Chapter Summaries

After becoming an Inner Disciple, Li Chuan visited the Scripture Pavilion, chose Geng Metal Art and Hidden Origin Art, and returned to his room to begin cultivating. He sensed the effects of the True Art and prepared to taste his monthly Silver Marrow Soup.

• Li Chuan presented his Inner Disciple token and entered the Scripture Pavilion’s second floor to browse its arts.
• He chose Geng Metal Art and Hidden Origin Art, paying three hundred taels for the manuals.
• The old steward warned Li Chuan not to disclose the sect’s secret teachings and wondered why a disciple from Four Peaks had chosen Geng Metal Art.
• Li Chuan returned to his private room in Middle Courtyard and began learning Geng Metal Art, which stirred his blood and energy toward his dantian.
• Li Chuan recalled the stages leading from Transforming Force to Core Formation and lifted his jar of Silver Marrow Soup to try it.

Li Chuan cultivated the Geng Metal Art with Silver Marrow Soup, then went to the Mission Hall seeking work to fund his training. After learning that black-plaque assignments were reserved for Core Disciples, he paid the deacon for guidance and was offered a place on a Mountain Search Squad.

• Li Chuan used the Silver Marrow Soup to cultivate the Geng Metal Art, increasing his proficiency to 21/500 and sensing that his internal force had become more condensed and sharp.
• Li Chuan worried that martial arts training was too expensive and decided to seek assignments at the Heavenly Blade Sect's Mission Hall.
• Li Chuan discovered that only Core Disciples could take black-plaque assignments, while inner sect disciples were limited to yellow plaques.
• Li Chuan paid the Goatee Deacon a hundred-tael banknote and explained that he excelled at combat techniques and actual combat.
• The Goatee Deacon offered Li Chuan a Mountain Search Squad assignment to search North Wild Mountain for ten jin of Mystic Ginseng Fruit for three hundred taels.

Li Chuan joined the Mountain Search Squad to pursue a Mystic Ginseng Fruit and learned that Squad Leader Wei Kai extorted newcomers. After Li Chuan accepted the demand for half his first mission’s gains, Gao Bo pressured Wei Kai to arrange his death for a demonic sect that wanted the corpses of righteous disciples.

• Li Chuan accepted the Mystic Ginseng Fruit mission, bought a saber to conceal his fighting style, and reported to the Mountain Search Squad.
• Xia Qiyuan warned Li Chuan that Wei Kai and his allies exploited newcomers, while Deacon Ren Ping ignored their conduct.
• Wei Kai demanded half of Li Chuan’s gains from his first mission, and Li Chuan calmly agreed.
• Wei Kai gave Li Chuan the Mountain Exploration Record, which instantly filled Li Chuan’s mind with mountain-search knowledge and skills.
• Gao Bo told Wei Kai he wanted Li Chuan, then threatened to expose Wei Kai’s collusion with the Yaoguang Holy Sect if he refused.
• Wei Kai yielded, and Gao Bo promised to split the reward for supplying the Demon Envoy with righteous disciples’ corpses.

Wei Kai and Gao Bo planned to kill Li Chuan during the Mountain Search Squad mission, and Wei Kai pretended to befriend him as they climbed North Wild Mountain. Li Chuan recognized their deception and, when Wei Kai released an insect supposedly tracking Mystic Ginseng Fruit, realized it was actually a White-Veined Insect used to track Rock-Splitting Bears.

• Gao Bo persuaded Wei Kai to kill Li Chuan and conceal the murder as a Monster Beast attack, and Wei Kai abandoned his hesitation.
• Wei Kai warmly reassured Li Chuan before setting out with him and Gao Bo, while Li Chuan hid his suspicion after learning from Xia Qiyuan that the men were a clique with Feng Junyi.
• Feng Junyi saw the three leave and watched them thoughtfully.
• As they climbed North Wild Mountain, Wei Kai questioned Li Chuan about his background, then described the mountain and its dangerous regions alongside Gao Bo.
• Wei Kai released a Six-Winged Black-Veined Insect that he claimed would lead them to Mystic Ginseng Fruit, but Li Chuan recognized it as a White-Veined Insect used to track Rock-Splitting Bears.

Li Chuan joined Wei Kai and Gao Bo on a mission to gather Mystic Ginseng Fruit, while the two men secretly planned to kill him. After Li Chuan felled a Wind Wolf with his blade, he suddenly struck at Wei Kai and Gao Bo.

• Yu Jing interrupted Wei Kai and Gao Bo’s attempt to deceive Li Chuan, then pointed them toward the Mystic Ginseng Fruit before leaving.
• Wei Kai and Gao Bo abandoned their plan to use a Rock-Splitting Bear and decided to attack Li Chuan after they gathered the fruit.
• The three traveled north, and Li Chuan swiftly cut down a Wind Wolf that lunged at him.
• Wei Kai praised Li Chuan’s Heavenly River Blade Technique and explained how to harvest the Mystic Ginseng Fruit.
• Li Chuan thanked Wei Kai, then flashed his blade at the two men and declared, “You can die in peace now!”

Li Chuan defeated Wei Kai and Gao Bo after they ambushed him, while Gao Bo betrayed Wei Kai and broke through to Great Completion of Transforming Force. As Li Chuan confronted the dying Gao Bo, a gigantic rock-covered bear appeared.

• Li Chuan severed half of Wei Kai's left hand, but turned to block Gao Bo's sword attack and was caught between the two men.
• Gao Bo used poisonous insects as a feint so Wei Kai could trap Li Chuan's saber, but Li Chuan shattered Wei Kai's right arm and tore his windpipe.
• Gao Bo ripped out Wei Kai's heart, absorbed its essence and blood, and broke through to Great Completion of Transforming Force.
• Li Chuan kicked Gao Bo, destroying half his body and extinguishing his newly formed Fire Seed.
• Li Chuan lifted the dying Gao Bo and asked why he had forced him, just as a giant bear covered in pale rocks emerged.

Li Chuan killed Wei Kai and Gao Bo after learning they served the Yaoguang Holy Sect, then concealed the evidence and returned to the Mountain Search Squad with a false account of their deaths. He offered Ren Ping twenty pounds of Mystic Ginseng Fruit and proposed taking Wei Kai’s place, earning the Deacon’s wary approval.

• Li Chuan frightened off a Rock-Splitting Bear, questioned the dying Gao Bo, and learned that a Demon Envoy in the Yaoguang Holy Sect had ordered the men to target him for cultivation corpses.
• A black Gu Insect emerged from Gao Bo and tried to escape, but Li Chuan destroyed it before telling the bear to eat Gao Bo and Wei Kai.
• Li Chuan buried the men’s stolen goods, gathered about twenty pounds of Mystic Ginseng Fruit, and returned to the Mountain Search Squad.
• Li Chuan told the squad that Wei Kai and Gao Bo had sacrificed themselves to save him, though Feng Junyi rejected the story.
• Li Chuan offered Ren Ping the extra Mystic Ginseng Fruit and said he could take care of the Deacon’s work better than Wei Kai.
• Ren Ping acknowledged Li Chuan’s offer with a stiff smile and said he was very good.

Li Chuan was appointed Mountain Search Squad leader by Deacon Ren, then discovered the position brought influence over task assignments and gifts from squad members. After sharing some authority and money with Xia Qiyuan, Li Chuan noticed Feng Junyi was missing, while Feng Junyi secretly sought the Demon Envoy.

• Deacon Ren appointed Li Chuan squad leader and silenced Feng Junyi when he questioned the decision.
• Deacon Ren told Li Chuan to train toward Core Formation and hinted that helping obtain the Purple Gold Heavenly Bamboo could advance his prospects.
• Squad members warmly welcomed Li Chuan and gave him gifts as he took charge of distributing tasks.
• Li Chuan returned Xia Qiyuan's share of the gifts and delegated miscellaneous affairs to him.
• Feng Junyi left the Heavenly Blade Sect and asked to see the Demon Envoy.

After Wei Niu and Wei Ma were forbidden from seeking revenge for Wei Kai, Li Chuan counted his earnings and began cultivating with Silver Marrow Soup. He learned that the Heavenly Blade Sect was declining and ended the chapter with the beginnings of a Fire Seed forming in his dantian.

• Wei Niu and Wei Ma suspected Li Chuan had murdered Wei Kai, but Wen Boyuan ordered them to abandon revenge to protect the Thousand Peaks Sect.
• Li Chuan retrieved his buried spoils, counted a total of 1,350 taels, and hid a mysterious black leaf in his room.
• Li Chuan overheard talk that the Cloud Wilderness Sword Sect had risen above the Heavenly Blade Sect and that Lu Qiuhan's father had criticized her for giving him a sect slot.
• Li Chuan bought Silver Marrow Soup and used it with the Geng Metal Art to temper his inner force, raising his proficiency to 41/500.
• Li Chuan continued cultivating until the embryonic form of a Fire Seed began to take shape in his dantian.

Li Chuan reached Great Completion of Transforming Force and advanced the Heavenly River Blade Technique to Minor Mastery. Yu Jing explained that his blade was too weak for his strength and offered a chance to earn a better one by helping Qiu Han.

• Li Chuan used Silver Marrow Soup to form a Martial Fire Seed in his dantian and achieved Great Completion of Transforming Force.
• Li Chuan trained in the Heavenly River Blade Technique until he broke through to Minor Mastery, startling a disciple with his sharp gaze.
• Li Chuan visited Yu Jing, who praised his progress and warned him that advancing further would require sustained effort.
• Yu Jing examined Li Chuan's blade and explained that it would shatter under his full strength.
• After learning that Li Chuan had reached Great Completion of Transforming Force, Yu Jing said Qiu Han needed his help and promised he could receive a good blade if he succeeded.

Li Chuan agreed to help Lu Qiuhan compete against her sister for control of the Pill Hall’s superior-pill sales channel, believing he still owed her for his place in the Heavenly Blade Sect. At Dragon Gate Mountain, Lu Yuan began a two-hour monster-beast hunting contest, and Li Chuan confirmed there were no other rules.

• Yu Jing told Li Chuan that Lu Qiuhan and Lu Qiujing were competing for their father Lu Yuan’s superior-pill sales channel, with Lu Qiujing recruiting Ghost Blade Liu Kun.
• Lu Yuan criticized Lu Qiuhan for giving her Heavenly Blade Sect spot to Li Chuan, while Lu Qiujing mocked his low-grade bone constitution and praised Liu Kun.
• Lu Qiuhan asked Li Chuan to help her win the contest, and Li Chuan agreed after learning about Liu Kun’s blade skills and reputation.
• Li Chuan accompanied Lu Qiuhan to Dragon Gate Mountain, where Xiao Yuan recognized him and Liu Kun approached with a condescending offer to advise him about the blade.
• Lu Yuan announced that the contestants would have two hours to kill as many Transforming Force Monster Beasts as possible, and Li Chuan confirmed there were no other rules.

Li Chuan waited at Dragon Gate Mountain’s entrance for Liu Kun, planning to challenge him for the beast ears he collected. After Liu Kun killed four Transforming Force Monster Beasts, Li Chuan easily killed a Fire Lion and claimed five beasts in total, leaving Liu Kun stunned by his apparent lead.

• Li Chuan sat cross-legged at the mountain entrance, and Xiao Tingxuan realized he planned to wait for Liu Kun and take his collected beast ears by defeating him.
• Liu Kun searched the mountain anxiously before killing a Golden-Maned Snake and a Ghost Centipede Leopard, then continued hunting without fear of encountering a stronger beast.
• Liu Kun killed four Transforming Force Monster Beasts, and the news reassured Lu Qiujing while impressing Xiao Yuan and Xiao Tingxuan.
• A Fire Lion attacked Li Chuan, who dodged its pounce and killed it with a single Through-Arm Fist strike.
• Liu Kun returned and asked how many beasts Li Chuan had killed; Li Chuan counted the Fire Lion and Liu Kun’s four beasts to claim a total of five.

Li Chuan defeated Liu Kun with a single stroke, but his blade shattered from the force. Lu Qiuhan rewarded him with her father’s treasured blade, Xuanlan, and told him that the Yaoguang Demon Sect might be connected to the disappearance of his father and uncle.

• Liu Kun challenged Li Chuan, who defeated him with one stroke and broke his own blade in the process.
• Lu Yuan acknowledged Li Chuan’s strength while insisting that bone constitution mattered most, and Lu Qiuhan claimed her father’s old blade as Li Chuan’s reward.
• Lu Qiuhan gave Li Chuan Xuanlan, a powerful blade that let him unleash the Heavenly River Blade Technique without holding back.
• Lu Qiuhan told Li Chuan that his father and uncle had not appeared among Sanyuan Prefecture’s conscripts and might have been taken elsewhere by order of the Yaoguang Demon Sect.
• Xiao Yuan praised Li Chuan’s potential to Xiao Tingxuan and wondered how strong he might become if he practiced the Mysterious Origin Twin-Life Art.

After defeating Liu Kun, Li Chuan encountered and killed Cai Jing, a Yaoguang Demon Sect agent disguised as a helpless survivor. He realized the Demon Envoy had targeted him and returned to the carriage with an ancient book taken from Cai Jing.

• Liu Kun told his men to spread word of his defeat by Li Chuan while concealing that it happened in one strike.
• On his way back to the Heavenly Blade Sect, Li Chuan offered Cai Jing a ride after she claimed bandits had killed her family.
• Cai Jing sensed Li Chuan's strength and tried to flee, but he threw Xuanlan to slow her and killed her with a fist.
• Black insects burst from Cai Jing's corpse, and Li Chuan identified her as an agent of the Yaoguang Demon Sect.
• Li Chuan concluded that his Hidden Origin Art no longer concealed his aura well enough and suspected the Demon Envoy had targeted him.
• Li Chuan returned to the carriage with an ancient book he had taken from Cai Jing.

Li Chuan returned to the Heavenly Blade Sect, cultivated several techniques until three reached Minor Mastery, and declined Lu Yue’s invitation to raid a Yaoguang Demon Sect outpost. As Lu Yue left, someone stopped Li Chuan from closing the door.

• Li Chuan learned the Shadow Sha Step from Cai Qing’s bundle and tested its burst of speed before returning to the sect.
• Disciples who had previously ignored Li Chuan began greeting him after Liu Kun’s defeat became known, and Li Chuan made several new acquaintances.
• Li Chuan trained in the Geng Metal Art, Heavenly River Blade Technique, Hidden Origin Art, Mountain Exploration Record, and Shadow Sha Step until the last three reached Minor Mastery.
• Lu Yue invited Li Chuan to join a group raiding a Yaoguang Demon Sect outpost in the Xuanyuan Mine for valuable ores, but Li Chuan declined because the danger and information seemed unreliable.
• Lu Yue left disappointed, and as Li Chuan shut the door, a fleshy palm wedged itself into the gap.

Li Chuan learned that the Mysterious Origin Twin-Life Art could let him cultivate a second stream of force, and he arranged to buy it from Xiao Yuan. He then attended a Heavenly Blade Blade Altar lecture that improved his understanding of the Heavenly River Blade Technique, where Shen Jie challenged the other disciples to spar and Li Chuan stood to face him.

• Xiao Yuan told Li Chuan about the Mysterious Origin Twin-Life Art, and Li Chuan agreed to buy it for three thousand taels once he had saved enough silver.
• Xiao Yuan asked Li Chuan to help the Xiao Family if it ever faced trouble, and Li Chuan promised to do his best if he could.
• Li Chuan went to the Blade Altar, where an old Daoist explained how the Heavenly River Blade Technique's Extreme Realm created Momentum.
• Li Chuan gained proficiency from the lecture, while Shen Jie showed off and mocked the other disciples.
• The old Daoist arranged masked sparring with wooden blades, and Shen Jie challenged the disciples until Li Chuan rose to face him.

Li Chuan defeated Shen Jie and fought a disguised Gang Force elder in the Mist Formation, then resolved to earn three thousand taels and strengthen himself before Core Formation. At the Mountain Search Squad, Ren Ping called him in to assign missions, while Li Chuan noticed that some subordinates resented his authority.

• Li Chuan defeated Shen Jie with one strike, and a disguised elder challenged him after stopping Shen Jie from demanding a rematch.
• The elder fought Li Chuan while suppressing his cultivation, then lifted part of the suppression and defeated him; Li Chuan mistook the elder for a powerful disciple and left determined to improve.
• The elder worried that Li Chuan would overfocus on combat strength, while Shen Jie was slapped again and resolved to train until he could take revenge.
• Li Chuan found that the lecture and fight had greatly increased his Heavenly River Blade Technique proficiency, and he decided to earn three thousand taels to cultivate an unusual force before Core Formation.
• Xia Qiyuan summoned Li Chuan to the Mountain Search Squad, where Qiu Yi gave him a fifty-tael banknote hidden beneath Osmanthus Cake in hopes of receiving easy missions.
• Li Chuan noticed that some squad members resented his authority, and he heard that Ren Ping had several missions for him, including one with a huge reward.

Li Chuan received an urgent order from Elder Sun to gather fifty Withered Heart Grass within three hours, a task that could secure his position as squad leader. After discovering Feng Junyi and others were sabotaging the search, Li Chuan went to enlist the Rock-Splitting Bear, while the conspirators plotted to replace him.

• Ren Ping gave Li Chuan Elder Sun's urgent Withered Heart Grass task and promised him thirty percent of the reward if he completed it well.
• Li Chuan distributed the regular tasks, organized the squad into teams, and told Qiu Yi and Xia Qiyuan to monitor the others while he searched for Withered Heart Grass himself.
• Xia Qiyuan reported that Feng Junyi's team was barely working and Wu Junze was shirking, prompting Li Chuan to stop monitoring them and leave to find the Rock-Splitting Bear.
• Li Chuan persuaded the Rock-Splitting Bear to help him track someone down in exchange for a corpse.
• Feng Junyi, Chu Yao, and Fu Yunhe hid on a remote slope and plotted to make Li Chuan fail so Fu Yunhe could become captain, until a fishy wind swept over them.

Li Chuan killed Feng Junyi after the Rock-Splitting Bear drove him into a cave, then returned to the Mountain Search Squad and reported Feng’s death as a Monster Beast attack. Deacon Ren Ping gave Li Chuan full control over the mission reward, while the squad members grew fearful and wary of him.

• Fu Yunhe, Chu Yao, and Feng Junyi were overwhelmed by a Rock-Splitting Bear, and Fu Yunhe and Chu Yao fled while the bear chased Feng into a cave.
• Li Chuan killed Feng Junyi, destroyed the Black Insect that emerged from his chest, and fed Feng’s corpse to the Rock-Splitting Bear.
• Fu Yunhe returned to the gathering site and handed Li Chuan the Withered Heart Grass he had collected, then claimed Feng had been killed by a Monster Beast.
• Li Chuan’s team and the other squads handed in fifty-six stalks of Withered Heart Grass, and Li Chuan reported Feng’s death to Deacon Ren Ping.
• Ren Ping gave Li Chuan the mission reward and authority to distribute it, while the squad members showed fear and deference toward Li Chuan.
• Li Chuan announced that the rewards would be distributed according to merit.

Li Chuan strengthened his hold over the Mountain Search Squad, earned enough silver to pursue the Mysterious Origin Twin-Life Art, and learned how powerful two currents of True Qi could be. With his Geng Metal Art near its proficiency limit and three thousand taels saved, he set out for Prefecture City.

• Li Chuan distributed the mission silver, claimed a larger share, and accepted offerings from the squad members, including Fu Yunhe, Wu Junze, and Chu Yao.
• Li Chuan trained and took missions while Lu Yue’s group returned from the Xuanyuan Mine with profits; Qian Liang later organized another expedition, which Li Chuan refused to join.
• Li Chuan witnessed Inner Disciples being barred from Core Disciples’ training grounds and saw Su Yang receive privileged treatment at the Medicine Hall.
• Liu Peiran told Li Chuan about the Wind Catching Pavilion’s report on Fang Juexia, whose two currents of True Qi had helped him defeat powerful Yaoguang Demon Sect fighters.
• Li Chuan increased his Mountain Search Squad assignments, saved three thousand taels, and headed to Prefecture City to obtain the Mysterious Origin Twin-Life Art.