Chapter Summaries

Xu Yi endured Young Master Zhou’s humiliation and recovered the full memories of the original Xu Yi, learning how the Zhou Family had ruined his family. He vowed to avenge the original Xu Yi and began practicing martial arts in the woods.

• Young Master Zhou spared Xu Yi but mocked him and ordered him to offer incense for Duke Mingde, while his bearded companion struck Xu Yi down as the group departed to hunt.
• Xu Yi’s anger triggered a painful flood of memories that revealed Zhou Daogan had repaid the Xu Family’s support by orchestrating its decline and the deaths of Xu Yi’s parents.
• Xu Yi realized the original Xu Yi had died from grief and fear after the Zhou Family destroyed his livelihood, and he vowed to settle the score.
• After eating, Xu Yi went into the woods at night, found an open patch of ground, and began practicing martial arts.

Xu Yi reached the Body Tempering Peak and stabilized his cultivation before secretly heading into Huiyin Mountain at night. He summoned Liao Chen with incense and rooster blood, then declared that he would honor the monk as his master despite Liao Chen’s refusal to accept a disciple.

• Xu Yi completed Wrathful Impact Heaven's Gate, gained the strength of one ox, and demonstrated skin like oxhide and bones like hard iron.
• Xu Yi stabilized his newly attained Body Tempering Peak with Black Dragon Grass and recalled how he had concealed his cultivation from the Zhou Family by dyeing his complexion with ginger.
• At the second watch, Xu Yi took two roosters and raced into Huiyin Mountain, striking a giant python that ambushed him.
• Near the Yin Huai Forest, Xu Yi lit three black incense sticks and used the roosters’ blood to stabilize the summoned figure of Liao Chen.
• Xu Yi called Liao Chen his master, but Liao Chen said he was already dead and that Xu Yi had no affinity with Buddhism.

Xu Yi reunited with Liao Chen, whose ghost was near its end, and showed him how far he had advanced in the Kirin Tyrant Strength Fist. Before disappearing, Liao Chen entrusted Xu Yi with returning a stolen Precious Scripture to Tianchan Temple, and Xu Yi buried him in Yin Huai Forest.

• Xu Yi learned how Liao Chen had returned to meet him after being crippled by Peach Blossom Sha.
• Xu Yi demonstrated the Kirin Tyrant Strength Fist, astonishing Liao Chen by reaching Body Tempering Peak in only a few months.
• Liao Chen revealed that he had stolen a Precious Scripture from Tianchan Temple and asked Xu Yi to return it.
• A forest wind tore away Liao Chen's last arm, and his ghost vanished after he recited a passage to Xu Yi.
• Xu Yi mourned Liao Chen through the night, then made a grave for him in Yin Huai Forest.

Xu Yi returned to find his home burned and his ancestral graves desecrated, then waited for Young Master Zhou’s hunting party with killing intent. When they arrived, Xu Yi attacked the bearded retainer who had harmed him, and the Eagle-nosed Middle-aged Man’s punch struck another rider instead.

• Xu Yi found his wooden hut burning and learned that dozens of his ancestral graves had been dug open.
• Xu Yi gathered the remains, buried them in a mound deep in the mountains, and returned to eat and recover beside Tan Stream.
• As Young Master Zhou’s hunting party rode back, the Eagle-nosed Middle-aged Man sensed killing intent ahead.
• The bearded retainer charged Xu Yi on horseback and threatened to skin him alive.
• Xu Yi dodged the horse’s hooves, broke its neck with a body strike, and seized the bearded retainer.
• The Eagle-nosed Middle-aged Man attacked Xu Yi from behind, but Xu Yi evaded the punch and it struck another rider, whose body burst apart.

Xu Yi fought Young Master Zhou and Elder Feng after killing Zhou’s riders and brutally torturing the bearded man. Young Master Zhou’s sword attack was interrupted by Xu Yi’s barrage of rocks, and Elder Feng stepped in to take over.

• Xu Yi evaded the Eagle-nosed Middle-aged Man’s attacks and killed all eight of Young Master Zhou’s riders.
• Xu Yi peeled the bearded man’s scalp, crushed his legs, and threw his mangled body onto a tree.
• Young Master Zhou attacked Xu Yi with the Rushing Thunder Sword Technique, boasting of its origins and demanding that Xu Yi kneel.
• Xu Yi taunted Young Master Zhou about the Zhou Family’s past as Xu Family slaves, then kicked rocks at him before he could complete his attack.
• Young Master Zhou smashed dozens of rocks with his sword until his hands were sore, and Elder Feng offered to deal with Xu Yi.

Xu Yi outmaneuvered Young Master Zhou, broke his sword, wounded him, and tore off his arm before escaping Elder Feng’s immediate attack. Elder Feng recognized Xu Yi’s Body Tempering Peak strength and resolved to capture him for his cultivation method, seeing the deed as a chance to earn a great reward from the Zhou Family.

• Young Master Zhou tried to wear Xu Yi down and lunged at him when he thought Xu Yi was exhausted.
• Xu Yi caught and snapped Young Master Zhou’s Green Sword, then stabbed him in the shoulder with its broken blade.
• Elder Feng attacked Xu Yi, but Xu Yi seized the opening to tear off Young Master Zhou’s left arm and retreat.
• Elder Feng stopped Young Master Zhou’s bleeding and recognized that Xu Yi had reached Body Tempering Peak.
• Elder Feng questioned Xu Yi about his cultivation method and decided that capturing him could earn a major reward from the Zhou Family.

Xu Yi confronted Elder Feng, who unleashed a secret technique that gave his punch the strength of three oxen and sent Xu Yi crashing into the trees. Xu Yi survived thanks to the Heavy Iron armor beneath his clothes, revealed how long he had trained under its weight, and left Elder Feng shaken by his strength.

• Xu Yi accused Elder Feng of deliberately withholding credit, and Elder Feng attacked him with a silent, lightning-fast punch.
• Xu Yi and Elder Feng exchanged blows; Elder Feng struck with the Strength of three oxen and sent Xu Yi flying through several Silver Firs.
• Elder Feng explained that he had severed his nine meridians to gather power, then threw a sharpened branch to pin Xu Yi down.
• Xu Yi stood unharmed, guessed that Elder Feng could not repeat the three-oxen punch, and revealed the Heavy Iron armor beneath his clothes.
• Xu Yi removed the 508 pounds of Heavy Iron he had worn for three months, leaving Elder Feng astonished and uncertain that he could win.

Xu Yi killed Elder Feng after a fierce pursuit and took his Crimson Gold Coins and narrow sword. He then found a horse and raced after the fleeing Young Master Zhou, who rode north in a fury.

• Elder Feng tried to escape after feigning a Nirvana Divine Fist attack, but Xu Yi caught him and beat him to death.
• Xu Yi found more than a dozen Crimson Gold Coins on Elder Feng and took his unusually tough narrow sword.
• Xu Yi returned to the battlefield, spotted Young Master Zhou fleeing north, and found a chestnut-red horse nearby.
• Xu Yi used his sword to awaken the horse's latent potential, greatly increasing its speed, and pursued Young Master Zhou.
• Young Master Zhou lashed his bloodied white steed onward, consumed by hatred and swearing to avenge his lost arm.

Xu Yi chased Young Master Zhou to the Zhou Family estate and slaughtered the guards and retainers who tried to stop him. He killed Young Master Zhou, Old Master Zhou, and the steward, leaving with their severed heads tied at his waist.

• Young Master Zhou fled on horseback while Xu Yi pursued him on foot, catching up despite the horse’s speed.
• Young Master Zhou rallied his estate guards against Xu Yi, who smashed through them and continued the chase.
• At the Zhou Family estate, Xu Yi swiftly killed three retainers who attacked him, then hurled his sword into Young Master Zhou’s heart and pinned him to the gates.
• Xu Yi broke into the courtyard and beheaded Old Master Zhou and the steward, then cut off Young Master Zhou’s head and tied all three heads at his waist.

Xu Yi slaughtered the Zhou Family’s defenders, stole its tribute gold, and set the estate ablaze. As Zhou Shirong and Magistrate Wu approached, they spotted the smoke and realized the Zhou Family was burning.

• Xu Yi killed the Zhou Family’s retainers and servants, then seized a fleeing maidservant.
• Xu Yi searched Old Master Zhou’s study, found two Crimson Gold Cakes hidden in a wall, and learned they were tribute for Lingxiao Pavilion.
• Xu Yi burned Old Master Zhou’s letter and set the oil-soaked Zhou Family estate ablaze.
• Zhou Shirong and Magistrate Wu rode toward the Zhou Family’s old residence while exchanging praise and poetry.
• Zhou Shirong saw the smoke from the estate and turned iron-blue, while Magistrate Wu realized disaster had struck.

At the Zhou Family estate, Zhou Shirong ordered the nearby people killed and showed contempt for his dead relatives, while Xu Yi disguised himself as a servant and killed Magistrate Wu. Xu Yi then attacked Zhou Shirong, who evaded his fists, leaving Xu Yi facing a dangerous counterattack.

• Zhou Shirong stopped Magistrate Wu from fleeing the fire and ordered Ma Zhao and the cavalry to kill everyone within five li.
• Zhou Shirong dismissed his uncle and cousin’s deaths, then vowed revenge against whoever had attacked the Zhou Family.
• Xu Yi, disguised as a servant, lured Magistrate Wu close and killed him with a single palm strike.
• Xu Yi revealed that he had set the fire and stolen two Crimson Gold Cakes, then explained his hatred of Zhou Daogan and his plan to attack Zhou Shirong.
• Xu Yi rushed Zhou Shirong with his fists, but Zhou Shirong vanished from their path as a fierce force struck from behind Xu Yi.

Xu Yi fled Zhou Shirong’s overwhelming attacks by using Zhou’s precious white horse as a shield, then taunted him while continuing to evade him. Zhou Shirong grew furious, but Xu Yi realized the horse was his vital point and kept exploiting his reluctance to harm it.

• Xu Yi dodged Zhou Shirong’s powerful punch and seized the white horse to escape.
• Zhou Shirong pursued Xu Yi through the trees and unleashed palm force from a distance, but Xu Yi hid beneath the horse again.
• Xu Yi concluded that Zhou Shirong had reached the Qi Sea Realm as Zhou Shirong caught up and landed on the horse.
• Zhou Shirong demanded that Xu Yi take his own life, and Xu Yi mocked him over the Zhou Family’s destruction.
• Zhou Shirong leaped down and struck beneath the horse, but Xu Yi shifted to the other side and avoided the attack.
• Xu Yi recognized that Zhou Shirong would not risk harming the white horse and resolved to keep using it as a shield.

Xu Yi fled Zhou Shirong to the Nielong River, hoping the current would help him escape. Zhou Shirong struck him underwater, but Xu Yi endured the injury and let the river carry him away as his consciousness began to fade.

• Xu Yi threatened Feixue to force Zhou Shirong back, then rode south toward the Nielong River while Zhou secretly followed.
• At the riverbank, Zhou Shirong attacked, but Xu Yi dodged beneath Feixue and plunged into the water after chopping off the horse’s left foreleg.
• Enraged over Feixue, Zhou Shirong pursued Xu Yi across the river’s surface and blasted him through the water with a powerful strike.
• Xu Yi suffered severe injuries but stayed underwater and let the current carry him onward while Zhou Shirong searched for him.
• As Xu Yi’s strength and consciousness faded, a shadowy expanse appeared before him.

After escaping Zhou Shirong by clinging to a Great Green Carp, Xu Yi was rescued by Uncle Mu and recovered at the Mu Family home. Grateful for his new friends, Xu Yi enjoyed a peaceful morning in Furong Town before spotting a crowd of martial artists.

• Xu Yi grabbed a Great Green Carp and rode it downstream, escaping Zhou Shirong before losing consciousness.
• Uncle Mu rescued Xu Yi from the lake, and Xu Yi recovered at the Mu Family home with Uncle Mu and Qiu Wa.
• Uncle Mu and Qiu Wa brought Xu Yi breakfast, and he felt close to the grandfather and granddaughter.
• After breakfast, Xu Yi swept the courtyard, practiced boxing, and found his strength had greatly improved.
• Xu Yi bought a large bag of breakfast foods and noticed more than a hundred martial artists gathered by the lake.

Xu Yi discovered that the Martial Arts Hall offered instruction to poor martial artists and sought admission so he could learn how to advance beyond the Body Tempering Stage. When Furong Town locals challenged his right to enter, Xu Yi invoked the Royal Court’s principles, and the Sable-clothed man offered him a test: catch the five-hundred-jin stone lock he would throw from ten paces.

• Xu Yi read the Martial Arts Hall inscription and learned that the Royal Court had built the halls to teach poor martial artists the fundamentals.
• Xu Yi decided that he needed guidance to reach the Qi Sea Realm and eventually defeat Zhou Daogan and fulfill Liao Chen’s final wish.
• The Sable-clothed man explained the Classics Examination and had martial artists try lifting a five-hundred-jin Heavy Iron stone lock to qualify for entry.
• Xu Yi stepped forward to try, but Furong Town locals mocked him as an outsider and demanded that he be turned away.
• Xu Yi argued that the Martial Arts Hall was meant to aid martial artists regardless of where they came from, persuading the Sable-clothed man to offer him a test.
• The Sable-clothed man told Xu Yi to stand ten paces away and catch the stone lock he would throw, while the crowd cheered in anticipation.

Xu Yi entered the Martial Arts Hall after carefully hiding his cultivation and attended Master Zhou’s lecture. His question about the source of martial strength stumped Master Zhou, who invited Xu Yi to explain his thinking.

• Xu Yi caught the stone lock Boss Gu threw at him, disguising his strength and earning entry to the Martial Arts Hall.
• Xu Yi studied the portraits of Qi Sea Realm masters before Master Zhou arrived and angrily announced he would answer only ten questions.
• After a martial artist challenged Master Zhou’s authority, Master Zhou dismissed one question and silenced the hall.
• Xu Yi asked where martial artists’ strength came from, and Master Zhou admitted he could not give a complete answer.
• Master Zhou asked Xu Yi to share his own ideas, and Xu Yi asked what provided strength after reaching Body Tempering Peak.

Master Zhou explained how Body Tempering continued through higher realms and answered Xu Yi’s questions about strength, speed, and Martial Skills. Xu Yi left with a clearer understanding that combat techniques fused strength and speed, while Master Zhou concealed the regret of his crippled Qi Sea cultivation.

• Master Zhou explained the Qi Sea Realm and offered deductions about the Liquid Condensation and Soul Sensing Realms, revealing that he had once reached Qi Sea.
• Master Zhou urged the students to aspire beyond Qi Sea, though he privately remembered how his dantian had been shattered twenty years earlier.
• Xu Yi asked whether strength and speed outweighed Martial Skills and how Body Tempering experts could strike with the strength of three oxen.
• Master Zhou said strength and speed were fundamental, but Martial Skills combined them and could be crucial when absolute strength was difficult to attain.

After Master Zhou’s lecture on Martial Skills, Xu Yi missed his chance to ask a crucial question. Gu Jianming recruited him into Furong Town’s Sable-clothed Class, offering him a way to avoid trouble over his hidden identity.

• Master Zhou explained how Martial Skills could amplify a martial artist’s strength, answered the students’ questions, and left the Martial Arts Hall.
• Xu Yi stayed behind, disappointed that he had not asked his urgent question, until Gu Jianming came looking for him.
• Gu Jianming revealed that he knew Xu Yi had been rescued from Dragon Whisker River and was staying with the Mu Family, making Xu Yi wary.
• Gu Jianming explained that the Sable-clothed Class was Furong Town’s security force and invited Xu Yi to join, saying he would not investigate his identity.
• Xu Yi accepted the offer, and Gu Jianming introduced himself while privately reflecting that he had recruited a promising fighter.

Xu Yi sought out Master Zhou to ask about souls and how they affected martial artists. Master Zhou explained that stronger cultivation allowed souls to endure after death, leaving Xu Yi with new insight into the unusual abilities he suspected came from his own soul.

• Xu Yi accepted Gu Jianming's advice to bring Bamboo Leaf Green to Master Zhou at Dragon Whisker River.
• Master Zhou took the wine and agreed to answer Xu Yi's questions about souls.
• Xu Yi asked whether souls existed, when they appeared, and how they helped martial artists.
• Master Zhou said souls existed, could appear after death or through high cultivation, and might eventually break free of the body.
• Master Zhou explained that weak souls dispersed after death, while Qi Sea Realm practitioners could leave formed souls and Soul Nurturing Secret Method practitioners could preserve Yin Souls for years.

Xu Yi learned that strong Soul Power might aid martial training and comprehension, then celebrated by buying a lavish meal for Qiu Wa and himself. He arrived at the Furong Town Constabulary Office, where Chief Gu Jianming had been waiting for him.

• Master Zhou explained that powerful Soul Power might reduce mental fatigue and improve comprehension, though he could not say for certain.
• Xu Yi left Master Zhou and bought a hamper of fine food for the Mu Family home.
• Qiu Wa rushed to share Xu Yi's meal, and the two ate until she was full and Xu Yi cleared the remaining dishes.
• Xu Yi went to the Furong Town Constabulary Office and met Gu Jianming, who said he had been waiting for him.