Chapter Summaries

Chen Mu, posing as Qiao Yuan, sold his hunting haul to A Sang’s trading house for 250 million Odi. A Sang then asked him to protect her for ten days from the Southern Star Group’s second young master while she waited for a family elder to arrive.

• A Sang entered the VIP lounge and met Chen Mu, who introduced himself as Qiao Yuan and refused to reveal his background.
• Chen Mu offered his hunting goods for inspection, and A Sang identified the Snow Crystal Python’s claws among the valuable items.
• A Sang’s trading house agreed to buy the goods for 250 million Odi, and Chen Mu requested an unregistered Money Card.
• A Sang offered Chen Mu 100 million a day to protect her for ten days, explaining that the Southern Star Group’s second young master was pressuring her while her father lay unconscious.
• A Sang bowed to Chen Mu and asked him to keep her safe until a senior member of her family arrived.

Chen Mu agreed to protect A Sang and, after bathing, rushed to her aid when Miao Xuan and the trading house’s former directors tried to take her away. He killed one of Miao Xuan’s Card Adepts with his Energy Chain and ordered the rest to leave.

• A Sang paid Chen Mu an advance of five hundred million Odi, and he bathed in the secluded courtyard.
• Chen Mu woke to find Wei'a, who said he had remembered a little, but their conversation was interrupted by news of a fight.
• A Sang confronted Miao Xuan and the former directors as Miao Xuan’s Card Adepts moved to seize her.
• Chen Mu used an Energy Chain to pull A Sang to safety and blocked an attack from a Card Adept wielding [Autumn Moon Long Blade].
• Chen Mu wrapped the attacker in his Energy Chain and made him explode, then ordered the others to get out.

Chen Mu used the [Golden Word Lock] to convince Miao Xuan that he had killed Mota, then frightened the Miao family’s forces into leaving. After eating at A Sang’s trading firm, he reviewed what he had learned about maintaining his disguise.

• Miao Xuan recognized Chen Mu’s [Golden Word Lock] and identified it as Mota’s, but Chen Mu said he had killed Mota.
• Chen Mu stirred up his battle intent, terrifying Miao Xuan and the gathered Card Adepts.
• Miao Xuan invited Chen Mu to visit his family, but Chen Mu refused, and Miao Xuan withdrew with his men.
• A Sang realized she had been standing close to Chen Mu and blushed, while Chen Mu asked for food and ate ravenously.
• Chen Mu relaxed after eating and reflected on what he had learned about maintaining his disguise.

Chen Mu decided to challenge Yuan Linghai to build his reputation before reaching the Taishu Family, and A Sang reluctantly agreed to take him there. They arrived at Yuan Linghai’s residence after A Sang described his ruthless history.

• Chen Mu asked A Sang who the strongest Card Adept in Zha'erqian City was, and she identified Yuan Linghai.
• Chen Mu told A Sang he intended to fight Yuan Linghai and insisted she stay by his side.
• News of Chen Mu’s defeat of Miao Xuan spread through Zha'erqian City, while Duan Fu celebrated his own role in the incident.
• A Sang explained Yuan Linghai’s failed attempt to enter Frostmoon Cold Isle and his rise to become the Southern Star Group’s ruthless chief of security.
• Chen Mu and A Sang reached Yuan Linghai’s residence.

Chen Mu challenged Linghai Training Camp by destroying its entrance sign, provoking Director Ji Ming and the camp's students into a fight. As Ji Ming launched increasingly powerful attacks, Chen Mu shielded his group, but the battle remained unresolved when Ji Ming sent a huge energy saw disc toward them.

• Chen Mu destroyed the Linghai Training Camp sign, and Ji Ming accepted his challenge as the students surrounded Chen Mu's group.
• Chen Mu knocked down the students crowding around him, and Ji Ming flew into the air and attacked with three energy saw discs.
• Chen Mu formed a golden Energy Shield that blocked Ji Ming's three discs and protected his group.
• Ji Ming combined five energy saw discs into one enormous disc and sent it toward Chen Mu, who took the attack seriously.

Chen Mu blocked Ji Ming’s Starfall Slash with his golden barrier, leaving Ji Ming to concede defeat and drawing the attention of powerful figures across Zha'erqian City. Yuan Linghai arrived to confront Chen Mu, while a group sent by Jia Yingxia also flew toward the disturbance; the chapter ended with Yuan Linghai recognizing Chen Mu’s Energy Chain as the Golden Word Lock.

• Ji Ming’s Starfall Slash struck Chen Mu’s golden barrier, but the barrier held, and Ji Ming admitted defeat.
• Yuan Linghai warned his son to leave Zha'erqian City and avoid seeking revenge before flying toward Chen Mu.
• Seven powerful Card Adepts sent by Jia Yingxia headed toward Zha'erqian City, but changed course after sensing the battle’s energy fluctuations.
• Yuan Linghai dismissed Ji Ming’s apology and faced Chen Mu as A Sang led the guards away.
• Chen Mu let the golden barrier revert to his Energy Chain, and Yuan Linghai recognized it as the Golden Word Lock.

Chen Mu revealed that he had killed Mota, causing Yuan Linghai to surrender and the crowd to recognize Chen Mu as a powerful backer for A Sang and the Qiqi Trading Company. Back at the trading company, Chen Mu continued exploring the abilities of the [Golden Word Lock].

• Yuan Linghai asked Chen Mu how he was connected to Mota, and Chen Mu said he had killed him.
• The Frostmoon Cold Isle students and the crowd were stunned by Chen Mu's claim, and Yuan Linghai bowed and conceded defeat.
• Chen Mu left with A Sang, while the crowd discussed how the Qiqi Trading Company had gained a powerful protector.
• Lin Yao questioned whether Chen Mu's claim was true, and Zeng Yushan said they would check the [Black Line Star Ranking] when it was released in two days.
• Chen Mu returned to the Qiqi Trading Company, found Wei'a absent, and entered a training room to study the [Golden Word Lock].

The latest [Black Line Star Ranking] named Qiao Yuan its Card Adept of the moment after he killed Mota and wounded Jin Yin, bringing crowds to the Qiqi Trading Company while Chen Mu remained unaware. Meanwhile, Zeng Yushan investigated the hijacked Snow Shuttles and recognized a possible connection after reading the ranking, leaving him with a sudden realization.

• The [Black Line Star Ranking] gave Qiao Yuan a provisional rank of seventy-second after he killed Mota, wounded Jin Yin, and fought a running battle against [Heavenly Pattern].
• Crowds gathered outside the Qiqi Trading Company hoping to meet or learn from Qiao Yuan, while Chen Mu stayed in the training ground studying the [Golden Word Lock].
• Bagnell called Chen Mu to tell him about the ranking, but Chen Mu ended the call and returned to training.
• Yan Hao told Zeng Yushan that seven Snow Shuttles carrying more than six hundred passengers had disappeared, and Zeng Yushan identified a central jungle area where the perpetrators might be hiding.
• Zeng Yushan read the new ranking and, upon seeing the report of Qiao Yuan's running battle in the Jungle, suddenly realized something.

Yan Pei and Zeng Yushan traced Qiao Yuan to a missing Snow Shuttle and suspected [Heavenly Pattern] was behind the hijackings. Zeng Yushan met Qiao Yuan in Zhaerqian to question him, and their private discussion left the city bracing for trouble.

• Yan Pei learned that Qiao Yuan had boarded a missing vessel in Wenbu City after entering alone from the jungle, and he and Zeng Yushan suspected Qiao Yuan knew what had happened to the Snow Shuttles.
• Chen Mu recovered his Perception through deep serenity, reflected on his abilities, and continued training with five techniques of the [Golden Word Lock].
• Zeng Yushan of Frostmoon Cold Isle requested a meeting with Qiao Yuan, drawing a crowd of onlookers eager to see the two ranked experts face off.
• Chen Mu agreed to speak with Zeng Yushan privately after recalling that Frostmoon Cold Isle likely stood behind the Great Salmon Passenger Company.
• Zeng Yushan left the meeting looking grim, while news of his visit spread and Zha'erqian's criminals and rowdy young scions suddenly kept out of sight.

Yuchi Bai confronted Baole, Jielamu, and five other deserters, using [Silk] to defeat them after they attacked him. Jia Yingxia learned that [Heavenly Pattern] had targeted Frostmoon Cold Isle, while Wei'a told Chen Mu he had remembered fragments of his past and wanted to take a disciple home.

• Baole and Jielamu planned to seek protection from Frostmoon Cold Isle in Zha'erqian, but Yuchi Bai caught up with them and accused them of betraying Wen.
• Jielamu explained that he feared Wen's plans would provoke Frostmoon Cold Isle, and Baole ordered the group to attack Yuchi Bai.
• Yuchi Bai used [Silk] to seize control of the attackers' energy constructs; Baole and the five fighters died in explosions, and Jielamu was incapacitated when his Wrist Device exploded.
• Jia Yingxia told Xu Bolun that [Heavenly Pattern] had deliberately attacked the Snow Shuttle and that several organizations were heading toward Zha'erqian; she planned to send more people to protect Qianchen.
• Wei'a told Chen Mu that he had remembered a few things, wanted to take a child as his disciple and bring him home, and asked Chen Mu to help when he remembered where home was.
• Wei'a said he would teach Chen Mu what else he had remembered.

After the Federation Comprehensive Academy celebrated its victory, Xie Yanbai challenged its students and Dou Bo stepped forward to fight him. Tang Hanpei visited the ailing Song Chengyan, who warned him that Star Academy was the greatest threat before dying that night.

• The Federation Comprehensive Academy celebrated Tang Hanpei’s victory over Zhongda Academy’s Academy Head and Song Chengyan’s success at the front.
• Xie Yanbai arrived alone at the academy and challenged its supreme techniques, prompting Dou Bo to confront him.
• Xie Yanbai revealed powerful perception, and he demanded that Dou Bo begin their fight.
• Tang Hanpei visited Song Chengyan in the hospital, where Song warned him to beware of Star Academy.
• Song Chengyan died of illness that night, shaking the Federation.

Xie Yanbai debuted his self-developed [Shaohua] technique and defeated the experts of the Federation Comprehensive Academy, shifting public attention back to Zhongda Academy. In Zha'erqian City, Wei'a taught Chen Mu an air blade technique and warned him that many powerful people had arrived in the area.

• Xie Yanbai defeated Dou Bo with [Shaohua], and Dou Bo conceded before collapsing unconscious.
• Xie Yanbai challenged the Federation Comprehensive Academy’s remaining experts and defeated them, turning the media and Federation’s attention toward him and Zhongda Academy.
• Wei'a demonstrated how a fast hand movement could shape airflow into a blade that shattered a target from three meters away.
• Wei'a explained the technique’s precise muscular and hand movements, and Chen Mu practiced it despite his aching, weak arm.
• Wei'a warned Chen Mu that many powerful people had come to Zhaerqian, then left; Chen Mu set the warning aside and continued practicing.

Chen Mu abandoned his attempt to master Wei'a's physically demanding technique and turned his attention to his Card Adept training, including designing a Planning Card to aid his work on [Golden Word Lock]. After meeting A Sang's great-uncle, Gu Anqi, Chen Mu prepared to leave Zhaerqian and went with A Sang to seek two rare materials at Southern Star Trading House.

• Chen Mu realized his body could not perform Wei'a's technique and decided to focus on Perception, energy, and his Card Adept training.
• Chen Mu conceived a Planning Card to speed up his calculations while deciphering [Golden Word Lock].
• A Sang introduced Chen Mu to her great-uncle, Gu Anqi, who thanked him for helping her.
• Chen Mu told Gu Anqi and A Sang that he would leave soon and asked A Sang to obtain materials for him.
• A Sang explained that only Southern Star Trading House could supply the rare mo'a stone and grass-mottled insect glue, then offered to take Chen Mu there herself.

Chen Mu accompanied A Sang through Zha'erqian City toward the Southern Star Trading House, but Dang Han confronted him and demanded the Golden Word Lock. Chen Mu accepted the challenge, preparing to fight with everything he had.

• Chen Mu admired A Sang's unveiled beauty, and she led him through the city toward the Southern Star Trading House.
• Chen Mu noticed three suspicious Card Adepts watching him as he walked with A Sang.
• Dang Han confronted Chen Mu and accused him of killing Mota, then demanded the Golden Word Lock in exchange for sparing his life.
• The crowd recognized Dang Han as number seventy on the Black Line Star Ranking and noted that Chen Mu ranked seventy-two.
• Chen Mu resolved that he had to win, spread his Perception, and formed a golden Energy Chain as he challenged Dang Han to fight.

Dang Han challenged Chen Mu to seize the [Golden Word Lock], but found him far stronger than expected. After Dang Han revealed [Emerald Star], Chen Mu attacked and raised his energy shield as their first clash began.

• Zeng Yushan and the Frostmoon Cold Isle students watched Qiao Yuan and Dang Han, while Zeng worried about the dead [Heavenly Pattern] members and the growing turmoil in Zhaerqian.
• Dang Han recalled how he had rushed to Zhaerqian to take the [Golden Word Lock] from Chen Mu, then reconsidered his assumptions after seeing Chen Mu's battle intent.
• Dang Han activated his primary card, [Emerald Star], covering himself in emerald energy speckled with silver light.
• Chen Mu launched a sudden energy-chain attack, but Dang Han dodged and sent starfish-shaped energy constructs toward him, some of which sank underground.
• Chen Mu used "Guard" to form a golden spherical shield around himself as the gathered spectators watched the two cards begin their first clash.

Chen Mu escaped Dang Han’s energy-draining starfish and launched a high-speed counterattack, but Dang Han survived Chen Mu’s piercing move by triggering an explosion and fled. Chen Mu was blasted away, leaving the duel unresolved.

• Chen Mu discovered that Dang Han’s emerald starfish constructs drained energy from his Energy Shield, so he dismissed it and evaded the starfish while protecting himself with his Energy Chain.
• Chen Mu realized his Energy Card was nearly depleted and used Waveform High-Frequency Evasion to dodge Dang Han’s attacks and pursue him through the air.
• Chen Mu shouted “Bind!” and sent golden Energy Chains toward Dang Han, who deflected them with a spinning Energy Shield.
• Chen Mu spotted an opening and used “Pierce!” to send a powerful golden streak through Dang Han’s successive Energy Shields.
• Dang Han triggered a huge explosion that blasted Chen Mu away, then used the force to flee while badly wounded.

After his fierce battle with Dang Han ended in a draw, Chen Mu rejected Zeng Yushan’s offer to cooperate with Frostmoon Cold Isle and prepared to leave Zhaerqian. As he continued toward the Southern Star Trading House, Wen and his companions watched him, while A Sang found herself increasingly captivated by him.

• Chen Mu recognized that Dang Han had used a decoy Energy Shield and a real shield to escape, then replaced his nearly depleted Energy Card after their battle.
• Zeng Yushan congratulated Chen Mu and offered to cooperate, but Chen Mu declined and left with A Sang.
• Wen, Yuchi Bai, and the scarred Jin Yin watched Chen Mu from a nearby building; Wen forbade Yuchi Bai from taking Chen Mu’s [Golden Word Lock].
• Chen Mu decided to avoid the conflict surrounding Frostmoon Cold Isle and hurry to the Southern Star Trading House for two materials before leaving Zhaerqian.
• A Sang grew fascinated by Chen Mu, accidentally led him down the wrong road, and asked why he had rejected Zeng Yushan’s offer; Chen Mu said he had other matters to attend to.

Chen Mu and A Sang visited the Southern Star Trading House to buy mo'a stone and grass-mottled insect glue, where Miao Xuan and his father yielded to Sang Hanshui’s authority. Sang Hanshui revealed hostile interest in Chen Mu and his Wrist Device, leaving Chen Mu facing a confrontation while his Perception remained below half strength.

• Chen Mu and A Sang entered the Southern Star Trading House to purchase mo'a stone and grass-mottled insect glue, and Miao Xuan greeted them deferentially when he saw Chen Mu.
• Miao Xuan offered the materials and tea while considering whether to recruit Chen Mu to the Southern Star Group.
• Miao Hongbo arrived with Sang Hanshui, who ordered A Sang and Miao Xuan to leave and claimed he wanted to discuss matters with Chen Mu.
• Chen Mu refused Sang Hanshui’s request and asked whether the trading house intended to sell him the materials, prompting Miao Hongbo to defer to Sang Hanshui.
• Chen Mu activated his Wrist Device, and Sang Hanshui challenged him while revealing his interest in the device; A Sang realized Sang Hanshui had targeted Chen Mu while he was recovering from battle.
• Chen Mu recognized Sang Hanshui’s hostile intent, but his Perception had recovered to less than half its usual level.

Chen Mu thwarted Sang Hanshui’s attempt to seize the [Golden Word Lock] with Wei’a’s hidden strike, then obtained the materials he needed and prepared to leave Zhaerqian. He left Sang Hanshui bound in the room before returning and flying away with A Sang.

• Sang Hanshui revealed that he had manipulated Dang Han and Wen in hopes of obtaining the [Golden Word Lock], then demanded that Chen Mu hand it over.
• Sang Hanshui killed Miao Hongbo and Miao Xuan when they tried to intervene, and threatened to take the card from Chen Mu.
• As Sang Hanshui launched a surprise attack, Wei’a struck him from behind and knocked him unconscious.
• Chen Mu bound and gagged Sang Hanshui, while A Sang found a golden clearance card on Miao Hongbo’s body and used it to locate the Mo’a Stone and grass-mottled insect glue.
• Chen Mu and A Sang retrieved both materials, returned for Sang Hanshui, and flew out of the building with him.

Chen Mu returned to the Qiqi Trading Company, met Wei'a’s new disciple Bu Mo, and tested the boy’s fighting skill. After questioning Sang Hanshui about the [Golden Word Lock], Chen Mu used the word “Mirror” to create a dark-gold energy mirror and began considering its properties.

• Chen Mu entered the training room with the unconscious Sang Hanshui and met Wei'a and his disciple Bu Mo.
• Wei'a ordered Bu Mo to attack Chen Mu, who tested the boy’s skill and praised his talent before Wei'a began training him.
• Chen Mu woke Sang Hanshui and questioned him about the [Golden Word Lock], learning several recorded monosyllabic words, including “Mirror.”
• Chen Mu spoke “Mirror” and formed a reflective energy construct, while Sang Hanshui wondered how much strength Chen Mu was hiding.
• Chen Mu examined the energy mirror, intending to investigate its properties.