Chapter Summaries

Duan Rong showed Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng how a hidden mechanism could generate an electric arc, then joined them in seeking the craftsmen who built Zhu Shizhong’s Cooling Room. At Ge Hengtai’s residence, Ge challenged their accusation and summoned officials to punish them, leaving Duan Rong and the others under threat.

• Duan Rong revealed hidden mechanisms in a charred piece of timber and demonstrated how friction could produce an electric arc.
• Duan Rong, Zhu Cheng, and Zhu Peng went to the Court of Judicial Review, where Duan Rong explained that the craftsmen who built Zhu Shizhong’s Cooling Room might have caused his death.
• Zhu Peng gathered armored cavalry and Court of Judicial Review clerks, and the group went to Ge Hengtai’s residence to take the craftsmen for questioning.
• Zhu Cheng asked Ge Hengtai to release the craftsmen, then described the concealed mechanisms found in the ruins of Zhu Shizhong’s Cooling Room.
• Ge Hengtai challenged Duan Rong’s claim that the mechanism had drawn down lightning and called for the Prefect and the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.
• Ge Hengtai threatened to impeach Zhu Cheng and have Duan Rong dealt with by the Prefect unless they could explain how the device caused lightning.

Duan Rong agreed to prove that Zhu Shizhong’s death had been caused by a person drawing down lightning, and he prepared a device to repeat the feat. As a storm swept over Wild Lake before a vast crowd, Duan Rong set the device in place and lightning struck, leaving everyone convinced that heavenly lightning had truly been drawn down.

• Duan Rong told Ge Hengtai, Wang Maochun, and Chen Shanmeng that he would draw down lightning again to prove his claim, while asking Ge Hengtai to protect the craftsmen.
• Duan Rong explained to Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng that he was confident in his device and learned that an astronomer had predicted a storm for Shen Hour the next day.
• Wang Maochun notified Duan Rong of the forecast storm, but Duan Rong went back to sleep and prepared to demonstrate the device the following afternoon.
• At Wild Lake, Duan Rong waited with officials and a huge crowd as Shen Hour began and the sky remained sunny, until wind and dark clouds arrived.
• Duan Rong used his movement technique to place the device in the lake and retreated before the storm broke.
• Lightning struck the device, and the gathered crowd stood stunned before declaring that heavenly lightning had truly been drawn down.

Gu Daoling reunited with Zhu He, who confirmed that Duan Rong had exposed Zhu Shizhong’s murder, while the investigation led to the arrest of the craftsmen behind the lightning device. The craftsmen were poisoned in the Court of Judicial Review’s prison, and Zhu Cheng realized his trusted deputy Zhou Wei had betrayed him.

• Gu Daoling and Zhu He discussed Zhu Shizhong’s suspicious death, the sect’s leadership struggle, and their opposing paths before Zhu He left for Changliu Mountain.
• Duan Rong retrieved the black object from Wild Lake, and Ge Hengtai authorized the Court of Judicial Review to arrest the craftsmen.
• Duan Rong, Zhu Cheng, and Zhu Peng took the craftsmen to the Court of Judicial Review, where Zhu Cheng ordered Zhou Wei to secure them in the underground prison.
• Zhu Cheng began interrogating the craftsmen, then left with Duan Rong and Zhu Peng to eat fish before returning to continue questioning them.
• Zhu Cheng discovered that the craftsmen had all been poisoned and learned that Zhou Wei had entered the prison shortly before their deaths.
• Zhu Cheng recognized that Zhou Wei, his longtime trusted deputy, had been a hidden traitor.

After Zhou Wei was found murdered, Duan Rong helped Zhu Cheng search the residence but found no useful clues. Forced to flee the crowds calling him Duan Thunder God, Duan Rong stayed at Zhu Peng’s estate, then recognized Pockmarked Face as the killer who had shot Zhou Wei.

• Zhu Cheng brought Duan Rong to Zhou Wei’s residence, where they found Zhou Wei dead with a black iron Shuttle dart through his throat.
• Duan Rong devoured the Shuttle dart’s Artifact Spirit and gained the Ruyi Threefold Hand Third Level; Zhu Cheng found no useful clues and called the Court of Judicial Review to search the residence.
• After the search continued into dawn, Duan Rong returned to the Post Station but fled when a crowd mobbed him, calling him Duan Thunder God.
• Duan Rong stayed in a quiet separate courtyard at Zhu Peng’s estate, then went with Zhu Peng to the Court of Judicial Review.
• Duan Rong recognized Pockmarked Face’s silhouette and walking posture from the Shuttle dart’s Artifact Spirit, then sensed that Pockmarked Face had True Qi Realm Third Level cultivation.

Duan Rong chose not to expose Pockmarked Face and, rather than continue investigating, took Zhu Peng to Flame Moon Tower. His poems won them an audience with Qin Xueyin, whose reflection on how a person’s heart could change left Duan Rong impressed.

• Duan Rong decided that Pockmarked Face’s identity was where he would stop investigating, then reviewed the case papers with Zhu Peng while Zhu Cheng went to sleep.
• Duan Rong persuaded Zhu Peng to visit Flame Moon Tower, where Qin Xueyin admitted patrons through a poetry contest.
• Duan Rong wrote “Early Journey in Shangshan” for Zhu Peng and a short poem for himself, and Qin Xueyin selected both poems.
• Duan Rong and Zhu Peng entered Qin Xueyin’s chamber, where she played the qin and praised their poems.
• Duan Rong asked whether poetry revealed a person’s heart, and Qin Xueyin said a poem could express a sincere heart even if that person later changed.

Duan Rong impressed Qin Xueyin with his interpretation of a poem but refused her invitation to stay overnight out of loyalty to his wife. Back at the Court of Judicial Review, Zhu Cheng concluded that the investigation had run out of leads and prepared to close the case after meeting Grand Master of Remuneration Zhu Zhengfu.

• Duan Rong explained the deeper meaning of “Early Journey in Shangshan,” moving Qin Xueyin to invite him to stay overnight, but he declined because he was married to Xiao Yu.
• Qin Xueyin's maid recognized Duan Rong as the man known for summoning heavenly lightning, while Duan Rong and Zhu Peng returned to the Court of Judicial Review.
• Zhu Cheng reported that the Black Iron Shuttle Dart had not been forged in Divine Cloud Manor, and Duan Rong warned that Zhou Wei's exposure and Zhu Shizhong's murder had left few leads to pursue.
• Zhu Cheng investigated for several more days while Duan Rong and Zhu Peng toured Divine Cloud Manor, then decided the case should be closed.
• Zhu Cheng told Duan Rong and Zhu Peng they had to meet Grand Master of Remuneration Zhu Zhengfu before closing the case.

Zhu Cheng sought Zhu Zhengfu’s approval to close the investigation into Zhu Shizhong’s death, while Zhu Zhengfu courted Duan Rong on behalf of Zhu He and gave him a rare poetry manuscript. After the sect approved closing the case, Duan Rong faced invitations from Divine Cloud Manor officials and recognized that his investigation had already drawn him into factional politics.

• Zhu Cheng presented the preliminary case-closing documents to Zhu Zhengfu, who agreed the investigation should end and said he would seek the Old Ancestor’s approval.
• Zhu Zhengfu kept Duan Rong behind, praised his abilities on Zhu He’s behalf, and gave him Gao Qingqiu’s Unique Poetry Manuscript as a gift.
• Duan Rong discovered the manuscript’s Artifact Spirit was too high-ranked for him to devour and wondered whether Zhu Zhengfu’s gift was part of a plan to recruit him.
• Duan Rong realized other factions already viewed him as aligned with the Zhu Family, even though he had not intended to enter the political struggle.
• Three days later, the sect authorized the case’s closure, and Zhu Cheng submitted the case-closing documents.
• Duan Rong accepted invitations from Wang Maochun and Chen Shanmeng, declined the other officials’ invitations, and considered the factional risks of attending their banquets.

Duan Rong returned home after arranging for Zhu Cheng to help Shen Mizhi qualify for the Inner Sect, then reunited with Xiao Yu and his friends. Shen Mizhi received her secret letter and discovered she had advanced, realizing Duan Rong had intervened on her behalf.

• At a farewell dinner, Duan Rong asked Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng whether Shen Mizhi could enter the Inner Sect despite her family’s past, and Zhu Cheng promised to add her name to the preliminary review list.
• Duan Rong wrote a memorandum about Shen Mizhi, left Divine Cloud Manor, and returned to Xiangu County after a seven-day ride, where Xiao Yu and Zhu Xiaoqi welcomed him home.
• Duan Rong reunited with Xi Men Kan Kan and later met with Xiao Yu, Shen Mizhi, and Liu Shushan before they went to collect their secret letters.
• Liu Shushan learned he had advanced to the Inner Sect, while Shen Mizhi left her letter unopened and returned home believing she had failed.
• Shen Yanliu opened Shen Mizhi’s letter and told her she had advanced, and Shen Mizhi realized Duan Rong had used his connection to the Court of Judicial Review to help her.

Duan Rong entered the Pagoda Forest, where Inner Sect Disciples were confined to small pagodas for bitter cultivation, and spent the night studying how to absorb Heaven and Earth Essence Qi as he pursued the Essence Qi Realm. At the morning assembly, instructor Yao Che revealed that disciples had to defeat a baboon family to leave the forest, then selected Duan Rong and Xi Men Kan Kan to face them.

• Duan Rong found high-quality pills in his pagoda, realized the forest was meant for closed cultivation, and stayed inside despite hearing cries from disciples who had tried to leave.
• Duan Rong entered his Luminous Consciousness Sea and saw that the phantom had nearly refined away the Filthy Blood Divine Skill's source blood radiance, then practiced the Six Harmonies Saber method through the night without reaching the Essence Qi Realm.
• At the morning assembly, Duan Rong reunited with Xiao Yu and learned that Xi Men Kan Kan had been struck down and thrown back into his pagoda after sneaking out.
• Yao Che introduced himself as an instructor and told the disciples they would become true Inner Sect Disciples only after leaving the Pagoda Forest.
• Yao Che summoned two enormous baboons and said the disciples had to defeat their family to leave; after Duan Rong and Xi Men Kan Kan were called out, he assigned them to fight the baboons.

Duan Rong rescued Xi Men Kan Kan from the baboon family and defeated the enraged male baboon, earning permission to leave Pagoda Forest. Before departing with Instructor Yao, he said an emotional farewell to Xiao Yu, who remained behind to cultivate.

• Yao Che sent Xi Men Kan Kan to challenge the baboon family, and the male baboon quickly overpowered him.
• Duan Rong rushed in to save Xi Men Kan Kan, then fought the male baboon while driving off the female and injuring the baby baboon.
• Duan Rong subdued the frenzied male baboon, and Yao Che recognized him as the rare genius from the soul test and declared that he had passed.
• Duan Rong embraced Xiao Yu and promised to wait for her to leave Pagoda Forest, while she returned to her pagoda in tears.
• Duan Rong left with Yao Che, and the male baboon eventually woke beside the female baboon.

Duan Rong learned about the rites and apprenticeship opportunities awaiting Inner Sect Disciples after leaving the Pagoda Forest. At Dragon Fish Hall, the old attendant discovered that every elder and Venerable Elder seeking a disciple had chosen Duan Rong, leaving his future uncertain but surrounded by extraordinary offers.

• Yao Che brought Duan Rong to a tent in the Dense Forest, where three former Pagoda Forest disciples were astonished that he had endured only one night there.
• Duan Rong spent several days learning that Inner Sect Disciples worshipped at Taiyi Pavilion before seeking masters at Dragon Fish Hall.
• Duan Rong and three other disciples endured a night of preparations and began the ceremonial climb up Cuiwei Peak to worship at Taiyi Pavilion.
• While the worship ceremony was underway, a crowd of Hall of Elders elders and reclusive Venerable Elders gathered at Dragon Fish Hall to choose disciples.
• The old attendant examined the elders’ cards and discovered that every one of them named Duan Rong and offered increasingly generous terms.

Duan Rong reviewed the elders’ offers and weighed the risks of choosing between Yang Sixuan and Zhu He. He ultimately chose Zhu He as his master, realizing that Zhu Zhengfu’s earlier gift and praise had been part of an open scheme to bring him into Zhu He’s faction.

• The old attendant brought Duan Rong to the rear hall to review the invitations while the other three candidates waited to be accepted into the Taiyi Sect without a personal master.
• Duan Rong narrowed his choices to Zhu He, Yang Sixuan, and Lin Youjian, then set Lin Youjian’s invitation aside.
• Duan Rong weighed Yang Sixuan’s political neutrality against the risks of joining Zhu He’s faction in the struggle over the next sect master.
• After Duan Rong entered the Dragon Fish Hall, he knelt before Zhu He and declared that he wished to take him as his master.
• Duan Rong recalled Zhu Zhengfu’s rare gift and realized that the man had planned in advance to steer him toward Zhu He.

Duan Rong completed the ceremony to become Zhu He’s disciple and recognized the hidden meanings in his new master’s words, passing Zhu He’s test. Zhu He brought him to Cloud Floating Peak to meet his senior disciples and gave him two bottles of rare Primal Beast Spinal Bone Marrow Ash.

• Several Venerable Elders left Dragon Fish Hall after Duan Rong became Zhu He’s disciple, and Zhu He completed the formal disciple-taking ceremony with him.
• Zhu He praised Duan Rong as a “Flying Dragon in the Heavens” and tested whether he understood the unspoken warning to remember his master’s favor; Duan Rong responded with a vow of gratitude.
• The Old Attendant formally made the other three newcomers Inner Sect Disciples and sent them to complete their registration at Cuiwei Peak.
• Zhu He carried Duan Rong through the air to Cloud Floating Peak, where he introduced him to Fan Hongjiao, Wu Shidao, and Lu Geng, and explained that Wang Yue was his Fourth Senior Brother.
• Zhu He gave Duan Rong two bottles of Primal Beast Spinal Bone Marrow Ash, astonishing his senior disciples with the rarity and value of the gift.

Duan Rong joined Zhu He's disciples for a welcoming meal, where Fan Hongjiao flirted with him until Wu Shidao revealed Duan Rong's remarkable past and Lu Geng took him away. Lu Geng then brought Duan Rong to choose a weapon, and Duan Rong realized that Lu Geng had also cultivated the Garbha Sutra, raising questions about how to obtain its later levels.

• Zhu He welcomed Duan Rong to Cloud Floating Peak, gave him two bottles of Primal Beast Spinal Bone Marrow Ash, and asked his senior disciples to look after him.
• Fan Hongjiao teased Duan Rong at the meal, learned that he was married to a disciple in the Pagoda Forest, and continued flirting with him.
• Wu Shidao warned Fan Hongjiao that Duan Rong was the Outer Sect Disciple who had come within half a step of mounting the altar during the Secluded Valley trial.
• Lu Geng pulled Duan Rong away from Fan Hongjiao and advised him to avoid being alone with her before taking him to begin choosing a weapon and cultivation method.
• Lu Geng brought Duan Rong to the weapon-forging mountain, where Duan Rong sensed that Lu Geng had cultivated the Garbha Sutra and considered how to obtain its later levels.

Duan Rong inspected weapons to devour their artifact spirits and selected the Six Harmonies Saber manual, while Lu Geng struggled to understand his methods. Unable to devour a powerful saber’s spirit because his mental strength was too low, Duan Rong returned to the weapon chamber, and Wu Shidao decided to investigate what he was searching for.

• Duan Rong devoured the artifact spirit of a Meteorite Iron Longsword and examined weapons throughout the chamber, baffling Lu Geng.
• Duan Rong chose the Six Harmonies Saber manual immediately and told Lu Geng that all Martial Arts ultimately followed one path.
• Duan Rong returned to the weapon chamber and found a Frost Pattern Phosphorous Crystal Saber with a fourth-layer Thousand Illusions Cloud Mist Saber artifact spirit, but his mental strength was too low to devour it.
• Lu Geng asked Wu Shidao about Duan Rong’s saying and described his unusual choices at the weapon chamber and Scripture Repository.
• Wu Shidao recalled Duan Rong’s near-success in the Secluded Valley test and decided to visit the weapon chamber to investigate whether Duan Rong was searching for something.

Duan Rong examined weapons in the Stone Chamber to devour their weapon spirits, then explained his behavior to Wu Shidao by claiming the weapons helped him enter the Empty Clarity Realm. After sleeping off the previous day’s gains, he headed back to Gu Mountain to continue.

• Wu Shidao questioned Duan Rong about examining weapons, and Duan Rong claimed he was searching for weapons that resonated with his Empty Clarity Realm.
• Wu Shidao accepted Duan Rong’s explanation and left, allowing Duan Rong to resume tapping weapons and devouring their spirits.
• After examining nearly a hundred weapons, Duan Rong gained three weapon spirits with first-level Qi Cyclone Realm conceptions and many Essence Qi Realm cultivation methods.
• Duan Rong returned to Cloud Floating Peak, ate and drank, then fell asleep without changing out of his clothes.
• Lu Geng found Duan Rong sleeping late the next morning and judged his habits poorly, while Duan Rong slept on and digested the weapon spirits.
• Duan Rong woke, realized he had digested his gains overnight, and left for Gu Mountain without breakfast.

Duan Rong chose the Frost Pattern Phosphorous Crystal Saber and discovered that a servant was spying on him for Wu Shidao, whom Zhu He had tasked with reporting on Cloud Floating Peak. After returning to Shang Xiangyu’s deserted Mountain Top, Duan Rong remembered his friends in the Pagoda Forest and worried that Xiao Yu might never reach True Qi Realm Perfection.

• Duan Rong selected the fifteenth-tier Frost Pattern Phosphorous Crystal Saber and registered it as his weapon.
• Wu Shidao visited Duan Rong to inspect the saber, and Duan Rong realized a servant had been reporting his activities to him for Zhu He.
• Duan Rong threatened the servant with a slash across his throat and warned him not to spy on him again.
• Wu Shidao found records showing that Gu Daoling, Zhu He’s junior brother, had once owned the Frost Pattern Phosphorous Crystal Saber.
• Duan Rong locked his room and went to Shang Xiangyu’s abandoned Mountain Top, where he ate roasted pheasants and remembered his friends in the Pagoda Forest.
• Duan Rong worried that Xiao Yu might fail to attain True Qi Realm Perfection and remain trapped in the Pagoda Forest.

Duan Rong absorbed the Deer Horn Knife’s Saber Intent into his divine soul and discovered that he could wield hazy saber radiance before reaching the Qi Cyclone Realm. Worried that Taiyi Sect would question this power, he found an explanation in Gu Daoling’s history and arranged to replace his registered saber manual with the Wandering Dragon Clear Chant Saber.

• Duan Rong used a Divine Soul Thorn to break apart the Deer Horn Knife’s meaning and absorb it into the gray phantom in his Luminous Consciousness Sea.
• Duan Rong tested his new Saber Intent with the Six Harmonies Saber and produced a brief saber radiance, then worried about how he would explain it if Taiyi Sect discovered his ability.
• Duan Rong searched the Outer Courtyard Scripture Repository and found that Gu Daoling had wielded meaning at the Essence Qi Realm while cultivating the Wandering Dragon Clear Chant Saber.
• Duan Rong decided to use Gu Daoling’s precedent as cover and asked Lu Geng to help him change his registered saber technique.
• Lu Geng obtained another authorization slip and led Duan Rong toward the Scripture Repository.

Duan Rong chose the Wandering Dragon Clear Chant Saber and joined his senior brothers and sister to discuss the dispute over Divine Cloud Manor’s next Secretary of the Department. After learning of Duan Rong’s role in exposing Zhu Shizhong’s murder, the group decided to take him into the Gloomy Dark Forest and prepared to set out immediately.

• Duan Rong chose the Wandering Dragon Clear Chant Saber despite Lu Geng’s objections and registered the manual.
• Fan Hongjiao summoned Duan Rong to the Council Hall, where he met Wang Yue after Wang Yue returned from Divine Cloud Manor.
• Wang Yue reported that the factions could not agree on a candidate for Secretary of the Department and that Wang Maochun might keep holding the post concurrently.
• Wang Yue told the group how Duan Rong had exposed Zhu Shizhong’s murder, impressing Fan Hongjiao and changing Lu Geng’s opinion of him.
• Fan Hongjiao proposed taking Duan Rong to the Gloomy Dark Forest, and Wu Shidao agreed to go immediately after bringing the map.

Fan Hongjiao led Duan Rong and the others through hidden passages beneath the Council Hall and down an iron chain into the Gloomy Dark Forest. Duan Rong plunged through the depths at high speed and landed safely, joining the others who had expected him to take much longer.

• Wu Shidao showed Fan Hongjiao and the others a topographical map, and they decided to stake out a stream before entering the Gloomy Dark Forest.
• Fan Hongjiao led the group down hidden stairs, past Mister Yi, and through a stone door to a chamber with chains descending into a dark fissure.
• Fan Hongjiao, Wu Shidao, Wang Yue, and Lu Geng slid down the chains, while Duan Rong followed after them.
• Duan Rong sped up his descent, spotted ghostly light below, and plunged toward it without stopping to catch the chain.
• Duan Rong curled into a ball, protected himself with Heaven and Earth Essence Qi, and struck the ground hard enough to leave a crater.
• Duan Rong emerged unhurt and greeted Fan Hongjiao and the others, who were surprised by his fast arrival.