Chapter Summaries

Meng Zhao fought Red Lotus Monk and Black Robe Dharma King on White Bottle Mountain, revealing overwhelming power after all three manifested their Martial Dao Dharma Forms. He drove the two Dharma Kings into retreat, while onlookers began to question the legends about Gebhu Dharma King.

• Meng Zhao battled Red Lotus Monk and Black Robe Dharma King for more than thirty exchanges, matching their close-combat techniques.
• Red Lotus Monk manifested a seventy-two-petaled flame lotus, Black Robe Dharma King transformed into a four-armed Asura, and Meng Zhao assumed his nearly twenty-seven-zhang True Dragon Dharma Form.
• The three Dharma Forms shook White Bottle Mountain, and Meng Zhao gradually overwhelmed the two Pudu Cult Dharma Kings with relentless attacks.
• A ferocious great monk and a smiling young man watched in disbelief as Red Lotus Monk and Black Robe Dharma King struggled against Meng Zhao, reconsidering the rumors about Gebhu Dharma King.
• Meng Zhao's confidence and his connection to White Bottle Mountain strengthened him while suppressing his opponents, allowing him to force the two Dharma Kings into retreat.

Meng Zhao overwhelmed Red Lotus Monk and the Black Robe Dharma King, forcing them to activate the Pudu Cult’s Demonic Buddha Sarira. The sarira manifested a terrifying fifty-zhang demonic buddha, leaving the battle poised to escalate.

• Meng Zhao’s True Dragon Dharma Form and dragon roar suppressed Red Lotus Monk and the Black Robe Dharma King, who realized they could not defeat him through martial arts alone.
• Red Lotus Monk brought out the Demonic Buddha Sarira, one of the Pudu Cult’s six treasures, while the Black Robe Dharma King joined him to activate it.
• The two Dharma Kings combined Buddhist and demonic intent and poured their true qi into the sarira.
• The sarira emitted immense black-and-gold light and formed a fifty-zhang statue, half decayed demon and half powerful buddha.
• The demonic buddha’s aura overwhelmed creatures within thirty li, forcing Niu Dali, Yuan Bin, the fierce great monk, and the young man resembling Maitreya to focus on resisting it.

The Demonic buddha Dharma Body overwhelmed Meng Zhao, suppressing his True Essence and leaving him and his allies facing certain defeat. Meng Zhao revealed the Emperor Yu Battle Armor, whose Azure Dragon Soul began to break through the Dharma Body’s oppressive aura.

• The Demonic buddha Dharma Body shattered Meng Zhao’s True Dragon Dharma Form and sent him crashing to the ground, unable to move freely.
• Niu Dali and Yuan Bin saw Meng Zhao fall, lost control of their True Essence, and suffered internal injuries as despair overtook them.
• The Dharma Body’s aura damaged Meng Zhao’s wooden sword and erased the aura he had left on it.
• Meng Zhao opened the sealed treasure at his brow and summoned the deep azure Emperor Yu Battle Armor from his flesh.
• The armor’s Azure Dragon Soul roared, scattering the dark clouds, lightning, and winds that had covered the area.

Meng Zhao’s Azure Dragon Battle Armor broke through the pressure of the Demonic buddha Dharma Body, astonishing the onlookers and giving them hope. The armor’s origins remained unknown as the two powerful forces prepared to clash.

• Meng Zhao appeared in the Azure Dragon Battle Armor, dispersing part of the Demonic buddha Dharma Body’s aura and easing the pressure on Yuan Bin, Niu Dali, and the others.
• The plump young man wondered whether the armor could rival the Demonic Buddha Sarira and feared that their side might be in danger if it failed.
• Fierce Monk grew even more convinced of Yuan Bin’s strength and treated the armor as another extraordinary treasure at his disposal.
• The battle-armored man told Niu Dali that Yuan Bin had won his full submission, and Niu Dali vowed to follow Yuan Bin if he survived.
• The battle-armored man concluded that the Azure Dragon Battle Armor was an Exotic Treasure rather than a divine ability, while the Demonic buddha Dharma Body still stood ready to fight.

After escaping Taoyun Residence, Meng Zhao, Niu Dali, and Yuan Bin camped on an abandoned path to evade the Pudu Cult. Niu Dali asked how Meng Zhao had defeated the Demonic buddha incarnation, but the chapter ended before Meng Zhao explained the sudden collapse that turned the battle in his favor.

• Meng Zhao and his companions settled beside a bonfire after leaving Taoyun Residence and avoiding the Pudu Cult.
• Niu Dali asked Meng Zhao how he had defeated the Demonic buddha incarnation after they had seemed evenly matched.
• The narration recalled how Meng Zhao used the Emperor Yu Battle Armor to withstand the incarnation's three powerful attacks.
• The Demonic buddha incarnation suddenly collapsed, allowing Meng Zhao to grievously injure Red Lotus Monk and the Black Robe Dharma King and win the battle.

Meng Zhao explained that the Demonic Buddha Dharma Body had collapsed because Red Lotus Monk and the Black Robe Dharma King lacked the strength and mental power to sustain it, while his armor let him survive their attacks. The Pudu Cult members escaped, and Meng Zhao reflected on what he had learned from the battle.

• Niu Dali and Yuan Bin asked Meng Zhao how he had defeated the Demonic Buddha Dharma Body.
• Meng Zhao explained that the Dharma Body collapsed when its users ran out of true qi and mental strength.
• Niu Dali and Yuan Bin admitted they had overestimated Meng Zhao’s methods because they revered him.
• Meng Zhao reasoned that his armor and other advantages had let him endure long enough for the Dharma Body to fail.
• Meng Zhao had spared the weakened Pudu Cult members, fearing the Pudu Cult Master might be nearby.
• Meng Zhao spent the day reviewing the battle and absorbing its lessons into his martial arts.

After returning to Kunnan Prefecture City from White Bottle Mountain, Meng Zhao arranged lodging for Niu Dali and Yuan Bin, then met Li Jing Tian, a physician and trusted subordinate whose pharmacy had given him connections across the city. Meng Zhao prepared to use Li Jing Tian's network against the growing threat of the Pudu Cult.

• Meng Zhao reflected on his gains from White Bottle Mountain and the danger of his feud with the Pudu Cult, but believed his strength and backing would protect him.
• Niu Dali and Yuan Bin resolved their doubts and followed Meng Zhao back to Kunnan Prefecture City, where Yuan Bin secretly dealt with suspected Pudu Cult pursuers.
• Meng Zhao lodged Niu Dali, Yuan Bin, and the others at the Chen Family's residence, then went alone to Li's Pharmacy.
• Li Jing Tian welcomed Meng Zhao privately and bowed to him as his subordinate.
• Meng Zhao recalled how Li Jing Tian had built medical skill, wealth, and local connections with his support, and decided to use him sooner than planned because of the Pudu Cult.

Meng Zhao tasked Li Jing Tian with investigating the Pudu Cult and secretly supporting the Chen Family in Kunnan Prefecture City. Li Jing Tian accepted, strengthening Meng Zhao’s influence in Yanzhou through his medical connections and the Chen Family’s local ties.

• Li Jing Tian reported that he had used his medical skills to build connections with prominent figures in Kunnan Prefecture City, and Meng Zhao urged him to expand that network independently.
• Meng Zhao ordered Li Jing Tian to gather detailed intelligence on the Pudu Cult, including its organization, influence, and activities.
• Li Jing Tian described the cult’s supposed healing powers and suspected that wealthy followers had joined through coercion or deception, offering to investigate them as a possible entry point.
• Meng Zhao warned Li Jing Tian to prioritize his safety and return to Lingwu City if the investigation became dangerous.
• Meng Zhao asked Li Jing Tian to secretly look after the Chen Family, which he considered one of his pieces in Yanzhou, while the family operated openly.

Meng Zhao learned that a bloody struggle in Lingwu City had destroyed or driven out four aristocratic families, and that rumors linked the violence to the Li Family. He explained the Li Family’s suspected ties to the southern rebellion to Li Jing Tian, leaving him shaken as Great Yong’s unrest continued to spread.

• Meng Zhao asked Li Jing Tian for news from Lingwu City while he had been away.
• Li Jing Tian reported that a chaotic brawl had led to three aristocratic families being exterminated and a fourth fleeing, while Liang Muqiu’s people claimed a small share of the spoils.
• Li Jing Tian said rumors connected the slaughter to the Li Family, prompting Meng Zhao to question why it would interfere in Lingwu City.
• Meng Zhao revealed that the Li Family was rumored to have secretly orchestrated unrest in Xu Prefecture and supported the Rebel Army.
• Li Jing Tian grew alarmed as Meng Zhao described how the rebellion had spread and how ambitious forces such as the Pudu Cult threatened Great Yong.

Meng Zhao and Li Jing Tian discussed why the Li Family had sent people north amid its conflict with the Beitang Imperial Clan. They concluded the family might be seeking allies, military supplies, or talent, but its conspicuous violence in Lingwu City remained unexplained.

• Li Jing Tian asked whether Meng Zhao's revelations about the Li Family were true, and Meng Zhao explained that outside pressure might have forced the family into a desperate gamble against the Beitang Imperial Clan.
• Li Jing Tian suggested the Li Family had come north to seek allies and establish a foothold, and Meng Zhao agreed that destabilizing the peaceful northern provinces could pressure the imperial clan.
• Li Jing Tian proposed that the Li Family might instead be buying military supplies and recruiting capable figures to sustain its southern rebellion, and Meng Zhao considered this plausible.
• Meng Zhao reasoned that the Li Family could also seek smaller northern disturbances or recruit experts, but he found its violent, high-profile actions in Lingwu City difficult to explain, especially with Beitang He and Beitang Ang nearby.

Meng Zhao returned to Lingwu City with Niu Dali, Yuan Bin, and Chen Tai, while Li Jing Tian warned him that jealous young martial artists might challenge his growing reputation. At the wharf, two formidable men blocked their path without showing hostility.

• Li Jing Tian warned Meng Zhao to be wary of the Li Family's visitors and other young martial artists who resented his fame.
• Meng Zhao ordered Li Jing Tian to arrange ship tickets to Lingwu City and remained confident that he could protect himself.
• Two days later, Meng Zhao, Niu Dali, Yuan Bin, and Chen Tai arrived at the wharf outside Lingwu City.
• Chen Tai clutched his family heirloom sword nervously as he entered the unfamiliar city under Meng Zhao's guidance.
• Two imposing men approached Meng Zhao's group and blocked their way with powerful, aggressive auras.

Meng Zhao and his companions were stopped by two men sent to invite him for tea, but their coercive approach provoked Niu Dali. Meng Zhao refused to be led away, and the men tried to tempt him by hinting at their master's identity.

• Niu Dali stepped forward and used a powerful sound-wave technique to confront the two men blocking their path.
• The burly man dispersed Niu Dali's attack and invited Meng Zhao to tea on his master's behalf.
• Niu Dali demanded that the men leave, while the iron-sword wielder challenged his authority as Meng Zhao's servant.
• Meng Zhao suppressed Niu Dali's aura and warned the men that the docks would become a battlefield if they did not leave.
• One of the men asked whether Meng Zhao wanted to know who had sent them.

Meng Zhao agreed to meet a member of the Li Family after recognizing the motives behind their invitation and hearing Yuan Bin warn him about the clan’s arrogance. He led his companions to a teahouse near the docks, where the meeting awaited.

• Meng Zhao identified the Li Family and told its envoys to return, warning that fame mattered less than Martial Dao Cultivation.
• Li Qiuhe acknowledged Meng Zhao’s insight, revealed that he had been ordered to invite him for tea and a Martial Dao exchange, and asked him to come.
• Meng Zhao stopped Niu Dali from confronting the envoys and agreed to meet the Li Family member to avoid a fight at the docks.
• Yuan Bin warned Meng Zhao that the Li Family was domineering and recounted how a Yuan Family descendant had been crippled and the family forced to apologize.
• Meng Zhao reassured Yuan Bin and led the group toward a teahouse near the docks, while Niu Dali stopped Yuan Bin from sending a message to the Meng Family.

Meng Zhao and his companions met three members of the Imperial Tang Li Family at an emptied teahouse, where the Li descendants waited with deliberate arrogance. Meng Zhao calmly assessed them, including a formidable middle-aged man whose strength he could not gauge.

• Meng Zhao's group entered the teahouse and saw three richly dressed Li Family members surrounded by innate martial artist servants.
• Two men reported to their young master that they had brought Meng Zhao, while Niu Dali muttered about the Li Family's contemptuous manner.
• Yuan Bin recognized the Li Family's ingrained superiority and prepared to release his exotic insects if a fight began.
• Chen Tai clenched his fist at the Li Family's disdain, while Meng Zhao smiled and examined the three seated figures.
• Meng Zhao noticed that the middle-aged man's concealed strength escaped his Emperor's Qi Gazing Technique and that the young man was exceptionally handsome.

Meng Zhao met the Li Family’s hidden prodigy and the celebrated Peng City Pearl at a teahouse, where each of them perceived a different side of him. His spiritual intuition also detected a concealed Grandmaster-level expert in the inn.

• Meng Zhao appraised the Li Family’s exceptionally gifted young man and formidable woman, then approached their table.
• Meng Zhao introduced himself as the guest invited by the Li Family’s warrior and offered greetings.
• The middle-aged man, the young man, and the woman each perceived a different aspect of Meng Zhao, shaped by his spiritual cultivation and Emperor's Qi Gazing Technique.
• The woman resented Meng Zhao’s apparent indifference to her beauty, while the young man recognized his formidable presence.
• Meng Zhao sensed another supreme expert hidden in the inn, likely already in the Grandmaster realm.

Meng Zhao met Li Ya'er and the Li siblings at Intuition Teahouse, where Li Xingchen asked about Meng Zhao's famed battle at Mingxiu Lake. Li Ya'er grew interested in recruiting Meng Zhao as the Meng and Lei Families competed for power in Ji Prefecture.

• Meng Zhao sensed an unfathomable aura at Intuition Teahouse and suspected its owner was a Grandmaster.
• Li Ya'er introduced his nephew Li Xingchen and niece Li Xinglu to Meng Zhao, then chatted with him until the atmosphere grew friendly.
• Li Ya'er gave Li Xingchen the chance to speak with Meng Zhao.
• Li Xingchen asked Meng Zhao whether he had defeated the Lei Family experts and slain the Green Frog Poison Newt at Mingxiu Lake.
• Meng Zhao acknowledged the battle but downplayed the praise, and Li Ya'er admired his modesty and considered recruiting him.

Li Ya'er weighed the balance between the Meng and Lei Families and resolved to prevent Li Xingchen from antagonizing Meng Zhao. Li Xingchen then shocked everyone by revealing that sixteen-year-old Shen Tianci had perfected his Innate cultivation and could soon enter the Grandmaster Realm, leaving Meng Zhao to reconsider how he compared.

• Li Ya'er concluded that Meng Zhao's rise could eventually let the Meng Family overwhelm the Lei Family, making an alliance valuable to the Li Family.
• Li Ya'er secretly decided to stop Li Xingchen from becoming enemies with Meng Zhao before the family's plans were ruined.
• Li Xingchen criticized Meng Zhao's humility and questioned whether he deserved to be compared with Shen Tianci.
• Li Xingchen revealed that Shen Tianci had forged his own martial path, perfected his Innate Realm, and could enter the Grandmaster Realm with an opportunity.
• Meng Zhao was shaken by the comparison and suspected Shen Tianci's advancement was connected to the treasure from the Tuxiu Treasure's final hall.

Li Xingchen revealed his resentment at being kept out of the public eye and challenged Meng Zhao’s standing beside Shen Tianci. Meng Zhao answered that he could fight Shen Tianci on even terms, earning Li Xingchen’s respect, but Li Xingchen remained determined to make his own name.

• Li Ya'er asked Li Xingchen why he had secretly visited the Jinling Shen Family and met Shen Tianci.
• Li Xingchen explained that he had gone because he resented being hidden by the Li Family despite his talent and wanted to compete for fame.
• Li Xingchen questioned whether Meng Zhao deserved to be compared with Shen Tianci, provoking anger from Niu Dali and Yuan Bin.
• Meng Zhao acknowledged Shen Tianci’s advantages but said he was now confident their fight would be evenly matched, and noted that others had arranged the comparison between them.
• Li Xingchen accepted that Meng Zhao qualified to stand alongside Shen Tianci, then described his own cultivation and declared that he refused to remain unknown.

Li Xingchen unleashed his suppressed strength and challenged Meng Zhao, seeking to prove the Xuzhou Li Family had a prodigy who could rival the Southern Shen and Northern Meng. When a hidden master swordsman appeared, Meng Zhao focused on him, enraging Li Xingchen, who launched a Sword Finger strike at Meng Zhao.

• Li Xingchen revealed that he had entered the Innate Martial Dao at nineteen and reached Eight Apertures, then explained why he had come north to fight Meng Zhao.
• Li Xingchen released his powerful vital force, forcing Li Ya'er, Li Xinglu, and the nearby guards to retreat while Meng Zhao remained unaffected.
• A concealed middle-aged master swordsman appeared at the stairs, and Meng Zhao recognized him as a master-level powerhouse and Li Xingchen's former teacher.
• Meng Zhao turned his attention to the swordsman, making Li Xingchen feel dismissed and causing his fury to erupt.
• Li Xingchen thrust a Sword Finger strike at Meng Zhao, sending a crystal-like sword aura more than a zhang toward him.

Meng Zhao effortlessly swallowed Li Xingchen’s first sword, while the Li Family explained the Mountain Sea Hidden Dragon Sword that Li Xingchen had forged from his inherited art and Sword Dao. Li Xingchen then launched his second sword, the Ocean Wave Sword, whose shifting waves sought to exploit any opening.

• Meng Zhao caught and devoured Li Xingchen’s Mountain Sword with a vortex of dragon qi, leaving the teahouse witnesses shaken.
• Li Xinglu was shocked by her brother’s apparent defeat, while Li Ya'er said Li Xingchen still had two swords left.
• The narration explained how Li Xingchen transformed the Mountain Sea Hidden Dragon Scripture into his own Mountain Sea Hidden Dragon Sword.
• Li Xingchen pointed out his second sword, the Ocean Wave Sword, and sent surging sword qi toward Meng Zhao.