Chapter Summaries

After breaking through to the Third Meridian, Zhuang Jin accepted Lin Hong into his small circle and arranged to buy medicinal meals from him to speed his cultivation. Meanwhile, Chen Yun learned why Ni Ying had chosen the Inner Courtyard over Zhuang Jin, and Ni Ying resolved to continue on the path she had chosen.

• Tang Wentao and Lin Hong congratulated Zhuang Jin on his breakthrough, and Zhuang Jin learned that Lin Hong had reached the Second Meridian.
• Zhuang Jin invited Lin Hong to join the monthly gatherings with Bi Kai and Qian Wende, and Lin Hong offered to supply him with medicinal meals for three taels of silver a month.
• Zhuang Jin paid Lin Hong four taels for the rest of the month and the following month, hoping the meals would help him reach the Fourth Meridian before his Self-selected Mission ended.
• Chen Yun asked Ni Ying about her reaction to Zhuang Jin's breakthrough, and Ni Ying explained that she had chosen the Inner Courtyard Maid selection instead of choosing Zhuang Jin.
• Chen Yun warned Ni Ying that the Inner Courtyard brought hardship and scheming, but Ni Ying said she had no choice but to continue along the path she had chosen.

Zhuang Jin advanced to the Third Meridian Realm and became a Three-Insignia Servant, choosing a safe Martial Arts Instructor assignment at the Shen Family Headquarters. The chapter ended with an injured Xiang Qichen seeing Zhuang Jin’s new servant clothes and anxiously asking what had happened.

• Zhuang Jin focused his nightly extra training hour on cultivation and received Lin Hong’s medicinal meals, though their effect was limited.
• At the end-of-month gathering, Bi Kai, Wu Hao, Qian Wende, Lin Hong, and Zhuang Jin celebrated Zhuang Jin’s breakthrough, and Zhuang Jin heard that Xiang Qichen had been injured pursuing dangerous fights.
• On March first, Zhuang Jin passed the Glazed Realm-Testing Puppet test, became a Three-Insignia Servant, and received new clothes, a larger room, and better access to Exotic Beast Meat.
• Zhuang Jin collected his stipend and assignment pay, then registered as a Martial Arts Instructor teaching Formal Martial Artists at the Shen Family Headquarters.
• At the entrance, Xiang Qichen saw Zhuang Jin’s new clothes and, despite suspecting the answer, asked him what had happened.

Zhuang Jin advanced to the Third Meridian and began teaching Black Fiend Palm, while Xiang Qichen struggled with his setbacks and Zhou Chao feared Zhuang Jin would retaliate against him. Meanwhile, Guo Jun discovered that Hou Yong had died, and Hou Yong’s family failed to get the yamen to investigate his suspicious drowning.

• Zhuang Jin told Xiang Qichen that he had reached the Third Meridian, then Xiang Qichen saw Lin Hong had advanced to the Two Meridian Realm and questioned his own martial path.
• Zhuang Jin arrived at Training Ground No. 28 to teach Black Fiend Palm, alarming Zhou Chao, who had talked back to him the previous month.
• Zhuang Jin explained the assessment and taught the class impartially before leaving to cultivate, while Zhou Chao avoided seeking his help afterward.
• Guo Jun went looking for Hou Yong after his monthly tribute did not arrive and learned that Hou Yong had died.
• Hou Yong’s family repeatedly challenged the yamen’s ruling that Hou Yong and his two guards had drowned, but the officials dismissed their complaints.

After learning that Hou Yong had died, Guo Jun grew afraid that Zhuang Jin would eventually kill him and secretly investigated Zhuang Jin’s background. He discovered Zhuang Jin’s family address and prepared an anonymous letter for Zhuang Yutang, while Zhuang Jin remained unaware of his suspicions.

• Guo Jun heard Hou Yong’s family describe the death and accepted the yamen’s verdict, then suspected Zhuang Jin had killed Hou Yong.
• Guo Huai warned Guo Jun that Zhuang Jin was a rising talent with influential supporters, and Guo Jun hid his grudge and abandoned plans to challenge him directly.
• Zhuang Jin continued teaching Martial Skills and cultivating, while his friendly greetings made Guo Jun increasingly anxious.
• Guo Jun secretly searched the Shen Family archives and found Zhuang Jin’s registration, including his native place and address.
• Guo Jun investigated Zhuang Jin’s family background and wrote an anonymous letter to Zhuang Yutang using his left hand.

Zhuang Yutang learned that Zhuang Jin had advanced to the Third Meridian and discussed with Zhuang Yuyong how to kill him before he grew stronger. They planned to wait for Zhuang Jin to leave the Shen Family Headquarters, while hoping that his enemies within the Shen Family would eliminate him first.

• A beggar delivered Zhuang Yutang a letter revealing that Zhuang Jin had joined the Shen Family, become a Formal Martial Artist, and reached the Third Meridian.
• Zhuang Yutang told Zhuang Yuyong about Zhuang Jin, and the brothers regretted failing to kill him earlier after taking his family’s property and canceling his household registration.
• Zhuang Yuyong said they had to eliminate Zhuang Jin before he reached the Fourth Meridian, but admitted they could not attack him inside the Shen Family Headquarters.
• The brothers planned to watch for Zhuang Jin to leave the headquarters after his Self-selected Missions ended, expecting North of the City to be his likeliest assignment.
• Zhuang Yutang took comfort in the possibility that someone else who had made Zhuang Jin an enemy might kill him first.

Zhuang Jin spent two months cultivating relentlessly, nearing the Fourth Meridian while exhausting most of his savings. As his friends faced new assignments and Wu Hao was sent to dangerous South of the City, Zhuang Jin prepared to take a Squad Leader post in North of the City after his Novice Protection Period ended.

• Zhuang Jin cultivated for more than six hours a day, earning the nickname "Martial Maniac" as Ping Yongfeng supported him with meals and Chang Hetong praised his diligence.
• By the end of March, Zhuang Jin had accumulated more than half of the Three Meridian Realm requirements, while his cultivation expenses left him with only a few taels of silver.
• Lin Hong, Bi Kai, and Qian Wende had reached the Second Meridian, but Wu Hao had not and expected to be assigned to South of the City; Zhuang Jin and the others advised him to cooperate with teammates and avoid stronger opponents.
• Xiong Lei greeted Zhuang Jin warmly at the assignment hall, while Xiang Qichen kept his distance; Lin Hong, Bi Kai, and Wu Hao then received their new assignments, with Wu Hao sent to South of the City.
• Zhuang Jin spent April focused on cultivation and nearly reached the Fourth Meridian, but fell just short before his Novice Protection Period ended; he learned he would be assigned to North of the City and planned to avoid patrols until he broke through.

Zhuang Yutang and Zhuang Yuyong plotted an ambush against Zhuang Jin, expecting him to be assigned to North of the City. Zhuang Jin arrived at Furong Street for his new post, where his squad leaders welcomed him and arranged a feast.

• Zhuang Yuyong predicted Zhuang Jin would be assigned to North of the City and proposed an ambush with other Three Meridian Warriors; Zhuang Yutang urged him to coordinate a joint night raid for a guaranteed kill.
• Zhuang Yutang and Zhuang Yuyong finalized their plan and dismissed the possibility that Zhuang Jin could reach the Fourth Meridian.
• On the first day of May, Zhuang Jin collected his pay and learned he had been assigned to Furong Street with Qian Wende, while Lin Hong and others were posted elsewhere in North of the City.
• Zhuang Jin heard that Jiao Kun had been crippled after fighting in South of the City, while Wu Hao described the danger there and showed new resolve.
• Zhuang Jin and Qian Wende arrived at Furong Street, where Squad Leaders Ke Jingxing and Song Jie received them and told Zhuang Jin that Section Guardian Duan planned a welcoming feast at Jinhua Tower.

Zhuang Jin took charge of his squad on Furong Street and learned about its work and members. After Qian Wende warned him that sole survivor Jiang Wei seemed suspicious, Zhuang Jin began to reconsider the old hand’s intentions.

• Ke Jingxing showed Zhuang Jin his courtyard and explained the Squad Leader’s duties, benefits, and the Medicine King Gang ambush that had left Jiang Wei as the only survivor of the previous squad.
• Zhuang Jin met his four subordinates: Du Yunqi, Zhou Chao, Jiang Wei, and Pan Zimo, including two former students he recognized.
• Jiang Wei described the squad’s street duties, offered to buy bedding and supplies for Zhuang Jin, and returned the change after making the purchases.
• Zhuang Jin sent Jiang Wei to familiarize Du Yunqi, Zhou Chao, and Pan Zimo with the area while he prepared to cultivate.
• Qian Wende warned Zhuang Jin that Jiang Wei might be untrustworthy because he alone had survived the previous squad’s ambush, prompting Zhuang Jin to grow suspicious.

Zhuang Jin suspected Jiang Wei had pocketed money and asked Qian Wende to investigate, while keeping his suspicions hidden from Jiang Wei. At a welcome banquet on Fuchang Street, Zhuang Jin reunited with Gao Shi, who silently urged him to strike him so they would not appear close across their rival factions.

• Qian Wende accused Jiang Wei of pocketing half the money Zhuang Jin had paid for supplies, and Zhuang Jin wondered whether Jiang Wei was desperate for money or expected never to be held accountable.
• Zhuang Jin privately asked Qian Wende to investigate his suspicions, which might be connected to the previous Squad Leader's ambush, then returned to cultivation.
• Jiang Wei and the other subordinates returned from patrol, and Zhuang Jin acted as though he knew nothing about Jiang Wei's alleged theft before leading them to a welcome banquet at Jinhua Tower.
• At Jinhua Tower, Zhuang Jin saw Zhou Yuan humiliate Gao Shi by kicking him down the stairs and helped him up.
• Gao Shi recognized Zhuang Jin and silently urged him to hit him, so Zhuang Jin struck him with his palm to conceal their connection.

Zhuang Jin met Furong Street’s Guardian Duan Tao at a meal and deftly won his favor while avoiding a clash with the Medicine King Gang. After drawing a later night-duty shift, Zhuang Jin returned to cultivation, where the familiar sensation of an imminent breakthrough arose.

• Zhuang Jin restrained Jiang Wei and his companions from confronting the Medicine King Gang Martial Artists, and both groups left without further trouble.
• Duan Tao tested Zhuang Jin’s attitude at the meal, but Zhuang Jin acknowledged his talent, pledged obedience, and earned the Guardian’s goodwill.
• Zhuang Jin drew a Middle-Top Lot, assigning his squad its first night shift on the third day.
• Zhuang Yuyong greeted Leader Yu in another room at Jinhua Tower.
• Zhuang Jin continued cultivating until his meridians began to swell with a familiar sensation.

Zhuang Jin broke through to the Four Meridian Realm and learned that Jiang Wei’s gambling debts might connect him to the Medicine King Gang’s ambush. He decided to keep his advancement quiet and focus on mastering Black Fiend Palm before acting against the gang.

• Zhuang Jin completed his accumulation in the Three Meridian Realm and broke through to the Four Meridian Realm.
• Qian Wende told Zhuang Jin that Jiang Wei had gambling debts and had sold his house, leading Zhuang Jin to suspect the Medicine King Gang had seized him.
• Zhuang Jin considered his finances and the Medicine King Gang’s strength, and resolved to prepare for the possibility that Leader Yu was holding the field.
• Zhuang Jin decided to conceal his breakthrough and spend the next seven or eight days pushing Black Fiend Palm to Minor Mastery, with Ke Jingxing covering his night watch.

Zhuang Jin hired Ke Jingxing and his squad to cover two night watches while he trained the Black Fiend Palm, and he grew suspicious of Jiang Wei after Du Yunqi and Pan Zimo privately reported that Jiang Wei seemed wrong. Meanwhile, Zhuang Yutang and Zhuang Yuyong’s planned ambush was thwarted twice, leaving them debating whether to keep waiting for Zhuang Jin to take a shift.

• Zhuang Jin paid Ke Jingxing to cover his night watch and asked him to bring his own squad, then told Jiang Wei and the others he was paying the expenses himself so he could cultivate.
• Zhuang Jin again hired Ke Jingxing to cover the shift on the sixth, noticed Jiang Wei’s forced smile, and learned that Du Yunqi and Pan Zimo both suspected something was wrong with Jiang Wei.
• Zhuang Jin wondered whether the Section Guardian suspected Jiang Wei, the sole survivor of the previous month’s ambush, and reflected that everyone seemed to be acting.
• Zhuang Yutang and Zhuang Yuyong learned that Zhuang Jin had avoided their planned ambush twice by arranging shift coverage.
• Zhuang Yuyong argued that they should wait for Zhuang Jin to take a shift, while cautious Zhuang Yutang feared waiting would give him time to advance.

Duan Tao accepted Zhuang Yutang’s silver to send Zhuang Jin on night patrol, while Zhuang Jin reached minor accomplishment in Black Fiend Palm and sensed that trouble was approaching. Duan Tao then banned patrol substitutions and Zhuang Jin prepared to lead his squad on patrol as Zhuang Yuyong’s plot against him took shape on Fuqing Street.

• Duan Tao failed to persuade the Brotherhood to submit, and Zhuang Yutang paid him one hundred and fifty taels to send Zhuang Jin on regular night patrol.
• Zhuang Jin practiced Black Fiend Palm until he reached minor accomplishment, then watched Duan Tao return to the street garrison and looked toward Fuqing Street.
• Duan Tao rebuked Zhuang Jin for having others cover his patrols and banned all patrol substitutions without his approval.
• Zhuang Jin told Qian Wende and Ke Jingxing that his squad would handle that night’s patrol, while Jiang Wei asked whether Zhuang Jin had broken through his barrier.
• Zhuang Yuyong gathered martial artists and allies on Fuqing Street to plan against Zhuang Jin, and Gao Shi recognized Zhuang Jin’s name while serving them food.

Gao Shi overheard Zhuang Yuyong’s plan to kill Zhuang Jin but chose not to warn him, while Zhuang Jin’s squad set out unaware that Jiang Wei was involved in the plot. When masked attackers ambushed them, Zhuang Jin welcomed the overwhelming force as an opportunity to earn battle merit.

• Gao Shi learned that Zhuang Yuyong and his allies planned to ambush Zhuang Jin, but decided not to warn him after recalling his own betrayal by Zhou Yuan.
• Zhuang Yuyong and the others prepared to attack Zhuang Jin, confident that their operation would not be exposed.
• Zhuang Jin led his squad on patrol, while Du Yunqi and Pan Zimo suspected danger and Jiang Wei nervously carried a sachet.
• Masked attackers surrounded the squad and launched concealed weapons; Jiang Wei’s signal firework was broken, so Du Yunqi and Pan Zimo fired a spare to summon reinforcements.
• Zhuang Jin saw that the ambush force included four Three Meridian Warriors and ten lower-ranked fighters, and eagerly anticipated the battle merit he could gain.

Zhuang Jin and his squad ambushed the Medicine King Gang, and Zhuang Jin revealed his Fourth Meridian strength by defeating their fighters and killing Zhuang Yuyong. He then confronted Yu Shen, the gang’s Minor Incense Master, and their first exchange showed that Zhuang Jin’s Black Fiend Palm could match him.

• Zhuang Jin scattered Iron Caltrops to cripple the weaker Medicine King Gang fighters, then defeated four Three Meridian Warriors with his superior realm.
• Zhuang Jin unmasked Zhuang Yuyong, thanked him for bringing the attackers, and cut off his head despite a warning to stop.
• Du Yunqi and the others killed the weakened enemies and collected their heads for battle merits.
• Yu Shen arrived and forced Du Yunqi’s group back, while Jiang Wei recognized him and feared his own betrayal would be exposed.
• Zhuang Jin exchanged Black Fiend Palm strikes with Yu Shen, matched his veteran opponent, and rushed in to attack again.

Zhuang Jin gained the upper hand over Yu Shen, and Duan Tao joined him to kill the Medicine King Gang’s Fourth Meridian Martial Artist. Duan Tao credited Zhuang Jin with Yu Shen’s battle merits and offered to help punish the clerk who had arranged his night watch.

• Zhuang Jin gradually suppressed Yu Shen in their fight, forcing Yu Shen to flee.
• Duan Tao appeared and ambushed Yu Shen as he tried to escape, then joined Zhuang Jin in attacking him.
• Zhuang Jin struck Yu Shen’s back, and Duan Tao finished him with a palm to the forehead.
• Du Yunqi and the others prepared to pursue the fleeing Medicine King Gang members, but Zhuang Jin told them not to chase.
• Duan Tao praised Zhuang Jin, promised him all the battle merits for Yu Shen’s death, and offered to seek justice against the clerk who had assigned him night watch.

Duan Tao and Zhuang Jin seized the chance to attack the Medicine King Gang’s Fuqing Street stronghold after Yu Shen’s death, while Zhuang Yutang waited nearby, unaware that his plot had failed. The chapter left Zhuang Yutang shocked by the news that Yu Shen was dead and his forces were under attack.

• Duan Tao proposed counterattacking Fuqing Street and asked Zhuang Jin whether he would deal with the traitor Jiang Wei.
• Jiang Wei confessed to betraying them, and Zhuang Jin killed him with a palm strike that revealed his Black Fiend Palm had reached minor mastery.
• Duan Tao led Zhuang Jin, Ke Jingxing, Song Jie, and their men to attack the Medicine King Gang’s Fuqing Street stronghold.
• The attackers overwhelmed the weakened gang, and Zhuang Jin killed a fleeing Two-Meridian Martial Artist while Gao Shi survived by staying away from the stronghold.
• Zhuang Yutang recalled how he had arranged for Yu Shen to stop Duan Tao, then heard that Yu Shen was dead and fell from his bed in shock.

Zhuang Yutang learned that Zhuang Jin had reached the Fourth Meridian Realm and fled plans for his family to escape Diannan City. Meanwhile, Zhuang Jin and Duan Tao seized two streets and reported their victory to Xing Yan, who approved their actions and heard about Zhuang Jin’s family grudge.

• Zhuang Yutang learned that Zhuang Jin and Duan Tao had killed Yu Shen, feared Zhuang Jin’s breakthrough, and decided to flee Diannan City with his family.
• Duan Tao and Zhuang Jin captured the Medicine King Gang’s Qingfu Street base, then took Fuchang Street after the Brotherhood surrendered.
• Duan Tao brought Zhuang Jin to meet Xing Yan, the Town Garrison Commander of East Bridge Dock, and reported how they had captured the two streets.
• Xing Yan praised their victory, recognized Zhuang Jin’s strength and talent, and ruled that their actions against the Medicine King Gang were justified.
• Duan Tao raised Zhuang Yutang’s involvement, and Zhuang Jin explained his grudge against Zhuang Yutang and Zhuang Yuyong.

Zhuang Jin secured Xing Yan’s help to strip Zhuang Yutang of his office and arrest him, then killed him and his family after confronting him about their crimes. With his inherited grudge settled, Zhuang Jin turned his attention to the suspected betrayal by Guo Jun as Duan Tao arrived with news of his rewards.

• Xing Yan promised to use his connections to have Zhuang Yutang stripped of office and arrested, while Zhuang Jin declined an invitation to work at East Bridge Dock.
• Zhuang Jin met Zhuang Yutang at his residence with Sergeant Song and the yamen runners, who presented the arrest order and announced his dismissal.
• Zhuang Jin confronted Zhuang Yutang with his brother’s head and killed him after rejecting his pleas for mercy; Zhuang Yutang’s family emerged grieving.
• Zhuang Jin told Sergeant Song that Zhuang Yutang had resisted arrest and his family had killed themselves, then left feeling that his inherited grudge had been settled.
• Zhuang Jin suspected Guo Jun had exposed his background and resolved to confirm it after returning to Shen Family Headquarters.
• Duan Tao arrived at Furong Street and told Zhuang Jin that the battle merits and rewards for taking two streets had been tallied.

After earning a large reward for defending Furong Street, Zhuang Jin returned to the Shen Family Headquarters, registered his promotion to Fourth Meridian and One-Striped House Guard, and learned the benefits and marriage arrangements that came with his new rank. He was then approached by Yue Song, who offered to buy his Meridian Soothing Pill.

• Duan Tao awarded Zhuang Jin 842 Merit Points and a Meridian Soothing Pill for taking the street, and invited him to return to the Shen Family Headquarters.
• Zhuang Jin passed the Glazed Realm-Testing Puppet and registered his promotion to Fourth Meridian and One-Striped House Guard.
• Yue Song explained Zhuang Jin's new benefits and asked whether he would accept an arranged marriage with an Outer Courtyard Maid.
• Zhuang Jin agreed to the marriage arrangement but postponed choosing a maid until he could consider the candidates.
• Yue Song offered to buy Zhuang Jin's Meridian Soothing Pill and owe him a favor.