Chapter Summaries

Ye Yun learned that Ironwood had severely injured Wang Chen and threatened the outer sect disciples because of Ye Yun. Ye Yun gave Wang Chen a Life Creation Pill, leaving him hopeful that his injuries would heal.

• Ye Yun promised Wang Chen he would seek justice but agreed not to act rashly before learning what had happened.
• Wang Chen told Ye Yun that Ironwood had injured him, threatened anyone who helped him, and planned a life-and-death duel with Ye Yun.
• Wang Chen explained that the sect elders ignored Ironwood's actions after he became the Fourth Elder's disciple.
• Ye Yun promised to help Wang Chen and insisted that his injuries could still be treated.
• Ye Yun gave Wang Chen a Life Creation Pill, whose aroma eased his pain.

Ye Yun persuaded Wang Chen to take a Life Creation Pill and gave him cultivation resources before leaving to investigate Ironwood. He visited Ling Chen at Great Sun Peak, where he congratulated him on reaching the Seventh Level of the Qi Refining Realm.

• Wang Chen initially refused the Life Creation Pill, but Ye Yun reassured him and brought it to his lips until he swallowed it.
• Wang Chen felt his injuries begin to improve, and Ye Yun urged him to rest, seek help from Ling Chen if needed, and cultivate with the resources he left behind.
• After leaving Wang Chen, Ye Yun resolved to eliminate Ironwood and set out to learn what Ironwood was relying on.
• Outer sect disciples discussed Ye Yun and Ironwood as Ye Yun hurried to Ling Chen's courtyard at Great Sun Peak.
• Ling Chen welcomed Ye Yun and invited him inside after Ye Yun congratulated him on breaking through to the Seventh Level of the Qi Refining Realm.

Ye Yun asked Ling Chen about Ironwood, learning that Ironwood had entered the inner sect at the Qi Refining Realm Sixth Layer and become the Fourth Elder’s disciple. Ye Yun then offered Ling Chen a secret batch of goods to sell, leaving Ling Chen stunned by the contents of Liao Qingxuan’s Storage Bag and asking how many martial artists Ye Yun had killed.

• Ye Yun met Ling Chen to ask about Ironwood, who had publicly challenged him after entering the inner sect.
• Ling Chen revealed that Ironwood was at the Qi Refining Realm Sixth Layer, had become the Fourth Elder’s disciple, and had left for training for about two months.
• Ye Yun decided to use the time before Ironwood returned to improve his cultivation and rank among the top ten of the Hundred Strong Ranking.
• Ye Yun asked Ling Chen to keep the origins of a batch of goods secret and handed him Liao Qingxuan’s Storage Bag to inspect.
• After examining the many items inside, Ling Chen asked Ye Yun how many martial artists he had killed.

Ye Yun sold assorted treasures to Ling Chen for 150,000 taels of gold and gave him a Storage Bag, then returned to cultivate with a Spirit Origin Fruit. He opened more than half of his fourteenth meridian, bringing him closer to the Qi Refining Realm Eighth Layer.

• Ye Yun and Ling Chen agreed on a price of 150,000 taels of gold for the assorted treasures, and Ling Chen paid him with gold notes.
• Ye Yun gave Ling Chen the Blood God Sect Storage Bag, and the two discussed cultivation before Ye Yun left.
• Ling Chen reflected on Ye Yun's progress and resolved to work harder before the Great Dynasty Tournament.
• Ye Yun swallowed a Spirit Origin Fruit and converted its spiritual energy into true qi while attacking the Impurity Barrier in his fourteenth meridian.
• After nearly an hour, Ye Yun had exhausted the fruit's energy and opened more than half of the fourteenth meridian.

Ye Yun used two Spirit Origin Fruits to break through to the Qi Refining Realm Eighth Layer, then went to the Cultivation Manual Pavilion to trade the Mad Demon Art for access to its third floor. Elder Li pressed him to hand over the martial art, and Ye Yun’s exchange had yet to take place.

• Ye Yun swallowed a second Spirit Origin Fruit and forced open his fourteenth meridian, reaching the Qi Refining Realm Eighth Layer.
• Ye Yun refined the remaining spiritual energy for an hour, consolidated his cultivation, and noted that he had three Spirit Origin Fruits left.
• The next day, Ye Yun headed to the Cultivation Manual Pavilion to offer the Mad Demon Art in exchange for choosing a high-grade movement technique.
• Elder Li recognized Ye Yun and urged him to hand over the martial art he wanted to offer.

Ye Yun told Elder Li about the Blood God Sect after revealing he had another martial art, the Seven Kill Fist. Elder Li warned him that the sect’s martial arts could bring him under its control, then said Ye Yun could exchange his other manual for one high-grade martial art.

• Ye Yun handed Elder Li the Mad Demon Art manual, and Elder Li studied it while Ye Yun browsed the Cultivation Manual Pavilion.
• Elder Li asked where Ye Yun had obtained the manual and whether he had others, prompting Ye Yun to decide to report the Blood God Sect to him.
• Elder Li reacted with alarm to the Blood God Sect’s name and ordered Ye Yun to recount everything he knew, including the Blackwater Four Fiends, Blood Fiend, and Seven Kill Fist.
• Elder Li explained that the Blood God Sect had been severely weakened by the seven nations but was recovering, and warned Ye Yun not to discuss it or cultivate its martial arts.
• Elder Li took the Seven Kill Fist manual and told Ye Yun he could exchange the Mad Demon Art for one high-grade martial art, noting the sect already had the Seven Kill Fist recorded.

Ye Yun searched the third floor of the Cultivation Manual Pavilion for a movement technique to overcome his weakness in speed. He chose the highly compatible Ice Swallow Sky-Stepping Art and left with its manual.

• Ye Yun passed the third-floor light screens and began examining the movement techniques.
• Ye Yun found the painful Nine Transformations of the Spirit Serpent, which had seven points of compatibility, but kept searching.
• Ye Yun discovered the Ice Swallow Sky-Stepping Art, which could grant brief flight at perfection and had nine points of compatibility.
• Ye Yun finished reviewing the remaining movement techniques and found none that matched the Ice Swallow Sky-Stepping Art.
• Ye Yun examined the other third-floor manuals, noted the ten-point-compatible Cold-Ice Cotton Palm, and chose not to pursue it.
• Ye Yun took the Ice Swallow Sky-Stepping Art manual and headed downstairs.

Ye Yun cultivated the Ice Swallow Sky-Stepping Art with the help of the Iceheart Lotus Platform and Iceheart Formula, then trained for a week until he reached the Initiation Realm. He reflected on his growing strength and quietly told his grandfather that he was doing well and pursuing his dreams.

• Ye Yun borrowed the Ice Swallow Sky-Stepping Art manual from Elder Li, who warned him to grow stronger because the Blood God Sect was invading.
• Ye Yun used the Iceheart Lotus Platform and Iceheart Formula to improve his comprehension, then began practicing the art in the valley.
• Ye Yun trained for a week and broke through to the Initiation Realm of the Ice Swallow Sky-Stepping Art, greatly increasing his speed.
• Ye Yun noted that his Qi Refining Realm Eighth Layer cultivation had stabilized and that his Mystic Ice Body was nearing the Minor Achievement Realm.
• Ye Yun trained late into the night, looked at the bright moon, and told his grandfather that he was well and moving toward his dreams.

Ye Yun returned to the sect after half a month of missions and submitted an astonishing haul to the Mission Hall. Gu Feng was shocked by Ye Yun’s accomplishments, while Ye Yun prepared to move on from his mission work.

• Ye Yun traveled to Red Rock Town and spent half a month completing his mission before rushing back to the sect.
• Ye Yun met Gu Feng on duty at the Mission Hall and joked with him before submitting his mission items and tokens.
• Gu Feng recognized Zhang Yuyang, Hundred-Spirit Flowers, a second-grade high-tier demonic beast’s pelt, and a Windfire Fox among Ye Yun’s submissions.
• Gu Feng asked whether Ye Yun had defeated the targets himself, and Ye Yun confirmed that he had.
• Gu Feng wondered whether Ye Yun had a cultivation secret, but Ye Yun denied it, and Gu Feng credited his progress to extraordinary talent.

Ye Yun collected the rewards for his completed missions and reflected on his plans to strengthen himself before the Great Dynasty Tournament. After leaving the Mission Hall, he remained determined to reach the Qi Refining Realm Tenth Layer and break through to the Fist Force Realm.

• Ye Yun asked Gu Feng to settle his mission rewards, and Gu Feng calculated a total of twenty-five Spirit Stones, seventy thousand taels of gold, and six Qi-Enhancing Pills.
• While Gu Feng retrieved the rewards, Ye Yun considered his rapid progress to the Qi Refining Realm Eighth Layer and the danger posed by the Blood God Sect.
• Ye Yun reviewed his goals for the next two months: advance his cultivation, reach the Fist Force Realm, improve his martial techniques, and prepare for the Great Dynasty Tournament.
• Ye Yun recalled that he had opened his fifteenth meridian, partly opened his sixteenth, and raised his Mystic Ice Body to the Minor Achievement Realm.
• Gu Feng returned with Ye Yun's rewards, and Ye Yun checked that the pills, gold notes, and Spirit Stones were all present.
• Ye Yun thanked Gu Feng and left the Mission Hall.

Ye Yun spent ten days cultivating his martial arts, true qi, and Mystic Ice Body before breaking through to the Ninth Level of the Qi Refining Realm. After his strength rose sharply, he remained on the Iceheart Lotus Platform to consolidate his new realm.

• Ye Yun practiced his hand-to-hand martial arts and found that his Half-Step Fist Force Realm made other techniques easier to understand and use.
• Ye Yun refined spiritual energy and repeatedly assaulted the sixteenth meridian, opening another portion of it.
• Ye Yun continued his daily cultivation for ten days until only a few Impurity Barriers remained in the sixteenth meridian.
• Ye Yun shattered the remaining Impurity Barriers and advanced to the Ninth Level of the Qi Refining Realm.
• Ye Yun sensed that his true qi had more than doubled and his physical strength had increased by around thirty percent, then began consolidating his new realm.

Ye Yun arrived at the Hundred Strong Ranking arena and asked the Fifth Elder for permission to challenge fifth-ranked Wang Baifeng directly. The Fifth Elder made Ye Yun prove his qualifications by enduring his pressure for one minute, and Ye Yun struggled to hold on as the pressure intensified.

• Ye Yun went to the arena and saw Chang Rensong pressing Li Xiaohong in their ranking match.
• Ye Yun told the Fifth Elder that he wanted to challenge Wang Baifeng directly instead of advancing through the rankings step by step.
• The Fifth Elder tested Ye Yun's aura, recognized that he had reached the Ninth Level of the Qi Refining Realm, and set a one-minute pressure trial.
• Ye Yun spread his true qi and resisted the Fifth Elder's pressure as his legs bent and his strength drained.
• The Fifth Elder increased the pressure to half his full strength, and Ye Yun gritted his teeth and kept resisting.

Ye Yun endured the Fifth Elder’s pressure for a minute and realized his recent breakthroughs had made him arrogant toward stronger martial artists. After accepting the Elder’s warning and regaining his composure, Ye Yun prepared to recover his true qi while the Fifth Elder arranged his promised challenge against Wang Baifeng.

• Ye Yun endured the Fifth Elder’s pressure for a full minute and collapsed when the Elder withdrew it.
• The Fifth Elder warned Ye Yun to respect those stronger than himself, and Ye Yun recognized that his rapid progress had made him arrogant.
• Ye Yun thanked the Fifth Elder for his teachings, and his newfound understanding steadied his mindset and control over his true qi.
• Ye Yun decided to give up challenging Wang Baifeng, but the Fifth Elder insisted on keeping his promise to approve the challenge.
• Ye Yun sat down to restore his true qi while the Fifth Elder sent a servant to notify Wang Baifeng.

Ye Yun challenged Wang Baifeng, ranked fifth on the Hundred Strong Ranking, despite being ranked ninety-fifth himself. The Fifth Elder authorized the match, and the two reached the arena as onlookers questioned the challenge and Wang Baifeng's reputation.

• The Fifth Elder's servant summoned Wang Baifeng to the mountaintop to accept a challenge, but did not tell him who the challenger was.
• Wang Baifeng arrived at the hall and learned that Ye Yun, ranked ninety-fifth, was challenging him.
• Wang Baifeng objected that Ye Yun did not qualify under the Hundred Strong Ranking rules, but the Fifth Elder said Ye Yun had passed his test and was authorized to fight.
• Ye Yun and Wang Baifeng went to the arena, where Ye Yun believed he could win despite having recovered only part of his true qi.
• Onlookers recognized Ye Yun and questioned how he could challenge Wang Baifeng, prompting Wang Baifeng to glare them into silence.

Ye Yun challenged Wang Baifeng and gained the upper hand after turning aside Wang Baifeng’s relentless attacks. Wang Baifeng then underwent a sinister transformation, and the Fifth Elder recognized that he had suffered qi deviation.

• The Fifth Elder started the arena battle between Ye Yun and Wang Baifeng.
• Wang Baifeng used the Nine Transformations of the Spirit Serpent to attack Ye Yun, but Ye Yun blocked and endured his barrage.
• Ye Yun shifted the momentum with the Flying Swallow Soaring Step and Ice Swallow Sky-Stepping Art, forcing Wang Baifeng onto the defensive.
• Wang Baifeng grew increasingly enraged as he heard the disciples discuss Ye Yun’s rapid cultivation and his own attacks failed to turn the fight around.
• Wang Baifeng’s appearance and aura changed, prompting Ye Yun to stop attacking and watch him cautiously.
• The Fifth Elder recognized that Wang Baifeng had suffered qi deviation.

Wang Baifeng suffered a qi deviation and overwhelmed Ye Yun with a relentless attack, leaving the Fifth Elder to choose between saving Wang Baifeng and protecting Ye Yun. The Fifth Elder let the fight continue, and Ye Yun felt estranged from him after hearing the choice announced publicly.

• The Fifth Elder warned Ye Yun that Wang Baifeng had suffered a qi deviation and asked him to hold out while he sought a solution.
• Wang Baifeng attacked Ye Yun with greatly increased speed and strength, forcing Ye Yun to defend while his qi dwindled and injuries mounted.
• The Fifth Elder found no way to stop Wang Baifeng without causing him to explode, so he urged Ye Yun to use every trump card and endure until the qi deviation passed.
• Wang Baifeng mocked Ye Yun, claiming the Fifth Elder had chosen him, while Ye Yun felt wounded by the Fifth Elder's public decision.
• The spectators pitied Ye Yun, and the Fifth Elder reflected that he had acted for the sect and Wang Baifeng but wronged Ye Yun.

Ye Yun used Earth-Origin Milk to restore his true qi while Wang Baifeng struggled to control his qi deviation, then defeated him when Wang Baifeng tried to kill him. Wang Baifeng fell beneath the arena with his heart shattered.

• As Wang Baifeng’s qi deviation faltered, Ye Yun struck him in the chest and sent him crashing onto the arena floor.
• Wang Baifeng urged Ye Yun to admit defeat while secretly trying to buy time to regain control of his true qi.
• Ye Yun drank Earth-Origin Milk from his Storage Bag and restored his true qi as the spectators and Fifth Elder watched.
• Wang Baifeng regained control first and rushed at Ye Yun with a lethal kick, intent on killing him.
• Ye Yun dodged Wang Baifeng’s kick and struck his chest with a punch that shattered his heart, sending him beneath the arena.

Ye Yun killed Wang Baifeng but was left badly injured, and the Fifth Elder regretted how he had handled their conflict. Before the Fifth Elder decided on the sect’s punishment, Ye Yun offered compensation to Wang Baifeng’s family to support his claim that the death had been accidental.

• Ye Yun’s final punch killed Wang Baifeng, and the Fifth Elder closed Wang Baifeng’s eyes after finding him dead.
• Ye Yun collapsed from exhaustion and backlash, and the Fifth Elder ordered Afu to take him to the main hall before warning the disciples not to discuss the fight.
• Ye Yun asked the Fifth Elder to punish him for accidentally killing Wang Baifeng, and the Fifth Elder privately decided not to report that Ye Yun might have chosen to kill him.
• Ye Yun claimed he would have spared Wang Baifeng if he could and accepted that the sect would decide his punishment.
• Ye Yun gave the Fifth Elder gold notes worth one hundred thousand taels to pass to Wang Baifeng’s family as compensation.

After killing Wang Baifeng, Ye Yun left the Fifth Elder’s hall and realized the elder had discovered that the killing was deliberate but would not press the matter. The sect elders debated Ye Yun’s punishment, and the decision was left to the Sect Master.

• The Fifth Elder told Ye Yun to remain in the sect while his punishment was decided and said he would plead for leniency.
• The Fifth Elder warned Ye Yun to let the matter end, and Ye Yun hurried away after realizing the elder had seen through him.
• Ye Yun returned to his residence, calmed himself, and took a healing pill to treat his injuries.
• The Sect Master and seven elders argued over whether Ye Yun should be punished lightly or severely for killing Wang Baifeng.
• The Fifth Elder proposed leaving the decision to the Sect Master, and the elders turned toward him.

Murong Kuangshi ruled that Ye Yun would clean the Cultivation Manual Pavilion for a month and pay a fifty-thousand-tael fine for killing Wang Baifeng, allowing him to remain eligible for the Great Dynasty Tournament. The light punishment stirred the Purple Extreme Sect, while Ye Yun continued training and He Yue learned how far he had advanced.

• Murong Kuangshi judged Wang Baifeng primarily at fault and assigned Ye Yun a month of cleaning and a fifty-thousand-tael fine, then reminded the elders to prepare for the Great Dynasty Tournament.
• The Seventh Elder restrained the Eighth Elder from challenging Murong Kuangshi’s ruling, then left after arguing with him about the punishment.
• An Enforcement Hall disciple delivered the decision to Ye Yun, who was surprised by the lenient result and resumed practicing his fist techniques.
• News of Ye Yun killing Wang Baifeng, reaching fifth place on the Hundred Strong Ranking, and receiving a light punishment spread through the inner sect.
• Ling Chen marveled at Ye Yun’s rapid progress, while He Yue learned of it and wondered whether she could ever catch up to him.