Chapter Summaries

Wei Luo and Liu Changle joined the Yao Family’s grain fleet traveling to flood-stricken Shanyang County, where they encountered hungry refugees and bonded with the hired saber men. After Feng Sihai insulted them and their companions, Liu Changle challenged him to fight.

• Wei Luo and Liu Changle met Yao Song and Instructor Feng Sihai at Yao Family Wharf and boarded the three ships carrying grain to Shanyang County.
• The fleet traveled downstream and stopped overnight at a sheltered bend, where several dozen starving refugees rushed toward the crew’s cooking fire.
• Yao Song fed the refugees, then provided Wei Luo and Liu Changle with a better meal than the hired saber men received.
• Liu Changle sparred with two of the saber men, defeated them, and gave the others fighting pointers.
• Feng Sihai mocked the saber men and looked down on Wei Luo and Liu Changle, so Liu Changle challenged him to trade moves.

Wei Luo stopped Feng Sihai from killing Liu Changle and used the Great Thousand Revelation to uncover Feng Sihai’s plot against the Yao Family’s grain shipment. After catching Feng Sihai hiding a note that confirmed his betrayal, Wei Luo revealed the evidence to Yao Song and proposed a counterplan.

• Feng Sihai attacked Liu Changle during their sparring and targeted his vital points until Wei Luo intervened to stop a lethal strike.
• Wei Luo suspected Feng Sihai had meant to kill Liu Changle and began an escort-mission simulation.
• Feng Sihai retrieved a note hidden beneath a boulder that confirmed his plan to seize the Yao Family’s grain in collusion with outsiders.
• Wei Luo and Yao Song watched Feng Sihai find the note, and Yao Song accepted that Feng Sihai had betrayed the family.
• Wei Luo told Yao Song to fight fire with fire.

Wei Luo and Liu Changle killed Feng Sihai and drove off the water bandits attacking the fleet. After returning to Pingjiang Town, they received rewards from the Yao Family, and Yao Song offered Wei Luo an honorary post paying ten taels of silver a month.

• Feng Sihai entered Wei Luo and Liu Changle’s cabin with poisoned wine, but they attacked him and used incapacitating smoke to weaken him.
• Wei Luo killed Feng Sihai as water bandits attacked the fleet, and he and Liu Changle fought them off until they fled.
• Yao Song took charge of the casualties, and the fleet returned safely to Pingjiang Town two days later.
• Yao Song paid Yan Dashun and the surviving men one tael each, with five taels in compensation for each fallen man.
• Yao Song gave Liu Changle and Wei Luo twenty taels each, then offered Wei Luo an honorary post with a monthly wage of ten taels.

After surviving the river bandits, Wei Luo returned to Pingjiang Town and worried about the growing refugee crisis, then resumed training as he approached the Second Refinement. He and Liu Changle accepted Zhao Xiu’s invitation to his birthday gathering and went to catch rare fish for a gift.

• Yao Song offered Wei Luo a ten-tael monthly retainer position, but Wei Luo accepted the goodwill and stayed with the Sun Family.
• Wei Luo and Liu Changle saw the growing number of refugees in Pingjiang Town, where the Sun, Wu, and Huang Families joined the yamen in distributing porridge.
• Wei Luo learned that Shen Wu had defeated several Wu Family First Refinement martial artists and broken through to the Second Refinement.
• Wei Luo withstood Zhao Xiu’s twenty-move assault, advanced his Folding Waves Fist, and bought Bone-Strengthening Soup with Liu Changle.
• Zhao Xiu invited Wei Luo and Liu Changle to his birthday gathering, and Wei Luo took Liu Changle to rent a boat and catch rare fish as a gift.

Wei Luo and Liu Changle attended Zhao Xiu’s birthday banquet with a pair of rare koi, drawing scorn from Luo Sanhu and Li Yue before their gift impressed Zhao Xiu. The Sun Family’s Fifth Young Master, Sun Qianchuan, then arrived with a treasure fish and recognized their fish.

• Wei Luo and Liu Changle brought a large black-and-white pair of koi to Zhao Xiu’s birthday banquet at the Zhao Residence.
• Luo Sanhu mocked their gift and accused them of being stingy, while Liu Changle struggled to respond.
• Zhao Xiu defended the pair, but Luo Sanhu and Li Yue urged Wei Luo to show everyone the fish.
• Wei Luo displayed the koi, impressing Zhao Xiu and silencing the criticism of their gift.
• The Sun Family’s Fifth Young Master, Sun Qianchuan, arrived with a treasure fish and noticed Wei Luo and Liu Changle’s koi.

At Zhao Xiu’s birthday gathering, Wei Luo learned that Master Qin planned to take three disciples, while Shen Wu was already promised a place and a possible marriage into the Sun Family. In the days that followed, Wei Luo kept training and sparring, eventually defeating Chen Yang and drawing attention to his progress toward the Second Refinement.

• Zhao Xiu revealed that Master Qin had accepted Shen Wu as a disciple and that the Sun Family intended to take him as a son-in-law; Sun Qianchuan confirmed the family’s plans.
• Sun Qianchuan announced that Master Qin planned to take three disciples, prompting the estate’s crewmen to intensify their training.
• Master Qin later announced that he would take disciples and named Shen Wu as one, but left his method for choosing the others unclear.
• Wei Luo received wages from the Yao Family, bought two months’ worth of Bone-Strengthening Soup, and began sparring with veteran crewmen using a white-ash point system.
• Wei Luo defeated Chen Yang in a sparring match and then held his own against several other First Refinement fighters.
• Liu Changle asked Wei Luo whether he was close to reaching the Second Refinement.

Wei Luo learned that the Sun Family would send a Treasure Ship to Falling Geese Gorge in three days, and he weighed the risks and opportunities of joining the voyage. Sun Qianchuan gathered allies for the expedition but excluded Wei Luo and Liu Changle, leaving Zhao Xiu displeased.

• Wei Luo considered his slow progress in blood and qi and avoided seeking Treasure Fish after learning that Fierce Fish made the waters dangerous.
• Steward Li announced that the Sun Family would send a Treasure Ship to Falling Geese Gorge in three days, and the crewmen eagerly signed up.
• Wei Luo considered asking Zhao Xiu and Sun Qianchuan about the expedition after Liu Changle excitedly registered.
• Sun Qianchuan promised Zhao Xiu, Shen Wu, Li Yue, and two other crewmen extra bait and possible shares of Treasure Fish to win their support.
• Zhao Xiu suggested including Wei Luo and Liu Changle, but Sun Qianchuan and Shen Wu dismissed them, and Sun Qianchuan finalized the group without them.

As Wei Luo prepared to join the Sun Family’s voyage into Falling Geese Gorge, he discovered that grain prices and the refugee crisis in Pingjiang Town were worsening. At the departure ceremony, a Daoist claimed to be the Hun River God and threatened to overturn the Sun Family’s Treasure Ships.

• Wei Luo learned from Zhao Xiu that Falling Geese Gorge held a dangerous miasma and hazardous waters, then bought herbs and pills to prepare for the voyage.
• At a grain shop, Wei Luo found prices had surged, crushed the shopkeeper’s abacus, and learned wealthy households were stockpiling grain while refugees were barred from town.
• Wei Luo’s projections showed that grain prices would keep rising and that tens of thousands of refugees might storm Pingjiang Town if relief porridge ran out.
• Wei Luo reassured Zhao Clan that he would be safe on the Sun Family’s voyage, though he worried about the refugees and the danger to his family in Yellow Mud Alley.
• At the Sun Family pier, Wei Luo and Liu Changle saw the Treasure Ships, and Liu Changle tricked Luo Sanhu into thinking Zhang Chi was nearby.
• During the departure ceremony, a Daoist summoned the Hun River God, and Sun Chai asked for the deity’s blessing as Wei Luo doubted the act.

Sun Chai paid a fortune to the “River God,” only for the Sun Family to force the fraudulent Daoist aboard their Treasure Ship. At Nameless Island, Wei Luo and Liu Changle searched for Treasure Fish and reached a spring after finding the best spots already claimed.

• Sun Chai offered the “River God” one hundred taels of silver for safe fishing, and Sun Family guards forced the old Daoist to join the voyage.
• The seasick Daoist shared a cramped cabin with Wei Luo and Liu Changle as the Treasure Ship traveled to Falling Geese Gorge.
• The crew reached Nameless Island, where the Sun Family map showed springs and other places connected to underwater passages where Treasure Fish could be caught.
• Sun Qianchuan claimed Cold Pool for his group, driving away veteran crewmen despite Zhao Xiu's objection.
• Wei Luo and Liu Changle searched the island, found the marked spots occupied, and reached a bubbling spring where Wei Luo used [Great Thousand Revelation] to seek places likely to yield Treasure Fish.

Wei Luo used the Great Thousand Revelation to locate likely Treasure Fish spots on Nameless Island and fought Luo Sanhu when he tried to claim one. After sending Luo Sanhu away, Wei Luo hurried to another location and prepared to catch a Treasure Fish.

• Wei Luo deduced thirty-one nearby locations with a high chance of producing Treasure Fish and told Liu Changle to try baiting a spring.
• Luo Sanhu and the old swindler arrived and claimed the spring, while Liu Changle refused to give up the spot.
• Wei Luo defeated Luo Sanhu with one punch after Luo Sanhu invoked Shen Wu’s name.
• Luo Sanhu left with the old swindler, and Wei Luo reassured Liu Changle that Shen Wu was unlikely to retaliate.
• Wei Luo hurried to a mountain stream pool, prepared his fishing tools, and tossed a lump of bait into the water.

Wei Luo caught two Treasure Fish on Nameless Island and drew attention away from Sun Qianchuan, earning a reward from Sun Chai and the crewmen’s favor. Sun Qianchuan resented Wei Luo’s success and expected his luck to run out.

• Wei Luo used bait to catch a large Blue-Line Fish in the freezing waters of a pool on Nameless Island.
• The crewmen returned to shore, and Sun Chai’s shiphand registered their Treasure Fish; Sun Qianchuan drew praise for catching two.
• Wei Luo handed in a Blue-Line Fish and a Bighead Pomfret, and Sun Chai rewarded him with ten taels of silver.
• The crewmen asked Wei Luo where he had caught his fish, and he shared the locations while crediting his success to luck.
• Sun Qianchuan watched Wei Luo win the crewmen’s favor and thought Wei Luo would come back empty-handed the next day.

Wei Luo chose new Treasure Fish locations on Nameless Island, but his conspicuous success drew Shen Wu into a dispute over Luo Sanhu’s injury. Zhao Xiu defused the confrontation and warned Wei Luo and Liu Changle to keep their good fortune quiet, but nearly ten crewmen followed them into the island.

• After practicing his fists, Wei Luo judged that he needed at least two Treasure Fish to break through the second qi-and-blood threshold and chose eastern fishing spots from the Great Thousand Revelation’s results.
• Shen Wu confronted Wei Luo over injuring Luo Sanhu, but the surrounding crewmen revealed that Luo Sanhu had tried to take Wei Luo and Liu Changle’s fishing spot.
• Shen Wu demanded an apology and challenged Wei Luo and Liu Changle, until Zhao Xiu stepped between them and offered an apology and compensation for Luo Sanhu.
• After Shen Wu left, Zhao Xiu warned Wei Luo and Liu Changle that showing off their luck could invite trouble from other crewmen.
• Wei Luo and Liu Changle collected bait and headed into the island, while nearly ten crewmen began following them.

Wei Luo caught several Treasure Fish and risked a fight with a Fierce Fish to secure a prized Dragon-Whisker Carp. Injured but determined, he roasted all three fish to strengthen himself and break through the second threshold of qi and blood.

• Wei Luo gave directions to followers seeking Treasure Fish, then left alone and caught two more fish at pools deeper on the island.
• Wei Luo spotted a Dragon-Whisker Carp at a secluded pool and waited for it to approach his bait.
• A Fierce Fish emerged from the channel and moved toward the Dragon-Whisker Carp, so Wei Luo speared the carp before the creature could take it.
• The Fierce Fish chased Wei Luo onto the bank and struck his shoulder, but he escaped with the Dragon-Whisker Carp.
• Wei Luo returned to the pool, then gutted and roasted all three Treasure Fish, planning to break through the second threshold of qi and blood.

Wei Luo used the vitality and blood of three Treasure Fish to break through to the Second Refinement, then faced growing danger from vicious fish and the Sun Family’s demands. The chapter ended with him finding Liu Changle beaten after Zhang Chi took their group’s bait.

• Wei Luo practiced the Folding Waves Fist after eating three Treasure Fish and broke through to the Second Refinement, gaining enough strength to shatter a stone with one punch.
• Wei Luo learned that vicious fish had injured boatmen, while Sun Chai threatened those who failed to hand over two Treasure Fish.
• Wei Luo avoided the dangerous waters and returned empty-handed, while Liu Changle joined several First Refinement boatmen to fish.
• Liu Changle told his companions that Zhang Chi had taken their bait and beaten him after he protested.
• Wei Luo approached Liu Changle and asked what had happened.

Wei Luo confronted Zhang Chi after learning that Zhang Chi had injured Liu Changle, and defeated him despite having only recently reached Second Refinement. Wei Luo took Zhang Chi’s Treasure Fish as an apology and gave it to Liu Changle.

• Liu Changle tried to hide that Zhang Chi had injured him, but Wei Luo saw his bruises and learned where Zhang Chi was waiting.
• Wei Luo went to the fork in the road, where Zhang Chi was collecting bait from First Refinement crewmen, and Liu Changle, Wang De, and others followed.
• Wei Luo blinded Zhang Chi with lime powder and attacked him, revealing that he had reached Second Refinement.
• Wei Luo overwhelmed Zhang Chi and knocked him down with a punch to the jaw.
• Wei Luo stomped on Zhang Chi’s chest, took the Treasure Fish from his basket, and handed it to Liu Changle as an apology.

After Wei Luo severely injured Zhang Chi, he learned that the Dragon-Whisker Carp he had eaten was worth a fortune and was summoned before Sun Chai. Sun Chai spared him from harsher punishment, ordering him to pay Zhang Chi’s medical expenses and forbidding him from catching Treasure Fish.

• News spread across Stone Beach that Wei Luo had beaten Zhang Chi, and the sailors praised him for standing up to the disliked bully.
• Zhao Xiu discovered that Wei Luo had reached the Second Refinement and learned he had eaten a valuable Dragon-Whisker Carp; Wei Luo offered to sell him the carp whiskers.
• Zhao Xiu brought Wei Luo to meet Sun Chai, who questioned Sun Qianchuan and Shen Wu about Wei Luo before summoning him into the captain’s cabin.
• Wei Luo admitted injuring Zhang Chi and explained that Zhang Chi had stolen Liu Changle’s bait, prompting Sun Chai to view his actions more favorably.
• Sun Qianchuan demanded that Wei Luo lose a hand, but Sun Chai instead ordered him to pay Zhang Chi twenty taels for medical expenses and barred him from catching Treasure Fish.

On the return journey, Wei Luo and the crew encountered a ship in the fog whose passengers were accompanied by the sound of children crying. Their Treasure Ship collided with a vessel belonging to the Fish-Dragon Gang, leaving Sun Chai confronting its leader, Wang Dali.

• Zhao Xiu bought one of Liu Changle’s Treasure Fish for thirty-five taels and promised him a share of the pills made from it.
• The crew heard cries of children and agonized screams coming from the fog, so Sun Chai ordered the Treasure Ship toward the sound and had the old Daoist tied to the bow.
• A pitch-black Treasure Ship emerged from the fog, and the two vessels scraped together despite both crews trying to avoid a collision.
• Wei Luo recognized the other ship’s flag as belonging to the Fish-Dragon Gang, and Sun Chai leapt aboard and killed two of its men.
• Wang Dali appeared with two white-robed companions, and Sun Chai demanded compensation for the damaged Treasure Ship.

Wei Luo witnessed Wang Dali defeat Sun Chai and discovered that the Pure Fragrance Cult was using the Fish-Dragon Gang’s ship to carry out a bloody sacrifice. As refugees gathered outside Pingjiang Town and grain prices rose, Wei Luo worried that his Second Refinement strength was inadequate and began deducing Master Qin’s conditions for accepting disciples.

• Wang Dali broke Sun Chai’s arm with a single punch, forcing the Sun Family’s ship to leave.
• Wang Dali reported to the Pure Fragrance Cult envoys, who rewarded him with three Marrow-Washing Pills and ordered him to capture more children.
• The Pure Fragrance Cult envoys revealed that their plan involved tens of thousands of refugees storming the city.
• Wei Luo deduced that the crying had come from the Fish-Dragon Gang’s ship and recognized Wang Dali’s strength as Three Refinements.
• Wei Luo observed that refugees and grain prices were increasing, worried he needed to reach Force Training, and began deducing Master Qin’s conditions for accepting disciples.

Qin Changfeng agreed to take three disciples after Sun Sheng pleaded for help strengthening the Sun Family, but a new crisis soon struck the estate. A month later, Wei Luo trained at the Sun Family grounds while Master Qin watched, and Wei Luo knew he had already secured a place among Qin Changfeng’s disciples.

• Sun Sheng begged Qin Changfeng to take three disciples so the Sun Family could protect itself from its rivals, and Qin Changfeng agreed to choose them later.
• A messenger reported that Sun Chai’s arm had been broken, while the Sun Family forbade the crew from spreading the news and made no move against the Fish-Dragon Gang.
• Refugees ravaged a village outside the city as grain prices rose, and the three great families distributed porridge to prevent further trouble.
• Over the next month, Wei Luo’s pay and Bone-Strengthening Soup increased after he reached Second Refinement, and Qin Changfeng began visiting the training ground to instruct the martial artists.
• Wei Luo practiced deliberately on an ironwood post while Liu Changle trained with hundreds of strikes, and Wei Luo remained confident that Qin Changfeng had already chosen him as a disciple.

Wei Luo demonstrated that he had independently mastered Layered Wave Force, earning Qin Changfeng’s acceptance as his disciple. Qin Changfeng then showed him the Layered Waves Shatter Rock visualization diagram, beginning Wei Luo’s training toward Force Training.

• Sun Chai urged Qin Changfeng to choose a disciple, but Qin dismissed the candidates Sun Chai suggested as unworthy.
• Wei Luo used Layered Wave Force to strike an ironwood stake, impressing Qin Changfeng, who named him his disciple.
• Qin Changfeng challenged the other martial artists to understand his punch, which combined three kinds of force and snapped an ironwood stake.
• Wei Luo accepted a five-hundred-tael gift from the Sun Family after Qin Changfeng approved it, while Shen Wu regarded him with disdain.
• Qin Changfeng took Wei Luo to the training room and taught him to contemplate the Layered Waves Shatter Rock visualization diagram.