Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Li Yuan Can Perform Dissections Too?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan refuses to back down when Huang Bo challenges his investigation into the dissection department’s expenses.
• He invites teachers, school leaders, and students to accompany them to the dissection room as witnesses.
• Jin Fan joins the confrontation, claiming expertise in evaluating dissection techniques and indirectly supporting Huang Bo.
• Li Yuan discovers that a class has been canceled and that students have been left waiting outside. He threatens to record Huang Bo’s failure to conduct the lesson.
• In the dissection room, Li Yuan examines the financial records and questions Huang Bo’s purchase of expensive B-level Fierce Beast corpses, even though the college entrance examination only requires knowledge of C-level beasts and below.
• Li Yuan asks what happened to the materials extracted from those corpses, exposing the possibility that Huang Bo has been profiting from selling them.
• Huang Bo defends himself by claiming that using stronger beasts provides better training, while Jin Fan supports him by arguing that students should be held to higher standards.
• Rather than continuing the argument verbally, Li Yuan retrieves a frozen B-level beast corpse and begins dissecting it himself.
• The students are shocked because the corpse has not been thawed, making the procedure far more difficult and dangerous. Huang Bo and the others assume Li Yuan is demonstrating amateurish incompetence.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Becomes increasingly assertive and fearless. Instead of compromising with Huang Bo, he openly confronts him, identifies weaknesses in his accounting, and chooses to prove his own knowledge through a practical demonstration.
• Huang Bo: Initially relies on intimidation and the expectation that school officials will avoid conflict. His confidence briefly falters when Li Yuan accepts the challenge, but he regains composure by attacking Li Yuan’s expertise and rationalizing his use of B-level corpses.
• Jin Fan: Reveals himself as an ally of Huang Bo, using his connection to a grandmaster to establish authority. He criticizes Li Yuan and reinforces Huang Bo’s justification for advanced training.
• Students and Teachers: Serve as witnesses to the dispute. The students become nervous and confused by the public conflict, while the teachers are drawn into the investigation because of Li Yuan’s invitation.

Significant Themes

• Confronting corruption: Li Yuan’s investigation suggests that Huang Bo has exploited school resources and possibly used dissection classes for personal profit.
• Knowledge versus claimed authority: Huang Bo and Jin Fan rely on status, confidence, and insults, while Li Yuan challenges them with concrete evidence and practical skill.
• Courage and accountability: Li Yuan refuses to follow the school’s previous pattern of appeasing Huang Bo and insists that misconduct be examined publicly.
• Appearance versus reality: Huang Bo presents his purchases as educationally beneficial, but Li Yuan points out that the advanced corpses may be unnecessary and financially suspicious.
• Practical proof: The argument shifts from verbal accusations to a live demonstration, with Li Yuan attempting to establish his competence through action.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Huang Bo engage in a direct power struggle, with Huang Bo attempting to provoke and discredit Li Yuan while Li Yuan calmly exposes inconsistencies in his conduct.
• Jin Fan sides with Huang Bo and uses his supposed expertise to challenge Li Yuan’s qualifications.
• Li Yuan turns the teachers and students into witnesses, making the dispute public and increasing pressure on Huang Bo.
• The students’ warning that the corpse is still frozen highlights the gap between their expectations of proper technique and Li Yuan’s unconventional demonstration, setting up the possibility that he may either fail publicly or reveal unexpected mastery.

Chapter Summary: Do I Understand Dissection Skills?

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan silently begins dissecting a frozen B-level Fierce Beast corpse while students and teachers watch skeptically.
• Huang Bo mocks him, assuming Li Yuan is an amateur who does not even understand how to thaw a corpse. Other teachers expect Li Yuan to fail and perhaps make excessive demands against Huang Bo.
• After ten minutes, Li Yuan cleanly performs a Major Dissection, splitting the corpse into two halves. This is an advanced technique that maximizes material recovery and is especially difficult on B-level Beasts.
• The spectators realize that Li Yuan deliberately left the corpse frozen because he was confident he could handle it.
• Li Yuan explains the challenges of dissecting B-level Beasts, particularly their widespread venom glands, and begins demonstrating proper techniques to the students.
• While continuing to work, he criticizes the students’ weak foundations and excessive focus on advanced instructional material. He stresses that learning should begin with basic skills and confidence.
• Li Yuan successfully removes the valuable bones and all the venom glands without damaging them. His performance proves that his dissection ability exceeds Huang Bo’s.
• Li Yuan confronts Huang Bo publicly, asking whether he truly understands dissection and whether the problems Li Yuan identified in the department were real.
• He reveals that dissection-course expenses exceeded the budget by two or three times and criticizes Huang Bo’s poor teaching despite the excessive spending.
• Li Yuan tells Huang Bo that he may resign and orders him to finish teaching the class so his actual instructional ability can be assessed.
• Huang Bo, realizing Li Yuan can replace him immediately, loses his previous confidence and submits without arguing.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates exceptional technical skill, confidence, and authority. He shifts from being doubted to firmly establishing himself as capable of supervising or replacing Huang Bo. His teaching approach emphasizes fundamentals, discipline, and practical competence.
• Huang Bo: Begins arrogant and secure in his position, believing his specialized status protects him. Li Yuan’s demonstration exposes Huang Bo’s inferior skills, weak teaching, and declining motivation. Huang Bo becomes pale, silent, and submissive.
• The students: Initially expect Li Yuan to embarrass himself, but their attitude changes to surprise and respect after witnessing his successful dissection.
• Chen Yong: Remains concerned and confused by Li Yuan’s apparent risk-taking, though the demonstration ultimately validates Li Yuan’s confidence.
• Jin Fan: Arrives intending to criticize Li Yuan but is rendered speechless after seeing his genuine expertise.
• The other teachers: Initially fear that Li Yuan’s intervention will worsen matters, but they are forced to reconsider their opinions once he proves his ability.

Significant Themes

• Competence versus reputation: Huang Bo relies on his title and supposed irreplaceability, while Li Yuan proves his authority through actual skill.
• The importance of fundamentals: Li Yuan argues that students must master basic techniques before attempting advanced material.
• Accountability and leadership: Li Yuan investigates overspending and poor teaching, holding Huang Bo responsible rather than allowing specialized status to excuse incompetence.
• Confidence grounded in ability: Li Yuan’s willingness to dissect a frozen B-level corpse reflects genuine mastery, contrasting with the students’ hesitation and Huang Bo’s fading expertise.
• Decline caused by complacency: Huang Bo’s years of lax work have weakened his abilities and motivation, leaving him vulnerable when challenged.

Character Interactions

• Huang Bo openly mocks Li Yuan at first, but Li Yuan’s successful demonstration reverses the power dynamic.
• Li Yuan teaches the students while indirectly criticizing Huang Bo’s instructional methods.
• Li Yuan confronts Huang Bo in front of the teachers and students, forcing him to acknowledge the seriousness of the accusations.
• Huang Bo ultimately bows and complies, accepting that Li Yuan now has the authority and expertise to determine his future at the school.

Chapter Summary: “Let Him Be Principal if He Wants”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Huang Bo, previously arrogant about his profitable anatomy course, is forced by Li Yuan to teach a demonstration class. Although his teaching is competent, Li Yuan judges his attitude unsuitable.
• After class, Li Yuan summons Huang Bo and the observing teachers to a meeting. He announces that anatomy-course expenses will now be handled centrally by the Academic Affairs Office, removing Huang Bo’s control over purchasing and related profits.
• Li Yuan makes it clear that Huang Bo may resign immediately if he dislikes the new arrangement. He also hints that another anatomy teacher may be hired, effectively pressuring Huang Bo to leave.
• To gain the teachers’ support, Li Yuan announces improved benefits, including possible gifts, shopping cards, and meal coverage for training and overtime. While confronting Huang Bo, he simultaneously strengthens his relationship with the rest of the staff.
• News of Li Yuan’s actions quickly spreads throughout the school system. Principal Yin and the vice principals discuss the situation and acknowledge that Li Yuan has succeeded where they previously failed to control Huang Bo.
• Principal Yin reveals that he has long wanted Huang Bo removed but had been constrained by Huang Bo’s ability to avoid crossing clear boundaries. He also says that someone will eventually “deal with” Li Yuan, implying a potentially serious threat.
• Vice Principals Zhang and Qi privately criticize Principal Yin and admit that they now respect Li Yuan’s achievements. They believe Li Yuan deserves promotion and even suggest he might make a good principal.
• Alarmed by Principal Yin’s ominous words, Zhang and Qi worry that Li Yuan could be physically harmed. They decide to warn him and arrange a private dinner with him after school.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates decisiveness, political awareness, and leadership. He removes Huang Bo’s financial influence while offering tangible benefits to other teachers, showing that he understands both administrative control and staff motivation. His confidence and effectiveness increase the respect he receives.
• Huang Bo: Is publicly challenged and stripped of his control over the anatomy course’s expenses. His pride and defiance remain evident, but his position becomes increasingly unstable. He must choose between accepting Li Yuan’s reforms or resigning.
• Principal Yin: Though not openly supportive of Li Yuan, he recognizes that Li Yuan has solved a problem the school leadership could not. However, his vague statement that someone will make Li Yuan “disappear” reveals hostility and possibly dangerous plans.
• Vice Principals Zhang and Qi: Shift from opposition or indifference toward Li Yuan to genuine respect. They acknowledge that their earlier judgment of him was wrong and begin prioritizing his safety over internal political rivalry.

Significant Themes

• Leadership through both firmness and incentives: Li Yuan shows that authority alone is insufficient; workers also need fair compensation and benefits.
• Power struggles and institutional politics: The conflict over the anatomy course reflects broader struggles over money, influence, promotions, and control within the school.
• Recognition of merit: Zhang and Qi admit that Li Yuan’s achievements—including his border service and Second-Class Merit—justify advancement, despite their earlier opposition.
• Moral limits of rivalry: The vice principals distinguish between ordinary workplace conflict and threats to someone’s life, suggesting that political competition must retain basic ethical boundaries.
• Change versus entrenched interests: Li Yuan’s reforms threaten people who benefited from the old system, especially Huang Bo and possibly Principal Yin’s faction.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Huang Bo clash during and after the demonstration class, with Li Yuan maintaining a firm, controlled stance while Huang Bo struggles to resist.
• Li Yuan wins the support of the other teachers by pairing his criticism of Huang Bo with promises of improved working conditions.
• Principal Yin and the vice principals discuss Li Yuan’s success, Huang Bo’s impending removal, and the possibility of Li Yuan’s promotion.
• Zhang and Qi privately bond over their changing opinions of Li Yuan and their dissatisfaction with Principal Yin.
• After interpreting Yin’s words as a possible threat, Zhang and Qi decide to meet Li Yuan discreetly and warn him.

Chapter Summary: Journey to Stone Peak River

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan is invited to dinner by Vice Principals Zhang and Qi. Principal Yin is deliberately absent, leading Li Yuan to initially suspect they may be negotiating over the authority he will soon inherit.
• The Vice Principals assure him that they support his promotion and hope he can improve the school’s performance. Since their own benefits are tied to the school’s results, they may gain from his success even if they receive no direct credit.
• During dinner, they warn Li Yuan that someone intends to seriously injure—or possibly kill—him. They emphasize that workplace competition should not escalate into deadly violence.
• Li Yuan deduces that Jin Fan is probably behind the threat and that the planned attack will likely occur at the upcoming Stone Peak River Teaching Research Conference, which Jin Fan will also attend.
• Over the weekend, Li Yuan rents a Practice Room and intensifies his cultivation. Using A-grade Nutrient Fluid and Heavenly Refining Body, he tempers his body and works on forming Gang Qi as a protective layer around himself.
• His efforts advance him from the initial stage of Martial Sixth Grade to the mid-stage. He believes he could already defeat Jin Fan, who is at Sixth-Grade Great Perfection, and is now even more confident despite the possibility of hidden schemes or trump cards.
• Before leaving, Li Yuan improves the school’s teacher benefits by providing monthly shopping cards to teachers who meet assessment standards. The teachers become noticeably happier.
• On Wednesday evening, Li Yuan departs for the Stone Peak River conference by high-speed rail, while Xia Zhao travels toward Blue Peak City by plane.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Becomes more politically perceptive, recognizing the difference between ordinary professional rivalry and a genuine assassination threat. He grows stronger through cultivation, reaches Mid-Sixth Grade, and develops greater confidence in confronting Jin Fan. He also demonstrates practical leadership by improving teacher benefits.
• Vice Principals Zhang and Qi: Reveal that they are willing to cooperate with Li Yuan despite remaining political competitors. Their warning shows that they possess a sense of professional boundaries and oppose the escalation of rivalry into violence.
• Jin Fan: Although absent from the chapter, he is established as Li Yuan’s likely enemy. His previous attack and suspected plans for the conference suggest that he is becoming increasingly dangerous.
• Xia Zhao: Her departure for Blue Peak City hints that she may have a role in the developments surrounding the conference.

Significant Themes

• Competition and limits: The chapter contrasts acceptable struggles for authority and benefits with the unacceptable use of violence and murder.
• Power and leadership: Li Yuan’s promotion brings both political responsibility and danger, while his improvements to teacher benefits show that leadership can directly affect institutional morale.
• Preparation and confidence: Rather than reacting fearfully to the threat, Li Yuan strengthens his abilities and prepares to face whatever Jin Fan has planned.
• Hidden strength: Heavenly Refining Body continues to distinguish Li Yuan from ordinary martial artists, giving him both rapid advancement and unusual defensive capabilities.
• Cooperation amid rivalry: The Vice Principals remain competitors but recognize that mutual interests and basic principles can create a temporary alliance.

Character Interactions

• At dinner, Li Yuan maintains respectful relations with Vice Principals Zhang and Qi while carefully assessing their motives.
• Zhang and Qi openly acknowledge Li Yuan’s coming promotion and express support, then warn him about the threat to his life.
• The Vice Principals explain that their rivalry with Li Yuan is limited to workplace politics, reinforcing the chapter’s distinction between competition and deadly conflict.
• Li Yuan does not reveal his suspicion of Jin Fan, choosing instead to quietly prepare for the upcoming confrontation.

Chapter Summary: Xia Zhao Had Arrived at Stone Peak River

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the dangerous incident in Qijia Town, Xia Zhao’s family continues restricting her from participating in risky training and expeditions because of her exceptional talent and importance to the Xia Family.
• The family has finally agreed to let her travel to Sunset Mountain Camp after the Stone Peak River Teaching Research Conference. She plans to leave immediately afterward.
• Sunset Mountain Camp is facing a serious crisis: over a hundred A-level Rock Bear Demons have reportedly gathered underground, prompting four Grandmasters to investigate.
• Xia Zhao travels to Blue Peak City with Cheng Jing for the conference. She regards the event as largely pointless because her unusual ability to understand cultivation techniques quickly gives her little practical advice to offer ordinary teachers.
• The conference is held in Stone Peak River, a wealthy district associated with a famous—though possibly exaggerated—story about a retired teacher who successfully trained twenty struggling students.
• Li Yuan arrives later and stays at the same hotel as Xia Zhao, though in a lower-grade room. He is welcomed by Section Chief Wang of the Blue Peak City Education Bureau, who was asked by Director Zeng to look after him.
• Over dinner, Section Chief Wang explains that the conference consists of educational discussions and practical demonstrations, essentially exhibition matches connected to each school’s research topic.
• He also reveals that Jin Fan has arrived early because he hopes to meet an influential guest and repair a damaged relationship. Jin Fan is suspected of using the education system as another means of advancing his career.

Character Developments

• Xia Zhao: Shows patience despite feeling constrained by her family. Her extraordinary talent has made her both highly valued and heavily protected. She remains eager to regain freedom and investigate the danger at Sunset Mountain Camp.
• Cheng Jing: Acts as Xia Zhao’s assistant and guardian, reminding her that the family will monitor her closely once she reaches the dangerous camp.
• Li Yuan: Arrives as Lingshan No. 1 High School’s representative and demonstrates a perceptive, somewhat detached attitude toward the conference and its participants.
• Jin Fan: Is portrayed as ambitious and opportunistic. Rather than caring about teaching research, he appears focused on leveraging influential connections and recovering favor with a powerful former supporter.
• Section Chief Wang: Reveals frustration and envy toward Director Zeng’s faster career advancement. He also criticizes the unfairness of the education system, where ambitious figures gain opportunities while hardworking teachers become discouraged.

Significant Themes

• Protection versus freedom: Xia Zhao’s family trusts her abilities but restricts her because her value makes them unwilling to risk her life.
• Exceptional talent and isolation: Xia Zhao’s ability to master complex cultivation methods rapidly separates her from ordinary students and teachers, making conventional educational discussions difficult for her to relate to.
• Political ambition and opportunism: Jin Fan’s attendance exposes how institutions such as education can be used as stepping stones for personal advancement.
• Systemic unfairness: Section Chief Wang highlights how hardworking teachers are overlooked while well-connected or ambitious individuals receive better opportunities.
• Education as both ideal and reality: Stone Peak River’s inspiring educational legend contrasts with the modern conference’s political maneuvering and competitive performances.

Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao and Cheng Jing discuss the family’s decision to permit her journey to Sunset Mountain Camp, with Cheng Jing warning that she will still be closely monitored.
• Section Chief Wang welcomes Li Yuan on Director Zeng’s behalf and explains the conference’s structure and internal politics.
• Li Yuan and Section Chief Wang bond over conversation about Director Zeng’s promotion, though Wang’s admiration is mixed with envy.
• Wang and Li Yuan discuss Jin Fan’s motives, with both recognizing that Jin Fan is pursuing personal advancement rather than sincerely engaging with educational research.

Chapter Summary: Stone Peak River Park

Key Plot Points and Events

• Section Chief Wang discusses the disorder in the education sector with Li Yuan, noting that Blue Peak City has avoided formal complaints so far but could face serious inspections if universities or military districts report problems.
• Wang agrees to accompany Li Yuan to the Stone Peak River Teaching Research Conference at Director Zeng Chang’s request, promising to guide him through the event.
• After dinner, Li Yuan returns to the hotel and chats with Xu Nianxing. She is exhausted from working overtime but plans to visit Lingshan City and meet Li Yuan’s parents after finishing her current project.
• In the hotel café, Cheng Jing confronts Jin Fan on Xia Zhao’s behalf. Jin Fan insists he only wants to explain himself, but Cheng Jing refuses to listen and leaves. Resentful, Jin Fan blames Li Yuan for his humiliation and vows to retaliate at the conference.
• Li Yuan receives a late-night call from his former classmate Duan Lin, who asks why he has not contacted Zhuang Meng and why he blocked her. Li Yuan calmly refuses to discuss his ex and instead invites Duan Lin to visit Lingshan City.
• Li Yuan explains that he has moved on from Zhuang Meng and is currently seeing someone, though the relationship is not yet official.
• Duan Lin reports this to Zhuang Meng, who reacts with wounded pride and assumes Li Yuan may be trying to compete with her or make her regret their breakup. Duan Lin lightly provokes her by suggesting Li Yuan’s new girlfriend might be better than her.
• Zhuang Meng ultimately decides that Li Yuan may need help finding a partner and considers introducing him to her cousin, whom she regards as “good enough” for him.
• The next morning, Li Yuan goes to the old park beside Stone Peak River, the traditional venue for the annual teaching research conference. He avoids Jin Fan and instead joins teachers from Lingshan No. 2 High School.
• Li Yuan meets Teaching Affairs Director Wei Cheng, who thanks him for encouraging No. 2 High School to send classes to First High School to experience its academic environment.
• Wei Cheng admits that improving No. 2 High School is difficult because of its weak student base and declining academic atmosphere. Li Yuan sympathizes, explaining that student quality is an objective limitation and that gradual progress is still meaningful.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan remains calm, mature, and detached from past relationships. He shows generosity toward old friends, sincerity toward Xu Nianxing, and practical understanding of educational reform.
• Section Chief Wang demonstrates reliability by honoring his promise to accompany Li Yuan, even though he initially views the conference as relatively unimportant.
• Jin Fan becomes increasingly resentful and vindictive after being rejected by Cheng Jing. His hostility toward Li Yuan intensifies.
• Cheng Jing firmly supports Xia Zhao and refuses to entertain Jin Fan’s excuses.
• Xu Nianxing is portrayed as hardworking and emotionally close to Li Yuan, with their relationship appearing to move toward greater seriousness.
• Duan Lin still harbors faint admiration for Li Yuan but suppresses those feelings and maintains a friendly, teasing attitude.
• Zhuang Meng reveals lingering pride and insecurity despite being engaged to someone else. She continues to view Li Yuan through a competitive and self-centered lens.
• Wei Cheng is shown as a frustrated but sincere administrator who wants to improve his school despite difficult circumstances.

Significant Themes

• Professional rivalry and institutional disorder: The chapter highlights problems within the education system, including unequal school quality, poor management, and possible corruption or misuse of resources.
• Personal growth and moving on: Li Yuan’s indifference toward Zhuang Meng contrasts with her continued concern over his life, showing how completely their emotional positions have reversed.
• Reputation and status: Li Yuan’s rise within the education system earns him respect, while Zhuang Meng and Jin Fan remain concerned with comparison, pride, and social standing.
• Limits of reform: The discussion between Li Yuan and Wei Cheng emphasizes that educational improvement depends not only on teachers and administrators but also on the students entering the school.
• Restraint versus resentment: Li Yuan handles old conflicts calmly, while Jin Fan and Zhuang Meng respond with jealousy, pride, or revenge.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Section Chief Wang: A cooperative professional relationship, with Wang taking responsibility for guiding Li Yuan at the conference.
• Li Yuan and Xu Nianxing: A warm and increasingly serious relationship; she hopes to meet his parents.
• Cheng Jing and Jin Fan: A tense confrontation in which Cheng Jing rejects Jin Fan’s attempt to justify himself.
• Li Yuan and Duan Lin: A nostalgic but restrained conversation between former close classmates. Duan Lin shows lingering interest, while Li Yuan treats her sincerely as an old friend.
• Duan Lin and Zhuang Meng: Duan Lin relays Li Yuan’s relationship status and subtly mocks Zhuang Meng’s pride.
• Li Yuan and Wei Cheng: A respectful professional exchange focused on school improvement and the practical difficulties of reform.
• Li Yuan and Jin Fan: Though they do not directly interact in this section, their antagonism is reinforced by Li Yuan’s deliberate avoidance and Jin Fan’s vow of revenge.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• While traveling to a teaching seminar, Wei Cheng and others discuss Jin Fan’s failed attempt to intercept someone at the hotel and speculate about whether he will retaliate against Li Yuan.
• They arrive at a closed-off park hosting the seminar. Li Yuan and the teachers from Lingshan No.1 and No.2 High Schools are assigned seats toward the back.
• Jin Fan arrives shortly before the event and sits beside Li Yuan. Although he had planned to confront Li Yuan, he becomes more focused on speaking with Xia Zhao, who is one of the seminar’s four invited guests.
• The seminar begins with formal introductions. When Xia Zhao turns toward the audience, she recognizes Li Yuan, whom she has been searching for since their encounter in Qijia Town nearly five months earlier.
• Xia Zhao’s gaze toward Li Yuan causes the surrounding teachers to speculate that she is interested in Jin Fan, though some realize she is actually looking at Li Yuan.
• Guest Yuan Zheng publicly praises Jin Fan, portraying him as talented, honest, and repeatedly victimized by jealous people. She claims that his Youth Martial Tournament and Snow Shadow Mountain opportunities were unfairly taken from him.
• Yuan Zheng invites Jin Fan to sit beside her and continues defending him before the entire gathering.
• Li Yuan challenges Yuan Zheng’s account by standing up and declaring that Jin Fan is not the honest victim she describes. He accuses Jin Fan of taking benefits and opportunities for himself, including nearly stealing the Youth Martial Tournament qualification that Li Yuan earned through three years of hard work.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Remains calm despite the possibility of Jin Fan’s retaliation, but openly confronts the false narrative surrounding Jin Fan when Yuan Zheng praises him. His response shows his willingness to defend his achievements and expose injustice publicly.
• Jin Fan: Arrives composed and apparently unconcerned with Li Yuan, though he still intends to deal with him eventually. His priorities shift toward Xia Zhao after learning she is present. He benefits from Yuan Zheng’s public defense but is placed under greater scrutiny when Li Yuan counters her claims.
• Xia Zhao: Reveals that she has been actively searching for Li Yuan since their previous meeting. Seeing him unexpectedly at the seminar brings her relief and gratitude, suggesting a strong emotional or personal interest in reconnecting with him.
• Yuan Zheng: Uses her authority and public position to defend Jin Fan, presenting him as an honest, mistreated young talent. Her account appears biased and conflicts sharply with Li Yuan’s experience.
• Wei Cheng and the others: Serve as observers who discuss Jin Fan’s reputation and possible revenge, reflecting the broader curiosity and gossip surrounding the conflict.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus public reputation: Yuan Zheng’s influential version of Jin Fan’s character clashes with Li Yuan’s firsthand experience, raising questions about who controls the narrative.
• Justice and stolen opportunities: Li Yuan’s anger centers on the effort and qualifications he believes Jin Fan nearly took from him.
• Favoritism and social influence: Jin Fan’s family background, connections, and relationship with respected figures help shape how others perceive him.
• Hidden motives and misunderstandings: The crowd misinterprets Xia Zhao’s attention, while Yuan Zheng misrepresents—or is unaware of—the real conflict between Li Yuan and Jin Fan.
• Reunion and fate: Xia Zhao’s unexpected encounter with Li Yuan after months of searching is framed as an unlikely stroke of fate.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Jin Fan: Sit beside each other in a tense but outwardly restrained confrontation. Jin Fan avoids acknowledging Li Yuan, while Li Yuan eventually challenges him indirectly through his rebuttal to Yuan Zheng.
• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao: Exchange only a slight nod, but their recognition carries significant emotional weight, especially because Xia Zhao has been searching for him.
• Jin Fan and Xia Zhao: Jin Fan hopes to speak with Xia Zhao, but her attention is directed toward Li Yuan instead, potentially frustrating or unsettling him.
• Yuan Zheng and Jin Fan: Yuan Zheng publicly supports and elevates Jin Fan, inviting him to sit beside her and defending his reputation before the seminar attendees.
• Yuan Zheng and Li Yuan: Their interaction becomes openly confrontational when Li Yuan interrupts her praise and rejects her portrayal of Jin Fan as an innocent victim.

Chapter Summary: “To Keep You from Saying I Set You Up Again”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan publicly confronts Yuan Zheng after she implies that he schemed against Jin Fan during the dispute over Lingshan No. 1 High School’s Youth Martial Tournament qualification.
• Yuan Zheng attempts to control the discussion by labeling Li Yuan as someone who “set Jin Fan up,” avoiding any detailed examination of what actually happened.
• Xia Zhao unexpectedly defends Li Yuan, insisting that Yuan Zheng provide concrete evidence and asking Jin Fan to explain exactly how he was supposedly victimized.
• Jin Fan cannot give specific examples because he had generally benefited from the situation. Li Yuan then explains that:
  • He earned the qualification through his accumulated Performance Credits.
  • Jin Fan used his relationship with Principal Yin to seize the qualification.
  • Li Yuan had to defeat Jin Fan in order to reclaim what was rightfully his.
• Yuan Zheng argues that Li Yuan could only obtain the qualification because he had schemed against Jin Fan. Li Yuan firmly replies that Jin Fan simply lacked the ability to defeat him.
• Yuan Zheng ends the exchange by saying Li Yuan’s claim can be verified later, hinting that she intends to challenge him again.
• The teaching research conference formally begins. Several routine topics and staged martial-skill demonstrations take place before a meaningful discussion arises about adapting teaching methods to students with different levels of comprehension.
• Lingshan No. 1 High School’s topic is eventually presented: “A Deep Breakdown of Basic Techniques in Martial Dao Education.”
• Before explaining the topic, Li Yuan deliberately invites Jin Fan to speak first, sarcastically warning him not to later claim that Li Yuan copied or sabotaged his ideas.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan becomes more openly assertive. Rather than tolerate rumors that could harm his career, he directly exposes the conflict with Jin Fan and refuses to preserve false civility.
• Yuan Zheng is shown as an experienced political debater who relies on insinuation, labels, and social pressure instead of evidence. She remains confident because of her influence within the education system.
• Jin Fan appears increasingly vulnerable. When asked to identify the “hidden losses” he suffered, he cannot provide convincing details, weakening Yuan Zheng’s accusation.
• Xia Zhao demonstrates both courage and sharp judgment. She recognizes Yuan Zheng’s tactic and forces the discussion back toward evidence, revealing that she supports Li Yuan intellectually as well as personally.
• Li Yuan and Jin Fan’s relationship is confirmed to have deteriorated beyond repair. Li Yuan no longer sees any reason to maintain polite appearances.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus political manipulation: Yuan Zheng attempts to make the accusation itself seem like proof, while Xia Zhao and Li Yuan demand concrete evidence.
• Reputation and career advancement: Even unproven rumors can damage Li Yuan’s standing and future promotion prospects, explaining why he feels compelled to respond.
• Power and social influence: Yuan Zheng relies on her status, while Li Yuan counters through directness and factual explanation.
• Merit versus favoritism: The qualification dispute reflects the conflict between Li Yuan’s earned Performance Credits and Jin Fan’s attempt to benefit from his relationship with Principal Yin.
• Strategic communication: Li Yuan’s preemptive invitation to Jin Fan is both a taunt and a defensive measure, preventing Jin Fan from later accusing him of stealing his ideas.
• Foundational learning: The conference’s educational discussion introduces the importance of deeply analyzing basic martial techniques as a way to understand broader martial principles.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Yuan Zheng: They engage in a public verbal confrontation. Yuan Zheng accuses Li Yuan indirectly, while Li Yuan openly challenges her narrative and demands that the facts be recognized.
• Xia Zhao and Yuan Zheng: Xia Zhao interrupts Yuan Zheng’s personal attack and insists that accusations must be supported by evidence.
• Xia Zhao and Jin Fan: Xia Zhao directly questions Jin Fan about his supposed losses, leaving him unable to respond convincingly.
• Li Yuan and Jin Fan: Li Yuan exposes their history before the conference and later sarcastically offers Jin Fan the chance to present his own ideas first, making it clear that he anticipates further accusations of sabotage.
• Li Yuan and the conference audience: By speaking bluntly in public, Li Yuan risks alienating influential figures but also prevents Yuan Zheng’s version of events from becoming accepted without challenge.

Chapter Summary: “Performance Match, This Ruthless?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jin Fan attends the Stone Peak River Teaching Research Conference with a hidden agenda: he plans to disguise a deliberate attack on Li Yuan as an accidental mistake during the practical demonstration, potentially crippling or even killing him.
• During the conference discussion, Li Yuan challenges Jin Fan’s lack of contribution and questions his motives for attending.
• Li Yuan presents an in-depth analysis of the basic Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique, using it to demonstrate the principles behind energy guidance and foundational cultivation.
• Although some initially underestimate the topic because the technique is elementary, Li Yuan’s explanation impresses the attending teachers and senior guests.
• Han Zhuoxun asks sincere questions and records Li Yuan’s answers, while Zhang Xu engages him in an extended technical discussion. Both recognize Li Yuan’s genuine expertise.
• Zhang Xu and Han Zhuoxun publicly defend Li Yuan, arguing that his mastery of foundational techniques proves he is highly qualified to teach secondary-school students.
• Yuan Zheng’s attempts to dismiss Li Yuan’s achievement fail, and the surrounding teachers increasingly side with Li Yuan.
• The conference moves on to the practical martial technique exhibition, where Li Yuan is matched against Jin Fan.
• Jin Fan enters the match with a severe expression and secretly intends to escalate the “demonstration” into a dangerous attack.
• Both men launch their opening moves at the same time. Jin Fan’s attack is already slightly vicious, though he conceals his true intent.
• Li Yuan realizes Jin Fan plans to appear restrained at first before creating a staged “accident.” However, unlike during their previous encounter, Li Yuan is now faster and more skilled, having surpassed Jin Fan in movement technique.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates extraordinary understanding of martial theory, especially foundational cultivation methods. He remains guarded, deliberately withholding deeper knowledge from outsiders, but earns the respect of experienced teachers through his analysis and combat ability.
• Jin Fan: Revealed as calculating, vindictive, and willing to endanger Li Yuan’s life to ruin his future. Despite his confidence, he fails to realize that Li Yuan has closed the gap between them and now holds the advantage.
• Yuan Zheng: Continues trying to undermine Li Yuan, but her dismissive arguments become increasingly ineffective after respected senior teachers validate his abilities.
• Zhang Xu and Han Zhuoxun: Shift from observers to active supporters of Li Yuan after witnessing his genuine expertise. Their praise gives Li Yuan strong public credibility.
• Xia Zhao: Her admiration for Li Yuan becomes more obvious. She recognizes both his brilliance and the fact that he is deliberately holding back.
• Yuan Zheng’s counterpart/defender: Yuan Zheng attempts to shield Jin Fan and criticize Li Yuan, but her position weakens as the discussion progresses.

Significant Themes

• Genuine ability versus empty posturing: Li Yuan’s profound explanation distinguishes true understanding from merely copying advanced topics.
• The importance of fundamentals: Mastery of basic techniques is shown to be essential, particularly in secondary education and foundational martial training.
• Hidden motives and betrayal: Jin Fan disguises his malicious plan beneath the appearance of a professional exhibition match.
• Public reputation and validation: Expert recognition shifts the conference’s opinion of Li Yuan and undermines attempts to discredit him.
• Restraint and strategic concealment: Li Yuan deliberately withholds some of his knowledge, while Jin Fan hides his murderous intentions behind a staged performance.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan confronts Jin Fan verbally, questioning his purpose in attending the conference.
• Yuan Zheng intervenes on Jin Fan’s behalf, but Li Yuan ignores the defense and proceeds with his own presentation.
• Han Zhuoxun and Zhang Xu engage Li Yuan in serious intellectual discussion and ultimately defend him against Yuan Zheng’s criticism.
• Xia Zhao silently supports Li Yuan and understands the depth of his abilities.
• Jin Fan and Li Yuan finally face each other in the training-ground exhibition, with both attacking at once and the supposedly harmless demonstration becoming a potentially life-threatening confrontation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan and Jin Fan begin a practical demonstration match at a teaching seminar. Although it is supposed to be a brief exhibition, Jin Fan’s attacks quickly become unusually powerful and dangerous.
• Several spectators, including Han Zhuoxun and Zhang Xu, worry that Jin Fan is deliberately trying to injure Li Yuan. Yuan Zheng repeatedly prevents anyone from intervening, insisting that the match should be allowed to continue.
• The audience learns about the feud between Li Yuan and Jin Fan: Jin Fan had taken Li Yuan’s qualification for the Youth Martial Tournament, and Li Yuan later won it back by defeating him.
• Jin Fan escalates the fight by using the Red Dragon Killing Technique, a martial art specifically designed for combat against human opponents. The move carries clear killing intent, alarming the watching teachers and officials.
• Li Yuan appears to evade Jin Fan’s attacks only narrowly, creating the impression that he is being overwhelmed. In reality, he anticipates every attack through his Flaw Insight talent and avoids the attacks with ease.
• Jin Fan, already consumed by resentment, wishes to do more than cripple Li Yuan—he increasingly wants him dead.
• Gu Yu, Jin Fan’s junior brother and someone who has previously fought Li Yuan, watches from the sidelines. Despite disliking Li Yuan, Gu Yu hopes Jin Fan will lose because he resents Jin Fan even more.
• Based on his own experience fighting Li Yuan, Gu Yu predicts that Li Yuan is deliberately concealing his true advantage and will soon reverse the situation.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Remains calm and controlled despite appearing to be at a disadvantage. His superior Movement Art and Flaw Insight allow him to read Jin Fan’s weaknesses and remain completely safe. He appears to be deliberately luring Jin Fan into overconfidence.
• Jin Fan: Loses control of his emotions and abandons the restraint expected in a sparring match. His attacks become increasingly vicious, revealing his hatred and desire for revenge. His personal resentment overrides his public image and judgment.
• Yuan Zheng: Firmly supports allowing the match to continue and actively blocks attempts to stop it. Her words seem to protect Jin Fan’s freedom to attack, suggesting that she may know about or approve of his plan.
• Xia Zhao: Trusts Li Yuan’s judgment after receiving his signal before the match. She recognizes that his Movement Art is far superior to Jin Fan’s and therefore does not worry about his safety.
• Gu Yu: His attitude toward Jin Fan becomes clearer. Though he has no goodwill toward Li Yuan, he distrusts and resents Jin Fan more. His prior battle with Li Yuan gives him insight into Li Yuan’s deceptive fighting style, and he anticipates Jin Fan’s coming defeat.
• The spectators and officials: Initially believe Jin Fan has a clear advantage, but their doubts grow as his attacks become excessive. They become increasingly uncertain whether the bout is truly a demonstration or an attempted assault.

Significant Themes

• The danger of disguised violence: A formal sparring match provides Jin Fan with legal and social cover to attack Li Yuan under the pretense of training.
• Appearance versus reality: Li Yuan looks cornered and vulnerable, but the apparent disadvantage is an illusion. His true control of the fight remains hidden from the spectators.
• Restraint versus emotional revenge: Jin Fan’s hatred causes him to abandon martial discipline, while Li Yuan maintains composure and tactical control.
• Political and social pressure: Yuan Zheng’s authority prevents others from intervening, showing how status and institutional roles can influence whether wrongdoing is stopped.
• Experience and perception: Gu Yu’s previous fight with Li Yuan allows him to recognize the hidden danger that more powerful or senior observers fail to see.

Character Interactions

• Han Zhuoxun and Zhang Xu express concern over Jin Fan’s excessive attacks, but Yuan Zheng firmly warns them not to interfere.
• Yuan Zheng also blocks a vice mayor who attempts to stop the match, using Li Yuan’s previous victory over Jin Fan as justification for continuing the demonstration.
• Xia Zhao silently trusts Li Yuan after his reassuring signal.
• Gu Yu observes both fighters and mentally compares their abilities, concluding that Li Yuan is more dangerous despite having the lower Martial Dao realm.
• The chapter ends with Jin Fan still attacking furiously while Li Yuan conceals his true advantage, setting up an imminent reversal in the battle.

Chapter Summary: “Xia Zhao Makes Her Move”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yuan Zheng uses her authority to prevent others from interfering in Jin Fan and Li Yuan’s sparring match, intending to give Jin Fan a chance to seriously injure Li Yuan.
• Jin Fan attacks viciously, aiming at Li Yuan’s vital points. Li Yuan responds with his perfected Cloud Extreme Fist, using Jin Fan’s aggressive opening to retaliate while also gaining the moral high ground in front of the audience.
• Jin Fan initially believes he can evade Li Yuan because of his superior Martial Dao realm and refined movement techniques. However, Li Yuan repeatedly identifies and exploits hidden weaknesses in Jin Fan’s attacks.
• Li Yuan’s attacks become increasingly precise and dangerous. Jin Fan is gradually forced into a defensive position, suffering several injuries despite having started with the advantage.
• Han Zhuoxun and Zhang Xu publicly point out that Jin Fan attacked first and mock Yuan Zheng’s attempt to interfere, effectively defending Li Yuan and restoring his reputation. They also argue that Li Yuan’s promotion and qualification for the Youth Martial Tournament are justified.
• Li Yuan decides that merely defeating Jin Fan is insufficient; he considers killing him but concludes that seriously injuring him is the most practical choice, since the Jin Family would retaliate either way.
• Li Yuan strengthens his fist with Gang Qi, enhanced by the Heavenly Refining Body, increasing the attack’s power by roughly thirty percent. Jin Fan’s weakness and collapsing mental state leave him vulnerable.
• As Li Yuan prepares to land a potentially devastating blow, Yuan Zheng breaks her own rule against interference and attacks Li Yuan to protect Jin Fan.
• At the chapter’s end, Xia Zhao finally makes her move, intervening as Yuan Zheng attacks Li Yuan.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates extraordinary combat insight, technical mastery, and strategic control. He turns Jin Fan’s aggression against him, carefully preserves the appearance of self-defense, and ultimately gains complete control of the fight. His willingness to seriously injure or potentially kill Jin Fan also reveals his determination to eliminate future threats.
• Jin Fan: His confidence and reputation as a martial genius are badly shaken. Although skilled at concealing weaknesses, he cannot hide them from Li Yuan, who repeatedly predicts and exploits his vulnerabilities. Jin Fan’s mental composure deteriorates as the fight progresses.
• Yuan Zheng: Her impartiality is exposed as a pretense. She initially supports Jin Fan’s scheme and prevents interference, but abandons that position once Jin Fan is endangered, even attacking Li Yuan herself.
• Han Zhuoxun and Zhang Xu: Shift from observers to outspoken defenders of Li Yuan. Their sarcastic comments undermine Yuan Zheng’s position and publicly reframe the fight as Jin Fan’s fault.
• Xia Zhao: Takes decisive action at the climax, suggesting that she is unwilling to let Yuan Zheng injure Li Yuan and may directly challenge the authority or plans of those supporting Jin Fan.

Significant Themes

• Justice and moral positioning: Li Yuan not only fights back but ensures the audience sees his retaliation as justified self-defense. Yuan Zheng’s earlier defense of Jin Fan ultimately strengthens Li Yuan’s argument.
• Skill versus realm and status: Li Yuan’s ability to read weaknesses and control the battle allows him to overcome Jin Fan’s superior realm, prestigious background, and Grandmaster lineage.
• Hidden flaws: The chapter emphasizes that no technique is perfect. Jin Fan’s greatest strength—concealing weaknesses—becomes ineffective against Li Yuan’s superior perception.
• Power and hypocrisy: Yuan Zheng’s rule against interference applies only while it benefits Jin Fan. Her sudden intervention exposes the partiality and political manipulation behind the supposed “sparring match.”
• Strategic restraint and retaliation: Li Yuan weighs the consequences of killing Jin Fan and chooses the response that best protects his interests, showing a pragmatic approach to revenge and survival.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Yuan vs. Jin Fan: Their sparring match transforms into a genuine and increasingly dangerous confrontation. Li Yuan controls the fight by targeting Jin Fan’s weaknesses, while Jin Fan struggles to recover from the loss of initiative.
• Yuan Zheng vs. Li Yuan: Yuan Zheng first enables Jin Fan’s attack, then attempts to injure Li Yuan when he gains the upper hand, making her an active opponent rather than a neutral referee.
• Han Zhuoxun and Zhang Xu vs. Yuan Zheng: Their verbal exchanges expose the contradiction in Yuan Zheng’s position and publicly defend Li Yuan’s actions.
• Xia Zhao vs. Yuan Zheng/Li Yuan: Xia Zhao’s intervention at the end creates a cliffhanger, with her move likely determining whether Yuan Zheng can harm Li Yuan and how the conflict will escalate.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yuan Zheng, a peak Eighth-Rank Martial Dao practitioner, prepares to intervene after Li Yuan attacks Jin Fan. She plans to claim she was protecting Jin Fan, intending to seriously injure or cripple Li Yuan.
• Before Yuan Zheng can act, Xia Zhao blocks her. Xia insists that the agreed-upon rules forbid outside interference, regardless of which side is being attacked.
• Yuan Zheng threatens Xia Zhao by invoking the Jin Family, Jin Fan’s status, and his connection to Grandmaster Yao Jianyue. Xia refuses to back down and declares that she can protect Li Yuan for as long as he needs her.
• Li Yuan’s punch strikes Jin Fan and sends him flying. Jin Fan coughs blood but is protected from the worst of the blow by damaged inner armor.
• Yuan Zheng tries to attack Li Yuan, but Xia Zhao repeatedly intercepts her. Although Yuan Zheng has a higher cultivation level, Xia’s superior techniques, movement, and talent allow her to hold her ground.
• Jin Fan refuses to withdraw despite Xia Zhao’s warning and attacks Li Yuan again. Li Yuan deliberately allows the fight to continue, hoping Jin Fan will give him an opportunity to retaliate without appearing to violate the rules.
• Li Yuan uses his [Eidetic Memory] Talent to fully understand and predict Jin Fan’s techniques. He plans to reproduce the kind of “accidental” revenge Jin Fan had intended to inflict on him.
• As Jin Fan attacks, an unidentified assailant suddenly launches a deadly palm strike at Li Yuan. Li Yuan barely evades the first blow using the Wind River Art, but the attacker follows with another close-range strike.
• Xia Zhao draws her sword and forces the hidden attacker back. Jin Fan attempts to exploit the distraction, but Li Yuan anticipates him and lands a heavy punch directly on his waist.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates restraint and tactical intelligence. He avoids killing Jin Fan immediately so that the incident can still be considered a sparring match, while secretly preparing to turn Jin Fan’s own methods against him. His mastery of Jin Fan’s techniques makes Jin Fan increasingly vulnerable.
• Xia Zhao: Reveals an unusually aggressive and uncompromising side. She openly defies Yuan Zheng, the Jin Family, and the pressure of the surrounding factions to protect Li Yuan. Her statement that she could protect him “for a lifetime” also hints at deeper personal feelings, though others misunderstand it as simple encouragement.
• Yuan Zheng: Becomes increasingly frustrated as Xia Zhao prevents her from intervening. Her threats and appeals to status fail, exposing the limits of relying solely on family influence.
• Jin Fan: Suffers humiliation and emotional turmoil after being injured by someone he had looked down on. His anger and wounded pride prevent him from retreating, causing him to continue attacking despite being at a disadvantage.
• Cheng Jing: Notices Xia Zhao’s unusual intensity and realizes that Xia is genuinely enraged, unlike her normally measured behavior.
• The unidentified attacker: Appears to be targeting Li Yuan with lethal force, escalating the conflict beyond an ordinary sparring match.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus favoritism: Yuan Zheng invokes the Jin Family’s status to justify interference, while Xia Zhao insists that rules must apply equally to everyone.
• Pride and humiliation: Jin Fan’s inability to accept defeat drives him to continue fighting, even after being injured and ordered to stop.
• Hidden strength and underestimated talent: Xia Zhao’s youth does not prevent her from challenging Yuan Zheng, while Li Yuan’s apparently lower realm conceals exceptional perception, technique, and physical ability.
• Calculated restraint: Li Yuan carefully balances revenge with self-protection, seeking to punish Jin Fan without giving others a legitimate excuse to condemn him.
• Loyalty and implied affection: Xia Zhao’s fierce defense of Li Yuan suggests a personal attachment that those around them fail to recognize.

Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao and Yuan Zheng: Engage in a tense confrontation, with Yuan Zheng using threats and status while Xia responds with firm resistance and repeatedly blocks her attacks.
• Xia Zhao and Li Yuan: Xia shields Li Yuan both physically and politically, while Li Yuan relies on her intervention when the hidden attacker appears.
• Li Yuan and Jin Fan: Their duel becomes increasingly one-sided as Li Yuan reads Jin Fan’s techniques and exploits his anger. Jin Fan’s refusal to surrender gives Li Yuan the opportunity to continue retaliating.
• Xia Zhao and the hidden attacker: Xia intervenes at the critical moment, using her sword to repel the lethal palm strike aimed at Li Yuan.
• Yuan Zheng and Jin Fan: Yuan Zheng attempts to protect Jin Fan, but Xia Zhao prevents her from doing so, leaving Jin Fan to face Li Yuan directly.

Chapter Summary: “Sparring” Over, Serious Injury!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan’s punch severely injures Jin Fan after Jin Fan’s failed attempt to defeat or frame him during their sparring match. Jin Fan’s already-damaged inner armor had been removed, making the blow especially damaging.
• Jin Fan’s uncle, Jin Lou, arrives, catches him, and hands him over to Yuan Zheng to be taken to the hospital. Jin Fan is unconscious.
• Because Jin Fan attacked first and witnesses recorded the fight, public opinion largely supports Li Yuan. The authorities determine that Li Yuan will likely only need to pay Jin Fan’s medical and nutritional expenses, with no serious punishment.
• Jin Lou declares that if the authorities will not punish Li Yuan, he will handle the matter himself. Xia Zhao immediately draws her sword and warns Jin Lou that he must fight her before touching Li Yuan.
• Jin Lou, a ninth-grade martial artist, does not attack publicly. Instead, he threatens Li Yuan, warning him to remain constantly alert and avoid future training competitions because he will eventually suffer an even worse injury.
• Despite the incident, Li Yuan’s reputation improves. His teaching theories and combat ability are recognized as proof that his appointment as Teaching Affairs Director was legitimate.
• The teaching research conference continues, though the remaining participants and Li Yuan are distracted by the confrontation.
• Gu Yu is pleased by the outcome because Jin Fan’s injury may reduce Yao Jianyue’s anger toward him, while Jin Lou’s threat creates future trouble for Li Yuan.
• A young teacher reports the incident to Principal Yin, who reveals that he had hoped Li Yuan would be seriously injured or unable to take up his position.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates both combat strength and restraint, defeating Jin Fan without seriously endangering himself. His public reputation and professional legitimacy are strengthened, though he becomes concerned about Jin Lou’s threat.
• Jin Fan: Suffers a humiliating defeat and severe injuries, becoming the victim of the confrontation he had seemingly intended to control. His aggressive behavior also causes him to lose public sympathy.
• Jin Lou: Emerges as a calm but threatening ninth-grade martial artist. Rather than acting impulsively, he issues a measured warning, establishing himself as a serious future enemy.
• Xia Zhao: Clearly shows her willingness to protect Li Yuan, openly standing between him and Jin Lou despite the difference in age and status. Her actions deepen her connection with Li Yuan.
• Gu Yu: Reveals that his apparent support for Li Yuan was self-serving. He is delighted that Li Yuan may now face retaliation from Jin Lou.
• Principal Yin: Is shown to have been involved in the background and to have hoped Li Yuan would be badly injured, suggesting broader opposition to Li Yuan’s appointment.

Significant Themes

• Justice and public perception: The recorded fight and Jin Fan’s initial aggression make the truth clear, preventing his family from easily portraying him as the victim.
• Consequences of arrogance and scheming: Jin Fan’s attempt to manipulate the situation backfires, leaving him injured and discredited.
• Hidden political and professional rivalries: The attack is connected not only to personal conflict but also to opposition surrounding Li Yuan’s appointment.
• Protection and loyalty: Xia Zhao’s intervention contrasts with the self-interested behavior of people like Gu Yu, emphasizing the importance of genuine support.
• Power and intimidation: Jin Lou’s threat shows that legal protection may not eliminate danger in a world where powerful martial artists can seek private revenge.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Jin Fan: Their sparring match ends with Li Yuan decisively overpowering Jin Fan, reversing Jin Fan’s intended plan.
• Jin Lou and Li Yuan: Jin Lou threatens Li Yuan directly, warning him that future encounters may be much more dangerous.
• Xia Zhao and Jin Lou: Xia Zhao challenges Jin Lou and refuses to let him attack Li Yuan without confronting her first.
• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao: Li Yuan quietly thanks her, while both remain distracted afterward, suggesting growing mutual concern and emotional tension.
• Section Chief Wang and Li Yuan: Wang attempts to reassure Li Yuan that Jin Lou would not dare break the law, then encourages him to properly thank Xia Zhao.
• Gu Yu and the wider conflict: Gu Yu privately celebrates both Jin Fan’s defeat and the possibility that Jin Lou will cause Li Yuan further trouble.
• Principal Yin and his subordinate: Their conversation confirms that Li Yuan’s enemies had hoped the sparring match would prevent him from assuming his new position.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Principal Yin anxiously awaits news of the confrontation between Li Yuan and Jin Fan. He had allowed Jin Fan to pursue the conflict because of pressure from Li Yuan and had arranged for people to monitor the situation.
• He initially assumes that Li Yuan has been seriously injured, which he believes would be easier to explain because Li Yuan is a senior administrator and Jin Fan could claim the incident was accidental.
• He is shocked to learn that Jin Fan—not Li Yuan—has suffered serious injuries and has been hospitalized at Green Peak City Martial Artist Hospital.
• The witnesses report that Jin Fan attacked Li Yuan first, while Li Yuan was forced to defend himself. Jin Fan’s aggressive behavior had already angered those present, and Xia Zhao intervened when Li Yuan was nearly harmed.
• Principal Yin realizes that an investigation may expose the support he gave Jin Fan. His confidence collapses, and he begins to fear that he has created serious trouble for himself.
• The teaching research conference continues, but the audience has lost interest after witnessing the intense martial confrontation involving Li Yuan, Jin Fan, Xia Zhao, Yuan Zheng, and Jin Lou.
• Li Yuan reflects that injuring Jin Fan was worthwhile. Although it may provoke revenge from Jin Fan’s family and allies, Jin Fan himself is now temporarily unable to pursue him directly, reducing the immediate danger.
• The conference ends at 8:30 p.m. Xia Zhao delays her departure to Sunset Mountain Camp after seeing Li Yuan board a bus, choosing to remain in Blue Peak City for another night.
• Xia Zhao then asks Cheng Jing to arrange a private room and invite Li Yuan to meet her.

2. Character Developments

• Principal Yin: His schemes and misplaced confidence begin to unravel. He recognizes that supporting Jin Fan may expose him to investigation and punishment, and he develops a rare sense of fear about the consequences.
• Li Yuan: He demonstrates greater strength and judgment than Principal Yin expected. He views the confrontation as a strategic success because Jin Fan’s injuries prevent him from immediately seeking revenge.
• Jin Fan: His aggression results in his own serious injury and hospitalization. His defeat makes him less immediately dangerous but may intensify resentment from his family and supporters.
• Xia Zhao: She openly supports Li Yuan during the confrontation and later shows continued concern for his safety. Her decision to stay behind and invite him to a private meeting suggests growing personal interest or a desire to discuss important matters with him.
• Jin Lou and Jin Fan’s allies: Their involvement reveals that Li Yuan’s conflict now extends beyond Jin Fan personally and may involve powerful martial families and elders.

3. Significant Themes

• Consequences of manipulation: Principal Yin’s attempt to control events turns against him when the person he supported is injured instead.
• Misjudgment and hidden strength: Li Yuan is repeatedly underestimated, but his performance changes how others perceive him.
• Self-defense versus aggression: The account of the fight emphasizes that Li Yuan acted because Jin Fan attacked first, while Jin Fan’s violence isolated him from those around him.
• Strategic risk and deterrence: Li Yuan accepts the possibility of future retaliation because disabling Jin Fan removes a more immediate threat.
• Fear of exposure: Principal Yin’s greatest concern is not only the injury itself but the possibility that his behind-the-scenes involvement will be revealed.
• Growing alliances and personal concern: Xia Zhao’s intervention and decision to seek a private meeting with Li Yuan suggest their relationship is becoming more significant.

4. Character Interactions

• Principal Yin speaks with his informant by phone and learns the true outcome of the fight, exposing his anxiety and involvement.
• Li Yuan is supported by Xia Zhao during the confrontation after Jin Fan and his associates turn against him.
• Xia Zhao later watches Li Yuan leave by bus and chooses to remain in the city rather than immediately travel to Sunset Mountain Camp.
• Xia Zhao instructs Cheng Jing to invite Li Yuan to a private room, setting up a likely private conversation between the two.

Chapter Summary: “Doesn’t It Look Good?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Zhao unexpectedly invites Li Yuan to dinner, reversing the usual expectation that Li Yuan would invite her to thank her for intervening earlier.
• Li Yuan changes clothes after his intense fight with Jin Fan and makes an excuse to his colleagues so he can attend the dinner privately.
• Xia Zhao chooses the private room “Blooming Flowers and Full Moon,” a name that reminds her of their final night in Qijia Town.
• Before Li Yuan arrives, Xia Zhao changes out of her combat clothes, dresses elegantly, and applies makeup—an unusual effort that surprises her assistant, Cheng Jing.
• During dinner, Xia Zhao asks why Li Yuan never contacted her despite having her phone number. Li Yuan claims he did not want to disturb her, but the deeper reason is his insecurity about the difference in their status and backgrounds.
• Li Yuan thanks Xia Zhao for helping him and asks why she previously favored Jin Fan for training at Snow Shadow Mountain.
• Xia Zhao explains that Jin Fan was mistakenly connected to the identity “Wuling Education,” an alias Li Yuan had used in Qijia Town. Jin Fan’s age and background had made him appear to be the likely person behind that identity.
• Li Yuan explains the origins of his feud with Jin Fan, clarifying why he attacked him so severely.
• Xia Zhao believes Jin Fan may have suffered permanent damage to his martial foundation and approves of Li Yuan’s actions because Jin Fan had fought maliciously.
• She warns Li Yuan about Jin Lou, a Ninth Grade martial artist who strongly favors Jin Fan and may eventually reach the Grandmaster realm.
• New intelligence reveals that Jin Fan may actually be Jin Lou’s biological son, born from an affair with Jin Lou’s sister-in-law. This makes Jin Lou’s likely revenge even more serious.
• Xia Zhao promises to monitor Jin Lou’s movements and reassures Li Yuan that even a Ninth Grade opponent can be managed if denied a favorable opportunity.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Shows restraint, humility, and insecurity regarding Xia Zhao’s higher status. He becomes more open by explaining his conflict with Jin Fan and takes the threat from Jin Lou seriously.
• Xia Zhao: Displays unusual personal interest in Li Yuan. Her deliberate change in appearance and mild resentment over his lack of contact suggest emotional concern beyond ordinary gratitude or professional courtesy. She also demonstrates loyalty by sharing valuable intelligence and offering protection.
• Cheng Jing: Notices Xia Zhao’s change in behavior and appearance, recognizing that Xia Zhao is making an unusual effort for Li Yuan. She remains discreet and tactful, leaving the two alone.
• Jin Fan: Is revealed to have acted maliciously and may have permanently lost his martial cultivation after the fight.
• Jin Lou: Emerges as the main potential threat, with both high martial strength and a powerful personal motive to avenge Jin Fan.

Significant Themes

• Status and insecurity: Li Yuan’s reluctance to contact Xia Zhao comes from feeling socially and personally inferior to her.
• Growing emotional intimacy: The private dinner, Xia Zhao’s appearance, and her complaint about Li Yuan’s silence indicate a developing relationship.
• Misunderstanding and mistaken identity: Li Yuan’s alias, “Wuling Education,” indirectly led Xia Zhao to support Jin Fan.
• Consequences of conflict: Jin Fan’s malicious actions have possibly destroyed his cultivation, while Li Yuan now faces retaliation from the Jin Family.
• Protection and trust: Xia Zhao supports Li Yuan not only through words but also by gathering intelligence and promising to monitor his enemies.

Important Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao and Cheng Jing: Cheng Jing is startled by Xia Zhao’s unusual effort to look attractive, while Xia Zhao seeks reassurance that she looks good.
• Xia Zhao and Li Yuan: Their initially awkward dinner becomes increasingly honest and comfortable. Xia Zhao questions his lack of contact, and Li Yuan shares personal details about his past and his feud with Jin Fan.
• Xia Zhao and Jin Fan: Xia Zhao’s earlier support of Jin Fan is revealed to have resulted from a misunderstanding about Li Yuan’s alias, not genuine admiration of Jin Fan’s character.
• Xia Zhao and the Jin Family: Xia Zhao acts as Li Yuan’s informant and potential protector by warning him about Jin Lou and offering to track his movements.

Chapter Summary: Inside the Private Room

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Zhao briefs Li Yuan on the unresolved Mutant Beast crisis following her return from Qijia Town. Their origins remain unknown: either Fierce Beasts mutated naturally before being exploited by another faction, or an organization deliberately created the mutations through biological experiments.
• She confirms that a powerful and secretive force was behind the Mutant Beast incident and had intended to kill them in Qijia Town.
• Li Yuan proposes investigating border regions with convenient transportation. He reasons that an organization conducting large-scale experiments would need both a steady supply of Fierce Beasts and heavy laboratory equipment, making locations near highways and border routes likely bases of operation.
• Xia Zhao realizes that monitoring vehicle traffic and supply transportation in suitable border cities could expose the organization’s activities.
• The conversation shifts to Li Yuan’s recent progress. He tells Xia Zhao that he won first place in the individual Youth Martial Tournament, improved his Martial Dao cultivation, earned an intermediate professional title, and became Teaching Affairs Director at Lingshan No. 1 High School.
• Xia Zhao offers to help protect his career. Because she fears the Jin Family may cause trouble due to Jin Fan, she gives Li Yuan a business card connected to Master Zheng, a highly influential figure in education. Master Zheng’s support could discourage others from obstructing Li Yuan’s promotion.
• Li Yuan feels conflicted by the offer. Although he appreciates Xia Zhao’s kindness, it reminds him of the vast difference in their status and influence.
• Xia Zhao reassures him that his insights in Qijia Town were exceptionally valuable. His understanding helped her greatly and benefited the entire Xia Family, proving that he should not underestimate himself.
• In the adjoining room, Cheng Jing is surprised by how long Xia Zhao speaks privately with Li Yuan. She decides to obtain Li Yuan’s background information, anticipating that Xia Zhao may want to know more about him.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan demonstrates strategic thinking by identifying the logistical requirements of Mutant Beast experiments and suggesting a practical investigative approach.
• He has made significant professional and martial progress, but still feels insecure about the social and family-status gap between himself and Xia Zhao.
• Xia Zhao shows increasing personal concern for Li Yuan. She actively supports his career, worries about pressure from the Jin Family, and tries to strengthen his confidence.
• Xia Zhao also recognizes Li Yuan’s exceptional comprehension and appears to believe that, with time, he could become worthy of challenging the Xia Family’s expectations.
• Cheng Jing becomes more suspicious of the closeness between Xia Zhao and Li Yuan and begins discreetly investigating him.

Significant Themes

• The Mutant Beast conspiracy: The chapter expands the mystery surrounding the hidden force conducting or enabling biological experiments.
• Logistics and investigative reasoning: Li Yuan’s deduction shows how practical details—transportation, equipment, and access to Fierce Beasts—can reveal the location of secret operations.
• Social hierarchy and inequality: Xia Zhao’s effortless access to influential figures contrasts sharply with Li Yuan’s slower rise, emphasizing the gap between them.
• Support versus pride: Li Yuan is grateful for Xia Zhao’s help but struggles with what that help implies about their unequal positions.
• Faith in potential: Xia Zhao encourages Li Yuan to believe in his own talent and future, suggesting that personal ability and comprehension may eventually overcome differences in family background.

Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao and Li Yuan share a relaxed, increasingly intimate conversation, joking about his new title and discussing school life.
• Xia Zhao’s teasing and warm smiles reveal affection, while Li Yuan’s embarrassment and difficulty looking at her suggest growing emotional tension.
• Their discussion of her assistance exposes an uncomfortable status gap, but both handle it with maturity rather than allowing resentment to develop.
• Xia Zhao explicitly validates Li Yuan’s contribution to her family, offering emotional reassurance as well as practical support.
• Cheng Jing observes their prolonged conversation from outside and interprets it as unusual, hinting that Xia Zhao’s relationship with Li Yuan may attract further attention.

Chapter Summary: Jin Fan’s Injuries

Key Plot Points and Events

• After dinner, Xia Zhao and Li Yuan have a long, more open conversation than they did in Qijia Town.
• Xia Zhao intends to find Li Yuan a proper martial arts technique. She feels that the Heavenly Refining Body technique she previously gave him was not a serious gift, since she had only offered it casually and never expected him to comprehend it. Seeing him use Wind River Art further convinces her that he lacks high-level techniques.
• Before they part, Xia Zhao asks whether Li Yuan has found someone through the blind-date arrangements his family mentioned previously.
• Li Yuan admits that he has met a woman and that they seem compatible, though their relationship is not official.
• Xia Zhao is visibly disappointed but realizes she has no legitimate grounds to interfere. Still, learning that the relationship is unsettled gives her hope that she may still have a chance.
• She asks for Li Yuan’s phone number so she will not mistake him for someone else again. They exchange contact information before returning to their separate rooms.
• Cheng Jing learns that Xia Zhao wants information about the woman Li Yuan is seeing, confirming Xia Zhao’s romantic interest. Both Xia Zhao and Li Yuan are likely to have difficulty sleeping that night.
• Meanwhile, Jin Fan is hospitalized in Blue Peak City after suffering severe injuries. He has already regained consciousness once, sensed the condition of his body, and fainted again.
• Jin Fan’s mother arrives and collapses emotionally upon seeing him. Jin Lou supports her while other people awkwardly avoid watching, since rumors already exist about their relationship.
• Jin Fan’s mother angrily blames Jin Lou for failing to protect her son. She accuses him of refusing to assign bodyguards and of prioritizing Jin Fan’s independence over his safety.
• She demands revenge against Li Yuan, even offering to kill him herself. Jin Lou restrains her and explains that although defeating Li Yuan would not be difficult, their political and business rivals would exploit the incident to attack them.

Character Developments

• Xia Zhao: Her feelings for Li Yuan become increasingly clear. She is jealous and disappointed by his blind date but remains determined to pursue him now that she knows the relationship is not finalized. Her plan to find him better martial arts techniques also shows sincere concern for his growth.
• Li Yuan: He is honest about his romantic situation and acknowledges that family compatibility matters in marriage. His response suggests that he is not deeply committed yet, but he is approaching the matter cautiously and realistically.
• Cheng Jing: She continues to act as a discreet and competent assistant, recognizing Xia Zhao’s intentions without openly questioning them.
• Jin Fan: His injuries are severe enough to cause him to lose consciousness repeatedly, highlighting the seriousness of his defeat.
• Jin Fan’s mother: She becomes consumed by grief, anger, and protective instinct. Her emotional outburst exposes the intense pressure placed on Jin Lou and hints at the questionable closeness of their relationship.
• Jin Lou: Although normally calm and powerful, he shows guilt over Jin Fan’s condition. He remains politically cautious, refusing to pursue revenge recklessly because he understands the larger consequences for his faction.

Significant Themes

• Unspoken romantic feelings: Xia Zhao’s restrained jealousy and Li Yuan’s practical honesty create emotional tension between them.
• Family expectations and marriage: Li Yuan views marriage as a union between families rather than merely two individuals, emphasizing social status and compatibility.
• Power and political consequences: Jin Lou’s refusal to act immediately demonstrates that personal revenge can have wider repercussions in a competitive power structure.
• Protection versus independence: Jin Fan’s injuries raise the question of whether allowing someone to face danger alone is a form of growth or irresponsible neglect.
• Emotional restraint versus impulsiveness: Xia Zhao suppresses her jealousy, while Jin Fan’s mother reacts explosively, contrasting two different responses to fear and attachment.

Important Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao and Li Yuan: They grow more comfortable with one another, discuss martial arts and personal matters, and exchange phone numbers. Xia Zhao indirectly reveals her interest by asking about his romantic life.
• Xia Zhao and Cheng Jing: Cheng Jing realizes that Xia Zhao wants information about Li Yuan’s potential partner and quietly agrees to investigate.
• Jin Fan’s mother and Jin Lou: She alternates between blaming, striking, embracing, and pleading with him, while Jin Lou supports and restrains her. Their interaction exposes both her desperation and the burden he carries.
• Jin Lou and the others at the hospital: The surrounding people awkwardly avoid the family scene, aware of the rumors surrounding Jin Lou and Jin Fan’s mother.
• Jin Lou and Li Yuan, indirectly: Though they do not meet in this chapter, Jin Lou’s discussion reveals that Li Yuan’s attack on Jin Fan has become a politically sensitive matter rather than a simple personal conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Can You Find an Anatomist?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jin Lou explains to Jin Fan’s mother why the Jin Family cannot immediately retaliate against Li Yuan, the middle school teacher who injured Jin Fan. Although Li Yuan attacked first, Jin Fan was publicly seen as the aggressor because he struck ruthlessly, allowing the Xia Family, Han Zhuoxun, Zhang Xu, and other enemies of the Jin Family to support Li Yuan.
• Jin Lou argues that the matter must be allowed to cool down. Once public attention fades, the Jin Family can deal with Li Yuan without provoking a larger political conflict.
• Jin Fan’s mother angrily accuses Jin Lou of being too calm and questions whether he truly cares about their son. Jin Lou assures her that his restraint comes from protecting the entire family, promising that Li Yuan will eventually suffer and die painfully.
• The family turns its attention to Jin Fan’s medical condition. Although his life is no longer in danger, his injuries may permanently damage his ability to cultivate in the Martial Dao.
• Jin Fan’s attending physician gives vague assurances that the hospital will do its best, but cannot clearly explain the extent of the damage or offer a definite treatment plan. Frustrated, Jin Fan’s mother demands a transfer to a better hospital.
• Before the transfer can proceed, Shi Tai, the chief physician of City Martial Artist Hospital, arrives and provides a more specific diagnosis: Jin Fan has suffered severe internal-organ concussion and external trauma, resulting in unusual damage to his Martial Dao foundation.
• Shi Tai reveals that recovery may be possible using the Brocade Sinew from the lower abdomen of an A-level Rainbow-Scaled Tiger. Although the Jin Family can likely acquire such a beast, the real difficulty is finding an Anatomist capable of extracting the medicinal organ successfully.

Character Developments

• Jin Lou: Demonstrates political caution and long-term strategic thinking. Though he wants revenge, he prioritizes protecting the Jin Family from a wider conflict. He also shows genuine concern for Jin Fan and recognizes that revenge must eventually be pursued to satisfy the family and preserve its interests.
• Jin Fan’s mother: Moves from anger and suspicion toward cautious hope. Her fierce concern for her son is evident, and she is willing to use the Jin Family’s influence and resources to secure treatment. Her frustration also exposes her distrust of Jin Lou’s emotional restraint.
• Jin Fan: Remains unconscious, but his importance is emphasized. As a gifted martial artist and disciple of Grandmaster Yao Jianyue, simply preserving his life is insufficient; restoring his cultivation is the true goal.
• Shi Tai: Establishes himself as a knowledgeable and serious physician who offers the first concrete explanation and possible treatment for Jin Fan’s condition.

Significant Themes

• Power and public perception: The chapter stresses that influence and control over the narrative matter more than objective justice. Once powerful factions become involved, the question is no longer simply who was right.
• Political restraint versus revenge: Jin Lou suppresses his immediate desire for vengeance because retaliation could damage the entire family. The chapter presents patience as a strategic weapon rather than weakness.
• Family responsibility: Jin Lou’s actions and Jin Fan’s mother’s distress both reflect the burdens of protecting family members and preserving the family’s future.
• Medicine and martial cultivation: Jin Fan’s injuries are not merely physical; they threaten his identity and future as a martial artist. Healing his body also means repairing his Martial Dao foundation.
• The limits of modern treatment: Even advanced medicine cannot solve Jin Fan’s condition without rare materials and specialized expertise.

Character Interactions

• Jin Lou and Jin Fan’s mother clash over revenge, with her accusing him of indifference and him defending his cautious approach.
• Their argument gradually becomes more intimate, resembling a family confronting a shared crisis.
• Jin Fan’s mother challenges the attending physician’s vague statements and forces the hospital to address the seriousness of the injuries.
• Shi Tai earns her attention by giving a precise diagnosis and identifying a possible treatment, but his final question introduces a new obstacle: whether the Jin Family can find an Anatomist capable of extracting the Brocade Sinew.

Chapter Summary: “A Good Match?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Tai explains why Brocade Sinew is so valuable: it is part of a Fierce Beast’s central system and is extremely difficult to extract without contamination from the toxin glands.
• Only a few centimeters have been successfully extracted nationwide over the past five years, mostly for elite laboratory research. Even top Anatomists may fail repeatedly.
• Jin Fan’s mother, Ding Xiaoyue, doubts Shi Tai’s claims and contacts a Jin Family Anatomist. The Anatomist confirms Brocade Sinew’s rarity, medicinal importance, and prestige among Anatomists.
• Shi Tai states that Jin Fan’s Third-Degree Shockwave Injury can be successfully treated if the family obtains roughly four centimeters of Brocade Sinew from a Rainbow-Scaled Tiger. Without it, the hospital can only provide conservative treatment.
• Another doctor consulted by the Jin Family gives the same conclusion, confirming that the material is essential.
• Li Yuan prepares to return to Lingshan City. Before leaving, he accepts Xia Zhao’s invitation to breakfast.
• Xia Zhao tells Li Yuan that she is looking for suitable martial arts for him and gives him a special card that may allow him to enter a place where treasures—and possibly extraordinary cultivation methods—can be found.
• When Li Yuan begins to mention the Heavenly Refining Body, Xia Zhao warns him to keep silent. The method has caused conflict among Grandmasters in the past, and claiming to understand it could create widespread unrest.
• Li Yuan returns home by bus, while Xia Zhao travels to Sunset Mountain Camp. Her aide, Cheng Jing, gives her information about Xu Nianxing, Li Yuan’s blind date.
• Xia Zhao asks whether Xu Nianxing and Li Yuan are a good match. Cheng Jing cautiously admits that she does not think they are, and Xia Zhao agrees.

Character Developments

• Ding Xiaoyue: Moves from skepticism to serious concern after independently verifying Shi Tai’s claims. She now understands that saving Jin Fan may require an exceptionally rare material and specialist.
• Shi Tai: Demonstrates confidence and authority as a leading physician, offering a clear but demanding condition for Jin Fan’s recovery.
• Jin Fan: Remains critically injured, with his recovery dependent on obtaining Brocade Sinew.
• Li Yuan: Becomes increasingly connected to Xia Zhao and gains access to rare martial arts and potentially valuable cultivation opportunities. He also shows discretion by accepting her warning about the Heavenly Refining Body.
• Xia Zhao: Takes a more personal and protective interest in Li Yuan. She actively assists his cultivation, warns him about dangerous knowledge, and appears jealous or dissatisfied with his blind date.
• Cheng Jing: Recognizes Xia Zhao’s feelings and carefully responds to her question about Xu Nianxing.

Significant Themes

• Rarity and value: Brocade Sinew’s worth comes from both its medical usefulness and the extreme difficulty of obtaining it.
• Power and hidden knowledge: The Heavenly Refining Body represents knowledge capable of causing upheaval when exposed, emphasizing the danger of secrets in the martial world.
• Trust and verification: Ding Xiaoyue does not accept Shi Tai’s words blindly and confirms them through another expert.
• Growing emotional attachment: Xia Zhao’s actions suggest that her relationship with Li Yuan is becoming more personal, while outsiders notice and envy their closeness.
• Social and martial hierarchies: Access to elite Anatomists, cultivation methods, and treasure-seeking locations depends heavily on status and connections.

Character Interactions

• Shi Tai and Ding Xiaoyue: Shi Tai firmly explains Jin Fan’s medical situation and forces Ding Xiaoyue to confront the seriousness of his condition.
• Ding Xiaoyue and the Jin Family Anatomist: Her phone call independently validates Shi Tai’s explanation of Brocade Sinew.
• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao: Their breakfast meeting strengthens their relationship. Xia Zhao offers him guidance, a special access card, and protection from the consequences of revealing his understanding of the Heavenly Refining Body.
• Xia Zhao and Cheng Jing: Xia Zhao indirectly reveals her concern over Li Yuan’s blind date by asking whether he and Xu Nianxing are compatible. Cheng Jing recognizes Xia Zhao’s feelings, and Xia Zhao confirms that she shares Cheng Jing’s doubts.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cheng Jing realizes Xia Zhao has a strong interest in Li Yuan after Xia Zhao repeatedly helps him, seeks a cultivation technique for him, and openly spends time with him.
• Xia Zhao questions Cheng Jing about why Li Yuan and Xu Nianxing are supposedly unsuitable for each other. Cheng Jing first argues that Xu Nianxing is not a martial artist, but Xia Zhao dismisses this as insufficient because martial artists and ordinary people can still marry.
• Cheng Jing then reveals that Xu Nianxing’s mother disapproves of Li Yuan and is searching for wealthier, better-established blind-date candidates for her daughter.
• Xia Zhao becomes indignant and proposes arranging several suitable men for Xu Nianxing’s mother to consider, hoping to create pressure that will separate Li Yuan and Xu Nianxing.
• When Cheng Jing warns that interfering in another couple’s relationship may be inappropriate, Xia Zhao argues that family background, social status, and parental opposition already influence relationships. She insists that Xu Nianxing’s relationship with Li Yuan may not be destined to succeed anyway.
• Xia Zhao makes clear that she is prepared to try additional methods if the matchmaking scheme fails, suggesting she is determined to prevent Li Yuan and Xu Nianxing from becoming a couple.
• After returning to Lingshan City, Li Yuan visits his parents, who sell boxed meals outside their residential complex. He helps them with the business and is satisfied that they remain active without exhausting themselves.
• Xu Nianxing’s mother sees Li Yuan helping his parents and becomes even more displeased, viewing the work as beneath her family’s status. She plans to confront Li Yuan and discourage the relationship.
• Li Yuan’s parents sell out their food for the day. Li Yuan supports them financially, giving them a monthly allowance while ensuring they have separate living expenses, which gives them pride and security.

Character Developments

• Xia Zhao: Her feelings for Li Yuan become increasingly obvious and appear to go beyond simple admiration. Her jealousy and determination lead her to consider actively breaking up Li Yuan and Xu Nianxing.
• Cheng Jing: She remains loyal and obedient to Xia Zhao but becomes increasingly shocked by the intensity of Xia Zhao’s intentions. She recognizes that Xia Zhao may be pursuing Li Yuan herself, though she is reluctant to challenge her directly.
• Li Yuan: He remains unaware of Xia Zhao’s schemes. His return home shows his filial nature, humility, and willingness to help his parents despite his improved status.
• Xu Nianxing’s mother: Her class-consciousness and prejudice become more pronounced. She looks down on Li Yuan’s family for selling simple meals and plans to use social pressure and wealthier suitors to separate him from her daughter.
• Li Yuan’s parents: They are portrayed as hardworking and content, valuing both their small business and their son’s support.

Significant Themes

• Class and social status: Xu Nianxing’s mother judges Li Yuan based on family circumstances, occupation, and perceived social standing rather than personal qualities.
• Jealousy and possessiveness: Xia Zhao’s concern for Li Yuan develops into an active desire to eliminate romantic competition.
• Family influence on relationships: The chapter emphasizes that romance is affected not only by the couple but also by parental expectations, status, and marriage prospects.
• Filial responsibility and dignity in work: Li Yuan’s support for his parents highlights respect for family and shows that honest labor is not shameful, despite others’ elitist attitudes.
• Destiny versus deliberate interference: Xia Zhao invokes the idea of “destined relationships” to justify her actions, while simultaneously trying to manipulate events to produce the outcome she wants.

Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao interrogates Cheng Jing about Li Yuan and Xu Nianxing, forcing Cheng Jing to explain why she believes they are incompatible.
• Cheng Jing cautiously challenges Xia Zhao’s plan to arrange other men for Xu Nianxing’s mother, but ultimately agrees to carry it out.
• Xia Zhao’s defensive reaction reveals that the matter is emotionally important to her and that she sees Xu Nianxing’s relationship as an obstacle.
• Xu Nianxing’s mother silently observes Li Yuan helping his parents, reinforcing the social and class tension between their families.
• Li Yuan interacts warmly with his parents by helping sell meals and supporting them financially, contrasting sharply with Xu Nianxing’s mother’s contempt.