Chapter Summaries

Zhong Lin and Tian Li led Hundred Herbs Hall’s guards in a nighttime assault on thieves hiding in a ruined temple and killed nearly all of them. Fan Ming revealed that the box contained a Celestial Yin Essence Pearl stolen from the Jiangyou Zheng Clan, and Tian Li opened the box to inspect it.

• Zhong Lin ordered his men to attack the ruined temple after learning thieves were hiding inside with a guarded box.
• Tian Li defeated Fan Ming, while Zhong Lin used his Ebony Bow to kill the thieves as they tried to flee.
• Zhong Lin had Fan Ming disarmed and questioned him about the raid and the box.
• Fan Ming revealed that Black Wind Stronghold had ordered him to carry the Celestial Yin Essence Pearl and that his men had killed Hundred Herbs Hall’s people to conceal their mission.
• Tian Li recognized the pearl, learned it came from the Jiangyou Zheng Clan, and opened the box to examine it.

After Zhong Lin’s group recovered the Celestial Yin Essence Pearl and returned to Hundred Herbs Hall, Gu Yourong urged Zhong Lin to attend the Precious Treasure Pavilion auction in Black Cloud City for a rare ingredient needed to make Barrier Breaking Pills. Zhong Lin agreed to travel there with her in three days.

• Tian Li killed Fan Ming after Fan Ming revealed the Celestial Yin Essence Pearl’s value, and the group returned to Sky Sun City with the pearl.
• Two men found Fan Ming and the other bandits dead, realized the pearl was gone, and headed back to Black Wind Stronghold to report.
• At Hundred Herbs Hall, Zhong Lin entrusted the Celestial Yin Essence Pearl to Gu Yourong until Master Yin returned to refine pills.
• Gu Yourong told Zhong Lin that the Precious Treasure Pavilion auction would offer Nine Curves Spirit Ginseng, a key ingredient for Barrier Breaking Pills.
• Zhong Lin agreed to leave for Black Cloud City in three days and suggested preparing Fourth-Rank pills in case silver was not enough.

Zhong Lin completed the Golden Muscle Jade Bone Skill and showed off his rapid progress to Mei Weixuan. After a comic scuffle, the two set out on horseback for Black Cloud City, traveling ahead of their guards.

• Zhong Lin broke through the final barrier of bone-marrow tempering and completed his Jade Bones.
• Zhong Lin explained to Mei Weixuan that personal strength mattered more than making connections, and Mei Weixuan learned Zhong Lin had already begun tempering his organs.
• Mei Weixuan attacked Zhong Lin with a spear after finding Yingluo leaving the bathhouse flushed and weak-legged, accusing Zhong Lin of being a lecher.
• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan mounted their horses and rode toward Black Cloud City while their guards traveled ahead.
• Mei Weixuan explained that they had chosen to travel at their leisure and said their Rank 5 strength made bandits little threat.

Mei Weixuan and Zhong Lin spent the night in a ruined mountain temple after fishing, then followed sounds of a fight into the wilderness. They witnessed Song Wei kill the poisoned Yu Chaosheng and watched Song Clan men recover a Jade Box from his body.

• Mei Weixuan gathered firewood, and he and Zhong Lin roasted the fish they had caught in the temple.
• Mei Weixuan joked that their midnight setting might bring a pursued young lady, and rustling sounds outside interrupted them.
• Mei Weixuan extinguished the bonfire with his qi and blood, then went with Zhong Lin to investigate.
• Mei Weixuan and Zhong Lin found Yu Chaosheng surrounded by Song Clan martial artists after he had killed five of them.
• Song Wei drew his saber and killed the poisoned, wounded Yu Chaosheng with a swift strike.
• A Song Clan martial artist searched Yu Chaosheng's corpse and found a Jade Box.

Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan discovered that Song Wei had stolen a Five Poison Beast, a rare creature whose venom could strengthen the organs, and decided to seize it. After they took the Jade Box and defeated Song Wei’s companions, Zhong Lin joined Mei Weixuan’s fight against Song Wei, leaving Song Wei facing Zhong Lin’s thunderous kick.

• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan spotted the Five Poison Beast in Song Wei’s Jade Box and agreed to take it from him.
• Mei Weixuan intercepted Song Wei while Zhong Lin took the Jade Box, and Song Wei attacked after realizing it had been stolen.
• Song Wei’s martial artists charged Zhong Lin, but Zhong Lin used his bladed whip to kill them.
• Zhong Lin joined Mei Weixuan’s evenly matched duel with Song Wei and unleashed a powerful kick toward him.

Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan killed Song Wei and took the Five Poison Beast, then discovered its venom could be mixed with wine to strengthen their internal organs. The chapter ended with both men drinking the medicinal wine and circulating their qi and blood to nourish their lungs.

• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan joined forces to kill Song Wei, then searched the bodies and took his Five Poison Pills and the gourds of Five Poisons and wine.
• Mei Weixuan fed the Five Poison Beast a scorpion and then other poisonous creatures until it secreted a small amount of Five Poison Liquid.
• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan mixed the venom into wine and tested it, discovering that it strengthened their five viscera and six bowels.
• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan divided the medicinal wine and sat apart to circulate their qi and blood, nourishing their lungs.

Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan reached Black Cloud City after using the Five Poison Beast to advance their organ tempering. As they entered, they witnessed a monk kill Wang Ling Shuang while the city’s soldiers arrived too late to protect the commoners or compensate a merchant.

• Mei Weixuan finished tempering his lungs, while Zhong Lin completed his kidneys and liver with the Five Poison Liquid during their journey.
• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan arrived at Black Cloud City and met Er Xi, who led them to Hundred Fragrances Pavilion.
• Er Xi explained that the soldiers patrolling the city mainly kept order among the common people, not the martial artists drawn by the Precious Treasure Pavilion.
• The monk pursued Wang Ling Shuang through the street and struck him down with a Vajra Palm for murdering innocent commoners.
• The soldiers carried away Wang Ling Shuang’s body and warned the merchant whose stall was destroyed, leaving him to bear the loss.

Mei Weixuan and Zhong Lin reached Black Cloud City, where Mei Weixuan killed two riders who attacked him and Zhong Lin rescued a child from their charging horses. After bathing, they visited Precious Treasure Pavilion to sell and buy goods ahead of its auction.

• Zhong Lin used his White Python Whip to pull a child out of the path of two charging horses.
• Mei Weixuan killed the two riders after they attacked him, crushing one man's saber and striking both with pieces of scrap iron.
• Zhong Lin returned the child to his mother and warned her that Black Cloud City would be chaotic.
• Mei Weixuan and Zhong Lin bathed at Hundred Fragrances Pavilion, then decided to visit Precious Treasure Pavilion.
• A Precious Treasure Pavilion disciple recognized Mei Weixuan's Middle Three Ranks cultivation and respectfully ushered the pair inside.

Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan toured the Precious Treasure Pavilion before attending its auction, where Zhong Lin bought pill formulas and a martial skill. The auction then offered the Nine Curves Spirit Ginseng Zhong Lin’s master needed, but the chapter ended before bidding began.

• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan toured the Precious Treasure Pavilion, where Zhong Lin bought poison pill formulas and found the Soul Extinguishing Fan martial skill but not the Nine Curves Spirit Ginseng.
• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan attended the auction in private rooms at the Precious Treasure Pavilion.
• Zhong Lin watched Deep Sea Cold Iron and fragrant black wood sell for high prices, then bought the Vajra Pill formula.
• Mei Weixuan joined Zhong Lin in his room and bought several items at the auction.
• The auctioneer presented the Nine Curves Spirit Ginseng, a main ingredient for the Barrier Breaking Pill, and the crowd reacted with surprise.

Zhong Lin secured the Nine Curves Spirit Ginseng for Master Yin, then watched another bidder buy the Celestial Yin Essence Pearl for three million taels before leaving the auction with Mei Weixuan. The chapter ended with guards inviting Zhong Lin to Taiqing Pavilion, and he agreed to arrive at noon.

• Zhong Lin outbid another private room for the Nine Curves Spirit Ginseng, then offered two Rank 3 Return Origin Pills to make peace with the other bidder.
• The opposing bidder accepted Zhong Lin's offer, and Zhong Lin bought the Nine Curves Spirit Ginseng for one hundred thousand one hundred taels.
• The auctioneer presented a Celestial Yin Essence Pearl, whose bidding climbed to three million taels before a private room bought it and left.
• Mei Weixuan suspected the pearl's buyer would be ambushed, but Zhong Lin refused to get involved.
• Zhong Lin bought several spiritual herbs and the Cloud Dragon Three Stacks movement manual before leaving the auction house.
• Two black-armored guards invited Zhong Lin to Taiqing Pavilion, and he said he would arrive at noon.

Zhong Lin met Gu Ning of the Lin Yue Gu Family, who offered to fund his cultivation in exchange for a future Barrier Breaking Pill. Zhong Lin accepted the partnership, and Gu Ning arranged monthly supplies while deciding to inform his father and send generous gifts.

• Gu Ning welcomed Zhong Lin to a banquet and learned that he had refined the Return Origin Pill and was Yin Daoyan’s disciple.
• Gu Ning asked Zhong Lin to refine a Barrier Breaking Pill for the Gu Family after advancing to a Rank 4 Pill Refiner, offering to cover his cultivation resources and provide a further gift.
• Zhong Lin questioned the risk of the arrangement, then accepted Gu Ning’s offer and toasted their cooperation.
• After the banquet, Gu Ning promised that the first batch of supplies would reach Hundred Herbs Hall in Sky Sun City and that supplies would follow monthly.
• Gu Ning told his steward that he was betting on Zhong Lin’s talent and ordered him to write to his father and prepare generous supplies.

Zhong Lin accepted support from the Lin Yue Gu Family and continued cultivating with Mei Weixuan during their journey. They both completed the Rank 5 Inner Fortitude Realm, then set out to celebrate in a village ahead.

• Zhong Lin accepted the Gu Family's token and its promise to send supplies to Hundred Herbs Hall in exchange for a future Barrier Breaking Pill.
• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan drank wine steeped with Five Poison Liquid, and Zhong Lin used its medicinal power to nourish his heart.
• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan traveled at ease, and Zhong Lin completed nourishing his heart on the sixth day.
• On the fourteenth day, Zhong Lin completed nourishing his spleen and reached Rank 5 Inner Fortitude Realm Completion.
• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan discovered they had both completed Rank 5 Inner Fortitude Realm and decided to celebrate at a village ahead.

Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan encountered Wu Jinguang, chief of Black Wind Stronghold, who had come to reclaim the Celestial Yin Essence Pearl. Zhong Lin escaped after fighting off one strike and using Bewitching Fragrance, while Wu Jinguang pursued him and Mei Weixuan turned back to seek help.

• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan reached a village, where Old Chen pretended to search for a lost pearl.
• Zhong Lin recognized Old Chen as Wu Jinguang after the man caught his attack and demanded the pearl back.
• Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan fled in opposite directions, but Wu Jinguang focused on pursuing Zhong Lin.
• Zhong Lin cut through Wu Jinguang's qi attack with his blood-red sword, which shattered as he was wounded by the blast.
• Zhong Lin used Bewitching Fragrance to distract Wu Jinguang and escaped, while Wu Jinguang resumed the chase.
• Mei Weixuan turned back and headed for Sky Sun City to seek help from Master Yin.

Zhong Lin fled Wu Jinguang toward Sky Sun City, relying on his Breathing Technique to keep running until Wu unleashed a deadly martial art. Yin Daoyan arrived in time to save his disciple, killed Wu, and learned that the Black Wind Stronghold chief had pursued Zhong Lin over the Celestial Yin Essence Pearl.

• Zhong Lin ran for a day and night while Wu Jinguang pursued him, and he used the Breathing Technique to recover his strength as he sprinted.
• As Zhong Lin neared Sky Sun City, Wu Jinguang burned his essence to unleash the Heaven Covering Demon Hand.
• Yin Daoyan appeared before Zhong Lin and destroyed the demonic hand with a Sword Radiance.
• Wu Jinguang tried to flee, but Yin Daoyan struck him down with a second Sword Radiance.
• Yin Daoyan checked Zhong Lin for injuries, and Zhong Lin explained that Wu Jinguang had pursued him over the Celestial Yin Essence Pearl.

After Zhong Lin escaped Wu Jinguang and returned to Sky Sun City, Yin Daoyan and Mei Haiqing pledged to destroy Black Wind Stronghold. Zhong Lin reunited with Gu Yourong, learned Han Jin had escaped after failing to provoke a Beast Tide, and faced his master's questions about his rapid cultivation.

• Yin Daoyan gave Zhong Lin a Rank 4 pill, heard how Wu Jinguang had hunted him, and crushed Wu Jinguang's corpse in anger.
• Gu Yourong and others arrived, and Mei Haiqing introduced himself as Mei Weixuan's father and welcomed Zhong Lin as family.
• Mei Haiqing promised to deal with Black Wind Stronghold, and everyone returned to their separate homes.
• Gu Yourong prepared a meal for Zhong Lin, who ate before asking Yin Daoyan about Han Jin.
• Yin Daoyan said Han Jin had escaped after failing to steal a Silver Wolf cub and provoke a Beast Tide, then asked whether Zhong Lin had harmed himself by advancing to Viscera Refinement Completion.

Zhong Lin presented the Five Poison Beast to Yin Daoyan, who gave him a Rank 4 Marrow Cleansing Blood Exchange Pill and explained the Upper Three Ranks of the Martial Path. After reuniting with Shi Tou, Zhong Lin continued cultivating in the secret chamber, where he practiced Expelling the Stale and Taking in the Fresh.

• Zhong Lin showed Yin Daoyan the Five Poison Beast and explained how he and Mei Weixuan had used its Five Poison Liquid to temper their organs.
• Yin Daoyan gave Zhong Lin a Rank 4 Marrow Cleansing Blood Exchange Pill and urged him to use it to seek entry into the Upper Three Ranks.
• Yin Daoyan explained the Inner Breath, Connecting Vessels, and Pure Origin Realms, then said he would take Zhong Lin back to the Sword Cauldron Sect after he digested the pill.
• Zhong Lin returned to the courtyard in falling snow and reunited with Shi Tou, then shared a hotpot meal with him.
• Zhong Lin practiced Expelling the Stale and Taking in the Fresh in the secret chamber, strengthening his internal cultivation after reaching the Rank 5 Inner Fortitude Realm.

Zhong Lin swallowed a Marrow Cleansing Blood Exchange Pill and transformed his body, reaching the Divine Strength Realm. He then seized a strand of Essence Qi and guided it into his dantian, successfully entering the Inner Breath Realm.

• Zhong Lin swallowed the Marrow Cleansing Blood Exchange Pill, and its medicinal power transformed his marrow, blood, and skin.
• Zhong Lin reached the Divine Strength Realm and brought his physical strength to the human limit of ten thousand jin.
• Zhong Lin caught a faint strand of Essence Qi and circulated it through his meridians into his dantian.
• Zhong Lin awakened Inner Breath and tested its power by pressing a detailed palm print into the bluestone.

After returning from seclusion, Zhong Lin visited Yin Daoyan and revealed that he had condensed inner breath and entered the Upper Three Ranks. Mei Weixuan celebrated Zhong Lin’s survival and learned he would soon enter the Sword Cauldron Sect, but was stunned when Zhong Lin surpassed him in cultivation.

• Zhong Lin left seclusion, met Mei Weixuan, and said he had escaped Wu Jinguang with a secret art and pills.
• Mei Weixuan invited Zhong Lin to celebrate, then accompanied him to Yin Daoyan’s courtyard.
• Yin Daoyan praised Mei Weixuan for reaching Viscera Refinement Completion and promised to take him to the Sword Cauldron Sect in a few days.
• Mei Weixuan challenged Zhong Lin to a contest to see who would reach Qi Refining first, and they sealed their agreement.
• Zhong Lin told Yin Daoyan he had completed his mission, and Yin Daoyan confirmed that Zhong Lin had condensed inner breath.
• Mei Weixuan struggled to believe Zhong Lin had become a Rank 3 Martial Artist, and Zhong Lin said he was a genius.

Zhong Lin mastered the Sword Cauldron Sect’s Profound Heart Sutra, strengthened his Inner Breath, and began learning the Telepathic Sword Finger. After Mei Weixuan disappeared to cultivate, Zhong Lin flirted with Gu Yourong, who asked what he wanted.

• Yin Daoyan taught Zhong Lin the Profound Heart Sutra and explained how to circulate Inner Breath through his Meridians.
• Zhong Lin used the System to raise the Profound Heart Sutra to Max Level, swallowed a Great Revival Pill, and doubled the strength of his Inner Breath.
• Zhong Lin demonstrated his new long-range power by blasting a hole through the wall, and Yin Daoyan praised his comprehension while warning him against arrogance.
• Yin Daoyan promised to protect Zhong Lin and began teaching him the Telepathic Sword Finger for self-defense.
• Zhong Lin learned that Mei Weixuan had gone back to cultivate, then teased Gu Yourong by saying he wanted a beauty like her beside him.
• Gu Yourong blushed and asked Zhong Lin what he wanted, and he answered, “I do.”

Zhong Lin traveled with Yin Daoyan and the others to Sword Cauldron Sect, where he learned how the sect’s True Disciples and elders were organized. The group reached the mountain gate and met Jin Jiucheng, while Wang Kaiwen slept off a drinking binge at a pavilion.

• Zhong Lin spent half a month cultivating at home, received treasure from Mei Haiqing and medicinal herbs from the Lin Yue Gu Family, and refined several hundred Great Revival Pills.
• Zhong Lin, Mei Weixuan, Gu Yourong, Little Shi, and Yin Daoyan rode east for a month to Sword Cauldron Sect, with Little Shi asking whether they were leaving Brother Xiu behind again.
• The group reached the towering mountain range and began climbing toward Sword Cauldron Sect after leaving their horses at the foot of the mountain.
• Jin Jiucheng challenged the group with an arrow, then recognized Yin Daoyan and Gu Yourong and explained that Wang Kaiwen was resting at a pavilion.
• Yin Daoyan led the group to the pavilion, where they found Wang Kaiwen asleep beside empty wine bottles, while Zhong Lin learned that Sword Cauldron Sect had thirty-four Upper Three Ranks Martial Artists besides its sect leader.