Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: The Might of a Grandmaster

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Sandao successfully breaks through from Bone-Forging completion to the Eighth Rank after being pushed to the brink. The breakthrough is aided by an Aperture Opening Pill supplied by Zhou Yingjun.
• Zhou Yingjun reveals that the Beheading Gang is preparing for an operation involving an important figure connected to the Lu Family. Lu Sandao’s advancement increases Zhou’s confidence in the mission.
• Su Xinghe secretly detects Lu Sandao’s breakthrough through his spiritual perception and recognizes how significant it is: the White Ape Martial Academy now possesses strength comparable to major regional organizations.
• Su Xinghe continues cultivating the Listening to Tides Art and accumulates sixty-eight strands of Internal Force, enough to fight at full strength briefly. He remains concerned about the high cost of using Internal Force, since each strand effectively requires a valuable Bone-Forging Pill.
• Niu Erlang returns, carrying a massive saber instead of his usual medical chest, confirming that he will participate in the night’s operation. Su Xinghe assumes their target is the Lu Family.
• Twelve disguised martial artists leave Niu Family Village, including Zhou Yingjun, Lu Sandao, Niu Erlang, Su Xinghe, and eight additional fighters.
• As the group travels, Su Xinghe realizes they are heading southwest toward the Cross Ridge Mountains rather than toward Lin County and the Lu Family. Their destination appears to be near the Red Lotus Branch of the Peaceful Heaven Sect.
• A mysterious, exceptionally powerful middle-aged man suddenly appears beside Su Xinghe without being noticed by anyone else. He isolates their space, preventing Su Xinghe from approaching the others or calling for help.
• The stranger identifies himself as an elder of the Beheading Gang from Taiguang Prefecture City. He senses the unusual aura surrounding Su Xinghe, describing it as resembling both Gold Baleful Intent and a cold pool.
• The elder reveals that he is a Fifth-Rank Core Embrace Grandmaster or someone of comparable power. He takes an interest in Su Xinghe, offers to cultivate him, and orders him to accompany him to the prefecture city after the current operation.
• Su Xinghe realizes that the operation is far more serious than expected: a Grandmaster has personally been mobilized, and the true target may not be the Lu Family at all.

Character Developments

• Lu Sandao: His breakthrough to Eighth Rank marks a major advancement and establishes him as one of the strongest martial artists in the White Ape Martial Academy. His success also demonstrates the effects of improved access to resources.
• Zhou Yingjun: Becomes more confident in the operation after Lu Sandao’s breakthrough. He acts as a leader and protector, giving instructions and carefully organizing the mission.
• Su Xinghe: Continues rapidly improving his cultivation, building a reserve of Internal Force while becoming increasingly cautious about revealing his abilities. His spiritual perception allows him to detect changes others miss, but he is helpless against the Grandmaster’s superior power.
• Niu Erlang: His choice to carry a heavy mountain-cleaving saber instead of medical equipment reveals that he is preparing for serious combat and confirms the violent nature of the mission.
• The mysterious elder: Introduced as a powerful Beheading Gang elder from outside Lin County. He is both threatening and oddly benevolent toward Su Xinghe, treating him like a promising junior while effectively compelling him to follow.

Significant Themes

• The importance of resources in cultivation: Pills dramatically accelerate advancement, but martial strength is expensive to maintain. Su Xinghe views every use of Internal Force as a costly expenditure.
• Hidden strength and concealed identities: Lu Sandao has secretly reached Eighth Rank, the group travels disguised, and the Beheading Gang possesses a hidden Grandmaster whose existence was unknown to local forces.
• The vastness of the martial world: The elder’s comments suggest that Lin County is only one small part of a much larger network of gangs, families, and regional powers.
• Powerlessness before overwhelming strength: Despite Su Xinghe’s perception and growing abilities, the Grandmaster can isolate and control him effortlessly, emphasizing the enormous gap between martial ranks.
• Uncertainty and deception: The supposed Lu Family mission changes direction, leaving Su Xinghe unsure of the real target and the Beheading Gang’s broader plans.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhou Yingjun congratulates Lu Sandao on his breakthrough and explains the upcoming operation, strengthening their mentor-like and leadership relationship.
• Su Xinghe observes both men secretly and evaluates the significance of Lu Sandao’s advancement.
• Niu Erlang joins the group and leads the armed party toward the mission site.
• The mysterious elder confronts Su Xinghe privately, examines the strange aura around him, and offers to personally cultivate him.
• Su Xinghe is unable to refuse or resist the elder, leaving him trapped between suspicion of the Beheading Gang and the necessity of surviving the night.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gong Hao, accompanied by his granddaughter Gong Yueni and her senior sister Zhan Yun, investigates the remains of a traitorous Demon Extermination Guard in Tongzi Ward.
• The Guard had been a Sixth-Rank martial artist, and the distinctive fractures in his ribs confirm his identity. A tracking owl also discovers the skull of an Eight-Armed Carrion Centipede hatchling, revealing the involvement of the Peaceful Heaven Sect.
• Gong Hao concludes that the Guard’s stolen Baleful-Breaking Pearl is missing and was likely taken by whoever killed him—possibly the Peaceful Heaven Sect. He decides to investigate the sect’s Red Lotus Branch and allows Yueni and Zhan Yun to accompany him.
• Guided by the owl, the three travel toward the western mountains.
• Meanwhile, Su Xinghe recovers from the spatial isolation created by a mysterious Core Embrace Grandmaster. He joins a group of twelve martial artists, including Zhou Yingjun and members of Niu Family Village.
• Their leader, Big Bear, announces that their target is a fortified mountain manor beneath White Deer Cliff. He claims Princess Red Lotus and her followers are inside.
• The group is initially told they are attacking people connected to the Lu Family, but Big Bear reveals that Princess Red Lotus has allied with Lu Xuanji. He further claims that Lu Xuanji is abandoning the orthodox path to pursue a Variant True Art and plans to reach the Fourth Rank through the Peaceful Heaven Sect’s Red Dust Baleful Force.
• The chapter ends as Big Bear explains that this sinister power is created from the emotions and fresh blood of living people.

Character Developments

• Gong Hao is shown as a highly experienced and cautious investigator. His knowledge of the Demon Suppression Bureau, the Peaceful Heaven Sect, and the Baleful-Breaking Pearl establishes him as a powerful and informed figure. Despite his protective instincts toward Yueni, he recognizes Zhan Yun’s exceptional combat ability.
• Gong Yueni is energetic, curious, and eager for adventure. She persuades her grandfather to let her join the dangerous investigation and confidently advocates for Zhan Yun’s strength.
• Zhan Yun remains quiet but is revealed to possess extraordinary talent. Her Astral Qi has reached its limit, allowing her to fight opponents above her realm.
• Su Xinghe becomes increasingly aware of the gap between his own abilities and those of Core Embrace Grandmasters. Witnessing the mysterious man’s ability to isolate space intensifies his desire for greater power.
• Big Bear demonstrates strategic deception and strong hostility toward the Peaceful Heaven Sect. He manipulates the group’s understanding of their mission to conceal intelligence operations and justify an attack.
• Zhou Yingjun acts as the voice of caution and skepticism. He questions the morality and logic of attacking an apparently ordinary village and becomes alarmed when the true target and Lu Xuanji’s alleged betrayal are revealed.
• Lu Xuanji, though absent, is portrayed as a talented scholar and martial artist at a crossroads. His frustration with the limitations of orthodox cultivation may have driven him toward a dangerous and unorthodox method.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of power: Su Xinghe’s awe at the Grandmaster’s abilities and Lu Xuanji’s willingness to abandon the orthodox path both show how ambition can drive people toward dangerous choices.
• Orthodoxy versus unorthodoxy: The chapter contrasts the Demon Suppression Bureau and established martial traditions with the Peaceful Heaven Sect’s fiendish techniques and Variant True Arts.
• Hidden identities and deception: The traitorous Guard, concealed sect agents, Big Bear’s false explanation, and the apparently ordinary mountain village all emphasize that appearances cannot be trusted.
• Corruption through forbidden cultivation: The Red Dust Baleful Force requires the emotions and blood of living beings, suggesting that advancement through the sect’s methods demands cruelty and moral sacrifice.
• The scale of the martial world: References to Core Embrace Grandmasters, elite sects, organizational rivalries, and rare Will Techniques reveal a world governed by immense differences in power and influence.

Character Interactions

• Gong Yueni presses Gong Hao to let her and Zhan Yun accompany him, while Gong Hao balances concern for their safety with respect for their abilities.
• Gong Hao’s recognition of Zhan Yun’s talent strengthens the connection between the Demon Suppression Bureau and the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.
• Su Xinghe moves closer to Zhou Yingjun and the others after sensing that the mysterious Grandmaster has disappeared, emphasizing his cautious integration into the group.
• Zhou Yingjun challenges Big Bear’s plan, questioning why ordinary villagers should be attacked and later expressing disbelief that Lu Xuanji would cooperate with the Peaceful Heaven Sect.
• Big Bear dominates the group through authority and carefully controlled information, gradually revealing the supposed conspiracy involving Princess Red Lotus and Lu Xuanji.

Chapter Summary: “Night Raid on White Deer Cliff”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Yingjun initially fears that the assault on White Deer Cliff will be a suicide mission, but Big Bear reassures him that the Beheading Gang’s experts will deal with the powerful female Core Embrace Realm warrior if she appears.
• The group—consisting of Beheading Gang members, Niu Family Village warriors, Zhou Yingjun, Su Xinghe, and Lu Sandao—advances toward the manor at high speed.
• Su Xinghe detects an overwhelming presence hidden in a pavilion on the eastern side of the manor. Through his spiritual perception, the presence resembles a sleeping flood dragon and is far beyond his ability to confront directly.
• Suspecting that the mysterious expert may conceal their group’s movements, Su Xinghe leads Zhou Yingjun and Lu Sandao toward the western wall instead of following the main force.
• Big Bear notices the change and orders two Beheading Gang members to split off and follow them.
• Explosions erupt from the eastern side of the manor, signaling that the attack has begun and awakening the surrounding mountain village.
• Su Xinghe’s group encounters two masked warriors who turn out to be Uncle Nine, an old acquaintance and pill dealer from the Black Market, and another powerful bald warrior.
• The newcomers are revealed to be Seventh-Rank Transformation Realm protectors from the Peaceful Heaven Sect.
• Lu Sandao is easily knocked away by the bald protector, while Uncle Nine is struck and sent flying by another attacker.
• Zhou Yingjun immediately intervenes, engaging one of the Seventh-Rank warriors with a powerful saber strike. His attack forces the opponent to draw a concealed thin sword and defend seriously.
• Su Xinghe follows up with a devastating blow aimed at the bald warrior’s head. However, the opponent uses the vibration-dispersing abilities of the Transformation Realm to deflect and weaken the strike, though the saber still crashes into his shoulder.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe demonstrates growing tactical awareness. Rather than blindly following the main assault, he recognizes the terrifying expert within the manor and chooses a safer approach. He also gains a clearer understanding of the limits of his own strength when facing Transformation Realm opponents.
• Zhou Yingjun shows himself to be responsible and decisive. Though initially worried about his companions, he immediately charges to protect Lu Sandao and confronts a Seventh-Rank enemy directly.
• Lu Sandao begins the raid nervously, hoping to avoid danger, but his fighting spirit returns once combat begins. Despite being quickly overpowered, he remains willing to engage.
• Big Bear acts as a commander, maintaining confidence in the Beheading Gang’s strength and directing his members to cover different routes.
• Uncle Nine is revealed to have a hidden connection to the enemy forces, transforming him from a seemingly harmless pill merchant into a dangerous combatant.
• The Seventh-Rank protectors establish a significant power gap between themselves and ordinary Eighth-Rank warriors such as Lu Sandao.

Significant Themes

• Courage versus recklessness: The characters must attack despite facing enemies whose true strength is uncertain, while Su Xinghe emphasizes caution and positioning.
• Hidden power and deception: The manor appears ordinary, but Su Xinghe senses an overwhelmingly powerful presence concealed within it. Uncle Nine’s identity as a protector also reveals that familiar figures may be hiding dangerous affiliations.
• Teamwork and protection: Zhou Yingjun risks himself to save Lu Sandao, while Su Xinghe guides the group away from the main assault and coordinates their movement.
• The limits of martial advancement: The battle highlights the superiority of the Transformation Realm, particularly its ability to use internal vibrations to disperse physical force and blunt even extremely powerful attacks.
• Strategic warfare: Success depends not only on strength but also on choosing the right route, separating forces, and exploiting the enemy’s attention during the larger assault.

Character Interactions

• Big Bear dismisses Zhou Yingjun’s fear and assures him that stronger Beheading Gang experts will handle the most dangerous opponent.
• Zhou Yingjun warns Lu Sandao and Su Xinghe to stay together, though he later follows Su Xinghe’s tactical redirection without hesitation.
• Su Xinghe takes the initiative in leading Zhou Yingjun and Lu Sandao around the manor’s western side.
• Big Bear notices their movement and sends two allies to support or monitor them.
• Uncle Nine and his companion attack Su Xinghe’s group, exposing their allegiance to the Peaceful Heaven Sect.
• Lu Sandao clashes with the bald protector and is defeated almost instantly.
• Zhou Yingjun steps in to protect him, engaging the enemy with a powerful saber attack.
• Su Xinghe joins the fight and strikes at the bald warrior, but the opponent’s Transformation Realm defenses prevent the blow from landing cleanly.

Chapter Summary: “Battle from the Mountaintop”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Xinghe’s strongest slash fails against the bald guardian, a Seventh-Rank Transformation Realm martial warrior. The guardian’s perfectly circulating Internal Force allows him to neutralize the blow, though the attack briefly disrupts his Internal Force and nearly kills him.
• The guardian kicks Su Xinghe through a wall. Zhou Yingjun and another ally rescue him from the rubble, and Su realizes his injuries are surprisingly minor, raising doubts about the true strength of Seventh-Rank Transformation Realm warriors.
• The guardian summons more than thirty fighters, including two Seventh-Rank guardians, numerous Eighth-Rank incense masters, and many scripture-teaching disciples. Su recognizes that the Red Lotus Branch stronghold will be difficult to defeat.
• A pavilion to the east explodes, revealing a confrontation between Lu Xuanji and Li Shunjun. Li accuses Lu of secretly collaborating with the Peaceful Heaven Sect, while Lu turns the accusation around by claiming that Li has brought mountain bandits to attack his manor.
• Lu orders the manor’s warriors to arrest Li’s men, but they refuse because they are actually Peaceful Heaven Sect disciples. Li becomes alarmed, since the bandits are important to his political ambitions.
• A huge explosion erupts on the mountaintop, interrupting Lu’s verbal victory. Su Xinghe sees Old Swindler among the figures fighting there and calls for “Senior Jia Six,” hoping for rescue.
• On the mountaintop, Gong Hao battles a Core Embrace Grandmaster of the Peaceful Heaven Sect while Zhan Yun confronts Princess Red Lotus. The princess retreats into a cave protected by a Half-Demon barrier, making pursuit difficult.
• Gong Hao cannot defeat his opponent because of the difference between Sixth-Rank True Force and Fifth-Rank Grandmaster cultivation. He asks Zhan Yun to descend and help Su Xinghe’s group while he guards the cave entrance.
• The news that reinforcements are coming causes Lu Xuanji to flee. Li Shunjun pursues him, recognizing that the approaching expert may be a “Jia”-ranked Core Embrace Grandmaster, though he is uncertain whether that person will intervene.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe realizes that Transformation Realm martial warriors are far more difficult to injure than expected, but also discovers that their physical strength may not be as overwhelming as their defensive abilities suggest. Despite being beaten back, he remains alert and quickly identifies the arrival of potential reinforcements.
• The bald guardian is revealed to be vulnerable despite his confidence. Su Xinghe’s slash disrupts his Internal Force circulation and nearly kills him, forcing him to call in the stronghold’s entire force.
• Lu Xuanji demonstrates exceptional confidence and skill in argument. He easily exposes Li Shunjun’s compromised position and uses political authority to threaten him, but his composure collapses when the mountaintop explosion signals a serious threat.
• Li Shunjun is shown to be politically desperate and morally compromised. Though he claims to represent the government, he is secretly using mountain bandits as his own forces. His pursuit of Lu is driven both by anger and by fear of losing his valuable bargaining pieces.
• Gong Hao proves powerful but pragmatic. Unable to overcome a stronger Grandmaster, he abandons the direct battle and chooses to contain the enemy while sending Zhan Yun to aid the others.
• Zhan Yun reluctantly agrees to help Su Xinghe despite disliking him, showing discipline and a willingness to prioritize the larger battle over personal feelings.
• Old Swindler’s arrival gives Su Xinghe renewed hope, suggesting that the battle may soon shift in their favor.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus technique: Transformation Realm warriors possess extraordinary defensive control and Internal Force harmony, but their offensive power may not match their apparent invulnerability.
• Political hypocrisy and manipulation: Lu and Li both weaponize official authority, accusing each other of illegitimacy while concealing their own questionable actions.
• Uncertainty and shifting alliances: The fighters’ loyalties are divided among the Zhou Martial Sage Dynasty, the Peaceful Heaven Sect, government factions, and independent martial forces.
• Reinforcements and hidden trump cards: Both sides reveal unexpected resources, turning what seems like a settled confrontation into a constantly changing battle.
• Pragmatism in conflict: Gong Hao’s decision to contain rather than defeat his opponent reflects the necessity of adapting when direct victory is impossible.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Xinghe and the bald guardian: Their clash establishes the guardian’s Transformation Realm defenses but also proves that Su’s strongest attack can threaten him.
• Su Xinghe and Zhou Yingjun: Zhou rescues Su after he is kicked through the wall, demonstrating cooperation and concern among the defenders.
• Lu Xuanji and Li Shunjun: Their verbal confrontation becomes a battle of political maneuvering, with Lu repeatedly turning Li’s accusations against him.
• Gong Hao and Zhan Yun: Gong entrusts Zhan Yun with aiding the besieged fighters after he takes responsibility for guarding the cave.
• Su Xinghe and Old Swindler: Su’s recognition and call for help connect the mountaintop battle to the struggle at the manor, giving the defenders hope.
• Li Shunjun and Lu Xuanji: Their argument escalates into a pursuit when Lu flees after the arrival of possible high-level reinforcements.

Chapter Summary: “Secret Technique Complete, Slaying a Seventh-Rank Warrior”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Xinghe, Zhou Yingjun, and Lu Sandao confront members of the Beheading Gang while a powerful Sixth-Rank expert, “Iceberg,” approaches.
• Lu Xuanji abandons his allies and flees. The bald protector orders everyone to attack but immediately runs away himself.
• Su Xinghe pursues the bald protector, repeatedly striking him with his saber. Although the protector uses Transformation Realm Internal Force to disperse most of the attacks, Su refuses to stop.
• During the pursuit, Su discovers that synchronizing his saber swings with the vibrations of his Qi-Blood power greatly increases their effectiveness.
• His repeated attacks cause the experience of his unnamed Force-Amplification Secret Technique to rise rapidly. He consumes large amounts of Premium Bone-Forging Pills to replenish his strength and continue fighting.
• The bald protector eventually turns to fight back in the forest. The two engage in an extremely rapid exchange of dozens of strikes, with Su’s vibrating Qi-Blood power imitating the defensive and offensive properties of Transformation Realm Internal Force.
• Su’s technique continues evolving as he fights. His rhythmic shouting—“I chop, I chop, I chop chop chop”—forms an improvised chant-like artistic conception that helps him maintain his attack rhythm.
• After a prolonged clash, Su’s saber suddenly breaks through the protector’s defenses and cleaves him in two, killing the Seventh-Rank Transformation Realm warrior.
• The Fate Panel reveals that Su’s unnamed technique has transformed into a new skill, Head-Cleaving Technique, which has already reached the First Glimpse of the Path stage.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe: Demonstrates extraordinary persistence, combat intuition, and adaptability. Rather than being discouraged by the bald protector’s superior realm, he studies the opponent’s vibration technique and develops a way to imitate it through Qi-Blood power. His battle experience directly produces a new martial technique and allows him to defeat an opponent far above his own Grade-Eight level.
• Bald Protector: Revealed to be both ruthless and pragmatic. He abandons his subordinates when danger arrives, but his arrogance and frustration eventually drive him to turn and fight Su. Despite his Transformation Realm mastery, he becomes increasingly alarmed by Su’s seemingly limitless Qi-Blood reserves and unpredictable technique.
• Zhou Yingjun and Lu Sandao: Support Su’s side by charging the Beheading Gang’s forces, contributing to the broader battle even though the chapter focuses primarily on Su’s pursuit.
• Lu Xuanji: His decision to flee alone highlights his lack of loyalty and contrasts with Su Xinghe’s determination to stand his ground and pursue a dangerous enemy.

Significant Themes

• Persistence overcoming limitations: Su succeeds not through superior cultivation, but through relentless practice, endurance, and refusal to give up.
• Innovation through combat: The battle becomes a process of discovery. Su learns from his opponent’s Transformation Realm vibrations and creates a new technique in real time.
• Accumulation and gradual progress: His “Diligence Makes Up for Dullness” Fate allows countless repetitions to produce explosive gains, reinforcing the idea that sustained effort eventually generates breakthrough results.
• The danger of underestimating lower realms: The bald protector assumes Su cannot threaten him because he lacks Internal Force, but Su’s unusual Qi-Blood control proves capable of bypassing conventional martial boundaries.
• Improvisation and artistic conception: Su’s repeated chant develops into a martial rhythm that guides his movements and enhances his technique.

Character Interactions

• Su Xinghe relentlessly pursues the fleeing bald protector, turning the encounter into a contest of endurance and technique.
• The bald protector relies on Transformation Realm vibrations to neutralize Su’s attacks, while Su observes and gradually replicates the underlying principle.
• Su’s allies attack the Beheading Gang’s group, preventing them from concentrating their forces against him.
• The final confrontation shifts from pursuit to direct combat, with both warriors exchanging rapid strikes until Su’s newly perfected technique breaks through the protector’s defenses.
• After the victory, Su reacts with disbelief, realizing that he has killed a Seventh-Rank warrior despite remaining a Grade-Eight martial artist.

Chapter Summary: “Is This What You Call Safe?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Xinghe gains a major breakthrough from his recent battle with the bald Guardian. Real combat allows him to understand and cultivate an enhancement secret art that had previously eluded him.
• His physical strength remains slightly above 5,000 jin, but activating the new technique doubles it to over 10,000 jin. His exertion technique then increases from two-and-a-half times power to three times, reaching roughly 30,000 jin.
• The stronger technique consumes Qi-Blood much faster, limiting him to perhaps ten breaths of sustained use. However, his Water-Tight fate allows him to absorb medicine quickly, while Unyielding protects him from pill toxicity, enabling him to fight while consuming pills.
• Zhou Yingjun and Lu Sandao arrive after the battle. They discover that Su Xinghe has hacked the bald Guardian’s corpse apart hundreds of times and mistakenly speculate that he may have reached Seventh Rank.
• Su Xinghe loots the corpse, obtaining several valuable pills and Treasure Notes. He keeps the Bone-Forging Pills and distributes the Qi-Nourishing Pill and Organ-Nourishing Organ-Protecting Pill to Zhou Yingjun and Lu Sandao.
• The group returns to the manor, where Zhan Yun—“Ice Water,” a Sixth-Rank True Force Realm expert—is slaughtering Peaceful Heaven Sect members with overwhelming icy Astral Qi.
• The cultists suddenly flee after someone announces that the situation has become dangerous. As the manor empties, Su Xinghe’s Little White Bat detects something beneath the ruins.
• Suspecting the presence of the Peaceful Heaven Sect’s Breeding Cave, Su Xinghe follows the bat through a hidden underground passage beneath the collapsed pavilion where Lu Xuanji had previously appeared.
• He enters a seemingly empty chamber, only to trigger a terrifying attack: thunderous mental destruction, blazing seven-colored flames, and five oppressive force fields that crush his body and spiritual perception.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe demonstrates rapid growth through combat, successfully refining his enhancement technique and increasing his maximum burst strength to three times his base power.
• His fighting style remains practical and ruthless, as shown by the hundreds of blows he used to finish the bald Guardian. He also continues his habit of looting defeated enemies.
• Su Xinghe displays generosity and consideration by sharing valuable pills with Zhou Yingjun and Lu Sandao, especially medicine useful for Elder Xie’s injuries.
• Zhou Yingjun and Lu Sandao become increasingly aware that Su Xinghe’s strength is far beyond what his apparent rank suggests. Lu Sandao is especially eager to obtain more resources so he can break through to Eighth Rank.
• Zhan Yun/Ice Water remains cold and displeased with Su Xinghe because of his previous will scan, but her actions confirm her overwhelming combat ability.
• Little White Bat proves useful by detecting the hidden Breeding Cave, though its assurance that the area is “safe” is immediately called into question when Su Xinghe is ambushed.

Significant Themes

• True knowledge comes from experience: Su Xinghe’s month of theoretical research accomplishes little, while one intense battle provides the insight needed for a breakthrough.
• Strength versus endurance: Greater power comes at the cost of dramatically increased Qi-Blood consumption, forcing Su Xinghe to balance explosive attacks with limited duration.
• Resources and loyalty: Pills and medicinal treasures are essential to cultivation and recovery. Su Xinghe’s willingness to share them strengthens his relationships and supports Elder Xie.
• Hidden danger beneath apparent safety: The abandoned manor seems cleared of enemies, but the true threat lies underground. The chapter emphasizes that danger may be concealed in the most overlooked places.
• Dark humor amid violence: Su Xinghe’s casual corpse-looting, Lu Sandao’s drooling excitement over pills, and the final sarcastic reaction to Little White’s definition of “safe” lighten an otherwise brutal sequence.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Yingjun and Lu Sandao check on Su Xinghe after the fight, revealing their concern for him.
• Su Xinghe reassures them while casually displaying the gruesomely defeated Guardian.
• He shares the looted pills with both men, earning Zhou Yingjun’s gratitude and linking the reward to Elder Xie’s recovery.
• The trio briefly coordinate before returning to the manor to pursue the fleeing Peaceful Heaven Sect members.
• Zhan Yun’s cold reaction shows lingering tension with Su Xinghe, though they fight on the same side.
• Su Xinghe communicates mentally with Little White, trusting its detection of the Breeding Cave—only to enter a deadly trap, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Chapter Summary: “Demi-Human Domain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Xinghe remains trapped and immobilized in darkness, though he maintains a spiritual connection with Little White Bat, whose excitement suggests it has discovered something significant.
• He is rescued from his paralysis by Jia Six—“Old Swindler”—whose gentle force restores Su Xinghe’s circulation and Internal Force.
• Su Xinghe finds himself in a massive underground cavern filled with Peaceful Heaven Sect martial artists. The group includes numerous Seventh-Rank Transformation Realm fighters and several Core Embrace grandmasters.
• Jia Six and two women, Gong Yueni and Zhan Yun, are surrounded by three powerful enemies, including Princess Red Lotus, a former Seventh Princess of the Zhou Martial Sage Dynasty and leader of the Red Lotus Branch.
• Gong Hao, a Fourth-Rank Commander of the Demon Suppression Bureau, identifies the cavern as a Peaceful Heaven Sect base where an Outer Demon is being raised. He orders Su Xinghe to flee and alert Zhang Baichuan in Lin County.
• At the cavern’s center is a massive octopus-like Half-Demon, protected by over a hundred sect disciples. Its blood-colored Demi-Human Domain suppresses everyone’s movement, perception, and martial will.
• Little White Bat remains unaffected by the domain and circles the demon, dodging its attacks.
• A battle erupts after Princess Red Lotus senses the Baleful-Breaking Pearl carried by or connected to Little White Bat. The pearl is a highly coveted treasure capable of Baleful-Breaking Gold-Severing, attracting the attention of all four Core Embrace grandmasters.
• Gong Hao breaks free of his restraint, protects the two women, and orders them to escape with Su Xinghe.
• As the domain weakens during the clash, Su Xinghe’s Martial Dao Will begins to recover and he regains the ability to move.
• Gong Yueni urges Zhan Yun to assist Gong Hao. Although Zhan Yun hesitates because of the overwhelming strength of Princess Red Lotus and her allies, she ultimately attacks the Half-Demon with icy True Astral Force.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe: Experiences intense helplessness while trapped in the domain but remains observant and quickly recognizes the strategic importance of the Half-Demon and the Baleful-Breaking Pearl. His Martial Dao Will gradually revives, allowing him to regain mobility.
• Little White Bat: Demonstrates unusual resistance to the Demi-Human Domain and exceptional agility. Its connection to the Baleful-Breaking Pearl is revealed or strongly confirmed, making it the focus of the grandmasters’ conflict.
• Gong Hao: Reveals himself as a powerful and decisive Demon Suppression Bureau commander. He prioritizes protecting Su Xinghe and the two women, even while facing several formidable opponents.
• Princess Red Lotus: Appears as a formidable Core Embrace grandmaster and ruthless ambusher. Her recognition of the Baleful-Breaking Pearl immediately changes the battle from a confrontation into a desperate struggle over a priceless treasure.
• Gong Yueni: Shows concern for her grandfather and courageously urges Zhan Yun to help him, despite the danger.
• Zhan Yun: Initially recognizes the hopelessness of confronting Princess Red Lotus on her home ground, but overcomes her hesitation and joins the attack.
• Jia Six: Serves as Su Xinghe’s rescuer and protector, though the chapter focuses more heavily on Gong Hao’s intervention and the ensuing battle.

Significant Themes

• Helplessness versus agency: The Demi-Human Domain renders even powerful martial artists as helpless as insects, but the characters gradually reclaim control through willpower, cooperation, and overwhelming force.
• The value and danger of rare treasures: The Baleful-Breaking Pearl instantly escalates the conflict, demonstrating how coveted artifacts can turn allies and enemies toward desperate, reckless action.
• Hidden demonic corruption: The Peaceful Heaven Sect’s cavern is revealed as a site for raising an Outer Demon, emphasizing the sect’s sinister practices and the Demon Suppression Bureau’s mission.
• Trust and reluctant cooperation: Su Xinghe is a fugitive from the Martial Dao Bureau, yet Gong Hao still attempts to save him and relies on him to summon reinforcements.
• Courage under overwhelming pressure: Gong Yueni and Zhan Yun choose to support Gong Hao despite facing enemies far beyond their normal ability to defeat.

Character Interactions

• Su Xinghe communicates emotionally with Little White Bat through their spiritual bond, while the bat independently confronts the Half-Demon.
• Jia Six rescues Su Xinghe and stands with Gong Yueni and Zhan Yun against Princess Red Lotus’s forces.
• Gong Hao orders Su Xinghe to seek reinforcements, then protects him and the two women during the battle.
• Princess Red Lotus’s discovery of the Baleful-Breaking Pearl causes all the grandmasters to turn their attention toward Little White Bat.
• Gong Yueni persuades the reluctant Zhan Yun to abandon their escape and aid Gong Hao.
• Zhan Yun responds by attacking the central Half-Demon, targeting the source of the oppressive domain.

Chapter Summary: “Head-Cleaving Technique” Breaks Through Again

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhan Yun kills the Peaceful Heaven Sect’s Sixth-Rank True Force elder by cleaving him in two, then turns to confront an approaching grandmaster. She leaves the remaining Seventh-Rank fighters to her junior sister.
• Su Xinghe searches for an escape from the underground cavern but discovers that the exits are high above and sealed by a blood-colored force field.
• Trapped under the pressure of several Core Embrace grandmasters, Su Xinghe decides to attack the enormous “octopus” creature guarding the cavern’s center—the Eight-Armed Carrion Centipede.
• With Little White Bat encouraging him, Su Xinghe charges toward the creature. Gong Yueni joins the fight and intercepts the Peaceful Heaven Sect disciples surrounding it.
• Su Xinghe uses the threefold-powered Head-Cleaving Technique against the creature’s head. Although the attack carries over thirty thousand jin of force, it fails to pierce the creature’s rubbery flesh.
• The creature retaliates with a tentacle strike infused with strange blood-colored power, sending Su Xinghe flying and leaving alien Internal Force inside his body that devours his Qi-Blood.
• Gong Yueni explains that the creature is a Half-Demon, specifically an adult Eight-Armed Carrion Centipede. Its Demon Qi Domain prevents anyone below grandmaster level from harming it. However, it is chained down and has been reduced to a blood-fed puppet that will not attack unless provoked.
• Su Xinghe suppresses the alien power with his Internal Force and consumes Bone-Forging Pills to recover. He then joins Gong Yueni in slaughtering the surrounding Seventh-Rank enemies.
• During the battle, his Fate Panel records repeated use of the Head-Cleaving Technique. Its proficiency advances from First Glimpse of the Path to Hall-Entering, increasing its effective power from thirty percent to fifty percent.
• After consuming the rest of his Premium Bone-Forging Pills, Su Xinghe unleashes a fifty-thousand-jin attack using the improved technique and charges the Half-Demon again. The excerpt ends before revealing whether this attack succeeds.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe demonstrates increasing courage and ruthlessness, choosing to attack the Half-Demon despite knowing it is far beyond his current level. His combat adaptability is highlighted as he turns the surrounding enemies into opportunities to improve his technique.
• His reliance on pills and the Spirit Ape Myriad Transformations art shows both the limits of his current body and his willingness to exhaust every resource for survival.
• Gong Yueni is revealed to be an Eighth-Rank Dark Force expert. She fights efficiently, killing Seventh-Rank opponents with ease, and becomes Su Xinghe’s temporary battlefield ally.
• Zhan Yun establishes her overwhelming strength by instantly killing a Sixth-Rank warrior and taking on a grandmaster.
• Little White Bat continues to recognize and support Su Xinghe, reacting excitedly when he moves to help.
• Su Xinghe’s Head-Cleaving Technique progresses significantly, reflecting his ability to improve through repeated combat even under extreme pressure.

Significant Themes

• Growth through combat: Su Xinghe advances his technique by repeatedly using it in a life-or-death battle.
• Resourcefulness against overwhelming power: Although he cannot yet harm the Half-Demon directly, he uses pills, internal cultivation methods, and battlefield experience to increase his chances.
• The terrifying hierarchy of power: The difference between Seventh-Rank fighters, Eighth-Rank experts, grandmasters, Half-Demons, and true demons becomes increasingly clear.
• Human exploitation of supernatural beings: The Peaceful Heaven Sect has chained and fed the Half-Demon with blood, turning it into a weapon or living puppet.
• Rage and retaliation: Su Xinghe’s anger toward the Peaceful Heaven Sect drives him to attack both its disciples and the creature it controls.

Character Interactions

• Zhan Yun protects the group by killing the Peaceful Heaven Sect’s strongest ordinary fighter and engaging a grandmaster.
• Gong Yueni rescues Su Xinghe after the failed attack and explains the Half-Demon’s nature and limitations.
• Su Xinghe and Gong Yueni fight side by side, competing indirectly to see who can kill more enemies.
• The Peaceful Heaven Sect’s disciples attempt to defend the chained Half-Demon and attack Su Xinghe and Gong Yueni.
• Su Xinghe’s bond with Little White Bat is reinforced when the creature reacts happily to his attempt to help it.

Chapter Summary: “Grandmaster Strike, Gravely Wounded”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Xinghe unleashes a massively strengthened strike against the Eight-Armed Carrion Centipede. His force rises from thirty thousand to fifty thousand jin, while his vibrating black iron saber generates tremendous heat and penetrating power.
• The saber burns through the centipede’s mucus, flesh, and skull, finally inflicting a deep wound in its head. Little White Bat takes advantage of the opening and dives into the creature’s head.
• The centipede’s death or collapse causes the blood-red force field above the cavern to disperse, apparently ending the immediate threat.
• Princess Red Lotus becomes furious and attacks Su Xinghe directly. Gong Hao tries to intercept her, but she reaches Su Xinghe first.
• Su Xinghe’s desperate counterattack fails to hit the Core Embrace Grandmaster, who avoids the blade and strikes him in the chest with molten-lava-like True Qi. He is gravely injured.
• Gong Hao arrives in time to force Princess Red Lotus to defend herself. During the exchange, she realizes that the Baleful-Breaking Pearl and another Mental Secret Art possess an origin connected to her own Red Lotus Branch inheritance.
• Because of this connection, Princess Red Lotus orders a retreat rather than continuing the fight. Gong Hao retains the pearl, while Su Xinghe is carried away and later treated.
• Su Xinghe eventually awakens in a familiar bed at an inn, surrounded by his companions and family. He is extremely hungry but alive.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe: Demonstrates a dramatic increase in physical power and combat ability, successfully killing or severely crippling an Eighth-Rank Half-Demon despite being only a Grade-Eight Martial Artist. His strike also proves capable of penetrating a Grandmaster’s Core Qi Domain. However, he suffers severe internal injuries from Princess Red Lotus’s counterattack and nearly dies.
• Princess Red Lotus: Reveals both overwhelming speed and defensive skill, effortlessly avoiding Su Xinghe’s final attack. She is nevertheless injured by him, leaving a deep wound in her abdomen. Her discovery that the pearl and secret art resonate with her own inheritance changes her priorities and leads her to retreat.
• Gong Hao: Acts decisively to protect Su Xinghe, breaking through the crisis and forcing Princess Red Lotus to withdraw. His intervention is essential to Su Xinghe’s survival.
• Little White Bat: Assists Su Xinghe by diving into the wounded centipede’s head, contributing to the creature’s defeat.
• Su Haitao and the others: Their anxious reactions after Su Xinghe wakes emphasize their concern and emotional attachment to him. Zhou Yingjun, normally stern, shows unusual warmth and relief.

Significant Themes

• Power beyond conventional limits: Su Xinghe’s increased strength is not merely numerical; it produces physical changes such as destructive vibration, heat, and the ability to breach a Grandmaster’s defensive domain.
• The cost of advancement: Although Su Xinghe achieves an extraordinary victory, his success leaves him gravely wounded and dependent on others for survival.
• Inheritance and hidden connections: Princess Red Lotus recognizes that the Baleful-Breaking Pearl and Mental Secret Art are linked to her own lineage, suggesting deeper mysteries surrounding Su Xinghe’s abilities and the artifacts.
• Survival through cooperation: Su Xinghe’s attack, Little White Bat’s assistance, and Gong Hao’s intervention collectively allow the heroes to survive an otherwise fatal confrontation.
• Family and emotional grounding: After the brutal battle, Su Xinghe’s awakening among family and allies contrasts with the violence of the cavern and highlights the importance of his personal bonds.

Character Interactions

• Su Xinghe and Little White Bat coordinate during the assault on the centipede, with the bat exploiting the wound created by Su Xinghe.
• Princess Red Lotus confronts Su Xinghe personally, underestimating neither his strength nor his ability to damage her.
• Gong Hao repeatedly acts as Su Xinghe’s protector, first attempting to intercept Princess Red Lotus and later forcing her to defend against his attack.
• Princess Red Lotus’s interaction with the pearl and secret art reveals a mysterious master-and-disciple or inheritance-based relationship with the power Su Xinghe possesses.
• After the battle, Su Xinghe respectfully thanks Gong Hao, Zhan Yun, and Gong Hao’s companions for saving him, while Su Haitao and the others welcome him back with visible relief.

Chapter Summary: Changes Over the Past Month

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Xinghe reunites with Li Shunjun and Gong Hao after the failed attempt to capture Lu Xuanji. Li explains that Lu Xuanji escaped, and the authorities lack sufficient evidence to move against the Lu Family.
• Gong Hao concludes that the Lu Family’s important members have already fled to Qingzhou Academy, leaving only minor figures in Lin County. He warns that if Lu Xuanji’s descendant succeeds in next year’s palace examination, even Gong Hao may be unable to act against him.
• Su Xinghe discovers that he has been unconscious for twenty-eight days after suffering severe injuries from a Core Embrace grandmaster. Gong Hao saved him by obtaining a rare Fifth-Grade Treasure Medicine from Qingzhou.
• Upon awakening, Su Xinghe reunites with his parents and younger brother. He learns that his mother’s eyesight has been restored, his family has become wealthy, and his sister-in-law and younger brother have begun practicing martial arts.
• Lin County has changed dramatically during his absence:
  • The Lu Family fled the city with its direct descendants.
  • The White Ape Martial Academy and Great River Gang expanded their influence.
  • The Martial Dao Bureau and Public Security Office cleared the academy apprentices and gang disciples of suspicion.
  • The academy reopened, allowing the Su Family to live safely again.
• Su Xinghe checks his status and finds that none of his abilities improved during his coma, though his cultivation remains at Grade Eight with his aperture 22% opened.
• He learns that Little White Bat has disappeared into the mountains, with only a faint mental connection remaining.
• Little Beggar reveals that he has reached the Martial Dao entry level and developed a twenty-zhang mental perception range.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe: Awakens physically recovered but emotionally troubled by the way events were resolved. Although his family is safe, he dislikes relying on powerful allies and feels dissatisfied that the Lu Family escaped punishment. His perception of Little White Bat also changes as he realizes the creature had become a genuine combat companion rather than merely a useful mount or guide.
• Gong Hao: Demonstrates his authority and influence by intervening in Su Xinghe’s treatment and obtaining a Fifth-Grade Treasure Medicine. He remains cautious about confronting the Lu Family directly because of their connections and possible future political protection.
• Li Shunjun: Appears politically weakened and hesitant. Despite being a Core Embrace grandmaster and bureau director, his demotion and lack of evidence leave him unable to act confidently against the Lu Family.
• Su Haitao: Has matured and begun martial arts training. His family’s sudden rise in status and wealth contrasts sharply with their former poverty.
• Chen Guilan: Her long-standing eye disease has been cured, giving the Su Family a major emotional victory.
• Little Beggar: Has grown physically and become a Grade-Eight martial artist. His progress confirms his increasing independence and potential.
• Lu Xuanji and the Lu Family: Retreat from Lin County after their defeat, preserving their power but leaving their local influence weakened.

Significant Themes

• The cost of power and protection: Su Xinghe survives only because influential figures such as Gong Hao intervene, highlighting the gap between ordinary martial artists and Core Embrace experts.
• Family and emotional recovery: Su Xinghe’s reunion with his family, especially his mother’s restored sight, provides comfort after his traumatic ordeal.
• Political power versus justice: Although the Lu Family is responsible for serious wrongdoing, legal and political limitations prevent immediate punishment.
• Change and growth: Lin County’s power structure, Su Xinghe’s family, and Little Beggar all undergo major transformations during his absence.
• Unease beneath apparent peace: The Su Family is safe and the academy has reopened, but Su Xinghe remains dissatisfied because the underlying threat from the Lu Family has not truly disappeared.

Character Interactions

• Su Xinghe questions Li Shunjun about Lu Xuanji, while Gong Hao dominates the discussion through his higher rank and authority.
• Gong Hao instructs Su Xinghe to focus on refining the medicine in his body and promises to return that night.
• Su Xinghe’s reunion with his parents and brother emphasizes both their fear during his absence and their relief at his recovery.
• Su Haitao excitedly updates him on the family’s new circumstances, including their wealth, martial training, and their mother’s restored vision.
• Su Xinghe and Little Beggar discuss Little White Bat’s disappearance, then Su Xinghe confirms Little Beggar’s unexpected advancement in martial arts.

Chapter Summary: The Miraculous Treasure Medicine

Key Plot Points and Events

• Little Beggar reveals that both Gong Hao and Zhan Yun have recognized his exceptional martial talent. Zhan Yun has invited him to join the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, one of the Zhou Dynasty’s five supreme first-rate powers.
• Although tempted by the offer, Little Beggar insists that he wants to pursue swordsmanship—specifically the kind taught by the distant Heavenly One Sword Sect—rather than the Hundred Flowers Pavilion’s sword techniques.
• Su Xinghe gives Little Beggar several bottles of Qi-Replenishing Pills and sends him away before beginning his own cultivation.
• Su discovers that the medicinal power from a rare Fifth-Grade Treasure Medicine has accumulated as dense liquid energy in his Qi Sea and gaseous energy within his opened apertures.
• By directing this power into unopened apertures, Su rapidly opens all one hundred apertures in his body. His cultivation advances to the peak of the Grade-Eight Realm, giving him the foundation for a dramatic future breakthrough.
• Su’s Fate Panel confirms his progress, including his perfected martial techniques and Transcendent Mastery of the Listening to Tides Art.
• Later, Zhou Yingjun, Qian Jinge, Niu Erlang, and Uncle Nine visit the Su family with gifts. The Beheading Gang has resumed its old business and proposes joining the White Ape Martial Academy to control western Lin County.
• At the martial academy, Su and the others learn that Elder Xie is dying. Even a physician from the prefectural city cannot save him, and the expensive Seventh-Rank Organ-Nourishing Pill can only prolong his life temporarily.
• Su attempts to transfer some of the Treasure Medicine’s energy into Elder Xie, but it cannot remain in the unconscious old man’s body. Su is forced to watch helplessly as the medicinal power dissipates.
• The chapter ends with Su observing that Lin County has changed dramatically after the Lu Family’s destruction. The ban on weapons has weakened, ordinary people and martial artists are carrying weapons openly, and the Lu Family’s estates and ancestral home have been dismantled.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe makes a major breakthrough, using the Treasure Medicine’s residual power to open all one hundred apertures. His success gives him a rare opportunity to build an exceptionally strong foundation.
• He also becomes more aware of his age-related disadvantages when comparing himself with Little Beggar’s extraordinary talent, though his own cultivation progress remains remarkable.
• Su demonstrates compassion and loyalty by trying to save Elder Xie, even though the attempt fails.
• Little Beggar shows remarkable martial potential, surpassing even Su’s early progress. Despite recruitment by the prestigious Hundred Flowers Pavilion, he remains committed to mastering his preferred sword path.
• Qian Jinge has matured from a flamboyant young man into a serious and responsible instructor, resembling the late Wu Yingcai in demeanor.
• Elder Xie is revealed to be near death, emphasizing the limitations of medicine and the cost of preserving an aging martial artist.
• The Lu Family’s downfall has transformed the balance of power in Lin County, leaving former factions to reorganize and compete for influence.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus diligence: Little Beggar possesses extraordinary natural talent, while Su Xinghe relies on persistence, accumulated mastery, and unusual opportunities to overcome his limitations.
• The value and danger of resources: The Treasure Medicine allows Su to make an enormous leap in cultivation, illustrating how elite lineages and rare medicines can determine a martial artist’s future.
• Mortality and helplessness: Su’s inability to save Elder Xie shows that even immense martial power cannot overcome every form of decline, particularly old age and physical decay.
• Political and social upheaval: The destruction of the Lu Family has altered law enforcement, weapon restrictions, commerce, and factional power throughout Lin County.
• Freedom and chosen identity: Little Beggar rejects the easiest prestigious path in favor of pursuing the sword tradition he personally values.

Character Interactions

• Su and Little Beggar discuss the boy’s recruitment by the Hundred Flowers Pavilion and his desire to seek the Heavenly One Sword Sect. Their exchange reflects both their close bond and Su’s mixed pride and envy toward the younger boy’s talent.
• Su interacts with Zhou Yingjun, Qian Jinge, Niu Erlang, and Uncle Nine as competing or cooperating factions begin negotiating control of western Lin County.
• Su, Qian Jinge, and others visit Elder Xie, sharing concern over his deteriorating condition.
• Su’s attempt to transfer the Treasure Medicine’s power to Elder Xie highlights his compassion but also the limits of his current abilities.
• The wider community’s changed behavior—especially ordinary people openly carrying weapons—shows how the Lu Family’s collapse has affected everyday relationships between citizens, martial artists, and authorities.

Chapter Summary: “Asking the Beheading Gang for Some Benefits”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Xinghe visits the Mountain-Chasing Gang, whose headquarters occupy the former Black Tiger Gang courtyard, to buy pills and settle an old score.
• He discovers that the gang’s “Uncle Nine” is connected to his younger sister-in-law Yuhuan. Niu Erlang explains that Yuhuan is the daughter of a former leader of Niu Family Village, an Eighth-Rank martial warrior nicknamed “Desperate Saburo,” who died during the conflict with the Lu Family.
• Su reflects on the violent events surrounding the Lu Family’s purge, the farmstead massacre, and the eventual downfall of those responsible for killing the original owner of his body.
• He questions the quality of the Mountain-Chasing Gang’s Qi-Nourishing Pills. Uncle Nine nearly admits that the pills contain unusually high levels of impurities, then hurriedly insists they are genuine and offers compensation for defective goods.
• Since Elder Xie remains unconscious and Treasure Medicines are unavailable, Su demands ten bottles of Organ-Nourishing Organ-Protecting Pills as compensation for the month he spent bedridden.
• The gang leaders react furiously. The pills are extremely expensive, and the Beheading Gang lacks the wealth of established city factions. Their intimidating auras fill the room, frightening Little Beggar, but Su remains unfazed.
• Su challenges the gang’s history of fighting the Lu Family, pointing out that despite generations of beheadings, the Lu Family has grown stronger, produced a grandmaster, and allied with the Peaceful Heaven Sect.
• He reframes the demand as an exchange: if they provide the pills, he may eliminate the Lu Family and remove Lu County’s greatest threat. He boasts that he killed Lu Xuanlin, destroyed the Fishermen’s Gang headquarters, and has already used his saber to kill a grandmaster.
• The three gang leaders are shaken and fall silent, seriously reconsidering the offer.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe displays increasing confidence, political awareness, and fearlessness. He calmly withstands the pressure of three Seventh-Rank martial warriors and uses both negotiation and intimidation to control the meeting.
• He also shows pragmatism: although he initially resents the Beheading Gang, he agrees to let Yuhuan’s family connection pass and promises to treat the young couple well.
• Uncle Nine is revealed as clever but nervous. He tries to conceal the poor quality of the pills and quickly alters his explanation when he nearly reveals too much.
• Big Bear, Niu Erlang, and Uncle Nine initially rely on their collective strength and reputation, but Su’s arguments expose their uncertainty about opposing the Lu Family and its powerful allies.
• Little Beggar experiences a sharp contrast between his recent breakthrough to Ninth Rank and the overwhelming power of the three Seventh-Rank leaders, making him more aware of his own weakness.
• The Beheading Gang leaders begin shifting from anger to cautious consideration, recognizing Su as a potential ally capable of accomplishing what they have failed to do.

Significant Themes

• Power versus reputation: The Beheading Gang’s fearsome reputation cannot compensate for the Lu Family’s superior political and martial power.
• Pragmatic alliances: Personal grievances are set aside when cooperation offers a chance to defeat a greater enemy.
• Revenge and justice: Su’s demand for compensation reflects both his personal suffering and the gang’s responsibility for the flawed intelligence that contributed to his injury.
• The limits of traditional resistance: The gang has fought the Lu Family for generations, but its methods have not prevented the Lu Family from becoming more powerful.
• Confidence backed by proven strength: Su’s boldness is persuasive because it rests on demonstrated achievements, particularly his killing of a grandmaster and destruction of the Fishermen’s Gang.
• Hidden truths and shifting loyalties: Yuhuan’s identity, the gang’s connection to the Lu Family’s downfall, and the uncertain reliability of their grandmaster ally complicate existing relationships.

Important Character Interactions

• Su confronts Uncle Nine about the pills while indirectly pressuring all three gang leaders.
• Niu Erlang provides the history of Yuhuan’s family and the Beheading Gang’s struggle against the Lu Family.
• Big Bear attempts to treat Su as family after learning of Yuhuan’s marriage, but Su refuses to overlook the gang’s past actions without compensation.
• The gang leaders use martial pressure to intimidate Su, but he reverses the power dynamic through verbal criticism and his own reputation.
• Su’s final offer transforms the meeting from a quarrel over payment into a potential alliance against the Lu Family, leaving the Beheading Gang leaders silent and deeply unsettled.

Chapter Summary: “Li Shunjun’s Invitation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After negotiating with Big Bear, Uncle Nine, and Niu Erlang, Su Xinghe secures a supply of Organ-Nourishing Organ-Protecting Pills: eight immediately and the remaining ninety-two over nine months.
• Su agrees to have future shares sent to Elder Xie and asks the Beheading Gang to help locate a Treasure Medicine, offering a 20,000-unit deposit and promising to provide the rest of the payment.
• As Su Xinghe and Little Beggar leave Firewood Alley, they are stopped by constables investigating their lack of Travel Pass Talismans, alerted by a Sky-Patrolling Raven.
• When the constables attack, Su effortlessly blocks their staves and reveals that he and Little Beggar are Martial Warriors. He warns the bearded constable not to draw his weapon and heads for the Martial Dao Bureau.
• At the bureau, Su notices an iron-masked figure with faint martial intent, suggesting the Inspection Bureau is monitoring the situation.
• Su and Little Beggar register as Martial Warriors. Little Beggar receives a bronze plaque for Ninth Rank, while Su receives a silver plaque for Eighth-Rank Dark Force.
• Their registration is expedited by Li Shunjun, chief of the Bandit Suppression Bureau, who had previously appeared at the Su Family.
• Li invites Su to a private meeting and offers him a supposedly “fortunate opportunity”: a recommended position as City Defense County Commandant, in exchange for secretly returning with Li to Taiguang Prefecture and handling matters for him.
• Su realizes that Li’s offer is likely motivated by trouble in the prefectural city, possibly connected to Li’s earlier demotion and the defection case in Qingzhou.
• Although the position could help Su control Lin County’s underground forces and obtain Treasure Medicines, Su hesitates because following Li could entangle him in dangerous political conflicts.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe becomes more assertive and strategic. He refuses to rely entirely on the Beheading Gang, insisting on earning his own cultivation resources, while simultaneously building useful alliances.
• His strength and confidence are evident when he calmly suppresses the constables and chooses to go to the Martial Dao Bureau rather than flee.
• Su also demonstrates caution and long-term planning. He recognizes the advantages of Li’s offer but suspects hidden dangers and worries about being drawn into Li’s political troubles.
• Little Beggar remains loyal and follows Su’s lead, though he is visibly nervous when confronted by Li Shunjun’s powerful aura.
• Big Bear, Uncle Nine, and Niu Erlang begin treating Su as a serious and reliable partner after seeing his determination to obtain resources independently.
• Li Shunjun shifts from an apparently amiable official to an intimidating and coercive figure. His willingness to pressure Su suggests that he urgently needs capable assistance.

Significant Themes

• Independence versus dependence: Su wants to secure resources through his own efforts rather than become beholden to powerful factions.
• Power and authority: Ordinary constables are helpless against Martial Warriors, highlighting the gulf between official institutions and true martial strength.
• Political danger beneath opportunity: Li’s attractive offer carries hidden risks, showing that advancement in the martial and official worlds often requires entering dangerous power struggles.
• Long-term cultivation planning: Su realizes that pills alone are insufficient; without a higher-level cultivation art after mastering his current Grade-Eight technique, his progress may stall.
• Trust and manipulation: Su recognizes that Li’s earlier friendliness was situational and begins questioning whether the invitation is a genuine opportunity or a trap.

Character Interactions

• Su’s negotiations with the Beheading Gang establish a practical alliance based on shared resources and mutual benefit.
• His confrontation with the constables demonstrates his superiority while avoiding unnecessary violence; he prevents Little Beggar from escalating the encounter.
• The Martial Dao Bureau’s officials treat Su and Little Beggar as unauthorized “wild” Martial Warriors until their strength and Li’s intervention secure their registration.
• In the private meeting, Li uses both assistance and intimidation to pressure Su into accepting the prefectural assignment. Su cautiously engages by asking about the offer rather than accepting or rejecting it immediately.
• The chapter ends with Su internally weighing the benefits of the County Commandant position against the possibility of becoming trapped in Li Shunjun’s increasingly dangerous affairs.

Chapter Summary: “Secret Talks in the Study”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Xinghe is visiting Li Shunjun when Gong Hao arrives unexpectedly. Li Shunjun’s confident, controlling attitude immediately disappears, revealing his fear and respect for Gong Hao.
• Gong Hao interrupts Li Shunjun’s attempt to recruit Su Xinghe into the Martial Dao Bureau. Su Xinghe leaves with Gong Hao, relieved to escape the uncomfortable situation.
• At Gong Hao’s residence, Su Xinghe sends Little Beggar to stay with Gong Hao’s attendants while he follows Gong Hao to the study.
• Gong Hao seals the study and reveals a black pearl, which Su Xinghe recognizes as the mysterious pearl he once possessed.
• Gong Hao explains that the pearl is the Baleful-Breaking Pearl, a mission item that disappeared along with a Grade-B Demon Extermination Guard who defected after investigating the death of a Martial Saint from the Heavenly One Sword Sect.
• Gong Hao had been tracking the pearl’s trail from Qingzhou and had previously encountered Su Xinghe in the Black Market. He now suspects that Su Xinghe obtained it from Yi Thirteen, the dying martial artist connected to Old Madman.
• Su Xinghe honestly recounts his encounters with Yi Thirteen, explains that he found the pearl among Yi Thirteen’s belongings, and confirms that only Little Beggar knows about the matter.
• Gong Hao warns that the secret technique Su Xinghe acquired relates to the foundations of the Heavenly One Sword Sect. He offers to shield Su Xinghe from the sect temporarily, but insists that Su Xinghe return the technique to avoid provoking them.
• Gong Hao reveals that Will Techniques are the reason the Zhou Martial Sage Dynasty has produced so many Martial Saint-level experts. The secret technique is not merely a martial-art manual but a method for identifying and nurturing potential future Martial Saints.
• The technique succeeds in roughly one person out of ten thousand, making Su Xinghe—and possibly Little Beggar—exceptionally gifted.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe demonstrates caution and honesty when speaking with Gong Hao. Rather than hiding his connection to the pearl or secret technique, he gives a complete account, recognizing the danger of concealing information from a powerful ally.
• He begins to understand that his talent is far greater than he had assumed. His success with the secret technique may mark him as a rare “Martial Saint Seed.”
• Gong Hao is established as both powerful and protective. Although he is investigating the missing pearl, he does not immediately arrest or accuse Su Xinghe. Instead, he offers practical protection while warning him of the consequences of possessing the stolen technique.
• Gong Hao also reveals that his earlier assistance—selling Su Xinghe the “Ascending Dragon Stance” cheaply—was deliberate support based on his recognition of Su Xinghe’s potential.
• Li Shunjun is shown to be outwardly authoritative but deeply intimidated by Gong Hao. His hostility toward losing control of Su Xinghe is concealed behind an exaggeratedly polite smile.
• Little Beggar remains loyal and alert. He recognizes the danger surrounding Su Xinghe and is determined to become stronger so he can protect or support his “boss.”

Significant Themes

• Power and hierarchy: Li Shunjun’s sudden submission to Gong Hao highlights the vast differences in status and strength within the martial world.
• Trust and disclosure: Su Xinghe must decide how much to reveal. His honesty with Gong Hao strengthens their relationship but exposes him to the danger surrounding the pearl and secret technique.
• Hidden origins and consequences: Objects and techniques connected to past deaths, betrayals, and powerful organizations are now drawing Su Xinghe into larger political and martial conflicts.
• Exceptional talent and destiny: The secret technique reveals that Su Xinghe may possess extraordinarily rare potential, suggesting a path toward the highest realms of martial cultivation.
• Protection versus independence: Gong Hao offers to defend Su Xinghe, but only under conditions. Su Xinghe must balance reliance on powerful allies with the need to protect his own secrets.

Character Interactions

• Li Shunjun and Gong Hao: Gong Hao’s arrival completely reverses the power dynamic. Li Shunjun cannot object to Gong Hao taking Su Xinghe away, despite clearly wanting to retain control over the conversation.
• Gong Hao and Su Xinghe: Their private discussion is frank and serious. Gong Hao questions Su Xinghe’s involvement, while Su Xinghe responds respectfully but directly. The exchange establishes mutual trust alongside a warning of future danger.
• Su Xinghe and Little Beggar: Little Beggar instinctively follows Su Xinghe’s lead and remains concerned about his safety. His thoughts show increasing loyalty and ambition.
• Gong Hao and Little Beggar: Gong Hao allows the boy to remain with his attendants while privately questioning Su Xinghe, suggesting that he views the child as separate from the main investigation but is aware of his presence.

Chapter Summary: “Mountain-Shaking Fist,” a Seventh-Rank True Art

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Xinghe tells Gong Hao that the secret technique and token are at his home, prompting Gong Hao to decide to retrieve them immediately.
• Impressed by Su Xinghe’s rapid mastery of the technique, his courage in dealing with the Peaceful Heaven Sect’s Half-Demon, and his martial talent, Gong Hao considers recruiting him into the Demon Suppression Bureau. However, official approval and investigation by the Secret Sect are still required.
• Gong Hao explains the wider world to Su Xinghe:
  • The human race controls less than a tenth of the Desolate Region.
  • The surrounding lands form the dangerous Outer Battlefield, inhabited by countless demon beasts and alien species.
  • Core Embrace Grandmasters can form a Core Qi Domain using liquefied true qi, allowing them to interfere with light and sound.
  • Even Grandmasters risk death in the Outer Realm.
• Gong Hao reveals that the seemingly ordinary bead is a valuable relic connected to a powerful Martial Saint and is worth ten thousand gold because of its relationship to Baleful-Breaking Gold-Severing.
• Su Xinghe agrees to follow Gong Hao’s arrangements. Gong Hao takes the Listening to Tides Art scroll, leaves Su Xinghe with a Class-B token for protection or bluffing, and warns him to remain in the city because dangerous martial artists have recently entered the region.
• Returning home, Su Xinghe notices that the Lu Family’s departure has left Tongzi Ward chaotic. The Great River Gang has nominally taken control but lacks the manpower to govern effectively.
• Su Xinghe helps his mother prepare dinner, showing his continued concern for his family despite his growing involvement in larger conflicts.
• Uncle Nine and the Great River Gang leaders visit the family with substantial gifts, including necessities, cultivation pills, and children’s toys, signaling their acceptance of Yang Huaiyu and Su Xinghe’s relationship.
• Yang Huaiyu gives Su Xinghe a personally copied Seventh-Rank True Art, Mountain-Shaking Fist, as part of her dowry.
• Su Xinghe discovers that his younger brother, Su Haitao, has reached Force Infusion after only one month of training and may have the potential to reach the Eighth Rank.
• To support his family’s cultivation, Su Xinghe prepares to give Su Haitao money, Qi-Nourishing Pills, and True Arts he no longer needs.

Character Development

• Su Xinghe: Gains recognition from Gong Hao as a talented and courageous martial artist. He begins to receive opportunities connected to the Demon Suppression Bureau while remaining cautious and responsible toward his family. His willingness to accept Yang Huaiyu’s valuable gift also shows growing trust in their relationship.
• Gong Hao: Shifts from adviser and protector to potential patron. He seriously considers making Su Xinghe his successor and tries to protect him by warning him against dangerous enemies and urging him to remain in the city.
• Yang Huaiyu: Demonstrates affection, loyalty, and practical support by copying and giving Su Xinghe a Seventh-Rank True Art. Her gesture confirms her commitment to their future marriage and shared martial legacy.
• Su Haitao: Shows promising martial talent by reaching Force Infusion in one month. His progress gives him a realistic chance of entering the higher ranks of martial cultivation.
• Su Xinghe’s family: Becomes increasingly connected to martial society. The warm reception given to Uncle Nine’s group suggests that the family is adapting to Su Xinghe’s rising status.

Significant Themes

• Talent and recognition: Su Xinghe’s abilities allow him to overcome the disadvantage of his age and attract the attention of powerful organizations.
• The danger of the wider world: Gong Hao’s explanation expands the story beyond the Great Zhou Dynasty and emphasizes that even powerful Grandmasters are vulnerable in the Outer Battlefield.
• Protection and responsibility: Su Xinghe’s martial advancement is consistently balanced by his concern for his mother, wife-to-be, and younger brother.
• Inheritance and family legacy: Mountain-Shaking Fist is both a wedding gift and a technique intended to be passed down to future generations, linking martial arts with family continuity.
• Political instability: The Lu Family’s departure creates disorder, while the Great River Gang struggles to control the territory, leaving room for further conflict.

Important Character Interactions

• Gong Hao advises and warns Su Xinghe, while subtly offering him a possible path into the Demon Suppression Bureau.
• Gong Hao accepts the secret technique and token but leaves Su Xinghe with a Class-B token as temporary protection.
• Uncle Nine’s group visits Su Xinghe’s family with gifts, strengthening ties between the two sides.
• Yang Huaiyu gives Su Xinghe Mountain-Shaking Fist, symbolizing trust, affection, and their shared future.
• Su Xinghe tests Su Haitao’s progress, praises his achievement, and prepares to support his continued training.

Chapter Summary: “Eighth Rank Complete”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Xinghe gives his younger brother and sister-in-law wedding gifts: Qi-Replenishing Pills from Uncle Nine and several True Arts, including Ascending Dragon Stance.
• After they leave, he studies an incomplete, orally transmitted martial manual. He judges its lower-rank techniques inferior to Spirit Ape Myriad Transformations, criticizing its emphasis on explosive strength over cultivating Qi-Blood and Internal Force.
• The manual explains the Seventh-Rank Transformation Realm, in which Internal Force tempers the five viscera and six bowels, creating a circulating “five qi” resonance that passively protects the body from weapons, Internal Force, and even insects.
• Su Xinghe begins opening the eight extraordinary meridians, starting with the belt meridian and progressing through the thoroughfare, heel, linking, conception, and governing meridians.
• With the help of powerful medicinal energy and Spirit Ape Myriad Transformations, he successfully connects all eight meridians and absorbs the medicine into his acupoints.
• After three months, Spirit Ape Myriad Transformations reaches completion. His Fate Panel confirms that he has achieved Grade-Eight Realm, Meridian Opening 100%, with every acupoint open.
• Although he has not formally cultivated a Seventh-Rank True Art, Su Xinghe understands the principles of the Transformation Realm and realizes that his powerful Qi-Blood may imitate some of its defensive effects.
• He resumes cultivating Listening to Tides Art but still cannot control the fifth silver figure in his Consciousness Space, suggesting that his spiritual will is not yet strong enough.
• He tests his newly enhanced strength through Head-Cleaving Technique, reaching roughly fifty thousand jin of explosive force. His Qi-Blood can sustain six activations before exhaustion, and it takes about half a shichen to recover without pills.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe completes his Eighth-Rank cultivation and gains a major increase in strength, internal circulation, and combat potential.
• He becomes more knowledgeable about higher-rank martial arts, independently analyzing the principles behind Seventh-Rank Transformation Realm instead of merely following established techniques.
• His confidence grows as he directly experiences his fifty-thousand-jin strength, though this excitement is tempered by frustration over the lack of a clear path beyond Eighth Rank.
• He remains disciplined and methodical, continuing to cultivate spiritual techniques and test his limits even after reaching a major breakthrough.
• Yang Huaiyu reacts humorously to seeing Ascending Dragon Stance among the gifts, recognizing it as the likely useless technique that once deceived Su Xinghe’s elder brother.
• Su Xinghe’s earlier hardship is emphasized: before joining the Black Tiger Gang and later reaching Clear Lotus Pond, he had struggled to afford even basic cultivation pills.

Significant Themes

• Progress through persistence: Su Xinghe’s advancement reflects the chapter’s central idea, embodied by his fate “Diligence Makes Up for Dullness.” Repeated cultivation and steady effort compensate for limitations.
• Knowledge versus formal inheritance: Though Su Xinghe lacks a complete or prestigious Seventh-Rank art, his observation and understanding allow him to grasp the underlying principles of higher realms.
• The importance of resources: Medicinal pills and treasure medicine dramatically accelerate his meridian-opening process, highlighting how wealth and access shape martial advancement.
• Strength and uncertainty: Completing Eighth Rank brings immense power, but also leaves Su Xinghe without a clear path forward, turning achievement into a new source of confusion.
• Body refinement and natural defense: The chapter explores how martial cultivation transforms the body, with higher realms producing defenses that function automatically rather than through conscious effort.
• Family generosity and past hardship: Su Xinghe’s gifts to his relatives contrast with his own earlier poverty and show how his improved circumstances allow him to support others.

Character Interactions

• Su Xinghe gives his younger brother and Yang Huaiyu wedding gifts and explains the value of the pills and True Arts.
• Yang Huaiyu’s laughter at Ascending Dragon Stance creates a lighthearted moment and recalls the elder brother’s early experience of being swindled.
• Su Xinghe’s emotional reflection on his brother’s marriage connects his current generosity to the difficulties he faced in his own early cultivation.
• His main “interaction” afterward is with the martial arts themselves: he studies the manual, compares its methods with Spirit Ape Myriad Transformations, and tests his growth through meditation and combat techniques.
• The chapter ends with his intention to ask Zhou Yingjun about Extreme Dao Mountain Academy, indicating that he will seek guidance about his future advancement.

Chapter Summary: “The Dagger Revealed”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Xinghe awakens to find that his Head-Cleaving Technique has advanced to the “Hall-Entering” level, though improving it further would require an enormous amount of silver and Bone-Forging Pills.
• Little Beggar returns, and Su Xinghe brings him to the White Ape Martial Academy after breakfast. Su Xinghe intends to deliver the Organ-Nourishing Organ-Protecting Pill to Elder Xie.
• At the academy, Su Xinghe encounters Li Shunjun, who secretly transports him to the ruins of Red Elegance Manor using his grandmaster abilities. Su Xinghe experiences firsthand the strange, light-bending movement and overwhelming domain of a grandmaster.
• Li Shunjun reveals his true intentions and demands the Heavenly One Sword Sect’s supreme Mental Secret Art, the Listening to Tides Art. He claims he will spare Su Xinghe if he hands it over.
• Su Xinghe explains that he already gave the art to Gong Hao, but Li Shunjun insists that he recreate it from memory.
• Li Shunjun attacks Su Xinghe with his Core Qi Domain, sending him flying and surrounding the ruins with oppressive force. He declares that he no longer fears the Heavenly One Sword Sect or the Martial Dao Bureau.
• Li explains that his family has been ruined after his ancestor died on the Outer Battlefield and was branded a traitor. Li himself was demoted, abandoned by allies, and driven into desperation.
• During their confrontation, Li clarifies that the mist surrounding him is a Core Qi Domain, not a supreme Will Technique. He dismisses the abilities of other grandmasters, including Lu Xuanji’s fireworks, as inferior.
• Li grows suspicious that Su Xinghe is stalling and claims that Gong Hao has already left the city with the secret art. Su Xinghe realizes that Li is likely determined to kill him regardless of whether he cooperates.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe becomes more perceptive and decisive. He quickly recognizes that Li Shunjun has hostile intentions and understands that surrendering the secret art may not save him.
• Su Xinghe also displays increasing courage and defiance. Despite being trapped under a grandmaster’s pressure, he openly challenges Li’s strength by criticizing his Core Qi Domain.
• Li Shunjun is fully revealed as an antagonist in this chapter. His former refinement and warmth have been replaced by rage, paranoia, and desperation.
• Li’s hostility is given context: his family has been disgraced, his official position has become meaningless, and he feels abandoned by both the authorities and former allies. Nevertheless, his suffering has driven him toward coercion and murder.
• Gong Hao’s actions become uncertain. Li claims Gong has left the city with the secret art, while Su Xinghe believes Gong went to the Heavenly One Sword Sect. This creates doubt about Gong’s whereabouts and intentions.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and hidden motives: Li Shunjun’s apparently respectable identity conceals his plot against Su Xinghe.
• Desperation and moral collapse: Li’s humiliation and family misfortune have pushed him to abandon duty and threaten an innocent person.
• Power and vulnerability: Su Xinghe faces an overwhelming grandmaster, showing the enormous gap between martial levels.
• Knowledge as a source of danger: The Mental Secret Art is valuable enough to provoke betrayal, pursuit, and possible murder.
• Defiance under impossible odds: Su Xinghe’s refusal to submit immediately reflects his pride and growing strength of character.

Character Interactions

• Su Xinghe and Little Beggar: Their brief reunion leads directly into Su Xinghe’s journey to the academy, though Little Beggar does not participate in the confrontation.
• Su Xinghe and Li Shunjun: Their polite relationship collapses into open hostility. Li threatens and attacks Su Xinghe, while Su Xinghe attempts to reason with him, questions his motives, and finally provokes him to assess the limits of his domain.
• Li Shunjun and the broader martial world: Li expresses contempt for the Heavenly One Sword Sect, the Martial Dao Bureau, and other grandmasters, revealing his resentment toward the institutions and powers he believes have wronged him.

Chapter Summary:

Xia Xiaoqi Calls for Help

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Xinghe is suddenly abducted by Li Shunjun, the “Old Devil Li,” who uses a Grandmaster’s Core Qi Domain to conceal himself and carry Su toward the southern part of the city.
• Xia Xiaoqi realizes what has happened through her Listening to Tides Secret Art. Remembering Li Shunjun’s hostility from the previous day, she rushes to the Martial Dao Bureau for help.
• She alerts Zhan Yun, who immediately understands that Li Shunjun has violated the unspoken restraint between court officials by attacking Su again. Zhan Yun grabs her sword and takes Xiaoqi and Gong Yueni with her.
• Meanwhile, Su refuses to surrender. He burns his Qi-Blood and uses his black iron saber to repeatedly attack Li Shunjun’s Core Qi Domain. Though initially mocked, Su eventually tears through the fog and creates a signal that allows his rescuers to locate him.
• Zhan Yun arrives with Xiaoqi and Gong Yueni, shattering Li Shunjun’s domain with a powerful icy Astral Qi sword strike.
• While Zhan Yun engages Li Shunjun directly, Su follows her attack through the damaged domain and cuts Li Shunjun’s shoulder, proving that he can meaningfully threaten a Grandmaster when given an opening.
• Li Shunjun is forced to recognize that fighting both Zhan Yun and Su is beyond his ability. Although defeat is inevitable, he remains enraged and intends to retaliate before retreating.

Character Developments

• Xia Xiaoqi: Demonstrates loyalty, quick thinking, and courage. Rather than panic helplessly, she uses her spiritual perception to track Su and urgently seeks assistance.
• Zhan Yun: Her attitude toward Su has softened considerably. Living with him and observing Xiaoqi’s relationship with him has caused her former prejudice to fade. She now actively risks herself to rescue him and displays overwhelming combat power.
• Su Xinghe: Shows determination and tactical intelligence. He cannot defeat Li Shunjun outright, but he deliberately stalls him, burns his strength, and breaks through the domain to signal for help. His successful strike establishes that he is becoming a genuine threat even to Grandmasters.
• Li Shunjun: Begins arrogantly, dismissing Su as insignificant, but is forced to revise his assessment after Su damages his domain and wounds him. His composure collapses when Zhan Yun joins the battle, revealing his anger and frustration.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and mutual protection: Xiaoqi and the others immediately come to Su’s aid, showing that their relationship has developed into genuine trust and solidarity.
• Growth beyond prejudice: Zhan Yun’s changing view of Su reflects how shared experiences can overturn initial judgments.
• Cunning versus overwhelming power: Su survives not through superior strength, but through endurance, tactical planning, and cooperation with a stronger ally.
• Grandmaster authority and vulnerability: Li Shunjun’s domain appears nearly invincible, yet it cannot make him truly intangible. Coordinated physical and spiritual attacks can still expose and injure him.
• The danger of unchecked ambition: Li Shunjun’s fixation on retrieving the secret art drives him to abandon official decorum and attack repeatedly, ultimately placing him at a disadvantage.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiaoqi urgently informs Zhan Yun that Su has been taken, prompting Zhan Yun’s immediate intervention.
• Zhan Yun and Gong Yueni follow Xiaoqi into battle, forming a rescue group despite Elder Gong’s absence.
• Su and Li Shunjun exchange contemptuous challenges, with Su refusing to submit despite the overwhelming difference in cultivation.
• Zhan Yun’s arrival changes the battle completely: her icy Astral Qi pierces Li Shunjun’s domain and creates the opening Su needs to land a successful attack.
• Su’s relieved smile upon seeing his rescuers confirms that his plan was to hold out until Xiaoqi could bring Zhan Yun to him.

Chapter Summary: “Zhao Ya’s Fortuitous Opportunity”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Shunjun evades Su Xinghe’s True Astral Sword Qi and launches a devastating attack from behind. As a grandmaster, his True Qi easily breaks through Su Xinghe’s improvised defensive Qi-Blood technique and severely injures his organs.
• Su Xinghe loses consciousness but is rescued by Little Beggar, Gong Yueni, and Zhan Yun. When he awakens, he learns that Li Shunjun escaped rather than continue fighting.
• After returning to the city, Su Xinghe remains bedridden and suffers from exhausted Internal Force, dormant Qi-Blood, and severe internal injuries.
• Zhao Ya and her guardian, Zhao Jing, visit him. During the visit, Zhao Ya meets Gong Yueni and Zhan Yun and excitedly asks whether they can teach her martial arts.
• Zhan Yun examines Zhao Ya’s physique and discovers that she has excellent martial arts potential: suitable bone structure, flexible joints, strong sinews, clear acupoints, and unobstructed meridians.
• Zhan Yun decides to take Zhao Ya back with her sect for further testing, where Zhao Ya must pass a test of will to enter the inner sect. Su Xinghe recognizes this as a major opportunity for the girl.
• The medicinal power from Gong Yueni’s healing pill circulates through Su Xinghe’s damaged body. Within three days, aided by his Unyielding trait, his injuries rapidly heal, his Qi-Blood recovers, and his cultivation of Spirit Ape Myriad Transformations resumes.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe: Experiences the danger of fighting a grandmaster firsthand and is left severely weakened, but survives through his companions’ intervention. His recovery demonstrates the strength of his constitution, the Unyielding trait, and his cultivation method. He also shows concern for Zhao Ya’s future and quietly supports her chance to join a powerful sect.
• Li Shunjun: Reveals the overwhelming gap between an ordinary martial artist and a Fifth Rank Core Embrace grandmaster. Although injured or pressured enough to retreat, he remains fast enough to escape.
• Little Beggar/Xia Xiaoqi: Proves essential to Su Xinghe’s survival by rescuing him after the attack. Their mutual understanding deepens, even without many words.
• Gong Yueni: Shows concern for Su Xinghe and provides a valuable healing pill, while retaining her lively, blunt, and somewhat awkward personality.
• Zhan Yun: Her cold exterior softens when she discovers Zhao Ya’s talent. Her earlier regret over missing the chance to recruit Xia Xiaoqi motivates her to carefully assess and seize Zhao Ya’s potential.
• Zhao Ya: Gains a life-changing opportunity to study martial arts. Her excitement and eagerness contrast with her limited understanding of the dangers and demands of the martial world.
• Zhao Jing: Reappears as Zhao Ya’s guardian and cautiously reconnects with Su Xinghe, addressing him by his former familiar name, “Dalang.”

Significant Themes

• Fortune emerging from adversity: Su Xinghe’s near-fatal injury leads indirectly to Zhao Ya receiving an opportunity that may transform her life.
• Talent and opportunity: Natural ability alone is not enough; Zhao Ya must still pass a test of will before gaining access to the inner sect.
• The importance of companionship: Su Xinghe survives because of his allies, emphasizing that strength and survival depend not only on individual cultivation.
• Recovery and resilience: Su Xinghe’s rapid healing highlights his extraordinary constitution and determination, as well as the restorative power of medicine and cultivation.
• The hierarchy of martial power: Li Shunjun’s attack demonstrates the vast difference between grandmasters and lower-level martial artists.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Xinghe and Little Beggar share a silent but meaningful acknowledgment of the rescue.
• Su Xinghe reunites with Zhao Ya and Zhao Jing, creating an emotionally significant connection to his past.
• Zhao Ya enthusiastically approaches Gong Yueni and Zhan Yun, asking to learn martial arts.
• Zhan Yun tests Zhao Ya’s body directly, initially frightening her but ultimately recognizing her exceptional potential.
• Gong Yueni and Zhan Yun care for Su Xinghe in contrasting ways: Gong Yueni is outspoken and playful, while Zhan Yun is reserved but attentive.
• Su Xinghe silently encourages Zhao Ya’s recruitment, recognizing that joining a top-tier sect offers her a far better future than remaining an ordinary wandering martial artist.

Chapter Summary: “Heavenly One Sword Sect Envoys Arrive”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Two days later, a massive scaled avian beast arrives over Lin County carrying envoys from the Heavenly One Sword Sect. Instead of landing at the Martial Dao Bureau, it descends near Tongzi Ward.
• While Su Xinghe is practicing in his Consciousness Space, his Spirit Sea erupts into a vision of countless ferocious beasts. Four small Silver Fish emerge, causing the vision to collapse and revealing eight silver figures standing together.
• Su Xinghe realizes that the eight silver figures can now independently control the Spirit Sea and cultivate different True Arts simultaneously. His cultivation efficiency may therefore become eight times greater, including the difficult Listening to Tides Art.
• The Heavenly One Sword Sect group appears, led by a white-haired young man named Jia Six, whose presence resembles an unsheathed sword. Gong Hao confirms that the group has fulfilled the promise made to him and is relieved when they depart.
• Using Listening to Tides Art, Su Xinghe senses an invisible “Heavenly Will Sword Network” covering much of Lin County. He hears the envoys discussing his unusual talents:
  • The “little island” he manifested represents Guardian Will.
  • The Silver Fish represent living beings.
  • His talent is connected to an Inner Sword Martial Saint Seed, an exceptionally rare aptitude.
• Xia Xiaoqi calls out to Su Xinghe before leaving and invites him to visit the Heavenly One Sword Sect. Another envoy invites him to Hundred Flowers Pavilion.
• After the envoys leave, Su Xinghe worries about being vulnerable to another attack from Li Shunjun now that Zhan Yun is gone.
• Zhao Jing visits and asks to learn martial arts. Although Su Xinghe rejects her personally, he sends her to the White Ape Martial Academy, where she can train without paying.
• Su Xinghe then consults Zhou Yingjun about obtaining the later portions of Spirit Ape Myriad Transformations. Zhou explains that the White Ape ancestor’s Grade-Eight True Art was obtained through great effort and that its complete inheritance may only be available at Extreme Dao Mountain Academy.
• Zhou also informs him that martial artists previously driven from Scarlet Cloud Mountain by the Lu Family have returned. Several Seventh-Rank experts are present, possibly backed by a Sixth-Rank powerhouse, and violence has spread throughout Lin County.
• With the Lu Family gone, criminal groups and martial factions are fighting openly. Many smaller gangs are seeking refuge at White Ape Martial Academy.
• Zhou says the academy cannot yet intervene because the Public Security Office and city-defense command require powerful experts, while the academy lacks the strength and authority to take over those positions.

Character Developments

• Su Xinghe: Experiences a major breakthrough in his cultivation method. His eight silver figures can now practice different True Arts independently, dramatically increasing his potential. He also discovers that his talents are far rarer and more significant than he understood. Despite his growing confidence, he remains cautious about Li Shunjun and the instability in Lin County.
• Gong Hao: Successfully fulfills his agreement with the Heavenly One Sword Sect and appears relieved when the envoys leave. His efforts secure Su Xinghe an extraordinary opportunity.
• Jia Six: Introduced as a powerful and imposing Heavenly One Sword Sect figure whose presence resembles a sword even without a weapon. His exact identity and intentions remain unclear.
• Xia Xiaoqi: Reveals a lively, affectionate relationship with Su Xinghe by calling him “Boss” and inviting him to visit the sect. She appears connected to the Heavenly One Sword Sect.
• Zhao Jing: Still attempts to approach Su Xinghe and now seeks martial training. Her appearance and behavior suggest lingering affection or dependence, but Su Xinghe keeps emotional distance while still helping her indirectly.
• Zhou Yingjun: Acts as a practical adviser. He provides information about available martial arts and the worsening political and criminal situation in the county.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation and extraordinary potential: Su Xinghe’s eight silver figures represent a dramatic expansion of his abilities, emphasizing the value of rare talent and unusual cultivation methods.
• Hidden identity and destiny: The Heavenly One Sword Sect’s interest confirms that Su Xinghe possesses rare qualities, including Guardian Will and an Inner Sword Martial Saint Seed.
• Power and security: The chapter repeatedly shows that safety depends on strength. With Zhan Yun absent and the Lu Family gone, Su Xinghe recognizes how exposed he has become.
• Political instability and the vacuum of power: The Lu Family’s disappearance leaves Lin County without effective authority, allowing gangs and martial factions to fight for control.
• Pragmatism and calculated relationships: Su Xinghe helps Zhao Jing without rekindling their relationship, while the academy weighs whether assisting other factions would be strategically beneficial.

Important Character Interactions

• The Heavenly One Sword Sect envoys communicate with Su Xinghe through the Listening to Tides Art and examine his unusual spiritual manifestations.
• Xia Xiaoqi and another envoy call to Su Xinghe as they depart, establishing future ties between him and the Heavenly One Sword Sect and Hundred Flowers Pavilion.
• Su Xinghe rejects Zhao Jing’s request to train with him but directs her to a safer and more appropriate institution.
• Su Xinghe and Zhou Yingjun discuss both the limitations of Spirit Ape Myriad Transformations and the growing crisis in Lin County.
• Zhou’s warning makes clear that White Ape Martial Academy must remain cautious: intervening in the county’s power struggle without sufficient strength could endanger the academy.