Chapter Summaries

Fang Han killed Song Xiang and the other men who had recognized him, then traveled to Rock City and robbed Feng Yuan’s heavily guarded escort agency. He escaped with his wealth increased to 10.962 million silver, enough to activate Level 7 Talent Amplification.

• Fang Han killed the two Sixth Grade Martial Artists and Song Xiang, then searched the bodies and obscured the wounds before fleeing.
• Chu Feng returned to find four dead men and vowed to hunt down the person responsible.
• Fang Han traveled to Rock City and watched the Far Pacification Escort Agency before infiltrating it at night.
• Fang Han subdued Feng Yuan and discovered hidden stores of gold, silver, and valuables in his residence.
• Fang Han took the treasure, raising his wealth to 10.962 million silver, and escaped the escort agency.

After his raids emptied several of Chu Feng’s factions, Fang Han returned to the Azure Profound Sect with more than ten million taels of wealth. He considered which talent to amplify to the seventh level, leaning toward Sword Art Talent because his sword-technique progress had fallen behind his cultivation.

• Fang Han found the Golden Sand Gang abandoned after its members fled following the death of their leader, Sha Tongtian.
• Fang Han found Chu Feng’s medicinal-herb faction deserted as well and decided to return to the Azure Profound Sect.
• Fang Han returned to the sect, where disciples discussed his victory over Gong Xing and called the mysterious raider the Thousand-Hand Thief.
• Fang Han examined his loot, counted 10.962 million taels of wealth, and gained another thousand taels by converting three unfamiliar pill bottles.
• Fang Han weighed Root Bone Talent against Sword Art Talent for seventh-level amplification and worried that his martial techniques were lagging behind his cultivation.

Fang Han used his sword-art talent amplification to advance Wind Shadow Fatal Sword to perfection, then learned that Li Qinghong had reclaimed thirtieth place on the General Ranking Martial Dao Stele. With three days to regain his ranking or lose his true disciple status, Fang Han heard the news from Qui Lan, but his response remained unknown.

• Fang Han activated 128-fold sword art talent amplification and resumed his cultivation routine.
• After half a month of practice, Fang Han reached perfection in Wind Shadow Fatal Sword and increased his control of wind momentum to thirty percent.
• Li Qinghong recovered from his injuries, improved his cultivation and fist arts, and rose from thirty-first to thirtieth on the General Ranking Martial Dao Stele.
• Sect disciples discussed Fang Han's three-day deadline to return to the top thirty and retain his true disciple status.
• Qui Lan rushed to Fang Han and told him that Li Qinghong had taken thirtieth place and he had fallen to thirty-first.

Fang Han tested at the General Ranking Martial Dao Stele and rose from thirty-first to sixteenth place, crushing Li Qinghong’s hopes of reclaiming a top-thirty spot. Chu Feng learned of Fang Han’s rapid rise and faced a request from Chu Chong to take over some of Song Xiang’s former affairs.

• Fang Han left his courtyard to retake the General Ranking test, while Li Qinghong hurried to watch.
• Fang Han used his Perfection Realm Wind Shadow Fatal Sword and thirty percent Wind Momentum to leap from thirty-first to sixteenth place.
• Li Qinghong fell back to thirty-first, then fled the plaza in humiliation as Fang Han ignored him.
• Fang Han saw that he was now only a few places behind Chu Feng and resolved to surpass him next month.
• Chu Chong told Chu Feng that Fang Han had reached sixteenth place, alarming Chu Feng as he considered Fang Han an increasingly serious threat.
• Chu Chong asked Chu Feng whether he could manage some of the affairs previously handled by the dead Song Xiang.

Chu Feng assigned Song Xiang’s former duties to Chu Chong while worrying about Fang Han and the Thousand-Hand Thief. Fang Han cultivated his movement technique, accepted the Xu Clan’s offer of patronage, and awaited the new month’s True Disciple rewards.

• Chu Feng let Chu Chong take over Song Xiang’s resource-allocation duties, and Chu Chong eagerly accepted.
• Fang Han counted his contribution points and focused his training on the Flowing Wind Shadowless Step while awaiting his monthly ranking reward.
• Fang Han agreed to meet Xu Rong after learning that the Xu Clan had once supported him with five thousand taels of silver.
• Xu Rong asked Fang Han to take the Xu Clan under his patronage in exchange for thirty percent of its annual earnings, and Fang Han accepted.
• At the start of the month, Fang Han anticipated his True Disciple reward and wondered whether it would include another bottle of Vajra Pills.

Fang Han received his monthly contribution reward and Earth Spirit Pills, then exchanged 12,000 points for the Azure Profound Sect’s sole top-tier wind-attribute sword art, the Void-Sundering Nine Swords. When he returned home with the manual, he learned that Yun Muyao had been waiting to see him.

• Zhou Heng delivered Fang Han 12,000 contribution points and two bottles of Earth Spirit Pills, explaining that the sect’s rare monthly resources varied with its stock.
• Fang Han went to the Library Pavilion to exchange his points for a top-tier wind-attribute sword art.
• Elder Mo told Fang Han that the Void-Sundering Nine Swords was the sect’s only top-tier wind-attribute sword art and exchanged it for 12,000 points.
• Elder Mo gave Fang Han the sword art manual and its predecessor’s practice notes, instructing him to return them within half a month.
• When Fang Han returned to his annex, Qui Lan told him that Yun Muyao had been waiting in the sitting room.

Fang Han traded one bottle of Earth Spirit Pills to Yun Muyao for Vajra Pills, then spent the day studying the Void-Sundering Nine Swords. He memorized its difficult principles and planned to begin cultivating it at dawn.

• Yun Muyao visited Fang Han and asked to trade rare resources for a bottle of Earth Spirit Pills.
• Fang Han gave Yun Muyao one bottle of Earth Spirit Pills in exchange for Vajra Pills, which her maidservant later delivered.
• Fang Han opened the Void-Sundering Nine Swords manual in his Quiet Room and discovered that its complex techniques demanded exceptional skill and comprehension.
• Fang Han spent the day studying and memorizing the manual’s principles, nine sword stances, and cultivation formulas.
• Fang Han stored the manual for the night and decided to begin cultivating the sword art at dawn.

Fang Han learned the Void-Sundering Nine Swords in five days and reached the Beginner stage before meeting Yun Qianyue in the True Transmission Courtyard. He then took an Earth Spirit Pill and began gathering Internal Qi as he neared a breakthrough to the fifth grade.

• Fang Han read that Chu Feng had risen from ninety-eighth to ninety-fourth on the Prodigy Ranking and decided he might need another month or two to surpass him.
• Fang Han practiced the Void-Sundering Nine Swords for five days, correcting his forms with his 128-fold Sword Art Talent Amplification.
• Fang Han reached the Beginner stage and used a strike to reduce a blue-black test stone to powder.
• Fang Han met Yun Qianyue, who thanked him for exchanging a Vajra Pill for an Earth Spirit Pill that had helped her cultivation.
• Fang Han returned to his annex, took an Earth Spirit Pill, and refined its medicinal power into Internal Qi that flowed toward his Zhangmen Acupoint.

Fang Han used an Earth Spirit Pill to break through to the Fifth Rank and spent the following days improving his cultivation and martial techniques. He was summoned to the Law Enforcement Hall and joined a sect-wide operation to eliminate demonic art factions, leaving with Yang Zhe’s team.

• Fang Han filled his Zhangmen acupoint, shattered the Fifth Rank bottleneck, and opened the Qichong acupoint and the Tide Surge Divine Treasury.
• Fang Han consolidated his new cultivation and improved his Void-Sundering Nine Swords and Flowing Wind Shadowless Step.
• Zhao Ming informed Fang Han that Elder Zhou Jin had summoned him to the Law Enforcement Hall for a sect-assigned mission.
• Fang Han arrived at the Law Enforcement Hall and saw many sect elites, including Yun Qianyue, Li Feng, and Chu Feng.
• Elder Zhou Jin revealed that demonic art factions had been found within the sect’s sphere of influence and divided the disciples into ten purge teams.
• Fang Han joined the Third Team, led by Yang Zhe, and set out with the other teams to purge the demonic art cultivators.

Yang Zhe led Azure Profound Sect disciples to Linji City to raid the Heavenly Eagle Gang for cultivating demonic arts. After Fang Han killed gang leader Yin Li, he faced the traitorous Qian Yong, who had wounded Yang Zhe, leaving Fang Han to confront the stronger enemy.

• Yang Zhe led the third team to Linji City and ordered them to surround and attack the Heavenly Eagle Gang's headquarters.
• Yang Zhe accused Yin Li of cultivating demonic arts, and the gang fought the Azure Profound Sect disciples.
• Fang Han killed Yin Li with the Void-Sundering Nine Swords after Yin Li tried to stop him from aiding Yang Zhe.
• Qian Yong emerged from the inner courtyard, struck Yang Zhe, and revealed himself as the former Azure Profound Sect deacon who had fled the sect.
• Qian Yong overwhelmed Yang Zhe, but Fang Han intervened and stood between them, preparing to fight Qian Yong.

Fang Han killed Qian Yong during the Azure Profound Sect’s campaign against demonic cultivators, while Chu Feng destroyed a recovered demonic manual and four elders drove the hidden mastermind into flight. Afterward, Fang Han found the Heavenly Eagle Gang leader’s secret treasury and took half its wealth.

• Fang Han fought Qian Yong and killed him with a sword thrust, despite suffering a palm strike.
• Yang Zhe ordered the disciples to search the battlefield for demonic techniques as the survivors reacted to Fang Han’s strength.
• Chu Feng killed the Wang Family Clan Head and destroyed the recovered Blood Demon Technique manual.
• The Azure Profound Sect’s four elders attacked the black-robed mastermind, who escaped into the forest badly wounded.
• Fang Han found a hidden chamber in Yin Li’s residence and used the System Panel to take fifteen chests of treasure, raising his possessed wealth to 3,200,000 silver.

After returning from the Heavenly Eagle Gang mission with 3.2 million taels in hidden valuables and 14,450 contribution points, Fang Han resumed training and neared the middle fifth grade. At the month-end test, he rose from sixteenth to tenth on the General Ranking, surpassing Yang Zhe.

• Fang Han concealed the vanished valuables, then returned with his team to the Azure Profound Sect and received credit for killing Qian Yong.
• Elder Zhou Jin awarded Fang Han 8,000 contribution points, bringing his total to 14,450.
• Fang Han learned that five disciples from other teams had died and returned to training with renewed caution.
• By the end of the month, Fang Han had filled his Qichong Acupoint to eighty percent and considered the costly Sword-Shaped Grass that could improve his Sword Art Talent.
• Fang Han struck the General Ranking Martial Dao Stele with the Void-Sundering Nine Swords and rose from sixteenth to tenth, pushing Yang Zhe to eleventh.

Fang Han reached tenth on the General Ranking, drawing concern from Chu Feng, and received his monthly rewards from Deacon Zhou. Among them were Spirit-Condensing Pills, which improved his control over Internal Qi and could aid a future breakthrough to the Grandmaster Realm.

• Fang Han rose to tenth on the General Ranking, while Yun Qianyue and Li Feng reacted to his progress and he resolved to surpass Chu Feng.
• Chu Chong told Chu Feng about Fang Han's new rank, and Chu Feng ordered him to monitor Fang Han closely.
• Fang Han received fifteen thousand contribution points and three bottles of Spirit-Condensing Pills from Deacon Zhou.
• After learning the pills could strengthen the mind and aid a future Grandmaster Realm breakthrough, Fang Han took one and confirmed that it improved his control over Internal Qi.
• Fang Han stored the remaining pills and decided not to take another dose immediately.

Fang Han learned that he had reached one hundredth place on the Prodigy Ranking, prompting excitement and regret throughout the Azure Profound Sect. After the Sect Master summoned him, Fang Han arrived at the Sect Master's Hall to meet Chen Tianyuan.

• Disciples bought the new ranking booklets and discovered Fang Han had taken one hundredth place on the Prodigy Ranking.
• Wang Meng regretted rejecting Fang Han, while Yun Qianyue and Li Feng felt the growing distance between them and him.
• Elder Chen and the Zi Courtyard deacons celebrated Fang Han's achievement, while Chu Feng reacted with jealousy and hostility.
• Qui Lan told Fang Han about his ranking, and he rewarded the annex staff before finishing breakfast.
• Deacon Zhao summoned Fang Han to the Sect Master's Hall, where Fang Han bowed to Sect Master Chen Tianyuan.

Sect Master Chen Tianyuan rewarded Fang Han for ascending to the Prodigy Ranking and explained its connection to destiny. Fang Han consumed the Sword-Shaped Grass, greatly enhanced his sword talent, and began cultivating the Void-Sundering Nine Swords in seclusion.

• Chen Tianyuan summoned Fang Han, praised his rise on the Prodigy Ranking, and awarded him a Sword-Shaped Grass.
• Chen Tianyuan told Fang Han that the Prodigy Ranking might gather destiny around its disciples and benefit the sect.
• Deacon Zhao escorted Fang Han to the Sect Treasury, where Fang Han received the Sword-Shaped Grass.
• Fang Han returned to No. 35 Annex, entered the Quiet Room, and consumed the Sword-Shaped Grass.
• Fang Han found that the grass had dramatically improved his sword comprehension and began practicing the Void-Sundering Nine Swords.

Fang Han broke through to mid-stage fifth rank and awakened the Insight divine treasury, then delegated the growing number of faction-affiliation requests to Qui Lan. As he resumed training, his mastery of the Void-Sundering Nine Swords neared minor accomplishment, and he made a striking advance in controlling wind momentum.

• Fang Han reached mid-stage fifth rank by breaking through the Shaohai Acupoint and awakened the Insight divine treasury.
• Qui Lan brought Fang Han a stack of invitations from factions seeking affiliation, and he asked her to screen them and report suitable candidates.
• Fang Han resumed cultivating the Void-Sundering Nine Swords, advancing rapidly with his enhanced sword art talent.
• Fang Han achieved a new insight in the bamboo grove, drawing on the surrounding wind with a simple sword thrust that cut a smooth furrow through the flagstones.

After advancing his swordsmanship, Fang Han received a sect assignment to attend Zhang Yuanshan’s birthday in the Prefecture City and traveled there with Shen Moyan, Luo Bingyun, and Qin Hao. As rival young geniuses converged on the city, many marked Fang Han as a target, with the Nether Pavilion’s delegation showing the clearest hostility.

• Fang Han reached minor mastery in the Void-Sundering Nine Swords, raising his Wind Momentum control to forty percent, and considered traveling to find opportunities and wealth.
• Deacon Zhao informed Fang Han that he would attend Zhang Yuanshan’s birthday celebration with Shen Moyan, Luo Bingyun, and Qin Hao.
• Fang Han met Luo Bingyun and Qin Hao at the Azure Profound Sect’s mountain gate, then departed for the Prefecture City with Shen Moyan’s delegation.
• During the journey, Fang Han cultivated in the carriage, prompting Luo Bingyun and Qin Hao to meditate as well.
• Delegations from across Qingyang Prefecture traveled toward the birthday banquet, and young geniuses began targeting Fang Han to challenge his place on the Prodigy Ranking.
• The Nether Pavilion’s delegation emerged as the most openly hostile group heading to the Prefecture City.

Fang Han arrived at the Azure Profound Branch Courtyard in Qingyang Prefecture City, where rival sect disciples had gathered to challenge his place on the Prodigy Ranking. Lei Gang of Iron Fist Sect challenged him, and Fang Han calmly headed to the arena as the crowd waited.

• Qin Xiaoran vowed to defeat Fang Han and reclaim his Prodigy Ranking position, but Withered Wood Elder urged him to wait until the Zhang Clan's birthday banquet.
• Shen Moyan brought Fang Han, Luo Bingyun, and Qin Hao to Azure Profound Sect's branch courtyard, where Fang Han learned that Lei Gang, Su Yu, and Qin Xiaoran were among the rival disciples in the city.
• Su Yu decided to let Lei Gang and the Thousand Ingenuity Pavilion disciple test Fang Han first while Rain Listening Tower watched.
• Lei Gang came to the branch courtyard and challenged Fang Han to martial arts, drawing a crowd to the arena.
• Fang Han finished breakfast, took his Flowing Wind Sword, and went to meet Lei Gang as the gathered disciples argued over the challenge.

Fang Han defeated Lei Gang with a single sword strike, stunning the gathered disciples and spreading his reputation through the Prefecture City. Two days later, Fang Han and the Azure Profound Sect delegation arrived at Zhang Yuanshan’s birthday celebration.

• Fang Han evaded Lei Gang’s Mountain-Breaking Fist before striking his shoulder with one sword and defeating him.
• Liu Feifei abandoned her plan to challenge Fang Han and left with the Thousand Ingenuity Pavilion disciples, while Su Yu and Qin Xiaoran reacted to the news of Lei Gang’s defeat.
• Qin Xiaoran vowed to defeat Fang Han at Zhang Yuanshan’s birthday banquet.
• Two days later, Shen Moyan led the Azure Profound Sect delegation to the Zhang Estate, where Fang Han, Luo Bingyun, and Qin Hao were escorted to a spacious courtyard.

At Zhang Yuanshan’s birthday banquet, Fang Han accepted Qin Xiaoran’s public challenge and revealed that he had also reached mid Fifth Rank. Their opening exchange ended evenly, and Qin Xiaoran launched a deceptive, soul-disrupting claw attack.

• Fang Han and his companions arrived at the banquet, where the gathered young disciples recognized Fang Han for defeating Lei Gang in one move.
• Qin Xiaoran confronted Fang Han and challenged him to a fight, and Fang Han accepted.
• Shen Moyan and Withered Wood Elder watched from the pavilion as Fang Han and Qin Xiaoran entered the arena.
• Qin Xiaoran revealed his mid Fifth Rank cultivation and attacked with his dark-blue claw blades, but Fang Han matched his cultivation and parried with the Flowing Wind Sword.
• Qin Xiaoran created three indistinguishable Shadowveils and sent a storm of sinister claw shadows toward Fang Han’s vital points.