Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Summer Heat”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang Gao hides in a specially protected appraisal room filled with anti-ghost talismans and formations. He hopes these defenses will repel the ghost tormenting him.
• Despite activating the formation, Zhang Gao cannot detect or affect the ghost. At regular intervals, it continues draining his blood, qi, and vital energy.
• He desperately tries every response—rage, resistance, pleading, and crying—but nothing works. The ghost is actually located several hundred meters away, making his protective measures ineffective.
• By morning, Zhang Gao is physically devastated: his eyes are bloodshot, his face is bluish and haggard, and parts of his hair have turned white.
• Meanwhile, Zhang Ke sleeps peacefully. The ghost remains physically close to him, but Chen Shaojun’s Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique transfers the harm elsewhere, leaving Zhang Ke unharmed. The ghost’s cool yin aura even makes him sleep more comfortably during the summer heat.
• Chen Shaojun observes that the ghost’s soul has grown more solid after another night. He is curious about Zhang Gao’s condition and correctly suspects that Zhang Gao has suffered terribly.
• After cultivating the Tai Shang Perception Scripture throughout the night, Chen Shaojun’s internal “qi” condenses into a usable force. He successfully casts the Spirit Eye Technique without consuming mental energy.
• Chen renames this internal energy “mana,” realizing it can already replace mental energy in techniques such as Spirit Eye, Divine Gaze, and Plum-for-Peach Substitution.
• News spreads through the pawnshop that Zhang Gao has encountered a terrifying ghost. Workers report that he was tormented all night and emerged looking aged and nearly corpse-like.

Character Developments

• Zhang Gao: His confidence in his protective formations collapses. He becomes frightened, helpless, and desperate as he realizes conventional anti-ghost methods cannot save him. His attempt to force others to bear the consequences of dangerous treasures has backfired, making him suffer the calamity himself.
• Chen Shaojun: He grows more capable and confident. His cultivation produces mana, allowing him to cast techniques more efficiently. He also shows satisfaction at Zhang Gao’s misfortune because of Zhang Gao’s earlier coercion and manipulation.
• Zhang Ke: Remains unaware of the larger conflict and sleeps comfortably, protected by Chen Shaojun’s substitution technique.
• The ghostly creature: Its soul becomes increasingly substantial and powerful. Its unusual nature makes it impossible to detect or attack from a distance.

Significant Themes

• Karmic retribution: Zhang Gao previously tried to make Chen Shaojun serve as a shield against Baleful Intent, but now he is forced to bear the consequences himself.
• Limits of wealth and preparation: Zhang Gao’s expensive talismans, formations, and professional expertise are useless against a threat he cannot perceive or reach.
• Growth through cultivation: Chen Shaojun’s progress from vague internal “qi” to usable mana marks an important step in his supernatural development.
• Hidden danger and helplessness: The ghost’s invisible, long-distance influence creates terror because Zhang Gao cannot understand or confront the source of his suffering.
• Humor amid horror: Zhang Ke’s comfortable sleep beside a ghost, especially in the summer heat, contrasts comically with Zhang Gao’s night of torment.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Gao confronts the unseen ghost alone, relying on protective tools that fail him.
• The ghost remains attached to Zhang Ke while the Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique redirects the damage to Zhang Gao.
• Chen Shaojun reflects on Zhang Gao’s suffering with a mixture of curiosity and vindictive satisfaction, recalling how Zhang Gao previously tried to exploit him.
• Pawnshop workers discuss Zhang Gao’s condition, spreading the story through gossip and confirming the severity of his ordeal.

Chapter Summary: “Five-Powers Daoist”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The ghost disappears at the fifth watch, prompting the Third Appraiser to seek a Daoist capable of exorcising it.
• Chen Shaojun realizes that the ghost is still bound to Appraiser Apprentice Zhang Ke through the Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique, so he is not directly at risk. However, he worries that a powerful Daoist might detect the spell and trace it back to him.
• The ghost continues haunting Zhang Ke while leaving everyone else alone, suggesting that it will not move on until Zhang Ke is completely drained.
• Ayong proves that he has already cultivated the Divine Gaze Technique to the proficient level. The shopkeeper rewards him with sanctioned seclusion and Origin-Restoring Pills to help him advance.
• Chen Shaojun reflects on how dangerous life is for Appraiser Apprentices, who are treated as expendable shields by the higher-ranking Certified Appraisers.
• Meanwhile, Zhang Gao suffers for two consecutive nights, losing vitality, blood, and even the color of his hair.
• His first attempt to seek help from Temple Keeper Lin Youzhi fails. Lin cannot detect the ghost, assumes Zhang Gao is deceiving him, and leaves angrily.
• Zhang Gao then spends much of his fortune inviting Five-Powers Daoist, the junior brother of the master of Clear Spring Daoist Temple.
• When the ghost attacks again, Five-Powers Daoist uses a technique that allows him to perceive the invisible force draining Zhang Gao.
• He concludes that Zhang Gao has been afflicted by a minor wicked spell, likely cast through one of Zhang Gao’s personal belongings, rather than being directly haunted by a visible ghost.
• Five-Powers Daoist warns that if another cultivator is responsible, he may have to engage in a dangerous long-distance struggle of Daoist arts. However, he suspects the culprit is either an inexperienced practitioner or an independent evil spirit.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Becomes increasingly cautious and politically aware. He understands the danger of exposing his abilities and resolves to avoid using spells until the threat of discovery passes.
• Zhang Gao: Is reduced to desperation after repeated attacks. His physical decline and financial sacrifices show how completely the haunting has overwhelmed him.
• Ayong: Reveals that he has secretly mastered the Divine Gaze Technique to the proficient level, demonstrating both talent and the caution necessary for survival in the pawnshop.
• Five-Powers Daoist: Is introduced as a capable but pragmatic cultivator. He can perceive and partially suppress the draining spell, yet he is unwilling to risk his life unnecessarily against a potentially stronger practitioner.
• Temple Keeper Lin Youzhi: His failed intervention establishes that the supernatural attack is unusually subtle and difficult to detect.

Significant Themes

• Caution and concealment: In a dangerous hierarchy, revealing one’s true strength can make a person a target. Both Chen Shaojun and Ayong survive by hiding their abilities.
• Power and expendability: Appraiser Apprentices are treated as disposable tools by their superiors, reinforcing the brutal and exploitative nature of their profession.
• Wicked arts and indirect conflict: The attack is conducted through a hidden spell rather than direct confrontation, emphasizing the importance of schemes, artifacts, and remote manipulation.
• Pragmatism versus justice: Five-Powers Daoist is skilled but refuses to act recklessly, showing that cultivators value self-preservation over heroic intervention.
• Mystery and misdirection: The inability to see the ghost leads others to misunderstand the situation, while the true source of the attack remains concealed.

Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun discusses the exorcism situation with others and internally evaluates the risks posed by a visiting Daoist.
• The shopkeeper, First Appraiser, and Second Appraiser help verify Ayong’s abilities, while the Second Appraiser’s suspicious gaze highlights the tense relationships among the apprentices and appraisers.
• Zhang Gao pleads with Five-Powers Daoist for protection during the attack.
• Five-Powers Daoist suppresses part of the draining force, examines the phenomenon, and explains that Zhang Gao has likely been cursed or targeted through a personal object.
• Their exchange reveals both Zhang Gao’s fear and Five-Powers Daoist’s guarded, self-interested approach to dangerous supernatural conflicts.

Chapter Summary: “The Price Must Go Up”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Five-Powers Daoist agrees to help Zhang Gao, but distinguishes between merely preserving his life, destroying the ghost haunting him, and confronting the powerful person controlling it. Each level of assistance requires a higher fee, with the most dangerous option costing double.
• Unable to afford a direct confrontation with the ghost’s master, Zhang Gao pays for the Daoist to destroy the ghost.
• Five-Powers Daoist extracts Zhang Gao’s heart’s blood and uses it to activate an Evil-Repelling Thunder Pearl, warning Zhang Gao not to swallow it.
• The pearl is placed in Zhang Gao’s mouth and linked to his vital energy. When the ghost next siphons energy from Zhang Ke, the pearl will be carried into the ghost’s body.
• After waiting through the night, the ghost resumes feeding on Zhang Ke. Five-Powers Daoist activates the pearl, causing it to shoot from Zhang Gao’s mouth along the connection between the ghost and its victim.
• The pearl explodes inside the ghost, severely damaging and nearly dispersing its soul. The ghost attempts to flee into Water Cloud Retreat.
• Chen Shaojun intercepts it and destroys it completely with the Mighty Vajra Palm, scattering its soul and spirit.
• The thunderous explosion alarms the appraisal apprentices. Because of the Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique, the lightning’s effects are transferred from Zhang Ke to Zhang Gao, leaving Zhang Ke unharmed. Chen Shaojun then notices the appearance of the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror.

Character Developments

• Five-Powers Daoist is portrayed as pragmatic, cautious, and highly mercenary. He values survival over heroism and charges according to the danger involved, refusing to risk his life without adequate compensation.
• Zhang Gao is desperate and financially strained. Though furious at the person behind the ghost, he accepts the cheaper solution of destroying the ghost rather than paying for a confrontation with its master.
• Chen Shaojun reveals both patience and strategic restraint. He deliberately refrains from acting immediately, allowing the Daoist’s attack to weaken the ghost before personally delivering the killing blow.
• The ghost is shown to be greedy and instinct-driven. It resumes feeding once its fear fades, but panics and attempts to flee after being severely injured.
• Zhang Ke remains unaware of the supernatural conflict and survives only because the substitution technique redirects the backlash away from him.

Significant Themes

• Survival over righteousness: Cultivation is presented as a means of continuing to live, not an excuse for reckless heroism.
• The cost of power and protection: Greater danger demands greater payment, emphasizing that supernatural assistance is transactional.
• Pragmatism and restraint: Both Five-Powers Daoist and Chen Shaojun avoid unnecessary risks, choosing the safest moment and method to eliminate the threat.
• Cause and consequence: The ghost’s greed leads it into the trap, while Zhang Gao’s earlier arrangements and techniques determine who suffers the attack.
• Hidden supernatural conflict: Ordinary people remain oblivious while powerful forces battle around them.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Gao and Five-Powers Daoist: Zhang Gao pleads for help, while the Daoist calmly renegotiates the price and limits of his service. Their exchange resembles a business negotiation despite Zhang Gao’s life-threatening circumstances.
• Five-Powers Daoist and the ghost: The Daoist lures the ghost into consuming the thunder pearl through its connection to Zhang Gao’s vital energy, then detonates it from within.
• Chen Shaojun and the ghost: Chen waits for the Daoist’s attack to weaken the ghost before striking with the Mighty Vajra Palm and destroying it.
• Zhang Gao and Zhang Ke: Their lives remain linked through the Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique, causing Zhang Gao to bear the lightning meant to affect Zhang Ke.
• Chen Shaojun and the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror: After killing the ghost, Chen’s supernatural treasure manifests, signaling that he may receive or uncover a new reward or revelation.

Chapter Summary: “Spirit-Hiding Technique”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Chen Shaojun destroys the ghost with a lightning-infused palm strike, the other apprentices remain unaware of the danger they narrowly escaped.
• Back in bed, Chen dismantles the Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique he had used as a precaution against Zhang Gao and any powerful Daoist ally supporting him. He carefully erases all traces of his spells to avoid being mistaken for an evil cultivator.
• The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror reveals the history of a black command flag:
  • It was formed through countless battles and accumulated enormous Blood Baleful Qi.
  • It was eventually refined into a Dharma artifact and passed down through the lineage of a Daoist named Zhang Yan.
  • Zhang Yan’s young descendant became corrupted by the flag’s demonic power and was killed by a wandering swordsman.
  • The flag was sold to a salvage shop, later seized by red-clad Martial Warriors at Fangtooth Mountain, and eventually passed through Xu Hongtao before reaching Zhang Gao.
• Chen realizes that the ghost was actually the soul of the flag’s final young owner. Its destruction completed the appraisal and removed the treasure’s final spiritual obstruction.
• The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror identifies the object as a Superior Dharma Grade Blood Baleful Command Flag and rewards Chen with the Spirit-Hiding Technique.
• Chen successfully activates the technique, concealing his powerful vital blood, essence, and Dharma power.
• After spending the night visualizing the Tai Shang Perception Scripture and confirming that no Daoist expert has attacked him, Chen resumes his normal routine of treasure appraisal and martial training.
• With the Spirit-Hiding Technique, he deliberately blends into the crowd, appearing neither especially talented nor weak.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun becomes more cautious and strategically minded. He recognizes the danger posed by Zhang Gao’s possible Daoist backer and takes deliberate steps to hide his involvement.
• His understanding of the cultivation world expands as he learns that treasures may contain demonic, violent, and Blood Baleful properties rather than merely ordinary spiritual power.
• Chen’s martial and Daoist cultivation continue to advance. His body is nearing the Ninth Layer of the Body Tempering Realm, while his Dharma power also improves through meditation.
• The Spirit-Hiding Technique allows him to conceal his true strength, giving him greater freedom to grow without attracting attention.
• The ghost is revealed to have been the soul of a young cultivator corrupted by the command flag, transforming it from a simple haunting into the remnant of a tragic inheritance.
• Zhang Gao, Xu Hongtao, and the red-clad Martial Warriors are shown to be connected to a larger and unexplained network involving the command flag, though Chen does not yet know their true motives.

Character Interactions

• Chen’s hidden confrontation with the ghost occurs without the other apprentices noticing; they sleep through the lightning strike and only awaken after the danger has passed.
• Chen’s previous use of the Plum-for-Peach Substitution Technique was partly intended to punish or warn Zhang Gao, but he now treats Zhang Gao as a potential link to a dangerous Daoist expert.
• The command flag’s history connects several characters indirectly: Zhang Yan’s lineage, the young ghost, the wandering swordsman, Xu Hongtao, Zhang Gao, and the red-clad Martial Warriors.
• Chen maintains a deliberate public distance from his true capabilities, presenting himself at the Iron Wire Fist School as an ordinary practitioner.

Significant Themes

• Concealment and survival: Chen’s greatest advantage is not merely strength but his ability to hide his identity, power, and actions from stronger enemies.
• The dangerous nature of spiritual treasures: Powerful artifacts may rely on violence and demonic energy; cleansing them completely can destroy the very qualities that make them valuable.
• The cost of inheritance: The command flag brings power but corrupts its owners, ultimately destroying the young heir who cannot control it.
• The hidden cultivation world: Chen begins to glimpse a broader world of Daoist experts, martial factions, mysterious organizations, and dangerous artifacts.
• Prudence amid growing power: Although Chen continues to advance rapidly, he understands that revealing his strength too early could bring disaster. His new technique lets him progress while remaining “lost among the crowd.”

Chapter Summary: “Three Court Appraisers Return”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ten days pass with only three days remaining before the Treasure Fair.
• Chen Shaojun spends the time practicing martial arts, cultivating, appraising treasures, and collecting rewards.
• Three Court Appraisers returns to the pawnshop after suffering a disastrous encounter with a ghost and being struck by lightning.
• His vitality was severely drained, his body became gaunt, and much of his hair turned white. He reportedly spent around five hundred taels to eliminate the ghost.
• The ghost was dealt with by the Five-Powers Daoist of Clear Spring Daoist Temple, a mysterious and highly skilled junior brother of the temple’s school master.
• Three Court Appraisers’ return has little effect on the pawnshop, though Zhang Ke quickly resumes ingratiating himself with him.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun breaks through to the Body Tempering Realm, Ninth Layer, gaining Inner Sight. This allows him to inspect and temper his body with greater precision and strengthen areas previously neglected by his martial arts.
• His Arcane Power surpasses three hundred strands, making spellcasting—including the Divine Gaze Technique—far easier and more sustainable.
• Though treasure appraisal rewards remain mostly ordinary, he obtains several useful martial arts, including the Dragon Roar Ironcloth Body Shield, Single-Stroke Penetrating Fist, Blood-Refining Saber Art, Lesser Celestial Circuit Sword Art, and Eight-Pounce Free-Hand Art.
• He gains the Face-Shifting Technique, which can drastically alter one’s appearance through makeup and muscle control, making it difficult to recognize the user.
• Chen becomes more cautious and humble, recognizing that despite his progress, he remains far below the true experts of Shengjing City.
• Three Court Appraisers returns physically and financially devastated, revealing the severe consequences of his supernatural ordeal.
• Zhang Ke continues trying to gain Three Court Appraisers’ favor, despite Chen’s concern that he may eventually become involved in greater danger.

Significant Themes

• Power and humility: Chen’s rapid progress is balanced by his awareness that the city contains much stronger practitioners.
• The cost of supernatural forces: Three Court Appraisers’ injuries demonstrate the physical and financial dangers of confronting ghosts and other occult threats.
• Corruption and exploitation: The chapter notes that wicked cultivators deliberately use ghosts to torment wealthy victims and extort money from them.
• Preparation and hidden strength: Chen’s growing collection of martial arts and techniques compensates for his lack of combat experience and prepares him for future dangers.
• Appearance and identity: The Face-Shifting Technique introduces the importance of disguise, concealment, and the uncertainty of judging someone by their appearance.

Character Interactions

• Pawnshop workers gossip about Three Court Appraisers’ condition and the enormous price he paid to destroy the ghost.
• Chen asks who defeated the ghost and learns about the formidable Five-Powers Daoist.
• Three Court Appraisers appears to ignore his earlier request for Chen’s assistance with treasure appraisal.
• Zhang Ke immediately approaches Three Court Appraisers to curry favor, while Chen silently wishes him luck and worries that his association may bring future trouble.

Chapter Summary: “Treasure Fair”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Treasure Fair is held on Three-River Street, a normally deserted black-market district west of Shengjing City.
• The event is organized by the authorities and several major merchant associations, temporarily replacing the usual gang-controlled black market.
• Because all kinds of goods and transactions are permitted, the fair functions as both a legitimate commercial event and a vast, openly tolerated black market.
• The Lin Family Pawnshop prepares extensively, bringing out treasures from its treasury and collecting valuable items to sell at its temporary fairground shop.
• The pawnshop’s Certified Appraisers and Appraiser Apprentices are recruited to work at the central Appraisal Hall, where visitors can have traded treasures inspected.
• Steward Qian, accompanied by two yamen runners, arrives to escort the Lin Family’s appraisers to the venue.
• The shopkeeper introduces the pawnshop’s three Certified Appraisers and highlights Ayong, an apprentice whose appraisal abilities are close to the level required for certification.
• Steward Qian warns that surviving the fair is not guaranteed: Baleful Intent has caused the deaths of many appraisers in previous years, including renowned masters.
• As the group travels to the fair, Chen Shaojun observes the bustling preparations: temporary shops, stalls, restaurants, medicine stores, entertainers, and performers are all assembling before the official opening.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun remains deliberately inconspicuous by using the Spirit-Hiding Technique, concealing his spiritual energy and blood qi.
• He demonstrates growing awareness of the power structure surrounding the fair, recognizing that Steward Qian is a Martial Master of the Qi Sea Realm.
• Chen becomes curious about Mo Zhu-Xiang, the fair’s true leader and the powerful president of the Mo East Merchant Association, formerly known as the Ghost-God Swordmaster.
• Ayong has recently emerged from secluded training after attempting to advance to Certified Appraiser status. Although he failed to achieve Minor Mastery of the Divine Gaze Technique, his progress is still impressive, and the shopkeeper believes he may soon qualify.
• Steward Qian is revealed to be a powerful and serious figure. His indifferent attitude toward Ayong emphasizes the dangers awaiting the appraisers.
• Zhao Hu and the other apprentices display excitement and wonder at experiencing the enormous public event, contrasting with their normally sheltered lives inside the pawnshop.

Significant Themes

• Danger beneath prosperity: The Treasure Fair appears lively and prosperous, but hidden dangers such as Baleful Intent threaten everyone involved.
• The coexistence of legitimacy and criminality: Though organized by official authorities and major merchant associations, the fair retains the unrestricted, secretive nature of a black market.
• Power and hierarchy: Even seemingly ordinary officials such as Steward Qian possess formidable martial strength, suggesting that the merchant associations and the fair’s leadership conceal immense power.
• Ambition and advancement: Ayong’s failed breakthrough and potential future certification reflect the competitive path of appraisers seeking professional status.
• Wonder and unfamiliarity: The apprentices’ amazement at the bustling fair highlights their sheltered backgrounds and the broader world beyond the pawnshop.

Character Interactions

• The shopkeeper greets Steward Qian deferentially and eagerly introduces the pawnshop’s appraisers.
• He praises Ayong’s abilities in an attempt to gain recognition for the pawnshop’s strongest apprentice.
• Steward Qian responds with restrained approval but immediately emphasizes that Ayong must first survive the fair.
• Chen Shaojun silently observes both the interaction and Steward Qian’s strength rather than drawing attention to himself.
• Zhao Hu comments excitedly on the scale and liveliness of the preparations, while Chen agrees and imagines how crowded the fair will become once it officially opens.

Chapter Summary: “Room C-57”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Appraisal Hall is revealed to be a large courtyard divided into hundreds of rooms, each assigned according to an appraiser’s ability.
• Its ranking system has four grades:
  • A-grade: Renowned appraisal masters
  • B-grade: Certified Appraisers
  • C-grade: Proficient Appraiser Apprentices with potential for advancement
  • D-grade: Less-skilled apprentices, many of whom are brought merely to fill positions
• Chen Shaojun and Ayong are assigned nearby C-grade rooms—Chen to Room C-57 and Ayong to Room C-61.
• Chen receives an identity token and inspects his small private cubicle. Though cramped, it is better than the communal bunk he previously lived in at the pawnshop.
• Ayong introduces Chen to Yan Dingchen, an apprentice from the Fortune-Gathering Pawnshop who has attended the Treasure Fair before.
• Yan explains the Appraisal Hall’s ranking system, the dangers of the Treasure Fair, and the potential rewards hidden among its treasures.
• He reveals that many apprentices die from Killing Intent entering their bodies, but some gain immense benefits, such as breakthroughs in the Divine Gaze Technique, improved physiques, or advancement to Certified Appraiser.
• At night, Chen practices the Tai Shang Perception Scripture and discovers that his mana increases three times more than usual. He suspects the Appraisal Hall’s superior environment and richer spiritual energy are responsible.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates adaptability and composure in his new surroundings. He is not bothered by the modest living conditions and remains focused on cultivation and learning more about the Treasure Fair. His increased mana suggests that his cultivation may benefit significantly from the Appraisal Hall’s environment.
• Ayong: Shows enthusiasm at meeting a familiar acquaintance and acts as a bridge between Chen and Yan Dingchen.
• Yan Dingchen: Is established as friendly, talkative, and knowledgeable about the Treasure Fair. Although he gained nothing during the previous event, he returns with renewed ambition and hopes to improve or obtain a rare opportunity.
• Fang Yu: Though not present, he is introduced as an example of someone who gained extraordinary physical benefits from appraising a rare treasure.

Significant Themes

• Merit and hierarchy: Room assignments reflect appraisers’ skill, reputation, and potential, emphasizing the rigid ranking system within the appraisal world.
• Risk and opportunity: The Treasure Fair is both extremely dangerous and one of the fastest paths to advancement. Survival itself is uncertain, but rare treasures can transform an apprentice’s future.
• Cultivation through environment: Chen’s sudden increase in mana highlights the importance of spiritual surroundings and suggests that the Appraisal Hall may offer hidden advantages.
• Ambition and perseverance: Yan’s return despite failing to gain anything previously illustrates the determination required to pursue advancement.
• Unequal chances: The stark contrast between A-grade masters and the cramped, vulnerable D-grade apprentices underscores the social and professional disparity among participants.

Character Interactions

• Chen and Ayong are assigned nearby rooms, reinforcing their continued association.
• Ayong happily introduces Chen to Yan Dingchen.
• Yan provides Chen with extensive information about the Appraisal Hall, the Treasure Fair, its dangers, and its potential rewards.
• Chen listens attentively, gaining valuable insight while remaining quiet and observant.

Chapter Summary: “Tiger-Leopard Thunder Resonance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun anticipates that the Treasure Fair will provide a large number of treasures for appraisal, allowing him to strengthen his dharma power through the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror.
• He recognizes that his current abilities are limited. His martial cultivation lacks a Qi Sea Realm technique, while his Daoist methods are few and mostly defensive, leaving him vulnerable to ghosts and Baleful Intent.
• At dawn, the Appraiser Apprentices are assigned to their appraisal rooms. Heavy security around the Appraisal Hall demonstrates the importance of the Treasure Fair.
• Chen initially receives no treasures because he misunderstands the sign system outside each room. A white “Collect” sign means the room is ready to receive treasures, while a red “Vacant” sign signals that the appraiser wants another item.
• After correcting the sign, Chen receives a treasure: a white jade lotus containing forty-three strands of Killing Intent.
• Using incense, candles, the Spirit Eye Technique, and the Divine Gaze Technique, he successfully dispels the treasure’s Fierce Baleful Intent and appraises it through the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror.
• The treasure is identified as Lower Dharma Grade, and Chen is rewarded with the martial art Tiger-Leopard Thunder Resonance.
• The technique is a Body Tempering auxiliary art that uses sound-induced vibrations to resonate throughout the body, strengthening the flesh, bones, meridians, organs, and other physical components.
• Chen realizes the technique could help him reach Body Tempering perfection much faster, but practicing it would create considerable noise. Since apprentices are forbidden to leave the Appraisal Hall during the fair, he considers revealing that he is capable of becoming a Certified Appraiser.
• The chapter ends when another appraiser loudly announces that he has broken through and become a Certified Appraiser, potentially affecting Chen’s plans.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Becomes more ambitious about increasing his dharma power and expanding his collection of life-preserving and offensive abilities. He demonstrates patience and practical intelligence by discovering how to obtain appraisal assignments, and he gains an important Body Tempering technique. His concern about revealing his true appraisal ability shows his cautious nature and awareness of the dangers of attracting attention.
• The unnamed apprentice: His breakthrough to Certified Appraiser status creates a new development at the chapter’s conclusion and may challenge Chen’s decision about when to reveal his own abilities.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and self-improvement: Chen seeks stronger methods because his current skills are insufficient for the dangers he expects to face.
• Hidden ability versus public recognition: Chen must decide whether to conceal his strength or reveal it to gain greater freedom and privileges.
• Resourcefulness and procedural knowledge: His initial failure to receive treasures comes from misunderstanding a simple system, emphasizing the importance of observing and adapting to unfamiliar rules.
• Balancing opportunity and risk: Tiger-Leopard Thunder Resonance is highly valuable, but its noisy cultivation makes it impractical in the Appraisal Hall.
• Accumulation through appraisal: Each treasure provides Chen with new abilities, reinforcing the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror as his main path to growth.

Character Interactions

• Chen questions an attendant after realizing that other rooms are receiving treasures while his is not.
• The attendant explains the appraisal-room sign system and assigns Chen a treasure, allowing him to begin his work.
• Chen observes the guards, attendants, and other appraisers but has little direct interaction with them.
• The chapter closes with the public announcement of another apprentice’s breakthrough, creating a contrast with Chen’s hidden capabilities and setting up possible competition or pressure.

Chapter Summary: “Black Thumb Ring”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun hears that Wen Zhenchuan, an apprentice appraiser from Abundant Treasure Abode, has broken through from the proficient level of the Divine Gaze Technique to minor accomplishment.
• Wen’s breakthrough makes him a Certified Appraiser, earning him better pay, privileges, and transfer from the C-class rooms to the B-class rooms.
• His success inspires the other apprentices, many of whom have been stuck at the peak of the proficient level for years and hope to achieve a similar breakthrough.
• The hopeful atmosphere is abruptly shattered when an apprentice in Room C-73 dies after Killing Intent enters his body, reminding everyone of the deadly risks of treasure appraisal.
• Chen reflects on the dangers and social rewards of the profession. Unlike many others, he continues mainly because the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror grants him valuable appraisal rewards.
• To work more efficiently, Chen begins using the Spirit Eye Technique instead of candles and incense to assess Killing Intent.
• He quickly appraises a low-risk treasure, receiving a Spirit-Nurturing Pill as a reward.
• His next item is a strange, extremely light black thumb ring. When he examines it with the Spirit Eye Technique, he is nearly overwhelmed by the immense Killing Intent within it.
• After recovering, Chen notices that beneath the ring’s crimson Killing Intent lies a transparent substance completely encasing the object, suggesting that the ring may possess an unusual hidden property.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Demonstrates growing confidence and efficiency as an appraiser. His mastery of the Divine Gaze Technique allows him to cleanse minor Killing Intent almost instantly, while his Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror gives him a powerful personal motivation to continue in the dangerous profession. His caution and observational skills are emphasized when he notices the transparent layer surrounding the thumb ring.
• Wen Zhenchuan: Experiences a major advancement after being stuck for a year at the peak of the proficient level. His breakthrough establishes him as an example of how persistence, accumulated effort, and sudden enlightenment can lead to success.
• Yan Dingchen and Ayong: Their envy and emotional reactions reveal the apprentices’ shared desire to become Certified Appraisers.
• The apprentices collectively: Their excitement turns to fear after witnessing the death of a colleague, showing how quickly ambition can be replaced by awareness of danger.

Significant Themes

• Risk versus advancement: Becoming a Certified Appraiser offers prestige and improved status, but the path is extremely dangerous.
• Accumulation and sudden breakthroughs: Wen’s success illustrates that long-term effort can eventually produce a breakthrough, sometimes triggered by a moment of enlightenment.
• Luck and fate: Auspicious treasures may help an appraiser advance rapidly, but unlucky encounters with deadly Killing Intent can result in death.
• Social mobility: Appraisal is portrayed as one of the few paths available to people from poor backgrounds who lack education or martial talent.
• Personal motivation: While others seek status, Chen is primarily driven by the unique rewards granted through the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror.
• Hidden danger and mystery: The black thumb ring introduces a new threat and suggests that treasures may contain concealed powers beyond their visible Killing Intent.

Character Interactions

• Chen observes Wen’s breakthrough and joins the gathering of curious apprentices outside the appraisal rooms.
• Yan Dingchen explains Wen’s history and expresses envy over his advancement.
• Ayong reflects on the difficulty of breaking through and shares the apprentices’ aspirations.
• Manager Sun verifies Wen’s achievement and formally grants him Certified Appraiser status and improved privileges.
• The apprentices react collectively to the news of the death in Room C-73, their excitement giving way to fear.
• Chen interacts indirectly with attendants and guards as treasures are exchanged and the dead apprentice is removed, reinforcing the routine yet hazardous nature of the Appraisal Hall.

Chapter Summary: Spell-Deflecting Ring

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun examines a black thumb ring covered in terrifying killing intent. He realizes that the killing intent is only the outer layer and that a transparent membrane lies beneath it, suggesting the ring may be an unusual Daoist treasure.
• He prepares carefully for the appraisal by lighting a candle and three incense sticks while recovering his Arcane Power through the Tai Shang Perception Scripture.
• The candle remains lit, indicating that the danger does not involve ghosts or spirits. However, all three incense sticks go out in the ominous pattern of “one short, two long,” traditionally interpreted as an ill omen.
• Chen Shaojun uses the Divine Gaze Technique. The ring’s killing intent attacks him like countless sharp blades, resulting in a struggle between his spiritual force and the artifact’s power.
• When the killing intent has weakened, he uses the Baleful Severing Ruler to cut it off and temporarily stops the appraisal. Though he still has enough strength to continue, the mysterious membrane makes him cautious.
• He consumes a precious Spirit-Nurturing Pill, rapidly restoring his spiritual force, Arcane Power, and vitality.
• Chen resumes the appraisal. The remaining killing intent is destroyed almost immediately, but his spiritual force strikes the membrane and encounters powerful resistance, causing his consciousness to shake.
• Before he can attack the barrier again, the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror activates, signaling that the appraisal is complete.
• He learns that the ring is a magical artifact called the Spell-Deflecting Ring, forged by an artificer named Kong Lin. Its membrane is a defensive barrier formed by the runes within the ring, allowing it to resist Daoist spells to a limited degree.
• The artifact’s history is revealed: it passed from a cultivation genius to a junior disciple, then to a weaker and arrogant descendant. That descendant was killed after provoking a middle-aged man, who later sold the ring at the Treasure Fair. A scholar-like buyer eventually purchased it and submitted it to the Appraisal Hall.

Character Development

• Chen Shaojun displays growing caution and professionalism. Although he is willing to risk himself to complete the appraisal, he carefully prepares, monitors supernatural omens, and keeps the Baleful Severing Ruler ready as an emergency safeguard.
• His confidence in his abilities has increased, but he does not become reckless. He recognizes that the transparent barrier may conceal an unknown danger and chooses to pause rather than force the appraisal.
• Chen also demonstrates increasing resourcefulness by using the superior Spirit-Nurturing Pill instead of ordinary Energy Pills, allowing him to recover quickly and resume the appraisal safely.

Significant Themes

• Caution versus courage: Chen must balance the need to complete dangerous appraisals with the importance of protecting himself.
• Hidden layers and appearances: The ring initially appears to be merely saturated with killing intent, but its true nature is concealed behind a powerful defensive barrier.
• The consequences of ownership: The ring’s history shows how artifacts change hands and how their value and danger depend on the abilities and decisions of their owners.
• Power and limitations: The Spell-Deflecting Ring can resist ordinary spells but is ineffective against stronger attacks, emphasizing that even magical treasures have boundaries.
• Omens and uncertainty: The extinguished incense foreshadows danger, though its exact meaning remains unclear, adding suspense to the appraisal.

Character Interactions

• Chen’s main interaction is with the Spell-Deflecting Ring itself, as he confronts its killing intent through the Divine Gaze Technique and counters it with the Baleful Severing Ruler.
• The ring’s past owners reveal a chain of relationships among cultivators: a genius gives it to a junior disciple, the disciple passes it to a weaker relative, and that relative’s arrogance leads to his death.
• The middle-aged man who kills the final owner avoids trouble by selling the ring, while a scholar-like buyer unknowingly sends it to the Appraisal Hall for evaluation.

Chapter Summary: “Divine Striking Technique”

Key Plot Points and Events

• While appraising the Spell-Deflecting Ring, Chen Shaojun sees a vision revealing that the ring belonged to a junior member of the influential Li Clan, one of Shengjing City’s Eight Great Unorthodox Families.
• The ring’s original owner had received it from a close relative cultivating at the Ten Thousand Dharmas Sect. His unexplained death would likely cause the Li Clan to investigate.
• Chen realizes that the middle-aged man who obtained the ring had been too greedy: possessing such a powerful treasure would make it difficult for him to hide his involvement.
• The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror evaluates the ring as a Superior Dharma Grade treasure and rewards Chen with the Divine Striking Technique.
• Chen learns that the technique is an unorthodox ritual involving transactions with unseen spirits or ghosts. By sacrificing dharma power, blood and qi, or spiritual objects, the user temporarily borrows supernatural strength.
• Although dangerous and not an orthodox Daoist art, Chen recognizes the technique’s value as a life-saving measure in desperate circumstances.
• Chen appraises several additional, lower-ranked treasures and receives several spiritual pills: two Blood-Qi Pills, two Spirit-Communing Pills, and one Qi-Nourishing Pill.
• Deciding that he can no longer conceal his progress, Chen leaves Appraisal Room Fifty-Seven and tells a nearby guard that he may have broken through to become a Certified Appraiser.
• The guard takes him to Manager Sun, who is surprised but welcoming. Chen cautiously claims that his essence, qi, and spirit have transformed, making treasure appraisal and the dispelling of Killing Intent easier.
• Manager Sun recognizes Chen as an apprentice from the Lin Clan Pawnshop and begins questioning him about his breakthrough.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Gains the powerful Divine Striking Technique and increases his stockpile of spiritual pills. He also takes an important step toward greater freedom by openly declaring his possible advancement to Certified Appraiser. His cautious, carefully constructed performance shows his growing skill at concealing his true abilities.
• Manager Sun: Is established as observant but kind. He remembers Chen’s origins and treats him with encouragement rather than suspicion, though he is clearly curious about Chen’s unexpected progress.
• The middle-aged treasure holder: Though absent from the present action, he is revealed to be in a precarious position because of his possession of the Spell-Deflecting Ring and the Li Clan’s likely pursuit.
• The Li Clan: Their influence and willingness to investigate the death of one of their members are emphasized, creating possible future complications.

Significant Themes

• Power through dangerous bargains: The Divine Striking Technique demonstrates that extraordinary strength can be obtained through sacrifice, but such power carries risks and costs.
• Orthodox versus unorthodox cultivation: Chen does not reject unconventional methods simply because they are morally or traditionally questionable; he values practical techniques that can preserve his life.
• Concealment and self-protection: Chen carefully manages what others believe about him, presenting himself as cautious and uncertain while hiding the full extent of his abilities.
• Consequences of greed: The middle-aged man’s desire to keep the Spell-Deflecting Ring places him in danger, showing that rare treasures often bring pursuit and trouble.
• Social advancement and freedom: Becoming a Certified Appraiser would allow Chen to leave the restrictive appraisal environment and gain opportunities to cultivate and practice martial arts.

Character Interactions

• Chen speaks with the patrolling guard, who initially treats him as a possible threat and keeps his hand on his saber. The guard’s attitude softens once Chen explains that he may have become a Certified Appraiser.
• The guard promptly escorts Chen to Manager Sun.
• Chen respectfully introduces himself to Manager Sun and presents his breakthrough with deliberate humility.
• Manager Sun recalls Chen’s connection to the Lin Clan Pawnshop, notes that another apprentice had once seemed more promising, and expresses surprise that Chen advanced first.
• The chapter ends with Manager Sun asking Chen how the breakthrough occurred, setting up Chen’s verification and further conversation.

Chapter Summary: Becoming a Certified Appraiser

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun explains his sudden improvement by claiming that appraising a treasure containing Auspicious Aura unexpectedly cleared his mind and made appraisal easier. He intends to maintain this story to conceal the true source of his abilities.
• Manager Sun reveals that Chen is the second Appraiser Apprentice that day to benefit from Auspicious Aura. The first, an apprentice from the Ding section, only advanced the Divine Gaze Technique to the proficient level and was assigned to Room Bing-73—the room previously occupied by the apprentice whose corpse had been removed.
• Senior Appraiser Nie arrives to verify Chen’s advancement. He recognizes Chen as Qin Wenshan’s apprentice from the Lin Family Pawnshop and remarks that Qin is too focused on becoming an Appraisal Grandmaster and Treasure Unsealer to properly teach apprentices.
• Nie tests Chen by having him use the Divine Gaze Technique to pierce a sheet of rice paper from three feet away. Chen uses spiritual power rather than mana and cleanly splits the paper, proving he has reached Minor Mastery and is already far beyond the basic level.
• Impressed by Chen’s talent, Nie invites him to work at Juyifang, a larger establishment with more Certified Appraisers and better instruction. Chen politely refuses, partly because he does not want increased scrutiny and partly because his contract remains with the Lin Family Pawnshop.
• Manager Sun officially recognizes Chen as a Certified Appraiser, transfers him to Room Yi-137, and gives him a new identity token.
• Chen’s appraisal commission increases dramatically from one hundred copper coins to one thousand copper coins—one tael of silver—per treasure. He also gains permission to leave the Appraisal Hall after sunset, provided he returns early and appraises at least five treasures each day.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Successfully disguises his extraordinary progress while demonstrating genuine confidence and control over the Divine Gaze Technique. He remains cautious, avoiding opportunities that might attract too much attention. His new status gives him greater freedom, money, and the chance to pursue martial arts training and explore the Treasure Fair.
• Manager Sun: Accepts Chen’s explanation without suspicion and treats him more favorably after his promotion. He explains the benefits and obligations of being a Certified Appraiser.
• Senior Appraiser Nie: Becomes impressed by Chen’s unusual talent and immediately sees his potential. He offers both employment and mentorship, revealing himself to be experienced and willing to guide promising apprentices.
• Qin Wenshan: Though absent, he is characterized as talented but narrowly focused on becoming an Appraisal Grandmaster, leaving little time to teach Chen or other apprentices.

Significant Themes

• Concealing one’s true abilities: Chen deliberately maintains a simple explanation for his breakthrough to protect himself from suspicion.
• Talent versus guidance: Chen’s natural advancement attracts Nie’s attention, while the chapter emphasizes that even gifted practitioners need proper instruction to progress.
• Freedom and opportunity: Becoming a Certified Appraiser grants Chen higher pay and limited freedom of movement, opening possibilities beyond the oppressive routine of the Appraisal Hall.
• Ambition and professional hierarchy: The chapter introduces higher levels and specialized paths within appraisal, including Certified Appraisers and Treasure Unsealers.
• Survival amid danger: The mention of the dead apprentice and the repeated focus on Baleful Intent remind Chen that the Appraisal Hall remains dangerous despite his promotion.

Character Interactions

• Chen and Manager Sun discuss the mysterious breakthroughs caused by Auspicious Aura, with Chen carefully hiding the truth.
• Chen questions Manager Sun about the other fortunate apprentice and learns that the apprentice now occupies the room of the recently deceased appraiser.
• Senior Appraiser Nie tests Chen’s technique, praises his performance, and offers him a position and mentorship at Juyifang.
• Chen respectfully declines Nie’s offer, while Nie remains cordial and leaves the invitation open.
• Manager Sun then formally informs Chen of his new rank, improved earnings, room assignment, and work requirements.

Chapter Summary: “A Show Only One Person Knew About”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After becoming a Certified Appraiser, Chen Shaojun receives access to a much better appraisal room equipped with Spirit-Calming Incense, a Five-Element Banner Formation, and comfortable furnishings.
• His first assigned treasure is a golden hairpin containing over seventy strands of Killing Intent. He successfully purifies it with the Divine Gaze Technique and appraises it as a Lower Dharma Grade treasure.
• The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror rewards him with an Invisibility Talisman, adding another valuable defensive tool to his collection.
• Chen Shaojun hopes that appraising more dangerous, higher-grade treasures will eventually reward him with offensive spells or talismans, which he considers more reliable than purely defensive methods.
• His plan to appraise ten treasures is interrupted because night falls and the first day of the Treasure Fair ends.
• At dinner, Chen hears alarming news: many appraisers have suffered or died from Killing Intent, two apprentices have been promoted, and several merchant associations were attacked by red-clad Martial Warriors.
• The attacks remind him of the Blood-Baleful Banner’s history, which involved the same red-clad group.
• After dinner, Chen leaves the Appraisal Hall and discovers the middle-aged man connected to the Spell-Deflecting Ring’s revenge story running a street stall.
• He also notices Ghost-Hand Seven, a notorious figure from the unorthodox Li Clan, secretly watching the stall owner. Chen realizes Ghost-Hand Seven is likely seeking revenge.
• The chapter ends as Chen decides whether to remain and observe the confrontation or avoid becoming involved.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun grows more confident after becoming a Certified Appraiser. He is pleased with his improved status and resources, and he becomes increasingly ambitious about obtaining offensive abilities.
• His growing experience with the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror allows him to recognize people and events connected to treasures he has previously appraised.
• Chen also demonstrates caution and strategic awareness. Rather than rushing into the apparent revenge conflict, he carefully evaluates the danger and considers whether to observe or withdraw.
• The middle-aged stall owner is revealed as the target of Ghost-Hand Seven’s likely revenge, connecting him to the earlier murder of a Li Clan junior.
• Ghost-Hand Seven appears as a dangerous and vengeful martial figure, disguising his intentions while surveilling the stall owner.

Significant Themes

• Power and status: Chen’s promotion to Certified Appraiser gives him superior treatment, greater opportunities, and access to more valuable treasures.
• Risk and survival: The Treasure Fair is shown to be extremely dangerous, with many appraisers suffering fatal spiritual injuries from Killing Intent.
• Knowledge as power: Chen possesses information unavailable to everyone else because of the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror. This secret knowledge lets him recognize hidden connections and anticipate danger.
• Revenge and concealed histories: Ordinary-looking people and locations conceal violent pasts, and the consequences of earlier conflicts continue to unfold.
• Defense versus offense: Chen’s collection of protective talismans strengthens his survival chances, but he remains dissatisfied without a direct offensive method.

Character Interactions

• Chen interacts indirectly with the attendants and appraisal system, benefiting from the privileges granted to Certified Appraisers.
• At dinner, he listens to fellow appraisers discuss the dangers and rumors surrounding the Treasure Fair, gathering information without revealing his own knowledge.
• He observes the middle-aged stall owner and Ghost-Hand Seven from a distance, recognizing that their apparent encounter is connected to the revenge story revealed by the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror.
• The chapter sets up a potential confrontation while leaving Chen’s decision—and his involvement in the conflict—unresolved.

Chapter Summary: Body Tempering Perfection, Primal Unity

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun notices a dangerous confrontation between the middle-aged swordsman and Ghost-Hand Seven through the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror. Recognizing that even stray attacks could kill him, he wisely avoids them and leaves without revealing his presence.
• He searches for a secluded place to practice martial arts and eventually chooses a bamboo grove near the Three-River Great River.
• Using the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Resonance technique, Chen controls his blood, qi, and physical strength to create low internal vibrations modeled after the resonance of powerful beasts.
• The vibrations gradually intensify, causing his flesh, bones, organs, meridians, and marrow to resonate and become tempered.
• The technique rapidly consumes his blood and qi, forcing him to take a Blood-Qi Pill. Replenished, he resumes training with even greater intensity.
• The resonance frightens the surrounding wildlife: insects fall silent, animals flee or hide, and fish leap from the river as though thunder were approaching.
• During cultivation, Chen experiences a state of complete harmony between his inner strength and outer body. He realizes he may have reached the legendary Body Tempering Perfection—Primal Unity.
• Testing his strength, he stomps hard enough to crack the earth and then strikes a bamboo stalk from a distance. His released fist force shatters bamboo a full zhang away, demonstrating power far beyond ordinary Body Tempering Perfection.

Character Development

• Chen Shaojun displays caution and sound judgment by refusing to approach a battle far beyond his current ability.
• His confidence and martial understanding deepen as he correctly interprets the meaning of Tiger-Leopard Thunder Resonance—not as literal roaring, but as internal vibration and bodily resonance.
• His exceptional physique and disciplined cultivation allow him to advance rapidly, surpassing the usual limits of the Body Tempering Realm.
• By the end of the chapter, Chen has likely achieved a rare state of complete bodily unity and gained formidable long-range striking power.

Significant Themes

• Caution versus recklessness: Chen recognizes that survival sometimes requires retreat rather than involvement.
• The unity of body and strength: True martial advancement comes from harmonizing blood, qi, flesh, organs, bones, and intent.
• Nature as a model for cultivation: Chen imitates the innate internal power of tigers and leopards to improve his own body.
• Hidden power and transformation: His seemingly quiet practice produces effects powerful enough to terrify wildlife and reshape the surrounding earth.
• Limits being surpassed: Chen’s strength exceeds the normal standards of Body Tempering Perfection, hinting at an unusual or exceptional path of cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Chen has no direct conversation in this chapter, but his actions are shaped by the nearby conflict between the middle-aged swordsman and Ghost-Hand Seven.
• His indirect interaction with nature emphasizes the power of his cultivation: animals instinctively react to his resonance as though facing a natural predator or approaching storm.
• The chapter primarily focuses on Chen’s relationship with his own body, as he learns to control and refine his internal force.

Chapter Summary: “What Does It Have to Do with Him?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After several hours of practicing Tiger-Leopard Thunder Resonance, Chen Shaojun reaches Body Tempering Perfection. His body and strength become fully refined, leaving him only one suitable cultivation technique away from entering the Qi Sea Realm.
• While considering how to obtain such a technique, Chen hears repeated thudding sounds from the western corner of the bamboo grove.
• Using the Spirit Eye Technique, he discovers that the area is saturated with Yin Baleful Intent. Investigating cautiously, he finds a recently constructed grave surrounded by four command flags, five ropes, and seven nails arranged in what appears to be a corpse-nurturing formation.
• Chen suspects that an evil cultivator is using the formation to nurture or refine a Zombie. Unwilling to risk his life, he initially decides to leave rather than interfere.
• Before he can get far, Fu Heng, a middle-aged “Swift Saber,” and Li Clan Seventh Master Ghost-Hand Seven arrive in the bamboo grove and begin confronting one another.
• Ghost-Hand Seven reveals that Fu Heng has offended the Li Clan and must die, apparently because Fu Heng became involved with someone connected to the Li Clan’s interests. Fu Heng accepts the challenge.
• The two engage in an intense battle: Fu Heng uses rapid, layered saber strikes and blade aura, while Ghost-Hand Seven relies on extraordinary speed and a black dagger.
• Their clash destroys bamboo, scatters earth, and demonstrates a level of martial skill far beyond Chen’s experience. Though fascinated, Chen realizes he should still withdraw before being caught in the fight.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun makes a major breakthrough, reaching the peak of Body Tempering and gaining confidence and courage.
• Despite his increased strength, Chen remains cautious and survival-oriented. He refuses to involve himself in the suspected corpse-refining operation or the duel, believing that preserving his life comes first.
• His use of the Spirit Eye Technique shows growing awareness of supernatural phenomena and formations.
• Chen also becomes deeply impressed by genuine high-level martial arts, recognizing the difference between real combat and the staged action of his former world.
• Fu Heng is introduced as the renowned Swift Saber, a confident and formidable fighter willing to face Ghost-Hand Seven directly.
• Ghost-Hand Seven is portrayed as sinister, fast, and connected to the powerful Li Clan. His willingness to kill Fu Heng on the clan’s orders highlights his ruthlessness and the influence of factional politics.

Significant Themes

• Survival versus justice: Chen knows the corpse-refining practice may lead to future killings, but he chooses not to interfere because survival is his immediate priority.
• Caution in a dangerous world: The chapter emphasizes that strength alone does not justify taking unnecessary risks. Chen repeatedly follows the principle of avoiding trouble.
• Power and cultivation: Chen’s breakthrough reveals the importance of cultivation techniques and establishes his goal of reaching the Qi Sea Realm.
• Hidden supernatural dangers: The grave, Yin Baleful Intent, and possible Zombie demonstrate that danger exists beneath ordinary surroundings.
• Factional conflict and social hierarchy: Ghost-Hand Seven’s attack on Fu Heng is motivated by the Li Clan’s authority and desire to punish those who challenge or offend it.
• Awe at true martial arts: Chen’s reaction to the duel marks his first close exposure to elite combat and broadens his understanding of the world’s martial power.

Character Interactions

• Chen has no direct conversation with the corpse-refining cultivator or the possible Zombie, but his discovery of the grave places him near a hidden supernatural conflict.
• Ghost-Hand Seven confronts Fu Heng and declares that the Li Clan has ordered his death.
• Fu Heng responds defiantly, challenging Ghost-Hand Seven to prove his ability.
• Chen observes their duel from concealment, admiring their skill while remaining determined not to become involved.

Chapter Summary: “Zombie Breaks Out of the Coffin”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun observes two powerful martial artists, Fu Heng and Ghost-Hand Seven, fighting in the graveyard. Both are at the Qi Sea Realm and use deadly, highly refined techniques.
• Although Chen recognizes their strength, his recent breakthrough gives him the impression that he might be able to exchange blows with them. He ultimately decides not to risk confronting them.
• As Chen retreats, he realizes the two men have detected his presence and are deliberately moving toward him. At the same time, the mysterious burial mound begins knocking violently from within.
• Fu Heng and Ghost-Hand Seven immediately pursue Chen, forcing him to flee. Chen uses the Eight-Step Cicada Catcher movement technique, enhanced by his powerful Body Tempering cultivation, to cover great distances.
• Reaching the burial mound, Chen notices the formation flags and coffin-sealing nails. In desperation, he removes them, hoping to redirect the danger toward his pursuers, then escapes.
• With the restraints weakened, the corpse inside the coffin awakens. A powerful Zombie tears open the coffin and bursts from the grave.
• Fu Heng and Ghost-Hand Seven reach the mound just as the Zombie emerges. They attack it instinctively, but their weapons fail to stop it.
• The two martial artists identify the creature as a Zombie and become concerned that a corpse-refining cultivator may be controlling it. The Zombie, however, appears to be acting independently and attacks them because of their powerful blood and qi.
• Fu Heng discovers that the Zombie had at least reached completed Body Tempering while alive. After corpse refinement and exposure to killing intent, it has become comparable to a first-layer Qi Sea Realm expert.
• Ghost-Hand Seven pretends to assist Fu Heng but suddenly turns his daggers toward him instead. Fu Heng detects the betrayal, narrowly avoids the strike, and counterattacks. The chapter ends during this confrontation.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun: Displays increased confidence after his breakthrough, sensing that he may now be capable of challenging Qi Sea Realm experts. However, he remains cautious and prioritizes survival over testing himself. His quick thinking is evident when he removes the grave’s restraints to create a diversion.
• Fu Heng: Demonstrates strong combat ability and awareness. He quickly assesses the Zombie’s strength and recognizes the danger posed by its refined corpse nature.
• Ghost-Hand Seven: Reveals his treacherous and opportunistic personality by abandoning the pursuit of Chen and attempting to attack Fu Heng when the latter is distracted by the Zombie.
• The Zombie: Awakens as a formidable, mindless creature with exceptional physical strength and resilience. Its transformation makes it a threat on the level of a Qi Sea Realm martial artist.

Significant Themes

• Survival over pride: Chen suppresses his desire to test his strength against stronger opponents and chooses the safer course.
• Consequences of interference: By removing the formation flags and nails, Chen releases a dangerous force, unintentionally changing the entire situation.
• The dangers of corpse refinement: The Zombie’s strength illustrates how martial power can be preserved and enhanced through sinister methods.
• Treachery in the martial world: Fu Heng and Ghost-Hand Seven cooperate only temporarily, with Ghost-Hand Seven quickly turning on his companion.
• Strength and perception: Chen’s newfound power changes how he views Qi Sea Realm experts, while the other characters rely on sharp senses and combat experience to detect hidden threats.

Character Interactions

• Chen observes Fu Heng and Ghost-Hand Seven from hiding but is discovered and pursued by both.
• Chen indirectly pits the two martial artists against the Zombie by dismantling the grave’s restraints.
• Fu Heng and Ghost-Hand Seven initially attack the emerging Zombie together.
• Once the Zombie proves unusually powerful, Ghost-Hand Seven shifts from apparent cooperation to betrayal, targeting Fu Heng.
• Fu Heng reacts quickly, evading Ghost-Hand Seven’s attack and launching a counterstrike as the chapter closes.

Chapter Summary: “Clang, Clang, Clang...”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Ghost-Hand Seven kills Fu Heng with a sleeve arrow after revealing that he has arrived too late to prevent the situation.
• He then kills the zombie by stabbing its head and destroying the Corpse Core inside it.
• Fearing retaliation from the mysterious corpse-raising Daoist, Ghost-Hand Seven pursues Chen Shaojun, intending to eliminate him as a witness regardless of whether he is involved.
• Chen Shaojun attempts to explain that he had only been practicing martial arts and hiding to avoid misunderstanding, but Ghost-Hand Seven refuses to spare him.
• Ghost-Hand Seven threatens to torture Chen using an incomplete imperial palace technique called Death by a Thousand Cuts.
• Chen finally stops fleeing and turns to fight, wielding the Baleful Severing Ruler.
• Although Ghost-Hand Seven is a Fifth-Layer Qi Sea expert and Chen appears to be only at the Body Tempering Realm, Chen repeatedly blocks every dagger strike.
• The Baleful Severing Ruler unexpectedly disperses the true qi in Ghost-Hand Seven’s weapon, weakening his attacks by roughly thirty percent.
• Chen’s defensive Lesser Celestial Circuit Sword Art, combined with his immense physical strength and precise timing, allows him to counter Ghost-Hand Seven’s superior cultivation.
• Frustrated and unwilling to accept defeat, Ghost-Hand Seven launches another concealed dagger attack while simultaneously firing a sleeve arrow. The chapter ends at this dangerous moment.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun shifts from avoidance and defensive flight to confidently confronting a powerful enemy. His battle reveals that his actual combat strength is far greater than his cultivation level suggests.
• Chen also gains a clearer understanding of his own abilities, realizing that his strength, sword art, and weapon allow him to contend with experts above his realm.
• Ghost-Hand Seven changes from a confident hunter into a shocked and increasingly frustrated opponent. His assumptions about Chen’s weakness are overturned as his attacks are repeatedly neutralized.
• Ghost-Hand Seven’s cautious and ruthless nature is emphasized: he chooses to kill Chen simply to prevent possible trouble with the corpse-raising Daoist.
• Fu Heng and the zombie are removed from the conflict, leaving Chen and Ghost-Hand Seven as the central combatants.

3. Significant Themes

• Misunderstanding and guilt by association: Chen is attacked despite being uninvolved, showing how dangerous the martial world is when witnesses and strangers are treated as potential threats.
• Hidden strength versus apparent cultivation: Chen’s low realm conceals extraordinary physical power, refined technique, and powerful treasures.
• Adaptation and self-discovery: During the fight, Chen realizes he has grown much stronger than he believed and gains confidence through actual combat.
• Weapon and technique synergy: The Baleful Severing Ruler’s ability to disrupt true qi greatly enhances the defensive Lesser Celestial Circuit Sword Art.
• Ruthlessness and survival: Ghost-Hand Seven’s willingness to kill an innocent bystander and torture Chen reflects the harsh moral environment of the unorthodox martial factions.

4. Character Interactions

• Ghost-Hand Seven coldly executes Fu Heng and the zombie before pursuing Chen.
• Chen repeatedly tries to reason with Ghost-Hand Seven, insisting that his presence was accidental, but Ghost-Hand Seven responds with false amiability while openly planning to torture and kill him.
• Their confrontation develops from a one-sided chase into an evenly matched battle. Ghost-Hand Seven attacks from multiple angles with his dagger, while Chen calmly intercepts every strike with his ruler.
• Ghost-Hand Seven becomes increasingly bewildered and enraged as Chen’s defensive technique and weapon repeatedly undermine his attacks.
• The chapter concludes with Ghost-Hand Seven escalating the fight by combining a hidden dagger thrust with a sleeve arrow, leaving the outcome unresolved.

Chapter Summary: “A Bountiful Harvest”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun successfully blocks Ghost-Hand Seven’s dagger and sleeve-arrow attacks, then counterattacks with the Blood-Refining Saber Art through his ruler.
• His powerful strikes crack Ghost-Hand Seven’s refined-iron dagger, forcing the assassin to realize that he is at a disadvantage despite possessing a higher cultivation realm.
• Ghost-Hand Seven attempts to flee, relying on superior qinggong and movement speed.
• Chen Shaojun uses a Body-Fixing Talisman to seal Ghost-Hand Seven’s true qi and immobilize him mid-escape.
• After Ghost-Hand Seven crashes to the ground, Chen Shaojun kills him with a blow to the head using the Baleful Severing Ruler.
• Reflecting on the battle, Chen concludes that he was dragged into an unnecessary conflict while practicing martial arts and feels frustrated at having been forced to kill again.
• He disposes of the three corpses—Ghost-Hand Seven, Fu Heng, and the corpse or zombie involved in the earlier ritual—by throwing them into the fast-flowing Three-River Great River.
• Chen searches the remains and collects weapons, money, documents, talismans, books, jade items, pawn tickets, and the seven nails used in the corpse-refining ritual.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates growing combat confidence and tactical flexibility. He combines martial arts, superior weapon technique, and talismans to defeat an opponent of higher cultivation.
• He remains cautious and practical, recognizing the limits of his movement technique compared with genuine qinggong.
• Despite killing his enemies, Chen retains a reluctance toward violence and views the encounter as an unwanted calamity rather than a triumph.
• Ghost-Hand Seven is revealed to be powerful but pragmatic rather than blindly heroic. Once his weapon begins to fail and he recognizes Chen’s advantage, he abandons the fight and attempts to escape.
• Fu Heng remains largely absent from the direct confrontation but is identified through the possessions left behind, confirming his role as a traveling corpse-related practitioner or merchant.

Significant Themes

• Resourcefulness overcoming cultivation disparity: Chen cannot match Ghost-Hand Seven’s realm or speed, but compensates through weapon advantages, specialized swordsmanship, and talisman use.
• Pragmatism and survival: Ghost-Hand Seven’s retreat and Chen’s decision to dispose of the bodies emphasize the harsh, practical nature of the jianghu.
• Unwanted violence and moral unease: Chen sees himself as a peaceful, low-profile practitioner who is repeatedly forced into deadly confrontations.
• Rewards amid danger: The chapter’s title reflects Chen’s material gains after the battle, contrasting the trouble of the encounter with its unexpectedly valuable outcome.
• The supernatural and the ordinary: Powerful talismans, corpse-refining practices, and possible river demons coexist with mundane concerns such as money, weapons, and disposing of evidence.

Character Interactions

• Chen and Ghost-Hand Seven engage in a tense weapon exchange, with Chen repeatedly blocking attacks before turning the fight in his favor.
• Chen’s Blood-Refining Saber Art directly counters Ghost-Hand Seven’s dagger techniques, while his ruler’s durability and strength damage the assassin’s weapon.
• Ghost-Hand Seven attempts to disengage rather than continue fighting, but Chen prevents his escape with the Body-Fixing Talisman.
• Their conflict ends decisively when Chen kills Ghost-Hand Seven at close range.
• Chen has no direct conversation with Fu Heng in this section, but his later examination of Fu Heng’s belongings reveals information about the man’s trade and travels.

Chapter Summary: Lingchi Technique

Key Plot Points and Events

• After defeating the corpse-refining heretical cultivator, Chen Shaojun reviews his gains and decides to discard items that could identify him or attract suspicion, including the dagger, saber, sleeve arrows, and jade pendant.
• Before disposing of them, he plans to cleanse their Baleful Intent and remove their former owners’ traces through his pawnbroker abilities, allowing him to appraise them and obtain rewards.
• He disguises himself with the Face-Shifting Technique as an ordinary, weathered saber wielder and secures a room at the fully booked Myriad Guests Inn.
• Chen Shaojun begins appraising the dagger formerly used by Ghost-Hand Seven.
• Using the Divine Gaze Technique, he battles and removes the dagger’s dense weapon-born killing aura and Ghost-Hand Seven’s lingering personal aura.
• The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror reveals the dagger’s history, including its forging and Ghost-Hand Seven’s numerous murders and tortures.
• The dagger is judged to be of Superior Dharma Grade, and Chen Shaojun receives the Lingchi Technique as his reward.

Character Development

• Chen Shaojun becomes increasingly cautious and methodical. He understands that powerful treasures can also bring danger if their origins or identifying characteristics expose him.
• His mastery of spiritual power has grown significantly, allowing him to overcome the dagger’s intense Baleful Intent with relative confidence.
• He gains a deeper understanding of the pawnbroker profession, especially the importance of cleansing objects of both murderous energy and their previous owners’ auras.
• Although disturbed by the brutality of the Lingchi Technique, Chen Shaojun recognizes its value in improving his saber skills and accepts it as another useful ability.

Significant Themes

• Power and risk: Valuable treasures may carry hidden dangers, including traces of their former owners and violent spiritual influence.
• Cleansing and transformation: Chen Shaojun’s appraisal does more than evaluate the dagger; it fundamentally purifies and changes the weapon.
• Violence and moral distance: The dagger’s history exposes Ghost-Hand Seven’s cruelty, contrasting sharply with Chen Shaojun’s discomfort at receiving a technique associated with torture.
• Practical cultivation: Even morally disturbing or seemingly irrelevant abilities can provide useful advantages when adapted to cultivation and combat.
• Identity and concealment: Disguise, trace removal, and careful handling of stolen or suspicious objects reflect Chen Shaojun’s growing awareness of the dangers surrounding him.

Character Interactions

• Chen Shaojun has no direct interaction with other characters in the chapter, but he spiritually confronts the murderous legacy of Ghost-Hand Seven, also known as Li Xiang, through the dagger’s revealed memories.
• The dagger’s former relationship with Ghost-Hand Seven is explained: their shared aura allowed him to wield it safely and even enhance its power, while another wielder might be mentally corrupted or physically harmed.
• Chen Shaojun’s indirect encounter with Ghost-Hand Seven’s past reinforces the contrast between the former owner’s brutality and Chen Shaojun’s more controlled, pragmatic attitude.

Chapter Summary: “Three-Corpse Daoist”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Shaojun continues cleansing treasures of Killing Intent using the Divine Gaze Technique.
• He appraises a mechanism-made sleeve arrow and receives the Fragrance-Tasting Technique, which greatly enhances his sense of smell and allows him to identify scents, spices, origins, and quality.
• He appraises Fu Heng’s long saber, discovering through Origin-Tracking Search that Fu Heng had been a wandering hero whose wife was killed by the son of a county commandant. In revenge, Fu Heng slaughtered the commandant’s entire household and became a wanted criminal.
• Fu Heng later opposed the Li Clan after seeing one of its disciples assault a young girl who resembled his deceased wife.
• The saber is identified as a Superior Dharma Grade Hundred-Refined Longsaber, and Chen Shaojun receives the Gale Saber Technique, a powerful true-qi-based martial art.
• Chen reflects on his current Body Tempering cultivation. Although eager to obtain an internal cultivation method and advance to the Qi Sea Realm, he decides not to rush and hopes to gain a superior manual from more valuable treasures.
• Chen quickly appraises several minor treasures, receiving three Blood-Qi Pills, two Spirit-Communing Pills, and one Qi-Nourishing Pill.
• He then appraises seven unusual nails, recognizing them as Corpse-Sealing Nails. Their origins reveal that they were once coffin nails buried with a eunuch for three hundred years before being transformed by corpse qi.
• Grave robbers later recovered the nails, and a middle-aged Daoist refined them into tools for restraining and refining zombies.
• Chen identifies this Daoist as the likely mastermind behind the corpse-raising operations: the Three-Corpse Daoist.
• Most importantly, the images show the Three-Corpse Daoist communicating with a beardless old man whom Chen recognizes as the same figure previously seen participating in the theft of a Blood-Baleful Banner and the robbery of a merchant association.

Character Developments

• Chen Shaojun demonstrates growing confidence and efficiency in treasure appraisal. His strengthened spirit and mastery of the thousand-cuts technique allow him to cleanse even heavily tainted weapons with ease.
• He gains new sensory and combat abilities through the Fragrance-Tasting Technique and Gale Saber Technique, broadening his skills beyond spiritual appraisal.
• Chen remains ambitious about reaching the Qi Sea Realm but shows patience and self-awareness by choosing to stabilize his cultivation rather than advance recklessly.
• His moral outlook becomes more nuanced as he learns Fu Heng’s tragic history and recognizes that Fu Heng was driven by grief and a sense of justice, despite committing severe crimes.
• Chen’s investigation begins connecting seemingly separate supernatural crimes and suggests that the corpse-refining operation is part of a larger conspiracy.

Significant Themes

• Power gained through appraisal: Chen’s treasure-cleansing ability not only earns him rewards but also rapidly strengthens his martial capabilities.
• Justice and vengeance: Fu Heng’s story raises questions about whether violent revenge can be understood or justified when law and authority are corrupt.
• Patience in cultivation: Chen’s decision to consolidate his foundation emphasizes the importance of steady progress over reckless advancement.
• Hidden conspiracies: The Corpse-Sealing Nails reveal links between corpse refinement, the Three-Corpse Daoist, the Blood-Baleful Banner, and organized treasure theft.
• The lingering influence of death: The nails’ transformation from ordinary coffin nails into supernatural implements illustrates how corpse qi and death can corrupt or empower objects over time.

Character Interactions

• Fu Heng’s past interactions with the county commandant’s son and the Li Clan explain his violent reputation and tragic motivations.
• The grave robbers encounter and subdue the zombie eunuch before selling the nails.
• The Three-Corpse Daoist acquires the nails and uses them in corpse-raising and zombie-refining rituals.
• The Three-Corpse Daoist’s conversation with the beardless old man provides Chen with the first direct evidence linking the corpse-refining mastermind to the mysterious group involved in the Blood-Baleful Banner robbery.