Chapter Summaries

Xiao Qiushui let Xiao Qiuyue leave to pursue revenge for her son, while Jiang Ning received his examination certificates and continued training at the Martial Academy. Wind-Thunder Steps reached mastery in a thunderous burst that damaged the academy grounds, leaving the tower keeper wondering who had mastered the technique.

• Xiao Qiushui questioned Xiao Emei about Yu Manyun’s death and concluded that Jiang Ning was the likely killer.
• Xiao Qiuyue told Xiao Qiushui she would pursue revenge for her son Jin Yun, and Xiao Qiushui allowed her to leave despite the risk of offending the Inspection Office.
• Jiang Ning received his civil and martial examination certificates, gave Lü Yi several drops of blood to help her advance, and headed to the Martial Academy.
• Jiang Ning studied at the Library Pavilion until Wind-Thunder Steps reached mastery, then unleashed a powerful step that shattered the path and damaged nearby branches.
• The tower keeper heard the thunderous burst and wondered who in the Martial Academy had mastered Wind-Thunder Steps.

Jiang Ning cultivated Great Sun essence outside the Martial Academy, then reunited with Wang Qinghan and Wang Qingtan and shared a meal with them. He returned to the library with Literacy ready for an eighth limit break, but decided to wait until he was somewhere safe.

• Jiang Ning read martial arts manuals while pacing through the Library Tower, gaining Literacy and Wind-Thunder Steps experience and noticing Dongling City's persistent lack of rain.
• Jiang Ning left the tower to absorb Great Sun essence, and Wang Qinghan found him after her sister saw his cultivation.
• Wang Qinghan offered Jiang Ning her flatbread, and Wang Qingtan angrily confronted him for eating her sister's lunch.
• Jiang Ning caught and roasted two birds for the sisters, then shared a bird leg with Wang Qingtan.
• Jiang Ning saw that Literacy had reached its limit-break requirement but postponed breaking through until he returned to a safe residence.
• Jiang Ning resumed reading martial arts manuals and decided to focus on the Library Tower's other books rather than spend months reading every manual on the second floor.

Jiang Ning broke Literacy’s limit and gained the Unity of Knowledge and Action trait, briefly experiencing his soul leaving his body and greatly expanding his spiritual force. He tested the new trait by cultivating Water-Fire True Force and resolved to keep training it at night until he reached its Fifth Limit-Breaking before refining his marrow.

• Jiang Ning returned home, ate the meal Lü Yi had reheated, and fed blood to the golden-red fish in his lake.
• Jiang Ning used 2,000 source energy to break Literacy’s limit and experienced a brief out-of-body perspective before returning to his body.
• Jiang Ning found that his spiritual force field had expanded to nearly two li in every direction and gained the Unity of Knowledge and Action trait.
• Jiang Ning tested the trait by circulating Water-Fire True Force for an hour and found that it improved his cultivation efficiency by around twenty to thirty percent.
• Jiang Ning resumed nighttime cultivation, planning to reach Water-Fire True Force’s Fifth Limit-Breaking and grasp the third level of Water-Fire Millstone Force before refining his marrow.

Jiang Ning received Xiao Emei’s warning that Xiao Qiuyue had come looking for him, then hosted Bai Luoyu, Prefect Zhao Yulong, and the monk Jin Chan at his home. Their gathering revealed Jin Chan’s connection to Vajra Temple and his guidance of Zhao Yulong, who was close to becoming a Heaven-Man Grandmaster.

• Jiang Ning read Xiao Emei’s letter and learned that Xiao Qiuyue had come looking for him, then sent the Skyborne Letterbird away with a fish.
• Bai Luoyu visited Jiang Ning and invited him to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s annual auction, which was scheduled for seven days later.
• Bai Luoyu contacted Zhao Yulong, who arrived at Jiang Ning’s home with the young monk Jin Chan, whom Jiang Ning recognized from Twin Suns Mountain.
• Jin Chan identified himself as a member of Vajra Temple, and Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu learned that he had reached the realm of unity between man and heaven.
• Zhao Yulong said Jin Chan had been guiding him as he sought to comprehend that realm, prompting Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu to congratulate him on nearing the rank of Heaven-Man Grandmaster.

Jiang Ning broke Water-Fire True Force through its fifth limit break, discovered that his upgraded Water-Fire Immortal Robe let him draw strength from fire, and tested the art’s powerful Water-Fire Millstone. The millstone improved his marrow-cleansing efficiency by about thirty percent, and he decided to complete Literacy’s ninth limit break before focusing fully on marrow cleansing.

• Jiang Ning used 2,000 Source Energy to advance Water-Fire True Force to its fifth limit break and upgrade Water-Fire Immortal Robe so he could turn water and fire to his own use.
• Jiang Ning tested the new Water-Fire Millstone in the Dongling Mountain Range and expanded it to a full zhang in size.
• Jiang Ning used Water-Fire Harmony to merge the millstone’s water and fire, creating a stable force that could suppress, trap, and kill enemies.
• Jiang Ning drew in the power of heaven and earth with the millstone and completed another round of marrow cleansing, finding that the process was about thirty percent faster.
• Jiang Ning noted that Literacy was close to its ninth limit break and decided to finish it before devoting himself to marrow cleansing.

Xiao Qiuyue returned to Dongling City and confronted Jiang Ning, whom she suspected of killing her son, He Jinyun. After her assassins failed, she died from an undetectable poison at Jiang Ning’s gate, leaving him to summon Zhao Yulong for help; Zhao arrived and asked for the full account.

• Qinghe Count let Xiao Qiuyue leave the estate, believing she had returned with a purpose and refusing to let the matter of He Jinyun’s death go.
• Jiang Ning finished his studies at the Library Pavilion, maxed out Literacy+, and decided to focus on increasing his strength.
• Xiao Qiuyue waited outside Jiang Ning’s residence, then arranged for two hidden Sixth Rank assassins to attack him when he arrived.
• Jiang Ning killed both assassins with True Essence, and Xiao Qiuyue admitted she suspected him of killing He Jinyun before dying from a poison he could not detect.
• Jiang Ning asked Lü Yi to summon Bai Luoyu, who identified Xiao Qiuyue and urged Jiang Ning to bring Zhao Yulong into the matter.
• Bai Luoyu sent Zhao Yulong a message, and Zhao arrived and asked Jiang Ning to explain what had happened.

Jiang Ning was taken to Commandery Prison as a major suspect in Xiao Qiuyue’s murder, despite Zhao Yulong and Bai Luoyu arranging for him to be treated fairly. He was sent toward the third level, and the chapter ended with Liu Boming being punished for mocking him.

• Zhao Yulong told Jiang Ning that he would have to spend a few days in prison while the proper procedures were followed, then summoned Commandery Commandant Xiao Bieli.
• Xiao Bieli heard Jiang Ning’s account and ordered him taken to Commandery Prison because the case involved Count Qinghe’s family.
• Jiang Ning reassured Lü Yi, then departed with two attendants; Zhao Yulong and Bai Luoyu separately urged Xiao Bieli to treat him well.
• At the prison, Jiang Ning learned that the Young Earl had already been released, while Liu Boming remained in a cell and mocked him for being arrested.
• Jiang Ning agreed to let the attendants teach Liu Boming a lesson, and they sent a guard to punish him before escorting Jiang Ning down to the second level.

Jiang Ning was imprisoned on the Commandery Prison’s third floor, where he discovered he could escape at will and sensed a Grandmaster held below. He spent Source Energy to advance Literacy to nine breakthroughs, gaining the Heart Like a Clear Mirror trait.

• Jiang Ning entered a third-floor cell and left deep finger marks in its iron bars, convincing one guard that the prison could not hold him.
• Jiang Ning reflected on his dependence on others’ influence, then used his Fire-Trapping Tiger force to dry and clean his cell.
• Jiang Ning heard chains from the fourth floor and used Heavenly Eye to see a broad-backed man bound in mercury by cold-iron restraints.
• Jiang Ning spent 5,000 Source Energy to break through Literacy, experienced a state of absolute calm, and gained the Heart Like a Clear Mirror trait.

Jiang Ning continued refining his marrow in the third level of the commandery prison, where the guards treated him well and left his cell unlocked. His family, Xiao Bieli, and the Wang sisters visited him, while Xiao promised to resolve his case and Wang Qingtan decided to ask her father to help secure his release.

• Jiang Ning refined his marrow in the prison and received a lavish dinner, clean bedding, and an unlocked cell from Zhao Dai and the other guards.
• Jiang Ning discovered that his marrow refinement had advanced to 66/1999 and resolved to keep training until he reached the fourth-rank peak.
• Jiang Li, Liu Wanwan, Jiang Yiming, Little Doubao, and Lü Yi visited Jiang Ning, who reassured them that he expected to be released in a few days.
• Xiao Bieli visited Jiang Ning, promised to resolve the matter within three to five days, and tested the iron bars’ grip marks against discarded refined iron.
• Wang Qingtan and Wang Qinghan visited Jiang Ning, and Wang Qingtan said she would ask her father to help get him released because he was worth befriending.

Wang Shouyi arranged support for Jiang Ning while he awaited a young marquis’s ruling, and Xiao Bieli had Jiang Ning shackled in prison. That night, Jiang Ning overheard two intruders searching for Long Xingyun and learned his prisoner might possess a map leading to the Secret King’s treasure and True Dragon Blood.

• Wang Shouyi told Wang Qingtan that Jiang Ning’s release was likely, but depended on the incoming young marquis’s final ruling.
• Xiao Bieli and Zhao Dai shackled Jiang Ning to avoid provoking the visiting representative of the meritorious nobles, and Jiang Ning confirmed he could break the restraints if needed.
• Jiang Ning tested the shackles and found their material matched the cell door’s, though their different construction made them easier to deform.
• Two intruders entered the third level at night and passed Jiang Ning’s cell while heading to rescue Long Xingyun from the fourth level.
• Jiang Ning overheard the intruders say Long Xingyun might have the Secret King’s Treasure Map, which they believed could lead to True Dragon Blood.

Jiang Ning killed two intruders who tried to assassinate him in the Commandery Prison and discovered that Long Xingyun hid a jade token inside his heart. Zhao Yulong arrived with Bai Luoyu and Su Zhi, freed Jiang Ning from his shackles, and promised to secure his release, while Jiang Ning resolved to reach the fourth level and obtain Long Xingyun’s secret.

• Jiang Ning killed the two intruders when they attacked him, then used his sight to discover Long Xingyun bound in a mercury pool below and a jade token hidden inside his heart.
• Zhao Yulong, Bai Luoyu, and Su Zhi visited Jiang Ning, and Zhao Yulong broke the cell lock and freed him from his shackles.
• Jiang Ning told Zhao Yulong that the two corpses belonged to petty thieves, and Zhao Yulong left their investigation to Xiao Bieli.
• Zhao Yulong explained that he would meet the young Marquis of Guangning to clarify the case and arrange Jiang Ning’s release.
• Jiang Ning asked about the Eighteen Dragon Heads, and Zhao Yulong confirmed their history as powerful followers of the former rebel Secret King.

Jiang Ning used the Heavenly Eye to discover that Xiao Bieli was holding Grandmaster Long Xingyun in the prison’s fourth level and threatening him through his daughter. After escaping his cell with the Great Five-Element Water Escape, Jiang Ning confronted Long Xingyun and asked for the Secret King’s Treasure, and Long Xingyun agreed to hand it over.

• Zhao Yulong objected to Jiang Ning being shackled, and Xiao Bieli agreed not to shackle him again before questioning him about the two corpses.
• That night, Jiang Ning used the Heavenly Eye to watch Xiao Bieli enter the fourth level and threaten Long Xingyun with his daughter’s bloodstained longevity lock.
• Jiang Ning learned that Xiao Bieli wanted the Secret King’s Treasure and planned to use Long Xingyun’s daughter to force him to reveal its location.
• Jiang Ning used the Great Five-Element Water Escape to pass through his locked cell and the black iron door, then appeared before Long Xingyun.
• Jiang Ning asked Long Xingyun for the Secret King’s Treasure, and Long Xingyun agreed to give him the item.

In Commandery Prison, Jiang Ning learned that Long Xingyun possessed a jade key to the True Dragon Hall and agreed to free him in exchange for it. After taking the key and cutting Long Xingyun free, Jiang Ning gave him some of his blood to help him recover, but the blood did not form the expected bond.

• Jiang Ning questioned Long Xingyun, who explained that his jade token was a family heirloom and a key to the True Dragon Hall.
• Jiang Ning agreed to spare Long Xingyun, cut open his chest, and retrieved the jade token hidden inside his heart.
• Long Xingyun told Jiang Ning that the key could admit someone with a sufficiently outstanding immortal root to the True Dragon Hall and its inheritance.
• Jiang Ning used blade intent to snap Long Xingyun's chains and free him from the mercury pool.
• Jiang Ning gave Long Xingyun more than ten drops of his blood, which helped his wounds heal faster, but Jiang Ning sensed no bond forming between them.

Jiang Ning helped the injured Long Xingyun recover, but failed to mark him as a Divine Scion's Vassal. Back in his cell, Jiang Ning confirmed that his immortal root resonated with the Dragon-Pattern Jade Tablet, then Xiao Bieli came to inspect the prison after being ambushed.

• Jiang Ning gave Long Xingyun several hundred milliliters of blood, healing his injuries, but did not leave a Divine Scion's Vassal Mark in his body.
• Long Xingyun used his Blood Qi Wolf-Smoke to corrode through the fourth-level prison wall and leave, while Jiang Ning vanished with the Great Five-Element Water Escape.
• Jiang Ning tested the Dragon-Pattern Jade Tablet with his blood and sensed a distant summons from the True Dragon Hall.
• Jiang Ning drank three mouthfuls of wine mixed with Emperor's Flowing Essence, endured its intense cold, and resumed refining his marrow.
• Xiao Bieli questioned a prison guard about disturbances, having been ambushed by a Grandmaster and suspecting Long Xingyun had rescued his daughter.
• Xiao Bieli entered the lower prison, and Jiang Ning noticed that his aura was disordered and realized he was injured.

Jiang Ning watched as Long Xingyun ambushed and killed the injured Xiao Bieli, then escaped Dongling City with his daughter. Zhao Dai discovered the prison breach and Xiao Bieli’s corpse, while Zhao Yulong identified the Blood Fiend Palm as the cause of death.

• Xiao Bieli investigated Long Xingyun’s escape and followed the tunnel from the fourth level of the Commandery Prison.
• Jiang Ning saw Long Xingyun lying in wait, and Long Xingyun struck Xiao Bieli with three palms, killing him.
• Zhao Dai went to check on Xiao Bieli, found the damaged prison and entered the tunnel; signal flares then alerted Dongling City.
• Long Xingyun left the city with his injured daughter and said Xiao Bieli’s death had been discovered too late.
• Zhao Yulong examined Xiao Bieli’s corpse, identified the Blood Fiend Palm, and concluded that a grandmaster had ambushed him.

Jiang Ning received Ji Mingyue’s letter in prison as Lin Qingyi and Wang Qingtan visited him, and Lin offered to speak with the Marquis of Guangning about his case. Zhao Yulong then arrived with Bai Luoyu, Su Zhi, and Zhao Dai to release Jiang Ning from Commandery Prison.

• Lin Qingyi visited Jiang Ning, delivered Ji Mingyue’s letter, and warned him not to use the Eighth Prince’s token recklessly.
• Wang Qingtan arrived, joked with Lin Qingyi about Jiang Ning’s debts, and told him the Little Marquis from the prefectural city would decide his case.
• Lin Qingyi offered to speak with the Marquis of Guangning after Wang Qingtan explained the situation, and the two women left together.
• Jiang Ning continued practicing in prison and checked that his marrow-refining progress had reached 669 out of 1999.
• Zhao Yulong came to release Jiang Ning as promised, accompanied by Bai Luoyu, Su Zhi, and Zhao Dai.

Jiang Ning was released after seven days in Commandery Prison and learned that Commandery Lieutenant Xiao had been killed by an unknown Grandmaster. He thanked Wang Shouyi at the Commandery Governor’s residence, where Wang Qingtan’s father revealed that he considered Jiang Ning a more suitable husband for his daughter than Lu Junyi.

• Jiang Ning left prison with Bai Luoyu and Zhao Yulong, who told him that Commandery Lieutenant Xiao had been killed by a Grandmaster from the prison’s fourth level.
• Jiang Li, Liu Wanwan, Lü Yi, and Little Doubao welcomed Jiang Ning home, and he bathed before preparing to visit Wang Shouyi.
• Jiang Ning arrived at the Commandery Governor’s residence and met Lu Junyi, who said the Qi Prince’s Consort had spoken up for him.
• After Lu Junyi left, Wang Shouyi asked Wang Qingtan what she thought of Jiang Ning and said Jiang Ning would make a better husband than the young marquis.
• Wang Shouyi told Wang Qingtan that Jiang Ning’s talent and strength could help protect a family amid Great Xia’s uncertain future.

After receiving word that Xiao Qiushui had entered closed-door cultivation to pursue the Heaven-Man realm, Jiang Ning resolved to prepare for the threat by increasing his strength. He began pushing his Wood-Chopping Saber Technique toward its next breakthrough.

• Jiang Ning met Bai Luoyu and Zhao Yulong at Star-Picking Tower, shared wine infused with Emperor's Flowing Essence, and agreed to visit Bai Luoyu the next day to view a Primordial Era relic.
• Jiang Ning returned home, rested through the night, and received a letter from Xiao Emei reporting that Xiao Qiushui had entered closed-door cultivation unto death to attempt the Heaven-Man realm.
• Jiang Ning considered the danger of Xiao Qiushui becoming a Heaven-Man Grandmaster but believed he could face her with his strength and backing in Dongling City.
• Jiang Ning decided to spend his resources on becoming stronger and trained by chopping firewood, bringing his Wood-Chopping Saber Technique to 8545/9000 experience toward its next breakthrough.

Jiang Ning broke through the Wood-Chopping Saber Technique’s ninth Limit-Breaking, gained the Butcher Ding's Dissection trait, and demonstrated saber intent powerful enough to collapse a mountain. After returning home, he visited Bai Residence at Bai Luoyu’s invitation to see the item Bai Luoyu had acquired.

• Jiang Ning spent 5,000 Source Energy to advance the Wood-Chopping Saber Technique to its ninth Limit-Breaking and gained the Butcher Ding's Dissection trait.
• Jiang Ning tested his strengthened saber intent in the Dongling Mountain Range, slashing through a mountain’s foundation and causing its peak to collapse.
• The Dragon-Tiger Hall Master and Brother Chen examined the saber mark and judged its lingering intent stronger than that of a third-refinement Heaven-Man Grandmaster.
• Jiang Ning returned home, confirmed his improvement to Lü Yi, and considered how further marrow refinement and Wind-Thunder Steps could increase his strength.
• Jiang Ning took Lü Yi to Bai Residence to view the good item Bai Luoyu had obtained at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion auction.

Jiang Ning used his Heavenly Eye to decipher a ten-thousand-year-old tortoiseshell fragment and discovered it recorded the Innate Six Hexagrams, while gaining a secret art and a surge of Literacy experience. After the effort left him in pain, Bai Luoyu asked him to investigate abnormal weather in Dongling City, and Jiang Ning agreed to help after resting.

• Bai Luoyu showed Jiang Ning an ancient tortoiseshell fragment whose writing was too profound for ordinary people to understand.
• Jiang Ning used his spiritual power to examine the characters, suffered a nosebleed, and saw golden lotuses and fantastical images.
• Jiang Ning opened his Heavenly Eye, deciphered the fragment as a record of the Innate Six Hexagrams, and secretly gained a secret art that concealed heavenly secrets.
• Jiang Ning's Literacy experience surpassed ten thousand, but studying the fragment left him with severe head pain and only 1,913 source energy points.
• Bai Luoyu asked Jiang Ning to use his Heavenly Eye to find the cultivator suspected of manipulating Dongling Commandery's weather, and Jiang Ning agreed after resting.