Chapter Summaries

Zhou Chen defeated Zhang Shaojiu twice and forced Shen Ao to back down from challenging him over the Taisui Meat sales. Old Zheng then called Zhou Chen into the Inner Courtyard to speak with him.

• Zhang Shaojiu attacked Zhou Chen again, but Zhou Chen evaded his strike and shattered his ribs with a punch.
• Zhou Chen asked Shen Ao whether he would continue the challenge, and Shen Ao denied that his Shen Clan intended to claim the Taisui Meat sales.
• Zhou Chen told Lian Taoze to resume buying and selling Taisui Meat for their master, and reminded him of his past help.
• Old Zheng praised Zhou Chen and led him into the Inner Courtyard to talk.

Zhou Chen accepted Su Mengyao’s invitation, then met with Old Zheng, who recognized his breakthrough and made him a Direct Disciple. Old Zheng warned him about miasma poison and gave him a blood token tied to an orthodox cleansing method, a cataclysm, and the real world.

• Su Mengyao invited Zhou Chen to the Moonlit Pavilion, and Lian Taoze advised him to accept without binding himself too closely to the Lian Household.
• Zhou Chen accepted Su Mengyao’s invitation and went to see Old Zheng, who praised his progress and made him a Direct Disciple with additional provisions.
• Zhou Chen asked about Inner City methods for expelling miasma poison, and Old Zheng reacted with terrifying killing intent before warning him against those methods.
• Old Zheng gave Zhou Chen a purple blood token, explaining that it could lead him to an orthodox method if he reached the third rank, survived a cataclysm, and faced the real world.

Zhou Chen left Old Zheng’s workshop, then met Su Mengyao at the Moonlit Pavilion, where she tried to recruit him into the Four-Family Alliance with the offer of becoming a District Superintendent. The chapter ended with Zhou Chen weighing the generous rewards against his doubts about the alliance.

• Zhou Chen left Old Zheng after receiving a token and wondering about the old man’s power and warnings about a catastrophe.
• Zheng Yingying emerged wearing a Painted-Skin Ghost’s artificial skin, then returned to the ice furnace to digest black taisui while Old Zheng promised to obtain more for her at the Flesh-Cutting Tournament.
• Su Mengyao told Zhou Chen that the Four-Family Alliance would defeat New City Lord Tian Xuanwu and said the alliance was quietly recruiting capable people.
• Su Mengyao offered Zhou Chen a District Superintendent post, explaining the position’s authority, salary, tax shares, and gifts from local Lineages.
• Zhou Chen considered how the post could fund his costly cultivation but remained suspicious of Su Mengyao’s proposal.

Zhou Chen accepted Su Mengyao’s offer to become District Superintendent of five districts and learned that conflict would soon threaten the Outer City. As he took office and helped stabilize the Lian Household, Lian Taoze’s family prepared gifts to strengthen its ties with him and Ye Lingtian.

• Zhou Chen signed the prepared document and accepted the District Superintendent position, while Su Mengyao warned him to strengthen himself before the Outer City faced upheaval.
• Su Mengyao offered to recommend Zhou Chen as a Su Household Attendant if he performed well, then left without revealing when the danger would come.
• Zhou Chen took over as District Superintendent, kept his family in their own home, and used his authority to ease pressure on the Lian Household from the Shen Clan.
• Ye Lingtian broke through to the second rank, giving the Lian Household two additional Second-Rank Martial Artists and discouraging the Shen Clan from trying to swallow it.
• Lian Taofei brought lavish gifts for Zhou Chen, and Lian Taoze accepted them on behalf of the family.

Zhou Chen used gifts and mist incense to advance to major accomplishment in the second-rank flesh tempering realm and perfected Wind-Riding Steps. After deciding to seek secret medicines for strengthening his sinews and flesh, he received a secret letter from Su Mengyao.

• Zhou Chen opened Lian Taoze’s gifts, including Deer-Blood Muscle-Strengthening Pills and the costly Blood Python Sinew-Tempering Paste formula, and considered how to improve his cultivation amid approaching turmoil.
• Zhou Chen absorbed a pill and trained, while his family ate dinner; he had sent Zhou Yu to train at the Zheng Family Martial Arts Hall and arranged for Xiao Qing and Xiao Lü to spend the night with him.
• Zhou Chen absorbed mist incense from the Divine Statue and advanced to major accomplishment in the second-rank flesh tempering realm, then resolved to strengthen his copper sinew-flesh before rushing ahead.
• Zhou Chen later absorbed seven feet of mist incense from Bai Tangyin and perfected Wind-Riding Steps.
• Zhou Chen planned to visit the Nan Family Medicine Shop for secret medicines, but received a secret letter from Su Mengyao.

Shen Ao delivered Zhang Shaojiu medicine from City Lord Tian, while Zhou Chen prepared to purge Lineages supporting the New City Lord on the Four-Family Alliance’s orders. The chapter ended as someone broke into the Bai Household while Bai Liuli and Nan Zhiyi were together.

• Shen Ao gave Zhang Shaojiu a healing pill from City Lord Tian and a secret medicine intended to help him advance the Crimson Ring Art.
• Zhang Shaojiu swallowed the grotesque blood-drenched pill, and an eerie red light spread over him as his aura surged.
• Zhou Chen burned a secret letter ordering him to purge the smaller Lineages in his jurisdiction that had backed the New City Lord.
• Four-Family Alliance garrison soldiers arrived at Zhou Chen’s home under the Su Household’s orders to await his command.
• Bai Liuli showed Nan Zhiyi expensive pastries and boasted about the Bai Household’s gains after joining the New City Lord.
• A loud bang came from outside the Bai Household, startling Bai Liuli and Nan Zhiyi.

Shi Qing raided the Bai Household to demand silver, grain, and meat, then seized Bai Liuli after her father offered her up to save the family. Nan Zhiyi was left helpless as Bai Qinghai turned to gathering the demanded payment.

• Shi Qing broke into the Bai Household, injured Bai Qinghai, and demanded twice the value of the gains the family had recently made.
• Bai Qinghai pleaded for more time to gather the silver, grain, and meat, while Shi Qing made his interest in Bai Liuli clear.
• Bai Qinghai urged Bai Liuli to appease Shi Qing by marrying him, but she refused and called him hideous.
• Shi Qing slapped Bai Liuli, warned Nan Zhiyi not to interfere, and ordered his men to carry Bai Liuli away.
• Bai Qinghai told Nan Zhiyi to go home while he gathered the household staff to assess their property and raise the demanded payment.

Zhou Chen raided the Cheng Household and then seized the fleeing Sun Household, including his junior sister Sun Yingying. Sun Yingying and her father begged him to spare their lives as the chapter ended.

• Zhou Chen forced Cheng Xun to provide more silver, grain, meat, and secret medicines, then led his troops out of the Cheng Household with valuables and family members as hostages.
• Cheng Xiaoxiao watched Zhou Chen leave and regretted rejecting him when he had sought to marry her.
• Zhou Chen ordered the Four-Family Alliance troops to search the Sun Household despite his connection to Sun Yingying.
• The troops found the Sun Household's main family had fled and intercepted them before they could reach the city lord's manor.
• Sun Yingying knelt and begged Zhou Chen for mercy, while her father offered her as a concubine or maid in exchange for their lives.

Zhou Chen completed the Sun Household confiscation and used his authority to secure valuables and protect Li Guiyi from a harsher levy. Back home, he sorted the seized goods, kept useful items for cultivation and his family, and planned to visit Nan Zhiyi about ingredients he still needed.

• Zhou Chen rebuked Sun Yingying before the soldiers took the confiscated Sun Household members away, leaving the household head behind to gather the silver.
• Wang Shuisheng delivered the seized treasures to Zhou Chen and agreed to ask Xia Min to go easy on Li Guiyi, whom Zhou Chen had once helped fund.
• Xia Min halved Li Guiyi's levy after learning of his connection to Zhou Chen, and Li Guiyi prepared a separate gift to thank Zhou Chen.
• Xiao Qing and Xiao Lü admired the treasure brought home, chose one bracelet each, and helped Zhou Chen sort the goods.
• Zhou Chen kept medicinal supplies, three sets of Soft Armor, and other valuables, then planned to visit Nan Zhiyi for ingredients for Blood Python Sinew-Tempering Paste.