Chapter Summaries

The Five Great Sects gathered for the Exchange Gathering, where Wei Tieyi proposed an alliance and changed the competition to four-person team matches. The draw paired the Eight Extremes Gate against the Nine Yang Gate in the first round.

• Wei Tieyi welcomed the sect leaders and their disciples as nearly a thousand spectators gathered at the Martial Arts Arena.
• Wei Tieyi proposed that the Five Great Sects form an alliance, but said they would discuss its leadership later and first divide the Hu Family's businesses.
• Wei Tieyi proposed four-person team matches, and the sect leaders agreed to select their strongest disciples with Embracing Elixir Force.
• Shi Chengdong proposed that the Divine Martial Manor receive a first-round bye, and the other sect leaders accepted.
• Fang Han arranged the Nine Yang Gate's competitors in order: himself, Guo Ying, Hong Changzhi, and Zhao Feng.
• The draw paired the Mad Blade Sect against the Northern Peak Sword Sect and the Eight Extremes Gate against the Nine Yang Gate.

The Mad Blade Sect and Northern Peak Sword Sect faced off in the first match of the Exchange Gathering, as spectators focused on Jiang Chen and Tang Yunshu quietly doubted she could matter to him. Sun Yu defeated Wang Mingshun, leaving the Mad Blade Sect with the first victory.

• Spectators anticipated a clash between the rival Mad Blade Sect and Northern Peak Sword Sect, while Tang Yunshu watched Jiang Chen and Lin Ziwei looked toward a disciple of the Eight Extremes Gate.
• The sects announced their lineups, and Chen Hong reminded the fighters to avoid serious injuries before Sun Yu and Wang Mingshun began the first bout.
• Wang Mingshun opened with Green Pine Welcomes Guests, but Sun Yu countered with Sea-Severing Slash and used powerful saber strikes to contain his opponent's swordplay.
• Wang Mingshun abandoned his patient approach and attacked fiercely, but Sun Yu's stronger cultivation gradually wore him down.
• Wang Mingshun unleashed Peak-Breaking Sword, and Sun Yu countered with Gale-Cutting Slash, cutting Wang Mingshun's shoulder and forcing him to retreat.
• Chen Hong stopped the bout and declared Sun Yu the winner.

Sun Yu defeated Wang Mingshun, then lost to Cheng Tianqing after a prolonged fight in the endurance match between the Mad Blade Sect and the Northern Peak Sword Sect. Cheng Tianqing went on to injure Wu Mingxuan with a desperate Thrown Sword, leaving both sects’ next fighters to face a narrowed gap.

• Zhao Feng assessed the martial arts used by Wang Mingshun and Sun Yu, noting the depth of the sects’ techniques.
• Sun Yu defeated Wang Mingshun, then fought Cheng Tianqing for thirty rounds before Cheng Tianqing wounded him and won.
• Wu Mingxuan entered the arena and pressed Cheng Tianqing, whose sword technique weakened as his true qi ran low.
• Cheng Tianqing exposed an opening, then used Thrown Sword as Wu Mingxuan attacked, seriously injuring himself while cutting Wu Mingxuan’s shoulder.

Xue Yang defeated the injured Wu Mingxuan in three moves, but Jiang Chen then overwhelmed Xue Yang in ten moves and secured the Mad Blade Sect’s victory over the Northern Peak Sword Sect. The chapter ended with the crowd admiring Jiang Chen’s battlefield-forged saber skills as Lin Ziwei wondered how Zhao Feng would fare against him.

• Xue Yang defeated the wounded Wu Mingxuan in three strikes, erasing the Mad Blade Sect’s advantage.
• Jiang Chen entered the arena to face his old rival Xue Yang and declared that he would win within ten moves.
• Jiang Chen revealed iron-blooded saber momentum forged during six months of suppressing bandits in Bing Province.
• Jiang Chen disarmed and defeated Xue Yang on the tenth move, prompting Xue Yang to concede.
• Jiang Chen defeated the Northern Peak Sword Sect’s final disciple, Zhou Qing, in fewer than five moves, and the Mad Blade Sect won.
• Lin Ziwei admired Jiang Chen’s strength and wondered whether Zhao Feng could defeat him.

The Eight Extremes Gate faced the Nine Yang Gate in a tournament match, with the spectators expecting an easy victory for the stronger sect. Liu Tai defeated Fang Han in the opening bout, leaving the Nine Yang Gate at a disadvantage as the match continued.

• The spectators focused on the Eight Extremes Gate's promising Liu Yang while Mu Xuanzhou urged his disciples to fight carefully for the sake of the Nine Yang Gate's finances and reputation.
• Elder Gong began the match and sent Liu Tai and Fang Han into the arena for the first bout.
• Liu Tai used the Eight Extremes Gate's Primordial Unity Palm to counter Fang Han's Flame Tiger Claw and suppress his true qi.
• Fang Han unleashed the Flame Tiger Twelve-Strike Combo, but Liu Tai trapped him with the killing move Primordial Unity Suppression.
• Liu Tai won after Fang Han was driven back injured, and the spectators attributed the loss to the Nine Yang Gate's weaker cultivation manual and combat techniques.

Guo Ying tried to exploit Liu Tai’s weakened state but was defeated by his counterattack. Liu Tai conceded afterward, and Hong Changzhi began fighting Liu Yang, whose combined stance force and true qi surprised the watching experts.

• Guo Ying launched a relentless Cloud-Burning Palm assault on the exhausted Liu Tai, but Liu Tai found an opening and knocked her down with the Primordial Unity Palm.
• Liu Tai conceded after defeating Guo Ying, saying he would leave Liu Yang a chance to show his skills.
• Hong Changzhi attacked Liu Yang with the Blazing Sun Fist, but Liu Yang blocked him with the Prison-Suppressing Fist and sent him staggering backward.
• Experts watching the match recognized that Liu Yang had combined Primordial Unity Force with true qi.

Liu Yang defeated Hong Changzhi, leaving the Nine Yang Gate with only Zhao Feng to fight for it. Zhao Feng entered the arena against Liu Yang and immediately launched a powerful charge, determined to win quickly.

• Liu Yang used his merged stance force and true qi to withstand Hong Changzhi’s assault, then disrupted his qi, brought him to his knees, and kicked him out of the fight.
• Elder Gong declared Liu Yang the winner, and the crowd cheered as the Nine Yang Gate’s disciples worried about their sect’s prospects.
• Wu Yue and Tang Yunshu urged Lin Ziwei to befriend Liu Yang, while she watched Zhao Feng enter the arena and wondered whether he could surprise her.
• Zhao Feng took the Eight Extremes Stake Skill stance, prompting spectators to learn that he had left the Eight Extremes Lineage after its Inner Gate rejected him.
• Liu Yang assumed the Primordial Stance and Prison-Suppressing Fist’s opening posture, and Zhao Feng charged at him as soon as Elder Gong started the match.

Zhao Feng defeated Liu Yang and Chai Wenbo with his perfected Eight Extremes Fist, then overcame Gao Siyuan despite having already fought two opponents. The Eight Extremes Gate’s elite disciples were left humiliated as Zhao Feng completed his sweep of the three-man challenge.

• Zhao Feng sent Liu Yang flying with Iron Mountain Lean, winning their match while holding back his strength.
• Zhao Feng used his perfected Eight Extremes Fist to break through Chai Wenbo’s Primordial Unity Palm and defeated him with Heart-Top Elbow.
• Elder Gong stopped Chai Wenbo from continuing, and Gao Siyuan stepped forward to face Zhao Feng.
• Gao Siyuan’s Twin Dragons Emerge from the Sea failed to overcome Zhao Feng’s layered hidden force, so he tried to use Swimming Dragon Step to evade him.
• Zhao Feng pursued Gao Siyuan with Wind God Leg Technique and defeated him with Ground-to-Heaven Cannon, leaving him unconscious.

Zhao Feng defeated the Eight Extremes Gate’s fighters, and the Nine Yang Gate advanced straight to the final after drawing a bye. The Mad Blade Sect faced the Divine Martial Manor for the other final spot, where Jiang Chen and Xie Qiu began their closely watched duel.

• Zhao Feng returned to the Nine Yang Gate camp after his victory, prompting Yu Ruoyun to punish Pan Jie for rejecting him years earlier.
• Mu Xuanzhou and the Nine Yang Gate learned that the Mad Blade Sect would face the Divine Martial Manor while their own sect advanced directly to the final.
• The Mad Blade Sect and Divine Martial Manor selected their fighters, and attention focused on the duel between Jiang Chen and Xie Qiu.
• Jiang Chen opened with Mad Blade Cleaves the Mountain, and Xie Qiu countered with Pear Blossoms Dot the Snow.

Jiang Chen lost a fierce spear-and-saber match to Xie Qiu, and the Exchange Gathering moved on to its final contest between Nine Yang Gate and Divine Martial Manor. Zhao Feng surprised Cai Zhiqian by countering his finger technique with True Yang Cotton Palm, revealing that he knew more than Eight Extremes Fist.

• Xie Qiu defeated Jiang Chen after wounding his shoulder, giving Divine Martial Gate the victory over Mad Blade Sect.
• Liu Yang secured fourth place for Eight Extremes Gate by defeating Northern Peak Sword Sect, then vowed to challenge Zhao Feng again.
• Guo Ying, Fang Han, and Hong Changzhi each fought Divine Martial Manor's fighters, leaving Hong Changzhi exhausted after Cai Zhiqian defeated him.
• Zhao Feng declined Cai Zhiqian's suggestion to choose a weapon and met his Divine Martial Battle Fist with Eight Extremes Fist.
• Zhao Feng used True Yang Cotton Palm to entangle Cai Zhiqian's finger force and nearly struck him with Iron Mountain Lean.
• Cai Zhiqian asked whether Zhao Feng knew more than Eight Extremes Fist, and Zhao Feng replied that he had never claimed otherwise.

Zhao Feng defeated Cai Zhiqian by countering Divine Martial Fist and Bone-Piercing Finger with True Yang Cotton Palm before finishing him with Bracing Hammer. He then faced Xie Qiu with Mountain Burner and revealed that he knew Six Harmonies Great Spear.

• Zhao Feng used True Yang Cotton Palm to redirect Cai Zhiqian's attacks, then disrupted his true qi and knocked him down with a triple-force Bracing Hammer.
• The adjudicating elder declared Zhao Feng the winner, leaving Xie Qiu as the Divine Martial Manor's final fighter.
• Zhao Feng retrieved the twelve-foot red spear Mountain Burner, and Xie Qiu brought out his silver spear, Silver Moon.
• Xie Qiu opened with Moonlight Over the Cold River, but Zhao Feng met the attack with Six Harmonies Great Spear.

Zhao Feng used his duel with Xie Qiu to improve his spear technique, but the Exchange Gathering was interrupted when the Demonic Sect attacked three sects. The Nine Yang Gate later received the Hu Family’s fishing ground, with Zhao Feng appointed its deacon.

• Zhao Feng fought Xie Qiu with his twin spears and rapidly advanced the Overlord Sun-Splitting Spear Technique to minor mastery.
• As Zhao Feng prepared to close the distance and attack, bloodied disciples reported that the Demonic Sect had assaulted the Mad Blade Sect, the Eight Extremes Gate, and the Northern Peak Sword Sect.
• The three sects’ leaders left the Exchange Gathering to return to their mountain gates, ending Zhao Feng and Xie Qiu’s duel without a winner.
• The Demonic Sect’s raids caused heavy casualties and losses, while the Nine Yang Gate escaped attack and the five sect leaders later awarded it and Divine Martial Manor joint first place.
• The Nine Yang Gate received the Hu Family’s fishing ground near the Great Wild Marsh, and Zhao Feng became its deacon.

Zhao Feng took charge of the Nine Yang Gate’s Great Wild Marsh fishing ground and organized its staff while learning about the dangers and resources there. As he inspected the property, he noticed a mysterious bamboo building the Hu Family’s former master had kept off-limits.

• Xia Commandant told Zhao Feng that the Demonic Sect had traitors inside the three sects and might be colluding with the Northern Barbarians, then offered to forgive his merit debt if he found informants.
• Zhao Feng received the fishing-ground deacon post, with a monthly salary and treasure fish, and planned to spend his resources on cultivation.
• Zhao Feng visited Mu Xuanzhou before departing, sensed the characters “Myriad Laws Follow Nature” briefly come alive, and noticed a strange sweet fragrance near Guo Ying.
• Zhao Feng arrived at Great Wild Marsh, assigned duties to Li Yong, Zhang Hao, Bai Yong, and the workers, and ordered careful patrols and accurate records.
• Old Qian showed Zhao Feng the fishing ponds and flooded fields, explained that exotic beasts sometimes entered from the Lancang River, and pointed out a restricted bamboo building on stilts.

Zhao Feng managed the Great Wild Marsh fishing ground, investigated a suspicious bamboo building, and rejected the Eight Extremes Gate’s offer to recruit him. During the visit, an Ironback Dread Crocodile attacked the Sandbar, and Zhao Feng faced it as it charged toward him.

• Zhao Feng learned that the Hu Family had carried treasure fish and bound people into the raised bamboo building, but Old Qian claimed he knew little about its purpose.
• Zhao Feng advanced his Jasper Wave True Water Technique with a Profound Water Pill and considered the rising cost of his cultivation.
• Yin Zheng offered to make Zhao Feng his personal disciple or true disciple in the Eight Extremes Gate, but Zhao Feng refused and affirmed his place in the Nine Yang Gate.
• An Ironback Dread Crocodile broke through the fishing ground’s protective nets and attacked Li Yong, while Zhao Feng’s arrows failed to pierce its armor.
• Zhao Feng told Yin Zheng to stand aside and fired again, but the crocodile knocked the arrow away and charged at him.

Zhao Feng killed an Ironback Dread Crocodile with precise archery and spear techniques, then caught up with Huo Yao and warned her about the Demonic Sect and Chu Fan. The chapter ended with Zhao Feng ordering the crocodile carcass processed while he prepared to extract its blood essence.

• Zhao Feng pierced the Ironback Dread Crocodile's neck with six arrows, then evaded its attacks and killed it by driving his spear into its vulnerable belly.
• Yin Zheng and Liu Yang left after witnessing Zhao Feng's skill, while Huo Yao stayed to speak with him.
• Zhao Feng gave Huo Yao pills and learned that Huo Shan had become dispirited after Zhao Feng and Chu Fan left the Martial Arts School.
• Zhao Feng warned Huo Yao that the Demonic Sect might establish Halls and urged her to watch out for Chu Fan, whom he suspected was still alive.
• After Huo Yao left, Zhao Feng ordered Li Yong and the others to process the Ironback Dread Crocodile and preserve its spiritual essence.

Zhao Feng harvested an Ironback Dread Crocodile’s essence blood, used it to improve his cultivation, and successfully fused his yin and yang true qi. After three months of training, he visited Huo Yao at Golden Sand Marsh, where she told him that powerful unidentified beasts had been attacking nearby fishing grounds and villages.

• Zhao Feng collected the Ironback Dread Crocodile’s essence blood, donated its materials to the sect, and submitted a strange scale fragment for identification.
• Zhao Feng used the essence blood in a medicinal bath, advancing his Tai Chi Toad-Fishing Force, and spent three months cultivating until his archery and other techniques improved.
• Zhao Feng used protective pills and the principle of “All methods follow nature” to fuse his yang qi and true water true qi.
• Zhao Feng received Huo Yao’s invitation and traveled to Golden Sand Marsh to congratulate her on reaching pill embracement.
• Huo Yao told Zhao Feng that Golden Sand Marsh and Dragon Gate Marsh had suffered attacks from powerful unidentified beasts, with disciples and villagers killed or injured.

Zhao Feng and the Five Sects Alliance searched the Lancang River for a powerful flood-dragon-type Exotic Beast, while Chu Fan sought permission to return to Big Stone County on behalf of the Holy Cult. The search began with Song Zhi leading the group, and Chu Fan was ordered to gain experience in Prefecture City first.

• Zhao Feng and Huo Yao found a flood-dragon scale and tracks at the damaged fishing ground, leading Huo Yao to suspect the flood dragon was driving other aquatic beasts to attack.
• The five sect leaders decided to send an Astral Force elder and disciples to search for the flood dragon's lair.
• Song Zhi led Zhao Feng, Huo Yao, Liu Yang, Guan Chao, and Cai Zhiqian aboard a treasure boat, using an Ink-Scaled Fish to track the beast.
• Chu Fan met Branch Hall Leader Huang in the concealed Bone-Eating Shoal hall and asked to return to Big Stone County to spread the Holy Cult's teachings.
• Branch Hall Leader Huang ordered Chu Fan to gain experience in Prefecture City before going to Big Stone County, then criticized Elder Ma for seeking a Hall Leader position for his disciple.

Zhao Feng and the Five Sects Alliance party searched the Lancang River for the strange flood dragon, only to find it at Nine-Link Whirlpool and face a deadly attack. After the Blackwater Python wrecked their ship and killed Guan Chao, they fled onto Bone-Eating Shoal, where a Demonic Sect Branch Hall Leader forced them to scatter; Zhao Feng escaped an astral-force attack by diving into the river.

• Song Zhi led Zhao Feng and the others to search Thousand Leaf Marsh and Great Wind Abyss, but they found no trace of the strange flood dragon.
• At Nine-Link Whirlpool, the party fought off a Black-Shell Giant Turtle and several other aquatic beasts before Song Zhi's Ink-Scaled Fish warned her that the flood dragon was nearby.
• A giant Blackwater Python attacked the treasure ship, and the group sent up a distress signal before racing toward Bone-Eating Shoal.
• The Blackwater Python smashed the ship and killed Guan Chao, while the survivors fled onto the shoal and encountered a Demonic Sect Branch Hall Leader.
• Song Zhi fled with Huo Yao and flung Zhao Feng backward to cover their retreat; Zhao Feng evaded a black-robed pursuer's astral-force attack with Wind-Controlling Escape and plunged into the river.

Zhao Feng escaped the river and fought two Northern Barbarian brothers in the woods, killing one and wounding the other. He took a Cowhide Scroll and pouch from the corpse before fleeing, while the surviving brother escaped.

• Zhao Feng evaded the black-robed man’s saber strike underwater but surfaced to escape the Giant Python and his pursuers.
• A Northern Barbarian archer shot at Zhao Feng as he ran toward the woods, prompting him to turn and confront the two pursuing brothers.
• Zhao Feng used his spearwork to hold off both brothers, then killed the first with Iron Mountain Lean.
• Zhao Feng disarmed and wounded the archer, who escaped after throwing white powder at him.
• Zhao Feng searched the dead brother, took a Cowhide Scroll and a cloth pouch, and fled in another direction.

Zhao Feng escaped the Blood Lotus Sect's Branch Hall and found the gravely wounded Song Zhi, whom he killed and robbed. He then disguised himself as a Martial Suppression Guard and reported the Branch Hall and its powerful defenders to Company Commander Fan.

• Zhao Feng recovered in the reeds, examined the Northern Barbarians' scroll and medicines he had taken, and heard someone nearby.
• Zhao Feng found Song Zhi badly wounded and pretended to offer help, then killed her, took her gold and Eight Extremes Everlasting Spring Art, and disposed of her body.
• Zhao Feng saw Five Sects Alliance boats heading toward the Bone-Eating Shoal but avoided them and continued along the riverbank.
• Zhao Feng encountered Company Commander Fan and disguised himself as a Dark Guard named Ink Eagle before reporting the Demonic Sect Branch Hall, its leader, its Astral Force experts, and the giant python.
• Zhao Feng handed Company Commander Fan the Cowhide Scroll, and Fan's expression changed after reading it.