Chapter Summaries

Fang Yue returned Yang Hongxia safely to the caravan, where Steward Hai and the others thanked him and discussed recruiting him into the Great Yang Merchant Group. After briefly riding away to patrol for threats, Fang Yue returned to the caravan, leaving everyone relieved and admiring his dedication.

• Fang Yue escorted Yang Hongxia back to the road, where Steward Hai joyfully reunited with her and promised Fang Yue a generous reward.
• Yang Hongxia and Steward Hai decided to investigate the attack and recruit Fang Yue as an honored guest of the Great Yang Merchant Group.
• Fang Yue mounted his Blazing Red Horse and rode away, causing Yang Hongxia, Steward Hai, and the caravan to fear he had left them.
• Fang Yue returned and explained that he had been circling the caravan to search for anomalies and night bandits.
• The caravan praised Fang Yue's protectiveness, and some travelers became his devoted fans.

Fang Yue escorted the Great Yang Merchant Group to Chu Nuan City while hunting anomalies and cultivating his martial arts. Meanwhile, Qingsi County rebuilt after the disaster, and Captain Wu prepared to leave for Chu Nuan City.

• Fang Yue expanded his patrols and slaughtered isolated anomalies, reassuring the merchant caravan as he gathered Lifespan and cultivation points.
• Fang Yue raised the Disk Tree Mind Method, Night Flow Mind Method, and Shadow Stepping Footwork to their second layers before the merchant group arrived at Chu Nuan City.
• Fang Yue worried about Chen Xiaomiao, the United Association, and Sister Yuan as troubles in reality weighed on him.
• The people of Qingsi County buried Tian Er Jun and You Sisi and began rebuilding under Captain Wu's leadership.
• Captain Wu, burdened by the Qing Division's losses and eager to reach Chu Nuan City, decided not to remain in Qingsi County.

Captain Wu learned that Fang Yue had survived the Black Green Mountain Range and traveled to Chu Nuan City, leaving Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu in charge of rebuilding Qingsi County. As Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu grew into her role and trained with Captain Wu's manual, Qing Chen and the others discovered that Lin Ling's modified body was highly compatible with Lord Han's eyeball.

• Captain Wu stayed in Qingsi County despite his worry for An Dong'er until Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu told him Fang Yue had survived and was heading to Chu Nuan City.
• Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu took over the county's reconstruction, and Captain Wu gave her his cultivation manual before leaving for Chu Nuan City.
• Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu's hard work and training won over most of Qingsi County's residents, who began calling her the Corpse Eater.
• Qing Chen and Jing Yan changed their plan to revive Lord Han after Lin Ling woke, because Lin Ling's modified body proved highly compatible with Lord Han's eyeball.

Jing Yan noticed that players were disappearing from Qingsi County and urged Qing Chen to check for suspicious messages. Qing Chen found a private message from Chen Xiaomiao saying she was already dead, leaving the cause of the players’ departures unexplained.

• Qing Chen said Lin Ling could undergo an experiment to help revive Lord Han, and Lin Ling agreed despite the risks.
• Jing Yan watched Tian Long, San Yue, and Qi Yue leave Qingsi County to seek recruitment at the Blazing Fire Sect.
• Jing Yan noticed that fewer players were returning to Qingsi County and saw one player cut his palm before logging out.
• Jing Yan urged Qing Chen to log out and check his messages, but Qing Chen initially found nothing suspicious.
• Qing Chen searched his junk private messages and found a note from Chen Xiaomiao saying she was already dead.

Qing Chen watched a video showing Miaofa dying from injuries that had appeared on her real body, and realized that players could be killed through the game. The video’s spread caused a nationwide surge in the Anomaly Line, and President Qian learned that the hackers had found the target.

• Qing Chen opened a message from Chen Xiaomiao, who said she was dying after injuries from the game appeared on her real body.
• Qing Chen watched a video in which Chen Xiaomiao’s wounds appeared one by one, her tongue was pulled out, and a fatal wound opened in her neck.
• Qing Chen panicked, threw his Game Watch away, and realized that he had helped Phoenix Organization researchers kill players among the Experimental Subjects.
• President Qian ordered the United Association to investigate and remove the video after it spread to game forums and drove the Anomaly Line sharply upward across the country.
• Qiu Dug told President Qian that the association’s hackers had found the target.

The United Association responded to the sudden rise in Anomaly Line by beginning the Separation Plan ahead of schedule and suppressing discussion of the Blue Sea game. Qiu Dug dealt with the consequences as players were arrested, while Jing Yan found himself sharing his cell with two unconscious men.

• The United Association held an emergency general meeting, blamed President Qian for the crisis, and ordered the Separation Plan to begin ahead of schedule.
• President Qian ordered Qiu Dug to interrogate the captured people who had caused the trouble and discover who was behind them.
• Qiu Dug comforted Sister Yuan, who blamed herself for urging Bai Xiaoya to buy a Game Watch, and told Sister Ying that the captured players would be taken along if they cooperated and survived.
• Players found their posts and messages about the Blue Sea game blocked, and people who discussed it through other apps were arrested and imprisoned.
• Sister Coffee brought two unconscious fat men into Jing Yan's cell as his new roommates and refused to give him a single room until his game character entered the Martial Path.

Jing Yan and Qing Chen worked to revive Lord Han while players fled the game, and a Qing Guard visitor from the capital took You Sisi’s remains away. The chapter ended with an urgent order summoning Night Dawn to the Imperial Palace.

• Jing Yan learned that players were quitting after Miaofa’s explosion and found Qing Chen continuing the work to fuse Lord Han with Lin Ling’s body.
• Jing Yan helped Qing Chen prepare Lin Ling to receive Lord Han’s eyeball, then the cleaning lady stunned Jing Yan’s cellmates before giving him food.
• Tian Dan Zhi Yuan Wu brought Jing Yan and Qing Chen to meet a visitor from the Qing Guard headquarters, and Old You demanded You Sisi’s remains.
• Old You took You Sisi’s coffin away, and Jing Yan and Qing Chen implanted Lord Han’s eyeball in Lin Ling’s peacock body.
• More than half a month later, an urgent document from the capital ordered White-Robed Qing Guard Night Dawn to report to the Imperial Palace.

Fang Yue entered Chu Nuan City with Steward Hai’s merchant caravan and learned that its lax gate inspections served the city’s trade-driven growth. Steward Hai explained that merchants accepted the dangers of travel because Chu Nuan City offered great profits, and he predicted it would rival or surpass the capital within a century.

• Fang Yue entered Chu Nuan City under the name [Ye Niu Niu] after guards recorded his name without checking his identity.
• Fang Yue reflected on Niu Niu’s past and used his name as a disguise, unsure whether Niu Niu was still alive.
• Steward Hai explained that Chu Nuan City kept inspections lax to avoid slowing the flow of merchants and trade.
• Steward Hai said formations at the city gates generally kept ordinary anomalies from entering.
• Steward Hai argued that merchants accepted the dangers of the trade routes for Chu Nuan City’s profits and predicted the city would eventually rival or surpass the capital.

Fang Yue and Steward Hai entered Chu Nuan City, where Hai explained how the city’s Guard Houses and Heavenly Merchant Alliance operated. At the Great Yang Mansion, the young lady teased Fang Yue about marrying her, then noticed the handkerchief wrapped around his hand and went inside.

• Steward Hai explained that Chu Nuan City relied on Guard Houses to protect merchants in its loosely policed streets.
• Street recruiters recognized Steward Hai and the young lady, and two Xiantian Realm guards, Feng Bai and Yun Tian, drove them away.
• Steward Hai described how the Guard Houses and Heavenly Merchant Alliance had grown into powerful, closely connected forces in the city.
• The Great Yang Merchant Group arrived at its mansion, where Fang Yue asked about the young lady’s tournament to find a husband.
• The young lady offered to discuss marrying Fang Yue, and he quickly denied wanting to marry her.
• The young lady noticed the grimy handkerchief around Fang Yue’s right hand and entered the mansion without commenting.

Fang Yue joined the Great Yang Merchant Group’s feast and defeated Guest Minister in a one-kick challenge, earning the position of Supreme Guest Minister. The young miss then told Director Yang that night bandits had attacked her on the way back and suggested Guest Minister had leaked her route.

• Fang Yue sat beside the young miss at the feast, prompting Guest Minister to object to his taking the seat.
• The young miss challenged Guest Minister’s standing and proposed that Fang Yue fight him for the Supreme Guest Minister position.
• Fang Yue knocked Guest Minister unconscious with a single kick and returned to dinner.
• Director Yang declared Fang Yue the new Supreme Guest Minister and asked the young miss to explain the scene.
• The young miss described the night bandit attack and pointed out that only Director Yang and Guest Minister had known her route.

After Fang Yue defeated Guest Minister Bing, Director Yang considered asking him to represent the Great Yang Merchant Group in the Martial Competition and discussed what gifts might persuade him. Meanwhile, Yang Qingqing was killed and transformed by a mirror anomaly, which left the story with her vanished and Yang Hongxia objecting to the proposed gifts for Fang Yue.

• Director Yang ordered Guest Minister Bing taken to the cells and promised Yang Hongxia he would investigate the attempted betrayal.
• Yang Hongxia asked Fang Yue to compete for the Great Yang Merchant Group, while Director Yang wondered what compensation he would accept.
• Yang Qingqing planned to use Guest Minister Bing to take the heir position, but a hand emerged from her mirror and killed her.
• Yang Qingqing rose as a black-eyed anomaly, crystallized a maid into a mirror, and disappeared into it.
• Director Yang and Steward Hai proposed offering Fang Yue martial resources and a fine blade, but Yang Hongxia said the plan was inappropriate.

Hongxia and Steward Hai argued with Director Yang over helping Lord Ye investigate the Phoenix Organization. Director Yang ordered them to cut ties with Lord Ye, but Hongxia recruited Steward Hai and left to help anyway.

• Steward Hai and Hongxia discussed offering Lord Ye information about the Phoenix Organization in exchange for his help.
• Director Yang reacted with fear when Hongxia revealed Lord Ye wanted to investigate the Phoenix Organization and ordered him to leave the next morning.
• Director Yang proposed making Steward Hai take responsibility if the Phoenix Organization retaliated, and Steward Hai accepted.
• Hongxia angrily refused to let Steward Hai sacrifice himself and persuaded him to assist her in investigating the Phoenix Organization.
• Hongxia and Steward Hai left together despite Director Yang's order, and Director Yang worried that Hongxia's impulsiveness would endanger the Great Yang Merchant Group.

Director Yang died in a bizarre transformation after deciding to confine Hongxia and consider another heir. Fang Yue agreed to compete for the Great Yang Merchant Group in exchange for help finding the Phoenix Organization, then learned Guest Minister Bing had died at the mansion and suspected evil was at work.

• Director Yang ordered Hongxia confined and considered Yang Qingqing as a possible successor.
• Director Yang entered Yang Qingqing's room, transformed into glass, and died while trying to escape.
• Steward Hai and the young lady explained the Great Yang Merchant Group's financial predicament and asked Fang Yue to compete in the Martial Competition for their help finding the Phoenix Organization.
• Fang Yue agreed to compete, then left to patrol the city and punish evil.
• A servant reported that Guest Minister Bing had died at the Great Yang Mansion, and Fang Yue declared that he smelled evil.

Fang Yue investigated the Guest Minister’s death and discovered a glass-like eerie concealed in the jail wall. After it crystallized several guards and began affecting Fang Yue, he broke down the crystal on his fingertip with black energy.

• Fang Yue found the Guest Minister dead in the jail, his body shattered like glass.
• The young lady decided to report the death to the Green Bureau in the morning and asked Fang Yue to guard them overnight.
• Fang Yue noticed the jail wall was unusually smooth and struck it with his Dark Moon Blade Technique, forcing Director Yang’s glass-encased head out of it.
• Guards attacked the wall, but crystal spread from their weapons and bodies, killing them.
• Crystal began forming on Fang Yue’s fingertip, but black energy broke it apart and restored his finger.

Fang Yue discovered that the mirror-like wall led to a deep-water world where the [Crystal Anomaly] was hiding inside Yang Qingqing. After driving it back into that world, he began destroying its exits, leaving it to cut off and throw away one of its hands in desperation.

• Fang Yue plunged his head into the wall and found a deep-water cube filled with corpses, where possessed Yang Qingqing rushed toward him.
• Fang Yue led the young lady out of the cell, then cut Yang Qingqing in half when she attacked; her body broke into crystalline granules and seeped into the ground.
• Fang Yue entered the deep-water world and saw Yang Qingqing's body rejoin before she fled in fear.
• Fang Yue shattered one of the anomaly's exits and began destroying the others so he could trap the [Crystal Anomaly].
• The [Crystal Anomaly] panicked and chopped off one of its hands, throwing it into the deep-water area.

Fang Yue killed the Crystal Anomaly after escaping the deep-water cube and helped Miss Yang secure the Great Yang Merchant Group. He stayed at the mansion overnight to guard against further danger and planned to hunt for information that night.

• Fang Yue killed the Crystal Anomaly, identified as Yang Qingqing, and gained Control, Deflection, Lifespan, and Calamity Stones.
• Fang Yue returned to Miss Yang Hongxia and reported that the anomaly was dead, while she arranged for the mansion's aftermath to be handled.
• Miss Yang concluded that separate groups had targeted her family and the Great Yang Merchant Group, and prepared to succeed her late father.
• Fang Yue remained at the mansion overnight to guard against other anomalies and cultivated with Calamity Stones.
• At dawn, Fang Yue decided to help the Great Yang Merchant Group during the day and begin his hunt that night.

Fang Yue considered how [Qing Guard] and [Lan Shan] trained their members and advanced them through specialized martial arts systems. With Lord Han's legacy giving him another path, he did not need to choose between the two departments, and he turned his thoughts to the legacy's other core martial arts.

• The young lady reported the [Wyrd] attack to [Qing Guard] and [Lan Shan].
• Fang Yue considered how [Qing Guard]'s specialized techniques helped members fight the wyrd but could leave outsiders like him excluded from its advancement circle.
• Fang Yue learned that [Lan Shan] handled crimes committed by humans and trained its members in lethal martial arts suited to fighting other Martial Artists.
• Fang Yue considered that he could transfer between the departments using his Merit Points and achievements, but Lord Han's legacy meant he did not need to choose either one.
• Fang Yue turned his attention to the other two core martial arts in Lord Han's legacy.

Lang Qingyi investigated the Crystal Anomaly at Great Yang Mansion and declared it a possible Vicious-level threat, only to learn that Ye Niu Niu had already killed it. Lang Qingyi realized his attempt to exaggerate the danger and extort the merchant group had backfired.

• Lang Qingyi arrived at Great Yang Mansion with White Robe Qing Guards and inspected the prison cell where the Crystal Anomaly had first been reported.
• Lang Qingyi examined Yang Qingqing’s room and identified the tall mirror as the likely original Object of Hosted Anomalies.
• Lang Qingyi concluded that the Crystal Anomaly could be Vicious-level, frightening the White Robe Qing Guards and Steward Hai.
• Steward Hai revealed that Ye Niu Niu had already killed the Crystal Anomaly, stunning Lang Qingyi and his subordinates.
• Lang Qingyi realized he had overplayed his bluff to extort the Great Yang Merchant Group.

Fang Yue and Steward Hai suspected Qingsi official Lang Qingyi had taken a switched mirror connected to the Crystal Anomaly case, while Steward Hai arranged for Fang Yue to visit three rival merchant groups suspected of plotting against the Great Yang Merchant Group. The chapter left Fang Yue heading out to investigate as Steward Hai’s people looked into the Night Thieves.

• Steward Hai paid Lang Qingyi to investigate the Crystal Anomaly, and Lang Qingyi questioned Fang Yue before leaving with the switched mirror.
• Steward Hai told Fang Yue that Lang Qingyi had taken the replacement mirror, suggesting someone had arranged for him to obtain the real evidence.
• Steward Hai warned Fang Yue not to kill Lang Qingyi and proposed watching the mirror’s trail to identify the mastermind.
• Steward Hai asked Fang Yue to visit the Fox Merchant Group, the Old City Merchant Group, and the Empty Mountain Merchant Group, which were suspected of targeting the Great Yang Merchant Group.
• Steward Hai arranged an investigation into King Hun and the Night Thieves while Fang Yue set out to visit the rival merchant groups.

Fang Yue visited the Fox Merchant Group to introduce himself and ask about the Phoenix Organization and An Dong'er, but the Fox Leader demanded that he defeat the group’s guest minister before answering. Fang Yue faced the blind swordsman, though the Short-tailed girl Ya Ya’s behavior left him wishing he could switch opponents.

• Fang Yue visited the Fox Merchant Group alone and told its leader that he had replaced the previous Supreme Guest Minister and that the Great Yang Merchant Group had undergone personnel changes.
• The Fox Leader mocked the Great Yang Merchant Group and refused to answer Fang Yue’s questions unless he defeated the Fox Merchant Group’s guest minister.
• Fang Yue went to the Fox Merchant Group’s training grounds and saw Short-tailed Tribe members practicing.
• The blind human guest minister arrived with Ya Ya, who teased him and insulted Fang Yue before urging the blind man to fight.
• The blind man told Fang Yue to make his move, and Ya Ya cheered him on.