Chapter Summaries

Xiao Wan'er finalized a partnership with Hundred Herbs Hall that supplied the Xiao Family Medicine Hall with herbs and a share of tea sales, while Chen Yi investigated her mysterious yin-cold illness. Ten days later, the tea business had brought both halls substantial profits, but Chen Yi suspected the success might provoke whoever was behind the trouble at Linglan Pavilion.

• Xiao Wan'er signed a contract with Wang Ji and Liu Liming that covered medicinal herbs, Chen Yi's prescriptions, and the sale of Hundred Herbs Hall's five tea beverages.
• Xiao Wan'er brought the tea to Chunhe Garden, where Chen Yi saw dark traces in her aura and suspected she had the legendary Extreme Yin Body.
• After Xiao Wuge said Xiao Wan'er visited Wumeng Mountain Dojo in September, Chen Yi deduced that the visits replenished her yang fire but could not cure her illness.
• Ten days later, Hundred Herbs Hall's teas became popular across Shu Prefecture City, and their sales brought major profits to the Xiao Family Medicine Hall.
• Xiao Wan'er arranged increased patrols around Hundred Herbs Hall and the medicine halls, while Chen Yi worried that the person behind the stolen herbs and Linglan Pavilion would react to the Xiao Family's growing success.

Chen Yi used Jishi Pharmacy’s busy tea-drinking crowd to draw attention to the growing business connected to Hundred Herbs Hall, while confirming that Linglan Pavilion was watching the Xiao Family Medicine Hall. The Liu Family’s young master ordered the Phantom Sound Sect to burn Hundred Herbs Hall, seize its tea recipes, and uncover its hidden owner, setting another confrontation in motion.

• Chen Yi joked with the craftsmen at Jishi Pharmacy and had Ma Liangcai examine Old Ji, then gave the startled fortune teller a free bottle of Divine Ox Tea.
• Chen Yi noticed Qian Kuan tracking Jishi Pharmacy and placed Hundred Herbs Hall on Nine of Eleven as a way to draw out its enemies.
• The Liu Family’s young master blamed Hundred Herbs Hall for the Xiao Family Medicine Hall’s recovery and ordered the Phantom Sound Sect to attack it and obtain its tea recipes.
• The young master learned that Blade Maniac had gone to the Mountain Tribe to challenge Xiao Jinghong and decided to leave him alone for now.
• A shadow left the Liu Family residence in the rain to inform another person that the Liu Family was acting again and that it was time for that person to move.

Chen Yunfan dismissed a Hidden Guards message about the Liu Family’s plan against Hundred Herbs Hall, then decided to secretly protect it because Chen Yi might be affected. After receiving a Mysterious Grade intelligence report, Chen Yi trained his footwork and sneaked toward Sifang Zhai, where he spotted Xiao Dongchen and Liu Si’er.

• Chunying urged Chen Yunfan to handle grain distribution, but he refused to provoke the Xiao Family or take on the task.
• A harrier eagle delivered a Hidden Guards note warning that the Liu Family of Shuzhou planned to target Hundred Herbs Hall, and Chen Yunfan chose to watch events rather than pass on the warning.
• Chunying reminded Chen Yunfan that Chen Yi’s pharmacy business could suffer, so Chen Yunfan resolved to secretly protect Hundred Herbs Hall and ordered surveillance of the Liu Family.
• Chen Yi reflected on his growing Eighth Grade Mid Stage cultivation and received intelligence that the Hidden Guards would meet at Sifang Zhai.
• Chen Yi raised Martial Dao Step to Great Accomplishment, practiced his Earth Rank Butterfly Steps, and stealthily reached Sifang Zhai.
• Chen Yi saw Xiao Dongchen leave the Wooden Tower with an armored guard and recognized the guard as Liu Si’er.

Chen Yi overheard Xiao Dongchen and Ge Laosan plotting to burn the Dingyuan Army’s grain to destabilize the Xiao Family, then received the Four Symbols Technique. He later watched Xiao Wan'er sing in the rain and wondered whether the poem he had written for her had been presumptuous.

• Chen Yi recognized the armored soldier beside Xiao Dongchen as Ge Laosan and secretly listened to their conversation.
• Xiao Dongchen urged Ge Laosan to help plunge Shuzhou into chaos, arguing that the Xiao Family’s recovery would undermine their aims and the Fledgling’s prospects.
• Ge Laosan agreed to Xiao Dongchen’s plan to burn the stored grain, then left after publicly claiming he would visit Hundred Herbs Hall for tea drinks.
• Chen Yi received the Four Symbols Technique and Fortune for witnessing the Hidden Guards’ secret discussion, then crossed into Jiaxing Garden while Shen Huatang was away.
• Chen Yi saw Xiao Wan'er standing at her window, heard her sing, and watched her close the window and extinguish the candle.
• Chen Yi reflected that the poem he had written for Xiao Wan'er might have been presumptuous.

After discovering the threats surrounding the Xiao Family, Chen Yi weighed the danger to the family and Hundred Herbs Hall before turning to cultivate the Four Symbols Technique. His breakthrough advanced him to the upper stage of the Eighth Rank.

• Chen Yi returned to Chunhe Garden and wrote down what he had learned about the Hidden Guards, Xiao Dongchen, Liu of Shuzhou, Liu of Jingzhou, and the other forces targeting the Xiao Family.
• Chen Yi considered the Xiao Family’s isolation and the Old Master’s apparent plan to wait for his opponents to reveal themselves, but he could not determine why the Imperial Court wanted Shuzhou destabilized.
• Chen Yi burned his notes, reflected on his growing attachment to the Xiao Family, and resolved to strengthen his Martial Path before the Phantom Sound Sect acted against Hundred Herbs Hall.
• Chen Yi studied the Four Symbols Technique and realized that its available portion only supported cultivation up to the Fifth Rank Realm.
• Chen Yi cultivated with the Four Symbols Technique, opened two more primary meridians, and advanced to the upper stage of the Eighth Rank.

After reaching the Eighth Rank Upper Segment through the Four Symbols Technique, Chen Yi left Chunhe Garden to handle matters involving the Xiao Family. He met with Wang Ji at Hundred Herbs Hall and signaled that they should speak privately.

• Xiao Die prepared breakfast and planned the day's activities while Chen Yi finished cultivating and discovered that he had reached the Eighth Rank Upper Segment.
• Chen Yi told Xiao Wuge and Xiao Die that he had business to attend to, then left Chunhe Garden on foot.
• At the mansion gate, Chen Yi overheard Shen Huatang and her Senior Sister discussing him before continuing toward West Market.
• Chen Yi assessed the nearby people and martial artists, then entered Hundred Herbs Hall to speak with Wang Ji.
• Chen Yi gave Wang Ji their prearranged signal, and they began a guarded conversation disguised as small talk about Eldest Sister.

Chen Yi warned Wang Ji that the Phantom Sound Sect planned to attack Hundred Herbs Hall and sent him to seek the Xiao Family’s protection. After hearing rumors about White Immortal, Chen Yi left with Ge Laosan, already plotting how to put the dangerous man to work.

• Chen Yi secretly told Wang Ji that the Phantom Sound Sect planned to target Hundred Herbs Hall and instructed him to warn Xiao Wan'er and bring the silver notes to the Xiao Family.
• Wang Ji obtained Xiao Wan'er's promise of protection while Xie Tingyun overheard the news and wondered whether someone had deliberately drawn her to the Xiao Family.
• Chen Yi listened to Jishi Pharmacy’s customers share stories about White Immortal, whose real name was Gongye Bai and whose fortune-telling predictions supposedly ended disastrously for those he read.
• Chen Yi boarded Ge Laosan's carriage in the rain and began planning how to keep the thick-browed man from remaining idle.

At dinner, Chen Yi learned that the Phantom Sound Sect might target Hundred Herbs Hall and stayed in the mansion while Shen Huatang and Xie Tingyun went to investigate. That night, his intelligence revealed that Hundred Herbs Hall would suffer a calamity at the first quarter of Xu Hour, presenting an opportunity to gain considerable fortune.

• Xie Tingyun described the famed White Immortal as a jianghu senior who had supposedly entered the Land Immortal Realm.
• Xiao Wan'er told Chen Yi that Wang Ji had warned the Xiao Family the Phantom Sound Sect planned to attack Hundred Herbs Hall, and she sent Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang to patrol.
• Chen Yi agreed to remain at the mansion and returned to Chunhe Garden with Xiao Wuge, who revealed that Xie Tingyun could pull objects into her hand from afar.
• Xiao Wuge asked Chen Yi to accompany him to Jinling when he turned six, and Chen Yi left the possibility open for next year.
• Chen Yi cultivated the Four Symbols Technique until midnight and sensed that he was close to completing the Eighth Rank Realm.
• Chen Yi received an Earth Grade daily intelligence notice that Hundred Herbs Hall would suffer a calamity at the first quarter of Xu Hour and that considerable fortune could be obtained.

Chen Yi prepared five bottles of Immortal's Draught to use against the Phantom Sound Sect and spent the day with the Xiao family before secretly leaving the manor. He reached a tavern near Hundred Herbs Hall to watch the coming confrontation from a safe distance.

• Chen Yi made five bottles of Immortal's Draught, a medicine designed to bypass True Essence protection and incapacitate martial artists.
• Xiao Die, Xiao Wuge, Chen Yi, and Xiao Wan'er shared a spicy hotpot meal, and Xiao Wan'er reminded Chen Yi to stay indoors in the coming days.
• After Xiao Die and Xiao Wuge went to sleep, Chen Yi disguised himself and slipped out of the Xiao Family manor with the five bottles.
• Chen Yi arrived at a tavern beside West Market and took a third-floor room overlooking Hundred Herbs Hall to watch the show.

Chen Yi watched a drugged-smoke attack on Hundred Herbs Hall, where Xie Tingyun and Xiao Xuanshuo fought the Phantom Sound Sect and other Jianghu attackers. As the fighting continued, Chen Yunfan and Chunying found Chen Yi hiding nearby, leaving his reasons for coming unclear.

• Chen Yi spotted suspicious watchers near Hundred Herbs Hall and noticed unusual carriages at the Fang Family Water Escort Agency.
• The Stocky Man recognized Meng Han Medicine in the meat parcels, and more than a hundred parcels released smoke that knocked out pedestrians across the street.
• Four Phantom Sound Sect members attacked Hundred Herbs Hall with instruments, but Xie Tingyun confronted them and drove them away with powerful Sword Qi.
• Xiao Xuanshuo and the Armored Soldiers emerged from the escort agency to fight Jianghu guests attacking the hall, and Xiao Xuanshuo joined the battle when his men faltered.
• Two people approached Chen Yi as he watched; he recognized Chunying and heard her address Chen Yunfan as Young Master, while Chen Yunfan sat down and drank tea beside him.

Chen Yi watched as Elder Demon Jia paralyzed the fighters at Hundred Herbs Hall, then saw Chen Yunfan secretly intervene to save Shen Huatang. Xie Tingyun drove Jia away, and Chen Yi received a reward before his brother addressed him.

• Chen Yunfan and Chunying discussed the Xiao Family, Xiao Jinghong, and Liu Jing while Chen Yi realized his elder brother knew far more than he let on.
• Elder Demon Jia arrived and used his flute to immobilize Xiao Xuanshuo and the others fighting outside Hundred Herbs Hall.
• Shen Huatang confronted Jia, but his flute disrupted her attack until Chen Yunfan struck the weapon aside and forced Jia back.
• Xie Tingyun arrived, and Elder Demon Jia fled; Shen Huatang thanked the unseen person who had saved her.
• The City Guard and Judicial Department took charge, Chen Yunfan left with Chunying, and Chen Yi received a Four Symbols Technique rank increase and Fortune reward.
• Chen Yi stood to leave, and someone behind him asked whether he had slept well.

Chen Yi escaped the pursuit after drugging Chen Yunfan, then fought off Liu Si'er and the guards with a powerful spear technique. He fled toward Chunhe Garden, leaving Liu Si'er injured and uncertain of his identity.

• Chen Yi threw a bottle of potent knockout drug at Chen Yunfan and escaped the tavern, while Chunying sent Ning Yu after him.
• Chen Yi avoided Wudong Street and fled through narrow alleys as Liu Si'er and the Xiao Family guards pursued him.
• Cornered in a dead end, Chen Yi took up Liu Si'er's spear and struck back, knocking Liu Si'er and the other pursuers unconscious.
• Chen Yi wiped his fingerprints from the spear, taunted the watchers, and escaped over the rooftops toward Chunhe Garden.
• Liu Si'er regained consciousness, blamed an unknown watcher from one of Shuzhou's great clans, and then fainted again as Ning Yu arrived and recognized the Spear Dao.

Chen Yi returned safely to Chunhe Garden after escaping the battle at Hundred Herbs Hall, while Ning Yu recognized that the mysterious black-clad fighter had achieved Spear Intent despite being in the Lower Three Ranks. The Xiao Family learned that the Phantom Sound Sect had attacked the hall, and Xiao Wan'er prepared to share the news with her sister.

• Ning Yu deduced that the black-clad man's spear technique had entered the Dao, judged him too dangerous to pursue, and returned with Chen Yi's spear.
• Chen Yi returned to Chunhe Garden, reflected on Chen Yunfan's mysterious strength, and considered what he had learned about the Phantom Sound Sect and the Medicine Hall crisis.
• Chen Yi assessed his progress after the fight, then resumed cultivating the Four Symbols Technique to prepare to open his Conception and Governor Vessels.
• Xiao Xuanshuo, Xiao Wang, and Xiao Shen gathered at the Xiao Family after the attack, while Shen Huatang reported that Xie Tingyun had killed four Phantom Sound Sect members and six others had escaped.
• Xiao Wan'er learned that the captured Jianghu guests were being interrogated, was relieved that Hundred Herbs Hall remained safe, and decided to write to her Second Sister and send a letter with her brother-in-law.

Xiao Jinghong managed the Mutual Market and Dingyuan Army affairs while reflecting on Chen Yi’s poem. When Liu Lang finally challenged her, she defeated him with ease and learned that the Liu Family of Jingzhou planned to target the Xiao Family Medicine Hall.

• Xiao Jinghong finished her official work and instructed Su Zhenyue to deliver the summer harvest ledgers and send orders to the Three Towns New Army.
• Xiao Jinghong reread Chen Yi’s poems and found comfort in the lines of Second Thoughts on a Summer Night.
• Liu Lang admitted he had come to challenge Xiao Jinghong but had been held back by fear on his previous visits.
• Xiao Jinghong let Liu Lang draw his saber, caught the blade between two fingers, snapped it, and cut him before sending him away.
• Liu Lang revealed that the Liu Family of Jingzhou had ordered the robbery of the Xiao Family Medicinal Herbs and would soon target the Xiao Family Medicine Hall, and Xiao Jinghong replied that she knew.

Xiao Jinghong learned that the Liu Family might target the Xiao Family’s Medicine Hall and left with Pei Guanli, while Chen Yi stayed at Chunhe Garden. The Hundred Herbs Hall crisis was temporarily resolved, and the chapter ended with Xiao Wan'er asking Chen Yi to write a letter to Jinghong.

• Xiao Jinghong realized Old Master was waiting for news and worried that the Jingzhou Liu Family might join forces with the Shuzhou branch against the Medicine Hall.
• Xiao Jinghong ordered Su Zhenyue to have Pei Guanli’s Elder Brother handle the geological survey, then took Pei Guanli away with her to return to the Xiao Manor.
• Chen Yi told Xiao Die to prepare hotpot after hearing that Liu Si'er had been wounded by villains the previous night.
• Xiao Wan'er told Chen Yi that Liu Si'er’s injuries were minor and that Wang Ji and Yan Hai were safe after the Hundred Herbs Hall crisis was temporarily resolved.
• Xiao Wan'er asked Chen Yi to write a letter to Jinghong and send it with hers.

After the Hundred Herbs Hall attack stirred fear and a citywide investigation, Xiao Jinghong returned to Xiao Manor with Pei Guanli. Pei Guanli recognized a similarity between the attacker’s spear technique and Chen Yi’s, then accidentally exposed Xiao Jinghong’s real reason for bringing her back.

• Shuzhou City spread rumors about the Hundred Herbs Hall attack, and the authorities searched for the Phantom Sound Sect criminals while Xiao Family soldiers investigated Liu Si’er’s injury.
• On the way back to Xiao Manor, Ge Laosan asked Liu Si’er about the black-clad spearman, and Liu Si’er said the attacker had exceptional spear technique despite a low cultivation base.
• Xiao Jinghong met Ge Laosan and Liu Si’er, learned about the attack, and noticed Pei Guanli react when Liu Si’er described the attacker’s spear technique.
• Xiao Jinghong brought Pei Guanli into Xiao Manor and said she had brought her back to stay temporarily because she might cause trouble at camp.
• Pei Guanli ran into Chunhe Garden to greet Chen Yi, who stopped her from throwing herself into his arms before welcoming Xiao Jinghong.
• When Xiao Jinghong said she had merely passed by, Pei Guanli revealed that Xiao Jinghong had said she brought her back especially, leaving Xiao Jinghong exasperated.

Xiao Jinghong returned to the Xiao Manor, ate with the family, and reassured herself that everyone was safe before heading to see Grandfather. As Chen Yi gave her an umbrella and she departed for Qingjing Residence, she heard Second Master Xiao Wang angrily demand action against the Liu Family.

• Xiao Jinghong and Pei Guanli joined Chen Yi and the others for hotpot, and Xiao Wan'er explained what had happened in recent days.
• Xiao Jinghong thanked Xie Tingyun for protecting Hundred Herbs Hall and said she would return to the Mutual Market after seeing Grandfather.
• Chen Yi gave Xiao Jinghong an oil-paper umbrella, and she asked whether he had reconsidered teaching at Guiyun Academy before promising to find him another position.
• After Xiao Jinghong left, Chen Yi warned Pei Guanli not to ask questions about the previous night's events.
• Xiao Jinghong arrived at Qingjing Residence and heard Second Master Xiao Wang urge the Marquis to act against the Liu Family.

Xiao Jinghong argued against rushing into conflict with the Liu Family, and Old Marquis Xiao gave them three days to explain themselves. After discussing the Mutual Market and Chen Yi’s hidden talent, she hurried away when she overheard him reciting a love poem to Pei Guanli.

• Xiao Jinghong opposed Xiao Wang’s call to retaliate against the Liu Family, warning that conflict would bring chaos to Shuzhou.
• Old Marquis Xiao gave the Liu Family three days to provide an explanation, while Xiao Wang insisted the Disciplinary Hall belonged to the Xiao Family and stormed out.
• Xiao Jinghong reported that the Mutual Market was progressing well and described the Xiao Family’s agreement with the Mountain Tribe.
• Old Marquis Xiao told Xiao Jinghong that the Xiao Family’s rivals were testing them after recent losses and urged her to focus on the Mutual Market.
• Old Marquis Xiao praised Xiao Jinghong’s support, discussed Chen Yi’s concealed talent, and suggested she spend more time with her husband.
• Xiao Jinghong overheard Chen Yi reciting his poem to Pei Guanli and leaped away in embarrassment, calling her husband shameless.

After the Xiao Family recovered from the attack on its medicine halls, Chen Yi arranged to keep Pei Guanli and Ge Laosan occupied while he continued cultivating. Xiao Wan'er then asked Chen Yi to arrange a meeting with Hundred Herbs Hall's mysterious owner so she could thank her for helping the family.

• Liu Quan told Chen Yi that the Judicial Department had sealed Linglan Pavilion, arrested its shopkeepers, recovered the Xiao Family's herbs, and executed Qian Kuan and the others.
• Chen Yi spent three days cultivating the Four Symbols Technique and told Pei Guanli to wander around Shuzhou City as part of a plan he kept secret.
• Pei Guanli went into the city with Xiao Die, Xie Tingyun, and Shen Huatang, leaving Chen Yi concerned that Ge Laosan would have little chance to act freely around them.
• Xiao Wan'er told Chen Yi that Jishi Pharmacy was doing well and decided she wanted to give Wang Ji silver coins to repay Hundred Herbs Hall's assistance.
• Xiao Wan'er asked Chen Yi to arrange a meeting with Hundred Herbs Hall's mysterious owner, and he agreed to find Wang Ji.

Chen Yi went to Hundred Herbs Hall to tell Wang Ji that Eldest Miss Xiao wished to meet him and learned more about the aftermath of the Phantom Sound Sect's attack. While cultivating in a private room, Chen Yi broke through to the Seventh Rank, then went downstairs to meet the martial experts Wang Ji had found and was startled to see Blade Maniac, Liu Lang.

• Chen Yi met Wang Ji at Hundred Herbs Hall and arranged for him to find someone skilled in disguise so Chen Yi could meet Eldest Miss Xiao without revealing his appearance.
• Wang Ji recounted how the Judicial Department had tried to take the captured attackers, but Prefect Liu intervened and allowed the Xiao Family to question them.
• Chen Yi urged Wang Ji to hire powerful guards and encouraged him to manage Hundred Herbs Hall with the eventual goal of expanding across the Great Wei Dynasty.
• Chen Yi cultivated the Four Symbols Technique in a private room and broke through to the Seventh Rank · Lower.
• Wang Ji told Chen Yi that martial experts had arrived, and Chen Yi was startled to find Blade Maniac, Liu Lang, among them.