Chapter Summaries

After returning to Linji County, Zhuang Jin settled into his new residence, kept Zhi'er under watch, and helped maintain a peaceful county while he cultivated. He broke through to the Fourth Meridian Realm and created two new sure-kill techniques, leaving him confident in his strength but with no worthy opponent nearby.

• Zhuang Jin returned to Linji County with Chen Yun and showed her their spacious garden residence, then told her about Zhi'er; Chen Yun urged him to visit the woman.
• Zhuang Jin visited Zhi'er but refused her suggestion to meet Chen Yun, warned her not to act unnecessarily, and ordered Yue Song to secretly increase surveillance.
• Teng Yuansong delivered the proceeds from the Yao family purge, and Zhuang Jin focused on cultivation while the county prospered under their rule.
• On October twenty-third, Zhuang Jin used a secret method and medicine to open the Yin Wei Meridian and complete the Fourth Meridian Realm.
• Zhuang Jin developed Frost Poison Kill and combined it with Three-Stage Wave to create Three Consecutive Frost Poison Kill, then lamented that he had no worthy opponent to test it against.

After breaking through to the Fourth Meridian, Zhuang Jin prepared for the annual Qi Tide and protected the Herb Fields from stronger Exotic Beasts. A visit to Lingyan Mountain brought him and Chen Yun together beneath the evening snow, where they reflected on their years of marriage and watched the mountains turn white.

• Zhuang Jin and Teng Yuansong discussed Linji County’s prosperity, the coming Minor Year Qi Tide, and the Exotic Beasts that might threaten the Herb Fields.
• Zhuang Jin told Fei Zecheng to reinforce the Herb Fields and report any Flesh Refining Realm Exotic Beasts, which he would handle himself.
• Zhuang Jin killed several beginner-level Flesh Refining Realm Exotic Beasts and learned that the people of Linji County regarded him as their benefactor.
• Zhuang Jin and Chen Yun visited Lingyan Mountain, where he recounted the legend of the immortal who brought rain to the region and carved a couplet into a pavilion pillar.
• As evening snow fell over the mountains, Zhuang Jin and Chen Yun held hands and remembered the hardships and joys they had shared during their marriage.

After a riot in Qinghe County exposed Qiu Yizhi’s abuses, the Shen Family appointed Tao Mengran to investigate the county commanders, putting Zhuang Jin’s position at risk. Zhuang Jin learned that the Medicine King Gang had also sent Sikong Rui toward Linji County and prepared to negotiate with Tao while concealing his true strength.

• Zhuang Jin learned that Qiu Yizhi’s greed had sparked a riot in Qinghe County and feared the scandal would threaten all county commanders.
• Shen Xianhong and the Shen Family attendants appointed Tao Mengran to inspect the counties and remove at least three commanders.
• Tao Mengran accepted the assignment while considering which commanders to displace, and Sikong Rui left Diannan City to stir up trouble for the Medicine King Gang.
• Fu Shousong informed Zhuang Jin about Tao Mengran’s investigation, and Zhuang Jin warned Sun Mingbi while weighing his own response.
• Zhuang Jin concealed his cultivation at the Three Meridian Realm and planned to bargain with Tao Mengran to protect his position.

Tao Mengran tried to pressure Zhuang Jin into giving up the County Town Commander position in Linji County, but Zhuang Jin resisted his appeals and countered with an enormous bribe. Tao Mengran remained tempted but postponed his decision.

• Tao Mengran arrived in Linji County and realized Zhuang Jin had reached the Three Meridian Realm, complicating his plan to claim the county position.
• At a banquet and later in the reception hall, Tao Mengran urged Zhuang Jin to serve the Shen Family in the Prefecture City, while Zhuang Jin refused to be swayed by his rhetoric.
• Tao Mengran invoked his connection to the Fei Family, but Zhuang Jin pointed out that Fei Yuanlong had plotted to murder him and blamed Tao Mengran for failing to prevent it.
• Tao Mengran warned that political factions expected him to act against Zhuang Jin and offered thirty thousand taels if Zhuang Jin voluntarily stepped down.
• Zhuang Jin offered Tao Mengran up to eight hundred thousand taels to conduct an impartial inspection, leaving Tao Mengran visibly tempted but asking for time to consider.

Tao Mengran rejected Zhuang Jin’s bribe and prepared a biased report to take his post as Linji County’s County Town Commander, despite finding the county thriving under Zhuang Jin. Zhuang Jin anticipated the threat and steered Tao toward danger, while Sikong Rui prepared to attack Tao and frame Zhuang Jin.

• Tao Mengran chose to pursue the County Town Commander position, then twisted his investigation of Linji County’s prosperity into grounds for criticizing Zhuang Jin.
• Tao Mengran refused Zhuang Jin’s offer of a boat, and the two openly clashed over whether Zhuang Jin deserved to keep his post.
• Zhuang Jin told Bai Zhi that Tao Mengran might be endangered on his journey, then left after rejecting her renewed request to enter his household.
• Bai Zhi recalled that she resembled Chen Yun and resolved to act against Zhuang Jin.
• Zhuang Jin instructed Yue Song to give Tao Mengran some dignity if anything happened to him.
• Sikong Rui learned of Tao Mengran’s travel plans and ordered explosives placed on a boat so he could kill Tao and implicate Zhuang Jin.

Zhuang Jin intervened when Sikong Rui attempted to kill Tao Mengran, then revealed his overwhelming strength and killed Sikong Rui in three moves. Tao Mengran thanked Zhuang Jin and sought to reconcile with him.

• Zhuang Jin saw Tao Mengran off, while Sikong Rui secretly followed and arranged to blow up his ship with explosives.
• Tao Mengran survived the explosion by using Attendant Liu as a shield, but Sikong Rui attacked him and drove him to the brink of death.
• Zhuang Jin arrived on a Wooden Luan and stopped Sikong Rui from killing Tao Mengran.
• Zhuang Jin pursued Sikong Rui across the river and killed him with three strikes of Three Consecutive Frost Poison Kill.
• Zhuang Jin returned with Sikong Rui's corpse, and Tao Mengran thanked him and asked to put their conflict behind them.

After Zhuang Jin killed Sikong Rui and returned to the Prefecture City with the wounded Tao Mengran, news of the victory shook both the Shen Family and the Medicine King Gang. The Gang canceled its planned operation, while Zhuang Jin learned how his growing influence had changed affairs in the city and went to visit Shen Xianhong.

• Zhuang Jin explained that he had followed Tao Mengran to protect him, then agreed to return to the Prefecture City with him; Tao rewrote his inspection report to praise Zhuang Jin.
• Zhuang Jin and Tao Mengran warned the Shen Family that the Medicine King Gang might have another scheme, and news of Sikong Rui's death spread through the Prefecture City.
• Qian Wende reflected on how Lin Hong and Bi Kai had advanced through their connection to Zhuang Jin, while Shen Xuchen and Ni Ying heard news of Zhuang Jin's success.
• Shi Yong canceled the Medicine King Gang's planned operation after learning that Sikong Rui had failed to kill Tao Mengran and had been killed by Zhuang Jin.
• Zhuang Jin and Tao Mengran returned to the Prefecture City, where Zhuang Jin learned that his reputation had silenced calls to transfer him and then went to visit Shen Xianhong.

Zhuang Jin secured Shen Xianhong’s backing and gifts before returning to Linji County, where he kept his post and cultivated for half a year. He broke through to the Seventh Meridian Fetal Breath Realm and prepared to learn the Dormant Dragon Technique.

• Zhuang Jin told Shen Xianhong the truth about Tao Mengran and asked whether killing Sikong Rui would provoke the Medicine King Gang; Shen Xianhong assured him the matter had passed and warned him to avoid its hall masters.
• Shen Xianhong rewarded Zhuang Jin with a Profound Connection Pill and the Dormant Dragon Technique, while he and Madam Shen discussed the possibility of Zhuang Jin marrying one of their daughters in the future.
• Zhuang Jin retained his position as Linji County’s County Town Commander, returned home, and spent half a year cultivating with Beast Tendon Paste and a realm-accelerating formula.
• On October 21st of Year 52 of Qianyuan, Zhuang Jin opened the Ren Meridian and entered the Fetal Breath Realm, experiencing a major increase in his Inner Breath and physical transformation.
• Zhuang Jin tested his new force and considered the long accumulation needed for future breakthroughs before turning his attention to cultivating the Dormant Dragon Technique.

Zhuang Jin tested the newly cultivated Dormant Dragon Technique and revealed his Fetal Breath Realm breakthrough to Teng Yuansong. When an Ironhide Pig King threatened Linji County, Zhuang Jin intervened and killed it with a powerful palm strike.

• Zhuang Jin used the Dormant Dragon Technique to evade Teng Yuansong’s Martial Intuition, then explained that he had reached the Fetal Breath Realm.
• Teng Yuansong and Zhuang Jin watched soldiers lure the Ironhide Pig King into a trap and attack it with shields, spears, and crossbows.
• Teng Yuansong fired an Armor-Piercing Crossbow bolt, but the Ironhide Pig King broke one tusk and knocked the bolt away.
• Zhuang Jin struck the Ironhide Pig King repeatedly, cracking and stripping away its armor.
• The Ironhide Pig King blasted its armor into golden mist and struck Zhuang Jin, but Zhuang Jin rose into the air and killed it with a Flood Dragon-encircled palm strike.

After the Ironhide Pig King was slain, Zhuang Jin and Teng Yuansong butchered it and shared its meat with the soldiers. Over a meal, Teng Yuansong revealed clues about the Three Innate Gates, leaving Zhuang Jin convinced that the Shen Family’s pills could threaten his chance of reaching the Innate Realm and that he needed other sources of information.

• Teng Yuansong butchered the Ironhide Pig King with Zhuang Jin’s help, explained the value of Beast Cores and Beast Nuclei, and found no Beast Treasure inside the beast.
• Zhuang Jin fed the injured soldiers a stew made from the Ironhide Pig King and sent some of its meat to Chen Yun.
• While roasting meat with Zhuang Jin, Teng Yuansong described Cang Prefecture City’s hierarchy and warned that taking pills to break through bottlenecks might endanger a martial practitioner’s Innate breakthrough.
• Teng Yuansong revealed that he had concealed his cultivation and was actually at the Second Meridian Realm, then shared his lineage’s theory about pills and the Three Innate Gates.
• Zhuang Jin suspected Shen Xianhong had offered him pills as an open scheme that could undermine his Innate prospects, and resolved to seek breakthrough knowledge beyond the Shen Family.

After learning that a Bone Forging Realm Yin Yang Flood Dragon had appeared near Qinghe County, Zhuang Jin decided to join the hunt to seek information about breaking through to the Innate Realm. As rival factions and ranked Fetal Breath experts converged on the beast, he completed the Eight Meridian Realm and secretly left Linji County.

• Zhuang Jin received Shen Xianhong’s letter about the Yin Yang Flood Dragon and decided to travel to Qinghe County to pursue contacts and knowledge rather than the Beast Core.
• Shen Xianhong assigned Shen Xujing and Mu Mingxi to seek the Beast Core while ensuring the Medicine King Gang could not obtain it.
• Shi Yong sent Shi Jie to the hunt and instructed him to conceal his Eight Meridian strength and keep the Shen Family from claiming the Beast Core.
• Yan Shilin and Fang Lifu raced toward the border, while Ning Tongxuan learned of the hunt and flew there on a Great Peng Golden Eagle.
• Zhuang Jin completed the Du Meridian, opened all Twelve Principal and Eight Extraordinary Meridians, and reached the peak of the Great Breath Condensation Realm.
• After making arrangements, Zhuang Jin secretly left Linji County as contenders gathered in Qinghe County.

Zhuang Jin arrived in Qinghe County and watched the Shen Family, Yan Family, Medicine King Gang, and Ning Tongxuan hunt the Yin Yang Flood Dragon. As rain began to fall, he realized the weather could strengthen the dragon and make the battle more dangerous.

• Zhuang Jin heard that the four factions planned to kill the Yin Yang Flood Dragon and divide its spoils, then went to watch their hunt.
• Shi Jie and Fang Lifu dragged the Yin Yang Flood Dragon from the river with a mithril net, but it broke free and fought back against the hunters.
• Ning Tongxuan used his Thousand Silk White Jade Fan to knock the dragon onto the deck and later wounded it with his Golden Wind Jade Dew Fan Strike.
• Shi Jie, Yan Shilin, and Shen Xujing obstructed Mu Mingxi and Ning Tongxuan, preventing them from delivering decisive blows to the dragon.
• Zhuang Jin recognized that the rain could empower the Yin Yang Flood Dragon as the fight continued.

Zhuang Jin rescued Shen Xujing from the Yin Yang Flood Dragon, then met Ning Tongxuan to trade a Profound Connection Pill for knowledge about reaching the Innate Realm. Ning Tongxuan offered the information and a life-preserving secret technique in exchange for Zhuang Jin's help killing the dragon and obtaining its Beast Core.

• The Yin Yang Flood Dragon revealed its storm-born Primordial Flood Dragon form and attacked the gathered fighters, while Yan Shilin and Fang Lifu combined their techniques to blast apart much of a ship.
• Zhuang Jin intervened when the dragon pursued Shen Xujing, splitting its water-and-fire tornado with a strike from his gourd and driving the wounded beast to flee.
• At the county yamen, the factions argued over their failures, while Mu Mingxi and Shen Xujing suspected that the mysterious rescuer was Zhuang Jin.
• Zhuang Jin fought Ning Tongxuan in the rain and used his perfected Black Fiend Palm to interrupt Ning Tongxuan's killing move repeatedly.
• Zhuang Jin offered a Profound Connection Pill for information about the Three Innate Gates and breaking through to the Innate Realm; Ning Tongxuan countered by demanding his help killing the Yin Yang Flood Dragon for its Beast Core.

Ning Tongxuan explained the Three Innate Gates to Zhuang Jin and offered him a way to survive a failed Innate breakthrough. Zhuang Jin agreed to help hunt the Yin Yang Flood Dragon in exchange for breakthrough guidance and the secret method, with their plan set despite the danger.

• Ning Tongxuan explained that passing the Spiritual Gate required awakening Innate Spiritual Light and opening the Mysterious Pass, while the Body Gate tested the strength of a martial practitioner's meridians.
• Ning Tongxuan described the Spirit Gate's danger: a practitioner had to regain control after falling into a self-forgetting state or risk exploding and dying, and he revealed a secret method involving golden needles to release True Qi after a failed breakthrough.
• Ning Tongxuan offered Zhuang Jin the Flood Dragon's body treasures in exchange for helping kill it, and revealed that Corrupting Blood Powder and a Mother-and-Child Magnetic Stone could help track and lure the wounded beast ashore.
• Zhuang Jin questioned the danger of confronting the Yin Yang Flood Dragon in its Primordial Flood Dragon state, and Ning Tongxuan proposed that Zhuang Jin interrupt its breaths while he dealt damage.
• Ning Tongxuan promised breakthrough guidance and the survival method if they obtained the Flood Dragon Pearl, or one of those rewards and a Profound Connection Pill if they failed, and Zhuang Jin agreed to risk helping him.

Zhuang Jin and Ning Tongxuan found the Yin Yang Flood Dragon evolving with a Thunder Origin Stone on Cliffbreak Mountain and joined forces to kill it. They divided the spoils according to their agreement, with Ning Tongxuan taking the Flood Dragon Pearl and Zhuang Jin receiving the Thunder Origin Stone, the corpse, and breakthrough guidance.

• Zhuang Jin and Ning Tongxuan tracked the Yin Yang Flood Dragon to Cliffbreak Mountain and discovered it using a Thunder Origin Stone to evolve into a Primal Chaos Thunder Flood Dragon.
• Ning Tongxuan agreed to give Zhuang Jin the Thunder Origin Stone, and the two attacked before the flood dragon could complete its evolution.
• Zhuang Jin restrained the flood dragon while Ning Tongxuan and the Great Peng Golden Eagle attacked, but their combined technique failed to pierce its Thunder Shield.
• Zhuang Jin coordinated all three of their killing moves into a dark silver dragon that shattered the shield and killed the Yin Yang Flood Dragon.
• Ning Tongxuan took the Flood Dragon Pearl, while Zhuang Jin received the Thunder Origin Stone, the flood dragon corpse, and Ning Tongxuan's guidance on breaking through to the Innate Realm.

Ning Tongxuan displayed the Yin Yang Flood Dragon Pearl, while Zhuang Jin concealed his role in the hunt and strengthened his ties with the Shen Family. As Zhuang Jin’s influence sheltered his subordinates and he assessed the Medicine King Gang’s likely trump card, he completed his Eight Meridian Realm accumulation and prepared to pursue the Innate Realm.

• Ning Tongxuan showed the Flood Dragon Pearl to Shen Xujing, Mu Mingxi, Shi Jie, Yan Shilin, and Fang Lifu, then departed with the Great Peng Golden Eagle as the three sides searched unsuccessfully for the flood dragon’s remains.
• Zhuang Jin met Shen Xujing and Mu Mingxi, credited Ning Tongxuan with killing the flood dragon, and earned Shen Xujing’s trust by explaining the events with a fabricated account.
• Shen Xianhong learned that Zhuang Jin had reached the Fetal Breath Realm and ordered rewards for him and favorable treatment for his trusted subordinates; Mu Mingxi also helped keep Wu Hao and the others away from dangerous assignments.
• Shen Xuchen heard that Zhuang Jin had saved Shen Xujing, while Shi Yong rejected Shi Jie’s plan to attack Zhuang Jin and urged Shi Jie to focus on reaching the Innate Realm.
• Zhuang Jin reviewed the Shen Family’s conflict with the Medicine King Gang, concluded the gang was hiding a trump card, and resolved to accelerate his cultivation using the Yin Yang Flood Dragon Corpse.
• Three months later, Zhuang Jin completed his Eight Meridian Realm accumulation.

Zhuang Jin completed his breakthrough into the Innate Realm after naturally awakening Innate Spiritual Light and overcoming the Spirit Gate. He reflected on the limits of his talent and began assessing the changes to his body and cultivation.

• Zhuang Jin prepared to break through with Chen Yun standing by to puncture his Acupoints if his meridians showed signs of bursting.
• Zhuang Jin shattered medicinal herbs and the Profound Connection Pill to gather Heaven and Earth Origin Energy, then opened the Mysterious Pass and faced the Spirit Gate’s false enlightenment.
• Zhuang Jin recognized the Spirit Gate’s effects without losing control, accelerated the Black Fiend Art, and transformed his Inner Breath into pale silver Innate True Qi.
• Chen Yun saw silver light surrounding Zhuang Jin, and Zhuang Jin completed the breakthrough and concealed his newly elevated aura.
• Teng Yuansong sensed Zhuang Jin’s overwhelming aura at the county office and was startled during his encounter with a woman.
• Zhuang Jin identified three limits of his talent: it required completed cultivation, bypassed metaphysical bottlenecks, and did not protect him from dangers during a breakthrough.

After reaching the Innate Realm, Zhuang Jin chose to remain in Diannan City while he sought cultivation resources and investigated a clue about the Medicine King Gang. His secret report revealed the gang possessed a damaged Mid-grade Azure Origin Pot, prompting Shen Xianhong to recognize an opportunity for the Shen Family and summon the Eldest Young Master.

• Zhuang Jin tested his Innate True Qi and decided to stay in Diannan City until he had obtained an Innate Martial Skill and better cultivation resources.
• While studying bottlenecks, Zhuang Jin realized the Flying Squirrel Bandit's diary suggested the Medicine King Gang had access to medicinal herbs beyond the limits of a Low-grade Azure Origin Pot.
• Zhuang Jin sent his suspicions about the Medicine King Gang's Azure Origin Pot to Shen Xianhong by urgent courier.
• The Shen Family investigated and discovered the Medicine King Gang had a damaged Mid-grade Azure Origin Pot inherited from Chu Yun, the former leader of the Iron Fist Society.
• Shen Xianhong judged the discovery an opportunity for the Shen Family and ordered someone to summon the Eldest Young Master.
• An urgent courier delivered bad news and a summons back to the Prefecture City in Linji County.

After learning that Shen Xuhong had died attempting to break through, Zhuang Jin resolved to return to the Prefecture City and bring the Shen Family and Medicine King Gang’s conflict to an end. He left Linji County with Chen Yun and his companions, welcomed by a vast crowd, while Shi Jie agreed to target him.

• Zhuang Jin learned that Shen Xuhong had died in a failed breakthrough and resolved to approach the Shen Family for the Black Fiend Art’s subsequent Innate Cultivation Method and other resources.
• Shi Jie refused to risk a breakthrough, so Shi Yong tasked him with killing Zhuang Jin and ordered him to hide afterward until he reached the Innate Realm.
• Zhuang Jin and Chen Yun said goodbye to their home and departed Linji County, where a vast crowd brought gifts and gathered to see them off.
• Teng Yuansong gave Zhuang Jin his jade pendant and accepted a Flood Dragon Whip before Zhuang Jin’s fleet sailed away.

Zhuang Jin returned to the Prefecture City as an Innate Martial Practitioner, and Shen Xianhong negotiated an alliance with him to destroy the Medicine King Gang. As the Shen Family’s banquet concealed their preparations, old acquaintances saw how far Zhuang Jin and those around him had risen.

• Shi Jie learned Zhuang Jin had taken the land route to the Prefecture City and decided not to pursue him, relieved to avoid a dangerous fight.
• Shen Xianhong discovered Zhuang Jin had entered the Innate Realm and offered him the Black Fiend Art, an Innate Martial Skill, and a share in the Shen Family’s plans.
• Zhuang Jin rejected the offer to establish a family and proposed involving Prefect Mu Yuantu in a three-on-one attack on Shi Yong, with the Azure Origin Pots divided among the three allies.
• Shen Xianhong accepted Zhuang Jin’s plan, gave him two booklets, and arranged to invite Mu Yuantu that night before attacking Shi Yong the next day.
• At the banquet, Du Shiyuan saw Zhuang Jin’s teacher Ping Yongfeng and attendant Yue Song thriving, and reflected on how Zhuang Jin’s associates had surpassed him.