Chapter Summaries

Gu Sheng studied the Fire Worship Cult’s Blood Revitalizing Technique and continued training while Gu Family Village’s strongest fighter, Gu Jingang, confronted the Great Clan Elder over a Blood Strengthening Pill. The clan gave Gu Jingang a pill but ordered him to kneel for three days, leaving him resentful as he considered the clan’s distrust and caution.

• Gu Sheng learned that the Blood Revitalizing Technique could temporarily strengthen stored blood and qi, then continued cultivating it alongside his other martial arts.
• Gu Jingang demanded a Blood Strengthening Pill from the Great Clan Elder, arguing that his breakthrough could help protect Gu Family Village from the coming conflict.
• The Great Clan Elder rebuked Gu Jingang for bypassing clan procedure and ordered him to kneel in the ancestral hall for three days.
• Gu Jingang told Gu Changming that the clan’s conservative treatment of capable fighters, including Gu Sheng, was weakening the village.
• Gu Changming delivered a Blood Strengthening Pill to Gu Jingang, who accepted it while privately viewing the gesture as a reward following punishment.

Gu Sheng learned that Gu Jingang had been punished amid a dispute over Blood Strengthening Pills, while Gu Xiaojiang resolved to give up his share and support his instructor. After advancing the Flying Thunder Leg and agreeing to train Gu Wan, Gu Sheng heard that Gu Xiaojiang had been confined.

• Gu Xiaojiang told Gu Sheng that Gu Jingang had been made to kneel in the ancestral hall after elders argued over who should receive the Blood Strengthening Pills.
• Gu Xiaojiang decided to refuse the pills and speak with Gu Jingang, while Gu Sheng urged him to visit his instructor.
• Gu Sheng advanced the Flying Thunder Leg to Tier 1 Extreme Speed and sensed it might merge with his Iron Stone Fist.
• Gu Jingang's spirits lifted after Gu Xiaojiang spoke with him, and he loosened his grip on the bottle of Blood Strengthening Pills.
• Gu Sheng agreed to teach Gu Wan a foundation in martial arts after recognizing that Li Lian wanted the boy to learn to protect himself.
• After dinner, Gu Sheng learned that Gu Xiaojiang had been confined.

Gu Sheng and Helian Tielan completed a formidable suit of Hundred Refinements Heavy Armor, while conflict grew between the Black Sand Gang and Liu Yuanhu. Meanwhile, Gu Jingang remained estranged from the clan elders, who sent Gu Changming and Gu Dajiang to persuade him to return to clan affairs.

• Gu Jingang learned that Gu Xiaojiang had been confined and left the ancestral hall without revealing his feelings.
• Gu Sheng visited Helian Tielan, learned about Pei Xuanxi's past, and helped her finish the Hundred Refinements Heavy Armor.
• Gu Sheng tried on the armor, saw how much it strengthened him, and stored it in his secret chamber.
• The clan elders discussed the village's armor supplies, the coming conflict with the Black Sand Gang, and Gu Jingang's withdrawal from clan affairs.
• Gu Changming and Gu Dajiang visited the drunken Gu Jingang at the Great Clan Elder's request.

Gu Jingang seized control of Gu Family Village after drugging Gu Changming and Gu Dajiang, claiming the village needed stronger leadership. Gu Xiaojiang arrived as Jingang declared that the clan elders’ era was over and that he would eventually hand the village to his son.

• Gu Changming and Gu Dajiang persuaded Gu Jingang to resume guarding the village, but he secretly drugged them with Blood Locking Pills during their meal.
• Gu Jingang revealed his plan to take control of Gu Family Village and move the clan elders somewhere safe, while Gu Yuhuan supported him.
• Gu Changming admitted he had known about the pills and agreed that the elders could no longer lead, angering Gu Dajiang.
• Gu Sheng heard commotion at the main family residence and went to investigate.
• Gu Jingang and his supporters bound the clan elders and took over the clan hall without killing anyone.
• Gu Jingang told the elders he would rule until Gu Xiaojiang was grown, and Gu Xiaojiang arrived as Jingang announced that the elders’ era had ended.

Gu Jingang took control of Gu Family Village, doubled martial artists’ resources, and began preparing the village for Canghe County’s unrest. Meanwhile, Gu Sheng continued cultivating in secret instead of attending Gu Jingang’s training, while Zhao Honglie and the great families plotted to move against Liu Yuanhu within a month.

• Gu Jingang restrained the clan elders, negotiated with Gu Changming and Gu Dajiang, and assumed greater authority over Gu Family Village.
• Gu Jingang doubled Body Tempering Paste supplies and promised Gu Qing, Gu Ruyi, and Gu Sheng unlimited resources and personal instruction, but Gu Sheng privately judged the offer useless to him.
• Zhao Honglie warned the Lu, Zhao, Wang, Li, and Sun Family patriarchs that Mo Chen might intervene, and they agreed to withdraw key people and businesses before striking Liu Yuanhu in one month.
• Gu Sheng’s panel showed Blood Refining Realm perfection, Golden Body Art at perfection, and continued progress in his martial arts and bone tempering.
• Gu Sheng skipped Gu Jingang’s training and cultivated at home, so Gu Jingang noticed his absence and decided to visit him.

Gu Jingang discovered that Gu Sheng had reached the peak of the Blood Refining Realm and began paying him for Iron Stone Fist instruction, helping Gu Jingang advance to the same realm. Meanwhile, the prominent families of Canghe County prepared to fight Liu Yuanhu, while Gu Sheng approached a breakthrough to the Bone Refining Realm.

• Gu Jingang watched Gu Wan practice the Flying Thunder Leg stance, learned that Gu Sheng was connected to his training, and discovered Gu Sheng displaying peak Blood Refining Realm strength in his courtyard.
• Gu Sheng agreed to remain in Gu Family Village, and Gu Jingang secretly paid him one thousand taels of silver per month for Iron Stone Fist guidance.
• After a month of cultivation under Gu Sheng's guidance, Gu Jingang advanced to the peak of the Blood Refining Realm, then challenged Gu Sheng and left with a bruised face.
• Gu Sheng's bone-tempering progress passed eighty percent after he took his fourth Bone Protecting Pill, bringing him close to the Bone Refining Realm.
• Zhao Honglie and the prominent family heads confirmed their preparations to evacuate and agreed to begin attacking Liu Yuanhu's forces in three days.

Gu Sheng watched Gu Family Village prepare for the growing unrest while waiting for a chance to strike at the Black Sand Gang. That night, the Lu Family and Black Sand Gang launched a surprise raid on the village, but Gu Jingang quickly rallied its defenders, and the two forces faced each other in battle.

• Gu Sheng noted that his Blood Revitalizing Technique had reached major mastery and expected to enter the Bone Refining Realm within half a month as tensions in Canghe County rose.
• Zhao Honglie secured the great families’ agreement to attack Liu Yuanhu’s forces and nearby villages, assigning Gu Family Village to the Lu Family and ordering the assault to begin that night.
• Lu Ming led forty martial artists from the Lu Family and Black Sand Gang toward Gu Family Village, planning to hold off Gu Jingang while his subordinates dealt with the other defenders.
• Gu Changming heard a warning signal, sounded the alarm, and spotted the approaching attackers before rushing to inform Gu Jingang.
• Gu Jingang quickly assembled sixteen heavily armored warriors and led the village’s defenders out to meet the raiders.
• Lu Ming’s force reached the village after encountering traps and found Gu Jingang’s defenders, including the armored warriors, ready for battle.

Gu Sheng secretly supported Gu Family Village with deadly archery while Gu Jingang revealed his Blood Refining Realm major completion strength and turned back the Lu Family and Black Sand Gang's attack. The attackers retreated after Third Brother sacrificed himself, and Gu Family Village celebrated its victory with no deaths.

• Lu Ming led the attackers against Gu Family Village, but Gu Sheng's hidden arrows killed and wounded them while protecting the villagers.
• Gu Jingang revealed his Blood Refining Realm major completion strength and overwhelmed Third Brother and Lu Ming when Third Brother tried to hunt down Gu Sheng.
• Lu Ming ordered a retreat, and Third Brother stayed behind to hold Gu Jingang back before Gu Jingang killed him.
• Gu Changming halted the pursuit, and Gu Family Village counted its wounded and celebrated having suffered no deaths.
• Gu Sheng emerged from hiding and received the villagers' gratitude for his archery, while Gu Jingang privately knew Gu Sheng was stronger than him.

Gu Sheng helped Gu Family Village repel an attack by the Lu Family and Black Sand Gang, then intercepted and killed the fleeing attackers to learn that they were part of a wider purge of Liu Yuanhu’s forces. As Canghe County came under attack, Liu Yuanhu ordered Gu Jingang’s people to join the defense of Blackwater Town.

• Gu Family Village identified Lu Family and Black Sand Gang fighters among the attackers, and Gu Jingang sent Gu Dajiang to seek help from Liu Yuanhu.
• Gu Sheng followed Lu Ming and the surviving attackers, then killed Lu Ming with one axe strike while wearing his Hundred Refinements Heavy Armor.
• Gu Sheng slaughtered the remaining fighters, questioned two survivors, and learned that the Black Sand Gang and allied families were attacking Liu Yuanhu’s forces across the county.
• Gu Sheng concluded the Lu Family was a suitable target, gathered the attackers’ weapons, buried the bodies, and left the mountain forest.
• Gu Dajiang reached Canghe County and learned that several settlements had been attacked; news then arrived that Blackwater Town was under assault.
• Liu Yuanhu ordered his forces to reinforce Blackwater Town and told Gu Dajiang to have Gu Jingang bring men there.

Gu Sheng attacked and destroyed a Lu Family stronghold while Liu Yuanhu and the Black Sand Gang traded blows over Canghe County. The chapter ended with Lu Kong learning that Lu Dazhi’s outpost had been wiped out.

• Liu Yuanhu rushed to Blackwater Town after Zhao Honglie’s raid and vowed to retaliate against the Black Sand Gang and the great families.
• Gu Sheng killed the guards at the Lu Family’s hidden outpost, set its wooden houses ablaze, and fought his way toward Lu Dazhi’s pavilion.
• Gu Jingang arrived at burning Blackwater Town and helped extinguish the flames, while Liu Yuanhu promised support for his allies and ordered reprisals against the families opposing him.
• Zhao Honglie celebrated the raid with the great families, but Lu Kong grew anxious when Lu Ming and the other Lu Family fighters failed to return.
• A bloodied martial artist reported to Lu Kong that everyone at Lu Dazhi’s stronghold had been killed.

After Gu Sheng destroyed a Lu Family stronghold and helped repel the attack on Gu Family Village, Canghe County descended into escalating conflict between Liu Yuanhu and the Black Sand Gang. As Gu Sheng continued cultivating and waited to reach the Bone Refining Realm, Gu Xiaojiang broke through to the Blood Refining Realm.

• A Lu Family survivor reported that the Lu Family stronghold had been massacred, and Zhao Honglie later learned that half the forces sent to Gu Family Village were lost and Lu Ming's group had disappeared; Lu Kong collapsed under the news.
• Gu Sheng counted the wealth, medicines, and manuals he had looted from the Lu Family stronghold and resolved to cultivate quickly before the conflict spread further.
• Liu Yuanhu executed captured family members and Black Sand Gang associates at Canghe County's city gates, while the rival family heads watched from outside and vowed revenge.
• Liu Yuanhu stationed forces near Gu Family Village, and the Black Sand Gang and Liu Yuanhu's forces began trading attacks as the county's conflict grew more violent.
• Gu Xiaojiang broke through to the Blood Refining Realm and hurried to Gu Sheng's courtyard with the news.

Gu Xiaojiang broke through to the Blood Refining Realm, while Gu Sheng secretly advanced to the Copper Bone Realm and chose to wait for Liu Yuanhu and Zhao Honglie to fight. At the Black Sand Gang headquarters, Zhao Qingcheng warned Zhao Honglie that Mo Chen had disappeared from Chiyun Prefecture City and might have come to Canghe County.

• Gu Xiaojiang visited Gu Sheng and Gu Jingang to announce his breakthrough to the Blood Refining Realm, cheering them with the news.
• Gu Jingang asked whether Gu Sheng would reveal his strength to Gu Xiaojiang, and Gu Sheng said he would wait until the time was right.
• As violence spread across Canghe County and Gu Family Village endured another probing attack, Gu Sheng broke through to the Bone Refining Realm and reached the Copper Bone Realm.
• Gu Sheng decided to remain hidden and wait for Liu Yuanhu and Zhao Honglie to commit their forces to a decisive battle.
• Zhao Qingcheng told Zhao Honglie that Mo Chen had vanished from public view and might have secretly entered Canghe County, alarming the Black Sand Gang leaders.

Zhao Honglie revealed that he held Zhang Guangqun’s hidden son and planned to use him to force Zhang Guangqun to poison Liu Yuanhu’s side and open the city gates. Meanwhile, Liu Yuanhu held a banquet and praised Zhang Guangqun, then kept him behind and asked how long he had served him.

• Zhao Honglie told the allied patriarchs that Mo Chen’s arrival was still uncertain, then disclosed that he had Zhang Guangqun’s son in his hands.
• Zhao Honglie announced a plan to make Zhang Guangqun poison Liu Yuanhu’s forces and open the gates in three days, prompting the patriarchs to rally behind him.
• Liu Yuanhu hosted a banquet for his experts, whose confidence was bolstered by Mo Chen’s arrival and the county city’s defenses.
• Zhang Guangqun praised Liu Yuanhu and received public recognition for his years of service.
• After the banquet, Liu Yuanhu kept Zhang Guangqun behind and asked how many years he had followed him.

Liu Yuanhu exposed Zhang Guangqun’s coerced betrayal and enlisted him in a plan to lure Zhao Honglie’s alliance into Cangyun County City. The Zhao and Lu families entered the apparently abandoned city to loot it, and the chapter ended as they charged toward noises in the county lieutenant’s rear courtyard.

• Liu Yuanhu confronted Zhang Guangqun over the Blood-Locking Powder, learned Zhao Honglie had threatened Zhang’s son, and stopped Zhang from killing himself by promising to rescue the boy.
• Liu Yuanhu told Zhang to proceed with the betrayal as planned, while he and Mo Chen prepared to use the city as bait and trap Zhao Honglie’s forces.
• Zhang killed the death-row prisoners posing as guards and fired a signal arrow, prompting Zhao Honglie to march on Cangyun County City with the Zhao and Lu families.
• Zhang recovered his son from Zhao Honglie’s men and refused an offer to join the Black Sand Gang, while the Zhao and Lu families entered the city and looted its empty homes.
• Zhao Qingcheng grew suspicious and withdrew toward the gates, but Zhao Dezhi mocked the hesitant Lu family and led both groups into the county lieutenant’s residence.
• The Zhao and Lu families heard noises from the rear courtyard, and Zhao Dezhi led the charge as Lu Kong ordered his men to attack.

Liu Yuanhu’s trap devastated the Lu and Zhao families’ forces inside Canghe City, while Zhao Qingcheng and Zhao Honglie withdrew after discovering the ambush. Liu Yuanhu and Mo Chen pursued the fleeing enemies, leaving the battle continuing outside the city.

• Lu Kong led the Lu Family into the county lieutenant’s residence, where he discovered Liu Yuanhu and Mo Chen waiting and realized Zhang Guangqun had lured them into a trap.
• Liu Yuanhu revealed his ambush, and archers slaughtered most of the Lu and Zhao Family fighters as they tried to flee.
• Zhao Qingcheng withdrew his family from the city, while Zhao Honglie sent Niu Zidong to investigate and then ordered the Black Sand Gang to retreat.
• Niu Zidong escaped the courtyard and warned Zhao Honglie that Liu Yuanhu and Mo Chen were there, while Liu Yuanhu’s men killed Lu Kong and the remaining fighters.
• Liu Yuanhu and Mo Chen pursued Zhao Honglie’s retreating forces, and Mo Chen challenged Liu Yuanhu to an archery contest for a bottle of Hundred Flowers Brew.

Mo Chen and Liu Yuanhu drove the Black Sand Gang and its allies from Canghe County, while Zhao Honglie prepared a counterattack using heavy armor and Boiling Blood Pills. As Zhao Honglie left the Secret Chamber with the black seed, a hidden Fire Worship Cult representative appeared and identified himself.

• Mo Chen and Liu Yuanhu shot down numerous fighters as the Black Sand Gang and aristocratic families retreated from Canghe County.
• Liu Yuanhu celebrated the victory with his allies, while Zhao Honglie berated his subordinates for failing to capture Zhang Guangqun.
• Zhao Honglie proposed attacking the county’s towns and revealed that the Black Sand Gang had 220 sets of heavy armor and more than 800 Boiling Blood Pills.
• Zhao Honglie agreed to give the aristocratic families 80 sets of heavy armor, then took the wooden box containing the black seed from the Secret Chamber.
• A concealed fat man entered the Black Sand Gang headquarters, and Zhao Honglie recognized him as a representative of the Fire Worship Cult.

Qian Jin recruited Zhao Honglie and agreed to help the Black Sand Gang hold off Mo Chen in exchange for a pledge of loyalty, while Gu Sheng suspected that Gu Family Village would be attacked. As night fell, the Black Sand Gang prepared to move against the village.

• Qian Jin accused Zhao Honglie of killing Fire Worship Cult members and stealing their pills, but Zhao Honglie denied responsibility and pledged the Black Sand Gang's loyalty.
• Qian Jin demanded that Zhao Honglie take Canghe County and accepted more than twenty thousand taels to help hold off Mo Chen.
• Liu Yuanhu sent Zhang Guangqun with reinforcements and heavy armor to defend Qianhe Town against a possible Black Sand Gang attack.
• Gu Sheng warned Gu Xiaojiang that the Black Sand Gang would retaliate, then told Gu Erniu to keep his family inside that night.
• After night fell, a Black Sand Gang subordinate told the Hall Master that it was time to make their move.

The Black Sand Gang attacked Gu Family Village under Wang Tiansheng, but Gu Sheng revealed his Bone Refining Realm strength and turned the battle with his archery and kicks. The fight remained unresolved when a powerful beast roared from deep within Cang Mountain, stopping both sides.

• Wang Tiansheng led fifty Black Sand Gang fighters in an armored assault on Gu Family Village, but a village trap triggered the alarm and brought Gu Jingang and the others to defend it.
• Gu Sheng shot down several armored Skin Refining stage attackers, forcing Wang Tiansheng to send two lesser Blood Refining Realm fighters after him.
• Gu Sheng lured the two pursuers into his courtyard, then revealed his Bone Refining Realm strength and killed both with kicks that crushed their helmets.
• Gu Sheng used an armor-piercing arrow to save Gu Dajiang from a fatal blow, then rejoined the battle as the fighters struggled to gain the advantage.
• A tremendous beast roar from deep within Cang Mountain made both sides stop fighting.

Gu Sheng helped Gu Family Village repel the Black Sand Gang as a Bone Refining Realm demonic tiger drove wild beasts out of Cang Mountain. Liu Honglie planned to hunt the tiger and block the village’s appeal for help, while Qian Jin arrived at the gang headquarters.

• Gu Sheng recognized the tiger’s roar and considered capturing the demonic tiger for its valuable materials and pills.
• Wang Tiansheng ordered the Black Sand Gang to retreat as the demonic tiger’s roar and the panicked beasts disrupted the battle at Gu Family Village.
• Gu Jingang and the villagers fought the beasts until dawn, then worried that the tiger and Liu Honglie posed a greater threat.
• Liu Honglie ordered Niu Zidong to prepare an armored force to hunt the demonic tiger, promising that a Bone Refining Realm ally would join them.
• Liu Honglie used Qian Jin’s communication device, and Qian Jin appeared at the Black Sand Gang headquarters through a shadow technique.

Zhao Honglie recruited Qian Jin to help the Black Sand Gang hunt a tiger demon in Cang Mountain, while Gu Sheng entered the mountain separately to prepare for danger. Qian Jin and Niu Zidong found a Fanged Blood Tiger and forced the gang members to fight it, but the tiger leaped over them and pounced toward Niu Zidong.

• Zhao Honglie offered Qian Jin sixty percent of the gains to lead a squad against the tiger demon, and Qian Jin agreed.
• Niu Zidong led the Black Sand Gang into Cang Mountain through Li Family Fort after Zhao Honglie slipped him a black stone.
• After returning wounded to Gu Family Village, Gu Changming found the village cut off, while Gu Jingang organized defenses and Gu Sheng entered Cang Mountain in his armor.
• After three days of searching, Qian Jin and Niu Zidong discovered a Fanged Blood Tiger eating a wild boar in a forest clearing.
• Qian Jin shoved Niu Zidong toward the tiger, and the Fanged Blood Tiger battered him before the Black Sand Gang attacked under Niu Zidong's orders.
• The Fanged Blood Tiger fought off the gang members, then leaped over them and pounced toward Niu Zidong.