Chapter Summaries

After Liu Da’s men ransacked the Chu Family Ancestral Mansion, Chu Fan sensed and gathered his Qi and Blood Force, then fought off Liu Da, Scarface, Fourth Brother, and the man who had tipped them off. He followed the fleeing men through the snowy streets, carrying a Cleaving Knife.

• Liu Da learned from a short vagrant that Chu Fan had returned and went with Scarface and Fourth Brother to demand the House Deed.
• Chu Fan sensed the Qi and Blood Force throughout his body and prepared to practice Circulating Qi and Blood, but Liu Da’s group arrived at his courtyard.
• Chu Fan knocked Liu Da unconscious, defeated Scarface and Fourth Brother, and struck the short vagrant with a piece of firewood as he tried to escape.
• Liu Da and the other men fled the Chu Family Ancestral Mansion, and Chu Fan armed himself with a Cleaving Knife and followed them.

Chu Fan infiltrated Liu Family Courtyard and killed Liu Da’s group, collecting their money. He then headed southwest to hunt down the last man who had escaped.

• Chu Fan entered Liu Family Courtyard and killed Scarface with his Cleaving Knife as Scarface went to the latrine.
• Chu Fan entered the house disguised as a Masked Man and beheaded Fourth Brother, causing the short man to faint.
• Liu Da revealed that he served Huang Yu of the Blood Saber Sect, but Chu Fan dodged his attack and shattered his ribs with a fist.
• Chu Fan killed the short man and stabbed Liu Da through the chest with Liu Da’s large saber.
• Chu Fan searched the bodies for money and headed southwest toward the last man’s nearby earthen house.

Chu Fan killed the couple plotting to steal the Chu Family House Deed, then evaded a passing Moon Worshipping Sect procession and hid his money and the deed. Zhao Hu and his wife brought him bedding, leaving his home a little warmer as the chapter ended.

• Chu Fan overheard a woman and her lover discussing a plan to steal the Chu Family Old House for Young Master Huang, and learned she had once urged the man to kill him.
• Chu Fan kicked down the door and killed the man, then killed the woman when she approached him while offering silver and herself.
• Chu Fan hid from a passing Moon Worshipping Sect procession after its White-robed leader looked toward his window, then waited until the group had gone before returning home.
• Chu Fan counted nine taels and four qian of silver and three hundred and fifty Copper coins, then hid the silver and his family's House Deed inside a courtyard wall.
• Zhao Hu and his wife brought Chu Fan a bedroll and dry grass and helped restore the bedding in his room.

After killing Liu Da and his men, Chu Fan discovered that his Spiritual Essence had increased and used the opportunity to complete his first strand of Qi and Blood Force. The next morning, constables arrived at his home and summoned him, leaving him uncertain why the authorities had taken an interest in the killings.

• Zhao Hu gave Chu Fan an egg and sweet potatoes, offered further help, and learned that Chu Fan had joined the Seven Star Gang as a miscellaneous worker.
• After Zhao Hu left, Chu Fan reflected on his violent nature and noticed that his Spiritual Essence had risen from 24.7 to 31.9, which he suspected was connected to killing Liu Da and the others.
• Chu Fan practiced Twelve Forms Boxing through the night, circulating and tempering Qi and Blood until he formed his first strand of Qi and Blood Force.
• Chu Fan tested his new strength by punching a piece of round wood into splinters, then practiced Twelve Forms Boxing four more times.
• The next morning, Zhao Hu arrived with two constables, who called for Chu Fan and asked him to come out.
• Chu Fan opened the gate and asked the constables what they wanted.

Chu Fan and Zhao Hu were summoned to assist the investigation into Liu Da’s killings, while Chu Fan hid his involvement and prepared for the possibility of fleeing. At the Liu Family home, Constable Lu Tao confronted the case, angered by the corrupt County Magistrate’s demand for a thorough investigation.

• Constables searched Chu Fan’s home, then ordered Chu Fan and Zhao Hu to accompany them to the Liu Family in Qingci Lane.
• Zhao Hu warned Chu Fan that the authorities suspected one of Liu Da’s victims, while Chu Fan pretended to be shocked and considered seeking help from Cao Shi if the investigation exposed him.
• Chu Fan and Zhao Hu arrived at the Liu Family home, where neighbors celebrated Liu Da’s death and several people he had targeted waited in the cold.
• Constable Lu Tao emerged from the house and surveyed the gathered suspects and the Cleaving Knives, while inwardly condemning County Magistrate Zhang Yunpeng’s corruption and hypocrisy.

After Lu Tao investigated the deaths at the Liu Family Courtyard, he recognized Chu Fan’s unusual Blood Qi but chose not to pursue him. Back at the Chu Family Old House, Chu Fan became determined to uncover its secrets and entered his parents’ room, where a strange voice called to him.

• A constable questioned Chu Fan, and Zhao Hu explained how Liu Da and his men had targeted the Chu Family Old House.
• Lu Tao used his Qi Sensing Technique to detect Chu Fan’s powerful Blood Qi, suspected he had killed the hoodlums, and let him go without a word of accusation.
• Zhao Hu praised Lu Tao as an upright official and admitted he knew only rumors about the Old House’s past misfortunes.
• Chu Fan returned to the ransacked house, grew curious about its curse and the Osmanthus Tree, and tore open the door to his parents’ room.
• As memories of his parents’ room surfaced, Chu Fan heard a strange voice in his mind repeatedly call, “Come!”

Chu Fan discovered a hidden passage beneath his parents’ room and found an ancient Demon Suppression Stele that revealed a cultivation technique but required more Spiritual Essence than he had. He escaped back to the room and wondered whether his parents had cultivated immortality, though their deaths and lack of inheritance made little sense.

• Chu Fan saw a blue Hexagram Pattern appear when he approached a spot in his parents’ ransacked room, and touching it pulled him into a dark stone passage.
• Chu Fan followed the voice in his mind through the passage and found a black stele called the Demon Suppression Stele in a chamber.
• Chu Fan touched the stele and learned it could yield the Demon Dragon Celestial Gang Scripture, but refining it required 1,500 Spiritual Essence he lacked.
• Chu Fan glimpsed terrifying images through the stele, including a white-robed man who turned to look at him, and withdrew his hand in fear.
• Chu Fan could not return through the passage where he had entered, but found a Hexagram Pattern at the end of a different passage and used it to return to the room.
• Chu Fan wondered whether his parents had cultivated immortality, since they had left no cultivation technique or even silver despite the hidden cave.

Chu Fan confirmed that only his Chu Family bloodline could activate the Hexagram Formation and invited Zhao Hu's family to move into his home. After learning Huang Yu had reached Blood Refining and was attempting Tendon Tempering, Chu Fan planned to wait before confronting him and arranged for Zhao Hu to sell his house to the Huang Family so he could monitor Huang Yu.

• Chu Fan suppressed his urge to attack the Blood Saber Sect and decided to learn Huang Yu's strength before making plans against him.
• Chu Fan watched Zhao Hu clean his parents' room and confirmed that the Hexagram Formation did not activate for anyone outside the Chu Family bloodline.
• Chu Fan offered Zhao Hu's family free rooms in his home and gave Zhao Hu silver to replace the damaged door.
• Zhao Hu told Chu Fan that Huang Yu was at Blood Refining and had been attempting to break through to Tendon Tempering.
• Chu Fan decided to wait a few months before killing Huang Yu and told Zhao Hu to sell his house to the Huang Family so he could track Huang Yu's movements.

Chu Fan trained his Twelve Forms Boxing and Chopping Wood Saber Technique while waiting for Cao Shi and Zhao Tianxing to return. Zhao Tianxing came back eager to discuss Chu Fan’s first kill and said Cao Shi would teach them the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber, but Ling Feng confronted Zhao Tianxing about preparing to condense Qi and Blood Force.

• Chu Fan learned that Cao Shi and Zhao Tianxing had not returned, then practiced Twelve Forms Boxing and gained experience as his Blood Qi surged.
• Chu Fan chopped wood and advanced the Chopping Wood Saber Technique toward its Second Break Limit.
• Zhao Tianxing returned and asked Chu Fan how he had felt after killing someone; Chu Fan said he had felt little besides some excitement.
• Zhao Tianxing told Chu Fan that Cao Shi had sent him to fetch Chu Fan so they could learn the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber after lunch.
• Ling Feng approached with a group and asked Zhao Tianxing if he was preparing to condense Qi and Blood Force.

Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing concealed their progress in condensing Qi and Blood Force while Ling Feng grew jealous and hostile. Cao Feng revealed how he had arranged safeguards after Chu Fan killed four men, then announced that he would begin teaching Chu Fan the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber.

• Ling Feng heard that Zhao Tianxing was close to condensing Qi and Blood Force and resented the attention Zhao Tianxing and Chu Fan received.
• Zhao Tianxing pretended that his attempts to condense Qi and Blood Force had failed, while secretly planning to form his second strand that night; Chu Fan planned to do the same.
• Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing returned to the courtyard, where they met Cao Feng's nephew Cao Yan, who had watched over Chu Fan during the county office's questioning.
• Cao Feng explained that he had sent Cao Yan to protect Chu Fan and had prepared for several possible responses from Magistrate Zhang Yunpeng and Lu Tao.
• Cao Feng said Lu Tao had let Chu Fan go after inspecting his Blood Qi, and explained that Cao Yan could have held Lu Tao back while Chu Fan escaped.
• Cao Feng told Chu Fan to focus more on saber practice and announced that he would teach him the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber, causing Zhao Tianxing to drop his chicken leg.

Cao Feng revealed that Chu Fan had achieved Minor Accomplishment in all Twelve Forms, then began teaching him and Zhao Tianxing the Cao Clan’s Ninefold Thunderclap Saber. He explained how the three famous saber arts differed, and the two disciples started studying their manuals.

• Cao Feng praised Chu Fan for concealing his strength and revealed that he had reached Minor Accomplishment in all Twelve Forms within half a month.
• Zhao Tianxing was stunned by Chu Fan’s progress, then regained his spirits when Cao Feng praised his physical strength and archery.
• Cao Feng gave Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing copies of the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber Manual and told them to memorize them before his afternoon lesson.
• Cao Feng explained that the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber was a Third Stage lower-grade martial art, while the Blood Soul Nine Swords and Seven Stars Bead Cut were Second Stage lower-grade arts.
• Cao Feng said the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber was fierce, the Blood Soul Nine Swords were wicked, and Seven Stars Bead Cut was fast.

Cao Feng taught Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing about saber techniques and assigned them cultivation priorities. Chu Fan studied the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber and then defeated Zhao Tianxing in a spar with one punch, leaving him eager to learn why his Tiger Form had failed.

• Cao Feng explained the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber, Seven Stars Bead Cut, and Blood Soul Nine Swords, warning Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing about the Blood Saber Sect's Killing Intent.
• Cao Feng told Zhao Tianxing to focus on Moon Eclipse Arrow and Chu Fan to focus on Ninefold Thunderclap Saber, with Twelve Forms Boxing as supplementary training.
• Chu Fan weighed whether to spend Spiritual Essence learning Li Qingxue's Seven Stars Bead Cut, then chose to save his reserves and study the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber manual.
• After reading the manual, Chu Fan practiced Twelve Forms Boxing, and Zhao Tianxing challenged him to spar.
• Chu Fan saw through Zhao Tianxing's Minor Accomplishment Tiger Form and knocked him down with a Bear Form Chop Fist.
• Zhao Tianxing asked Chu Fan to explain why his Tiger Form could not block the punch.

Chu Fan defeated Zhao Tianxing in a spar, demonstrating that his Twelve Forms Boxing had reached Major Accomplishment despite Zhao’s belief that it was only at Minor Accomplishment. After reviewing his training and lessons in Ninefold Thunderclap Saber, Chu Fan prepared to try condensing a second thread of Qi and Blood Force.

• Chu Fan warned Zhao Tianxing that predictable Twelve Forms Boxing routines let an opponent anticipate his attacks, prompting Zhao to rely on hunting instincts instead of set moves.
• Zhao Tianxing attacked with his Minor Accomplishment tiger, eagle, and monkey forms, but Chu Fan read his techniques and countered with movements from Twelve Forms at Major Accomplishment.
• Chu Fan struck Zhao Tianxing’s wrist and knocked him backward with Bear Form’s Leaning Mountain Force, ending the exchange in his favor.
• Zhao Tianxing mistook Chu Fan’s superior skill for the power of Twelve Forms at Minor Accomplishment and vowed to cultivate his remaining forms before challenging him again.
• That night, Chu Fan reviewed his spar with Zhao Tianxing and Cao Shi’s Ninefold Thunderclap Saber lessons, then prepared to condense a second thread of Qi and Blood Force.

Chu Fan struggled through the night to condense a second strand of Qi and Blood, succeeding with the help of his Major Accomplishment in Twelve Forms Boxing. The next morning, he woke exhausted but discovered his strength had greatly increased, while Zhao Tianxing had failed and planned to try again after resting.

• Chu Fan used Twelve Forms Boxing to gather and temper Qi and Blood, enduring intense pain and exhaustion as he worked to form a second strand.
• Chu Fan finally merged the new Blood Qi with his first strand into a Taiji pattern, completing the second strand and greatly strengthening his Qi and Blood.
• Chu Fan collapsed into bed, too exhausted to test his new strength, and slept through the night.
• Zhao Tianxing told Chu Fan he had failed to condense a second strand and planned to rest for two days before trying again; he then set off to practice archery near Senior Sister Qingxue.
• Chu Fan checked his cultivation panel, saw that Blood Nourishment remained at 99%, and tested his enhanced strength by punching the air.

Chu Fan reached Perfection in Literacy Technique, gaining a form of dynamic photographic memory, and reflected on his search for records about the Chu Family and the Demon Suppression Stele. He continued practicing the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber, still struggling to comprehend Saber Force as he neared the Blood Nourishment realm.

• Chu Fan completed his study of the Annals of Qing Prefecture and the Annals of Qingyang County, bringing Literacy Technique to Perfection and gaining photographic memory.
• Chu Fan found no records of the Chu Family or the Demon Suppression Stele, though the books frequently mentioned the Great Yan Dynasty's Demon Suppression Bureau.
• Chu Fan reviewed his cultivation progress and noted that he had condensed two strands of Qi and Blood Force, with his Blood Nourishment breakthrough close.
• Chu Fan drew his dark-red long saber and considered why mastering Saber Force made the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber difficult to learn.
• Chu Fan gripped the saber and began circulating his two strands of Qi and Blood Force.

Chu Fan comprehended Saber Force, split a Black Iron Wood stake with one strike, and advanced the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber to Entry. Zhao Tianxing revealed that he had condensed a second strand of Qi and Blood Force, while Chu Fan planned to restore his strength and attempt to condense a third strand.

• Chu Fan fused his Qi and Blood Force with the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber and comprehended Saber Force.
• Chu Fan used Saber Force to cut a Black Iron Wood stake cleanly in half, then practiced until the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber reached Entry.
• After reaching Entry, Chu Fan gained a clearer grasp of the saber forms and gathered his scattered force into Thunder Saber Force.
• Zhao Tianxing charged at Chu Fan, who struck him with his saber sheath before realizing who he was.
• Zhao Tianxing told Chu Fan he had condensed a second strand of Qi and Blood Force, and suggested they celebrate and later hunt Exotic Beasts together.
• Chu Fan reflected that his Qi and Blood had recovered and planned to rest, drink Blood Nourishing Medicinal Soup, and attempt to condense a third strand the following night.

Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing discussed entering the Misty Swamp to find valuable herbs and earn money, despite the dangers. As Li Qingxue opened a box containing an unusually potent ginseng, five hostile disciples arrived at the dining hall and focused on Chu Fan.

• Zhao Tianxing offered Li Qingxue a Chicken Leg, but she refused, and he shared another with the Short Fat Youth.
• The Short Fat Youth warned Chu Fan that a group planned to teach him a lesson, and five hostile disciples entered the dining hall looking at him.
• Chu Fan asked Zhao Tianxing about the Misty Swamp, and Zhao Tianxing described its rare herbs, dangers, and the map he had kept.
• Chu Fan considered the resources needed for advancement and concluded they should improve their martial arts before entering the swamp.
• Li Qingxue opened a wooden box and revealed a fragrant, many-years-old ginseng.

Li Qingxue’s casual taste of a priceless Wild Ginseng inspired Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing to pursue strength and wealth, while Chu Fan’s flattering words unexpectedly helped Cao Feng find peace of mind. At the Training Ground, Chu Fan was confronted by Jiang Yuanfan and his companions, but he demanded payment before agreeing to spar and left Jiang furious after calling him “Lapdog Number One.”

• Li Qingxue calmly cut off and ate a small piece of Wild Ginseng, prompting Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing to feel newly driven to grow stronger and earn money.
• Chu Fan practiced the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber, studied in the Library Pavilion, and went to the Training Ground with the others.
• Chu Fan praised Cao Feng’s composure with two poetic lines, and Cao Feng felt his resentment lift as he took the words to heart.
• Cao Feng announced that the trainees would spar, and Jiang Yuanfan and several others blocked Chu Fan after the girl they followed joined them.
• Chu Fan mocked the group as lapdogs and demanded three qian of silver before sparring; Jiang Yuanfan paid and angrily insisted Chu Fan remember his name.

Chu Fan defeated Jiang Yuanfan in their first match by distracting him and striking quickly, then taunted him into paying for a rematch. As Jiang Yuanfan prepared to fight again, Chu Fan kicked dirt toward his face.

• Li Qingxue established a ring and declared that Chu Fan and Jiang Yuanfan would fight until one fell or was forced out.
• Chu Fan distracted Jiang Yuanfan with a feigned question, then knocked him down with a punch and kick.
• When Jiang Yuanfan got up and tried to continue, Chu Fan kicked him out of the ring, and Li Qingxue declared Chu Fan the winner.
• Chu Fan used a passage about deception in warfare to frustrate Jiang Yuanfan, then demanded five more qian of silver for a rematch.
• The girl who had earlier stirred up trouble paid the five qian, and Jiang Yuanfan agreed to fight again.
• As Jiang Yuanfan vowed not to fall for another trick, Chu Fan kicked dirt into his face.

Chu Fan defeated Jiang Yuanfan in a sparring match, then practiced the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber and prepared to condense his third strand of Qi and Blood Force. He broke through into the Blood Nourishment realm and demonstrated his newfound strength, astonishing Zhao Tianxing.

• Chu Fan tricked Jiang Yuanfan with a fake Monkey Steals Peach and struck his throat, then kicked him out of the arena.
• Cao Feng defended Chu Fan’s tactics and ended the dispute, while Chu Fan taunted Jiang Yuanfan’s group and left with his winnings.
• Chu Fan practiced the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber until he achieved its first level of force, then studied the manual.
• That night, Chu Fan condensed his third strand of Qi and Blood Force and broke through into the Blood Nourishment realm.
• Chu Fan sent a Black Iron Wood post flying with a Bear Form Crushing Fist, and Zhao Tianxing came out, stunned by the display.