Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Crisis Erupts”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Zhao becomes secretly pleased when Li Yuan reveals that he is single. She hides her smile by stuffing food into his mouth and pretending to focus on cultivation.
• The pair safely survives their seventh through twelfth days in the wilderness. Li Yuan continues scouting for two hours daily, studying the area and bringing back fruit while identifying its properties.
• Xia Zhao discusses difficulties in her cultivation techniques and martial skills with Li Yuan. His advice helps her resolve one major obstacle immediately, while several other suggestions are recorded for later testing.
• As Xia Zhao realizes that Li Yuan’s comprehension surpasses her own, she develops admiration and growing romantic interest in him. Their increasing familiarity leads both to view the other favorably, though neither openly expresses their feelings because they remain in danger.
• Xia Zhao estimates that she needs three more days to recover sufficiently. However, on the evening of the twelfth day, Li Yuan detects an imminent threat and secretly leads her away from the Observation Station.
• He hides with her in a concealed hole roughly three hundred meters southeast of the station. Li Yuan explains that a nearby nest of Wildcat Fierce Beasts had suddenly fled, warning him that a dangerous presence had arrived.
• Li Yuan suspects that the threat may not be Fierce Beasts but hostile humans. He reasons that remaining in the station would leave them trapped and vulnerable.
• During the night, they observe lights appearing inside the Observation Station. This confirms Li Yuan’s suspicion that someone has entered it. The pair realizes that the communication signal was likely deliberately cut off, suggesting an organized or malicious force is operating in the area.
• They remain hidden throughout the night, taking turns resting and keeping watch. After daylight, they continue to stay cautious.
• By the afternoon, Xia Zhao proposes that they attempt to travel toward Qijia Town.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates strong observation, caution, survival knowledge, and strategic thinking. His routine scouting allows him to detect the crisis before it reaches them, strengthening Xia Zhao’s trust in him.
• Xia Zhao: Grows increasingly impressed by Li Yuan’s insight and martial comprehension. She becomes more emotionally attached to him while also relying on his judgment in dangerous situations. Her willingness to follow him without questioning shows deepening trust.
• Relationship: Their relationship shifts from practical companionship toward mutual admiration and subtle romantic affection. Physical closeness during hiding—such as Xia Zhao leaning against Li Yuan and later allowing him to rest against her—reinforces their growing intimacy.

Significant Themes

• Trust under pressure: Xia Zhao follows Li Yuan despite not understanding the danger, showing how survival circumstances deepen their confidence in one another.
• Preparation and vigilance: Li Yuan’s daily scouting and attention to environmental changes prove essential when the hidden threat emerges.
• Human danger versus natural danger: The wilderness is dangerous, but Li Yuan recognizes that malicious people may pose an even greater threat than Fierce Beasts.
• Unspoken affection: Both characters develop feelings but restrain themselves because survival takes priority.
• Intelligence and adaptability: Li Yuan’s ability to analyze cultivation, martial techniques, animal behavior, and enemy movements establishes him as far more capable than his apparent Fifth Grade status suggests.

Important Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao playfully hides her happiness about Li Yuan’s single status.
• She seeks his guidance on cultivation and martial arts, accepting his advice with respect even when she cannot yet understand it.
• Li Yuan physically leads Xia Zhao to safety, and she trusts him without resistance.
• While hiding, they cooperate closely by taking turns resting and keeping watch.
• Xia Zhao instinctively grips Li Yuan when the lights appear, then gently rubs his arm after realizing she has hurt him, revealing both concern and increasing intimacy.

Chapter Summary: “The Fourth Talent”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Zhao, having mostly recovered, decides that she and Li Yuan should leave the wilderness and head toward Qijia Town. Although the wilderness is dangerous, remaining there without an Observation Station is even riskier.
• While traveling northwest, Xia Zhao senses danger and quickly pulls Li Yuan away using her Pinnacle Movement Art. A Mutant Hound appears and pursues them.
• Drawing on her previous experience with the beast, Xia Zhao avoids being bitten and poisoned. Rather than fighting recklessly, she circles and restrains the Mutant Hound while waiting for an opening, prepared to flee if necessary.
• Li Yuan spots the Abandoned School near nightfall, confirming that they have returned to Qijia Town’s New City District. Patrols and other martial artists provide them with greater safety.
• At a high-end hotel, Xia Zhao books rooms and clothes for both of them. After bathing and changing, they share a substantial meal—their first proper food after enduring hardship in the wilderness.
• They discuss the Mutant Beast incident. Both suspect that someone is deliberately creating or manipulating the mutations, and Xia Zhao believes the conspirators wanted her dead because she discovered the truth. She warns Li Yuan not to reveal what he knows, lest he become a target.
• Although they had spoken freely in the wilderness, both become awkward and reserved in the hotel. After dinner, they return to separate rooms but are unable to sleep.
• Li Yuan checks the Light Screen in his Sea of Consciousness and discovers that his Experience Points have reached 404/400, largely because conversations with Xia Zhao generated many Light Points.
• He chooses to spend his fourth Talent Point on the Combat branch rather than Enlightenment, preparing for the upcoming Youth Martial Tournament. The new Talent is “Flaw Insight.”

Character Developments

• Xia Zhao demonstrates greater caution and tactical maturity. Her earlier encounter with the Mutant Hound has taught her not to fight carelessly, and she now prioritizes survival and controlled engagement.
• She also becomes more confident about confronting the hidden force behind the Beast mutations now that she has returned to civilization.
• Li Yuan continues to grow through his discussions with Xia Zhao, gaining Experience Points from her insights. He also shows increasing strategic awareness by selecting a combat-oriented Talent specifically suited to his next major challenge.
• Both characters develop mutual attraction and appreciation. They notice each other’s appearance after changing clothes, but social status, emotional restraint, and uncertainty prevent them from expressing their feelings openly.

Significant Themes

• Survival versus confrontation: Xia Zhao chooses escape and restraint over a potentially fatal battle, emphasizing that staying alive can be the most effective form of resistance.
• Hidden conspiracies and danger: The Mutant Beasts are likely part of a deliberate scheme, and Xia Zhao’s knowledge makes her a target.
• Return to civilization: The transition from the wilderness to the hotel marks a shift from physical danger to social and emotional restraint, where status and reputation matter.
• Mutual but unspoken attraction: Li Yuan and Xia Zhao feel increasingly comfortable and drawn to each other, yet both overthink the consequences of acting on those feelings.
• Growth through teaching and exchange: Li Yuan’s conversations with Xia Zhao prove as valuable as formal instruction, showing that insight and cultivation can arise naturally through meaningful discussion.
• Preparation for future conflict: Li Yuan’s selection of Flaw Insight reflects his focus on the Youth Martial Tournament and his desire to gain a decisive combat advantage.

Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao physically protects and guides Li Yuan during the escape from the Mutant Hound, treating his safety as a priority.
• The two cooperate effectively in the wilderness, with Xia Zhao handling the beast while Li Yuan helps identify their route back to Qijia Town.
• During dinner, they discuss the conspiracy and express concern for each other’s safety, though their conversation becomes awkward once they are no longer under immediate pressure.
• Their exchanged glances and discomfort after changing clothes reveal mutual interest, while their restrained behavior shows that neither is willing to act impulsively.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan acquires his fourth Talent, Flaw Insight, which allows him to detect weaknesses or loopholes in an opponent’s actions by turning them into visible signals. He recognizes that it is highly useful in combat, though distinct from—and not necessarily superior to—his Martial Recruitment Accelerator Talent.
• After deciding to leave Qijia Town, Li Yuan meets Xia Zhao for breakfast to say goodbye. She reveals that her family has arranged a convoy to take her home, while Li Yuan plans to return by high-speed rail.
• Xia Zhao asks for Li Yuan’s contact information and gives him her own number. Her note also carries an encouraging message: “Train hard. Maybe you’ll amount to something someday.”
• On the train, Li Yuan reflects on his training trip. He concludes that he has:
  • Overcome his fear of Fierce Beasts through extreme exposure and survival.
  • Confirmed the practical value of the martial knowledge he learned from books.
  • Received important guidance from Xia Zhao about advancing through martial realms.
• Li Yuan considers the flash drive Xia Zhao gave him, particularly the Heavenly Refining Body cultivation method. However, the method’s validity is uncertain, as many experts—including Grandmasters—believe it contains serious errors or is meaningless.
• Meanwhile, Xia Zhao’s family convoy arrives in Qijia Town. During the journey home, she tells her grandmother that she encountered a Mutant Beast, shocking the older woman because it was apparently the same type of creature that massacred Qijia Town forty years earlier.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan grows more confident and battle-ready after surviving the crisis in Qijia Town. His fear of Fierce Beasts has been replaced by practical experience and emotional desensitization.
• He demonstrates greater self-awareness, recognizing both his own financial and social differences from Xia Zhao and the limits of her knowledge compared with his own understanding of martial techniques.
• Li Yuan also becomes more open to maintaining a relationship with Xia Zhao, accepting her contact information and valuing her advice.
• Xia Zhao reveals a more personal interest in Li Yuan by deliberately seeking him out to exchange contact information. Despite her privileged background, she remains concerned about his progress and offers him encouragement and cultivation guidance.
• Xia Zhao’s grandmother is introduced as affectionate, wealthy, and initially unaware of the true danger Xia Zhao faced. Her shock emphasizes the seriousness of the Mutant Beast encounter.

Significant Themes

• Growth through adversity: Li Yuan’s dangerous experience serves as a turning point, transforming fear into composure and practical combat confidence.
• Theory versus practice: The chapter emphasizes that book knowledge is valuable, but real danger is necessary to test and internalize it.
• Uncertainty in martial cultivation: The questionable Heavenly Refining Body method highlights that even powerful experts may lack complete understanding, leaving room for discovery and risk.
• Social and economic differences: Li Yuan’s choice of high-speed rail contrasts with Xia Zhao’s family convoy, quietly underscoring their different backgrounds without preventing mutual respect.
• Hidden danger and incomplete information: Xia Zhao’s family does not initially understand what happened in Qijia Town, while the truth about the cultivation method remains unresolved.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao share a restrained but meaningful farewell over breakfast. Their conversation shows mutual concern, social awkwardness, and the beginning of a lasting connection.
• Xia Zhao gives Li Yuan her contact information and the flash drive containing the disputed cultivation method, suggesting trust in his potential.
• Xia Zhao and her grandmother interact warmly in the convoy. The grandmother teases her about the training trip, but the mood changes sharply when Xia Zhao reveals that she encountered the legendary Mutant Beast responsible for Qijia Town’s historic massacre.

Chapter Summary: “Director Zeng Has Already Given Up”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Zhao reveals to her grandmother that the recent Fierce Beasts were not naturally mutated. Their characteristics—including extreme aggression, lack of pain, rotting skin, and toxins—match the Blood Wolf incident from forty years earlier.
• She further explains that evidence suggests humans may be deliberately creating the Mutant Beasts. The similarity between the two incidents, despite involving different species, makes accidental mutation unlikely.
• Concerned for Xia Zhao’s safety, her grandmother orders her to report her movements to the family for the next three months and assigns Aunt Lin to accompany her.
• Xia Zhao asks about Uncle Liu’s son, claiming she wants access to information on people who entered Qijia Town. Her real goal is to investigate Li Yuan and discover the truth behind Wuling Education.
• Rather than approach Li Yuan directly, Xia Zhao plans to secretly support him with cultivation resources. She believes his remarkable martial talent gives them a possible future together.
• Li Yuan returns to Lingshan City after his training. He buys a new phone, goes home, and contacts Chen Yong to report his safe return.
• Chen Yong informs him that Class Nine and Class Fourteen remained disciplined and performed well during his absence. They arrange to meet for a meal the following day.
• Li Yuan then calls Deputy Director Zeng Chang to express his thanks for arranging the Qijia Town training.
• Zeng tells Li Yuan to report to the Provincial Gymnasium in five days for the Youth Martial Tournament departure. He also admits that he has largely abandoned hope of becoming the next director.
• Zeng believes he and Li Yuan will be blamed if Lingshan City performs poorly, especially since Jin Fan of Chishan City has become stronger than expected and intends to win first place.
• Li Yuan remains optimistic, suggesting that his experiences in Qijia Town may give him a chance to change the tournament’s outcome, though Zeng remains doubtful.

Character Developments

• Xia Zhao becomes more serious and proactive. Her encounter with the Mutant Beasts has strengthened her sense of danger, and she now intends to investigate both the beasts’ creators and Li Yuan’s mysterious organization.
• Xia Zhao’s grandmother shifts from playful teasing to deep concern, recognizing the potential scale of the threat and taking concrete measures to protect Xia Zhao.
• Li Yuan returns more confident after his wilderness training. He remains considerate and responsible, contacting both Chen Yong and Zeng Chang to reassure them and show gratitude.
• Zeng Chang has lost confidence in his career prospects and expects to be blamed for Lingshan City’s likely defeat. His resignation contrasts with Li Yuan’s renewed confidence.
• Chen Yong is shown to be a supportive and understanding friend who monitors the classes and gives Li Yuan time to recover.

Significant Themes

• Humanity’s responsibility for disaster: The Mutant Beasts may be weapons or products of human experimentation rather than natural phenomena, introducing a larger conspiracy.
• Protection and family loyalty: Xia Zhao’s grandmother responds to danger by imposing safeguards, while Xia Zhao seeks to protect Li Yuan from behind the scenes.
• Hope versus resignation: Zeng Chang has accepted defeat, while Li Yuan believes the tournament may still contain an opportunity for a reversal.
• Pride and self-worth: Xia Zhao interprets Li Yuan’s silence as masculine pride and a desire to become worthy before contacting her.
• Hidden forces and investigation: Both the Mutant Beast mystery and Wuling Education remain unresolved, setting up future discoveries.

Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao and her grandmother discuss the Mutant Beasts, with Xia Zhao revealing the possibility of human involvement and her grandmother responding with protective restrictions.
• Xia Zhao carefully conceals her romantic and investigative motives when asking about Uncle Liu’s son.
• Li Yuan and Chen Yong reconnect as friends, discussing the successful performance of their classes and planning a meal.
• Li Yuan and Zeng Chang have a respectful but emotionally contrasting conversation: Li Yuan offers gratitude and optimism, while Zeng expresses resignation about his career and the upcoming tournament.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan returns home from the high-speed train and immediately studies the PDF of “Heavenly Refining Body,” the cultivation method Xia Zhao gave him.
• The technique is infamous because countless powerful martial artists pursued it, only to find it incomprehensible and seemingly flawed.
• Li Yuan spends nearly nine hours reading the original text without Xia Zhao’s annotations. Although the method is extremely obscure, he concludes that it is genuine and profoundly advanced.
• He discovers that the method’s central principle is the mutual tempering of

Gang Qi and the physical body

• Gang Qi damages and tempers the body.
• The body, in turn, refines and strengthens the Gang Qi.
• Eventually, the two merge into a powerful Gang Body.
• Unlike ordinary cultivation methods, which strengthen cells, bones, and fascia, “Heavenly Refining Body” uses Gang Qi to elevate the practitioner’s physical strength far beyond what is normally possible. A Fifth-Rank martial artist could potentially possess a physique comparable to that of a Sixth-Rank expert.
• After dinner, Li Yuan reads the text again, this time reviewing Xia Zhao’s annotations. He determines that most of them are incorrect because they interpret the method through conventional martial knowledge.
• He begins cultivating immediately. With the aid of his [Martial Recruitment Accelerator] Talent, he condenses Gang Qi in just over an hour, despite the process normally requiring more than half a year.
• He guides the newly formed Gang Qi through his body. The resulting pain confirms that his physique is being damaged as part of the method’s normal cultivation process.
• The chapter ends with Li Yuan beginning the process of merging Gang Qi with his body, effectively gaining both a superior cultivation method and a powerful defensive technique.

Character Development

• Li Yuan demonstrates exceptional comprehension, patience, and confidence. Rather than being influenced by established experts’ interpretations, he independently analyzes the original technique and identifies its true meaning.
• His understanding surpasses that of many Grandmasters, whose knowledge of conventional cultivation has become too rigid to accept the method’s unconventional principles.
• Li Yuan’s accelerated cultivation ability once again proves that his Talent allows him to accomplish feats that would normally take martial artists months or years.
• His willingness to endure physical pain shows his determination and readiness to pursue extraordinary strength.

Significant Themes

• Breaking established assumptions: The method is misunderstood because powerful martial artists judge it according to conventional cultivation principles.
• Mutual growth and balance: Gang Qi and the body must refine one another rather than develop separately.
• Innovation versus tradition: Li Yuan succeeds because he approaches the technique without the prejudices that limit older experts.
• Accelerated cultivation and exceptional potential: His Talent allows him to rapidly master techniques that ordinarily require long-term persistence.
• Strength through transformation: Physical damage is not treated as failure but as a necessary stage in forging a superior body.

Character Interactions

• The main interaction is indirect: Xia Zhao’s annotations and prior explanations guide Li Yuan’s study but also reveal the limitations of her understanding.
• Li Yuan respects the original method enough to examine it independently before consulting Xia Zhao’s notes, preventing her interpretations from influencing his judgment.
• The chapter contains no direct present-time interaction between Li Yuan and Xia Zhao, but their differing interpretations create an intellectual contrast: Xia Zhao and other experts view the technique through traditional assumptions, while Li Yuan uncovers its true purpose.

Chapter Summary: Practical Applications of [Flaw Insight]

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan spends the entire night cultivating the “Heavenly Refining Body,” enduring Gang Qi abrading his skin. The method noticeably strengthens his body, and by morning he reaches the introductory stage.
• He tests his improved physique and martial ability in a secluded training area. His Cloud Extreme Fist shows major gains in speed, power, and especially momentum, with Gang Qi reinforcing his hands and attacks.
• Li Yuan reflects on why even Grandmasters struggle to cultivate the Heavenly Refining Body: they are reluctant to injure their already-powerful bodies with Gang Qi, especially when the method’s principles remain uncertain.
• He continues practicing the “Six Martial Chain Blade,” focusing not merely on technical proficiency but on applying it realistically against Fierce Beasts, as the upcoming Youth Martial Tournament will rank contestants according to their performance in such battles.
• While observing elderly residents practicing the Body-Strengthening Tranquil Heart Technique, Li Yuan tests his new [Flaw Insight] Talent. He sees weak points, represented by flickering Light Points, in their movements.
• Li Yuan spends an hour learning to use the Talent effectively. He recognizes that seeing an opening does not guarantee victory; superior strength, speed, and combat judgment are still essential.
• That afternoon, he returns to cultivating the Heavenly Refining Body to further improve his physical strength and increase his chances of surviving and succeeding in the tournament.
• Chen Yong later visits for dinner and reports that Director Ma has lost much of his administrative authority and has been assigned more teaching duties, suggesting a serious conflict with Principal Yin.
• Chen Yong checks whether Li Yuan is anxious about the approaching tournament and reassures him not to place too much importance on the final results, particularly since the qualification was pursued to obtain B-grade Nutrient Fluids.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Becomes significantly stronger through the Heavenly Refining Body and gains a more practical understanding of combat. He develops greater confidence but remains cautious, recognizing that [Flaw Insight] is an aid rather than an automatic path to victory. His training also becomes more focused on real battlefield application instead of simple technique mastery.
• Chen Yong: Continues acting as a supportive friend, monitoring Li Yuan’s emotional state and encouraging him not to be overwhelmed by tournament expectations.
• Director Ma: Suffers a decline in influence at school after opposing Principal Yin’s handling of Li Yuan’s situation.
• Principal Yin: Is characterized as rigid and authoritarian. He demands absolute loyalty and treats anything less than complete agreement as disloyalty.

Significant Themes

• Strength through pain and sacrifice: The Heavenly Refining Body requires Li Yuan to endure physical injury, emphasizing that extraordinary power comes through difficult and dangerous cultivation.
• Practical combat over theoretical mastery: Li Yuan realizes that knowing martial techniques is insufficient; he must understand how to use them against real enemies and in changing battlefield conditions.
• Limits of talent: [Flaw Insight] can reveal weaknesses, but it cannot overcome overwhelming differences in strength or guarantee that an opportunity can be exploited.
• Caution versus arrogance: Although Li Yuan’s abilities improve rapidly, he deliberately reminds himself not to become overconfident.
• Authority and loyalty: The conflict between Director Ma and Principal Yin highlights the dangers of authoritarian leadership and the demand for absolute obedience.
• Preparation and resilience: Li Yuan’s disciplined training and calm attitude show his determination to prepare thoroughly for the Youth Martial Tournament without becoming consumed by anxiety.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and the elderly practitioners: Though they do not directly converse, Li Yuan uses their practice to test and refine his [Flaw Insight] Talent.
• Li Yuan and Chen Yong: Their dinner conversation reveals Chen Yong’s concern for Li Yuan’s mental state. Chen encourages him to treat the tournament as an opportunity rather than a judgment of his worth, while Li Yuan calmly assures him that he is not overly anxious.
• Director Ma and Principal Yin: Their worsening relationship reflects a clash over loyalty and authority, with Principal Yin marginalizing Ma after Ma refuses to support him unconditionally.

Chapter Summary: “Departure, Youth Martial Tournament!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After dinner, Li Yuan takes Chen Yong to his training area to continue practicing, but Chen Yong quickly becomes tired and unmotivated. They return to the apartment, where Li Yuan offers Chen Yong further guidance for his upcoming provincial Open Class.
• Chen Yong warns Li Yuan that many parents—especially those of second- and third-year students—are complaining that Li Yuan took Jin Fan’s tournament position and harmed Lingshan City’s prospects in the Youth Martial Tournament. The Education Bureau has suppressed the complaints for now.
• Chen Yong also informs him that this year’s tournament will feature real-time online point rankings, increasing public pressure on competitors. Li Yuan remains unconcerned, believing he can ignore the rumors while competing.
• The next morning, Li Yuan returns to Lingshan No.1 High School with Chen Yong. He visits Class Nine and Class Fourteen, making himself available to students and collecting a small number of Experience Points. His reduced Experience Point gains suggest that distance from the students affects the system.
• Gu Yu gives Li Yuan a protective inner armor vest before the tournament. Although Gu Yu’s mentor has ordered him to defeat Li Yuan and dismantle the Cloud Extreme Fist, Gu Yu genuinely worries that Li Yuan may be injured.
• Gu Yu insists that he has already understood the core of the Cloud Extreme Fist and challenges Li Yuan to fight him again after the tournament. Li Yuan estimates that Gu Yu may defeat him in roughly fifty days, while Gu Yu believes he can win about a month later.
• Li Yuan continues helping students throughout the school day. His diligence changes the attitudes of nearby teachers and reassures Director Ma that supporting Li Yuan had been the correct decision.
• Over the following two days, Li Yuan calmly continues improving. On Saturday, he arrives at the Provincial Gymnasium to join Lingshan City’s delegation before their departure for the Youth Martial Tournament, where he meets Deputy Director Zeng Chang, the team leader.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan remains focused and composed despite public criticism, tournament pressure, and political opposition within the school. He continues prioritizing both martial training and teaching responsibilities.
• Chen Yong remains uninterested in martial arts training but is supportive of Li Yuan and concerned about the controversy surrounding him. He also continues preparing for his own professional evaluation.
• Gu Yu demonstrates growing confidence in his ability to counter the Cloud Extreme Fist. At the same time, his gift of protective armor reveals genuine concern and respect for Li Yuan beneath their competitive relationship.
• Director Ma becomes more convinced that Li Yuan deserved the opportunity he received after witnessing his dedication to students.
• Deputy Director Zeng Chang has lost his political ambitions after changes within the Education Bureau and now hopes merely to avoid problems during the tournament trip.

Significant Themes

• Persistence despite criticism: Li Yuan refuses to be distracted by rumors, parental complaints, or public scrutiny.
• Dedication to teaching: His willingness to return during vacation and help students gradually changes his colleagues’ opinions.
• Competition and pressure: The tournament’s real-time rankings and public attention create an atmosphere of heightened pressure for all participants.
• Respect among rivals: Gu Yu’s challenge is serious, but his concern for Li Yuan shows that competition can coexist with mutual respect.
• Institutional politics: Changes in school and Education Bureau leadership reveal how personal advancement and authority are influenced by bureaucratic decisions.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Chen Yong share an apartment, discuss their respective responsibilities, and support each other despite Chen Yong’s reluctance to train.
• Li Yuan interacts with students from Classes Nine and Fourteen, answering questions and reinforcing their studies.
• Gu Yu and Li Yuan exchange a polite but competitive discussion about the protective armor, the tournament, and Gu Yu’s future attempt to defeat him.
• Li Yuan’s conduct at school gradually softens the attitudes of other teachers and validates Director Ma’s earlier support.
• At the Provincial Gymnasium, Li Yuan begins coordinating with Deputy Director Zeng Chang and the Lingshan City team ahead of their departure.

Chapter Summary: “Youth Martial Tournament Rules, Setting Off!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan and Deputy Director Zeng Chang discuss the upcoming Youth Martial Tournament after returning from Qijia Town. Li Yuan hints that he may have a “surprise” for Zeng, suggesting he is more confident than expected.
• Zeng explains that the tournament is especially competitive this year because the Southeast Region’s 12-billion-yuan development fund has made every city eager to secure a high ranking. Hidden talents have been brought forward, making even Li Yuan’s goal of reaching the top thirty extremely difficult.
• Zeng indirectly reveals that merely placing in the top thirty will not solve his own political difficulties. To truly help him, Li Yuan would likely need to defeat Jin Fan, a feat many times harder.
• They discuss Li Yuan’s visit to Lingshan No. 1 High School, where he answered students’ questions. Zeng praises his professionalism and educational ethics.
• Zeng says he may be demoted or reassigned to become principal of Lingshan No. 2 High School after the tournament, but he still hopes to recruit Li Yuan. He encourages Li Yuan to take the tournament seriously and use the experience to guide future students.
• Lingshan City’s twelve contestants assemble. Only ten participants’ results will count, while two serve as backups in case of elimination.
• During roll call, the other contestants recognize Li Yuan. Ma Qi of the Water Resources Bureau openly attacks him, blaming him for disrupting the city’s original strategy and forcing Jin Fan to represent Chishan City.
• Li Yuan immediately counters Ma Qi, pointing out that if Ma Qi truly cared about Lingshan City’s citizens, he could surrender his own qualification to Jin Fan. He also exposes the weakness in Ma Qi’s excuse that qualifications cannot easily be transferred between units.
• Ma Qi is left speechless, and the surrounding participants become silent. Zeng intervenes, ending the argument and reminding everyone that the roster is finalized and that the tournament forbids coordinated cooperation to manipulate scores.
• Zeng leads the group toward the competition area. The tournament will take place in a sealed border region deliberately exposed to Fierce Beasts for one or two months. Rankings will be determined by the number and quality of beasts each martial artist kills.

Character Development

• Li Yuan: Displays growing confidence, composure, and sharp verbal ability. Rather than being intimidated by public criticism, he directly challenges Ma Qi and defends his qualification. His visit to the school also reinforces his sense of responsibility as an educator.
• Zeng Chang: Shows sincere respect and trust toward Li Yuan. Despite facing a likely loss of political authority, he remains focused on education and recognizes Li Yuan’s potential both as a martial artist and teacher.
• Ma Qi: Reveals resentment and self-interest by condemning Li Yuan while refusing to sacrifice his own tournament opportunity. His arguments collapse when Li Yuan exposes their hypocrisy.
• Jin Fan: Though absent, he remains a major source of tension. His transfer to Chishan City has intensified Lingshan City’s internal conflict and raised the level of competition Li Yuan must face.

Significant Themes

• Personal ambition versus collective interest: The contestants claim to represent Lingshan City, but each also seeks rewards, fame, career advancement, and valuable resources for themselves.
• Integrity in education and public service: Zeng values genuine teaching and criticizes those who use education merely as a path to promotion. Li Yuan’s actions demonstrate the professional ethics Zeng admires.
• Political pressure and power struggles: The tournament is linked to regional funding and Zeng’s possible demotion, showing that the event has consequences beyond combat rankings.
• Merit and proof: Tournament results serve as credentials for future opportunities, making performance a concrete measure of ability and trustworthiness.
• Courage and composure under criticism: Li Yuan refuses to be bullied by the hostility surrounding him and responds with logic rather than retreating.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Zeng Chang: Their conversation is supportive and respectful. Zeng encourages Li Yuan, while Li Yuan hints that he may be able to help resolve Zeng’s predicament.
• Li Yuan and the students of Lingshan No. 1 High School: Although the students are not shown directly, Li Yuan’s earlier visit establishes his willingness to share knowledge and maintain ties with the school.
• Li Yuan and Ma Qi: Their confrontation exposes the conflict between genuine concern for the city and selfish ambition. Li Yuan’s sharp rebuttal wins the exchange.
• Zeng Chang and the participants: Zeng acts as team leader, calls attendance, settles the dispute, and clarifies that each contestant must rely on individual performance rather than prearranged cooperation.

Chapter Summary: Grandmaster Yao Jianyue’s Disciple

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Zhao investigates the Qijia Town training-entry records in Baodu City, searching for someone connected to her investigation.
• She discovers the name “Wuling Education,” marked as a virtual identity. Secretary Hong explains that it belongs to the Lingshan Municipal Education Bureau and was likely used because the system could not register organizations directly.
• Young Master Liu offers to punish the education bureau for violating regulations, but Xia Zhao strongly objects. Her intense reaction reveals that she is personally concerned about the person behind the account.
• Xia Zhao leaves after confirming that the user is a young martial practitioner from Lingshan City’s education system.
• Liu and Secretary Hong conclude that Xia Zhao likely came specifically to investigate this person. Liu becomes jealous and orders Secretary Hong to uncover the user’s identity.
• Secretary Hong traces the account and identifies the user as Jin Fan, a disciple of Grandmaster Yao Jianyue.
• Jin Fan had previously represented the Lingshan Education Bureau at a seminar and was originally intended to represent Lingshan City in the Youth Martial Tournament. Due to conflicts, he switched to Chishan City, making it inconvenient for him to receive official training access under his own name.
• Meanwhile, Jin Fan travels by bus toward the tournament venue, enduring a long, uncomfortable journey through dangerous mountain roads. His fellow travelers isolate him, but he prefers the quiet.
• After learning Jin Fan’s identity, Young Master Liu decides to use his connections with the tournament committee to pressure Jin Fan within the rules.

Character Developments

• Xia Zhao: Her investigation becomes more personal when she discovers the virtual identity. Her refusal to punish the education bureau suggests she is protecting or favoring Jin Fan, though she tries to conceal her concern.
• Young Master Liu: His romantic interest in Xia Zhao turns into jealousy and competitiveness. Feeling that Jin Fan receives attention he cannot gain, he begins plotting to obstruct Jin Fan’s tournament prospects.
• Secretary Hong: He acts as Liu’s perceptive and capable aide, correctly recognizing Xia Zhao’s unusual interest and successfully tracing the virtual account.
• Jin Fan: Although he does not actively appear in the main investigation, he is revealed to be a highly talented young martial practitioner and Grandmaster Yao Jianyue’s disciple. His reputation is strong enough to make Liu view him as a serious rival.
• Zeng Chang: His despondent attitude on the bus hints at discouragement or a sense of being left behind by changing times.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identities and concealed motives: The virtual account masks Jin Fan’s participation, while Xia Zhao and Liu each conceal or interpret their personal motives.
• Jealousy and rivalry: Liu’s romantic frustration toward Xia Zhao transforms into hostility toward Jin Fan.
• Bureaucracy versus practical necessity: The virtual identity technically violates regulations but exists because of institutional limitations and unequal allocation of training opportunities.
• Influence and power: Liu relies on family status and political connections to interfere with Jin Fan’s tournament experience, showing how personal rivalries can enter official systems.
• Recognition of talent: Jin Fan’s connection to Grandmaster Yao Jianyue and his martial comprehension establish him as a significant rising competitor.

Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao questions Liu and Secretary Hong about the virtual identity, then sharply rejects Liu’s proposal to issue punishment.
• Liu and Secretary Hong analyze Xia Zhao’s behavior after she leaves, concluding that she knows Jin Fan personally or has a strong interest in him.
• Liu instructs Secretary Hong to investigate the account, and Secretary Hong reports Jin Fan’s identity and background.
• After learning Jin Fan is Yao Jianyue’s disciple and a tournament participant, Liu orders Secretary Hong to use tournament connections to place pressure on him.

Chapter Summary: “Regional Fierce Beasts, Point Rules”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Secretary Hong assures Young Master Liu that the Youth Martial Tournament’s chief referee can be trusted to enforce the rules strictly against Jin Fan. Hong’s connection comes from having helped the referee’s son during an internship.
• Young Master Liu is frustrated and humiliated because Jin Fan, a Grandmaster’s disciple, has attracted Xia Zhao’s attention and surpassed him despite Liu’s belief that he is equally talented.
• Secretary Hong flatters Liu by suggesting that Jin Fan is inferior but more willing to use manipulative methods to gain Xia Zhao’s interest. This eases Liu’s wounded pride but deepens his resentment toward Jin Fan.
• Xia Zhao independently investigates Jin Fan’s identity and confirms that he is the mysterious martial artist previously associated with Wuling Education and is likely Grandmaster Yao Jianyue’s disciple.
• She declines an offer to arrange a direct meeting because she wants to help Jin Fan discreetly. She obtains an additional place for the Snow Shadow Mountain cultivation training and plans to watch over him from a distance.
• Li Yuan and the other participants arrive at a border town near the Youth Martial Tournament’s competition area. They check into a large hotel that also functions as a border lookout post.
• The next morning, Deputy Director Zeng Chang briefs the participants. This year’s tournament has changed: contestants must enter the area separately and fight independently, and helping others earn points is forbidden.
• Zeng reveals that the competition area contains at most three B-level Golden Scale Tigers, along with many C- and D-level snake- and wolf-type Fierce Beasts.
• The scoring system is based on the beasts’ danger levels:
  • One C-level Beast equals ten D-level Beasts.
  • One B-level Beast equals one hundred D-level Beasts.
• Zeng warns the competitors not to challenge B-level beasts recklessly. Fourth- and Fifth-Grade martial artists are generally suited to D-level Beasts, while Fifth- and Sixth-Grade martial artists may attempt C-level Beasts.
• The participants are dismissed to prepare for the tournament, which will officially begin the following afternoon.

Character Developments

• Young Master Liu becomes more jealous and hostile toward Jin Fan after being reminded that Jin Fan has gained Xia Zhao’s interest. His pride is wounded by being outperformed by someone he considers comparable to himself.
• Secretary Hong demonstrates his talent for political manipulation and flattery, presenting praise as criticism to strengthen Liu’s confidence and resentment.
• Xia Zhao shows initiative and concern for Jin Fan, using her family’s connections to investigate and assist him. Her decision to help secretly reflects her cautious and considerate nature.
• Deputy Director Zeng Chang is portrayed as ambitious and politically motivated, hoping the tournament will help him secure promotion. Nevertheless, he also sincerely wants to protect the young martial artists by sharing intelligence and warning them against dangerous opponents.
• Li Yuan/Jin Fan remains relatively quiet in this chapter but is placed at the center of the tournament’s growing political and personal tension.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and wounded pride: Liu’s resentment stems less from Xia Zhao’s rejection than from being surpassed by a rival connected to a Grandmaster.
• Power and connections: The chapter emphasizes how officials, family networks, and personal favors influence information, judging, and opportunities.
• Discreet protection: Xia Zhao’s efforts show a contrast between sincere concern and Liu’s possessive competitiveness.
• Competition versus safety: The point system encourages contestants to seek stronger prey, but the warnings highlight the danger of sacrificing one’s life for rankings.
• Fairness and institutional control: The tournament’s revised rules aim to prevent cooperation and manipulation, while strict refereeing is presented as essential to maintaining legitimacy.

Character Interactions

• Secretary Hong reinforces Young Master Liu’s resentment through carefully disguised flattery.
• Xia Zhao communicates with an intermediary to verify Jin Fan’s identity, then refuses a direct introduction so she can assist without disturbing him.
• Deputy Director Zeng addresses the entire team, explaining the new solo-combat rules, sharing intelligence, and cautioning them against overestimating their abilities.
• The participants react with impatience to the rule explanation, suggesting that many already believe they understand the tournament, while Zeng insists on the importance of the changes.

Chapter Summary: “A Commemorative Banner”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan continues cultivating the Heavenly Refining Body before the Youth Martial Tournament.
• His physical strength reaches at least the Fifth Grade Mid-Realm, while his Gang Body makes significant progress through the [Martial Recruitment Accelerator] Talent.
• The cultivation method strengthens not only his body and passive defenses, but also his stamina, energy, and recovery. Its benefits greatly surpass those of his former Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique.
• After lunch, Director Zeng leads the Lingshan City team to the tournament preparation area. The venue is large and crowded, with over six hundred martial artists from more than sixty cities, along with extensive media coverage.
• The tournament is expected to attract widespread attention because of the twenty-billion investment at stake and the real-time display of results.
• Jin Fan, who has transferred from Lingshan City to represent Chishan City, arrives with senior officials and openly stares at Li Yuan and the Lingshan delegation.
• Chishan City team leader Zheng Yu approaches Deputy Director Zeng Chang and publicly mocks Lingshan City for losing Jin Fan.
• Zheng Yu presents Lingshan’s Education Bureau with a “commemorative banner” bearing the poem about silkworms and candles sacrificing themselves for others. The banner is an obvious insult, suggesting that Lingshan City’s officials sacrificed their own interests or helped Chishan City.
• When Zeng Chang refuses to accept it, a Water Resources Bureau representative takes the banner and calmly says he will deliver it to the Education Bureau, defusing the immediate embarrassment.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: His cultivation advances rapidly, especially in physical strength, defense, endurance, and recovery. His growing confidence and hidden capabilities position him as a formidable competitor.
• Jin Fan: Displays complete confidence after switching to Chishan City. His silent, direct gaze at Li Yuan suggests hostility and anticipation of a confrontation.
• Zeng Chang: Maintains outward politeness despite Zheng Yu’s provocation, demonstrating restraint and political experience. His displeasure is clear beneath his formal responses.
• Zheng Yu: Emerges as an aggressive and mocking representative of Chishan City, deliberately humiliating Lingshan City and flaunting its recruitment of Jin Fan.
• The Water Resources Bureau representative: Shows composure and tact by accepting the banner instead of allowing Zheng Yu to force Zeng Chang into a public confrontation.

Significant Themes

• Strength and preparation: Li Yuan’s superior cultivation contrasts with the political and social maneuvering surrounding the tournament.
• Public reputation and competition: The tournament has become a major public spectacle, with cities competing not only for investment but also for prestige.
• Humiliation and retaliation: Zheng Yu’s banner symbolizes Chishan City’s attempt to publicly taunt Lingshan City over losing Jin Fan.
• Political restraint versus open provocation: Zeng Chang and Zheng Yu engage in a carefully controlled exchange where courtesy masks resentment and rivalry.
• Transformation: Li Yuan’s physical evolution through the Heavenly Refining Body foreshadows his growing ability to challenge established talents such as Jin Fan.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan observes Jin Fan’s arrival and the tense relationship between the two cities without directly engaging him.
• Jin Fan deliberately meets Li Yuan’s gaze, establishing a silent confrontation.
• Zheng Yu repeatedly exchanges sarcastic pleasantries with Zeng Chang, praising Lingshan’s supposed “help” in sending Jin Fan to Chishan City.
• Zheng Yu presents the insulting banner to Zeng Chang in front of the gathered teams and media.
• A Lingshan representative accepts the banner on Zeng Chang’s behalf, allowing the delegation to preserve its dignity while avoiding an open dispute before the tournament begins.

Chapter Summary: “Keeping a Close Eye on Jin Fan!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At the Youth Martial Tournament venue, Chishan City openly mocks Lingshan City for relying on Li Yuan to secure Jin Fan’s participation slot. Zheng Yu sarcastically claims that Li Yuan helped Chishan City so much that Chishan’s scenic attractions will be free for him.
• Zeng Chang suppresses his anger because Lingshan’s team is currently weaker and he fears further humiliation through the tournament’s results and media coverage.
• Li Yuan, grateful for Zeng Chang’s support, becomes determined to outperform Jin Fan. He believes his recent experiences fighting Fierce Beasts, Xia Zhao’s instruction, his advancement to Fifth Grade, and his mastery of the Heavenly Refining Body give him a genuine chance.
• Chief referee Yan Ge suddenly interrupts the mockery and criticizes Zheng Yu for boasting about obtaining a contestant whom Lingshan City did not want. He defends Lingshan’s right to use its own martial artists and orders everyone to focus on tournament preparations.
• Yan Ge also warns Jin Fan not to become arrogant or assume he is superior, advising him to follow his mentor’s intended path and remember that stronger people exist.
• Afterward, Li Yuan and Zeng Chang speculate about why Yan Ge defended them. Li Yuan assumes Yan acted out of fairness, but Zeng suspects there may be another reason.
• The chapter reveals that Yan Ge’s intervention was not purely altruistic. He phones Secretary Hong, who promises to help him gain access to Director Liu and advance matters important to him. In return, Yan vows to watch Jin Fan closely and expose any rule violation.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: His loyalty to Zeng Chang deepens, and public humiliation strengthens his resolve to defeat Jin Fan. His confidence grows from his recent combat experience and cultivation progress.
• Zeng Chang: Though publicly insulted, he remains cautious and politically aware, choosing not to escalate the conflict. He also begins wondering whether Li Yuan has a hidden background.
• Jin Fan: He remains outwardly calm while benefiting from Chishan City’s support, but Yan Ge’s public warning challenges his arrogance and suggests that his conduct will be closely scrutinized.
• Zheng Yu: He acts provocatively, using Li Yuan as a target for ridicule and openly celebrating Chishan City’s advantage, but backs down once Yan Ge invokes his authority.
• Yan Ge: Initially appears to be a stern defender of fairness, but is revealed to be pragmatic and politically motivated. His support for Lingshan City is connected to a promised favor from higher-ranking officials.
• Secretary Hong/Director Liu: They use Yan Ge’s tournament authority and desire for advancement to ensure that Jin Fan is monitored.

Significant Themes

• Political maneuvering behind public justice: Yan Ge’s “fairness” is partly a calculated exchange for future influence.
• Reputation and humiliation: Zeng Chang’s restraint reflects the pressure of public scrutiny, media attention, and tournament results.
• Underdog determination: Li Yuan transforms embarrassment and gratitude into motivation to challenge Jin Fan.
• Power and connections: Martial ability matters, but institutional authority, mentors, political alliances, and personal favors also shape the competition.
• The danger of arrogance: Jin Fan’s privileged position makes him a target for scrutiny, especially if he violates rules.

Important Character Interactions

• Zeng Chang and Zheng Yu: Zheng Yu mocks Zeng and Lingshan City, while Zeng refuses to argue because he fears worsening his political situation.
• Li Yuan and Zeng Chang: Li Yuan’s gratitude toward Zeng strengthens his determination to defend Lingshan City’s honor.
• Zheng Yu and Li Yuan: Zheng publicly ridicules Li Yuan by portraying him as the person responsible for Chishan City’s success.
• Yan Ge and Zheng Yu: Yan sharply reprimands Zheng and ends the public taunting.
• Yan Ge and Jin Fan: Yan warns Jin Fan directly, signaling that the tournament’s chief referee will not overlook misconduct.
• Yan Ge and Secretary Hong: Their private phone conversation exposes the political bargain behind Yan’s actions and establishes that Jin Fan will be watched for violations.

Chapter Summary: “Slaying the First Fierce Beast”

Plot Points and Events

• The Youth Martial Tournament officially begins after extensive preparation and a review of the rules.
• Contestants are transported by separate helicopters to different landing points. Participants from the same city are deliberately separated to prevent cooperation and preserve the fairness of the individual rankings.
• The tournament area is a town-sized wilderness containing mountains, forests, and canyons. Contestants receive a map and carry standard equipment, including:
  • A D-grade saber
  • A Smart Storage Box for recording proof of kills
  • Nutrient fluids and military rations
  • Protective inner armor
  • A signal transmitter for emergency withdrawal
• The tournament lasts three days and four nights and is designed to test practical combat ability against Fierce Beasts rather than merely assess martial-arts technique.
• Li Yuan enters the wilderness alone and uses his knowledge of Fierce Beast habits to search for prey.
• After about half an hour, he discovers tracks deliberately designed to lure hunters. He correctly identifies them as belonging to a C-level Great Coil Snake and realizes the tracks lead to a decoy nest.
• Using his [Flaw Insight] Talent, Li Yuan detects the snake hiding in the bushes and identifies the weakness in its attack posture.
• He quickly wounds the snake with his saber. When it attempts to flee, it exposes even more vulnerabilities, allowing Li Yuan to pursue and kill it using the Cloud Treading Step.
• Because snakes lack obvious external ears, Li Yuan collects half of the snake’s head as proof and stores it in the Smart Storage Box.
• He continues hunting, focusing on C-level Beasts and above because they provide far more points than weaker creatures. The leaderboard has not yet been released.

Character Development

• Li Yuan demonstrates strong preparation, practical knowledge, and composure at the beginning of the tournament.
• His familiarity with Fierce Beast behavior allows him to recognize the Great Coil Snake’s deception immediately.
• His [Flaw Insight] Talent proves highly useful not only for identifying weaknesses but also for marking targets in poor visibility.
• Li Yuan’s combat ability is shown to exceed that of ordinary Fifth-Rank Martial Artists. His mastery of the Six Martial Chain Blade and Cloud Treading Step enables him to kill a dangerous C-level Beast with little difficulty.
• His cautious handling of the severed snake head reflects his knowledge of battlefield hazards and his disciplined training.

Significant Themes

• Practical combat over formal competition: The tournament seeks to measure how effectively young martial artists can survive and kill Fierce Beasts, which is considered their most important real-world function.
• Fairness versus corruption: Although the tournament was originally intended to give ordinary martial artists a chance, cities now often select elite contestants, weakening its original purpose.
• Preparation and knowledge: Li Yuan succeeds because he studies animal habits, understands tournament procedures, and prepares the right equipment.
• Adaptation and survival: Fierce Beasts retain animal instincts but are stronger, more cunning, and more aggressive, requiring humans to anticipate ambushes and conserve energy.
• Efficiency: Li Yuan prioritizes stronger beasts because higher-level kills yield more points, revealing his strategic approach to the competition.

Character Interactions

• The chapter contains little direct interpersonal interaction once the tournament begins, since contestants are intentionally separated and cooperation is prohibited.
• The tournament organizers interact with participants through rule briefings, equipment distribution, transportation, and the scoring system.
• Li Yuan’s past training at Lingshan No. 1 High School and praise from Xia Zhao are indirectly reflected in his safe handling of the snake and his effective use of the Cloud Treading Step.

Chapter Summary: “Ranked on the First Page...”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Youth Martial Tournament’s contestants enter the competition zone, while officials and reporters wait for the real-time leaderboard to become available.
• Tournament officials already know that Li Yuan is performing exceptionally well: he has earned 23 points, placing fourth in the Southeast Region.
• Media outlets report the earlier controversy surrounding Li Yuan, including criticism from Chishan City’s Director Zheng Yu and Chief Referee Yan Ge.
• At Lingshan No.1 High School, students—especially those from Class Nine and Class Fourteen—eagerly await the rankings. Because they have defended Li Yuan against widespread ridicule, his success has become closely tied to their own pride.
• When the leaderboard is released, the website crashes from overwhelming traffic. School administrators attempt to follow the rankings through television instead.
• Principal Yin and the others mistakenly assume Li Yuan has earned no points because they focus on the lower pages of the list, where contestants without points appear.
• Principal Yin confidently declares that Li Yuan’s abilities are limited and predicts that he will struggle even to enter the top several hundred.
• Students soon discover the truth: Li Yuan is ranked fourth, appearing prominently on the leaderboard’s first page with 23 points.
• The revelation causes excitement among the students and discomfort in the principal’s office. Principal Yin is forced to confront another instance in which Li Yuan has exceeded his expectations.
• Teachers at the school react more positively, with most feeling pleased by Li Yuan’s strong performance despite earlier doubts about whether the tournament slot should have gone to Jin Fan.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Though physically absent from the chapter, he establishes himself as one of the tournament’s leading competitors. His fourth-place ranking directly challenges those who underestimated him.
• Principal Yin: His confidence in his judgment is shaken again. He had interpreted Li Yuan’s lack of visible results as proof of weakness, only to discover that Li Yuan was already near the top. His resentment and anxiety deepen.
• Director Liu: Tries to soften the impact of Li Yuan’s success by emphasizing that the tournament still has two days remaining and that early rankings may change.
• Class Nine and Class Fourteen: Their loyalty to Li Yuan grows stronger. They see his achievement as a victory shared by their classes after enduring mockery from other students.
• Teachers and school administrators: Their attitudes become more divided. While the administrators worry about Li Yuan’s success damaging their authority, many teachers are genuinely pleased by his performance.

Significant Themes

• Underestimation and vindication: Li Yuan’s ranking proves that public assumptions about his limits are unreliable.
• Pride and collective identity: The two classes emotionally identify with Li Yuan, treating his success or failure as their own.
• Appearance versus reality: Because the leaderboard was delayed and administrators looked in the wrong place, Li Yuan initially appeared to have no points. The truth was that he was already ranked fourth.
• Institutional bias and reputation: Principal Yin’s judgment is influenced by his previous opposition to Li Yuan, while Li Yuan’s achievements increasingly threaten the school’s established narrative about him.
• Public scrutiny and fame: Media attention and social-media interest transform the tournament into a major public event, magnifying both success and humiliation.

Character Interactions

• The students of Class Nine and Class Fourteen silently support Li Yuan and anxiously await the ranking, contrasting with the ridicule directed at them by older students.
• Principal Yin, Director Liu, and the vice principals collectively misread Li Yuan’s standing, then react uneasily when Director Liu reveals that he is actually fourth.
• Director Liu attempts to reassure Principal Yin that the ranking may not last, showing concern over the political and reputational consequences of Li Yuan’s success.
• Teachers discuss Li Yuan more sympathetically, acknowledging that although some believed Jin Fan should have received the tournament opportunity, Li Yuan legitimately earned his place and deserves recognition for his results.

Chapter Summary: “Li Yuan Charges into Second Place!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Yong excitedly announces that Li Yuan has risen high on the Youth Martial Tournament leaderboard, but Director Ma warns him that his boasting may cause others to resent Li Yuan.
• At Lingshan No.1 High School, students from Li Yuan’s former classes celebrate his ranking and use it to retaliate against students who previously mocked them. Other students dismiss the result as temporary and insist the final standings are what matter.
• In the Wild Mountain Forest, Li Yuan searches for a group of Rock-Skin Hyenas rather than isolated beasts. Although a coordinated group of three C Grade Beasts is dangerous for most contestants, Li Yuan’s experience allows him to ambush them safely.
• Li Yuan severely injures two hyenas with a surprise longsword attack, then uses Cloud Treading Step to chase down and kill the fleeing third hyena. The three beasts earn him thirty points, bringing his total to more than fifty.
• Because contestants cannot access phones or communication devices, Li Yuan remains unaware of his exact ranking. He continues hunting, motivated by personal pride and by his desire to repay Director Zeng for supporting him.
• His latest kills cause his ranking to surge into second place. Reporters immediately label him the tournament’s biggest “dark horse” and publicize his success for attention and traffic.
• Reporters attempt to interview Deputy Director Zeng Chang, but he refuses. Officials from other departments congratulate him mockingly, using Li Yuan’s success to tease Lingshan City and compare him with Jin Fan.
• One observer argues that Li Yuan’s early lead may be meaningless because the tournament lasts several more days, and contestants such as Jin Fan may simply be conserving their strength.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates growing confidence, tactical intelligence, and mastery of Cloud Treading Step. He is becoming capable of defeating dangerous groups of beasts through planning rather than brute force. His motivation is also shown to be partly selfless: he wants to honor Director Zeng’s sacrifices and restore the latter’s reputation.
• Chen Yong: Reveals himself as an enthusiastic supporter of Li Yuan, though his excessive celebration risks creating backlash.
• Director Ma: Acts as the voice of caution and realism, supporting Li Yuan while recognizing that an early ranking does not guarantee success.
• Students of Classes Nine and Fourteen: Their excitement reflects their loyalty to Li Yuan and their desire to answer the ridicule they previously endured.
• Director Zeng Chang: Quietly watches Li Yuan’s rise and refuses media attention, suggesting humility and concern for the tournament rather than publicity.
• Jin Fan and the other leading contestants: They are presented as experienced competitors who may be deliberately conserving energy for the later stages.

Significant Themes

• Early success versus final achievement: Li Yuan’s second-place ranking is impressive, but the chapter repeatedly emphasizes that the competition is not yet over.
• Public praise and backlash: The media’s exaggerated reporting can quickly turn admiration into resentment, showing how fame can become dangerous.
• Strategy over recklessness: Li Yuan succeeds by choosing the right target, ambushing the hyenas, and using terrain and movement skills effectively.
• Endurance and long-term planning: Other contestants may sacrifice short-term points to preserve their strength, creating uncertainty about whether Li Yuan can maintain his lead.
• Loyalty and repayment: Li Yuan’s determination is driven not only by personal glory but also by gratitude toward Director Zeng.

Important Character Interactions

• Director Ma restrains Chen Yong’s enthusiastic boasting and reminds him that Li Yuan’s position is only temporary.
• Students from Li Yuan’s classes celebrate his progress, while students from other classes challenge the significance of his ranking.
• Reporters praise Li Yuan publicly but exploit his success for attention, without caring whether he ultimately fails.
• Officials from other bureaus use Li Yuan’s achievement to mock Lingshan City and provoke comparisons with Jin Fan.
• Director Zeng declines interviews and silently observes the leaderboard, while others debate whether Li Yuan’s aggressive strategy will leave him exhausted later.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan’s unexpected second-place ranking continues to attract attention. Some observers mock the result, believing he benefited from luck and an unsustainable burst of effort on the tournament’s first day.
• Director Zeng remains pleased with Li Yuan’s performance. His original expectation was merely for Li Yuan to place in the top thirty, but Li Yuan has already far exceeded that goal.
• Zeng compares Li Yuan with Jin Fan, a highly favored contestant who begins climbing rapidly through the rankings. Zeng believes surpassing Jin Fan will be extremely difficult and lowers his expectations to simply hoping Li Yuan performs well and remains safe.
• After nightfall, most contestants stop hunting because Fierce Beasts become harder to deal with and pursuing them consumes too much stamina. Li Yuan also rests, but his [Flaw Insight] talent still allows him to detect enemies through their exposed weaknesses.
• Using ambushes, Li Yuan kills two D Grade Beasts during the night despite spending most of the time recovering.
• On the third day, Li Yuan’s stamina and energy are unexpectedly still at their peak. Other contestants and spectators assume his points will slow because he had supposedly overexerted himself during the first thirty hours.
• Throughout the morning and afternoon, elite contestants dramatically climb the leaderboard. Jin Fan rises from twenty-second place to twelfth and eventually eighth, while most of the former top thirty are replaced.
• Students who had supported Li Yuan become anxious, while his doubters grow confident and claim his second-place position was temporary.
• By the end of the day, however, Li Yuan remains in second place. Contrary to expectations, he earns another thirty-six points, proving that his performance has not significantly declined.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates exceptional endurance, recovery, combat efficiency, and caution. His Heavenly Refining Body has greatly improved his stamina and energy, while [Flaw Insight] continues to give him a major advantage, especially at night. He also shows maturity by resting strategically instead of recklessly pursuing points.
• Director Zeng: Becomes increasingly impressed with Li Yuan and confident in his own judgment. Although he recognizes that Li Yuan may not surpass Jin Fan, he now sees a top-thirty finish as easily achievable and remains satisfied as long as Li Yuan stays safe and performs without regret.
• Jin Fan: Establishes himself as one of the tournament’s strongest rising contestants, rapidly moving from twenty-second to eighth place and fulfilling expectations that he would overtake many early leaders.
• The students: Their attitudes shift with the leaderboard. Li Yuan’s supporters are initially excited, while his opponents confidently predict his collapse. When Li Yuan remains in second place, the opposing students lose much of their confidence.

Significant Themes

• Endurance versus temporary success: The chapter questions whether Li Yuan’s early ranking is merely a burst of luck or evidence of genuine strength.
• Preparation and caution: Li Yuan’s decision to rest, use ambushes, and preserve energy reflects the importance of survival and long-term planning in the wilderness.
• Hidden advantages: Li Yuan’s talents and physical conditioning allow him to maintain a pace that others believe should be impossible.
• Changing perceptions: Public opinion and student confidence fluctuate according to the leaderboard, showing how quickly people dismiss or praise a competitor based on short-term results.
• Expectation versus reality: Nearly everyone expects Li Yuan’s performance to decline on the third day, but his continued success overturns those assumptions.

Character Interactions

• A contestant is mocked by his companion after taking the rankings too seriously; embarrassed, he retreats into his tent.
• Director Zeng privately evaluates Li Yuan’s performance and compares his prospects with Jin Fan’s.
• At Lingshan No. 1 High School, students supporting and opposing Li Yuan argue over whether his second-place ranking can last.
• Students from Classes Nine and Fourteen, previously boastful about Li Yuan being overtaken, gradually fall silent as he remains in second place despite the leaderboard’s massive reshuffling.
• The chapter ends with the students discovering that Li Yuan has earned thirty-six additional points and still holds second place, directly contradicting the predictions of his doubters.

Chapter Summary: “Director Zeng Rekindles His Excitement”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan’s scoring pace remains exceptionally high despite other competitors rapidly gaining points. He holds second place and appears capable of continuing his climb, much like Jin Fan earlier in the tournament.
• Students from Classes Nine and Fourteen become excited by Li Yuan’s performance, though they remind one another to remain discreet after enduring ridicule when competitors previously caught up.
• At Lingshan No. 1 High School, Principal Yin and the administrators are deeply troubled. Their earlier explanation—that Li Yuan’s success was temporary and based on luck—can no longer account for his continued performance.
• Li Yuan’s results threaten Principal Yin’s authority because he had long dismissed Li Yuan as lacking talent and potential. Director Liu attempts to reassure him by pointing out that the tournament still has time remaining, but Principal Yin is unconvinced and dismisses them.
• Jin Fan continues hunting Fierce Beasts. Based on his experience and training as a Grandmaster’s disciple, he estimates that he can earn roughly forty more points and possibly contend for third place, though his final position depends on his luck in finding C Grade Beasts.
• Li Yuan remains focused on surpassing Jin Fan. He does not know how his score compares with the others, so he simply continues fighting. The tournament provides valuable real-combat experience and Experience Points, unlike his previous journey to Qijia Town, where he had needed Xia Zhao’s help to survive.
• As the third day progresses, several previously overlooked competitors begin gaining points at an astonishing rate. Jin Fan falls from the top ten to eleventh place, while Li Yuan drops from second to fourth despite continuing to score rapidly.
• The sudden ranking changes provoke suspicion. Reporters publish sensational headlines implying that the tournament rankings may be manipulated and that the Tournament Committee is hiding something.
• City team leaders also begin spreading conspiracy theories, questioning how so many supposedly ordinary martial artists have overtaken established talents.
• Director Zheng Yu accuses Zeng Chang of using special tactics developed by Lingshan City after Jin Fan departed, implying that Li Yuan’s success may involve unfair cooperation.
• Zeng Chang rejects the accusation internally, believing Li Yuan has not cheated. As he realizes Li Yuan may genuinely surpass Jin Fan, his confidence and ambition return.
• Zeng Chang sees the tournament as an opportunity to prove his administrative ability, earn glory for the Education Bureau, and potentially secure promotion to director—especially because the event is tied to major policy benefits and a twelve-billion investment.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates remarkable perseverance and growing combat ability. He remains humble about his ranking but is determined to surpass Jin Fan, gain recognition, and secure a better future. The tournament also marks his increasing independence in dangerous combat.
• Jin Fan: Remains confident and experienced, but his position becomes unstable as stronger or unexpectedly efficient competitors surge ahead. His fall to eleventh place creates new pressure.
• Principal Yin: Becomes increasingly anxious and humiliated. Li Yuan’s success exposes the weakness of his earlier judgment and threatens his credibility as principal.
• Director Liu and the Vice Principals: Try to rationalize Li Yuan’s achievements and protect Principal Yin’s position, but their explanations are no longer convincing.
• Zeng Chang: Changes from resignation to renewed excitement and ambition. Li Yuan’s possible victory gives him hope of redeeming himself and advancing his career.
• Director Zheng Yu: Acts as a skeptic and provocateur, openly suggesting that Lingshan City may have used unfair tactics.

Significant Themes

• Overlooked talent and vindication: Li Yuan’s success challenges the assumption that limited past opportunities indicate limited potential.
• Persistence versus reputation: Li Yuan’s continued effort allows him to defy established rankings and the judgments of authority figures.
• Ambition and political pressure: The tournament is not only a contest among young martial artists but also a means for officials and schools to gain status, resources, and promotion.
• Suspicion surrounding sudden success: Rapid changes in the rankings lead outsiders to favor conspiracy theories rather than accept that unknown competitors may genuinely be strong.
• Growth through real combat: Li Yuan’s experience reflects his development from someone dependent on others into a fighter capable of facing danger independently.

Important Character Interactions

• Principal Yin, Director Liu, and the Vice Principals: Their tense discussion reveals the administration’s discomfort with Li Yuan’s unexpected success and its threat to their authority.
• Li Yuan and Jin Fan: Although they do not directly interact in the chapter, Li Yuan’s determination to surpass Jin Fan provides his central motivation, while Jin Fan remains the benchmark he wants to defeat.
• Zheng Yu and Zeng Chang: Zheng Yu confronts Zeng Chang with accusations of unfair tactics. Zeng Chang refuses to argue and instead focuses on Li Yuan’s potential victory.
• Zeng Chang and Li Yuan: Their relationship is indirect but crucial. Li Yuan’s performance could validate Zeng Chang’s decisions and enable him to gain promotion and influence.

Chapter Summary: “Jin Fan, Not in the Top Ten?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• With only ten hours left in the Youth Martial Tournament, the final night in the dangerous Wild Mountain Forest begins. More than four hundred of the original six hundred competitors remain.
• As the tournament enters its last stage, competitors become increasingly aggressive, using all their strength to gain every possible point.
• Li Yuan continues earning points at a steady pace and remains firmly in fourth place, despite several competitors’ suspiciously rapid rises in the rankings.
• Jin Fan, who had expected to place within the top five, falls to thirteenth place and is no longer even in the top ten.
• Outside the competition zone, city leaders argue over the suspicious rankings. Representatives of rapidly rising competitors insist that their results come from luck and strong performance.
• Chief Referee Yan Ge publicly warns that the Tournament Committee has detected violations of the rules and will punish those responsible. His statement effectively confirms that cheating has occurred.
• The scandal spreads rapidly through the media and online discussions, with citizens defending competitors from their own cities.
• Officials from Chishan City hope that once fraudulent scores are removed, Jin Fan’s ranking will rise. They mock Lingshan City and suspect that Li Yuan’s fourth-place position was achieved through cheating.
• Officials from several Lingshan City bureaus question Deputy Director Zeng Chang about whether he arranged a strategy to help Li Yuan. Zeng points out that the other competitors would never have cooperated with such a plan, silencing their accusations.
• The tournament ends the next morning, but the final rankings cannot yet be confirmed because the Tournament Committee must investigate the suspected cheating.
• When competitors’ Smart Storage Boxes lock and their Signal Transmitters activate, the process of bringing everyone out of the forest begins.
• Li Yuan’s fourth-place ranking remains unchanged as the tournament concludes. Students and teachers at Lingshan No.1 High School anxiously await the final judgment.
• Instead of celebrating, the school atmosphere becomes tense because rumors accusing Li Yuan of cheating have grown stronger. Some school leaders openly imply that he lacks integrity.
• Competitors begin returning from the forest. Jin Fan is among the early arrivals, and his first action is to check the Real-time Leaderboard.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Continues to demonstrate remarkable consistency and endurance, maintaining fourth place despite public suspicion. His performance becomes the central mystery of the tournament, as officials must determine whether his points were legitimately earned.
• Jin Fan: Suffers a major setback, dropping to thirteenth place despite entering the competition as a leading contender. His confidence and expected status are undermined, though he may benefit if fraudulent scores are removed.
• Zeng Chang: Initially expected the tournament to end quietly, but Li Yuan’s unexpected success places him under pressure. He becomes increasingly anxious and hopes Li Yuan’s achievement is genuine.
• Yan Ge: Acts firmly as chief referee, defending the tournament’s fairness and openly confirming that rule violations have occurred.
• Officials from Chishan City: Become frustrated by Jin Fan’s low ranking but remain hopeful that the investigation will restore his position.
• Officials from Lingshan City: Turn suspicious and divided, with some questioning whether Li Yuan received illegal assistance.
• Lingshan No.1 High School leaders and students: The school community shifts from possible celebration to doubt and hostility as rumors about Li Yuan spread.

Significant Themes

• Fairness and integrity: The tournament’s legitimacy is threatened by cheating allegations, making honest achievement difficult to distinguish from manipulation.
• Public judgment and reputation: Online media and school gossip quickly transform Li Yuan from a celebrated “dark horse” into a suspected cheater before any official conclusion is reached.
• Pressure and competition: As the deadline approaches, participants and officials alike become more desperate, revealing how rankings influence pride, political interests, and personal expectations.
• Appearance versus reality: Li Yuan’s legitimate-looking performance conflicts with widespread suspicion, while some competitors’ sudden rises suggest hidden misconduct.
• Institutional responsibility: Yan Ge and the Tournament Committee must protect the tournament’s credibility by investigating the accusations rather than accepting the leaderboard at face value.

Important Character Interactions

• Yan Ge confronts the city leaders collectively, warning them that rule-breaking will be punished.
• Chishan City officials criticize Lingshan City and imply that Li Yuan’s success is suspicious.
• Zeng Chang defends Li Yuan indirectly by exposing the impracticality of any supposed coordinated cheating strategy.
• School authorities make pointed remarks about ethics and character, contributing to the growing suspicion surrounding Li Yuan.
• Jin Fan returns to the competition area and immediately checks the leaderboard, setting up the next stage of the conflict over his ranking and Li Yuan’s legitimacy.

Chapter Summary: “First Place, Well Deserved!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jin Fan initially expects to rank first because of his powerful background, Grandmaster mentor, and apparently favorable encounters with C-level Beasts.
• He is shocked to discover that he is not even in the top three. However, Director Zheng Yu explains that the Real-time Leaderboard is unreliable because cheating investigations are still underway.
• After all contestants are evacuated, Director Zeng anxiously asks Li Yuan whether he broke any rules. Li Yuan’s genuine confusion reassures him that Li Yuan likely competed fairly.
• Rumors of cheating spread throughout the gathering. Some officials from Lingshan City’s other bureaus accuse or resent Li Yuan because his success could make him the most prominent member of their team.
• Director Zheng Yu of Chishan City publicly attacks Li Yuan and Director Zeng, implying that Li Yuan falsified his results and threatening to withdraw Chishan’s earlier offer of free admission.
• Chief Referee Yan Ge announces the Tournament Committee’s investigation. Smart Storage Boxes detected contestants’ sweat, while Tracking Chips recorded their movements. These records revealed that contestants from several cities cooperated to share kills and inflate scores.
• Eight cities are named as serious violators, and the fraudulent contestants’ points are reduced to zero. Jin Fan and Zhu Boyuan are also penalized five points for excessively damaging the competition area and causing water pollution.
• Once the cheaters’ scores are removed, the rankings change dramatically: Li Yuan rises from fourth place to first.
• When Zheng Yu challenges Li Yuan’s result, Old Yan defends Li Yuan forcefully. He explains that Li Yuan never contacted another contestant, and that the Committee’s movement records prove he did not cheat.
• Old Yan declares that Li Yuan’s first-place result is fully deserved.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Remains calm and confused by the accusations rather than defensive or boastful. His composure and independent performance are validated when official evidence proves he competed honestly.
• Jin Fan: Experiences disappointment and wounded pride after failing to rank in the top three. Although he is not exposed as a cheater, he is penalized for damaging the competition area, weakening his position further.
• Director Zeng: Initially worries that Li Yuan may have violated the rules, but quickly becomes reassured by Li Yuan’s sincere reaction. He continues supporting Li Yuan despite criticism from other city officials.
• Director Zheng Yu: Reveals strong resentment and poor sportsmanship. He refuses to accept Li Yuan’s success, publicly accusing him even before the investigation is complete.
• Chief Referee Yan Ge: Emerges as a decisive and outspoken authority. He exposes the cheating schemes, protects the tournament’s integrity, and directly rebukes those who cannot accept defeat.

Significant Themes

• Fairness and integrity: The chapter emphasizes that genuine achievement eventually survives suspicion, while dishonest advantages are exposed through careful investigation.
• Jealousy and resentment: Some officials prioritize personal recognition over their city’s overall success and would rather see Li Yuan fail than allow him to receive credit.
• Evidence versus prejudice: Li Yuan is accused largely because his result seems surprising, but objective movement and sweat records prove that assumptions are not evidence.
• True strength as overall ability: The tournament tests more than direct combat. Strategy, survival, judgment, and independent performance all contribute to success.
• Humility and sportsmanship: Li Yuan’s calmness contrasts with Zheng Yu’s hostility, suggesting that character is revealed most clearly when people face unexpected victory or defeat.

Character Interactions

• Jin Fan and Zheng Yu: Zheng Yu explains the unreliable leaderboard to Jin Fan, helping ease his initial disappointment.
• Li Yuan and Director Zeng: Director Zeng privately questions Li Yuan about possible rule violations. Li Yuan’s sincere confusion reassures him.
• Li Yuan and Lingshan City officials: Other bureau representatives resent Li Yuan’s prominence and refuse to defend him, exposing internal rivalry.
• Zheng Yu and Director Zeng/Li Yuan: Zheng Yu confronts them publicly, accusing Li Yuan of falsifying results and criticizing Director Zeng’s honorary status.
• Old Yan and Zheng Yu: Old Yan sharply rebukes Zheng Yu’s accusations, defending Li Yuan and criticizing Chishan City’s inability to accept defeat.
• Old Yan and the tournament participants/media: Through the public announcement and promised release of movement records, Old Yan demonstrates that the Committee has thoroughly investigated the cheating allegations.

Chapter Summary: The Humiliated People of Chishan City

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Tournament Committee publicly verifies Li Yuan’s results after several people question whether his unusually high score was legitimate.
• Officials display Li Yuan’s competition route, recordings, and storage box, confirming that he personally killed twelve C-level beasts and earned more than 140 points.
• The evidence convinces most observers that Li Yuan’s victory was genuine. His ability to defeat Jin Fan’s junior brother—who was connected to a Grandmaster—further supports his exceptional strength.
• Lingshan City finishes tenth in the team rankings, placing six positions above Chishan City, which ranks sixteenth.
• Vice Director Zeng Chang realizes that Li Yuan’s success has transformed what had seemed like a political failure into a major achievement. His decision to support Li Yuan now gives him a strong chance of becoming director of the Municipal Education Bureau.
• Zeng praises Li Yuan, and the two acknowledge that they have become allies who helped one another through a difficult period.
• Zeng then confronts Director Zheng Yu of Chishan City, sarcastically admitting that Lingshan had selfishly replaced Jin Fan with Li Yuan but implying that the decision was justified by Li Yuan’s superior performance.
• He also reminds Chishan City that it must waive Li Yuan’s admission fees when he visits, throwing their previous arrogance and demands back at them.
• The Chishan delegation is left humiliated and unable to respond. The chapter ends as the official rankings are released and Lingshan No.1 High School erupts in celebration.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: His reputation changes from that of an ordinary teacher to a proven and formidable martial artist. His tournament performance validates Director Zeng’s faith in him and secures him a powerful political ally.
• Vice Director Zeng Chang: He moves from being blamed for Lingshan’s poor prospects to becoming the apparent architect of a major success. His confidence and political position rise sharply.
• Jin Fan: Although still Chishan City’s top contestant, his failure to meet expectations causes him to lose the respect and support of the people who once catered to him.
• Zheng Yu and Chishan City’s officials: Their earlier confidence turns into embarrassment and frustration after Li Yuan surpasses Jin Fan and Lingshan defeats Chishan in the rankings.

Significant Themes

• Merit versus connections: Jin Fan’s prestigious background and special treatment cannot compensate for Li Yuan’s genuine ability and results.
• Political success and accountability: Tournament outcomes affect governmental promotions, funding, and responsibility, turning personal achievement into political capital.
• Reversal of humiliation: Those who previously looked down on Li Yuan and Lingshan City are forced to acknowledge his success, while Chishan City suffers the embarrassment it once inflicted on others.
• Mutual loyalty and alliance: Li Yuan and Zeng Chang’s shared hardships create a genuine partnership based on reciprocal support.
• Public validation: Evidence and official rankings transform doubt into recognition, establishing Li Yuan’s achievement beyond dispute.

Character Interactions

• Old Yan defends Li Yuan before the Tournament Committee by presenting concrete evidence of his accomplishments.
• Zeng Chang praises Li Yuan and credits him with rescuing Lingshan’s reputation and advancing his own career.
• Li Yuan responds respectfully, emphasizing his desire to help Zeng and affirming their alliance.
• Zeng deliberately provokes Zheng Yu and Chishan City by admitting Lingshan’s earlier concerns about Jin Fan while highlighting Li Yuan’s superiority.
• Jin Fan silently suffers as Chishan’s officials withdraw their former admiration, marking his sharp loss of influence.