Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Teacher Zhou supports Xu Chi becoming captain, criticizing Peng Yueze’s attempts to influence the team and Xu Chi’s passive behavior. Xu Chi is officially placed in charge, with the team agreeing to follow his arrangements.
• The rating competition is about to begin. Judges gather to evaluate the participating teams, while a larger-than-expected crowd and numerous reporters arrive.
• Li Yuan notices Jin Fan and his mother, Ding Xiaoyue, among the spectators, along with several people who appear to be Jin Family members. He realizes they may be present to seek revenge or damage his reputation.
• Although Jin Fan’s injuries destroyed his cultivation prospects, he appears capable of living normally. His relatives, however, seem more amused by his misfortune than sympathetic.
• Xu Chi receives attention from various teachers and educators because of his achievements in martial-skill and cultivation-technique research. He becomes increasingly excited by the competition’s publicity and views it as an opportunity to advance his reputation.
• The competition begins with an explanation of the rules and a drawing of lots. Li Yuan’s Group Seventeen is matched against Group Ten, which includes several Jin Family members.
• Xu Chi tells his team he will use at least seventy percent of his strength and try to let the others participate, though he expects them to exhaust their opponents before losing if necessary.
• Teacher Zhou challenges Xu Chi’s arrogant implication that only he can secure victory. Xu Chi responds coldly.
• During the preparation period, Jin Yu approaches Li Yuan’s team. He explains that Li Yuan’s victory over Jin Fan created an opportunity for him to prove himself to the Jin Family’s elders, but insults Li Yuan by claiming that he naturally makes people dislike him.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan remains calm and confident despite the presence of the Jin Family and the hostile media attention. His recent cultivation progress, new martial skills, and newly acquired seventh Talent—enhanced by Technique Self-Adaptation—have greatly increased his strength. He is eager to test himself against a powerful opponent.
• Xu Chi is formally established as captain and reveals himself to be ambitious, self-important, and highly focused on recognition. The increased media attention excites him because he sees it as a chance to display his abilities.
• Teacher Zhou emerges as outspoken and unwilling to tolerate arrogance or pretension. He openly challenges Xu Chi’s condescending attitude.
• Jin Fan appears physically functional despite the damage Li Yuan caused to his cultivation, but his expression suggests continued hostility.
• Jin Yu uses the match and the surrounding publicity as a chance to gain status within the Jin Family. He presents himself as confident and antagonistic toward Li Yuan.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and public recognition: Xu Chi and Jin Yu both treat the competition as a means of improving their standing and gaining the attention of influential people.
• Reputation and damage control: The Jin Family has arranged or encouraged media attention to frame Jin Fan’s defeat as an isolated incident rather than evidence of the family’s decline.
• Arrogance versus competence: Xu Chi’s confidence and self-promotion contrast with Teacher Zhou’s skepticism and Li Yuan’s quiet composure.
• Family politics: Jin Yu’s behavior reveals internal competition within the Jin Family, where younger members exploit crises to win favor with senior elders.
• Facing conflict directly: Li Yuan does not fear the Jin Family’s hostility. His growing strength gives him confidence that he can confront whatever challenge follows.

Character Interactions

• Teacher Zhou supports Xu Chi’s appointment but later disputes Xu Chi’s claim that the other team members can only weaken opponents.
• Xu Chi gives the team tactical instructions, emphasizing his own role while expecting the others to contribute minimally.
• Li Yuan observes Jin Fan, Ding Xiaoyue, and the Jin relatives without reacting emotionally, while Jin Fan responds with visible malice.
• Jin Yu confronts Li Yuan directly, thanking him sarcastically for creating an opportunity while simultaneously accusing him of being inherently irritating.

Chapter Summary: “The Match Begins”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jin Yu openly challenges Li Yuan, asking him to fight at full strength so both men can demonstrate their abilities before the judges and watching media.
• Li Yuan responds calmly and courteously, agreeing that they should both perform well.
• Team captain Xu Chi intervenes and asserts that Jin Yu must defeat the teammates ranked ahead of Li Yuan before earning the right to face him.
• Xu Chi introduces himself as a member of Southern Mountain University of Martial Arts Engineering and emphasizes his authority over Team Seventeen’s match order.
• The assessment officially begins. Each match is limited to ten minutes, forcing contestants to attack decisively rather than evade or conceal their abilities.
• The early matches end quickly. Li Yuan and Jin Yu both find most of the contestants’ combat abilities unimpressive, despite several possessing Martial Sixth-Grade or even Seventh-Rank strength.
• The chapter explains that Li Yuan’s exceptional understanding of martial techniques—supported by his talents, [Enlightenment to Perfection] and [Technique Self-Adaptation]—places him far above ordinary martial artists.
• When Team Ten and Team Seventeen are finally called to compete, Jin Yu eagerly prepares to fight Li Yuan before the reporters.
• Li Yuan is ready to accept the challenge, but Xu Chi stops him and, as captain, chooses the team’s order of appearance.
• Xu Chi sends Peng Yueze into the first match, partly to give him an easier opportunity and a chance to gain exposure before the media.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Remains composed and confident, showing neither fear nor arrogance. His superior martial insight causes him to judge most competitors as lacking, reinforcing his extraordinary talent.
• Jin Yu: Demonstrates confidence, politeness, and a strong desire to prove the Jin Family’s strength. His real goal is not merely the assessment but defeating Li Yuan publicly and repairing the family’s reputation after Jin Fan’s injury.
• Xu Chi: Reveals himself to be ambitious and image-conscious. He enjoys the reporters’ attention and uses his position as captain to control the match order and increase his own prominence.
• Peng Yueze: Shows excitement at being selected to fight, suggesting that Xu Chi’s decision is also intended to support his teammate.
• Jin Fan: Remains mostly in the background, but the repeated focus on his injury establishes him as a source of pressure for Jin Yu and the Jin Family.

Significant Themes

• Public reputation and family honor: Jin Yu wants to demonstrate that Jin Fan’s failure does not represent the entire Jin Family.
• Confidence versus arrogance: Both Li Yuan and Jin Yu speak confidently, but neither initially behaves recklessly or disrespectfully.
• Performance under observation: The presence of reporters turns the assessment into a public spectacle, motivating characters such as Jin Yu and Xu Chi to showcase themselves.
• True ability versus formal rank: Martial rank alone does not determine combat strength. Li Yuan’s deeper understanding of techniques gives him an overwhelming advantage over higher-ranked or experienced competitors.
• Leadership and strategy: Xu Chi uses the team’s lineup strategically, choosing who fights first and delaying the expected confrontation between Li Yuan and Jin Yu.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Jin Yu: Exchange respectful but challenging words, with Jin Yu clearly seeking a direct confrontation and Li Yuan calmly accepting the possibility.
• Xu Chi and Jin Yu: Xu Chi interrupts Jin Yu’s challenge and imposes a condition: Jin Yu must defeat the teammates ahead of Li Yuan first. Their exchange establishes Xu Chi’s assertiveness and Jin Yu’s surprise.
• Xu Chi and the media: Xu Chi becomes energized by the cameras, deliberately presenting himself as an important and capable leader.
• Xu Chi and Peng Yueze: Xu Chi assigns Peng Yueze the opening match, encouraging him to take advantage of the media attention while facing comparatively less pressure.
• Li Yuan and the other contestants: Li Yuan observes several matches but quickly loses interest because their practical combat ability falls far below his own standards.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• In a gauntlet-style rating competition, the order of contestants is important: those who fight later either inherit the pressure of maintaining a winning streak or must recover from teammates’ losses.
• Jin Yu wants to fight Li Yuan directly to settle their personal grudge, but Li Yuan’s captain, Xu Chi, refuses to let him skip the team’s lineup. Xu Chi insists that Jin Yu defeat the team’s contestants one by one.
• Peng Yueze is sent out first against Jin Yu. Although Peng Yueze hopes to make a good impression, Jin Yu defeats him with a single kick that sends him out of the competition area. Jin Yu deliberately avoids seriously injuring him but humiliates him publicly in front of reporters.
• Xu Chi assumes Li Yuan deliberately brought Jin Yu into the competition to make the rest of the team deal with him. After seeing Jin Yu’s strength, however, Xu Chi takes responsibility for fighting him himself.
• The other matches proceed quickly, reflecting how real battles between Martial Dao practitioners are often decided by whoever seizes the initiative first.
• Xu Chi fights Jin Yu but is completely outclassed. Jin Yu easily counters his probing attacks, overwhelms his offense, and toys with him before knocking him out of the arena in under five minutes.
• Afterward, Xu Chi learns that Jin Yu comes from a powerful Martial Dao family. His frustration at losing diminishes because he now regards defeat as inevitable.
• Xu Chi then blames Li Yuan for dragging the team into trouble by provoking someone from such a family. Li Yuan rejects the accusation, pointing out that he had offered to fight Jin Yu first and that Xu Chi had insisted on controlling the order.

2. Character Developments

• Jin Yu: Remains calm, direct, and overwhelmingly confident. He is focused on confronting Li Yuan but is willing to defeat the team’s members first. His ability to humiliate both Peng Yueze and Xu Chi without seriously injuring them demonstrates his superior strength and control.
• Xu Chi: Begins arrogant and self-assured, believing he can expose Li Yuan’s supposed scheme and use the match to display his own abilities. After facing Jin Yu, he becomes frightened and desperate, abandoning his earlier claim that he would only use part of his strength. Following his defeat, he shifts from confidence to self-justification and blame.
• Li Yuan: Is accused of manipulating his teammates, but he remains largely composed and refuses to accept responsibility for Xu Chi’s decision to control the lineup. He appears to understand that a confrontation with Jin Yu is inevitable.
• Peng Yueze: Tries to use the match as an opportunity to make a favorable impression, but his immediate defeat shows the enormous gap between him and Jin Yu. His public humiliation highlights the risks of entering a high-level competition for prestige.
• The team: Suffers because of Xu Chi’s decision to place himself and others between Jin Yu and Li Yuan. Jin Yu’s strength makes the team’s participation look increasingly hopeless.

3. Significant Themes

• The consequences of arrogance: Xu Chi’s confidence is based on incomplete information. His assumptions about Jin Yu and Li Yuan collapse as soon as he faces Jin Yu.
• Strength and hidden status: Jin Yu’s true ability is initially underestimated because others do not know his background. Learning that he is from a Martial Dao family changes how Xu Chi interprets the defeat.
• Responsibility and blame: Xu Chi first claims authority over the team’s strategy, then blames Li Yuan when that strategy fails. The argument exposes his unwillingness to accept responsibility.
• Public humiliation and reputation: Both Peng Yueze and Xu Chi are defeated in front of reporters, making the losses more damaging than ordinary defeats. The competition is not only about advancement but also public standing.
• Initiative in combat: The chapter emphasizes that real battles are usually decided quickly by whoever gains the first decisive advantage rather than by prolonged stalemates.
• Personal grudges within public institutions: Li Yuan and Jin Yu’s private conflict disrupts a formal rating competition, creating tension between individual revenge and team obligations.

4. Character Interactions

• Jin Yu and Xu Chi: Their interaction begins as a dispute over the fighting order and develops into a one-sided battle. Xu Chi’s provocation and confidence are answered by Jin Yu’s effortless dominance.
• Jin Yu and Peng Yueze: Jin Yu defeats Peng Yueze instantly and intentionally makes the loss humiliating without causing serious injury.
• Xu Chi and Li Yuan: Xu Chi repeatedly accuses Li Yuan of using the team to handle his personal enemy. After losing, he angrily claims Li Yuan has dragged everyone down. Li Yuan counters that Xu Chi himself rejected the proposed change in order.
• Li Yuan and Jin Yu: Though they do not fight in this chapter, their anticipated confrontation drives the events. Jin Yu’s progress through the gauntlet makes their eventual match increasingly unavoidable.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• After being decisively defeated by Jin Yu, Xu Chi refuses to accept responsibility and blames Li Yuan for provoking Jin Yu and supposedly weakening the team. He threatens to report Li Yuan’s school to the education authorities.
• Other contestants join Xu Chi in criticizing Li Yuan, but Li Yuan refuses to tolerate their accusations and declares that he will personally face Jin Yu.
• Jin Yu enters the arena again and warns that he will not hold back against anyone except Li Yuan. The other contestants retreat, leaving Li Yuan to accept the challenge.
• Reporters eagerly prepare to record the battle because Li Yuan’s previous fight against Jin Fan had been highly valuable footage. The Jin Family also hopes the match will help repair its reputation after Jin Fan’s injury.
• Before the fight, Jin Yu says Li Yuan has become his “stepping stone” and that defeating him will give Jin Yu direction and prove his own worth. Li Yuan responds more practically, saying cultivation is mainly about improving life for himself and his family.
• From the stands, Jin Fan initially wishes for Li Yuan to win but suffer crippling injuries. His mother, Ding Xiaoyue, advises him to suppress his hatred and prioritize the Jin Family’s interests. Jin Fan ultimately accepts that Jin Yu must win to stabilize the family’s position.
• The battle begins. Jin Yu fights more seriously than before, using a deceptive movement technique and attacks designed specifically to counter Li Yuan. Instead of retreating, Li Yuan charges directly at him with the Wind River Step.
• Xu Chi mocks Li Yuan’s approach, believing it will only lead to severe injury. However, Li Yuan’s first exchange forces Jin Yu several steps backward, surprising him with the strength of his punches.

Character developments

• Li Yuan: Shows confidence, assertiveness, and a refusal to accept unfair blame. His decision to attack directly demonstrates both courage and faith in his own ability.
• Xu Chi: Reveals himself as defensive, resentful, and unwilling to accept defeat. His criticism of Li Yuan also exposes his limited and overly cautious understanding of combat.
• Jin Yu: Becomes more serious and focused when facing Li Yuan. He sees the fight as a crucial test of his purpose and identity, but is immediately shaken by Li Yuan’s unexpected strength.
• Jin Fan: His hatred toward Li Yuan remains strong, but Ding Xiaoyue’s advice begins to make him more composed and politically minded. He starts prioritizing the Jin Family’s stability over personal revenge.
• Ding Xiaoyue: Acts as a pragmatic mentor to Jin Fan, teaching him that those in power must control their emotions and make decisions based on long-term interests.

Significant themes

• Responsibility versus blame: Xu Chi attempts to shift responsibility for his defeat onto Li Yuan, contrasting with Li Yuan’s willingness to face the consequences of his own choices.
• Courage and combat philosophy: Li Yuan’s direct attack challenges the cautious belief that survival depends on avoiding confrontation. His actions suggest that strength and initiative can overcome assumptions about a superior opponent.
• Purpose and self-worth: Jin Yu views Li Yuan as a necessary stepping stone toward discovering his own meaning, while Li Yuan has a simpler, more grounded motivation: improving life for himself and his family.
• Power, revenge, and political judgment: Jin Fan’s desire for revenge conflicts with Ding Xiaoyue’s insistence that he think strategically and protect the family’s interests.
• Underestimation: Xu Chi and Jin Yu initially interpret Li Yuan’s aggressive advance as foolish, but Li Yuan’s powerful counterattack immediately challenges their assumptions.

Character interactions

• Xu Chi and the other contestants verbally attack Li Yuan, while Li Yuan answers them directly rather than remaining silent.
• Jin Yu and Li Yuan exchange contrasting views on the meaning of cultivation and personal purpose before their fight.
• Jin Fan and Ding Xiaoyue discuss whether they should support Jin Yu or Li Yuan, revealing their differing emotional and strategic perspectives.
• The opening clash between Li Yuan and Jin Yu shifts the balance of expectations: despite Jin Yu’s superior reputation and preparation, Li Yuan’s strength forces him onto the defensive.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

Li Yuan battles Jin Yu, a Seventh-Rank martial artist sent by the Jin Family to restore its reputation after Jin Fan’s defeat. Jin Yu initially relies on his superior cultivation and extraordinary movement technique, expecting to overwhelm Li Yuan. However, Li Yuan’s Cloud Extreme Fist—enhanced by his [Technique Self-Adaptation] Talent—proves unpredictable and perfectly suited to his body.
Jin Yu is gradually forced onto the defensive as Li Yuan’s attacks suppress him and repeatedly target his weaknesses. When Jin Yu unleashes his full strength and attempts to use speed to regain control, Li Yuan counters by exploiting flaws revealed through his [Flaw Insight] Talent. Jin Yu repeatedly retreats, grows increasingly frustrated, and eventually loses confidence.
In a desperate attempt to endure one of Li Yuan’s attacks and counterstrike, Jin Yu takes the blow head-on. Li Yuan’s “Cloud Extreme Fist, Extreme Force!” sends him flying, decisively ending the battle.

Character developments

• Li Yuan demonstrates that his abilities far exceed what his lower Martial Dao rank suggests. His adapted Cloud Extreme Fist and flaw-detecting talent allow him to dominate a stronger opponent. He remains careful not to seriously injure Jin Yu, avoiding giving the Jin Family an excuse to retaliate.
• Jin Yu begins confident and dismissive, believing his Seventh-Rank cultivation and movement technique will guarantee victory. As Li Yuan repeatedly exposes his weaknesses, Jin Yu becomes solemn, frustrated, fearful, and ultimately desperate. He realizes that Jin Fan’s defeat was not simply caused by arrogance—the opponent himself is exceptionally difficult to fight.
• Xu Chi and the other competitors are shocked to see Jin Yu, who had effortlessly defeated them, being suppressed by Li Yuan. Their view of Li Yuan’s strength changes dramatically.

Significant themes

• Skill and compatibility over cultivation rank: Li Yuan’s abilities overcome Jin Yu’s one-rank advantage because his techniques are perfectly adapted to him.
• The danger of insight and precision: [Flaw Insight] turns even minor weaknesses into decisive vulnerabilities.
• Overconfidence and shifting power: Jin Yu’s confidence collapses as his assumptions about superiority prove false.
• Reputation and restraint: Both the Jin Family’s public image and Li Yuan’s careful avoidance of unnecessary conflict influence the battle.
• The failed “stepping stone”: Jin Yu was meant to help restore the Jin Family’s prestige, but instead becomes another obstacle—or “stone in the shoe”—for Li Yuan to overcome.

Character interactions

Li Yuan and Jin Yu engage in a rapidly escalating martial exchange, with Jin Yu relying on speed and complex movement while Li Yuan controls the fight through adaptable fist techniques and precise attacks. Li Yuan taunts Jin Yu by noting that he was not meant to be a stepping stone, while Jin Yu reacts with humiliation and resentment. The surrounding reporters, teammates, competitors, and Jin Family elders witness the unexpected reversal, making Jin Yu’s defeat both a personal failure and a public blow to the Jin Family.

Chapter Summary: “First Class!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan decisively defeats Jin Yu, despite Jin Yu giving his all. The result shocks the audience, judges, and the Jin Family, who had likely arranged the match believing Jin Yu could defeat him.
• Jin Yu’s defeat confirms that the Jin Family’s younger generation has no one near Li Yuan’s age capable of matching him. The Jin elders immediately order Jin Yu and the branch-family members to withdraw and return.
• Li Yuan returns to Group Seventeen’s rest area and teasingly asks Xu Chi whether he will still write a letter of criticism about him. Humiliated by Li Yuan’s strength, Xu Chi quickly backs down.
• After Li Yuan’s victory, Group Seventeen is effectively guaranteed advancement to the next round. Li Yuan continues competing and wins his next match as well, though he treats his later opponents with more restraint and preserves their dignity.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan demonstrates overwhelming superiority and remarkable growth. His Martial Dao cultivation, movement techniques, and especially his Cloud Extreme Fist have advanced to the point that even Jin Fan can no longer predict or counter them.
• Jin Yu is exposed as unable to fulfill the Jin Family’s expectations, despite being one of its strongest younger martial artists.
• Xu Chi becomes ashamed of his former contempt for Li Yuan and recognizes that Li Yuan is operating on an entirely different level.
• Jin Fan suffers a major blow to his confidence. Watching Li Yuan’s rapid improvement makes him fear that he will never catch up, whether or not he recovers from his injuries. This marks the first serious collapse of his pride and self-belief.
• Ding Xiaoyue attempts to restore Jin Fan’s confidence by assuring him that the Jin Family can send increasingly powerful experts to deal with Li Yuan.
• Peng Yueze abandons his attempt to curry favor with Xu Chi after realizing that Li Yuan is the truly powerful figure in the group.

Significant Themes

• Rapid growth and talent: Li Yuan’s progress is not limited to cultivation; his understanding and instinctive mastery of techniques have improved dramatically.
• Pride and humiliation: The Jin Family’s arrogance turns into embarrassment, while Jin Fan’s confidence begins to collapse after witnessing Li Yuan’s superiority.
• Power and family politics: The Jin Family manipulates matchups and uses branch-family members to test Li Yuan, but their scheme backfires and exposes their misjudgment.
• Psychological warfare and changing status: Li Yuan’s casual mockery of Jin Yu and Xu Chi reflects his newly recognized authority, while former doubters begin treating him with caution.
• Dignity in victory: Although Li Yuan overwhelms Jin Yu, he later chooses not to humiliate his other opponents, showing control and maturity.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Jin Yu: Li Yuan defeats him decisively and remarks that he may need to find another suitable “stepping stone,” emphasizing Jin Yu’s failure.
• Li Yuan and Xu Chi: Li Yuan jokingly challenges Xu Chi about his planned criticism; Xu Chi, embarrassed and intimidated, withdraws his opposition.
• Jin Fan and Ding Xiaoyue: Jin Fan admits that Li Yuan has surpassed him and that he feels left behind. Ding Xiaoyue counters his despair by promising that the Jin Family will send stronger experts against Li Yuan.
• Ding Xiaoyue and the Jin Family elders: The elders respond to Jin Yu’s failure by recalling the branch-family fighters and refocusing on finding stronger candidates.
• Li Yuan and the rest of Group Seventeen: His victory changes the group’s prospects from likely elimination to certain advancement, while also altering how his teammates view and approach him.

Chapter Summary: “Returning Home”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan’s team wins all their evaluation matches and takes first place in the final team rankings. He deliberately lets his teammates make the first moves, acting as their safety net and giving them opportunities to perform.
• The team receives only modest rewards—one bottle of B-grade Nutrient Fluid per person—but everyone is primarily interested in their official evaluations.
• Li Yuan receives a First Class rating, a result he expected after his recent rapid improvement through new martial techniques, S-Grade Nutrient Tonic, and the [Technique Self-Adaptation] Talent.
• After the competition, Li Yuan reflects on the worsening conflict with the Jin Family. He expects their next retaliation to involve stronger figures, particularly Jin Lou, a Ninth Grade Martial Dao practitioner.
• Despite the danger, Li Yuan remains calm because his body, defensive techniques, and overall combat ability have greatly improved.
• He returns to Lingshan City and begins his summer vacation. At home, he learns that his parents’ food business has become more successful due to the hot weather and increased demand for prepared meals.
• Li Yuan’s improved income allows him to support his parents more generously. His promotion to Vice Principal has also increased his salary and allowances.
• His mother asks him to return with them to their hometown for a relative’s banquet. Though initially concerned about the exhausting summer journey, Li Yuan agrees.
• Before leaving, he buys a comfortable SUV for the family, choosing a higher vehicle because his parents suffer from motion sickness. His parents become excited and prepare gifts for their relatives.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates leadership by supporting his teammates rather than seeking all the glory himself. His First Class rating confirms his remarkable progress. He has also become more confident and composed in the face of the Jin Family’s threats, relying on his growing strength and defensive abilities instead of fear.
• Teacher Zhou: Remains sharp-tongued and critical toward Xu Chi, whom he considers flashy and overly eager to show off. However, he respects Li Yuan’s quiet competence and becomes more restrained after Li Yuan reminds him not to go too far.
• Li Yuan’s parents: Their improved financial situation gives them greater confidence and pride. His mother especially wants to return home so relatives can see that her son has become a successful Vice Principal. Their excitement over buying a car and visiting their hometown reveals their simple, family-centered values.

Significant Themes

• Quiet competence versus showmanship: Teacher Zhou’s contrasting attitudes toward Li Yuan and Xu Chi highlight the value placed on genuine ability, humility, and restraint.
• Rapid growth and confidence: Li Yuan’s new abilities have transformed him from someone vulnerable to the Jin Family into someone capable of calmly anticipating and preparing for their retaliation.
• Family pride and social recognition: Li Yuan’s parents want to return home partly to share their son’s success with relatives and old acquaintances, showing how achievement can bring dignity and satisfaction to an entire family.
• Changing social and economic circumstances: Li Yuan’s rising income, his parents’ growing business, and their ability to purchase a car reflect the family’s transition from modest circumstances to greater stability.
• Ordinary happiness: Despite the larger conflicts surrounding Martial Dao, the chapter focuses on everyday joys—summer vacation, family meals, buying a car, and returning home.

Character Interactions

• Teacher Zhou repeatedly uses Li Yuan as an example while criticizing Xu Chi, prompting Li Yuan to ask him to moderate his remarks.
• Li Yuan and his parents discuss whether returning to their hometown is worthwhile. His mother emphasizes the importance of maintaining relationships and showing their relatives how well Li Yuan is doing.
• Li Yuan reassures his parents through practical support, paying for the family car himself and encouraging them to improve their quality of life.
• The chapter ends with Li Yuan preparing to accompany his excited parents home, combining his growing status with his continued closeness to his family.

Chapter Summary: “If Possible, I’ll Definitely Make an Introduction”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan returns to his hometown with his parents in their newly purchased car. His parents initially feel uncomfortable driving it but soon adjust.
• They clean and restore their old house, which has deteriorated from being unoccupied. Li Yuan spends the day wandering around town and observing how the hometown has changed.
• The next day, they attend Hou the Third’s lavish sixtieth-birthday banquet.
• Li Yuan’s parents had hoped to subtly show off their son’s success, particularly his promotion to Vice Principal. However, the villagers focus instead on Hou the Third’s younger son-in-law, Jiang An, who works for a major company, possesses Martial Dao and technical skills, and is reportedly a highly paid pilot.
• Hou the Third proudly introduces Jiang An and uses him to enhance his own social standing.
• During the banquet, Hou the Third deliberately asks about Li Yuan’s career and has Jiang An offer to “put in a word” with the Education Bureau, implying that Jiang An has considerable influence.
• Li Yuan recognizes Jiang An’s confident manner as somewhat pretentious, especially compared with truly influential people he has met, who were generally more modest.
• A luxurious vehicle arrives during the banquet, causing everyone to stop and watch. Jiang An and Hou the Third’s family eagerly go to welcome the guest.
• Li Yuan recognizes the arriving man as a private helicopter pilot employed by the Feng Family, whom he had encountered when helping Feng Yingtian recover a severed limb.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Remains calm and observant throughout the banquet. He understands that his parents’ attempts to gain recognition are being overshadowed, but he finds the situation amusing rather than embarrassing. His achievements—including defeating Jin Fan and Jin Yu, completing a difficult mission, and receiving Second-Class Merit—far exceed what the villagers know about.
• Li Yuan’s parents: They are proud of Li Yuan’s promotion but are also susceptible to comparison and social pressure. His mother becomes visibly uncomfortable when Jiang An’s achievements are praised, then tries to reassure both herself and Li Yuan that becoming a Vice Principal is already respectable.
• Hou the Third: Becomes noticeably boastful and self-important because of his successful younger son-in-law. He uses Jiang An’s status to elevate his own position within the community and to impress Li Yuan’s parents.
• Jiang An: Presents himself as highly influential and authoritative. His offer to help Li Yuan sounds generous but is delivered in a condescending, status-conscious manner, emphasizing that success would still depend on Li Yuan’s own ability.
• The helicopter pilot: Though only briefly introduced, he connects the ordinary hometown banquet to Li Yuan’s wider world of powerful families and extraordinary events.

Significant Themes

• Social comparison and pride: The banquet reveals how people measure success through income, occupation, connections, and visible status.
• The limitations of local perspectives: Li Yuan’s greatest accomplishments are unknown in his hometown because the villagers judge success mainly by conventional work and salary.
• Family pride and insecurity: Li Yuan’s parents want to be proud of their son, but their confidence is shaken when another family appears more successful.
• True influence versus apparent status: Jiang An acts like a powerful person, while Li Yuan knows that genuinely influential individuals are often more humble and approachable.
• The contrast between ordinary life and extraordinary achievement: The simple hometown setting and birthday banquet are contrasted with Li Yuan’s hidden accomplishments and connections to the Feng Family.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and his parents share a relaxed but somewhat self-conscious family dynamic, especially when discussing his career.
• Li Yuan’s mother tries to comfort him after Jiang An’s condescending offer, insisting that his current position is already good enough.
• Hou the Third interacts with Li Yuan’s family in a performatively friendly way, using his toast and questions about Li Yuan’s work to show off Jiang An.
• Jiang An speaks to Li Yuan as though he is someone who needs assistance from a superior, reinforcing the social hierarchy he wants the guests to recognize.
• The arrival of the helicopter pilot shifts attention away from Jiang An, while Li Yuan alone recognizes the man and understands that his connection to the Feng Family represents a far more significant level of influence.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang An’s master, Zhen Yong, arrives at Hou the Third’s birthday banquet. Although he is treated as an honored guest by Jiang An and the Hou family, he immediately recognizes Li Yuan and approaches him respectfully.
• Zhen Yong bows slightly, addresses Li Yuan as “Mr. Li Yuan,” and thanks him for saving Feng Yingtian from becoming permanently crippled.
• Rather than sit at the seat of honor, Zhen Yong chooses to sit beside Li Yuan, shocking the banquet guests and embarrassing Jiang An. This reveals that Li Yuan’s connection to Feng Yingtian gives him a status far above what the guests had assumed.
• Zhen Yong explains that he is both Feng Yingtian’s helicopter pilot and a Seventh-Rank martial artist with twenty years of flying experience.
• During their private conversation, Zhen Yong reveals that Feng Yingtian’s leg has been successfully reattached but still suffers from reduced responsiveness. Li Yuan realizes this could seriously affect Feng’s previously mastered Movement Arts.
• Zhen Yong admits that Feng’s weakness would likely be exposed if he fought publicly, though he promises not to spread the information.
• Zhen Yong reveals the purpose of his visit: searching for an Anatomist secluded somewhere in the nearby mountains. Feng needs rare materials or specialized assistance for his recovery.
• He invites Li Yuan to visit the Feng Family, explaining that Feng has prepared numerous gifts, including cultivation and training opportunities. Zhen Yong shows Li Yuan a list of the gifts on his phone.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: His influence becomes publicly apparent. Though he remains modest and conversational, powerful figures treat him as Feng Yingtian’s equal because of the life-saving assistance he provided.
• Zhen Yong: His true importance is revealed. He is not merely a pilot but a powerful martial artist and one of Feng Yingtian’s most trusted subordinates. His deferential attitude demonstrates his understanding of Li Yuan’s importance.
• Jiang An: Becomes embarrassed and unsettled when the master he reveres treats Li Yuan with greater respect than him. He is forced to leave and attend to the banquet despite his discomfort.
• Hou the Third: Initially proud of hosting Zhen Yong, he becomes anxious when Li Yuan’s prominence eclipses the Hou family’s status. He warns himself against offending Li Yuan after seeing Zhen Yong’s attitude.
• Feng Yingtian: Though absent, his recovery and future position dominate the chapter. His gratitude toward Li Yuan is emphasized, while his physical limitations create a new vulnerability.

Significant Themes

• Hidden status and social hierarchy: Li Yuan’s true influence is revealed through how an elite martial artist behaves toward him, rather than through Li Yuan’s own self-presentation.
• Gratitude and indebtedness: Feng Yingtian’s survival and recovery create a powerful bond between him, Li Yuan, and those who serve him.
• Power behind appearances: Zhen Yong appears to be a pilot, but he is also a Seventh-Rank martial artist. Likewise, Li Yuan appears to be an ordinary guest while possessing extraordinary connections.
• Strength and vulnerability: Feng Yingtian’s recovery is successful but incomplete, suggesting that even powerful figures can suffer lasting consequences and hidden weaknesses.
• Social ambition and caution: Jiang An and the Hou family are reminded that misjudging Li Yuan could have serious consequences.

Character Interactions

• Zhen Yong greets Li Yuan with exceptional humility and openly credits him with saving Feng Yingtian.
• Jiang An attempts to maintain authority but is undermined when Zhen Yong chooses Li Yuan over the seat of honor.
• Li Yuan and Zhen Yong speak privately about Feng’s condition, with Li Yuan accurately recognizing the seriousness of Feng’s impaired leg.
• Zhen Yong offers to take Li Yuan to meet Feng Yingtian and presents the gifts prepared in gratitude, marking the beginning of a closer relationship between Li Yuan and the Feng Family.

Chapter Summary: “Two Vice Principals Show Their Hand”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhen Yong sincerely invites Li Yuan to meet Feng Yingtian, the Feng Family’s young prodigy, who is struggling at a critical cultivation bottleneck and risks collapsing if he cannot break through.
• Zhen Yong believes Li Yuan can help because Feng Yingtian respects him and feels indebted to him. Li Yuan agrees to go after helping Zhen Yong locate the reclusive Anatomist.
• While Li Yuan’s parents enjoy the villagers’ newly respectful and envious attitudes, Principal Yin learns that Li Yuan has received a prestigious First-Class Martial Dao Rating—an achievement far beyond what Yin expected.
• Principal Yin attempts to use the Jin Family to eliminate Li Yuan. He plans to send Li Yuan into the Border Forest Region under the pretense of a school exercise, where the Jin Family’s people can attack him.
• Vice Principals Qi and Zhang finally reject Principal Yin’s scheme. They openly criticize his corruption, refuse to participate, and threaten to report him to the Municipal Education Bureau.
• Their defiance leaves Principal Yin isolated and politically vulnerable. Li Yuan’s success has improved the school’s performance, making Yin’s position increasingly unstable.
• Meanwhile, Li Yuan travels with Zhen Yong to find the Anatomist, intending afterward to meet Feng Yingtian and expand his connections with powerful figures.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: His First-Class Rating confirms his exceptional Martial Dao potential. He is no longer focused merely on modest personal gains and now seeks relationships with people at Feng Yingtian’s level to advance further.
• Zhen Yong: Shows genuine respect for Li Yuan and trusts him to help Feng Yingtian overcome his mental and cultivation crisis.
• Feng Yingtian: Though absent from the chapter, he is portrayed as talented but unstable, facing a dangerous bottleneck and requiring emotional support.
• Principal Yin: Becomes increasingly desperate and ruthless. His jealousy of Li Yuan leads him to plan an illegal attack through the Jin Family, while his authority begins to collapse.
• Vice Principal Qi: Abandons his former tolerance and directly confronts Yin, defending Li Yuan and prioritizing the school’s future.
• Vice Principal Zhang: Joins Qi’s resistance, admitting that cooperating with Yin has been morally wrong and harmful to their own careers.
• Li Yuan’s parents: Take pleasure in the villagers’ changed attitudes, reflecting their pride in Li Yuan’s growing status.

Significant Themes

• Power and changing social status: Li Yuan’s success transforms how both villagers and school officials treat him.
• Integrity versus corruption: The two vice principals must choose between supporting Yin’s criminal schemes or acting ethically and protecting the school.
• Consequences of ambition and jealousy: Principal Yin’s resentment blinds him to Li Yuan’s value and puts his own position at risk.
• Merit and recognition: Li Yuan’s First-Class Rating proves that his abilities can no longer be dismissed as mere luck.
• Strategic alliances: Li Yuan recognizes that advancing further requires cooperation with powerful individuals such as Feng Yingtian.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhen Yong and Li Yuan: Zhen Yong appeals to Li Yuan’s past kindness toward Feng Yingtian and invites him to provide support.
• Principal Yin and the vice principals: Yin orders them to assist in sending Li Yuan into danger, but both refuse and expose his intentions.
• Vice Principals Qi and Zhang: They unite against Yin, openly challenging his authority and declaring their intention to report him.
• Li Yuan and his parents: Their family’s improved social standing is highlighted through the villagers’ changed behavior.
• Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian: Their future meeting is established as an important opportunity for Li Yuan’s personal and Martial Dao advancement.

Chapter Summary: “Supervisor?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan and Zhen Yong travel for roughly three hours to Silver Mountain Hollow in search of Sikong Li, an eccentric and highly skilled Anatomist.
• They discover that Sikong Li is not living in true isolation: he has rented a rural courtyard and is surrounded by more than ten attendants.
• Sikong Li immediately insults them by comparing them to dogs, then questions their status and the Feng Family’s authority to summon him.
• When Zhen Yong hesitates to identify himself, Li Yuan claims to be the Feng Family’s “supervisor overseeing anatomical materials,” hoping to demonstrate the family’s respect for Sikong Li’s profession.
• Sikong Li interprets the title skeptically, asking whether Li Yuan actually understands anatomy. He threatens to refuse the Feng Family and warn other Anatomists if they send an incompetent representative.
• To test Li Yuan, Sikong Li challenges him to dissect a half-prepared Fierce Beast corpse, particularly the difficult poison glands and fascia.
• Li Yuan accepts the challenge, picks up the knife, and begins dissecting. His Nimble Hands Talent, previous study of anatomy manuals, and strong Martial Dao foundation allow him to work with surprising precision and strength.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan demonstrates ambition and a desire to advance in status, Martial Dao strength, and social influence. He also shows initiative by inventing the “supervisor” title to support Zhen Yong’s negotiation.
• His quick thinking creates tension but also reveals confidence and resourcefulness. Rather than retreating after being challenged, he directly proves himself through action.
• Zhen Yong remains polite despite Sikong Li’s rudeness and understands the political danger of offending an important Anatomist. His anxiety increases when Li Yuan’s improvised identity leads to a test.
• Sikong Li is established as arrogant, blunt, demanding, and highly protective of Anatomists’ dignity. Although rude, he appears serious about professional competence and continues practicing anatomy to keep his skills sharp.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and self-advancement: Li Yuan openly accepts his desire for greater status and strength, viewing ambition as legitimate rather than shameful.
• Respect for expertise: Sikong Li insists that status and gifts are meaningless without genuine knowledge and ability.
• Appearance versus reality: Sikong Li’s “secluded cultivation” is supported by servants, showing how wealth can make hardship appear easy.
• Competence as proof of authority: Li Yuan’s title is questioned, but his practical skill may validate it more convincingly than words.
• Professional pride and reputation: Sikong Li’s threat to influence other Anatomists emphasizes the importance of professional networks and mutual respect.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Zhen Yong work together but have not fully coordinated their approach, causing Li Yuan’s improvised claim to become a potential liability.
• Sikong Li dominates the conversation, deliberately challenging both men and exposing their uncertainty.
• Zhen Yong tries to preserve diplomacy and focus on the Feng Family’s request, while Sikong Li refuses to overlook Li Yuan’s qualifications.
• The chapter ends with Li Yuan silently answering Sikong Li’s challenge through a difficult dissection, setting up a test of whether his practical ability can earn the Anatomist’s cooperation.

Chapter Summary: “Who Was the Master Anatomist?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan demonstrates his exceptional anatomical skill by dissecting a Fierce Beast corpse, especially its difficult venom glands and fascia.
• His movements are precise and effortless, allowing him to remove the venom glands without rupturing them and preserve an unusually intact sheet of fascia.
• Sikong Li, initially arrogant and dismissive of Li Yuan, realizes that Li Yuan’s technique far surpasses his own. His attitude changes completely, and he humbly acknowledges Li Yuan’s superiority.
• Li Yuan asks whether his performance qualifies him for the supervisory position and then requests that Sikong Li accompany him to the Feng Family to help with a medical matter.
• Sikong Li immediately agrees, treating Li Yuan with great respect and even giving him the honored seat in the car.
• Li Yuan, Zhen Yong, and Sikong Li return to Li Yuan’s hometown so Li Yuan can inform his parents and arrange for their journey back to Lingshan City.
• They attend Hou the Third’s birthday banquet. The villagers are impressed by Li Yuan’s status, wealth, and the fact that a helicopter will transport his parents.
• After safely sending his parents home, Li Yuan officially departs for the Feng Family with Zhen Yong and Sikong Li.
• During the helicopter ride, Sikong Li moves to the back and prepares to make Li Yuan a private request, leaving the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Establishes himself as a master anatomist whose technical ability exceeds even experienced professionals. He remains calm, confident, and practical rather than boastful.
• Sikong Li: Undergoes the largest change. His initial arrogance and contempt disappear after witnessing Li Yuan’s skill. He becomes respectful, humble, and eager to follow Li Yuan’s instructions.
• Zhen Yong: Continues to admire and trust Li Yuan but remains confused because he cannot appreciate the technical significance of the dissection. He misinterprets Sikong Li’s initial reaction as possible mockery.
• Li Yuan’s parents: Are treated with increasing care and importance as Li Yuan arranges comfortable transportation for them.
• Hou the Third’s family and the villagers: Their attitude toward Li Yuan shifts toward admiration and envy after learning about his influence and resources.

Significant Themes

• True mastery versus superficial arrogance: Sikong Li’s pride collapses when confronted with genuine expertise.
• Respect earned through ability: Li Yuan does not need to argue for his position; his skill proves his qualifications.
• Humility and adaptability: Sikong Li demonstrates that recognizing one’s own limitations is wiser than clinging to pride.
• Status and social perception: The villagers’ opinions change as they witness Li Yuan’s wealth, connections, and growing influence.
• Knowledge creates deeper understanding: Sikong Li recognizes the extraordinary nature of Li Yuan’s work precisely because he understands how difficult the procedure is, unlike Zhen Yong.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Sikong Li: Their confrontation transforms into a relationship of respect. Li Yuan tests Sikong Li through his dissection, while Sikong Li responds by submitting to Li Yuan’s superior expertise.
• Li Yuan and Zhen Yong: Zhen Yong remains loyal but lacks the professional knowledge to understand why Sikong Li is so impressed.
• Li Yuan and his parents: Li Yuan prioritizes their comfort and makes arrangements to transport them safely home.
• Sikong Li and Li Yuan’s companions: Sikong Li’s courteous behavior, including giving Li Yuan the honored seat, signals the depth of his newfound respect.

Chapter Summary: Arrival at the Feng Family

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan demonstrates an advanced dissection method that Sikong Li recognizes as his own secret technique. Li Yuan has effortlessly reproduced the technique simply by observing Sikong’s results.
• Sikong Li fears that if Li Yuan spreads the method, his exclusive reputation and livelihood will be ruined. He humbly begs Li Yuan not to reveal it.
• Li Yuan agrees through a simple nod, allowing Sikong to preserve his status. Sikong is deeply grateful and accepts that he may need to defer to Li Yuan in the future.
• During the journey, Sikong learns that Li Yuan has not even registered as an Anatomist and is primarily focused on Martial Dao cultivation. He cannot understand why Li Yuan would neglect such a valuable skill.
• Li Yuan reflects that technical expertise alone cannot protect him from the Jin Family. Since Jin Lou and his family may still threaten him, personal strength is more important than relying on status or outside protection.
• After a six-hour helicopter journey, Li Yuan, Sikong Li, and Zhen Yong arrive at the Feng Family’s mountain residence.
• Feng Yingtian and his mother personally welcome Li Yuan. They repeatedly thank him for risking his life to recover Feng Yingtian’s severed leg.
• Feng Yingtian’s mother sternly reminds him to remain grateful and never repay Li Yuan’s kindness with hostility, emphasizing gratitude as a core principle of the Feng Family.
• The Feng Family hosts several Anatomists to dissect a Frostwind Bison and obtain the Ligament Sinew needed to restore Feng Yingtian’s leg.
• Before the banquet, Feng Yingtian shows Li Yuan around the family grounds and explains the nature of his injury and the importance of the upcoming dissection.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates extraordinary observational ability and mastery of dissection techniques. However, he remains committed to Martial Dao because he understands that strength is necessary for survival in a dangerous world.
• Sikong Li: Experiences a major blow to his pride after seeing Li Yuan replicate his signature technique. He becomes humble and submissive, recognizing Li Yuan’s superiority while feeling relieved that his secret will remain protected.
• Feng Yingtian: Appears refined and noble, shaped by his privileged upbringing. He is polite toward Li Yuan and receptive to his mother’s warning about repaying kindness.
• Feng Yingtian’s mother: Reveals herself to be deeply protective of her son and strongly committed to the Feng Family’s values of gratitude and loyalty.
• Zhen Yong: Continues to act as Li Yuan’s escort and intermediary, helping bring him safely to the Feng Family.

Significant Themes

• The value and danger of exclusive skills: Sikong’s standing depends on possessing a technique others cannot replicate, showing how specialized knowledge can determine social and economic status.
• Strength over expertise: Li Yuan recognizes that no technical talent can replace personal power when facing powerful enemies such as the Jin Family.
• Gratitude and repayment: The Feng Family treats Li Yuan’s rescue of Feng Yingtian as an enormous debt and emphasizes that kindness must never be answered with betrayal.
• Pride and humility: Sikong must set aside his pride and acknowledge Li Yuan’s superior ability, while Li Yuan’s restraint demonstrates authority without cruelty.
• Power and privilege: The Feng Family’s mountain-sized residence and extensive resources reflect its influence, wealth, and social position.

Character Interactions

• Sikong Li respectfully begs Li Yuan to conceal his copied technique, and Li Yuan silently grants his request.
• Sikong and Li Yuan’s conversation highlights their differing priorities: Sikong values anatomical expertise, while Li Yuan prioritizes martial strength and independence.
• Feng Yingtian’s mother openly thanks Li Yuan and warns Feng Yingtian never to betray or forget his benefactor.
• Feng Yingtian and Li Yuan develop a friendly rapport while touring the residence and discussing the Frostwind Bison and the operation needed to restore Feng’s leg.
• The Feng Family welcomes Sikong Li courteously, but makes clear that Li Yuan’s contribution to Feng Yingtian is especially significant.

Chapter Summary: “Reunion with Yuan Zheng”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Yingtian explains the Feng Family’s research and concerns regarding Ligament Sinew to Li Yuan.
• Li Yuan easily analyzes the technique’s benefits, drawbacks, and uncertain effects, correctly identifying conclusions that the Feng Family had spent significant effort researching.
• Impressed and feeling that Li Yuan has given him invaluable information, Feng Yingtian offers him additional gifts. Li Yuan politely refuses, but Feng Yingtian insists.
• Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian attend a banquet hosted by the Feng Family. Li Yuan is given the seat of honor because he is Feng Yingtian’s lifesaver.
• Among the guests is Yuan Zheng, whom Li Yuan recognizes as the woman who previously supported Jin Fan at the Stone Peak River Teaching Research Conference.
• Yuan Zheng uses the banquet to request that the anatomy masters help treat Jin Fan by extracting Brocade Sinew, just as they are helping the Feng Family obtain Ligament Sinew.
• After arranging support from Master Ruan Fei and the other anatomy masters, Yuan Zheng publicly identifies Li Yuan as the person who injured Jin Fan.
• Ruan Fei pretends to be outraged and condemns Li Yuan, attempting to pressure the Feng Family into abandoning him.
• Feng Yingtian’s mother intervenes diplomatically, insisting that the matter be investigated before anyone passes judgment.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan demonstrates extraordinary insight and comprehension. He can derive complicated information about Ligament Sinew from limited conversation, revealing a level of understanding far beyond ordinary experts.
• Feng Yingtian becomes increasingly respectful of Li Yuan and recognizes how valuable Li Yuan’s knowledge is. Despite the social pressure at the banquet, he remains unwilling to betray his lifesaver.
• Feng Yingtian’s mother proves politically cautious but honorable. Rather than immediately opposing Ruan Fei, she attempts to protect Li Yuan while preserving the Feng Family’s reputation.
• Yuan Zheng reveals herself as openly hostile and calculating. She waits until the banquet is underway to expose Li Yuan, using the anatomy masters and the Feng Family’s hospitality to create pressure against him.
• Master Ruan Fei acts as Yuan Zheng’s ally. He feigns moral outrage and tries to manipulate the Feng Family into taking his side.
• Sikong Li, previously arrogant, now behaves more submissively toward Li Yuan after witnessing his exceptional anatomy skills.

Significant Themes

• Exceptional talent and comprehension: Li Yuan’s ability to reach conclusions that others consider precious demonstrates his vast intellectual advantage.
• Debt and gratitude: Feng Yingtian feels he owes Li Yuan more than the gifts he has prepared, while the banquet tests whether that gratitude is genuine.
• Political manipulation and hidden agendas: Yuan Zheng disguises her attempt to help Jin Fan as a polite request for medical assistance, then turns the gathering into a public confrontation.
• Honor and loyalty: The Feng Family must choose between appeasing powerful anatomy masters and standing by the guest who saved Feng Yingtian.
• Appearances versus truth: Ruan Fei presents himself as a defender of justice, but his coordinated questioning with Yuan Zheng exposes that the confrontation was planned.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian have an intellectually valuable conversation that greatly increases Feng Yingtian’s respect for Li Yuan.
• Feng Yingtian tries to repay Li Yuan with gifts, while Li Yuan treats his knowledge as insignificant and declines further compensation.
• Yuan Zheng secretly confers with an anatomy master before publicly accusing Li Yuan.
• Ruan Fei and Yuan Zheng work together to frame Li Yuan as a villain and pressure the Feng Family.
• Feng Yingtian’s mother counters their attack by calling for a proper investigation, preventing the banquet from immediately turning against Li Yuan.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yuan Zheng accuses Li Yuan of severely injuring Jin Fan, claiming the large number of witnesses makes further investigation unnecessary.
• Li Yuan explains that the injury occurred during a Martial Dao demonstration because Jin Fan attempted to kill him. He argues that the witnesses understood the situation and did not condemn his actions.
• Master Ruan Fei blames Li Yuan, reasoning that Jin Fan would not have attacked him without cause. Li Yuan cleverly turns Ruan Fei’s logic back on Jin Fan, suggesting that Jin Fan’s injuries prove he must have committed evil deeds.
• Ruan Fei threatens to attack Li Yuan after he leaves the Feng estate and pressures the Feng Family to stop protecting him. He also threatens to withdraw his support from the Fierce Beast dissection and influence other Anatomists against the family.
• The Feng Family hesitates because the dissection is time-sensitive. Keeping the Fierce Beast corpse frozen too long could damage valuable materials, especially Ligament Sinew, and make the procedure more difficult.
• Ruan Fei and two other master Anatomists unite against Li Yuan, declaring that they will leave if the Feng Family continues defending him.
• Sikong Li unexpectedly opposes them, stating that the dissection should proceed even without Ruan Fei. He offers to work with Li Yuan and claims they may still successfully extract the Ligament Sinew.
• Ruan Fei mocks the idea of bringing Li Yuan into the operation, believing the young man will only make matters worse. Sikong Li remains confident in Li Yuan’s abilities.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates sharp reasoning and confidence under pressure. He refuses to accept Ruan Fei’s accusations and uses the master’s own logic against him, showing both verbal skill and composure.
• Ruan Fei: Reveals himself to be arrogant, domineering, and politically manipulative. He uses his reputation as “Great Xia’s First Blade” and his connections in the anatomy field to pressure the Feng Family.
• Yuan Zheng: Continues defending Jin Fan and attempting to portray Li Yuan as morally guilty, but her arguments become weaker after Li Yuan’s rebuttal.
• Sikong Li: Takes a bold stand against the other Anatomists and openly supports Li Yuan. His confidence suggests that he knows or suspects Li Yuan possesses extraordinary dissection abilities.
• Feng Yingtian and his mother: Become increasingly dissatisfied with Ruan Fei’s threats but are constrained by their urgent need for expert Anatomists and the valuable Ligament Sinew.
• The other Anatomists: Demonstrate professional solidarity by siding with Ruan Fei, reinforcing the idea that the anatomy field is tightly interconnected and protective of its own members.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus authority: Li Yuan argues that truth should be judged by what people witnessed, while Ruan Fei attempts to impose his own moral judgment through status and influence.
• Power and coercion: Ruan Fei uses the Feng Family’s dependence on him to threaten and manipulate them.
• Reputation versus true ability: Ruan Fei relies on his prestigious title and experience, while Sikong Li suggests that Li Yuan’s actual talent may matter more than age or reputation.
• Professional solidarity and gatekeeping: The Anatomists protect one another, showing how tightly controlled expertise can be used as leverage.
• Youth challenging established authority: Li Yuan’s involvement threatens the assumptions of older masters who believe mastery requires decades of practice.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan verbally counters both Yuan Zheng and Ruan Fei, refusing to be intimidated.
• Ruan Fei confronts Feng Yingtian and his mother, demanding that they abandon Li Yuan or lose the support of the anatomy field.
• The three allied Anatomists reinforce Ruan Fei’s ultimatum, while Sikong Li directly breaks ranks and supports Li Yuan.
• Sikong Li assures the Feng Family that he and Li Yuan can attempt the dissection themselves, provoking ridicule from Ruan Fei and the other masters.
• The chapter ends with the Feng Family uncertain but intrigued, as Sikong Li’s confidence raises the possibility that Li Yuan possesses hidden abilities.

Chapter Summary: “The First Cut in Fierce Beast Dissection”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sikong Li declares that he and Li Yuan will handle the Fierce Beast dissection and extract the Ligament Sinew.
• Ruan Fei and the other master Anatomists mock the decision, assuming Li Yuan and Sikong Li will fail. They refuse to help but remain at the Feng residence to observe and potentially take over if the dissection goes badly.
• Feng Yingtian firmly rejects their pressure, refusing to endanger Li Yuan in exchange for their assistance. Although he does not want to sever ties with them entirely, he arranges to send them away after the banquet.
• After the banquet, Feng Yingtian assumes Sikong Li will lead the operation. However, Sikong Li privately consults Li Yuan, recognizing that Li Yuan’s exceptional blade control makes him the stronger Anatomist.
• Li Yuan admits that he has never personally extracted a Ligament Sinew and has not even studied the relevant techniques in books. Sikong Li is shocked, since such skill would normally require years of specialized practice.
• Rather than withdraw, Li Yuan asks Sikong Li to provide two books on the subject. He plans to study them overnight and perform the dissection with Sikong Li the following afternoon.
• Sikong Li sends him the materials and begins preparing the operation. The Fierce Beast corpse must be thawed, and specialized tools and supplies must be arranged, since preparation is considered a major factor in success.
• The next day, Li Yuan and Sikong Li enter the dissection room while Ruan Fei, Yuan Zheng, the other Anatomists, and members of the Feng Family watch through the glass wall.
• Ruan Fei continues trying to undermine Li Yuan, suggesting that Feng Yingtian’s debt of gratitude has already been repaid and that Li Yuan may actually damage his recovery.
• Despite the pressure and skepticism surrounding them, Li Yuan picks up the skinning knife and prepares to make the first cut.

Character Development

• Li Yuan demonstrates responsibility and determination. Although inexperienced with Ligament Sinew extraction, he refuses to retreat because the Feng Family and Sikong Li have supported him. His willingness to study overnight highlights his confidence, adaptability, and sense of obligation.
• Sikong Li shifts from appearing to be the leader of the operation to acting as Li Yuan’s supporter and facilitator. He recognizes Li Yuan’s superior technical ability but remains uncertain about his lack of theoretical knowledge.
• Feng Yingtian reveals strong loyalty and pride. He refuses to sacrifice Li Yuan’s safety for the Ligament Sinew, while still handling the hostile Anatomists diplomatically and preserving the Feng Family’s dignity.
• Ruan Fei becomes more openly manipulative and opportunistic. He intends to wait for failure before presenting himself as a magnanimous rescuer, while also attempting to weaken Feng Yingtian’s gratitude toward Li Yuan.
• The Feng Family remains cautiously hopeful because of Sikong Li’s reputation, though the outcome could determine whether their rare Fierce Beast material is lost.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and gratitude: Feng Yingtian protects Li Yuan despite the high stakes, while Li Yuan feels compelled to repay that trust by taking on a difficult challenge.
• Pride and principle: The Feng Family refuses to bow to intimidation, emphasizing that powerful families cannot compromise whenever threatened.
• Skill versus formal experience: Li Yuan possesses extraordinary practical precision despite lacking conventional training in Ligament Sinew extraction, challenging assumptions about how expertise is acquired.
• Manipulation and opportunism: Ruan Fei and the other Anatomists use the crisis to pressure the Feng Family and wait for an opportunity to gain control.
• Pressure before a decisive test: The chapter builds suspense around the first cut, with the dissection representing both a technical challenge and a test of Li Yuan’s credibility.

Character Interactions

• Ruan Fei and his group taunt Sikong Li and Li Yuan, while Feng Yingtian responds by defending them and refusing to negotiate.
• Feng Yingtian maintains formal courtesy toward the hostile masters, showing political restraint despite rejecting their demands.
• Sikong Li privately confides in Li Yuan and seeks his judgment, revealing his respect for Li Yuan’s ability.
• Li Yuan reassures Sikong Li through his willingness to learn quickly and participate directly.
• Ruan Fei attempts to turn Feng Yingtian against Li Yuan by arguing that Li Yuan’s involvement may worsen Feng Yingtian’s recovery, but Feng Yingtian and his mother refuse to engage with the accusation.
• The chapter ends with all sides watching Li Yuan begin the dissection, turning the first cut into the critical moment on which the Feng Family’s hopes—and the rival Anatomists’ plans—depend.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan unexpectedly takes charge of dissecting an A-level Frostwind Bison instead of merely assisting the renowned Anatomist Sikong Li.
• Ruan Fei and two other Anatomists mock the decision, assuming Li Yuan will ruin the valuable corpse. Ruan Fei even tries to intervene and take over the first cut.
• Li Yuan begins with a skinning knife and performs an exceptionally smooth, precise incision despite the Frostwind Bison’s tough, uneven hide.
• He then uses a bone knife to sever the necessary bones without damaging the valuable internal tissues.
• During the organ-dissection stage, Li Yuan handles most of the corpse while Sikong Li works on his specialty: removing the reproductive organs intertwined with poison glands.
• Li Yuan carefully extracts large quantities of high-quality Ligament Sinew, preserving it almost perfectly and leaving it unstained by blood.
• The extracted Ligament Sinew greatly exceeds Feng Yingtian’s expectations and may not only help treat him but also improve his condition.
• After two hours, Li Yuan finishes his portion of the work. The observers are stunned, realizing that his dissection ability surpasses that of the established Anatomists.

2. Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Reveals extraordinary, previously underestimated dissection skills. His calm precision overturns everyone’s assumptions about his abilities.
• Sikong Li: Demonstrates trust in Li Yuan by allowing him to perform the crucial steps and willingly assisting him. His cooperative attitude confirms that he recognizes Li Yuan’s superior skill in many areas.
• Ruan Fei: Changes from arrogant critic to silent observer. His confidence collapses as he realizes Li Yuan’s technique is better than his own.
• Feng Yingtian: Initially uncertain about Li Yuan’s ability, he becomes impressed when he sees the exceptional quality and quantity of the Ligament Sinew.
• Yuan Zheng and the Jin Family: Attempt to use the situation to turn the Feng Family against Li Yuan and create an opportunity to capture or punish him, motivated by Jin Fan’s lingering resentment and insecurity.

3. Significant Themes

• Hidden talent and mistaken judgment: Li Yuan’s abilities are underestimated because of his age and apparent status, while established experts rely on reputation and authority.
• Skill versus status: Ruan Fei and the others invoke their professional standing, but their expertise is exposed as inferior when compared with Li Yuan’s actual performance.
• Trust and recognition: Sikong Li’s willingness to support Li Yuan shows genuine recognition of talent and contrasts with the others’ suspicion and arrogance.
• Precision and mastery: The chapter emphasizes how dissection requires exact control of force, specialized tools, and intimate knowledge of anatomy.
• Political manipulation and resentment: The Jin Family and Yuan Zheng seek to exploit the public situation to weaken Li Yuan, showing that personal grudges and family interests influence the surrounding conflict.

4. Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Sikong Li: Work together in the dissection room, with Sikong Li assisting Li Yuan rather than leading him. Their cooperation silently proves Li Yuan’s superior capability.
• Li Yuan and Ruan Fei: Ruan Fei initially attempts to stop Li Yuan and expects him to fail, but Li Yuan’s flawless technique leaves Ruan Fei unable to criticize him.
• Ruan Fei and the other Anatomists: They begin by encouraging doubts about Li Yuan but gradually fall silent as his work proceeds successfully.
• Li Yuan and Feng Yingtian: Though Feng Yingtian cannot fully judge the technical quality himself, Li Yuan’s excellent Ligament Sinew extraction directly benefits him and changes his expectations.
• Yuan Zheng and the Feng Family: Yuan Zheng publicly fuels criticism of Li Yuan, hoping to pressure the Feng Family into abandoning or surrendering him.
• The Jin Family and Li Yuan: The Jin Family remains hostile because Li Yuan is connected to Jin Fan’s injury and emotional turmoil, making his downfall a major objective for them.

Chapter Summary: “Beg Me?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The three-hour dissection of the Frostwind Bison focuses primarily on extracting its valuable Ligament Sinew, the material the Feng Family needs for Feng Yingtian’s treatment.
• Li Yuan and Sikong Li successfully extract the Ligament Sinew. Sikong Li openly credits Li Yuan, declaring that even experienced Master Anatomists could not have achieved the same result without him.
• Feng Yingtian immediately leaves with the Ligament Sinew to begin the next stage of his medical treatment, accompanied by Mrs. Zhou.
• After the Feng Family departs, Ruan Fei privately approaches Li Yuan. He is deeply concerned because Li Yuan has reproduced his signature dissection technique, Dragonfly Tap, with even greater precision.
• Ruan Fei asks Li Yuan not to spread the technique widely, fearing that its value—and therefore his own status and livelihood—will collapse if every Anatomist learns it.
• Li Yuan agrees to keep the technique secret on one condition: Ruan Fei must refuse to help Jin Fan recover and must persuade the other Master Anatomists to reject the Jin Family’s request as well.
• Ruan Fei reluctantly agrees to do his best. As a result, Jin Fan’s chances of obtaining treatment and recovering become extremely poor.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan demonstrates exceptional anatomical talent, strategic thinking, and control over powerful individuals. He understands both Sikong Li’s manipulation and Ruan Fei’s vulnerability, using that knowledge to secure a favorable agreement.
• Sikong Li reveals that he deliberately arranged the situation to test Li Yuan and undermine Ruan Fei. He recognizes Li Yuan as a rare dissection genius.
• Ruan Fei shifts from an arrogant Master Anatomist to a submissive negotiator after seeing Li Yuan master his exclusive technique. His fear of losing his professional authority forces him to compromise.
• Feng Yingtian becomes hopeful and eager to pursue treatment now that the Ligament Sinew has been extracted.
• Yuan Zheng remains impulsive and confrontational. Her attempts to defend Ruan Fei only worsen his negotiating position, prompting him to silence and glare at her.
• Feng Yingtian’s recovery becomes a central immediate priority, while Jin Fan’s recovery is effectively obstructed.

Significant Themes

• Power through skill: Li Yuan’s superior technical ability gives him leverage over established experts.
• Protection of status and secret techniques: Ruan Fei fears that widespread knowledge of Dragonfly Tap will make him replaceable.
• Negotiation and coercion: Li Yuan does not openly threaten Ruan Fei, but he uses the latter’s fear and dependence to force a major concession.
• Loyalty versus self-interest: Ruan Fei’s long-standing relationship with the Jin Family is outweighed by his desire to preserve his livelihood and reputation.
• Consequences of expertise: A single successful dissection changes the balance of power among the Anatomists and determines the medical futures of both Feng Yingtian and Jin Fan.

Character Interactions

• Sikong Li publicly praises Li Yuan while indirectly humiliating the other Anatomists, especially Ruan Fei.
• Ruan Fei tries to negotiate privately, but Li Yuan insists on speaking openly and demands sincerity.
• Yuan Zheng repeatedly attempts to challenge Li Yuan, yet Ruan Fei stops her because her behavior threatens his ability to negotiate.
• Li Yuan and Ruan Fei reach a conditional agreement: Ruan Fei will help block Jin Fan’s treatment, and Li Yuan will refrain from spreading Dragonfly Tap.

Chapter Summary: “The Highest-Quality Ligament Sinew”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Yingtian takes the Frostwind Bison Ligament Sinew to a hospital owned and operated by the Feng Family.
• The hospital’s medical experts, led by Dr. Chen, examine the material to determine whether it can repair Feng Yingtian’s severely injured leg.
• Dr. Chen initially avoids making promises, stressing that the Ligament Sinew must be complete, undamaged, and at least palm-sized.
• After examining the sample, Dr. Chen is astonished by its exceptional quality. It is perfectly intact, free of impurities, and already suitable for medical use without further processing.
• Based on the material’s quality, Dr. Chen becomes highly confident that the treatment will restore Feng Yingtian’s leg to nearly its former condition, possibly making it even more agile.
• The medical team begins preparing for a minimally invasive procedure, while Feng Yingtian and Mrs. Zhou return home.
• During the journey, Mrs. Zhou orders the household to welcome Li Yuan with the greatest respect, recognizing the importance of his contribution.

Character Developments

• Dr. Chen shifts from cautious and guarded to unusually confident once he sees the Ligament Sinew. His decades of experience convince him that this is the finest material he has ever encountered.
• Feng Yingtian becomes hopeful about recovering his leg but remains rational. He rejects his mother’s idea that Li Yuan is a mystical “lucky star,” attributing Li Yuan’s achievements to his exceptional ability.
• Mrs. Zhou is overwhelmed with relief and gratitude. Her mood becomes joyful and almost youthful after hearing that her son’s recovery is virtually assured.
• Feng Yingtian also demonstrates social awareness and restraint. Although he wants to befriend Li Yuan, he worries about imposing on him or using the Feng Family’s influence inappropriately.

Significant Themes

• Skill versus superstition: Mrs. Zhou interprets Li Yuan’s repeated assistance as fate, while Feng Yingtian sees it as the natural result of Li Yuan’s talent and competence.
• Gratitude and reciprocity: Feng Yingtian recognizes that Li Yuan saved him and provided the essential material for his recovery, creating a meaningful debt that he intends to repay.
• Trust in expertise: Dr. Chen’s cautious medical judgment emphasizes the importance of evidence and professional responsibility. His confidence only emerges after directly verifying the Ligament Sinew’s quality.
• The value of genuine talent: Li Yuan’s ability is portrayed as rare and broadly beneficial, making him someone whose presence can transform others’ fortunes.

Character Interactions

• Mrs. Zhou repeatedly presses Dr. Chen for reassurance, while he carefully qualifies his statements until he inspects the Ligament Sinew.
• Dr. Chen’s enthusiastic evaluation reassures both Feng Yingtian and his mother and sets the treatment plan in motion.
• On the flight home, Mrs. Zhou encourages Feng Yingtian to cultivate a close relationship with Li Yuan, calling him a lucky influence.
• Feng Yingtian respectfully but firmly corrects her interpretation, explaining that Li Yuan’s capabilities—not mysticism—are responsible for his success.
• The chapter ends with Feng Yingtian considering how to repay Li Yuan and build a friendship without making him feel pressured or exploited.

Chapter Summary: The Feng Family’s Gratitude

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the banquet, Feng Yingtian and Mrs. Zhou return to the Feng estate and arrange a late-night gathering with Li Yuan, Ruan Fei, several master Anatomists, and their assistants.
• Yuan Zheng remains at the estate because she wants an explanation for Ruan Fei’s decision to support Li Yuan instead of the Jin Family. Mrs. Zhou openly rejects her presence and has her escorted away.
• Mrs. Zhou makes the Feng Family’s position clear: anyone Li Yuan dislikes will not be treated as a friend of the Feng Family.
• Feng Yingtian reports that the Ligament Sinew Li Yuan dissected is of exceptional quality. A highly experienced doctor believes it can restore Feng Yingtian’s injured leg and has even guaranteed success.
• The gathered Anatomists praise Li Yuan’s extraordinary precision and hand control, recognizing that his skills exceed their expectations.
• Feng Yingtian asks about Li Yuan’s feud with Jin Fan. Li Yuan explains how their conflict began at school and developed into a life-or-death enmity.
• Feng Yingtian offers Li Yuan training opportunities and other resources during the summer vacation, insisting that Li Yuan should ask for further help whenever necessary.
• The chapter then shifts to the Jin Family, who have acquired a rare A-level Beast, a Rainbow-Scaled Tiger, for Jin Fan. They plan to have Ruan Fei and the other Anatomists dissect it and extract Brocade Sinew.
• However, Brocade Sinew is much harder to obtain than Ligament Sinew, and even the successful team may not be capable of producing it.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Gains stronger support from the Feng Family and earns the respect of the master Anatomists. He remains modest about the favors he has done and does not demand repayment.
• Feng Yingtian: Becomes increasingly grateful and loyal to Li Yuan. He treats Li Yuan as a genuine friend and is determined to repay him with substantial assistance rather than superficial gifts.
• Mrs. Zhou: Takes a firm public stance in Li Yuan’s favor. Her expulsion of Yuan Zheng demonstrates that the Feng Family is willing to confront others to protect and support him.
• Yuan Zheng: Becomes isolated and frustrated. She cannot understand why Ruan Fei has sided with Li Yuan and is denied the opportunity to learn the truth.
• Ruan Fei and the other Anatomists: Their admiration for Li Yuan deepens after witnessing his exceptional anatomical technique. Ruan Fei’s continued alignment with Li Yuan further weakens the Jin Family’s position.
• The Jin Family: Shows its determination to support Jin Fan by obtaining an extremely rare beast, but its plan depends on an uncertain and difficult dissection.

Significant Themes

• Gratitude and reciprocal loyalty: The Feng Family believes genuine relationships are built through mutual assistance and repayment of favors.
• Honor and family values: The Fengs distinguish themselves from families that manipulate institutional connections, preferring courage, hardship, and personal ability.
• Political and social alliances: The Feng Family’s explicit support strengthens Li Yuan while isolating the Jin Family.
• Skill and recognition: Li Yuan’s technical mastery earns respect even from accomplished professionals.
• Uncertainty and competition: The Jin Family’s attempt to obtain Brocade Sinew sets up a difficult confrontation, since success is far from guaranteed.

Character Interactions

• Mrs. Zhou confronts and dismisses Yuan Zheng, making her exclusion from the Feng Family’s circle unmistakable.
• Mrs. Zhou gives Li Yuan authority to decide who is welcome, symbolically placing him at the center of the Feng Family’s alliance.
• The Anatomists discuss and praise Li Yuan’s dissection of the Ligament Sinew.
• Feng Yingtian and Li Yuan discuss the Jin Family feud, future training opportunities, and the meaning of repaying favors.
• Ruan Fei and the other Anatomists reinforce Feng Yingtian’s praise by emphasizing how difficult it is for doctors to guarantee a successful operation.