Chen and Jiang Qing watched a lord perish after unleashing a powerful blade of Martial Arts Will, then prepared to fight as another group of Demonic Beasts approached.

Lin Chen led Jiang Qing and ten students through waves of Fish Demons toward a boat on the island’s eastern shore, while the apparent crisis was revealed to be a test arranged by Xu Li. As the group neared escape, one student shoved a companion toward the beasts to leap ahead toward the boat.

• Zhang Jiang reached the iron gate and told the students to choose between waiting for reinforcements or escaping by boat from the island’s eastern shore, then turned back to hold off the Fish Demons.
• Lin Chen and Jiang Qing led ten students east, fighting through the Fish Demon horde while three students stayed behind at the gate.
• Jiang Qing suspected that Xu Li had staged the attack, and Lin Chen concluded that the test was meant to assess courage, practical judgment, and how the students behaved under mortal danger.
• Xu Li admitted that the attack was a test and said the students who stayed inside the gate had lost their courage points.
• Lin Chen rescued Qin Hai after he fell, promised not to abandon any of the students, and guided the group through successive waves of Fish Demons.
• The group reached a pleasure boat on the eastern shore as Fish Demons closed in, and one student shoved the person ahead of him toward the beasts to propel himself toward the boat.

Lin Chen led the trainees through the Fish Demons’ final trial, rescuing two who had abandoned the group before the Fish Demons retreated. After the Instructors revealed the trial and expelled the two deserters, Su Dechang explained the Fish Demons and Xu Li and Su Dechang discussed Lin Chen’s future, deciding to contact Junior Brother Ji before another martial academy recruited him.

• Ji Rui fled toward the pleasure boat but was swallowed by a Fish Demon, while two other youths were surrounded after trying to escape.
• Lin Chen charged into the Fish Demon horde to save the two youths and urged the group to keep fighting.
• A flute signal made the Fish Demons retreat, and Xu Li and the Instructors emerged to reveal that the attack had been the trainees’ final trial.
• Xu Li expelled the two youths who had abandoned their companions, then took Lin Chen and Jiang Qing to meet Su Dechang.
• Su Dechang explained that he bred Poisonous Devourer Fish for pill ingredients, and Lin Chen said he did not consider the breeding methods cruel.
• Xu Li asked about Lin Chen’s plans after training, then agreed with Su Dechang to contact Junior Brother Ji before another martial academy recruited him.

Lin Chen learned about Great Liang’s five martial academies and received advice from Jiang Qing and Jia Nanzhu as he prepared to meet Martial Affairs Hall officials. At Hongdu Prefecture, he was formally named Jiangnan Province’s Martial Arts Student Exemplar, but Shao Jingshan said he had another task for him.

• Jiang Qing explained the five martial academies to Lin Chen and said she planned to attend the Azure Ripple Martial Arts Academy.
• Jia Nanzhu decided to take Lin Chen to meet Shao Jingshan, and Lin Chen received ten thousand taels in Silver Notes and a Reverse Scale Armor from Instructor Min.
• Jia Nanzhu brought Lin Chen to Hongdu Prefecture, where he bathed, dressed formally, and went to meet Shao Jingshan.
• Jia Nanzhu read a proclamation naming Lin Chen the Martial Arts Student Exemplar of Jiangnan Province.
• Shao Jingshan stopped Lin Chen from thanking him and said he needed Lin Chen to do something.

Lin Chen was named Jiangnan Province Student Exemplar and wrote an article about his humble beginnings and hard work to inspire the province’s martial arts students. After the Martial Affairs Hall honored his instructor Yu Yongnian and awarded resources to Raozhou, Shao Jingshan revealed that Lin Chen had left his name on Martial Path Mountain twice, but kept the news confidential so it would not discourage other students.

• Shao Jingshan asked Lin Chen to finish an article about his path through the Martial Hall, and Lin Chen wrote of his poverty, perseverance, and gratitude toward those who had helped him.
• After hearing the article, Jiang Zheng apologized for opposing Lin Chen’s nomination, and the other officials who had supported rival students also apologized.
• Lin Chen thanked Yu Yongnian and the other instructors and hall masters who had supported him, prompting Shao Jingshan to order commendations for them.
• Shao Jingshan officially named Lin Chen Jiangnan Province Student Exemplar, granted Yu Yongnian the title of Enlightening Teacher and entry to the Teaching and Transformation Pavilion, and directed resources to Raozhou Prefecture.
• Shao Jingshan revealed that Lin Chen had left his name on Martial Path Mountain twice, promised him unlimited cultivation resources until he reached the Organ Refining Realm, and ordered the second achievement kept secret.
• Lin Chen argued that publicizing repeated success on Martial Path Mountain could discourage students, and the officials agreed that withholding the news would preserve their motivation.

Lin Chen returned to the Martial Affairs Hall courtyard, where Jia Nanzhu and Shao Jingshan discussed his future, the Martial Tempering Stele, and the secrets of Martial Path Mountain. Lin Chen formally became Jia Nanzhu’s disciple before Shao Jingshan privately revealed that the Martial Path Seal was connected to Great Liang’s Martial Fortune.

• Jia Nanzhu told Lin Chen that the Martial Arts Administration Department was waiting to see whether he could leave his name on Martial Path Mountain a third time, and Lin Chen said he was confident he could.
• Lin Chen decided to return to Poyang County, and Jia Nanzhu said he would go with him after Shao Jingshan revealed that Jia Nanzhu had resigned as vice head to guide Lin Chen.
• Shao Jingshan urged Jia Nanzhu to accept Lin Chen as his disciple, and Lin Chen offered tea to Jia Nanzhu to complete their master-disciple ceremony.
• Lin Chen asked Shao Jingshan about the Martial Path Seal, so Shao Jingshan sent Jia Nanzhu away and privately told Lin Chen that the seal was connected to Great Liang’s Martial Fortune.
• Shao Jingshan warned Lin Chen not to disclose what he had learned and said the Founding Emperor had taken great pains for Great Liang.

Lin Chen returned to Poyang County to an enthusiastic welcome, while two Capital Martial Arts Academy students tried to turn him against the rival Azure Cloud Martial Arts Academy. The chapter ended with Lin Chen reconnecting with his fellow students as Lakeside Village residents argued over placing memorial tablets in the Ancestral Hall.

• Su Tong read Lin Chen’s words about poor students and began considering martial arts despite his family’s poverty.
• Feng Jin and his junior brother intercepted Lin Chen’s boat while pretending to recruit him for the Azure Cloud Martial Arts Academy, but Lin Chen refused to decide without consulting his elders.
• Feng Jin revealed that he and his junior brother were Capital Martial Arts Academy students who had staged the encounter to make Lin Chen dislike their rival academy.
• Lin Chen reached Poyang County, where Su Lingchuan, He Ruyun, academy hall masters, students, and Lin Xiuyong welcomed him.
• Lin Chen greeted the officials and hall masters, then eased the students’ awkwardness by chatting with Fu Ang and answering their questions.
• In Lakeside Village, Zhao Canghu agreed to let people place memorial tablets in the Ancestral Hall after hearing they would pay one hundred taels.

Zhao Canghu proposed rebuilding Lin Chen’s house, then Lin Chen met siblings Ye Jie and Ye Feng, who had traveled from Guixi Province to challenge him. Lin Chen defeated Ye Feng in their spar, and Ye Jie realized his Reverse Scale Armor had kept him from using even thirty percent of his strength.

• Zhao Canghu told Lin Chen the village would pay to rebuild his house, and Lin Chen agreed as long as it stayed modest.
• Lin Hui brought Lin Chen word that Ye Jie and Ye Feng had arrived to see him, and the siblings explained they knew he had claimed the nineteenth aperture on Martial Path Mountain.
• Ye Feng challenged Lin Chen and gave him a piece of star meteorite through Ye Jie as a gift.
• Lin Chen struck Ye Feng’s arm with Wind Cloud Palm, then defeated him after ten moves.
• Ye Feng admitted Lin Chen had sent him flying with one palm in their Martial Path Mountain encounters, and Ye Jie identified the Reverse Scale Armor beneath Lin Chen’s clothes.

Lin Chen saw off Ye Jie and Ye Feng, welcomed his junior brothers, and resumed training in preparation for reaching the Organ Refining Realm. His teacher Jia Nanzhu arrived with cultivation resources and began explaining the Five Great Martial Arts Academies after Lin Chen described his encounter with arrogant Azure Cloud disciples.

• Ye Jie offered Lin Chen direct admission to the Capital Martial Arts Academy, and he said he would consider it before she and Ye Feng departed.
• Lin Chen saw the Martial Tempering Stele and learned that Lakeside Village children could attend the Martial Hall tuition-free, with former residents returning to the village.
• Lu Yongfeng, Zhao Jingchuan, and Cheng Ying told Lin Chen they had opened ten apertures and secured county office positions through Lin Xiuyong; afterward, they discussed Lin Chen's imposing aura and considerate manner.
• Lin Chen returned to cultivating in the rear mountains, aiming to reach twenty apertures in about fifteen days.
• Jia Nanzhu brought Lin Chen resources and urged him to reach the Organ Refining Realm within half a year; Lin Chen said he would do his best.
• Lin Chen told Jia Nanzhu about the Azure Cloud disciples he had met, and Jia Nanzhu advised him to avoid their academy and began explaining the origins of the Five Great Martial Arts Academies.

Jia Nanzhu explained how the Founding Emperor used the United Martial Arts Academy to turn rival kingdoms’ resources toward Great Liang and deter Han Country from seizing Sanxing Province. In Anhui Prefecture, Yu Yongnian accepted a Subordinate Eighth Rank position earned through Lin Chen’s rise and decided to return to Poyang County to see him.

• Jia Nanzhu told Lin Chen how the Founding Emperor established academies to draw in foreign resources and cultivate martial artists who would serve Great Liang.
• Jia Nanzhu recounted how the Founding Emperor threatened to send Great Liang’s martial artists into Han Country, forcing Han Country to abandon its claim to Sanxing Province at the cost of Great Liang’s fallen martial artists.
• Jia Nanzhu explained that the nine kingdoms jointly controlled resources for sixty academies, then advised Lin Chen to weigh the conditions each academy offered.
• Huang Kun congratulated Yu Yongnian on receiving a Subordinate Eighth Rank official position, and Shu Suwan persuaded him to accept the reward as recognition of devoted teaching.
• Yu Yongnian asked Shu Suwan about Martial Path Mountain and decided to take leave of his teacher and return to Poyang County to see Lin Chen.

Lin Chen continued cultivating in Lakeside Village and reunited with Yu Yongnian, who urged him to value his new teacher and not let fame become a burden. As Lin Chen neared his twentieth aperture, several martial academies arrived to recruit him, while another academy sought information about him through a prospective junior sister.

• Jia Nanzhu gave Lin Chen a day off when Yu Yongnian came to visit, and Lin Chen warmly welcomed his former instructor.
• Lin Chen told Yu Yongnian about his academy experiences and thanked him for helping him obtain an Aperture Opening Pill; Yu Yongnian learned that Jia Nanzhu had become Lin Chen's teacher and felt reassured.
• Yu Yongnian advised Lin Chen to remember why he had begun martial arts, then rode away after revealing he planned to propose to Lin Chen's teacher's wife at the end of the year.
• Ye Feng warned Shen Ze that Lin Chen could soon break Martial Path Mountain's record, but Shen Ze decided he had time before challenging the mountain himself.
• Jia Nanzhu reviewed the large quantities of cultivation resources being delivered for Lin Chen, who reached the nineteenth aperture and expected to break through to the twentieth the next day.
• Representatives from Capital Martial Arts Academy, Azure Cloud Martial Arts Academy, and another academy arrived in Lakeside Village as a blue-robed preceptor went to Jiang Manor to meet Lin Chen's prospective junior sister and learn more about him.

Jia Nanzhu negotiated with the Soaring Cloud, Azure Cloud, and Capital Martial Arts Academies for Lin Chen after revealing that he had left his name on Martial Path Mountain twice. Song Zhixue offered Lin Chen admission benefits, but Lin Chen waited to hear the other academies’ offers as Instructor Liu Ru hurried to Lakeside Village with a plan to show him the academy’s sincerity.

• Jia Nanzhu demanded that the three academy instructors negotiate their offers privately and revealed that Lin Chen had left his name on Martial Path Mountain twice.
• Ye Yuan changed his stance and agreed to the negotiations, but Jia Nanzhu delayed the Azure Cloud Martial Arts Academy because Lin Chen had a poor impression of it after an encounter with impostors.
• Song Zhixue offered Lin Chen one thousand academic credits and doubled rewards for meeting the academy’s assessments, but Lin Chen said he would consider the offer.
• Lin Chen asked Jia Nanzhu whether he should wait to leave his name on Martial Path Mountain more times, and Jia Nanzhu advised him to hear the remaining offers first.
• Liu Ru rode toward Riverbend Town with another disciple, intending to recruit Lin Chen by showing the academy’s sincerity rather than relying on standard conditions.