Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Cheng Sufeng, a Silver Captain secretly practicing medicine at East Glow Hall, becomes curious about Qin An after learning that the Bronze Captain is studying medicine. He asks an aide to gather information about him.
• Qin An memorizes the Herbal Medicine Primer, quickly gaining the Physician profession at level one. He decides to improve it through practice.
• The next morning, an Internal Affairs Prefecture Clerk tells Qin An that his assignment has been delayed for several days, without explaining why. Qin An accepts the delay and goes to East Glow Hall.
• Qin An pays Cheng Sufeng for the space and time he uses to study, surprising the physician and further piquing his interest.
• After two days of practice, Qin An reaches the level-one proficiency limit. The advancement condition requires him to identify an herb with his eyes closed.
• Qin An correctly identifies Chinese angelica while blindfolded, advancing to Physician level two. Cheng Sufeng, who thought the feat impossible for a beginner, is astonished and immediately challenges him to identify another herb.

Character developments

• Qin An is methodical and self-directed: he treats medicine as a profession to develop, studies consistently, and pursues the advancement condition with confidence. His rapid progress reveals that his abilities exceed Cheng Sufeng’s expectations.
• Cheng Sufeng shifts from mild curiosity to genuine fascination with Qin An. Though he initially cautions Qin An not to rush, the successful identification surprises him and makes him eager to test Qin An further.
• Cheng Sufeng’s aide remains deferential and puzzled by his superior’s interest in Qin An, unaware of the deeper reason for Cheng Sufeng’s attention.

Significant themes

• Disciplined learning and rapid mastery: Qin An turns study into practical progress, while his profession system makes that progress measurable.
• Appearances versus reality: Cheng Sufeng seems like a gentle physician but is a formidable demon-slayer; Qin An appears to be a novice but demonstrates exceptional skill.
• Curiosity and testing: Cheng Sufeng’s interest grows as Qin An defies expectations, setting up further scrutiny.
• Duty and uncertainty: Qin An’s delayed assignment underscores the bureaucracy and unpredictability of life in the Evil Extermination Division.

Character interactions

• Cheng Sufeng discusses Qin An with his aide, revealing both his hidden identity and his unusual interest in the Bronze Captain.
• Qin An and Cheng Sufeng establish a respectful arrangement at East Glow Hall: Qin An practices among the medicine cabinets and compensates Cheng Sufeng.
• When Cheng Sufeng doubts Qin An can identify an herb blindfolded, Qin An proves him wrong. Cheng’s astonishment turns the lesson into an impromptu challenge.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An refuses Cheng Sufeng’s request to stay, deepening Cheng’s interest in him. Cheng later defies Lord Li’s claim over Qin An, insisting he will secure Qin’s transfer to his own command—by force if necessary.
• At East Glow Hall, Qin An treats five patients and advances his Physician profession to level three. He gains the talent Mastery of Qi Concealment Realm Medical Cultivation Methods.
• Cheng announces that East Glow Hall will close and invites Qin An to find him at the Evil Extermination Division. Qin is unsurprised, revealing he has long suspected Cheng’s identity.
• That night, Qin uses his new talent to understand and master Reversing Gang Qi, a painful defensive technique. Though the process drains his vital blood, he recovers and tests the resulting gang-qi shield with his Black Blade.
• Qin resolves to gather Blood Crystals and cultivation methods, improve his profession skills, and grow stronger against Azure Cloud Valley and the Tree Lord.
• The next morning, an Internal Affairs Division clerk arrives to escort Qin to his newly decided assignment.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An grows more capable as a physician and gains a major defensive skill. He remains calm and observant, recognizing Cheng’s hidden identity without openly challenging him.
• Cheng Sufeng becomes increasingly fascinated by Qin’s unusual talent, cold temperament, and lack of fear. He is willing to confront Lord Li to bring Qin under his command.
• Cheng and his subordinate: Cheng intimidates the subordinate into carrying his message to Lord Li, emphasizing his reputation for defying convention.
• Qin and Cheng share a quiet mutual recognition: Cheng realizes Qin has suspected who he is, while Qin’s explanation suggests he inferred Cheng’s awareness of him.

Significant themes

• Talent and effort: Qin’s professional advancement grants insights that would ordinarily require years of study, though mastering the technique still exacts a physical cost.
• Power and ambition: Cheng’s willingness to provoke a superior and Qin’s plans for rapid growth show how personal agendas shape life within the Evil Extermination Division.
• Perception and restraint: Both men notice more than they say, and their composed interactions conceal a growing mutual understanding.

Key events

• Qin An finally receives his assignment after more than ten days of waiting. He hopes the work will help him obtain Blood Crystals and cultivation methods so he can improve his cultivation.
• Silver Captain Cheng Sufeng warns Qin An that he has made enemies among Azure Cloud Valley, Tree Lord, and a sect in Ling Prefecture. Cheng has settled the sect’s grievance, but the Demons remain a serious threat.
• Cheng assigns Qin An to investigate Fox Mountain, where Fox Demonesses have been draining men’s Yang Energy and leaving them dead. Qin An is to kill any Fox Women found outside the mountain.
• Qin is sent with experienced Bronze Captains Nie Hu and Ma Rou, along with a hundred Prefecture Clerks. Nie is resentful that Cheng seems to be favoring Qin, while Ma Rou is flirtatious and readily explains the situation.
• Tang Lingwei sees Qin leaving with a bronze badge and regrets having underestimated him. Gao Quan tells her they could not have retained someone so talented.
• At a village near Fox Mountain, a scout discovers that the villagers are alive but apparently lost in pleasure. As the group prepares to enter, a figure emerges from the strange mist surrounding the village.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains outwardly calm and focused. He accepts the danger of his new role and sees the mission as a chance to advance.
• Cheng Sufeng shows unusual interest in Qin, both warning him about his enemies and giving him a chance to prove himself on a mission.
• Nie Hu regards Qin as undeserving of Cheng’s attention and keeps his distance.
• Ma Rou is more welcoming, engaging Qin in conversation while revealing details about the Fox Demons.
• Tang Lingwei recognizes that Qin has grown stronger and that she misjudged him.

Significant themes

• Ambition and advancement: Qin sees dangerous assignments as opportunities to gain the resources he needs.
• Favor, rivalry, and status: Cheng’s support draws Nie Hu’s resentment and highlights Qin’s rising standing.
• Duty and danger: Membership in the Evil Extermination Division brings rewards, but also exposes its members to Demons, enemies, and the consequences of failure.
• The uncanny beneath the ordinary: The mist-covered village and its entranced inhabitants signal that the danger is already close.

Key plot points

• Qin An, Nie Hu, Ma Rou, and the Evil Extermination Division arrive at Kaoshan Village to hunt a Fox Woman suspected of bewitching its residents and feeding on their Primordial Yang.
• The villagers resist their entry, but Chief Yang eventually lets them through. A search turns up no immediate clues, and the villagers’ hostility—including a boy throwing rotten leaves at Nie Hu—reinforces the sense that they are under the Fox Woman’s influence.
• Nie Hu decides the team will stay several days. The plan is to wait for the Fox Woman’s lingering aura to fade; if she abandons the villagers, they can leave, but if she remains, they will fight.
• The officers lodge separately to watch a wider area. That evening, the Fox Woman meets a tiger-striped man in the forest. He offers to lure the Bronze Captains away so she can attack the remaining Prefecture Clerks, demanding a share of the Tiger Clan’s Secret Treasure in return.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains focused on his own goals and unimpressed by Nie Hu’s criticism. He talks back when Nie Hu mocks his choice to wipe his blade instead of cultivate, showing confidence and independence.
• Nie Hu is experienced and forceful, recognizing that the villagers may be bewitched and choosing a cautious waiting strategy. He distrusts Qin An, partly because Cheng Sufeng favors him, but restrains himself when Ma Rou invokes their shared service to Lord Cheng.
• Ma Rou explains the mission’s reasoning to Qin An and mediates the tension between him and Nie Hu.
• Chief Yang and the villagers are fearful and openly hostile toward the Division, suggesting the Fox Woman’s influence runs deep.
• The Fox Woman and the tiger-striped man reveal that the threat is more organized than the team realizes: they are planning an ambush and negotiating over a secret treasure.

Significant themes

• Pragmatism and survival: The Division weighs the risks of acting openly against the possibility that the demon will flee.
• Power and discipline: Its members treat cultivation as essential to staying alive, while Qin An’s priorities set him apart.
• The cost of demon-hunting: The Division must account for harm to ordinary villagers, even while confronting supernatural danger.
• Hidden motives and danger: The village’s apparent disorder masks a coordinated plan targeting the officers.

Plot points and events

• Hu Sanniang pressures Hu Rong by invoking the Fox Mother’s influence. The Tiger Clan, badly weakened after a confrontation with the Evil Extermination Division, needs its secret treasure to regain strength. It plans to use the blood and vitality of captured cultivators to open it.
• Hu Sanniang reveals her plan: she and Hu Rong, aided by two fox doubles, will split the three Bronze Captains into separate groups, then kill them one by one. Hu Rong agrees, insisting they target Nie Hu first, whom he blames for the Tiger Clan’s massacre.
• That night, villagers move in a trance-like state and divide into three groups, luring the Evil Extermination Division’s people to follow.
• Nie Hu orders the Division to split up. Qin An objects, suspecting the separation is dangerous, but Nie Hu argues that staying together could let the Fox Woman drain the other groups and escape.
• The two men openly clash over Nie Hu’s condescending treatment of Qin An. Nie Hu postpones their dispute until after the mission, then sends the teams in pursuit.
• Qin An follows his group of villagers beyond the village. They suddenly collapse, and a graceful figure emerges from the darkness.

Character developments and interactions

• Hu Sanniang is calculating and coercive, using the Tiger Clan’s desperation to secure its cooperation. She is willing to escalate the plan from taking blood to killing the Bronze Captains.
• Hu Rong suppresses his anger at Hu Sanniang’s leverage but ultimately commits to the attack, driven by the need to save his clan and avenge its dead.
• Qin An shows caution and independence, challenging the decision to split up and refusing to accept Nie Hu’s seniority as a right to disrespect him. He remains focused on the mission.
• Nie Hu is hot-tempered and dismissive of Qin An, but still prioritizes the mission and orders the pursuit despite their argument.
• Ma Rou tries to mediate and warns the others to be careful, but cannot prevent the confrontation.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and counter-plots: Both sides believe they are using the situation to trap the other.
• Survival and revenge: The Tiger Clan’s desperate need for its treasure is bound up with its desire for vengeance against Nie Hu.
• Authority and respect: Qin An challenges the assumption that rank or seniority entitles Nie Hu to speak down to him.
• Division as danger: Splitting forces may be tactically necessary, but it leaves the groups exposed to being isolated and attacked.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An leads the Prefecture Clerks against a seductive Fox Clan double. Her pink mist disorients the front ranks, but Qin disperses it and cuts her down with his Black Blade, whose combined ice-and-fire force breaks through her hardened body. The corpse turns into white fur, revealing she was a double.
• Qin orders the clerks to move on. Ma Rou has also defeated a double and realizes the group has been lured into a trap. She heads out to rescue the other captains, and Qin joins her, intent on finding the real Fox Woman and claiming her Blood Crystal.
• Meanwhile, Hu Sanniang and the tiger demon Hu Rong have badly wounded Nie Hu and his clerks. Hu Rong prepares to kill Nie, but Ma Rou uses her Life-Taking Rope to pull him to safety.
• Qin confronts Hu Rong, stopping the tiger demon’s attack with his Black Blade. Seeing Hu Rong’s apparent strength, Qin remarks that his head must contain a large Blood Crystal—and declares he will take it.

Character development and interactions

• Qin An demonstrates decisive leadership and formidable combat skill. His efficiency and confidence earn the clerks’ respect, while his interest in Blood Crystals and cultivation rewards also reveals a practical, ambitious streak.
• Ma Rou revises her low estimate of Qin after realizing he defeated his opponent quickly. She acts decisively to rescue Nie Hu and reunites with him.
• Nie Hu is gravely injured but refuses to surrender, preparing to fight even when nearly spent. He is relieved when Ma Rou saves him, then immediately asks about Qin.
• Hu Sanniang and Hu Rong exploit the captains’ separation and their strength in enchantment and close combat. Hu Rong’s vengeance against Nie Hu is tied to the Tiger Clan’s bloodshed and their pursuit of its secret treasure.

Significant themes

• Strength earns respect: Qin’s ability, rather than his new rank, wins the clerks’ obedience.
• Appearance and deception: The Fox Woman’s allure masks a deadly trap, and the group’s opponents are doubles rather than the true demon.
• Duty mixed with ambition: The captains pursue the demons to protect their people, while Qin is also motivated by the rewards and Blood Crystals he can gain.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An and the Bronze Captains face Hu Rong, Hu Sanniang, and more than a hundred Fox Women. The foxes’ seductive pink mist weakens fighters, and the battle splits into chaotic clashes across the field.
• Hu Rong charges Qin An, hoping to kill him and Ma Rou and use their blood to unlock the Tiger Clan’s Secret Treasure. Qin An unleashes stored Three Yang Power, severs Hu Rong’s claws, and kills him with a decisive strike.
• Qin An then attacks Hu Sanniang. She blocks his blade with her powerful tail and compresses the pink mist around him, apparently leaving him vulnerable to her charms.
• The mist fails to affect Qin An because his hidden Gang Qi repels it. He reveals that he let Hu Sanniang believe he was charmed so he could seize her wrist. Though she trusts her tail to withstand his special blade technique, Qin An hints that he has other ways to fight.

Character developments

• Qin An demonstrates overwhelming combat skill and tactical patience. His calmness, concealed defensive technique, and confidence unsettle both allies and enemies.
• Ma Rou fights to protect the others and is stunned by Qin An’s power, while still struggling to reach him through the Fox Women.
• Nie Hu puts aside his personal reservations to warn and support Qin An. Witnessing Hu Rong’s defeat changes his view of Qin An and makes him recognize how far beyond him Qin is.
• Hu Rong is driven by ambition to revive his clan, but his confidence in close combat proves fatal.
• Hu Sanniang remains composed after Hu Rong’s death and relies on her charms and hardened tail, yet Qin An’s apparent vulnerability turns out to be a trap.

Significant themes

• Strength and ambition: Hu Rong’s dream of raising the Tiger Clan leads him into a battle he cannot win.
• Deception and hidden ability: Qin An’s restraint and concealed Gang Qi let him mislead Hu Sanniang and counter her strongest tactic.
• Unity against danger: Despite rivalries, Nie Hu recognizes that survival against the demons matters more than his dislike of Qin An.
• Shifting power: The fight repeatedly turns—from the Fox Women’s arrival, to Hu Rong’s death, to Qin An’s apparent capture—showing how quickly advantage can change.

Character interactions

• Hu Rong calls on Hu Sanniang to reveal her strength, while she views Qin An as a chance to gain favor with the Monkey Demons.
• Ma Rou and Nie Hu warn Qin An about Hu Rong’s close combat and the danger of the compressed mist.
• Nie Hu urges Ma Rou to help Qin An, but she cannot break through the surrounding Fox Women.
• Qin An taunts Hu Sanniang after resisting her charms, turning her confidence in her tail into the next challenge.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An releases the fully charged Crimson Firmament Hand against Hu Sanniang, tearing open her fox tail and killing her with a devastating blow.
• The Fox Women lose their resolve, while Qin An’s attack inspires the surviving Evil Extermination Division clerks to fight back. The battle ends in a decisive victory, though several clerks have died and others are badly wounded.
• Qin An butchers Hu Sanniang, Hu Rong, and the other fallen Fox Women, collecting their Blood Crystals. He finds little silver and no Cultivation Methods, but the crystals provide a valuable reserve of blood and vitality.
• Butchering the bodies raises Qin An’s Butcher proficiency to level 4. The group cleans up the battlefield.
• After grieving for his fallen subordinates, Nie Hu kneels before Qin An and admits he was wrong to underestimate him and let his anger contribute to the deaths. Qin An forgives him and tells him to stand.
• Qin An asks what the Fox Woman meant by the Tiger Clan’s Secret Treasure.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An shows the overwhelming power of his charged technique, his ruthlessness in combat, and his composure afterward. His victory earns the surviving clerks’ awe. He accepts Nie Hu’s apology without seeking revenge.
• Nie Hu confronts his guilt over the dead and acknowledges both his misjudgment of Qin An and the harm caused by his impulsiveness. His public apology marks a major change in their relationship.
• Ma Rou witnesses Qin An’s power and Nie Hu’s unexpected apology; her astonishment reflects how remarkable the moment is.
• The surviving clerks shift from shock to renewed fighting spirit, then show Qin An respect after the battle.

Significant themes

• Strength and respect: Qin An’s actions settle doubts about his ability and earn the respect of veterans and subordinates alike.
• Responsibility and remorse: Nie Hu accepts blame for his conduct and the losses suffered by his men.
• The cost of duty: The victory comes with severe injuries and deaths, underscoring the constant danger faced by the Evil Extermination Division.
• Pragmatic rewards: Qin An treats the Blood Crystals and increased proficiency as valuable gains amid the mission’s losses.

Plot points and events

• Qin An learns that the Tiger Clan’s Secret Treasure supposedly contains Cultivation Methods and Blood Crystals—enough to rebuild a faction. Though tempted, he decides to focus on earning Merits and improving his cultivation rather than chasing a treasure he has no way to access.
• Back at the Evil Extermination Division, Nie Hu and Ma Rou write reports while Qin An rests. He checks his profession progress, then visits a blacksmith to have his Black Blade reforged. Pleased with how it now responds to his will, he stays to practice blacksmithing and raises the profession’s progress.
• On his way back that evening, Qin An encounters Chen Chun, who looks defeated. Chen explains that Zhou Mo used his influence and some of his own Merits to secure a place for the Lin Family member in the Evil Extermination Division. Chen Chun was beaten when he protested, demoted to the Yamen, and barred from joining the Division.
• Chen says he had endured years as an undercover agent to fulfill his childhood vow to fight demons, and feels cheated because he believes he earned his place. After hearing him out, Qin An tells him to come to the Evil Extermination Division. Despite warning Qin An not to antagonize Zhou Mo, Chen Chun follows.

Character development

• Qin An remains practical and cautious: he weighs the potential reward of the Tiger Clan treasure against the more immediate value of training and Blood Crystals. He also shows concern for Chen Chun and is willing to challenge injustice on his behalf, despite the political risk.
• Chen Chun reveals the grief and anger behind his earlier restraint. His family was killed by demons, and his undercover service was driven by a sincere desire to eradicate them. Though initially fearful of worsening Qin An’s position, he ultimately accepts Qin An’s invitation.
• Zhou Mo is presented as a powerful, self-serving official who can manipulate the merit system and punish those who object.

Significant themes

• Institutional injustice and favoritism: Chen Chun’s effort and sacrifice are overridden by connections and political influence.
• Duty and idealism: Chen’s vow to fight demons gives meaning to years of hardship, making his exclusion especially painful.
• Prudence versus ambition: Qin An sets aside the uncertain treasure in favor of achievable progress and keeps alert to the dangers facing him.
• Solidarity and courage: Qin An’s offer gives Chen Chun a chance to act despite the risks posed by Zhou Mo.

Character interactions

• Nie Hu explains the treasure’s contents and likely purpose to Qin An; Ma Rou and Nie Hu then handle the incident reports.
• Qin An deals efficiently with the blacksmith, refines his weapon, and practices alongside the shop’s workers.
• In their nighttime encounter, Qin An presses Chen Chun to explain his distress. Chen confides in him, while Qin An responds not with sympathy alone but with a direct invitation to return to the Division.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An brings Chen Chun back to the Evil Extermination Division. At the entrance, Chen Chun realizes Qin An has already become a Bronze Captain and is impressed by his rapid rise.
• Qin An asks Silver Captain Cheng Sufeng to help Chen Chun join the division. Cheng agrees to assign Chen Chun under one of his Bronze Captains, despite the irregular way Chen Chun’s merits were handled.
• Cheng warns that Zhou Mo exploited a loophole in the division’s rules, making him difficult to pursue. Qin An says he only wants Chen Chun to receive what he earned and leaves the rest alone.
• The next morning, Qin An receives three blood crystals and authorization to choose five Body Infusion Realm cultivation methods from the Confidential Archives.
• He selects methods to complement the five techniques he already practices, including the ice-and-fire mind method Ice Soul Flame Heart, compatible with his Ice-Fire Dual Cultivation Method. He returns to his room and begins studying it.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An shows practical restraint and loyalty: he uses his standing to secure Chen Chun’s place but avoids getting drawn into a wider dispute with Zhou Mo. He remains focused on strengthening himself.
• Chen Chun moves from anxiety about being rejected again to stunned relief when Cheng Sufeng accepts him. He also recognizes Qin An’s status and talent more clearly.
• Cheng Sufeng demonstrates respect for Qin An and willingness to help, while candidly explaining the division’s tolerance of merit-sharing and the complications surrounding Zhou Mo.
• Qin An and Cheng’s exchange is respectful and direct; Chen Chun is deferential toward Cheng and relies on Qin An’s advocacy.

Significant themes

• Rank and influence: Qin An’s promotion changes how others treat him and enables him to help Chen Chun.
• Loyalty and fairness: Qin An intervenes so Chen Chun receives a place in the division, without seeking personal advantage.
• Institutional compromise: The division tolerates rule-bending when it serves its broader purpose, illustrating the gap between formal rules and practical power.
• Cultivation through knowledge: Qin An carefully chooses complementary techniques, treating study and deduction as essential to advancing his strength.

Chapter Summary: “Everyone Reached Perfection, a Major Leap Forward”

Key plot points and events

• Qin An cultivates Ice Soul Flame Heart, triggering a talent that rapidly increases his True Qi. He then fuses it with the Ice-Fire Dual Cultivation Method, spending a substantial share of the blood and vitality he gained from Fox Women to create the perfected Ice-Fire Profound Technique.
• He studies four more methods and combines each with a technique he already knows:
  • Blazing Demon Three Blades fuses the Blazing Sun Blade Technique with the Demon-Subduing Three Suns Blade, greatly increasing the power and endurance of successive strikes.
  • Crimson Tiger Demon Slaying Hand combines Tiger Bone Claw with Crimson Firmament Hand, improving its grappling and disabling abilities.
  • Dragon-Walking Movement Technique blends Azure Bat Movement Technique with Azure Serpent Movement, adding greater speed while retaining agility.
  • Gang Qi Cloud Transformation builds on Reversing Gang Qi, keeping its defensive strength while allowing Qin An to redirect attacks with yielding force.
• These breakthroughs consume his accumulated blood and vitality, as well as some True Qi. In return, he reaches Body Infusion Realm Perfection, and all his other techniques reach perfection too.
• Qin An considers the threats gathering around him—including the Tree Lord, the Monkey Demons of Azure Cloud Valley, and the Fox Mother’s faction—and decides to remain with the Evil Extermination Division to gain protection, Cultivation Methods, and Blood Crystals. A commotion outside his door interrupts his thoughts.

Character development

• Qin An becomes markedly stronger and more versatile, addressing weaknesses in his speed, grappling, offense, and defense.
• He recognizes that advancement through blood and vitality is effective but costly, and that he must keep hunting demons to obtain Blood Crystals and further resources.
• Rather than seeking safety by avoiding conflict, he accepts that fighting demons will inevitably create enemies and resolves to keep growing until nothing in Ling Prefecture can threaten him.

Significant themes

• Growth through costly sacrifice: Qin An trades scarce blood, vitality, and True Qi for major gains.
• Adaptation and synthesis: He advances by combining techniques, preserving their strengths while covering their weaknesses.
• Power and danger: Becoming stronger is necessary because each victory brings new enemies and greater risks.
• Pragmatic protection: Qin An treats the Evil Extermination Division as both a shield and a source of resources.

Character interactions

• Qin An has no direct conversation with other characters in the chapter. His choices are shaped by his conflicts with Hu Sanniang, the Fox Mother’s faction, the Tree Lord, and the Monkey Demons. The chapter ends with an unexplained disturbance outside his door.

Key events

• Chen Chun visits Qin An to thank him for helping him become a Prefecture Clerk, but Zhou Mo ambushes him with a staged accusation and strikes him, breaking two of his teeth. Zhou then forces Chen Chun to apologize and threatens him.
• Qin An arrives and kicks Zhou Mo, turning Zhou’s own pretext against him. Zhou draws his saber and demands that Qin kneel and call him “Grandfather.”
• Qin outmaneuvers Zhou, disarms him with his bare hand, disables his shoulder using the Crimson Tiger Demon Slaying Hand, and forces him to kowtow three times before the gathered Division members.
• Zhou’s subordinates draw their weapons but hesitate when Qin warns that attacking a superior would be a serious offense. Zhou vows retaliation, insisting Qin has no backing.
• Nie Hu arrives and challenges Zhou’s claim, setting up a possible show of support for Qin.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Chun is grateful to Qin but remains fearful and constrained by his lower rank. He endures Zhou’s abuse rather than risk speaking out, revealing both his vulnerability and his concealed resentment.
• Qin An shows confidence, quick wit, and formidable martial skill. He defends Chen Chun openly, using Zhou’s own bullying tactics against him and refusing to be intimidated by rank or threats.
• Zhou Mo is exposed as an arrogant bully who uses his status and connections to intimidate subordinates. His public humiliation turns his contempt into rage and a desire for revenge.
• The onlookers disapprove of Zhou’s conduct but initially avoid intervening, reflecting the Division’s self-protective culture. Qin’s display earns their respect and makes some reassess his abilities.
• Nie Hu’s arrival suggests Qin may not be as isolated as Zhou believes.

Significant themes

• Abuse of authority: Zhou exploits rank and loopholes to mistreat those with less power.
• Justice and retaliation: Qin answers Zhou’s coercion with a public reversal, though the Division’s rules prevent him from killing Zhou.
• Power and reputation: Martial strength shifts the balance between the two Bronze Captains, while Zhou’s claim that Qin lacks allies raises the question of political backing.
• Fear versus solidarity: The crowd’s silence contrasts with Qin’s willingness to protect Chen Chun.

Key plot points and events

• Nie Hu arrives during Zhou Mo’s confrontation with Qin An and publicly sides with Qin, calling him “Brother Qin.” He knocks Zhou Mo down and warns him to leave Qin alone.
• Zhou Mo retreats with his clerks, unable to challenge either man. Qin checks on Chen Chun, then learns Nie Hu came because Cheng Sufeng has summoned him.
• Cheng explains that the Evil Extermination Division has learned of a secret treasure belonging to the Tiger Clan. When it opens, the Division intends to secure everything inside for the authorities. An undercover agent will report when the time comes, and captains will earn rewards according to merit.
• At home, Zhou Mo tells his wife, Lin Yue, about his humiliation and vows to retaliate. Lin Yue cautions him against appealing to Silver Captain Li Zheng over a minor dispute. As Zhou struggles to find a way to regain face, she asks whether he has heard about the Lin Family Ancestral Manor.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains calm during the confrontation and accepts Nie Hu’s support without making a spectacle of it. Cheng’s early warning about the treasure signals that Qin is being treated as a promising recruit worth preparing.
• Nie Hu shows clear respect and loyalty toward Qin, rooted in Qin’s strength and their earlier battle at Kaoshan Village. His intervention also demonstrates his own authority among the Bronze Captains.
• Zhou Mo is publicly humiliated and leaves resentful, but recognizes that he is weaker than Qin and now faces Nie Hu’s backing. His concern about status extends to his standing within the Division and his family’s reputation.
• Cheng Sufeng tells Qin about the treasure and encourages him to prepare, while keeping the conversation professional and later attempting—unsuccessfully—to resume their blindfolded medicine-identification practice.
• Lin Yue tends Zhou Mo’s injuries and weighs the political consequences of his response. Their exchange shows that her family’s influence is tied to Zhou’s position.

Significant themes

• Strength and status: Qin’s ability and Nie Hu’s support determine the outcome more than Zhou’s rank or threats.
• Factional politics and loyalty: The dispute reflects tensions between Cheng Sufeng’s and Li Zheng’s camps.
• Ambition and opportunity: The treasure mission offers a chance to earn rewards, while Zhou’s fixation on restoring his reputation threatens to draw him into further conflict.
• Power and family interests: Zhou’s standing in the Evil Extermination Division also affects the Lin family’s prestige and advantages.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• Lin Yue tells her husband, Bronze Captain Zhou Mo, that the Lin Family’s prosperity came from a demon called the Treasure-Hoarding Toad, imprisoned beneath the family’s Ancestral Manor. Its power draws treasures from afar, but each use strengthens it; when it grows too powerful, it devours the person who received its gifts.
• Rather than openly report the family’s long-term use of the demon, Zhou Mo and Lin Yue invent a cover story: a younger Lin relative supposedly sold the toad’s treasures and was badly injured while being captured. They arrange for the Evil Extermination Division to send Qin An to deal with it.
• Zhou Mo intends to profit whichever way the confrontation goes: he hopes the demon will weaken or kill Qin An, leaving him to claim the spoils or credit.
• Meanwhile, Qin An has spent several days improving his Dancer profession, which strengthens his movement skills and may help him survive encounters with demons. He receives the assignment, suspects Zhou Mo is involved, and accepts it without hesitation.
• At the Ancestral Manor, Qin An arrives to find Zhou Mo, Lin Yue, and the Lin family’s Old Master waiting beside the sealed well. Qin An dismisses Zhou Mo’s offer to help, opens the stone cover, and releases a powerful wave of Killing Intent that frosts the well’s rim.

Character developments

• Zhou Mo is revealed as calculating and vindictive. He uses his authority to maneuver Qin An into danger, while planning to claim credit or loot afterward.
• Lin Yue proves complicit in the family’s deception and in directing the demon’s danger toward Qin An.
• Qin An continues preparing strategically: he focuses on Dancer proficiency for its defensive value and recognizes that the assignment may be a trap, but proceeds confidently.
• Old Master Lin is ambitious and pleased by the family’s rise through Zhou Mo, hoping the affair will further improve their standing.

Significant themes

• Power comes at a cost: The toad’s gifts enrich the Lin family while making the demon more dangerous.
• Corruption and concealed wrongdoing: The family hides its reliance on a demon behind a fabricated report.
• Ambition and opportunism: Zhou Mo and the Old Master view the crisis as a chance to gain status, wealth, or revenge.
• Preparation and survival: Qin An’s training reflects the value of developing practical abilities in a world full of threats.

Character interactions

• Lin Yue reveals the toad’s secret to Zhou Mo, and the two agree on a false account to protect the Lin family.
• Zhou Mo promises Lin Yue that Qin An will receive the assignment, relying on his connection to Lord Li and the division’s hierarchy.
• At the manor, Zhou Mo offers to assist Qin An, but Qin An rejects him bluntly and goes straight to the well.
• The chapter ends as Qin An confronts the demon’s ominous presence, with Zhou Mo watching and waiting for an opportunity.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An realizes the Treasure-Hoarding Toad is hiding in the well and refuses to dive in, wary of the danger.
• Suspecting Zhou Mo deliberately urged him into the water, Qin An pins him at the well’s edge and forces him to confront the risk. Zhou denies plotting against him, while Lin Yue tries to intervene and is slapped aside.
• Old Master Lin smooths things over, but Qin An notices Lin Yue’s hateful expression and distrusts the family. He decides that none of them can be allowed to threaten him later.
• The Treasure-Hoarding Toad emerges, its croak disturbing the group. It attacks Old Master Lin, but Zhou Mo’s saber briefly diverts it.
• Qin An pretends to be immobilized by the demon’s aura, leaving Zhou Mo to fight alone. The toad swallows Old Master Lin and Lin Yue as they try to flee.
• Zhou Mo attempts to escape and report the incident. Qin An then disables his sword arm with the Crimson Tiger Demon Slaying Hand, allowing the toad to pierce Zhou’s brow with its tongue.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An reveals himself as calculating and ruthless: he suspects Zhou’s trap, uses the demon as cover, and chooses to eliminate witnesses he considers future threats. His calm, feigned helplessness contrasts with his deliberate actions.
• Zhou Mo shifts from pressuring Qin An to desperately fighting the demon and trying to flee. His earlier hostility leaves him vulnerable when Qin An turns on him.
• Lin Yue openly attacks Qin An to defend Zhou, then shows lasting hatred toward him.
• Old Master Lin attempts to defuse the conflict with flattering apologies, but Qin An sees through his conciliatory manner.
• The Toad’s instinct to attack those who benefited from its favors drives its assault on the Lin family and Zhou Mo.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and mistrust: Qin An assumes the others are plotting against him and treats them as threats.
• Deception and self-preservation: Qin An’s false claim that he cannot move lets him conceal his intentions while others bear the danger.
• Moral corruption and power: The demon’s attack provides an opportunity for Qin An to pursue personal revenge under the cover of official duty.
• Predatory danger: The Toad’s strength, poison, and sudden attacks make the scene’s violence increasingly uncontrollable.

Key plot points and events

• The Treasure-Hoarding Toad kills Zhou Mo, then attacks Qin An with poisonous black gas and its tongue. Qin An cuts the tongue in half and withstands the toad’s Seven-Colored Poison by shielding himself with Gang Qi.
• Qin An kills the toad with the second strike of his Blazing Demon Three Blades, then butchers its corpse and absorbs a Blood Crystal.
• As he prepares to leave the Ancestral Home, Qin An notices a glow at the bottom of the Deep Well. He descends and finds a concealed passage leading to a cavern filled with open treasure chests.
• Two Fox Women in the cavern reveal that the toad was part of Fox Mother’s plan: it was to move treasures secretly and help create a diversion for the Evil Extermination Division when the Tiger Clan’s Secret Treasure opened. They mention the Hundred Beasts Sect’s involvement.
• Qin An decides the broader scheme is for his superiors to handle, but claims the treasure and Blood Crystals for himself.

Character developments

• Qin An remains composed and calculating. He uses the toad to eliminate his enemies, defeats it without hesitation, and intends to give Cheng Sufeng the same account he has already provided. His discovery of the hidden cavern also brings out his opportunistic side: he wants everything valuable there.
• The Treasure-Hoarding Toad shifts from confident predator to alarmed prey when Qin An’s strength defeats its poison and slime defenses.
• The Fox Women are frightened and scrambling to escape the consequences of their failed mission.

Significant themes

• Power and survival: Qin An’s skill and preparation let him overcome a dangerous opponent and control the situation.
• Deception and calculated action: Qin An exploits the toad, while Fox Mother’s operation relies on secrecy and diversion.
• Greed and opportunism: The toad hoards treasure; Qin An, too, chooses not to leave valuable loot behind.
• Duty versus self-interest: Qin An recognizes the political implications but leaves them to the Evil Extermination Division, focusing instead on the immediate rewards.

Character interactions

• Qin An’s encounter with the toad is a one-sided contest: the toad threatens and attacks, but Qin An calmly counters and kills it.
• The Fox Women’s whispered conversation exposes their connection to Fox Mother and the Hundred Beasts Sect; Qin An listens unseen before confronting them and demanding the treasure and Blood Crystals.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An enters the cavern and kills two Fox Women who attack him, then harvests their Blood Crystals.
• He opens the Treasure-Hoarding Toad’s glowing chest and finds an unfamiliar yellow stone. Its light disappears when he picks it up, and he keeps it for later study.
• After leaving the cavern, Qin An climbs out of the well and finds himself surrounded by Bronze Captains led by Silver Captain Li Zheng.
• Li orders Qin An seized, suspecting him of involvement in Zhou Mo’s death. Qin An explains that he and Zhou Mo fought the Treasure-Hoarding Toad together, but Li rejects his account and claims authority to arrest him.
• Qin An resists the Bronze Captains with a powerful sword technique, forcing them back. Li then attacks personally, intending to cripple him; the chapter ends as Qin An faces Li’s descending saber.

Character developments

• Qin An remains composed and decisive, defeating the Fox Women and securing the mysterious stone. When confronted, he stands his ground and demonstrates strength beyond what the other Bronze Captains expect.
• Li Zheng is revealed as self-interested and hostile. He has ties to the Lin Family, resents Cheng Sufeng for taking Qin An under his wing, and uses Zhou Mo’s death as a pretext to punish Qin An and undermine Cheng.
• Zhou Mo, though already dead, is shown to have been Li Zheng’s trusted subordinate and a source of favors from the Lin Family.

Significant themes

• Power and institutional abuse: Li turns his rank and authority into tools for personal revenge and political maneuvering.
• Ambition and rivalry: The conflict reflects the feud between Li Zheng and Cheng Sufeng, with Qin An caught in the middle.
• Pragmatism and hidden opportunity: Qin An turns danger into gains—collecting Blood Crystals and discovering a potentially valuable artifact.
• Appearance versus truth: Li assumes Qin An is guilty and uses a convenient story to justify violence, despite Qin An’s account.

Character interactions

• Qin An’s encounters with the Fox Women are swift and lethal: they attack, and he kills both without hesitation.
• Qin An and Li Zheng clash over who has the right to judge or arrest him. Qin An appeals to Cheng Sufeng’s authority, while Li insists his own word is enough.
• The Bronze Captains surround Qin An and attack, but his strength makes them cautious. Li then escalates the confrontation by striking at Qin An himself.

Plot points and events

• Qin An resists Silver Captain Li Zheng’s attempt to punish him. Using the Blazing Demon Three Blades and the Crimson Tiger Demon Slaying Hand, he withstands Li’s attacks and dents his sword, forcing the Jade Bone Realm captain back twice.
• Before Li can attack again, Silver Captain Cheng Sufeng intervenes with a Silver Needle and challenges Li for bullying someone weaker.
• Cheng takes Qin An away. Li lets them go but insists Qin An owes him an explanation for Zhou Mo’s death.
• In private, Qin An recounts events to Cheng, admitting that he embellished the story of Zhou Mo’s death while telling the truth about the Hundred Beasts Sect.
• Cheng warns Qin An to beware of Li and reveals that an upcoming mission will target the Hundred Beasts Sect, which has sided with demons. The operation could bring Qin An considerable Merits.
• Back home, Qin An plans to advance from Body Infusion Realm Perfection to the Jade Bone Realm by combining his professional talent, Blood Crystal, and cultivation-method deductions. As he prepares to train his Dancer Profession, the stone he found in the well begins to vibrate.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An demonstrates that his skill and unusual techniques let him challenge someone at a higher realm. He remains wary of Li, but shifts his focus toward growing stronger and preparing for the coming mission.
• Li Zheng is angered and humiliated by Qin An’s resistance. He backs down only because Cheng’s presence makes it too risky to continue.
• Cheng Sufeng protects Qin An from Li and asserts his authority over the matter. His hostility toward Li is evident, though he keeps the division’s internal politics largely to himself.
• The gathered Bronze Captains witness Qin An’s unexpected show of strength, leaving them stunned.

Significant themes

• Strength and hierarchy: Qin An’s victory challenges the division’s rank-based assumptions, while Li’s retreat shows that political authority matters alongside martial power.
• Power struggles and loyalty: The conflict over Qin An reflects rivalries within the Evil Extermination Division and the importance of having a powerful protector.
• Ambition and advancement: Qin An recognizes that reaching Jade Bone Realm is essential to becoming more powerful.
• Foreshadowing: The planned campaign against the Hundred Beasts Sect and the stone’s sudden vibration set up future threats and discoveries.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An investigates a mysterious stone he has kept secret, visiting the Evil Extermination Division’s Confidential Archives to identify it.
• He learns the stone is Azure Mountain Jade, a rare treasure that can nourish the spine—the “primary bone”—and greatly strengthen someone entering the Jade Bone Realm. Its scarcity makes it valuable enough to provoke fierce competition.
• Qin An concludes that Fox Mother likely left it with the Treasure-Hoarding Toad to be nourished by other treasures. Since he took it, he expects Fox Mother to regard him as an enemy, but he dismisses the danger for now.
• Reading raises Qin An’s Scholar Profession to level four. After several days of intense practice, his Dancer Profession also reaches level four, improving his movement-technique talent.
• Qin An decides not to advance toward the Jade Bone Realm yet: the Azure Mountain Jade needs a great deal of blood vitality first, and he wants to enter the realm with it as his primary bone.
• At a noodle stall, Qin An pays fairly for an extra-large serving, despite the vendor’s insistence on giving it to him. Tang Lingwei and Gao Quan witness the exchange and later follow his example by tipping the vendor.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains practical and focused on long-term growth. He keeps the jade secret, accepts that it may create another enemy, and prioritizes making the most of it over advancing too soon. His fair treatment of the vendor also reveals warmth beneath his reserved manner.
• Tang Lingwei recognizes Qin An’s kindness and suggests that his cold appearance hides a warmer nature. Gao Quan praises him for treating ordinary people as people, contrasting him with officials who look down on them.
• The vendor is surprised by Qin An’s conduct and payment, having grown used to black-robed officials demanding extra food without fair compensation.
• Tang Lingwei and Gao Quan share a light exchange: Gao Quan teases her about Qin An, then readily accepts her offer to eat.

Significant themes

• Power and sacrifice: Advancement depends not just on talent but on resources and willingness to risk one’s life.
• Secrecy and danger: The jade’s value makes keeping it hidden essential, while its theft may deepen Qin An’s conflict with Fox Mother.
• Patience and strategy: Qin An chooses to delay advancement so he can maximize the jade’s benefit.
• Character beneath appearances: Qin An’s generosity challenges assumptions about the cold, self-interested officials of the Evil Extermination Division.

Key plot points and events

• Li Zheng meets secretly with a Bronze Captain, who reports that Qin An’s movements are limited to the blacksmith shop, Cheng Sufeng’s home, and his own lodgings. Li Zheng orders continued surveillance, hoping to find a weakness and avenge the humiliation Qin An caused him.
• Li Zheng’s private meeting reveals that he is an informant raised by the Fox Mother and embedded in the Evil Extermination Division. Though he wants to sever ties, the Fox Mother’s agent reminds him that he cannot simply leave—and tempts him with the prospect of becoming a Gold Captain.
• The Fox Mother plans to use the doomed Hundred Beasts Sect as bait to kill many Division members, then have Li Zheng appear to save the survivors and gain influence. She also wants Qin An dead for disrupting her earlier plan. Li Zheng offers no objection.
• At the Secluded Courtyard, Cheng Sufeng again urges Qin An to pursue medicine seriously, impressed by his talent. Qin An declines, treating medicine as a hobby, and leaves.
• Cheng Sufeng reminds Qin An that the Division’s assault on the Hundred Beasts Sect is in three days. Qin An returns home and finds that his medical and smithing proficiencies have both reached their maximum.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Zheng is revealed as a compromised Division officer torn between the Fox Mother’s control, his ambition, and his desire to escape his past. His silence signals likely cooperation with the plan against Qin An and the Division.
• The Woman in Gauze, a Fox operative, shifts from seduction to intimidation, using Li Zheng’s history and ambition to keep him aligned with the Fox Mother.
• The Bronze Captain is loyal but nervous. He questions the usefulness of watching Qin An, whose orderly, solitary routine leaves little to exploit; Li Zheng dismisses him.
• Qin An remains disciplined and focused on improving his craft and medical skills, while staying emotionally unresponsive to Cheng Sufeng’s repeated invitations.
• Cheng Sufeng grows increasingly impressed by Qin An and continues trying to recruit him into the Medical Dao.

Significant themes

• Ambition and coercion: Li Zheng’s desire for promotion makes him vulnerable to the Fox Mother’s control.
• Deception and divided loyalties: A trusted Division officer secretly serves a demonic faction.
• Discipline and progress: Qin An’s routine practice culminates in both proficiencies reaching their peak.
• Loyalty versus independence: Cheng Sufeng wants Qin An to commit to medicine, but Qin An insists on choosing his own path.