Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Assassination”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Cheng, Shen Yi, and Xu Zhao finalize their plan to exploit the East Sun Sect’s weakened defenses. Xu Zhao remains in seclusion refining the stolen Heart Inquiry Hammer, while Lu Cheng uses the waiting period to strengthen himself.
• Over seven days, Lu Cheng cultivates inside the Martial Suppression Army camp, significantly improving his core techniques. His physical strength rises to approximately 5,500 catties, and his body becomes resistant to ordinary blades. He also advances the Lesser Longevity Art, Dragon-Subduing Elephant-Suppressing Art, River-Blocking Halberd Technique, and Spirit Resonance Art.
• Because Xu Zhao is expected to emerge from seclusion the next day, Lu Cheng leaves the camp at night and secretly returns to Lingbi Mountain. He uses the Spirit Resonance Art to avoid detection while approaching Great Harmony Peak and considering whether to summon Yunling Zi.
• Lu Cheng decides to kill Wan Chuan first, believing the assassination will both remove an enemy and help lure Yunhuizi back to the sect.
• Meanwhile, Lin Quan and Huang Chulei begin their own killing operation on Purple Haze Peak. Disguising their intentions, they lure Ye Liuyun to his gate and Lin Quan decapitates him instantly.
• The pair then target the remaining enemies. They find Wan Chuan and kill him before Lu Cheng arrives. Lu Cheng discovers Wan Chuan’s corpse and realizes that the assassination campaign has already begun.
• Lin Quan and Huang Chulei next approach Du Ruo’s residence, intending to ambush her under the pretense of delivering Yunhuizi’s instructions. Lu Cheng senses the danger and races toward her courtyard using Wind Thunder Flash.
• The chapter ends as Du Ruo opens the gate, Huang Chulei and Lin Quan draw their weapons, and someone shouts a warning just before the attack lands.

Character Developments

• Lu Cheng: Becomes substantially stronger through intensive cultivation, especially in physical defense and strength. He is increasingly confident, calculating, and willing to strike preemptively. His decision to return to Lingbi Mountain shows his readiness to risk danger for both revenge and strategic advantage.
• Lin Quan: Demonstrates lethal efficiency and calm judgment, killing Ye Liuyun without hesitation. He acts as the practical planner of the assassination team, choosing targets based on their vulnerability and strategic value.
• Huang Chulei: Reveals intense hatred toward the “old fellows” of Uncarved Simplicity Peak, suggesting a personal grudge. Though emotionally driven, she follows Lin Quan’s tactical decisions.
• Wan Chuan and Ye Liuyun: Both are eliminated before they can respond, showing how vulnerable Lu Cheng’s former enemies have become amid the sect’s chaos.
• Du Ruo: Is placed in immediate danger, unaware that the visitors at her gate are preparing to assassinate her.

Significant Themes

• Revenge and assassination: Conflicts that once involved schemes and intimidation escalate into coordinated killings.
• Strategic timing: Lu Cheng and the assassins exploit the East Sun Sect’s disorganization, Yunhuizi’s absence, and Xu Zhao’s impending emergence from seclusion.
• Growth through preparation: Lu Cheng’s decision to delay his departure and cultivate reflects the importance of strengthening oneself before entering a dangerous confrontation.
• Collapse and desolation: Lingbi Mountain’s diminished lights and deserted atmosphere symbolize the East Sun Sect’s weakening authority and internal crisis.
• Uncertainty and imminent violence: Characters act without knowing who else is moving against them, creating a tense atmosphere in which every knock or visitor may conceal an attack.

Character Interactions

• Lu Cheng consults indirectly with Shen Yi and coordinates his movements with Xu Zhao’s refinement schedule.
• Lu Cheng relies on Ge Long for intelligence about Xu Zhao and the Heart Inquiry Hammer.
• Lin Quan and Huang Chulei cooperate closely, with Lin Quan directing their targets and Huang Chulei supplying motivation and resolve.
• Huang Chulei deceives Ye Liuyun and later Du Ruo by claiming to deliver messages from Yunhuizi.
• Lu Cheng arrives too late to save Wan Chuan but realizes he may still intervene in the attack on Du Ruo, leading to the chapter’s cliffhanger.

Summary: “Chaos in the East Sun Sect”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Du Ruo opens a door, prompting Huang Chulei and Lin Quan to attack. Lu Cheng intervenes just in time, using his Wind Thunder Flash and physical strength to knock both attackers away.
• Lu Cheng quickly defeats Huang and Lin. He disarms them, kills Lin Quan by tearing out his throat, and sends Huang Chulei fleeing.
• Xing Du arrives after hearing the disturbance and blocks Lu Cheng to protect Huang. Although Xing Du is a strong Mid-Body Refining Realm disciple, Lu Cheng gradually gains the advantage.
• Lu Cheng tries to withdraw because he needs to reach Great Harmony Peak and warn Yunling Zi about Xu Zhao’s threat. Huang falsely accuses him of killing other disciples and plotting to overthrow the sect.
• Xing Du uses the accusation to rally the arriving disciples against Lu Cheng. Surrounded and unwilling to slaughter ordinary sect members, Lu Cheng activates his Wind Thunder Wings and escapes into the air.
• The East Sun Sect is revealed to be in widespread turmoil, with battles breaking out across all nine peaks. Lu Cheng suspects that Xu Zhao’s influence and plans are much larger than expected.
• At Great Harmony Peak, Lu Cheng uses Tu Yuan’s mysterious seal. The seal grants him a brief ability to see through the mountain and locate Yunling Zi and the other elders beneath it.
• He discovers them meditating around the cracked Great Harmony Sword while blue mist gathers into it, suggesting they are repairing or restoring the weapon.
• Lu Cheng attempts to communicate by striking the barrier around them, but the seal drains him rapidly. He collapses after only a few blows.
• Yunling Zi appears before him shortly afterward, visibly angered by the sect’s chaotic state, and demands to know what happened.

Character Developments

• Lu Cheng demonstrates overwhelming strength against ordinary Body Refining disciples and proves capable of defeating multiple opponents rapidly. However, his limited martial-skill foundation and the high cost of his Wind Thunder Wings constrain him.
• He also shows restraint: despite being surrounded, he avoids attacking ordinary disciples ruthlessly because they have no personal grudge against him.
• Lu Cheng becomes increasingly anxious and urgent because he believes Xu Zhao may soon destroy the East Sun Sect and harm Yunhuizi.
• Huang Chulei shifts from attacker to manipulator, exploiting the confusion by falsely portraying Lu Cheng as a sect traitor.
• Xing Du is revealed to be proud and concerned with his reputation. Although he barely holds off Lu Cheng, he refuses to retreat once others arrive and hides his fear behind an arrogant challenge.
• Yunling Zi remains hidden beneath Great Harmony Peak with two others, apparently engaged in a major ritual involving the Great Harmony Sword. His anger upon emerging shows that he recognizes the seriousness of the sect-wide crisis.

Significant Themes

• Chaos and misinformation: The fighting spreads rapidly, while false accusations turn Lu Cheng from a rescuer into a supposed enemy.
• Urgency versus limited resources: Lu Cheng must act quickly, but his strongest techniques consume enormous amounts of physical energy and valuable equipment.
• Power and restraint: Lu Cheng possesses superior force but deliberately limits himself around uninvolved disciples, contrasting his control with the recklessness of others.
• Hidden forces and deeper conspiracies: The turmoil appears too extensive to be caused by Xu Zhao alone, raising questions about a broader plot within the East Sun Sect.
• Mystery of the Martial Suppression Directorate: Tu Yuan’s seal is far more powerful and sophisticated than expected, hinting that the Directorate possesses secret abilities and technology.
• Restoration and preservation: The cracked Great Harmony Sword and the blue mist gathering around it suggest that the elders are attempting to preserve an important source of the sect’s power.

Character Interactions

• Lu Cheng fights Huang Chulei and Lin Quan, quickly overpowering both; Lin is killed, while Huang escapes.
• Xing Du confronts Lu Cheng to defend Huang, resulting in a tense battle shaped by Xing Du’s pride and Lu Cheng’s need to escape.
• Huang manipulates Xing Du and the surrounding disciples by accusing Lu Cheng of murder and rebellion.
• Lu Cheng uses Tu Yuan’s seal to reach Yunling Zi and the two other elders, but communication fails; he can only strike their protective barrier.
• Yunling Zi ultimately appears before Lu Cheng and questions him about the events engulfing the sect.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Great Harmony Peak is engulfed in chaos, with the most intense battle occurring at the summit. Lu Cheng reports the situation to Yunling Zi, who promises that the East Sun Sect will handle it.
• Although Yunling Zi could immediately suppress the conflict, he deliberately holds back, likely to prevent Xu Zhao from escaping with the Earthly Baleful Divine Weapon and to capture the conspirators together.
• Exhausted from using the small seal, Lu Cheng hides in the mountains to recover. His Heart-Cleansing Essence-Gathering Pendant helps restore his depleted blood, qi, and soul.
• At dawn, Lu Cheng heads back to Dongyang Prefecture City, prioritizing the investigation into You Fuxing and the secret of the Black Iron Fragment over the aftermath at Great Harmony Peak.
• In the city, Xu Zhao emerges from seclusion wielding the Earthly Baleful Divine Weapon, the Heart Inquiry Hammer. Its overwhelming aura terrifies You Fuxing and his companion.
• Receiving no news from the mountain operation, Xu Zhao leaves the city to investigate. Lu Cheng spots him and follows, curious about both Xu Zhao’s strength and the weapon’s power.
• Yunhuizi pursues Xu Zhao from the air, moving far faster than Lu Cheng. A battle soon erupts.
• Xu Zhao, empowered by the Heart Inquiry Hammer, defeats Yunhuizi in only two strikes. Yunhuizi’s sword is shattered, and he is left severely wounded and unable to stand.
• Xu Zhao explains that his rebellion stems from the East Sun Sect’s unfair distribution of resources and cultivation techniques. He intends to destroy the sect and distribute the Purple Qi Spirit Guiding Art throughout Dongyang Prefecture.
• Yunhuizi condemns him as a madman, warning that universal access to the technique would cause widespread chaos. Xu Zhao dismisses the warning and prepares to kill him with the divine weapon.

Character Developments

• Lu Cheng demonstrates endurance and caution after exhausting himself in the earlier conflict. His priorities become clear: uncovering the Black Iron Fragment’s secret matters more to him than the broader sect struggle. However, curiosity and concern drive him to follow Xu Zhao, despite the danger.
• Yunling Zi is portrayed as calculating and ruthless. Rather than immediately intervening, he appears willing to let the conflict worsen in order to trap Xu Zhao and the other conspirators.
• Xu Zhao reveals himself as both extraordinarily powerful and ideologically driven. The Heart Inquiry Hammer elevates him to a level far beyond Lu Cheng’s expectations, allowing him to overpower Yunhuizi almost effortlessly. His resentment toward the sect’s entrenched hierarchy has transformed into a revolutionary, destructive plan.
• Yunhuizi shifts from being viewed as a formidable senior figure to a defeated and vulnerable opponent. His criticism of Xu Zhao focuses on the practical consequences of his plan, but he also indirectly confirms the sect’s immense power and exclusivity.
• You Fuxing and the sallow-faced middle-aged man remain subordinate and fearful of Xu Zhao, emphasizing his authority and intimidating presence.

Significant Themes

• Power and hierarchy: The East Sun Sect’s control over cultivation methods and resources creates deep resentment among lower-ranking disciples.
• Revolution versus order: Xu Zhao wants to dismantle the sect and spread cultivation widely, while Yunhuizi believes such an action would unleash uncontrollable chaos.
• The cost of ambition: Xu Zhao’s goal may arise from legitimate grievances, but his willingness to destroy the entire sect and kill Yunhuizi shows how idealism has become extremism.
• Hidden motives and political calculation: Yunling Zi’s refusal to intervene immediately suggests that sect leadership is governed by strategy and self-interest rather than simple justice.
• The overwhelming nature of martial power: The Heart Inquiry Hammer dramatically changes the balance of power, demonstrating how a divine weapon can allow Xu Zhao to defeat an opponent previously considered exceptionally strong.

Character Interactions

• Lu Cheng reports to Yunling Zi, who entrusts the East Sun Sect’s affairs to himself while revealing little of his true intentions.
• Xu Zhao intimidates You Fuxing and his companion with the Heart Inquiry Hammer, then insults them for their failure to obtain information.
• Lu Cheng follows Xu Zhao out of curiosity and concern, while Yunhuizi pursues Xu Zhao directly from the air.
• Xu Zhao and Yunhuizi confront each other as ideological opponents: Yunhuizi defends stability and warns against indiscriminate cultivation, while Xu Zhao accuses him of hoarding knowledge and perpetuating injustice.
• The chapter ends with Xu Zhao raising the Heart Inquiry Hammer to deliver a potentially fatal blow to the wounded Yunhuizi.

Chapter Summary: Battle of Martial Sect Masters

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yunhuizi is incapacitated after Xu Zhao’s earlier attacks. As Xu Zhao prepares to face him, Yunling Zi arrives and stands between them.
• Yunling Zi’s presence displays extraordinary power: the wind, dust, stones, and grass around him freeze as though space itself has been immobilized.
• Yunling Zi confronts Xu Zhao over his destruction of the East Sun Sect and offers him three choices:
  1. Return the Heart Inquiry Hammer, have his cultivation sealed, and remain confined to Heart Inquiry Peak.
  2. Return the hammer and leave the sect, becoming its enemy.
  3. Fight Yunling Zi.
• Xu Zhao refuses to surrender and challenges Yunling Zi to use one of the sect’s remaining divine weapons. Yunling Zi reveals that he intends to use the damaged Great Harmony Sword instead of refining another weapon.
• The Great Harmony Sword is summoned from Great Harmony Peak. It arrives already shattered, held together only by dark-blue energy, but still possesses terrifying power.
• Yunling Zi and Xu Zhao exchange three devastating clashes between the sword and the Heart Inquiry Hammer. The first two strikes heavily injure Xu Zhao and damage the surrounding land.
• For the third exchange, Xu Zhao exhausts his life force, aging rapidly as his hair turns white, and unleashes the hammer’s full strength.
• Yunling Zi overpowers him with the Great Harmony Sword, sending its blue energy through Xu Zhao’s body. Xu Zhao appears defeated, and the hammer returns into him.
• However, the Great Harmony Sword begins to disintegrate. Yunling Zi abandons the chance to kill Xu Zhao and focuses on stabilizing the weapon.
• Xu Zhao revives, escapes in his weakened state, and leaves Yunling Zi unable to pursue him.
• The Great Harmony Sword ultimately collapses into blue clouds and mist. Yunling Zi suffers severe backlash, coughing blood and becoming too weak to stand.
• Lu Cheng gives Yunling Zi three Small Restoration Pills before returning to Dongyang Prefecture City.
• On arriving near You Fuxing’s courtyard, Lu Cheng discovers a trail of still-warm blood leading into Eleventh Li Ward. Suspecting that You Fuxing and the others—or possibly Xu Zhao—have been attacked or are using a hidden location, he conceals his aura and follows the trail into Seventeenth Ward.

Character Developments

• Yunling Zi: Revealed as an overwhelmingly powerful Qi Refining Late-Stage cultivator and a decisive protector of the East Sun Sect. Despite his emotional connection to Xu Zhao, he is willing to destroy the Great Harmony Sword and sacrifice his own strength to stop him. His victory is costly, leaving him badly injured and spiritually weakened.
• Xu Zhao: Demonstrates extreme determination and resentment toward the sect. He rejects compromise, fights despite overwhelming odds, and burns through his remaining vitality to strengthen the Heart Inquiry Hammer. Though defeated, he survives and escapes, establishing him as a dangerous ongoing threat.
• Lu Cheng: Acts cautiously and intelligently, observing the battle from concealment rather than intervening recklessly. He recognizes the immense gap between his own strength and that of the combatants, aids Yunling Zi afterward, and quickly resumes investigating the blood trail.
• Yunhuizi: Reduced to an unconscious and helpless state after Xu Zhao’s earlier assault, highlighting Xu Zhao’s terrifying power even before the arrival of Yunling Zi.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty versus betrayal: Xu Zhao’s destruction of the East Sun Sect is framed as a betrayal of decades of brotherhood, while Yunling Zi’s actions demonstrate loyalty to the sect despite personal sorrow.
• Sacrifice and cost of power: Yunling Zi destroys the already damaged Great Harmony Sword to defeat Xu Zhao, while Xu Zhao sacrifices his vitality and ages himself to launch one final attack.
• The limits of victory: Although Yunling Zi wins the duel, he cannot kill or capture Xu Zhao, and his own divine weapon is destroyed. The conflict ends without a complete resolution.
• Aging, endurance, and resentment: Xu Zhao claims he has endured for decades and refuses to continue waiting for an uncertain fate. His desperation contrasts with Yunling Zi’s long patience and sense of duty.
• Observation and hidden danger: Lu Cheng’s distant perspective emphasizes the enormous power of Martial Sect-level combat. The mysterious blood trail at the chapter’s end shifts the focus from the spectacular battle to a new, unresolved threat.

Important Character Interactions

• Yunling Zi and Xu Zhao: Former fellow disciples with forty years of shared history and a once-subtle alliance. Their confrontation is both a martial duel and a personal tragedy, with Yunling Zi repeatedly calling Xu Zhao “Junior Brother” and urging him to surrender.
• Lu Cheng and Yunling Zi: Lu Cheng remains hidden during the battle but later assists Yunling Zi by throwing him restoration pills, showing respect and practical concern.
• Lu Cheng and the aftermath: Upon returning to the city, Lu Cheng follows the blood trail connected to You Fuxing’s group, linking the sect conflict to a separate developing crisis.

Chapter Summary: A Fine Heart Inquiry Hammer

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Zhao returns to his courtyard gravely wounded after battling Yunling Zi. He is unable even to store the Heart Inquiry Hammer, an Earthly Baleful Divine Weapon, within his body.
• His disciples, You Fuxing and the sallow-faced man, initially pretend to care for him. The sallow-faced man has secretly poisoned Xu Zhao, while both disciples plan to seize the Heart Inquiry Hammer.
• Xu Zhao dies after vomiting blood. The two men argue over who is responsible for murdering their master and whether they should take the divine weapon.
• Lu Cheng suddenly appears and easily lifts the Heart Inquiry Hammer, despite the sallow-faced man’s inability to move it. He kills the sallow-faced man with a single blow.
• You Fuxing attempts to protect himself by invoking the East Sun Sect’s authority and offering to pretend he witnessed nothing. Lu Cheng rejects this, forcing him to prove his loyalty by decapitating Xu Zhao’s corpse.
• Lu Cheng reveals the Black Iron Fragment he possesses and interrogates You Fuxing about it. You explains that there were originally five fragments which could form a circular map related to Sha Refining.
• You Fuxing asks to be spared, but Lu Cheng kills him anyway, declaring that there is now a “deep grudge” between them.
• Before leaving, Lu Cheng searches the room and discovers a bluish-red pill that appears to be a Qi Condensation Pill.

Character Developments

• Lu Cheng demonstrates his increasing strength and ruthlessness. He claims the Heart Inquiry Hammer for himself, kills both conspirators without hesitation, and refuses to trust promises of loyalty.
• You Fuxing is revealed to be calculating and morally compromised. Though more composed than his fellow disciple, he murdered his former master Dong Cheng and later kills Xu Zhao’s body to save himself. His personal history also reveals years of abuse under Dong Cheng.
• The sallow-faced man is portrayed as greedy and cowardly. He poisons Xu Zhao, seeks the divine weapon for personal gain, and is immediately killed when Lu Cheng arrives.
• Xu Zhao ends the chapter defeated and betrayed. His death exposes the treacherous power struggles within the East Sun Sect.
• Dong Cheng, though already dead, is further characterized as a cruel and abusive sect elder whose actions drove You Fuxing toward revenge.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and treachery: Xu Zhao is poisoned by his own disciples, while You Fuxing’s apparent cooperation is motivated solely by self-preservation.
• Power determines ownership: Lu Cheng openly asserts that divine weapons belong to whoever can wield them, reflecting the chapter’s brutal survival-of-the-strongest worldview.
• Moral ambiguity and revenge: You Fuxing suffered genuine abuse, but his suffering does not erase his own crimes. Lu Cheng recognizes his pain without excusing him.
• The value of hidden knowledge: The Black Iron Fragment is revealed to be part of a five-piece map connected to Sha Refining, introducing a major mystery and potential source of power.
• The dangers of greed: The disciples’ desire for the Heart Inquiry Hammer leads directly to their deaths.

Character Interactions

• Xu Zhao commands his disciples while dying, but neither shows true loyalty.
• The two disciples argue over their master’s murder and the divine weapon, exposing their mutual distrust.
• Lu Cheng dominates both men physically and psychologically, killing the sallow-faced man and intimidating You Fuxing into revealing the fragment’s secret.
• You Fuxing attempts negotiation and appeals to shared interests, but Lu Cheng remains unmoved and ultimately kills him.
• The chapter ends with Lu Cheng claiming both the Heart Inquiry Hammer and a potentially valuable Qi Condensation Pill.

Chapter Summary: “Breakthrough, Qi Refinement Realm!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Cheng confirms that the pill taken from Xu Zhao is a valuable Qi Condensation Pill, making him one of the greatest beneficiaries of the East Sun Sect’s internal turmoil.
• Tu Yuan explains the extent of the East Sun Sect’s losses: seven elders died, Yunhuizi was gravely injured, one-quarter of the sect’s leadership was destroyed, and roughly thirty percent of its foundational disciples scattered.
• Shen Yi criticizes the sect’s inherited privilege, corruption, narrow ambitions, and obsession with power. Lu Cheng agrees that the rebellion resulted from long-suppressed resentment, especially toward the arrogant descendants of the Eleventh Lineage.
• Tu Yuan returns Lu Cheng’s Roving Cavalry Token, now carrying thirty merits. Lu Cheng keeps the Qi Condensation Pill rather than exchanging it, recognizing its greater future value.
• Lu Cheng collects financial support from the Martial Suppression Army and visits the Sun Clan Ironworks, where he receives a massive reforged Cold Star Halberd.
• Although his name has been cleared and his conflict with Ge Long resolved, Lu Cheng chooses not to return to the East Sun Sect, preferring the peace and freedom of cultivating outside its political struggles.
• After half a month of intense cultivation, Lu Cheng completes the Lesser Longevity Art, reaching Body Refining Realm Perfection.
• His body becomes perfectly integrated internally and externally, allowing him to control and release his immense strength with extraordinary precision. His Dragon-Subduing Elephant-Suppressing Art also reaches the eighth layer, giving him over eight thousand jin of arm strength.
• Lu Cheng then uses the Qi Condensation Pill and Spirit Awakening Powder to accelerate his next breakthrough. He successfully condenses a Primordial Energy Seed and enters the Qi Refinement Realm, beginning at the first level.

Character Developments

• Lu Cheng grows substantially stronger, advancing from Body Refining Great Achievement to Body Refining Perfection, then immediately to Qi Refinement Beginner.
• His physical foundation becomes unusually powerful. Though his raw strength does not visibly increase much at first, his control improves dramatically, allowing even a finger to unleash enormous force.
• Lu Cheng demonstrates increasing strategic judgment by preserving the Qi Condensation Pill instead of exchanging it for merits and by avoiding further involvement in the East Sun Sect’s internal conflicts.
• Shen Yi reveals a cynical but perceptive understanding of sect politics, identifying the greed, privilege, and lack of ambition that caused the East Sun Sect’s collapse.
• Tu Yuan continues to act as a reliable official ally, recording Lu Cheng’s merits and returning his military token.
• The East Sun Sect itself is shown to be severely weakened, with its former stability exposed as the result of accumulated resentment rather than genuine unity.

Significant Themes

• Corruption and internal collapse: The East Sun Sect’s destruction begins from within, caused by inherited privilege, factional conflict, and the exploitation of ordinary disciples.
• Cultivation through preparation and opportunity: Lu Cheng combines rare pills, a strong physical foundation, disciplined training, and calculated risk-taking to achieve rapid breakthroughs.
• Freedom versus entanglement: Lu Cheng’s decision to remain outside the sect reflects his growing independence and rejection of needless political struggles.
• Quantitative strength becoming qualitative transformation: His accumulated physical power and medicinal resources eventually enable the major transition from body refinement to qi refinement.
• The fragility of inherited power: The sect’s elites rely on ancestral status and resources but lack the vision and unity needed to preserve their authority.

Character Interactions

• Lu Cheng and Tu Yuan: Tu Yuan informs Lu Cheng of the East Sun Sect’s casualties, returns his token, and confirms his accumulated merits. Their relationship is practical and respectful.
• Lu Cheng and Shen Yi: Shen Yi analyzes the sect’s downfall with open satisfaction and harsh criticism. Lu Cheng listens silently but recognizes the truth in his words.
• Lu Cheng and the East Sun Sect: Though his grievances are cleared, Lu Cheng deliberately distances himself from the sect, choosing cultivation over renewed factional conflict.
• Lu Cheng and the Martial Suppression Army: He uses its resources to claim merits, obtain financial support, and acquire his reforged halberd.
• Lu Cheng and his cultivation path: The chapter emphasizes his relentless self-improvement as he completes one breakthrough and immediately pursues the next.

Chapter Summary: “Setting Up His Own Sect”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter explains the cultivation process after the Qi Refining Realm. Cultivators primarily refine Essence Qi, fill the body’s 361 major acupoints, achieve Qi Infusion Throughout the Body, condense Essence Qi Spirit Liquid, and eventually form an Essence Qi Pill.
• Lu Cheng reflects humorously on his transformation into a true “Qi Refiner,” jokingly introducing himself as “Lu Cheng, a Qi Refiner of Lingbi Mountain.”
• He finishes refining the Heart Inquiry Hammer, a divine weapon taken from the East Sun Sect. After ten days of continuous effort, he gains basic control over it.
• The hammer can change size at his command, ranging from a small medicinal-pestle-like object to a massive nine-foot weapon with a watermelon-sized head. Lu Cheng stores it in his dantian to nourish it with Essence Qi.
• Despite its power, the Heart Inquiry Hammer consumes enormous amounts of energy. Lu Cheng can currently use only about thirty percent of its strength and strike with it no more than five times. Without the East Sun Sect’s earth-qi formation, its spirituality will gradually fade.
• Lu Cheng concludes that he will eventually need to visit the Five Provinces Battlefield, where sufficient earth qi or similar resources may be found.
• After nearly a month away, Lu Cheng returns to the East Sun Sect. The sect appears stable, but internal divisions have become more serious.
• Ge Long, having lost his loyalty to the East Sun Sect after Lu Cheng rescued him, has left the sect.
• Han Lingxiao reveals that he plans to leave the East Sun Sect and establish an entirely new sect. The recent upheaval involved more than Junior Brother Xu: over a third of the sect’s Nine Peaks and Eleven Lineages participated or encouraged the conflict.
• The Eleventh Lineage fears Han Lingxiao’s power, especially now that Yunhuizi has been crippled and Yunling Zi may soon leave for the Five Provinces Battlefield.
• Han Lingxiao has arranged a ten-arena wager with the East Sun Sect. Half of the sect’s accumulated foundation will serve as the prize, with ten percent awarded for every victory. He expects to secure roughly thirty percent, but Lu Cheng’s breakthrough may allow them to win much more.
• Lu Cheng enthusiastically promises to take every possible portion of the sect’s resources and help establish the new sect.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Cheng: Successfully breaks through into the Qi Refining Realm and gains control over the Heart Inquiry Hammer. His confidence, ambition, and appetite for greater power increase. He is also increasingly willing to challenge the East Sun Sect directly and sees the wager as another opportunity to advance.
• Han Lingxiao: Becomes determined to sever ties with the East Sun Sect after its betrayal and cowardice. Though he respects Yunling Zi, he refuses to remain in a sect that distrusts him and treats him as a threat. He demonstrates strategic intelligence by arranging to leave with a substantial portion of the sect’s foundation.
• Yunling Zi: Is portrayed as loyal to the East Sun Sect despite its internal corruption. He refuses to destroy or betray the institution that raised him, even though this loyalty may prevent him from obtaining the Earthly Baleful Divine Weapon needed for the battlefield.
• Ge Long: Fully abandons his former allegiance to the East Sun Sect after being saved by Lu Cheng, showing the lasting impact of the sect’s treatment of its members.

3. Significant Themes

• Cultivation and transformation: Lu Cheng’s breakthrough marks a transition from physical and foundational training into a more advanced Essence Qi-based system.
• Power and resource dependence: Even a divine weapon is limited by the resources needed to sustain it. Strength alone is insufficient without energy, formations, and access to strategic battlefields.
• Institutional decay and betrayal: The East Sun Sect’s apparent stability hides fear, factionalism, opportunism, and a collapse of trust among its lineages.
• Loyalty versus pragmatism: Yunling Zi remains loyal to the sect’s historical foundation, while Han Lingxiao chooses to protect his future and dignity by leaving.
• Rebuilding and independence: The planned new sect represents a fresh beginning free from the East Sun Sect’s corruption, while also allowing Han Lingxiao and Lu Cheng to claim their own power base.
• Opportunity amid crisis: Political upheaval and internal conflict create opportunities for Lu Cheng to gain resources, status, and influence.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Cheng humorously interacts with himself while testing his new identity as a Qi Refiner.
• He speaks affectionately and comically to the Heart Inquiry Hammer, wishing it were a halberd, then experiments with its size-changing ability.
• Upon returning, Lu Cheng meets Han Lingxiao, who is impressed by his breakthrough and delighted at the prospect of shocking the East Sun Sect’s factions.
• Lu Cheng questions why Han Lingxiao must leave and challenges the logic behind abandoning the sect.
• Han Lingxiao explains the fears and political calculations driving the separation, as well as Yunling Zi’s unwillingness to betray the East Sun Sect.
• The conversation ends with Lu Cheng fully supporting his master and eagerly committing to winning as much of the wagered foundation as possible.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Han Lingxiao reveals to Lu Cheng that East Sun Sect’s cultivation arts—including the Purple Qi Spirit Guiding Art—were derived from a hidden treasure called the Predecessor’s Manuscript.
• The manuscript contains slightly more than a thousand words infused with the author’s true intent. Properly comprehending it could remove the barrier to reaching the Martial Sect Master realm, though its power has weakened over time.
• Because Han Lingxiao is closely watched by rival factions within the sect, he advises Lu Cheng to approach Yunxia Zi with his letter and ask her to provide access to the manuscript.
• Yunxia Zi agrees, allowing Lu Cheng to study the manuscript within her hall.
• While reciting the text, Lu Cheng enters a profound state of comprehension. The words transform into a vision of a dying tree struggling through metal and stone, growing into a towering tree before being destroyed by purple-gold lightning.
• The vision injures Lu Cheng, causing him to vomit blood and damaging the manuscript. Its remaining true intent nearly disappears.
• Yunxia Zi accepts that the incident was governed by fate and does not blame Lu Cheng. She asks him to retain affection for East Sun Sect even if Han Lingxiao later establishes another school.
• Lu Cheng promises never to forget that he originated from East Sun Sect. After leaving, he checks his Consciousness Sea and discovers that Heavenly Mandate and the imprint of the Lesser Longevity Art have become unusually radiant.

Character Developments

• Lu Cheng: Demonstrates extraordinary comprehension ability, immediately entering the manuscript’s meditative state. However, his comprehension is so intense that he is physically injured and unintentionally destroys much of the manuscript’s remaining power. His bond with Heavenly Mandate appears to deepen, suggesting that he has gained significant insight.
• Han Lingxiao: Reveals greater knowledge of the sect’s hidden history and works strategically to secure Lu Cheng’s future before his own departure. His distrust of the sect’s rival factions is emphasized.
• Yunxia Zi: Shows kindness, political awareness, and loyalty to both the sect and people such as Han Lingxiao. Though aligned with a competing faction due to her background, she protects Lu Cheng and entrusts him with the sect’s most valuable secret.
• Lu Cheng and Yunxia Zi: Their interaction develops mutual respect. Yunxia Zi recognizes Lu Cheng as an exceptional talent, while Lu Cheng promises to remember East Sun Sect’s support.

Significant Themes

• Hidden inheritance and secret knowledge: East Sun Sect’s public history conceals the true source of its cultivation arts.
• Talent and comprehension: Lu Cheng’s ability to understand profound truths distinguishes him from ordinary cultivators.
• The cost of enlightenment: Greater insight brings physical danger and destroys the manuscript’s remaining true intent.
• Sect loyalty versus factional conflict: Yunxia Zi separates her affection for the sect from her frustration with its internal factions, asking Lu Cheng to do the same.
• Growth through adversity: The dying tree’s transformation into a giant tree symbolizes resilience and expansion despite hostile conditions, while the lightning suggests the trials or destruction that accompany great power.
• Fate and Heavenly Mandate: The manuscript’s reaction and Lu Cheng’s altered Consciousness Sea imply that his destiny is closely connected to forces beyond ordinary cultivation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Cheng discovers that the Lesser Longevity Art in his Consciousness Sea is “upgrading,” meaning its grade can rise rather than merely requiring further comprehension.
• His encounter with the handwritten true meaning produced four possible insights:
  1. Water generating wood—life and growth nourished by external support.
  2. A hidden dragon in the abyss—enduring adversity while waiting for the right opportunity.
  3. Overcoming hardness with softness—pliancy and persistence defeating rigid obstacles.
  4. The cyclical turning of yin and yang—hope and rebirth appearing even in desperate situations.
• Lu Cheng consults Han Lingxiao. Han explains that the first and third insights are practical “methods,” while the second and fourth embody deeper but more abstract “principles.” However, he advises Lu Cheng not to worry about the distinction yet, since deeper understanding can come with greater cultivation.
• Lu Cheng initially considers choosing the profound yin-yang principle, but realizes that the Lesser Longevity Art should be advanced through the insight most compatible with its nature. He selects the water-generating-wood concept, also suspecting the incomplete handwritten work represents the broader cycle of the five elements.
• The technique transforms into the Longevity Art, reaching Upper-Grade Heaven Tier—a dramatic rise from Upper-Grade Earth Tier across an entire major tier.
• Lu Cheng tests the new technique and finds that his dantian’s qi vortex circulates more than ten times faster, greatly increasing his cultivation speed. With sufficient resources, he believes he may reach the peak of Qi Refining far faster than ordinary practitioners.
• Four days later, Sword Washing Peak is surrounded by furious members of the Eleventh Lineage, who demand Lu Cheng’s death and apology. The chapter ends as Lu Cheng comes out to face them, while Han Lingxiao stands before the hall and Yunxia Zi attempts unsuccessfully to calm the crowd.

Character Developments

• Lu Cheng grows more discerning and mature. Rather than choosing the most seemingly profound insight, he evaluates which principle best suits his technique and avoids taking a potentially unsuitable cultivation path.
• His confidence and excitement increase after the Longevity Art’s transformation, though he remains cautious about revealing the secret behind it.
• Han Lingxiao acts as a mentor and source of perspective. He acknowledges the unusual nature of Lu Cheng’s comprehension but admits he cannot personally understand the vision Lu Cheng experienced.
• Yunxia Zi takes on a mediating role, trying to prevent the confrontation from escalating.
• Yunhuizi, still severely injured, is carried to the confrontation, emphasizing the seriousness of the conflict and the resentment toward Lu Cheng.

Significant Themes

• Choosing the right path over the most powerful-looking path: Lu Cheng learns that profound principles are not automatically suitable; compatibility with one’s cultivation method matters more.
• Growth through adversity: The imagery of roots breaking through metal and stone reflects persistence, hidden potential, and renewal despite unfavorable circumstances.
• The relationship between methods and principles: Practical techniques provide a clear path, while abstract principles offer greater but more difficult truths.
• Transformation and opportunity: A seemingly ordinary technique can become extraordinary when given the correct insight and foundation.
• Power and consequences: Lu Cheng’s rapid improvement brings not only opportunity and anticipated resources but also hostility from those who believe he caused harm or disrupted existing power structures.

Character Interactions

• Lu Cheng seeks Han Lingxiao’s advice about the four insights, and Han distinguishes between their practical and philosophical qualities.
• Han reassures Lu Cheng that exhausting the handwritten true meaning was not a violation, since no rule limited how much could be comprehended.
• Lu Cheng conceals the true reason for his sudden happiness and improved technique, telling Han only that he is pleased when thinking about the future.
• Han informs him that the wagered battle will occur in ten days at Return to Origin Peak.
• At the chapter’s end, Lu Cheng and Han Lingxiao face an angry group from the Eleventh Lineage, while Yunxia Zi attempts to mediate and Yunhuizi appears despite his injuries.

Key plot points and events

• As Lu Cheng emerges, East Sun Sect elders accuse him of destroying the Thousand-Word Manuscript, calling him a “Lowborn Cultivator” and demanding his death.
• Han Lingxiao fiercely defends Lu Cheng, revealing that Lu is his personal disciple. When one elder insults him, Han nearly strikes the man with Sword Qi; Yunhuizi intervenes just in time.
• Han argues that Lu met the manuscript’s requirements because he had already reached the Qi Refining Realm. The revelation shocks the gathered sect members, since even their strongest young disciples are nowhere near that level.
• Yunhuizi proposes reducing Lu’s share of the settlement to ten percent and giving Han’s side West Mountain as well. Han accepts, ending the dispute with Lu’s group securing substantial resources and independence from the East Sun Sect.
• Han tells Lu to identify himself as a disciple of the newly founded Skyreach Sword Gate. Lu endorses the grand name, arguing that a sect earns respect through its strength, not its title.
• Though Han refuses to give Lu a share of the resources, Lu asks to learn Han’s sword technique. Han agrees in principle.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Cheng discovers how deeply the East Sun Sect’s elite look down on outsiders like him. Their contempt extinguishes his remaining sense of kinship with the sect. He also shows maturity by refusing to take resources and confidence by embracing responsibility for the Skyreach name.
• Han Lingxiao openly protects Lu, uses his power to silence his detractors, and treats him as the future of their new sect. His fierce pride in his swordsmanship is matched by concern that the sect must live up to its ambitious name.
• Yunhuizi surprises Lu by negotiating a generous compromise rather than escalating the conflict. His willingness to concede marks a change from his earlier, more uncompromising behavior.
• The East Sun elders and crowd reveal their prejudice against “Lowborn Cultivators” and their eagerness to blame Lu for the manuscript’s loss. Their confidence collapses when they learn of his breakthrough.
• Lu and Han strengthen their master-disciple bond: Han defends Lu and asks him to uphold the sect’s name; Lu, in turn, seeks to learn Han’s signature sword art.

Significant themes

• Prejudice and belonging: The elders’ labels expose the hierarchy within the East Sun Sect and push Lu to sever his emotional ties to it.
• Strength must justify reputation: Lu argues that impressive names are hollow unless a group has the ability to live up to them.
• Merit and responsibility: Lu’s breakthrough establishes his right to study the manuscript, while his acceptance of the Skyreach name makes him responsible for helping build the new sect’s standing.
• Power and negotiation: Han’s display of force changes the elders’ behavior, while Yunhuizi’s compromise resolves the dispute without further violence.

Summary

• After Han Lingxiao teaches him Gengxin Sword Qi, Lu Cheng learns the art instantly. The upper-grade Earth-tier technique develops metal qi through sword practice and progresses from releasing hidden Sword Qi, to controlling it without a weapon, and finally to forming twenty-two invisible sword seeds. Han explains that he spent thirteen years reaching its current stage and is still far from the highest level.
• Han praises Lu Cheng’s remarkable aptitude. Lu Cheng credits his master’s instruction, then prepares to leave with him as the two establish the Skyreach Sword Sect. Lu Cheng chooses three ordinary swords for practice, since the art does not require a specially made weapon.
• On the way back, Lu Cheng meets Du Ruo, who thanks him for saving her and gives him Profound Ginseng Qi-Nourishing Pills. She recognized him despite his mask by his voice and his use of Wind Thunder Flash. Lu Cheng accepts the gift.
• Du Ruo worries that the East Sun Sect has been weakened by recent upheaval, leaving it struggling to control the Martial Suppression Army and Vajra Temple. Lu Cheng predicts that at least three veterans will reach Qi Refining within three months, explaining that the sect previously had little reason to push its many Body Refining Perfection practitioners to advance. Du Ruo is unconvinced but does not press him.
• When Du Ruo asks whether Lu Cheng will return to Yang City, he realizes she has a reason for asking. She tells him that Lady Liu’s situation has worsened, possibly because of problems with the herb fields. Lu Cheng remembers that promised medicinal herbs never arrived and immediately asks what happened, but Du Ruo knows no more.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Cheng shows exceptional talent, humility toward Han, and growing concern for people beyond his immediate plans. His responsibilities in founding the Skyreach Sword Sect compete with his worry about Lady Liu.
• Han Lingxiao acts as both teacher and mentor, sharing the history and practical potential of his prized sword art. Their exchange is warm and teasing: Lu Cheng’s flattery amuses Han, who urges him to leave before they are driven out.
• Du Ruo expresses gratitude and trust toward Lu Cheng, while revealing her concern about the East Sun Sect’s stability and Lady Liu’s plight.

Significant themes

• Talent and instruction: Lu Cheng’s extraordinary ability contrasts with Han’s years of practice, while Lu Cheng insists that good teaching made the difference.
• Power and institutional stability: The East Sun Sect’s survival depends on its leadership and the advancement of its remaining practitioners.
• Duty versus personal concern: Lu Cheng is focused on building a new sect, but the news about Lady Liu forces him to confront neglected obligations.
• Hidden danger: Gengxin Sword Qi’s invisible attacks mirror the chapter’s unresolved threat surrounding Lady Liu and the missing herbs.

Chapter Summary: “Returning Home in Glory”

Key plot points and events

• Lu Cheng rushes from the East Sun Sect to Liu Village after hearing from Du Ruo that something may be wrong. He travels more than a thousand li in under seven days, using his vital energy to strengthen the horses he rides so he can maintain a punishing pace while cultivating.
• His dramatic passage startles a caravan, whose members mistake him for a divine figure riding a flood dragon. A scholar paints the sight and writes verses celebrating him, though Lu Cheng never learns of their reaction.
• On reaching Liu Village, Lu Cheng senses that something is amiss. A villager tells him that Liu Guicai and Liu Chang’an are at the Long Wind Escort Agency.
• At the agency, Lu Cheng finds Feng Zhan unconscious and badly injured, with Feng Qi and Feng Ji also hurt. The group explains that an opponent attacked them viciously under the pretense of a sparring match.
• The attacker’s strength threatens Liu Village’s claim to its medicinal fields. Feng Qi suggests asking Lu Cheng to seek help from the East Sun Sect, but Liu Chang’an worries this could endanger him.
• Lu Cheng arrives, insists that he came alone, and reveals that he has advanced beyond the Body Refining Realm to the Qi Refining Realm. Liu Chang’an is thrilled, believing Liu Village is now saved.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Cheng shows loyalty and urgency by leaving without delay to help his friends. His rapid journey and calm confidence reflect his growing strength. He also makes clear that he will face the problem himself rather than rely on his master or sect.
• Feng Qi remains devoted to Liu Chang’an, defending their master-disciple bond and accepting responsibility for losing the fight. He initially sees Lu Cheng as a possible source of outside help, then is astonished by Lu Cheng’s sudden advancement.
• Liu Guicai is furious at the opponent’s cruelty and concerned for the village, while Liu Chang’an feels responsible for the escorts’ injuries and fears drawing Lu Cheng into danger.
• Liu Wan’er stays beside the unconscious Feng Zhan, tending to him.
• The injured escorts and Liu family members shift from despair to hope when Lu Cheng announces his new cultivation level.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and friendship: Lu Cheng hurries to help those he considers genuine friends, while Feng Qi refuses to abandon his disciple despite the danger.
• Strength and responsibility: Lu Cheng’s advancement carries an expectation that he can protect Liu Village and its medicinal fields.
• Appearance and reputation: The caravan interprets Lu Cheng’s spectacular ride as a supernatural encounter, illustrating how impressive displays can become legend.
• Misleading appearances: What seems to be an ordinary sparring match was a near-deadly attack, and Lu Cheng’s seemingly impossible confidence is backed by a major increase in power.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Cheng learns that Liu Village’s herb-field dispute was not ordered by the lord who granted them the fields. Instead, the newly appointed steward, Xu Hong, has been diverting the profits for himself, claiming the village cannot protect the crops and that his cut is payment for guarding them.
• Lu Cheng agrees to confront Xu Hong, who is staying in Liu Village. On the way, he hears that Liu Wan’er has reached refining strength, while Liu Guicai and Liu Chang’an have also advanced but are progressing more slowly.
• Many villagers doubt that Lu Cheng can help, fearing Xu Hong’s reputation and strength. Liu Guicai and the others urge them to watch before giving up.
• Before the confrontation, Lu Cheng negotiates with Patriarch Liu Xun for twenty percent of the herb fields’ net profits if he resolves the matter. Xun agrees.
• Xu Hong tries to intimidate Lu Cheng, but Lu Cheng demands that he repay three times what he stole and clean up the stone powder he created. Xu Hong attacks and is swiftly defeated.
• Realizing Lu Cheng is in the Qi Refining Realm, Xu Hong agrees to deliver a warning to the lord: gratitude should not be repaid with hostility. Xun immediately raises Lu Cheng’s share to thirty percent.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Cheng acts decisively on the villagers’ behalf, but also shows a practical, transactional side by negotiating a share of the profits. His ease in defeating Xu Hong reveals that his strength is far beyond what his youthful appearance suggests.
• Liu Guicai, Liu Chang’an, and Liu Wan’er stand by Lu Cheng and try to rally the villagers. Their differing progress in training highlights Liu Wan’er’s exceptional advancement.
• Liu Xun shifts from caution to confidence once Lu Cheng succeeds, rewarding him with a larger share.
• Xu Hong begins arrogant and threatening, using a display of strength to intimidate the villagers. After one blow, he becomes fearful and cooperative.
• The villagers are initially resigned and distrustful of intervention, but Lu Cheng’s victory vindicates the villagers who supported giving him a chance.

Significant themes

• Justice versus exploitation: Xu Hong abuses his authority and the villagers’ vulnerability for personal gain.
• Appearance versus reality: Lu Cheng’s youth leads others to underestimate him, while Xu Hong’s threatening display proves hollow against his actual ability.
• Gratitude and obligation: Lu Cheng’s warning underscores the danger of turning a favor into resentment through corruption and betrayal.
• Pragmatism and bargaining: Lu Cheng helps the village while securing a concrete share of its future profits.

Lu Cheng agreed to help Feng Qi and the others avenge their master, then set out to uncover the secret of the Black Iron Fragments. After mapping the Dragon Whisker River against the fragments, he found the treasure’s hiding place.

• Lu Cheng taught Liu Guicai and the other two cultivation arts and martial techniques, then returned to the Long Wind Escort Agency with Feng Qi and Feng Ji.
• Feng Qi, Feng Ji, and the recovering Feng Zhan told Lu Cheng that bandits had killed their master and asked him to help avenge him; Lu Cheng agreed to go after handling his other business.
• Lu Cheng taught Zhao Cheng the River-Blocking Halberd Technique, and Zhao Cheng shared his doubts about his own talent before regaining his confidence.
• Lu Cheng visited the Dragon Whisker River, honored Old Man Ge, and used the Black Iron Fragments’ scratches to identify a section of the river’s course.
• Lu Cheng traced the river for ten days and aligned the two fragments with its mapped course, then found the location they indicated.

Lu Cheng used the Black Iron Fragment to open a hidden formation and entered a secret realm where his primal qi was suppressed. There, the Heavenly Mandate revealed the Five Elements Primordial Unity Art, and Lu Cheng learned its method for forging a five-elements foundation as he prepared to explore the pavilion.

• Lu Cheng followed the Black Iron Fragment's warmth to a rock face and spent over two hours channeling primal qi into it until the formation opened.
• Lu Cheng tested the misty entrance with a stone, Spirit Resonance Art, and a sparrow, then stepped through and plunged into water with his primal qi suppressed.
• Lu Cheng swam to a small island and found a pavilion beyond a boundary marked by five-colored tiles bearing inscriptions.
• The Heavenly Mandate detected the Five Elements Primordial Unity Art, and Lu Cheng learned that it could let a martial artist refine false five-elements sha before reaching Qi Refinement perfection.
• Lu Cheng recognized that the Lesser Longevity Art would suit the secret technique's recommended wood-aligned first step and turned his attention toward the pavilion.