Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Spirit Bone”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang spends 4,000 points to increase his Bone Root, triggering the transformation into a Spirit Bone.
• The process is extremely painful: his flesh, blood, and bones are broken down and rebuilt, with impurities expelled as foul blood, bone powder, and shattered bone fragments.
• Once the transformation ends, Xu Yang’s body is completely renewed. His skin, muscles, bones, vitality, senses, and connection to spiritual energy all improve dramatically.
• His newly formed Spirit Bone automatically absorbs spiritual energy, though its absorption rate is slightly lower than that of Duan Ming, the sixth-ranked Spirit Bone Prodigy.
• Xu Yang realizes that Spirit Bones contain immense spiritual and medicinal value, making their possessors targets for demonic cultivators and Outer Dao practitioners.
• The Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture becomes far more compatible with his body, circulating more naturally and producing purer, stronger power.
• His lifespan rises to 300 years, and his attributes increase:

Bone Root: 101

Comprehension: 101

Martial Dao Longevity Points: 46

• Xu Yang tests his ability to improve these attributes, discovering that ten points still increase either Bone Root or Comprehension by one, though small increases are no longer immediately perceptible.
• Concerned that Heavenly Strategy Academy’s teachers or other cultivators might exploit or investigate him, Xu Yang prioritizes learning how to conceal his Spirit Bone.
• He successfully cultivates the concealment art from the Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture, suppressing both the bone’s radiance and its distinctive spiritual fluctuations.
• Xu Yang remains in seclusion to refine the technique further, aiming to keep his Spirit Bone hidden even during combat.

Character Development

• Xu Yang undergoes a fundamental transformation from an ordinary cultivator into a Spirit Bone Prodigy.
• His physical strength, vitality, perception, comprehension, lifespan, and cultivation potential all rise to a new level.
• He gains a more accurate understanding of the gap between ordinary cultivators and true Spirit Bone Prodigies, recognizing that his earlier confidence had been premature.
• His caution and survival instincts deepen. Rather than revealing his newfound power, he immediately focuses on concealment and contingency plans.
• Xu Yang also becomes more aware of the dangers of the cultivation world, particularly the lengths people may go to obtain rare cultivation resources.

Significant Themes

• Transformation and rebirth: Xu Yang’s body is destroyed and rebuilt, symbolizing a complete evolution of his life and cultivation.
• Power and danger: The Spirit Bone grants extraordinary benefits but also makes Xu Yang a valuable target for those who harvest Spirit Bones for evil cultivation and alchemy.
• Secrecy and survival: Concealing his breakthrough becomes as important as achieving it, emphasizing the need to hide power in a ruthless world.
• Limits of talent: The chapter explores the relationship between Bone Root, Comprehension, and Spirit Bones, questioning whether extraordinary comprehension requires exceptional innate talent.
• Cultivation as adaptation: Xu Yang’s progress depends not only on gaining strength but also on adjusting his techniques, body, and strategy to match his new nature.

Character Interactions

• There are no direct conversations or confrontations with other characters in the chapter.
• Xu Yang reflects on Duan Ming, comparing the absorption ability of his Spirit Bone with Duan Ming’s.
• He considers Golden Feather’s remarks about ordinary-boned geniuses who can challenge Spirit Bone Prodigies.
• He worries about the possible reactions of the teachers of Heavenly Strategy Academy, fearing they might covet the secret behind his transformation.
• He also recalls the danger posed by powerful figures such as Elder Mu, recognizing that concealment techniques may fail against cultivators of vastly higher realms.

Chapter Summary: “Rewards”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Huo Xiaochen emerges from seclusion after successfully cultivating Dragon Qi, marking the Azure Dragon Tyrant Body’s entry into its beginner stage. His physical strength and combat ability increase dramatically, potentially reaching the level of Tu Gang, who possesses innate divine strength.
• Although Xiao Hui suggests that Huo Xiaochen challenge the Battle Tower again, he refuses. He knows the Spirit Bone Prodigies have already cultivated Dragon Qi and remain far ahead of him. He also wants to avoid provoking their hostility and attracting unnecessary attention.
• Huo Xiaochen plans to notify the Xiao Family, host a celebratory banquet, build relationships with fellow students, and prepare for the Final Dragon Platform. He dismisses Xu Yang as someone he could easily kill in the future.
• Meanwhile, Xu Yang completes his cultivation of the secret art that conceals Spirit Bones. He can now hide their presence and radiance unless he uses his full strength or is examined by an exceptionally powerful expert.
• Xu Yang receives a major reward of 2,000 Martial Dao Longevity Points after his Bone Root and Comprehension break through their previous limits. Rather than spending the points immediately, he decides to save them for learning to refine Spirit Origin Pills and securing future cultivation resources.
• After consuming a Spirit Origin Pill, Xu Yang discovers that his transformed Spirit Bones greatly improve his absorption and utilization of medicinal energy.
• His enhanced Comprehension also dramatically accelerates his progress in martial techniques, including the Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Fist, Extreme Prison Heaven-Slaying Art, Dragon Soaring Void Step, and the Spirit Nurturing Formula. His cultivation of spirit herbs becomes especially effective, though he worries others might notice the abnormal results.
• Recognizing that he still lacks martial techniques specifically designed for Spirit Bones, Xu Yang decides to earn academy credits through an experiential training mission.
• At the Hall of Heroes, he examines missions ranging from escort work and criminal arrests to exotic-beast hunting and herb gathering. He rejects missions involving Jade Dragon Mountain because of its extreme danger and long time commitment.
• Xu Yang ultimately becomes interested in a mission assigning him temporarily to the imperial court’s Demon Suppression Directorate as a Demon Suppression Lieutenant.

Character Developments

• Huo Xiaochen makes a significant breakthrough by cultivating Dragon Qi, becoming much stronger and more confident. However, he remains aware that he is still inferior to the Spirit Bone Prodigies and chooses caution rather than immediately seeking public recognition.
• His priorities shift toward gathering resources, expanding his influence, forming alliances, and preparing for the Final Dragon Platform.
• Xiao Hui demonstrates perceptiveness by recognizing Huo Xiaochen’s increased power and supports both his cultivation and political planning.
• Xu Yang gains greater control over his Spirit Bones, improved medicinal absorption, and exceptional comprehension. His growth becomes more efficient and versatile, but he remains pragmatic, concealing his abilities and carefully managing his limited resources.
• Xu Yang also shows increased confidence: rather than recklessly pursuing dangerous treasures, he evaluates missions strategically and chooses an opportunity that can provide experience and credits without unnecessary risk.

Significant Themes

• Power and hidden strength: Both protagonists conceal aspects of their true capabilities. Huo Xiaochen restrains his aura and avoids revealing his full progress, while Xu Yang deliberately hides his Spirit Bones.
• Strategic patience: Advancement is not portrayed as merely a contest of strength. Huo Xiaochen avoids challenging the Battle Tower prematurely, and Xu Yang saves his points instead of spending them impulsively.
• Resources and independence: Xu Yang’s lack of factional support forces him to seek his own credits and cultivation resources. His interest in pill refinement reflects a long-term plan for self-sufficiency.
• Rivalry and ambition: Huo Xiaochen views Xu Yang as an inferior rival, while Xu Yang’s rapid development suggests that this judgment may eventually be challenged.
• Risk versus reward: The dangers of Jade Dragon Mountain contrast with Xu Yang’s more calculated choice of an official experiential mission.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Hui and the maidservants congratulate Huo Xiaochen and react with awe to his newly revealed power.
• Xiao Hui encourages Huo Xiaochen to challenge the Battle Tower, but he explains why he must remain low-profile.
• Huo Xiaochen and Xiao Hui discuss Xu Yang’s rise, with Huo Xiaochen dismissing him as no threat.
• Xu Yang learns about Huo Xiaochen’s breakthrough indirectly in the dining hall, but he does not react with concern and immediately returns to improving his own cultivation.
• At the Hall of Heroes, Xu Yang encounters several familiar academy students, including Li Chuyang, Liu Rumei, Lu Wei, and Li Yunfei, before considering an official mission in the Demon Suppression Directorate.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang accepts an assignment to guard the Jade Water Cold Pool, a place with precious spirit water and valuable spirit fish, to avoid dangerous assignments and to accumulate academic points.
• Xu Yang meets Zhuang Tao, a Heavenly Origin Second Level cultivator with Blood Manifestation realm body-tempering cultivation, who is guarding the pool.
• Xu Yang meets Luo Zhao, the in-charge of the Jade Water Cold Pool, who dislikes Xu Yang and warns him to follow his rules or face consequences.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang shows caution and wisdom in choosing an assignment that keeps him safe and allows him to accumulate points.
• Luo Zhao displays hostility towards Xu Yang, likely due to a connection with someone who has a feud with Xu Yang.

Significant Themes

• The importance of accumulating resources and points for cultivation progression.
• The potential for conflict and hostility among cultivators, even within the same academy.

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang and Zhuang Tao: They meet and Zhuang Tao shows curiosity about Xu Yang's reputation and helps him meet Luo Zhao.
• Xu Yang and Luo Zhao: Luo Zhao expresses open hostility towards Xu Yang, warning him to follow his rules or face consequences.

Key Plot Points

• Xu Yang spends ten days at the Jade Water Cold Pool, significantly improving his cultivation.
• He reaches Mastery in the Eight Fiends Dragon-Subduing Force and breaks through to the sixth layer of the Extreme Prison Heaven-Slaying Art.
• Xu Yang learns about the Darkwater Spirit Loaches in the pool, which can greatly enhance body tempering.
• Zhang Cheng and Zhuang Tao try to persuade Xu Yang to steal Darkwater Spirit Loaches, but he refuses.
• An eagle delivers a master weapon-smith, Master Ma, who comes to collect water from the pool.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang's cultivation progresses rapidly due to the environment of the Jade Water Cold Pool.
• Luo Zhao continues to make things difficult for Xu Yang, ordering him to fetch water for Master Ma.
• Xu Yang stands up for himself and refuses to be used by Luo Zhao.

Significant Themes

• The importance of diligent cultivation and seizing opportunities for growth.
• The temptation of easy gains and the consequences of giving in to it.
• The struggle between maintaining one's principles and avoiding conflict with authority figures.

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang interacts with Zhang Cheng and Zhuang Tao, who try to persuade him to steal Darkwater Spirit Loaches.
• Xu Yang has a tense interaction with Luo Zhao, who tries to make him fetch water for Master Ma.
• Master Ma arrives, and many students try to curry favor with him, while Xu Yang is ordered to fetch water.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luo Zhao intentionally provokes Xu Yang to offend Master Ma, hoping to use him as a scapegoat.
• A Darkwater Spirit Loach King emerges from the Jade Water Cold Pool, killing two Heavenly Origin cultivators.
• Master Ma reveals his true colors, attacks the cultivators, and sends white-clad assassins to eliminate them.
• Xu Yang attempts to flee and call for help but is attacked by an assassin.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang demonstrates his intelligence by refusing to work for Master Ma, avoiding Luo Zhao's trap.
• Master Ma is revealed to be a narrow-minded, petty, and manipulative cultivator, using the Darkwater Spirit Loach King incident to eliminate his rivals.
• Luo Zhao's true colors are exposed as he tries to manipulate others for his survival but is ultimately betrayed by his companions.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and betrayal: Luo Zhao's attempts to use Xu Yang and the others for his gain backfire, leading to his downfall.
• Greed and ambition: The cultivators' desire for the Darkwater Spirit Loach King's power leads them to disregard their safety and loyalty to one another.
• Survival and self-preservation: The cultivators prioritize their own lives over helping each other, highlighting the harsh and unforgiving nature of their world.

Character Interactions

• Luo Zhao and Xu Yang: Luo Zhao tries to manipulate Xu Yang but underestimates him, leading to Luo Zhao's eventual demise.
• Master Ma and the cultivators: Master Ma uses the cultivators for his own gain, ultimately turning against them when they become a threat.
• The cultivators and the white-clad assassins: The cultivators are betrayed by their own kind and must fight for their lives against the assassins sent by Master Ma.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang kills Lao Wu, a Heavenly Origin Level Three cultivator, using his Extreme Prison Heaven-Slaying Art.
• Xu Yang escapes the encirclement and sets off a signal firework to alert Heavenly Strategy Academy.
• Ma Daxing and his group capture several hundred Darkwater Spirit Loaches but fail to catch the Darkwater Spirit Loach King.
• An Yuan, a Heavenly Strategy Academy teacher, arrives and pursues Ma Daxing's group.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang demonstrates his formidable combat strength, killing a Heavenly Origin Level Three cultivator and escaping from a group of powerful enemies.
• Ma Daxing is revealed to be a ruthless and ambitious weapon forger, leading a group to capture the Darkwater Spirit Loach King for personal gain.
• An Yuan, a teacher at Heavenly Strategy Academy, is shown to be highly skilled and concerned about the academy's interests.

Significant Themes

• The theme of power and its consequences is reinforced as Xu Yang's strength allows him to escape danger but also draws the ire of powerful enemies.
• The theme of ambition is shown through Ma Daxing's single-minded pursuit of the Darkwater Spirit Loach King, even at the cost of his men's lives.
• The theme of loyalty and responsibility is highlighted as An Yuan immediately pursues the thieves to protect the academy's interests.

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang and Ma Daxing's group engage in a fierce battle, with Xu Yang ultimately escaping.
• Xu Yang briefly interacts with An Yuan, providing him with information about the thieves and the stolen Darkwater Spirit Loaches.
• An Yuan pursues Ma Daxing's group, showing his commitment to protecting the academy's interests.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang lands at the Jade Water Cold Pool and catches a large Darkwater Spirit Loach, which he immediately eats to avoid detection.
• The Darkwater Spirit Loach King attacks Xu Yang in retaliation, forcing him to retreat and refine the loach's essence.
• Luo Zhao, injured and pleading for help, dies after Xu Yang refuses to save him.
• Heavenly Strategy Academy students and teachers arrive, and Xu Yang reports the incident. They leave to pursue Ma Daxing and his group, while Xu Yang continues refining the Darkwater Spirit Loach's essence.
• Golden Feather and other Heavenly Strategy Academy teachers arrive, having heard about the incident.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang demonstrates his cunning and ruthlessness by eating the Darkwater Spirit Loach and refusing to save Luo Zhao, showing his prioritization of self-interest.
• Luo Zhao's true motives are revealed, and he dies due to his underestimation of Xu Yang's ruthlessness.
• Xu Yang's Azure Dragon Tyrant Body makes significant progress due to the Darkwater Spirit Loach's essence.

Significant Themes

• Self-interest and ruthlessness: Xu Yang's actions highlight his prioritization of his own goals and survival, even at the expense of others.
• The power of cultivation resources: The Darkwater Spirit Loach's rarity and potency emphasize the importance of cultivation resources in martial artists' development.

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang and the Darkwater Spirit Loach King: Their brief encounter showcases the loach king's formidable speed and power.
• Xu Yang and Luo Zhao: Their interaction reveals Luo Zhao's true motives and ends with Luo Zhao's death at Xu Yang's hands.
• Xu Yang and Heavenly Strategy Academy students/teachers: Xu Yang reports the incident and is questioned by Han Yingjie, leading to a tense exchange. Later, he greets Golden Feather and the other teachers upon their arrival.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang returns to Heavenly Strategy Academy with Golden Feather after the incident at Jade Water Cold Pool.
• Golden Feather confirms that the Darkwater Spirit Loach King is unharmed and decides to stay at the pool to monitor it.
• Xu Yang learns that Heavenly Strategy Academy is offering bounties to catch Ma Daxing's group.
• Upon returning to the academy, Xu Yang faces questions and suspicions from other students about his survival at the cold pool.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang remains calm and composed under suspicion, showing maturity and confidence in his actions.
• Golden Feather demonstrates his expertise and concern for the academy's interests by personally checking on the Darkwater Spirit Loach King.
• Wan He, a fellow student, displays jealousy and malice towards Xu Yang, seeking to discredit him.

Significant Themes

• Luck and Fortune: Some students attribute Xu Yang's survival to luck, while Xu Yang himself knows it was due to his hidden strength and quick thinking.
• Greed and Ambition: The incident at Jade Water Cold Pool highlights the dangers of unchecked ambition and greed, as Ma Daxing's group attempts to steal the Darkwater Spirit Loaches.
• Trust and Suspicion: Xu Yang faces suspicion from other students due to the unusual circumstances of his survival, raising questions about trust and loyalty.

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang interacts with Golden Feather, showing respect and deference to his senior's experience and knowledge.
• Xu Yang has a tense exchange with Wan He, who tries to discredit him but ultimately fails to gain traction.
• Xu Yang shares a meal with Zuo Mu and Wen Shan, who express concern and support for him amidst the suspicions.

Chapter Summary: “Trouble”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Huang Yi learns that her husband, Luo Zhao, died while guarding Heavenly Strategy Academy’s Jade Water Cold Pool. Of the eight guards attacked by Ma Daxing and his accomplices, only Xu Yang survived.
• Ma Daxing had spent years planning the attack. He drugged the pool, lured out the Darkwater Spirit Loach King, killed the guards, and escaped with several hundred ordinary loaches. His fake family and identity had already been abandoned.
• Huang Yi expects the academy to compensate her because Luo Zhao died defending its property. However, Peng Lianyun explains that Xu Yang reported Luo Zhao’s negligence: he failed to inspect Ma Daxing’s container and allowed the pool to be drugged. Because of this, the academy may hold Luo Zhao responsible rather than reward him.
• When Huang Yi learns that Xu Yang survived, her old hatred resurfaces. She blames him for her junior brother Lin Jingyu’s death and accuses him of colluding with Ma Daxing and deliberately slandering Luo Zhao to prevent compensation.
• Peng Lianyun warns her not to confront the teachers without proof, especially while the academy is searching for Ma Daxing. She reluctantly agrees to identify Luo Zhao’s body first.
• Meanwhile, Ma Daxing and his companions hide in an underground cave in Jade Dragon Mountain. Their mysterious superior, Young Master Yu, angrily punishes Ma Daxing for failing to capture the Darkwater Spirit Loach King.
• Ma Daxing explains that Xu Yang disrupted the plan by killing Lao Wu in only two strikes and launching signal fireworks. Young Master Yu is shocked by Xu Yang’s hidden strength, recognizes him as a serious threat, and orders the group to remain hidden while receiving antidotes and cultivating with the loaches they captured.
• The next morning, Xu Yang checks his Status Panel. He receives points for killing Luo Zhao, obtaining a Darkwater Spirit Loach, and leaving the Jade Water Cold Pool, confirming that the area had become dangerous.
• Xu Yang receives no reward for saving the loach king or protecting the academy’s interests. He interprets this as a warning that the incident is tied to an even stronger force behind Ma Daxing. He expects further retaliation but does not regret sending the signal, since failing to act would have endangered him and made him responsible for the loach king’s capture.

Character Developments

• Huang Yi: Her grief quickly becomes anger and suspicion. Her resentment toward Xu Yang overwhelms her judgment, though Peng Lianyun’s warning forces her to restrain herself temporarily. Her concern for compensation also reveals her practical, self-interested priorities.
• Xu Yang: His true combat ability is exposed when he kills Lao Wu swiftly, surprising both Ma Daxing and Young Master Yu. He becomes more cautious and realizes that his survival has drawn the attention of a powerful hidden enemy.
• Ma Daxing: Once confident in his years-long plan, he is reduced to fear and submission after its failure. He shifts the blame to Xu Yang and bargains for his companions’ survival.
• Young Master Yu: Revealed as the mastermind behind the operation. He is ruthless, powerful, and suspicious of Xu Yang’s concealed abilities, deciding that Xu Yang must eventually be eliminated.
• Peng Lianyun: Acts as Huang Yi’s voice of caution and reason, preventing her from making an impulsive accusation against Xu Yang or the academy.

Significant Themes

• Grief distorted by resentment: Huang Yi’s mourning is inseparable from her hatred of Xu Yang, causing her to assume guilt without evidence.
• Responsibility and accountability: Luo Zhao’s death does not automatically make him a hero; his negligence may have contributed to the disaster, raising questions about duty and consequences.
• Hidden strength and deception: Xu Yang’s concealed power surprises the conspirators, while Ma Daxing’s false identity and Young Master Yu’s secret scheme reveal a world of layered plots.
• Power and exploitation: The immense value of the Darkwater Spirit Loach King motivates years of preparation, betrayal, murder, and manipulation.
• Danger beneath apparent victory: Although Xu Yang survives and protects the academy’s property, the absence of a system reward suggests that the real conflict has only begun.

Character Interactions

• Huang Yi and Peng Lianyun discuss Luo Zhao’s death, the academy’s likely refusal to compensate her, and Xu Yang’s alleged role in the incident.
• Huang Yi’s hostility toward Xu Yang clashes with Peng Lianyun’s caution and uncertainty.
• Young Master Yu humiliates and threatens Ma Daxing, demanding an explanation for the failed operation.
• Ma Daxing reports Xu Yang’s strength and offers to have his group kill him, while Young Master Yu orders them to hide and postpone retaliation.
• Xu Yang interacts indirectly with all these characters: his actions expose Luo Zhao’s negligence, ruin Young Master Yu’s plan, and make him the target of both Huang Yi’s personal hatred and the conspirators’ revenge.

Key Plot Points and Events

• News of the Jade Water Cold Pool incident spreads, and a bounty of 2000 credits is offered for information leading to the capture of Ma Daxing's group.
• Xu Yang is approached by several students seeking information, including Yang Ao and Gu Qingfeng.
• Xu Yang sells a seized Spirit Weapon to Yang Ao for 300 spirit coins.
• Gu Qingfeng invites Xu Yang to join forces to find Ma Daxing's group, but Xu Yang declines.
• Xu Yang is summoned by Golden Feather, who informs him of his reward options for the incident: choose a Cultivation Method from the Scripture Depository or receive 500 academy points.
• Xu Yang chooses the Cultivation Method and is given Chu Nangui's writ to access the Scripture Depository.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang demonstrates his shrewdness in dealing with Yang Ao and Gu Qingfeng, showing that he's not just a fighter but also a strategic thinker.
• Xu Yang's actions and words indicate that he's not interested in taking on the task to find Ma Daxing's group, suggesting he's aware of the risks and difficulties involved.
• Golden Feather shows favor towards Xu Yang, hoping he chooses a Cultivation Method and supporting his decision.

Significant Themes

• The theme of rewards and consequences for actions is highlighted, with Xu Yang receiving a reward for his role in the Jade Water Cold Pool incident.
• The theme of caution and careful planning is emphasized, as Xu Yang declines Gu Qingfeng's invitation to find Ma Daxing's group, understanding the risks and complexities involved.

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang interacts with several students seeking information, showcasing his ability to navigate complex social situations.
• Xu Yang's interaction with Golden Feather demonstrates the teacher's favor towards him and his willingness to support Xu Yang's choices.
• Xu Yang's refusal to join forces with Gu Qingfeng to find Ma Daxing's group highlights their differing views on the situation and the risks involved.

Chapter Summary: “Hatred”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After parting with Golden Feather, Xu Yang considers how to spend his credits. He initially debates between obtaining a Spirit Bone martial skill and the later stages of the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture, but decides to choose whichever costs more.
• Xu Yang encounters Huang Yi, Luo Zhao’s widow, who glares at him with intense hatred. He realizes that she likely blames him for her husband’s death and the loss of her pension.
• Huang Yi confronts Golden Feather, accusing Xu Yang of slandering Luo Zhao and demanding that he be expelled. Golden Feather firmly states that Xu Yang told the truth, warns Huang Yi that the Academy has already shown mercy toward Luo Zhao, and orders her to leave.
• Humiliated and furious, Huang Yi vows to seek justice. Peng Lianyun warns her not to act recklessly within Heavenly Strategy Academy, but her hatred toward Xu Yang only deepens.
• Xu Yang claims his fifty-credit reward from the Heavenly Strategy Stormcloud List at the Logistics Hall. He then heads to the Scripture Depository, intending to select a cultivation method before using the Spirit Tower.
• He discovers three Spirit Bone martial skills, each costing 1,800 credits: the Primordial Dragon Elephant Fist, Eight Desolations Demon-Suppressing Fist, and Limitless God-Extinguishing Palm.
• Because Xu Yang cultivates the Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture, he selects the Primordial Dragon Elephant Fist as the most compatible option.
• He searches for the later portions of the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture but initially fails to find them in the saber technique or secret art sections.
• Wu You approaches and explains that the scripture is categorized as a mental cultivation method. Xu Yang finds both the Marrow Cleansing Chapter, costing 600 credits, and the Heavenly Origin Chapter, costing 2,000 credits.
• Since the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture is more expensive than the Spirit Bone martial skill, Xu Yang decides to exchange for it. Wu You is surprised that Xu Yang can afford such an expensive cultivation method.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang: Shows careful judgment regarding his cultivation path. He recognizes that his mind cultivation is lagging behind his physical and Spirit Bone abilities, making the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture increasingly important. He also demonstrates confidence and openness by not hiding his interest in the scripture from Wu You.
• Huang Yi: Her grief transforms into overwhelming hatred and a desire for revenge. After losing her husband, her junior brother, and the pension she expected, she becomes increasingly reckless and hostile toward Xu Yang and the Academy.
• Golden Feather: Establishes himself as a powerful and impartial teacher. Though he supports Xu Yang, he insists that his defense is based on the truth rather than favoritism and decisively suppresses Huang Yi’s confrontation.
• Wu You: Appears outwardly helpful and knowledgeable, but Xu Yang suspects he may be trying to observe or embarrass him. Nevertheless, Wu You provides the key information Xu Yang needs.
• Peng Lianyun: Acts as a voice of caution, warning Huang Yi not to provoke the Academy or act impulsively.

Significant Themes

• Hatred and revenge: Huang Yi’s grief becomes concentrated hatred toward Xu Yang, setting up a possible future conflict.
• Truth versus personal loyalty: Golden Feather emphasizes that Luo Zhao’s reputation cannot be protected simply because he is dead or because Huang Yi loved him.
• The cost of advancement: Powerful cultivation methods require enormous numbers of credits, making progress dependent not only on talent but also on resources and long-term accumulation.
• Compatibility in cultivation: Xu Yang chooses the Primordial Dragon Elephant Fist because it complements the Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture, emphasizing the importance of cultivating techniques that work together.
• Knowledge and classification: Xu Yang’s failure to find the scripture highlights how vast and complex the Academy’s Scripture Depository is. Correct knowledge of the Academy’s organization is crucial.

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang and Huang Yi exchange a silent but hostile glance, revealing the intensity of her resentment.
• Huang Yi confronts Golden Feather, but he rejects her accusations, defends Xu Yang’s honesty, and threatens consequences if she continues.
• Peng Lianyun attempts to restrain Huang Yi and prevent her from taking rash action.
• Xu Yang interacts politely with Wu You despite suspecting that Wu You has ulterior motives. Wu You explains where the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture is located and reacts with surprise to Xu Yang’s ability to afford it.

Chapter Summary: Spirit Tower

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang reveals that his contribution during the Jade Water Cold Pool incident earned him a special reward from the dean: the right to select any technique from the Scripture Depository.
• Wu You and the surrounding students become envious, having expected Xu Yang to lack credits and embarrass himself. Xu Yang instead gains access to a reward equivalent to thousands of credits.
• Xu Yang exchanges the reward for the complete Heavenly Origin Chapter of the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture, rejecting the more commonly recommended Purple Extreme Heaven-Burning Technique and True Martial Demon-Subduing Formula.
• The Scripture Depository’s teacher and other students view his choice as reckless because the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture is notoriously difficult to cultivate.
• Elder Mu approves of Xu Yang’s decision, believing he should build upon his existing foundation in the scripture rather than rush into Spirit Bone martial arts.
• Elder Mu learns that Xu Yang earned the reward by rescuing the Darkwater Spirit Loach King from Ma Daxing, a weapon-forging master who had captured hundreds of Darkwater Spirit Loaches. Elder Mu reacts furiously because of the creature’s immense value and his own interest in eating it.
• In the secret room, Xu Yang begins cultivating the scripture. Despite the technique’s difficulty, he quickly brings the Heavenly Origin Chapter to the “entered the door” stage, gaining a large number of points and credits.
• The mental strain leaves him exhausted, so he returns to his courtyard and sleeps. After waking refreshed, he strengthens his status through the panel and prepares to enter the Spirit Tower.
• The chapter ends as Xu Yang arrives near the enormous Spirit Tower, whose runes draw in vast amounts of spiritual energy and create powerful winds and pressure.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang demonstrates confidence, decisiveness, and an unusual willingness to pursue the most difficult path. His rapid progress proves that his choice was not impulsive: his extraordinary comprehension and powerful mind allow him to cultivate the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture successfully.
• Wu You shifts from smug anticipation to jealousy and then schadenfreude. He comforts himself by believing Xu Yang has ruined his future by choosing an overly difficult technique.
• Elder Mu becomes more supportive of Xu Yang. He recognizes that continuing the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture is strategically wiser than prematurely pursuing Spirit Bone martial arts.
• Lu Ren shows greater insight than the others. Unlike Wan He and Wu You, he suspects Xu Yang chose the scripture because he genuinely believed he could master it.
• Wan He displays arrogance and overconfidence, insisting Xu Yang cannot succeed and even joking that he will take Xu Yang’s surname if proven wrong.
• Ma Daxing, though absent, is established as the weapon-forging master responsible for endangering the Darkwater Spirit Loach King.

Significant Themes

• Envy and narrow judgment: The students judge Xu Yang’s decision based on their own limitations, assuming that what they cannot master must also be impossible for him.
• Confidence versus recklessness: Xu Yang’s choice initially appears arrogant, but his rapid breakthrough reveals that it is supported by hidden ability and careful strategy.
• The importance of foundations: Elder Mu emphasizes that true strength comes from building a solid base rather than chasing powerful techniques prematurely.
• Mental cultivation and personal potential: The Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture requires exceptional spiritual strength and comprehension, highlighting Xu Yang’s unusual talent.
• Recognition and opportunity: Xu Yang’s reward shows how heroic actions can create opportunities unavailable through ordinary credit accumulation.
• Foreshadowing and escalation: His successful cultivation and arrival at the Spirit Tower suggest the next stage of growth and a more demanding trial.

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang and Wu You: Xu Yang politely reveals his reward and leaves, while Wu You struggles to hide his jealousy. Later, Wu You mocks Xu Yang’s technique choice to his companions.
• Xu Yang and the Scripture Depository teacher: Xu Yang presents Chu Nangui’s authorization and selects the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture. The teacher is surprised but respects his authority to choose.
• Xu Yang and Elder Mu: Elder Mu initially approves of Xu Yang’s decision, then reacts with shock upon learning how he obtained the necessary reward. He escorts Xu Yang to the secret chamber.
• Wu You, Wan He, Ge Zhiwen, and Lu Ren: At dinner, Wu You recounts Xu Yang’s choice. Wan He and the others ridicule it, while Lu Ren quietly suspects Xu Yang may actually succeed. Wan He confidently challenges that belief.
• Xu Yang and the Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture: Xu Yang’s direct cultivation results in an immediate breakthrough, validating his decision and setting him apart from the skeptical students.

Chapter Summary: “Breakthrough”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang arrives at the Spirit Tower and joins the line to enter. He encounters Leng Qiuyue, the academy’s second-ranked Spirit Bone Prodigy, and Li Xun, the third-ranked prodigy, who cuts into the line to stand near her.
• Using his reward from the Heavenly Strategy Stormcloud List, Xu Yang purchases three days of cultivation in Room 502 of the Spirit Tower.
• Inside the room, he unseals his hidden Spirit Bone and cultivates continuously with the Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture. The tower’s spiritual energy remains at ten times its normal density, allowing him to make progress equivalent to nearly a month of ordinary cultivation.
• After three days, his Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture reaches 7661/10000 on the second layer. He narrowly misses an immediate breakthrough to the Heavenly Origin Third Layer but becomes confident he can achieve it during his next Spirit Tower session.
• When Xu Yang leaves, he witnesses Leng Qiuyue emerge from the tower after breaking through to the Heavenly Origin Third Layer.
• Over the following days, Li Xun, Zhang Bo, Xiao Yun, and Duan Ming also break through to the same level, leaving other students intimidated by the rapidly advancing Spirit Bone Prodigies.
• The search for the Darkwater Spirit Loaches from the Jade Water Cold Pool is eventually abandoned after the major powers fail to find them.
• Xu Yang continues cultivating and refining the remaining essence of the Darkwater Spirit Loach. After another month, both his Dragon Elephant Tyrant Body and Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture progress exceed 9000.
• Sun Tao returns from Jade Dragon Mountain with a major harvest. He visits Xu Yang, and the two invite Jiang Fan to drink together. Sun Tao reveals that he expects to perfect the Heavenly Origin Second Layer within a month.
• After several more days of cultivation, Xu Yang’s Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture reaches 9210/10000. He decides he is ready to attempt his own breakthrough and heads back to the Spirit Tower.

2. Character Developments

• Xu Yang: Makes major progress through disciplined cultivation and gains confidence in reaching the Heavenly Origin Third Layer. He remains cautious about concealing his Spirit Bone and begins considering Jade Dragon Mountain as both a source of resources and a possible explanation for his unusual talent.
• Leng Qiuyue: Demonstrates her exceptional talent by breaking through to the Heavenly Origin Third Layer before the other prodigies. Her cold, distant attitude toward Li Xun remains unchanged.
• Li Xun: Shows arrogance and disregard for ordinary rules by cutting in line, while also persistently attempting to engage Leng Qiuyue despite her obvious lack of interest. He later breaks through to the Heavenly Origin Third Layer.
• Sun Tao: Returns considerably stronger after his expedition through Jade Dragon Mountain. His successful harvest gives Xu Yang a more favorable view of the mountain’s risks and benefits.
• Jiang Fan: Reconnects with Xu Yang and Sun Tao after returning from the expedition, joining them for a drinking gathering.

3. Significant Themes

• Talent versus steady effort: The Spirit Bone Prodigies advance rapidly because of their extraordinary innate gifts, but Xu Yang’s unique ability to cultivate without bottlenecks allows him to steadily close the gap.
• Hidden strength and secrecy: Xu Yang must conceal his Spirit Bone and avoid attracting suspicion. He begins planning how to explain his power if it is ever exposed.
• Risk and opportunity: The Jade Water Cold Pool appeared safe but became extremely dangerous when outsiders attacked it. By contrast, Jade Dragon Mountain offers controllable dangers and valuable resources if approached carefully.
• The importance of resources: The Spirit Tower dramatically accelerates cultivation, but its cost limits Xu Yang’s use of it. His future progress depends on obtaining more credits, herbs, pills, and treasures.
• Competition among prodigies: The consecutive breakthroughs of the Spirit Bone Prodigies widen the visible gap between them and ordinary students, increasing the pressure on Xu Yang to advance.

4. Character Interactions

• Xu Yang stands behind Leng Qiuyue in the Spirit Tower line and silently observes her while Li Xun cuts in front of him.
• Li Xun tries to converse with Leng Qiuyue and behaves as though he is being friendly, but she repeatedly ignores him.
• Xu Yang briefly acknowledges Leng Qiuyue after witnessing her breakthrough but does not engage her further.
• Sun Tao visits Xu Yang after returning from Jade Dragon Mountain. They discuss Sun Tao’s gains, the relative dangers of different training locations, and the possibility of Xu Yang eventually entering the mountain.
• Xu Yang, Sun Tao, and Jiang Fan share a drinking session, strengthening their camaraderie.
• The chapter ends with Xu Yang departing for the Spirit Tower, prepared to pursue his own breakthrough to the Heavenly Origin Third Layer.

Chapter Summary: “Dragon-Bone Elephant Body”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang arrives at the Spirit Tower and joins the queue, coincidentally standing behind Leng Qiuyue once again.
• Li Xun, the third Spirit Bone Prodigy, mocks Xu Yang for supposedly pursuing Leng Qiuyue and cuts in front of him. Xu Yang avoids confrontation, calmly explaining that their meeting is coincidental.
• After waiting, Xu Yang enters a private chamber on the seventh floor and begins cultivating the Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture.
• Over two and a half days, his cultivation reaches the limit of the scripture’s second layer. After resting, he uses the insights from his Status Panel to attempt a breakthrough.
• The breakthrough triggers a dramatic transformation: his blood and qi surge, his body expands and contracts, his Spirit Bone radiates power, and the early signs of the Dragon-Bone Elephant Body appear.
• Xu Yang effortlessly breaks through from the Heavenly Origin Second Layer to the Heavenly Origin Third Layer, a bottleneck that normally takes Spirit Bone Prodigies weeks or other cultivators years to overcome.
• His new power is refined and consolidated as his Spirit Bone absorbs the increased Astral Essence. His lifespan rises to 303 years, likely because his body remains permanently at its youthful peak.
• Xu Yang realizes that although he has reached the same cultivation realm as the Spirit Bone Prodigies, his Azure Dragon Tyrant Body is still inferior to theirs, meaning he may not yet defeat them in combat.
• With his battle intent surging, Xu Yang leaves the Spirit Tower and heads to the Battle Tower to test his newly acquired strength.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang: Makes a major advancement from the Heavenly Origin Second Layer to the Third Layer. His physical body becomes stronger through the Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture, showing the first traits of the Dragon-Bone Elephant Body. His Azure Dragon Tyrant Body also advances, and his lifespan increases. Though stronger and more confident, he remains cautious and realistically assesses himself as potentially weaker than established Spirit Bone Prodigies.
• Leng Qiuyue: Remains distant and largely indifferent toward both Xu Yang and Li Xun. Her restrained responses to Li Xun suggest she does not hold him in particularly high regard.
• Li Xun: Displays arrogance and entitlement by insulting Xu Yang and cutting in line. His behavior reinforces his confidence as a Spirit Bone Prodigy, though Leng Qiuyue’s lack of interest diminishes his apparent influence.

Significant Themes

• Rapid growth versus conventional cultivation: Xu Yang’s Status Panel allows him to overcome bottlenecks that normally require years of effort, highlighting his extraordinary advantage.
• Physical cultivation and transformation: The Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture strengthens both Xu Yang’s internal power and physical body, emphasizing the unity of body, blood, Spirit Bone, and cultivation.
• Humility and restraint: Despite possessing overwhelming potential, Xu Yang avoids provoking Li Xun and acknowledges that he may still be inferior to stronger Spirit Bone Prodigies.
• Youth and vitality: Xu Yang’s permanently youthful body becomes a source of unusual longevity and cultivation potential.
• The desire to test one’s strength: After breaking through, Xu Yang feels an intense urge to fight, setting up his visit to the Battle Tower.

Important Character Interactions

• Xu Yang and Leng Qiuyue repeatedly encounter one another by coincidence, creating mutual suspicion but no romantic interest from Xu Yang’s side.
• Li Xun confronts Xu Yang verbally, accusing him of coveting Leng Qiuyue and warning him not to pursue someone beyond his status.
• Leng Qiuyue gives Li Xun only minimal replies, indicating her indifference toward his attempts to converse.
• Xu Yang chooses not to escalate the dispute, instead focusing on cultivation and later seeking a controlled battle to measure his progress.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang rushes to the Battle Tower, eager to test his recently increased strength after breaking through to the Heavenly Origin Third Layer.
• He discovers that his ranking on the Heavenly Strategy Stormcloud List has fallen from eighty-fifth to eighty-eighth because other students have improved.
• The Battle Tower’s guardians scale to the challenger’s cultivation. Since Xu Yang is now at the Heavenly Origin Third Layer, even the first-floor guardian is at the peak of that level, while the ninth floor contains nine opponents of equivalent strength.
• Xu Yang doubts whether he can repeat his previous ninth-floor achievement, much less reach the tenth floor, which would place him around the top seventy.
• He meets Zuo Mu and Wen Shan, who have also grown stronger, though they remain at the middle stages of the Heavenly Origin Second Layer.
• Li Chuyang, previously absent from the rankings, reaches the ninth floor after receiving expensive body-tempering medicine from his family. He kills two of the nine guardians before being defeated and rises to eighty-fourth place.
• Li Chuyang challenges Xu Yang to a sparring match, hoping to avenge his earlier defeat. Xu Yang refuses, knowing his current strength is vastly greater and that he could seriously injure or kill Li Chuyang.
• Lu Ren and Du Ziming mock Xu Yang for avoiding the fight and criticize his attempt to cultivate the extremely difficult Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture.
• After waiting, Xu Yang finally enters the Battle Tower. The tower sees through his Formless Thousand Illusions Art and correctly identifies his true cultivation as the Heavenly Origin Third Layer.
• The first-floor guardian attacks with peak Heavenly Origin Third Layer strength. Xu Yang stops concealing his power and counters with a powerful punch enhanced by the Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture.

2. Character Developments

• Xu Yang: Has advanced to the Heavenly Origin Third Layer and is increasingly eager to fight. Though he appears to be at the Second Layer, his true strength is much higher. He remains cautious about revealing his abilities and refuses to fight Li Chuyang because the contest would be unfair and potentially deadly. His mastery of the Dragon Elephant Heart Scripture is still incomplete.
• Li Chuyang: Shows major progress through body-tempering resources and reaches the ninth floor of the Battle Tower. His ranking rises to eighty-fourth, surpassing Xu Yang, which boosts his confidence and revives his desire for revenge.
• Zuo Mu and Wen Shan: Have improved significantly but remain behind Xu Yang and the leading geniuses.
• Lu Ren: Has gained status after forging a Mid-Grade Spirit Weapon and now attaches himself to influential figures such as Li Chuyang. His opportunistic nature contrasts with his former association with Xu Yang.
• Du Ziming: Continues to antagonize Xu Yang and interprets his refusal to fight as cowardice.
• Other geniuses: Wan He, Qiu He, and Ge Zhiwen have entered the rankings, while Spirit Bone Prodigies such as Qi Ning and Leng Qiuyue remain relatively stable.

3. Significant Themes

• Combat as a means of growth: The Battle Tower emphasizes that true martial advancement requires repeated battles, hardship, and confronting one’s weaknesses.
• Competition and changing rankings: Rankings constantly shift as students improve, showing the instability of status and the pressure to keep progressing.
• Hidden strength and restraint: Xu Yang deliberately conceals his cultivation and must balance personal growth with the need to avoid exposing his true abilities.
• Resources versus talent: Li Chuyang’s rapid improvement demonstrates how powerful resources and family wealth can accelerate cultivation, even though talent and combat experience remain essential.
• Pride and revenge: Li Chuyang’s challenge stems from humiliation over his previous defeat, while Xu Yang refuses to indulge in a battle that would merely satisfy Li Chuyang’s pride.
• The difficulty of supreme techniques: The Blood Prison Heart Saber Scripture is treated as nearly impossible for freshmen to master, highlighting Xu Yang’s ambition and the skepticism of those around him.

4. Character Interactions

• Xu Yang speaks with the Battle Tower teacher, registers, and waits for his turn.
• Zuo Mu and Wen Shan greet Xu Yang and encourage him to improve his ranking.
• The crowd watches Li Chuyang’s successful tower challenge and celebrates his rise in rank.
• Li Chuyang directly challenges Xu Yang, but Xu Yang dismisses the invitation.
• Du Ziming and Lu Ren provoke Xu Yang, accusing him of cowardice and ridiculing his chosen cultivation technique. Xu Yang ignores them.
• Li Chuyang remains uncertain whether Xu Yang has improved, while Lu Ren tries to reassure him that Xu Yang has made little progress.
• The chapter ends with Xu Yang entering combat and confronting the first guardian with his full strength.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang, having recently broken through to the third level of Heavenly Origin, challenges the Battle Tower to vent his battle intent.
• He fights and defeats gatekeepers on each floor, using different martial skills and techniques, culminating in reaching the ninth floor.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang: Exhibits immense strength and battle intent, venting his power through fights with gatekeepers. He shows no signs of using his full strength, hinting at further growth.
• Lu Ren, Li Chuyang, Du Ziming, Zuo Mu, Wen Shan: Discuss Xu Yang's progress and his ambitious nature, with Wen Shan defending Xu Yang's choices.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and determination: Xu Yang's unyielding pursuit of strength to contend with spirit-bone prodigies, despite the difficulty of his chosen cultivation methods.
• Growth and improvement: Xu Yang's continuous challenge of the Battle Tower reflects his personal growth and improvement, even if it's not immediately apparent to others.

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang's interactions with the gatekeepers showcase his prowess and battle intent, with no significant interactions with other characters in this chapter.
• Outside the tower, Lu Ren, Li Chuyang, Du Ziming, Zuo Mu, and Wen Shan discuss Xu Yang's progress, revealing their thoughts and opinions about him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang faces nine powerful gatekeepers on the ninth floor of the Battle Tower.
• He uses his Azure Dragon Tyrant Body, Eight Fiends Dragon-Subduing Force, and Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Fist against the gatekeepers' combined saber attack.
• Despite his powerful techniques, Xu Yang is still sent flying and injured. He concedes the challenge.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang demonstrates his improved strength and resilience, lasting longer on the ninth floor than before.
• He regains his former position on the Heavenly Strategy Stormcloud List, surpassing Li Chuyang.

Significant Themes

• Persistence and resilience in the face of adversity.
• The importance of cultivation and continuous improvement.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponents.

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang's friends, Zuo Mu and Wen Shan, support him after his challenge.
• Lu Ren and Du Ziming react with disbelief and dismay at Xu Yang's improved ranking.

Summary of Chapter "Falling Out"

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang improves his rank on the Heavenly Strategy Stormcloud List, rising from 85th to 84th.
• Zuo Mu and Wen Shan make it onto the Heavenly Strategy Stormcloud List, ranking 99th and 100th respectively.
• Xu Yang learns about Ye Qiuling's falling out with Wu Xiuyuan and Wu Xiuyuan's declaration to isolate her.
• Ye Qiuling visits Xu Yang, asking to borrow 50 academy credits for seclusion in the Martial Tower.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang breaks through to the third layer of Heavenly Origin, consolidates his cultivation, and gains control over his increased strength.
• Ye Qiuling's ambition is revealed as she aims for a spirit-bone prodigy, leading to her falling out with Wu Xiuyuan.
• Zuo Mu and Wen Shan gain confidence and improve their ranks, showing growth as characters.

Significant Themes

• Ambition vs. Humility: Ye Qiuling's ambition leads her to use and discard Wu Xiuyuan, while Xu Yang remains humble and focused on his cultivation.
• Friendship and Loyalty: Zuo Mu and Wen Shan show loyalty to Xu Yang by warning him about Ye Qiuling and Wu Xiuyuan's situation.

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang interacts with Zuo Mu, Wen Shan, and Ye Qiuling, showing understanding and support for his friends while maintaining a guarded attitude towards Ye Qiuling.
• Ye Qiuling interacts with Xu Yang, attempting to use him for her own gain, showing a manipulative side to her character.
• Wu Xiuyuan is mentioned but not present, showing his humiliation and isolation after Ye Qiuling's rejection.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Qiuling asks Xu Yang for fifty merit points to enter seclusion in the Martial Tower, but he refuses.
• Xu Yang cultivates the Azure Dragon Tyrant Body and decides to buy pills with his remaining spirit coins.
• Xu Yang heads to Wu Family Fort and learns about the Tiger-Subduing Gang's increased bullying, led by Pang Xiong.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang's Cultivation Base reaches the third level of Heavenly Origin, and he continues to cultivate the Azure Dragon Tyrant Body.
• Ye Qiuling's schemes are revealed, and she falls out with Wu Xiuyuan.
• Pang Xiong, the new leader of the Tiger-Subduing Gang, is introduced as a formidable third-level Heavenly Origin martial artist.

Significant Themes

• The struggle for resources and power in the martial world.
• The consequences of scheming and manipulation (Ye Qiuling's fallout with Wu Xiuyuan).
• The impact of bullying and oppression on the common people (the old farmer's spirit herb being stolen).

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang and Ye Qiuling: Xu Yang refuses to help Ye Qiuling, leading to a tense interaction.
• Xu Yang and the people of Wu Family Fort: Xu Yang learns about Pang Xiong's increased bullying and decides to target the Tiger-Subduing Gang's treasury again.
• Fang Xu and Huo Xiaochen: Fang Xu tries to convince Huo Xiaochen to kill Xu Yang, but Huo Xiaochen refuses.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Yang infiltrates the Tiger-Subduing Gang, observing its defenses and finding the Two-Horned Tiger alive and stronger.
• He encounters three Heavenly Origin martial artists who had previously robbed an old farmer, intending to take care of them along with the Tiger-Subduing Gang.
• Inside the Tiger-Subduing Gang's main hall, Pang Xiong reveals that the Fang Family wants Xu Yang killed. Xu Yang decides to act immediately.
• Xu Yang attacks the Tiger-Subduing Gang with a powerful punch, destroying a large area and killing many gang members, including Pang Xiong's subordinates.
• Pang Xiong retaliates with a blade strike, which Xu Yang dodges, and they engage in combat.

Character Developments

• Xu Yang demonstrates his increased strength and strategic thinking, planning and executing a surprise attack on the Tiger-Subduing Gang.
• Pang Xiong shows his formidable power and quick reaction time, managing to counterattack after being caught off guard.

Significant Themes

• Revenge and retribution: Xu Yang seeks revenge against the Tiger-Subduing Gang for their past actions, while Pang Xiong wants to avenge his fallen subordinates.
• Strength and power: Both Xu Yang and Pang Xiong display their immense strength, highlighting the importance of power in the martial world.

Character Interactions

• Xu Yang and Pang Xiong: Their interaction is brief but intense, with Xu Yang launching a surprise attack and Pang Xiong responding with a powerful counterattack, setting the stage for a fierce battle.
• The three Heavenly Origin martial artists and Pang Xiong: They discuss the Fang Family's request to kill Xu Yang, unaware of his presence and impending attack.