Chapter Summaries

Mo Yun and Zhao Gang waited to join a rent-collection trip while Zhao Gang explained how Crouching Tiger Manor controlled the region through its land and leases. As the third-class guards finally arrived, Mo Yun realized his pill dao had reached the initiated stage and considered his progress toward future breakthroughs.

• Zhao Gang explained that Crouching Tiger Manor leased its forests, hot springs, lake, and farmland to nearby communities for substantial rent.
• Zhao Gang asked Mo Yun to spar, and Mo Yun agreed to fight him during morning practice the next day.
• While waiting at the south gate, Mo Yun studied pill-making and advanced his pill dao from uninitiated to initiated.
• Mo Yun checked his White Mark, estimated that it had gained five percent, and calculated his remaining time before the third-class guard promotion assessment.
• The third-class guards arrived to take Mo Yun and Zhao Gang down the mountain to collect rent.

Mo Yun and Zhao Gang joined Zhou Tieshan, Sun Yi, and Wang Daniu to collect rent, but Blackstone Stronghold’s people surrounded them with iron hammers as soon as its gates opened. The group faced an unexplained confrontation, with Zhou Tieshan and the others preparing for a fight.

• Zhou Tieshan introduced Sun Yi and Wang Daniu to Mo Yun and Zhao Gang before leading the group down the mountain to collect rent.
• Zhou Tieshan warned Mo Yun and Zhao Gang that the people of Blackstone Stronghold were fierce, united, and dangerous to provoke.
• The group reached Blackstone Stronghold, where a crowd of armed men suddenly poured through the gates and surrounded them.
• Zhou Tieshan reached for his saber, Sun Yi surveyed the crowd, and Wang Daniu moved toward his hammers as the standoff threatened to turn violent.

Mo Yun stopped Blackie from killing Zhou Tieshan after the people of Blackstone Stronghold suddenly turned violent. Xu Zhenyue revealed that the miners had uncovered a strange stone coffin, and Zhou Tieshan hurried back to the Mountain Manor.

• Xu Zhenyue pleaded for more time to pay Blackstone Stronghold’s rent, but Zhou Tieshan refused and warned that the Crouching Tiger Manor would reclaim the ore vein.
• Blackie attacked Zhou Tieshan with his hammer, and Mo Yun knocked Blackie and his hammer away with a single punch.
• Xu Zhenyue calmed the agitated residents, who could not remember why they had become violent, and Zhou Tieshan suspected they had been influenced by something strange.
• Xu Zhenyue said the miners had dug up a strange stone coffin, and Zhou Tieshan ordered his men to return to the Mountain Manor.

After discovering signs of a demon at Blackstone Stronghold, Zhou Tieshan led the group back to the Mountain Manor to report the danger. On the way, he explained what he knew about demons, then was stunned when Mo Yun revealed he had reached Mid Bright Strength.

• Zhou Tieshan told Sun Yi that Blackstone Stronghold might have encountered a demon, and warned Wang Daniu not to rush back to fight it.
• Zhou Tieshan thanked Mo Yun for saving his life and promised to repay him whenever he needed help.
• Mo Yun asked Zhou Tieshan about demons, and Zhou Tieshan explained their tiers, human-eating habits, common traits, and varied weaknesses.
• Zhou Tieshan said demons had begun appearing more often as order collapsed and the imperial court struggled to respond.
• Zhou Tieshan asked whether Mo Yun had reached Late Bright Strength, and Mo Yun revealed he was at Mid Bright Strength, leaving Zhou Tieshan stunned.

After Mo Yun explained his strength, Zhou Tieshan reported the suspected mind-controlling demon at Blackstone Stronghold to Qin Hu and Commander Li. Commander Li led a group toward the mine to confront it, leaving Qin Hu to strengthen the Mountain Manor's patrols.

• Mo Yun told Zhou Tieshan that his Tiger-Crouching Fist had reached major mastery and credited his strength to diligent training.
• Wang Daniu arranged to spar with Mo Yun the next morning, while Zhao Gang backed out after realizing how wide the gap between them had become.
• Zhou Tieshan described Blackstone Stronghold's strange villagers, Blackie's attack, and the stone coffin at the mine to Qin Hu.
• Qin Hu judged the suspected mind-controlling demon dangerous and took the group to seek Commander Li's decision.
• Commander Li decided to attack the demon before it grew stronger, ordered Qin Hu to reinforce patrols, and set out with Zhou Tieshan, Sun Yi, Wang Daniu, Mo Yun, and Zhao Gang.

Commander Li led the Crouching Tiger Manor party to investigate a demon in Blackstone Stronghold’s mine, while Xu Zhenyue described the coffin and disappearances linked to it. The party headed toward the mine after Commander Li identified the threat as a weak Corpse Charm.

• Blackstone Stronghold’s people begged Commander Li to spare them, but he said the party had returned to investigate the mine rather than punish them.
• Xu Zhenyue led Commander Li and the others toward Rear Mountain and explained that miners had uncovered a cold, carved stone coffin six days earlier.
• Xu Zhenyue reported that quarrels had increased and three people, including his sixteen-year-old grandnephew, had disappeared after the coffin was unearthed.
• Commander Li identified the demon as a Corpse Charm that manipulated people’s minds and secretly devoured its victims.
• Blackie realized a demon had influenced his earlier attack and felt grateful to Mo Yun for stopping him; Commander Li asked whether the coffin was still in the mine.

Commander Li and Mo Yun entered the mine to destroy a Corpse Charm, but found the coffin empty and were ambushed by Xu Zhenyue and the charm’s controlled victims. Mo Yun’s Tiger’s Roar in the Mountains Intent broke the miners’ enchantment, and he pointed Commander Li toward the fleeing Corpse Charm as the Black Seal began glowing intensely.

• Commander Li led Mo Yun, Xu Zhenyue, and the others into the mine, where he smashed the stone coffin and found only black powder inside.
• Xu Zhenyue attacked Commander Li, while the Corpse Charm’s eerie laughter drove the group into a frenzy and made them attack him.
• Commander Li knocked down the controlled fighters but was surrounded by twenty or thirty possessed miners emerging from the tunnels.
• Mo Yun sprang up and used his Tiger’s Roar in the Mountains Intent to incapacitate the miners and free them from the charm’s control.
• Mo Yun told Commander Li that the Corpse Charm was escaping through the third tunnel on the right, then followed as the Black Seal began shining brightly.

Mo Yun and Commander Li confronted the injured second-tier Corpse Charm in the mine, and Commander Li killed it after a fierce fight. When Mo Yun touched its remains, the Black Seal absorbed the demon’s energy and gave him two Black Points, revealing that demons could be another source of points.

• Mo Yun and Commander Li found the wounded Corpse Charm in a cavern, where Mo Yun felt an intense yearning and the Black Seal on his wrist grew hot.
• The Corpse Charm lunged at Commander Li, who severed its claws and drove it back with his saber.
• Commander Li wore the Corpse Charm down and split it in half with a final strike, exhausting his force energy.
• Mo Yun touched the corpse despite Commander Li’s warning, and the Black Seal absorbed a ball of energy from the remains.
• The Black Seal filled twice and reset twice, awarding Mo Yun two Black Points as he supported Commander Li and concealed his excitement.

Mo Yun learned about demon cores and asked Commander Li to let him join future demon-clearing missions. After Commander Li cleared the Blackstone Stronghold residents of blame for the corpse charm’s attack, the party collected the rent and returned to the Manor with the stronghold’s gratitude.

• Mo Yun planned to build his strength and asked Commander Li about demon cores, learning that only Fourth Tier demons could form true ones and that corpse charm remains were poisonous.
• Mo Yun asked to join future demon-clearing missions, and Commander Li agreed but warned him to follow the dark force martial artists and never act alone.
• Commander Li reassured Zhou Tieshan, Sun Yi, Wang Daniu, Zhao Gang, and the Blackstone Stronghold fighters that the corpse charm had controlled them, then confirmed Blackstone Stronghold had not conspired with it.
• Commander Li ordered the mine sealed until the corpse charm’s remains and poison could be dealt with, then let the party leave for Blackstone Stronghold.
• Xu Zhenyue paid the rent with an extra ten percent, and the people of Blackstone Stronghold knelt to thank the party for saving them.
• The party bid farewell to Blackstone Stronghold and set out for the Mountain Manor.

After returning from Blackstone Stronghold, Mo Yun resolved to grow stronger by hunting demons and practicing at North Mountain, where training was said to be more effective. The next day, he sparred with Wang Daniu at the Martial Training Ground and defeated him in two moves, shocking the watching guards.

• Commander Li treated Mo Yun, Zhou Tieshan, Sun Yi, and Wang Daniu to a late-night feast, where Zhou Tieshan and Sun Yi thanked Mo Yun.
• Mo Yun practiced the Nameless Fist Technique, assessed the Black-and-White Seal, and resolved to seize chances to slay demons and train at North Mountain.
• The next morning, Mo Yun practiced before joining the other guards at the Martial Training Ground.
• Wang Daniu arrived and challenged Mo Yun to the sparring match he had promised.
• Mo Yun dodged Wang Daniu's first hammer strike, countered his second, and stopped a punch just short of his face, winning in two moves.

After defeating Wang Daniu in training, Mo Yun joined Zhou Tieshan, Sun Yi, Zhao Gang, and Wang Daniu on a rent-collecting trip to two impoverished villages. The group returned to the Mountain Manor in subdued silence, while Mo Yun resolved to visit his elder sister after the promotion assessment.

• Wang Daniu conceded defeat to Mo Yun, called him his big brother, and offered him homemade jerky.
• Qin Hu sent Mo Yun and Zhao Gang to collect rent from Zhang Family Village and Little Creek Village, and Wang Daniu joined them.
• Zhou Tieshan and Sun Yi accompanied the group to Zhang Family Village, where headman Zhang Youtian paid the rent and invited them to share a meal.
• Mo Yun and the others declined Zhang Youtian's invitation and continued to Little Creek Village, where its headman also paid the rent and invited them to eat.
• The group collected Little Creek Village's rent and headed back to the Mountain Manor in silence as Mo Yun worried about his elder sister and planned to visit her after the promotion assessment.

After returning to the Mountain Manor, Mo Yun visited North Mountain at night and discovered that its peculiar pressure improved his Tiger-Crouching Fist practice. He measured an efficiency gain of just over twenty percent at the mountain’s foot, then began testing the Nameless Fist Technique.

• Wang Daniu gave Mo Yun another packet of dried meat before leaving with Zhou Tieshan and Sun Yi.
• Mo Yun went to the foot of North Mountain and sensed that its pressure grew stronger toward the summit and stirred his force energy.
• Mo Yun concluded that North Mountain’s terrain resonated with the Tiger-Crouching Fist’s Tiger's Roar in the Mountains intent, but obeyed the rule forbidding him to climb it.
• Mo Yun practiced the Tiger-Crouching Fist at the mountain’s foot and found that the pressure helped his blood qi circulate and clarified his technique.
• Mo Yun estimated that practicing there improved his efficiency by a little over twenty percent, then began practicing the Nameless Fist Technique.

Mo Yun discovered that North Mountain boosted the Nameless Fist Technique and practiced it through the night, intent on growing stronger. An old man watched from the mountainside, recognized Mo Yun’s refined version of a trial technique he had created, and left to observe him further.

• Mo Yun tested the Nameless Fist Technique at North Mountain and found that it improved his blood qi circulation by just over twenty percent.
• Mo Yun practiced the technique with renewed determination, focused on becoming strong enough to survive in a world with demons.
• An old man hiding in a pine grove recognized Mo Yun’s fist technique as a refined version of his trial technique.
• The old man admired Mo Yun’s martial talent but decided to watch him longer before revealing himself.
• The old man quietly departed, reflecting that only a genius who matured could truly count as one.

Mo Yun spent seven days training and patrolling while preparing for the Third-Class Guard Examination, and encouraged Zhao Gang to take the test with him. At North Mountain, the Black Seal filled and gave him three black points, leaving him ready to advance his Tiger-Crouching Stance.

• Mo Yun and Zhao Gang returned to patrol duty and discussed taking the Third-Class Guard Examination in seven days.
• Mo Yun encouraged Zhao Gang to train hard and believe he could pass the examination.
• Liu Zhuang eagerly dragged Mo Yun off to patrol together.
• Over the next seven days, Mo Yun followed his routine, practiced the Nameless Fist Technique, and studied pill dao with Zhou Bo when he visited the Spirit Herb Garden.
• After morning practice at North Mountain, Mo Yun found that the Black Seal had filled and gained three black points.
• Mo Yun prepared to use the points to advance his Tiger-Crouching Stance and reach late Bright Strength.

Mo Yun spent three black points to reach late bright strength by mastering Tiger-Crouching Stance, greatly increasing his power and endurance. He discovered that Tiger-Crouching Force required one black point to initiate and then checked the cost of advancing Tiger-Crouching Fist.

• Mo Yun used three black points to master Tiger-Crouching Stance and break through to late bright strength.
• Mo Yun saw his constitution rise to 10.3 and his defense to 7.0, then tested his stronger Tiger-Crouching Fist techniques.
• Mo Yun found that the White Mark had filled to about forty percent and calculated that another sixty percent would earn him a white point.
• Mo Yun checked Tiger-Crouching Force and found that initiating it required one black point.
• Mo Yun focused on Tiger-Crouching Fist to find out how many points its next advancement would cost.

Mo Yun weighed how to spend his scarce black points and decided to focus on advancing Tiger-Crouching Force, while hoping for another demon-slaying mission to recharge the Black Seal. After morning training, he and Zhao Gang, Zhou Ping, and Li Wei set off to take the third-class guard promotion assessment.

• Mo Yun decided to save his black points for Tiger-Crouching Force because it would help him break through to dark force and strengthen his intent.
• Mo Yun headed down North Mountain for morning training, looking forward to the promotion assessment and the possibility of buying higher-grade pills as a third-class guard.
• Zhao Gang asked Mo Yun to take the assessment with him, and Zhou Ping and Li Wei joined them, agreeing to support one another.
• Liu Zhuang lamented that he would have to keep patrolling while the others pursued promotion.
• Qin Hu led morning training, then encouraged Mo Yun, Zhao Gang, Zhou Ping, and Li Wei as they left for the Manor Guard Administration to take the assessment.

Mo Yun arrived at the Manor Guard Administration for the Third-Class Guard assessment and sized up the other candidates. He found two late bright strength rivals, Huang Shan and Huang Wenjie, and the assessment was about to begin.

• Mo Yun, Zhao Gang, Zhou Ping, and Li Wei arrived at the assessment grounds, where more than twenty guards gathered.
• Mo Yun judged that most candidates were at mid bright strength and thought none of them could last an exchange against him.
• Huang Wenjie arrived with a late bright strength aura, and Mo Yun recognized him as a formidable rival.
• Huang Shan arrived, and Zhao Gang told Mo Yun she was a late bright strength swordswoman who could be a tough opponent.
• Mo Yun said he hoped Huang Shan and Huang Wenjie could last three exchanges against him, leaving Zhao Gang stunned.
• Zhao Gang questioned Mo Yun about sensing Huang Wenjie's aura from far away, and Mo Yun claimed he had only guessed before wondering why he could sense auras so easily.

Mo Yun discovered that raising his life value had sharpened his perception of mystic energy, then stunned Commander Li and the other guards by revealing he had reached late Bright Strength. The cultivation test ended with everyone qualifying, and the assessment moved on to actual combat.

• Mo Yun realized that he could use faint mystic energy particles to sense other people's cultivation auras.
• Commander Li explained that the promotion assessment had a cultivation test and an actual-combat round, with four promotion slots.
• Huang Shan and Huang Wenjie both demonstrated late Bright Strength during the cultivation test.
• Mo Yun released a powerful, condensed aura that revealed he had reached late Bright Strength, shocking Commander Li, Huang Wenjie, and Huang Shan.
• Commander Li recorded Mo Yun's cultivation and announced the start of the actual-combat round.

Mo Yun dominated the combat assessment with a series of one-punch victories, while Huang Wenjie and Huang Shan also advanced through their matches. The final four were decided, and Zhao Gang surrendered to Mo Yun before Huang Wenjie and Huang Shan began their closely matched fight.

• Commander Li explained the elimination rules, including the chance for eliminated contestants to challenge the final four, and began the lottery-based assessment.
• Mo Yun defeated Zhao Hai with one punch, while Huang Wenjie and Huang Shan won their first-round matches; Zhao Gang narrowly advanced.
• Mo Yun again won with one punch in the second and third rounds, while Huang Wenjie and Huang Shan advanced and Zhao Gang drew two byes in a row.
• Mo Yun, Zhao Gang, Huang Wenjie, and Huang Shan became the final four, and Zhao Gang surrendered when paired against Mo Yun.
• Mo Yun encouraged Zhao Gang to do his best as the battle between Huang Wenjie and Huang Shan began.

Mo Yun defeated Huang Shan with one punch to win the guard selection, while Huang Wenjie and Zhao Gang also secured promotion. Commander Li told Mo Yun that his first-place finish would likely earn him an additional reward from the Village Master the next day.

• Huang Shan defeated Huang Wenjie with a precise thrust, advancing to face Mo Yun in the deciding battle.
• Mo Yun shattered Huang Shan's Thirteen Falling Snow Forms with one punch, and she accepted his help to stand before resolving to train harder.
• The manor guards dubbed Mo Yun the "One-Punch Manor Guard," while Huang Wenjie admitted the gap between them was too great.
• Zhao Gang survived two challenges and secured one of the four promotion places alongside Mo Yun, Huang Shan, and Huang Wenjie.
• Commander Li told Mo Yun that the Village Master would likely give him an extra reward for taking first place, and Mo Yun was surprised by the bonus.