Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “They Came Knocking”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun realizes that the Mo Clan Trading House’s caravan is attracting multiple hostile forces because it secretly carries large quantities of gold and silver.
• He identifies three groups interested in attacking the caravan:
  • The Red-Clad Cult
  • The Gold Mountain Bandits
  • Axehead Stockade
• He suspects a fourth unknown faction may also be involved, since he has only investigated a small portion of the caravan’s more than five hundred travelers.
• The caravan reaches Wugang Village before nightfall and settles there for the evening. Some travelers stay with villagers, while others sleep in the temple or outdoors.
• During dinner, guards discuss the dangers of traveling through the wilderness. They dismiss most ghosts as harmless to martial artists but emphasize that people—especially desperate criminals and bandits—are the true danger.
• Guard Li Erniu recounts an incident in which a petty quarrel led to murder, followed by the murderer persuading a mountain stronghold to attack a caravan. The attack failed because the caravan was well protected.
• After dinner, Chen secretly borrows and appraises items belonging to numerous guards, coachmen, and other caravan members. Through the appraisal visions, he uncovers:
  • Complicated relationships among the caravan personnel
  • Connections between certain guards and hostile forces
  • One or two low-ranking guards who are peripheral members of the Red-Clad Cult
  • The fact that most guards do not know the caravan is carrying gold and silver; they believe the cargo consists of ordinary weapons, armor, and iron goods
• Chen concludes that examining the possessions of stronger guards, captains, and caravan leaders may reveal the most important secrets.
• His repeated appraisals still fail to raise the Stacking Talisman from High-Grade Treasure Rank to Immortal Rank, frustrating him.
• After returning to his lodging, Chen is unexpectedly visited by an armed martial artist who specifically seeks him out because of the attention he drew through his conspicuous behavior and apparent appraisal abilities.
• The visitor is revealed to possess cultivation at the Fifth Layer of the Qi Sea Realm, making him a significant potential threat.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Becomes increasingly alert to the caravan’s hidden dangers. He uses his appraisal abilities strategically to investigate the people around him, uncovering secret affiliations and the true nature of the cargo. Although outwardly calm, he recognizes that the journey may soon become dangerous.
• Li Erniu: Is established as an experienced and cautious guard who has traveled extensively. He acts as a mentor to the inexperienced Li Gen and understands that human greed and violence pose a greater threat than ghosts.
• Li Gen: Appears young and inexperienced, making his first long journey away from home. His curiosity about supernatural dangers allows Li Erniu to explain the practical dangers of caravan travel.
• Shopkeeper Liu: Continues managing the caravan responsibly, arranging lodging and meals for the group. His reaction to Li Erniu’s story reflects his awareness of the risks surrounding the journey.
• The Red-Clad Cult’s infiltrators: Their presence among the guards shows that the cult’s influence extends inside the caravan, though the lower-ranking members appear unaware of the full plan.
• The unnamed visitor: Introduced as a capable martial artist whose motives remain unclear. His decision to seek Chen directly creates immediate suspense.

Significant Themes

• Human greed and violence: The chapter emphasizes that people, rather than ghosts or beasts, are the greatest danger on the road. Wealth, resentment, and desperation can quickly turn ordinary travelers into murderers or accomplices.
• Hidden threats and deception: The caravan appears ordinary to most of its members, yet it conceals valuable cargo, infiltrators, and several factions plotting against it.
• The complexity of human relationships: Chen’s appraisals reveal collusion, secret loyalties, old grudges, and concealed affiliations within the caravan.
• Knowledge as power: Chen’s ability to investigate objects gives him information unavailable to others, allowing him to gradually uncover the caravan’s secrets.
• Limits of strength and progress: Despite appraising more than a hundred treasures, Chen cannot advance the Stacking Talisman, illustrating that cultivation and treasure advancement become increasingly difficult at higher thresholds.

Character Interactions

• Li Erniu and Li Gen: Their uncle-and-nephew-like relationship is shown through Li Erniu’s protective guidance and Li Gen’s respectful curiosity.
• The guards and Chen: Chen listens to their conversation while secretly appraising their possessions, creating a contrast between their open discussion and his covert investigation.
• Shopkeeper Liu and the caravan members: Liu provides practical support by arranging food and lodging, reinforcing his role as an organized caravan leader.
• Chen and the villagers: Chen’s group pays for lodging and dinner, showing the caravan’s routine interactions with local communities.
• Chen and the mysterious martial artist: Their direct encounter at the end of the chapter establishes the central unresolved tension. The visitor has come specifically for Chen, suggesting that his unusual behavior has attracted unwanted attention.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun meets a large martial artist named Dongfang Bai, who seeks his help appraising a heavily corroded dagger.
• Dongfang explains that the dagger was a hidden weapon found in his master’s body after the master was murdered. Its bloodstains and powerful killing intent have obscured its original appearance, and Dongfang hopes the appraisal will reveal clues about the murderer.
• Although Dongfang offers Chen a favor and protection on the journey to Burial Heaven Pit, Chen refuses to owe him anything. Instead, he asks Dongfang to teach him any sword technique as payment.
• Chen takes the dagger into a private room and begins the appraisal using divination and the Myriad Spirits Unsealing Technique.
• The dagger’s intense killing intent and sharp force aura erupt violently, nearly causing it to attack Chen. He suppresses the attack with his One-Yang Finger.
• Chen completely purges the killing intent, restoring the dagger’s original appearance. Its hilt bears a single elegant character: “Fa.”
• The appraisal vision begins revealing the dagger’s history, introducing a long-standing martial-world debate over which famous weapon or hidden weapon is the fastest.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates his courtesy and awareness of martial-world etiquette while concealing his extraordinary strength.
• He remains cautious about personal obligations, preferring a practical exchange over accepting Dongfang Bai’s favor.
• His immense spiritual power, combat ability, and confidence are emphasized when he effortlessly neutralizes the dagger’s killing intent and force aura.
• Chen’s appraisal abilities continue advancing, and he anticipates that appraising the dagger may help elevate his Stacking Talisman to the Immortal Rank.
• Dongfang Bai is established as a respected martial artist known as Swift Sword Dongfang Bai. He is powerful but financially poor, sincere in seeking justice for his murdered master, and unusually sensitive about having his compound surname treated incorrectly.

Significant Themes

• Justice and revenge: Dongfang’s search for the person who murdered his master drives the chapter’s central conflict.
• The hidden truth within objects: The dagger functions as a surviving clue whose history may expose the killer.
• Power concealed beneath appearances: Both Chen and the dagger appear ordinary or damaged at first, yet each contains formidable strength.
• Honor and obligation: Chen’s refusal to accept a favor reflects his desire to avoid emotional and moral debts.
• Martial-world rivalry: The debate over the fastest weapon introduces the competitive culture and legends of the martial world.

Character Interactions

• Chen and Dongfang begin with formal martial-world greetings, establishing mutual respect.
• Dongfang politely requests an appraisal and offers payment through a favor and protection.
• Chen declines the favor but proposes a sword lesson instead, creating a balanced exchange.
• Shopkeeper Liu supports the arrangement and is pleased by the prospect of Dongfang joining their journey as another protector.
• The chapter ends with Chen’s appraisal vision revealing the dagger’s mysterious identity and connecting it to a broader martial-world question about legendary weapons.

Chapter Summary: “Racing Ahead Among Peers”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter explains the martial-world tradition of comparing prominent fighters from the same generation, especially their speed, attack power, and achievements.
• Thirty years earlier, four famed young heroes—Zhang Xiaosheng, Yue Buping, Li San, and Dugu Yan—became known for their swift and powerful techniques.
• Once all four reached the Ninth Layer of the Qi Sea Realm, they began seeking battles against one another to temper themselves and break through into the Innate Realm. This competitive journey became known as “racing ahead among peers.”
• The treasure-appraisal vision reveals the history of Li San, the Swallow Sect’s legendary flying-dagger master:
  • He defeated Yue Buping with his sixth dagger.
  • He defeated Dugu Yan with only four daggers.
  • He ultimately fought Zhang Xiaosheng, who pushed him to his limits.
  • Li San used his strongest dagger, the one bearing the character “Mark,” to kill Zhang Xiaosheng, but was badly wounded by Zhang’s counterattack and fled without recovering the weapon.
• Chen Shaojun realizes that Zhang Xiaosheng was Dongfang Bai’s master, and that his death was the result of a martial duel rather than a personal vendetta.
• The appraisal of the flying dagger is completed at the Lower Immortal Rank, advancing Chen Shaojun’s understanding of the Stacking Talisman’s potential and making the reward valuable enough to rival the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Arts.
• After recovering his spiritual energy, Chen Shaojun returns the dagger to Dongfang Bai and confirms the identity of his master’s killer.
• Dongfang Bai, initially consumed by hatred, thanks Chen Shaojun and fulfills his promise to teach him a sword technique.
• Assuming Chen Shaojun is only at the Body Tempering Realm, Dongfang Bai teaches him the Thundering Sword, a technique focused on speed, physical tempering, and thunder-like attacks.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun gains a deeper understanding of martial advancement and the dangerous sacrifices required to reach the Innate Realm. He also becomes more sympathetic toward Dongfang Bai’s grief, despite knowing the duel between Li San and Zhang Xiaosheng was not morally straightforward.
• Dongfang Bai learns the truth about his master’s death. His anger and hatred toward Li San intensify, but he eventually regains composure and honors his promise to teach Chen Shaojun.
• Li San is portrayed not simply as a murderer, but as a determined martial artist willing to risk his life in pursuit of a breakthrough. His victory over Zhang Xiaosheng came at the cost of severe injuries.
• Zhang Xiaosheng is revealed to have been Dongfang Bai’s master and a formidable swordsman capable of seriously injuring Li San even while losing the duel.
• Yue Buping and Dugu Yan serve as examples of powerful peers who were defeated during Li San’s quest to test himself.

Significant Themes

• Martial progress through danger: Reaching the Innate Realm often requires more than secluded cultivation; warriors must confront powerful opponents and push themselves beyond their limits.
• Honor, reputation, and rivalry: Famous martial artists are constantly compared, yet their reputations make them reluctant to fight casually. Their eventual duels are motivated by both pride and the need for advancement.
• The ambiguity of justice: Zhang Xiaosheng’s death was not an act of revenge but the result of a mutually accepted duel. Nevertheless, to Dongfang Bai, Li San remains the killer of his master.
• The cost of ambition: Li San achieves victory but suffers grievous injuries, while Zhang Xiaosheng dies despite being a renowned master.
• Legacy and inheritance: Martial techniques, reputations, grudges, and relationships pass from one generation to the next, linking Chen Shaojun and Dongfang Bai to the older generation’s conflicts.

Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun and the treasure-appraisal vision: Through the appraisal, Chen Shaojun learns the truth behind the dagger and the duel between Li San and Zhang Xiaosheng.
• Chen Shaojun and Dongfang Bai: Chen returns the restored dagger and reveals its owner, allowing Dongfang Bai to identify his master’s killer. In return, Dongfang Bai teaches Chen the Thundering Sword.
• Li San and the rival masters: Li San’s battles with Yue Buping, Dugu Yan, and Zhang Xiaosheng demonstrate the progression of his challenges and culminate in the deadly duel with Zhang.
• The surrounding companions: Shopkeeper Liu, Lin Xi, and Lin Qiang refrain from interrupting the sword lesson, respecting martial-world etiquette and the privacy of the exchange.

Chapter Summary: “Exceptional Talent”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dongfang Bai demonstrates the seven-form Thundering Sword technique to Chen Shaojun, explaining that the movements must first be mastered before strength and sword intent are incorporated.
• Chen Shaojun immediately claims he has learned the entire technique. Dongfang Bai initially suspects he is boasting and gives him a sword to prove it.
• Chen Shaojun reproduces the technique accurately on his first attempt. His movements are stiff, but the forms and circulation of strength are correct.
• On his second attempt, he becomes more fluid and begins to grasp the technique’s essence. By the third, he successfully adds his own strength, producing sword cries resembling thunder and demonstrating remarkable proficiency.
• Dongfang Bai is shocked and concludes that Chen Shaojun possesses unparalleled swordsmanship talent, potentially surpassing even rare, once-in-a-decade geniuses.
• Impressed, Dongfang Bai offers to accept Chen Shaojun as his disciple. Chen refuses, explaining that he is satisfied with being an appraiser and only practices martial arts to strengthen his qi, blood, and spiritual power.
• Dongfang Bai accepts the refusal after reflecting on his own dangerous vendetta against Li San of the Swallow Sect, deciding it is better not to involve Chen Shaojun.
• Chen Shaojun returns to the room he shares with Shopkeeper Liu. When asked about his lesson, he calmly says he has learned the Thundering Sword, then prepares to continue cultivating rather than sleep.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Reveals extraordinary martial talent, particularly in swordsmanship. His Unforgettable Memory, Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart, and Swordheart Clarity allow him to perfectly observe and replicate the technique. Despite his talent, he deliberately avoids fame and refuses to become Dongfang Bai’s disciple, prioritizing his career as an appraiser and concealing the full extent of his abilities.
• Dongfang Bai: Moves from skepticism to complete astonishment and admiration. He recognizes Chen Shaojun as an exceptional, possibly once-in-a-century sword genius and briefly hopes to take him as a disciple. His own revenge against Li San also influences his decision not to pressure Chen.
• Shopkeeper Liu: Shows mild surprise at Chen Shaojun’s rapid progress but does not question him deeply, suggesting growing acceptance of Chen’s unusual abilities.

Significant Themes

• Exceptional innate talent: Chen Shaojun’s rapid mastery emphasizes the difference between ordinary ability and truly extraordinary genius.
• Concealment versus recognition: Although Chen possesses astonishing potential, he deliberately restrains his display of talent to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
• Practical ambition: Chen values martial arts primarily as a tool for improving his appraisal abilities rather than as a path to fame, power, or combat.
• Mentorship and personal choice: Dongfang Bai’s offer highlights the traditional importance of teachers, but Chen’s refusal shows his independence and determination to choose his own path.
• Danger accompanying power: Dongfang Bai’s revenge and dangerous enemies demonstrate that exceptional martial ability can bring burdens, conflict, and risk.

Character Interactions

• Dongfang Bai instructs Chen Shaojun and tests him after becoming skeptical of his claim to have learned the technique.
• Chen’s increasingly impressive demonstrations transform Dongfang Bai’s attitude from doubt to awe, leading to the offer of discipleship.
• Chen rejects Dongfang Bai respectfully but firmly, explaining his priorities.
• Dongfang Bai privately reflects on Chen’s circumstances and his own dangerous feud before withdrawing his proposal.
• Shopkeeper Liu briefly speaks with Chen about the lesson, while Chen deliberately gives only a simple answer and keeps his deeper abilities concealed.

Chapter Summary: “What Grudge, What Resentment?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun continues cultivating the Sitting-in-Oblivion Scripture and Tai Shang Perception Scripture. His spiritual-power range increases from twenty to twenty-one zhang, an exceptional level for a treasure appraiser.
• The caravan resumes its journey after resting overnight. Dongfang Bai keeps his promise to protect Chen Shaojun, riding beside his carriage.
• Chen leaves the carriage and covertly appraises treasures belonging to caravan members using Empty-Handed Sleight. Through the information revealed by these appraisals, he discovers that several hostile forces are coordinating an attack.
• The known enemies include:

Red-Clad Cult

Gold Mountain Bandits

Axehead Stockade

Black Tiger Gang

• Chen learns the approximate attack location: Dark Gully Ridge, about thirty li ahead, where the caravan is expected to arrive in the afternoon.
• The bandit forces possess considerable strength, especially the Black Tiger Gang, whose leader is at the Eighth Layer of the Qi Sea Realm. Chen worries that the Red-Clad Cult may even send an Innate Realm expert.
• While speaking with two traveling merchants, Chen learns that Ghosthead Stronghold, the dominant bandit force in Dark Gully Ridge, controls the region. It has thousands of members, favorable terrain, and possible connections to powerful officials in Shengjing City.
• Ghosthead Stronghold survives because officials allegedly protect it in exchange for regular payments. Even major trading houses pay “toll fees” for safe passage.
• Chen realizes that Ghosthead Stronghold may also be involved in the planned ambush. The attack therefore appears to involve at least five forces rather than four.
• He becomes increasingly suspicious that the caravan’s true importance is greater than its apparent cargo of roughly two hundred thousand taels of silver. He turns his attention toward the senior officials of the Mo Clan Trading House, believing they may know the hidden reason behind the attack.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates growing discipline and strength. His steady cultivation has significantly improved his spiritual power, while his Arcane Power and spell repertoire give him confidence that he could escape even an Innate Realm opponent.
• His personality becomes more cautious and analytical as he gathers intelligence. Rather than reacting immediately, he discreetly investigates the caravan and reconstructs the enemy’s plans.
• Chen also grows more suspicious of the official story surrounding the caravan. He begins to believe that the silver is merely a cover for a deeper secret.
• Dongfang Bai remains loyal and protective, refusing to leave Chen’s side despite Chen’s attempts to dissuade him. He also contributes information by mentioning that Ghosthead Stronghold may possess an Innate Realm expert.
• The two traveling merchants provide Chen with valuable information about Ghosthead Stronghold, regional corruption, and the dangers faced by ordinary traders.

Significant Themes

• Accumulation through persistence: Chen’s spiritual power grows slowly through repeated cultivation, emphasizing that consistent effort can produce major results.
• Hidden power and political corruption: Ghosthead Stronghold’s survival reveals collusion between bandits and officials, suggesting that authority and criminal organizations are deeply intertwined.
• The limits of appearances: The caravan seems to carry only silver, yet the enormous number of forces targeting it implies that its true purpose or contents are concealed.
• Information as power: Chen’s treasure-appraisal ability allows him to uncover secrets, assess enemy strength, and anticipate danger without revealing his own actions.
• Growing danger and uncertainty: Even with Chen’s strength, the possibility of an Innate Realm expert and the involvement of the Red-Clad Cult create a serious threat.

Character Interactions

• Chen and Dongfang Bai travel closely together, with Dongfang silently fulfilling his role as protector while remaining unaware of Chen’s covert appraisals.
• Chen questions two merchants about Dark Gully Ridge and Ghosthead Stronghold, subtly appraising their possessions as they speak.
• Dongfang joins the conversation and raises the possibility that Ghosthead Stronghold has an Innate Realm expert.
• Chen’s conversations with the merchants deepen his understanding of the region’s bandit networks and official corruption, ultimately leading him to suspect that the Mo Clan Trading House is hiding critical information.

Chapter Summary: “Selling His Looks, Instincts”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun suspects that the Mo Clan Trading House’s caravan is carrying something more valuable than the publicly known two hundred thousand taels of silver. He begins targeting the caravan’s martial experts for appraisal.
• He identifies several hidden experts, including:
  • An elderly man in the Qi Sea Realm’s Seventh Stage.
  • His granddaughter, a talented young martial artist above the Seventh Stage of Body Tempering.
  • Dongfang Bai, who is in the Fifth Layer of the Qi Sea Realm.
• Chen tests whether he can steal from a highly perceptive martial artist without being detected. Using Empty-Handed Sleight and acrobatic techniques, he replaces Dongfang Bai’s jade pendant with an object of similar weight, preventing him from noticing the theft.
• He successfully appraises Dongfang Bai’s pendant. The appraisal reveals that Dongfang Bai was orphaned young, once stole from a man named Zhang Xiaosheng, and was instead taken in and taught martial arts by him. After Zhang Xiaosheng was murdered by a flying-knife expert marked with the character “Fa,” Dongfang Bai swore revenge and is now seeking the legendary Flying Knife King.
• Chen then approaches the elderly man and his granddaughter, Kong Le and Kong Mingyue. Because they are suspicious and guarded, Chen uses his charm and handsome appearance to draw Mingyue into conversation.
• He steals and appraises Kong Mingyue’s inherited jade pendant, learning their true identities and reasons for traveling in disguise.
• Kong Le was once a famous male-role performer in the Pear Garden who became renowned for performing female roles. Kong Mingyue inherited his talent and became a celebrated opera star whose beauty and singing attracted powerful admirers.
• To escape a corrupt prince’s son who intended to take Mingyue as a concubine—and who was notorious for abusing and discarding women—Kong Le and Mingyue disguised themselves and fled Shengjing City with the caravan.
• After completing the appraisal, Chen prepares to leave, but Mingyue asks what an appraiser does. Chen reveals that he can identify valuable objects, inadvertently demonstrating that he has recognized details about her theatrical background.
• Kong Le becomes wary, while Dongfang Bai instinctively protects Chen. Chen reassures Kong Le that his knowledge is merely professional instinct and that he has no interest in exposing them.
• Chen moves on, deciding not to become involved in their affairs.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates growing confidence in his ability to steal from powerful martial artists. He combines precise appraisal techniques with agility, deception, and social charm. He also reflects on his tendency to show off around attractive women, while insisting that he remains focused on martial and immortal cultivation.
• Dongfang Bai: Gains greater depth through the appraisal. Beneath his rough, prematurely aged appearance is a devoted disciple and adopted son seeking revenge for his murdered master.
• Kong Le: Is revealed to be a former Pear Garden celebrity and a powerful Qi Sea Realm expert. His guarded, suspicious behavior reflects his determination to protect Mingyue from powerful enemies.
• Kong Mingyue: Is revealed to be a gifted and famous opera performer hiding behind the appearance of a poor village girl. She is wary but curious, and Chen’s humor and appearance briefly draw her out of her reserve.
• Chen and Kong Mingyue: Develop a brief, playful rapport, though Chen deliberately avoids pursuing the relationship because of her young age and his desire to remain uninvolved.
• Chen and Kong Le: Their interaction becomes tense after Chen unknowingly reveals that he has seen through their disguise. Kong Le remains suspicious despite Chen’s explanation.

Significant Themes

• Skill versus perception: Chen’s success depends on perfectly replacing stolen objects with items of equal weight, showing that even supernatural sleight of hand must account for a martial artist’s heightened senses.
• Hidden identities and appearances: The caravan contains disguised experts, famous performers, and people fleeing political danger. Chen’s Spirit Eye Technique allows him to see beyond outward appearances.
• Power and exploitation: Kong Mingyue’s escape highlights how vulnerable talented and beautiful women are to the arbitrary desires of nobles and powerful men.
• Trust and secrecy: Chen’s appraisal abilities give him access to other people’s hidden histories, but revealing too much risks conflict and destroys trust.
• Self-restraint: Although Chen enjoys Mingyue’s beauty and his own ability to impress her, he consciously restrains himself and prioritizes cultivation and personal advancement.
• The harsh life of the Thief Sect: The chapter emphasizes that theft against martial artists is extremely dangerous, explaining why ordinary thieves are helpless against experts.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen secretly steals and replaces Dongfang Bai’s jade pendant, establishing that his techniques can deceive even a Qi Sea Realm expert.
• Through appraisal, Chen learns of Dongfang Bai’s bond with his murdered master and his quest for revenge.
• Chen jokes with Kong Mingyue and uses his charm to overcome her initial suspicion, allowing him to appraise her pendant.
• Chen identifies details about Mingyue’s opera background, causing Kong Le to become defensive.
• Dongfang Bai steps between Chen and Kong Le when the latter appears threatening, revealing his protective instincts.
• Chen reassures Kong Le but ultimately leaves rather than becoming involved in the pair’s flight or troubles.

Chapter Summary: “Second Sword Token? Discovery and Speculation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun approaches Mo Cheng, chief shopkeeper of the Mo Clan Trading House, after learning that the caravan is nearing Dark Gully Ridge.
• He warns Mo Cheng that multiple bandit forces have infiltrated the caravan and plan to ambush it in Dark Gully Ridge. Chen suggests taking a detour.
• Mo Cheng initially dismisses the warning, confident in the caravan’s long history of safely passing through the area. However, Chen points out that Ghosthead Stronghold itself may be involved, causing Mo Cheng to reconsider.
• While speaking with Mo Cheng, Chen secretly appraises a bone flute using his spiritual techniques.
• The appraisal reveals the flute’s history: it was made from the tailbone of a five-hundred-year-old snake demon. Though useful for driving away ordinary snakes and insects, it provokes murderous hatred from intelligent snake demons.
• The flute became imbued with the resentful qi of a Miao girl’s family after a snake demon killed several of them in retaliation for her playing it.
• The flute later came into Mo Cheng’s possession through Wen Wan, the woman he once loved. Mo Cheng has kept it for years as a reminder of their failed relationship.
• Chen’s appraisal also reveals the real importance of the caravan’s cargo: a small, sword-shaped token kept in a jade box.
• Chen recognizes it as a second Sword Token created by the legendary Sword Elder. Six such tokens can supposedly reveal the location of Sword Elder’s cave abode, which contains priceless sword inheritances and treasures.
• Chen suspects the Red-Clad Cult is secretly coordinating the bandit forces to seize the token. He also wonders whether Ghosthead Stronghold is affiliated with the cult.
• Chen discovers two extremely powerful auras near the caravan, belonging to experts above the Innate Realm. Their hidden presence explains why the Mo Clan dared to transport such a valuable object with what appeared to be an ordinary caravan.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates initiative, caution, and growing strategic awareness. Rather than waiting for information, he directly confronts Mo Cheng and uses his appraisal abilities covertly. His discovery of the Sword Token greatly increases his understanding of the danger surrounding the caravan.
• Mo Cheng: Initially confident and dismissive of the threat, he becomes serious when Chen suggests that Ghosthead Stronghold may be involved. His appraisal history also reveals a sentimental and tragic past, showing that beneath his stern appearance he remains deeply attached to his lost love, Wen Wan.
• Wen Wan: Appears only through the appraisal memories, but is portrayed as someone who genuinely loved Mo Cheng and briefly attempted to flee with him before being forced into another marriage.
• The Red-Clad Cult: Though not directly present in the main conversation, it emerges as the likely hidden mastermind behind the planned attack and the coordination of various bandit groups.

Significant Themes

• Greed and the value of treasures: The Sword Token is valuable enough to motivate bandits and powerful factions to risk attacking the Mo Clan caravan.
• Hidden dangers and deception: The caravan’s apparent security is undermined by infiltrators, secret alliances, and concealed enemies.
• The weight of the past: The bone flute symbolizes Mo Cheng’s enduring regret and lost love, showing how personal memories can remain powerful even after many years.
• The contrast between appearance and reality: Mo Cheng appears to be an ordinary, aging shopkeeper but has a deeply emotional history. Likewise, the seemingly modest caravan is secretly transporting a legendary treasure and protected by hidden experts.
• Knowledge as power: Chen’s ability to identify the Sword Token gives him insight into the broader conflict and allows him to reassess the motives and strength of the opposing forces.

Character Interactions

• Chen respectfully but firmly confronts Mo Cheng, attempting to convince him that the caravan is in danger.
• Mo Cheng challenges Chen’s warning, relying on his confidence in the Mo Clan’s past dealings with Dark Gully Ridge.
• Chen shifts the conversation by suggesting that the stronghold responsible for protecting the route may itself be part of the conspiracy.
• While Mo Cheng reflects on the danger and the significance of the cargo, Chen secretly appraises his bone flute and uncovers the emotional history behind it.
• Their conversation develops from skepticism to cautious seriousness, with Chen gaining a clearer understanding of Mo Cheng’s character and the hidden forces surrounding the caravan.

Chapter Summary: “They Came—The Worthless Gazed Up at Geniuses”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun finishes appraising the bone flute and returns it to Mo Cheng. The Stacking Talisman is upgraded to Immortal Rank—Middle Grade, bringing it one step closer to its upper-grade limit.
• Mo Cheng asks whether Chen Shaojun knows who is plotting against the caravan. Chen reveals the identities of hidden bandit agents, including Iron Foot Six, an outer member of the Gold Mountain Bandits.
• Mo Cheng’s men capture and interrogate the infiltrators, confirming that several bandit forces intend to ambush the caravan at Dark Gully Ridge.
• To avoid the ambush, Mo Cheng changes the caravan’s route, abandoning the official road for a difficult mountain path that bypasses the ridge.
• The waiting forces—Gold Mountain Bandits, Axehead Stockade, Black Tiger Gang, Ghosthead Stronghold, and the Red-Clad Cult—learn that the caravan has changed course. They decide to abandon the planned ambush and pursue the caravan for a direct assault.
• The attackers include several powerful figures: Ghosthead Stronghold’s Innate Realm Supreme Elder, the Red-Clad Cult’s Innate expert, the Three-Corpse Daoist, and high-level martial artists such as Zuo Bofan and Cui Wu.
• Chen senses the attackers approaching through their powerful blood-and-qi auras. The caravan forms a defensive position around the cargo carts.
• The battle begins when Red-Clad Cult member Zuo Bofan launches an immediate attack. Mo Cheng attempts to negotiate, but the attackers refuse any discussion.
• Both sides suffer casualties as the bandits overwhelm the caravan with numbers and superior preparation. Dongfang Bai, Lin Xi, and Lin Qiang protect Chen, Shopkeeper Liu, and nearby civilians while fighting off attackers.
• Chen picks up a fallen bandit’s sword and uses the battle as an opportunity to practice and appraise it. He kills three enemies through carefully timed attacks.
• Dongfang Bai realizes that Chen is using the Thundering Sword he taught him the previous night. Chen has already reached the technique’s minor mastery stage and is improving rapidly toward great mastery.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates his growing influence and responsibility by exposing the infiltrators and preventing the caravan from entering the original ambush. Despite appearing to be only a Body Tempering Realm martial artist, he fights with remarkable precision and timing. His mastery of the Thundering Sword advances rapidly during combat, revealing exceptional natural talent.
• Mo Cheng: Initially uncertain about Chen’s warning, he becomes convinced after the captured spies confirm the plot. He acts decisively, changing the caravan’s route and organizing its defenses.
• Dongfang Bai: Shifts from simply protecting Chen to being deeply astonished by his talent. He recognizes that Chen’s swordsmanship is already approaching the level that took him years to achieve.
• Zuo Bofan: Appears as Chen’s former acquaintance from the pleasure boat and attacks the caravan without hesitation. His aggressive behavior helps establish the battle’s merciless nature.
• The caravan members: Many ordinary travelers panic and seek protection, while the trained guards and martial artists organize themselves and resist the assault.

Significant Themes

• Hidden ability and underestimated genius: Chen appears inexperienced and weak, but his appraisal abilities, combat instincts, and rapid swordsmanship growth reveal extraordinary talent.
• Preparation versus overwhelming force: Chen’s warning allows the caravan to avoid the planned ambush, but the attackers’ determination and strength make confrontation unavoidable.
• Responsibility and compassion: Although Chen has little personal connection with most caravan members, his knowledge of their lives and secrets makes him unwilling to let them die needlessly.
• The gap between ordinary people and true geniuses: Dongfang Bai’s astonishment emphasizes how extraordinary Chen’s rapid progress is compared with conventional martial cultivation.
• Violence and survival: Once negotiations fail, the conflict becomes a brutal struggle in which both sides fight without mercy, while ordinary civilians are caught in the middle.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen reports the conspiracy to Mo Cheng, leading to the discovery of the hidden bandits and the caravan’s route change.
• Chen explains the situation to Shopkeeper Liu, while Dongfang Bai silently wonders whether Chen truly overheard the plot.
• Dongfang Bai, Lin Xi, and Lin Qiang form a protective group around Chen and Shopkeeper Liu when the attack begins.
• Mo Cheng attempts to reason with Zuo Bofan, but Zuo immediately attacks, forcing the caravan into battle.
• Dongfang Bai observes Chen’s swordplay and recognizes the Thundering Sword’s principles within it. He is stunned that Chen has reached minor mastery so quickly and is rapidly progressing toward great mastery.

Chapter Summary: The Road Sweeper

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun fights alongside Dongfang Bai, Lin Xi, and Lin Qiang during the caravan’s battle against a large bandit force. Although he considers the Thundering Sword ordinary compared with his other techniques, his Swordheart Clarity lets him master it rapidly.
• The caravan suffers heavy losses. Numerous guards and martial warriors are killed, while both sides’ Innate Realm experts engage elsewhere, leaving the battlefield forces at a disadvantage.
• Chen’s impressive swordsmanship attracts attention, particularly after he and the others kill more than a dozen bandits together.
• Cold-Blooded Silver Saber Zuo Bufan, an extremely powerful Eighth Layer Qi Sea Realm expert, attacks the group. He quickly overwhelms Dongfang Bai, Lin Xi, and Lin Qiang, exposing Chen and the civilians behind them.
• Recognizing Zuo Bufan from their previous encounter on the flower boat, Chen throws away his sword and pretends to flee. Zuo pursues him, while Dongfang Bai attempts to intervene and is badly wounded.
• Once hidden in the forest, Chen changes his clothes, appearance, aura, and weapon. He disguises himself as an unrelated wandering swordsman so that he can act without revealing his identity.
• Returning to the battlefield, Chen finds Zuo Bufan preparing to mutilate Lin Xi and the others. He intervenes with the First-Rank One-Yang Finger, striking Zuo’s saber repeatedly.
• After four successive attacks, Chen disarms Zuo and kills him with a final One-Yang Finger through the head.
• Chen introduces himself as the mysterious “Road Sweeper,” claiming to be a wandering hero who eliminates injustice. Dongfang Bai, Lin Xi, and Lin Qiang express their gratitude, believing him to be a powerful senior.
• Chen immediately proceeds toward the central battlefield, where Mo Cheng and the caravan’s strongest guards are defending the most valuable goods.
• Two silver-filled carriages overturn during the fighting, exposing piles of silver and intensifying the bandits’ greed.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates his ability to adapt quickly, conceal his true strength, and manipulate the battlefield strategically. Rather than confronting Zuo openly, he uses deception, disguise, and the One-Yang Finger to eliminate him. His creation of the “Road Sweeper” identity marks another step in protecting his anonymity while acting heroically.
• Zuo Bufan: Reveals his sadistic nature by planning to cripple his opponents and turn them into “human sticks.” His confidence collapses when faced with Chen’s overwhelming speed and power, leading to his death.
• Dongfang Bai: Shows courage by trying to rescue Chen, despite the enormous difference in strength, but is severely injured by Zuo.
• Lin Xi: Is pushed to the edge of death while protecting Lin Qiang. Chen’s intervention saves him from losing his arm, deepening his respect and gratitude toward the mysterious swordsman.
• Lin Qiang: Fights alongside Lin Xi and shares the group’s helplessness against Zuo, but survives because of Chen’s intervention.
• The caravan fighters: Their dwindling numbers and inability to overcome the bandits emphasize the severity of the attack and the importance of stronger combatants entering the battle.

Significant Themes

• Concealed power and identity: Chen hides his true abilities and assumes a new identity, allowing him to influence events without exposing himself.
• Strategic intelligence over brute force: Chen wins not by openly challenging Zuo at first, but through calculated retreat, disguise, and a surprise attack.
• Heroism and justice: The “Road Sweeper” persona presents Chen as a wandering figure who intervenes when he sees injustice, even though his actions also settle a personal grudge.
• Cruelty versus restraint: Zuo takes pleasure in prolonged torture, while Chen kills him quickly and without unnecessary suffering once the threat is neutralized.
• The chaos of warfare and greed: As casualties mount, discipline breaks down. The exposed silver threatens to shift the battle from military conflict into a scramble for wealth.
• Hidden superiority: Chen’s apparent weakness as a Body Tempering Realm fighter contrasts sharply with his actual ability to use peak Qi Sea Realm power and high-level techniques.

Character Interactions

• Chen works closely with Dongfang Bai, Lin Xi, and Lin Qiang, whose combined efforts help kill bandits but cannot withstand Zuo Bufan.
• Zuo singles Chen out because he recognizes him from their earlier encounter, turning a general battlefield clash into a personal pursuit.
• Dongfang Bai attempts to protect Chen and later thanks the disguised expert after being wounded.
• Lin Xi and Lin Qiang fight together against Zuo and protect one another, with Lin Xi ultimately risking himself to save Lin Qiang.
• Chen’s intervention earns the three martial warriors’ admiration, though they mistake him for an unknown senior expert.
• After killing Zuo, Chen refuses prolonged conversation and redirects attention to the still-unresolved battle, showing his continued focus on the caravan’s survival.

Chapter Summary: “Sword Domain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun enters the battle against the bandits and immediately begins cutting through them with overwhelming speed and precision.
• His swordsmanship proves vastly superior to that of Dongfang Bai, who considers himself the “Swift Sword.” Dongfang realizes that even his renowned master would likely be unable to withstand a single exchange with Chen Shaojun.
• Chen abandons his usual caution and concealment, openly releasing the powerful aura of a Peak Qi Sea Realm Martial Warrior. The battle excites him, awakening a sense of freedom and martial exhilaration.
• Using the Sacred Spirit Sword Technique, Chen kills numerous bandits with ease. He demonstrates extraordinary sword control by bending his rigid longsword and slicing off an attacker’s head with a single motion.
• Zhao Qing, the Ghosthead Stronghold’s archer, attempts to kill Chen from a distance. Chen catches the incoming arrow barehanded, then redirects it back using his spiritual power. The arrow changes direction multiple times and eventually pierces Zhao Qing’s neck.
• Chen turns his attention to the Black Tiger Gang experts surrounding him. He kills them one after another with nearly imperceptible sword strikes, reaching at least eighteen confirmed kills.
• Zhao Hu, leader of the Black Tiger Gang, tries to escape after recognizing Chen’s overwhelming strength, but Chen catches and kills him effortlessly.
• Chen’s swordsmanship then produces a strange resonance that disrupts the enemies’ blood and qi, slows their movements, and traps them in a powerful field.
• Chen realizes that he has unconsciously advanced beyond Sword Intent and entered the realm of the Sword Domain, also known as the Innate Domain.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun becomes increasingly confident and liberated during the battle. Rather than hiding his strength, he embraces the fierce, direct nature of martial combat and unleashes his full power.
• His mastery of swordsmanship reaches a major breakthrough. He not only demonstrates perfect control and tremendous speed but also naturally comprehends the Sword Domain.
• Chen’s breakthrough places him only one major step away from the Innate Realm, giving him a significant advantage over other warriors seeking to advance.
• Dongfang Bai is humbled and inspired by witnessing Chen’s swordsmanship. His pride in his own reputation as the Swift Sword is replaced by awe and recognition of Chen as a true sword master.
• Zhao Qing and Zhao Hu shift from confidence to fear as they realize Chen is far beyond their ability to defeat. Both are killed after underestimating him.
• The surviving Black Tiger Gang members become terrified and helpless once Chen’s Sword Domain restricts their bodies and qi.

Significant Themes

• True martial mastery: The chapter contrasts reputation and genuine ability. Dongfang Bai’s famous “swift sword” pales beside Chen’s perfected technique.
• Breaking free from restraint: Chen’s decision to stop concealing himself symbolizes his acceptance of the martial world’s passion, danger, and exhilaration.
• Accumulated foundations leading to breakthrough: Chen’s countless perfected martial arts have built an enormous foundation, allowing his advancement into the Sword Domain to occur naturally.
• Swordsmanship as a realm of influence: Sword Domain is presented as more than improved technique—it is a field that suppresses opponents and changes the environment around the swordsman.
• Overwhelming superiority and the danger of underestimation: The bandits repeatedly misjudge Chen, believing numbers, surprise attacks, or ranged weapons can threaten him, only to be defeated instantly.

Character Interactions

• Dongfang Bai and the caravan guards watch Chen’s massacre with shock, initially warning him about attacks but soon realizing that he does not need their protection.
• Chen’s performance inspires Dongfang Bai and the other guards to resume fighting with renewed confidence.
• Zhao Qing attacks Chen from afar while Zhao Hu and the Black Tiger Gang attempt to surround him, creating a coordinated assault that fails completely.
• Chen responds to Zhao Qing’s arrow with a taunting remark about returning courtesy, then kills him using the archer’s own weapon.
• Zhao Hu’s fear becomes evident once Chen targets him, but his attempted escape is futile.
• The remaining bandits directly experience Chen’s newly formed Sword Domain and are overwhelmed by its suppressive power.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun reflects on his exceptional talents: Swordheart Clarity, which lets him master sword techniques rapidly, and the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart, which grants extraordinary analytical ability. These talents, combined with his strong foundation and recent battles, allow him to comprehend and wield the Sword Domain.
• Using the Sword Domain, Chen kills several Black Tiger Gang martial warriors in quick succession. His terrifying swordsmanship causes the battlefield to fall into hesitation, with many bandits considering retreat.
• The Ghosthead Stronghold chieftain recognizes that Chen’s strength is comparable to the Innate Realm and becomes afraid to confront him directly.
• The battle among the Innate experts takes a decisive turn. The Red-Clad Cult’s Three-Corpse Daoist launches a surprise spell attack while using his three zombies to restrain a Mo Clan expert. With Li Kui’s assistance, they severely wound and kill one of the Mo Clan Trading House’s Innate protectors.
• The death of the Mo Clan expert shifts the balance of power. Two enemy Innate experts, the Three-Corpse Daoist, and his zombies surround the remaining Mo Clan expert, causing the caravan’s forces to lose hope.
• News of the defeat spreads across the battlefield. Many caravan guards and wandering martial artists lose their will to fight, flee, or surrender. The bandits become confident and receive orders to leave no survivors or witnesses.
• Chen refuses to accept that the battle is over. He realizes that if an enemy Innate expert can be killed, the situation may still be reversed.
• Deciding to reveal more of his abilities, Chen uses Eight Swords Flying Together, summoning eight discarded swords from across the battlefield. He controls them telekinetically, sending them through the bandit ranks.
• The flying swords slaughter numerous bandit leaders and experts, including Zhao Jinshan, leader of the Gold Mountain Bandits, and the chief of Axehead Stockade. The technique proves especially devastating against groups.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun advances from a powerful martial artist into a battlefield-dominating figure. His repeated combat experience helps him fully comprehend the Sword Domain and gain confidence in fighting opponents near the Innate Realm.
• Chen’s personality becomes increasingly bold and battle-hardened. Although initially concerned about concealing his identity and dual cultivation, he decides that the crisis justifies revealing his Daoist and martial abilities.
• The Ghosthead Stronghold chieftain, previously confident in his forces, becomes fearful and helpless after witnessing Chen’s killing power. He recognizes that Chen may be capable of killing even him.
• The Three-Corpse Daoist demonstrates his cunning and versatility by combining spellcraft, zombies, and surprise attacks rather than relying solely on direct combat.
• The caravan’s forces suffer a severe morale collapse after the death of one of their Innate protectors, while the bandits’ confidence surges.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus experience: Chen possesses extraordinary innate gifts, but the chapter emphasizes that true breakthroughs also require actual combat and the insights gained from confronting powerful enemies.
• The importance of high-level combatants: The fall of one Innate expert immediately changes the entire battlefield, showing how decisive top-tier strength is in determining victory.
• Morale and perception: Chen’s Sword Domain intimidates enemies even before they are attacked, while the death of the caravan’s protector causes widespread despair and retreat.
• Hidden identity and concealed strength: Chen’s disguise allows him to act without exposing his true background, giving him the freedom to use abilities that would otherwise attract suspicion.
• Power against groups: Eight Swords Flying Together is presented as especially effective in mass combat. Its strength lies not in overwhelming a single enemy, but in attacking many targets simultaneously from unpredictable angles.

Character Interactions

• Chen’s presence directly intimidates the Black Tiger Gang and the Ghosthead Stronghold chieftain, who are unable to counter his Sword Domain.
• The Ghosthead chieftain commands the bandits to eliminate all survivors, treating the battle as a decisive victory after the Innate-level defeat.
• The Three-Corpse Daoist works together with Li Kui, using zombies and spellcraft to create an opening that allows them to kill a Mo Clan Innate expert.
• The remaining Mo Clan Innate expert is besieged by the enemy’s superior numbers and begins seeking a chance to escape.
• Chen’s sudden activation of eight flying swords interrupts the bandits’ momentum and turns his attention toward their strongest remaining fighters, killing major leaders and threatening to reverse the battlefield’s balance.

Chapter Summary: Joining the Battle of the Innate Realm

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun takes control of eight battlefield longswords and unleashes Eight Swords Flying Together against the Ghosthead Stronghold’s chief. The technique resembles Daoist flying swords but is actually a supreme martial art powered by True Qi.
• His attack kills numerous bandits and several Qi Sea Realm experts, shocking everyone present and establishing him as one of the strongest martial artists beneath the Innate Realm.
• The attack eventually loses momentum because the ordinary battlefield swords cannot withstand large amounts of True Qi. The Ghosthead Stronghold’s chief survives by evading and deflecting the swords.
• Rather than continuing to fight the chief, Chen Shaojun heads toward the decisive Innate Realm battlefield. The remaining guards, led by Zhou Kuang, subsequently surround and kill the weakened Ghosthead Stronghold chief.
• Chen uses the perfected Golden Wild Goose Technique to cross the air in a spectacular display, causing witnesses to realize that he intends to join the Innate-level battle.
• Mo Cheng and Zhou Kuang doubt that a Qi Sea Realm martial artist can contend with an Innate Grandmaster, though they still hope Chen might create a miracle.
• Upon entering the battlefield, Chen is immediately attacked by Li Kui, the Ghosthead Stronghold’s grand elder. Li Kui’s blade strike contains powerful Blade Intent and nearly overwhelms him.
• Chen defends himself with the Golden Bell Shield and Ironcloth Body Shield, then counters with the Saintly Spirit Sword Art. After fourteen rapid strikes, he uses Sword Fifteen to shatter Li Kui’s blade radiance.
• Three-Corpse Daoist then sends three Silver-Armored Zombies to attack Chen and distract him while the Innate experts focus on Fang Ping, the trading house’s remaining Innate expert.
• Chen recognizes Three-Corpse Daoist as an old acquaintance, though the Daoist does not recognize him because of Chen’s transformation since their previous encounters.
• Chen effortlessly kills two of the supposedly formidable Zombies with Sword Sixteen, piercing one’s head and severing the other’s. Three-Corpse Daoist is horrified and attempts to recall the last Zombie, but Chen pursues it and prepares to use Sword Eighteen.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates a dramatic rise in combat ability. He progresses from suppressing Qi Sea Realm enemies to directly confronting Innate Realm attacks, revealing immense confidence, tactical awareness, and mastery of multiple martial arts.
• He shows sound judgment by abandoning the Ghosthead Stronghold chief and prioritizing the Innate battlefield, correctly recognizing that the higher-level confrontation will determine the caravan’s fate.
• Su Ze becomes an ardent admirer of Chen, viewing him as a legendary martial hero brought to life.
• Dongfang Bai, Lin Xi, and Lin Qiang fully accept Chen as a peerless genius and one of the strongest figures below the Innate Realm.
• Zhou Kuang, despite his pessimistic assessment of the power gap between Qi Sea and Innate experts, develops a reluctant hope that Chen can accomplish the impossible.
• Three-Corpse Daoist suffers a major shock when his carefully cultivated Silver-Armored Zombies are destroyed with ease. His confidence in their strength is replaced by fear and disbelief.
• Chen’s past connection with Three-Corpse Daoist gains importance, hinting at unresolved history and the possibility that their former acquaintance may eventually be revealed.

Significant Themes

• Defying established limits: The chapter challenges the belief that a Qi Sea Realm martial artist can never resist an Innate Grandmaster.
• Hope amid desperation: Chen’s arrival transforms the caravan’s situation, becoming a source of hope for people who had assumed defeat was inevitable.
• Power and mastery: The chapter emphasizes the difference between raw cultivation level and actual combat ability, showing how technique, True Qi, defenses, weapons, and battle experience can narrow an apparently impossible gap.
• The spectacle of martial prowess: Chen’s flying swords, aerial movement, golden defenses, and escalating sword techniques inspire awe and make him appear almost immortal.
• Preparation versus quality: The limitations of the ordinary longswords demonstrate that the quality of a weapon affects how much power a martial artist can safely and effectively channel.
• Hidden identity and transformation: Chen’s former relationship with Three-Corpse Daoist contrasts with his present identity as a terrifying swordsman, highlighting how greatly he has changed.

Character Interactions

• Chen’s sword display inspires admiration from Su Ze and the rescued members of the caravan.
• Chen indirectly enables Zhou Kuang and the guards to kill the Ghosthead Stronghold chief by eliminating most of the surrounding threats.
• Mo Cheng and Zhou Kuang discuss whether Chen can survive against Innate experts, reflecting the caravan’s fear and desperate expectations.
• Li Kui directly tests Chen with an Innate blade strike, beginning Chen’s confrontation with the higher realm.
• Three-Corpse Daoist attacks Chen through his Zombies, unknowingly targeting his former acquaintance. Chen recognizes him but does not reveal his identity.
• The chapter ends with Chen pursuing the final Zombie and preparing another escalating sword technique, leaving the battle’s outcome unresolved.

Chapter Summary: “People Can Never Ascend to Heaven”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun’s sword strike finally destroys the last of Three-Corpse Daoist’s three Silver-Armored Zombies. With all his strongest allies gone, Three-Corpse Daoist becomes terrified and vulnerable.
• Before Chen Shaojun can finish him, Xu Di—Three-Corpse Daoist’s eldest senior brother—appears. Xu Di has pursued him for years to avenge their murdered master and second senior brother.
• Chen Shaojun leaves Three-Corpse Daoist to Xu Di and rushes toward the larger battle involving the Innate Realm experts.
• Fang Xu of the Mo Clan Trading House is being overwhelmed by Li Kui, the Supreme Elder of Ghosthead Stronghold, and Zhen Pingxun of the Red-Clad Cult. Their coordinated attacks push Fang Xu into a life-threatening situation.
• Chen Shaojun intervenes from a distance with the First-Rank One-Yang Finger, deflecting Li Kui’s saber and saving Fang Xu from a severe injury.
• Enraged that Chen Shaojun, whom he had dismissed as merely a Qi Sea Realm martial artist, has repeatedly interfered, Li Kui launches a full-powered attack intended to kill him instantly.
• Li Kui’s saber strike carries the overwhelming pressure of an Innate Realm expert and completely locks onto Chen Shaojun, leading the onlookers to believe Chen Shaojun has no chance of survival.
• Chen Shaojun strengthens his Golden Bell Shield, gathers his Blood-Qi and Creation True Qi, and counters with a newly created sword technique.
• His sword, later named Sword Nineteen, shatters Li Kui’s supposedly unstoppable saber attack without Chen Shaojun suffering any injury.
• The spectators are stunned that a Qi Sea Realm martial artist has resisted an Innate Realm expert. Li Kui is equally shocked and recognizes the terrifying precision and explosive power of Chen Shaojun’s sword.
• Chen Shaojun reveals that Sword Nineteen is his own extension of the Saintly Spirit Sword Art. He has also deduced Sword Twenty and Sword Twenty-One and immediately prepares to test them.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates increasing confidence and combat ability. He moves beyond inherited techniques, creating his own sword forms through talent, insight, and cultivation aids. His successful defense against Li Kui marks a major breakthrough in his ability to challenge opponents above his realm.
• Three-Corpse Daoist: Loses all three Silver-Armored Zombies, his primary source of strength. His fear and helplessness reveal how dependent he has been on them.
• Xu Di: Emerges as a determined avenger. His appearance turns the conflict with Three-Corpse Daoist into a personal confrontation between former martial brothers.
• Li Kui: Shifts from contempt to fury and then to shock. After recognizing Chen Shaojun’s strength, he realizes that the supposedly weaker swordsman possesses an attack capable of matching an Innate expert.
• Fang Xu: Is shown to be in serious danger against two coordinated Innate-level opponents, but Chen Shaojun’s intervention prevents him from being badly wounded.
• Zhou Kuang and Mo Cheng: Represent the observers’ belief that the gap between Qi Sea and Innate realms is absolute. Their assumptions are overturned by Chen Shaojun’s victory.

Significant Themes

• Challenging established limits: The chapter questions the belief that lower-realm martial artists can never defeat those above them. The phrase “people can never ascend to heaven” is challenged when Chen Shaojun breaks through the presumed boundary between Qi Sea and Innate.
• Creation versus inheritance: Chen Shaojun respects the Saintly Spirit Sword Art but refuses to remain limited by the eighteen inherited forms. His creation of Sword Nineteen and later techniques shows the importance of innovation and personal understanding.
• Power and dependence: Three-Corpse Daoist’s defeat demonstrates the danger of relying entirely on external weapons or summoned allies. Once his Zombies are destroyed, his own weakness is exposed.
• Revenge and unfinished grudges: Xu Di’s pursuit of Three-Corpse Daoist reflects the long-lasting consequences of betrayal, murder, and sect conflict.
• Hidden strength and underestimated opponents: Chen Shaojun repeatedly appears weaker than he truly is, causing enemies to misjudge him until his abilities are revealed at a critical moment.

Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun and Three-Corpse Daoist face one another after the Zombies’ destruction, but Chen abandons the confrontation when Xu Di arrives.
• Xu Di confronts his former junior brother, intending to settle their sect’s blood feud.
• Chen Shaojun intervenes in the battle between Fang Xu, Li Kui, and Zhen Pingxun, protecting Fang Xu with the One-Yang Finger.
• Li Kui responds by directly attacking Chen Shaojun with his strongest saber technique.
• Chen Shaojun and Li Kui then clash in a decisive exchange, with Chen’s Sword Nineteen destroying Li Kui’s attack.
• Li Kui asks what sword technique Chen used, but Chen gives no explanation, maintaining the mystery surrounding his newly created sword arts.

Chapter Summary: “Perhaps This Was the Martial World”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun unleashes Sword Twenty, a sword technique powerful enough to leave a lasting scar across the void.
• Fearing the attack, Li Kui activates the Blood-Reversing Essence-Burning Method, sacrificing his vitality, blood, cultivation foundation, and lifespan to greatly amplify his strength.
• Li Kui’s saber shatters Chen Shaojun’s Sword Qi and breaks seven of his thirteen layers of Golden Bell Shield, forcing Chen backward.
• Chen considers using Heavenly Manifestation, a divine ability that would grant tenfold power for only 0.9 seconds, but refrains because of its severe cost.
• Under the pressure of Li Kui’s Innate-level attack, Chen enters a profound state of comprehension. His Divine Intent, Sword Intent, and Creation True Intent begin fusing into one.
• Chen continues fighting with a vast array of supreme techniques—sword, saber, palm, fist, sonic, and axe attacks—surviving Li Kui’s increasingly desperate assaults.
• Li Kui’s essence-burning technique begins consuming him. His True Qi, vitality, and physical strength rapidly decline.
• Li Kui launches one final, all-or-nothing saber strike. The spectators believe Chen has been killed and begin praising him as the “Invincible Swordsman,” a mysterious hero who intervened to save the caravan.
• Chen survives the attack. His three intents have completely unified, and his Creation True Qi transforms from silver-white into pale golden True Qi.
• His body and cultivation undergo a dramatic transformation, bringing him to the brink of the Innate Realm.
• Li Kui, terrified and exhausted, attempts to flee, but Chen pursues and kills him with a single sword thrust through the back.
• Seeing Li Kui’s death, Zhen Pingxun realizes the Red-Clad Cult has lost. Since he is already disadvantaged against Fang Ping and fears Chen joining the battle, he abandons the fight and escapes.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun achieves a major breakthrough in understanding. His spiritual will, swordsmanship, and Creation True Qi become perfectly unified, giving him a clear and effortless path toward the Innate Realm.
• Chen also demonstrates remarkable adaptability, combining numerous martial disciplines rather than relying solely on swordsmanship.
• Li Kui reveals both overwhelming power and deep pride. Though he sacrifices his cultivation foundation through the essence-burning technique, he refuses to retreat and chooses to stake everything on killing Chen.
• Li Kui’s defeat proves that Chen can overcome an Innate expert even before formally entering the Innate Realm.
• Zhen Pingxun shifts from confidence to panic after Li Kui’s death. Recognizing that the battle is lost, he prioritizes survival and flees.
• The caravan’s perception of Chen changes: although they do not know his identity, they regard him as a selfless and nearly invincible chivalrous hero.

Significant Themes

• Growth through life-and-death combat: Chen’s breakthrough occurs because the pressure of fighting a superior opponent forces his cultivation and intent to harmonize.
• The cost of power: Li Kui’s temporary strength comes at the price of his life, foundation, and future, showing the destructive consequences of desperate techniques.
• Crossing realms through mastery: Chen defeats an Innate expert while still in the Qi Sea Realm, emphasizing that profound comprehension and versatile techniques can overcome differences in cultivation level.
• Heroism and reputation: The spectators immediately create the title “Invincible Swordsman” for Chen, illustrating how legends and heroic reputations are born from sacrifice and mystery.
• The unpredictability of the martial world: Chen appears to die but survives and grows stronger, while a powerful Innate expert falls because of misjudgment and exhaustion.

Character Interactions

• Chen and Li Kui engage in a fierce, escalating duel in which Li Kui’s desperate saber attacks clash with Chen’s increasingly refined and varied martial techniques.
• Li Kui briefly relies on his transformation to overpower Chen, but Chen withstands the assault and uses the battle to purify and unify his cultivation.
• Li Kui looks to Zhen Pingxun for support, but Zhen is already being suppressed by Fang Ping and cannot assist him.
• After Li Kui’s death, Zhen curses him, recognizes that Chen’s survival has doomed the Red-Clad Cult’s side, and flees before Chen and Fang Ping can defeat him.

Chapter Summary: “This Is Awkward, We Won”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun shocks everyone by surviving Li Kui’s attack and killing the Supreme Elder of Ghosthead Stronghold with a single sword strike.
• The observers—including Mo Cheng, Zhou Kuang, Dongfang Bai, Lin Xi, and Lin Qiang—had already assumed Chen Shaojun was dead and proclaimed him the “Invincible Swordsman.” His survival makes the premature title awkward, though Chen himself is unconcerned.
• Chen pursues Zhen Pingxun, an Innate Realm expert of the Red-Clad Cult. With the help of Fang Ping, he severely injures Zhen Pingxun, who escapes using the Blood-Burning Method.
• The caravan realizes it has won after previously believing defeat was inevitable. Their relief and celebration contrast sharply with the heavy casualties suffered during the battle.
• Chen collects Li Kui’s weapon, jade pendant, token, and Zhen Pingxun’s discarded sword, driven partly by his instincts as a pawnbroker and his desire to appraise valuable objects.
• Fang Ping thanks Chen and offers him future assistance through the Mo Clan Trading House. Chen introduces himself under the alias “Kunlun” and quickly departs to avoid questioning and unwanted attention.
• Elsewhere, the Three-Corpse Daoist loses his final battle against his senior brother. After the destruction of his Silver-Armored Zombies, he is beheaded, ending their decades-long sect conflict.
• Chen hides, changes back into his appearance as an ordinary pawnbroker, and returns to the battlefield as though he had merely been separated from the caravan.
• He helps treat the wounded and quietly causes several particularly evil merchants—whom he had previously identified through appraisal visions—to die from their injuries.
• The caravan’s population falls from over five hundred to fewer than three hundred. Shopkeeper Liu remains unharmed, while Lin Qiang, Lin Xi, and Dongfang Bai suffer only minor injuries.
• The survivors enthusiastically discuss the mysterious “Invincible Swordsman,” inventing an elaborate heroic background for him. Chen is amused and astonished that the fictionalized version of his life almost sounds believable.
• Because Ghosthead Stronghold may still retaliate despite its losses, the caravan hurriedly leaves Dark Gully Ridge and eventually shelters in an abandoned Daoist temple.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates immense combat ability by killing Li Kui and helping drive off Zhen Pingxun. The battle refines his swordsmanship, divine intent, and Creation True Qi, removing the final obstacle to his advancement into the Innate Realm. Despite gaining fame, he remains cautious, conceals his identity, and prioritizes collecting and appraising treasures.
• Fang Ping: Shows gratitude and respect toward Chen after being rescued from a dangerous battle. He recognizes Chen as a powerful and honorable ally and offers him future support.
• Zhen Pingxun: Reveals his desperation and survival instinct by using the Blood-Burning Method to escape, but suffers severe injuries that will hinder his recovery.
• Three-Corpse Daoist and his senior brother: Their long-standing feud reaches its conclusion. The senior brother survives and kills the Three-Corpse Daoist, finally ending their decades-old grudge.
• The caravan survivors: Shift from despair to jubilation and begin revering the unknown swordsman as a legendary hero.
• Chen’s acquaintances: Dongfang Bai, Lin Xi, and Lin Qiang reveal strong admiration for the “Invincible Swordsman,” unaware that he is Chen himself.

Significant Themes

• The irony of accidental fame: Chen is proclaimed a legendary hero while presumed dead, creating an amusing discrepancy when he survives. His reputation grows independently of his wishes.
• Hidden identity and misunderstanding: Chen deliberately maintains his ordinary pawnbroker persona while listening to others invent a heroic identity for him.
• Heroism versus recognition: Chen acts to save the caravan but avoids praise, rewards, and questions, suggesting that his motives are practical and personal rather than driven by fame.
• Victory amid tragedy: Although the caravan wins, the victory comes at a devastating cost, with hundreds killed or wounded.
• Justice and personal judgment: Chen secretly ensures that particularly vicious merchants die, showing that he administers his own form of justice beyond the formal outcome of the battle.
• Growth through combat: The battle serves not only as a crisis but also as a major stage in Chen’s cultivation, bringing him to the threshold of the Innate Realm.

Character Interactions

• Chen and Li Kui engage in a decisive confrontation ending with Li Kui’s death.
• Chen and Zhen Pingxun exchange ranged attacks while Fang Ping pursues the fleeing enemy, forcing Zhen Pingxun to escape badly wounded.
• Fang Ping expresses deep gratitude to Chen and promises future aid, while Chen politely minimizes his contribution and gives the false name “Kunlun.”
• The caravan members later question Chen about his disappearance, then excitedly recount the Invincible Swordsman’s deeds in his presence without realizing they are praising him.
• Chen assists the caravan’s healers and quietly influences the fate of certain wounded merchants.
• The battle between the Three-Corpse Daoist and his senior brother concludes in the same chapter, providing a parallel resolution to a long-standing conflict.

Chapter Summary: The Birth of an Appraisal Grandmaster

Plot Points and Events

• After the battle with Ghosthead Stronghold and several allied factions, the trading caravan takes shelter for the night in an abandoned Daoist temple. More than three hundred people must crowd together, while Chen Shaojun’s group receives a meditation chamber because of their contributions during the battle.
• The room contains a clay statue of a Dao Lord surrounded by three ghosts and a powerful Black Nether Aura. Chen Shaojun detects the supernatural presence with his Spirit Eye Technique, while Kong Le and Dongfang Bai also sense something unusual. The group concludes that the ghosts are not dangerous unless provoked.
• The characters discuss the attack on the caravan. Lin Xi explains that Ghosthead Stronghold, the Red-Clad Cult, Axehead Stockade, the Gold Mountain Bandits, and other factions cooperated in the assault. Their true target was not the caravan’s money but a mysterious item hidden among the goods.
• Lin Qiang asks Chen Shaojun to remove the Baleful Intent from a treasured saber he received as a reward. The weapon contains both accumulated killing aura and the previous owner’s True Qi, making it difficult and potentially dangerous to use.
• Shopkeeper Liu warns that weapons should normally be handled only by specialized military appraisers, since their Blood Baleful Qi can severely injure or kill an inexperienced appraiser.
• Chen Shaojun claims that he has reached a bottleneck before the Appraisal Grandmaster realm and that appraising powerful weapons may help him break through. Although this is partly an excuse to gain access to more valuable treasures, Shopkeeper Liu is persuaded by Chen’s talent and his authorship of the respected Appraiser’s Handbook.
• Shopkeeper Liu reluctantly allows the appraisal, provided Chen proceeds carefully. Lin Qiang gives Chen both the treasured saber and his Heart-Protecting Mirror, which Chen chooses to examine first as a safer trial.
• Chen studies the mirror, detecting years of accumulated saber radiance, Sword Qi, and mixed Baleful Intent. He performs divination and receives an auspicious result, confirming that the appraisal should be manageable.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates growing confidence and mastery. He is no longer intimidated by ghosts or weapon-related Baleful Intent and deliberately uses the situation to advance his appraisal abilities and prepare to reveal himself as a future Appraisal Grandmaster.
• Lin Qiang is shown as direct, trusting, and eager to make practical use of his reward. Despite his injuries, he remains curious and enthusiastic about Chen’s abilities.
• Shopkeeper Liu acts as a cautious guardian. He recognizes Chen’s exceptional talent but worries that Chen may risk his life by appraising weapons beyond the normal limits of a Certified Appraiser.
• Kong Le remains calm and experienced, treating the ghosts as minor threats. His composure emphasizes his strength and knowledge.
• Lin Xi establishes herself as the group’s informed and perceptive member by explaining the identities and motives of the attacking factions.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus danger: Chen’s potential as an Appraisal Grandmaster is accompanied by serious physical risks, especially when dealing with weapons saturated in killing intent.
• Concealed motives and hidden treasures: The coordinated attack suggests that the caravan is transporting something extremely valuable, creating an unresolved mystery.
• Growth through challenge: Chen seeks increasingly dangerous and complex treasures because overcoming them may enable his professional breakthrough.
• Trust and responsibility: Shopkeeper Liu’s hesitation reflects the protective relationships within the group, while Chen must convince others that his ambition is not reckless.
• The supernatural world: The ghosts and Black Nether Aura introduce a darker atmosphere and show that abandoned places retain dangers beyond ordinary bandits and martial conflict.

Character Interactions

• Kong Le reassures the group about the ghosts, while Shopkeeper Liu reacts nervously to their presence.
• Lin Qiang and Lin Xi discuss the reasons behind the caravan attack, with Shopkeeper Liu warning them not to investigate matters beyond their station.
• Lin Qiang appeals to Chen for help with his saber, prompting Shopkeeper Liu to object on safety grounds.
• Chen persuades Shopkeeper Liu by presenting his supposed imminent breakthrough to the Appraisal Grandmaster realm.
• The entire group gathers silently to watch Chen begin the appraisal, turning the procedure into a significant public test of his abilities.

Chapter Summary: “Baleful Qi Evil Dragon”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun completes the appraisal of the Heart-Protecting Mirror using the Myriad Spirits Unsealing Technique. He disperses its residual Killing Intent, Blade Astral Force, sword radiance, and other hostile energies, restoring the mirror to a clean, gleaming state.
• The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror reveals the Heart-Protecting Mirror’s history:
  • It once belonged to a military scout who earned it after distinguishing himself in battle.
  • The mirror helped him survive repeated attacks and rise to the position of squad commander.
  • While returning home in triumph, he was ambushed by Black Wind Stronghold bandits, struck by a poisoned arrow, and beheaded.
  • The bandits later presented the mirror to a minor leader of Ghosthead Stronghold in exchange for protection after Black Wind Stronghold was destroyed by government forces.
• Chen Shaojun reflects on the harshness and disorder of the wilderness, where even people with promising futures could be killed by bandits.
• The Heart-Protecting Mirror is appraised as Immortal Rank—Middle Grade. The Stacking Talisman improves slightly within that rank but does not advance to Immortal Rank—Upper Grade.
• Chen Shaojun equips the mirror to protect himself from the dangerous phenomenon likely to emerge during the appraisal of the next treasure: an exceptionally murderous blade.
• He draws the treasured blade, which is pale, razor-sharp, and stained red from the blood of countless victims. Its Killing Intent is so intense that it appears almost tangible.
• Chen Shaojun uses divination and receives an auspicious result, then begins the appraisal.
• The blade releases a massive surge of Blood Baleful Qi, taking the form of a terrifying red evil dragon. The spectacle shocks Dongfang Bai, the Lin siblings, Kong Le, Kong Mingyue, and even Shopkeeper Liu.
• Chen Shaojun remains calm. His spiritual power transforms first into an unbreakable city wall, stopping the evil dragon, and then into a huge millstone that grinds down the Killing Intent.
• After more than a dozen breaths, the evil dragon completely dissipates, apparently marking the successful neutralization and appraisal of the treasured blade.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates the enormous growth of his spiritual power. He is no longer merely a skilled pawnbroker but a true Treasure Unsealer, capable of handling Killing Intent that would seriously injure or kill even an Appraisal Grandmaster.
• His composure and confidence remain unshaken despite the blade’s overwhelming power, emphasizing his transformation into an expert far beyond ordinary pawnbrokers.
• Shopkeeper Liu becomes increasingly anxious over Chen Shaojun’s safety, especially because the blade’s Killing Intent is far more dangerous than that of the mirror.
• Dongfang Bai shows genuine admiration for the treasured blade despite being a swordsman rather than a saber user.
• Kong Mingyue and the others shift from curiosity and underestimation to concern and respect as they witness the danger of treasure appraisal firsthand.

Significant Themes

• The hidden power of the pawnbroker profession: The spectators realize that appraisal is not a mundane trade. It requires courage, specialized techniques, and the ability to withstand forces comparable to those faced by martial artists.
• The cruelty and unpredictability of the world: The squad commander’s death illustrates how quickly achievement and a promising future can be destroyed by treachery and lawlessness.
• Strength concealed beneath calmness: Chen Shaojun’s tranquil response to the Blood Baleful Qi contrasts sharply with everyone else’s fear, highlighting his profound cultivation and self-control.
• The legacy of violence: The blade’s accumulated Killing Intent and bloodstain embody the countless lives lost beneath it, turning its history into a tangible supernatural threat.
• Order versus chaos: The chapter contrasts the relative stability of cities under government rule with the danger of the wilderness, where bandits operate freely.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun’s appraisal takes place under the silent observation of Shopkeeper Liu, Dongfang Bai, Lin Xi, Lin Qiang, Kong Le, and Kong Mingyue.
• Shopkeeper Liu wants to protect Chen Shaojun but cannot interrupt the appraisal because absolute silence is required.
• Dongfang Bai openly appreciates the blade’s quality, while the others initially underestimate pawnbrokers and view the appraisal as a technical occupation.
• The manifestation of the red evil dragon changes their attitudes. Their shock and worry reveal that they now recognize Chen Shaojun as someone possessing extraordinary strength and the pawnbroker profession as far more formidable than they had believed.

Chapter Summary: “Fell Before the Journey Was Half Complete”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun reaches the most dangerous stage of appraising a treasured saber. After dissolving its killing intent, he triggers two saber-light attacks formed from the original owner’s lingering True Qi.
• The attack shocks everyone present. Shopkeeper Liu and the others fear Chen Shaojun will be killed, believing him to possess only modest Body Tempering strength.
• Chen secretly knows the attacks cannot seriously harm him, but deliberately uses the Heart-Protecting Mirror and pretends to struggle so that no one discovers his true strength.
• Once the saber’s remaining will is eliminated, Chen completes the appraisal and views the weapon’s history through the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror.
• The saber is revealed to be Worldbreaker, originally forged for Meng Shan, the second son of a prominent martial clan.
• Meng Shan’s history is revealed: eager to become a famous hero, he destroys several bandit strongholds and gains the title “Hero Meng.” However, the strongholds are interconnected, and a minor leader whose brother Meng Shan killed eventually ambushes and assassinates him.
• The killer conceals the weapon’s identity by grinding away its name, while the Meng Clan’s later investigation fails to uncover the murderer.
• Chen reflects on Meng Shan’s death, concluding that fame and ambition brought disaster, while true strength is the ultimate protection in the martial world.
• The saber is graded Immortal Rank—Middle Grade, with its appraisal value rising substantially. Chen realizes that properly appraising the weapons distributed among the caravan’s martial artists could establish his reputation and attract a steady stream of clients.
• Lin Qiang takes the appraised saber outside to test its restored power. Chen then invites Kong Le, Bai, and Lin Xi to submit their own treasures for appraisal.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates foresight, composure, and exceptional hidden strength. He carefully conceals his abilities while manipulating the situation to appear ordinary. After seeing the saber’s history, he becomes more cautious about fame and recognizes the commercial opportunity in gaining trust as an appraiser.
• Meng Shan: Shown as talented, privileged, and enthusiastic but impulsive. His desire to become a renowned hero leads him to take unnecessary risks and ultimately causes his death.
• Shopkeeper Liu and the others: Their concern for Chen reveals how much they value his role in the pawnshop. They remain unaware that he is far stronger than he appears.
• Lin Qiang: Becomes delighted and eager to test the saber after Chen completes the appraisal, showing increased trust in Chen’s abilities.
• The Ghosthead Stronghold minor leader: Acts patiently and secretly, using an ambush to avenge his brother and defeat Meng Shan despite the Meng Clan’s influence.

Significant Themes

• Fame and ambition as sources of danger: Meng Shan’s pursuit of heroic recognition leads him away from a safer, gradual path and ultimately exposes him to hidden enemies.
• Strength over reputation or possessions: A powerful weapon and influential family cannot guarantee survival without the strength to protect oneself.
• The dangers of the martial world: Alliances, grudges, and secret plots make open victories dangerous and retaliation difficult to predict.
• Concealment and strategic behavior: Chen’s success depends not only on strength but on hiding it, managing others’ perceptions, and avoiding unnecessary attention.
• Learning from past failures: Meng Shan’s death serves as a warning that Chen uses to reinforce his own cautious approach to fame.

Character Interactions

• Chen’s apparent vulnerability alarms Shopkeeper Liu, Kong Mingyue, and the others, strengthening their concern for him.
• Chen reassures everyone by crediting the Heart-Protecting Mirror for saving him, successfully concealing his true abilities.
• He explains the completed appraisal to Lin Qiang and returns the saber, prompting Lin Qiang to test it outside.
• Seeing the others’ envy and interest, Chen directly invites Kong Le, Bai, and Lin Xi to let him appraise their treasures, attempting to turn the successful appraisal into a continuous source of business.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun offers to appraise several weapons for free, using his goal of becoming an Appraisal Grandmaster as justification. Dongfang Bai, Lin Xi, and Kong Mingyue gladly hand over their treasured weapons.
• Shopkeeper Liu worries that Chen Shaojun may be endangered after the previous violent appraisal, but Chen continues because his Immortal-grade Stacking Talisman is nearing completion and he wants to accumulate more appraisal rewards.
• Chen chooses to appraise a dark, unusually cold saber once wielded by Cold-Blooded Silver Saber Zuo Bufan.
• Using the Spirit Eye Technique, he discovers that the saber contains immense Blood Baleful Intent and a powerful Giant Tiger Spirit. The spirit is not merely haunting the weapon; it exists symbiotically with it, absorbing Killing Intent and growing stronger.
• Chen realizes the saber is a dangerous demonic weapon. It can increase its wielder’s strength while gradually influencing the wielder’s mind, making them bloodthirsty and potentially turning them into a demonic practitioner.
• Divination indicates that the appraisal is auspicious. Chen uses the Myriad Spirits Unsealing Technique to dismantle the saber’s Killing Intent.
• Once the Killing Intent is eliminated, the Giant Tiger Spirit attacks Chen directly. He traps it with his immense spirit power and begins grinding it down.
• The Tiger Spirit summons three ghosts to interfere, but Lin Xi, Dongfang Bai, Kong Le, and the others immediately protect Chen and destroy the ghosts.
• Chen nearly finishes destroying the Tiger Spirit, but notices that the saber itself is weakening, developing cracks, and appearing close to shattering. The chapter ends with Chen shocked by this unexpected development.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Displays growing confidence in his appraisal abilities and increasingly powerful spirit cultivation. He remains calm under supernatural attack and demonstrates advanced control over spirit constructs. He also notices that his spirit power has been increasing inexplicably during the caravan’s journey, suggesting hidden assistance or an unknown influence.
• Dongfang Bai, Lin Xi, Kong Le, and Kong Mingyue: Show trust in Chen by offering their valuable weapons for appraisal. They also demonstrate loyalty by immediately defending him when the Tiger Spirit summons ghosts.
• Shopkeeper Liu: Acts cautiously and protectively, worrying that Chen’s appraisal work may endanger the caravan’s mission.
• Kong Mingyue: Becomes increasingly attentive to Chen, showing concern when she senses the Tiger Spirit’s presence and giving him a flirtatious warning before leaving her weapons with him.
• Giant Tiger Spirit: Is revealed to be intelligent, powerful, and capable of controlling both Killing Intent and other ghosts. Its desperate attack shows that it possesses survival instincts and independent will.

Significant Themes

• Power and hidden danger: The saber’s extraordinary strength comes with the cost of corrupting its wielder, emphasizing that power gained through sinister means carries spiritual and moral consequences.
• Weapons as living or spiritual entities: The saber is more than an object; its symbiosis with the Tiger Spirit gives it a form of self-awareness and agency.
• Trust and cooperation: Chen’s companions rely on him, while he depends on their protection when the appraisal becomes dangerous.
• Unexplained growth and destiny: Chen’s unexplained increase in spirit power hints at a larger force influencing his cultivation and possibly foreshadows future revelations.
• Unexpected consequences: Even after the baleful energy and spirit are removed, the weapon begins to collapse, showing that cleansing a treasure may damage or fundamentally alter it.

Character Interactions

• Chen persuades Dongfang Bai and the others to accept free appraisals, framing their cooperation as assistance toward his advancement.
• Shopkeeper Liu openly challenges Chen’s decision to continue, creating a contrast between caution and Chen’s determination.
• Kong Mingyue interacts with Chen in a playful yet concerned manner, while her grandfather encourages her to submit her weapons.
• During the crisis, Lin Xi, Dongfang Bai, Kong Le, and the others coordinate instinctively to protect Chen, destroying the summoned ghosts while he remains focused on the appraisal.
• Chen thanks them briefly but continues concentrating on the Giant Tiger Spirit, highlighting his composure and single-minded commitment.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun discovers that the Giant Tiger Spirit is not merely a Yin Soul but the treasured saber’s true Artifact Soul. Destroying it completely would weaken the saber’s spirituality and possibly damage its body.
• To preserve the saber while eliminating its harmful influence, Chen Shaojun uses the Myriad Spirits Unsealing Technique and his powerful spiritual will to grind away the Giant Tiger Spirit’s consciousness, reducing it to a pure, ignorant spiritual entity.
• He removes the saber’s remaining True Qi aura, blocks the escaping blade light with the Heart-Protecting Mirror, and successfully completes the appraisal.
• The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror reveals the saber’s history:
  • It was originally refined by a Daoist cultivator using the Soul-Seeding Method, with the intention of turning it into a Dharma artifact.
  • Although the refinement failed, the implanted soul remained and became connected to the saber.
  • The saber passed through several owners, each affected by its growing Killing Intent and Artifact Soul.
• The chapter focuses especially on Zuo Bufan, later known as the Cold-Blooded Silver Saber:
  • He began as a respected young military officer married to the beautiful daughter of a local governor.
  • After suspecting his wife of adultery, he repeatedly endured humiliation because of his love for her, concern for his reputation, and fear of her powerful father.
  • Years later, he caught his wife with another man. Overcome by rage, he killed the lover, his wife, the household servants and guards, and eventually the adulterer’s entire family.
  • He then attempted to take revenge on his father-in-law but was forced to flee after being pursued by authorities.
  • The Red-Clad Cult later recruited him, and he became a cruel killer who tortured victims before killing them.
• Chen Shaojun concludes that Zuo Bufan’s transformation was caused both by his traumatic betrayal and by the treasured saber’s Artifact Soul and accumulated Killing Intent.
• The appraisal is ranked Immortal Rank—Middle Grade, ninety-nine marks. Chen Shaojun is disappointed because one additional mark would have raised it to Immortal Rank—Upper Grade and advanced his Stacking Talisman.

Character Development

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates exceptional spiritual control and ingenuity. Rather than destroying the Artifact Soul, he carefully removes its consciousness, preserving the saber’s power while preventing it from corrupting future wielders. He also gains a deeper understanding of how artifacts can influence people.
• Zuo Bufan: His character is revealed as tragic rather than inherently monstrous. He changes from a loving, promising official into a brutal murderer after prolonged humiliation, emotional repression, and the saber’s corrupting influence.
• Zuo Bufan’s wife: She is portrayed as repeatedly deceptive and unfaithful, though her actions also become the catalyst for Zuo Bufan’s downfall.
• The treasured saber’s Artifact Soul: It functions as an unseen force that absorbs Blood Baleful Intent and Killing Intent, gradually influencing its wielders toward violence and instability.

Significant Themes

• Corruption through prolonged exposure: The saber’s Killing Intent and Artifact Soul gradually distort the minds of those who wield it.
• Trauma and suppressed emotion: Zuo Bufan’s years of silent endurance eventually erupt into catastrophic violence.
• Pity within wickedness: Chen Shaojun reflects that even cruel people may have suffered deeply before becoming monstrous.
• The relationship between objects and people: The saber is not merely a weapon; its history, spiritual presence, and accumulated murderous intent actively shape its owners.
• Love, betrayal, and humiliation: Zuo Bufan’s devotion to his wife initially causes him to tolerate betrayal, but the eventual truth destroys his identity and moral restraint.
• Near-success and frustration: Chen Shaojun’s appraisal succeeds, but the result falls just short of the rank he needs, creating renewed tension around his cultivation goals.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun and the Giant Tiger Spirit: Their spiritual confrontation ends with Chen Shaojun erasing the spirit’s consciousness while preserving its essence.
• Zuo Bufan and his wife: Their relationship shifts from mutual affection and respect to suspicion, deception, betrayal, and finally violent destruction.
• Zuo Bufan and the adulterer: Their confrontation triggers Zuo Bufan’s complete collapse into bloodshed.
• Zuo Bufan and his father-in-law: Political power and family ties force Zuo Bufan to endure the betrayal initially, but later make the governor his enemy.
• Zuo Bufan and the Red-Clad Cult: The cult exploits his hatred and despair, giving him a new place among its killers.
• Chen Shaojun and Lin Xi: Though Lin Xi does not appear directly, Chen Shaojun remains concerned about explaining the saber’s altered condition to her without revealing that its Artifact Soul had been modified.