Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ironwood Hall learns that Lu Li defeated Su Meiyi, the illegitimate son of the Su Family’s third branch, and secured a place in the Martial Lecture Hall.
• Hall Master Zhao Shuiliu realizes Lu Li was likely responsible for the deaths of Baldy Jiao and Zhang Biao, two of Ironwood Hall’s Grass Shoes. Rather than attack immediately, he suspects a carefully concealed personal grudge and reassesses Lu Li as a dangerous opponent.
• Strategist Wen Chou advises against confronting Golden Gate Martial Academy. Lu Li’s victory and impending admission to the Martial Lecture Hall mean that Academy Master Shen Gangfu will protect him, while attacking him could provoke the Martial Lecture Hall. Zhao orders a complete investigation into Lu Li and asks the gang leader for instructions.
• The next morning, Lu Li receives Vermilion Sand Powder and three portions of Tiger Hide Powder from Lin Lanyi. These expensive resources will support his sixth and later Skin Temperings, potentially allowing him to reach the rare ninth Skin Tempering.
• Lu Li begins his sixth Skin Tempering using the Form-Intent Secret Stance, Primordial Unity Force, the Celebratory Cloud Lamp, and the newly acquired powders. His progress is dramatically faster than what his low-grade Root Bone would normally allow.
• After training, Lu Li arranges new clothing for his household and Old Li before reporting to the Road Division office.
• He discovers the entire Road Division has been mobilized under a tense, militarized atmosphere. Hu Wancheng announces that Headmaster Gao of Chengwu Academy will arrive in Blackwater City to oversee the Martial Lecture Hall examination.
• The Road Division, River Division, Gate Division, and prefectural military office are ordered to maintain strict security, patrols, investigations, gate controls, and curfews. A second major matter is to be addressed at the Archer Bureau’s martial training ground.

Character Developments

• Lu Li: His reputation has risen sharply after defeating Su Meiyi. He is revealed as cautious, disciplined, and strategically minded, while continuing to conceal the extent of his abilities. His cultivation is accelerating through exceptional resources and techniques despite his poor Root Bone.
• Zhao Shuiliu: Instead of acting impulsively, he demonstrates political awareness and caution. He recognizes that Lu Li has become protected and dangerous, and chooses surveillance and investigation over an immediate confrontation.
• Wen Chou: He establishes himself as a calculating strategist. He accurately assesses Lu Li’s temperament and warns that Lu Li must either be appeased or eliminated through a carefully prepared plan.
• Lin Lanyi: Her generosity toward Lu Li suggests that she has significant expectations or plans for him. By providing costly cultivation materials without payment, she appears to be investing in his future.
• Hu Wancheng: He displays firm leadership and authority, taking charge of the city’s security preparations and demanding strict discipline from the Road Division.
• Headmaster Gao: Though not yet present, his arrival signals the importance of the upcoming Martial Lecture Hall examination and connects the local events to the greater Chengwu Academy system.

Significant Themes

• Rising status and political consequences: Lu Li’s success transforms him from an obscure martial disciple into someone whose actions affect powerful organizations.
• Strategy versus direct confrontation: Ironwood Hall’s response emphasizes that strength alone is not enough; alliances, reputation, evidence, and institutional protection determine how conflicts are handled.
• Hidden ability and controlled revelation: Lu Li deliberately reveals his talent at a suitable moment, gaining access to resources and protection without exposing everything he can do.
• Investment and obligation: Lin Lanyi’s gifts suggest that opportunities and assistance often come with unspoken expectations.
• Order amid growing conflict: The city’s extensive security mobilization shows how major martial examinations can disrupt society and heighten tensions among factions.
• Merit overcoming natural limitations: Lu Li’s training demonstrates how techniques, treasures, and determination can partially overcome the disadvantage of a low-grade Root Bone.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Shuiliu questions the scout about Lu Li’s victory and reacts with suspicion rather than open anger.
• Wen Chou advises Zhao against attacking Golden Gate Martial Academy and urges either reconciliation or a delayed assassination strategy. Zhao accepts his recommendation and orders a thorough investigation.
• Lu Li receives cultivation resources from Lin Lanyi, whose support may create a future alliance or obligation.
• Lu Li interacts with his young aunt while arranging new clothes for the household, showing his attention to family and domestic responsibilities.
• Wang Boxing warns Lu Li to report immediately to the inner courtyard, where Hu Wancheng is addressing the officers.
• Hu Wancheng commands the assembled Road Division forces to maintain peace and strict security during Headmaster Gao’s visit and the upcoming examination.

Chapter Summary: “Ultimate Technique”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Wancheng announces that the annual martial assessment for Route Division positions will begin immediately. The written examination is abolished; promotions and demotions will be determined entirely by martial ability.
• Squad leaders, captains, banner captains, and patrol guards must participate. Winners advance, draws retain their positions, and losers are demoted.
• Lu Li recognizes the opportunity to become a banner captain, gaining greater authority, five personal guards, a monthly salary of twenty taels, and freedom from street patrols. He also hopes the promotion will provide additional protection and status for his family.
• In the first stage, squad leaders compete against the nine archers under them. Lu Li allows his three experienced subordinates to abstain and challenges the remaining six.
• Deng Jiuzhong, a Gate-Breaking martial artist nearing his second Skin Tempering, volunteers to fight first. Lu Li effortlessly avoids three saber strikes using his Hidden-Blade Intent and Shifting Steps before defeating Deng with one punch. The other challengers surrender without fighting.
• In the captain’s round, Lu Li defeats two evenly matched captains at once in less than fifteen minutes, securing the right to challenge Captain Zhang.
• Captain Zhang is a seasoned martial artist who has tempered his skin seven times and is believed to be approaching the next stage. The other captains refuse to challenge him, leaving Lu Li as the sole contender.
• Lu Li challenges Captain Zhang respectfully and allows him to attack first. Zhang uses the powerful Raging Wind Cleaving Mountain saber technique, but Lu Li repeatedly slips through the gaps in his attacks without being touched.
• Frustrated, Zhang unleashes his killing move, “Mountain-Rending Heavy Cleave.” Lu Li counters with “Void Silence Returning Wind,” a secret technique of Rest-Step Hidden Blade. He twists and presses against Zhang’s saber, disarms him, and decisively wins.
• Captain Zhang admits defeat, while Hu Wancheng recognizes Lu Li’s exceptional skill and potential.

Character Developments

• Lu Li: Demonstrates remarkable confidence, restraint, and tactical intelligence. He is no longer merely a low-ranking squad leader; his mastery of footwork, defensive saber intent, and hidden techniques allows him to defeat opponents far more experienced than himself. He remains courteous and avoids unnecessary provocation, showing that he values future relationships and influence as much as victory.
• Captain Zhang: Initially views Lu Li with mild disdain, but gradually recognizes that Lu Li possesses genuine and superior skill. After being defeated, Zhang accepts the result honestly and respectfully.
• Captain Hu: Acts as the authority overseeing the assessment. His approval at the end shows that Lu Li has attracted the attention of important figures.
• Deng Jiuzhong and the other archers: Their confidence collapses after Lu Li defeats Deng effortlessly. They acknowledge the overwhelming gap between themselves and Lu Li without attempting futile challenges.
• Captain Sun: His background reveals the flaws of the former promotion system. He gained his rank through connections and has little dedication to martial training, contrasting sharply with Lu Li’s ability and ambition.

Significant Themes

• Merit versus connections: The new assessment replaces seniority and family influence with direct martial competition, giving capable lower-ranking officials a chance to advance.
• Hidden strength and sudden advancement: Lu Li’s calm appearance conceals extraordinary ability, emphasizing that true power may not be obvious from rank or reputation.
• Technique overcoming raw force: Captain Zhang’s powerful, aggressive saber style cannot defeat Lu Li’s precise footwork and defensive saber intent.
• Composure and professionalism: Lu Li wins without arrogance or insults, preserving his relationship with Zhang and showing that advancement requires social intelligence as well as strength.
• Protection and responsibility: Lu Li’s ambition is motivated not only by personal comfort but also by his desire to strengthen his family’s security and standing.

Character Interactions

• Hu Wancheng’s announcement energizes the entire Route Division and creates the competitive environment.
• Lu Li respectfully permits his longtime subordinates to avoid fighting, then invites the newer archers to challenge him, revealing both confidence and fairness.
• Deng Jiuzhong acts as the first serious challenger but is quickly defeated, establishing Lu Li’s dominance.
• The other captains expect Lu Li to fail against Zhang, but Lu Li’s calm challenge and disciplined conduct surprise them.
• During the duel, Zhang relies on overwhelming saber power while Lu Li counters through evasion and precise technique. Their exchange ends with Lu Li disarming Zhang rather than injuring him.
• Zhang’s final acknowledgment of inferiority confirms Lu Li’s victory and earns him recognition from both his peers and Hu Wancheng.

Chapter Summary: Promoted to Banner Commander

Key Plot Points and Events

• At the Route Bureau’s annual assessment, Captain Hu announces Lu Li’s exceptional promotion from troop leader to Banner Commander of the Ding Company.
• Lu Li’s promotion is extraordinary: after serving for only a little over a month, he defeated a superior and overcame numerous challengers in the Martial Examination without even drawing his blade.
• He receives:
  • The rank of Subordinate Eighth Rank
  • Command over the Ding Company’s three hundred archers
  • Responsibility for patrol and defense of the city’s northern district
  • Ten taels of gold
  • The martial art Wind-Rending Mountain-Splitting Blade
  • Five permanent personal guards
• Captain Hu personally presents Lu Li with his new armor and crown.
• Lu Li selects Wang Han, Ma Chao, Zhang Hu, Zhao Long, and Zhou Xiaotong as his guards, choosing young martial artists with strong potential rather than veterans.
• During his first assembly, Lu Li orders the Ding Company to maintain peace and vigilance in the northern district, especially with the Martial Academy’s examination approaching.
• He emphasizes that the order comes from both the garrison commander and Captain Hu, establishing his authority over the company.
• On the way home, Lu Li reflects on the upcoming Martial Examination and suspects that several unusual developments may be connected to the mysterious “miracle” his master mentioned.

Character Development

• Lu Li reaches a major milestone, rising rapidly from a new troop leader to a respected Banner Commander. His promotion confirms that his relentless training and martial strength have transformed his social position.
• Despite his excitement, Lu Li remains calm and self-possessed. His past poverty and humiliation give him confidence rather than bitterness, reinforcing his belief that past hardships have become the foundation of his success.
• He demonstrates leadership by selecting guards based on future potential and immediately issuing clear orders to his troops.
• Lu Li also begins to show greater political awareness. He recognizes that his sudden rise may threaten existing interests and could draw him into hidden conflicts, but he refuses to retreat out of fear.
• Wang Boxing feels both admiration and envy toward Lu Li. Having failed Gate-Breaking once and facing the possibility of physical decline, he hopes Lu Li may choose him as a guard but lacks the courage to ask.
• The five newly selected guards pledge complete loyalty to Lu Li, marking the formation of his first personal faction.

Significant Themes

• Strength earned through hardship: Lu Li’s poverty, labor, humiliation, and perseverance become the emotional foundation of his confidence and success.
• Merit versus seniority: His rapid promotion challenges the traditional system in which advancement depends on years of service and accumulated merits.
• Youth and potential: Lu Li values promise and future growth over age or experience when choosing his guards.
• Authority and responsibility: His promotion brings not only status but also command over hundreds of men and responsibility for public order.
• Ambition and political danger: Lu Li understands that success may disrupt established interests and expose him to conspiracies, but he chooses to face those risks rather than surrender his achievement.
• Foreshadowing and impending upheaval: The accelerated examinations, Lu Li’s promotion, and the approaching “miracle” suggest that a major event is about to unfold in Blackwater City.

Character Interactions

• Captain Hu and Lu Li: Captain Hu publicly recognizes Lu Li’s achievement, promotes him, equips him, and entrusts him with significant authority.
• Lu Li and the Ding Company: The soldiers initially viewed him with resistance, but after witnessing his overwhelming victories, they accept and respect him. Their unified greeting confirms his newly established prestige.
• Lu Li and his guards: He personally selects five promising martial artists and commands them to serve at his side. They respond by swearing loyalty.
• Lu Li and Wang Boxing: Though no direct conversation occurs, Wang Boxing’s thoughts reveal their former familiarity and his hope that Lu Li will remember their friendship.
• Lu Li and the wider political situation: Lu Li begins connecting the upcoming Martial Examination, his master’s warning, and Lin Lanyi’s assignment, suggesting that these relationships may draw him into a larger hidden plot.

Chapter Summary: “Miracle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Li assigns five newly recruited men to guard the Lu Residence in rotating shifts. He promises them lodging, opportunities to practice boxing, and the Fierce Wind Mountain-Splitting Saber ultimate art after one year, provided they remain loyal.
• He visits Captain Hu Wancheng at the Road Division yamen to ask whether the upcoming Martial Examination and accelerated annual assessment are connected to the rumored “miracle.”
• Hu agrees to explain after Lu Li promises to obtain a privately transmissible saber manual if he later enters the Martial Lecture Hall.
• Hu reveals that the previous miracle occurred thirty years earlier in Golden Emperor City. A heavenly anomaly caused Starfall Martial Moss, a divine medicine capable of perfecting one’s martial foundation, to grow from fallen starlight.
• The medicine was obtained by a sixteen-year-old Martial Student, who reached the legendary Extreme Realm of ten rounds of Skin Tempering. That student is now Xie Guhe, master of the Martial Suppression Hall.
• A new miracle is predicted to occur in ten days in Blackwater City: the sun and moon will appear together, the wind will stop throughout the city, and a wind-aspected, stag-shaped divine opportunity will emerge.
• The Martial Lecture Hall will select nine new students to compete for it in an event known as “Nine Sons Contending for the Stag.”
• Lu Li realizes that winning the upcoming Martial Examination is essential, since the miracle could allow him to reach the Extreme Realm—but he fears his current cultivation is too weak.
• When Hu learns that Lu Li has already reached the fifth round of Skin Tempering, he is astonished, since Lu Li had possessed poor Root Bone and had not even reached Gate-Breaking only a month earlier.
• Hu, impressed by Lu Li’s rapid advancement and determined to help him as a fellow Road Division member, offers assistance. When Lu Li asks for a way to increase his cultivation quickly, Hu claims he knows a method.

Character Developments

• Lu Li demonstrates leadership by arranging duties and rewards for his five guards. He is willing to invest in talented, loyal subordinates while remaining cautious about their future loyalty.
• His ambition intensifies after learning about the miracle. He becomes determined to compete for the divine medicine despite recognizing the severe gap between his current strength and the requirements of the contest.
• Lu Li also shows pragmatism by agreeing to Hu’s request for a saber manual, while reserving judgment until he knows whether Hu’s motives are genuine.
• Captain Hu Wancheng is revealed to be knowledgeable about the miracle and personally affected by memories of the previous event. His astonishment at Lu Li’s progress leads him to reassess Lu Li’s potential.
• Hu displays loyalty and concern toward Lu Li, offering resources or secret manuals and hinting at a method for rapid cultivation.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus personal effort: The miracle represents a rare, heaven-sent opportunity, but Lu Li questions whether destiny will favor him or whether his current limitations will prevent him from seizing it.
• The value of opportunity: Because the miracle appears only once every thirty years, missing it would mean losing an extraordinary chance to reach the Extreme Realm within one lifetime.
• Loyalty and reciprocal investment: Lu Li rewards his guards with future training, while Hu offers help to Lu Li as part of the Road Division’s shared identity and obligations.
• Rapid growth and hidden potential: Lu Li’s astonishing cultivation speed challenges the assumptions created by his formerly inferior Root Bone and suggests that he may possess unusual potential.
• Competition within the martial world: The coming contest places Lu Li against elite Martial Students and connects his personal advancement to the larger hierarchy of the Martial Lecture Hall, Martial Inheritance Academy, and Martial Suppression Hall.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Li instructs and incentivizes the five guards, establishing an early relationship based on authority, loyalty, and promised advancement.
• Lu Li and Hu negotiate: Lu Li seeks knowledge about the miracle, while Hu secures a future favor involving a saber manual.
• Hu recounts the previous miracle and identifies its beneficiary, Xie Guhe, giving Lu Li a clearer understanding of the opportunity’s importance.
• Hu is shocked by Lu Li’s revelation that he has reached five rounds of Skin Tempering, while Lu Li becomes increasingly anxious about his chances.
• Their conversation ends with Hu offering a possible solution to Lu Li’s cultivation crisis, setting up the next development.

Chapter Summary: “A Casual Move”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Captain Hu explains that Yak Hide Deer Antler Powder can raise Lu Li’s Skin Tempering by one stage within ten days, but it permanently damages his foundation and makes further advancement extremely difficult. Its possible damage can only be removed through the uncertain Wind Phase Opportunity, making the method a dangerous gamble.
• Lu Li rejects making an impulsive decision and instead focuses on Captain Hu’s offer of resources, silver, and martial manuals. Hu clarifies that accepting this support would bind Lu Li closely to the Military Strategists, forcing him to consider the political consequences of choosing that alliance.
• Lu Li remains cautious because he knows little about the Great Yong Dynasty’s factions. He postpones his decision while acknowledging that Captain Hu appears trustworthy and sees potential in him.
• Captain Hu explains that the upcoming annual examination and martial opportunity may attract desperate outsiders, including the Eighteen Bandits of Qiling. However, Dean Gao’s arrival in Blackwater City is expected to deter trouble and ensure peace.
• Returning home, Lu Li finds crowds of visitors congratulating him on his promotion. He avoids the busy front entrance and meets privately with Wang Boxing.
• Wang Boxing, having failed Gate-Breaking and fearing that another failure will end his martial career, begs to submit himself to Lu Li as a lifelong subordinate.
• Rather than simply taking Wang Boxing as a personal guard, Lu Li assigns him a covert mission: infiltrate the bandits on Little Mist Mountain, eliminate those guilty of serious crimes, spare the relatively innocent, and secretly build a force there.
• Lu Li provides Wang Boxing with future martial instruction and a list of former junior brothers and failed martial artists who might join the hidden organization. The group will appear to be bandits but actually serve as Lu Li’s concealed soldiers.
• Wang Boxing regains hope and accepts the mission, while Lu Li emphasizes secrecy, patience, and steady development.

Character Developments

• Lu Li demonstrates increasing composure, strategic thinking, and political caution. He refuses to risk his foundation for a speculative shortcut and recognizes the importance of preserving future choices.
• He also shows practical ambition by considering Captain Hu’s sponsorship while avoiding immediate political commitments.
• Lu Li reveals a more compassionate side toward Wang Boxing. Although they were not close, Lu Li does not want Wang to lose hope and gives him a meaningful path forward.
• Captain Hu continues evaluating Lu Li while offering genuine support. He views Lu Li as a talented and morally sound subordinate worth cultivating.
• Wang Boxing changes from a desperate, despairing martial artist into someone with renewed purpose. His willingness to submit completely to Lu Li reflects both his desperation and his trust.
• Lu Li’s decision to create a hidden force shows that he is beginning to plan beyond his immediate martial advancement and build long-term influence.

Significant Themes

• Caution versus opportunity: Lu Li must decide whether to pursue rapid advancement through a dangerous method or protect his long-term potential.
• Political allegiance and independence: Captain Hu’s support comes with obligations, forcing Lu Li to consider how closely he should align himself with the Military Strategists.
• Hope through purpose: Wang Boxing’s despair is eased not by empty reassurance but by being given meaningful work and a future objective.
• Strategic patience: Lu Li repeatedly favors careful observation, gradual preparation, and hidden development over reckless action.
• Appearance versus reality: The Little Mist Mountain group will publicly be bandits but secretly function as Lu Li’s military network.
• Power-building: Lu Li begins quietly establishing his own influence by gathering capable but overlooked martial artists.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Li and Captain Hu: Their conversation establishes mutual assessment and cautious trust. Hu offers resources but demands political loyalty, while Lu Li listens carefully without committing himself.
• Lu Li and Wang Boxing: Wang submits himself emotionally and physically, while Lu Li responds with calm authority and practical compassion. Instead of treating Wang as a servant, Lu Li gives him responsibility and a chance to rebuild his martial career.
• Lu Li and his former junior brothers: Though they do not appear directly, Lu Li plans to recruit those who abandoned the martial hall or failed Gate-Breaking, turning their frustration into the foundation of a hidden force.
• Lu Li and the wider city: The flood of congratulatory visitors shows his growing status and influence, even as he remains uncomfortable with public attention.

Chapter Summary: Martial Examination Begins

Key Plot Points and Events

• On the eve of the Martial Examination, Su Meishan attends a gathering of Blackwater City’s most powerful young heirs at Linjiang Immortal Restaurant.
• The Four Families—the Su, Zhao, Lin, and Ge Families—and the Three Gangs discuss their control over the city’s major industries and their influence over the Martial Examination.
• Pang Ziyun announces that the Pang Family will claim two additional places in the “Nine Sons Seize Di” competition. The others readily agree, revealing the group’s arrogance and dominance.
• Su Meishan brings up Lu Li, explaining that Lu Li defeated his cousin Su Meiyi and cost him a qualification. Members of the Black Wolf Gang, Zhao Family, and Lin Family then reveal that Lu Li has also interfered with their interests.
• With several factions demanding Lu Li’s death, Pang Ziyun casually orders that he be killed during the examination.
• The following day, the Martial Examination begins at the magnificent Tongyun Tower. Important officials, sect elders, city authorities, aristocratic families, and representatives of seventy-two martial academies gather to observe the event.
• Lu Li attends with his master, Shen Gangfu, and the other disciples of the martial academy. Lin Lanyi chooses to sit with Lu Li rather than with the aristocratic families.
• Shen Gangfu brings Lu Li to pay respects to Yu Canglang, his former master from the Eight Forms Sect. Yu humiliates Shen, criticizing his martial ability and questioning his right to accept a disciple.
• Yu also objects to Lu Li using the sect’s generational name “Hua Yuan.” When Lu Li calmly meets his gaze, Yu interprets it as disrespect and becomes openly angry.

Character Developments

• Lu Li: His actions have made him a target of several major factions, but he remains composed despite the danger. He shows growing confidence and refuses to be intimidated by Yu Canglang’s authority.
• Shen Gangfu: Though nervous and deeply respectful toward his former master, he defends Lu Li’s talent and legitimacy as his disciple. His loyalty contrasts with Yu’s contempt.
• Su Meishan: His personal resentment toward Lu Li expands into a public call for violence, demonstrating his influence and vindictiveness.
• Pang Ziyun: Revealed as the dominant and decisive figure among the young elites. He treats the order to kill Lu Li as an insignificant matter.
• Yu Canglang: Presented as arrogant, rigid, and dismissive. He belittles Shen Gangfu and immediately judges Lu Li based on sect hierarchy and etiquette.
• Lin Lanyi: Her decision to sit with Lu Li and the academy disciples suggests personal loyalty and closeness to him rather than strict allegiance to her aristocratic family.

Significant Themes

• Power and social control: The Four Families and Three Gangs dominate Blackwater City’s industries and attempt to control the Martial Examination as well.
• Aristocratic arrogance: The elites assume they can determine qualifications and order deaths without consequence.
• Conflict between hierarchy and merit: Yu Canglang values sect status and formal authority, while Shen Gangfu insists that Lu Li’s talent proves his worth.
• Courage under pressure: Lu Li’s calm response to both political enemies and a powerful sect elder establishes his inner strength.
• Revenge and factional conflict: Several unrelated grievances against Lu Li unite powerful groups against him, turning the examination into a potentially deadly confrontation.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Meishan persuades the elite gathering to target Lu Li, and Pang Ziyun gives the final order to kill him.
• Shen Gangfu respectfully greets Yu Canglang, but Yu humiliates him and rejects his authority as a teacher.
• Shen defends Lu Li by emphasizing his talent and status as an examination candidate.
• Yu questions Lu Li directly, and Lu Li’s steady eye contact provokes Yu’s anger, setting up a confrontation between Lu Li’s quiet confidence and Yu’s rigid sense of authority.

Chapter Summary: “Heart-Questioning Stake”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Li refuses to bow his head while Yu Canglang harshly criticizes his former master, Shen Gangfu. Though he recognizes Yu’s authority, his pride and respect for Shen prevent him from submitting publicly.
• Shen Gangfu reveals Lu Li’s exceptional progress: he began with a Lower Ninth Grade Root Bone aptitude, reached Fifth-Level Skin Tempering in just over two months, and recently advanced to Eighth-Tier Lower Bone Aptitude by opening the Life Spring Aperture.
• Impressed by Lu Li’s talent, Yu Canglang offers him an additional method to improve his Root Bone and aid him in the Martial Examination—but demands that Lu Li kneel and kowtow first.
• Lu Li silently refuses, unwilling to kneel before a crowd even though he accepts that Yu is his martial grandmaster. Shen Gangfu kneels on his behalf, apologizing for Lu Li’s youthful stubbornness.
• Yu Canglang recognizes Lu Li’s extraordinary talent and praises Shen Gangfu for taking in such a promising disciple. This is the first time Yu has openly praised Shen, deeply affecting him and easing years of resentment.
• Yu Canglang gives Shen Gangfu an Aperture-Opening Pill for Lu Li. The pill opens the Spinal Aperture, or “Dragon Bone,” strengthening the body’s defensive structure and ability to transmit force.
• Lu Li then performs the formal grand salute and thanks Yu Canglang, establishing respect without surrendering his dignity. Yu accepts this and allows the master and disciple to prepare for the examination.
• The Pang Family and members of the Three Gangs and Four Families observe the exchange and secretly devise a new plan against Lu Li and his allies.
• The first round of the Martial Examination begins with seventy-two students from Blackwater City’s martial schools participating in the Heart-Questioning Stake.
• Each examinee stands atop a Blackiron Stake Pillar containing Soul-Magnet Stone. The stakes magnify inner distractions, obsessions, and delusions, testing the stability of the candidates’ martial hearts.
• Lu Li initially withstands the mental pressure by gathering his Primordial Unity Force, using Hidden-Blade Intent, and concentrating his mind until his emotions become calm and still.
• After half an incense stick has burned, only thirty candidates remain. The test intensifies, causing each contestant’s deepest desires, grudges, fears, and obsessions to erupt.
• Lu Li’s resentment over the death of his uncle-by-marriage, Chen Hai, becomes especially dangerous, transforming into a murderous impulse against Ironwood Hall.

Character Development

• Lu Li: Demonstrates pride, self-control, loyalty, and an unwillingness to compromise his dignity. Despite intense psychological pressure, he initially stabilizes his mind through disciplined cultivation and focused intent. However, his unresolved hatred toward Ironwood Hall threatens to overwhelm him.
• Shen Gangfu: Shows deep concern for Lu Li and willingly kneels in his place to protect Lu Li’s opportunity. Yu Canglang’s praise gives Shen long-awaited emotional validation, releasing decades of suppressed grievance.
• Yu Canglang: Though stern and initially demanding, he proves capable of recognizing genuine talent. His attitude softens after learning of Lu Li’s progress, and he acknowledges Lu Li as his martial grandson. His gift of the Aperture-Opening Pill signals acceptance and support.
• Dean Gao/Gao Jiangong: Appears as an imposing and observant authority figure. He oversees the examination and explains the purpose and rules of the Heart-Questioning Stake.
• The Pang Family and allied factions: Remain watchful and hostile, responding to Lu Li’s growing potential by making plans against him.

Significant Themes

• Pride versus humility: Lu Li’s refusal to kneel highlights the tension between preserving personal dignity and accepting help from a powerful elder.
• Master-disciple bonds and reconciliation: Shen Gangfu’s loyalty to Lu Li contrasts with Yu Canglang’s former estrangement from Shen. Yu’s praise begins to heal their relationship.
• Recognition of talent: Yu Canglang’s attitude changes once he sees Lu Li’s astonishing aptitude, illustrating how ability can overcome old resentment and prejudice.
• The martial heart: The examination tests more than physical strength; it exposes whether a cultivator can master greed, hatred, ambition, lust, fear, and grief.
• Unresolved hatred and revenge: Lu Li’s desire to destroy Ironwood Hall is both a source of motivation and a potential spiritual weakness.
• Inner truth versus outward composure: The Heart-Questioning Stake reveals that calm appearances can conceal powerful obsessions and dangerous emotional wounds.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Li and Yu Canglang: Their tense exchange centers on Lu Li’s refusal to kneel. Despite the conflict, Yu comes to respect Lu Li’s talent and grants him the pill.
• Lu Li and Shen Gangfu: Shen protects Lu Li from losing the opportunity by kneeling for him, showing their strong master-disciple bond.
• Yu Canglang and Shen Gangfu: Yu’s unexpected praise moves Shen deeply, suggesting the possibility of repairing their strained relationship.
• Lu Li and his inner enemies: During the examination, Lu Li confronts his own greed, ambition, resentment, and desire for revenge as the stakes magnify his deepest obsessions.

Chapter Summary: “Divine Intent Achieved!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Heart-Questioning Stake amplifies the deepest obsessions and impulses of everyone standing upon it. This causes chaos among the contestants, while the audience is shocked when Pang Shilang’s favored grandson reveals his forbidden love for his father’s wife.
• Lu Li initially struggles as the stake magnifies both his killing intent and his obsession with martial arts. He realizes that the trial does not distinguish between noble and corrupt thoughts; it simply magnifies whatever lies within a person’s heart.
• Rather than resisting blindly, Lu Li uses his Hidden-Blade Intent to stabilize his mind and endure the stake’s pressure. He begins treating the trial as a form of cultivation, identifying and eliminating impurities in his spirit, will, thoughts, and martial intent.
• As the pressure intensifies, most contestants collapse. After five hours, only three remain: Lu Li, Qin Shaoheng, and Ge Yuanzheng. Ge eventually withdraws, leaving Lu Li and Qin Shaoheng.
• Qin Shaoheng finally leaves the stake the following morning, having gained significant benefit from the experience. Lu Li remains alone for another two days, while the spectators wait in silence under Gao Jiangong’s protection.
• On the third day, Lu Li breaks through from Minor Achievement to Major Achievement in Divine Intent. Gao Jiangong then tells him that reaching completion will require at least another half month, offering him future access to the Heart-Questioning Stake.
• Lu Li awakens, respectfully thanks Gao Jiangong, and is formally announced as the First-Rank Champion of the first examination round.

Character Developments

• Lu Li: Experiences the greatest growth. He learns to distinguish between mere thoughts and genuine conviction, purifies his martial intent, and becomes able to maintain mental clarity without relying on the Hidden Blade. His Divine Intent advances from initiation to Minor Achievement, then to Major Achievement in a single trial.
• Qin Shaoheng: Demonstrates strong endurance and benefits substantially from the stake, but ultimately steps down before Lu Li.
• Ge Yuanzheng: Survives longer than nearly all the other contestants but is eventually forced to withdraw, taking third place among the final participants.
• Gao Jiangong: Acts as both observer and protector. He prevents spectators from interfering with Lu Li and recognizes Lu Li’s exceptional potential by offering continued access to the Heart-Questioning Stake.
• Yu Canglan, Shen Gangfu, and Lin Lanyi: Their early faith in Lu Li is rewarded, and they become increasingly impressed by how far he surpasses their expectations.
• Pang Shilang and the other influential families: Are publicly embarrassed by the revelations caused by the Heart-Questioning Stake, exposing the hidden corruption and desires beneath their respectable appearances.

Significant Themes

• Self-examination and purification: The trial forces each contestant to confront hidden desires, weaknesses, and delusions. Lu Li succeeds by eliminating these impurities rather than denying them.
• Pressure as a means of growth: The Heart-Questioning Stake’s oppressive force becomes a tool for refinement. Lu Li transforms suffering into cultivation and turns mental pressure into spiritual progress.
• The nature of obsession: Obsession is not inherently good or evil; the stake magnifies all thoughts indiscriminately. Lu Li’s martial obsession becomes an aid only after he learns to control and purify it.
• Inner strength versus external dependence: Lu Li’s Divine Intent initially relies on the Hidden Blade, but eventually becomes self-sustaining. His calmness and power begin to originate from his own heart and spirit.
• True character beneath appearances: The contestants and spectators are judged not by their public reputations but by the desires hidden within them.

Character Interactions

• The Heart-Questioning Stake publicly exposes the shameful desire of Pang Shilang’s grandson, provoking embarrassment among the Three Gangs and Four Families.
• Gao Jiangong silently monitors the examination and uses secret voice transmission to warn the spectators that anyone attempting to disturb Lu Li will be killed.
• Gao later communicates directly with Lu Li, advising him that further advancement will take time and promising him additional cultivation opportunities.
• Lu Li responds with a formal bow, acknowledging Gao’s protection and assistance.
• The chapter ends with Gao Jiangong publicly declaring Lu Li the champion of the Heart-Questioning Stake round.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Li is announced as the first-place winner of the martial examination’s first round, the Heart-Questioning Stake. His victory shocks Blackwater City’s aristocratic families, who had assumed a lowborn orphan could never surpass their heavily supported heirs.
• Pang Shilang views Lu Li as a threat and orders the aristocratic contestants to receive powerful weapons and kill Lu Li during the third-round arena matches. He intends to disguise the assassination as a legitimate life-or-death battle.
• Yu Canglang, impressed by Lu Li’s talent, proposes making him his direct disciple so that Lu Li will have protection and status when he enters the Martial Lecture Hall.
• Before this arrangement is finalized, Yu Canglang learns that his own master is even more impressed with Lu Li and wants Lu Li brought to the Eight Forms Sect to become a true disciple. Yu Canglang decides to accept Lu Li on behalf of his master, technically making Lu Li his junior martial uncle and Shen Gangfu’s grand-uncle.
• The second examination round, the Essence-Sinking Platform, begins. Seventy-two black-stone platforms rise from the arena, releasing Magnetic Essence that disrupts the contestants’ Primordial Unity Force.
• Lu Li endures the intense pain and realizes the trial is designed not merely to test endurance but to temper and strengthen Primordial Unity Force. He uses the perfected Form-Intent Secret Stance to cultivate while resisting the force.
• As the contestants persevere, an extraordinary phenomenon occurs: all wind and movement throughout Blackwater City suddenly stop. Although the sun remains in the eastern sky, a full moon appears in the west, creating the unnatural sight of the sun and moon shining together.

Character Developments

• Lu Li demonstrates exceptional willpower, insight, and composure. He withstands pain that causes many others to scream and quickly understands the deeper purpose of the second trial.
• Pang Shilang becomes openly hostile toward Lu Li, seeing him as an unacceptable challenge to aristocratic dominance. He begins plotting Lu Li’s death through the examination’s rules.
• Yu Canglang shifts from detached authority to enthusiastic support of Lu Li. He recognizes Lu Li as extraordinary talent and is willing to rearrange seniority and status within the Eight Forms Sect to protect and elevate him.
• Shen Gangfu is deeply moved by Yu Canglang’s sudden warmth but is also repeatedly shocked by Lu Li’s rapid rise. He accepts the unusual change in hierarchy and agrees to support his master’s plan.
• Gao Jiangong remains an authoritative overseer of the examination, while his presence represents a potential obstacle to Pang Shilang’s scheme.

Significant Themes

• Talent overcoming birth and status: Lu Li’s success challenges the aristocratic belief that resources and noble lineage guarantee superiority.
• Political maneuvering and protection: Lu Li’s rising status causes powerful figures to compete over him, while others plot to eliminate him.
• Endurance and self-mastery: The second trial emphasizes resisting physical pain, controlling consciousness, and turning adversity into cultivation.
• Rapid elevation and changing hierarchies: Lu Li’s achievements transform his position so quickly that he may become a true disciple—and even a junior martial uncle—within the Eight Forms Sect.
• Cosmic mystery and supernatural destiny: The simultaneous appearance of the sun and moon signals an extraordinary event connected to the examination’s deeper purpose and the anticipated divine miracle.

Character Interactions

• Pang Shilang instructs Qian Rong to coordinate the aristocratic families in arranging Lu Li’s death.
• Yu Canglang pulls Shen Gangfu beside him, praises him for taking Lu Li as a disciple, and proposes adopting Lu Li into the Eight Forms Sect.
• After hearing his master’s orders, Yu Canglang tells Shen Gangfu that Lu Li may become his junior martial uncle, asking him to accept the change in seniority for Lu Li’s protection.
• Shen Gangfu, though astonished and conflicted, agrees to the arrangement.
• During the Essence-Sinking Platform trial, Lu Li separates himself from the others through his calm endurance and cultivation, while the surrounding contestants struggle visibly against the Magnetic Essence.

Chapter Summary: “The Wick Lights Up”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Li continues cultivating on the martial training ground beneath the simultaneous light of the sun and full moon.
• He endures extreme pain as Magnetic Essence streams scour his body and purify his Primordial Unity Force.
• His Fifth Layer of Primordial Unity Force reaches perfection, but he continues cultivating rather than stopping.
• The enlightenment wick unexpectedly lights ahead of schedule, possibly due to the full moon. Lu Li immediately activates the Celebratory Cloud and enters an enhanced state of perception.
• Unable to perform Skin Tempering because he lacks the necessary powders, Lu Li focuses entirely on advancing Primordial Unity Force.
• In the simulated enlightenment space, he intensifies the Magnetic Essence streams and methodically breaks down and reconstructs his qi throughout his body.
• His Form-Intent Secret Stance breaks through its previous limit and becomes the Form-Intent Stance: Ultimate Skill.
• Using the improved stance, Lu Li rapidly advances from the sixth to the seventh and then eighth layers of Primordial Unity Force.
• The eighth layer grants him the ability to project force beyond his body, heal through controlled breathing, expel ordinary poisons, and neutralize weaker martial artists’ internal force.
• By the end of the enlightenment period, Lu Li has actually reached the ninth layer of Primordial Unity Force, while remaining at the Fifth-Level Skin Tempering realm.

2. Character Development

• Lu Li’s endurance and discipline are emphasized. Despite overwhelming physical and mental pain, he maintains perfect control over his stance and breathing.
• His cultivation becomes increasingly refined as he learns to divide Primordial Unity Force into countless strands and circulate them through every meridian, muscle, and part of his body.
• He develops a deeper understanding of balance, openness, closure, and the relationship between body, mind, and force.
• His Form-Intent Stance evolves from a perfected technique into an ultimate skill, demonstrating that Lu Li is not merely increasing his power but fundamentally improving his martial comprehension.
• His calmness becomes extraordinary. Even simulated pain severe enough to threaten madness cannot disrupt his concentration.
• Lu Li remains ambitious and methodical: rather than advancing recklessly into the next major realm, he intends to achieve the dual Extreme Realm of Primordial Unity Force and Skin Tempering.

3. Significant Themes

• Endurance through suffering: Pain is portrayed as the price of purification and advancement, with Lu Li using it as a tool rather than allowing it to defeat him.
• Unity of body, mind, and technique: His cultivation succeeds because his stance, breathing, thoughts, meridians, and force gradually become one integrated system.
• Balance and harmony: The imagery of sun and moon, yin and yang, opening and closing, hardness and softness, and movement and stillness reflects Lu Li’s pursuit of perfect internal balance.
• Refinement over brute strength: Lu Li’s progress comes from removing impurities and eliminating leaks rather than simply accumulating more power.
• Self-mastery: His greatest achievement is not only reaching higher layers but maintaining clarity and control under extreme conditions.
• Time and accelerated growth: The enlightenment state compresses a year of cultivation into an instant from the outside, highlighting the extraordinary opportunities and risks of supernatural cultivation.

4. Character Interactions

• The chapter contains no direct interaction with other characters.
• Lu Li’s main “interaction” is with the Magnetic Essence streams, which act as both a punishing force and a means of purification.
• He also interacts with the enlightenment system and the Celebratory Cloud, using them to enter an enhanced cultivation state.
• The closing author’s note shifts briefly from the story to address readers, asking them to use their remaining monthly votes to support Feihong.

Chapter Summary: “Inner Strength Like a Furnace”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the second round of the Martial Examination, Lu Li’s Primordial Unity Force rapidly advances from the fifth to the ninth layer while he remains on the Essence-Sinking Stone.
• His qi and blood become extraordinarily powerful, raising his body temperature and slowing his breathing. His body now resembles a blazing furnace, demonstrating the chapter’s central image of overwhelming inner strength.
• Lu Li realizes that his improved power would make him far more confident against the opponents from the third gate.
• The Celebratory Cloud Lamp is also condensing energy much faster than usual, suggesting that Lu Li may be able to enter enlightenment again the following day if the strange sun-and-moon phenomenon continues.
• As the pressure of the Sinking Essence Stake intensifies, most examinees are forced off the platform. Lu Li changes from the Form-Intent Secret Stance to the Xingyi Ultimate Stake, intending to perfect his ninth layer of Primordial Unity Force and eventually pursue the Extreme Realm of the tenth layer.
• Lu Li appears to create and refine a modified version of the Xingyi Ultimate Stake during the examination itself. He quickly trains the new stance to major mastery.
• Gao Jiangong recognizes that Lu Li is not merely using another familiar technique but has likely developed and improved it through sudden battlefield enlightenment. He is deeply shocked by Lu Li’s extraordinary comprehension.
• Yu Canglang and Shen Gangfu also realize that Lu Li’s stance differs from the version taught by their Eight Forms Sect. They conclude that he has independently improved their centuries-old defensive technique.
• The examination grows increasingly intense. When only sixteen participants remain, the Magnetic Essence pressure increases tenfold, scorching their internal organs and forcing their bodies to resist through sheer endurance.
• Lu Li develops a nearly invisible protective layer of Primordial Unity Force over his skin, allowing him to withstand the intensified pressure.
• Only ten examinees remain: Lu Li, Qin Shaoheng, Ge Yuanzheng, Pang Ziyun, Lin Guandong, Su Meishan, Zhao Huaiyuan, Xu Lang, Zheng Zheng, and Sun Yifan.
• At that moment, a violent tornado suddenly erupts thirty li above the field. The surrounding city becomes strangely windless while the examination grounds are engulfed in raging winds. Gao Jiangong seals off the viewing platform and orders everyone to remain calm.
• The bizarre phenomenon causes the sun and moon to appear together, making day and night seem indistinguishable. Even Lu Li is left stunned and unable to settle his thoughts.

Character Developments

• Lu Li: Experiences a major breakthrough in both physical strength and Primordial Unity Force. His endurance, concentration, and confidence increase, while his spontaneous creation of a superior stance demonstrates exceptional martial insight and adaptability.
• Gao Jiangong: Moves from simple observation to profound admiration and astonishment. He recognizes Lu Li as possibly the most talented and perceptive examinee he has encountered, even compared with elite students from major academies.
• Yu Canglang and Shen Gangfu: Are shocked that Lu Li has learned and improved the Xingyi Ultimate Stake without being taught it. Their understanding of Lu Li’s talent expands considerably.
• Lin Lanyi: Becomes increasingly attracted to Lu Li after witnessing his remarkable performance, though she deliberately keeps her attention on more important responsibilities.
• The remaining examinees: Are steadily worn down by the intensifying Magnetic Essence pressure, with only ten managing to endure to the latest stage.

Significant Themes

• Inner strength and endurance: Lu Li’s furnace-like qi and blood symbolize the cultivation of power from within and the ability to withstand extreme pain.
• Comprehension through struggle: The examination is not merely a test of strength; intense pressure allows Lu Li to achieve enlightenment and create a new martial technique.
• Innovation versus tradition: Lu Li transforms a centuries-old sect technique, suggesting that martial arts progress through personal insight as well as inherited knowledge.
• Talent and exceptional potential: The reactions of Gao Jiangong, Yu Canglang, and others establish Lu Li as an extraordinary genius whose abilities surpass ordinary standards.
• Man against overwhelming forces: The examinees resist both the artificial pressure of the Essence-Sinking Stone and the mysterious forces of nature, reinforcing the importance of resilience.
• The supernatural and unknown: The sudden tornado, unnatural stillness across the city, and simultaneous appearance of the sun and moon foreshadow a major change or mystery beyond the examination itself.

Character Interactions

• Gao Jiangong silently studies Lu Li’s stance and later evaluates his astonishing comprehension.
• Yu Canglang questions Shen Gangfu about Lu Li’s unfamiliar version of the Xingyi Ultimate Stake; Shen confirms that he never taught it to Lu Li.
• Their exchange leads Yu Canglang to realize that Lu Li must have improved the sect’s traditional technique through spontaneous enlightenment.
• Lin Lanyi observes both the master-disciple discussion and Lu Li’s performance, developing a restrained attraction toward him.
• Gao Jiangong publicly reassures the frightened spectators and uses his power to protect the viewing platform when the supernatural storm appears, while Lu Li and the remaining examinees struggle to remain composed on the field.

Chapter Summary: “Primordial Unity, Tenth Level—Extreme Realm!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Myriad Phenomena Gale intensifies over the martial arts arena while the Sun-Moon Twin Images remain suspended overhead.
• Of the original seventy-two examinees, only ten remain standing on the Sinking Essence Stakes. The others have fallen, while the survivors endure crushing Magnetic Essence pressure, exhausting stake stances, and the violent gale.
• Su Meishan and Pang Ziyun continue struggling despite fear, despair, and physical exhaustion, unwilling to abandon the thirty-year opportunity offered by the Martial Examination.
• Lu Li’s ninth level of Primordial Unity Force reaches complete perfection as he alternately resists and merges with the Magnetic Essence currents.
• Gao Jiangong delivers a profound martial proclamation about yin and yang, wind, primordial unity, and martial arts connecting heaven and earth. In response, the chaotic gale gradually transforms into gentle, orderly breezes.
• The examinees recognize that the transformed wind contains a rare opportunity for enlightenment, but most—including Lu Li—initially fail to understand how to grasp it.
• While continuing the Xingyi Ultimate Stake, Lu Li attempts to advance his cultivation. He realizes that he is on the verge of entering the second realm of Primordial Unity Force, but suppresses the breakthrough when he senses that something is incomplete.
• Lu Li discovers that the gentle Wind Intent is merging with the Primordial Unity Force in his body. He draws it inward until it reaches his Dantian, where it breaks an invisible restriction.
• His cultivation successfully advances to the tenth level—Extreme Realm of Primordial Unity Force.
• Lu Li understands that Primordial Unity Force represents yang, while Wind Intent represents yin; their fusion creates a state of “Primordial Unity Return.”
• He realizes that, despite his current low realm, he can now summon wind with a thought. This hints at far greater powers once his cultivation improves.
• The chapter ends with Lu Li contemplating Gao Jiangong’s final statement: martial arts can ultimately connect heaven and earth.

Character Developments

• Lu Li demonstrates extraordinary composure and insight under extreme pressure. Rather than recklessly forcing a breakthrough, he examines the contradiction in his cultivation and waits until he understands the role of Wind Intent.
• His successful advancement marks a major transformation: he reaches the Extreme Realm of the tenth level of Primordial Unity Force, becoming a “Strange Qi Adept.”
• Lu Li also gains a deeper understanding of his martial path and develops intense ambition for future realms, especially Flesh Refining, Tendon Alteration, and Bone Forging.
• Su Meishan loses his previous confidence and is reduced to fear and desperation, though he continues resisting.
• Pang Ziyun’s competitive pride collapses completely, leaving only despair, yet he also refuses to surrender.
• Yu Canglan provides brief comic relief by focusing on creating Lu Li’s new-generation name, “Lu Cangxian,” rather than deciphering the enlightenment opportunity.
• Gao Jiangong appears as a profound martial authority whose words guide the examinees toward understanding the deeper nature of Primordial Unity Force.

Significant Themes

• Endurance under extreme pressure: The examination tests not only physical strength but also willpower, mental stability, and the ability to preserve one’s true self.
• Balance and integration of opposites: The chapter presents Primordial Unity Force and Wind Intent as yang and yin forces that must merge rather than merely oppose one another.
• Enlightenment cannot be forced: Lu Li’s breakthrough comes only after he calms his impatience, observes the wind’s influence, and allows understanding to emerge naturally.
• Foundation versus rapid advancement: Lu Li questions whether leaping across multiple stages would compromise his foundation, emphasizing the importance of stable cultivation.
• The vast potential of martial arts: Martial cultivation is revealed to extend beyond physical enhancement, eventually allowing practitioners to influence natural forces and potentially “connect heaven and earth.”
• Competition for rare opportunity: The examinees understand that enlightenment favors the first person to grasp it, intensifying the examination’s urgency.

Character Interactions

• The examinees collectively endure the gale, pressure, and exhaustion, creating a shared atmosphere of desperation and determination.
• Yu Canglan interacts with Shen Gangfu and Lin Lanyi, amusing and frustrating them when he proposes “Lu Cangxian” as Lu Li’s new name instead of explaining the enlightenment.
• Gao Jiangong’s words affect all seventy-two examinees, momentarily uniting them in contemplation as the gale changes.
• Lu Li’s interaction is primarily with the forces surrounding him—Magnetic Essence, Wind Intent, and Primordial Unity Force—as he learns to harmonize them and achieves his breakthrough.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Li reaches the Extreme Realm of Primordial Unity Force, causing it to transform into Variant True Qi. The Celebratory Cloud Lamp updates his status to a First-Level Strange Qi Adept.
• Variant True Qi proves dramatically superior to ordinary Primordial Unity Force:
  • It fuses with both Wind Intent and Lu Li’s Divine Intent.
  • It forms a flexible, invisible protective membrane over his skin.
  • It greatly enhances his endurance, breathing control, recovery, and healing.
  • It can circulate continuously wherever wind is present, allowing him to fight for extremely long periods.
  • It can extend three feet beyond his body as a qi wall capable of both offense and defense.
• Lu Li realizes that Variant True Qi gives him a major combat advantage and a genuine trump card for the upcoming arena matches.
• During the second round of the Martial Examination, contestants gradually fall from the Essence-Sinking Platform while continuing to pursue the opportunity hidden within the divine miracle. Eventually, only Lu Li, Qin Shaoheng, and Ge Yuanzheng remain, followed by Lu Li becoming the final person standing.
• Gao Jiangong announces Lu Li as the first-place winner of the second round.
• As the Sun and Moon Sharing the Sky phenomenon reaches its peak, Lu Li uses Variant True Qi to reattempt Skin Tempering. He discovers that his previous five rounds have been loosened and begins rebuilding his foundation from the first stage.
• Variant True Qi scrapes away his old tempering, creating intense pain, then repairs and reinforces his skin. This completes the first stage of Skin Tempering: Copper Skin.
• In his Sea of Consciousness, Lu Li witnesses a terrifying vision of a colossal catfish demon. The demon’s gaze overwhelms his mind until the Celebratory Cloud Lamp suppresses the pressure.
• The catfish demon declares, “The Buddhist calamity has ended; a new calamity is about to descend,” before vanishing. Lu Li identifies the being as Benboerba, leaving the chapter on a mysterious cliffhanger.

Character Development

• Lu Li becomes much more confident and secure after discovering Variant True Qi’s defensive, offensive, and regenerative abilities. He now possesses the preliminary strength to protect himself against stronger opponents.
• His cultivation becomes more ambitious: rather than simply accepting his prior Skin Tempering progress, he chooses to start over and refine his foundation more thoroughly.
• Lu Li’s encounter with the catfish demon reveals that his cultivation may be connected to deeper supernatural forces and approaching “calamities.”
• The other examinees—Su Meishan, Sun Yifan, Zheng Zheng, Pang Ziyun, Zhao Huaiyuan, and Lin Jiandong—demonstrate persistence by continuing to seek the divine opportunity even after losing the platform.

Significant Themes

• Transformation and refinement: Variant True Qi represents a qualitative evolution beyond ordinary cultivation, while Lu Li’s decision to restart Skin Tempering emphasizes the importance of a stronger foundation.
• Survival and self-protection: The protective qi membrane and endless endurance give Lu Li the means to withstand ambushes, stronger opponents, and prolonged battles.
• Hidden opportunities and destiny: The Martial Examination becomes secondary to the divine miracle, whose benefits may alter a person’s future, as shown by the earlier example of Xie Guhe.
• Power concealed beneath appearances: The ordinary-looking Lu Li and the previously inconspicuous Xie Guhe both suggest that immense potential can remain hidden until the right opportunity appears.
• Supernatural danger: The catfish demon and its warning introduce a larger threat beyond the examination, hinting at future calamities tied to Lu Li’s cultivation.

Character Interactions

• Lu Li and the divine miracle: Lu Li uses the phenomenon not merely to win the examination but to deepen his cultivation and uncover new abilities.
• Lu Li and the other examinees: Although they compete for first place, the remaining contestants are united by their determination to understand and seize the miracle’s opportunity.
• Lu Li and Gao Jiangong: Gao Jiangong formally recognizes Lu Li’s victory by announcing him as the second-round champion.
• Lu Li and the catfish demon: Their brief mental encounter is overwhelmingly one-sided; the demon’s indifferent gaze nearly paralyzes Lu Li, while the Celebratory Cloud Lamp intervenes and neutralizes the threat.
• Lu Li and the Celebratory Cloud Lamp: The lamp continues to reveal and regulate his breakthroughs, ultimately protecting him from the catfish demon’s spiritual pressure.

Chapter Summary: “Five-Colored Divine Light”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Li realizes how vulnerable he was when the mysterious demon Benboerba appeared in his mind. He becomes increasingly suspicious that his unusual true qi is connected to a far greater and stranger world.
• The strange true qi continues tempering his body through successive stages:
  1. Second tempering—Tiger Hide: His skin is branded with fish-scale patterns and hardens into armor-like scales.
  2. Third tempering—Ironclad Hide: Blood-red chains wrap around and reinforce his skin and bones, leaving him protected like a legendary Seven-Headed General.
  3. Fourth tempering—Flood-Dragon Hide: Ice-cold needles stitch his skin, forming silver Flood-Dragon patterns and granting resistance to water.
  4. Fifth tempering—Phoenix-Feather Hide: Five-colored threads seal his pores, producing rainbow-colored feather-like scabs and the ability to resist countless techniques.
• Each tempering summons a terrifying vision in Lu Li’s Sea of Consciousness:
  • A colossal

Dragon-Whiskered Tiger

• A seven-headed armored general surrounded by corpses
• A majestic white dragon
• A mysterious expanse of five-colored light and a single feather
• The Celebratory Cloud Lamp repeatedly manifests to suppress or destroy these apparitions. It eliminates the Dragon-Whiskered Tiger and several heads of the Seven-Headed General, while the later visions vanish before fully revealing their power.
• The seven-headed figure mentions objects such as the Soul-Slaying Banner and Blood-Transforming Divine Saber, suggesting that these visions may relate to powerful beings, artifacts, or forgotten forces.
• After the fifth tempering, the true qi stops advancing. Lu Li concludes that the visions were probably hallucinations caused by extreme pain, though his fear and uncertainty suggest otherwise.
• Having completed five skin temperings, Lu Li estimates that he could easily defeat someone who has undergone nine temperings. He looks forward to the third arena round and testing his new strength.

Character Development

• Lu Li becomes more cautious and aware of the danger surrounding his cultivation. He recognizes that the strange true qi is not ordinary and that the Celebratory Cloud Lamp may be protecting him from forces far beyond his understanding.
• Despite repeated pain and terrifying spiritual attacks, Lu Li remains mentally resilient. His fear gradually gives way to confidence as he senses the immense improvement in his physical strength.
• His attempt to dismiss the visions as hallucinations reveals both his rational skepticism and his instinctive desire to avoid confronting their implications.

Significant Themes

• Mystery and hidden power: The true qi appears connected to ancient demons, dragons, divine beasts, and possibly powerful weapons or realms.
• Transformation through suffering: Every stage of physical improvement requires excruciating pain, emphasizing cultivation as a process of endurance and rebirth.
• Protection versus danger: The Celebratory Cloud Lamp serves as Lu Li’s safeguard against terrifying spiritual entities, though its own nature remains mysterious.
• Reality and illusion: Lu Li repeatedly questions whether the visions are genuine or merely hallucinations, creating uncertainty about what exists within his mind.
• Growing confidence: His completed fivefold tempering gives him a dramatic increase in strength and fuels his anticipation of future battles.

Character Interactions

• Lu Li has no direct physical interaction with other characters in this chapter, but he encounters several supernatural entities within his mind.
• Benboerba’s earlier appearance continues to trouble him and shapes his suspicion of the strange true qi.
• The Celebratory Cloud Lamp acts almost like an autonomous guardian, responding whenever the summoned visions threaten Lu Li.
• The Seven-Headed General appears to recognize or address Lu Li, leaving behind fragmented references to powerful artifacts and implying a deeper connection between Lu Li and the entities he encounters.

Chapter Summary: Nine-Colored Divine Deer

Key Plot Points and Events

• The martial examination’s earlier supernatural phenomenon concludes as the Nine-Colored Divine Deer circles the seventy-two candidates without visibly choosing anyone.
• After ascending into the sky and losing its colors, the deer transforms into an invisible breeze and secretly enters Lu Li’s body, guided by his Divine Intent.
• Within Lu Li, it restores its nine-colored form and explores his body. It becomes frightened upon approaching his Sea of Consciousness, apparently reacting to a mysterious dark presence in his Mud Pill Palace, before settling in his middle Dantian, the Central Yellow Court.
• The third round of the Martial Examination—arena matches—officially begins. A raised stone platform and four Martial-Suppressing Copper Pillars form the battlefield.
• The rules state that falling, conceding, exhaustion, or death counts as defeat. Although the examiners encourage candidates to spare one another, life and death are technically permitted in arena combat.
• The first stage reduces seventy-two candidates to sixty-four. The ten candidates with the fewest rounds of Skin Tempering must compete, with only two advancing.
• Lu Li, possessing the lowest cultivation level among them, is chosen to fight first. He will advance automatically if no one challenges him within the time needed to burn an incense stick.
• Zhang Yang of Wild Fox Martial Academy challenges him. Relying on six rounds of Skin Tempering and twin blades, Zhang Yang attempts to overwhelm Lu Li immediately.
• Lu Li calmly avoids the blades with Instant Step and uses the seemingly ordinary Bagua Crushing Fist. Zhang Yang assumes Lu Li’s attack cannot harm him and does not dodge.
• Lu Li’s punch strikes Zhang Yang’s abdomen and launches him off the platform into the arena wall. The chapter ends in stunned silence.

Character Developments

• Lu Li: Demonstrates that his apparent lack of advanced martial techniques is deceptive. He remains calm, carefully controls his strength, and reveals impressive precision and explosive power. He deliberately limits the punch to avoid killing Zhang Yang, showing restraint despite the dangerous rules.
• Nine-Colored Divine Deer: Chooses Lu Li in secret rather than publicly. Its fear of the dark presence in his Sea of Consciousness hints at a powerful or mysterious force within him. It ultimately settles in his middle Dantian.
• Zhang Yang: Initially confident and aggressive, he underestimates Lu Li because of his lower Skin-Tempering level and apparent reliance on a basic fist technique. His arrogance leads him to ignore the attack and suffer a decisive defeat.
• Shen Gangfu: Remains confident in Lu Li’s abilities, even when others believe Lu Li lacks sufficient martial skill.
• Yu Canglang and other observers: Most initially worry that Lu Li has trained his body but neglected actual combat techniques. Their expectations are overturned by his victory.
• Lin Lanyi: Correctly suspects that Lu Li may be concealing his true abilities and using an ordinary technique to mislead his opponent.
• Inner-city elites and aristocrats: Their confidence that an Outer City martial artist cannot compete with privileged disciples is challenged by Lu Li’s performance.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and underestimation: Lu Li’s low cultivation and short training period cause others to dismiss him, but his true combat ability proves far greater than expected.
• Class and privilege: The chapter contrasts Outer City disciples with Inner City candidates, emphasizing the advantages provided by resources, family status, instruction, and connections.
• Talent versus preparation: Although Lu Li possesses extraordinary talent and endurance, the observers debate whether talent alone can overcome superior training and resources.
• Restraint amid violence: The examination permits lethal combat, yet Lu Li deliberately reduces his strength to prevent Zhang Yang’s death.
• Mystery and supernatural power: The Divine Deer’s hidden selection of Lu Li and its fear of the dark force in his Sea of Consciousness suggest deeper secrets surrounding his body and cultivation.
• Pride and misjudgment: Zhang Yang’s refusal to defend himself reflects the danger of arrogance and faulty assumptions.

Character Interactions

• The Nine-Colored Divine Deer silently bonds with Lu Li, while Lu Li maintains outward composure despite his inner excitement.
• Zhang Yang confronts Lu Li aggressively, but Lu Li defeats him with a single controlled strike.
• Yu Canglang criticizes Shen Gangfu’s instruction of Lu Li, believing Lu Li has neglected fist techniques; Shen Gangfu reassures him that Lu Li possesses real skill.
• Lin Lanyi offers a more perceptive interpretation, recognizing that Lu Li may be concealing his abilities.
• The officials, aristocrats, and other candidates collectively shift from skepticism and amusement to shock after witnessing Lu Li’s overwhelming victory.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Li defeats Zhang Yang with a single, devastating punch after using highly refined footwork and precise Inch Force. The match ends within three breaths.
• His victory shocks the audience. Although some examinees dismiss it as luck or Zhang Yang’s weakness, the martial hall masters recognize that Lu Li’s control and execution reveal a perfected fist technique.
• The remaining eight competitors refuse to challenge Lu Li, despite Qian Rong increasing the reward from one hundred to five hundred taels. Fear of serious injury or death outweighs the money.
• Lu Li requests a private room and uses Variant True Qi to complete his sixth Skin Tempering. The process is agonizing, repeatedly burning and regenerating his skin.
• He successfully reaches the Flood-Dragon Hide stage, gaining skin as tough as Qilin armor. During the breakthrough, he experiences a terrifying vision of an ancient Qilin-like divine beast that shakes both his body and soul.
• After returning to the competition, Lu Li participates in the lottery for the next round. He draws lot number seven and is matched against Pang Ziyun.
• Pang Ziyun attempts to intimidate Lu Li with a sinister, possibly psychic gaze. Lu Li resists, then secretly uses his Divine Intent and Magnetic Soul Flow to drive Pang Ziyun into a brief state of madness.
• Pang Ziyun recovers but becomes frightened of Lu Li, while Lu Li responds with a calm, enigmatic smile.

Character Developments

• Lu Li: Demonstrates overwhelming combat ability, exceptional force control, and growing confidence. He deliberately limits himself to Bagua Fist to conceal his other abilities. His sixth Skin Tempering greatly strengthens his defenses, while his Divine Intent proves capable of countering and even manipulating opponents.
• Zhang Yang: Is decisively defeated, establishing the gap between Lu Li and the other contestants.
• The remaining eight contestants: Lose their courage after witnessing Zhang Yang’s defeat and prioritize survival over rewards or advancement.
• The martial hall masters and family heads: Shift from contempt or indifference to serious respect and caution toward Lu Li.
• Pang Ziyun: Initially tries to dominate Lu Li psychologically, but is instead unsettled and humiliated when Lu Li turns the situation against him.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and restraint: Lu Li intentionally reveals only limited abilities, suggesting that his true power is greater than what the spectators have seen.
• Fear versus courage: The other contestants’ refusal to fight highlights how quickly confidence collapses when faced with overwhelming strength.
• Pain and advancement: Lu Li’s breakthrough emphasizes that martial progress requires enduring extreme physical and spiritual suffering.
• Perception and reputation: Lu Li’s single punch transforms how powerful figures view him, changing him from an underestimated participant into a serious threat.
• Mental power and control: The confrontation with Pang Ziyun introduces a battle of wills, showing that Divine Intent can be as dangerous as physical strength.

Character Interactions

• Lu Li defeats Zhang Yang before an astonished audience and earns praise from figures such as Gao Jiangong, Lu Changge, Yu Canglang, and Shen Gangfu.
• Qian Rong tries to motivate challengers with increasing monetary rewards, but none dares face Lu Li.
• A Martial Lecture Hall executive helps Lu Li secure a private room, briefly checking on him when he hears Lu Li’s screams during Skin Tempering.
• Lu Li and Pang Ziyun engage in a silent psychological confrontation. Pang Ziyun’s hostile gaze fails, and Lu Li’s counterattack leaves him frightened and wary.

Chapter Summary: Moon-Encircling Treasure Art

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Li’s success in the Martial Examination becomes public: he has achieved First-Rank Champion in both rounds. Celebrations and congratulations spread throughout Blackwater City.
• At Lu Residence, the household replaces its old plaque with “Lu Manor,” symbolizing Lu Li’s sudden rise in status. His family and guards feel proud, while Liu Rushuang worries that the display is too ostentatious.
• Golden Gate Martial Academy celebrates Lu Li’s achievement, recognizing that his success will greatly enhance the academy’s reputation and attract new disciples.
• At the Hometown Inn, former acquaintances begin reconsidering their past treatment of Lu Li and wondering how they might benefit from his newfound prominence.
• Back at the Martial Examination, Lu Li uses Divine Intent interrogation on several hostile examinees. Many reveal their genuine thoughts, though observers mistakenly believe the lingering effects of the earlier Magnetic Soul Flow are responsible.
• Pang Ziyun enters the arena as Lu Li’s opponent. He has forcefully reached nine rounds of Skin Tempering and possesses several powerful treasure arts, including:
  • Paper Man Garment Treasure Art, which protects against Divine Intent attacks.
  • Sparrow on the Eaves Treasure Art, an extremely swift movement technique.
  • Five Rings Encircle the Moon Saber Treasure Art, a powerful linked saber technique.
• Pang Ziyun launches a fierce assault, overwhelming Lu Li with superior speed, movement, saber force, and cultivation. Lu Li is unable to draw his own saber and instead focuses on evasion.
• Using perfected Divine Intent, Wind Intent, Instant Step, and Hidden-Blade Intent, Lu Li narrowly avoids every attack and begins analyzing the structure of Pang Ziyun’s saber technique.
• As the battle continues, Lu Li enters a state of deep comprehension. He sees the force-generating methods and connections behind Pang Ziyun’s attacks.
• Lu Li closes his eyes, predicts the flaws in each incoming strike, and begins learning the Five Rings Encircle the Moon Saber Treasure Art himself. The chapter ends with the technique appearing in his Sea of Consciousness at

Beginner level (1/3000).

Character Developments

• Lu Li gains immense prestige after becoming First-Rank Champion twice, but his current battle reveals that he still faces opponents far stronger in direct combat. Rather than relying on brute strength, he demonstrates exceptional observation, adaptability, and comprehension.
• Ma Xiaoling feels deeply moved and proud of Lu Li, remembering his former poverty and hardship. His success confirms to her that he has truly risen in the world.
• Lu Li’s guards become increasingly proud of serving him and view their association with him as a great fortune.
• Pang Ziyun is revealed as ambitious, ruthless, and desperate to preserve his martial future. His forced cultivation has left him dependent on entering the Martial Lecture Hall to repair its consequences.
• Pang Shilang regards Pang Ziyun pragmatically. He is willing to support him only if he proves useful by entering the Martial Lecture Hall.
• Former acquaintances and local residents begin opportunistically reassessing their relationship with Lu Li, hoping to benefit from his success.

Significant Themes

• Rise in status and changing social relationships: Lu Li’s accomplishments transform how family, friends, institutions, and former acquaintances view him.
• Reputation versus true ability: Although Lu Li has achieved two prestigious examination victories, he must still prove himself against a superior opponent in actual combat.
• Adaptation and learning: Lu Li’s strength lies not only in cultivation but in his ability to analyze and reproduce an enemy’s techniques during battle.
• Ambition and desperation: Pang Ziyun’s extreme cultivation and willingness to risk his future reflect the dangerous lengths people will go to secure power and opportunity.
• The value of past hardship: Ma Xiaoling’s memories emphasize the contrast between Lu Li’s humble beginnings and his current success.
• Appearances and hidden motives: Public celebration masks private calculations, as many people now seek to attach themselves to Lu Li for personal advantage.

Character Interactions

• Liu Rushuang and Old Li debate whether changing the residence plaque to “Lu Manor” is excessive; Old Li defends it by noting that the plaque came from Captain Hu of the Road Division.
• Ma Xiaoling and Little Chen Xuan stand together during the plaque ceremony, with Ma Xiaoling reflecting emotionally on Lu Li’s transformation.
• Zhao Kuo and the Golden Gate disciples celebrate Lu Li’s success and discuss how his achievements will benefit the academy.
• Old Sun and the inn patrons spread news of Lu Li’s double championship, prompting everyone to recall whether they had once helped or supported him.
• Qian Rong and Pang Shilang discuss Pang Ziyun’s earlier loss of control and whether it was caused by the Magnetic Soul Flow.
• Lu Li and Pang Ziyun engage in a tense battle of offense versus analysis. Pang Ziyun attempts to overwhelm him with speed and saber force, while Lu Li patiently studies the technique and ultimately begins mastering it himself.

Chapter Summary: “A Clean Break”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the final duel, Pang Ziyun unleashes his full Moon-Snaring Divine Intent and overwhelms the arena with increasingly fast and lethal saber attacks.
• Lu Li remains on the defensive at first, carefully studying Pang Ziyun’s techniques, habits, feints, and changes in movement through his heightened Divine Intent.
• Realizing he cannot win fairly, Pang Ziyun secretly launches three Bone-Embroidering Needles, a deadly poisoned weapon commissioned by his father, Pang Shilang.
• Lu Li’s protective True Qi prevents the needles from penetrating deeply. Pretending to be wounded, he lures Pang Ziyun into attacking at close range.
• Lu Li redirects the needles into Pang Ziyun’s lower body, causing him to scream in pain. He then takes advantage of the opening and cuts Pang Ziyun in half with a single saber strike.
• The crowd is stunned, believing Pang Ziyun had been winning and that Lu Li’s victory came from an inexplicable reversal.
• Qian Rong falsely accuses Lu Li of using vicious methods and demands that he be executed. Yu Canglang angrily denounces him, while Dean Gao Jiangong confirms that Pang Ziyun was the one who used concealed weapons and officially declares Lu Li the victor.
• Yu Canglang publicly warns the Pang Family not to retaliate, declaring Lu Li a true disciple of the Eight Forms Sect and threatening to bury the entire family if they harm him.
• After the match, Gao Jiangong recognizes Lu Li’s exceptional talent and privately consults Meng Changge. Lu Li is then taken to a secret room, where Meng Changge immediately asks whether he has cultivated Variant True Qi.

Character Developments

• Lu Li: Demonstrates extraordinary composure, perception, combat intelligence, and ruthlessness when necessary. He proves that his apparent defensive struggle was deliberate analysis rather than weakness. His victory strengthens his position as a rare genius and valuable future disciple.
• Pang Ziyun: His confidence and sense of entitlement collapse when he realizes he cannot defeat Lu Li. His decision to use poisoned concealed weapons reveals his desperation and willingness to murder rather than accept defeat.
• Yu Canglang: His anger exposes how deeply he values Lu Li and how desperately he wants the Eight Forms Sect to recover from years of decline. He is prepared to risk conflict with powerful political forces to protect Lu Li.
• Gao Jiangong: Moves from impartial examiner to someone who actively recognizes and values Lu Li’s potential, comparing him favorably with the best students of Chengwu Academy.
• Pang Shilang: Remains outwardly controlled after his son’s death, but his cold, unreadable expression suggests that he is already considering retaliation.
• Qian Rong: Is publicly humiliated after attempting to distort the truth. He is unable to challenge Yu Canglang’s authority and silently absorbs the insult.
• Meng Changge: Shows immediate interest in Lu Li’s unusual energy, implying that Variant True Qi may be rare, important, or forbidden.

Significant Themes

• Cunning versus brute strength: Lu Li wins not by matching Pang Ziyun’s superior techniques directly, but by reading his movements, enduring the assault, and exploiting his opponent’s desperation.
• The consequences of dishonorable conduct: Pang Ziyun’s concealed attack not only fails but creates the opening that leads to his death.
• Justice and the manipulation of truth: The crowd initially misunderstands the duel, while Qian Rong attempts to reverse right and wrong. Dean Gao restores the truth through an official judgment.
• Protection and institutional loyalty: Yu Canglang’s defense of Lu Li reflects the Eight Forms Sect’s hopes for revival and its determination to protect a rare promising disciple.
• Hidden strength and recognition: Lu Li’s true abilities remain partially concealed, while influential figures begin to realize that he may be far more extraordinary than he appears.

Character Interactions

• Lu Li and Pang Ziyun: Their duel shifts from Pang Ziyun’s aggressive dominance to Lu Li’s calculated counterattack. Lu Li’s refusal to hold back after Pang attempts murder establishes a decisive break between them.
• Qian Rong and Yu Canglang: Qian Rong accuses Lu Li, but Yu Canglang fiercely rebukes him and threatens the Pang Family, exposing the conflict between political favoritism and martial justice.
• Yu Canglang and the Pang Family: Yu Canglang openly declares that Lu Li is under the Eight Forms Sect’s protection, escalating tensions with Pang Shilang and the forces behind him.
• Gao Jiangong and Meng Changge: Gao privately shares his assessment of Lu Li, prompting Meng Changge to investigate the source of Lu Li’s unusual power.
• Meng Changge and Lu Li: Their private meeting ends the chapter with a major revelation-focused question: whether Lu Li possesses Variant True Qi.

Chapter Summary: “Free of Guile”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Li meets Meng Changge after his breakthrough to the tenth level of Primordial Unity Force. Meng confirms that Lu Li has reached the Extreme Realm and secretly merged Wind Intent.
• Meng explains that the divine miracle was originally connected to an agreement with the Qin family and appeared decades earlier than expected. He and Dean Gao intend to conceal Lu Li’s involvement.
• Thirty years earlier, the divine miracle produced seven Star Intents, creating the legendary “Seven Star Begonia.” Six recipients became Martial Marquises, while Hall Master Xie Guhe secretly obtained the greater opportunity: a Star Spirit.
• Meng reveals that Lu Li possesses the Wind Spirit Nine-Colored Deer, making it possible for him to reach the Extreme Realm of ten Skin Temperings. Qin Shaoheng and Ge Yuanzheng, who obtained Solar and Lunar Intents, can only reach the Extreme Realm of Strange Qi Adepts.
• To protect Lu Li, Qin Shaoheng and Ge Yuanzheng will serve as public scapegoats and attract attention. Lu Li is instructed to pretend he knows nothing and help them if they encounter trouble.
• Meng clarifies that Lu Li’s special advantage applies only to Skin Tempering. From the Two Gates onward, nine is the highest possible limit; he cannot reach the Extreme Realm in every later stage.
• Lu Li joins the Martial Lecture Hall as a First Seat Martial Student. Dean Gao gives him the courtesy name “Free of Guile,” symbolizing exceptional comprehension, humility, and an avoidance of conflict.
• Meng teaches Lu Li a secret cultivation formula for Variant True Qi, which Lu Li memorizes and understands after carefully reviewing its difficult points.
• After leaving, Lu Li watches Qin Shaoheng fight Fang Wei. Qin displays overwhelming strength with his Mountain-Toppling Palm Force, immediately gaining the upper hand and reinforcing his reputation as a leading candidate for First-Rank Champion.

Character Developments

• Lu Li: Learns the true nature of his opportunity and the danger surrounding it. Although disappointed that he cannot achieve Extreme Realm cultivation in every future gate, he remains composed and pragmatic. He accepts a low-profile identity and begins preparing to cultivate Variant True Qi.
• Meng Changge: Acts as Lu Li’s protector and mentor. He explains the secrets of the divine miracle, outlines the political cover protecting Lu Li, and formally recruits him into the Martial Lecture Hall.
• Dean Gao: Though largely absent from the scene, he demonstrates foresight by giving Lu Li a discreet courtesy name and arranging for him to remain inconspicuous.
• Qin Shaoheng and Ge Yuanzheng: Become unwitting or semi-aware shields for Lu Li, taking public responsibility for the divine miracle. Qin also reveals formidable combat ability in his duel with Fang Wei.
• Hall Master Xie Guhe: His past success is recontextualized: he secretly gained the divine miracle’s greatest reward while the six Star Intent recipients drew public attention.

Significant Themes

• Power and secrecy: Extraordinary opportunities attract danger, so Lu Li must hide his true strength rather than seek recognition.
• Political protection and sacrifice: Qin Shaoheng and Ge Yuanzheng are used to divert suspicion, showing how powerful institutions manipulate appearances to protect valuable individuals.
• Limits of destiny: Even Lu Li’s extraordinary Wind Spirit has boundaries. Great opportunities grant unique advantages but do not eliminate every restriction.
• Humility versus fame: The name “Free of Guile” encourages Lu Li to avoid fame, conflict, and unnecessary ambition while developing his abilities.
• Legacy and hidden history: The Seven Star Begonia and Xie Guhe’s concealed achievement reveal that public legends often obscure the truth behind major events.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Li and Meng Changge: Meng questions Lu Li about his breakthrough, confirms his Wind Intent and Wind Spirit, explains the political situation, offers protection, and recruits him.
• Lu Li and Dean Gao: Dean Gao indirectly guides Lu Li by assigning him the courtesy name “Free of Guile” and recommending a discreet path.
• Lu Li, Qin Shaoheng, and Ge Yuanzheng: Their futures become strategically linked because the latter two will draw suspicion away from Lu Li.
• Qin Shaoheng and Fang Wei: Qin dominates their martial examination duel with “Toppling Mountains and Overturning Seas,” establishing himself as one of the strongest competitors.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the top sixty-four duels conclude, the remaining thirty-two contestants draw lots for the next round.
• Lu Li draws Mo Le of the Righteous Sun Martial Hall. Terrified after witnessing Lu Li kill Pang Ziyun with a single brutal saber strike, Mo Le immediately concedes.
• Lu Li attempts to appear friendly and reassure Mo Le, but his gesture only frightens Mo Le further. Lu Li briefly reflects on whether his past killing was too harsh, but concludes he would make the same choice again.
• Believing the upcoming matches will be lengthy, Lu Li uses the remaining time during the sun-and-moon phenomenon to seek further enlightenment with Wang Changfa’s assistance.
• In the enlightenment space, Lu Li evaluates his weaknesses. Though he wants to continue improving his Skin Tempering, he recognizes that his footwork and saber techniques are now limiting him, especially against opponents possessing powerful treasure arts.
• He studies and combines the Eight Trigrams Instant-Step/Swimming Dragon methods with the Hidden Blade technique. By blending movement, footwork, concealed killing intent, and saber force, he creates the new treasure art Hidden-Blade Subtle-Step Art.
• Lu Li then practices the Xingyi Saber Technique and Five Rings Enshrouding the Moon Art. He fuses Xingyi’s rigid, overwhelming force with the Five Rings technique’s layered offense and defense.
• This synthesis produces a second new treasure art: Tyrant Saber Reflecting the Moon Art.

Character Development

• Lu Li continues to grow rapidly as a martial artist. Rather than relying solely on overwhelming physical power, he identifies weaknesses in his combat style and deliberately improves his footwork, technique, and adaptability.
• His ability to merge different martial systems demonstrates exceptional insight and creativity. He progresses from merely mastering techniques to creating entirely new, personalized treasure arts.
• Lu Li remains unaware of how frightening his reputation has become. He views himself as reasonable and even kind, while other contestants see him as a terrifying killer.
• Mo Le displays the psychological impact of Lu Li’s earlier victory over Pang Ziyun. His immediate surrender shows that Lu Li’s reputation can defeat opponents before combat begins.
• Wang Changfa becomes increasingly astonished by Lu Li’s extraordinary speed of comprehension and repeated breakthroughs.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and fear: Lu Li’s brutal victory over Pang Ziyun shapes how others perceive him, allowing him to win without fighting.
• Self-improvement through reflection: Lu Li honestly assesses his shortcomings and focuses on strengthening areas that could hinder him in future battles.
• Innovation and synthesis: The chapter emphasizes combining seemingly opposite qualities—movement and stillness, concealment and aggression, flexibility and rigidity—to create stronger martial arts.
• Balance between contrasting forces: The new techniques emerge from merging opposites: drifting movement with stationary intent, hidden killing power with explosive offense, and layered defense with tyrannical attack.
• Martial enlightenment: Lu Li’s heightened state allows his past battles, training, and insights to connect, turning accumulated experience into new breakthroughs.

Character Interactions

• Lu Li and Mo Le: Mo Le surrenders immediately, while Lu Li’s attempt at reassurance unintentionally intensifies his fear. Their brief exchange highlights the gap between Lu Li’s self-image and his intimidating reputation.
• Lu Li and Wang Changfa: Lu Li asks Wang Changfa for access to the enlightenment chamber again. Wang Changfa cooperates but is visibly bewildered by Lu Li’s seemingly endless insights and rapid advancement.