Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Xu Tong agrees to let Huang Fei win the tournament final in exchange for a meeting with Huang Qi and the champion’s prizes. He deliberately steps off the platform, and Huang Fei is declared the winner.
• Old Man Quan is angry that Xu Tong lost the five thousand taels he bet on him. Xu Tong admits the loss was intentional and persuades Quan to help Geng Shu reach Heavenly Dao Lake, raising his offer until Quan agrees for 150,000 taels.
• Xu Tong explains that Geng Shu’s poison has entered her meridians and that she needs the lake’s help to be detoxified. Quan says he is agreeing for her sake, though he insists on the payment.
• Xu Tong goes to meet Huang Fei, who brings the tournament prizes: the Marrow-Washing Pill, Qi-Training Armor, and Green Mist Sword. Xu Tong discovers the sword was designed for a woman and learns the armor is made from dark iron, doubles as training equipment, and contains a spiritual-qi mechanism.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong shows strategic restraint and a willingness to sacrifice public victory for his priorities. He is confident, humorous, and uses money freely to get Quan’s help.
• Huang Fei keeps his promise, accepts the arranged victory, and hands over the prizes. He explains the tournament’s hastily organized venue and rewards.
• Old Man Quan initially refuses to go to Heavenly Dao Lake, but his concern for Geng Shu and Xu Tong’s escalating offer eventually win him over.
• Geng Shu is relieved that Quan agrees to help and prepares to leave with Xu Tong.
• Geng Shu’s friends and spectators react with disbelief to Xu Tong’s effortless-looking defeat; Old Man Quan suspects he threw the match, and Geng Shu confirms it.

Significant themes

• Pragmatism over prestige: Xu Tong gives up the title and prize recognition to advance more important plans.
• Money and persuasion: Xu Tong’s escalating bribes reveal how readily financial incentives can overcome reluctance.
• Promises and trust: Huang Fei honors his agreement, while Xu Tong assures Quan he will pay.
• Appearance versus reality: Xu Tong’s apparent defeat is deliberate, and the seemingly ordinary armor contains unusual properties.

Plot points and events

• Xu Tong puts on the Qi-Training Armor, which can weigh more than three thousand pounds. It nearly crushes him through the carriage, but he uses the Ultimate Intent Body Technique, qi, and spiritual power to stand and move.
• He trains in the armor during the journey, falling repeatedly before managing to fly slowly. The strain improves his control of the technique.
• Xu Tong and Huang Fei reach the Li Family estate. Li Junyi, still recovering from their previous fight, apologizes for his earlier arrogance and acknowledges Xu Tong’s strength.
• Xu Tong reveals that Huang Fei—not he—won the tournament. Li Junyi recognizes Huang Fei and proposes sparring with him, leaving Huang Fei privately uneasy.
• Xu Tong offers to consider Li Junyi as a disciple, on the condition that he reach mid-tier martial-artist level within two months. Li Junyi accepts enthusiastically.
• Xu Tong says he is based in Azure City, within cultivator territory, and tells Li Junyi to seek him out if he wants to settle their score. He then departs to visit the Huang Family.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong shows exceptional discipline, willingly enduring extreme physical strain to improve. He takes a direct interest in Li Junyi’s growth, while making clear that becoming his disciple must be earned.
• Li Junyi has moved from arrogance and resentment to respect and ambition. Though injured, he eagerly accepts Xu Tong’s challenge and refuses to be intimidated by the prospect of cultivator territory.
• Huang Fei remains practical and cautious, repeatedly questioning Xu Tong’s punishing training methods. His tournament victory surprises Li Junyi, but the prospect of sparring with him makes him uncomfortable.
• Li Yifei is pleased by the possibility of Xu Tong mentoring Li Junyi and respectfully escorts him out.

Significant themes

• Discipline through hardship: Xu Tong treats the armor’s crushing weight as a training opportunity rather than an obstacle.
• Humility and growth: Li Junyi’s defeat prompts him to recognize his shortcomings and commit to improving.
• Ambition and open horizons: Xu Tong challenges Li Junyi not to limit himself by assuming martial artists are inferior to cultivators.
• Mentorship earned through effort: Xu Tong’s potential offer of discipleship depends on measurable progress, not merely enthusiasm or deference.

Key plot points and events

• Xu Tong leaves the Li Family after encouraging Li Junyi to pursue his ambitions. Li Yifei and Junyi conclude that Xu Tong is far more powerful—and mysterious—than he appears, and suspect he deliberately lost his earlier fight with Huang Fei.
• Li Yifei urges Junyi to reach at least Saint Martial before Xu Tong returns. Junyi aims higher: to become the greatest martial artist on the Primordial Continent.
• On the way to the Huang residence, Xu Tong tells Huang Fei that his inability to cultivate is not caused by damaged meridians; the obstacle lies in Huang Fei’s own unwillingness. Xu Tong believes Huang Fei has an exceptional spiritual root, but a personal “heart demon” prevents him from accepting it.
• Huang Fei brings his younger brother, Huang Qi, to meet Xu Tong. Xu Tong tests Huang Qi with increasingly powerful attacks, but Huang Qi remains unharmed and refuses to retaliate.
• Huang Qi explains that Xu Tong still has not shown his full strength. Xu Tong realizes Huang Qi is exceptionally strong—beyond an Innate Grandmaster—and has finally found someone who can match him.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Junyi shows ambition and determination; Li Yifei believes Junyi is the key to the Li Family’s future.
• Huang Fei is anxious about being challenged but perceptive and willing to seek help. His cultivation problem is revealed as psychological rather than physical.
• Huang Qi appears calm, resilient, and unusually formidable. His reluctance to fight remains unexplained, though he recognizes when an opponent is holding back.
• Xu Tong acts as mentor and tester: he pushes Li Junyi’s ambitions, diagnoses Huang Fei’s blockage, and probes Huang Qi’s strength. His own power and hidden depth become clearer.

Significant themes

• Courage and ambition: Xu Tong argues that success begins with daring, while Junyi embraces an unusually lofty goal.
• Inner obstacles: Huang Fei’s potential is trapped by his own refusal to confront the truth.
• Hidden power and restraint: Xu Tong, Huang Fei, and Huang Qi all conceal abilities or potential, making appearances unreliable.
• Testing through action: Xu Tong and Huang Qi assess one another in combat, each recognizing that the other has not yet revealed everything.

• The fight escalates: Xu Tong attacks Huang Qi, who initially avoids fighting back. Frustrated, Xu Tong strikes him hard enough to smash him into a mountain and threatens to kill him unless he responds. Huang Qi eventually retaliates, blasting apart the surrounding rock and sending Xu Tong crashing into another mountain.
• A decisive clash—and a pause: Once both agree to keep the fight between themselves, they charge and trade a single punch. The impact splits the earth, stirs up a lake, and changes the weather; both are bloodied and injured. Huang Fei’s alarm finally prompts them to stop before they further endanger the area and its townspeople. They agree to fight again somewhere safer.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong is exhilarated to find someone who can hurt him and pushes Huang Qi to fight back. He admits he was trying to provoke a real contest, not harm bystanders, and later realizes that the battle has improved his movement even while wearing heavy Qi-Training Armor. He thanks Huang Fei for intervening.
• Huang Qi reveals that he held back because he did not want innocent people caught in their fight. Though the battle looked even, he judges it a loss: Xu Tong was restricted by armor weighing over three thousand jin, while Huang Qi himself was injured. He resolves to train and win next time.
• Huang Fei tries to protect the area and later jokes that Xu Tong and Huang Qi seem more like brothers than he and Huang Qi. He also announces that, as the coming head of the Huang Family, he will abolish restrictions against the Branch Family, so Huang Qi can approach him freely.
• Xu Tong returns to South Red City, eager to continue his cultivation journey, and excitedly tells Geng Shu he has found a worthy opponent. Geng Shu responds with bemusement rather than sharing his enthusiasm.
  Significant themes: The chapter presents combat as a source of growth and mutual respect, while emphasizing restraint and responsibility: strength should not come at the expense of innocent people. It also highlights humility and perseverance, as Huang Qi openly acknowledges defeat and commits to improving.

Key events

• Xu Tong admits he is frustrated by always winning and welcomes the prospect of a real challenge. He gives Geng Shu the Green Mist Sword, revealing that he deliberately threw the tournament match to obtain it from Huang Fei.
• He also shows off the Qi-Training Armor, whose dark-iron construction lets its weight increase up to roughly 40,000–50,000 jin.
• Xu Tong explains that he fought Huang Qi of the Huang family to a draw while wearing the armor. He suspects Huang Qi held back and is eager to train before they meet again.
• Old Man Quan says Geng Shu can use the defensive technique Tender as Water to draw in spiritual power and cleanse toxins. With enough progress, it may restore her body without Heavenly Dao Lake.
• Xu Tong keeps the Marrow-Washing Pill in reserve, concerned that using it could undo Geng Shu’s recent progress. He also worries Old Man Quan’s ties to Heavenly Dao Lake may prevent them from entering unless they uncover the truth.
• At dawn, the three leave South Red City. After several days on the road, they near Hongwu City, a martial-artist stronghold with resources and fighting arenas. Though it is not on their route, Xu Tong suggests visiting.
• Old Man Quan warns that Hongwu City is hostile toward cultivators, then reveals that he knows the pair are cultivators.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong shows a less aloof, more openly competitive side. His encounter with Huang Qi gives him a genuine rival and a reason to push himself. He is also generous toward Geng Shu, while carefully weighing how best to help her.
• Geng Shu accepts the sword and commits to training Tender as Water, hoping it can heal her and spare her the need for Heavenly Dao Lake.
• Old Man Quan proves to be both a martial arts and medical expert, but his connection to Heavenly Dao Lake remains mysterious. He teases Xu Tong, agrees to guide Geng Shu, and openly confronts the others about their cultivation.
• The three share an easy, teasing rapport, but Old Man Quan’s final warning introduces tension about the risks of entering Hongwu City.

Significant themes

• The need for challenge: Xu Tong finds effortless victory empty and is energized by meeting someone near his strength.
• Healing and sacrifice: Geng Shu’s recovery may depend on mastering a technique, while Xu Tong must decide whether to preserve the pill that could help her.
• Hidden motives and trust: Old Man Quan’s past and connection to Heavenly Dao Lake remain unclear, as does what awaits the cultivators in Hongwu City.
• Strength and social order: The Southern Region is described as governed by power, with the strong claiming more and the weak less.

Plot points and events

• Old Man Quan explains how he recognized Xu Tong and Geng Shu as Cultivators: unlike Martial Artists, Cultivators hiding their strength need not open their meridians in the same way. He says he has no reason to expose them and warns Xu Tong not to pry into his own past.
• Quan advises them to seal their cultivation completely so they can enter Hongwu City unnoticed. Xu Tong seals both his and Geng Shu’s cultivation, and the three travel to the city.
• A guard checks visitors with a Spiritual Power Mirror that distinguishes Martial Artists from Cultivators. Their sealed cultivation lets them pass.
• Hongwu City proves enormous and lavish, far beyond South Red City. The group plans to find lodging, eat, and visit its famed arena.
• Quan cautions that arena opponents will be stronger than those they faced before. He estimates Xu Tong can defeat a Saint Martial fighter, while Geng Shu can beat an Innate Grandmaster and briefly withstand a Saint Martial opponent.
• Quan describes the arena’s indoor and aerial fighting areas, built to contain powerful duels, and explains that illusion-element spiritual power lets spectators watch without risking injury. He adds that spiritual power can involve elements beyond a person’s apparent affinity.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong suspects Quan may secretly be a Cultivator, since no one can sense his strength, but Quan refuses to discuss his past.
• Xu trusts Quan’s advice and seals his cultivation, though his enthusiasm for challenging stronger opponents remains undiminished.
• Geng Shu supports Quan’s suggestion and playfully warns him that Xu will keep taking risks. She also shows affection for being treated as Quan’s disciple.
• Quan acts as both guide and mentor: he knows Hongwu City well, assesses their abilities, and shows particular concern for Geng Shu.

Significant themes

• Strength over resentment: Quan argues that both cultivation paths ultimately pursue greater power, and that complaints about Cultivators’ strength come mainly from the weak.
• Concealment and trust: Sealing their cultivation helps the group avoid detection, while Quan’s hidden past and abilities create uncertainty.
• Ambition and risk: Xu enjoys testing himself against stronger opponents, even when the odds are poor.
• Power and perception: The mirror, arena safeguards, and elemental abilities show how spiritual power shapes both combat and public life.

Plot points and events

• Xu Tong learns that Spiritual Power can contain multiple elements and becomes eager to discover how many he can hold. Old Man Quan mocks his enthusiasm and remains oddly reluctant about their being in Hongwu City.
• The group settles into a luxurious inn, then explores the city’s nightly displays. Old Man Quan explains that Hongwu City’s dazzling lights and lively harbor are part of its everyday grandeur, not a special celebration.
• Although Old Man Quan hints that Xu Tong would rather visit the arena, Geng Shu persuades the group to go boating first. She enjoys the lanterns, night market, and decorated horses while Xu Tong watches fighters battling atop a glowing pillar.
• Old Man Quan identifies the fire-element fighter as Hongwu City’s strongest contender: a sixty-year-old Saint Martial expert who has remained undefeated for decades. Xu Tong treats him as a future goal, and learns that the city also has Divine Martial experts, who have no need to earn money in arenas.
• The next morning, Xu Tong explores the city alone. He finds few ordinary arenas; instead, many contests are life-and-death wagers decided by competing Spiritual Power. He has little interest in them and returns for breakfast.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong is increasingly curious about combining Spiritual Power elements and eager to test himself against powerful opponents. He notices Old Man Quan’s evasiveness but chooses not to confront him directly.
• Old Man Quan alternates between teasing Xu Tong and guiding the group around the city. His apparent discomfort with Xu Tong’s interest in the arena remains unexplained.
• Geng Shu is delighted by Hongwu City’s sights and prioritizes enjoying the lanterns and harbor over watching fights. She buys decorative souvenirs and keeps Xu Tong focused on sightseeing for the evening.
• The group’s differing interests—Xu Tong’s pursuit of challenge, Geng Shu’s enjoyment of the city, and Old Man Quan’s guarded behavior—shape their plans without producing open conflict.

Significant themes

• Ambition and self-testing: Xu Tong sees the undefeated contender as a target and wants to discover his own limits.
• Power and spectacle: The city turns elemental combat into public entertainment, blending martial prowess with fireworks and lanterns.
• Different paths to strength: The Spiritual Power contests contrast with Xu Tong’s preference for physical fighting and martial techniques.
• Hidden motives: Old Man Quan’s resistance to the arena suggests an unresolved concern about Xu Tong’s plans.

Plot and events

• Xu Tong, Geng Shu, and Old Man Quan visit Hongwu City’s underground arena. Old Man Quan, who had objected to going out at night, now makes no effort to stop them, deepening Xu Tong’s curiosity about his motives.
• The group pays the entrance deposit and splurges on VIP seats, refreshments, attendants, and a generous tip. They learn that even the maids are martial artists.
• They watch Yang Rufeng, a seemingly frail fighter with a 30-match winning streak, face the far more imposing Qian Ruan. Though badly outmatched, Yang withstands repeated attacks until Qian tires, then wins with a decisive strike.
• Yang’s next opponent is an Innate Grandmaster. Yang is again overwhelmed, but endures for a long time and wins by exhausting his opponent. Bloodied and spent, he still has another match scheduled. Geng Shu remarks that Yang may be the weakest in strength, yet marvels at his resilience.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong is puzzled by Old Man Quan’s changing attitude and becomes more interested in investigating him. He also questions how Yang could have such a long winning streak.
• Old Man Quan relaxes into the VIP experience, showing a love of comfort and curiosity about betting, while offering a worldly observation that unusual abilities can exist.
• Geng Shu jokes about the arena’s costly VIP services and is astonished by Yang’s endurance.
• Yang Rufeng is revealed to be far tougher than his appearance suggests: he survives through exceptional durability, patience, and timing rather than superior force.

Themes

• Appearance versus reality: Yang looks weak and has little apparent power, but his endurance makes him a formidable competitor.
• Resilience and willpower: Yang turns repeated punishment into an advantage, winning by outlasting stronger opponents.
• Strength beyond raw power: The fights show that stamina, toughness, and timing can overcome greater force.
• Wealth and spectacle: The arena monetizes status through VIP seats, attendants, food, and betting services.

Plot points and events

• The spectators debate whether to bet on Yang Rufeng, whose weak-looking Qi and ability to withstand punishment have carried him through six victories.
• Xiao Hong warns that his next opponent, Jin Yuelong, is an intermediate Saint Martial expert, last year’s champion, and the man who ended Yang’s six-match streak. Despite the warning, Geng Shu, Old Man Quan, and Xu Tong bet on Yang. Xu Tong stakes the most—50,000 taels—because he believes Yang may become his disciple.
• When the match begins, Yang abruptly reveals much greater power, raising his cultivation from Force-Transforming Grandmaster to Great Grandmaster and then Innate Grandmaster.
• Jin Yuelong attacks with a golden dragon that becomes a storm of needles. Yang avoids it by using Shadow-Escape, not the Earth-Escape Technique as some spectators assume. He emerges from Jin’s shadow and grabs his neck.
• An unseen attack of transparent Qi strikes Yang in the waist, allowing Jin to throw him. Xu Tong intervenes with a burst of Qi to give Yang a moment to recover. Yang immediately retaliates with a powerful kick to Jin’s face, accusing him of using dirty tricks.

Character development and interactions

• Yang Rufeng shifts from appearing exhausted and feeble to revealing concealed strength, skill, and determination. His conduct suggests he has been holding back.
• Xu Tong shows close observation and confidence in Yang. His intervention reveals that his support is more than a bet: he may be considering Yang as a disciple.
• Geng Shu and Old Man Quan initially weigh the risk but trust Xu Tong’s judgment and place substantial bets on Yang.
• Jin Yuelong, introduced as a celebrated, undefeated champion, loses confidence when Yang’s true strength emerges and relies on an attack from an unseen angle.
• Xiao Hong and the other attendants caution the guests about the odds, while the crowd strongly favors Jin before the fight turns.

Significant themes

• Appearances can deceive: Yang’s apparent weakness masks his strength and capabilities.
• Observation and judgment: Xu Tong sees clues others miss, both in Yang’s behavior and his use of Shadow-Escape.
• Fair play and concealed tactics: Jin’s invisible strike prompts Yang’s accusation of dirty tricks, while Xu Tong’s intervention complicates the match.
• Risk and confidence: The spectators’ bets reflect differing judgments about whether Yang can overcome a seemingly superior opponent.

Key plot points and events

• Yang Rufeng decisively defeats Jin Yuelong, a Saint Martial, after a dramatic series of blows. The crowd celebrates Yang’s victory.
• Xu Tong and the others notice Jin seemed unusually weak. The referee then reveals that Jin arranged outside assistance and is disqualified, stripped of his points, and permanently banned.
• The group learns how the tournament’s points and betting work: victories earn points redeemable for silver, and long winning streaks increase the payout. Contestants may also bet on themselves.
• Yang has a long winning streak and substantial points, but Xu Tong predicts he will lose his next match against Innate Grandmaster Wang Shuo.
• Despite his friends’ surprise, Xu stakes 100,000 taels on Wang Shuo, hinting he knows something they do not.

Character developments

• Yang Rufeng demonstrates formidable strength, defeating an opponent from a much higher level. His next match is cast into doubt by Xu Tong’s prediction.
• Jin Yuelong is exposed as weakened and dishonest. His former prestige as last year’s overall champion contrasts with his current decline and cheating.
• Xu Tong shows confidence and strategic insight, withholding his reasoning while making a very large wager against Yang.
• Geng Shu and Old Man Quan enjoy their betting success and trust Yang to keep winning, though Xu Tong’s warning unsettles them.
• Xiao Hong recalls Jin’s stronger showing the previous year and wonders what caused his decline.

Significant themes

• Pride and decline: Jin’s past success appears to have led to complacency, while neglecting training may have weakened him.
• Integrity and fair play: Cheating brings severe penalties, even for a high-ranking martial artist.
• Risk and strategy: The chapter explains how betting, points, and winning streaks reward confidence but also create significant stakes.
• Unequal knowledge: Xu Tong’s unexplained prediction sets up suspense around Yang’s next fight.

Character interactions

• Xu Tong, Geng Shu, and the others analyze Jin’s condition and discuss why he lost.
• Xiao Liu explains the tournament’s point and betting rules to Xu Tong’s group.
• Geng Shu and Old Man Quan celebrate their winnings and expect Yang to win again.
• Xu challenges that expectation, urges the group to bet on Wang Shuo, and places a large wager himself.

Key plot points

• Geng Shu and Old Man Quan follow Xu Tong’s advice and bet their winnings on Wang Shuo. Old Man Quan realizes the arena may be manipulating the betting frenzy: Yang Rufeng’s long winning streak has encouraged spectators to wager heavily, so his defeat would let the organizers keep much of the money.
• Wang Shuo overwhelms Yang Rufeng, though Yang fights hard and nearly turns the match around. Wang wins with a surprising technique involving foul smoke, fire, and lightning. The group collects a large payout as angry spectators complain.
• Xu Tong and his companions leave the arena. He tips the maids generously, prompting Geng Shu to do the same; Old Man Quan grumbles but follows.
• Xu Tong stays behind to approach Yang Rufeng, whom he had previously helped during a fight against Jin Yuelong. Yang explains that he works as an arena “shill,” winning matches himself for the organizers, because he needs money to live in Hongwu City and hopes to open a martial arts school.
• When Yang asks how he can repay Xu Tong, Xu says he wants to earn money too and asks how to work with the organizers.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong shows sharp judgment about the arena’s betting scheme and combines generosity with self-interest: he tips the workers, then pursues a business opportunity with Yang.
• Old Man Quan recognizes the organizers’ tactics from experience, while Geng Shu admits she had been too trusting. Both rely on Xu Tong’s advice.
• Yang Rufeng is revealed not as a fake fighter but as a capable, financially struggling martial artist with ambitions of founding a school. He treats Xu Tong with gratitude and courtesy.
• The companions share a light, familiar rapport: they joke about the arena, debate tipping, and accept that Xu Tong often acts independently.

Significant themes

• Gambling and manipulation: Spectators’ confidence in a winning streak can be exploited, and betting excitement clouds their judgment.
• Win-win arrangements: Xu Tong frames his past help to Yang as mutually beneficial and now looks for another opportunity that could serve both of them.
• Money and ambition: Yang’s financial hardship drives his work, while his dream of teaching martial arts gives that work a larger purpose.

Key plot points and events

• Yang Rufeng explains the arena organizers’ deal: fighters can sign on for a share of the profits, but the agreement only takes effect after thirty consecutive wins. He stopped short of pursuing a longer streak because the City Lord’s eldest disciple is due to arrive in twenty days.
• Yang reveals he fears he would kill the disciple, suggesting a serious personal grudge. Xu Tong recognizes Yang’s rare dark-element Spiritual Power and offers to take him as a disciple, promising to help with his revenge and other needs.
• Yang doubts Xu Tong’s ability, but agrees to become his disciple if Xu wins ten consecutive matches at the Strongest Arena. Yang insists that, if Xu is capable, he wants to learn to settle the blood feud himself.
• Xu accepts and enters the arena that night. To qualify, he has to raise his Qi to Great Grandmaster level. The arena’s prize system rewards victories, streaks, and defeating stronger opponents.
• Xu, Old Man Quan, and Geng Shu discuss betting on a thirty-win streak. A bystander mocks Xu’s ambition, and Old Man Quan angrily challenges the insult.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong is decisive and generous, offering Yang mentorship, money, and help with revenge. He is also confident enough to back his promise by entering the arena himself.
• Yang Rufeng remains proud and guarded, but Xu’s knowledge of his dark-element technique unsettles him. He accepts Xu’s challenge while making clear that he wants the strength to pursue his own revenge.
• Old Man Quan and Geng Shu support Xu by betting on him; Old Man Quan is especially enthusiastic and protective when someone doubts Xu.
• Xu and Yang’s exchange shifts from suspicion and provocation to a conditional agreement built on trust, though Yang’s trust is not yet complete.

Significant themes

• Mentorship and chosen family: Xu frames discipleship as a family bond, making another person’s problems his own.
• Revenge and personal responsibility: Yang wants help and training, but refuses to hand his blood feud over to someone else.
• Ambition and risk: The arena’s escalating rewards encourage fighters and bettors to gamble on increasingly unlikely streaks.
• Strength and pride: Both Xu and Yang test each other’s capability, while the final heckler’s taunt sets up Xu’s public challenge.

Key plot points and events

• Geng Shu and Old Man Quan pressure Zhou Er into betting on Xu Tong’s success in winning thirty consecutive arena fights. Geng Shu stakes ten thousand, Old Man Quan stakes thirty thousand, and Xu Tong gives Geng Shu money to place a bet for him.
• Xu Tong volunteers to defend the arena first, despite other contestants questioning his confidence. He chooses the Underground Arena, a large, cage-like space.
• His first challenger attacks, but Xu Tong knocks him back with one punch. The crowd learns Xu Tong is wearing Qi-Training Armor weighing over three thousand jin, and his opponent immediately gives up.
• Xu Tong claims the armor prevents him from moving quickly, but soon proves otherwise: he races forward in a blur and defeats the second challenger with another single blow.
• The challengers keep falling in one hit, including powerful Innate Grandmasters. Xu Tong reaches ten consecutive victories in very little time, while the crowd grows increasingly impressed and Zhou Er becomes increasingly anxious about his bet.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong displays calm confidence and extraordinary strength, casually taking the first defense and dominating every challenger. His playful remarks conceal how capable he is.
• Geng Shu is bold and teasing, enthusiastically placing bets and goading Zhou Er. She pretends Xu Tong’s speed is a surprise, enjoying Zhou Er’s growing panic.
• Old Man Quan joins the wager and needles Zhou Er alongside Geng Shu.
• Zhou Er begins as a cocky bettor, tempted by Geng Shu’s provocative terms, but his confidence crumbles as Xu Tong wins effortlessly.
• The other contestants initially mock Xu Tong’s confidence, while spectators later regret not betting on his winning streak.

Significant themes

• Confidence backed by ability: Xu Tong’s bold prediction gains credibility as he defeats opponents with ease.
• Misjudgment and hidden strength: Others underestimate him because he is called a Great Grandmaster, while his armor and performance reveal an exceptional level of power.
• Risk and bravado: Zhou Er’s impulsive wager turns against him as he realizes too late that the challenge was not an empty boast.
• Playful deception and banter: Xu Tong’s jokes and Geng Shu’s teasing keep the match entertaining while masking the scale of his advantage.

Plot points and events

• The referee, alarmed by Xu Tong’s ten-win streak, sends Saint Martial fighter Ye Hua to challenge him.
• Ye Hua exchanges only a few blows with Xu Tong before conceding, recognizing that he is hopelessly outmatched. He explains that he learned caution after being badly beaten while accompanying the City Lord to recruit Huang Qi.
• Xu Tong reveals that he has already fought Huang Qi to a draw and wants a rematch. The crowd is stunned: Huang Qi is renowned for defeating the City Lord’s group, while Xu Tong fought him while wearing Qi-Training Armor.
• Zhou Er realizes his bet against Xu Tong’s streak is probably lost and pays Geng Shu. She praises him for accepting defeat gracefully and jokingly appoints herself his big sister.
• More fighters concede, and Xu Tong reaches twenty-five consecutive wins. The crowd and Xu Tong grow bored because no one can seriously challenge him.
• Xu Tong has been making a conspicuous display of strength to lure a particular “big fish” into the ring, but the man still does not appear. Old Man Quan suggests the opponent is wisely avoiding the risk.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong remains confident and eager for worthy competition. His showy run is deliberate: he hopes to provoke his intended opponent into fighting.
• Ye Hua is pragmatic rather than prideful. Remembering his past defeat by Huang Qi, he concedes quickly and shares what he knows, prompting Xu Tong’s interest.
• Geng Shu and Old Man Quan discuss Xu Tong’s and Huang Qi’s reputations, while Geng Shu handles Zhou Er’s lost wager with playful generosity.
• Zhou Er shifts from anxious disbelief to accepting his loss without resentment, earning Geng Shu’s approval.
• The absent challenger becomes the chapter’s central unanswered question: Xu Tong is trying to draw him out, but Old Man Quan believes he may be protecting his status by refusing to risk a defeat.

Significant themes

• Pragmatism versus pride: Ye Hua chooses self-preservation over a pointless fight, while the prospective challenger may likewise be weighing the risks.
• Reputation and risk: A dominant reputation can attract attention but also make potential rivals hesitate.
• The pursuit of worthy opponents: Xu Tong’s victories bring little satisfaction when nobody can test him.
• Fortune, sportsmanship, and humor: The spectators lament missed betting opportunities, while Geng Shu turns Zhou Er’s loss into friendly banter.

Plot points and events

• Xu Tong completes his thirtieth consecutive win in one night and immediately challenges arena champion Xiao Se.
• The crowd celebrates the milestone and speculates about the fight. Geng Shu and Old Man Quan collect a huge payout—thirty times their stake.
• Xiao Se, a fire-element fighter with more than a hundred consecutive wins, warns Xu Tong that the cramped arena favors his flames and offers him the chance to choose another venue. Xu Tong stays.
• Xiao Se attacks at great speed, but Xu Tong evades him with “Water Has No Fixed Form.” Neither fighter can land a decisive hit: Xiao Se turns to flame to avoid Xu Tong’s attacks.
• Xiao Se sets the entire chamber ablaze, confident that the confined space gives him the advantage. Xu Tong steps forward and extinguishes the flames, causing Xiao Se to suffer a backlash. The excerpt ends with the outcome effectively decided, though the match is not formally concluded.

Character developments

• Xu Tong shows that his challenge is driven by cultivation and a desire to fight stronger opponents, not by winning or prize money. He remains calm and courteous, and reveals a water-based technique that counters Xiao Se’s fire.
• Xiao Se is proud of his championship record but also practical and considerate, warning Xu Tong about the arena’s conditions. His confidence shifts when his strongest fire attack is neutralized.
• Geng Shu and Old Man Quan remain amused observers; Old Man Quan quickly recognizes that Xiao Se’s fire strategy will fail.
• The spectators move from skepticism and excitement to awe as the fight becomes far more intense than Xu Tong’s earlier bouts.

Significant themes

• Growth through challenge: Xu Tong seeks powerful opponents as a means of improving.
• Adaptability and countering strength: Xiao Se’s apparent advantage—fire in a confined space—is overturned by Xu Tong’s water technique.
• Perception versus reality: The crowd assumes the arena’s conditions will determine the fight, while Old Man Quan understands that Xu Tong’s technique works differently than they expect.
• Respect and ambition: Xu Tong challenges Xiao Se boldly but addresses him politely, while Xiao Se acknowledges the challenge despite his irritation.

Character interactions

• Geng Shu and Old Man Quan debate Xu Tong’s prospects and react to his rapid progress.
• Xu Tong and Xiao Se exchange respectful but pointed remarks before and during the fight, with Xiao Se repeatedly questioning Xu Tong’s movement technique.
• The crowd’s cheers, wagers, and commentary frame the duel as the night’s long-awaited main event.

Key plot points and events

• Xu Tong defeats Xiao Se after using his water technique to extinguish Xiao Se’s flames and exploit a lapse caused by Xiao Se’s failing health. Xiao Se’s own energy becomes disordered when he tries to adjust his technique mid-attack.
• Xu Tong recognizes that the victory was shaped by Xiao Se’s physical decline and concedes the match, despite having technically won. Both fighters acknowledge that a contest between them at Xiao Se’s peak would have been far less certain.
• The two agree to train disciples in Hongwu City and have them compete three years later. Xu Tong suggests Ye Hua as Xiao Se’s student.
• The crowd accepts Xu Tong’s decision and praises the fight. Xu Tong shares half his winnings with the competitors and gives the attendant a tip.
• The next day, Xu Tong learns Xiao Se has withdrawn from the arena with a record of 359 wins—one short of the annual title. Ye Hua has become his disciple. Xu Tong decides to find a student of his own for the promised match.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Tong shows restraint and respect, refusing to take advantage of an aging opponent’s condition. His conduct earns the approval of Geng Shu, Old Man Quan, and the spectators. His generosity reinforces his respect for the martial community.
• Xiao Se accepts his limitations with dignity. Though his health has declined since his days near the Divine Martial realm, he remains formidable and finds a new purpose in teaching.
• Ye Hua eagerly pursues Xiao Se’s mentorship because he has reached a training bottleneck. He defends Xiao Se’s reputation against those who underestimate him, explaining the senior’s former strength and continued ability to fight above his level.
• Xu Tong and Xiao Se turn a potentially bitter defeat into mutual respect and a future rivalry between their students. Geng Shu and Old Man Quan discuss how formidable Xiao Se was in his prime, while the crowd recognizes both his present skill and his age.

Significant themes

• Honor over victory: Xu Tong values a fair contest more than a win gained under unequal circumstances.
• Age, decline, and legacy: Xiao Se’s fading strength contrasts with his enduring skill and influence, which he can pass on through teaching.
• Mentorship and the next generation: The planned three-year match gives both masters a way to continue their rivalry through their students.
• Respect within the martial community: The spectators accept Xu Tong’s concession, and his sharing of the winnings reflects fellowship rather than greed.

Key plot points and events

• Yang Rufeng finds Xu Tong after leaving the inn, apologizes for doubting him, and formally becomes his fifth disciple. Xu Tong says he will train him for seven days before leaving him to cultivate independently.
• Xu Tong takes Yang Rufeng into the woods to teach him both martial and immortal cultivation. Yang Rufeng’s rare dark element can serve as a spiritual root, and his exceptional talent lets him advance rapidly.
• In seven days, Yang Rufeng approaches the qi-refining and spirit-transformation stages and rises from Force-Transforming Grandmaster to Innate Grandmaster. His dark element lets him transfer damage, making him capable of facing saint-martial opponents, though not necessarily great saint-martial ones.
• Xu Tong warns him not to pursue an enemy above that level until he has reached peak saint martial, and ideally to match the enemy’s rank. Yang Rufeng agrees to wait, partly because he has promised to compete against Ye Hua’s disciple in three years.
• Meanwhile, Old Man Quan and Geng Shu set out to find a location for an inn, with Geng Shu promised a share.
• Over drinks, Yang Rufeng hints that Xu Tong has guessed the identity of his enemy, then begins recounting the Yang family’s history. Eighteen years earlier, his family was powerful in Hongwu City, and his father—a saint-martial expert—helped found the city with its City Lord. The chapter ends as he begins describing those turbulent early years.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Rufeng shifts from skepticism to respect and eager discipleship. He proves disciplined and pragmatic, accepting both Xu Tong’s instruction and his warning not to act recklessly.
• Xu Tong shows a strategic reason for taking Yang Rufeng as a disciple: the boy’s dark element may aid Xu Tong’s own pursuit of immortality. He also balances encouragement with frank caution.
• Old Man Quan and Geng Shu turn the pause in training into a business venture, with Quan planning for retirement and Geng Shu readily joining him.
• Yang Rufeng trusts Xu Tong enough to share his family’s history, but remains guarded about naming his enemy directly.

Significant themes

• Talent and effort: Yang Rufeng’s rare aptitude accelerates his growth, but future progress remains his responsibility.
• Balance between cultivation paths: Martial and immortal cultivation can strengthen one another, but only when qi remains balanced; otherwise, practitioners risk demonic deviation.
• Power and restraint: Rapid advancement does not erase the danger posed by stronger opponents, and patience is essential.
• Unrecognized potential and resentment: The hostility toward unusual cultivators reflects the jealousy of those unable to follow the same path.
• Legacy and revenge: Yang Rufeng’s blood feud is rooted in the Yang family’s past, setting up the story behind his enemy.

Plot points and events

• The chapter recounts how Yang Tianyi and Hong Wu built Hongwu City together, then grew divided as they recruited rival factions and competed for influence.
• Yang Tianyi was admired for his restraint, while Hong Wu was feared for his brutality. Once Yang Tianyi became powerful enough to threaten Hong Wu’s position, Hong Wu plotted to remove him.
• Hong Wu drugged Yang Tianyi before their supposedly fair duel. Though poisoned, Yang Tianyi held back out of regard for their bond; Hong Wu exploited that hesitation and killed him, then took control and named the city after himself.
• Yang Tianyi’s son, Yang Rufeng, has spent years hiding his identity and searching for a teacher who can help him master dark-element power. He tells Xu Tong the story and burns with the desire for revenge.
• Xu Tong promises to make Hong Wu suffer before Yang Rufeng returns in three years to kill him. After parting from Yang Rufeng, Xu Tong secretly enters the City Lord’s study.
• Xu Tong has quietly developed an understanding of the dark element, connecting it to his knowledge of water: both can seep through openings and absorb or disperse force.
• Xu Tong confronts Hong Wu, names Yang Tianyi, and says he has come to punish him—but insists Yang Rufeng should deliver the final revenge. Hong Wu learns that Yang Tianyi had a son and responds by threatening that Yang Rufeng may not survive the three years.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Rufeng reveals the source of his vendetta and places trust in Xu Tong, thanking him for agreeing to intervene.
• Xu Tong shows loyalty to his student and confidence in his growing abilities, while choosing to leave Hong Wu alive for Yang Rufeng’s eventual confrontation.
• Hong Wu is exposed as a ruthless, calculating usurper. Though initially composed, Yang Tianyi’s name unsettles him; once he learns of the son, he turns openly threatening.
• Their interactions establish a chain of vengeance: Yang Tianyi’s betrayal and death drive Yang Rufeng, while Xu Tong’s confrontation warns Hong Wu that his past is catching up with him.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and ambition: Hong Wu destroys a former ally to secure power.
• Justice and revenge: Yang Rufeng’s planned reckoning is framed as repayment for his father’s unjust death.
• Mentorship and loyalty: Xu Tong supports Yang Rufeng but preserves the chance for him to face his father’s killer himself.
• Power through understanding: Xu Tong’s insights into water and darkness suggest that careful observation and adaptability can rival brute force.

Key plot points and events

• Xu Tong confronts Hongwu, while Yang Rufeng’s ambition to gather followers and avenge his father remains in the background. Xu Tong has learned that Yang Tianyi concealed his son’s existence, likely to keep him safe from Hongwu.
• Hongwu attacks Xu Tong with his light-element technique, Golden Light Strangulation, claiming its radiance fills the room and leaves no escape.
• Xu Tong is unaffected because he possesses the dark element, which the light cannot fully reach or restrain. He reveals that his own technique has already locked onto Hongwu and pressures him to tell the truth about Yang Tianyi’s death.
• Hongwu disputes Xu Tong’s understanding of the past. He says neither he nor Yang Tianyi wanted to become city lord: both were powerful fighters, but unable to govern, and were used as hired muscle by the city’s elders.
• Hongwu insists that he did not kill Yang Tianyi. The chapter ends before he explains what happened.

Character developments

• Xu Tong is shown to be perceptive and composed under threat. He uses his dark element and confidence to turn Hongwu’s attack into an interrogation.
• Hongwu shifts from arrogance and aggression to visible shock and frustration when he discovers Xu Tong can resist his technique. He remains defensive about his past, insisting his account has been misunderstood.
• Yang Rufeng is described as determined to reclaim his family’s former position, but Xu Tong worries that his confidence in his innate dark element could lead him to take needless risks.

Character interactions

• Xu Tong mocks Hongwu’s claim of innocence, while Hongwu accuses Xu Tong of knowing too little to judge the past.
• Their confrontation becomes a contest of power and credibility: Hongwu tries to restrain Xu Tong with light, while Xu Tong exploits darkness to resist and demand answers.
• Hongwu’s account reframes his relationship with Yang Tianyi—not simply as a rivalry over the city lordship, but as a situation in which both men may have been manipulated by the elders.

Significant themes

• Truth and conflicting accounts: Hongwu challenges the accepted story of Yang Tianyi’s death, leaving responsibility unresolved.
• Power and manipulation: The elders may have used formidable fighters as pawns to establish control.
• Light and darkness: Their opposing elements symbolize the limits of control—light cannot eliminate every shadow.
• Risk and restraint: Xu Tong’s concern for Yang Rufeng highlights the danger of relying on power alone rather than choosing a safer path.

Key plot points and events

• Xu Tong confronts Hong Wu and demands the truth about Yang Tianyi’s death. Hong Wu insists the past no longer matters and argues that killing him would destabilize the martial world.
• Xu Tong demonstrates that he has already trapped Hong Wu. A water-based strike injures him, while Hong Wu’s counterattack cannot reach Xu Tong. Xu Tong reveals that he anticipated Hong Wu’s first move and sealed off the area.
• With no way to fight back, Hong Wu explains that Chiba, now Hongwu City’s Grand Elder, engineered the events that led to the duel between Hong Wu and Yang Tianyi.
• Chiba funded and promoted the city, secretly built a power base among its residents, and planned to rule from behind the scenes. He wanted Hong Wu and Yang Tianyi divided, believing their combined strength could threaten him.
• Chiba arranged for Hong Wu to challenge Yang Tianyi, giving him medicine that temporarily weakened Yang’s cultivation. Hong Wu intended to spare and send Yang away, but a hidden-weapon expert intervened. Hong Wu tried to block the weapon, was struck too, and fell forward; the scene made it appear that he had killed Yang with a palm strike.
• Xu Tong questions whether Chiba’s two other trained masters—the upright husband and wife who refused to assist him—really escaped or were killed. Hong Wu asks what Xu Tong plans to do with the information.

Character developments

• Xu Tong proves himself calculating and controlled: he uses a warning attack and a prepared trap to force Hong Wu to talk, while claiming that revealing the truth could help preserve Hong Wu’s position.
• Hong Wu shifts from defiance to helpless confession. He acknowledges his own role in events but presents Yang’s death as the unintended result of Chiba’s scheme and his attempt to stop the hidden weapon.
• Chiba emerges as the true architect of the conflict: a wealthy, politically connected manipulator who sought influence rather than the title of City Lord.
• Yang Tianyi is described as honorable and compassionate; even when weakened, he could not bring himself to strike Hong Wu.

Significant themes

• Power and control: Xu Tong’s prepared advantage shows how a battle may be decided before either side can fully fight.
• Truth and appearances: The public interpretation of Yang’s death differs sharply from Hong Wu’s account of what happened.
• Ambition and manipulation: Chiba uses money, publicity, factionalism, and violence to gain behind-the-scenes power.
• Moral responsibility: Hong Wu may not have intended to kill Yang, but his actions and position remain entangled with the consequences.

Character interactions

• Xu Tong threatens and outmaneuvers Hong Wu, then presses him to explain the past.
• Hong Wu initially resists, but the power imbalance forces him to disclose Chiba’s involvement.
• Their exchange is both coercive and strategic: Xu Tong says he is helping Hong Wu, while Hong Wu doubts his motives and ends by questioning what Xu Tong intends to do next.