Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Qin An, a butcher in the dangerous Great Qian county of Ding, has reached level two in his Butcher profession. To advance, his game-like system requires him to butcher a Qi Concealment Realm demon.
• A coffin-maker, Chen Chun, tells Qin An that constables killed a Pig Demon but suffered casualties—and that they are seeking butchers to handle its carcass.
• Constables bring Qin An to the county yamen, where other butchers have failed to cut the demon’s unusually tough body.
• Qin An uses his ordinary sharp knife to carve the Pig Demon with remarkable precision. Once he finishes, a strange blood-red orb appears, and his profession advances to level three.

Character developments

• Qin An is cautious about the dangers of demons, but sees the yamen’s request as a chance to meet his advancement requirement. His skill and composure under pressure distinguish him from the other butchers.
• Captain Zheng begins skeptical of Qin An, then recognizes his ability and ensures no one interrupts him.
• Chen Chun is shown as a shrewd, gossip-prone coffin-maker who warns Qin An about the constables’ search, though he quickly distances himself once they arrive.

Character interactions

• An old man tries to recruit Qin An to work for the wealthy Wang family, but Qin An refuses.
• Chen Chun buys Qin An’s leftover pork and shares news of the Pig Demon.
• The constables summon Qin An without offering him a real choice. At the yamen, the other butchers’ failure and Captain Zheng’s cautious observation frame Qin An’s demonstration of skill.

Significant themes

• Skill and expertise: Qin An’s professional mastery succeeds where ordinary butchers fail.
• Pragmatism amid danger: He avoids recklessly hunting demons, yet takes an opportunity when it aligns with his goals.
• Progression and the unknown: His new talent, Qi Concealment Realm Blade Mastery, points toward a path beyond butchery, while the mysterious orb hints that the demon’s carcass holds further significance.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An’s Butcher profession reaches level 3, awakening the talent Qi Concealment Realm Blade Mastery. He keeps the breakthrough secret, wary of attracting attention.
• After Qin An finishes butchering the Pig Demon, the Yamen gives him only two taels of silver and dismisses him. The officials secure the Pig Demon’s blood-red Flesh Orb, which they call a Blood Crystal.
• Clerk Wang privately reveals that the Pig Demon had a lover and orders Captain Zheng to have Qin An killed in a few days, then compensate his relatives. He gives Captain Zheng the Blood Crystal to strengthen the county’s defenses.
• At home, Qin An’s neighbor, Chen Chun, gives him a copy of the Wind-Splitting Blade Technique, claiming it may ward off the monster’s baleful aura. Qin An suspects Chen is lying, but accepts the manual.
• Qin An’s new talent lets him master the technique almost instantly: the system reports that his Qi Concealment Realm Wind-Splitting Blade Technique has reached perfection. Testing it with his knife confirms that he can wield it with remarkable speed and power.
• Studying the manual also unlocks the Scholar profession, which begins at level 1 and slightly improves his reading speed. Qin An plans to visit a bookshop to develop it further.
• He goes to bed with his knife beneath his pillow, still cautious. In the latter half of the night, the door is open and heavy breathing is heard inside the house, ending the chapter on a threat.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains outwardly composed and pragmatic, concealing his new ability and focusing on survival. His confidence grows when he realizes his talent can rapidly perfect combat techniques and unlock professions.
• Chen Chun behaves unusually: he watches for Qin An, gives him a blade manual, and insists it is meant to help. Qin An recognizes his familiar tell—his twitching mustache—and suspects Chen is withholding the truth.
• Captain Zheng follows Clerk Wang’s orders despite apparent unease, accepting the Blood Crystal and responsibility for defending the county.
• Clerk Wang treats Qin An with contempt and regards the planned killing as routine, prioritizing the Yamen’s interests.

Significant themes

• Caution and survival: Qin An avoids drawing attention and prepares for danger, while the county’s officials treat ordinary people as expendable.
• Corruption and unequal power: Qin An is underpaid and marked for death after serving the Yamen; local authority protects itself rather than the common people.
• Hidden potential and growth: Qin An’s system turns study and practical experience into rapid mastery, expanding his possibilities beyond butchery.
• Suspicion and looming danger: Chen Chun’s unexplained help and the open door and heavy breathing suggest that threats are gathering around Qin An.

Plot points

• A Sow Demon breaks into Qin An’s room, drawn by the scent of her slain husband—the Pig Demon Qin An butchered for the Yamen.
• Qin An tries to flee but is struck and injured. When the demon attacks again, he uses the Wind-Splitting Blade Technique and kills her with one powerful cut.
• Chen Chun arrives too late to intervene and is astonished that Qin An mastered the technique in a single day.
• Qin An calmly butchers the Sow Demon and finds a Flesh Orb, which he hides.
• Pressed by Qin An, Chen Chun reveals that he is an undercover agent of the Evil Extermination Division, investigating suspicions that Ding County’s Yamen is colluding with demons. He then asks Qin An for the Blood Crystal.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An shifts from cautious flight to determined self-defense when the Sow Demon threatens to eat him. His unexpected skill with the blade, composure after the fight, and quick butchery reveal unusual aptitude and growing hardiness. He remains wary of Chen Chun and demands the truth about his identity.
• Chen Chun is exposed as more than a coffin-shop owner: he is a covert investigator who came to protect Qin An. Impressed by Qin An’s ability, he considers recruiting him, while Qin An questions both his motives and the blade technique’s legitimacy.
• The Sow Demon’s attack shows how Qin An’s earlier work has made him a target. She frames her revenge as justice for her husband, but also admits she intends to eat Qin An.

Significant themes

• Survival and moral ambiguity: Qin An is caught between demons and a potentially corrupt authority, and must act to stay alive.
• Power and hidden potential: His rapid mastery of the technique suggests abilities beyond those of an ordinary butcher.
• Trust and secrecy: Chen Chun’s concealed identity and the uncertain Yamen investigation leave Qin An unsure whom to rely on.
• Violence as ordinary work: Qin An’s matter-of-fact butchery contrasts with the supernatural horror of the encounter and underscores how his trade shapes his response.

Plot points and events

• Chen Chun explains the basics of cultivation to Qin An: cultivators store qi drawn from blood; cultivation methods build a realm, while combat techniques such as the Wind-Splitting Blade Technique can generate qi only slowly.
• Demons may form Blood Crystals from abundant blood vitality. They can greatly aid Qi Concealment cultivators, but using one without a cultivation method to guide it could be fatal.
• Chen Chun asks Qin An for the Blood Crystal taken from the Sow Demon. Qin An refuses, reasoning that he is now caught up in the danger and may need it himself. Chen Chun warns him to hide it and stay cautious.
• Before leaving, Chen Chun tells Qin An not to reveal that he is an undercover agent for the Evil Extermination Division, warning that the organization may not be as forgiving as he is.
• Qin An decides to focus on raising his newly acquired Scholar Profession, which requires less proficiency to advance than his Butcher Profession. The next morning, he goes to Qingfeng Bookstore.
• At the bookstore, he finds a crowd watching a blade-wielding man, Zhao, viciously beat a frail scholar for writing poems that insulted the River Blade Sect. The onlookers are too intimidated to intervene.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An shows growing caution and independence: he asks direct questions to learn how this world works, keeps the Blood Crystal despite Chen Chun’s request, and chooses a practical path for developing his abilities.
• Chen Chun acts as an informative but self-interested mentor. He explains cultivation and the Blood Crystal’s value, hopes to obtain it for himself, then accepts Qin An’s refusal and leaves with a warning.
• Zhao is introduced as a brutal enforcer of the River Blade Sect, using violence to punish criticism. The beaten scholar and the silent crowd illustrate his power and the danger of speaking against the sect.

Significant themes

• Self-reliance amid instability: Qin An believes he can depend only on himself and his Golden Finger as the world grows more dangerous.
• Knowledge and power: The chapter contrasts martial cultivation with scholarly advancement, as Qin An turns to reading to develop a new profession.
• Scarcity and risk: The Blood Crystal offers a shortcut to strength but may be deadly without proper guidance, making it both valuable and dangerous.
• Fear and unchecked authority: The crowd’s inaction and Zhao’s attack show how intimidation suppresses dissent in a society where powerful groups can act violently.

Key plot points and events

• In Qingfeng Bookstore, Qin An witnesses River Blade Sect member Zhao Jinsheng beating a scholar who had written a poem insulting the sect after the woman he loved married one of its disciples.
• Constables break up the assault, but reveal their allegiance to the sect: they jail the injured scholar for three days while letting Zhao go, then invite him to the pleasure quarters. The watching scholars are outraged but too powerless to act.
• Qin An sets the incident aside and focuses on his purpose for visiting: testing whether reading advances his Scholar Profession. It does, earning him a proficiency point. He reads throughout the day and finishes at Scholar lv.1 (50/100), with slightly increased reading speed.
• He decides to return the next day rather than take books home, valuing caution and mental rest. He plans to raise the Scholar Profession to level three before reopening his butcher shop.
• That night, Qin An passes a drunken Zhao Jinsheng without engaging him. Zhao recognizes the knife at Qin An’s waist and suspects he may have found an opportunity.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains pragmatic and guarded. Though he witnesses injustice, he avoids intervening, reasoning that he is an outsider and that acting rashly could get him killed. He treats reading as a deliberate route to progress and is cautious about attracting attention.
• Zhao Jinsheng is openly violent and protected by the River Blade Sect’s influence. While drunk, he reveals that the scholar’s childhood love was taken by the sect’s young master and thrown into a river, suggesting the scholar’s grievance runs deeper than the public account.
• The constables demonstrate their corruption through their familiarity with Zhao and their unequal treatment of him and the scholar.
• The scholars share anger at the abuse but remain silent and disperse, illustrating how fear and lack of status limit their ability to resist.

Significant themes

• Pragmatism versus heroic intervention: Qin An rejects the idea of acting like a fictional protagonist, choosing survival over a dangerous gesture.
• Corruption and unequal power: The sect’s influence bends law enforcement, leaving ordinary people vulnerable.
• Steady self-improvement: Qin An’s reading-based profession advances through patient, focused effort.
• Caution as survival: His restraint, including keeping books out of his home, reflects awareness that attention itself can be dangerous.
• A developing opportunity: Zhao’s suspicion about Qin An’s knife hints that his attention may create trouble—or open a new path—for Qin An.

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Jinsheng of the River Blade Sect recognizes Qin An as a saber practitioner and assumes he gained his technique by chance, without a cultivation method. Hoping to steal it and earn Merits, Zhao follows him home.
• Late that night, Zhao quietly breaks into Qin An’s house. Qin An, already wary after earlier dangers, hides with his knife and attacks when the intruder enters and rings the Bell.
• Zhao boasts of his Water Shadow Saber Technique and expects Qin An to fall for its weapon-catching trick. But Qin An’s technique is vastly more accomplished: he cuts Zhao’s throat, then kills him with a thrust to the chest.
• Qin An calmly cleans his knife, searches the body, and finds a book titled Cold Source Cultivation Method.

Character developments

• Qin An shows how cautious he has become, preparing for danger rather than trusting an unknown visitor. His composed reaction after killing Zhao suggests he is also growing accustomed to violence.
• Zhao Jinsheng is ambitious and overconfident. His desire for a valuable technique leads him to underestimate Qin An and break into his home, costing him his life.

Significant themes

• Technique versus cultivation: Zhao believes a cultivation method is essential, but Qin An’s superior saber skill proves technique can decide a fight.
• Greed and misjudgment: Zhao’s hunger for advancement clouds his judgment and turns an opportunity into a fatal mistake.
• Violence becoming routine: Qin An’s matter-of-fact handling of the body reflects how danger is reshaping his outlook.

Character interactions

• Zhao secretly follows Qin An, then confronts him during a midnight break-in.
• Qin An gives Zhao no chance to explain or threaten him further, treating the intrusion as an immediate danger and responding decisively.
• Their encounter ends with Qin An taking the cultivation manual Zhao hoped to seize.

Plot points

• Qin An searches the belongings of Zhao Jinsheng, whom he has killed, and finds a cultivation manual called the Cold Source Cultivation Method. It teaches Qi with freezing effects.
• He tries to practice it but cannot produce or increase any Qi, concluding he lacks cultivation talent. He memorizes the method, burns the book to avoid discovery, and decides to rely instead on his Golden Finger and level up his Scholar profession.
• To conceal the killing, Qin An buries Zhao’s body in his rear courtyard, cleans the blood, and returns to ordinary life.
• At the bookstore, Qin An reads quickly and advances from Scholar level 1 to level 2. The next advancement requires three ordinary books.
• Meanwhile, Captain Zheng arrives with constables, expecting to find Qin An dead or in danger because the Pig Demon’s scent should have made him a target. Learning Qin is alive, Zheng waits for him. When Qin returns, Zheng asks whether anything strange has happened and requests to inspect his home.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains cautious and pragmatic: he takes the risk of using a valuable manual, but destroys the evidence, hides Zhao’s body, and prioritizes survival. His failure to cultivate disappoints him, yet he quickly turns to advancing his Scholar profession.
• Captain Zheng is puzzled by Qin An’s survival and curious about his connection to the demon’s threat. He approaches Qin directly, presenting the inspection as part of a search for demons.
• Qin An and Captain Zheng exchange polite but guarded words. Qin denies encountering anything strange, while Zheng asks to search the house.

Significant themes

• Survival in a dangerous, lawless world: Qin treats killing and concealment as necessary realities.
• Power, talent, and alternatives: A rare cultivation method is useless to Qin without the talent to practice it, so he places his hopes in his unusual profession-based ability.
• Secrecy and suspicion: Qin destroys evidence, while the constables’ arrival threatens to expose what he has hidden.
• An unresolved danger: The chapter ends just as Captain Zheng is about to inspect Qin’s home.

Key plot points and events

• Captain Zheng searches Qin An’s home, hoping to find evidence connected to recent demonic incidents. Qin An stays calm; the constables find nothing because he has hidden the Blood Crystal and the bodies of Zhao Jinsheng and the Sow Demon.
• A report arrives that a River Blade Sect disciple has gone missing with a copy of the sect’s cultivation method. Qin An knows the missing disciple is buried beneath his courtyard. Captain Zheng rushes back to the Yamen.
• After several days of reading, Qin An advances Scholar to level three and gains the talent Proficiency in Comprehending Qi Concealment Realm Cultivation Methods.
• He tests the talent by practicing the Cold Source Cultivation Method. It instantly brings the method to mastery, but the breakthrough rapidly consumes his vital blood and leaves him near collapse.
• Qin An uses the Blood Crystal to replenish his vital blood and reaches the peak of the Qi Concealment Realm. He confirms that he can channel qi into his knife, coating it in cold mist.
• Qin An resolves to unlock another profession, learn what comes after the Qi Concealment Realm, and seek more Blood Crystals. Chen Chun returns and calls to him, saying he has something to discuss.

Character developments

• Qin An demonstrates composure under suspicion and grows rapidly in power. His breakthrough strengthens his confidence in the Golden Finger, but he remains cautious, aware that greater experts exist and that his advancement came at a dangerous cost.
• Captain Zheng is disappointed when the search yields nothing, then immediately shifts attention to the River Blade Sect’s missing disciple.

Significant themes

• Concealed danger and survival: Qin An’s hidden crimes and artifacts leave him vulnerable to investigation, making caution essential.
• Power and its price: Rapid advancement brings strength but drains vital blood and nearly kills Qin An.
• Knowledge as a path to power: Reading unlocks a talent that transforms Qin An’s cultivation.
• Pragmatism and restraint: Qin An seeks resources and progress while reminding himself not to become arrogant.

Character interactions

• Qin An cooperates with Captain Zheng’s search, concealing his anxiety and hiding the evidence.
• The constables’ discovery of the missing River Blade Sect disciple redirects Zheng’s investigation away from Qin An’s home.
• Chen Chun remains absent during the search and Qin An’s breakthrough, then returns at the chapter’s end with news to share.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Chun arrives at Qin An’s home late at night, injured and carrying a bloodied blade. Qin An keeps his distance and remains wary.
• Chen Chun reports that Pig Demons slaughtered Golden Rooster Village in retaliation for the death of one of their own. When the Yamen tried to negotiate, several constables were killed; Chen Chun fought off two demons and escaped.
• The Pig Demon leader claims the Yamen killed the demon on behalf of Flying Cloud Gorge, an Eagle Demon faction. Chen Chun has collected evidence of the Yamen’s collusion and offers Qin An a copy.
• Qin An initially refuses to get involved, but Chen Chun argues that the Yamen may target him too. Qin An accepts the evidence, reasoning that the Evil Extermination Division could remove the corrupt Yamen and protect him.
• Chen Chun plans to leave for Ling Prefecture despite his injuries. He explains that he hopes to join the Evil Extermination Division, whose risks offer access to cultivation methods. Before departing, he gives Qin An a book: Mountain-Lifting Fist.

Character development

• Qin An remains guarded and survival-minded, carefully weighing risks before accepting the evidence. He is not ready to join the Evil Extermination Division, preferring to handle immediate threats first.
• Chen Chun is shaken and wounded but determined to continue his mission. His willingness to trust Qin An—and to leave him the evidence—shows how isolated he has become.

Character interactions

• Qin An treats Chen Chun’s arrival with suspicion, even making him open the door while Qin An stands well back.
• Chen Chun tries to persuade Qin An that cooperating is in his own interest, not merely a favor to the Evil Extermination Division.
• Their exchange about the Division reveals mutual pragmatism: Chen Chun sees danger as a path to advancement, while Qin An avoids distant commitments.

Significant themes

• Survival and caution: Both men make choices under constant danger, but Qin An prioritizes staying alive over taking risks for principle.
• Corruption and complicity: The Yamen’s alliance with demons threatens the people it is meant to protect.
• Risk as a route to power: Chen Chun accepts danger in pursuit of cultivation and a better future, while Qin An remains hesitant.
• Trust under pressure: Chen Chun entrusts Qin An with evidence and a martial manual, despite the peril this may bring.

Chapter Summary

• Chen Chun gives Qin An a copy of the Mountain-Lifting Fist, explaining that it is common because its demanding training requirement caused the faction that developed it to decline. After memorizing the manual with his Scholar Profession, Qin An judges it an inefficient art: decades of practice yield great strength, but those years could be spent advancing to a higher cultivation realm. He burns the manual and considers what profession to unlock next.
• At the Yamen, Sect Leader Liu pressures Clerk Wang to prioritize finding a missing River Blade Sect disciple who carried a valuable cultivation method. Clerk Wang orders Captain Zheng to do so, despite Zheng’s concern about the Pig Demons.
• Once Liu leaves, Wang reveals his true priorities. Unwilling to risk the Yamen’s men or his own political standing, he decides to appease the Pig Demons by directing them to Golden Rooster Village and pointing them toward Qin An, whose scent suggests he carries a Pig Demon Blood Crystal. Zheng approves, thinking of the profit to be made from others’ deaths.
• The following morning, Qin An tries using the Cold Source Cultivation Method to break through the peak of the Qi Concealment Realm, but realizes the method covers only that realm. Since he lacks access to a higher-level cultivation method, he goes out to seek inspiration for a new profession. A disturbance at a blacksmith shop catches his attention, but the chapter ends before its cause is revealed.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Qin An remains practical and curious: he assesses the Mountain-Lifting Fist on its merits, recognizes the limits of his cultivation method, and seeks opportunities outside his home.
• Chen Chun offers Qin An a relatively accessible manual while withholding the Evil Extermination Division’s cultivation method, framing the gift as a gesture of goodwill.
• Clerk Wang is shown as corrupt and self-serving. He performs deference for Sect Leader Liu, then exploits his authority to protect the Yamen’s resources and channel danger toward Qin An.
• Captain Zheng obeys Wang and shares his corrupt outlook, valuing personal gain over civilian lives.
• Sect Leader Liu uses his powerful family connection to force the Yamen to prioritize his sect’s missing disciple.

Significant Themes

• Pragmatism and opportunity cost: The Mountain-Lifting Fist’s strength comes at the cost of years that could be spent advancing.
• Corruption and abuse of power: Officials protect their positions and profits while treating ordinary people as expendable.
• Scarcity and ambition: Qin An’s desire to advance is constrained by the rarity of cultivation methods and his need to find new opportunities.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An sees Blacksmith Sun arguing with a potential buyer over the price of his shop. Learning that Sun plans to leave for another county, Qin An decides to buy it.
• Qin An’s main motive is to unlock the Blacksmith profession, hoping its benefits might provide the strength needed to practice the Mountain-Lifting Fist.
• He buys the shop on the condition that Sun teach him the basics. Sun agrees to three days of instruction, but Qin An learns enough in one afternoon to unlock Blacksmith Profession, level 1.
• On his way home that night, Qin An senses blood in his alley and approaches cautiously with his knife drawn.
• Near his door, he finds three Pig Demons feeding and a huge Wild Boar Demon. Among the remains are clothes belonging to a disabled neighbor who had promised to make him winter gloves. Qin An recognizes them and advances toward the demons.

Character developments

• Qin An is resourceful and goal-driven: he turns the shop sale into a chance to gain a new profession, learns quickly, and remains alert to danger on his way home. His reaction to the neighbor’s remains shows his concern and resolve.
• Blacksmith Sun is wary after being lowballed by a buyer, but accepts Qin An’s offer and teaches him carefully. Once Qin An says he has learned enough, Sun eagerly leaves to continue his move.

Character interactions

• Qin An asks a bystander about the argument, then approaches Sun with a direct purchase offer.
• Sun initially doubts Qin An’s interest in the physically demanding trade, but agrees when Qin An asks only for basic instruction.
• During the lesson, Sun gives detailed practical guidance, while Qin An listens and follows closely.
• The chapter ends with Qin An confronting the demons responsible for his neighbor’s apparent death.

Significant themes

• Self-improvement and practical learning: Qin An pursues a new skill to strengthen his abilities and adapts quickly to hands-on instruction.
• Opportunity and fair dealing: Qin An offers Sun a straightforward sale after another buyer tries to exploit his situation.
• Sudden violence and vulnerability: Qin An’s ordinary return home turns into a brutal encounter, emphasizing the danger surrounding everyday life.

Plot and key events

• The Wild Boar Demon confronts Qin An, explaining that the Yamen directed it to him as the person responsible for its brother’s death. Qin An realizes the authorities have sacrificed him to protect themselves.
• Qin An kills one Pig Demon immediately, then withstands the Wild Boar Demon’s powerful club strike. His cold-based cultivation slows the demon, allowing him to stab it through the chest and kill it. He then kills the two remaining Pig Demons and butchers all four corpses.
• Only the Wild Boar Demon yields a Blood Crystal. Qin An refines it, but can only store its power because he lacks the next stage of his cultivation method.
• After weighing his options, Qin An decides that strength is his best protection. He considers joining the Evil Extermination Division but resolves for now to focus on raising his Blacksmith Profession to level three.
• The following day, Captain Zheng finally goes to Qin An’s home to collect the bodies, having spent the night indulging himself and exploiting townspeople. He and his men find the house reeking of blood and pig demons—but no corpses.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An proves capable of facing a powerful demon directly, revealing formidable strength and control of his cold-based technique. His matter-of-fact slaughter of the demons shows how hardened and pragmatic he has become. The Yamen’s betrayal deepens his distrust of the authorities and strengthens his resolve to become powerful enough to protect himself.
• The Wild Boar Demon seeks revenge for its brother and underestimates Qin An, expecting an easy kill. Its confidence collapses when Qin An catches its strike and kills it.
• The Pig Demons shift from boasting to terror and pleading, but Qin An kills them regardless, briefly asking whether they have eaten humans before deciding the answer no longer matters.
• Captain Zheng is portrayed as corrupt and self-serving: he delays collecting the bodies, takes bribes, and abuses his authority to extort and prey on townspeople. His arrival at Qin An’s home sets up a likely confrontation.

Significant themes

• Strength and survival: Qin An concludes that power, rather than fairness or official protection, is what will keep him safe.
• Institutional corruption and betrayal: The Yamen uses Qin An as a scapegoat, while Captain Zheng’s conduct shows how authority is exploited for personal gain.
• Pragmatism and moral hardening: Qin An’s calm killing of the demons suggests survival is increasingly overriding hesitation or mercy.
• Power without guidance: Qin An has accumulated strength but lacks the cultivation knowledge needed to fully use it, underscoring the risks of being self-taught and unaffiliated.

Key plot points and events

• Captain Zheng and his constables search the butcher’s house, suspecting the Wild Boar Demon may have died there, but find it empty.
• On their way back to the Yamen, they encounter Qin An. He admits that he killed the demon.
• Captain Zheng orders Qin to come to the Yamen, but Qin demonstrates his superior speed and swordsmanship with a near-strike that leaves Zheng unable to react.
• Unable to justify arresting someone for killing a demon—and afraid of Qin—Zheng retreats with his men. Qin also humiliates a constable who had earlier told him to “get lost.”
• Back home, Qin resolves to quickly advance his Blacksmith Profession and seek mental cultivation methods and martial techniques. He sleeps clutching his knife.
• Zheng reports back to Clerk Wang, repeatedly checking that Qin has not followed them. He enters Wang’s room and freezes at what he sees; the chapter ends before the discovery is revealed.

Character developments

• Qin An shifts from hiding his strength to openly acknowledging it. He recognizes that power is essential for survival against both demons and the corrupt Yamen, and plans to use the time he has gained to grow stronger.
• Captain Zheng proves cautious and self-interested. Though he tries to assert authority, fear and the lack of a lawful basis for arresting Qin make him back down.
• The constables are intimidated by Qin; one who previously insulted him quickly switches to flattery.
• Clerk Wang remains the next likely threat, though his condition or situation at the chapter’s end is left unknown.

Significant themes

• Strength as protection: In this world, power determines who can act freely and who must yield.
• Corrupt authority and survival: Qin sees the Yamen as a danger as well as the demons, and treats his admission as a calculated way to deter interference.
• Pragmatism over ambition: Zheng abandons confrontation rather than risk his life for a minor official reward.

Character interactions

• Qin and Zheng confront one another in the alley: Qin’s calm confession and display of force overturn Zheng’s attempt to command him.
• Qin asserts dominance over the constable who once dismissed him, ordering him away.
• Zheng’s nervous return and report to Clerk Wang underline how deeply Qin’s strength has unsettled the Yamen.

Plot points and events

• Clerk Wang orders a young woman’s body removed after abusing and killing her. He recognizes her as the daughter of a widow he had previously violated; the widow later drowned herself.
• Captain Zheng reports that Qin An resisted the authorities. Rather than risk a direct confrontation, Clerk Wang decides to lure Qin An outside the city and have the Eagle Demons of Flying Cloud Gorge kill him.
• After a full day forging, Qin An raises his Blacksmith Profession to level 2.
• That night, Captain Zheng tells Qin An the Yamen needs him to butcher demons outside the city and orders him to leave in three days. Qin An recognizes the setup but agrees, negotiating for five days.
• Qin An uses the extra time to advance his profession. Four days later, the requirement appears: “Temper Weapon with Blood.” He cuts his palm and quenches his ordinary knife with his own blood. The blade takes on a strange new sensation.

Character developments and interactions

• Clerk Wang reveals himself as calculating as well as cruel: he avoids risking his own men and plans to use the Eagle Demons as a proxy.
• Captain Zheng is intimidated by Qin An and deferential to Clerk Wang. He agrees to carry out the scheme, but is uneasy about confronting Qin An himself.
• Qin An remains composed and practical. He understands that refusing the order could give the authorities legal grounds against him, so he accepts while using the delay to strengthen his weapon.

Significant themes

• Corrupt authority and abuse of power: Wang’s violence and the officials’ plan show how law can be manipulated for personal ends.
• Cunning versus strength: Wang chooses an indirect attack because Qin An is dangerous to confront openly.
• Preparation and self-reliance: Qin An turns a trap into time to pursue his own advancement, relying on his craft and judgment.
• Power gained through sacrifice: The blood-tempering requirement links improvement to pain and personal cost.

Summary

Key plot points

• Qin An uses the Blacksmith Profession’s level-three talent to master the Mountain-Lifting Fist. After practicing with the Blood Crystal’s stored blood and qi, he perfects the technique and gains strength capable of delivering blows of roughly a thousand catties.
• The next day, Captain Zheng leads Qin An and a group of constables out of Ding County, secretly intending to deliver Qin An to the Eagle Demons of Flying Cloud Gorge.
• On the Wild Grass Plain, Qin An spots the demons approaching with a carriage and quickly sees through Zheng’s betrayal. Zheng flees to the Eagle Demons, calling for their leader, Eighth Master Eagle.
• Eighth Master reveals that the demons have captured a supposed spy from the Evil Extermination Division. The badly injured captive recognizes Qin An and asks if he has been captured too, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character developments

• Qin An becomes more formidable and self-assured after perfecting the Mountain-Lifting Fist. He remains calm when Zheng’s trap is revealed, suggesting he anticipated the danger.
• Captain Zheng is shown to be openly treacherous in intent, though he hides his hostility until he believes the Eagle Demons can protect him.
• Eighth Master Eagle appears cruel and confident, treating the captive as food or entertainment.
• The captive is introduced as a defiant prisoner—and apparently knows Qin An, though the reason is not yet explained.

Character interactions

• Qin An’s quiet accusation unsettles Zheng, who responds by running to the demons.
• Eighth Master Eagle explains the capture of the alleged spy and mocks the county’s failure to detect him.
• The captive’s recognition of Qin An abruptly complicates the confrontation and raises questions about their connection and identity.

Significant themes

• Power gained through practice and talent: Qin An’s profession grants him a fitting talent, but mastering the fist still requires effort and consumes a precious reserve of blood and qi.
• Betrayal and deception: Zheng’s apparent escort is actually a trap, while the captive’s identity and the Eagle Demons’ claims remain uncertain.
• Composure under threat: Qin An faces both human treachery and monstrous enemies without showing panic.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Chun realizes that both he and Qin An have been trapped by the Eagle Demons, and believes they have no chance of escape.
• Eighth Master Eagle demands Qin An’s evidence and attacks. Qin An meets his saber blows with a narrow blade that radiates a chilling force, astonishing Chen Chun and frightening Captain Zheng and the constables.
• Eighth Master Eagle calls on Captain Zheng and his men to help. As they move in, Eighth Master Eagle tries to keep Qin An’s blade occupied—but Qin An suddenly strikes with the Mountain-Lifting Fist, smashes Eighth Master Eagle’s skull, and kills him.
• Qin An turns on Captain Zheng and the constables. Captain Zheng uses his own men as shields, and Qin An cuts them down. Cornered, Captain Zheng offers Qin An two technique manuals in exchange for his life. Qin An attacks him anyway, reasoning that he can take the manuals after killing him.

Character developments

• Qin An reveals far greater ability than others expected: he has cultivated a method that gives his blade its icy force, and he can also use the seemingly ordinary Mountain-Lifting Fist to devastating effect. His calm, calculated fighting shows that he deliberately drew his enemies close.
• Chen Chun shifts from despair to stunned admiration as he recognizes Qin An’s skill and apparent talent.
• Captain Zheng changes from smug confidence to panic and desperation, ultimately betraying his own constables to save himself.
• Eighth Master Eagle, initially domineering and confident, grows wary when Qin An’s cold force begins to wear him down, then is caught off guard and killed.

Significant themes

• Deception and hidden strength: Qin An’s opponents misjudge him because they do not know the full extent of his abilities.
• Self-preservation and betrayal: Captain Zheng abandons his men when his own life is threatened.
• Power and consequence: Threats and intimidation prove useless against Qin An’s skill and planning.

Character interactions

• Chen Chun warns Qin An to run, having realized the danger of Eighth Master Eagle’s attack.
• Eighth Master Eagle pressures Captain Zheng to join the fight; Zheng rallies his constables, then uses them as shields once the battle turns against him.
• Captain Zheng tries to bargain with Qin An by offering technique manuals, but Qin An refuses to spare him.

Plot and events

• Qin An kills Captain Zheng with a devastating punch after Zheng’s saber shatters. He then hunts down the remaining Eagle Demons, killing the ones that flee and wiping out the whole group.
• Chen Chun survives with injuries. Qin An checks on him briefly, then butchers the corpses and extracts the Blood Crystal from Eighth Master Eagle, storing its vitality for future cultivation.
• Qin An gains butchery proficiency and takes two manuals from Captain Zheng: the Great Goose Blade Technique and the Azure Bird Leap movement technique.
• His Golden Finger changes, allowing him to combine martial techniques. He merges the Great Goose Blade Technique with the Wind-Splitting Blade Technique into the stronger Wind-Breaking Goose Blade Technique. Although it belongs to the Body Infusion Realm, his current talent lets him comprehend it only at an initial level.
• Qin An searches the constables’ bodies for silver. Chen Chun, still recovering, handles the rough cleanup to delay the authorities. They return to town after nightfall.
• Back at Qin An’s home, he asks Chen Chun about the next cultivation realm.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An demonstrates overwhelming strength, composure, and efficiency. His transformation from butcher to formidable fighter astonishes Chen Chun, who admires him but also finds him unsettling.
• Qin An remains practical: after a brief check on Chen Chun’s condition, he focuses on butchering, studying the manuals, and securing resources.
• Chen Chun is grateful to Qin An for saving him, but his injuries and Qin An’s intimidating demeanor leave him uneasy. Though he resents being left to clean up, he does so without protest.
• Their relationship shifts: Chen Chun, once the one who helped Qin An by teaching him a blade technique, now follows Qin An and is asked to advise him on cultivation.

Significant themes

• Rapid growth and changing roles: Qin An’s extraordinary progress reverses the original dynamic between him and Chen Chun.
• Pragmatism and survival: Qin An treats combat, corpses, skills, and resources as matters to manage efficiently.
• Accumulating and combining knowledge: His new Golden Finger rewards study and synthesis, producing a technique stronger than either source.
• Power has limits: Qin An can grasp a technique beyond his realm, but only to an initial level, suggesting further growth requires greater talent or cultivation.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An asks Chen Chun to explain the cultivation realms. Chen Chun describes the Body Infusion Realm: cultivators continually turn blood into Qi and use that Qi to strengthen every muscle, eventually making the body as tough as a divine weapon. Blood Crystals remain essential because blood is the foundation of Qi.
• Chen Chun explains that the three demon factions know his identity and that the Eagle Demon captured him. The demons and the Yamen now threaten both him and Qin An, leaving Chen Chun convinced escape is nearly impossible.
• Qin An proposes a chance to survive: Chen Chun should teach him the Evil Extermination Division’s Blazing Flame Cultivation Method. Though Chen Chun warns it is dangerous, he agrees to recite it.
• Qin An memorizes the method and uses his mysterious ability to combine it with his Cold Source Cultivation Method. The fusion produces the Water-Fire Duality Cultivation Method, a Body Infusion Realm technique.
• Drawing on the power of a Blood Crystal, Qin An completes the breakthrough and reaches the Body Infusion Realm. He believes he is now strong enough to defeat Eighth Master Eagle with a single use of the Wind-Breaking Goose Blade Technique.
• He tries to study another martial arts manual but finds conventional learning difficult, reflecting that he must rely on his special ability. The chapter ends with him considering whether to pursue an old profession or unlock a new one.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains practical and focused on survival. Rather than dwell on the dangers, he seeks a concrete way to become stronger, trusts his fusion ability, and quickly turns Chen Chun’s teaching into a major breakthrough.
• Chen Chun is exhausted, thirsty, and fearful of being trapped between the demons and the Yamen. Though he initially calls Qin An’s plan insane, he recognizes the logic and helps him by sharing the method.
• Their exchange shows a contrast in temperament: Chen Chun is resigned to the danger, while Qin An refuses to give up and pushes the conversation toward solutions.

Significant themes

• Survival through adaptation: Qin An responds to escalating threats by seeking power rather than accepting defeat.
• Knowledge and unconventional talent: Ordinary cultivation study is difficult for Qin An, but his fusion ability lets him transform existing techniques into something new.
• Trust under pressure: Chen Chun risks sharing a secret method because the two face a common danger.
• Opposing forces made complementary: The cold and fiery techniques combine into the Water-Fire Duality method, turning apparent opposites into a source of strength.

Key plot points

• Qin An weighs whether to improve one of his three existing professions or unlock a new one. Since unlocking a profession is cheaper and could give him a new talent, he decides to seek one suited to movement techniques, especially now that he has the Azure Bird Leap.
• He recognizes the danger closing in: the Yamen, the Three Great Demon Factions, and Chen Chun, the Evil Extermination Division’s undercover agent, all complicate his situation.
• At the Yamen, Clerk Wang learns that constables searching the Wild Grass Plain have found signs of a fight but no trace of the missing man. He orders the search to continue and Qin An’s home to be watched, while forbidding anyone from informing the county magistrate.
• Second Master Eagle arrives, reveals he has reached the Body Infusion Realm, and says he ate the constables searching the plain. He also tells Clerk Wang that Qin An took away the undercover agent.
• Second Master Eagle plans to kill Qin An, but first demands increased offerings from the Yamen because Flying Cloud Gorge has weakened and now ranks last among the Three Demon Factions. Clerk Wang agrees, and Second Master Eagle leaves with another Eagle Demon.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An acts strategically, prioritizing a new profession and a movement-related talent over incremental gains to his existing skills.
• Clerk Wang reveals his fear and self-preservation: he suspects Qin An killed Captain Zheng and the Eagle Demon, but avoids acting openly and is terrified that the undercover agent’s disappearance will expose him.
• Second Master Eagle is shown as ruthless and newly powerful. He intimidates Clerk Wang, kills and eats the constable, and uses Qin An’s situation to extract greater tribute.
• Clerk Wang and Second Master Eagle interact through coercion: Wang submits to the demon’s demands, hoping to protect himself and the county’s officials.

Significant themes

• Survival through strategy: Qin An chooses the most efficient path to greater strength.
• Corruption and self-interest: Yamen officials conceal the truth and treat commoners as expendable.
• Power and intimidation: Second Master Eagle’s strength lets him dominate both officials and subordinates.
• Escalating danger: Qin An’s choices now intersect with a widening conflict among the Yamen, demon factions, and the Evil Extermination Division.

Key plot points and events

• At night, an Eagle Demon finds the injured Chen Chun. Qin An is already waiting inside, beside the corpse of a constable.
• Third Master Eagle attacks Qin An to avenge Eighth Master Eagle, but Qin An kills him almost immediately. Chen Chun is astonished to learn that Qin An has reached the Body Infusion Realm.
• Second Master Eagle enters, boasting of his strength and iron-hard, tempered feathers. Qin An attacks without warning, then uses his powerful blade technique to pierce the demon’s defenses.
• Qin An defeats and kills Second Master Eagle, butchering the body and absorbing its Blood Crystal.
• The next day, Qin An takes Chen Chun into Ding County. He intends to unlock a new profession and quickly raise it to level three so he can learn Azure Bird Leap.

Character developments

• Qin An reveals a major leap in strength and composure. His Body Infusion Realm cultivation and superior blade technique make him far more capable than Chen Chun had realized.
• Chen Chun moves from wanting to help Qin An to recognizing the gap between them. He becomes intimidated by Qin An and readily agrees to accompany him.
• Second Master Eagle is confident in his newly tempered defenses, but his reliance on strength and outdated combat methods leaves him vulnerable.

Significant themes

• Strength and adaptation: Raw toughness is not enough; Qin An wins through a more advanced technique and better use of his abilities.
• Hidden growth and shifting power: Chen Chun’s assumptions about Qin An are overturned as Qin An’s true level becomes clear.
• Survival and pragmatism: Qin An acts decisively in combat, then turns the danger into an opportunity by claiming the Blood Crystal.

Character interactions

• Qin An pushes Chen Chun out of the fight, insisting he would only get in the way; Chen Chun nevertheless tries to help.
• Chen Chun identifies the Eagle Demon’s tempered feathers as the source of its defense, giving Qin An useful information.
• After witnessing Qin An’s victory, Chen Chun lowers his gaze and submits to Qin An’s plan to travel together.