Summary: Hero, Spare My Life! (Chapter)

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After the manor lord is killed, nineteen silver-rank assassins flee in all directions from Duan Yun (a.k.a. "Duan Old Devil").
• Duan Yun systematically hunts them down. He kills four assassins in succession, including a woman disguised as a man.
• Duan Yun realizes his plan to become manor lord and reform the assassin organization is ruined when someone exposes his "Old Devil" alias. He decides to slaughter all remaining assassins.
• He targets the riverside docks where coffins are used for escape. He kills nine assassins packed into two coffins, skewering their heads together like "candied hawthorns."
• At the dock, Duan Yun confronts a group of fleeing members. He kills most of them, including one group whose lower bodies run on after being bisected.
• Two surviving assassins beg for mercy. Duan Yun uses a technique on them, brainwashing them into shouting "I want to be a hero!" and forcing them to lead him to a hiding spot.

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Shows extreme ruthlessness, killing even low-ranking members. He is pragmatic and methodical, using his enemies' escape routes against them. His alias "Young Hero Duan Lang" is permanently burned, so he plans to adopt a new identity. He notably softens slightly when addressed as "hero," but only momentarily.
• The Female Assassin (unnamed): A minor but poignant character. Disguised as male due to her masculine appearance, she joined Netherworld Manor seeking cultivation arts to become beautiful. She dies alone, having never achieved her goal—highlighting the human tragedy behind the assassins.
• The Brainwashed Assassins: Reduced to mindless puppets, their will is destroyed by Duan Yun's technique.

3. Significant Themes

• Justice vs. Mass Murder: Duan Yun frames his massacre as "upholding justice," yet his actions are far more brutal than the crimes he punishes.
• Identity and Transformation: The female assassin's desire to change her appearance; Duan Yun's need to constantly reinvent his alias.
• Cruelty and Dark Comedy: The chapter mixes grotesque violence with gallows humor (e.g., stacked assassins poking each other, bodies running after being cut in half).
• Mob Mentality vs. Individual Doubt: Even a hardened group of killers crumbles into panic and betrayal under existential threat.

4. Character Interactions

• The Female Assassin: Begs Duan Yun for mercy, addressed him as "Young Hero Duan"—the only killer he permitted to keep a whole corpse.
• Assassins in the Coffins: Their desperate, absurd interactions (complaining about being poked, using Bone-Shrinking Art, denial of their fate) underscore the folly of their escape plan.
• The Old Woman (Old Madam Yu): She is terrified of Duan Yun and serves as a passive observer of the massacre, too frightened to interfere.
• The Last Two Assassins: They grovel, call him "hero," and become his obedient puppets—a chilling interaction showing Duan Yun's power over both body and mind.

Chapter Summary: Yellow Mountain, the Mountain Duan Old Devil Could Never Cross!

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Duan Yun and Murong Brothers spend three days purging Netherworld Manor, using the Daoheart Demon Seed to turn assassins into self-proclaimed “great heroes” who expose their comrades.
• They loot the manor, discovering valuable pearls, antiques, paintings, and calligraphy. Murong Brothers is especially delighted by the painting Maple-Loving Parking Scene and the beauty-enhancing pearls.
• In a secret chamber, they uncover the Silver-Masked Daoist’s horrific cultivation method: he had replaced parts of his own body with Corpse King flesh in an attempt to complete an evil art. He died before the transformation was finished.
• They also discover human beings trapped inside wooden stumps, their bodies mutilated and minds reduced to endlessly chanting scriptures. Unable to save them, Duan Yun and Murong Brothers burn Impermanence Hall, causing the fire to consume half the mountain and destroy Netherworld Manor.
• Afterward, a storyteller spreads an exaggerated version of the event, portraying Duan Yun and Murong Brothers as shameless, murderous “old devils.” Other patrons defend them, calling Duan Yun a true hero and suggesting he become Martial Alliance Leader.
• The storyteller claims that the strongest contender for Martial Alliance Leader is the wife of the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect’s leader, who supposedly refined two Dragon Essences and gained a peerless divine skill. He declares that Yellow Mountain is a mountain Duan Yun can never cross.
• Duan Yun becomes irritated by the comparison, especially because he already has unresolved friction with the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect. Although he briefly considers confronting them, he decides not to destroy the sect without evidence of serious wrongdoing.
• A group of bystanders overhears Duan Yun and Murong Brothers joking about attacking Yellow Mountain. They mistake them for impostors pretending to be the infamous Duan Old Devil and Green Saber Old Devil.
• When one man mocks Murong Brothers and touches Duan Yun’s hair, Murong Brothers retaliates, sending him flying. The others recognize him as the real Green Saber Old Devil and flee or faint in terror.

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Continues his campaign against evil Outer Dao practitioners but shows restraint regarding the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect. His pride and competitiveness are easily provoked, yet he is capable of distinguishing personal grudges from genuine evil. He is also encouraged by hearing people praise him as a hero.
• Murong Brothers: Remains obsessed with romance, beauty, and finding a partner, even while participating in brutal demon-slaying. He proves to be knowledgeable about art and treasures, highly enthusiastic about Duan Yun’s possible rise to power, and quick to defend their reputation.
• Silver-Masked Daoist: His backstory is revealed as a grotesque cultivator who sacrificed his own flesh to merge with Corpse King remains. His death leaves his transformation incomplete.
• The assassins of Netherworld Manor: Their fear and psychological collapse demonstrate how thoroughly Duan Yun’s methods have destroyed the manor’s morale.
• The public: Their opinions are sharply divided. Some believe the slander against Duan Yun, while others admire him as a righteous hero. His reputation has become powerful enough to frighten people into unconsciousness.

3. Significant Themes

• Reputation versus reality: Public stories about Duan Yun differ wildly from what actually happened. The storyteller calls him a murderous villain, while Heroic Storytellers praise him as a champion of justice.
• Justice and moral ambiguity: Duan Yun’s methods are extreme, but Netherworld Manor truly committed monstrous crimes. The chapter questions whether violent retribution can still be considered heroic when it targets genuine evil.
• The power of myth and celebrity: Hearing supporters defend them gives Duan Yun and Murong Brothers renewed motivation. Their “fans” influence their behavior almost like followers of idols.
• Pride and provocation: Duan Yun’s desire to surpass the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect is driven less by political ambition than by wounded pride and irritation at being underestimated.
• The burden of leadership: Murong Brothers explains that the Martial Alliance Leader position offers prestige but little real authority, endless obligations, and a tendency toward betrayal and violent death.
• Darkness mixed with comedy: Grotesque body-horror and mass slaughter are repeatedly undercut by absurd jokes about beauty, romance, impotency, storytelling, and mistaken identity.

4. Character Interactions

• Duan Yun teases Murong Brothers for greedily admiring the manor’s treasures, while Murong Brothers openly discusses using pearls for beauty and romantic gifts.
• The two investigate the Silver-Masked Daoist’s chamber together and respond to the trapped victims by destroying the manor rather than leaving the horror intact.
• At the teahouse, they react emotionally to both the storyteller’s slander and the praise from Heroic Storytellers. Their shared excitement strengthens their partnership.
• Murong Brothers debates the value of becoming Martial Alliance Leader with Duan Yun, emphasizing the position’s political weakness, heavy responsibilities, and deadly history.
• Duan Yun admits he wants to challenge Yellow Mountain mainly to humiliate those who look down on him, while Murong Brothers urges him not to become obsessed.
• The chapter ends with Murong Brothers using his identity and reputation to punish a mocker, after which bystanders panic upon realizing that the supposedly legendary “Green Saber Old Devil” is standing before them.

Chapter Summary: "A Real Little Sister, a Male Little Sister, or True Fate?"

Key Plot Points

• Four high-ranking Netherworld Manor lords (a masked woman, "Old Saber Hilt," "Half-Mustache," and another) secretly meet in a moss-covered courtyard, sharing a meal while discussing the destruction of Bing Manor
• Duan Yun (Duan Old Devil) and the Murong Brothers have burned down Netherworld Manor as retaliation for Bing Manor's involvement in the Yu Prefecture affairs
• The manor lords decide not to confront Duan Yun, hoping instead that the unseen Capital Lord of White Jade Capital (in seclusion for four years, shrouded in "immortal mist") will eventually deal with him
• Duan Yun and the Murong Brothers travel back to Jade Pearl Manor in a luxurious carriage, carrying gold seized from Impermanence Hall
• They decide to donate the gold to Bodhi Benevolent Hall, retaining only some for themselves
• Along the road, they encounter a pretty blue-clad woman who repeatedly glances at them, leading the Murong Brothers to believe they are "fated"
• At an inn in a small town, the woman sits at their table—and to everyone's surprise, she directs her attention at the Murong Brothers, not Duan Yun

Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Continues growing into his "young hero" role. He reflects on poverty he has witnessed and experiences genuine happiness in donating wealth rather than hoarding it, showing his values shifting from material gain to moral purpose.
• The Murong Brothers: Shows his romantic, impulsive nature—instantly smitten by the blue-clad woman, he fantasizes about marriage and children before exchanging a single word. His earlier suicidal mindset continues to fade due to Duan Yun's influence.
• The Four Manor Lords: Revealed as self-interested and cowardly—willing to cooperate only for profit, they avoid direct confrontation, preferring to wait for the mysterious Capital Lord to act.

Significant Themes

• True heroism vs. self-interest: Duan Yun's decision to donate his wealth contrasts sharply with the manor lords' concern for their own skins and profits
• Fate vs. coincidence: Duan Yun points out rationally that the woman's presence is merely a practical matter (only one inn in town), while the Murong Brothers romanticizes it as destiny
• Deception and hidden identity: The woman's true nature is left ambiguous—Duan Yun worries she might be the Murong Brothers' real little sister, a disguised man, or genuinely his destined love
• Wealth and happiness: The chapter explores how money brings both pleasure and burden; true joy lies in giving it away

Character Interactions

• The four manor lords converse in veiled tones, revealing their hierarchical fears and lack of genuine unity
• Duan Yun and the Murong Brothers banter warmly—Duan teasing his companion about the "fated" woman while noting that others (including unsettling men) are also staring at him
• The blue-clad woman's shy glances and eventual request to sit at their table drive the chapter's central question: her true identity and intentions toward the Murong Brothers

Summary of Chapter: "Nameless Young Hero—Who Dares Refuse to Submit!"

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Duan Yun travels alone toward Jade Pearl Manor; the Murong Brothers have left to escort the young lady Ning Qing to her relatives.
• Duan Yun secretly used the Star-Absorbing Art to confirm Ning Qing is a runaway young miss, and lets the Murong Brothers go, hoping they find love.
• On the road, Duan Yun sees a family with a lame girl (atrophied legs), is moved to tears, stops the carriage, and heals her using electric current to revive her muscles and clear her meridians. The girl takes her first steps; Duan Yun leaves without revealing his name.
• Duan Yun donates a chest of gold (4,132 taels) to a Bodhi Benevolent Hall base, calling himself "Nameless Young Hero." Li Yunfei later realizes it was Duan Yun.
• In Floating Cloud Town, Manor Lord Qin and local clans are profiteering from plague medicine. Wu Shan of Bodhi Benevolent Hall demands fair prices or donations. When word arrives of the massive anonymous donation, Manor Lord Qin recognizes the description as Duan Yun ("Duan Old Devil") and, fearing his wrath, immediately orders all herbs to be sold at cost or donated outright.

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Shows compassion (cries at the simple happiness of a poor family), performs good deeds anonymously, and actively tries to do good while his fearsome reputation intimidates the wicked into doing good as well. He is content letting others mistake him or using the alias "Nameless Young Hero."
• Murong Brothers: Continues his romantic pursuit, delighted that Ning Qing chose him, though he is initially hurt that she finds Duan Yun more handsome/formidable.
• Ning Qing: Reveals a pragmatic side: she chose the Murong Brothers because he is "suitable" and attentive, rather than the better-looking, more powerful friend.
• Manor Lord Qin: Greedy and self-serving, but cowardly in the face of Duan Yun's reputation; he and his allies are forced to forfeit their windfall, and he bitterly laments the state of the world.

3. Significant Themes

• True Heroism is Anonymous: Duan Yun heals and donates without seeking credit, contrasting with the corrupt lords who hoard wealth.
• The Double-Edged Sword of Reputation: Duan Yun's terrifying nickname "Old Devil" ironically forces evildoers to behave righteously, though it also leads to misunderstanding and fear.
• Benevolence vs. Exploitation: Healing a child and donating to relief highlight true righteousness, while the plague profiteers represent human greed.
• A Cynical Worldview: Manor Lord Qin's final thought—that the world is rotten if Duan Yun becomes martial alliance leader—underscores the moral decay of the powerful.

4. Character Interactions

• Duan Yun & the Crippled Girl's Family: He offers help, uses his strange electric ability, gives brief instructions, and vanishes; the family kneels in gratitude.
• Duan Yun & Li Yunfei (Bodhi Benevolent Hall): Duan Yun donates gold without a name; Li Yunfei and his junior brother recognize him from the statue and are deeply moved.
• Wu Shan & Manor Lord Qin: A tense confrontation over exorbitant medicine prices; the news of Duan Yun's donation suddenly undermines Manor Lord Qin's stance.
• Murong Brothers & Ning Qing: Lighthearted banter in the carriage; Ning Qing's candid reasoning both deflates and reassures the Murong Brothers.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Duan Yun donates a chest of gold to relieve victims of plague and famine, feeling it turns ill-gotten wealth into righteous wealth. Unknown to him, this act eases the crisis of thirteen plague-stricken cities and earns him influence, while also making enemies of corrupt figures like Manor Master Qin.
• He gains the nickname “Nameless Young Hero.”
• Duan Yun returns to Jade Pearl Manor in cold winter weather. The manor is empty: Xia Touying, Feng Ling’er, and even Da Bai the panda are away.
• He visits his beloved cellar, then cooks a simple meal of cured meat over rice, using true qi to speed up the fire.
• Back in his room, he senses a lingering rouge scent and discovers a strange woman hiding under his bed.
• The woman attacks with a chain sword and pins his arm, then launches into a delusional tirade: she claims he is in love with her, that she is devoted to the Murong Brothers, and that he must be trying to seduce or sabotage her.
• Duan Yun disarms her, kicks her out, and recognizes her as “Ning Tian” — the author using the pen name “Purple Jade Fairy,” who wrote The Fallen Goddess Constable.
• When he confronts her with the book, her personality abruptly switches: she now calls the previous persona “that slut” and speaks in a coarse, aggressive voice, refusing to be treated the same way.
• Duan Yun asks if she is insane. The chapter ends with this new personality glaring at him.

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Continues to grow into his self-image as a hero — righteous, generous, and low-key (“Nameless Young Hero”). He enjoys simple domestic comforts and shows impatience and irritation toward absurd opponents. His habit of blaming “that book” for corrupting him pays off when he finally meets its author.
• Ning Tian / Purple Jade Fairy: Introduced as a beautiful but severely delusional young woman. She believes every man is infatuated with her, especially Duan Yun. She also displays clear split personalities — one is a lovesick admirer of the Murong Brothers; the other is a sharp-tongued, defensive woman who despises the first personality.
• Off-screen, the Murong Brothers continue their side quest of escorting a young woman to visit relatives.

3. Significant Themes

• Heroism and influence: Duan Yun’s small act of charity has ripple effects across entire regions, showing how a single person’s choices can shape the world — for good or ill.
• Home and comfort: Winter, food, and a familiar bed represent warmth and belonging, contrasting with the cold and desolation of the martial world.
• Delusion vs. reality: The entire confrontation with Ning Tian parodies obsessive self-absorption — she projects her own fantasies onto Duan Yun and refuses to accept plain facts.
• Identity and madness: The chapter hints at mental illness via Ning Tian’s sudden personality shift, played for dark comedy.

4. Character Interactions

• Duan Yun vs. Ning Tian: One-sided absurd confrontation. She accuses him of staring at her chest, scheming to separate her from the Murong Brothers, and trying to seduce her. He is baffled, annoyed, and ultimately aggressive. Their exchange is comedic but also tense, as she is genuinely dangerous with a chain sword.
• Duan Yun’s internal thoughts: He reflects on the absent Xia Touying and Feng Ling’er, imagines imprisoning the “goddess constables” (Leng Yimeng and Leng Yixue), and blames The Fallen Goddess Constable for poisoning his mind.
• Ning Tian’s personality shift: The first personality admits to writing the book; then the second personality takes over, insults the first (“slut”), and confronts Duan Yun as if he were an enemy. This signals a deeper psychological fracture.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duan Yun confronts the woman with two distinct personalities. She identifies her current personality as Qing Yu, explaining that “Ning Tian” was a male disguise and that her other personality is Zi Yu.
• Qing Yu reveals that she wrote the latter half of The Fallen Goddess Constable, while Zi Yu wrote the beginning. Their conflicting styles explain the book’s drastic change in quality and tone.
• Duan Yun seals Qing Yu’s acupoint and theatrically carries her to the kitchen, where he stuffs her mouth with crispy rice crackers instead of carrying out the misconduct she fears. He claims this fulfills his earlier promise to feed her pancakes.
• After Duan Yun releases her, Qing Yu attacks him with her chain sword. Their duel illuminates the courtyard as her flexible weapon shifts between whip and sword forms.
• Qing Yu uses the Azure Jade Finger to strengthen her attack, forcing Duan Yun to draw his Golden Sword. He defeats her with a Toe Force strike, knocking her to one knee while deliberately showing mercy.
• Duan Yun decides to treat Qing Yu’s “illness”—her habit of writing bizarre fiction—but postpones doing so until the Murong Brothers return, since they are effectively her family and may need to approve the treatment.
• Unable to sleep, Duan Yun studies the difficult Heart-to-Heart Formula, a martial art written in seemingly unreadable “chicken-claw” script.
• Using his World-Shaking Wisdom, he realizes the manual may require viewing the text through blurred or doubled vision, similar to the effects of nearsightedness and astigmatism.
• His altered vision causes the characters to appear animated. By imitating their breathing and movements, he finally begins cultivating the technique.
• The formula causes his heart, organs, flesh, and meridians to resonate as though his entire body has become a weapon capable of “clamping all under heaven.”
• Excited by his breakthrough, Duan Yun tests the technique on Qing Yu. His leg clamp instantly immobilizes her, seemingly freezing her entire body. He repeats the technique despite her fear and protests, leaving the chapter on a comic, awkward note.

Character Developments

• Duan Yun remains irreverent, mischievous, and confident, but also demonstrates restraint. He defeats Qing Yu without seriously injuring her and postpones her “treatment” until her family returns.
• His mastery continues to expand: he has perfected the Jade Sword Finger, easily uses Sword Qi, and now makes progress in the elusive Heart-to-Heart Formula.
• Qing Yu is established as the more mature, domineering, and composed personality compared with Zi Yu. However, her confidence is repeatedly undermined by Duan Yun’s superior martial strength.
• Qing Yu shifts from threatening and confrontational to embarrassed, frightened, and frustrated after being defeated and immobilized.
• Zi Yu does not appear directly, but her role is clarified: she wrote the successful opening of the novel, while Qing Yu transformed the latter half into something chaotic.
• The Murong Brothers remain important indirectly, as Duan Yun sees them as Qing Yu and Zi Yu’s connection to family and authority.

Significant Themes

• Martial strength determines social power: Qing Yu’s “imperial elder sister” bearing becomes ineffective once Duan Yun defeats her, reinforcing the chapter’s comic view that authority depends on strength.
• Identity and duality: Qing Yu and Zi Yu share one body but possess different temperaments, skills, and writing styles, creating both confusion and humor.
• Improvisational enlightenment: Duan Yun achieves progress not through orthodox study but by applying unusual reasoning to the manual’s strange script.
• The body as a weapon: The Heart-to-Heart Formula transforms Duan Yun’s body into a unified martial instrument, emphasizing harmony between the heart, meridians, and physical movement.
• Parody and reversal: Situations that appear threatening repeatedly turn into absurd comedy, such as Qing Yu’s fear of being violated becoming an attack involving rice crackers, and Duan Yun’s intimidating breakthrough resulting in repeated leg-clamping.

Character Interactions

• Duan Yun and Qing Yu constantly exchange insults, threats, and mockery, with Qing Yu calling him a shameless pervert and Duan Yun treating her as a troublesome but entertaining patient.
• Their sword fight establishes mutual recognition: Qing Yu acknowledges Duan Yun’s strength, while Duan Yun admits that she is a capable opponent.
• Duan Yun’s apparent mercy further frustrates Qing Yu, who feels humiliated that he could defeat her easily yet chooses to toy with her.
• After mastering the Heart-to-Heart Formula, Duan Yun treats Qing Yu as his test subject. His strange enthusiasm contrasts sharply with her growing terror and helplessness.
• The animals briefly witness their bizarre encounters but, unable to understand them, eventually leave in confusion.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Duan Yun spends the night practicing his newly mastered Clamping Art on Qing Yu, who alternates with Zi Yu due to her split personality. He repeatedly immobilizes her while testing and refining the technique.
• The next morning, Zi Yu confronts Duan Yun, believing he mistreated her during the night. Their misunderstanding escalates until Duan Yun demonstrates the technique by clamping her in place.
• Feng Ling’er and Shen Ying enter the courtyard, misinterpret the scene as Duan Yun having an affair with another woman, and attack him. Duan Yun effortlessly immobilizes both of them as well.
• Zi Yu explains that she and Qing Yu share one body but have different personalities: Zi Yu appears during the day, while Qing Yu may emerge at night. Their conflicting personalities frequently accuse each other of immoral behavior.
• After realizing Zi Yu is genuinely mentally unstable rather than Duan Yun’s lover, Feng Ling’er and Shen Ying become sympathetic toward her. The three women quickly begin getting along.
• During the meal, Feng Ling’er recounts how she, Shen Ying, and Da Bai helped Old Chen, a roast-meat seller, after a fraudulent wife swindled him out of his savings. They tracked the woman to Green Pear Mountain, killed her bandit family, and recovered Old Chen’s money.
• Duan Yun then explains that the Murong Brothers have gone to escort a woman home to meet her family. He says he tested her honesty and found no obvious deception.
• Feng Ling’er reveals that she too comes from the north and suggests that Old Man Murong may have a history of boasting to northern women, raising doubts about the woman’s story and the Murong Brothers’ situation.

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun grows increasingly confident in his martial talent. He believes his rapid mastery of the Clamping Art proves he is a cultivation genius and gains new insights while using it.
• Zi Yu/Qing Yu is established as having a fractured or divided personality. Zi Yu is cautious and innocent-seeming, while Qing Yu is more aggressive and provocative. Zi Yu is embarrassed and frightened by Duan Yun’s treatment but eventually becomes comfortable with the others.
• Feng Ling’er and Shen Ying initially react with jealousy and moral outrage, assuming Duan Yun has brought home another woman. Once they understand the truth, their anger fades and they show compassion toward Zi Yu.
• Da Bai continues serving as comic relief, reacting to the strange scenes and participating in the vigilante mission against the swindlers.
• Feng Ling’er and Shen Ying are further characterized as self-appointed heroines who actively punish criminals, though their methods are extreme and violent.
• Duan Yun is also shown to be protective of the Murong Brothers, investigating the northern woman because he fears they may be deceived like Old Chen.

3. Significant Themes

• Absurdity and comedic misunderstanding: Ordinary situations repeatedly become chaotic because the characters misinterpret one another and behave in wildly exaggerated ways.
• Madness and abnormality: The estate is portrayed as a place where everyone is eccentric or unstable. Zi Yu, despite being mentally divided, ultimately sees the others as even stranger than herself.
• Trust and deception: The Old Chen incident and the concern over the Murong Brothers highlight the dangers of fraud, false romance, and judging people by appearances.
• Justice and vigilantism: Feng Ling’er, Shen Ying, and Da Bai act as folk heroes, but their version of justice involves killing an entire criminal family, blending heroism with brutality.
• Jealousy and social assumptions: Feng Ling’er and Shen Ying immediately assume Duan Yun is being unfaithful, showing their emotional attachment and possessiveness.
• Found-family dynamics: Despite their bizarre first meeting, Zi Yu is gradually accepted into the group, and the women bond over sympathy, conversation, and shared meals.

4. Character Interactions

• Duan Yun repeatedly restrains Zi Yu, Feng Ling’er, and Shen Ying with his Clamping Art, turning their confrontations into physical comedy.
• Zi Yu tries to defend herself and clarify that she is a victim, while Duan Yun explains her divided identity to the others.
• Feng Ling’er and Shen Ying move from jealousy and hostility to sympathy, even reassuring Zi Yu that she is not at fault for Qing Yu’s behavior.
• The three women later eat and talk together, unexpectedly forming a temporary alliance.
• Duan Yun, Feng Ling’er, and Shen Ying discuss the Murong Brothers’ trip, with Feng Ling’er’s knowledge of the north casting new suspicion on the situation.
• The chapter ends with Zi Yu bewildered by the estate’s inhabitants, concluding that even she—someone considered abnormal—finds everyone around her unusually strange.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points

• The group discusses Murong Old Dad's confession about being a "wolf that came north," meaning he fathered many children across the land without anyone knowing—revealing he was a hidden playboy despite appearing devoted.
• Feng Ling'er reveals the reason: Murong Brothers practices the Demon Saber (Twelvefold Spring Rain), which mysteriously draws his blood-related half-sisters to him.
• Feng Ling'er suggests that both Zi Yu and Qingqing are likely Murong Brothers' half-sisters, since they were both inexplicably drawn to him. Zi Yu is horrified and falls into emotional turmoil.
• Zi Yu realizes she cannot even remember Murong Brothers' exact face—he appears as a hazy, abstract figure to her, unsettling everyone.
• Duan Yun offers to "cure" Zi Yu's illness (his usual method), but Feng Ling'er sarcastically tells her to get in line.
• Meanwhile, Murong Brothers escorts the beautiful Ning Qing in a carriage, showing off his martial-world tales to charm her.
• A dwarf thief (Ghost Thief Black Earth) steals Murong Brothers' Jade Moon Blade with a trained horse trick, but panics when he recognizes the saber's owner and returns it with gold as compensation.
• Black Earth explains to his fellow outlaws that the saber traces back to Duan Old Devil (Duan Yun), creating terror—if Green Saber Old Devil (Murong Brothers) captures you, Duan Yun will use "Feminine Descent" to turn you into a woman.
• Three groups of dangerous experts pass by heading toward Murong Brothers: two Great Flesh Bodhisattvas (obese women in white carriages), the Bashan Daoist riding a giant bronze-skinned man, and two Scarlet Ghosts (one-eyed, half-nosed figures on blood-red horses).
• Black Earth and his gang realize these experts are all converging on Green Saber Old Devil, and prepare to watch the confrontation.

Character Developments

• Zi Yu: Descends into panic and paranoia over possibly being Murong Brothers' sister; her instability deepens, but she snaps into sharp focus when writing is mentioned (a writer at heart). She feels she might "want to chop him up" in agony.
• Feng Ling'er: Sharp-tongued and nosy, protective of Duan Yun; plays matchmaker responsibilities for Duan Yun's "patients" with dark humor.
• Murong Brothers: Regains chivalrous confidence; prioritizes protecting Ning Qing over recovering his saber; is somewhat shocked that his reputation now carries such deterrent power.
• Duan Yun: Maintains his "kindly healer" persona despite it being a front; his reputation spreads terror through the underworld.
• Ghost Thief Black Earth & outlaws: Their fear of Duan Yun's "Feminine Descent" power (turning men into women) is played for dark comedy—illustrating how terrifying the Old Devils' reputations have become.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and Fear: The combined legend of Duan Old Devil and Green Saber Old Devil is so frightening that even seasoned outlaws return stolen goods with apologetic bribes.
• Illegitimacy and Identity: The absurd premise that the Demon Saber technique draws blood-related sisters to its wielder, creating comically tragic "romantic" entanglements.
• Appearances vs. Reality: Murong Old Dad's hidden history, Zi Yu's hazy perception of Murong Brothers, and the contrast between noble reputations and brutal underworld reality.
• Dark Comedy: The chapter balances incestuous implications, sexual threats, and mutilation jokes with a light, satirical tone.

Character Interactions

• Feng Ling'er vs. Zi Yu: A verbal sparring match where Feng Ling'er exposes Zi Yu's delusion; she then intimidates Zi Yu about Duan Yun's "waiting list."
• Duan Yun with Feng Ling'er & Shen Ying: Duan Yun's flirtatious "healer" approach is undercut by Feng Ling'er's protective mockery.
• Murong Brothers & Ning Qing: A budding romance built on his exaggeration of his own reputation; her gratitude deepens his resolve to protect her.
• Black Earth & Lei Laosan: Their back-and-forth about the Old Devils' terrifying powers creates the chapter's comedic highlight, ending with them choosing to watch rather than fight.
• Murong Brothers & Black Earth: An unspoken power dynamic—Murong Brothers' reputation alone (without any fight) forces the thief to return the blade with trembling apologies.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Murong Brothers and Ning Qing stay at a quiet inn, where several unusual and powerful martial-world figures arrive one after another.
• Two red-haired men from Shanxi’s Red Gate appear. They practice the terrifying Red Ghost Art, which turns their hair and eyes red. One of them is later revealed to be Feng Xia’s senior brother.
• A massive yellow-skinned strongman arrives carrying a tiny but extraordinarily heavy Daoist from Mount Ba. The Daoist is associated with Yellowstone Cave and the formidable Bashan sect.
• Two enormous women from Green Mud Convent enter. Known as Flesh Bodhisattvas, they worship the Flesh Venerable and practice a strange flesh-based cultivation method.
• Murong explains the reputations of these visitors, including the Flesh Venerable’s defeat of the legendary flying-dagger expert Li Feixia.
• Murong becomes suspicious that the concentration of experts in such an insignificant town must be connected to some hidden treasure or major event.
• Later, Murong cultivates beneath his bed while thinking about Duan Yun’s past success in healing Ning Qing. His cultivation does not improve, but his thoughts reveal his growing desire to become stronger and protect beautiful women.
• Feng Xia visits Murong’s room and invites him downstairs on behalf of Red Gate. Murong is tempted by her beauty but hesitates because Ning Qing is in the room next door.
• A horrifying scream interrupts them. A Flesh Bodhisattva emerges from downstairs with a Red Gate disciple being chewed within the folds of her body.
• The Flesh Bodhisattva also invites Murong to speak. Realizing Feng Xia is frightened, Murong publicly offers her protection and accompanies her downstairs.
• The chapter ends as Murong faces two Flesh Bodhisattvas and the hidden Bashan Daoist, outwardly displaying heroic confidence while privately recognizing the danger.

Character Developments

• Murong Brothers: Continues to act boastful, flirtatious, and self-important, but demonstrates genuine courage and protective instincts. His reputation is inflated by his association with Duan Yun, and he is aware that his own martial achievements are less impressive than Duan’s. Despite his fear, he chooses to confront the gathered experts rather than abandon Feng Xia.
• Ning Qing: Remains curious and innocent but becomes increasingly anxious as powerful and grotesque figures gather at the inn. Her concern for Murong shows emotional attachment and trust.
• Feng Xia: Initially arrives as a seemingly alluring and confident Red Gate messenger, but becomes visibly terrified after witnessing the Flesh Bodhisattva kill and consume her senior brother. Her view of Murong shifts from respect based on his connection to Duan Yun to admiration for his apparent chivalry.
• Duan Yun: Does not appear directly, but his reputation dominates the chapter. Murong’s connection to him grants him protection, status, and fearsome credibility among the martial factions.
• The Scarlet Ghosts, Bashan Daoist, and Flesh Bodhisattvas: Their entrances establish them as dangerous, eccentric experts and create an atmosphere of impending conflict.

Significant Themes

• Reputation versus true ability: Murong benefits greatly from being Duan Yun’s friend. Others treat him cautiously because of Duan’s influence, even though Murong admits that many of their shared accomplishments were largely due to Duan.
• Performative heroism and genuine courage: Murong’s confidence is partly vanity and exaggeration, but his decision to protect Feng Xia shows that his chivalric persona is not entirely false.
• Beauty, desire, and temptation: Murong is easily distracted by beautiful women, creating comic tension between his attraction to Feng Xia and his wish to appear faithful to Ning Qing.
• The grotesque and the extraordinary: The chapter contrasts seductive beauty with terrifying physical abnormality, using red-haired ghosts, impossibly heavy Daoists, and flesh-consuming women to emphasize the strangeness of the martial world.
• Danger hidden beneath appearances: The inn initially seems ordinary, but it becomes a gathering place for elite factions. Politeness and invitations conceal threats, while attractive or elegant appearances can hide deadly power.
• Chivalry as social influence: Murong’s willingness to stand beside Feng Xia enhances his heroic image and causes her to respect him, demonstrating how martial-world reputations can be created through public gestures as much as actual achievements.

Character Interactions

• Murong explains the identities and histories of the arriving experts to Ning Qing, reinforcing his role as an overconfident martial-world guide.
• Ning Qing repeatedly praises Murong, feeding his ego while also expressing genuine concern for his safety.
• Feng Xia invites Murong to meet with Red Gate, and their interaction mixes seduction, fear, and political calculation.
• The Flesh Bodhisattva’s invitation immediately after her brutal killing of Feng Xia’s senior brother turns the meeting into an implied threat.
• Murong offers Feng Xia protection and leads her downstairs, strengthening her admiration and presenting himself as a courageous hero.
• The chapter sets up a tense confrontation between Murong, Feng Xia, the Flesh Bodhisattvas, the Bashan Daoist, and possibly the other martial factions gathered at the inn.

Chapter Summary: "I Only Want to Beat You All to Death, or Be Beaten to Death by You All!"

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Murong Brothers walks a flower-strewn red carpet laid by the Flesh Bodhisattvas (Green Mud Convent) to the inn's dining hall, knowing the carpet symbolizes being turned into a "flesh meditation cushion."
• Inside, he faces an alliance of the two Flesh Bodhisattvas, the Bashan Daoist, and his strongman—four dangerous masters who have seemingly reached an agreement to confront him together.
• They reveal that their true target is not Murong Brothers himself, but Ning Qing—demanding he hand over "his woman."
• They attempt to bribe him with four stolen blades (including the famous Bloodshadow Mad Saber) and offers of beautiful women; when persuasion fails, they resort to threats.
• Murong Brothers refuses and declares he intends to fight them, resulting in the Flesh Bodhisattvas attacking first with table legs—beginning the battle.
• In a parallel scene, the comedic West Forest Mountain Three Tigers (drunkards who freeload) witness the Yellow Mountain Six Swords—now with five women among them—arriving in a dramatic sword-riding spectacle, declaring that tomorrow will be "the Old Devil's day of death," likely referring to Duan Yun.

2. Character Developments

• Murong Brothers: Shows significant growth. Once someone who would never dare face such foes alone, he now stands firm, influenced by Duan Yun's "peerless Chivalric Aura." He reveals his blade technique has advanced beyond his former level. His resolve is tested and proven when he refuses to betray Ning Qing despite the terrifying opposition. His family shame (incestuous feelings toward his half-sister) is briefly referenced. He shows cleverness, using bravado (claiming Green Saber Old Devil's protection) to unsettle his enemies.
• Ning Qing (off-screen): Implied to have hidden something from Murong Brothers—her background is more complicated than a girl visiting relatives, attracting deadly pursuit from multiple factions.

3. Significant Themes

• Loyalty vs. Self-Preservation: Murong Brothers chooses loyalty to Ning Qing and his own principles over survival and reward, embodying the hero's code even in the face of overwhelming threat.
• Reputation and Bravado: The psychological warfare of reputations—Murong Brothers bluffs about Green Saber Old Devil; the enemies use fame and intimidation to pressure him.
• The Dark Side of the Martial World: The grotesque imagery of Flesh Bodhisattvas using people as meditation cushions and the Bashan Daoist killing others to take their blades depicts a corrupt, predatory "martial world that eats people."
• Heroism as a Choice: Murong Brothers's declaration—"I want to beat you all to death, or be beaten to death by you all"—frames heroism not as guaranteed victory, but as the willingness to fight regardless of outcome.

4. Character Interactions

• Flesh Bodhisattvas & Bashan Daoist (Antagonists): They alternate between seductive persuasion (offering women, blades, flattery) and deadly intimidation. They treat Murong Brothers with superficial respect (fear of the Murong family and Green Saber Old Devil) but reveal contempt when rebuffed. Their unusual alliance highlights their desperation to obtain Ning Qing.
• Murong Brothers: Responds with calculated bravado, self-deprecating humor ("I am rather scared"), and finally open defiance. He maintains composure during psychological pressure, showing his growth.
• West Forest Mountain Three Tigers (Comic Relief): Their banter—freeloading drunkards beaten by tavern owners—provides levity while foreshadowing a major conflict. They perceive the Yellow Mountain Six Swords' formation, overhearing the plot against "Old Devil." They choose to go watch the excitement "even if they die" rather than miss the fight.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Inside the inn, Murong Brothers battles two enormous Flesh Bodhisattvas. They attack with table legs, using their immense strength and unusually elastic, fat-covered bodies to absorb and redirect blows.
• Murong counters with his Spring Rain saber techniques, using his scabbard, footwork, and blade qi to turn their attacks back on them. He eventually unleashes Sixth Spring Rain, carving a deep wound through one Bodhisattva’s body.
• The two Flesh Bodhisattvas combine their bodies to disperse some of the saber force. Murong then uses his powerful Endless Unending Hatred blade technique, severely injuring the other.
• The wounded Bodhisattva calls for assistance from Bashan Daoist’s strongman. The muscular fighter ambushes Murong while he is recovering, repeatedly smashing him into the ground and nearly overpowering him.
• Murong escapes the strongman’s grasp by deliberately dislocating his shoulder, then blinds him with a saber strike. He continues evading the lean Bashan Daoist, who attacks with deceptive stomps and a vicious fly-whisk strike aimed at Murong’s kidney.
• One Flesh Bodhisattva repeatedly crushes Murong beneath her body. He survives by stabbing through her fat and cutting his way free, but is nearly suffocated and overwhelmed.
• Ning Qing intervenes just as Murong is about to be crushed. Although she appears physically frail, she unexpectedly launches the massive Flesh Bodhisattva away with tremendous strength. Murong uses the opening to split the Bodhisattva’s head, exploiting the weakness that the head has the least protective fat.
• Murong is again pinned down by the remaining Bodhisattva, who attempts one final crushing attack despite her fatal wounds.
• An unknown swordsman suddenly intervenes with a brilliant, moon-shaped blade strike. The attack tears open the Bodhisattva’s existing wound and kills her. She identifies the technique as the Crescent Moon Saber before dying.
• Bashan Daoist flees through the wall. Murong pursues him with Sixth Spring Rain, while the mysterious swordsman follows with another moonlike blade qi. Their combined attacks cut Bashan Daoist into four pieces.
• The chapter ends by revealing that the mysterious swordsman is the inn attendant, holding a curved saber “like a full moon.”

2. Character Developments

• Murong Brothers demonstrates exceptional resilience, tactical creativity, and mastery of several saber techniques. He survives overwhelming numerical and physical disadvantages by exploiting terrain, timing, and unusual movement.
• His fighting style is shown to be dangerous but costly: he suffers a dislocated shoulder, severe back wounds, repeated crushing injuries, and near-suffocation, yet continues fighting through sheer determination.
• Ning Qing is revealed to possess extraordinary strength far beyond what her appearance suggests. Her intervention changes the battle and hints at hidden abilities or an unusual background.
• The Flesh Bodhisattvas are shown to be fanatically devoted to the Flesh Venerable. Even while dying, one focuses on witnessing the Flesh Venerable’s supposed triumph. Their bodies function as both armor and weapons, but their vulnerable heads remain a weakness.
• Bashan Daoist’s strongman proves to be brutally effective in close combat, using relentless grappling and ground-smashing attacks. However, he is ultimately defeated when Murong exploits his confidence and blinds him.
• Bashan Daoist is portrayed as cunning and opportunistic, attacking when Murong is vulnerable rather than engaging directly. His attempt to escape fails when Murong and the mysterious swordsman cooperate.
• The inn attendant is revealed to be a highly skilled hidden master, capable of wielding the legendary Crescent Moon Saber and killing Bashan Daoist with a single coordinated attack.

3. Significant Themes

• Endurance against overwhelming odds: Murong survives through pain, improvisation, and refusal to surrender rather than through an easy victory.
• Appearance versus reality: Ning Qing’s frail appearance conceals immense strength, while the seemingly ordinary inn attendant is revealed to be a formidable swordsman.
• Faith and fanaticism: The Flesh Bodhisattvas’ devotion to the Flesh Venerable is grotesque and obsessive, showing how religious belief has become warped into bodily and violent worship.
• Technique versus brute force: The Flesh Bodhisattvas and the strongman rely on crushing physical power, while Murong and the mysterious swordsman depend on precision, timing, and refined blade techniques.
• Hidden identities and concealed power: The ending emphasizes that important figures may disguise their abilities, setting up further mystery around the inn attendant and the Crescent Moon Saber.
• Cooperation amid conflict: Murong and the unknown swordsman do not formally converse, but their simultaneous attacks work together to eliminate Bashan Daoist.

4. Character Interactions

• Murong repeatedly clashes with the two Flesh Bodhisattvas, whose coordinated body techniques allow them to absorb and neutralize his attacks.
• The Flesh Bodhisattvas summon Bashan Daoist’s strongman when Murong’s attacks begin overwhelming them, creating a coordinated assault against him.
• The strongman exploits Murong’s momentary exhaustion, while Murong responds by dislocating his shoulder to escape and then blinding him.
• Bashan Daoist attacks indirectly with deceptive footwork and a fly whisk, demonstrating hostility and opportunism.
• Ning Qing risks herself to save Murong and unexpectedly displays overwhelming physical strength. Murong then protects her by pushing her out of the path of another attack.
• At the climax, the inn attendant joins Murong’s pursuit of Bashan Daoist. Their two blade techniques—Sixth Spring Rain and the Crescent Moon Saber—strike together and kill him.

Chapter Summary: “Spring Rain at Little Tower”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A seemingly ordinary inn waiter, A-Ding, reveals himself as an extraordinary saber wielder by drawing the legendary Crescent Moon Saber. His presence and skill transform completely, shocking the Murong Brothers.
• The Murong Brothers returns after defeating the Bashan Daoist, having chopped him apart with a devastating saber strike. A-Ding confirms that the Crescent Moon Saber once belonged to the famous Demon Saber Ding Sheng.
• A-Ding explains that Ding Sheng was once known as the world’s greatest demon saber wielder, but his madness-inducing saber art eventually drove him to self-destruction. A-Ding is likely connected to Ding Sheng’s legacy, though he insists he is still merely “A-Ding” because he has not grasped the true essence of the divine saber.
• A-Ding reveals the truth about Ning Qing: she is connected to the terrifying Jade Radiance Palace and carries its mysterious Dream Relic Method. The technique can manipulate or erase memories, explaining Ning Qing’s strange dreams, sudden bursts of strength, and incomplete memories.
• The enemies pursuing Ning Qing—including the Bashan Daoist, Shanxi Red Gate, and Green Mud Convent—likely seek to exploit the Dream Relic Method or use it against the Jade Radiance Palace.
• A-Ding warns the Murong Brothers that the Jade Radiance Palace’s two female palace mistresses are overwhelmingly powerful. Even he believes that defeating them would require many years of training and extraordinary fortune.
• Ning Qing, believing she will bring ruin to the Murong Brothers, prepares to give up. Instead, he takes her hand and decides to flee with her, trusting that two years will be enough for him and Duan Yun to grow stronger.
• Encouraged by the Murong Brothers’ courage, A-Ding gives him a red cloth containing the words “Spring Rain at Little Tower,” apparently passing on a valuable secret, technique, or inheritance.
• Meanwhile, Duan Yun remains unaware of the Murong Brothers’ danger and peacefully discusses preparing more cured meat at Jade Pearl Manor.
• The chapter ends with Duan Yun investigating Zi Yu’s alternate personality, Qing Yu, and learning that Qing Yu began emerging through Zi Yu’s childhood dreams and sword practice. Before the mystery can be explored further, funeral-like suona music erupts from Grave Mountain.

Character Developments

• A-Ding: Revealed as a legendary saber master burdened by loneliness and an unfulfilled pursuit of enlightenment. Though immensely powerful, he considers himself incomplete and still “A-Ding.” His respect for courage leads him to aid and encourage the Murong Brothers.
• The Murong Brothers: Demonstrates exceptional saber skill by defeating the Bashan Daoist, but also reveals his impulsive, humorous, and deeply romantic nature. Despite A-Ding’s warning, he chooses to protect Ning Qing and accepts the danger willingly.
• Ning Qing: Learns that her memories and identity have been manipulated by the Dream Relic Method. She realizes she is tied to the Jade Radiance Palace and may be treated as a successor or favored disciple. Initially despairing, she regains hope when the Murong Brothers refuses to abandon her.
• Duan Yun: Remains calm and domestic at Jade Pearl Manor, unaware of the crisis. His curiosity about Zi Yu and Qing Yu’s relationship begins to uncover another supernatural or martial mystery.
• Zi Yu and Qing Yu: Their connection becomes clearer. Qing Yu appears to have originated as an imagined older sister in Zi Yu’s childhood and later developed into a distinct personality that could assist with swordsmanship.

Significant Themes

• Courage versus overwhelming power: A-Ding stresses that the Murong Brothers cannot yet challenge the Jade Radiance Palace, but the Murong Brothers chooses courage and determination over surrender.
• Legacy and identity: A-Ding struggles with Ding Sheng’s legacy and the gap between historical greatness and his current incomplete state. Ning Qing likewise struggles to understand whether her identity belongs to herself or to the Jade Radiance Palace.
• Love and sacrifice: The Murong Brothers’ willingness to protect Ning Qing despite the danger shows his romantic idealism and devotion.
• Memory and selfhood: The Dream Relic Method and Qing Yu’s emergence both raise questions about altered memories, divided identities, and whether hidden influences can shape a person’s destiny.
• Growth through adversity: The promise of two years becomes a symbol of hope: the younger heroes may not be strong enough now, but they believe they can surpass their present limits.

Important Character Interactions

• A-Ding and the Murong Brothers discuss the Crescent Moon Saber, Ding Sheng’s history, and the limits of martial power.
• A-Ding explains Ning Qing’s connection to the Jade Radiance Palace and warns the Murong Brothers against becoming involved.
• Ning Qing tries to distance herself from the Murong Brothers for his safety, but he rejects her resignation and asks her to flee with him.
• A-Ding approves of their decision and rewards the Murong Brothers with the mysterious “Spring Rain at Little Tower.”
• At Jade Pearl Manor, Duan Yun, Shen Ying, Feng Ling’er, and Zi Yu discuss the Murong Brothers’ possible return, while Duan Yun questions Zi Yu about Qing Yu’s origins and swordsmanship.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• A lavish funeral procession arrives at Grave Mountain, drawing Duan Yun, Shen Ying, Feng Ling’er, Zi Yu, and the West Forest Mountain Three Tigers out to watch.
• The procession is revealed to be a staged arrival by the Yellow Mountain Six Swords, who come seeking revenge for the death of Junior Sister Chen Ying and accuse Duan Yun of being an evil demon.
• Duan Yun, furious at being slandered, attacks first. He brutally kicks and slams Liu Qingyu before the Six Swords can properly form their battle formation.
• The Six Swords recover and combine their powers through the Yellow Mountain Sword Formation, eventually merging their weapons into a massive “Six Swords as One” great sword.
• Duan Yun counters with Body-Breaking Sword Qi and repeatedly disrupts the formation by attacking its members—particularly the sole male junior brother and Fourth Senior Sister—with vicious kicks.
• The Yellow Mountain disciples reveal that they transformed their genders through Feminine Descent and studied Duan Yun’s own techniques and fighting style specifically to defeat him. Their Dharma Aspects imitate Duan Yun’s techniques.
• They unleash their ultimate technique, Yellow Mountain Jade Maiden, combining Yellow Mountain Sword Intent with the Jade Sword True Canon.
• Duan Yun responds by summoning two Dharma Aspects: Little Qing, the Twin-Tailed Fistmaster, and Little Jade, the Netherworld Jade Sword Immortal. Using World-Shaking Wisdom, he makes both cooperate with him in the technique “Sun and Moon Shine Together.”
• The combined fist force and Netherworld Sword Qi shatter the Yellow Mountain Sword Formation and fatally injure all six swords.
• Liu Qingyu dies enraged, accusing Duan Yun of shamelessly bullying six people with three fighters and of lacking “male virtue.”
• The West Forest Mountain Three Tigers watch in awe. Second Tiger dies while still staring at the battlefield, satisfied by the spectacle.

Character Developments

• Duan Yun demonstrates overwhelming combat ability, tactical improvisation, and a more ruthless fighting style. He refuses to tolerate attacks on his reputation and invents a new method of combining two Dharma Aspects at once.
• Liu Qingyu evolves from an arrogant challenger into a desperate, determined sword cultivator. Despite using every technique and sacrifice available, he cannot overcome Duan Yun and dies resentful.
• The Yellow Mountain Six Swords are shown to have made extreme sacrifices—including gender transformations and intimate cultivation together—to perfect their formation and avenge Chen Ying.
• Shen Ying and Feng Ling’er remain observers but become uneasy when Duan Yun’s new dual-Dharma-Aspect technique makes their previous partnerships with him seem unnecessary.
• Zi Yu is fascinated by the battle and refuses to intervene, while the Three Tigers react with shock and admiration.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and righteous identity: Duan Yun’s anger is driven as much by being called an evil demon as by the physical attack.
• Sacrifice and obsession: The Yellow Mountain Six Swords abandon normal boundaries and reshape themselves entirely for revenge.
• Unity versus individual power: The Six Swords rely on perfect cooperation, while Duan Yun achieves a superior form of unity by coordinating multiple Dharma Aspects within himself.
• Parody of heroic martial traditions: Grand declarations, sword formations, revenge, and “heroic virtue” are undercut by vulgar attacks, urine-soaked humiliation, and exaggerated accusations of shamelessness.
• Creative adaptation: Duan Yun turns lessons from Zi Yu and Qing Yu’s cultivation into a breakthrough technique, showing his ability to convert observation into power.

Character Interactions

• Duan Yun and Liu Qingyu: Their exchange is openly hostile and comedic, with Liu Qingyu condemning Duan Yun as a demon while Duan Yun retaliates with insults and immediate violence.
• Duan Yun and the Six Swords: Their battle becomes a contest between the group’s disciplined formation and Duan Yun’s disruptive, highly aggressive close combat.
• Duan Yun and Little Qing/Little Jade: He forcibly coordinates the two Dharma Aspects as partners, creating “Sun and Moon Shine Together,” despite their visible disdain and reluctance.
• Shen Ying and Feng Ling’er: They comment on the battle and feel jealous or unsettled when Duan Yun appears capable of fighting with two beautiful Dharma Aspects without needing their assistance.
• The Three Tigers and the spectators: The onlookers treat the fight as an extraordinary performance, with Zi Yu absorbed in the spectacle and Second Tiger dying content after witnessing it.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After defeating and killing the Yellow Mountain Six Swords, Duan Yun takes their six Yellow Mountain Golden Swords and strips the women’s battle skirts from their corpses.
• He uses the skirts to make Da Bai a colorful “hero’s cape.” The panda proudly wears it and imitates a martial hero, shocking Zi Yu with the manor’s absurdity.
• Duan Yun orders the musicians hired by the Yellow Mountain group to conduct a proper funeral. They carry the corpses up Grave Mountain while playing instruments, chanting, and performing an extravagant burial ceremony.
• Rumors spread rapidly, exaggerating the incident into a tale of Duan Old Devil humiliating, tormenting, and desecrating the Yellow Mountain heroes and heroines.
• At the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect, disciples demand revenge, but Zhao Ling remains calm. She reveals that she plans to compete for Martial Arts Alliance Leader in two months and intends to use Duan Old Devil as her first major accomplishment after taking power.
• In a Springwatch City teahouse, a storyteller deliberately sensationalizes the story to gain fame. He claims that Zhao Ling has joined the six great sects and will hold a Martial Arts Tournament at Gathering Worthies Manor on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month.
• Duan Yun, secretly present in the teahouse, responds not with anger but with enthusiasm. He vows to defeat and humiliate Zhao Ling publicly at the tournament and writes her name and those of her allies in his “King Yama’s Ledger.”
• Feng Ling’er and Shen Ying are disturbed by Duan Yun’s transformation and question whether he can truly overcome the now-powerful Yellow Mountain Sword Sect.

Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Becomes increasingly theatrical, ruthless, and willing to turn rumors into future actions. Instead of merely killing enemies, he now embraces public humiliation and even plans to insult their corpses, showing a darker and more vengeful side.
• Da Bai: Fully embraces her heroic persona, wearing the improvised cape and throwing punches like a martial champion. Her behavior reinforces the manor’s chaotic and comedic atmosphere.
• Zi Yu: Begins to suspect that Duan Yun is the infamous Duan Old Devil and realizes that the supposedly heroic Murong Brothers may also be connected to the manor’s bizarre reputation.
• Zhao Ling: Reveals herself as calculating and ambitious. She is willing to ignore the Six Swords’ deaths temporarily because she views Duan Yun as a future stepping stone to political and martial dominance.
• Feng Ling’er and Shen Ying: Shift from amusement to concern as they recognize that Duan Yun’s vengeance is becoming more extreme. They also worry that his youth and limited foundation may not be enough to challenge Zhao Ling’s power.
• The storytellers: Treat Duan Yun as a means to achieve fame. The chapter emphasizes that sensationalizing and attacking powerful figures can make a storyteller popular.

Significant Themes

• Rumor versus reality: The actual events are repeatedly distorted into increasingly obscene and dramatic stories, showing how public reputation can be manufactured.
• Humiliation as power: Both Duan Yun and Zhao Ling view their opponents as tools for public prestige. Defeating an enemy is not enough; their disgrace must be witnessed by the martial world.
• Ambition and political theater: Zhao Ling plans to use the Martial Arts Alliance Leader position to launch a demon-sweeping campaign and strengthen her authority.
• The influence of storytelling: Exaggerated narratives shape public opinion, intensify conflict, and even provoke Duan Yun into making more extreme threats.
• Comedy amid brutality: Funerals, corpse-related absurdity, Da Bai’s heroic performance, and the storytellers’ warped audience create a comic tone despite the violence and revenge.
• Transformation through provocation: Duan Yun’s enemies’ slander unintentionally encourages him to become more vindictive and theatrical.

Character Interactions

• Duan Yun jokes with Shen Ying and the other women while making use of the corpses’ clothing, but they refuse to accept the skirts.
• He directs the musicians’ funeral performance, treating them fairly by paying them after the burial.
• Zhao Ling manipulates her disciples’ anger, redirecting their desire for immediate revenge into support for her future bid for leadership.
• The teahouse audience repeatedly misinterprets and sensationalizes the story, forcing the storyteller to steer their excitement back toward hatred of Duan Yun.
• Duan Yun discusses the storyteller’s accusations with Feng Ling’er and Shen Ying, rejecting their suggestion to punish the man immediately and instead promising a far more spectacular revenge at the upcoming tournament.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• On the journey home, Feng Ling’er warns Duan Yun that the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect has become extremely powerful. The Sect Master’s wife has refined two Dragon Essences, making her a formidable opponent at the upcoming Gathering Worthies Manor martial tournament.
• Duan Yun boldly declares that he will train for two months and defeat the “Yellow Mountain Madwoman,” despite everyone believing the time is far too short.
• After returning to Jade Pearl Manor, Duan Yun begins “seclusion” in the cellar. However, his behavior appears lazy: he eats large meals, requests midnight snacks, naps, and occasionally emerges for food. Feng Ling’er, Shen Ying, and Zi Yu begin doubting whether he is truly cultivating.
• Duan Yun’s apparent laziness is revealed to be misleading. He spends nearly all his remaining time studying martial arts and improving his techniques, comparing the intense routine to preparing for an examination in his former life.
• Qing Yu secretly enters the cellar and lies beside Duan Yun. She flirts with him and mocks his reputation as a devil, but Duan Yun kicks her out and prepares to “discipline” her. Her appearance nevertheless inspires him to develop a new technique based on electricity, Sword Qi, and magnetism.
• Qing Yu and Zi Yu’s shared identity becomes apparent. Though they possess the same body, their personalities and emotional reactions differ, with Qing Yu being bold and provocative while Zi Yu is more restrained and fearful of Duan Yun.
• Feng Ling’er and Shen Ying urge Duan Yun not to attend the tournament if he has not made meaningful progress. Duan Yun instead reveals that he has comprehended a new technique.
• He tests the technique on Feng Ling’er, Shen Ying, Qing Yu, and Da Bai. Using the Jade Flute’s magnetic power, Palm Thunder, and the Yellow Mountain Golden Sword, he creates a chain reaction of black Sword Qi and lightning.
• The lightning repeatedly ricochets between the targets, paralyzing them, making their hair stand on end, and leaving them badly shaken. Qing Yu suffers the worst because Duan Yun deliberately keeps targeting others in ways that cause the lightning to pass through her.
• Duan Yun names the new technique Endless Lightning Swords. Its first form allows Sword Qi to generate lightning, while a more advanced form, Magnetic Field Conversion, would allow lightning to generate Sword Qi.
• He realizes the technique will become even more dangerous in a crowded battlefield, where attacks can continually bounce among numerous opponents. He therefore grows more confident about confronting the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect and the gathered martial demons.

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Becomes even more determined, arrogant, and inventive. Though his seclusion looks ridiculous from the outside, he genuinely trains with unusual diligence and successfully creates a powerful anti-siege technique. His pettiness and theatrical ambitions remain unchanged, especially toward Qing Yu and the Yellow Mountain Madwoman.
• Feng Ling’er: Shifts from believing Duan Yun’s plan is impossible to cautiously trusting that he may actually achieve a miracle. She remains practical and worries about the danger of the tournament.
• Shen Ying: Is frustrated by Duan Yun’s eating, sleeping, and apparent womanizing, but remains deeply concerned for his safety. She is also jealous and resentful when Qing Yu appears to compete for Duan Yun’s attention.
• Zi Yu: Continues to fear Duan Yun’s dangerous reputation but becomes increasingly entangled with him. Her identity overlaps with Qing Yu’s, creating uncertainty over which personality is present.
• Qing Yu: Acts flirtatious, provocative, and fearless toward Duan Yun, but quickly discovers that his “discipline” and martial techniques are genuinely terrifying. Her bravado collapses after being repeatedly electrocuted.
• Da Bai: Serves as one of the test subjects for the technique and is left smoking, trembling, and barely able to bark.
• The Yellow Mountain Madwoman: Does not appear directly, but remains Duan Yun’s central motivation and target.

3. Significant Themes

• Hidden effort beneath apparent laziness: Duan Yun’s food, naps, and comic behavior conceal serious and sustained cultivation.
• Ambition versus realism: The others believe that power requires years of growth, while Duan Yun repeatedly challenges that assumption through sudden breakthroughs.
• Innovation through combining techniques: Duan Yun develops Endless Lightning Swords by merging magnetism, lightning, Sword Qi, and the Jade Flute’s special properties.
• Comedy amid danger: Serious threats such as the martial tournament and powerful demonic factions are constantly undercut by arguments about cooking, jealousy, flirting, and Qing Yu being electrocuted.
• Pettiness as motivation: Duan Yun’s grudges fuel his training and creativity. His desire to humiliate the Yellow Mountain Madwoman becomes a source of determination.
• Crowd-control and battlefield power: The new technique is particularly suited to battles against large groups, turning opponents’ proximity into a liability.

4. Character Interactions

• Feng Ling’er and Shen Ying repeatedly question whether Duan Yun is truly cultivating and later try to persuade him to avoid the tournament.
• Duan Yun jokes and argues with them while insisting that his methods are effective.
• Qing Yu flirts with Duan Yun, insults or challenges him, and is expelled from his bed before accidentally inspiring his new technique.
• Qing Yu and Zi Yu’s personalities alternate or coexist, confusing the others and provoking jealousy among the women at Jade Pearl Manor.
• Shen Ying and Feng Ling’er become suspicious when Duan Yun and “Zi Yu” emerge from the cellar together, assuming something improper occurred.
• Duan Yun uses Feng Ling’er, Shen Ying, Qing Yu, and Da Bai as unwilling practice targets, demonstrating how his new technique links nearby opponents through magnetically ricocheting lightning.
• After witnessing its potential, the women realize that Duan Yun may genuinely be capable of surviving—and perhaps dominating—the coming martial tournament.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After comprehending Endless Lightning Swords, Duan Yun practices the technique on Grave Mountain, blasting apart graves and electrocuting the surrounding black bamboo. Da Bai eventually protests because the repeated lightning threatens the bamboo he eats.
• Shen Ying, Feng Ling’er, and Qing Yu refuse to continue sparring with Duan Yun after being repeatedly shocked. Shen Ying and Feng Ling’er instead begin serious cultivation in preparation for the coming battle at Gathering Worthies Manor on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month.
• Shen Ying and Feng Ling’er embrace the title of heroes and resolve to accompany Duan Yun out of loyalty. They later ambush Qing Yu in retaliation for her sarcastic, overly sweet behavior, beating her while she is out buying vegetables.
• Qing Yu turns the assault into another opportunity to gain Duan Yun’s sympathy, claiming that mysterious experts attacked her. Shen Ying and Feng Ling’er blame the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect, successfully distracting Duan Yun from discovering the truth.
• Jade Pearl Manor enjoys a comfortable winter funded by the wealth and weapons taken from the Yellow Mountain Six Swords. Their meals of mutton and nourishing soup emphasize the material rewards of being “great heroes.”
• Duan Yun worries about the upcoming enemy: the Yellow Mountain sect leader’s wife has absorbed Dragon Essence and cultivated dragon-like claws. He estimates that even with his strongest techniques, his chance of defeating her is only seventy to eighty percent.
• He is also concerned that the Murong Brothers have not returned. Without them, he may have to face the Yellow Mountain couple with only Shen Ying and Feng Ling’er’s support.
• Duan Yun realizes he may be able to fight independently by coordinating his two Dharma Aspects: Little Qing, representing fist techniques, and Little Jade, representing sword techniques.
• His first attempt at using them simultaneously fails. Their powers—fiery fist force and icy sword intent—conflict, and the two Dharma Aspects appear jealous and unwilling to cooperate.
• Duan Yun decides to strengthen Little Qing through further spiritual communion and training, intending to make the two Dharma Aspects function as harmonious “wings.”

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun grows more confident in Endless Lightning Swords but remains cautious about the Yellow Mountain Madwoman. His confidence is tempered by strategic self-awareness, motivating him to seek new techniques rather than rely solely on current abilities.
• He continues to view himself as a heroic figure, though his methods remain eccentric, violent, and often comically self-serving.
• Shen Ying and Feng Ling’er become more committed to cultivation and to supporting Duan Yun in battle. Their loyalty is portrayed as genuine, though their rivalry with Qing Yu remains strong.
• Qing Yu demonstrates her talent for manipulation and theatrical behavior. Even after being beaten, she uses the injury to appear helpless and win Duan Yun’s attention.
• Little Qing and Little Jade, previously merely combat manifestations, are presented as possessing distinct wills and temperaments. Their rivalry mirrors the emotional conflicts of Duan Yun’s human companions.
• Da Bai acts as a practical and self-interested counterbalance, objecting to Duan Yun’s reckless training because it damages the mountain’s bamboo.

3. Significant Themes

• Heroism and hypocrisy: The characters sincerely want to be heroes, but their conduct is often absurd, petty, or morally complicated. Duan Yun’s reputation nevertheless keeps the region peaceful.
• Power versus preparation: Duan Yun recognizes that talent and powerful techniques are not enough. Facing a formidable enemy requires deeper mastery and reliable coordination.
• Loyalty and companionship: Shen Ying, Feng Ling’er, and the absent Murong Brothers are valued not only for their strength but for their willingness to share danger with Duan Yun.
• Competition and jealousy: Rivalry between the women—and between Little Qing and Little Jade—creates both comic conflict and a genuine obstacle to Duan Yun’s cultivation.
• The absurdity of cultivation: Serious martial concepts such as Dharma Aspects, Dragon Essence, and combined attacks are treated through domestic quarrels, romantic misunderstandings, and exaggerated comedy.
• Reputation as protection: Duan Yun’s fearsome reputation as “Duan Old Devil” discourages criminals, allowing the area around Jade Town to enjoy unusual peace.

4. Character Interactions

• Duan Yun’s training repeatedly inconveniences those around him, leading the women to avoid sparring with him and Da Bai to complain about the destruction of Grave Mountain.
• Shen Ying and Feng Ling’er unite against Qing Yu’s flirtatious, “green tea” behavior and secretly beat her, then cooperate in misleading Duan Yun about the incident.
• Qing Yu deliberately displays her injuries to Duan Yun, provoking his concern and frustrating the two women who attacked her.
• Duan Yun discusses the coming battle with himself and imagines possible combinations with Shen Ying, Feng Ling’er, and the Murong Brothers.
• When Duan Yun summons Little Qing and Little Jade, Shen Ying, Feng Ling’er, and Zi Yu witness their hostile interaction and interpret it as jealousy between rival lovers.
• Duan Yun struggles to coordinate both Dharma Aspects because their opposing energies and personalities interfere with one another. He ultimately chooses to focus on strengthening Little Qing before attempting the combined technique again.

Summary

Key Plot Points

• Duan Yun spends days intensely “piloting” his Dharma Aspect Little Qing, trying to achieve Human-Aspect Unity (a state of perfect spiritual synchronization).
• He finally succeeds by using the Northern Darkness Divine Skill to absorb Little Qing’s thoughts while sharing Chivalric Aura, causing them to speak and move in unison.
• Upon achieving unity, Duan Yun senses Little Qing’s desires and learns she is drawn to lotus flowers.
• He follows this instinct to a remote lakeside cave, where he discovers a hidden shrine with a Three-Flower Goddess statue and a kneeling Taoist nun.
• The nun is revealed to be the same “ghost” enemy from earlier: she once had Three Flowers Gather at the Crown, but Duan Yun stole one of her Primordial Spirit Lotuses, causing her to regress from male to female.
• She prays for divine power to reclaim her lotus and kill Duan Yun, blaming him for her suffering — but Duan Yun is already standing behind her, having overheard everything.

Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Demonstrates obsessive dedication to cultivation, treating his Dharma Aspect like a machine to be piloted. His methods are unorthodox and borderline perverse, but effective. He also shows cunning by sneaking up on the nun.
• Little Qing (Dharma Aspect): Gains sentience-like emotions, a clearer form, and a unique desire (lotuses). Her appearance accidentally resembles Shen Ying (white stockings, forehead ornament), and later Qing Yu is also suspected of being her inspiration.
• Shen Ying / Feng Ling'er / Qing Yu: The women bicker jealously over Duan Yun’s Dharma Aspects. Shen Ying intentionally mimics Feng Ling'er’s “tea-scented” flirting style, which enrages Feng Ling'er. They nearly fight to the death, with Qing Yu cheerfully egging them on.
• Taoist Nun: Revealed to have undergone multiple gender changes due to cultivating the Three Flowers. Now female after losing one lotus, she is bitter, desperate, and consumed by vengeance.

Significant Themes

• Obsession / cultivation as a visceral struggle: Duan Yun’s “piloting” and “shuddering” metaphors blur the line between cultivation, intimacy, and madness.
• Identity & fluidity of gender: The Taoist nun’s backstory shows gender as mutable and tied to spiritual cultivation, not fixed biology.
• Jealousy & possessiveness: The women’s reactions to Duan Yun’s Dharma Aspects highlight insecurity, rivalry, and desire.
• Appearance vs. reality: The beautiful lotus flowers are sinister; the nun’s praying is both sincere and manipulative; Duan Yun’s refined face hides ruthless cunning.

Character Interactions

• Duan Yun & Little Qing: Achieve ultimate mental/spiritual union; she becomes obedient, expressive, and emotionally connected to him.
• Shen Ying & Duan Yun: She accuses him of shaping Little Qing after her; Duan Yun awkwardly denies it but fails to fully explain.
• Feng Ling'er & Shen Ying: Rivalry escalates into a violent duel; Shen Ying defeats Feng Ling'er verbally by using her own manipulative style.
• Qing Yu: Observes Duan Yun’s odd behavior, misinterprets it, and briefly suspects Little Qing is modeled after herself.
• Duan Yun & Taoist Nun: Their confrontation is set up: she pleads for revenge, unaware her enemy is already behind her.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duan Yun encounters an old Daoist nun who is actually the reanimated corpse from which he once obtained the Sixteen-Style Strange Fist manual.
• The nun accuses Duan Yun of stealing and corrupting her Primordial Spirit, which has been transformed into Little Qing, his Dharma Aspect.
• Both fighters engage in a fierce battle using the Sixteen-Style Strange Fist. Their first exchanges are evenly matched, but Duan Yun’s relentless attacks cause the nun’s hands and body to deteriorate.
• Duan Yun repeatedly forces his fist technique to improve during combat, developing new variations such as “Demon Annihilation.”
• Desperate, the nun inflicts extreme pain upon herself by stabbing out her eye and damaging her own body. This activates her ultimate technique, “Unrivaled Wonder Fist,” powered by pain and madness.
• Duan Yun merges with Little Qing, strengthening their attack with Supreme Chivalric Aura. Their final clash severely injures both sides, but the nun is left near death.
• The nun attempts to escape while the surrounding flesh-like lotus flowers attack Duan Yun with venom. Duan Yun summons the Netherworld Female Sword Immortal Dharma Aspect and traps the nun with a massive electromagnetic sword field.
• Duan Yun removes the two Black Primordial Lotuses from the nun’s head. The lotuses transfer into Little Qing, causing green lotuses to bloom from her hair.
• The nun’s body begins to disintegrate. Before she vanishes, she repeatedly cries, “I want to be a great hero!”—an apparent effect of Duan Yun’s influence.
• By absorbing the nun’s remaining energy and boxing memories through the Northern Darkness Divine Skill, Duan Yun gains new insight into fist techniques.
• Using World-Shaking Wisdom to reorganize those memories, he achieves enlightenment and creates a new technique: “Fire Fist: A Thousand Heroic Fire Lotuses in Bloom.”

Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Displays overwhelming confidence, recklessness, and an increasingly heroic yet chaotic personality. His combat instincts allow him to improve his fist technique in real time. By absorbing the nun’s memories, he reaches a new level of martial understanding and develops a powerful fire-based fist technique.
• Little Qing: Becomes increasingly physical and humanlike, developing meridians capable of circulating Supreme Chivalric Aura. Her cooperation and fusion with Duan Yun significantly increase his strength.
• The old Daoist nun: Revealed as a centuries-old, desperate practitioner who has survived by relying on pain, the Three-Flower Goddess, and her Primordial Spirit Lotuses. Her confidence collapses as Duan Yun overwhelms her. Even in defeat, she is psychologically affected by Duan Yun’s “heroic” influence.

Significant Themes

• Madness versus mastery: Both fighters use extreme mental states to strengthen their techniques, but Duan Yun’s seemingly absurd enthusiasm proves more effective than the nun’s centuries of experience.
• Transformation and corruption: Bodies, Primordial Spirits, Dharma Aspects, and martial techniques constantly change form. The nun’s black lotuses become part of Little Qing’s growth, while her corpse-like existence finally disintegrates.
• Heroism as influence: Duan Yun’s Chivalric Aura affects even his enemy, causing the nun to involuntarily proclaim that she wants to become a great hero.
• Adaptation and enlightenment: Duan Yun’s ability to force continuous improvement during battle, then combine absorbed memories with his own understanding, allows him to invent a new technique.
• Power through absurdity: The chapter treats Duan Yun’s exaggerated confidence and unconventional behavior as genuine sources of strength.

Character Interactions

• Duan Yun and the old nun trade insults while competing over their mastery of the Sixteen-Style Strange Fist.
• The nun initially mocks Duan Yun for announcing his moves, but his repeated attacks eventually terrify her.
• Duan Yun and Little Qing fight as one, then merge completely to withstand the nun’s ultimate attack.
• The nun calls upon the Three-Flower Goddess for salvation, but Duan Yun prevents her escape and takes the Primordial Lotuses.
• In the final confrontation, Duan Yun’s heroic aura and influence overwhelm the nun not only physically but mentally, leaving her repeating his ideals before disappearing.

Chapter Summary: Understanding! Spring Rain at Little Tower!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duan Yun finishes destroying the cave and unleashes “A Thousand Heroic Fire Lotuses in Bloom,” combining fist force, Chivalric Aura, friction, and fire into a devastating technique. The attack burns the cave, pond, lakewater, and surrounding vegetation.
• He locates and destroys the sinister cat-faced statue that had aided his enemy. Although the statue appears crushed, its fragments later ooze blood, writhe, and cry like cats, suggesting that its evil has not been completely eliminated.
• The story shifts to the secluded mountain home of Murong Brothers and Ning Qing, where they are hiding from Jade Radiance Palace. Murong Brothers enjoys their quiet life together but feels homesick for Duan Yun and their former companions at Jade Pearl Manor.
• While studying the saber manual Spring Rain at Little Tower, Murong Brothers initially struggles to understand it. His thoughts of Ning Qing and his feelings of romantic love suddenly reveal the technique’s essence: love.
• Murong Brothers successfully performs the saber art. Its emotional Blade Qi affects nearby animals, causing a monkey to mourn its dead mate and even inspiring two deer to mate before he kills them for food.
• Returning home, Murong Brothers discovers Ning Qing’s hair ribbon in the stream and realizes something is wrong. He finds three Jade Radiance Palace disciples inside the hut, restraining and insulting Ning Qing.
• The disciples claim Ning Qing must return to their Master and disparage Murong Brothers as the “Green Saber Old Devil.” Enraged, especially because they insult him in front of Ning Qing, Murong Brothers confronts them.
• The women attack with Branch-Breaking Hand, targeting Murong Brothers’ limbs and groin. He counters with Threefold Spring Rain, killing all three in a series of extraordinarily fast slashes.
• Murong Brothers frees Ning Qing and urges her to leave immediately, fearing more enemies may arrive. He admits that he was injured in the groin but reassures her that his stance art can restore the damage.

Character Developments

• Duan Yun demonstrates overwhelming destructive power but still has difficulty controlling his newly developed Fire Lotus technique. His strong sense of justice drives him to destroy the suspicious statue completely.
• Murong Brothers grows more optimistic and emotionally confident through his relationship with Ning Qing. His affection, once a source of distraction, becomes the key to comprehending Spring Rain at Little Tower.
• Murong Brothers also proves that he is a powerful and decisive fighter. His pride is easily provoked when Ning Qing’s honor—or his own reputation before her—is challenged.
• Ning Qing remains vulnerable because of her partial memory loss, but she recognizes the danger and warns Murong Brothers during the attack. Her relationship with him is clearly central to his emotional and martial growth.
• The Jade Radiance Palace disciples are portrayed as arrogant and formidable, but they underestimate Murong Brothers and are defeated almost instantly.

Significant Themes

• Love as enlightenment: Murong Brothers understands that Spring Rain at Little Tower is not merely a technical saber art but an expression of romantic devotion and longing.
• Emotion transformed into martial power: Feelings of love, grief, and attachment become tangible through Blade Qi, affecting both humans and animals.
• Justice and righteous violence: Duan Yun and Murong Brothers respond brutally to perceived evil, protecting those they care about while destroying their enemies.
• Home and belonging: Murong Brothers’s memories of Jade Pearl Manor and his life with Ning Qing show that home is defined by companionship rather than location.
• Comedy amid danger: The chapter contrasts dramatic battles and sinister supernatural imagery with absurd moments, such as the monkey’s grief, the deer’s accidental mating, and Murong Brothers’ exaggerated pride.
• Hidden threats: The surviving traces of the cat-faced statue and Jade Radiance Palace’s pursuit of Ning Qing suggest that the characters’ troubles are far from over.

Important Character Interactions

• Duan Yun confronts and destroys the cat-faced statue after recognizing its assistance to his enemy.
• Murong Brothers mentally shares an imagined romantic night with Ning Qing, allowing him to understand the saber manual.
• His newly awakened Blade Qi unintentionally influences the monkey and deer around him.
• The Jade Radiance Palace disciples demean both Ning Qing’s living situation and Murong Brothers, provoking his fury.
• Ning Qing warns Murong Brothers during the fight, and he immediately protects her, defeating the three disciples and freeing her.
• Afterward, Ning Qing notices Murong Brothers’s injury, showing her concern and the intimacy developing between them.

Chapter Summary: “Brothers, I Can Explain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Murong Brothers and Ning Qing hide in the wilderness while practicing the Jade Sword Stance and absorbing Lunar Essence. Although the technique improves his strength, the Murong Brothers worries that Jade Radiance Palace will continue pursuing them, especially since even three female disciples were able to injure him.
• He decides that they should head south, seeking a safer destination.
• Meanwhile, Duan Yun also practices the Jade Sword Stance in Jade Town. After gaining additional Primordial Spirit Lotuses and comprehending “A Thousand Heroic Fire Lotuses in Bloom,” he uses the technique to strengthen and regulate his internal fire.
• During the New Year celebrations, Jade Town is prosperous and festive. Duan Yun, Shen Ying, Feng Ling’er, and Zi Yu enjoy the market, food, and shopping before preparing to leave for the Martial Arts Tournament at Gathering Worthies Manor.
• The townspeople gossip about Duan Yun walking around with three beautiful women, joking that they are his “stepmothers.”
• On the way home, the group discusses the absent Murong Brothers and his supposed wife. Their remarks show that the women’s opinions of him have declined, while Zi Yu increasingly finds herself attracted to Duan Yun instead.
• Feng Ling’er claims that an abandoned house near Jade Pearl Manor is haunted. The group investigates it and discovers bloodstains, human bones, and signs that a murder—or possibly an illicit affair ending in murder—occurred there. However, they find no ghost and return home, planning to investigate again at midnight.
• As the tournament approaches, Duan Yun feels that his internal fire has become dangerously powerful and looks forward to releasing it in battle.
• At night in the cellar, Qing Yu secretly sleeps beside Duan Yun. Her alternate personality, Zi Yu, protests the situation, but Qing Yu is fascinated by the danger and intimacy.
• Both Duan Yun and Qing Yu are awakened by a rumbling from the cellar wall. A figure appears to crawl through the earth. Although Duan Yun initially assumes it is a ghost and prepares to attack, the intruder turns out to be the Murong Brothers.
• The Murong Brothers sees Qing Yu clinging to Duan Yun on the bed and immediately misunderstands the situation. Duan Yun raises his hands and begins, “Brother, I can explain.”

Character Developments

• Murong Brothers: Becomes more anxious and cautious after being discovered by Jade Radiance Palace. Despite improving his cultivation, he recognizes that he is still too weak to face stronger enemies such as elders or the Palace Master. His unexpected arrival in Duan Yun’s cellar creates a humiliating and emotionally charged misunderstanding.
• Duan Yun: Grows more confident and powerful after improving his internal fire and comprehending new abilities. His excessive yang energy also gives him a humorous motivation to investigate the supposedly haunted house. He remains impulsive and curious, entering danger without waiting for the others.
• Ning Qing: Continues admiring and supporting the Murong Brothers, praising his cultivation and accompanying him while he remains on the run.
• Shen Ying: Maintains her teasing, curious personality. She eagerly investigates the haunted-house rumor and mocks Feng Ling’er’s suspicious late-night fishing trip.
• Feng Ling’er: Is easily frightened by the abandoned house but tries to maintain that the location is haunted. Her jealousy and teasing reveal her complicated past attitude toward the Murong Brothers.
• Zi Yu: Her affection for the Murong Brothers weakens as she hears more about him and observes his absence. At the same time, she develops a growing attraction to Duan Yun, though she denies it because she considers such feelings disloyal and morally troubling.
• Qing Yu: Becomes increasingly bold and flirtatious toward Duan Yun. She enjoys the thrill of secretly sleeping beside him despite Zi Yu’s warnings, showing her willingness to embrace danger and desire.

Significant Themes

• Pursuit and insecurity: The Murong Brothers’ flight from Jade Radiance Palace emphasizes the gap between his growing abilities and the overwhelming strength of his enemies.
• Misunderstanding and jealousy: Gossip about Duan Yun and the women, Zi Yu’s shifting feelings, and the Murong Brothers’ mistaken interpretation of the cellar scene all drive the chapter’s comedy and tension.
• Desire versus loyalty: Zi Yu struggles between her former feelings for the Murong Brothers and her emerging attraction to Duan Yun, while Qing Yu openly embraces the excitement of forbidden or dangerous intimacy.
• The contrast between horror and comedy: The abandoned house, bloodstains, bones, and nighttime disturbances initially suggest a supernatural horror plot, but the eventual “ghost” is simply the Murong Brothers emerging from underground.
• Prosperity and preparation: Jade Town’s New Year celebrations show the community recovering and becoming wealthier, while the characters prepare for the larger conflict and competition at Gathering Worthies Manor.

Character Interactions

• Ning Qing praises the Murong Brothers’ cultivation, boosting his confidence.
• Shen Ying and Feng Ling’er tease each other about the Murong Brothers and Feng Ling’er’s former favorable impression of him.
• The group explores the abandoned house together, with Feng Ling’er and Zi Yu staying close to Duan Yun out of fear.
• Zi Yu internally argues with Qing Yu over Qing Yu’s attraction to Duan Yun, but her resistance gradually weakens.
• Duan Yun and Qing Yu share an intimate but comedic moment in the cellar before being interrupted.
• The chapter ends with the Murong Brothers confronting Duan Yun and Qing Yu in a compromising-looking situation, setting up a major misunderstanding and the promised explanation.