Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ning completes the Fourth Rank Marrow Tempering realm, reaching the phenomenon of “a drop of blood like mercury,” proving that his marrow tempering is fully perfected.
• He reviews the three paths to becoming a

Third Rank Grandmaster

1. Human Dao Grandmaster through Hundred-Spirit Blood, the weakest foundation.
2. Earth-Bearing Grandmaster through spiritual treasures from Primordial-era secret realms.
3. Heaven-Man Grandmaster through Heaven-Human Communion, artistic conception, or special techniques.

• Jiang Ning learns that the Inner Elixir Life-Nourishing Technique can trigger Heaven-Human Communion once completed, allowing him to become a Heaven-Man Grandmaster.
• He studies various blood-exchange paths, including Water-Fire, Four Seasons, Five Elements, Eight Trigrams, and several ninefold transformations. Rather than settling for three, five, or even eight blood exchanges, he sets his ambition on completing nine blood exchanges, the highest level recorded and the prerequisite for approaching Martial Saint境.
• During the journey from Medicine King Valley, Jiang Ning practices beneath the sun and raises the Inner Elixir Life-Nourishing Technique from 5467/10000 to 5575/10000, reaching the Mastery stage.
• He abandons the carriage to return to Dongling City more quickly, prioritizing cultivation and physical strengthening over comfort.
• Back at his residence, Jiang Ning learns that Bai Luoyu has gone to Baisha County to investigate the increasingly powerful God-Worship Cult.
• Remembering that the cult is connected to an evil god, Jiang Ning sends Bai Luoyu a warning and offers immediate assistance if needed.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning reaches the peak of the Fourth Rank and becomes increasingly confident in his extraordinary physical foundation. He believes his body can support far more blood exchanges than ordinary Grandmasters.
• His ambitions grow from merely becoming a Grandmaster to becoming the strongest possible Grandmaster, ideally completing nine blood exchanges and eventually qualifying to pursue the Martial Saint realm.
• He becomes more decisive and disciplined, refusing to waste time on travel or leisure and focusing on perfecting his cultivation.
• Wang Jin reflects on Jiang Ning’s rapid rise. He once hoped to make Jiang Ning his final disciple, but now recognizes that Jiang Ning is a “true dragon” whose potential exceeds both the martial academy and Luoshui County.
• Bai Luoyu is established as a capable and trusted friend, undertaking a dangerous mission independently while remaining someone Jiang Ning is prepared to support.
• The two Snow-White Crimson-Flame horses are revealed to have gained intelligence and strength comparable to Eighth Rank martial artists, effectively becoming demon-like creatures.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and limits: Jiang Ning must choose between safer, attainable Grandmaster paths and extraordinarily difficult methods that offer much greater potential.
• Foundation and long-term cultivation: The chapter emphasizes that the depth of one’s physical foundation determines how many blood exchanges one can survive and how far one can progress.
• Risk versus reward: Setting an overly ambitious goal may leave a cultivator trapped at the Third Rank, but aiming too low limits future achievements.
• Self-determination: Jiang Ning’s aspiration to become a Heaven-Man Grandmaster reflects his belief that his fate should be shaped by his own effort rather than restricted by ordinary standards.
• Growth beyond expectations: Jiang Ning’s rapid development, the horses’ transformation, and the changing threat of the God-Worship Cult all show how quickly individuals and forces can surpass established boundaries.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning and Wang Jin: Wang Jin asks whether Jiang Ning’s technique has reached Mastery and is astonished by the speed of his progress. Their relationship reflects Wang Jin’s pride, affection, and recognition that Jiang Ning has outgrown his original mentorship plans.
• Jiang Ning and the horses: Jiang Ning’s enhanced horses understand human speech, maps, and instructions, demonstrating the unusual bond and influence he has over them.
• Jiang Ning and Zhou Xing: Zhou Xing reports Bai Luoyu’s departure to Baisha County, acting as the link between Jiang Ning and the Inspection Office’s ongoing operations.
• Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu: Jiang Ning recalls Bai’s previous assistance, worries about the danger posed by the evil god, and sends a message offering support without attempting to interfere unnecessarily.

Chapter Summary: “Great Upheaval in Baisha County”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Luoyu leads four powerful subordinates toward Baisha County after his agents there stop sending reports. Their last message warned that the county magistrate may be connected to the God-Worship Cult.
• Before departing, Bai Luoyu leaves Jiang Ning a message requesting possible assistance, while reassuring himself that he can also seek help from Prefecture Lord Zhao if necessary.
• Jiang Ning spends several days investigating the mysterious Princess Consort of Qi but learns little beyond her marriage to the bedridden, physically disabled King Qi and her connection to the powerful old Side-by-Side Prince.
• With his Marrow Refinement cultivation complete but Source Energy scarce, Jiang Ning evaluates his techniques. He decides that:
  • The Five Animals Fist is the best skill to continue improving because it strengthens his qi, blood, physical foundation, and eventual ability to undergo nine blood exchanges.
  • His saber technique, Visualization, and other abilities remain important, but upgrading them requires too much Source Energy or serves longer-term goals.
  • His priority is ultimately to reach the third rank and become a Heaven-Man Grandmaster.
• After three days of concentrated Five Animals Fist practice, Jiang Ning greatly increases his qi and blood. His technique experience rises from 455 to 2,073, and each practice session now produces roughly twenty-three to twenty-five strands of qi and blood—nearly five times the efficiency of his former perfected level.
• The Heavenly Secrets Register then sends Jiang Ning a distress signal. He learns that Baisha County is in far greater danger than expected and immediately prepares to go there.
• In Baisha County, Bai Luoyu attempts to leave but is confronted by Magistrate Deng Fei, who claims he has come to “keep” Bai Luoyu from departing.
• Bai Luoyu recognizes that Deng Fei is no longer an ordinary sixth-rank martial artist. His body and oppressive presence suggest a terrifying transformation, possibly connected to the God-Worship Cult.
• Bai Luoyu recalls seeing many residents behaving irrationally and repeating phrases such as “the flesh lives forever” and “the flesh never perishes.” The county is deserted, its homes sealed, and the cult’s influence appears widespread.
• When Bai Luoyu invokes the name of a Heaven-Man Grandmaster and his upcoming banquet as an excuse to leave, Deng Fei briefly regains clarity before becoming vacant again. Deng then claims to know where Bai Luoyu’s missing subordinates are and invites him to follow.

Character Developments

• Bai Luoyu becomes increasingly cautious and perceptive. Though he arrives with considerable strength, he realizes that Baisha County’s crisis exceeds what his group can safely handle. He correctly identifies Deng Fei and the county’s residents as signs of a much deeper corruption.
• Jiang Ning demonstrates disciplined long-term planning. Rather than wasting scarce Source Energy on immediate combat power, he focuses on strengthening his qi and blood to build the foundation for nine blood exchanges and eventual advancement to the third rank.
• Jiang Ning’s martial progress is accelerating: his improved Five Animals Fist now produces far more qi and blood per practice session, showing how his growing mastery enhances training efficiency.
• Deng Fei is revealed as deeply abnormal. Once a conventional military man and sixth-rank martial artist, he now possesses unnatural physical strength and a disturbing, unstable mental state. His behavior suggests that he may have been altered or controlled by the God-Worship Cult.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of higher martial realms: Jiang Ning prioritizes advancement in rank over simply accumulating strength, emphasizing the dramatic transformation in life level, lifespan, and abilities that comes with becoming a Heaven-Man Grandmaster.
• The value of foundations and preparation: Jiang Ning’s focus on qi, blood, and long-term reserves reflects the importance of building a strong foundation rather than pursuing superficial power.
• Scarcity and strategic choices: Limited Source Energy forces Jiang Ning to decide carefully which abilities are worth improving.
• Corruption of body and mind: The God-Worship Cult’s influence appears to distort both physical flesh and mental consciousness, reflected in the cultists’ repeated slogans and Deng Fei’s grotesque condition.
• Hidden danger beneath ordinary institutions: A seemingly respectable county magistrate and a deserted county conceal a large-scale supernatural or cult crisis.

Character Interactions

• Bai Luoyu communicates with Jiang Ning through the Heavenly Secrets Register, establishing mutual trust and cooperation.
• Bai Luoyu’s attendants accompany him to Baisha County, but he restrains them from attacking Deng Fei, recognizing that rash action could worsen the situation.
• Bai Luoyu and Deng Fei engage in a tense verbal confrontation disguised as polite hospitality. Deng’s invitation is clearly coercive, while Bai Luoyu attempts to escape without provoking a battle.
• Deng Fei reacts noticeably to the mention of a Heaven-Man Grandmaster, suggesting that the title carries influence or triggers buried awareness within him.
• The chapter ends with Deng Fei claiming knowledge of Bai Luoyu’s missing subordinates, leaving Bai Luoyu caught between suspicion and the need to uncover what happened to them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Luoyu receives news about his missing subordinates in Baisha County.
• County Magistrate Deng Fei invites Bai Luoyu to investigate the matter, but Bai Luoyu suspects Deng Fei is under the influence of the God-Worship Cult.
• Jiang Ning arrives in Baisha County and uses his Heavenly Eye to assess the city's dire situation.
• Bai Luoyu and Jiang Ning decide to follow Deng Fei's invitation to stall for time until Zhao Yulong arrives.

Character Developments

• Bai Luoyu: He demonstrates his intelligence and caution by stalling for time and sending out requests for aid. He also shows his concern for his subordinates' well-being.
• Jiang Ning: He displays his powerful abilities, arriving in Baisha County swiftly and using his Heavenly Eye to understand the city's problems. He also shows his loyalty to his friends by coming to Bai Luoyu's aid.
• Deng Fei: He is revealed to be under the influence of the God-Worship Cult, acting as a puppet for the cult.

Significant Themes

• Trust and Deception: Bai Luoyu is cautious and suspicious of Deng Fei, while Deng Fei is deceptive, inviting Bai Luoyu under false pretenses. Jiang Ning, however, is trustworthy, coming to Bai Luoyu's aid without hesitation.
• Power and Weakness: The God-Worship Cult's influence over Deng Fei demonstrates their power, while Bai Luoyu's caution and Jiang Ning's strength show their resilience against the cult's influence.

Character Interactions

• Bai Luoyu and Jiang Ning: They display a strong bond of friendship, with Jiang Ning coming to Bai Luoyu's aid without question. They also work together to understand and address the situation in Baisha County.
• Bai Luoyu and Deng Fei: Their interaction highlights the deception and manipulation employed by the God-Worship Cult, with Deng Fei inviting Bai Luoyu under false pretenses.

Summary of "The Terror of Dragon-Elephant Strength"

1. Key Plot Points

• Bai Luoyu and Jiang Ning exit the farmhouse and are met by constables who are all unnaturally large, revealing the God-Worship Cult’s deep infiltration of Baisha County’s county office.
• County Magistrate Deng Fei leads them to Green Willow Pavilion in the red-light district, claiming his missing subordinates disappeared near a cult stronghold.
• Jiang Ning, having already located the hidden cellar with his Heavenly Eye, warns Bai Luoyu to stay behind him and finds a secret entrance behind a rockery.
• Inside the cave, Bai Luoyu discovers a token belonging to his lost subordinate Lin Xiao, confirming the subordinates’ deaths and stirring grief and anger.
• In the pitch-black cellar, three Divine Envoys of the God of Flesh ambush them, but Jiang Ning instantly obliterates them with three punches, reducing them to blood mist before they can transform.
• Jiang Ning also kills the hidden cult followers with invisible blade intent, then lights the room.
• The chapter ends with the blood pool in the cellar beginning to churn and boil, and Jiang Ning orders Bai Luoyu to fall back.

2. Character Developments

• Jiang Ning: Demonstrates overwhelming, near-effortless power; calm and decisive; hints he may have to purge all tainted by the God of Flesh if his blood cannot save them.
• Bai Luoyu: Grieves over his fallen subordinates; grows acutely aware of his own weakness; begins to doubt Jiang Ning’s earlier explanations about how he arrived so quickly, feeling small in comparison.
• Deng Fei: Shows how thoroughly the cult has corrupted him, rationalizing his swollen body as a soldier’s build and grinning with blood-red gums.

3. Significant Themes

• Infiltration and corruption: The God-Worship Cult has thoroughly subverted local authority and ordinary people.
• Overwhelming power: Jiang Ning’s Dragon-Elephant Strength makes even elite cult envoys helpless.
• Inevitable purge: Jiang Ning’s thought that the corrupted may have to be destroyed rather than saved foreshadows future conflict.
• The cost of investigation: Confirming his subordinates’ deaths weighs on Bai Luoyu.

4. Character Interactions

• Bai Luoyu warns Jiang Ning to be careful in the dark passage, but Jiang Ning moves with total confidence, revealing their different levels of experience and power.
• Deng Fei lies and deflects suspicion by joking about his bulky build, showcasing his cult-corrupted mindset.
• The three Divine Envoys coordinate a perfect ambush, but Jiang Ning reacts so fast they die before understanding what happened.
• Bai Luoyu follows Jiang Ning despite his fear, showing loyalty, but is left shocked and humbled by the display of force.

Summary: God Descends, Terrifying Divine Might!

Key Plot Points

1. The God of Flesh descends: The blood pool in the basement gathers into a six-armed, three-headed, four-legged monster—the God of Flesh worshipped by the God-Worship Cult—manifesting through a medium (a stone idol hidden within the blood construct).
2. Recognition and Divine War: The God of Flesh senses Jiang Ning possesses a fragment of the same authority as his own, realizing this is a war over godhood. He becomes enraged, knowing his immortality is compromised by the divided authority.
3. Jiang Ning's Heavenly Eye: Jiang Ning opens his Heavenly Eye and sees through the monster to the palm-sized stone idol at its core—the medium of descent. He then pierces through the idol's exterior and glimpses the God of Flesh's true body in a void-like dimensional space.
4. The God's collapse: Upon seeing Jiang Ning's Heavenly Eye, the God of Flesh is struck with terror (recognizing it as the mark of the Divine Sovereign from ancient memory) and his descending incarnation suddenly collapses and disintegrates.
5. Absorbing divinity: Jiang Ning seizes the stone idol, gaining 17 points of divinity (3→20) and increasing his Flesh Regeneration authority from 0.42% to 2.5% (a significant boost worth roughly 9 divinity points).
6. Evaporating the blood pool: Jiang Ning uses the Fire-Trapping Tiger to evaporate the blood pool, piercing through the earth with his Blade Bone's saber intent to vent the blood energy skyward.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning: Demonstrates the perfected Indestructible Vajra Body, the Heavenly Eye, and the Blade Bone (a trump card previously unused). His authority over Flesh Regeneration grows notably. He remains cautious of the unknown, but proves decisive in battle and resource acquisition.
• Bai Luoyu: Nearly succumbs to the God of Flesh's divine might, experiencing despair and horror. He witnesses Jiang Ning's overwhelming power firsthand, deepening his awe. He offers a plausible explanation (gods being suppressed by heaven and earth) for the God's collapse.

Significant Themes

• Authority conflicts and divine wars: Gods who share authority are fated enemies; the division of authority threatens a god's immortality.
• The unknown as danger: Even a powerful figure like Jiang Ning fears what he doesn't understand; gods remain mysterious and terrifying.
• Mortal vs. divine limits: Gods cannot fully descend into the mortal world—suppressed by heaven and earth—creating inherent limitations.
• Power scaling and hidden trump cards: The Blade Bone and Heavenly Eye are revealed as major assets, showing Jiang Ning's depth of power.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning & Bai Luoyu: Bai Luoyu warns Jiang Ning of the blood's danger and later explains the God's collapse; Jiang Ning protects him from the divine might, then evaporates the blood pool while instructing Bai to retreat. Bai is repeatedly awestruck by Jiang Ning's power (seeing his own flesh cut by residual saber intent).
• Jiang Ning & the God of Flesh: The God initially regards Jiang Ning with confusion, then erupts in fury upon sensing shared authority, declaring "You—must—die!" The God's terror upon seeing Jiang Ning's Heavenly Eye (associating it with the ancient Divine Sovereign) leads to his own collapse—a connection Jiang Ning doesn't fully understand.

Chapter Summary: “Add Points, Gains!”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu discover that the basement’s blood pool has evaporated, revealing more than a thousand human skeletons beneath it. Since four additional blood pools exist in Baisha County, the total death toll may reach several thousand.
• Jiang Ning frees County Magistrate Deng Fei and the constables from parasitic gu worms by piercing their skulls with saber intent and extracting the insects. The worms are identified as part of a witchcraft gu technique.
• Once freed, Deng Fei and the constables regain their memories and realize they have been manipulated into serving the God-Worship Cult. Deng Fei acknowledges his crimes and blames himself for failing the people of the county.
• Jiang Ning immediately leaves to eliminate the remaining four God-Worship Cult strongholds located in Baisha County’s four corners. Using his divine sense and the ability Shrinking Earth to Inches, he destroys them all in an extremely short time.
• Each stronghold contains a statue of the God of Flesh, allowing Jiang Ning to gain a large amount of Divinity. His total rises to 89 points, and he completes the current stage of the Flesh Regeneration Authority.
• After returning, Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu seal the strongholds, close the city gates, and prepare to await Prefecture Lord Zhao Yulong and the garrison.
• Deng Fei and the constables are revealed to be too deeply corrupted by the God of Flesh to be saved. Though they retain their minds for now, death is ultimately expected under Great Xia’s laws regarding evil-god corruption.
• Jiang Ning spends 33 Divinity points to complete the next stage of Divine Scion’s Vassal, reducing his Divinity total to 66. This strengthens his ability to enhance the bodies of his subordinates.
• Bai Luoyu insists that Jiang Ning receive the full credit for resolving the crisis, arguing that Jiang Ning saved both the county and Bai Luoyu’s life. The resulting contribution points may help Jiang Ning obtain the method needed to become a Heaven-Man Grandmaster.

2. Character Developments

• Jiang Ning: Demonstrates overwhelming speed, decisiveness, and responsibility by personally eliminating all five cult strongholds. Although he gains substantial power, he remains uneasy after realizing the God of Flesh now considers him a kill-on-sight enemy because he possesses one of its Authorities. He recognizes that his strength and manpower are still insufficient and prioritizes strengthening his subordinates.
• Bai Luoyu: Becomes more openly appreciative and respectful of Jiang Ning, admitting that Jiang Ning saved his life. He also shows political awareness by urging Jiang Ning to claim the full merit, since the contribution points could help him acquire a Heaven-Man Grandmaster cultivation method.
• Deng Fei: Awakens from his control, remembers his actions, and is overwhelmed by guilt. He accepts responsibility for failing as county magistrate but pleads for his innocent constables to be spared.
• The constables: Regain their memories and acknowledge Jiang Ning’s rescue. Despite their corruption, they remain loyal to Deng Fei and accept their likely fate together.
• The God of Flesh: Though only briefly manifested, it is established as a serious threat. Its anger toward Jiang Ning confirms that their Authorities are directly opposed and that Jiang Ning has become one of its enemies.

3. Significant Themes

• Responsibility and duty: Jiang Ning refuses to ignore the suffering of ordinary people now that he holds office, treating public safety as a personal obligation.
• The cost of corruption: Deng Fei and the constables are victims and perpetrators at once. Their loss of control raises questions about guilt, punishment, and whether people corrupted by an evil god can still be held responsible.
• Power versus preparedness: Jiang Ning’s strength allows him to resolve the immediate crisis, but the encounter reveals larger dangers and the limits of his current power.
• The importance of allies and manpower: Jiang Ning realizes that relying solely on himself is unsustainable. Strengthening his subordinates is necessary so he can focus on cultivation and face future threats.
• Merit and advancement: The chapter links heroic action with institutional rewards. Contribution points are not merely prestige; they may determine whether Jiang Ning can obtain the knowledge required to advance.
• Conflict between divine Authorities: Jiang Ning’s possession of the God of Flesh’s Authority creates an unavoidable struggle, turning his growth into a direct challenge to the evil god.

4. Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu cooperate closely throughout the crisis, with Jiang handling combat and Bai overseeing official procedures and the aftermath.
• Jiang frees Deng Fei and the constables, then urges them to recover their memories. Deng Fei’s remorse contrasts with Jiang’s practical focus on containing the wider threat.
• Deng Fei and the constables support one another emotionally, accepting that they may face death together.
• Bai Luoyu and Jiang disagree over how credit should be assigned. Jiang initially tries to share the merit, while Bai Luoyu insists that Jiang deserves it because he saved everyone and needs the contribution points for his advancement.
• Their exchange reinforces their growing trust and friendship, with Bai Luoyu recognizing Jiang’s near-readiness to pursue the Heaven-Man Grandmaster realm.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The God-Worship Cult's evil plan in Baisha County is discovered.
• Zhao Yulong arrives and learns about the blood pools and the potential return of an evil god.
• He decides to consult Shen Wenyuan, a Grandmaster, about the situation.
• Shen Wenyuan arrives in Baisha County in a short time, showcasing his incredible speed and power.

Character Developments

• Zhao Yulong: Shows his concern for Baisha County and seeks help from a higher authority (Shen Wenyuan).
• Jiang Ning: Shows curiosity and awe towards Grandmasters and their power.
• Bai Luoyu: Expresses eagerness to witness a Grandmaster's bearing.
• Deng Fei: Awaits punishment for his dereliction of duty.

Significant Themes

• The power and influence of Grandmasters.
• The importance of martial strength in the society.
• The consequences of dereliction of duty and the potential punishment.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Yulong and Jiang Ning: Zhao Yulong seeks Jiang Ning's help in finding the statues and later offers him merits for his actions.
• Zhao Yulong and Bai Luoyu: They discuss the situation and the potential threat, with Zhao Yulong showing respect for Bai Luoyu's insights.
• Zhao Yulong and Deng Fei: Zhao Yulong informs Deng Fei about the impending arrival of Shen Wenyuan, who will decide Deng Fei's punishment.
• Zhao Yulong and Shen Wenyuan: They greet each other respectfully, with Zhao Yulong showing deference to Shen Wenyuan's status and power.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Grandmaster Shen Wenyuan arrives in Baisha County and hears Zhao Yulong’s account of the God-Worship Cult’s activities.
• The group examines the blood pool and confirms that it is part of the Ten-Thousand-Spirit Blood-Soul Array, which would have transformed the entire population of Baisha County into bloodwater if completed.
• Shen Wenyuan declares that the God-Worship Cult must be eradicated and promises to make its destruction his first major policy after taking office.
• Shen reveals that he has been granted a marquisate and instructs Jiang Ning, Zhao Yulong, and Bai Luoyu to regard him as their patron and support within Dongling Commandery.
• It is confirmed that Shen Wenyuan is Shen Congyun’s uncle. Shen Congyun had previously praised Jiang Ning and helped him during his early days.
• Shen awards Jiang Ning a Class-D great merit for his leading contribution in exposing and stopping the Baisha County plot. This merit can be exchanged for valuable resources, potentially including a powerful Grandmaster cultivation method.
• Shen destroys the blood pools and blood-soul formations using his Martial Dao True Intent, particularly the “Summer’s Thunderclap” aspect of the Four Symbols Return to Origin.
• He orders Zhao Yulong to handle Baisha County, including dealing with the corrupted County Magistrate Deng Fei and preventing deeply contaminated civilians from spreading the God of Flesh’s influence.
• Seven days later, the Yellow Heaven Cult provides talisman water to the townspeople. The water successfully removes the God of Flesh’s corruption from those who can still be saved.
• Shen Wenyuan departs for the prefectural city, while Jiang Ning remains to oversee the aftermath.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning gains significant recognition and political backing. His connection to the Xichuan Shen Family is confirmed, and his accomplishment earns him a Class-D great merit. His growing status is emphasized by his planned participation in the provincial martial examination.
• Shen Wenyuan is established as a powerful Second-Rank Heaven-Man Grandmaster, a newly ennobled marquis, and a decisive political leader. He demonstrates both immense martial strength and an ability to recruit capable subordinates.
• Zhao Yulong becomes one of Shen’s trusted local supporters. He accepts responsibility for cleaning up Baisha County and is instructed to punish Deng Fei without showing favoritism.
• Deng Fei is confirmed to be beyond redemption after being deeply corrupted by the deity. Shen orders that he be dealt with according to the law despite his military connections.
• Bai Luoyu witnesses Jiang Ning’s growing influence and the value of his achievement, displaying envy toward his Class-D merit.
• The Su Family’s legitimate daughter recognizes Jiang Ning as the once-unremarkable scholar who traveled with her caravan. She regrets failing to befriend him earlier, realizing that her former opportunity has permanently passed.

Significant Themes

• Power and status: Jiang Ning’s rapid rise is contrasted with the regret of those who underestimated him. Shen Wenyuan’s arrival also shows how martial strength can translate into political authority.
• Consequences of missed opportunities: The Su Family daughter’s remorse illustrates how failing to recognize someone’s potential can create irreversible regret.
• Justice versus corruption: Shen Wenyuan insists that affiliation or past service cannot excuse Deng Fei’s crimes, reinforcing the need to punish those who aid the God-Worship Cult.
• Institutional and religious influence: The Yellow Heaven Cult’s talisman water demonstrates how practical miracles can win popular loyalty and explain the religion’s widespread influence.
• Lineage and patronage: Jiang Ning’s relationship with Shen Congyun gives him access to the powerful Xichuan Shen Family, while Shen Wenyuan deliberately gathers talented local figures around himself.
• The terrifying heights of martial cultivation: Shen’s ability to summon lightning, destroy the blood array, and fly faster than sound emphasizes the extraordinary gulf between Grandmasters and ordinary martial artists.

Character Interactions

• Shen Wenyuan and Zhao Yulong establish a cooperative relationship, with Shen offering political protection and Zhao accepting responsibility for local enforcement.
• Shen praises Jiang Ning, confirms his relationship with Shen Congyun, and rewards him for his role in saving Baisha County.
• Jiang Ning respectfully acknowledges Shen Congyun’s past assistance, pleasing Shen Wenyuan and strengthening their mutual regard.
• Shen privately instructs Zhao Yulong to punish Deng Fei without hesitation.
• Shen encourages Jiang Ning to visit the prefectural city and laughs at the prospect of Jiang disrupting the city’s established martial prodigies during the provincial examination.
• The townspeople receive aid from the Yellow Heaven Cult, while the Su Family daughter watches Jiang Ning from the crowd and privately mourns the loss of her former chance to form a relationship with him.

Chapter Summary

• In Baisha County’s marketplace, Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu oversee the distribution of Yellow Heaven Cult talisman water. About a quarter of the city’s population must receive it to dispel the gods’ aura, so armored soldiers maintain order while the two officials supervise from a high platform.
• The process is expected to take several days. Jiang Ning uses the long waiting periods productively, reading an ancient book to increase his Literacy skill while occasionally cultivating the Inner Elixir Life-Nourishing Technique by absorbing the essence of the sun.
• Bai Luoyu informs Jiang Ning that Magistrate Deng has been dealt with for his failure to resist the God-Worship Cult. However, Deng’s wife and daughters will not be punished, since his actions are judged as dereliction of duty rather than willing collaboration.
• Over nearly four days, Jiang Ning remains remarkably disciplined, alternating between reading, cultivation, and supervising the crowd. His Literacy experience rises from roughly 3,700 to over 11,000, while his Inner Elixir technique reaches over 7,500/10,000 experience toward perfection.
• Bai Luoyu becomes increasingly impressed by Jiang Ning’s patience and diligence, recognizing that his rapid advancement is the result of constant cultivation rather than mere talent.
• During the final day, a yellow-robed Daoist—an Earth King of the Yellow Heaven Cult—watches Jiang Ning from a distance. He is the same cultivator whose yin spirit was previously injured by an expert protecting Jiang Ning, and he originally accepted Shen Wenyuan’s mission hoping to pursue revenge.
• However, after discovering that Jiang Ning is now the Dongling Commandery Inspector, the Daoist abandons his plans. Despite being a peak fourth-rank martial artist and possessing a condensed yin spirit, he lacks the confidence to challenge Jiang Ning’s official authority and growing power.
• Jiang Ning’s cultivation progresses significantly. He realizes that, with favorable weather, he can perfect the Inner Elixir Life-Nourishing Technique within a month and thereby reach the Heaven-Man Grandmaster realm. Shen Wenyuan’s promised Class D Great Merit will also provide access to the cultivation method he needs, removing the final major obstacle to his breakthrough.
• Once the last residents receive the talisman water, the distribution effort concludes. Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu attend a celebration banquet. Their relaxed interaction reveals Bai Luoyu’s fondness for romantic fiction, which embarrasses him when Jiang Ning recognizes the book he has been reading.
• After the banquet, the two discuss the temporary peace brought to Baisha County and reflect on how ordinary people suffer under both disasters and political turmoil. Jiang Ning remarks, “When the state prospers, the people suffer; when the state falls, the people suffer,” prompting Bai Luoyu to recognize the depth of his observation.
• The chapter ends with Jiang Ning noticing that the yellow-robed Earth King seems familiar and asking Bai Luoyu about him, setting up a possible revelation regarding the Daoist’s identity and past connection to Jiang Ning.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Jiang Ning demonstrates exceptional patience, discipline, and ambition. He turns an otherwise tedious assignment into an opportunity for steady skill growth and cultivation, while remaining attentive to his responsibilities as an official.
• Bai Luoyu grows more respectful of Jiang Ning’s work ethic and strength. Their friendly conversations show mutual trust, humor, and shared concern for the common people.
• The Yellow-robed Earth King shifts from seeking revenge to cautiously withdrawing after recognizing Jiang Ning’s elevated status and dangerous potential.
• Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu’s discussion of Magistrate Deng shows their balanced attitude toward justice: they condemn negligence but distinguish it from deliberate betrayal.
• Their closing conversation emphasizes their shared sympathy for civilians suffering amid disasters, cult activity, and governmental instability.

Significant Themes

• Diligence and self-improvement: Jiang Ning’s constant reading and cultivation underline his determination to advance through persistent effort.
• Power and authority: The Earth King’s decision to abandon revenge illustrates how official position and growing strength can deter even formidable enemies.
• The suffering of ordinary people: The mass distribution of talisman water and the characters’ reflections highlight how civilians bear the consequences of both natural and political calamities.
• Justice and responsibility: Magistrate Deng’s fate reflects the distinction between incompetence, coercion, and willing collaboration.
• Approaching transformation: Jiang Ning’s one-month goal creates momentum toward his breakthrough into the Heaven-Man Grandmaster realm.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ning returns home after a long absence.
• He discovers that Linglong, his Dragon Carp, has gained cultivation from his blood.
• He receives letters from Ji Mingyue and Ye Zhengqi, informing him of Ji Minghao's injury and Xiao Qiushui's Grandmaster Banquet, respectively.
• Jiang Ning decides to help his brother, Jiang Li, improve his martial strength.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning: He has grown more confident and calm, showing no fear of facing Xiao Qiushui directly. He is also more willing to help his family, as seen in his decision to aid Jiang Li.
• Jiang Li: He has reached the Eighth rank, Divine Strength Realm, and is eager to improve further.
• Ji Mingyue: She has returned to the royal capital after her journey to Great Li Prefecture, where she witnessed severe famine and unrest.
• Wang Qingtan: She is facing a difficult situation that may require the intervention of a grandmaster or someone with significant influence.

Significant Themes

• The power of blood and cultivation: Jiang Ning's blood can significantly enhance Linglong's cultivation, highlighting the potency of his divine essence.
• The consequences of drought and famine: Ji Mingyue's experiences in Great Li Prefecture underscore the severe impact of natural disasters on the common people.
• Family and responsibility: Jiang Ning's actions show his growing sense of responsibility towards his family, while Wang Qingtan's situation emphasizes the importance of family and the need to protect them.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning and Linglong: Their interaction shows the bond between them and Linglong's dependence on Jiang Ning for cultivation.
• Jiang Ning and Jiang Li: Their brotherly bond is evident in their interactions, with Jiang Li showing pride in Jiang Ning's achievements and Jiang Ning demonstrating his willingness to help his brother.
• Wang Qingtan and Wang Qinghan: Their sisterly bond is shown in Wang Qingtan's concern for her younger sister's safety and her determination to protect her.

Chapter Summary: “Wang Qingtan’s Scheme, Divinity and Humanity!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ning practices the Five Animals Fist in his courtyard, reaching the Deer Form and gaining additional experience. His technique is now refined enough to appear simple and gentle, though Wang Qingtan recognizes that it has returned to a state of profound simplicity and is being used to regulate and strengthen his body.
• Wang Qingtan and her younger sister, Wang Qinghan, visit Jiang Ning. Jiang is immediately struck by the immense value of Wang Qingtan’s gold-threaded clothing and jewelry, since he urgently needs resources to improve his cultivation.
• Wang Qingtan initially jokes about collecting Jiang Ning’s debts, but instead agrees to let him continue owing her. In exchange, she asks him to repay her with a favor whenever she needs his help.
• Jiang Ning admits that he lacks the money needed for his upcoming cultivation and asks for further assistance. He claims that he intends to pursue the highest level of the Martial Dao rather than settle for becoming an ordinary grandmaster.
• Wang Qingtan takes his ambitions seriously and explains her view of the three great cultivation paths:
  • Martial Dao depends primarily on the strength of one’s own body and is comparatively independent of changes in the external world.
  • Immortal Dao relies heavily on the surrounding environment.
  • Divine Dao binds its practitioners to divine offices, making them little more than puppets of those positions.
• Jiang Ning realizes that Wang Qingtan may misunderstand his true abilities and identity, but he chooses not to correct her. He also begins reconsidering whether she is truly an ancient god, since her personality displays strong youthful and human qualities.
• Jiang asks for one thousand taels of silver. Shocked by the amount, Wang Qingtan offers five hundred taels and gives him the valuable jewelry she is wearing to pawn. In return, Jiang Ning agrees to owe her two favors.
• Wang Qingtan is delighted by Jiang Ning’s emotional reaction to receiving her jewelry. She privately reveals that giving him the jewelry was partly a calculated attempt to ensure that he would help her wholeheartedly in the future.
• After leaving, Wang Qingtan reflects on her hidden identity as the reincarnation of the Phoenix Heavenly Maiden. She fears that recovering too many memories or experiencing phoenix nirvana will cause the personality of her previous life to replace her current self.

Character Developments

Jiang Ning

• His Five Animals Fist continues approaching its next limit break, and his cultivation goals become increasingly ambitious.
• He shows his usual opportunistic concern for money, even mentally calculating the value of Wang Qingtan’s clothing and ornaments, but he is also genuinely moved by her willingness to sacrifice her jewelry for him.
• He becomes more thoughtful about the relative strengths of Martial, Immortal, and Divine Dao.
• He recognizes that Wang Qingtan may be hiding a deeper identity and deliberately allows her misunderstanding to remain.

Wang Qingtan

• She demonstrates considerable generosity, lending Jiang Ning money and jewelry despite his failure to repay previous debts.
• At the same time, her generosity is strategic: she hopes Jiang Ning’s gratitude will secure his future assistance.
• Her confident, teasing, and somewhat girlish personality contrasts with the terrifying possibility that she is connected to an ancient divine existence.
• She is deeply conflicted about her reincarnated identity, fearing the loss of her present humanity to the will of the Phoenix Heavenly Maiden.

Wang Qinghan

• She remains innocent and straightforward, openly commenting on Jiang Ning’s fistwork and becoming stunned by the scale of Wang Qingtan’s financial sacrifice.
• Her reactions provide a humorous contrast to her sister’s calculated behavior.

Significant Themes

• Humanity versus divinity: Wang Qingtan’s central conflict is whether she can remain herself or will eventually be consumed by the personality of her divine past life.
• The cost of reincarnation: Memories and powers from a former existence offer strength but threaten the continuity of the current self.
• Martial Dao’s independence: The chapter presents Martial Dao as a path rooted in personal strength, less vulnerable to changes in the world than Immortal Dao or Divine Dao.
• Debt, trust, and manipulation: Wang Qingtan’s financial support is both a sincere act of affection and a deliberate investment in Jiang Ning’s future loyalty.
• Appearance versus reality: Jiang Ning’s seemingly soft fistwork hides great mastery, while Wang Qingtan’s youthful appearance conceals a potentially ancient and powerful origin.

Character Interactions

• Wang Qingtan and Wang Qinghan discuss and evaluate Jiang Ning’s fist technique before meeting him.
• Jiang Ning and Wang Qingtan engage in playful arguments over her names, his debts, and his suspicious interest in her expensive clothing.
• Wang Qingtan warns Jiang Ning not to underestimate the importance of blood exchange and urges him to pursue the highest possible Martial Dao foundation.
• Jiang Ning and Wang Qingtan reach an agreement involving five hundred taels, pawnable jewelry, and two future favors.
• Their exchange reveals mutual trust and growing personal significance: Jiang Ning is touched by Wang Qingtan’s sacrifice, while she is pleased that her gesture may bind him more closely to her.
• Wang Qingtan’s private reflections after leaving reveal that beneath her teasing confidence lies anxiety over losing her human identity.

Key plot points and events

• Wang Qingtan and her younger sister, Wang Qinghan, leave Jiang Ning’s home. Qinghan teases her sister about being unusually kind to Jiang Ning and asks if she wants a man’s company. Qingtan rebukes her, hinting that loneliness and a heavy secret weigh on her.
• Jiang Ning resumes practicing the Five Animals Fist rather than selling Qingtan’s jewelry. He soon receives five gold notes—500 taels—from her, as promised.
• He visits the Myriad Treasures Pavilion to purchase ancient Immortal Dao treasures. Since pill use has left impurities in his body that could interfere with his upcoming blood transformation, he seeks other ways to raise his source energy.
• After reviewing a catalogue of 23 rare items, Jiang Ning spends 495 taels, using the Pavilion’s ten-percent discount to buy three Dragonblood Bodhi fruits, five three-hundred-year Vermilion Fruits, and ten drops of Profound Ice Jade Marrow. He accepts the goods without inspecting each one, saying he trusts the Pavilion’s reputation.

Character developments and interactions

• Wang Qingtan reveals her emotional isolation and the burden of memories or wisdom from a past life. She suspects Jiang Ning may share her unusual circumstances, but is unsure and does not dare disclose her secret or feelings.
• Wang Qinghan is playful and protective of her sister, teasing her about Jiang Ning before following her home.
• Jiang Ning shows gratitude toward Qingtan by refusing to profit from her jewelry, but readily accepts her promised money. He is focused and practical about preparing his body for blood transformation, even though spending the entire sum pains him.
• Lü Yi assists Jiang Ning, escorts the messenger, and receives his spare change. The messenger is pleased when Lü Yi gives her a generous tip.
• Mei Jiangyun, a Pavilion manager, treats Jiang Ning with special courtesy because of his high standing and potential. She handles the sale and is surprised by the size of his purchase.

Significant themes

• Hidden burdens and loneliness: Qingtan’s past-life knowledge isolates her, and her suspicion that Jiang Ning might understand remains unspoken.
• Trust and obligation: Jiang Ning’s purchase is funded by Qingtan’s generosity, which he accepts with gratitude; he also places considerable trust in the Pavilion.
• Preparation and restraint: Rather than continue relying on pills that could harm his progress, Jiang Ning seeks rare alternatives to keep his body clear for a crucial breakthrough.
• Status and commerce: The Pavilion’s careful hospitality and discount show how Jiang Ning’s reputation shapes his dealings with powerful institutions.

Chapter Summary: “Blood Like a Dragon, Perfectly Harmonious and Wish-Fulfilling!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After returning home at dusk, Jiang Ning begins consuming and refining the treasures he obtained from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.
• He first refines three Dragonblood Bodhi fruits, ancient treasures associated with dragon remains and body cultivation.
• The fruits unleash tremendous blood-and-qi energy, but Jiang Ning’s Indestructible Vajra Body contains and fully refines their power.
• After consuming all three, his blood and qi increase by roughly fifteen percent and undergo a qualitative transformation, becoming more responsive, spiritually coordinated, and “dragon-like.”
• When he practices Five Animals Fist, his movements produce dragon roars and tiger howls, frightening nearby birds and increasing his Five Animals Fist experience.
• Jiang Ning then consumes five three-hundred-year Vermilion Fruits. They produce no visible physical effect, though he expects them to increase his source energy by the following day.
• He next consumes ten drops of Profound Ice Jade Marrow. The marrow is far more potent than the Vermilion Fruits and is absorbed rapidly by his powerful body.
• The marrow activates his Water-Fire Millstone, converting its ancient icy energy into water and fire intent. This increases his Water Nature and Water-Fire True Force experience.
• After reviewing his panel, Jiang Ning continues practicing Five Animals Fist to complete the final experience needed for another limit break, which he expects to achieve the next morning.

Character Development

• Jiang Ning’s physical foundation grows stronger through the Dragonblood Bodhi, particularly in the quality and control of his blood and qi rather than merely their quantity.
• His blood and qi become “perfectly harmonious and wish-fulfilling,” allowing him to direct power more naturally and efficiently.
• His body becomes increasingly comparable to a dragon-like force, with internal dragon roars accompanying the circulation of his qi.
• Jiang Ning demonstrates greater strategic maturity by rejecting the temptation to pursue Immortal Dao cultivation alongside Martial Dao. He recognizes that dividing his attention would weaken his progress and chooses to focus on one path.
• He also shows practical judgment by preserving the valuable jade containers for resale rather than wasting them.

Significant Themes

• Quality over quantity: The Dragonblood Bodhi’s most important benefit is not its numerical increase to blood and qi but its qualitative refinement and improved control.
• Ancient power in a diminished age: Primordial treasures still possess great value, but their effects are far weaker than they were in the ancient era because the modern environment lacks the same spiritual resources.
• Focused cultivation: Jiang Ning concludes that mastering one path thoroughly is better than pursuing multiple systems superficially.
• Resourcefulness and cost: The chapter emphasizes the enormous cost of cultivation treasures and the need to judge whether their effects justify their price.
• Modern Martial Dao versus Elder Immortal Dao: Jiang Ning reflects on the lost Immortal Dao tradition and wonders whether, with proper techniques and external resources, he might have cultivated it himself.
• Power and adaptation: Jiang Ning’s body is so strong that even intense cold and powerful medicinal forces are quickly subdued and transformed by his existing cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning briefly speaks with Lü Yi and instructs her to tell his elder brother and sister-in-law not to prepare dinner for him.
• Most of the chapter is solitary cultivation, with Jiang Ning interacting primarily with the treasures and his cultivation panel.
• He recalls the demonic Taoist from the Three Origins Taoist Temple, whose Immortal Dao abilities once allowed him to suppress Su Zhi. This memory reinforces Jiang Ning’s curiosity about Immortal Dao cultivation but also his decision not to pursue it for now.
• His cultivation affects the surrounding world: dragon roars and tiger howls frighten birds in the nearby forest, demonstrating the growing intimidation and force of his martial presence.

Chapter Summary: “Talent Improved, Five Animals Fist Breaks Limits for the Sixth Time!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After a full day of intense training, Jiang Ning wakes fully recovered, with his strength and qi-blood power noticeably increased.
• His Source Energy reaches 9,494 points, allowing him to break through the Five Animals Fist’s limits once again.
• He spends 5,000 Source Energy to achieve the Sixth Limit Break, leaving him with 4,494 points.
• The breakthrough improves his martial talent, granting him the trait “Fist Grandmaster (First Break).”
• His fist talent is now described as extraordinarily rare and beyond the ordinary, placing him among the highest level of martial prodigies.
• Jiang Ning practices the upgraded Five Animals Fist and discovers that each animal form now grants experience separately. A complete set provides five experience points, greatly increasing his cultivation speed.
• His fist technique has reached a state of “returning to simplicity”: its power is no longer outwardly spectacular, but its strength is concealed and vastly greater than before.
• His qi-blood cultivation efficiency rises dramatically. Each complete practice session now adds around thirty strands of qi-blood power, compared with only five previously.
• Jiang Ning crosses the lake by walking over the water, demonstrating his rapidly increasing physical and martial strength.
• He orders Lü Yi to summon Xie Xiaojiu, Zhou Xing, and Feng Ji to begin preparing for his plan to strengthen the Commissioner Office.
• Jiang Ning gives the three subordinates bottles of wine mixed with Emperor’s Flowing Essence and his own blood. The mixture greatly strengthens their physical foundations and cultivation.
• He also instructs them to dilute the remaining mixture and distribute it among the lower-ranking members of the office.
• The chapter ends with Feng Ji recognizing Jiang Ning’s generosity, while Xie Xiaojiu quietly struggles with the growing distance between herself and Jiang Ning.

Character Developments

Jiang Ning

His sixth limit break greatly improves both his Five Animals Fist and his innate talent for fist arts. He becomes more confident in his future potential and increasingly focused on long-term growth, preparing to confront the God-Worship Cult and the God of Flesh. His leadership also becomes more pronounced as he actively invests in strengthening his subordinates.

Xie Xiaojiu

Her cultivation improves through Jiang Ning’s assistance, but she feels emotionally and personally distant from him. She no longer has the confidence to approach him as she once did.

Zhou Xing

He continues progressing in martial cultivation, having advanced from the peak of the eighth rank to the seventh rank, and benefits from Jiang Ning’s strengthening elixir.

Feng Ji

She is impressed by Jiang Ning’s generosity and openly expresses gratitude on behalf of the others. She has abandoned her former romantic thoughts toward him after recognizing the vast gap between them.

Lü Yi

She continues serving Jiang Ning faithfully and helps relay his orders.

Significant Themes

• Talent and cultivation efficiency: The chapter emphasizes that superior talent can matter more than raw strength, allowing Jiang Ning to advance several times faster than ordinary martial artists.
• Returning to simplicity: True mastery is shown through concealed power rather than flashy displays. Jiang Ning’s improved technique appears ordinary but contains extraordinary force.
• Investment in others: Jiang Ning’s strength is not used solely for personal advancement; he shares precious resources with his subordinates to build a stronger organization.
• Ambition and preparation: Jiang Ning is preparing for an eventual confrontation with the God of Flesh by weakening the God-Worship Cult and increasing his own forces.
• Emotional distance and changing relationships: As Jiang Ning’s power rises, the gap between him and former companions widens, particularly affecting Xie Xiaojiu.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning speaks with Lü Yi after training and instructs her to summon key members of the Commissioner Office.
• He gives Xie Xiaojiu, Zhou Xing, and Feng Ji strengthening mixtures and directs them to distribute the remaining supply to their subordinates.
• Feng Ji jokingly criticizes Zhou Xing and Xie Xiaojiu for quickly drinking the mixture, then openly praises Jiang Ning’s generosity.
• Before leaving, Xie Xiaojiu looks back at Jiang Ning, revealing her lingering feelings and sense of separation.
• Feng Ji notices Xie Xiaojiu’s sadness and asks whether she still cannot let go, though Xie Xiaojiu hides her emotions behind a smile.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Envoy Ye Zhengqi arrives in Luo Water Lake, seeking Jiang Ning to resolve his dispute with Xiao Qiushui.
• Jiang Ning learns about the three methods to become a Heaven-Man Grandmaster from Ye Zhengqi.
• Ye Zhengqi reveals that the Heavenly Dao has consciousness and that the current sovereign is called the Son of Heaven.
• Jiang Ning and Ye Zhengqi set off for Water-Moon Sword Palace, with Ye Zhengqi testing Jiang Ning's movement technique and speed along the way.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning shows respect and humility towards Ye Zhengqi, trying to gain his favor.
• Ye Zhengqi is impressed by Jiang Ning's movement technique and speed, seeing him in a new light.
• Ye Zhengqi's injuries from his battle with the White Horned Dragon flare up during their journey.

Significant Themes

• The power and mysteries of Heaven-Man Grandmasters.
• The consciousness of the Heavenly Dao and its connection to the sovereign.
• The importance of movement techniques and speed in cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning and Ye Zhengqi interact, with Jiang Ning showing deference and Ye Zhengqi testing Jiang Ning's abilities.
• Bai Luoyu sees the two off, expressing concern for their journey.

Chapter Summary: Water-Moon Sword Palace, Xiao Emei!

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the latter part of noon, Jiang Ning practices the Inner Elixir Life-Nourishing Technique, absorbing the sun’s rosy essence. His cultivation reaches major mastery at 8,033/10,000, bringing him close to perfection and qualification for the third rank, the Heaven-Man Grandmaster realm.
• Ye Zhengqi observes Jiang Ning’s progress and realizes that Jiang Ning’s immortal-root aptitude must be extraordinarily powerful. He reflects on the enormous importance of talent in Immortal Dao cultivation.
• Jiang Ning and Ye Zhengqi travel for three days, resting briefly in Qiu Mountain County, before arriving at Water-Moon Sword Palace, located on an island in Moon-Reflection Lake.
• Ye Zhengqi explains the hierarchy of forces in Guangning Prefecture:
  • First-rate forces possess at least one Heaven-Man Grandmaster or multiple Grandmasters.
  • Super first-rate forces possess a second-rank Great Grandmaster.
  • The Immortal Crossing Sect, with over a thousand years of history and Primordial Era heritage, is the only known super first-rate force in the prefecture.
• The pair crosses the lake by walking across the water, astonishing the Water-Moon Sword Palace disciples. Ye Zhengqi presents his inspector’s token and is immediately treated with great respect.
• They are given guest accommodations. Ye Zhengqi’s domineering, self-important behavior causes discomfort among the palace disciples, while Jiang Ning reacts with amused tolerance.
• Jiang Ning notices Xiao Emei watching him from within the palace complex. She later visits him privately.
• Xiao Emei admits she will try to persuade Palace Lord Xiao Qiushui to abandon her desire for revenge. Jiang Ning reveals that if Xiao Qiushui refuses to let go of their grievance, he intends to kill her rather than leave behind a powerful enemy.
• Xiao Emei is deeply shaken but believes Jiang Ning is serious, remembering his mysterious ability to control her life and death through blood and her suspicion that he may be connected to a Primordial Era god.
• Xiao Qiushui is informed that Jiang Ning has arrived with Ye Zhengqi. She reacts with fury and murderous intent, but restrains herself after learning that the prefectural inspector is present.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning: His cultivation advances rapidly, nearing perfection in the Inner Elixir technique. He displays growing confidence and ruthlessness, openly declaring his willingness to eliminate Xiao Qiushui if necessary. He also tests Xiao Emei’s loyalty by revealing his true intentions.
• Ye Zhengqi: His formidable status and authority are emphasized. He moves across the lake effortlessly and commands immediate respect. His arrogant, uncompromising personality is also highlighted through his treatment of the palace disciples and his demand for a private room.
• Xiao Emei: She remains conflicted over betraying Xiao Qiushui by revealing her whereabouts to Jiang Ning. Despite this guilt, she is relieved and pleased that Jiang Ning survived. Her willingness to mediate shows continued concern for both sides.
• Xiao Qiushui: She is revealed to harbor intense hatred toward Jiang Ning and still desires revenge. However, Ye Zhengqi’s arrival forces her to reconsider acting immediately.

Significant Themes

• Talent and cultivation: The chapter stresses how immortal-root aptitude determines progress in Immortal Dao cultivation, contrasting its harsh disparity with the Martial Dao.
• Power and authority: Ye Zhengqi’s status demonstrates how absolute strength and official authority command obedience, while Jiang Ning’s growing power allows him to confront established Grandmasters.
• Old grudges and revenge: Jiang Ning’s arrival forces the Water-Moon Sword Palace to confront unresolved hostility. The chapter questions whether revenge can be abandoned before it becomes fatal.
• Loyalty and betrayal: Xiao Emei struggles with having betrayed her Palace Lord while still caring for both Xiao Qiushui and Jiang Ning.
• Mystery and destiny: Jiang Ning’s unusual abilities and rapid cultivation reinforce Xiao Emei’s belief that he may possess a connection to an ancient or divine existence.

Character Interactions

• Ye Zhengqi and Jiang Ning travel together in an increasingly familiar dynamic, with Jiang Ning amused by Ye Zhengqi’s blunt arrogance.
• Ye Zhengqi intimidates the Water-Moon Sword Palace disciples, who recognize that neither he nor Jiang Ning can safely be offended.
• Jiang Ning and Xiao Emei have a tense private conversation shaped by past betrayal, mutual understanding, and the threat of Xiao Qiushui’s death.
• Xiao Qiushui’s reaction to Jiang Ning’s arrival establishes the impending conflict, though Ye Zhengqi’s presence temporarily prevents open confrontation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ning practices the Five Animals Fist on the terrace, rapidly accumulating experience thanks to his improved fist-technique talent. His skill reaches 4,133/7,000 toward its next breakthrough.
• His Wind-Thunder Steps are already fully cultivated, but he lacks the necessary source energy to break through. He chooses to conserve his resources for the Wood-Chopping Saber Technique, which may help him draw upon heavenly spiritual opportunities and advance further.
• Ye Zhengqi summons Jiang Ning through Heaven-Man resonance, demonstrating the supernatural abilities of a Heaven-Man Grandmaster.
• Jiang Ning finds Ye Zhengqi on a mountain pavilion with Zhong, the inspector of Five Peaks Prefecture and a veteran Heaven-Man Grandmaster, along with Zhong’s great-granddaughter, Zhong Ling.
• The discussion explains why many powerful figures have come to attend Xiao Qiushui’s Grandmaster Banquet: she became a Heaven-Man Grandmaster in her forties, marking her as an extraordinary talent with immense future potential.
• Zhong Ling examines Jiang Ning’s Immortal root aptitude and declares that it shines “like a great sun hanging in the sky,” astonishing both Ye Zhengqi and Zhong.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning continues to grow rapidly through cultivation and system-assisted experience gains. He becomes more aware of the difficulty and importance of choosing his future path.
• He begins seriously considering whether to pursue a safer, simpler route to the Second Rank or attempt a more ambitious and difficult path with greater potential.
• Jiang Ning’s concern about the unstable state of Great Xia deepens. He realizes that even becoming a Heaven-Man Grandmaster may not guarantee safety once widespread chaos begins.
• Ye Zhengqi is revealed to have pursued the highly ambitious Six Harmonies path, seeking to unite with heaven, earth, and the four directions. Though powerful, this path is extremely difficult and may prevent him from easily reaching the Second Rank.
• Zhong has completed five blood exchanges and reached the peak of the Heaven-Man realm. His chosen Five Peaks path is more straightforward, leaving him only a short distance from becoming a Second Rank Grandmaster.
• Zhong Ling is introduced as a girl with a rare constitution that allows her to perceive the Immortal root potential of others. Her abilities confirm that Jiang Ning’s talent is extraordinarily rare.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus era: Zhong Ling’s special spirit body and Jiang Ning’s immense Immortal root aptitude would have been far more valuable in the Primordial Era, but the current age lacks sufficient spiritual opportunities.
• Ambition and difficulty: Ye Zhengqi’s Six Harmonies path represents a higher but far more arduous goal, while Zhong’s Five Peaks path offers a simpler route to advancement.
• The limits of the current world: Even exceptional cultivators are constrained by the declining spiritual environment and the scarcity of heavenly opportunities.
• Approaching instability: Jiang Ning senses that Great Xia is close to upheaval, making strength and long-term planning essential.
• The hidden depth of cultivation: The chapter expands the distinctions between Heaven-Man Grandmasters, blood exchanges, the Second Rank, and different paths toward higher realms.

Character Interactions

• Ye Zhengqi treats Jiang Ning with familiarity and introduces him to Zhong, visibly pleased when Zhong praises Jiang Ning as a young talent.
• Jiang Ning respectfully questions Zhong about the importance of Xiao Qiushui’s breakthrough and learns more about the significance of Heaven-Man Grandmasters.
• Ye Zhengqi and Zhong exchange modest but revealing assessments of their own cultivation paths, acknowledging each other’s strengths.
• Zhong asks Zhong Ling to inspect Jiang Ning’s Immortal root aptitude. Her astonishing assessment causes both elders to react with shock and regret, implying that Jiang Ning possesses an aptitude even greater than either of theirs.
• Ye Zhengqi reveals that Zhong Ling sees his Immortal root as brilliant starlight, while Zhong’s appears only as the light of a rice grain—making Jiang Ning’s “great sun” aptitude extraordinarily exceptional.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• At the Water-Moon Sword Palace, Ye Zhengqi and Old Zhong lament that Jiang Ning was born in an age lacking the spiritual resources of the Primordial Era, believing his immortal potential would have been extraordinary in ancient times. Jiang Ning remains unconcerned and continues eating pastries.
• Two visiting inspectors, Huang and Wang, arrive. Inspector Huang initially mistakes Jiang Ning for a junior and asks him to give up his seat, but quickly apologizes after learning Jiang Ning’s official status and reputation.
• Li Sixiang, a silver-haired Daoist from the Immortal Crossing Sect, arrives at the banquet. His spiritual pressure impresses Jiang Ning. It is revealed that Li has recently become a second-rank grandmaster.
• Ye Zhengqi and Old Zhong discuss the danger posed by the Immortal Crossing Sect, which now possesses two second-rank grandmasters and the foundation of a thousand-year-old sect. This highlights the growing strength of sects compared with the imperial court.
• Ye Zhengqi explains that Li Sixiang’s Martial Dao is based on the Buddhist concepts of earth, wind, water, and fire. By mastering the profound intent of these four elements, Li reached the pinnacle of grandmasterhood before advancing into the second rank.
• Ye Zhengqi praises Zhong Yue’s great-granddaughter, Zhong Yue’s young descendant, for possessing a special Primordial-Era constitution that allows her to naturally enter the realm of unity between heaven and man. He suggests Jiang Ning marry her so that he might use her as a medium to comprehend the realm.
• Jiang Ning rejects the proposal, fearing that relying on such a shortcut would weaken his Martial Dao heart and cause him to pursue crooked or unorthodox paths.
• Ye Zhengqi informs Jiang Ning that Prefectural Inspector Zhao has emerged from seclusion and may arrive that afternoon, possibly having made a major breakthrough.
• Back in his quarters, Jiang Ning meets secretly with Xiao Emei. She reports that she failed to persuade Palace Master Xiao Qiushui to abandon her intended confrontation with him.
• Jiang Ning accepts that Xiao Qiushui is unlikely to retreat after recently entering the Heaven-Man Grandmaster realm. He declares that if she chooses to fight, he will fight with everything he has.
• Meanwhile, Xiao Qiushui learns that Xiao Emei is involved with Jiang Ning and is currently in his room. Rather than punishing Emei, she reveals that she has designated Emei as the future Palace Master and intends to use her relationship with Jiang Ning to preserve the Water-Moon Sword Palace if Xiao Qiushui dies.
• Xiao Qiushui destroys the intelligence reports she has collected on Jiang Ning and resolves that the coming battle will end with either Jiang Ning’s death or her own. His rapid growth has convinced her that she can delay no longer.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning: Demonstrates composure, humility, and strong principles. He is fascinated by the wider political and martial landscape but refuses to compromise his cultivation foundation for an easy breakthrough. He also accepts the possibility of fighting Xiao Qiushui without hesitation.
• Ye Zhengqi: Acts as Jiang Ning’s mentor and source of information about the region’s major powers. He admires Jiang Ning’s talent and judgment, while pragmatically considering ways to help him advance.
• Li Sixiang: Is established as a formidable second-rank grandmaster whose earth, wind, water, and fire-based Martial Dao gives him exceptional power and influence.
• Xiao Emei: Remains emotionally conflicted. She cares about both Jiang Ning and Xiao Qiushui, attempts to prevent their conflict, but fails and is left troubled by the prospect of their deaths.
• Xiao Qiushui: Becomes fully committed to confronting Jiang Ning. Her apparent calm conceals determination and lethal resolve, while her decision to make Emei her successor shows strategic concern for the palace’s survival beyond her own life.
• Zhong Yue’s descendant: Is portrayed as exceptionally gifted, possessing a rare constitution and natural access to the unity-between-heaven-and-man realm.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus historical circumstance: Jiang Ning and Zhong Yue’s descendant possess extraordinary abilities but were born in an era with diminished spiritual opportunities.
• Principle versus expediency: Jiang Ning refuses a marriage-based shortcut to cultivation, valuing a stable and authentic Martial Dao heart over rapid advancement.
• Sect–imperial power imbalance: The Immortal Crossing Sect’s two second-rank grandmasters expose the relative weakness of Great Xia’s official forces and reinforce the uneasy balance among the court, sects, and imperial family.
• Inheritance and sacrifice: Xiao Qiushui prepares for her possible death by appointing Xiao Emei as successor, prioritizing the Water-Moon Sword Palace’s survival.
• Inevitable conflict: The chapter builds toward a decisive confrontation between Jiang Ning and Xiao Qiushui, with both sides recognizing that compromise may no longer be possible.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning and Ye Zhengqi: Discuss Li Sixiang’s cultivation, the strength of the Immortal Crossing Sect, the imperial court’s weakness, and the possibility of Jiang Ning marrying Zhong Yue’s descendant. Jiang Ning’s refusal earns Ye Zhengqi’s respect.
• Jiang Ning and Li Sixiang: They do not directly converse, but Li’s arrival and spiritual pressure leave a strong impression on Jiang Ning.
• Jiang Ning and Xiao Emei: Emei admits that she could not change Xiao Qiushui’s decision. Jiang Ning responds calmly but makes clear that he will not hold back if Xiao Qiushui attacks.
• Xiao Qiushui and her disciple: Xiao Qiushui calmly dismisses the disciple who reports Emei’s relationship with Jiang Ning, revealing that she has already planned around the situation.
• Xiao Qiushui and Xiao Emei: Though Emei is absent from the scene, Xiao Qiushui’s decision to name her successor demonstrates both affection and strategic trust, turning Emei into the palace’s safeguard should the battle end in Xiao Qiushui’s death.

Chapter Summary: Zhao Yulong Becomes a Heaven-Man Grandmaster!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Ning practices the Five Animals Fist on Moon-Reflecting Island, refining its power so that its strength is stored internally rather than displayed outwardly. His body, organs, and physique continue to transform as he develops fist intent.
• Zhao Yulong arrives by balancing on a single bamboo pole and crossing Moon-Reflection Lake with extraordinary ease, demonstrating that he has reached the Heaven-Man Grandmaster realm.
• Zhao confirms that he has successfully taken the crucial step into the third rank. Jiang Ning congratulates him and agrees to celebrate with a drink.
• Jiang Ning spends the entire night practicing because he is preparing for Xiao Qiushui’s Grandmaster Banquet. After learning more about Xiao Qiushui’s attitude from Xiao Emei, he becomes determined to kill her after the banquet, believing he now has roughly a ninety-five percent chance of success.
• Jiang also plans to obtain a Heaven-Man Grandmaster cultivation method using a Class-D Major Merit worth one million contribution points, which he expects to receive after Shen Wenyuan takes office.
• The next morning, Ye Zhengqi complains that Jiang’s overnight fist practice kept him awake. Jiang apologizes, though Ye acknowledges that Jiang’s immense energy contributes to his rapid martial progress.
• Ye Zhengqi and Jiang meet Zhao Yulong. Ye immediately recognizes Zhao’s breakthrough and congratulates him.
• The group discusses the forces attending the banquet. Zhong Yue has arrived from Five Peaks Prefecture to provide support, while the Immortal Crossing Sect has sent Li Sixiang, who has unexpectedly advanced to become a second-rank Divine Intent Grandmaster.
• Zhao Yulong is alarmed by Li Sixiang’s advancement, but Ye Zhengqi remains confident, stating that he is willing to fight him despite Li’s higher rank.
• At Xiao Qiushui’s banquet, around thirty guests are present, including slightly over ten truly important figures. Zhong Yue exchanges drinks and banter with an old beggar who appears to be an unusually powerful and mysterious Grandmaster.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning: His Five Animals Fist continues to advance rapidly, strengthening his body and five organs while concealing its power through internalized fist intent. He becomes fully committed to killing Xiao Qiushui and is mentally preparing for a decisive confrontation.
• Zhao Yulong: He completes his breakthrough into a Heaven-Man Grandmaster. His joyful, proud demeanor shows that this has fulfilled a long-held ambition, and his arrival displays his new mastery of the unity-between-heaven-and-man state.
• Ye Zhengqi: Still suffering from the White Horned Dragon’s cold poison, he remains unable to train as intensely as Jiang. Nevertheless, he displays fierce confidence and readiness to confront Li Sixiang.
• Xiao Qiushui: Though she does not appear directly, her advancement and banquet establish her as the central threat. Jiang now views her survival as unacceptable and intends to settle their past conflict.
• Li Sixiang: He has advanced unexpectedly to the second-rank Grandmaster realm, making the Immortal Crossing Sect a much more serious force at the banquet.
• Zhong Yue: He arrives as reinforcements for Guangning Prefecture and maintains a calm, authoritative presence among the attending Grandmasters.
• The old beggar: His ability to converse casually with Zhong Yue and his profound aura suggest that he is far more powerful or significant than his disheveled appearance implies.

Significant Themes

• Transformation through cultivation: Jiang’s progress emphasizes the idea that true strength is developed internally through repeated refinement, bodily transformation, and the accumulation of intent.
• Preparation before decisive action: Jiang’s sleepless training and careful assessment of his chances against Xiao Qiushui show the importance of patience, timing, and absolute preparation when facing a top-level opponent.
• The danger of powerful enemies: The chapter stresses that a Heaven-Man Grandmaster must be killed in one decisive strike, since failure may allow such an opponent to escape or retaliate without restraint.
• Martial hierarchy and breakthroughs: Zhao Yulong’s advancement and Li Sixiang’s unexpected rise demonstrate how quickly the balance of power can change in the martial world.
• Hidden strength beneath appearances: Jiang’s fist intent is invisible from the outside, Zhao conceals his true realm until questioned, and the seemingly shabby old beggar may be an extraordinary expert.
• Karma and resolve: Jiang frames his planned attack on Xiao Qiushui as the settlement of a lingering grievance and karmic debt.

Character Interactions

• Jiang warmly welcomes Zhao Yulong and deliberately gives him the opportunity to announce his breakthrough.
• Zhao asks Jiang to accompany him and invites him to celebrate, showing their friendly relationship.
• Ye Zhengqi recognizes Zhao’s advancement immediately, while Zhao jokes about Ye’s perceptiveness.
• Ye explains his continuing struggle with cold poison, prompting Zhao’s concern.
• Ye and Zhao discuss Li Sixiang’s advancement; Zhao is troubled, while Ye responds with confidence and fighting spirit.
• At the banquet, Zhong Yue trades humorous remarks with the old beggar and accepts his invitation to drink, easing the initially tense atmosphere.
• Jiang quietly observes the assembled Grandmasters, evaluating the strength of potential allies and enemies before the banquet’s events unfold.

Chapter Summary: “Borrow Some Seed, Have a Child!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Grandmaster Banquet at Water-Moon Sword Palace begins gathering numerous powerful Martial Dao experts. Jiang Ning observes that the banquet’s true purpose is the exchange of insights between grandmasters, while the formal feast is largely a ceremonial conclusion.
• Jiang Ning listens to several grandmasters discussing the Dao and gains valuable understanding from their conversations. Zhao Yulong and Zhong Yue leave to join separate discussions, leaving Jiang Ning with Ye Zhengqi.
• Zhong Ling, Zhong Yue’s sixteen-year-old great-granddaughter, approaches Jiang Ning. She possesses a rare constitution that allows her to perceive others’ immortal-root aptitude and can conceal her own presence by blending into the environment.
• Zhong Ling reveals that her constitution has a high chance of being inherited by children conceived with someone possessing exceptionally powerful immortal-root aptitude. The combination could produce descendants with both talents.
• Jiang Ning realizes that Zhong Yue likely encouraged Zhong Ling to approach him so that she could have children with him. He firmly discourages her from treating marriage and childbirth as a matter of cultivation or lineage, advising her to choose someone she genuinely loves.
• Zhong Ling accepts Jiang Ning’s sincerity and trusts him, even taking his hand and placing it on her head. Jiang Ning promises that she can seek his help in Dongling City.
• Zhong Ling’s ability to completely erase her presence astonishes Jiang Ning. Her constitution makes him reflect on Princess Consort Qi, Lin Qingyi, whose marriage to Prince Qi has never been consummated. He suspects that her unusual circumstances may be connected to the old prince’s intentions and the inheritance of powerful talents.
• Palace Mistress Xiao Qiushui arrives, praised as a young Heaven-Man Grandmaster with an excellent chance of reaching the Divine Intent Realm.
• Xiao Qiushui is accompanied by Xiao Emei, whose expression toward Jiang Ning is full of turmoil after learning something from Xiao Qiushui. Jiang Ning senses that something is wrong.
• Li Sixiang of the Immortal Crossing Sect arrives with two impressive young disciples. He has recently advanced to the second-rank Divine Intent Realm, making the Immortal Crossing Sect one of the most powerful forces in the region.
• Li Sixiang subtly declares that he intends to challenge or pressure the Great Xia Court and the Inspection Office, using Xiao Qiushui’s existing conflict with Jiang Ning as leverage.
• The banquet formally begins with Li Sixiang giving a speech about Martial Dao advancement. Ye Zhengqi and Zhong Yue deliberately avoid joining the toast to Li Sixiang, signaling their political opposition and distrust.
• Li Sixiang then toasts Xiao Qiushui, and she responds favorably. Other guests follow, raising their cups to honor her.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ning: Demonstrates keen observation and intellectual curiosity by studying the grandmasters’ discussions. He also shows moral maturity, rejecting the idea of treating Zhong Ling as a means to produce talented heirs. His concern for her well-being strengthens his image as compassionate and principled. His interest in Lin Qingyi’s situation suggests he may become involved in the political and personal secrets surrounding her marriage.
• Zhong Ling: Reveals herself to be innocent, trusting, and unusually gifted. Although initially influenced by her great-grandfather’s matchmaking intentions, she responds strongly to Jiang Ning’s sincere advice and begins to view him as a trustworthy protector. Her ability to conceal her aura hints at great future potential.
• Zhong Yue: His silent encouragement of Zhong Ling’s approach to Jiang Ning reveals that he is willing to pursue strategic or hereditary advantages for his family, even through his young great-granddaughter.
• Xiao Qiushui: Appears as a respected young powerhouse but is placed in a politically difficult position. She agrees to cooperate with Li Sixiang’s plan, partly because it aligns with her own conflict with Jiang Ning and partly because refusing the leader of the Immortal Crossing Sect would be difficult.
• Li Sixiang: His breakthrough to the second-rank Divine Intent Realm has greatly increased his influence and confidence. He now appears willing to use Xiao Qiushui to challenge established authorities and test the power of the Great Xia Court and Inspection Office.
• Xiao Emei: Her intense reaction toward Jiang Ning suggests that Xiao Qiushui has told her troubling or important information, creating unresolved tension between her and Jiang Ning.
• Ye Zhengqi: Maintains a detached and politically cautious stance, refusing to flatter Li Sixiang publicly.

Significant Themes

• Martial Dao through exchange: The chapter emphasizes that progress comes not only from solitary cultivation but also from communication, debate, and learning from others.
• Personal choice versus utilitarian thinking: Zhong Ling’s constitution encourages others to view her as a tool for producing gifted descendants. Jiang Ning rejects this perspective, arguing that love, trust, and lifelong compatibility must guide marriage and childbirth.
• Power and political maneuvering: Li Sixiang’s arrival shifts the banquet from a scholarly gathering toward a potential confrontation between regional martial powers and the central authorities.
• Inheritance and bloodline talent: The possibility of combining Zhong Ling’s constitution with Jiang Ning’s exceptional aptitude introduces questions about heredity, cultivation potential, and the strategic value of marriage.
• Hidden identities and concealed motives: Zhong Ling can hide her presence, while Xiao Emei, Xiao Qiushui, and Li Sixiang each conceal or carefully manage their intentions.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Ning and Zhong Ling: Their conversation moves from curiosity about her abilities to a serious discussion of love, marriage, and personal autonomy. Zhong Ling’s trust in Jiang Ning deepens after he treats her with genuine concern.
• Jiang Ning and Zhong Yue: Jiang Ning’s glance toward Zhong Yue confirms that the elder intentionally sent Zhong Ling to him, leaving Jiang Ning uncomfortable and suspicious.
• Jiang Ning and Xiao Emei: Their brief exchange of looks is tense and unresolved, hinting at a coming confrontation or revelation.
• Xiao Qiushui and Li Sixiang: They present a united front at the banquet, though Xiao Qiushui is clearly aware that Li Sixiang intends to use her in a larger political challenge.
• Ye Zhengqi and Zhong Yue: Their quiet remarks identify Li Sixiang’s toast and behavior as a display of growing ambition. Their refusal to toast him reinforces their opposition.
• Li Sixiang and the banquet guests: Li uses his speech and toasts to establish authority, project confidence, and subtly announce that the Immortal Crossing Sect is no longer content to remain passive.