Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu returns to the Azure Dragon Martial Academy after making rapid progress in the two days since receiving the Rampaging Bull Force manual.
• Liu Meng, who previously held power over Chen Mu at the gate, now treats him cautiously after sensing his improved strength. This highlights Chen Mu’s sudden rise in status.
• Qin Tieya tests Chen Mu’s cultivation and is astonished to discover that Chen Mu has reached the Body-Tempering First Stage in only two days.
• Chen Mu deliberately conceals his true strength, revealing only a portion of his Blood Essence so that his progress appears extraordinary but not suspicious.
• Qin Tieya challenges him to a sparring match. Chen Mu attacks with the Mighty Bull Fist and uses only part of his power, but Qin Tieya effortlessly blocks and defeats him.
• Although Chen Mu realizes Qin Tieya is vastly stronger, he hides his true endurance by pretending to be exhausted. Qin Tieya praises his mastery of the Rampaging Bull Force and accepts him as a registered disciple.
• Chen Mu formally enters the academy by paying respects to the founding patriarch, Liu Yunji, reciting the disciple’s oath, and receiving an iron Azure Dragon disciple token.
• Qin Tieya explains that the academy’s master is away hunting demons and promises to introduce Chen Mu properly upon his return. Chen Mu is disappointed that joining the academy does not immediately grant him a superior cultivation method.
• Just as Chen Mu is preparing to settle in, Liu Meng rushes into the hall with alarming news: something terrible has happened to their master.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: His confidence and social standing have grown with his strength, but he remains cautious and self-controlled. He deliberately hides his true cultivation, avoids arrogance, and successfully secures entry into the academy. His thoughts also reveal his continued goal of becoming strong and respectable enough to marry A-Ning properly.
• Qin Tieya: He shifts from testing Chen Mu skeptically to recognizing his talent. Though powerful and somewhat lazy about administrative duties, he shows approval and mercy during the sparring match.
• Liu Meng: His attitude toward Chen Mu changes dramatically. Previously superior, he now acts deferentially and nervously, reflecting the social power Chen Mu has gained.
• The academy master: Though absent throughout the chapter, his role becomes central at the end when Liu Meng reports that something has happened to him.

Significant Themes

• Rapid advancement and hidden strength: Chen Mu’s unusual progress gives him power, but he must conceal its full extent to avoid suspicion.
• Changing status and respect: Strength transforms how others treat Chen Mu, especially Liu Meng, showing the academy’s martial hierarchy.
• Caution versus arrogance: Despite his sudden rise, Chen Mu repeatedly reminds himself not to become reckless or overconfident.
• Belonging and identity: Becoming a registered disciple marks Chen Mu’s first real entry into a respected institution and offers hope for a more honorable future.
• Uncertainty beneath apparent success: Chen Mu achieves his immediate goal, but the master’s sudden crisis suggests new danger and complications.

Character Interactions

• Chen Mu and Liu Meng interact formally, but their changed power dynamic is evident in Liu Meng’s nervous deference.
• Qin Tieya examines Chen Mu, tests his cultivation, and spars with him. Their exchange reveals the enormous gap between Chen Mu’s newly acquired strength and Qin Tieya’s experience.
• During the initiation ceremony, Qin Tieya acts as Chen Mu’s sponsor and explains the basic obligations of a disciple.
• The chapter ends with Liu Meng interrupting Chen Mu and Qin Tieya, bringing urgent news about the academy’s absent master.

Chapter Summary: “Floating Corpse in the River, Liu Qi’s Violent Death”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Liu Meng arrives at the Azure Dragon Martial Academy with alarming news: a corpse bearing Liu Qingcang’s Azure Dragon Token has been discovered floating in the river.
• Qin Tieya initially fears that his master, Liu Qingcang, has been killed, but Chen Mu urges him to investigate before drawing conclusions.
• The academy mobilizes its registered disciples and travels to the west-city docks. Qin orders the others to prepare for a journey outside the city to meet Liu Qingcang upon his return.
• At the docks, Chen Mu notices members of the Red Whale Gang among the crowd but remains undiscovered.
• Qin Tieya examines the corpse with the yamen coroner. The body is severely bloated and disfigured: its facial skin was removed, its eyes gouged out, and its tongue cut in half.
• The deceased is wearing Azure Dragon Martial Academy clothing. Although the identity is initially unclear, the coroner compares the body with household records and determines that it is probably Liu Qi, Liu Qingcang’s adopted son.
• The corpse record indicates that Liu Qi drowned around the previous night’s Chou hour, but the mutilation occurred before death and appears connected to sinister or supernatural methods.
• Qin Tieya is devastated by the discovery, while the academy faces the possibility that Liu Qingcang and the expedition party have also encountered danger.

Character Developments

• Qin Tieya: His initial confidence collapses when he believes Liu Qingcang may have died. He quickly regains control, organizes the disciples, and acts responsibly by claiming the corpse for burial. The discovery of Liu Qi’s identity deeply shocks him.
• Chen Mu: Demonstrates composure and practical judgment by stopping Qin from panicking and insisting on immediate investigation. He observes the situation carefully, including the presence of the Red Whale Gang and the suspicious condition of the corpse.
• Liu Meng: Acts as the messenger of the bad news and helps organize the academy’s response, though fear and grief make him visibly nervous.
• Liu Qi: Though already dead, he becomes central to the chapter. As Liu Qingcang’s adopted son and a cultivator who had condensed true qi, his violent death suggests that the threat is far more powerful than ordinary water ghosts.

Significant Themes

• Fear of the unknown: The corpse’s supernatural mutilation reinforces the danger posed by hidden demons, ghosts, and sinister forces.
• Loyalty and brotherhood: The academy treats Liu Qi’s death as the death of one of its own and insists on taking responsibility for his burial.
• The fragility of strength: Even trained martial artists and experts are vulnerable to mysterious forces, challenging the assumption that cultivation alone guarantees safety.
• Duty amid grief: Qin Tieya must suppress his personal shock to organize the academy and respond to the crisis.
• Hidden conspiracy: The use of Liu Qingcang’s token and the corpse’s deliberate mutilation suggest that the death may be connected to a larger plot rather than a simple supernatural attack.

Character Interactions

• Qin Tieya aggressively questions Liu Meng and demands precise information about Liu Qingcang and the token.
• Chen Mu intervenes when Qin becomes overwhelmed, urging him to inspect the corpse immediately.
• Qin gives orders to the academy disciples, assigning some to accompany him and others to prepare for Liu Qingcang’s return.
• At the docks, Liu Meng communicates with Captain Zhang, while Wu Yue cooperates with Qin and permits the academy to claim the body.
• The coroner provides the crucial identification linking the corpse to Liu Qi, transforming the investigation from concern over Liu Qingcang into a confirmed tragedy involving the academy’s own disciples.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• A corpse is pulled from the river and identified as Liu Qi, a junior disciple of the Azure Dragon Martial Academy and Liu Qingcang’s adopted son. The body shows disturbing signs of violent, unnatural death.
• The local official, Wu Yue, offers condolences but avoids taking responsibility, suggesting the academy investigate whether the death was caused by demons or human wrongdoing.
• Qin Tieya returns the corpse to the academy, holds a gathering, and informs the disciples that Liu Qingcang may also be in danger. Liu Qi had apparently returned alone from a demon-suppression mission to seek reinforcements before being killed.
• Qin Tieya announces that he will leave the city that night to search for Liu Qingcang. None of the registered disciples initially volunteers, fearing that even a master-level martial artist may have fallen to demonic forces.
• Chen Mu steps forward, recognizing that accompanying Qin Tieya could earn him a chance to become a formal disciple. Qin Tieya promises to sponsor his advancement if Liu Qingcang survives.
• Liu Meng and several other disciples eventually join the expedition, motivated partly by Chen Mu’s example and Qin Tieya’s promise.
• The group rides north and then west into the mountains, eventually reaching a high point overlooking Clear River Village, a remote settlement with more than a hundred households.
• Qin Tieya reveals that he has sensed Liu Qingcang’s vital blood within the village, but the area is saturated with nether qi and likely inhabited by ghosts or evil spectres.
• He also explains the true reason martial artists undertake demon-slaying missions: demons provide vital essence and flesh needed for higher-level cultivation.
• Chen Mu, understanding the danger but determined to prove himself, asks Qin Tieya to order an investigation of the village.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu demonstrates courage, ambition, and strategic judgment. His decision to volunteer is not purely selfless; he sees the mission as a crucial opportunity to escape his low status and gain formal entry into the academy. He also displays impressive physical strength and horsemanship despite having never ridden before.
• Qin Tieya appears stern, pragmatic, and emotionally controlled. He expects the registered disciples to hesitate, but rewards Chen Mu’s resolve with a promise of sponsorship. He also reveals a more ruthless understanding of martial cultivation.
• Liu Meng initially remains silent but later volunteers, apparently influenced by Chen Mu’s example and the opportunity to distinguish himself.
• The registered disciples are shown to be self-interested and fearful. Their willingness to follow changes only after Chen Mu steps forward and Qin Tieya offers a possible reward.
• Liu Qingcang remains missing, but his danger drives the chapter’s central conflict. His importance within the academy becomes clear through the risks Qin Tieya is willing to take to find him.

Significant Themes

• Courage versus self-preservation: The disciples must choose between safety and the dangerous duty of rescuing their master.
• Ambition and advancement: Chen Mu’s bravery is motivated by both loyalty and the desire to gain formal status, showing how personal ambition shapes acts of heroism.
• The exploitative nature of cultivation: Demon-slaying is revealed not primarily as an act of protecting civilians, but as a way for martial artists to obtain resources for their own advancement.
• Institutional neglect: The government refuses to investigate the supernatural danger, leaving the academy to handle the crisis.
• The unknown and supernatural danger: The dead junior disciple, the missing academy master, the nether qi, and the ghost village establish an atmosphere of escalating horror.

Character Interactions

• Wu Yue dismisses responsibility while Qin Tieya silently rejects his empty condolences.
• Qin Tieya challenges the assembled disciples to prove their loyalty; their hesitation contrasts sharply with Chen Mu’s decision to volunteer.
• Qin Tieya rewards Chen Mu’s courage with a promise to sponsor his formal admission, prompting Liu Meng and others to join.
• During the journey, Qin Tieya takes Chen Mu under his direct guidance, while the group’s growing trust and apprehension culminate at the overlook above Clear River Village.
• Chen Mu responds to Qin Tieya’s revelation about the village by immediately requesting permission to investigate, signaling his determination to face the danger ahead.

Chapter Summary: “Yin Jade Warns of Danger, Slaying the Corpse Fiends”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Tieya organizes Chen Mu and the other disciples into pairs to investigate Clear River Ghost Village and search for Liu Qingcang, who has been trapped there.
• He reveals that the supposed “Water Ghosts” are actually Refined Corpses created by evil cultivators who harvest human souls. Clear River Village is their stronghold.
• The group enters the village at night, extinguishing their torches and relying on moonlight. A strange white fog surrounds them, but Qin Tieya disperses it with his powerful Blood Essence.
• At the village entrance, a group of elderly villagers confronts them. Their leader threatens the party and reveals ghostly green flames in his eyes.
• Qin Tieya kills the leader with a single blow. The man’s corpse releases a ghostly black-smoke entity, which Qin Tieya destroys using Astral Force.
• The remaining villagers transform into monstrous Refined Corpses, but Qin Tieya swiftly annihilates them. The disciples learn that even weak Refined Corpses can release dangerous yin energy when killed.
• The group splits up to search the village. Chen Mu and Liu Meng investigate the western section, where they find a seemingly harmless old woman and young girl sleeping in a cottage.
• Chen Mu’s Yin Jade Pendant grows hot, warning him that the pair are actually Refined Corpses. He pretends to leave in order to lure them into revealing themselves.
• The two corpses attack Chen Mu and Liu Meng from behind, but Chen Mu anticipates the ambush and beheads both with the Hundred-Slash Saber Art.
• After death, the corpses release black smoke. Chen Mu destroys most of it with repeated saber strikes, but some of the smoke infects both him and Liu Meng with Corpse Venom.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: Demonstrates increasing vigilance, tactical intelligence, and combat ability. Rather than relying solely on appearances, he trusts the Yin Jade’s warning and deliberately deceives the enemies into attacking. He successfully kills two Refined Corpses, though he is exposed to corpse venom afterward.
• Liu Meng: Shows courage but also understandable fear and hesitation when confronting the apparently innocent villagers. He follows Chen Mu’s lead and assists in the investigation, but is infected by the corpses’ poisonous yin energy.
• Qin Tieya: Establishes himself as vastly more powerful than the younger disciples. His Meridian Opening cultivation allows him to condense Blood Essence into Astral Force, making him nearly immune to the corpse spirits and capable of destroying the village guardians effortlessly.
• Liu Qingcang: Though absent, his capture or entrapment drives the entire mission and reveals that the evil cultivators have prepared an unusually dangerous trap.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: The villagers appear harmless but are monstrous corpses in disguise, emphasizing the danger of trusting outward appearances.
• Vigilance and deception: Survival depends on careful observation and strategic thinking rather than brute force alone. Chen Mu succeeds because he recognizes the trap and pretends to be fooled.
• Power and cultivation hierarchy: Qin Tieya’s Astral Force illustrates the enormous gap between advanced cultivators and ordinary martial disciples.
• Hidden supernatural danger: The corpses remain dangerous even after death, releasing ghostly smoke and corpse venom. Evil forces in the village cannot be defeated simply by destroying their physical bodies.
• Trust in mystical tools: The Yin Jade Pendant proves to be an important protective artifact, warning Chen Mu of concealed demonic threats.

Character Interactions

• Qin Tieya gives the disciples strict instructions to stay together, avoid acting alone, and signal for help when necessary.
• Chen Mu and Liu Meng develop a cautious partnership, with Chen Mu taking the lead during their investigation.
• Qin Tieya’s overwhelming intervention protects the group at the village entrance and serves as a demonstration of his authority and strength.
• In the cottage, Liu Meng’s uncertainty contrasts with Chen Mu’s growing confidence and analytical judgment.
• Chen Mu ultimately saves them from the ambush, but both suffer the consequences of the corpses’ final counterattack when Corpse Venom enters their bodies.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu notices corpse spots on Liu Meng’s wrist, indicating Corpse Venom infection, but discovers that his Yin Jade can absorb the surrounding Yin qi and even the venom. The jade also replenishes his stamina and sharpens his spirit.
• Chen Mu and Liu Meng scout the village. Empty, unlit houses are abandoned, while lit houses contain Refined Corpses disguised as sleeping villagers.
• Realizing the corpses follow fixed, uncontrolled patterns, the pair develop a coordinated tactic: Liu Meng breaks down doors, while Chen Mu rapidly kills the Corpse Fiends with his saber before retreating.
• Chen Mu kills several Corpse Fiends, gaining relatively little Blood Essence but a large amount of Karmic Slaughter. He approaches the amount needed to deduce and fuse a new internal martial arts technique.
• At the final lit house, they trigger an ambush by a powerful Ironclad Corpse King—nearly three meters tall, purple-scaled, and resistant to ordinary weapons.
• The Corpse King severely injures both men and sends a signal that reveals multiple other teams are also in danger. Liu Meng fires a signal arrow, then tries to aid Chen Mu despite his injuries.
• Chen Mu swallows a Bone-Strengthening Pill, rapidly repairing most of his broken ribs. He knocks Liu Meng unconscious and throws him into a haystack to prevent him from being killed or interfering.
• Chen Mu fully reveals his Body-Tempering Third-Tier strength and uses blade aura to wound the Corpse King. Through evasive footwork and repeated slashes, he gradually destroys its defenses.
• He finally executes three consecutive saber strikes, severing the Corpse King’s neck. The monster’s Corpse Venom is absorbed by the Yin Jade before it can harm him, and the Corpse King collapses dead.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: Becomes increasingly confident in his abilities and resources. His cautious nature allows him to identify the corpses’ behavioral pattern and exploit it, while his Yin Jade, Bone-Strengthening Pill, cultivation, and saber technique prove crucial. He also demonstrates tactical ruthlessness by knocking Liu Meng unconscious to protect him and fight without distraction.
• Liu Meng: Initially suffers from Corpse Venom but remains focused on survival. His view of Chen Mu changes from underestimating him to admiring and respecting his combat ability. Despite being badly injured, he attempts to support Chen Mu and immediately fires the signal arrow.
• The Corpse King: Serves as a dramatic escalation from the weaker Refined Corpses. Its speed, strength, and near-impenetrable armor force Chen Mu to abandon his previous tactics and use his hidden strength.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and deception: Chen Mu conceals his true cultivation, causing Liu Meng to underestimate him until his saber technique and battle prowess are revealed.
• Adaptation and tactical intelligence: Chen Mu succeeds not through brute force alone but by observing enemy behavior, exploiting openings, using footwork, and timing his attacks.
• Survival amid escalating danger: The apparently routine village-cleansing mission becomes a coordinated crisis, with multiple teams signaling for help.
• The value and danger of supernatural treasures: The Yin Jade protects Chen Mu from Yin qi and Corpse Venom while restoring his strength, making it essential to his survival.
• Pragmatism and sacrifice: Chen Mu’s decision to knock Liu Meng unconscious appears harsh but is intended to keep him alive and allow Chen Mu to fight the Corpse King without distraction.

Character Interactions

• Chen Mu reassures Liu Meng and urges him to keep moving despite the Corpse Venom.
• The two establish efficient hand signals and work together to ambush the Refined Corpses.
• Liu Meng develops admiration for Chen Mu and decides he should maintain a good relationship with him.
• When the Corpse King attacks, both are thrown aside, but Liu Meng still returns to help Chen Mu.
• Chen Mu protects Liu Meng by knocking him out and moving him out of the battle, then confronts the Corpse King alone.
• The chapter ends with Chen Mu’s decisive victory, made possible by his concealed strength and the Yin Jade’s protection.

Chapter Summary: “Rakshasa Evil Sect, Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu kills a Purple-Scaled Corpse King, earning 50 points of Karmic Slaughter and enough resources to improve his abilities.
• While fleeing with the unconscious Liu Meng, he uses the previously neglected movement manual Grass-Top Flight. His system recognizes the technique and allows him to spend 30 Karmic Slaughter to instantly raise it from beginner level to perfection.
• The perfected movement skill greatly increases Chen Mu’s speed, allowing him to carry Liu Meng rapidly back toward the village entrance.
• Chen Mu discovers Qin Tieya fighting another Purple-Scaled Corpse King near the village ancestral hall. Qin defeats the monster with overwhelming physical strength.
• The unconscious martial arts disciples around the willow tree are revealed to have been poisoned by corpse venom. Liu Qingcang is absent because he has gone after the evil cultivator responsible.
• A black-robed enemy from the Rakshasa Gate/Ghost Sect appears with several Corpse Kings and nearly a hundred Refined Corpses. The group had clearly prepared an ambush and surrounded Qin Tieya, Chen Mu, and the unconscious disciples.
• The black-robed figure attempts to recruit Qin Tieya, praising his young Meridian Opening cultivation and urging him to abandon Liu Qingcang for the Ghost Sect’s secret arts.
• Qin Tieya refuses and secretly orders Chen Mu to rescue the unconscious junior sister and escape toward the Grass River, where Liu Qingcang is pursuing the enemy.
• Chen Mu carries the unconscious girl away while Qin Tieya intercepts a pursuing Corpse King and stays behind to hold off the army of corpses.
• Chen Mu reaches the village entrance, but the black-robed enemy activates a hidden formation. Dense white fog engulfs Clear River Village, distorting the surroundings and trapping Chen Mu in what appears to be a maze-like array.
• As Chen Mu guards the unconscious girl and searches for a way out, a Corpse King suddenly launches a surprise attack from behind with a poisonous, ghostly claw.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: Becomes more resourceful and decisive. He quickly learns and perfects Grass-Top Flight through the system, uses his enhanced speed to rescue multiple injured companions, and willingly returns toward danger to find Qin Tieya rather than fleeing alone. His confidence grows, though he remains aware of the dangers posed by stronger enemies and hidden formations.
• Qin Tieya: Demonstrates the terrifying strength of a Meridian Opening expert by crushing a Purple-Scaled Corpse King through sheer physical power. He also shows responsibility and self-sacrifice, prioritizing the survival of Chen Mu and the junior sister while preparing to face the encircling enemy alone.
• Liu Qingcang: Though absent from most of the chapter, his actions establish that he is pursuing the evil cultivator and remains a powerful ally. His reputation as a formidable martial artist is reinforced by Qin Tieya’s loyalty to him.
• Black-robed Rakshasa Gate cultivator: Reveals himself as a manipulative and calculating enemy. He has arranged a large-scale ambush, commands numerous corpses, and attempts to tempt Qin Tieya into defecting before resorting to force.
• Liu Meng and the junior sister: Both remain unconscious and vulnerable, becoming the people Chen Mu must protect during the escape.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty versus corruption: Qin Tieya’s refusal to join the Ghost Sect highlights his loyalty to Liu Qingcang and his moral opposition to the Rakshasa Gate.
• Sacrifice and responsibility: Qin Tieya stays behind to delay the enemy, while Chen Mu risks himself to carry the injured away.
• Growth through crisis: Chen Mu’s rapid mastery of Grass-Top Flight shows how danger forces him to exploit every available resource and develop quickly.
• Strength and hierarchy: Qin Tieya’s effortless destruction of a Corpse King emphasizes the enormous gap between ordinary martial artists and Meridian Opening experts.
• Deception and preparation: The enemy’s ambush, corpse army, and hidden formation show that brute strength alone is insufficient against carefully planned schemes.
• Life versus death: The chapter repeatedly contrasts the living martial artists with the black-robed cultivator’s army of corpse-controlled bodies, reinforcing the horror of the Ghost Sect.

Character Interactions

• Chen Mu and Qin Tieya reunite near the willow tree, with Qin Tieya instructing Chen Mu to guard the injured and later escape.
• The black-robed cultivator tries to persuade Qin Tieya to join the Rakshasa Gate, but Qin Tieya rejects the offer.
• Qin Tieya protects Chen Mu’s escape by stopping the pursuing Corpse King and confronting the massed Refined Corpses.
• Chen Mu takes responsibility for both Liu Meng and the unconscious junior sister, carrying them away from the battlefield.
• The chapter ends with Chen Mu isolated in the fog formation, facing an unseen enemy attack while protecting the junior sister.

Chapter Summary: “Teasing the Old Ghost and Leaving in Style”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu blocks a ghost-claw attack from the black-robed necromancer using the Yin Jade Pendant, which weakens the claw’s yin energy but still sends him crashing through a wall.
• He realizes the attacker’s “hand” is actually a skeletal, semi-immaterial construct—powerful enough to rival the Corpse King—confirming that the black-robed man uses sinister corpse and ghost techniques.
• The black-robed man demands the Yin Jade and threatens to turn Chen Mu into a Corpse Ghost, while also threatening Chen Mu’s unconscious junior sister.
• Chen Mu ties the girl to his back and attempts to escape through the mist-filled village, but the Yin Mist Formation distorts direction and causes him to repeatedly encounter the same locations.
• Three Refined Corpses ambush him. Chen Mu kills them instantly with his saber, gaining blood essence and karmic slaughter through his mysterious system.
• Recognizing that the black-robed man is deliberately avoiding direct confrontation and is likely afraid of the Yin Jade, Chen Mu exposes the pendant and provokes him.
• The Yin Jade absorbs the surrounding yin qi, dispersing the mist and opening a clear route toward the village entrance. This reveals the black-robed man and the black banner controlling the formation.
• Chen Mu charges the necromancer, destroying several black-qi snakes with his Hundred-Slash Saber Art and evading their explosive remnants with his Grass-Top Flight technique.
• The black-robed man summons the powerful Phosphor-Flame Ghost Claw again, but Chen Mu counters it successfully, then closes the distance and cuts through half of the man’s human face, revealing his half-human, half-skeletal appearance.
• The necromancer summons a terrifying Demon Yaksha phantom, apparently preparing a desperate counterattack. Rather than risk fighting it, Chen Mu retreats and escapes the village with the unconscious girl.
• The black-robed man is left enraged and humiliated, swearing to rip out Chen Mu’s soul.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: Demonstrates tactical intelligence, courage, and adaptability. Instead of blindly fighting a stronger opponent, he identifies the necromancer’s weakness, uses the Yin Jade to disrupt the formation, wounds him, and escapes at the safest moment. His confidence and combat ability continue to grow.
• The black-robed man: His terrifying control over ghosts, corpses, yin mist, and the black banner is established, but his dependence on these techniques and his fear of the Yin Jade are exposed. His arrogance turns into fury after Chen Mu outmaneuvers and injures him.
• Chen Mu’s junior sister: Remains unconscious throughout the confrontation, serving as both Chen Mu’s responsibility and a source of leverage for the enemy.

Significant Themes

• Cunning versus overwhelming power: Chen Mu cannot defeat the necromancer outright, so he survives by observing his opponent, identifying his weakness, and choosing escape over reckless combat.
• Hidden treasures and unequal status: The Yin Jade is revealed to be an extraordinary treasure, far beyond what someone of Chen Mu’s apparent cultivation level should possess.
• Control versus resistance: The black-robed man controls the village through the Yin Mist Formation, but the Yin Jade disrupts and partially neutralizes that control.
• Pride and humiliation: The necromancer repeatedly boasts of his superiority, only to be teased, wounded, and escaped from by the supposedly insignificant Body Tempering youth.
• Protective responsibility: Chen Mu risks himself and carefully carries his unconscious junior sister while fighting, highlighting his loyalty and determination to protect her.

Character Interactions

• The black-robed man taunts Chen Mu, demands the Yin Jade, and threatens to enslave both Chen Mu and his junior sister.
• Chen Mu responds with deliberate provocation, mocking the necromancer’s reluctance to attack directly and correctly inferring that he fears the Yin Jade.
• Their brief close-quarters clash becomes the chapter’s climax: Chen Mu destroys the necromancer’s attacks, wounds his face, and then escapes before the necromancer can unleash the Demon Yaksha.
• The chapter ends with Chen Mu laughing as he escapes, while the black-robed man is left helplessly raging behind him.

Chapter Summary: “Qingluo Leads the Way, Shadows in the Dense Forest”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After escaping the battle at Clear River, Chen Mu reaches the shallows of the Grass River carrying an unconscious girl.
• He uses a Blood-Qi Pill to heal his internal and external injuries, recovering roughly seventy to eighty percent of his strength.
• At midnight, his Slaughter Register settles the day’s achievements. Because he personally killed a Corpse King, fought through the Yin Formation, protected fellow disciples, and destroyed demons, he receives:
  • One hundred taels of patterned silver
  • Five Bone-Strengthening Pills
  • The Yellow Grade mid-tier body-tempering art

Iron Cloth Shirt

• His Blood Essence rises to 2,380, and his Karmic Slaughter reaches 130 points. However, he postpones claiming the rewards until he is safely back in the city.
• The unconscious girl awakens and identifies herself as Liu Qingluo, Liu Qingcang’s adopted daughter. She reveals that she saw her adoptive father heading toward Ghost-Crying Forest, where Rakshasa Gate cultivators are also present.
• Chen Mu carries Qingluo through the forest after realizing that the Corpse Venom has weakened her. She guides him toward the sound of battle near a waterfall.
• Chen Mu scouts ahead and discovers Liu Qingcang facing a large Rakshasa Gate force. Many enemy cultivators have already been killed, but more than ten remain, each accompanied by a Purple-Scaled Corpse King.
• The enemy formation also includes two Silver-Armored Corpses and a terrifying Golden-Scaled Corpse King, created through the sacrifice and refinement of ten thousand people.
• Liu Qingcang remains calm despite the overwhelming enemy force and declares that the Rakshasa Gate must pay for plotting against his disciple and injuring his people. The confrontation is about to begin.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu demonstrates endurance, decisiveness, and battlefield awareness. Although badly injured, he quickly heals himself, assesses the danger, and continues searching for Liu Qingcang rather than resting.
• His acquisition of Iron Cloth Shirt expands his body-tempering potential and prompts him to consider combining it with Yan Rong’s Golden Bell Shield.
• Chen Mu becomes protective and responsible toward Liu Qingluo, carrying her when necessary and silencing her when her emotional reaction threatens to expose them.
• Liu Qingluo is introduced as Liu Qingcang’s youngest true disciple and adopted daughter. She is brave but inexperienced, remaining attached to her sword even while unconscious and immediately wanting to find her adoptive father.
• Qingluo gradually trusts Chen Mu after seeing his martial academy badge and the Azure Dragon Token, though she remains instinctively guarded.
• Liu Qingcang is portrayed as extraordinarily powerful and composed. Even while surrounded by elite corpse monsters, he shows no fear and confidently advances against the Rakshasa Gate.

Significant Themes

• Growth through danger: Chen Mu’s achievements and rewards show that his strength and influence are increasing rapidly through repeated life-and-death battles.
• Trust amid uncertainty: Qingluo initially suspects Chen Mu, but shared urgency and evidence of his identity allow cooperation to develop.
• Protective responsibility: Chen Mu’s decision to carry and shield Qingluo emphasizes his willingness to protect allies, even while he remains wary of danger.
• Overwhelming evil and moral conflict: The Rakshasa Gate’s corpse refinement—especially the creation of the Golden-Scaled Corpse King through mass sacrifice—highlights the horrifying methods used by evil cultivators.
• Calm versus terror: Liu Qingcang’s serene confidence contrasts sharply with the terrifying corpse army, reinforcing the mystery and power surrounding him.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Mu treats Qingluo’s injuries and questions her after she awakens, establishing a blunt but practical relationship.
• Qingluo’s trust increases when Chen Mu identifies himself as a martial academy disciple and invokes Qin Tieya’s name.
• Chen Mu carries Qingluo through the forest while she directs him toward Liu Qingcang, creating an awkward but cooperative partnership.
• When Qingluo nearly cries out upon seeing her adoptive father, Chen Mu covers her mouth and forces her to remain concealed, prioritizing survival over courtesy.
• Liu Qingcang directly confronts the Rakshasa Gate, accusing them of attacking his disciple and declaring that they will pay with their lives.

Chapter Summary: Battle Beneath the Waterfall, the Might of the Innate Realm

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu and Liu Qingluo hide near the waterfall and secretly observe a confrontation between Liu Qingcang and the Rakshasa Gate.
• The Rakshasa Gate threatens Liu Qingcang by mentioning the disciples left behind in the village and the death of his seventh son.
• Liu Qingcang reveals that he is secretly an Innate Realm expert rather than merely a martial artist at the Great Completion of Meridian Opening.
• Despite his old injuries, he forcefully activates True Blood taking form, creating a terrifying blood-dragon manifestation around his body.
• Liu Qingcang launches a devastating attack on the Rakshasa Gate formation, instantly killing several disciples and destroying multiple Purple-Scaled and Silver-Scaled Corpse Kings.
• The Rakshasa Gate disciples attempt to retreat, but Liu Qingcang pursues them and annihilates more than a dozen with a single blood-dragon strike.
• The Rakshasa Gate Master remains protected by an invisible defensive barrier while his subordinates are slaughtered.
• Liu Qingcang confronts the Gate Master, who reminds him of the injuries that previously caused him to fall from his former realm.
• The Gate Master orders the enormous Golden Corpse to intercept Liu Qingcang.
• Liu Qingcang’s blood-dragon-wrapped fist collides head-on with the Golden Corpse’s attack, producing a massive shockwave that sends waves surging through the pool.
• The chapter ends with Chen Mu shocked to discover that the Golden Corpse survives and has successfully blocked Liu Qingcang’s most powerful strike.

Character Developments

• Liu Qingcang: His true strength and hidden history are exposed. He is revealed to possess Innate Realm cultivation, though severe old injuries limit him and make his current battle extremely dangerous. The murder of his seventh son drives him into a ruthless, all-out assault.
• Chen Mu: He gains a deeper understanding of the Innate Realm and the power of True Blood. He is awed by Liu Qingcang’s martial might and begins eagerly imagining himself learning such a powerful fist technique. He also realizes that Liu Qingcang’s injuries may determine the battle’s outcome.
• Liu Qingluo: She recognizes the danger of Liu Qingcang using his full cultivation and becomes visibly frightened and worried for him. Her knowledge confirms that his old wounds have not healed.
• Rakshasa Gate Master: He remains calm and confident despite the destruction of his forces, relying on an unknown defensive technique and the Golden Corpse as his trump card.
• Golden Corpse: It emerges as an exceptionally powerful opponent, capable of directly resisting Liu Qingcang’s Innate-level attack.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and concealed identities: Liu Qingcang’s apparent stagnation at Meridian Opening conceals a far greater cultivation level.
• The cost of power: Using True Blood despite his old injuries allows Liu Qingcang to dominate the battlefield, but risks worsening his condition and possibly shortening his life.
• Vengeance and familial loyalty: The death of Liu Qingcang’s seventh son transforms the conflict from a strategic confrontation into a battle of personal revenge.
• Overwhelming martial force versus sinister methods: Liu Qingcang relies on direct, tyrannical physical power, while the Rakshasa Gate uses Corpse Kings, black banners, barriers, and other mysterious techniques.
• Escalation and uncertainty: Although Liu Qingcang appears invincible at first, the Gate Master’s barrier and the Golden Corpse reveal that the battle is far from decided.

Character Interactions

• The Rakshasa Gate’s black-robed elder attempts to intimidate and negotiate with Liu Qingcang by threatening his disciples and questioning his willingness to fight.
• Liu Qingcang rejects negotiation, declaring that the death of his seventh son leaves no possibility of peace.
• Liu Qingluo silently reveals her fear and knowledge of Liu Qingcang’s injuries to Chen Mu.
• Chen Mu protects Liu Qingluo during the shockwaves and discusses the Rakshasa Gate Master with her while they remain hidden.
• Liu Qingcang taunts the Gate Master after destroying his disciples and Corpse Kings, challenging him to reveal all remaining methods.
• The Gate Master counters Liu Qingcang’s attack through the Golden Corpse, establishing the next stage of their confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Blood-Baleful Formation, a Successful Surprise Attack”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Liu Qingcang clashes with the Golden-Armored Corpse King, heavily damaging its right arm but aggravating his own old injuries and weakening his Blood Essence.
• The Rakshasa Gate Master reveals that the apparent battle was a trap. He activates the Blood-Baleful Formation, using the corpses of the Corpse Kings and fallen disciples as fuel.
• The formation suppresses Liu Qingcang’s Blood Essence and immobilizes him. Liu Qingluo rushes forward to protect her godfather, placing herself in danger.
• Rakshasa offers Liu Qingcang a choice: consume a Corpse-Transforming Pill and become a Ghost Sect Protector, or watch Liu Qingluo die.
• Chen Mu hides nearby, debating whether to flee or risk attacking Rakshasa. He realizes that the Yin Jade on his chest may protect him from the formation’s yin and baleful energy.
• Pretending confidence, Liu Qingcang attempts to distract Rakshasa while Chen Mu approaches from the forest.
• When Rakshasa orders the Golden Corpse to attack, Chen Mu launches a surprise strike at Rakshasa. His blade destroys the black banner powering the formation, causing its suppression to weaken.
• Liu Qingcang immediately breaks free and charges Rakshasa. Rakshasa retaliates with black qi, striking Chen Mu and injuring him, but Chen Mu survives through the Yin Jade’s protection and calls for Liu Qingcang to finish the fight.
• The chapter ends with Liu Qingcang unleashing a powerful blood-dragon punch directly at Rakshasa.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Mu: Demonstrates growing loyalty and courage. Though he initially considers escaping, his connection to the martial arts hall and desire to learn Liu Qingcang’s techniques drive him to take a major risk. His quick thinking and use of the Yin Jade allow him to break the formation.
• Liu Qingcang: Despite severe exhaustion and an aggravated old injury, he remains calm and strategically minded. He protects Liu Qingluo, uses confidence to mislead Rakshasa, and instantly capitalizes on Chen Mu’s intervention.
• Liu Qingluo: Acts impulsively out of concern for Liu Qingcang, rushing into danger despite being overwhelmed by the Golden Corpse’s presence. Her fear and helplessness reveal her dependence on her godfather, while her joy at Chen Mu’s appearance shows her growing trust in him.
• Rakshasa Gate Master: Initially appears completely victorious and becomes arrogant, believing Liu Qingcang is helpless. His confidence collapses when Chen Mu destroys his formation’s key artifact, exposing his reliance on preparation and magical tools.
• Golden-Armored Corpse King: Although still dangerous, it is significantly weakened by Liu Qingcang’s earlier attack and serves mainly as Rakshasa’s enforcer during the ambush.

3. Significant Themes

• Loyalty versus self-preservation: Chen Mu must choose between fleeing safely and risking his life to save people connected to him.
• Strategy overcoming strength: Rakshasa’s formation gives him an overwhelming advantage, but Chen Mu’s observation and timing turn the situation around.
• Sacrifice and exploitation: Rakshasa willingly sacrifices his own disciples and uses their corpses to power the formation, emphasizing the cruelty of his demonic methods.
• Hidden potential and trust: Chen Mu’s actions prove that he is more capable and dependable than his apparent level suggests, earning Liu Qingcang’s attention and likely strengthening their relationship.
• Arrogance and reversal: Rakshasa’s confidence causes him to underestimate Chen Mu, allowing the trapped opponents to regain the initiative.

4. Character Interactions

• Rakshasa taunts Liu Qingcang and attempts to force him into submission by threatening Liu Qingluo.
• Liu Qingluo places herself between Rakshasa’s forces and Liu Qingcang, while Liu Qingcang shields and reassures her.
• Chen Mu and Liu Qingluo’s relationship develops when he secretly prepares to intervene and she recognizes him as he launches his attack.
• Chen Mu’s surprise attack directly enables Liu Qingcang to escape the formation and counterattack.
• After being struck by Rakshasa’s black qi, Chen Mu calls upon Liu Qingcang to seize the opportunity, creating a coordinated, if desperate, assault against Rakshasa.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Rakshasa Gate master survives Liu Qingcang’s attack by transforming into black smoke, leaving behind only his skull-and-spine banner. He escapes into the mountains while cursing Liu Qingcang and threatening the martial hall’s disciples.
• Liu Qingcang’s exertion aggravates his old injuries, causing him to revert from his temporarily enlarged, powerful form. Despite this, he prioritizes rescuing Chen Mu.
• Chen Mu is suffering from Baleful Poison and Yin Qi after confronting the Rakshasa master. The Yin Jade absorbed much of the ghostly energy, but the remaining poison continues attacking his organs and meridians.
• Liu Qingcang forcibly carries Chen Mu and Liu Qingluo back toward the city while using his blazing true qi to suppress Chen Mu’s injuries.
• Qin Tieya emerges from Clear River Village covered in blood but apparently unharmed, having fought his way out of the corpse-filled village. He reunites with his master and joins the retreat.
• The group transports injured disciples and poison-stricken survivors along the imperial highway. Chen Mu’s condition worsens, forcing the group to stop at a ruined Buddhist temple for the night.
• After further meditation and the effects of another Bone-Strengthening Pill, Chen Mu stabilizes the Baleful Poison.
• Liu Qingcang acknowledges that Chen Mu possesses unusual abilities, since he neutralized much of the poison himself. He then offers Chen Mu a favor in repayment for saving him during the battle, surprising everyone present.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: Learns a harsh lesson about the dangers of underestimating sinister martial techniques. His reckless courage nearly costs him his life, prompting him to recognize his lack of knowledge and experience and resolve to become more cautious and better informed. He also earns Liu Qingcang’s respect by enduring the poison and contributing during the confrontation.
• Liu Qingcang: Demonstrates overwhelming strength, decisive leadership, and concern for his disciples. Even while his old injuries flare up, he personally protects Chen Mu and the others. He is impressed by Chen Mu’s resilience and unusual ability to neutralize the Baleful Poison.
• Liu Qingluo: Shows deep concern for both her foster father and Chen Mu. She supports Liu Qingcang after his injuries worsen and remains anxious while Chen Mu fights to survive.
• Qin Tieya: Proves his formidable combat ability by escaping Clear River Village after fighting through a large number of corpses. His loyalty is emphasized when he immediately reunites with and obeys Liu Qingcang.
• The Rakshasa Gate master: Although severely damaged, he reveals himself to be far more difficult to kill than expected. His escape preserves him as a continuing threat and establishes his grudge against Liu Qingcang and the martial hall.

Significant Themes

• The danger of ignorance and overconfidence: Chen Mu’s bravery is admirable but nearly fatal because he does not understand the Rakshasa master’s powers.
• Mentorship and earned recognition: Liu Qingcang’s rescue of Chen Mu and offer of a favor mark the beginning of a potentially important master-disciple relationship.
• Hidden strength and resilience: Chen Mu’s ability to withstand and neutralize the poison, and Qin Tieya’s escape from the corpse-filled village, reveal that both possess greater potential than initially apparent.
• Consequences of battle: Victory comes at a cost: Liu Qingcang’s old wounds reopen, Chen Mu is severely poisoned, and many disciples are injured or incapacitated.
• Unresolved conflict: The Rakshasa master’s escape and threat ensure that the confrontation is not over.

Character Interactions

• Liu Qingluo worries over Liu Qingcang and Chen Mu, while Liu Qingcang repeatedly directs her and the others to prioritize survival.
• Liu Qingcang supports Chen Mu with his true qi, suppressing the poison and physically carrying him from danger.
• Qin Tieya reunites with Liu Qingcang, addresses him as “Master,” and follows his orders without hesitation.
• After Chen Mu recovers, he thanks Liu Qingcang, who teasingly accuses him of hinting for a reward. Their exchange then becomes more serious when Liu Qingcang offers Chen Mu any favor within his power.

Chapter Summary: Locking the Gates, Sealing the City—The Strange Calamity Rises Again

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu is thrilled when Liu Qingcang, a hidden Innate Realm expert, offers to grant him any request in return for his loyalty. Although Chen considers asking for benefits such as removing his registered status, becoming a true disciple, or learning Liu’s powerful fist technique, he deliberately refuses to ask for anything.
• Liu Qingcang sees through Chen Mu’s tactful refusal and accepts him as his ninth personal disciple instead. He promises that his original offer will remain available whenever Chen Mu needs it.
• Because Rakshasa Gate is monitoring the martial hall, Liu Qingcang orders Chen Mu to keep his apprenticeship secret. Chen must first complete Body Tempering and cultivate inner qi before his formal acceptance is publicly announced.
• Chen Mu’s new status causes jealousy among the registered disciples, while Liu Qingluo happily demands that he call her “Senior Sister.” Chen humorously pretends to suffer from the Baleful Poison to avoid doing so. Liu Qingcang settles the matter by allowing them to address each other as equals.
• The group spends the night in the ruined temple. By morning, Chen Mu uses breathing exercises, a Bone-Strengthening Pill, and the Yin Jade to suppress the Baleful Poison temporarily. However, he realizes that sinister currents remain embedded in his body and may erupt if he encounters the Rakshasa elder again.
• Before departing, Liu Meng apologizes for previously looking down on Chen Mu and offers him his savings as compensation. Chen Mu refuses the money, demonstrating his new confidence and magnanimity as Liu Qingcang’s disciple. Liu Meng becomes genuinely convinced of Chen Mu’s character.
• The martial hall party rides back toward Everlasting Prosperity Town. At the northern gate, they discover that the city gates are sealed and the town is under martial law. The guards demand that they identify themselves, while the disciples fear that a major crisis—possibly an attack by northern barbarians—has occurred.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: Displays considerable political intelligence by refusing to demand rewards, thereby prompting Liu Qingcang to elevate him voluntarily. He gains a powerful protector and mentor while beginning to develop genuine loyalty toward the martial hall. His refusal to accept Liu Meng’s money also shows growing confidence and generosity.
• Liu Qingcang: Reveals his generosity, strategic judgment, and protective concern for Chen Mu. He formally accepts Chen as his ninth disciple but carefully conceals the news to protect him from Rakshasa Gate.
• Liu Qingluo: Becomes excited about having Chen as a junior brother, though she is irritated when he refuses to call her Senior Sister. Her playful relationship with Chen contrasts with the chapter’s darker threats.
• Qin Tieya: Quickly recognizes that Chen’s apparent selflessness is actually a clever way of advancing by retreating. His approving reaction suggests growing respect for Chen’s intelligence.
• Liu Meng: Moves from prejudice and resentment to embarrassment, respect, and submission after Chen refuses his attempted monetary apology.

Significant Themes

• Advancement through humility: Chen Mu gains far more by appearing not to seek personal benefit than he would have by making a direct demand.
• Loyalty and belonging: Though Chen initially thinks in practical and opportunistic terms, Liu Qingcang’s consideration causes him to feel sincere attachment to the martial hall.
• Hidden danger beneath celebration: Chen’s joyful acceptance as a disciple is shadowed by the unresolved Baleful Poison and the threat of Rakshasa Gate.
• Status and reputation: Chen’s new position dramatically changes how others treat him, but his refusal to exploit Liu Meng shows that he wants to establish a respectable reputation.
• Rising calamity: The locked city gates and martial law signal that a larger crisis is emerging, shifting the story from personal advancement back toward external danger.

Character Interactions

• Chen and Liu Qingcang establish a formal master-disciple relationship based on mutual calculation gradually developing into trust.
• Chen and Liu Qingluo begin a teasing, sibling-like dynamic, with her demanding seniority and him mischievously avoiding it.
• Qin Tieya silently appreciates Chen’s strategic conduct.
• Chen’s refusal of Liu Meng’s money transforms their hostile relationship into one of respect.
• The chapter ends with the martial hall party confronting the city guards, creating suspense over the mysterious threat that has prompted Everlasting Prosperity Town to seal its gates.

Chapter Summary: “A-Ning in Trouble? Xuan-Tier Internal Skill”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu and the Azure Dragon Martial Academy group return to Everlasting Prosperity Town after encountering signs of unrest near the northern frontier.
• The city is unusually deserted, with shops closed and civilians hiding, suggesting that a serious disturbance has occurred.
• Worried about A-Ning and Granny Li in Bai Le Ward, Chen Mu immediately asks Liu Qingcang for permission to check on them. Liu allows him to go and offers Qin Tieya’s assistance, but Chen Mu rushes off alone.
• At Granny Li’s residence, Chen Mu finds the courtyard and huts wrecked. A-Ning, Granny Li, and Li Susu are missing, while A-Ning’s clothes and medicine remain behind.
• From this evidence, Chen Mu concludes that they were probably abducted rather than leaving voluntarily. He becomes furious and blames himself for lacking the strength to protect A-Ning.
• Chen Mu suspects the Red Whale Gang, with Zhao Dong as another possibility, but realizes that charging blindly into Rubble Ward could be a trap.
• He decides not to involve the martial academy immediately, fearing that revealing his connection to it could cause the kidnappers to conceal or kill their captives. Instead, he plans to investigate secretly, rescue A-Ning first, and seek revenge afterward.
• Choosing to increase his strength before acting, Chen Mu spends all 130 points of karmic slaughter to fuse the Black Tiger Baleful Heart Art with his existing Rampaging Bull Force.
• The fusion produces a Profound Grade Low-Tier internal art, the Yin Extremity Profound Baleful Art, which begins at the First Layer. The process consumes his previous Rampaging Bull Force and floods him with new martial insights and a cold, powerful killing intent.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: His concern for A-Ning reveals the depth of his attachment and sense of responsibility. His initial rage gradually gives way to cautious strategic thinking, showing increased maturity. Rather than recklessly attacking, he recognizes the possibility of an ambush and prioritizes investigation and preparation. His determination to become stronger also marks a major step in his martial growth.
• Liu Qingcang: Shows trust and concern for Chen Mu by granting him leave and offering Qin Tieya’s assistance. His reaction also suggests approval of Chen Mu’s loyalty toward his family.
• A-Ning, Granny Li, and Li Susu: Their disappearance becomes the chapter’s central mystery. The fact that their belongings remain behind strongly implies forced abduction.
• The Red Whale Gang and Zhao Dong: They are established as possible enemies, though the exact culprit remains unknown.

Significant Themes

• Power and protection: Chen Mu’s inability to protect A-Ning reinforces the importance of strength in the dangerous martial world.
• Rage versus reason: Although devastated and consumed by murderous anger, Chen Mu forces himself to think carefully instead of rushing into a potentially fatal trap.
• Responsibility and guilt: He blames himself for leaving A-Ning vulnerable and resolves to correct his weakness through cultivation.
• Hidden danger and uncertainty: The ruined residence and vanished occupants create a mystery, while the city’s fearful atmosphere suggests broader unrest.
• Martial advancement through sacrifice: Chen Mu gives up his accumulated karmic slaughter and existing Rampaging Bull Force to gain a stronger, more advanced internal art.

Character Interactions

• Chen Mu consults Qin Tieya about the city’s situation before entering.
• The city guards welcome Liu Qingcang and urgently invite him to meet Commander Zhao.
• Chen Mu asks Liu Qingcang for permission to return to his family; Liu responds supportively and offers Qin Tieya’s help.
• Chen Mu finds no one at Granny Li’s home, making the absence of A-Ning and the others more alarming.
• His imagined confrontation with the kidnappers reflects his growing hostility toward the Red Whale Gang and anyone responsible.
• The chapter ends with Chen Mu alone, beginning his breakthrough into the Yin Extremity Profound Baleful Art in preparation for rescuing A-Ning.

Chapter Summary: “Blessing in Disaster, Devouring Balefulness to Temper the Body”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu discovers that his Rampaging Bull Force and Black Tiger Baleful Heart Art have fused into the Profound Grade Low-Tier Yin Extremity Profound Baleful Art, an extremely rare internal technique capable of reaching the Innate Realm.
• The technique begins circulating automatically and draws the Mysterious Yin Corpse Balefulness—the deadly poison previously injected into him by Rakshasa Old Ghost—into his Blood Essence.
• The poison clashes violently with Chen Mu’s hot Blood Essence, causing extreme pain and threatening to damage his organs.
• Chen Mu swallows several Bone-Strengthening Pills to supply more energy and uses the new technique to suppress, refine, and absorb the Baleful Poison.
• His Killing Intent manifests as ghostly shadows, but his Blood Essence overwhelms and devours them as he completes the technique’s first circulation.
• The Slaughter Register announces that the technique has advanced to its second layer, while Chen Mu’s cultivation rises from Body Tempering Third Tier to Fourth Tier.
• Chen Mu consumes the remaining pills and continues refining the poison. His Blood Essence surges dramatically, allowing him to break through several levels in succession, reaching Body Tempering Sixth Tier.
• His Blood Essence condenses into pitch-black True Qi within his dantian, allowing him to produce True Qi despite still being in the Body Tempering Realm.
• Chen Mu expels the impurities from his body in a violent burst, damaging the room and nearby wall.
• After stabilizing his cultivation, he tests the power of his refined qi by exhaling a sword-like blast that pierces a wall and damages a stone well.
• Realizing the enormous increase in his strength, Chen Mu decides to use his new Profound Yin True Qi against the Red Whale Gang and rushes toward Rubble Ward to rescue or avenge A-Ning.

Character Development

• Chen Mu demonstrates exceptional endurance, determination, and willingness to endure immense pain for greater power.
• He shifts from merely surviving Rakshasa Old Ghost’s poison to turning it into a source of strength, embodying the chapter’s idea of transforming disaster into opportunity.
• His confidence grows substantially after gaining a powerful internal art and breaking through three cultivation tiers.
• Chen Mu also becomes more aggressive and decisive. Rather than resting after his breakthroughs, he immediately prepares to confront the Red Whale Gang.
• His concern for A-Ning remains a major emotional motivation, driving him toward battle.

Significant Themes

• Blessing in disaster: The poison that nearly killed Chen Mu becomes the key to his rapid advancement.
• Endurance and self-mastery: Chen Mu’s breakthroughs are achieved through pain, discipline, and force of will.
• Dangerous power conversion: The Yin Extremity Profound Baleful Art turns Yin energy, Killing Intent, and Baleful Poison into Blood Essence and True Qi.
• Unconventional cultivation: Chen Mu gains abilities normally associated with higher realms while still technically remaining in the Body Tempering stage.
• Revenge and protection: His newfound strength is immediately tied to his determination to confront the Red Whale Gang and protect A-Ning.

Character Interactions

• Chen Mu and Rakshasa Old Ghost: Although Rakshasa does not appear directly in the chapter, his Baleful Poison continues to affect Chen Mu. The poison’s intended purpose becomes reversed as Chen Mu refines and absorbs it.
• Chen Mu and A-Ning: A-Ning is not present, but Chen Mu repeatedly thinks of her and uses her situation as motivation to act.
• Chen Mu and the Red Whale Gang: Their conflict is about to escalate. Chen Mu intends to test his newly acquired True Qi by attacking them in Rubble Ward.
• Chen Mu and his own Killing Intent: The ghostly manifestations of Killing Intent symbolize the danger within the technique, but Chen Mu suppresses and devours them through his powerful Blood Essence.

Chapter Summary: “Ghost Cultivator Suspicions, Ruthless Torture”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Red Whale Gang’s attempted raid on Bai Le Ward ends disastrously. They discover that Old Madam Li, a hidden ghost cultivator living near the City God Temple, can control ghosts and corpses.
• Several gang leaders and thugs are injured and infected with Corpse Venom. Without high-grade yang-aspected pills, they may transform into corpses within days.
• Desperate to obtain an antidote, the gang decides to capture Chen Mu, believing Old Madam Li is connected to him and might exchange him for the cure.
• Gang Leader Wei Chen sends his men toward Rubble Ward but refuses to go personally, dismissing Chen Mu as merely a Body Tempering martial artist. He nevertheless blames Chen Mu for the Red Whale Gang’s recent misfortunes.
• Chen Mu secretly returns to his home and detects Red Whale Gang members hiding around his courtyard. He swiftly kills most of them with his saber and bare hands, hiding their bodies.
• He captures two surviving gang members and interrogates them in his livestock shed using brutal psychological intimidation and physical torture.
• When both men initially deny involvement in the Bai Le Ward incident, Chen Mu tortures one of them while keeping him alive. The second man finally reveals that Hall Master Zhao personally led men to Bai Le Ward the previous night.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu is shown to have become significantly stronger and more perceptive. His heightened senses allow him to detect hidden enemies, and he eliminates them efficiently without hesitation.
• His growing ruthlessness is emphasized by his use of a butcher’s tools and methods during interrogation. Though he remains focused on finding A-Ning, his violence is cold, controlled, and increasingly brutal.
• Chen Mu also realizes that ordinary martial opponents provide little cultivation benefit. To advance further, he may need to leave the city and hunt demons or other powerful evils.
• Wei Chen appears frustrated and increasingly desperate. His authority is undermined by the gang’s losses, the Corpse Venom crisis, and the failure to find Chen Mu. Despite his anger, he remains overconfident and refuses to confront Chen Mu himself.
• The Red Whale Gang members shift from aggressive enforcers to frightened, desperate victims after encountering Old Madam Li and Chen Mu. Their fear makes them quick to betray their leadership.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of underestimating hidden powers: The gang assumes Bai Le Ward is defenseless but is overwhelmed by Old Madam Li’s ghost cultivation.
• Violence and moral transformation: Chen Mu’s survival-driven brutality has intensified. He now treats enemies with the same detached efficiency he once used as a butcher.
• Desperation and betrayal: Faced with death from Corpse Venom or Chen Mu’s torture, the gang members abandon loyalty and reveal information.
• Growing chaos: Ghost and demon incidents, barbarian raids, winter hardship, and collapsing gang operations suggest that the city is entering a dangerous and unstable period.
• Power progression: Chen Mu’s improved senses and combat ability demonstrate his advancement, while the weak gains from killing ordinary martial men hint that stronger enemies and supernatural threats will be necessary for future growth.

Character Interactions

• Wei Chen and the gang leaders: The terrified hall masters demand help, while Wei Chen silences them and redirects their fear toward capturing Chen Mu.
• Chen Mu and the hidden gang members: Chen Mu ambushes and kills the guards before they can react.
• Chen Mu and the two captives: He intimidates them with the threat of dismemberment, forcing them to compete to provide information. Their initial denials provoke him into torture.
• Chen Mu and the surviving informant: The captive finally identifies Hall Master Zhao as the person who led the Bai Le Ward operation, giving Chen Mu a new lead in his search for A-Ning.

Chapter Summary: “Ambush and Counter-Ambush, Toying with Three Men”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu interrogates a wounded Red Whale Gang blade-wielder to learn about Hall Master Zhao, whose full name is Zhao Liqiu. Zhao is an early Qi Accumulation Realm expert known as the “River-Crossing Dragon,” and he controls the docks’ hauling operations.
• Chen discovers that Zhao, along with two other hall masters—Luo Dalong and Ghostfoot Seven—had gone to Bai Le Ward to capture A-Ning but apparently failed. This reassures Chen that A-Ning has not fallen into the gang’s hands.
• Chen suspects Granny Li may have intervened and hidden A-Ning, though this possibility also fuels his anger toward the Red Whale Gang.
• After killing the interrogated men and disposing of their bodies, Chen prepares an ambush for the three hall masters, knowing they will investigate why their watchers in Rubble Ward have disappeared.
• Chen hides in a tree and attacks Ghostfoot Seven the moment the group arrives. Using a surprise strike enhanced by his limited Profound Yin True Qi, he kills Ghostfoot Seven instantly.
• Zhao Liqiu retaliates with a powerful staff attack, forcing Chen to retreat. Chen uses his knowledge of Rubble Ward’s alleys and improvised obstacles to divide and confuse the pursuers.
• He repeatedly ambushes the gang’s lackeys, killing more than ten of them while avoiding direct combat with Zhao and Luo. The remaining men flee in terror.
• Luo Dalong reminds Zhao that they need Chen alive to obtain the corpse-poison antidote, but Zhao’s rage drives him to pursue Chen alone.
• Chen deliberately lures Zhao into a dead-end alley. Instead of fleeing, he turns to confront him, revealing that the chase was part of his plan to isolate and kill Zhao.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: Becomes more calculating, ruthless, and confident. He recognizes his limits against Qi Accumulation experts and relies on surprise attacks, terrain, movement, and psychological manipulation rather than brute force. His successful killing of Ghostfoot Seven demonstrates his growing combat ability.
• Zhao Liqiu: Is introduced as a powerful but increasingly enraged gang leader. His concern over the corpse poison and humiliation at Chen’s hands cause him to abandon caution and pursue Chen recklessly.
• Luo Dalong: Revealed to be physically formidable due to his body-hardening cultivation, but slower and less adaptable than Chen. His primary concern is obtaining the antidote.
• Ghostfoot Seven: Despite his reputation for speed and stealth, he is caught completely off guard and killed in Chen’s opening ambush.
• A-Ning and Granny Li: Neither appears directly, but A-Ning’s disappearance and the possibility that Granny Li protected her remain important motivations for Chen.

Significant Themes

• Strategy over strength: Chen cannot defeat the three hall masters in a straightforward battle, so he uses preparation, surprise, terrain, and selective targeting.
• Psychological warfare: Chen deliberately provokes Zhao, exploits his anger, and makes him chase into isolation.
• Revenge and survival: Chen’s violence is driven both by the need to survive and by his fury at the Red Whale Gang’s pursuit of him and A-Ning.
• The danger of arrogance: Zhao’s power is significant, but his rage and contempt for Chen cause him to abandon the advantage of numbers.
• Transformation through violence: Chen’s increasingly efficient killings show his progression from defensive survivor to a dangerous and proactive combatant.

Character Interactions

• Chen intimidates and tortures a captured gang member into revealing Zhao’s identity and the movements of the three hall masters.
• Zhao and his subordinates investigate the abandoned courtyard, where they realize Chen has attacked their men.
• Ghostfoot Seven begs Zhao for help when Chen ambushes him, but Zhao cannot arrive in time.
• Zhao attacks Chen directly, but Chen refuses to fight him head-on and instead escapes through the alleys.
• Luo urges Zhao to capture Chen for the corpse-poison antidote, while Zhao’s anger pushes him to continue the pursuit alone.
• The chapter ends with Chen turning the tables completely: Zhao believes he has cornered Chen, but Chen reveals that he intentionally led Zhao into the dead end.

Chapter Summary: “Exhaling Qi into a Sword, Thunderous Voice”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Liqiu attacks Chen Mu in a narrow alley, relying on his powerful iron staff and the restricted space to pin Chen Mu against the wall.
• Chen Mu initially struggles under Zhao’s relentless assault, using defense and evasion while studying his opponent’s movements.
• He suddenly changes tactics, charging into the staff’s path and striking Zhao with the Mighty Bull Fist’s killing elbow. Although the blow fails to penetrate Zhao’s protective True Qi, it creates an opening.
• Chen Mu feints with a descending saber strike, forcing Zhao to defend high. He then uses the technique “Exhaling Qi into a Sword” in combination with a thunderous vocal attack.
• His condensed Profound Yin True Qi pierces Zhao’s forehead, killing him instantly. Chen Mu then beheads Zhao to ensure his death.
• The system rewards Chen Mu with Blood Essence and Karmic Slaughter for killing a Qi Accumulation Realm Martial Master.
• Luo Dalong arrives just after Zhao’s death. Shocked that someone seemingly at the Body Tempering Realm can project Sword Qi, he accuses Chen Mu of using an evil art.
• Chen Mu challenges Luo Dalong, but Luo pretends to attack and instead attempts to flee after realizing Chen’s strength.
• Chen Mu catches up with him using Grass-Top Flight. Their first clash shows that Luo’s physical strength and defense are far superior; Chen’s ordinary saber gleam cannot break through his twin-saber guard.
• Luo then reveals a concealed steel hand crossbow and fires at Chen Mu at close range, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: Demonstrates increasing combat intelligence, using feints, environmental constraints, and psychological pressure rather than relying solely on strength. He unveils the formidable Thunderous Voice and Exhaling Qi into a Sword technique, revealing the unusual power of his Profound Yin True Qi. His ruthless decision to behead Zhao emphasizes his decisiveness and willingness to eliminate threats.
• Zhao Liqiu: Begins the fight confident that his superior strength and staff technique will overwhelm Chen Mu. His arrogance turns to disbelief and terror when Chen uses a technique he considers impossible. He dies unable to understand Chen’s cultivation.
• Luo Dalong: Initially appears like a reckless, aggressive gang fighter, but proves cautious and cunning. After witnessing Chen’s killing technique, he abandons Zhao and attempts to escape, later resorting to a hidden weapon when direct combat fails.

Significant Themes

• Concealed power and misjudgment: Chen Mu’s apparent low cultivation causes his enemies to underestimate him, while his unique Profound Yin True Qi allows him to exceed ordinary martial limitations.
• Combat strategy over brute force: Chen wins by manipulating Zhao’s expectations and creating openings, not by overpowering him directly.
• Fear and psychological warfare: Zhao’s confidence collapses after witnessing Chen’s impossible technique, while Luo’s supposed courage is exposed as a façade.
• Pragmatism and ruthlessness: Chen prioritizes certainty and survival, killing Zhao even after the initial fatal attack and immediately preparing to face Luo.
• The gap between conventional and unconventional cultivation: Luo and Zhao judge Chen according to normal martial principles, failing to account for the special nature of his Killing Intent-derived True Qi.

Character Interactions

• Zhao mocks Chen’s arrogance and presses him with repeated staff attacks, while Chen silently endures and waits for the right opportunity.
• Chen’s feigned saber attack manipulates Zhao into raising his guard, allowing the thunderous Qi attack to land.
• Luo reacts to Zhao’s death with rage but keeps his distance, questioning Chen about his “evil art.”
• Chen dismisses Luo’s accusation and openly challenges him, prompting Luo to pretend to fight before fleeing.
• When Chen catches him, Luo blocks the saber strike, then exploits Chen’s caution by drawing a concealed crossbow and firing at him.

Chapter Summary: Temporarily Repelling the Enemy, Northern Barbarians Marching South

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luo Dalong ambushes Chen Mu with a specially prepared crossbow bolt coated in Corpse Venom. Although Chen Mu is wounded in the waist, his Yin Extremity Profound Baleful Art automatically absorbs and neutralizes the poison and killing intent.
• Chen Mu realizes that pursuing Luo Dalong would be dangerous, especially since Luo may now suspect the secret of his Profound Yin True Qi. After confirming that A-Ning is not currently in the enemy’s hands, Chen decides to return to the Azure Dragon Martial Academy for help locating her.
• He searches the bodies of Zhao Liqiu and Ghostfoot Seven, obtaining the Yellow Grade Low-Tier Coiling Dragon Staff Technique and the Yellow Grade Mid-Tier Ghost-Shadow Step. The latter’s close-range footwork complements his existing Grass-Top Flight technique.
• Upon returning to the academy, Chen Mu learns that villages and towns north of Everlasting Prosperity Town have been massacred and looted. Scouts believe the Northern Barbarians are preparing a major invasion.
• The threat includes the Hu vanguard of the Grassland Golden Horde, the Heavenly Wolf Demon Court and its wolf cavalry, and the White Mountain Ghost Kingdom, whose shamans practice sinister curse and soul-refining arts.
• Liu Qingcang gathers his disciples in the Martial Lecture Hall to organize a response. During the meeting, Chen Mu uses Liu Qingcang’s previously promised favor to request urgent assistance in finding A-Ning, emphasizing that her life is at stake.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: Demonstrates strong reflexes, composure, and growing confidence. His Profound Yin True Qi proves capable of neutralizing Corpse Venom, but this also increases the danger that enemies will discover his secret. He shows strategic restraint by refusing to chase Luo Dalong recklessly and prioritizing A-Ning’s rescue. His acquisition of Ghost-Shadow Step also expands his martial abilities.
• Luo Dalong: Reveals himself to be highly deceptive and ruthless, using a feigned retreat and a poisoned surprise attack. He escapes before Chen Mu can retaliate.
• Liu Qingcang: Acts as a dependable and protective master. He honors his promise to Chen Mu and implicitly treats him as a trusted disciple, while cautioning him to use the favor only for a serious matter.
• Liu Qingluo: Remains impulsive and outspoken. Her sharp sense of smell exposes that Chen Mu has recently killed someone, unintentionally drawing the attention of the entire hall.
• Liu Meng: Shows concern for Chen Mu and promptly informs him of the academy’s emergency gathering.
• The senior disciples: Qin Tieya treats Chen Mu warmly, while the two other personal disciples are more reserved and somewhat distant.

Significant Themes

• Caution versus revenge: Chen Mu resists the urge to pursue Luo Dalong, recognizing that anger and haste could lead him into a trap.
• Hidden strength and exposure: His ability to absorb Corpse Venom protects him but may also reveal the unusual nature of his cultivation.
• Personal crisis amid larger war: Chen Mu’s urgent search for A-Ning is placed against the much broader threat of a Northern Barbarian invasion.
• Loyalty and trust: Chen Mu relies on the martial academy, while Liu Qingcang’s willingness to honor his promise demonstrates the growing bond between master and disciple.
• Approaching catastrophe: The massacred villages and advancing barbarian forces signal that Everlasting Prosperity Town may soon become a battlefield rather than a safe rear area.

Character Interactions

• Chen Mu and Luo Dalong clash indirectly through Luo’s ambush, establishing their continuing conflict and Luo’s willingness to use underhanded methods.
• Liu Meng brings Chen Mu back to the academy and explains the invasion threat.
• Chen Mu formally greets Liu Qingcang, Qin Tieya, Liu Qingluo, and the other senior disciples, receiving mixed levels of warmth.
• Liu Qingluo notices the blood on Chen Mu and accidentally exposes his recent violence before the assembled disciples.
• Chen Mu redirects the conversation by invoking Liu Qingcang’s promise and openly requesting help to save his wife, A-Ning, shifting the meeting from military preparations to his personal emergency.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu reports to Master Liu Qingcang about his conflict with Ma San, Zhao Dong, and the Red Whale Gang. He presents a partly fabricated account, claiming that a fortuitous encounter and a heavenly treasure strengthened his Blood Essence, enabling him to kill several enemies.
• He explains that A-Ning’s hiding place was attacked, that he failed to find her, and that Red Whale Gang members pursued and nearly killed him with a poisoned arrow.
• Liu Qingluo becomes enraged and tries to take revenge immediately, but her father, Liu Qingcang, stops her.
• Chen Mu asks only that the martial academy use its connections to search for his missing wife. Liu Qingcang orders Qin Tieya to investigate, asks the Patrol Office to assist, and sends Qin to question the Red Whale Gang.
• Qin Tieya gathers the academy’s disciples for an important announcement. The chapter introduces several senior disciples, including Yuan Hong, a peak Qi Accumulation Realm martial artist, and Xiao Wenbin, the ruthless “Iron-Hand Butcher.”
• Liu Qingcang announces that the Northern Barbarians are moving south and that all direct disciples must help defend the region outside Everlasting Prosperity Town.
• Their duties will include guarding villages, docks, and post stations; patrolling against demons and evil spirits; and killing Northern Barbarian scouts so they cannot return beyond the pass.
• Though the disciples are visibly afraid because of the danger and the deaths suffered by academy members in previous conflicts, Chen Mu volunteers first to lead a patrol outside the city. Liu Meng and the others then follow his example.

Character Development

• Chen Mu: Demonstrates composure, cunning, and social awareness by tailoring his story to gain the academy’s support without revealing the full truth. He successfully secures official help in finding A-Ning and shows courage—or at least determination—by volunteering for military patrols.
• Liu Qingcang: Acts as a stern but practical leader. He does not dwell on Chen Mu’s suspiciously incomplete story and instead focuses on recovering A-Ning. He also reveals the academy’s broader responsibility to defend the frontier.
• Liu Qingluo: Shows strong loyalty and affection toward Chen Mu, reacting emotionally and impulsively to his suffering. Her willingness to attack the Red Whale Gang contrasts with her father’s restraint.
• Qin Tieya: Emerges as a reliable senior disciple who takes responsibility for Chen Mu’s problem and helps organize the academy’s response to the Northern threat.
• Yuan Hong and Xiao Wenbin: Their introductions establish the strength and varied backgrounds of the academy’s senior disciples. Yuan Hong is a wealthy, highly accomplished martial artist, while Xiao Wenbin is a former accountant transformed into a feared killer.
• The registered disciples: Initially hesitant and frightened by the prospect of combat, they regain their resolve after Chen Mu and Liu Meng volunteer.

Significant Themes

• Trust, deception, and political storytelling: Chen Mu’s half-truths show how survival often depends on controlling the narrative rather than revealing everything.
• The obligations of power: Joining the academy provides protection and status, but also demands service and sacrifice.
• Courage versus fear: The disciples are afraid of the Northern Barbarians, yet social pressure, duty, and personal conviction push them to stand together.
• Martial virtue and national responsibility: Liu Qingcang presents martial arts not merely as personal cultivation but as a means of defending civilians and resisting external enemies.
• Family and loyalty: Chen Mu’s search for A-Ning and Liu Qingluo’s immediate desire to avenge him emphasize the importance of personal bonds amid larger political conflicts.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Mu carefully appeals to Liu Qingcang’s authority while asking for practical assistance.
• Liu Qingluo’s emotional defense of Chen Mu is checked by Liu Qingcang’s stern command, revealing the family’s differing temperaments.
• Qin Tieya accepts responsibility for investigating A-Ning’s disappearance and confronting the Red Whale Gang.
• Liu Qingcang addresses Chen Mu directly as the newest disciple, using him as an example while explaining the academy’s rules.
• Chen Mu’s public declaration of loyalty inspires Liu Meng and the other disciples to overcome their hesitation and volunteer for patrol duty.

Chapter Summary: Epiphany by the Pool, Surge in True Qi

Key plot events

After the academy meeting, Liu Qingcang delays assigning patrols until the military provides reliable information. Chen Mu asks Qin Tieya to investigate A-Ning’s whereabouts and learns that Qin has gone to pressure the Red Whale Gang. Xiao Wenbin arranges for Chen Mu to patrol nearby villages rather than approach the northern barbarians. Liu Qingcang then summons Chen Mu privately and advises him to stop living so cautiously now that he has joined the sect.

Character development

Chen Mu recognizes that his insecurity and habit of hiding everything have made him excessively guarded. Liu Qingcang’s words release a long-standing emotional burden, allowing Chen Mu to reach a sudden state of enlightenment. His Yin Extremity Profound Baleful Art circulates on its own, and his Profound Yin True Qi grows from needle-thin to finger-thick in only two hours, greatly increasing his potential combat strength. Liu Qingcang also realizes that Chen Mu’s cultivation is powerful but incompatible with the academy’s yang-based inheritance, so he postpones teaching him the sect’s true transmission method.

Character interactions

Liu Meng ingratiates himself with Chen Mu and agrees to monitor news about A-Ning. Yuan Hong treats Chen Mu coldly, reflecting his disdain for Chen Mu’s humble background, while Xiao Wenbin offers reassurance and practical help. Liu Qingcang gives Chen Mu important guidance about martial temperament and arranges for him to receive the Azure Dragon Body Tempering Method. Liu Qingluo waits beside Chen Mu during his breakthrough, becomes irritated at having to wait, and then flustered after noticing his striking presence when he awakens.

Themes

The chapter emphasizes the connection between mental liberation and martial advancement: once Chen Mu releases his fear and distrust, his cultivation surges dramatically. It also explores class prejudice within the sect, the importance of confidence and bearing on the martial path, and the tension between Chen Mu’s sinister Yin-based cultivation and the academy’s domineering yang-oriented techniques.

Ending hook

Liu Meng returns with urgent news: the Patrol Office saw an old woman radiating sinister yin aura leave the city heading north with two young women. Chen Mu immediately suspects the report may be connected to A-Ning and reacts with intense urgency.