Chapter Summaries

Lin Ruxue returned to Anning to hunt for signs of an Outer Path influence and asked Lin Zhenhai to report suspicious activity, while Lin Du secretly reacted to her warning. Ji Xiu learned of Lu Yu’s progress and received an offer to work at Lu Manor, just as Qiao Jin arrived at his home and realized he had offended someone connected to the Young Master.

• Lin Ruxue told Lin Zhenhai that an Outer Path force was spreading through Jiangyin Prefecture and warned him to report talk of spreading martial arts, equality, or shrine worship.
• Lin Zhenhai celebrated Lin Ruxue’s ambitions, while Lin Du quietly backed away after hearing her warning about the Outer Path.
• Lu Yu told Ji Xiu that he had completed Sinew Tempering and begun tempering his bone marrow.
• Lu Yu offered Ji Xiu a retainer position at Lu Manor to support his future martial training, and Ji Xiu was inclined to accept.
• Qiao Jin met Ji Xiu outside his home and, after learning Lu Yu had invited him to Lu Manor, feared the consequences of having offended him.

Ji Xiu bought bedding and clothes for Ji Wei, then went to the county office to change his registration after becoming a martial artist. Gu Baichuan intervened, and Ji Xiu left with his new Martial Register plaque while Gu Baichuan considered recruiting him.

• Ji Xiu practiced his saber, received breakfast from Ji Wei, and promised to bring her a surprise.
• Ji Xiu spent Qiao Jin's silver on a quilt and padded jackets, then worried about earning enough to support his training.
• At the county office, a registry clerk demanded five taels to change Ji Xiu's registration and criticized him for refusing the Lin Residence's offer.
• Gu Baichuan warned the clerk to follow the rules, and the clerk promptly registered Ji Xiu as a martial artist in the Martial Register.
• Gu Baichuan introduced himself as an old acquaintance of Duan Chenzhou and watched Ji Xiu leave, wondering whether to recruit him.

After gaining his freedom, Ji Xiu returned home with food, bedding, and warm cotton clothes for Ji Wei, then focused on improving his saber technique. His Heavenly River Saber reached Great Accomplishment, granting him the killing trait Ten Steps, One Kill.

• Ji Xiu left the yamen with his Household Registration Plate and celebrated his newfound freedom by buying food and supplies for his home.
• Ji Xiu gave Ji Wei new cotton clothes and bedding, and she resolved to help nourish him as he trained in martial arts.
• Two days later, Ji Xiu ate a hearty meal prepared by Ji Wei and considered visiting Lu Yu about the promised job, but chose to practice saber techniques first.
• Ji Xiu trained until his Heavenly River Saber reached Great Accomplishment and he comprehended the Ten Steps, One Kill trait.

Ji Xiu discovered that he had comprehended the saber art trait Ten Steps, One Kill, and demonstrated it when Duan Chenzhou challenged him. Duan stopped Ji Xiu's blade at his throat, while Lu Yu arrived and mistook the scene for an attempted murder.

• Ji Xiu used Ten Steps, One Kill to cleave a falling leaf and realized that the technique could steel his resolve in a life-or-death fight.
• The next morning, Ji Xiu visited Duan Chenzhou and found Gu Baichuan there, who praised Ji Xiu's saber skill and offered to guide him after he reached Bone Tempering.
• Gu Baichuan criticized Duan Chenzhou for giving up on his martial lineage and left, prompting Duan to throw Ji Xiu a war saber and challenge him to strike.
• Ji Xiu unleashed Ten Steps, One Kill, and Duan Chenzhou stopped the blade just an inch from his throat, acknowledging it as a fine blade.
• Lu Yu entered and saw Ji Xiu pointing his saber at Duan Chenzhou, then asked whether his junior brother was trying to murder his master.

Ji Xiu accompanied Lu Yu to Lu Manor, where rumors revealed that his clash with the Lin Residence had made his adoption a source of trouble. As a formidable figure confronted them, Ji Xiu realized Lu Yu’s efforts to bring him into the manor might be complicated.

• Duan Chenzhou wondered whether to teach Ji Xiu, weighing his potential to inherit the family’s Secret Martial Path against the dangers that might follow.
• Lu Yu praised Ji Xiu’s courage, while Ji Xiu recalled how Duan Chenzhou had effortlessly stopped his Heaven River Saber.
• Lu Yu led Ji Xiu into Lu Manor and warned him to stay quiet while they sought benefits from the manor lord.
• The manor’s martial artists gossiped that Ji Xiu had offended the Lin Residence by refusing Lin Zhenhai’s offer to adopt him, especially with Lin’s powerful daughter newly returned.
• A figure blocked the pair’s way and accused Lu Yu of bringing trouble upon the manor and its master.

Ji Xiu accepted Hong Jiang’s challenge to prove he deserved a retainer’s position, despite Lu Yu’s warning, and their deadly saber clash was stopped by Lu Chengfeng. Lu Chengfeng recognized Ji Xiu’s skill and asked whether he had entered the Blade Gate.

• Luo Xiao blocked Lu Yu and Ji Xiu, while Hong Jiang challenged Ji Xiu to defeat him in a saber fight before joining Lu Manor.
• Lu Yu urged Ji Xiu to leave, warning that Hong Jiang’s experience with blood made him dangerous.
• Ji Xiu broke free of Lu Yu and charged Hong Jiang with the saber, just as Lu Chengfeng and Lu Hongyu came outside.
• Lu Chengfeng struck both sabers down with a flower petal coated in qi, stopping the fight and sending the two men back with injured hands.
• Lu Chengfeng studied Ji Xiu and asked whether he had entered the Blade Gate.

Ji Xiu’s saber skill was revealed to have crossed the threshold of the Saber Gate, astonishing the Lu Manor retainers and frightening Hong Jiang. Lu Chengfeng appointed him a well-paid Saber-Wearing Retainer and sent Lu Hongyu to help him collect his benefits.

• Ji Xiu disarmed Hong Jiang, and Lu Chengfeng declared that he had entered the Saber Gate.
• The Lu Manor retainers praised Ji Xiu’s talent and credited Lu Yu for bringing him to the manor, while Lu Yu realized he had been the only one unaware of Ji Xiu’s achievement.
• Ji Xiu greeted Lu Chengfeng and privately resolved to ask Duan Chenzhou to accept him as a Registered Disciple.
• Lu Chengfeng asked about Ji Xiu’s age and family, then appointed him a Saber-Wearing Retainer with a courtyard, carriage access, a thirty-silver monthly stipend, equipment, and supplies.
• Lu Chengfeng gave Ji Xiu an iron token and sent Lu Hongyu to help him collect his things, while he took Lu Yu and his senior brother aside for a reward.

Ji Xiu arrived at Lu Manor, where Lu Hongyu took an immediate interest in him and arranged a home, silver, and martial resources. With a new life beginning, Ji Xiu decided to bring his younger sister Xiao Wei to see his success.

• Lu Hongyu introduced herself to Ji Xiu, offered to help him, and led him to collect his pay and medicine.
• Lu Chengfeng noticed Lu Hongyu's interest in Ji Xiu, warned Lu Yu to keep his tokens safe, and said he would understand in a few days.
• Lu Hongyu showed Ji Xiu a house near the Fire Kiln and gave him thirty taels of silver, a Leopard Fetus Pill, and Tiger Blood Powder.
• Lu Hongyu promised to help Ji Xiu find a suitable position and protect him if anyone caused trouble.
• Ji Xiu rejoiced at his new prospects and resolved to bring Xiao Wei to Lu Manor.

Ji Xiu returned to the poor alley in a Lu Manor carriage, shocking the neighbors with his new status as a Saber-Wearing Retainer. He took his sister Ji Wei from their old home and set off with her for their new residence.

• Ji Xiu arrived at the Ji siblings’ thatched house in a Lu Manor carriage as the crowd marveled at his transformation.
• Ji Xiu stopped Hong Jiang from serving as a human step, then reflected that his new power and status had changed how people treated him.
• Hong Jiang resolved to serve Ji Xiu loyally, believing the young retainer’s future could affect his own prospects.
• Ji Xiu greeted Ji Wei and told her he had come to take her to their new home.
• Ji Xiu packed their belongings, bid farewell to their old house, and left with Ji Wei as firecrackers marked their departure.

Ji Xiu completed the Heaven River Saber Technique and went to Duan Chenzhou to receive the promised superior pile stance. Duan Chenzhou chose him as his final disciple and presented the Tortoise Snake Great Pillar, warning that the path ahead offered no return.

• Ji Xiu settled Ji Wei into her own room and promised to teach her after he grew strong enough to support her.
• After five more days of relentless practice, Ji Xiu completely mastered the Heaven River Saber Technique.
• Ji Xiu resolved to pursue a superior pile stance and brought wine and his monthly medicinal pills to visit Duan Chenzhou.
• Duan Chenzhou asked whether Ji Xiu truly wished to join his school, and Ji Xiu bowed and accepted.
• Duan Chenzhou declared before Gu Baichuan that he would take Ji Xiu as his final disciple and showed him the Secret Martial Arts Prelude: Tortoise Snake Great Pillar.

Ji Xiu accepted Duan Chenzhou’s offer to become his final disciple and take up the Tortoise Snake Great Pillar, despite warnings of hidden dangers and its immense difficulty. Duan cautioned him that the stance might be beyond him, but Ji Xiu wondered whether he could be a one-in-ten-thousand genius.

• Ji Xiu considered the significance of becoming Duan Chenzhou’s final disciple, then accepted the Tortoise Snake Great Pillar without hesitation.
• Ji Xiu offered Duan Chenzhou wine and declared that he would face any calamity rather than abandon his martial aspirations.
• The Primordial Dao Talisman identified the Tortoise Snake Great Pillar’s Blood-Nourishing and Tendon-Forging forms and offered to advance the upper volume.
• Gu Baichuan left after agreeing to look after Ji Xiu if needed, while warning Duan Chenzhou that the Secret Martial Path would be difficult for the boy to follow.
• Duan Chenzhou advised Ji Xiu to learn when to yield, then explained that the Tortoise Snake Great Pillar was extremely difficult and might have to be abandoned if Ji Xiu made no progress.
• Ji Xiu smiled and asked Duan Chenzhou what if he was a one-in-ten-thousand genius.

Duan Chenzhou taught Ji Xiu the Tortoise Snake Great Pillar, and Ji Xiu showed an uncanny ability to assume the Mystic Tortoise stance. After half a month of training, Ji Xiu reached great completion in half the technique and advanced in Nourishing Blood, while Lin Zhenhai reconsidered his treatment of him and Lu Hongyu arrived with news of a job.

• Duan Chenzhou explained the Tortoise Snake Great Pillar and demonstrated its stance and breathing method to Ji Xiu.
• Ji Xiu swallowed a Leopard Fetus Pill and immediately took on the Mystic Tortoise stance, leaving Duan Chenzhou astonished.
• Lin Zhenhai learned that Ji Xiu had become a Saber-Wearing Retainer and mastered Ten Steps, One Kill, then ordered Lin Du to make amends to Steward Lin.
• Lin Ruxue heard about Ji Xiu's achievement and agreed that he was remarkable.
• After half a month of daily practice, Ji Xiu reached great completion in half the Tortoise Snake Great Pillar and achieved success in Nourishing Blood.
• Lu Hongyu found Ji Xiu training and blushed when she saw his muscular physique.

Ji Xiu impressed Lu Hongyu with his rapid progress in Nourishing Blood, and she arranged for him to guard the Medicine Lodge at the Fire Kiln. After learning that its Alchemy Grandmaster had never successfully taught apprentices, Ji Xiu resolved to use the Primordial Dao Talisman to learn alchemy himself.

• Lu Hongyu examined Ji Xiu's surging qi and blood and realized he was close to beginning Forging Tendons.
• Ji Xiu credited his quick progress to Lu Hongyu's support and the Leopard Fetus Pill and Tiger Blood Powder.
• Lu Hongyu explained that she had found Ji Xiu a quiet assignment guarding the Medicine Lodge, where a renowned Alchemy Grandmaster lived.
• Ji Xiu asked if he could learn alchemy from the master, but Lu Hongyu said her father's apprentices had failed to learn from him.
• Ji Xiu decided that the Primordial Dao Talisman could help him master alchemy, a lasting skill beyond his temporary duties at the Fire Kiln.

Ji Xiu joined the Medicine Lodge, persuaded Yellow Medicine Master to let him observe pill-making, and perfected the Mystic Tortoise Great Toad Form. After deciding to advance in alchemy, he was surprised by a visit from an old acquaintance.

• Hong Jiang brought Ji Xiu to the Medicine Lodge, where apprentice Zheng Jun introduced him to Yellow Medicine Master.
• Ji Xiu asked to watch Yellow Medicine Master refine pills, and the old master allowed him to observe and learn.
• After several days, Ji Xiu perfected the Mystic Tortoise Great Toad Form and gained the ability to advance a martial or arcane path.
• Ji Xiu considered learning alchemy to make pills and fund his future cultivation.
• Hong Jiang brought an old steward from the Lin Residence to visit, and Ji Xiu recognized him as Brother Yao.

Old Yao brought Ji Xiu gifts and an invitation from Lin Residence, and Ji Xiu attended a banquet with Lin Du at Flying Swallow House. Ji Xiu rejected Lin Du’s offer of brotherhood and left, but a woman in a moon-white dress stopped him with a question.

• Old Yao told Ji Xiu that Lin Residence had promoted him and offered silver, medicine, and an invitation from Lin Du; he also revealed that Steward Lin had died suddenly.
• Ji Xiu accepted the invitation for Old Yao’s sake and met Lin Du at Flying Swallow House.
• Lin Du praised Ji Xiu, proposed they become sworn brothers, and offered to pay for his martial training and a night with the dancing girls.
• Ji Xiu declined Lin Du’s offers and left the banquet, saying he had no grudge against Lin Residence and had only been a horse keeper there.
• Lin Du grabbed Ji Xiu’s clothes and hinted that he wanted Ji Xiu to understand the circumstances around Steward Lin’s death; Ji Xiu pried his fingers free and departed.
• A woman in a moon-white dress carrying a longsword stopped Ji Xiu outside Flying Swallow House and asked what he had meant by his words.

Ji Xiu explained to Lin Ruxue why he had exposed the Saffron Pill plot, then used the Primordial Dao Talisman to advance his alchemy technique at the Medicine Lodge. The chapter ended with him successfully refining six Leopard Fetus Pills on his first try, earning half the furnace and stunning the lodge.

• Ji Xiu told Lin Ruxue that Saffron Pill remnants had been fed to Lin Ruyue’s horse and explained why he had kept the secret until he left the Lin Residence.
• Lin Ruxue admired Ji Xiu’s principles and left to investigate the Saffron Pill matter.
• Ji Xiu went to the Medicine Lodge, where Yellow Medicine Master began refining an order of nine-rank pills.
• Ji Xiu corrected Yellow Medicine Master’s fire and ingredients, prompting him to let Ji Xiu take over the furnace.
• Ji Xiu used the Primordial Dao Talisman to advance his Nine-Rank Alchemy Technique and refined six Leopard Fetus Pills, earning half the batch.

Ji Xiu impressed Huang Xuan by refining six Leopard Fetus Pills, and Huang offered him a place at the Medicine Lodge with daily pill-making practice and a pill to keep each day. Ji Xiu accepted the prospect of regular cultivation pills and believed he might achieve the Hundred Days Foundation Establishment that Master Duan had described.

• Ji Xiu refined six Leopard Fetus Pills, prompting Huang Xuan to praise his technique and give him three of the pills.
• Huang Xuan offered Ji Xiu work at the Medicine Lodge, promising to cover the costs of failed batches and provide materials and a furnace for practice.
• Huang Xuan explained that skilled ninth-grade pill masters were rare and that pillcraft could offer Ji Xiu better prospects than serving Lu Manor as a Saber-Wearing Retainer.
• Ji Xiu agreed to help Huang Xuan handle routine pill orders so Huang could focus on studying qi pills.
• Huang Xuan promised Ji Xiu one pill each day, and Ji Xiu resolved that he might achieve Hundred Days Foundation Establishment.

Lin Ruxue crippled Lin Du and proposed Ji Xiu as a husband for Lin Ruyue, but Lin Zhenhai revealed that a Qi Refining Expert was preparing to establish a sect in Anning County. Ji Xiu completed ninth-rank alchemy and Nourishing Blood, then Lu Hongyu arrived with urgent news from Lu Manor.

• Instructor Du seized Lin Du and brought him before Lin Zhenhai, Lin Ruxue, and Lin Ruyue in the ancestral hall.
• Lin Ruxue severed Lin Du's tendons and broke his arm and leg, while Lin Zhenhai agreed to expel him from the Lin family and banish him from Anning County.
• Lin Ruxue suggested that Ji Xiu marry Lin Ruyue, but Lin Zhenhai explained that a Qi Refining Expert was organizing Anning County's Three Great Businesses to create a sect above the Three Great Gangs and Four Great Halls.
• Zheng Jun and Hong Jiang waited outside Ji Xiu's courtyard, each hoping to benefit from serving him, while Lu Hongyu hurried toward them.
• Ji Xiu mastered ninth-rank alchemy, completed Nourishing Blood, and prepared to advance to Forging Tendons.
• Lu Hongyu told Ji Xiu not to go to the Medicine Lodge because something major had happened at Lu Manor, and asked whether he had kept his number 36 iron token safe.

Lu Hongyu revealed that Ji Xiu’s iron token could earn him entry to a new martial school in Jiangyin Prefecture, opening a path beyond Anning County. Meanwhile, Lin Du used a mysterious shrine to recover from his injuries and was directed to Tiger Leopard Hall, where he planned to pursue revenge against Lin Ruxue.

• Ji Xiu showed Lu Hongyu the iron token Lu Chengfeng had given him, and she explained that it could qualify him to join her father’s former teacher’s newly established school.
• Lu Hongyu described the far greater opportunities and powerful martial figures in Jiangyin Prefecture, urging Ji Xiu to see Anning County as a small place.
• Lin Du entered a ruined temple with a small shrine and called upon its deity, despite knowing it might be connected to heresy.
• The shrine directed Lin Du to Tiger Leopard Hall and restored his damaged body, while imposing an unseen shackle on his spine.
• Lin Du resolved to go to Tiger Leopard Hall and kill Lin Ruxue, whom he blamed for stealing his foundation.

Huang Xuan’s pill-poison troubles drew the attention of a Zhong Huang Taiyi Sect recruiter, who offered him a cure and a place in the sect, but Huang Xuan refused and rushed to Lu Manor. There, Ji Xiu arrived at a crowded gathering where Lu Chengfeng sat with Xu Zhuang and Wei Dingchang, and Wei questioned whether Ji Xiu was fit to become a deputy hall master of the Medicine Hall in the newly formed Wind and Cloud Association.

• Huang Xuan failed to refine his pills and realized he could no longer keep up with the daily doses needed to suppress the deep-rooted flaw in his body.
• Huang Xuan found that the medicine shops of Lion Hall, Tiger Leopard Hall, and the Falcon Gang required registration to buy the pills he needed.
• A black-robed Zhong Huang Taiyi Sect recruiter offered Huang Xuan employment and claimed he could cure the Pill Devouring Poison, but Huang Xuan refused and left for Fire Kiln Lu Manor.
• Ji Xiu and Lu Hongyu entered Lu Manor’s packed main hall, where Lu Chengfeng sat beside Xu Zhuang and Wei Dingchang among roughly a hundred attendees.
• Wei Dingchang questioned whether Ji Xiu was old enough to serve as deputy hall master of the Medicine Hall in the Wind and Cloud Association.
• Huang Xuan reached Lu Manor, scolded Ji Xiu for disappearing, and shoved Hong Jiang aside.