Chapter Summaries

Xu Yang reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering with vajra true qi, then reported his breakthrough at the Liu Residence. The chapter ended with news that Kong Yu of the rival Raging Wind Hall had entered Qi Gathering.

• After a lower first-grade bone-root disciple joined the Raging Wind Hall, Lin Cheng spent more time teaching the Mighty Far Hall disciples.
• Xu Yang practiced diligently for a month and a half and reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering, advancing his cultivation and techniques.
• Xu Yang tested his vajra true qi and blasted a fist-sized hole through a tree from three feet away.
• Xu Yang demonstrated his breakthrough to Zhang Bo at the Liu Residence so his monthly pay as an Attendant could increase to ten taels.
• At the Mighty Far Hall, the disciples heard that Kong Yu had successfully entered Qi Gathering.

The Mighty Far Hall disciples learned that Kong Yu had reached Qi Gathering far faster than they expected, while Xu Yang stayed unconcerned. After collecting his pay, Xu Yang refused Bao Gang’s request for a loan, and Bao Gang gambled away his money and borrowed more.

• A disciple told Lu Ren and the Mighty Far Hall that Kong Yu had reached Qi Gathering ten days earlier, shocking Lu Ren and the other disciples.
• Lin Cheng dismissed the concern and ordered the disciples to return to training, while Xu Yang told Qiu Wenjie there was no reason for him to worry.
• Bao Gang, deep in gambling debt, decided to borrow money from Xu Yang or Wu Yongfeng after payday.
• Xu Yang received twelve taels from the accounts office but claimed he had received seven, then refused Bao Gang’s request for two taels.
• Bao Gang repaid his gambling-house debt, gambled away the money he had kept for tuition, and borrowed another two taels.

Xu Yang learned that Lu Ren had broken with the Huang Family and rejected their renewed attempt to form a marriage alliance with him. On his way home through heavy snow, Xu Yang sensed someone hiding nearby just as an ambush began.

• Zhang Hong told Xu Yang and the others that Lu Ren had left the Huang Family after refusing to marry the Huang Family's young lady, and had joined the Gu Family with their protection.
• Xu Yang rejected the Huang Family's offer of a marriage alliance, saying he would not marry and would instead consider becoming their Attendant if they needed him.
• Huang Jin admitted the Huang Family had misjudged Xu Yang and asked Zhou Shunchang to tell him they had wronged him.
• As Xu Yang walked home through heavy snow, he heard a nearby heartbeat without any breathing and realized someone was lying in ambush.
• The snow beside Xu Yang exploded as the ambush began.

Xu Yang survived a masked ambush and killed Bao Gang after learning he had attacked to rob him. He returned home to Xu Qing, where they discussed refusing to lend grain and their shortage of firewood.

• A masked attacker sprang from the snow and tried to kill Xu Yang, but Xu Yang evaded his blows and countered with Explosive Bear Force.
• Xu Yang broke the attacker’s arm and recognized him as Bao Gang when he cried out.
• Bao Gang begged for mercy, but Xu Yang broke his leg and killed him, then found no money on the corpse.
• Xu Yang hid Bao Gang’s body in the mountains and continued home through the snowstorm.
• Xu Qing told Xu Yang that Third Aunt Gao had asked to borrow grain, and Xu Yang advised her not to lend to people who had not helped them before.
• Xu Yang promised to cut firewood the next day after Xu Qing said the snow was too heavy for her to go into the mountains.

After Lu Ren’s betrayal, Huang Jin tried to persuade Huang Ping to cultivate Xu Yang through support rather than marriage, but Huang Ping dismissed the idea. Meanwhile, Xu Yang saved his Martial Dao Longevity Points, endured the heavy snow, and learned that Bao Gang had gone missing after Xu Yang killed him.

• Huang Jin told Huang Ping that Xu Yang refused a marriage alliance but remained willing to leave the Liu Family if the Huang Family needed him.
• Huang Jin urged Huang Ping to support Xu Yang without insisting on marriage, but Huang Ping rejected his advice and ordered a new selection of promising people.
• Xu Yang checked that he had 42 Martial Dao Longevity Points and chose to keep them in reserve after killing Bao Gang.
• Xu Yang cleared snow, gathered firewood, and headed to the Liu Family estate while Xu Qing stayed home.
• Zhang Bo reported that Bao Gang was missing, and the attendants suspected he had been killed by an enemy of the Liu Family.
• Xu Yang privately wondered whether anyone would trace Bao Gang’s death to him, then joined the others in discussing martial-world tales.

Xu Yang was publicly accused by Huang Ling'er of pursuing her, and rumors spread that he had sought a marriage alliance with the Huang Family. He chose not to correct the story, leaving the Mighty Far Hall to believe the Huang Family had rejected him.

• The Liu Family learned Bao Gang had bought white cloth and left the city, while Xu Yang and Wu Yongfeng headed to the Mighty Far Hall.
• Huang Ling'er confronted Xu Yang outside the hall, claimed she would never marry him, and left before he could ask for an explanation.
• Huang Ling'er told her maid that she was protecting the Huang Family's reputation and resented Xu Yang for refusing her twice.
• Rumors spread that Xu Yang had asked the Huang Family to marry Huang Ling'er in exchange for joining them as an Attendant, and disciples judged him for it.
• Xu Yang realized the Huang Family likely wanted to turn his refusals into a rejection by Huang Ling'er, and decided to let them save face while ending his ties with them.
• The disciples discussed Lu Ren's place with the Gu Family, learning that the family hoped his talent would help its eldest young master rank in the Martial Examination.

Xu Yang learned more about the Martial Examination’s path into martial arts sects as Zhang Yong reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering and planned to compete. After the Huang Family’s talent search drew eager youths from White Stone Ward, Xu Yang led them toward the city despite the deep snow.

• Wu Yongfeng explained that the Martial Examination’s dragon ascension offered a route into a martial arts sect, and Zhang Yong announced he had reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering and would compete.
• Huang Ling’er defended publicly damaging Xu Yang’s reputation, while Huang Jin warned that she had destroyed the Huang Family’s remaining goodwill with him.
• After heavy snow buried White Stone Ward, Xu Yang cleared his roof and went into the mountains to cut firewood because supplies were scarce.
• Young people from White Stone Ward gathered at Xu Yang’s home to ask about the Huang Family’s talent search, and Xu Yang confirmed the opportunity was real.
• Xu Yang agreed to guide the youths, including his cousin Xu Zheng, to the Huang Family in the city and led them through the deep snow.

Xu Yang continued his routine cultivation as the Qiu Family came under pressure from the Hong Family, who demanded access to their tea procurement channels. After Zhang Yong and Jiang Ping refused to help Qiu Wenjian, Xu Yang confronted him and asked why he had not sought his help.

• The Liu Family compensated Bao Gang's family, while the Huang Family selected five C-Grade Bone Roots, including Xu Yang's cousin Xu Zheng.
• Qiu Yongjian told Qiu Yongqiang that Hong Xu had given the Qiu Family one day to surrender its procurement channels, threatening to use his son Hong Feng, who had reached the Minor Accomplishment of Qi Gathering.
• Qiu Yongqiang stopped Qiu Wenjian from confronting the Hong Family and sent him to seek help from a senior brother at the Mighty Far Hall.
• Qiu Wenjian asked Zhang Yong to mediate, but Zhang refused because fighting Hong Feng could injure him and jeopardize his martial examination prospects.
• Jiang Ping angrily dismissed Qiu Wenjian, and Xu Yang stopped him alongside Wu Yongfeng, asking why he had not come to him for help.

Xu Yang learned that the Qiu Family was being threatened by the Hong Family and agreed to confront Hong Feng himself. As he prepared, he considered how to improve his Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist and hoped to unlock Wind-Thunder Force before the fight.

• Qiu Wenjie explained that the Hong Family was trying to seize the Qiu Family’s supply channels, while Zhang Yong warned that attacking Hong Feng together could escalate the conflict.
• Xu Yang volunteered to take on Hong Feng, revealed that he had reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering, and told the others the Qiu Family had funded his training.
• Qiu Wenjie and Xu Yang set out for the Hong Family, followed by Wu Yongfeng, Zhang Hong, and Zhang Yong; Jiang Ping and Lu Ren discussed Xu Yang’s chances.
• Xu Yang reviewed his cultivation panel and decided to improve Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist so he could comprehend Wind-Thunder Force and face Hong Feng with less risk of injury.

Xu Yang used his saved points to master Wind-Thunder Force and went with Qiu Wenjie to confront Hong Feng over the Qiu Family’s property. After Hong Feng agreed to settle the dispute with a fight, Xu Yang stepped forward to face him.

• Xu Yang poured his points into Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist, gaining mastery of Wind-Thunder Force and strengthening his combat ability.
• Xu Yang told Qiu Yongqiang he had reached minor accomplishment in qi gathering and would repay the Qiu Family’s support by helping them.
• Qiu Yongjian thanked Xu Yang for putting past grievances aside, and Xu Yang learned that Qiu Yongqiang had secretly continued funding him with his own money.
• Xu Yang, the Qiu brothers, and several Mighty Far Hall disciples went to the Hong Family residence to demand compensation and an apology from Hong Feng.
• Hong Feng dismissed the disciples as spectators, recognized Xu Yang as Qiu Wenjie’s main ally, and agreed to settle the dispute through a fight.
• Xu Yang stepped forward to fight Hong Feng, intending to kill him.

Xu Yang fought Hong Feng after Hong Feng challenged him, exploiting a lapse in Hong Feng’s focus to seize the initiative and overwhelm him. Xu Yang killed Hong Feng outright, leaving the surrounding onlookers stunned and the Hong Family screaming.

• Xue Fangsheng judged that Xu Yang and Hong Feng were evenly matched and warned that either might suffer a costly victory.
• Hong Feng halted his charge to seek a peaceful resolution, but Xu Yang attacked immediately with the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist.
• Xu Yang feinted a punch, struck Hong Feng’s chest with a palm, and pressed his advantage with further lethal attacks.
• Hong Feng fired True Qi from his fist to create distance, but Xu Yang dodged it and endured Hong Feng’s assault with his hardened physique.
• Xu Yang struck Hong Feng in the chest, broke his breastbone, and smashed his head against the ground, killing him.
• The crowd fell silent as the Hong Family cried out over Hong Feng’s death.

Xu Yang killed Hong Feng in a duel after the Hong Family tried to seize the Qiu Family’s property, then warned Hong Xu against seeking revenge. News of the fight reached Mighty Far Hall and the Huang Family, where Huang Jin realized Huang Ling'er had ruined the family’s chance to win Xu Yang’s support.

• Xu Yang killed Hong Feng in fewer than ten moves without being injured, and the Qiu brothers rebuked Hong Xu for bringing the disaster on his family.
• Xu Yang warned Hong Xu not to use dirty tricks against him or the Qiu Family, then returned to the Qiu Family with Qiu Yongqiang and the others.
• At Mighty Far Hall, Xue Fangsheng reported the duel, while Jiang Ping, Zhao Zhifei, and Lu Ren attributed Xu Yang’s victory partly to luck.
• Huang Jin read that Xu Yang had reached minor accomplishment of qi gathering and killed Hong Feng, and regretted that Huang Ling'er had destroyed the Huang Family’s goodwill with him.

After Xu Yang killed Hong Feng and protected the Qiu Family, the Huang and Qiu families reconsidered his character and value, while his fellow disciples began treating him with respect. Xu Yang rejected Xu Zheng’s attempt to get him to fund his training and accepted the Qiu Family’s gifts at home.

• Huang Ping praised Xu Yang’s loyalty and regretted having underestimated him, while Huang Ling'er dismissed his prospects because of his C-grade lower bone root.
• Qiu Yongjian acknowledged that Xu Yang had saved the Qiu Family’s business and ordered gifts and silver sent to his home, with future support to come from the family accounts.
• At Mighty Far Hall, the disciples greeted Xu Yang warmly, and Sun Tao promised the hall would defend him if a high-level expert from the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School sought revenge.
• Xu Zheng asked Xu Yang to pay for his martial training, but Xu Yang reminded him how his family had treated him and walked away.
• Qiu Wenjie and Qiu Yongqiang brought gifts to Xu Yang’s home, including twenty taels of silver, which Xu Qing excitedly admired.

Xu Yang rejected pleas from Xu Lao'er’s family and focused on growing stronger for the Martial Examination’s Dragon Ascension. After a month of costly cultivation, he had made major progress and set out with Xu Qing to buy New Year supplies.

• Xu Yang rejected marriage plans and tested Wind-Thunder Force, discovering that it could destroy wood from within.
• Xu Yang refused Xu Daxin’s request to train and fund Xu Zheng, reminding him of how he had once refused Xu Yang grain.
• Xu Yang ate the Qiu Family’s ginseng and spent more than thirty taels on Exotic Beast meat and Qi-Nourishing Powder to cultivate.
• Xu Yang’s true qi nearly doubled, his comprehension and bone root surpassed fifty, and he assessed his chances of reaching great accomplishment of Qi Gathering before the examination.
• Xu Yang agreed to accompany Xu Qing into the city for New Year supplies and left with her after breakfast.

Over two months, Xu Yang celebrated the New Year with Xu Qing, strengthened his ties with allies, and advanced his bone root and comprehension to B-Grade Upper. He watched Xu Zheng fail to gather qi before being summoned to the Inner Court by Sun Tao.

• Xu Yang bought New Year supplies with Xu Qing, visited their mother's grave, and accepted gifts sent by Li Sanhe through Wang Xinggui while vowing to kill Li Sanhe when he grew stronger.
• Xu Yang took Xu Qing to New Year celebrations and visited Lin Cheng, Qiu Yongqiang, and his eldest uncle, while ignoring Xu Lao'er.
• By March, Xu Yang's bone root and comprehension had both reached 60, and his cultivation remained at minor accomplishment of Qi Gathering as his true qi grew purer.
• Xu Zheng failed to gather qi, leaving only one of the Huang Family's five trainees successful, and Xu Yang tried to console him.
• An Inner Court disciple delivered Sun Tao's request, and Xu Yang went to the Inner Court for a chat.

Xu Yang attended a meeting about voluntary mountain expeditions to prepare disciples for the Martial Examination's Dragon Ascension. Zhang Hong and Zhang Yong chose to go, but Xu Yang declined and left to test his improved bone root and comprehension.

• Xu Yang arrived as Qiu Wenjie celebrated reaching minor accomplishment of qi gathering and joined the Inner Court disciples in a pavilion.
• Sun Tao announced that the halls would send volunteers to hunt exotic beasts in the mountains for deadly combat experience before the Dragon Ascension.
• Lu Ren urged the disciples to take the risk for a chance to improve their prospects, and Zhang Hong changed his mind and agreed to participate.
• Zhang Yong also signed up, but Xu Yang declined because he expected to improve through cultivation without risking his life in the mountains.
• Xu Yang left the pavilion to practice and test the effects of his improved bone root and comprehension.

Xu Yang took advantage of Li Sanhe’s secret request to kill Zhang Tong and launched a surprise attack with Wind-Thunder Force. After striking Li Sanhe three times and suffering a counterattack, Xu Yang left him mortally wounded and revealed that he had never trusted him and had always wanted to kill him.

• Xu Yang discovered that his improved bone root and comprehension made his cultivation and martial training far more efficient.
• Li Sanhe realized the Four Rivers Gang had eliminated his spies because Zhang Tong might soon reach great accomplishment of qi gathering, and he ordered his gang to prepare for danger.
• Li Sanhe intercepted Xu Yang on the road and offered him fifty taels to help kill Zhang Tong, while secretly planning to use Xu Yang and then dispose of him.
• Xu Yang accepted the money and pretended to agree, then struck Li Sanhe with Wind-Thunder Force when Li Sanhe lowered his guard.
• Xu Yang hit Li Sanhe twice more as Li Sanhe counterattacked, leaving Xu Yang injured and Li Sanhe mortally wounded.
• Li Sanhe asked why Xu Yang had betrayed their agreement, and Xu Yang said he had never made peace with him and had long wanted to kill him.

Xu Yang killed Li Sanhe, used the reward and seized money to improve his cultivation, and watched White Stone Ward celebrate the gang leader’s death before the Four Rivers Gang took over. After a mountain expedition left Xue Fangsheng crippled but earned Fang Xing and Xiong Kui a fortune, Lin Cheng discovered Xu Yang had mastered Wind-Thunder Force and waived his tuition, though he still mistook Xu Yang’s caution for cowardice.

• Xu Yang killed Li Sanhe, took his money, and received twenty martial dao longevity points for eliminating a serious threat.
• Xu Qing and White Stone Ward residents celebrated Li Sanhe’s death, then villagers attacked the Three Harmonies Gang’s remaining members; the Four Rivers Gang soon arrived to collect Residence Fees.
• Xue Fangsheng returned from the mountain sweep crippled, while Fang Xing and Xiong Kui had helped kill a powerful exotic beast and expected nearly a hundred taels each.
• Lin Cheng noticed the concealed force in Xu Yang’s punches, recognized Wind-Thunder Force, and waived Xu Yang’s tuition while urging him to become more courageous.
• Xu Yang accepted Lin Cheng’s advice politely but decided that his abundance of time made taking dangerous opportunities unnecessary.

Lin Cheng regretted that Xu Yang had hidden his talent and skipped the Mountain Sweep, while the expedition’s survivors returned injured and changed. As the Four Rivers Gang’s Zhang Tong warned Xu Yang at home, Lin Cheng waived Xu Yang’s tuition, and Zhang Yong and Zhang Hong began associating with Jiang Ping’s group.

• Lin Cheng told Lin Wei that Xu Yang had mastered Wind-Thunder Force but lacked the courage to join the Mountain Sweep, and Lin Wei blamed Lin Cheng for neglecting him before going to see Xu Yang.
• The Mountain Sweep participants returned with two dead and many injured; Xu Yang challenged Lu Ren’s claim that the ordeal had strengthened him, while Zhang Hong and Zhang Yong said Xu Yang should have gone.
• Jiang Ping invited Zhang Yong and Zhang Hong to a victory gathering but excluded Xu Yang, whom he considered too timid to oppose their group.
• Zhang Tong visited Xu Yang’s home with Xu Zheng, announced that the Four Rivers Gang had taken over the Three Harmonies Gang’s territory, and questioned Xu Yang about Li Sanhe while making Xu Qing serve tea.
• Lin Cheng told Sun Tao that Xu Yang’s tuition had been waived, and Sun Tao wondered why Xu Yang received special treatment.
• Xu Yang saw Zhang Yong and Zhang Hong chatting with Jiang Ping and his companions, then ignored them and began his stance training.

Xu Yang broke through to great accomplishment of qi gathering, strengthened his cultivation, and reached great accomplishment in the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist, comprehending Primordial Unity Force. After Zhang Tong harassed Xu Qing again, Xu Yang prepared to retaliate and tested his newly mastered force behind his house.

• Xu Yang opened the Ren and Du meridians and broke through to great accomplishment of qi gathering, greatly increasing his true qi and physical strength.
• Xu Yang concealed his breakthrough while stabilizing his cultivation, and the Turtle-Snake Great Stance reached great accomplishment.
• Xu Yang found Zhang Tong waiting outside his home after another visit to Xu Qing, and Zhang Tong left when Xu Yang confronted him.
• Xu Qing chopped up Zhang Tong's chairs after Xu Yang said he had arranged for Zhang Tong to stop bothering her.
• Xu Yang spent points to raise the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist to great accomplishment and comprehended Primordial Unity Force.
• Xu Yang went behind his house to practice the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist.