Chapter Summaries

After surviving a brush with danger in the Cold Pool, Jiang Shu returned from the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm and resolved to advance quickly to the Viscera Training Realm. On the train to Jiangnan City, he advised two girls about the Nongchao Cup before one recognized him as the Genius Tournament champion.

• Jiang Shu calmed himself with Tiger Bone Mad Demon Fist after realizing how vulnerable he was in the Cold Pool, then decided to focus on breaking through to the Viscera Training Realm.
• Jiang Shu returned to the Outer Area, where Shang Jibei and Zhu Qingyun had been preparing to search for him, and the three left the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm together.
• After passing the armed security at the rift, Jiang Shu handed over the important materials, parted from Shang Jibei and Zhu Qingyun, and took a train back to Jiangnan City.
• A girl called Xixi offered Jiang Shu biscuits, and he overheard her and her friend discussing bets on the Nongchao Cup.
• Jiang Shu recommended Yang Kai and Shou Junming as safer bets, then left the train; Xixi’s friend searched for him online and excitedly recognized him as Jiang Shu, the Genius Tournament champion.

Jiang Shu posted techniques for fighting Variant Ferocious Beasts, trained, and watched Jiangnan Academy students sweep the Nongchao Cup semifinals. He then discovered the Martial Artist Alliance had published its Grandmaster Rankings, which listed Shang Sigou first and Jiangnan Academy instructor Xie Feichen in last place.

• Jiang Shu uploaded techniques for fighting Variant Ferocious Beasts and hoped the post would earn points.
• Jiang Shu encouraged his parents to buy a better car and travel, then considered his relationship with Ye Zhenzhen before returning to training.
• Jiangnan Academy students swept the Nongchao Cup semifinals, and Zhao Su won the competition while reflecting on how far the Genius Tournament's top fighters surpassed him.
• Jiang Shu found the Martial Artist Alliance's newly pinned Grandmaster Rankings and read that Shang Sigou ranked first, while Xie Feichen ranked one hundred and twenty-eighth.

Jiang Shu congratulated Xie Feichen on becoming a Transforming Force Grandmaster, then sparred with him to learn about the realm and identify weaknesses in his martial arts. Xie Feichen gave Jiang Shu training advice and asked him to teach his classes for a month while he studied Transforming Force.

• Jiang Shu studied Xie Feichen’s first-place record on the Grandmaster Rankings and sent him a message of congratulations.
• Jiang Shu resolved to advance faster so Shang Jibei would not surpass him and so he could reach Yongning Prefecture City sooner.
• Xie Feichen demonstrated how Transforming Force drew power from the hips and spine, sending Jiang Shu flying with a controlled punch.
• Xie Feichen identified flaws in Jiang Shu’s footwork and techniques, and recommended the Small Stele Breaking Hand and Stele Breaking Leg Technique.
• Xie Feichen told Jiang Shu he would have to teach two or three classes in his place for a month.

Jiang Shu returned to Pingling County after training his martial arts and received an invitation to a Yao Family banquet. After warning him about the Yao Family and explaining the role of cultivation methods in reaching Organ Refining, Old Man Chou told him to attend confidently and promised to handle matters in Pingling County.

• Jiang Shu spent ten days training, perfected his Tiger Bone Mad Demon Fist, and returned to Pingling County with an Alloy Battle Blade.
• Yao Zhengxing ordered the Yao Family to invite Jiang Shu to a banquet and planned to kill him there if he attended.
• Jiang Shu accepted the invitation and went to Old Man Chou to ask his advice.
• Old Man Chou explained that reaching Organ Refining required a Middle-Grade Cultivation Method that produced True Force.
• Jiang Shu declared that no one except County Magistrate Nie could threaten him, and Old Man Chou told him to go to the banquet while he handled the rest.

Jiang Shu attended the Yao Family banquet and easily defeated its younger generation before killing Yao Zhengchang in a saber fight. He left the terrified juniors to answer where the dead Bone Forging martial artist ranked in the family.

• Jiang Shu entered the Yao Family estate and was taunted by its younger generation over Yao Wenbai's death.
• A Stone Skin Realm junior attacked Jiang Shu, who caught his punch and twisted his bones.
• Yao Wenyuan charged Jiang Shu, but Jiang Shu kicked him into a table with Tiger Form Three Styles.
• Yao Zhengchang rushed in and fought Jiang Shu with his saber, while Jiang Shu defended himself using the Thirteen Forms of the Saber.
• After Yao Zhengchang repeated several saber forms, Jiang Shu killed him with White Tiger Carrying Corpse and asked the juniors where he ranked in the Yao Family.

After killing several Yao Family members, Jiang Shu escaped Pingling County while Yao Zhengxing pursued him. He crossed the mountains with Old Man Chou’s map, heading toward an unknown opportunity that might involve the Viscera Training Realm.

• Jiang Shu killed the Yao Family Bone Forging expert and several younger members before leaving the estate.
• Jiang Shu evaded Yao Zhengxing and the constables, escaping from the Inner City into the Outer City.
• Chou Hai watched Jiang Shu’s escape, later feigned ignorance when questioned, and claimed he had expelled Jiang Shu from the sect.
• The Yao Family’s losses weakened its standing, and rival families reclaimed shops from it.
• Jiang Shu followed Old Man Chou’s map across mountain ridges toward the borderlands, wondering whether his promised opportunity involved a Middle-Grade Cultivation Method.

Jiang Shu traveled toward Yongning Prefecture City under the alias Shang Junming, joined Zhang Ruo and her escorts after a dangerous encounter in a mountain cave, and learned about the city’s powerful clans. The group reached the vast prefecture city, where Jiang Shu surveyed a world of martial artists far beyond anything he had seen in Pingling County.

• Jiang Shu sheltered from a storm with Zhang Ruo, Li Qi, and Zhao Zhen, then avoided getting involved when five armed martial artists entered the cave and threatened the group.
• The five men left after their leader noticed Jiang Shu, and Zhang Ruo asked Jiang Shu to travel with them in exchange for expenses, martial arts, and information about Yongning Prefecture City.
• Jiang Shu accepted and asked Zhang Ruo about the prefecture city’s great clans, learning that they controlled True Force Cultivation Methods and that the Zhang Family was the weakest of the listed clans.
• After traveling for more than ten days, Jiang Shu and his companions crossed a wide river by boat and reached Yongning Prefecture City.
• Zhang Ruo identified the city’s southern Outer City gate and explained that the Cao Gang, backed by the Zhao Family, controlled the waterfront while Jiang Shu observed the martial artists throughout the area.

Jiang Shu delivered Chou Hai’s letter to Zhao Yuanchang, who suspected his old friend might be in trouble and ordered the youth investigated while granting him a Gold Plaque Offering post. Jiang Shu sensed something was wrong with the letter and hesitated to enter the Zhao Family.

• Jiang Shu reached the Zhao Family gates and gave the steward a letter addressed to Zhao Yuanchang, identifying his master as Chou.
• The steward reported that Jiang Shu appeared to be a Bone Forging martial artist, and Zhao Yuanchang ordered him investigated and told the household to accommodate and monitor him.
• Zhao Yuanchang recalled his life-and-death friendship with Chou Hai but mocked the request to let Jiang Shu browse the family’s Middle-Grade Cultivation Methods, deciding to grant him an offering post instead.
• The steward returned and offered Jiang Shu immediate status as a Gold Plaque Offering, explaining its privileges and benefits.
• Jiang Shu frowned and did not follow the steward inside, suspecting that something was wrong with Chou Hai’s letter.

Jiang Shu questioned why the Zhao Family had not honored Old Man Chou’s letter and learned from Zhang Ruo how an outsider might gain access to a great clan’s Middle-Grade Cultivation Method. He suspected the Zhao Family would not grant him the favor because he had arrived alone as a Bone Forging martial artist.

• A Zhao Family elder offered Jiang Shu a Gold Plaque Offering position, but Jiang Shu refused to stay and left without learning the letter’s contents.
• Jiang Shu met Zhang Ruo at a restaurant in the provincial city, where she hoped to secure his support within the Zhang Family.
• Jiang Shu asked whether an outsider could obtain a Middle-Grade Cultivation Method without joining a great clan.
• Zhang Ruo explained that a Viscera Training Realm outsider might be invited to study a clan’s lowest-ranked Middle-Grade method in exchange for benefits or as a favor.
• Jiang Shu realized Old Man Chou’s letter likely promised such a favor and wondered whether Zhao Yuanchang had refused because Jiang Shu had come alone.

Jiang Shu learned about the prefectural city’s auction system from Zhang Ruo and agreed to visit the Danxia Merchant Guild with her. When Yuan Yong harassed Zhang Ruo at the inn, Jiang Shu struck at him and confronted Qu Zhan Yun, identifying Zhang Ruo as a young lady of the Zhang Family.

• Jiang Shu accepted that Zhao Yuanchang had rejected Old Man Chou’s letter and vowed to confront the Zhao Family after he became stronger.
• Zhang Ruo described the Zhang Family’s unequal treatment of its geniuses and explained how the prefectural city’s auctions and Danxia Merchant Guild worked.
• Jiang Shu agreed to accompany Zhang Ruo to the Danxia Merchant Guild and considered using it to obtain resources and martial knowledge.
• Yuan Yong arrived at the inn with Qu Zhan Yun and their companions, boasting about Qu’s Gold Plaque Offering position in the Yao Family.
• Yuan Yong recognized Zhang Ruo and tried to make her join the men; Jiang Shu slashed at his reaching hand and forced Qu Zhan Yun back with a clash of blades.
• Jiang Shu stood before Zhang Ruo and challenged the Yao Family offerings for molesting a young lady of the Zhang Family.

Jiang Shu fought Qu Zhan Yun after the Yao Family Gold Plaque Offering coveted his Alloy Battle Blade, then turned his blade on Yuan Yong for disrespecting Zhang Ruo. He left Yuan Yong with a severed hand as blood sprayed through the tavern.

• Qu Zhan Yun learned Zhang Ruo was an unimportant young lady of the Zhang Family and dismissed the danger, then offered to trade pills and other goods for Jiang Shu’s Alloy Battle Blade.
• Zhang Ruo urged Jiang Shu to leave, but he refused because he knew Qu Zhan Yun and his men would keep pursuing the blade.
• Jiang Shu attacked Qu Zhan Yun with Black Tiger Digs Heart and used the Thirteen Forms of the Saber and Little Big Dipper Steps to force him backward.
• Qu Zhan Yun retreated and called for Jiang Shu to stop, but Jiang Shu said Yuan Yong had reached out toward Zhang Ruo and struck at him instead.
• Yuan Yong tried to retreat, but Jiang Shu’s blade cut off his palm.

Jiang Shu severed Yuan Yong’s palm while defending Zhang Ruo, forcing Qu Zhan Yun and his men to retreat. He refused Zhang Ruo’s offer to join the Zhang Family and visited the Danxia Merchant Guild to look for pills for his family.

• Jiang Shu cut off Yuan Yong’s palm, and Qu Zhan Yun led his men away after recognizing the danger of fighting further.
• Zhang Ruo thanked Jiang Shu and invited him to join the Zhang Family, but he declined and headed with her to the Danxia Merchant Guild.
• Jiang Shu examined the guild’s pills and considered using Blood Cleansing Pills and Strengthening Blood Pills to improve his family’s health and martial arts prospects.
• A maidservant explained the guild’s pill qualities and bulk-purchase discounts to Jiang Shu.

Jiang Shu negotiated a trade partnership with the Danxia Merchant Guild and used the proceeds to advance his martial arts. After learning that Qu Zhan Yun and Fu Yuankui had left the city, he set out to test his blade against the two peak Bone Forging warriors.

• Jiang Shu studied the weapons and martial arts available in the prefectural city, then declined Zhang Ruo’s offer to lend him silver.
• Jiang Shu negotiated with the Danxia Merchant Guild to sell Moissanite Diamonds and perfume in exchange for profits and information about Gold Plaque Offerings.
• Jiang Shu perfected Hungry Tiger Howling Mountain Force and his Three-Style Blade Technique, reaching the peak of Bone Forging.
• A carrier pigeon informed Jiang Shu that Qu Zhan Yun and Fu Yuankui had left the city in the same direction.
• Jiang Shu took his blade and went out to test himself against Qu Zhan Yun and Fu Yuankui.

Jiang Shu ambushed Qu Zhan Yun and Fu Yuankui in the forest and killed them both after Fu Yuankui abandoned Qu Zhan Yun. He took a Minor Return Pill and banknotes, then left the corpses for the Variant Ferocious Beasts, while the four lackeys remained alive.

• Qu Zhan Yun lured Fu Yuankui into the forest, offering him a Minor Return Pill and Contribution Points to help kill Jiang Shu and seize his Treasure Blade.
• Jiang Shu watched the two men through his telescope, then attacked Qu Zhan Yun with a powerful saber strike.
• Fu Yuankui saw Jiang Shu's strength and fled instead of helping, and Jiang Shu beheaded Qu Zhan Yun.
• Jiang Shu pursued Fu Yuankui, cut off his hammer arm, and killed him in a fierce exchange.
• Jiang Shu took the Minor Return Pill and banknotes from Qu Zhan Yun, left the weapons and corpses behind, and withdrew while Variant Ferocious Beasts gathered.

Jiang Shu killed Qu Zhan Yun’s four younger brothers, escaped before the Inspection Bureau could catch him, and returned to Jiangnan Academy. After reviewing what he had learned about martial arts and the Danxia Merchant Guild, he messaged Xie Feichen to ask for a fight.

• Jiang Shu rushed into the courtyard and killed Yuan Yong and Qu Zhan Yun’s other three younger brothers.
• Jiang Shu escaped the courtyard, and the Inspection Bureau sealed East City and began searching for the murderer.
• Jiang Shu returned to his dormitory at Jiangnan Academy and reviewed his notes about the Mist Python, martial arts talent, and the Danxia Merchant Guild.
• Jiang Shu woke at noon the next day and messaged Xie Feichen, asking if he was there for a fight.

Jiang Shu sparred with Xie Feichen, who explained how Heaven and Earth Rifts and mutated beasts threatened nations, especially along the coasts and in the deep sea. Jiang Shu remained focused on growing stronger for his family but resolved to defend Xia Kingdom if the beasts ever came ashore.

• Jiang Shu sparred with Xie Feichen and found that the Transforming Force instructor could deflect all his attacks.
• Xie Feichen told Jiang Shu that Fusang Country had conducted coastal missile drills and explained the danger posed by rifts and mutated marine life.
• Xie Feichen warned that hidden Secret Realms could unleash huge numbers of Variant Ferocious Beasts as their passages stabilized.
• Xie Feichen said Xia Kingdom could turn the crisis into an opportunity if martial artists cleared the Secret Realms before the beasts emerged.
• Jiang Shu said he wanted to reach Viscera-Entering Force and help his family, but would join the military to defend the coast if deep-sea beasts came ashore.

Jiang Shu trained through a bottleneck while weighing his options for reaching Transforming Force, and explored how resources and martial arts differed between Xia Kingdom and the Great Jing Dynasty. A month later, his Hungry Tiger Howling Mountain Force reached Limit Break.

• Xie Feichen praised Jiang Shu’s Innate Guidance Technique and offered to arrange for him to enter a PhD program at Jiangnan Academy.
• Jiang Shu withdrew from socializing and declined Shang Jibei’s invitation to fight in a Heaven and Earth Secret Realm, choosing to train toward a breakthrough instead.
• Jiang Shu learned that the authorities had stopped actively searching for the East City killer, while Danxia Merchant Guild’s Moissanite Diamonds and perfume sales brought him more money for pills.
• Jiang Shu studied the Great Jing Dynasty’s martial arts resources and rankings, and wondered how far he could rise from Yongning Prefecture City.
• After a month of grinding his Hungry Tiger Howling Mountain Force, the Panel showed that it had reached Limit Break.

Jiang Shu discovered that Limit Break Hungry Tiger Howling Mountain Force carried an earth attribute and began deriving Transforming Force techniques. After demonstrating his breakthrough to the Martial Artist Alliance, he was listed as the 168th-ranked Grandmaster and recognized as a Youth Grandmaster.

• Jiang Shu sensed that Limit Break Hungry Tiger Howling Mountain Force naturally circulated into his spleen and connected him to the earth.
• Jiang Shu practiced the Innate Guidance Technique, worked backward from Viscera-Entering Force, and mastered its Transforming Force movements.
• Jiang Shu compared Transforming Force with Great Jing Dynasty True Force and concluded that he needed a better Middle-Grade Cultivation Method to refine his organs efficiently.
• Jiang Shu uploaded videos demonstrating Transforming Force to the Martial Artist Alliance for verification.
• The Martial Artist Alliance updated its Grandmaster Rankings, listing Jiang Shu at 168th as an eighteen-year-old Youth Grandmaster from Jicheng.

After Jiang Shu’s Transforming Force breakthrough was verified, the Martial Artist Alliance named him a Youth Grandmaster, and Jiangnan Academy made him a professor. He drove home to Jicheng, where Jiang Yan Yue greeted him while lounging on the sofa.

• Hidden Force Martial Artists reacted in shock to Jiang Shu’s rise from Ming Jin to Transforming Force and debated his strength and prospects.
• Martial Artist Alliance staff verified Jiang Shu’s breakthrough, and Jiangnan Academy graduated him and appointed him a Martial Arts Professor.
• Jiang Shu packed his luggage, received a bulletproof Hongqi arranged by Xia Kingdom, and drove from Jiangnan City to Jicheng.
• Jiang Yan Yue heard Jiang Shu arrive and resumed lounging, deciding she could slack off because her brother’s success had made hard work seem pointless.

Jiang Shu returned home to visit his family before heading to a secret realm to improve his strength, but his reunion was interrupted when Jiang Yan Yue discovered that the bank where their mother had gone was being robbed. The chapter ended with Jiang Shu and Jiang Yongyi realizing Xu Lizhi might be inside.

• Jiang Shu told Jiang Yan Yue he had returned before a busy period and planned to strengthen himself in a newly discovered secret realm.
• Jiang Shu waited at home with Jiang Yan Yue for their parents and considered giving his family medicinal pills.
• Jiang Yongyi returned from fishing and asked Jiang Yan Yue to call their mother, who had gone to withdraw a fixed deposit.
• Jiang Yan Yue saw videos in her group chat and learned that the Xia Kingdom Bank on Yong'an Road was being robbed.
• Jiang Yan Yue told Jiang Shu and Jiang Yongyi that their mother might be inside the bank, and Jiang Yongyi dropped his fishing rod and bucket in panic.