Chapter Summaries

Lin Taichu and the wounded Li Xiuwen fought Li Dongsheng, who overwhelmed them and left Li Xiuwen mortally wounded. Refusing to surrender, Lin Taichu continued battling Li Dongsheng and managed to hold on despite his injuries.

• Lin Taichu and Li Xiuwen charged Li Dongsheng together, but Li Dongsheng evaded them and blasted Lin Taichu to the ground.
• Lin Taichu met Li Dongsheng's next attack head-on, and both men were thrown backward, leaving Lin Taichu with a nearly crippled arm.
• Li Xiuwen rushed to help Lin Taichu, but an unseen attacker kicked him through the air and left a blade embedded in his abdomen.
• Li Dongsheng demanded that Lin Taichu surrender, but Lin Taichu refused and fought back as Li Dongsheng attacked him.
• Lin Taichu and Li Dongsheng traded blows, with Lin Taichu at a disadvantage but still holding on.

Lin Taichu defeated Li Dongsheng, but Li Tianxing wounded him with arrows and offered him a choice between joining the Li Family or dying. As Lin Taichu considered his decision, his master's wife arrived.

• Li Dongsheng and Lin Taichu exchanged devastating blows, leaving Li Dongsheng gravely injured.
• Li Dongsheng threw a dagger at Lin Taichu, then charged again when Lin Taichu refused to submit.
• A hidden archer killed Li Dongsheng with a Feathered Arrow and shot three more arrows into Lin Taichu, pinning him to the ground.
• Li Tianxing revealed himself as the Li Family patriarch and said he had killed Li Dongsheng to protect the family and make room for a reshuffle.
• Li Tianxing offered to spare Lin Taichu if he joined the Li Family, then left him to decide as an internal purge approached.
• Lin Taichu's master's wife arrived while he lay among the ruins, still weighing Li Tianxing's offer.

Martial Mother rescued and treated the injured Lin Taichu, but Li Family Guards ambushed them as they fled into the forest. Lin Taichu defeated the guards and learned who had ordered the attack before he and Martial Mother continued their escape.

• Martial Mother found Lin Taichu, gave him a healing pill, treated his wounds, and helped him leave the estate.
• Lin Taichu and Martial Mother encountered Li Family Guards led by a powerful young man in the forest.
• Lin Taichu fought off the guards while protecting Martial Mother and forced the last survivor to surrender.
• The surviving guard revealed that Li Tianxing had ordered Lin Taichu killed and his secret manuals seized, and named Zhao Zhicheng and Li Wenfeng as the others involved.
• Lin Taichu killed the guard, checked that Martial Mother was safe, and continued deeper into the forest with her.

Lin Taichu and Martial Mother hid in a secluded valley, but Zhao Zhicheng and Li Wenfeng tracked them down. Lin Taichu stayed behind to fight Zhao Zhicheng, who wounded him with a short sword.

• Lin Taichu and Martial Mother took shelter in a valley while Lin Taichu recovered from his injuries.
• Martial Mother found strange tracks, and Lin Taichu discovered Zhao Zhicheng and Li Wenfeng at the valley entrance.
• Lin Taichu studied a secret manual for a way to quickly increase his strength as the pursuers approached.
• Lin Taichu refused to leave Martial Mother behind, then sent her away before confronting Zhao Zhicheng alone.
• Lin Taichu wounded Zhao Zhicheng's arm, but Zhao Zhicheng gained the advantage in their duel and stabbed Lin Taichu's shoulder with a short sword.

Lin Taichu defeated Zhao Zhicheng, escaped Li Wenfeng, and reunited with Martial Mother while trying to flee the forest. When Li Family pursuers ambushed them by the river, Martial Mother escaped into the water and Lin Taichu hid from the cavalry.

• Lin Taichu used an incantation to stun Zhao Zhicheng, stabbed him repeatedly, and pinned him beneath rocks before treating his own wounds.
• Lin Taichu spotted Li Wenfeng searching for him, lured him away, and escaped through the forest to a concealed cave.
• Lin Taichu reunited with Martial Mother and they headed toward the river to leave the forest by boat.
• Two arrows ambushed Lin Taichu and Martial Mother at the riverbank, and Martial Mother shielded him before leaping into the water to escape.
• Lin Taichu hid behind a boulder as Li Family cavalry passed, then emerged and worried that he would struggle to find Martial Mother in the dark forest.

Lin Taichu and Martial Mother investigated mysterious riders who were plotting with Li Tianxing over a set of secret manuals. When they broke into the secret chamber, they found it empty and were confronted by Li Tianxing, who led the search party.

• Lin Taichu rescued an unfamiliar woman from the river, then hid from approaching riders and followed them to a secluded town.
• Martial Mother reunited with Lin Taichu and told him she had overheard the mysterious people discussing the secret manuals and Li Tianxing.
• Lin Taichu learned that the outsiders planned to use the manuals to control the city and that Li Tianxing was their inside man.
• Lin Taichu and Martial Mother infiltrated the outsiders' base but found the secret chamber empty.
• Li Tianxing led the mysterious people into the chamber and accused Lin Taichu and Martial Mother of trying to steal the manuals.

Lin Taichu and Martial Mother recovered the Myriad Manifestations Divine Codex after defeating Li Tianxing, then escaped the town. Back in South City, they planned to bring the manual to Li Xiuwen and use its knowledge to develop weapons or Formations against the Li Family.

• Li Tianxing offered Lin Taichu a place in his faction, but Lin refused and used the Mist Toxin Pill to weaken him before stabbing his shoulder.
• Lin Taichu found the Myriad Manifestations Divine Codex concealed inside Li Tianxing’s sword sheath and left the secret chamber with Martial Mother.
• Lin Taichu and Martial Mother escaped the town, then split up so she could investigate the mysterious people while he returned to South City with the manual.
• Several days later, Lin Taichu met Martial Mother in a secluded teahouse and handed her the Myriad Manifestations Divine Codex.
• Lin Taichu and Martial Mother decided to take the manual to Li Xiuwen and prepare to create special weapons or Formations.

Lin Taichu and Martial Mother used the Myriad Manifestations Divine Codex to develop powerful weapons and Formations before Lin Taichu confronted Li Tianxing at the police station. Li Tianxing escaped, and Lin Taichu learned that the conflict with the Li Family was not over; Su Wan introduced herself as Li Tianxing’s friend.

• Lin Taichu and Martial Mother gave Li Xiuwen the Myriad Manifestations Divine Codex and explained their clash with Li Tianxing.
• With Li Xiuwen’s guidance, Lin Taichu and Martial Mother studied the Codex, developed the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Fist and Heavenly Thunder Saber, and created powerful weapons and Formations.
• After six months, Lin Taichu went to the police station to confront Li Tianxing, only to find him alive and speaking with Su Wan.
• Li Tianxing asked how Lin Taichu obtained the Codex, but Lin Taichu refused to tell him, and Li Tianxing left the station.
• Lin Taichu asked the young woman about herself, and she identified herself as Su Wan and said she was Li Tianxing’s friend.

After Su Wan revealed why the Li Family wanted the Myriad Manifestations Divine Codex and viewed Lin Taichu as a threat, Lin Taichu, Li Xiuwen, and Martial Mother infiltrated the Li Family estate to investigate its unusual activity. They were discovered and surrounded after a signal summoned Li Family reinforcements.

• Su Wan told Lin Taichu that the Li Family sought the Myriad Manifestations Divine Codex and that Li Tianxing targeted him because he threatened his standing in the family.
• Lin Taichu returned to his sect and told Li Xiuwen and Martial Mother about the Li Family's strength, prompting them to prepare their defenses and study the Codex.
• Lin Taichu and his allies monitored the Li Family while he and Martial Mother made progress in studying the Codex and developing weapons and Formations.
• After Lin Taichu received word of the Li Family's unusual movements, he, Li Xiuwen, and Martial Mother infiltrated the estate to investigate.
• A Li Family expert spotted the intruders, and Lin Taichu's group fought through the guards and nearly defeated them.
• Li Family experts set off explosive signal tokens, and reinforcements poured in to attack Lin Taichu's group.

Lin Taichu and his companions uncovered the Li Family’s ties to the Netherworld Sect and learned that the sect planned to overthrow the Huaxia regime. After their superiors ordered them to destroy the sect, its influence continued to grow until it seized more than half the city.

• Lin Taichu, Master's wife, and senior brother fought their way into the Li Family’s secret chamber, where they confronted Patriarch Li Zhenyang and discovered a cloaked corpse during the battle.
• Lin Taichu and his companions searched the Li Family estate and found an ancient tome revealing that the Li Family was a branch of the Netherworld Sect.
• The three infiltrated the Netherworld Sect’s deserted base and found a ledger documenting the Li Family’s support for the sect and its expansion across South City.
• Lin Taichu and his companions learned that the Netherworld Sect planned to overthrow the Huaxia regime within five years, then requested help from their superiors.
• Their superiors ordered them to eradicate the Netherworld Sect, but the sect’s influence spread rapidly and it swept through more than half the city within a few months.

Lin Taichu, Martial Mother, and Li Xiuwen united Southern City’s martial arts families and secured support from the higher-ups before attacking the Netherworld Sect’s base. Their approach turned out to be an ambush, and Lin Taichu’s group was trapped in a battle with the sect’s forces.

• Lin Taichu recruited Southern City martial arts families, Martial Mother secured support from senior officials, and Li Xiuwen discovered Formations and Runes in the Myriad Manifestations Divine Codex that could counter the Netherworld Sect.
• Lin Taichu led the alliance to the Netherworld Sect’s forest base and used the Codex’s Formations and Runes to infiltrate it.
• As the group advanced toward the pavilion where the Netherworld Sect Leader was cultivating, an attack sent Lin Taichu flying and revealed that the sect’s Disciples had surrounded them.
• Lin Taichu defeated three elders in battle, but one escaped opponent’s forces and hidden sword energy killed an elder from Lin Taichu’s group.
• Mounted crossbows and arriving Black-clothed Men blocked the group’s escape, so Lin Taichu cut down a tree to slow the attackers and led a counterattack.

Lin Taichu escaped Netherworld True Monarch’s pursuit after battling through the Netherworld Sect’s forces, but he was left exhausted and fell into a toxic river, where an old woman saved him. The Netherworld Sect regrouped and prepared to send Wang Yun after him.

• Netherworld True Monarch wounded Lin Taichu, but Lin Taichu spent Essence Blood to break free and vanished into the forest.
• Netherworld True Monarch ordered his forces to pursue Lin Taichu and contain the area, while Lin Taichu and his companions detonated explosives in the valley.
• While fleeing, Lin Taichu ran out of strength, fell into a toxic river, and was threatened by a hideous face rising from the water.
• An old woman in black robes destroyed the hideous face and saved Lin Taichu, then disappeared into the river after he thanked her.
• Netherworld True Monarch failed to find Lin Taichu and returned to gather the sect’s upper ranks, where Wang Yun volunteered to pursue and kill him.

The Netherworld Sect pursued the badly injured Lin Taichu with its last secret treasure and unleashed Biochemical Wolves against him. Lin Taichu fought off several wolves but was left facing a giant one with combat techniques.

• Netherworld True Monarch ordered the Netherworld Sect’s upper echelons to use their last chance to kill Lin Taichu and pursue him from Netherworld City.
• Lin Taichu rested by a strange golden boulder near the river, but his severe injuries did not heal.
• Biochemical Wolves ambushed Lin Taichu, and he fought them off with his movement technique and Black Ice Thorn despite his exhaustion.
• Netherworld True Monarch appeared after releasing the wolves, and Lin Taichu prepared to fight him and a giant Biochemical Wolf.
• Lin Taichu battled the giant Biochemical Wolf and discovered that it could use combat techniques.

Lin Taichu fought a masked Netherworld Sect disciple and a Biochemical Wolf, but suffered severe injuries and was left at the mercy of another attacker. The man revealed that a barrier blocked outside help and prepared to kill Lin Taichu.

• A masked man in black attacked Lin Taichu while a Biochemical Wolf fought him, and the man struck him down with a palm.
• The Biochemical Wolf bit and tore Lin Taichu's left calf, but he killed it by stabbing its chest and abdomen and severing its head.
• A Man in Green attacked Lin Taichu with a poisoned sword, stabbing his left shoulder and leaving him badly injured.
• Lin Taichu taunted the Man in Green about his reinforcements, but the man said he had set up a barrier that stopped people outside from hearing.
• The Man in Green threatened to torment and kill Lin Taichu as he advanced, while Lin Taichu called the Netherworld Sect vicious.

Lin Taichu awakened the Heaven Burning Art while facing a powerful attacker, then escaped the Netherworld Sect’s pursuit by detonating explosives. He returned to South City to recover, but a knock at his inn-room door interrupted him.

• A man badly wounded Lin Taichu and prepared to kill him, but Lin Taichu erupted in scorching energy and revealed he cultivated the Heaven Burning Art.
• Lin Taichu charged the attacker, struck down a soldier, and fled across the rooftops as the man and six Soldiers pursued him.
• Lin Taichu detonated explosives, killing or wounding many Netherworld Sect pursuers and frightening the survivors into retreat.
• Lin Taichu returned to South City, checked into an inn, and began treating his injuries.
• Someone knocked at Lin Taichu’s door while he was recovering.

Lin Taichu fought off a Netherworld Sect disciple demanding the sect’s cultivation technique, then reported the incident to the police. Back at home, he found comfort in a late-night conversation with his landlord, Li Jing, and felt his troubles ease.

• A Netherworld Sect disciple attacked Lin Taichu and demanded the sect’s cultivation technique, but Lin Taichu wounded him and drove off the pursuers.
• Lin Taichu went to the police station and recounted the events, prompting an investigation of the Netherworld Sect.
• Lin Taichu returned home to rest, but Li Jing arrived with the room cards he had requested.
• Li Jing chatted with Lin Taichu about his troubles, hobbies, and interests until he felt calmer.
• Li Jing left for the night, and Lin Taichu remained at home feeling better as he sipped his wine.

Lin Taichu received cryptic messages from someone claiming to know the truth about his past and followed clues hidden in his home. After finding an old photograph of himself in his childhood town, he set out there to uncover what the Netherworld Sect was hiding.

• Lin Taichu received an anonymous message warning that a game had begun, then agreed to play when the sender promised to reveal the truth about his past.
• The sender directed Lin Taichu to look nearby, and he found a note beneath the wineglass he had shared with Li Jing.
• Lin Taichu discovered an envelope behind his favorite painting containing a photograph from his childhood town and a note telling him to return to his starting point.
• Lin Taichu recognized the items as connected to the Netherworld Sect, whose plans he had once disrupted, and suspected one of its remnants had contacted him.
• Lin Taichu decided to return to his childhood town and drove there early the next morning.

Lin Taichu discovered childhood records and clues about the Netherworld Sect, then was ambushed by its remnants at an abandoned cottage. He killed one pursuer with a thrown dagger and fled, with Lin Hao and the others chasing him.

• Lin Taichu found a buried iron box beneath the willow tree containing a diary, photographs, and a map pointing to a hidden valley.
• Lin Taichu explored an abandoned cottage and uncovered a Secret Manual and a letter revealing that the Netherworld Sect remnants had been watching him.
• Black-clothed Netherworld Sect members entered the cottage and captured Lin Taichu, where Lin Hao accused his father of killing Lin Hao's parents and vowed revenge.
• Lin Hao attacked Lin Taichu with a dagger, injuring his arm, and the Netherworld Sect disciples caught him after he tried to escape.
• Lin Taichu threw his dagger and killed one disciple, then fled while the others were momentarily stunned.

Lin Taichu escaped the Netherworld Sect, survived poisonous grass, and was rescued by a veiled swordswoman who led him to her master's hidden training cave. She began treating his injuries there.

• Lin Taichu collapsed in the forest after fleeing the Netherworld Sect, then became paralyzed by dark green grass until a cool breath dispelled its poison.
• Lin Taichu avoided venomous snakes and hid as Netherworld Sect members fought them, then watched a veiled woman defeat one and drive off two others.
• Lin Taichu emerged from hiding and followed the veiled woman deeper into the forest after she offered to guide him away from the Netherworld Sect.
• The veiled woman led Lin Taichu through traps into her master's hidden mountain cave and told him to rest on a bluestone while she treated his injuries.
• The veiled woman circulated her Origin Energy beside Lin Taichu, and a hazy white mist spread around her.

Lin Taichu took the Crimson Flame Orchid seed to heal his injuries, but its fire poison overwhelmed him and his body exploded. He awoke in a vast ice cave, unsure where he was.

• The veiled woman practiced the Imperial Wind Art, then gave Lin Taichu a healing pill that restored his strength.
• The veiled woman harvested a rare, top-grade Crimson Flame Orchid seed, which Lin Taichu took for himself.
• The veiled woman brought Lin Taichu to her cave and explained that the Crimson Flame Orchid could heal his internal injuries.
• Lin Taichu swallowed the seed, but its scorching power engulfed him in flames until his body exploded.
• Lin Taichu awoke on a stone slab in an ice cave and spotted an enormous figure in the distance.