Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Ouyang Fanke confronts Lin Xiaotian again, but a single slap makes clear how badly outmatched he is. He realizes Lin’s speed is the source of his advantage.
• Fanke attacks the injured Aunt, hoping to take revenge, but Lin rescues her before the palm strike lands. Lin’s earlier sparring with Aunt had been staged, though her injuries and exhaustion are genuine.
• The Lineage’s younger members recover from their earlier encounter and realize Lin showed them mercy, contradicting Fanke’s claims that he is a villain.
• Lin refuses to kill Fanke, saying Ouyang Nianci should punish him herself. Fanke tries to flee, but Lin stops him and keeps him there.
• While Aunt meditates and restores her meridians, Nianci completes her breakthrough to the External Force stage and emerges transformed. Lin presents Fanke to her, and she attacks him, declaring that he tried to force her into becoming Li Aihui’s concubine.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Xiaotian displays overwhelming speed and control, choosing restraint over killing Fanke. He protects Aunt and defers to Nianci’s right to settle the score. His attraction to Nianci resurfaces when she emerges from her breakthrough, though he keeps it in check.
• Ouyang Fanke shifts from arrogance to humiliation, fear, and helplessness as Lin repeatedly foils him. He finally faces the woman he wronged.
• Aunt survives Fanke’s attack thanks to Lin and begins to see him more favorably, admiring his character and his relationship with Nianci.
• Ouyang Nianci completes a major cultivation breakthrough and appears more confident and radiant. Her tenderness toward Lin gives way to anger when she sees Fanke, and she begins taking revenge on him.
• The younger Lineage members’ view of Lin changes after they see his restraint and realize Fanke’s accusations were unreliable.

Significant themes

• Restraint and justice: Lin has the power to kill Fanke but chooses to let Nianci deliver justice herself.
• Truth versus manipulation: Fanke’s account of Lin as a villain is undermined by the mercy Lin shows the others.
• Growth and empowerment: Nianci’s breakthrough marks both a cultivation advance and a renewed sense of confidence and agency.
• Loyalty and protection: Lin’s actions protect Aunt and support Nianci, strengthening the trust between them.

Key plot points

• Ouyang Nianci relentlessly beats Ouyang Fanke, finally releasing the anger and hurt she has endured. When she stops, she breaks down in Lin Xiaotian’s arms and thanks him.
• Lin declares that Nianci is his woman. Though embarrassed, she happily agrees, surprising the lineage soldiers.
• Nianci says she cannot kill Fanke because he is still part of her lineage. Lin exposes Fanke’s pretense of being unconscious: he had let her beat him in hopes she would spare him, and he promises to support her in future family matters.
• Aunt wakes and explains that Fanke had sealed her blood and qi and drugged her, nearly enabling Li Aihui to violate her. Though she hates Fanke, she also chooses not to kill him, citing the Ouyang Household’s need for strength during a crisis.
• Lin appears to accept Fanke’s release. But as Fanke tries to leave, Lin attacks. Fanke blocks the first strike, only for Lin’s force to surge through the block in a second attack, killing him.

Character developments and interactions

• Nianci drops her usual poised demeanor, showing the depth of her pain as she vents and then seeks comfort from Lin. Her affection for him is openly affirmed.
• Lin supports Nianci emotionally, then takes decisive action against Fanke. He recognizes Fanke’s manipulative survival act and uses a concealed follow-up strike to ensure he cannot escape.
• Fanke shifts from feigning defeat and pleading for mercy to revealing his treachery through his actions; despite being spared by Nianci and Aunt, he is killed by Lin.
• Aunt confirms the danger Fanke posed but prioritizes the household’s survival over personal revenge.

Significant themes

• Grief, trust, and comfort: Nianci’s embrace with Lin gives her a safe place to release long-suppressed suffering.
• Loyalty versus justice: Nianci and Aunt hesitate to kill a fellow lineage member, even after his betrayal; Lin rejects that leniency.
• Deception and consequences: Fanke survives Nianci’s beating through calculated submission, but underestimates Lin’s suspicion and skill.
• Love and public acknowledgment: Lin and Nianci’s affectionate exchange turns their relationship into an open declaration before the lineage soldiers.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Lin Xiaotian kills Ouyang Fanke, who had drugged Aunt and tried to force Nianci into a humiliating arrangement with Li Aihui. The Ouyang clanspeople are shocked, but back down under Xiaotian’s authority.
• Xiaotian declares that anyone who harms the woman he loves will die. Nianci and Aunt are relieved and grateful, though Aunt remains concerned.
• Aunt explains why the Ouyang Household tolerated Fanke’s actions: Li Aihui’s branch has ties to a powerful County Town Lineage, and the Ouyang Household’s leader, Ouyang Zhentian, is losing strength after a battle with the Xiao Household.
• Fearing that rivals will destroy them without an Internal Force expert, the elders hope to secure a breakthrough pill through Li Aihui’s connections. They are willing to sacrifice Nianci—and potentially Aunt—to pursue that protection.
• Xiaotian condemns this bargain, arguing that a Lineage should protect its members rather than trade their dignity for survival. He insists he will not let anyone touch Nianci.
• Aunt reveals that some of the drug Ouyang Fanke gave her still lingers. She stays behind to recover while Xiaotian and Nianci leave to seek Xiao Jingli’s body.
• Xiaotian tells Nianci she must leave the Ouyang Household with him after they recover Jingli’s body. Nianci falls silent, leaving her decision unresolved.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Xiaotian shows decisive force by killing Fanke, then reveals a strong moral code: loyalty to Nianci does not excuse the Ouyang elders’ willingness to sacrifice their own. He comforts Nianci and urges her to leave.
• Ouyang Nianci is grateful for Xiaotian’s protection, but remains torn between her love for him and her concern for her endangered Lineage.
• Aunt explains her earlier hesitation as a response to the household’s desperate political circumstances. Xiaotian’s words make her question that choice; she also struggles with the drug’s remaining effects.
• Xiaotian and Nianci share a quiet moment of reassurance when he takes her hand. Aunt’s concern, confession, and recovery create a more intimate understanding among the three.

Significant themes

• Protection versus exploitation: A family or Lineage has a duty to defend its members, not use them as bargaining chips.
• Dignity and moral compromise: Xiaotian argues that survival without principles amounts to losing one’s humanity.
• Loyalty and belonging: Nianci must weigh her bond to her Lineage against the safety and future Xiaotian offers.
• Power and vulnerability: The Ouyang Household’s dependence on a failing leader leaves it open to outside influence and drives its elders toward cruel choices.

Plot points

• Lin Xiaotian considers using his special Blood Qi to help Aunt, but decides against it because it might provoke desire. Ouyang Nianci mistakenly assumes he is simply worried about Aunt and reassures him.
• The pair walk unchallenged through the Ouyang Household, then meet two elders from the Xiao Household, Uncle Hua and Uncle Tian. They confirm that Xiao Jingli’s death served the Ouyang Household’s purposes and try to justify the sacrifice as necessary to obtain the Blood-Qi Resonance technique.
• Xiaotian refuses to help them, telling them to seek the technique from his teacher and pointing out that his restraint toward the Xiao Household is already a concession. He walks away with Nian Ci.
• The Xiao elders consider attacking him but realize the Ouyang Household may have arranged the encounter to provoke them and make them lose face. They also suspect Xiaotian’s influence helped Nian Ci make a recent, unusually powerful breakthrough.
• As they continue toward the Ouyang administrative hall, Nian Ci says she intends to remain with the Ouyang Household.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Xiaotian remains cautious and controlled: he avoids a potentially risky experiment with Aunt, refuses the Xiao elders’ demand, and recognizes that his protection depends partly on allies and reputation.
• Ouyang Nianci shows clear judgment about the political maneuvering and confidence in Xiaotian, while revealing her firm resolve to stay with her household.
• Uncle Hua and Uncle Tian move from resentment and near-violence to caution. Their concern grows when they realize Nian Ci’s strength may have improved because of Xiaotian.
• Nian Ci and Xiaotian walk and speak as allies; she praises his growing influence, while he downplays it and credits his backing.

Significant themes

• Power and leverage: The Xiao and Ouyang households use political pressure, reputation, and personal relationships to restrain one another.
• Consequences of sacrifice: The Xiao elders defend sacrificing individuals for their household’s future, while Xiaotian rejects their justification.
• Hidden strength and influence: Nian Ci’s rapid advancement suggests Xiaotian’s abilities may be more consequential than the Xiao elders understand.
• Loyalty and belonging: Nian Ci’s decision to stay with the Ouyang Household signals her commitment to it despite the surrounding conflict.

Key plot points

• Lin Xiaotian and Ouyang Nianci enter the Ouyang family hall, where Nianci’s second uncle and several elders are waiting.
• Xiaotian confronts the second uncle for pushing Nianci into danger and declares that he has come to claim Xiao Jingli’s body—and take Nianci with him.
• He openly challenges the elders, accusing them of fearing his potential after hearing about his recent actions.
• Nianci unexpectedly steps forward and challenges her second uncle herself. She proposes that if she can gain even half a move against him, Xiaotian may take Xiao Jingli’s body.
• The second uncle shows interest in the possibility that Nianci might still support the family, but she insists their match must come first, before any further discussion.

Character developments

• Ouyang Nianci reveals a newly assertive, composed side. She confronts her family’s treatment of her, acknowledges that she stayed for the Lineage’s sake, and makes clear she will no longer accept being sacrificed or manipulated.
• Lin Xiaotian remains provocative and confident, but lets Nianci lead the confrontation. He recognizes that she wants to demonstrate her value as a partner and suspects his Special Blood Qi has strengthened her without controlling her.
• The second uncle shifts from indignation to uncertainty and guilt. He admits the family’s desperation has shaped his choices, but still intends to test Nianci.

Significant themes

• Strength and power: The Ouyang elders believe strength determines whose wishes prevail; Xiaotian and Nianci challenge that principle on their own terms.
• Agency and self-worth: Nianci moves from being treated as a bargaining asset to speaking and acting for herself.
• Family duty versus personal choice: Nianci has endured mistreatment to protect the Lineage, but now demands that her family respect her decisions.
• Trust and partnership: Xiaotian’s willingness to let Nianci take the lead marks a measure of trust between them.

Character interactions

• Xiaotian needles Nianci affectionately before they enter the hall, and she responds with playful warmth.
• He confronts and intimidates the elders, while openly claiming Nianci as his woman.
• Nianci publicly calls Xiaotian “her man” and acts on his behalf, but also asserts her own motives and boundaries.
• The second uncle tries to appeal to Nianci’s loyalty to the family; she refuses to discuss reconciliation until after the challenge.
• Xiaotian watches the coming contest, believing Nianci may be able to contend with her stronger uncle through the effects of his Blood Qi.

Plot points

• Second Uncle shifts from feigned embarrassment to an authoritative challenge, arguing that Ouyang Nianci’s talent does not qualify her to contest him for leadership.
• Nianci demands a fight. Their first exchange reveals that Second Uncle has concealed formidable strength, but Nianci—newly at the early stage of external force—survives the clash, impressing the elders.
• Although injured and bleeding, Nianci refuses to back down. Second Uncle insists her talent is still insufficient given the Household’s crisis and lack of time.
• Nianci begins pushing her blood qi to its limit, apparently willing to burn away her potential and foundation to defeat him. Alarmed, an elder concedes on Second Uncle’s behalf and urges her to stop.
• Second Uncle warns that the power will not make up for her lack of experience and could leave her gravely diminished. Nianci says she must be useful to Lin Xiaotian and declares that she has repaid her debt to the Ouyang Household.
• Lin Xiaotian realizes that the Bloodburst Pill he gave her burns blood qi, though its side effects are otherwise reduced. Used to its fullest, it could make recovery take so long that the damage would effectively be permanent. He remains unmoved as her sacrifice intensifies his possessive desire.

Character developments and interactions

• Ouyang Nianci displays courage, fierce resolve, and a newly declared loyalty to Xiaotian. She rejects the Household’s claim on her and is prepared to risk her future for him.
• Second Uncle reveals the strength he had hidden and initially treats Nianci as an unqualified junior. Her performance earns his acknowledgment, but he still tries to discourage her from destroying herself for a fight he believes she cannot win.
• The Clan Elders revise their low opinion of both Second Uncle’s strength and Nianci’s potential. Their earlier willingness to give her away now appears shameful, and they react with alarm to her self-destructive power.
• Lin Xiaotian observes the fight and understands the pill’s costs, but his response is possessive rather than protective, deepening the unsettling contrast between Nianci’s devotion and his detachment.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and self-sacrifice: Nianci equates devotion to Xiaotian with usefulness and accepts severe personal harm to prove it.
• Power, potential, and experience: Nianci’s extraordinary talent challenges Second Uncle’s authority, but raw power may not overcome a veteran’s skill.
• Agency versus obligation: Nianci rejects the Household’s attempt to treat her as an asset and chooses whom she serves—though that choice leads her toward self-destruction.
• Possession and devotion: Nianci’s total commitment is mirrored by Xiaotian’s growing possessiveness, raising questions about whether their bond is mutual care or ownership.

Key plot points

• Nian Ci’s burning blood and qi overwhelm Second Uncle’s resolve, but she refuses to accept his concession as a victory. She insists they fight for real to prove she deserves a place in the Ouyang Household.
• In a direct exchange of blows, Nian Ci staggers Second Uncle, though both are badly strained. She spits blood that ignites in midair, revealing the extreme cost of burning her blood and qi.
• Second Uncle admits he was wrong to undervalue her. He agrees she may stay and promises the clan will support her as its next head if she can retain her potential. Nian Ci asks for one day before they decide Lin Xiaotian’s position.
• Exhausted, Nian Ci asks Lin Xiaotian to carry her back. When a Clan Elder tries to stop them, Lin Xiaotian uses Blood-Qi Resonance to strike him with a strange, layered force and escape with her.
• The elders wonder whether Lin Xiaotian is connected to Nian Ci’s sudden rise in potential. They accept that restoring her potential would benefit the household, and recognize that she still cares about her clan.
• As Lin Xiaotian carries Nian Ci to her former residence, her body grows feverishly hot, and he realizes she wants intimacy.

Character developments and interactions

• Nian Ci proves her determination and pride: she will not rely on pity or accept a place she has not earned. Despite her resolve, the fight leaves her physically depleted, and her tenderness toward Lin Xiaotian contrasts with her coldness toward everyone else.
• Second Uncle shifts from judging Nian Ci by her apparent loss of potential to acknowledging his mistake. He honors her challenge and offers conditional support for her future leadership.
• Lin Xiaotian shows a possessive, increasingly perceptive connection to Nian Ci. He understands the likely source of her recovery, supports her when she collapses, and forcefully protects her from interference.
• The Clan Elders move from skepticism toward cautious hope, weighing Nian Ci’s possible recovery against the implications of her relationship with Lin Xiaotian.

Significant themes

• Strength and legitimacy: Nian Ci believes respect must be earned through demonstrated power, not granted out of pity.
• Sacrifice and the cost of power: Burning blood and qi lets her fight above her apparent limits but consumes her strength and life.
• Loyalty and belonging: Nian Ci’s fierce attachment to her lineage shapes both her challenge and the elders’ judgment.
• Intimacy as a source of transformation: Lin Xiaotian’s unexplained resonance with Nian Ci may be tied to her changing potential, though its full nature remains unclear.

Plot points and events

• After spending the night with Nian Ci, Lin Xiaotian finds that their mutual affection and intimacy have further purified his unusual blood qi. He believes it may be capable of evolving.
• He tests his improved abilities. His speed and agility have increased, while Bison Force provides stronger internal bodily tempering, making his bones and muscles more resilient. He also absorbs more of the mysterious substance from the void, greatly improving his stamina.
• Lin Xiaotian sets off to visit the clan elders, intending to bring back nourishing supplies for Nian Ci. He heads first to Second Uncle’s residence.
• Second Uncle and his wife discuss the Ouyang Household’s worsening position: household head Ouyang Zhentian’s strength has declined, Ouyang Fanke and Li Aihui are dead, and the Li Household may exploit the crisis. Second Uncle proposes putting Lin Xiaotian forward to face the danger, buying time for Nian Ci to grow stronger and eventually lead the household. The elders also hope to obtain Master Huang’s Blood-Qi Resonance method.
• As the couple debate their plan and Second Uncle argues that Lin Xiaotian is too dangerous to approach directly, Lin Xiaotian suddenly vaults into the courtyard and greets him with a teasing remark.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Xiaotian is pleased by his growth and shows both confidence and affection: he wants to protect Nian Ci’s rest and bring her something nourishing. He remains unaware of Second Uncle’s plan to use him as a shield.
• Nian Ci is exhausted but affectionate, asking Lin Xiaotian to let her rest before they attend to the clan elders.
• Second Uncle is anxious about the household’s survival and willing to risk Lin Xiaotian’s safety to protect the family and buy Nian Ci time. He believes Lin’s attachment to Nian Ci will keep him from retaliating against the Ouyang Household.
• Second Uncle’s wife questions the plan and worries that Lin Xiaotian may resent being used, but ultimately leaves the decision to her husband. She also senses that their assumptions may be mistaken.
• The chapter closes with Lin Xiaotian’s playful entrance interrupting the elders’ private discussion, setting up a confrontation between his unexpected arrival and their secret strategy.

Significant themes

• Power through intimacy and trust: Lin Xiaotian’s blood qi strengthens through his bond with Nian Ci.
• Political calculation and loyalty: The Ouyang elders weigh Lin’s potential against their household’s survival, while assuming his love for Nian Ci can control his choices.
• Uncertainty and misjudgment: Second Uncle’s confident reasoning contrasts with his wife’s unease—and with Lin Xiaotian’s imminent arrival, which may disrupt their plans.

Plot points

• Lin Xiaotian visits Second Uncle to request high-grade medicines for Nian Ci, who was injured after burning her vital blood. He meets Second Uncle’s wife, apologizes for his teasing remark, and invites her to stay for the discussion.
• The couple are surprised by Xiaotian’s apparent concern for Nian Ci. His request is granted smoothly, and he sets out to collect medicine from the other elders.
• Elders who have heard about Xiaotian’s previous night ask for a report on his behavior; one is so startled by it that he drops his chopsticks.
• After Xiaotian leaves, Second Uncle and his wife speculate about his relationship with Nian Ci. A report reveals that sounds continued from her room until dawn, unsettling Second Uncle and confusing his wife.
• Xiaotian returns to Nian Ci’s courtyard with a large supply of medicine. She is still asleep, but her color and circulation have improved. He concludes that the night helped her recovery and plans to enhance the pills to support her rebuilding her foundation.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiaotian shows care for Nian Ci by actively seeking medicine, while remaining oblivious to the elders’ suspicions and the attention he attracts from their families.
• Second Uncle shifts between suspicion and concern, unsure whether Xiaotian genuinely cares for Nian Ci or is using her. His wife is more sympathetic and increasingly impressed by Xiaotian, though she wonders whether he neglected Nian Ci’s injury.
• Second Uncle’s wife and Xiaotian establish a cordial rapport; she appreciates his manners and willingness to include her in household matters.

Significant themes

• Care versus suspicion: Xiaotian’s efforts challenge the elders’ doubts about his intentions.
• Recovery and renewal: Nian Ci’s condition improves, and her damaged foundation may be rebuilding rather than simply healing.
• Appearance and misunderstanding: The elders interpret ambiguous clues through their assumptions, while Xiaotian remains unaware of their gossip.

Key plot points and events

• While nurturing pills with his Blood Qi, Lin Xiaotian discovers that a mysterious substance—absorbed from the Void and transformed by his Blood Qi—improves their quality. Taking part in the process seems to deepen his understanding of how transformation works, and his increased strength lets him nurture pills faster.
• He realizes Nian Ci has awakened and rushes to her room, where he feeds her pills as her Blood Qi circulates. She undergoes a powerful cleansing: her weakened foundation becomes solid again, her body grows intensely hot, and black impurities seep from her skin.
• Nian Ci’s Blood Qi leaves her ravenously hungry. She eats a handful of pills, then, still longing for Lin Xiaotian, hurries off to bathe after he jokes about her foul smell.
• Meanwhile, Ouyang clan elders gather to discuss Nian Ci’s failure to appear at the appointed time to prove herself against Second Uncle. Some believe she has conceded her position; others think she is merely delayed.
• Second Uncle suspects Lin Xiaotian may be involved in Nian Ci’s absence, and wonders whether the other elders share his own strange experience of being affected by the young man. The meeting is interrupted when someone bursts through the doors, radiating such brilliance that the hall seems transformed.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Xiaotian gains insight into his Blood Qi and its effects, recognizing that it can improve pills and profoundly benefit others. He shows care for Nian Ci by supplying pills and waiting through her recovery, while teasing her affectionately.
• Nian Ci regains strength and a firmer foundation through the treatment. Though overwhelmed by physical hunger and desire, she restrains herself out of embarrassment and concern about Lin Xiaotian’s opinion.
• Second Uncle shifts from considering Nian Ci’s absence as a political matter to suspecting Lin Xiaotian’s influence. His speculation about the elders’ wives introduces comic unease.
• The clan elders debate Nian Ci’s standing and agree to send someone to investigate, though their shared, unexplained interest in Lin Xiaotian hints at a common complication.

Significant themes

• Transformation and hidden potential: Blood Qi changes pills and appears to cleanse and strengthen Nian Ci’s body.
• Intimacy and trust: Lin Xiaotian’s care helps Nian Ci recover, while her restraint reveals vulnerability and concern for his regard.
• Power and political status: Nian Ci’s absence threatens her position in the Ouyang Household.
• Comedy amid tension: The clan’s serious deliberation is undercut by Second Uncle’s increasingly absurd suspicions about Lin Xiaotian.

Key plot points and events

• Ouyang Nianci returns to the Ouyang Household fully healed. Her aura and foundation seem stronger than before.
• To demonstrate her newfound strength, she exchanges a palm strike with Second Uncle. She withstands the clash without burning through her blood and qi, while he is knocked back into his seat.
• The Clan Elders suspect Lin Xiaotian is responsible for her overnight improvement, especially after hearing that the pair spent the night together.
• Nianci asks whether the Elders consider her qualified to remain in the household. When they agree, she demands that Xiaotian be allowed to take Xiao Jingli’s body.
• The Elders initially refuse, arguing that the body symbolizes the household’s duty to protect its members and answer for the deaths of four core members. Nianci threatens to take the body by force and leave.
• Nianci bluntly accuses the Elders of hiding behind “the greater good” to break their promises, insisting that strength is what makes them yield. Second Uncle confirms her power and agrees to let her take the body.

Character developments and interactions

• Nianci has become confident, assertive, and openly devoted to Xiaotian. She uses her new strength to challenge the Elders and secure what he wants, even threatening to leave the household.
• Xiaotian deliberately stays quiet and lets Nianci remain the focus, hoping to conceal his own role in her improvement. He offers a plausible explanation based on her strong foundation, but the Elders remain suspicious.
• Second Uncle shifts from skepticism to reluctant respect, acknowledging that Nianci could now rival him in a deadly fight.
• The Clan Elders are impressed by Nianci but embarrassed by her criticism. Their curiosity about Xiaotian turns into awkward speculation about how the couple’s intimacy may have strengthened her.
• At the end, an Elder directly asks Xiaotian how the pair could spend the entire night “exchanging intimacies,” making him realize why the Elders have been staring at him strangely.

Significant themes

• Strength and leverage: Nianci argues that power, rather than appeals to fairness, is what forces the Elders to honor their commitments.
• Loyalty and love: Her willingness to leave the household shows that her priorities have shifted toward Xiaotian.
• Reputation versus reality: Xiaotian tries to remain unnoticed, but the Elders’ suspicions keep drawing attention back to him.
• Comic embarrassment: The Elders’ suggestive assumptions about the couple’s night together create the chapter’s humor.

Lin Xiaotian persuaded the Ouyang Clan Elders that Nian Ci’s transformation and his strength came from pills and a technique, while they decided to pursue both for themselves. Nian Ci chose to remain with the Ouyang Household and train, but asked Lin Xiaotian to stay with her for one more night before he left with Xiao Jingli’s remains.

• Lin Xiaotian explained Nian Ci’s transformation as a lucky result of her unusual root bone, his Blood-Qi Resonance technique, and pills from Master Huang.
• Lin Xiaotian and Ouyang Nianci retrieved Xiao Jingli’s remains, while the Clan Elders decided to seek Blood-Qi Resonance and Bloodburst Pills from Master Huang.
• Ouyang Nianci told Lin Xiaotian she would stay with the Ouyang Household, train, and become a help to him.
• Lin Xiaotian accepted Nian Ci’s choice and prepared to leave with Xiao Jingli’s body, but Nian Ci asked him to stay with her one more night.

The Xiao Household elders concluded that Lin Xiaotian would fail to retrieve Xiao Jingli’s remains, while Xiao Jingxin continued to trust him. On the fourth day, Lin Xiaotian returned with the remains, restoring the Lineage’s morale.

• Uncle Tian, Uncle Hua, and Uncle Ming decided to accept that Xiao Jingli’s body would remain with the Ouyang Household and focus on obtaining Blood-Qi Resonance.
• The elders told Xiao Jingxin that Lin Xiaotian was unlikely to return, but she insisted that he would come back and left to train.
• As the days passed, Xiao Jingxin began to doubt her judgment, and Uncle Ming tried to comfort her with stories about her father.
• Xiao Jingxin’s maid announced that Lin Xiaotian had returned with Xiao Jingli’s remains, and Uncle Ming hurried to the main administrative hall.
• Lin Xiaotian placed the coffin in the assembly hall, and the Xiao Household members recognized Xiao Jingli’s remains and felt their humiliation lift.

Lin Xiaotian returned to the Xiao Household, where the elders thanked and honored him for helping them, while he downplayed his strength to avoid attracting attention. He trained and spent time with four Xiao women, then wondered why neither the Xiao Household nor the Ouyang Household had gone to the location in Dongli.

• The Xiao Household elders welcomed Lin Xiaotian, buried Xiao Jingli, and treated Lin with new respect after his help.
• Lin Xiaotian claimed his strength came from borrowed cultivation methods and that he could not sustain it for long, convincing the elders not to view him as a genius.
• The four Xiao women explained that their fathers were cautious about investing in Lin, while they wanted to cultivate ties with promising young talents in case they married out.
• Lin Xiaotian resumed training and occasionally went on outings with the four women, while Xiao Jingxin kept her distance.
• Lin Xiaotian wondered why neither the Xiao Household nor the Ouyang Household had gone to the location in Dongli.

Master Huang negotiated with Xiao Changsheng and Ouyang Zhentian over the Blood-Qi Resonance manual, then learned that Lin Xiaotian had revealed a remarkable effect of the technique. After the deal was settled, Ouyang Zhentian returned to trade for Bloodburst Pills and stunned Master Huang by asking to take them all.

• Master Huang met with Xiao Changsheng and Ouyang Zhentian, who sought the Blood-Qi Resonance manual and agreed to cooperate against the Murong Household.
• Xiao Changsheng and Ouyang Zhentian explained that Lin Xiaotian had used Blood-Qi Resonance to strengthen techniques and produce a second attack, surprising Master Huang.
• Master Huang agreed to the deal but admitted he had not discovered the effects they described, then tested the technique himself and found only a stronger attack.
• Ouyang Zhentian returned and asked to trade for Master Huang's Bloodburst Pills, explaining that he had risked worsening his injuries to obtain them.
• Ouyang Zhentian asked to take all the Bloodburst Pills, leaving Master Huang shocked.

Lin Xiaotian learned that the Xiao and Ouyang Households had traded for Blood-Qi Resonance and learned of a planned journey to Senior Dongli’s location. Xiao Jingxin explained that the households were bringing their younger members because the trip could be their only chance to claim its opportunities.

• Lin Xiaotian realized Master Huang had restored his resources after the Xiao and Ouyang Households traded for Blood-Qi Resonance.
• Lin Xiaotian visited Ouyang Nianci, learned the Ouyang Household had also obtained Bloodburst Pills, and later heard she had entered seclusion to seek another advance.
• Xiao Jingxin told Lin Xiaotian that the Xiao Household had given Blood-Qi Resonance to its core disciples and planned to escort them to Senior Dongli’s location.
• Xiao Jingxin explained that the Murong Household’s inaction and the Ouyang Household’s weakened state made the journey urgent, so the younger generation would get priority if the elders could not use the opportunities.

Lin Xiaotian prepared pills and trained while the Xiao Household selected ten disciples for a trip to Senior Dongli’s location. After the tournament, Xiao Jingxin suspected Lin Xiaotian was responsible for Ouyang Nianci’s rise in strength, leaving the source of his methods a growing concern among the young women.

• Lin Xiaotian prepared medicinal pills and trained, frustrated that his ordinary root bone kept him just short of external force.
• Xiao Changsheng asked the Xiao disciples to demonstrate whether they had mastered Blood-Qi Resonance’s second surge, but none had succeeded, so he ordered them to choose ten travelers through bouts.
• Xiao Jingxin brought Lin Xiaotian into the tournament, where he watched the disciples fight and gained combat experience over two days.
• Lin Xiaotian invited Xiao Jingxin to a meal to repay her help, and she explained to the other women that he had done so to avoid owing her a favor.
• Xiao Jingxin told the women that Blood-Qi Resonance seemed to have reached its limit for them and suggested getting closer to Lin Xiaotian after the trip.
• Xiao Jingxin privately connected Ouyang Nianci’s new council seat and rumored strength to Lin Xiaotian.

Lin Xiaotian traveled with Xiao Jingxin toward Senior Dongli's location and learned that the Xiao Household was risking its future to uncover a secret of martial advancement. As they neared their destination, Xiao Changsheng tested Lin Xiaotian with an attack, and Lin suppressed his blood qi and let the blow reach him undefended.

• Xiao Changsheng invited Lin Xiaotian to travel with the Xiao Household and encouraged him to spend more time with Xiao Jingxin.
• Xiao Jingxin brought Lin Xiaotian into her carriage, spoke frankly about her feelings, and explained the danger surrounding the journey.
• Xiao Jingxin revealed that she, Xiao Changsheng, and ten core disciples were staking their lives on discovering a secret to advancing in the martial dao.
• After several uneventful days of travel, Xiao Changsheng summoned Lin Xiaotian to his carriage and suddenly attacked him with internal force.
• Lin Xiaotian instinctively activated his blood qi and martial techniques, then suppressed them and faced Xiao Changsheng's strike without defending himself.

Lin Xiaotian met Xiao Changsheng, who tested whether Lin’s Blood-Qi Resonance could penetrate an Internal Force expert’s blood-qi membrane and asked him to take Xiao Jingxin away if the Xiao Household fell. Lin agreed and accepted ten Dragon-Tiger Pills, while privately realizing his hidden second wave of force could pierce the membrane, though it was too weak to harm Xiao Changsheng.

• Xiao Changsheng explained that Internal Force experts’ blood-qi membranes made them difficult for lower-level martial artists to injure, then tested Lin Xiaotian’s Blood-Qi Resonance and found it could not break through.
• Xiao Changsheng warned that County Town might destroy the town’s major powers and asked Lin to take Xiao Jingxin away if the Xiao Household lost.
• Lin agreed to protect Xiao Jingxin but refused to promise romantic feelings, and Xiao Changsheng gave him ten Dragon-Tiger Pills.
• Xiao Jingxin told Lin to flee without worrying about her if danger came, and Lin explained that agreeing would give him a better chance to escape.
• Lin reflected that he had concealed the full strength of his Blood-Qi Resonance and that its second wave could penetrate the blood-qi membrane, though it was currently too weak to injure an Internal Force expert.