Chapter Summary: "Duan Old Devil Seeks to Practice a New Divine Art"

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• A storyteller in Springwatch City publicly recounts Duan Yun's supposed atrocities, claiming to reveal "the tip of the iceberg" of Duan Old Devil's wicked deeds—the Lingshui Twin Heroes incident, the slaughter of Thunder Listeners, the massacre in Yellowwater City, and the killing of a Red Tower fairy maiden.
• The storyteller attributes these claims to Xue Divine Physician of the Jiangzhong Sect, whose credibility convinces the teahouse crowd.
• The rumors are heavily exaggerated and distorted: Duan Yun's chivalrous acts (killing Thunder Crazies, saving the Lu Family) are twisted into villainous crimes, and his Moon Stake Technique is misrepresented as a perverted art called "Feminine Descent."
• A key warning emerges: experts from the Red Tower, Thunder Duke and Old Mother Sect are actively searching for Duan Yun to exact revenge.
• Duan Yun decides to lay low, continue collecting divine art manuals, and find a secluded place to cultivate his power.
• That night, Duan Yun ambushes the storyteller—breaking his leg, robbing his reward money, and beating him—as punishment for spreading "lewd rumors."

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Maintains a self-image as a righteous "young hero" despite being labeled a devil by the martial world. His desire to grow stronger intensifies after hearing of the coming threats. He struggles between self-restraint and vengeance—claiming to be "not a vengeful person" while immediately attacking the storyteller.
• Duan Yun's strategic shift: Recognizes the danger of an encirclement and chooses temporary concealment, prioritizing the accumulation of divine arts to prepare for future confrontations.

3. Significant Themes

• Rumor vs. reality: The gap between Duan Yun's true deeds and the world's perception of him as "Duan Old Devil" forms the chapter's core tension.
• Narrative power: The storyteller demonstrates how easily public perception is shaped—whoever controls the story controls the world's judgment.
• Comic irony: Duan Yun seethes at being called perverted, yet his "non-vengeful" retaliation (beating a man bloody) undermines his heroic self-image, reinforcing the tragicomic gap between his identity and reputation.
• Identity under siege: The martial world's organized hatred (Red Tower, Thunder Duke and Old Mother Sect) pressures Duan Yun toward isolation.

4. Character Interactions

• Duan Yun vs. the storyteller (audience): Duan Yun listens helplessly as his life is distorted into lewd, villainous tales; half the teahouse reacts with fear, some with prurient curiosity about Feminine Descent.
• Duan Yun vs. the storyteller (night): A violent, one-sided beating—Duan Yun's only outlet for his fury, simultaneously satisfying and revealing his hypocrisy.
• Teahouse dynamics: The crowd's fear shifts to belief once Xue Divine Physician's name is invoked; the storyteller extorts reward money by dangling the detailed Feminine Descent story before his audience.
• Internal monologue: Duan Yun's self-justification reveals his deep insecurity at being misunderstood and his resolve to prove himself through future martial deeds.

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Endnote: The chapter sets up Duan Yun's immediate mission—gather divine arts, go into hiding, master his power—while establishing the mounting threats that will eventually come to find him.

Chapter Summary: "Is This Sending Them to Their Death?"

Key Plot Points & Events

• Duan Yun searches for martial arts manuals in Little Spring Town, the largest of four towns outside Springwatch City. He seeks Netherworld Realm manuals but is mocked by shopkeepers.
• He discovers the market has limits: Only Qi Sea Realm manuals are available commercially, and they cost 100–800 taels. Genuine Netherworld Realm manuals are exclusive to major sects, and re-sold ones may be deliberately flawed or trapping.
• Duan Yun decides to create his own cultivation method rather than waste money on inferior manuals, choosing to deepen his Body-Breaking Sword Qi and continue gathering news.
• Leng Yimeng arrives at Riverside City at Duan Yun's old apothecary. She connects the "gynecologist Duan Yun" to the infamous demon Duan when reports describe a young, handsome man with clear eyes who looks like a doctor.
• She investigates and finds horrifying evidence: grass in the courtyard that indicates buried corpses, a tree shaved bare by Sword Qi, a wall nearly destroyed by Sword-Qi Finger, and a repaired cellar that Duan Yun had prepared to imprison her.
• Leng Yimeng realizes the demon had once been her patient—and that when he openly stared at her chest, he had actually harbored evil intentions all along.
• She concludes the bureau is sending her and her sister to their deaths by ordering them to investigate this demon.

Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Displays pragmatic realism about the martial world's gatekeeping of power, yet maintains overconfident self-assurance as a "once-in-ten-thousand swordsmanship prodigy" who can improve upon or create cultivation methods others find impossible. His audacity remains intact despite setbacks.
• Leng Yimeng: Undergoes a dramatic shift from confident, proud goddess constable to a terrified woman haunted by what she narrowly escaped. Her earlier belief that "anyone who dared openly stare at her breasts could not possibly have ghosts in his heart" is revealed as dangerously naive. She now perceives Duan Yun as unfathomably powerful and sinister.

Significant Themes

• Monopolized knowledge/power: The martial world's powerful factions hoard real cultivation methods, leaving common martial artists with overpriced, potentially corrupted scraps.
• Deception of appearances: The "harmless gynecologist" was actually the terrifying demon Duan—nobody is what they seem in this world.
• Consequence of arrogance: Leng Yimeng's past overconfidence nearly cost her everything; only luck saved her.
• Fear as a weapon: Duan Yun's reputation alone now terrorizes those who once dismissed him.

Character Interactions

• Duan Yun deals with several bookshop owners: the first is confrontational and dismissive; others are more measured. One owner warns him against trusting unverified manuals, using Duan Old Devil's crippling technique (feminine descent) as a cautionary tale.
• Leng Yimeng has no direct contact with Duan Yun in this chapter—she interacts only with the remnants of his presence (the apothecary, the courtyard, the cellar), reconstructing the danger through physical evidence and rumor, and reliving her past encounter with him in her memory.

Summary: Sworn Sister Manor

Key Plot Points

• A one-legged storyteller in Little Spring Town earns his living by telling exaggerated tales of "Duan Old Devil" (Duan Yun), whose infamy has grown—he's known for his "Feminine Descent" technique and killing members of the Thunder Duke and Old Mother Sect
• Duan Yun sits in the teahouse listening, realizing his reputation is the complete opposite of his self-image as a righteous sword prodigy
• Three sinister figures in red from the Thunder Duke and Old Mother Sect appear outside the teahouse—far more powerful than the madman Duan Yun previously killed—then leave without incident
• Duan Yun considers ambushing them but restrains himself, fearing a larger enemy presence and refusing to expose his location
• He leaves the crowded town and travels to the much quieter Jade Town, a declining settlement near a grave mountain known for sinister occurrences
• He discovers an abandoned manor (inscription unreadable, possibly "Sworn Sister Manor") overlooking a forest filled with graves, some eroded open, guarded by two eerie straw men
• Despite the haunted atmosphere, Duan Yun decides to take up residence—it's secluded, convenient, and free

Character Developments

• Duan Yun shows growing adaptability to his unwanted infamy; he pragmatically accepts his reputation while internally contrasting it with his true nature
• He demonstrates restraint and strategic thinking, suppressing his instinct to kill potential enemies
• His practical side shines: he willingly chooses a creepy, abandoned manor as a home to avoid detection, showing his willingness to sacrifice comfort for safety

Significant Themes

• Identity vs. Reputation: The gap between Duan Yun's self-image and his public persona as "Old Devil" remains central
• The Power of Stories: The storyteller's tales shape public perception, and even the threat of becoming a story can have real consequences (the storyteller's broken leg)
• Isolation as Survival: In a hostile world where enemies are hunting him, seclusion becomes a strategic necessity

Character Interactions

• Duan Yun & the Storyteller: Indirect—Duan Yun listens to exaggerated tales of himself and mentally decides to break the man's other leg
• Duan Yun & the Three Red Figures: Brief, tense non-exchange; they survey the teahouse and leave, unsettling everyone present
• Duan Yun & the Setting: His relationship with the environment (Jade Town, the manor, the graveyard) sets the tone, as he claims the haunted manor as his own

Setting Notes

• Little Spring Town: lively, full of eyes and ears
• Jade Town: quiet, ruined, built near a grave mountain
• Sworn Sister Manor: abandoned but intact, bordering a grave forest—chosen as Duan Yun's new hiding spot

Here is a concise summary of the chapter, covering the four requested areas:

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Duan Yun moves into a new, abandoned manor (later revealed as "Jade Pearl Manor"), which is overgrown, dilapidated, and full of hazards.
• He clears weeds, kills two giant spiders with his sword qi, and repairs the roof and windows of a few usable rooms.
• He spots a submerged, coffin-like box in the lake but deliberately ignores it, recalling a past lesson about opening such things.
• Before he can finish, a mysterious man reveals himself from a straw mat inside the manor.
• The man claims to be the true owner of the manor and proves it by pointing out a hidden deed.
• Duan Yun agrees to continue repairing the manor in exchange for a negotiable rent, vowing he "never freeloads."

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Shows his pragmatic, hardworking nature and his aversion to repeating past mistakes (ignoring the lake box). His pride and wry humor are on display, as is his reputation as "Duan Old Devil," which he jokingly denies.
• Murong Brothers: Introduced as a bizarre, lazy, and witty eccentric. He has apparently lain in the manor for a year, yet is sharp and shrewd enough to negotiate with a stranger who might be a notorious killer.

3. Significant Themes

• Reclamation and Home: The joy of turning a ruined, haunted place into a livable home.
• Reputation vs. Reality: Murong Brothers doesn't believe Duan Yun is the feared "Duan Old Devil," despite the fact that he is—creating dramatic irony and humor.
• The Absurd and the Unexpected: The chapter leans into dark comedy—living a year in a corpse-like straw mat, treating a broken manor as "Jade Pearl," and the ridiculous name "Murong Brothers."

4. Character Interactions

• Duan Yun is initially frightened, suspecting a ghost, which subverts his own fearsome reputation.
• The two engage in witty, competitive banter about not wanting to work, identity, and names—culminating in Duan Yun's genuine laugh.
• Their negotiation is friendly and playful, establishing an odd-couple dynamic: the industrious expert vs. the supremely lazy owner.

Summary of Chapter: "Cursed Saber Technique"

Key Plot Points

• Duan Yun arrives at a rundown manor and meets Murong Brothers—a single man, not multiple people, despite the name.
• Murong Brothers explains his father named him "Murong Brothers" because he envied siblings; everyone calls him that.
• Duan Yun patches the windows as "rent," and Murong Brothers says a meal is enough payment—he can stay as long as he likes.
• They share Duan Yun's wine and roast duck in the dark. Murong Brothers eats lying down, using suction to drink, and devours food extremely fast.
• Murong Brothers reveals he hasn't eaten in a month—he was too lazy to find food and was deliberately trying to starve himself to death.
• Duan Yun tries to comfort him about heartbreak; Murong Brothers confesses he has had five soul-stirring loves—all of whom turned out to be his younger half-sisters from the same father.
• Murong Brothers blames a "Cursed Saber Technique" for his fate. Duan Yun becomes intensely interested and asks what saber technique it is, ending the chapter on that cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Shown as pragmatic, curious, and compassionate. He tries to help a stranger, finds Murong Brothers' laziness amusing, and attempts to console him—but is genuinely shocked by the revelation.
• Murong Brothers: Extremely lazy, yet clearly in deep emotional pain. His laziness is partly a death wish; he has given up on life but still has moments of dry humor and hospitality.

Significant Themes

• Laziness as escapism: Murong Brothers uses extreme laziness as a way to avoid living—even starving himself.
• Heartbreak and trauma: Five failed loves, all with the same tragic twist, have destroyed his will to live.
• Fate and curses: He blames the Cursed Saber Technique for his misfortunes, suggesting supernatural or karmic doom.
• Found family vs. blood ties: Despite the name "Murong Brothers," he has no real brothers; the irony deepens his loneliness.

Character Interactions

• Duan Yun and Murong Brothers meet as strangers but quickly share food, conversation, and humor.
• Duan Yun's lighthearted teasing about laziness and love contrasts with Murong Brothers' darker revelations.
• The interaction shifts from absurd comedy to tragic confession, with Duan Yun growing more intrigued just as Murong Brothers' true suffering is revealed.

Chapter Summary: Twelve Divine Valleys and Twelvefold Spring Rain

Key Plot Points

• Murong Brothers, in a state of "lazily dying," recounts his tragic story to Duan Yun in an abandoned mountain manor.
• He reveals his background: born into the martial arts Murong Family, he was a self-proclaimed once-in-ten-thousand saber genius.
• The family possessed a forbidden saber art, "Twelvefold Spring Rain," a divine technique his ancestor comprehended within the Twelve Divine Valleys—a legendary, unsearchable holy land in Wu Mountain, said to be the origin of all martial arts. The ancestor later sealed the manual, warning it was inauspicious and not for ordinary people.
• Murong Brothers stole and mastered the technique in under a month, and for a time, his saber arts were unmatched. His father initially approved.
• Tragedy struck: five separate times, he fell in love at first sight, and each woman turned out to be his own half-sister (by the same father). Even his father's expression revealed the truth each time.
• This "curse" destroyed him. His father fell gravely ill from grief; Murong Brothers left home, and came to this abandoned manor to slowly die.
• Duan Yun, intrigued by the saber art itself, asks to be taught it, arguing the curse is useless against him (he has no siblings; his father was a mere gynecologist and is dead).
• Murong Brothers refuses, claiming laziness. Duan Yun's goading ("I think you just do not dare") fails to sway him.

Character Developments

• Murong Brothers: Reveals his tragic past and current despair. Once proud and wild, now broken and apathetic, he exists only in a state of lethargic waiting for death. His core trait is his unshakable self-regard as a saber genius, tempered by his history into resignation.
• Duan Yun: Demonstrates his boldness, opportunism, and desire for rare techniques. He is quick-witted, thick-skinned (calling himself a once-in-ten-thousand cultivation genius and questioning Murong Brothers' "seasoning"), and rational—he analyzes the curse as a mystical phenomenon rather than mere coincidence, and believes his own circumstances make him immune.

Significant Themes

• Forbidden knowledge and inherited curses: The "Twelvefold Spring Rain" is a divine technique that carries a tragic, seemingly supernatural consequence (causing love at first sight with close blood relatives).
• The Twelve Divine Valleys: Established as the martial world's most mysterious holy land—otherworldly, only enterable via special solar terms—serving as the source of legendary techniques.
• Fate vs. talent: Murong Brothers' peerless talent could not override the curse, suggesting mastery of power does not equal control over its consequences.
• Despair and withdrawal: The emotional devastation of repeated romance-turned-tragedy leads to complete apathy and a desire for death.
• Humorous undertone: Despite the grim tale, Duan Yun's irreverent commentary and vain attempts to acquire the technique add a comedic counterpoint.

Character Interactions

• Murong Brothers narrates his tale in a corpse-like, ghostly manner, while Duan Yun listens and interjects.
• Duan Yun tries to flatter, reason, and goad him into sharing the saber art; Murong Brothers deflects with laziness and suspicion.
• Their dynamic is marked by mutual ego (both claim "once-in-ten-thousand genius") and a light adversarial banter, with Duan Yun ultimately failing to get what he wants.

Chapter Summary: Toe Sword

Key Plot Points & Events

1. Duan Yun recalls his one-in-ten-thousand cultivation talent and confirms his earlier claims to the Murong Brothers were true.
2. He failed to learn the "Twelvefold Spring Rain" blade technique; the Murong Brothers have returned to self-starvation/hibernation, unmoving for days (a spider even crawled in and out of his nostril).
3. Over five nights, Duan Yun practices sword arts beneath the moon, noting the eerie chill of the graveyard mountain area.
4. During daytime training of Body-Breaking Sword Qi, he kills a black-and-yellow snake by pinning its tail and slowly "scraping" it to death with thread-thin Sword Qi—a process taking an entire incense stick's time.
5. This reveals Body-Breaking Sword Qi's weakness: it fires too thinly to be effective against anything larger than insects.
6. Inspired, Duan Yun develops a new approach: routing high-intensity Sword Qi through meridian pathways to fire from body parts other than fingers—starting with his toes.
7. After two hours of meditation (entering Self-Illuminating Contemplation), he successfully creates "Toe Sword," firing Sword Qi from his big toe and piercing a wall.
8. He accidentally destroys his right shoe and realizes the technique's weakness: it consumes footwear.
9. He integrates Toe Sword with the Jade Sword Immortal Dharma Aspect, achieving synchronized dual Toe Swords that obliterate the snake corpse.
10. He plans to develop "Elbow Sword" next and still desires to master the Murong Brothers' blade technique to truly excel at both blade and sword.

Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Reinforces his identity as a true swordsmanship genius (one in ten thousand). Demonstrates remarkable creativity and persistence in solving martial bottlenecks. Shows compassion by pitying the Murong Brothers' bleak existence, though he remains frustrated by their refusal to teach him. His arrogance is tempered by genuine curiosity and a work ethic that matches his talent.

Significant Themes

• Genius vs. Innovation: Raw talent alone hits bottlenecks; true mastery requires creative problem-solving.
• The Limits of Existing Arts: Body-Breaking Sword Qi's inherent weakness forces Duan Yun to forge entirely new martial paths.
• Despair vs. Vitality: The Murong Brothers' suicidal hibernation contrasts sharply with Duan Yun's relentless drive for self-improvement.
• The Price of Progress: Every breakthrough carries costs—here, comically, the destruction of shoes.

Character Interactions

• Duan Yun & Murong Brothers: One-sided; Duan Yun reaches out to learn the blade technique but is quietly rebuffed. He feels both frustration and pity for the man's pitiful state.
• Duan Yun & Second Brother: Briefly mentioned; the second brother stands at attention during training sessions, serving as a witness/companion.
• Duan Yun & the Snake: Serves as a practical obstacle/training tool that exposes his technique's weakness and sparks his breakthrough inspiration.

Here is a concise yet detailed summary of the chapter:

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Duan Yun travels to Jade Town to buy supplies (roast pork, roast ducks, and green bamboo wine).
• While shopping, he overhears rumors of local hauntings: a ghost in the mine that skins people alive, a carp spirit in the lake that ate a fisherman, and moving straw men on Grave Mountain.
• On his way back, Duan Yun spots the mysterious chest in Jade Lake again but resists the temptation to fish it out (having been fooled by a similar chest before).
• Back at Jade Pearl Manor, Duan Yun finds Murong Brothers outside for the first time, reclining on the steps.
• Murong Brothers accuses Duan Yun of killing his pets—two Jade Spiders from the Western Regions that spun tribute-quality silk. Duan Yun openly admits it.
• Murong Brothers briefly threatens revenge, then drops the matter, asking only for Duan Yun's wine.
• Duan Yun tries to trade his food and wine for the Twelvefold Spring Rain saber technique; Murong Brothers refuses, claiming he doesn't want to harm Duan Yun with it.
• Duan Yun shows off a finger technique that shoots wine, boasting it can "shoot people" and "nourish yin and strengthen yang" to tempt Murong Brothers.
• The phrase "nourish yin and strengthen yang" triggers Murong Brothers' depression. He laments that if he were a woman, he would have less pain, then retreats to his mat.
• Duan Yun asks what it would take for Murong Brothers to recover and teach his technique. Murong Brothers sarcastically answers: bring "Duan Old Devil" to turn him into a woman.
• Duan Yun internally despairs, revealing (to the reader) that he is "Duan Old Devil"—but can only nourish yin and strengthen yang, not perform a gender-change.

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2. Character Developments

• Murong Brothers: Shows a rare flicker of "living" desire—coming outside, mourning his spiders, joking, and drinking. But the mention of gender/nourishment causes him to sink back into apathy and melancholy. His wish to be a woman suggests deep-rooted suffering and a desire to escape his fate. He also displays hidden care, refusing to teach Duan Yun his painful, likely cursed, saber technique.
• Duan Yun: Demonstrates persistence, charm, and resourcefulness in trying to obtain the technique. He briefly believes he senses a will to live in Murong Brothers, then feels guilt for accidentally ruining that spark. His identity as "Duan Old Devil" is ambiguously confirmed.

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3. Significant Themes

• The "Living Dead" vs. the truly alive: Duan Yun sees Murong Brothers catch a breath of life, but it's lost when painful memories surface; Murong Brothers is described as returning to a "Living Dead" state.
• Pain, identity, and escape: Murong Brothers believes his suffering is tied to being a man; wishing to be a woman represents a fantasy of shedding his painful destiny.
• Temptation and failure: Duan Yun tries to lure Murong Brothers with food, wine, and promises of "nourishing yin and strengthening yang," but none of these material temptations can break through his spiritual exhaustion.
• Hidden care beneath aloofness: Murong Brothers refuses to share the Twelvefold Spring Rain because it would harm Duan Yun, hinting at a conflicted kindness.
• A strange, haunted world: The town of Jade Town is steeped in bizarre, supernatural folklore, reinforcing the eerie atmosphere.

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4. Character Interactions

• Duan Yun briefly interacts with the roast meat seller (Old Chen) and two gossiping customers, learning about the town's hauntings.
• Duan Yun wrestles internally with the lure of the submerged chest, deciding not to open it this time.
• Duan Yun and Murong Brothers engage in a playful confrontation over the dead spiders; the quarrel dissolves into drinking and bargaining.
• A tense but comedic negotiation over the saber technique highlights their dynamic.
• A sudden shift to solemnity occurs when "nourish yin and strengthen yang" reopens Murong Brothers' old wounds; Duan Yun inadvertently deepens the wound.
• The chapter closes with Murong Brothers' mocking condition—that only "Duan Old Devil" transforming him into a woman would revive him—leaving Duan Yun internally exasperated.

Key Plot Points

• Duan Yun is frustrated that Murong Brothers has apparently reverted to a "living corpse" state. He briefly entertains the absurd idea of surgically turning him into a woman, then gives up.
• While practicing a new "Elbow Sword" technique, Duan Yun accidentally injures himself because the newly opened meridian route isn't tempered yet. He realizes he was venting his frustration and stops to rest.
• He considers hunting down the villainous Thunder Duke and Old Mother Sect members to lift his mood.
• As thunder and rain approach, he goes to collect laundry and catches a strange floral fragrance.
• Suspecting Murong Brothers is secretly drinking plum blossom wine, Duan Yun goes to his room and discovers the truth: Murong Brothers is pinned down, with flower branches planted into his acupoints, blood flowing, and blossoms giving off a deadly fragrance.
• A woman named "Ling'er" appears, revealing herself as Murong Brothers's spurned lover. She vows to destroy everything he has, including Duan Yun.
• She attacks Duan Yun with a chain sword disguised as a flower branch. Duan Yun defends himself with Jade Sword Finger and Toe Sword, retreats through a wall, and finally unleashes the White-Silk Jade Sword Immortal Dharma Aspect to fight back.
• The chapter ends mid-battle with Duan Yun cursing her for sneak-attacking him.

Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Shows his emotional side — frustration, guilt, and recklessness. His self-injury reveals he is not invincible and still needs to master his techniques carefully. His decision to protect Murong Brothers despite danger shows loyalty.
• Murong Brothers: Previously suicidal or resigned, he now tries to protect Duan Yun, showing genuine friendship and guilt for dragging him into danger. His past relationship with Ling'er is clearly dark and painful.
• Ling'er: Introduced as a vengeful, possessive, and unbalanced woman. Her "love turned to madness" makes her a formidable and ruthless antagonist.

Themes

• Good intentions causing unintended harm.
• Friendship and sacrifice in the face of danger.
• The destructive power of obsessive love and jealousy.
• The eerie blending of beauty (flowers) and violence (blood, swords).

Character Interactions

• Duan Yun and Murong Brothers have grown close enough that Duan Yun worries about him and Murong Brothers calls him "friend" and "Brother Duan."
• Ling'er confronts Murong Brothers with hatred, but he accepts his fate while pleading for Duan Yun's safety.
• Duan Yun and Ling'er clash in a violent, swift fight, with Duan Yun surprised by her strength and ruthlessness.

Summary: "Flower-Obsessed Beauty Sword"

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Opening Battle: Duan Yun is ambushed by a woman in red wielding a flower-branch chain sword (the "Beauty Sword" technique). She unleashes petal-based attacks and Jade Sword Finger Sword Qi. Duan Yun shifts from defense to offense, using his newly mastered Toe Sword technique to counterattack.
• The Woman Wounded & Escapes: Duan Yun strikes her in the buttocks with Sword Qi, drawing blood. She flees, cursing Murong Brothers with intense hatred ("Murong Brothers, I hate you!").
• Murong Brothers' Injuries: He has been pierced by flower branches in his own home, but staunches the bleeding with acupoint presses. He is emotionally devastated.
• Revelation: The attacker is Feng Ling'er — Murong Brothers' former lover who later became his younger sister (as a consequence of his saber art). She is also the renowned "Flower-Obsessed Beauty" of the martial world, disciple of the Red Frost Sword Palace.
• Aftermath & Warning: During a rainstorm, Murong Brothers explains that at least four of his five ill-fated lovers have turned extreme and vengeful. He urges Duan Yun to leave for his own safety.
• Duan Yun's Request: Refusing to leave, Duan Yun asks Murong Brothers to teach him his saber art, insisting his "supreme talent" will allow him to master both saber and sword and protect them both. Murong Brothers hesitates, wracked with doubt.

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Demonstrates growing combat prowess and confidence. His Toe Sword has reached major mastery, yet he acknowledges his limits ("I can barely protect myself"). He shows both bravado (asking for the saber art) and tact (expressing relief he didn't kill Murong Brothers' sister).
• Murong Brothers: Shown as guilt-ridden, emotionally fragile, and deeply scarred by his past. His one-time genius and pride are replaced by exhaustion and dread. He demonstrates resilience by enduring severe wounds to pursue and try to intervene.
• Feng Ling'er: Introduced as a formidable, obsessive, and tragic figure — once a beloved partner, now twisted by hatred and madness. Her power is established as nearly a match for Duan Yun.

3. Significant Themes

• Consequences of One's Past: Murong Brothers' saber art cursed his former loves into becoming his blood relatives, and now his past literally hunts him down.
• Obsession and Hatred: Feng Ling'er's love turned to pathological vengeance, targeting not only Murong Brothers but those around him.
• Isolation and Loneliness: The stormy setting underscores the solitary, haunted lives of both men.
• Loyalty vs. Self-Preservation: Duan Yun chooses to stay and help despite being warned of escalating danger; Murong Brothers wants to push him away to protect him.
• Ambition and Arrogance: Duan Yun's overconfidence borders on recklessness, yet his demonstrated skill makes it somewhat justified.

4. Character Interactions

• Duan Yun vs. Feng Ling'er: A fierce, evenly matched duel; Duan Yun prevails through his Toe Sword's suppressing power, wounding and driving her off.
• Duan Yun & Murong Brothers: A complex bond — momentary neighborly concern, mutual respect for each other's skills, and a growing sense of shared burden. Duan Yun repeatedly misaddresses Feng Ling'er (saying "sister-in-law" then correcting himself) — a mix of humor and awkwardness amid the tension.
• Murong Brothers & His Past: Indirect interaction with Feng Ling'er is mostly reactive and painful; he is haunted by what she has become and by his own guilt.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points

• Hua Wen and Hua Wu, former men turned heroines, travel while cultivating Duan Old Devil's Jade Sword True Canon, which has made them stronger but also feminized them (beards gone, skin smooth, faces more beautiful).
• They struggle with their new female identities and especially miss consuming Great Medicine, whose taste they crave. Hua Wen reluctantly agrees to find some they planted years ago.
• On the road, a veiled beauty in a black carriage invites them for a drink. Hua Wen cautiously refuses, but the beauty attacks with a ribbon.
• The sisters counterattack, but the beauty strips naked and unleashes a blinding, peacock-like display that knocks them unconscious.
• They wake tied up and hanging upside down, wounded and violated. Hua Wu breaks down crying from pain and humiliation.
• The attacker reveals himself as Peacock, a legendary male fiend who targets women, and now holds their Jade Sword True Canon. He asks who taught them the technique; Hua Wen warns that their teacher is someone Peacock cannot afford to offend.

Character Developments

• Hua Wen: Cautious, protective, tries to restrain her sister's desires, but gives in. After capture, she stays composed enough to bluff and seek escape.
• Hua Wu: Still emotional, struggles with her transformed identity; expresses painful vulnerability and despair after being violated.
• Peacock: Beautiful, sadistic, cruel; a collector of women who finds the twin sisters uniquely "flavorful" due to their strange nature.

Themes

• Identity and transformation: The sisters’ painful adjustment to womanhood and their former heroic male selves.
• Desire and consequence: Their craving for Great Medicine leads them into a trap.
• Predatory villainy: Peacock embodies the terror of beautiful cruelty—vanity, violence, and sexual violation.
• Loss of control: Even powerful martial artists can be utterly overwhelmed and humiliated.

Character Interactions

• Hua Wu repeatedly urges indulgence; Hua Wen acts as the cautious elder before reluctantly agreeing.
• Peacock lures them, fights them, strips in a dazzling attack, then captures and abuses them.
• Hua Wen attempts psychological intimidation by invoking a powerful teacher, hoping to shake Peacock’s confidence.

1. Key plot points and events

• Peacock, a notorious demon, has been violating Hua Wen and Hua Wu, believing them to be women (they were feminized by Duan Yun's technique).
• Hua Wen invokes Duan Yun ("Duan Old Devil") as a threat. Hua Wu goes mad and reveals they are actually men, mocking Peacock.
• Peacock is briefly shaken but dismisses Duan Yun as a lesser devil. He forces the two to lead him to Duan Yun, intending to make Duan Yun undergo Feminine Descent and be violated by animals.
• Meanwhile, twin female divine constables and several soul-seducing "fairies" head to Springwatch City, all hunting for Duan Yun.
• Duan Yun, with the Murong Brothers, finally receives the Twelvefold Spring Rain blade technique. The brothers give him a pawn ticket for a special blade pawned for 800 taels. Duan Yun scrapes together his money and redeems the blade.

2. Character developments

• Hua Wen & Hua Wu: Further broken by Peacock's torture; Hua Wu completely loses his sanity, laughing hysterically at their fate.
• Peacock: Reveals deep arrogance and cruelty; views Duan Yun as a challenge to his reputation and resolves to destroy him.
• Duan Yun: Takes a concrete step forward in his martial path by obtaining the necessary blade, drawing closer to Blade-Sword Dual Mastery.

3. Significant themes

• Cycles of cruelty and revenge: Peacock's sadism mirrors Duan Yun's own past actions, creating an escalating chain of violence.
• Madness as a consequence of trauma: Hua Wu's breakdown highlights the psychological damage inflicted by the feminization and abuse.
• The cost of power: Duan Yun spends everything he has on the blade, showing the sacrifices required for martial advancement.
• Impending confrontation: The chapter sets up collisions between Duan Yun and multiple pursuers (Peacock, constables, fairies).

4. Character interactions

• Hua Wen ↔ Peacock: Hua Wen tries to use Duan Yun's reputation to save himself; Peacock's reaction shifts from hesitation to contemptuous cruelty.
• Hua Wu ↔ Peacock: Hua Wu's mad outburst removes all pretense, enraging Peacock and solidifying his decision to hunt Duan Yun.
• Murong Brothers ↔ Duan Yun: They test his patience and commitment, finally granting him the method to learn the blade technique via the pawn ticket.

Summary of Chapter: "Demon Blade Tenderness"

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Duan Yun redeems Murong Brothers' pawned blade at great personal cost (nearly all his silver), toting it as an fine but seemingly ordinary weapon.
• Murong Brothers reveals the blade has a hidden, ultra-thin inner blade; the outer blade is merely a sheath. He identifies it as the demon blade Tenderness, worth at least 8,000 taels when the secret is known—far more than the 800 taels pawned for.
• Murong Brothers hands the blade to Duan Yun, symbolically clearing his debt. He also, after Duan Yun insists, reveals the location of the Twelvefold Spring Rain blade manual.
• Duan Yun spends days deciphering the cryptic, ancient manual (written for experts, not beginners) and begins practicing its three outer moves: Spring Equinox, Insects Awaken, and Silken Rain Like Sorrow.
• Murong Brothers watches and mocks Duan Yun's clumsy technique, judging his blade talent as utterly ordinary.
• Duan Yun, unbothered, then attempts the art's core—the twelvefold rotation—and manages to generate two spinning layers of Blade Qi, indicating genuine progress.

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Completely impoverished by the redemption, yet cheerful. He is overconfident ("one-in-ten-thousand genius") but persistent—self-teaching from a difficult manual through inference and sheer effort. His excitement for martial arts outweighs practicality.
• Murong Brothers: Still lazy but slightly reformed (no longer utterly inert; he has begun eating properly). He repays his debt by gifting the blade and manual. He is wry, cynical, and takes subtle pleasure in Duan Yun’s struggles, having given him a cursed or dangerous art. His past as a "neither man nor ghost" is hinted at being caused by the same blade art.

3. Significant Themes

• The double-edged nature of power: The "demon blade" and the "ominous" Twelvefold Spring Rain are associated with danger, madness, and self-destruction—yet Duan Yun eagerly embraces them.
• Appearance vs. reality: The blade’s true worth is hidden behind a dull exterior; the manual’s meaning is hidden behind obscure language.
• Misjudgment of talent: Murong Brothers assumes Duan Yun is untalented, while Duan Yun’s unique approach (skipping terms, filling blanks) eventually unlocks the art—suggesting unconventional genius.

4. Character Interactions

• Duan Yun ↔ Murong Brothers: A revealing conversation about the blade’s true value. Murong Brothers explains the blade’s secret with a slightly malicious glee; Duan Yun is ecstatic at the high worth.
• Duan Yun → Murong Brothers: Duan Yun demands the martial art manual; Murong Brothers reluctantly agrees (with internal foreboding). Duan Yun then leaves immediately, ignoring any teaching offer—annoying Murong Brothers.
• Murong Brothers → Duan Yun (observing): Murong Brothers watches Duan Yun practice, internally laughing at his "ordinary" technique, but his amusement sours when Duan Yun unexpectedly succeeds in the core rotation, showing his assessment may be premature.
  Note: This chapter transitions Duan Yun from a swordsman into a would-be dual practitioner of sword and blade, setting up his mastery of Twelvefold Spring Rain while foreshadowing possible dangers (demon blade, cursed art).

《艰难进度》章节总结

一、关键情节与事件

1. 段云开始修炼《十二重春雨》刀法，发现该秘籍没有插图、注释简略，比他以前修炼的《玉剑真经》难度更大。
2. 他依靠自身对剑气的理解，顺利掌握了基础刀式，并很快学会让刀气旋转，直接练成三重春雨（三转刀气）。
3. 从三重进阶四重时遭遇瓶颈——三转与四转互相冲突，无法共存。段云苦练三天、失败百余次仍无进展。
4. 段云主动去找慕容兄弟请教，展示了自己三转刀气（尝试四转失败）的成果。
5. 慕容兄弟震惊不已——他当年练成三重春雨花了三百多天，而段云只用了三天。
6. 慕容兄弟给出"由内而外、身心逐渐适应"的含糊建议，指出三重到四重是巨大的分水岭。
7. 段云临走前询问慕容兄弟练到第几重，慕容兄弟谎称第七重（实际第六重尚未完全掌握），段云真心称赞。

二、人物发展

• 段云：展现"万中无一的天才"特质。他此前修炼《玉剑真经》时已掌握剑气旋转、弧线射击等技巧，身体早已适应刀气旋转的需求，因此学三重春雨如鱼得水。遇到瓶颈后主动求教，态度诚恳谦逊，不排斥他人指点。
• 慕容兄弟：从最初的"名师"优越感，迅速转变为震惊、嫉妒和不自在。面对段云的惊人天赋，他被迫夸口虚报境界以维持体面，之前"名师"的得意感荡然无存。内心仍存侥幸，认为三重到四重这道门槛应能困住段云一段时间。

三、重要主题

• 天才与凡才的差距：慕容兄弟自诩家族史上最强刀道天才，却在段云面前被碾压到无地自容，凸显了真正的天赋差距。
• 功夫的共通性：段云此前修炼的剑气旋转经验直接迁移到刀气上，印证了"刀剑本是一家"的说法，也解释了为什么他在刀法上进展神速。
• 师道与虚荣：慕容兄弟作为"名师"的虚荣心被现实击碎，从享受指点他人的快感，变成靠谎报境界维持面子，体现出人性的弱点。
• 瓶颈的公平性：即使天才如段云，也遇到了实实在在的难关，说明修炼并非一帆风顺。

四、角色互动

• 段云恭敬请教，慕容兄弟起初欣然摆出名师姿态，询问"什么问题"。
• 当慕容兄弟得知段云三天练成三重春雨后，震惊到从躺姿"一蹦而起"，连用多个"荒谬"来表达难以置信。
• 慕容兄弟给出敷衍性指导（三重到四重需要身心适应），段云认真思索后表示"看来是用功不够"。
• 段云真心夸赞慕容兄弟"第七层"的成就，慕容兄弟面红耳赤，既尴尬又松了口气——他推测这道分水岭应能拖住段云。

I can't summarize this as a chapter because the text you provided is not a story chapter—it's an author's note/request to readers.
Here's what the text actually says:

• The author mentions that the book's bookmark count (收藏) is average, but the read-through rate (追读率) is decent.
• An editor suggested trying to compete for the "Sanjiang" (三江) recommendation slot on the platform.
• The author pleads with readers to please keep reading the two chapters released that day (one at noon, one at night) to help boost the book's chances.
• The author thanks everyone.
  If you meant to share an actual story chapter, please paste the real chapter content and I'll summarize it properly with plot points, character development, themes, and interactions.It looks like you've shared an author's note rather than a story chapter. This is a meta-textual plea from the author to readers, asking them to keep reading the day's two chapters to support the book's chances at a "Sanjiang" (三江) recommendation slot on the platform. There are no plot points, character developments, themes, or character interactions in this text—just a request from the author.
  If you intended to share the actual chapter content, please paste it, and I'll provide the structured summary you're looking for.

Key plot points/events

• Murong Brothers reveals the secret history of the Twelvefold Spring Rain: the Murong ancestor once used the 11th level to defeat the Crazy Mountain Blade Emperor, but afterward sealed his blade and suffered an ill-omened old age—red hair growing over his body and an unknown fate. Family records were erased, and later generations feared cultivating the art too deeply.
• Murong Brothers admits he now believes the curse: at the 6th Spring Rain, he gained five doomed romances.
• Duan Yun is excited rather than scared and throws himself into training.
• After more than ten days, Murong Brothers hears Duan Yun shouting “Turn!” in the rain. Duan Yun breaks through to the 4th Spring Rain, then 5th, then 6th in rapid succession — each by sheer yelling and willpower.
• Duan Yun fails to force the 7th Spring Rain directly, so he uses his Jade Sword Immortal Dharma Aspect to slash a 1st Spring Rain that merges with his 6th, creating the 7th Spring Rain and collapsing a building.
• Murong Brothers slaps himself to confirm he isn’t dreaming, then lies down numbly, convinced the world has gone mad.

Character developments

• Duan Yun: Revealed as a monstrously abnormal genius — fearless, obsessive, and able to reach levels in moments that take others decades. The dark warnings about the art only fuel his excitement.
• Murong Brothers: Goes from confident, mysterious blade prodigy to shocked and broken spectator. His lifelong pride in the 6th Spring Rain is shattered when Duan Yun surpasses him within days.

Significant themes

• The terrifying cost of ultimate power: curses, ill omens, and bodies transforming beyond human limits.
• Genius vs. monstrosity — what separates a prodigy from someone who defies natural law.
• Cultivation as madness: the boundary between breakthrough and insanity blurs.

Character interactions

• Duan Yun questions Murong Brothers about the Twelvefold Spring Rain; Murong Brothers shares his family’s dark secret, and Duan Yun responds with eagerness instead of fear.
• During Duan Yun’s night practice, Murong Brothers watches in horror and disbelief as Duan Yun roars his way through impossible breakthroughs.

Summary of Chapter: “The Curse of Twelvefold Spring Rain (Please Read On)”

1. Key Plot Points

• Duan Yun unleashes Seventh Spring Rain, destroying a house, then collapses from exhaustion.
• He reflects on being stuck at Fourfold Spring Rain for ten days, doubting himself for the first time.
• He realizes the true essence of Twelvefold Spring Rain: it generates an electricity-like force — “Demon Lightning” — that alters the user’s body and aura, causing bizarre side effects (e.g., the Murong Brothers being drawn to their half-sister, their father growing red hair).
• By forcefully taming this Demon Lightning, he breaks through: Fourfold → Fivefold → Sixfold → Seventh Spring Rain.
• He achieves Seventh Spring Rain with help from the Black-Silk Jade Sword Immortal Dharma Aspect.
• Duan Yun considers pushing further but decides his body has reached its current limit.
• He visits the Murong Brothers, who are stunned and regard him almost like a god.
• When they ask if he has felt any “changes,” Duan Yun suddenly feels an uncontrollable impulse and rushes out.
• The Murong Brothers speculate: “Has he sensed his sister so quickly?” — implying Duan Yun is now affected by the same curse.

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Overcomes doubt, proves his “supreme wisdom” and talent by mastering the true principle of the technique. Becomes more confident and arrogant, now a Blade-Sword Dual Mastery expert. First hints that the Spring Rain curse may be affecting him too.
• Murong Brothers: Shift from viewing Duan Yun as a junior to seeing him as an awe-inspiring prodigy; they act as witnesses/foils to his breakthrough.

3. Significant Themes

• Genius vs. Self-Doubt: Even prodigies struggle, but Duan Yun’s self-certainty dominates.
• Mastery Through Understanding: True mastery comes from grasping the underlying essence, not just repeating movements.
• Supernatural Curses and Bodily Transformation: The technique alters the user’s body and desires, making it dangerous and unpredictable.
• Ambition Limited by Mortal Flesh: Duan Yun’s body cannot yet handle higher levels, but he believes he can go further with stronger foundations.

4. Character Interactions

• Duan Yun internally converses with the Jade Sword Immortal Dharma Aspect, who assists him but cannot yet bear Demon Lightning.
• He proudly shares his achievement with the Murong Brothers, who question if he has felt the curse’s “changes.”
• The chapter ends with his abrupt departure, leaving the brothers to realize the curse may now be pulling him toward his sister.

Summary of "I'm That Fool"

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• In the dead of night, Duan Yun abruptly rushes out, leading Murong Brothers to believe he is chasing after a romantic interest (“little sister”).
• Murong Brothers is shaken to realize Duan Yun’s cultivation has rocketed to Seventh Spring Rain, surpassing his own Sixth Spring Rain.
• Jealous and unsettled, Murong tries to replicate Duan Yun’s feat by shouting “He cursed it! Twelvefold Spring Rain, revolve!” — but nothing happens.
• Duan Yun goes to the lakeside, overwhelmed by an urge to retrieve a submerged chest. He dives into the icy water and hauls it out.
• Back at the manor, Duan Yun asks why no one ever recovered the chest. Murong Brothers tells a cautionary tale about a hunter, a chest, a beautiful woman, and a man-eating bear.
• Duan Yun then reveals he is “that fool” — he has already opened the chest — and drags the very chest inside.

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun: His curiosity is dangerously amplified by his new cultivation level. He dismisses the “curse” attached to his rapid progress, insisting he is a genius and that the curse has no effect on him. His actions show recklessness and an almost compulsive need to uncover secrets.
• Murong Brothers: Once resigned and waiting to die, he loses his hard-won calm after being surpassed. A competitive spark returns, but his attempt to copy Duan Yun fails, leaving him frustrated and disturbed. His emotional turmoil is compared to the trauma of discovering his lovers were half-siblings.

3. Significant Themes

• Curiosity as a double-edged sword: The tale explicitly warns against opening unknown chests; Duan Yun’s own curiosity drives him to ignore that warning.
• Pride and envy: Murong Brothers cannot accept being outdone in the blade path, despite his earlier detachment.
• Curses and consequences: The exchange hints that Duan Yun’s terrifying speed in cultivation must carry a terrible price, but Duan Yun refuses to acknowledge it.

4. Character Interactions

• Murong Brothers questions Duan Yun’s late-night outing, but Duan Yun deflects, claiming he simply took a walk in the rain.
• Murong Brothers tells the story of the hunter and the chest as a moral lesson; Duan Yun listens intently, then undercuts the lesson by admitting he is the fool.
• The chapter ends with Duan Yun physically producing the chest, turning Murong’s cautionary tale into an immediate, looming reality.

Summary of Chapter: “Your Sister!” (Please Keep Reading)

Key Plot Points / Events

• After a rainy night, Duan Yun drags a waterlogged, coffin-sized chest back to his lodging.
• The Murong brothers mock him for retrieving a mysterious chest from a lake in the middle of the night.
• They speculate about its contents: a clam spirit, a drowned noblewoman, or—more ominously—a “Corpse King” zombie sealed with salt and eighteen iron nails.
• Duan Yun recalls once opening a chest and finding a bear inside. Despite his wariness, he opens this chest using his saber Tenderness and an iron sword.
• Inside lies a beautiful young woman in a green lotus-patterned Daoist robe. Duan Yun notes she is strikingly flat-chested.
• The Murong brothers jokingly declare that she must be Duan Yun’s biological little sister, since his curse usually makes him search for her at midnight.
• Duan Yun retorts, “Your sister!”—and at that exact moment, the woman in the chest opens her eyes.

Character Developments

• Duan Yun: Continues to grow in martial skill, wielding both saber and sword. He is increasingly powerful but also increasingly strange—driven by an uncontrollable curiosity to open chests. He denies that the “sister-seeking curse” is affecting him, though the narrative suggests otherwise.
• Murong brothers: Comic, cowardly, and superstitious. They flee when danger is suspected, then return once it seems safe. They serve as both comic relief and a foil to Duan Yun’s reckless curiosity.

Significant Themes

• Curiosity vs. caution: The temptation to open the unknown chest overrides warnings and past trauma.
• Superstition and folklore: Clam spirits, zombie Corpse Kings, and sealed coffins reflect a world where old tales may be real.
• Family and identity: The recurring motif of finding Duan Yun’s “little sister” builds tension and irony—especially when the chest girl is jokingly called his sister.
• The absurd and the eerie: The tone blends humor with horror, ending on a sudden cliffhanger.

Character Interactions

• Duan Yun and the Murong brothers banter about the chest’s origins and contents.
• The brothers tease Duan Yun for being abnormal, while Duan Yun remains serious and pragmatic.
• Together they react to the discovery of the sleeping woman, but Duan Yun insists she is not his sister—right before she wakes up, creating a cliffhanger.

Summary of Chapter

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Duan Yun and Murong Brothers open a sealed box they pulled from the water, expecting a corpse. Inside is a young Daoist nun who suddenly wakes up.
• She explains she was not dead but cultivating the Nine-Death Silkworm technique, which requires feigning death in a sealed environment for 91 days. Today was the 89th day, and Duan Yun’s interference ruined her progress.
• The nun reveals she was forced into the box by four gambling eunuchs from the fallen Ancient Fang Kingdom. Murong Brothers explains these eunuchs practice a crippled Mara Method, rumored to allow regeneration even for those without roots.
• Murong Brothers learns his younger sister Wanwan has become the White-Haired Witch, swearing to slice him to pieces to avenge her dead lover. This shocks and depresses him.
• Murong Brothers then suggests Duan Yun and the nun might be siblings—because Duan Yun also practices a demon saber and was inexplicably drawn to the box.
• The nun and Duan Yun both reject the idea, but each privately admits they found the other slightly pleasing to the eye. They part awkwardly, with the nun leaving before dawn.

2. Character Developments

• Duan Yun shows guilt and chivalry: he offers to protect the nun despite ruining her cultivation, and proudly claims he has no enemies.
• Murong Brothers reveals vulnerability: news of his sister Wanwan’s revenge terrifies him, adding to his existing burden of being hunted by his half-sisters. He also acts as a bizarre matchmaker, insisting Duan Yun and the nun share a cursed bond.
• The young Daoist nun is pragmatic and wary. She is initially grateful but annoyed, then becomes flustered when the sibling theory is raised. She leaves quickly to avoid dragging others into her problems.

3. Significant Themes

• Fate and doomed bonds: Murong Brothers repeatedly hints that Duan Yun and the nun are connected by fate—possibly as siblings or lovers—echoing his own cursed family tragedy.
• Mortal vs. supernatural cultivation: The nun’s Nine-Death Silkworm and the eunuchs’ Mara Method highlight the strange, dark cultivation arts in the martial world.
• Found family and blood ties: The chapter plays with mistaken sibling relationships, adoption, and how love and hatred twist family bonds.
• Humor amid darkness: The dialogue is playful, mixing absurd speculation with real emotional weight (especially Murong Brothers’ despair over Wanwan).

4. Character Interactions

• Duan Yun and the nun: Immediate mutual irritation, but also undeniable chemistry. They bicker over “flat as a washboard” and deny liking each other, while Murong Brothers watches and teases them.
• Murong Brothers and the nun: He interrogates her about her parents, confidently concludes she is Duan Yun’s half-sister, and casually drops devastating news about his own sister’s madness.
• Duan Yun and Murong Brothers: Their banter reveals their friendship—Duan Yun defends Murong Brothers’ enemies count, and Murong Brothers tries to connect Duan Yun’s saber to the “curse” of sibling rivalry.