Chapter Summaries

After an assassination attempt on Princess Blanche, Luo Ning’s hidden strength became the talk of Wushan City, while Rulans worried over his grandson’s unexpected rise and went to answer for the attack. Resting in his room, Luo Ning considered the many possible masterminds before Tom told him that Princess Blanche wished to see him.

• News spread that Princess Blanche had been targeted at the Colosseum and that Luo Ning had shown the strength of an Advanced Knight, alarming Baron Leysen and other nobles.
• Rulans learned that Luo Ning and Princess Blanche were recovering safely, then went to Wushan Fortress to address the royal party’s demand for an explanation.
• Rulans questioned Most about when Luo Ning had awakened his Battle Qi Seed but could not explain how his grandson had gained such strength.
• Luo Ning considered who might have ordered the attack on Princess Blanche, including Count Jesus and forces within both kingdoms.
• Tom told Luo Ning that Princess Blanche wished to see him.

After Blanche visited the injured Luo Ning, she agreed to reassure Jesus and Brol that Wushan Castle should not be blamed for the assassination. In Wushan Fortress, Rulans and Jesus clashed over the investigation, and the hall was on the verge of violence when Blanche arrived.

• Blanche visited Luo Ning, who asked her to tell Jesus and Brol not to make things difficult for Wushan Castle while the assassins’ identities were investigated.
• Luo Ning told Tom to have Macken report to him when he returned from assisting Sir Toru’s investigation.
• Jesus and Brol demanded that Wushan Castle investigate its vassal nobles, while Wiggins, Orson, and Marvin insisted the nobles were not involved.
• Rulans told the royal escort that Wushan Castle was investigating everyone at the Colosseum and questioned when Jesus had learned of Blanche’s visit.
• Jesus attacked Rulans with a Battle Qi fist, but Rulans blocked it with a red barrier, prompting both sides to ready themselves for a fight.
• Blanche entered the hall with Missy and urged everyone not to escalate the confrontation.

After the assassination attempt, Princess Blanche cleared Wushan Castle of blame, but Knight Toru’s investigation found no useful leads. As Luo Ning recovered, Rulans visited him and asked about his true strength after hearing Blanche’s account of the battle.

• Princess Blanche said the attack had no direct connection to Wushan Castle and praised its response, ending the dispute with Rulans.
• Toru’s screening of Colosseum staff and spectators uncovered no useful clues, and the dead assassins had no identifying marks.
• Macken told Luo Ning that Mondo had been a Colosseum gladiator for a year and had bribed a reviewer to join.
• Luo Ning told Macken to have Toru investigate where the Green-Skinned Troll had come from.
• Rulans visited Luo Ning after the banquet and questioned him about his strength, doubting that he was merely at Advanced Peak.

Luo Ning revealed his Bronze Rank strength to Rulans, who celebrated his grandson’s potential and discussed the dangers facing Wushan Territory. Luo Ning then showed evidence linking Resen to an assassination attempt and prepared to introduce a witness.

• Luo Ning told Rulans he had recently advanced from Advanced Peak to Bronze Rank and demonstrated his Battle Qi.
• Rulans praised Luo Ning’s talent, and Luo Ning explained he had concealed his strength to stay safe in Mountain Forest Town.
• Rulans suggested Luo Ning might become King Bruno’s vassal through the marriage alliance, but Luo Ning said he preferred to serve Rulans and keep Mountain Forest Town.
• Luo Ning proposed that Resen take the blame for the assassination attempt on Blanche and revealed that a Skull Society assassin had attacked him in Mountain Forest Town.
• Luo Ning showed Rulans the assassin’s testimony implicating Resen and called Tom in as another witness.

After receiving a monthly reward and increasing his knight strength, Luo Ning spoke with Brayden about their loyalty to one another and the future of the Wushan Family. He reassured Brayden that he had no intention of taking the marquis title and ended by offering to teach him swordsmanship.

• Luo Ning claimed his fifth Heartwarming Gift Box, gained 40 Attribute Points and 40 Energy Essence, and invested the Attribute Points in his knight level.
• Brayden visited Luo Ning, asked about his recovery, and learned that Luo Ning had reached Advanced Knight rank.
• Luo Ning told Brayden that they were brothers and should work together to strengthen the Wushan Family, despite rumors that they would become rivals.
• Brayden offered to support Luo Ning's claim to the inheritance, but Luo Ning said Brayden should still become the future Marquis of Wushan Territory.
• Luo Ning advised Brayden to broaden his perspective and then offered to give him swordsmanship pointers.

Luo Ning received visitors at Wushan Castle, spent time with Blanche, and learned that the investigation into the assassination had stalled. He planned to use the Skull Society and Resen of Sain Territory as a lead while preparing to continue the fight against the Black Collar Tribe.

• Luo Ning defeated Brayden in a spar, then gave him advice that deepened Brayden's respect and gratitude toward him.
• Blanche visited Luo Ning, praised his strength, and spent the morning chatting and walking around Wushan Castle with him.
• Rognar, Marina, Malik, McKinney, Jamie, and other visitors came to meet Luo Ning after hearing about his strength.
• Macken reported that Toru's investigation found no suspicious link between the Green-Skinned Troll and the assassination, leaving the escaped Gold Rank assassin as the main lead.
• Luo Ning considered implicating Resen and the Skull Society in the assassination, then reflected that the fight against the Black Collar Tribe would continue as a test for Mountain Forest Town's soldiers.

At Rulans’s birthday and the Year Celebration banquet, Luo Ning prepared to enter the knight competition while nobles watched increasingly powerful matches. The chapter ended as Jamie Monson of Black Python City challenged Rognar, and Galil explained that Monson Territory had once belonged to Wushan Territory before the Hyde Family received it for military service.

• Luo Ning spoke with Viscount Dennis and Baron German at the banquet, promising German an unexpected gift in return for his earlier generosity.
• Dean Miloslav Ture praised Luo Ning’s mental state to Rulans, who voiced concern that Luo Ning might lack the perseverance to reach Gold Rank.
• Luo Ning learned that Galil could not compete because the contest was limited to knights under thirty, then watched the matches progress to stronger fighters.
• Sir Rognar Ironhoof won two matches, and Luo Ning held back to let his friend win a third and rest before the championship contest.
• Jamie Monson of Black Python City challenged Rognar, and Galil told Luo Ning that Monson Territory had been granted to the Hyde Family after its campaigns against the Black Gold Brotherhood.

Luo Ning defeated Jamie and every knight who challenged him, securing the Wushan Castle competition’s championship. Before Brayden could announce the result, Luo Ning called on Baron Leysen of Sain Territory to come down.

• Jamie defeated Rognar, then challenged Luo Ning in front of the assembled nobles.
• Luo Ning accepted Jamie’s challenge and defeated him with his swordsmanship, strength, and Gale Palm.
• Princess Blanche awarded Luo Ning five hundred gold coins, and the other nobles followed with smaller rewards.
• Luo Ning defeated the remaining challengers until no knights stepped forward.
• As Brayden prepared to announce the champion, Luo Ning requested that Baron Leysen of Sain Territory come down.

At the Wushan Castle tournament, Luo Ning publicly accused Baron Leysen of Swamp Town of involvement in the assassination attempt on Princess Blanche. He revealed that he had also survived an assassination attempt in Mountain Forest Town, leaving Leysen shocked by the news.

• Luo Ning pointed his Flowing Flame Sword at Leysen and declared that he was judging him rather than challenging him.
• Leysen jumped into the square, demanded to know Luo Ning's authority, and threatened a Life-and-Death Duel for slander.
• Leysen struck at Luo Ning, but Macken blocked his punch.
• Luo Ning accused Leysen of being involved in the attempt on Princess Blanche's life, shocking the gathered nobles.
• Luo Ning said the Skull Society had also tried to assassinate him in Mountain Forest Town on the seventh, and Leysen realized the attack had already happened and failed.

Luo Ning accused Baron Leysen Resen of ordering repeated assassinations and embezzling Mountain Forest Town’s resources, prompting German to challenge him to a duel. The evidence against Resen mounted as Tom testified and Sir Toru presented a garment bearing the Skull Society’s emblem.

• Luo Ning told the nobles that Assassin Shadow, a member of the Skull Society, had confessed to accepting a reward from Baron Leysen Resen to kill him.
• Luo Ning revealed that Resen had also targeted German’s children, Marina and Malik, and German challenged Resen to a duel.
• German accused Resen of holding a grudge over the Battle of Mist City, but Marquis Rulans ordered him to stand down while Luo Ning continued presenting evidence.
• Luo Ning called Tom forward, and Tom testified that Resen and Prinster had plotted to kill Luo Ning and seize Mountain Forest Town while Resen embezzled its resources.
• Sir Toru arrived with a garment found in assassin Mondo’s bedroom, displaying the Skull Society’s golden skull emblem.

Luo Ning’s evidence linked Resen to the Skull Society and the assassination attempts, prompting Brol and Toru to arrest him despite Orson’s objections. Rulans ordered Resen and his delegation imprisoned for questioning, while the dispute left Orson responsible for failing to eliminate the Skull Society.

• Luo Ning accused Resen of crimes including repeated attempts on his life and ties to the assassinations of his father and Blanche.
• Brol seized Resen after Resen attacked him, crushing Resen’s right hand.
• Toru and Galil restrained Resen, but Orson objected that the testimony linking him to the Skull Society needed to be verified at trial.
• Rulans ruled that Resen could be stripped of his title and territory for trying to kill Luo Ning, and ordered Toru to imprison Resen and interrogate his companions.
• Rulans criticized Orson for failing to eliminate the Skull Society and then invited the nobles back to the banquet.

After the banquet, Luo Ning received 5,250 gold coins in prizes and gifts, completing the Prosperous Fortune achievement and greatly increasing his strength. Orson considered Black Python City's next moves as Luo Ning looked ahead to taking over Sain Territory.

• At the banquet, Orson and Jesus discussed Resen's failure and the trouble Baron Leysen's interrogation could bring to Black Python City.
• Luo Ning received the knight competition prize and gifts from Blanche and the nobles, earning 5,250 gold coins and completing the Prosperous Fortune achievement.
• Luo Ning rewarded Macken and Tom, stored the remaining coins, and saw that the achievement's next goal was to obtain 10,000 gold coins at once.
• Luo Ning spent all 251 Attribute Points on his knight level, raising his progress from 93/800 to 344/800 and feeling his body grow stronger.

Luo Ning visited Wushan Castle Prison to recruit Joffrey, an Advanced Knight who had served Resen but knew little of his crimes. Joffrey accepted Luo Ning’s offer, and Luo Ning arranged for him to be freed and healed.

• Resen remained chained and deprived of food and sleep while his followers’ confessions strengthened the evidence against him.
• Luo Ning went to Wushan Castle Prison with Macken and Tom and asked Knight Galil to take him to Joffrey.
• Luo Ning learned that Joffrey had resisted arrest fiercely and had not confessed to Resen’s crimes.
• Joffrey explained that he had recently joined Resen and had spent most of his time with the Black Collar Tribe, then begged Luo Ning to save him.
• Luo Ning offered Joffrey a place in his service, and Joffrey eagerly accepted.
• Luo Ning told Macken and Tom to release Joffrey and gave them five Healing Spell Spell Scrolls to treat his injuries.

Luo Ning learned that Rulans would judge Resen and grant him the title of Viscount that afternoon, while Rydal led troops to launch an attack on the Black Collar Tribe. Rydal’s forces set out to lure Philiton’s knights and cavalry away from their defenses and ambush them in the hills.

• Miloslav praised Luo Ning’s performance and asked about Elrond’s talent, while Rulans gave Luo Ning a Fire Dragon Swallows Heaven Spell Scroll.
• Rulans told Luo Ning that Toru had gathered evidence against Resen and that a meeting would be held at Wushan Fortress to pass judgment and confer Luo Ning’s title.
• Rydal assembled his troops at Gray Soil Village and rallied them against Baron Leysen and the Black Collar Tribe.
• Rydal ordered Bablin and Horn to provoke Philiton’s forces and draw them away from the tribe’s defenses, while he led the remaining troops to prepare an ambush in the hills.
• Bablin’s unit left first, followed by Horn’s, as Rydal and Elrond set out with the rest of the force.

Bablin and Horn lured Philiton and the Black Collar Tribe’s Knight Squad out of their fortified gate, allowing Rydal and Gray Soil Village’s forces to launch a surprise attack. The battle began in the wilderness, with the Black Collar Tribe’s troops thrown into chaos.

• Bablin led his team toward the Black Collar Tribe, then withdrew when Unai’s cavalry appeared and joined Horn’s ambush across the boundary.
• Unai warned Philiton that more than thirty riders had arrived, but Philiton dismissed the threat until he heard they had insulted Joffrey and Resen.
• Philiton led the Knight Squad out to pursue Bablin and Horn, who taunted him and drew him away from the tribe.
• Rydal burst from the woods and knocked Philiton from his horse with a single sword strike.
• Bablin, Horn, and Gray Soil Village’s forces charged as archers fired into the Knight Squad, while Jenny’s Water Arrow Spell knocked Unai from his horse.
• Elrond cast Invigorate Spell on the soldiers, and the encouraged cavalry charged as Mountain Forest Town’s first true battle began.

Rydal defeated Knight Philiton’s force and captured the Black Collar Tribe’s stronghold for Luo Ning. He organized the prisoners, wounded, and villagers, expecting to secure the tribe before Luo Ning returned to Mountain Forest Town.

• Rydal defeated and captured Philiton after Mountain Forest Town’s forces routed his knights and cavalry, suffering only a few casualties of their own.
• Rydal ordered the fallen remembered and their bodies returned to Gray Soil Village for burial, then prepared to attack the Black Collar Tribe’s stronghold.
• Philiton used threats and persuasion to make the stronghold’s defenders surrender, allowing Rydal’s forces to take control with only two guards wounded.
• Rydal assigned Bablin to guard prisoners, Horn to reassure the tribe’s people, Elrond to treat the wounded, and Jenny to count the population.

Rulans stripped Leysen and the Sain Family of their title and territory, then granted Luo Ning the vast Wubei Territory and a viscountcy for his service. Just as Luo Ning thought the ennoblement had passed without opposition, an unnamed noble objected.

• Rulans announced that Leysen and his family would be imprisoned, the Sain Family would lose its title and Swamp Town, and Leysen would be executed once the investigation concluded.
• Orson and the other nobles reviewed the interrogation testimonies and raised no objections to Rulans's ruling.
• Blanche ordered Brol to arrange for a knight to assist Wushan Castle with the investigation into the assassination attempts.
• Rulans named Sain Territory and the land north of it Wubei Territory and conferred its viscountcy on Luo Ning Wushan.
• An unnamed noble stood and objected to Luo Ning's ennoblement.

Orson Hyde opposed Luo Ning receiving all of Wubei Territory, arguing that his rescue of Princess Blanche did not justify such a large grant. Rulans defended the reward, but Count Jesus proposed a match between Rulans and Orson, putting the ailing Marquis in a difficult position.

• Orson objected to Luo Ning becoming lord of all Wubei Territory, prompting Cabir, Wiggins, and Blanche to defend Luo Ning’s contribution to saving the princess.
• Orson argued that other nobles and knights deserved rewards for their campaigns against the Black Gold Brotherhood and the Poland Thief Group, and he clashed with Marvin over their past efforts.
• Rulans rejected Orson’s argument, reprimanded Corien Hansen for failing to eliminate the Poland Thief Group, and said Luo Ning had prevented a disaster for Wushan Territory.
• Orson maintained that making Luo Ning a Viscount and granting him Sain Territory was sufficient, but Rulans insisted that Wubei Territory’s barren and dangerous land justified the larger grant.
• Count Jesus suggested that Rulans and Orson settle their disagreement with a match, and the nobles realized Orson might have reached Meteor Rank while Rulans was still weakened by illness and injury.

At a gathering in Wushan Castle, Luo Ning tried to prevent a sparring match that could worsen Rulans’s illness and destabilize Wushan Territory. Rulans accepted Orson’s challenge anyway, making the outcome determine whether the territory followed Luo Ning’s proposal or Rulans’s.

• Jesus provoked Rulans and Orson to spar, and Luo Ning offered to give up the rest of Wubei Territory to avoid putting Rulans at risk.
• Jesus mocked the Wushan family, Wiggins threatened him, and Rulans reprimanded Wiggins.
• Jesus’s commanders offered to spar with Orson, but Orson dismissed them and said Rulans need not take Jesus’s words seriously.
• Rulans agreed to fight Orson and proposed that the winner decide whether Luo Ning’s or Rulans’s plan for the territory would proceed.
• Rulans transformed his cane into an enchanted sword, and Orson accepted the challenge after overcoming his fear.

Rulans accepted Orson’s challenge to preserve Wushan Castle’s prestige, and their spar was scheduled for that afternoon. As the nobles spread word of the match, Luo Ning prepared for the possibility that Rulans would lose and began assessing the castle’s support.

• The nobles chose an abandoned pasture outside Wushan Fortress for Rulans and Orson’s spar at three in the afternoon.
• Rulans explained to Luo Ning, Wiggins, and Brayden that he had accepted to protect Wushan Castle’s standing, then urged Brayden to remember that Luo Ning was his only brother.
• Orson told Diane that Jesus had proposed the match and denied that he had pushed Rulans into accepting; Diane urged him to cancel, but he refused.
• The nobles spread news of the coming match using messenger birds.
• Luo Ning gave Macken the Potent Healing Spell Scroll and began checking the attitudes of Wushan Castle’s knights in case Rulans lost.