Chapter Summaries

The Tie Yan Mercenary Group discussed Mo Yanqing’s reputation while camping, and Nie Yun reflected on the empire’s celebrated genius. Their rest was interrupted when the rival Luoyong Mercenary Group arrived, led by a man who addressed Tie Lan’er and offered to protect her if she married him.

• Tie Lan’er called Nie Yun a hooligan, while Liao Feng teased him about his chances with her.
• The mercenaries praised Mo Yanqing’s rise to the Supreme Realm and his one-strike defeat of Zhao Xun, and Nie Yun acknowledged his talent.
• Tie Long assigned the group’s night watches as they settled in for the night.
• The Tie Yan group heard approaching footsteps, and Tie Long recognized the arrivals as members of the rival Luoyong Mercenary Group.
• A Luoyong man addressed Tie Lan’er and said he would protect her if she married him.

Nie Yun watched Wei Chen use an unfair contest to pursue Tie Lan'er, while Jiang You’s overwhelming strength left the Tie Yan Mercenary Group with little choice but to accept. Seeing Tie Lan'er risk herself to protect her people, Nie Yun decided to repay a debt from his previous life and intervene.

• Wei Chen arrived at the Tie Yan Mercenary Group’s camp and demanded that Tie Lan'er welcome him, despite her rejection.
• Liao Feng told Nie Yun that Wei Chen was the dissolute young master of the Luoyong Mercenary Group and had pursued Tie Lan'er ever since meeting her.
• Wei Chen proposed a contest that would make Tie Lan'er keep him company if he won, while he would merely leave if he lost.
• Jiang You arrived and demonstrated his strength by denting a Noble Grade sword, making clear that the Luoyong group could enforce its demands.
• Tie Lan'er agreed to the contest to protect her mercenaries, and Nie Yun resolved to step in and repay her for a debt from his previous life.

Wei Chen challenged Tie Lan to command an untamed Demon Pet within ten breaths, then revealed a Bronze Arm Giant Ape that he claimed Jiang You had subdued. Nie Yun recognized that the ape was obeying because Jiang You exploited an old wound, and he prepared to interfere.

• Wei Chen proposed a beast-taming contest in which the harder command completed within ten breaths would win, and Tie Lan accepted.
• Wei Chen's mercenary brought in a peak Weapon Armor Realm Bronze Arm Giant Ape, alarming the Tie Yan Mercenary Group.
• Wei Chen ordered the Bronze Arm Giant Ape to move a boulder, and it obeyed.
• Nie Yun noticed a wound on the ape and deduced that Jiang You used true qi to aggravate it and force the ape to obey.
• Nie Yun realized the ape was already injured from their earlier fight and decided to have some fun with it.

Wei Chen wagered that Tie Lan could not command the Bronze Arm Giant Ape, but Yang Yun’s presence made the beast submit to Tie Lan instead. The ape struck Wei Chen at Tie Lan’s order, leaving everyone stunned.

• Wei Chen challenged Tie Lan and the others to make the Bronze Arm Giant Ape submit within ten breaths, then demanded that Tie Lan honor her wager after they failed.
• As Tie Lan began to concede, Yang Yun approached the giant ape and touched its arm, causing the beast to recoil in terror.
• Yang Yun told the giant ape to obey Tie Lan and promised it meat, and the ape went to Tie Lan as if seeking her favor.
• Yang Yun quietly suggested that Tie Lan order the ape to beat up Wei Chen, so Tie Lan gave the command.
• The Bronze Arm Giant Ape struck Wei Chen across the cheek and sent him crashing into the grass, stunning the crowd.

Jiang You realized someone had secretly dispelled his true qi in the Bronze Arm Giant Ape and suspected Nie Yun, while Tie Lan’s apparent Beast Taming Talent turned the beast against Wei Chen. Jiang You tested Nie Yun’s strength with a handshake, leaving Wei Chen ignored and Jiang You visibly struggling.

• Jiang You recognized that the hidden strand of true qi in the Bronze Arm Giant Ape had been neutralized and suspected Nie Yun was responsible.
• The Bronze Arm Giant Ape obeyed Tie Lan and beat Wei Chen, delighting the Tie Yan Mercenary Group and confusing Tie Lan.
• Jiang You approached Nie Yun to get acquainted, while Tie Lan stepped in to protect him.
• Nie Yun introduced himself as Yang Yun and clasped Jiang You’s hand; Jiang You secretly pushed a powerful external force into the handshake to test him.
• Wei Chen demanded that Jiang You kill the giant ape and the Tie Yan Mercenary Group, but Jiang You ignored him as his face changed color and sweat poured down it.

Nie Yun’s strength forced Jiang You to abandon Wei Chen and lead the Luoyong Mercenary Group out of the valley. Tie Lan suspected Nie Yun was a Charm Master, so he claimed to be a Beast Tamer and said he had subdued the Bronze Arm Giant Ape.

• Wei Chen mistook Jiang You’s darkened face for cultivation, but a mercenary explained that someone had squeezed Jiang You’s hand.
• Jiang You praised the name Yang Yun, then separated from Nie Yun and recovered his normal complexion.
• Wei Chen ordered Jiang You to kill the Tie Yan Mercenary Group, but Jiang You slapped him away and declared that his group would honor the bet and leave.
• Jiang You had Wei Chen carried out of the valley, leaving Tie Long and Tie Lan wondering why he had changed sides.
• Tie Lan asked Nie Yun if he was a Charm Master, and he said he was a Beast Tamer who had subdued the Bronze Arm Giant Ape.
• Tie Lan doubted him and demanded that he release his Beast Taming Qi.

Nie Yun hid his cultivation and used his Beast Taming Qi to persuade the Bronze Arm Giant Ape to become Tie Lan’s Demon Pet and protect her. Tie Lan accepted the ape but suspected Nie Yun had ulterior motives, so he left them to talk and went to rest.

• Nie Yun revealed his Beast Taming Qi, astonishing Tie Lan and disappointing the Bronze Arm Giant Ape, which had hoped he would tame it.
• Nie Yun offered the Bronze Arm Giant Ape the chance to become Tie Lan’s Demon Pet and promised to help it reach the Qi Grandmaster level within half a year.
• The Bronze Arm Giant Ape agreed and approached Tie Lan, but she initially refused to accept it, fearing Nie Yun might later use the favor to pressure her.
• Nie Yun assured Tie Lan that the offer still stood if the ape protected her, and she agreed while warning him not to expect anything in return.
• Nie Yun realized Tie Lan suspected his intentions, then went to lie down and rest in the valley.

Nie Yun's show of strength left Tie Long and Tie Lan guessing at his motives, while Wei Chen's group plotted to use Wind Wolves against the Tie Yan Mercenary Group. The chapter ended with Wei Chen worrying that Tie Lan might tame the Wind Wolf King and turn the pack against them.

• Tie Long warned Tie Lan not to assume Nie Yun's intentions, and Liao Feng suggested that Nie Yun acted out of true love.
• Wei Chen confronted Jiang You, who explained that Nie Yun had crushed his hand during their handshake and was stronger than he was.
• Wei Chen promised to find Jiang You a healer, then complained that Nie Yun had ruined his chance to pursue Tie Lan.
• Wei Liao proposed luring demonic beasts to attack the Tie Yan Mercenary Group, and Jiang You agreed that Wind Wolves were a dangerous option.
• Wei Chen worried that Tie Lan could tame the Wind Wolf King and gain control of the pack.

Wei Chen and Jiang You plotted to lure the wind wolf pack into the valley and kill Tie Long’s group, while Nie Yun’s companions rested and wondered at his strength. A wolf’s distress call drew a large pack close to the valley, leaving Nie Yun, Tie Long, and Tie Lan facing an imminent attack.

• Jiang You convinced Wei Chen that Tie Lan could not tame the wolves and urged him to eliminate the Tie Yan Mercenary Group.
• Wei Liao proposed mimicking a wind wolf’s howl to lure the pack toward Tie Long and the others.
• The mercenaries discussed Nie Yun’s apparent strength, while Tie Lan grew annoyed by his behavior and Nie Yun overheard them.
• Nie Yun heard a wolf’s anguished howl and rose to investigate; Tie Long and Tie Lan followed him out of the valley.
• More howls signaled that a large wind wolf pack was approaching, and Nie Yun warned Tie Long and Tie Lan that escape was unlikely.

Nie Yun defended the Tie Yan Mercenary Group from a pack of wind wolves, then faced the pack’s Wind Wolf King at the valley entrance. He attacked the stronger beast first with the Cold Star Seventy-Two Forms, beginning a dangerous test of his training.

• Nie Yun ordered the mercenaries to gather in the valley and form a defensive circle while Tie Long organized them.
• Nie Yun held the valley entrance alone, killing charging wind wolves with his spear as the Tie Yan Mercenary Group watched in awe.
• The Wind Wolf King emerged and stopped its pack, revealing itself as a peak Qi Grandmaster demon beast.
• Nie Yun chose to test his recent cultivation against the Wind Wolf King and launched the Cold Star Seventy-Two Forms.
• The Wind Wolf King blocked Nie Yun’s spear attack with its claws, and Nie Yun followed with another powerful strike.

Nie Yun fought the Wind Wolf King, whose ability to harness wind made it faster and gave it the advantage. He used Beast Taming Qi to break its resistance and subdued it as his Demon Pet.

• Tie Lan'er vomited while watching Nie Yun and the Wind Wolf King exchange blows, and Tie Long realized how formidable Nie Yun was.
• The Wind Wolf King harnessed the wind, wounded Nie Yun, and forced him to put away his spear and fight barehanded.
• Nie Yun traded hundreds of attacks with the Wind Wolf King, enduring worse injuries because his Healing Dantian restored him.
• When the Wind Wolf King began to retreat, Nie Yun unleashed Beast Taming Qi, slowing it and breaking its resolve.
• Nie Yun battered the Wind Wolf King and made it submit, and the beast lowered its head and called him Master.

Nie Yun subdued the Wind Wolf King, then broke through to the late Weapon Armor Realm after recovering. He learned the Luoyong Mercenary Group had lured the wolves to attack and set out to confront them, leaving the Wind Wolf King to help Tie Lan with her mission.

• Nie Yun ordered the newly tamed Wind Wolf King and its pack to guard the valley while he recovered his strength.
• After absorbing spiritual energy for more than two hours, Nie Yun broke through to the late Weapon Armor Realm.
• Tie Long offered Nie Yun ten thousand taels of silver in thanks, but Nie Yun refused the money.
• Nie Yun learned the Wind Wolf King had answered a distress call from another wolf and concluded that the Luoyong Mercenary Group had set them up.
• Nie Yun ordered the Wind Wolf King to accompany Tie Lan on the Black Cloud Leopard mission while he went to find Jiang You and confront the Luoyong Mercenary Group.
• Tie Lan looked upset when she realized Nie Yun would not join them.

Nie Yun healed the Wind Wolf King, triggering its breakthrough to the Supreme realm. With his Demon Pet now able to fly and speak, Tie Lan, Tie Long, and the others realized Nie Yun had gained power capable of changing his standing in the empire.

• Nie Yun told Tie Lan his real name and said he had other things to do.
• Nie Yun used Healing Qi to treat the badly injured Wind Wolf King.
• The Wind Wolf King sensed the Supreme bottleneck and began breaking through.
• The Wind Wolf King absorbed the surrounding hurricane, reached the Supreme realm, and spoke aloud to Nie Yun.
• Tie Long and the Tie Yan Mercenary Group recognized the significance of Nie Yun possessing a Supreme-level Demon Pet.

Nie Yun left the Tie Yan Mercenary Group with the Wind Wolf King, then learned that Wei Chen’s group was seeking the Burial Sword King’s legacy. He secretly followed the Luoyong Mercenary Group to Burial Sword Valley, where they began searching for the site marked on their map.

• Nie Yun told the Wind Wolf King to accompany Tie Long’s group without revealing its strength, then departed as the mercenaries praised him and Tie Lan watched him leave.
• Wei Liao told Wei Chen and Jiang You that Nie Yun had defeated and tamed the Wind Wolf King, prompting Wei Chen to postpone his plans against Tie Lan until after finding the legacy.
• Jiang You revealed that the Luoyong Mercenary Group had a map to Burial Sword Valley, and Wei Chen ordered the group to hurry there.
• Nie Yun overheard the group’s plans and secretly followed them, interested in the Burial Sword King’s rumored swordsmithing legacy.
• After traveling for seven or eight hours, Wei Chen’s group reached Burial Sword Valley, and Jiang You led them into the gorge toward the location on the map.

Nie Yun followed Jiang You and the survivors of the Luoyong Mercenary Group into a valley that he suspected was Burial Sword Valley, but the group was surrounded by hordes of powerful demon beasts. After the beasts slaughtered Jiang You, Wei Chen, and the others, a Purple Flame Eagle spotted Nie Yun in hiding.

• Nie Yun stealthily followed Jiang You and the others through the valley, where he found them battered after fighting two Blood-Patterned Tiger Lions.
• Jiang You gave the survivors Qi-Returning Pills, and after resting, the group continued toward the Burial Sword Tomb marked on the map.
• Nie Yun and the group were caught between large packs of high-ranking demon beasts, leading Nie Yun to suspect they had entered Monster Beast Valley instead of Burial Sword Valley.
• An Iron-Backed Bear tore Jiang You in half, while a River-Swallowing Python swallowed Wei Chen and other beasts killed the remaining mercenaries.
• A Purple Flame Eagle spotted Nie Yun hiding nearby after the Luoyong Mercenary Group was wiped out.

Nie Yun fled a valley full of demonic beasts and was badly injured while fighting his way toward safety. He escaped into a cliffside cave just before a Supreme-level black bear struck, leaving the bear and the other beasts waiting outside.

• The Purple Flame Eagle spotted Nie Yun, and he rushed past a White Rock Beast that blocked his escape.
• Nie Yun killed the White Rock Beast with his Royal Grade Low-tier Spear and continued running as the valley’s demonic beasts attacked him.
• Nie Yun’s defenses and Great Rift Rock Palm failed to stop the beasts’ combined assault, and he was severely injured.
• A flying, speaking black bear appeared and attacked Nie Yun with a gigantic palm print.
• Nie Yun spotted a cave in the cliff and darted inside as the black bear’s strike smashed the ground outside.
• The black bear refused to enter the cave and warned that Nie Yun would die if he came out, while the other demonic beasts withdrew.

Nie Yun escaped the monster beasts and discovered the Burial Sword Tomb, a cave left behind by the Burial Sword King. After hearing the king’s recorded message offering him one of three buried swords, Nie Yun inspected the Sword of Slaughter and decided it did not suit him.

• Nie Yun healed his injuries after fleeing into the cave and found a human-like cultivation dwelling with a powerful couplet carved into its wall.
• Nie Yun discovered a stele identifying the site as the Burial Sword Tomb, erected by the Burial Sword King.
• The Burial Sword King’s voice-sealing inscription described his sword-forging achievements and offered Nie Yun a choice of one of three buried swords.
• Nie Yun used his Tracking Qi to locate three grave-like mounds and read the first tombstone’s description of the Sword of Slaughter.
• Nie Yun rejected the Sword of Slaughter because he did not want a weapon defined by indiscriminate killing.

Nie Yun chose the Profound Jade Sword, discovering it was forged entirely from Dark Jade and weighed over thirteen thousand jin. The Burial Sword King’s recorded voice explained that choosing either of the other swords would have triggered a deadly test, then ordered Nie Yun to leave the Burial Sword Tomb.

• Nie Yun examined the Upright Sword and Profound Jade Sword before deciding the latter might be made from legendary Dark Jade.
• Nie Yun pressed his hand to the third tombstone, and the Profound Jade Sword rose from the grave.
• Nie Yun dropped the blunt-looking sword and realized its immense weight had driven it more than a foot into the granite floor.
• The Burial Sword King revealed that the sword was pure Dark Jade, weighed thirteen thousand four hundred and twenty-four jin, and could kill with a single strike.
• The Burial Sword King explained that choosing either of the first two swords would have triggered a deadly test, then told Nie Yun to leave.
• Nie Yun thanked the Burial Sword King, lifted the Profound Jade Sword, and walked out through the passage.

Nie Yun refined the Profound Jade Sword but realized its immense weight made it impossible to use with his familiar sword arts, while demonic beasts trapped him inside the cave. He drew inspiration from hammer and axe techniques to create a sword art, ending with a powerful strike that blasted a tunnel through the wall.

• Nie Yun discovered that a sword formation at the entrance kept demonic beasts out while they waited outside for him, leaving him trapped without food.
• He refined the Profound Jade Sword and tried using the Falling Red Carefree Sword, but the weapon was too heavy for its nimble movements.
• Nie Yun decided to create a sword art suited to the Profound Jade Sword and drew inspiration from hammer and axe techniques.
• Nie Yun chopped the sword downward and blasted a wide, deep tunnel through the granite wall.

After three days of cultivation, Nie Yun created and named the sword technique Mountain River Momentum, which focused all his true qi into the heavy Profound Jade Sword. He tested it outside the cave, killed a Purple Flame Tiger with one strike, and retreated inside when the Supreme-level black bear appeared.

• Nie Yun discovered that pouring his true qi into the Profound Jade Sword let him carve deep tunnels through granite with a single strike.
• Nie Yun realized he could amplify the sword’s weight with the Thousand-Jin Drop method and named the technique Mountain River Momentum.
• Nie Yun noticed that three days and three nights had passed and left the cave to test his new sword technique and find food.
• Three late-stage Qi Grandmaster demon beasts attacked Nie Yun, and he killed the Purple Flame Tiger with one strike, frightening the Dragon-Transforming Ape and Spiked Wyvern into retreating.
• The Supreme-level black bear appeared, so Nie Yun stored the Purple Flame Tiger’s corpse and retreated into the cave.