Chapter Summaries

Xu Yang killed Zhang Tong and the Four Rivers Gang members at the former Three Harmonies Gang headquarters, then disguised himself as the badly injured Xu Zheng to infiltrate the Four Rivers Gang headquarters. Zhang Sishui rushed to question him about his son, but Xu Yang’s next move was left unresolved.

• Xu Yang tested the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist and discovered that Primordial Unity Force had greatly strengthened and tempered his body.
• Xu Yang searched the former Three Harmonies Gang headquarters, killed Zhang Tong and his followers, and took four packets of Qi-Nourishing Powder and their money pouches.
• Xu Yang killed more than a dozen Four Rivers Gang members who approached after the fight.
• Xu Yang disguised himself as Xu Zheng, covered himself in blood, and claimed that something had happened to Zhang Tong.
• Zhang Sishui hurried to the front courtyard, grabbed the disguised Xu Yang, and demanded to know what had happened to Zhang Tong.

Xu Yang killed Zhang Sishui and the Four Rivers Gang’s remaining members, then looted the gang’s stores and began learning the Flying Swallow Skill. As the gang’s destruction became public and the Cao Family and Yamen issued a bounty for its killer, Xu Yang hid his stolen wealth and decided to keep a low profile.

• Xu Yang ambushed Zhang Sishui, killed him with a second strike, and slaughtered the Four Rivers Gang members who arrived, sparing Fifth Brother long enough to lead him to the gang’s stores.
• Xu Yang killed Fifth Brother, broke into the gang’s storeroom, and took money, Qi-Nourishing Powder, and the Flying Swallow Skill manual.
• Xu Yang returned home, counted his loot, and began cultivating the Flying Swallow Skill by circulating his Vajra True Qi through its hidden meridians.
• White Stone Ward learned that Zhang Sishui and the Four Rivers Gang had been wiped out; Xu Qing saw Xu Daxin and his wife pleading to bring Xu Zheng’s body into the ward.
• At the Liu Family estate, Xu Yang learned that the Cao Family and Yamen had issued a bounty for the gang’s killer and heard speculation that the Cao Family had ties to the Four Rivers Gang.
• Xu Yang decided to keep a low profile, avoided Mighty Far Hall, and buried the chest of stolen wealth after nightfall.

Xu Yang watched Lu Ren announce his great accomplishment of qi gathering, then publicly exposed Lu Ren’s betrayal when Lu tried to provoke him. Xu Yang kept his own breakthrough secret and continued training until news arrived that Kong Yu of the Raging Wind Hall had also reached great accomplishment of qi gathering.

• Wu Yongfeng told Xu Yang that Lu Ren had found his Ren and Du Meridians but had not opened them.
• Lu Ren entered the Mighty Far Hall and announced that he had reached great accomplishment of qi gathering, then invited Xu Yang to his celebratory banquet.
• Lu Ren taunted Xu Yang, and Xu Yang exposed his betrayal of the Huang Family, leaving Lu Ren furious and too embarrassed to hold the banquet.
• Lin Cheng criticized Xu Yang and Lu Ren for not fighting, while Lin Wei argued that Xu Yang had no need to attack.
• Zhang Hong and Zhang Yong warned Xu Yang that Lu Ren had joined a powerful alliance formed by the Gu Family and the Jiang Family for the Martial Examination's Dragon Ascension.
• Xu Yang continued training and kept his breakthrough secret until someone announced that Kong Yu of the Raging Wind Hall had reached great accomplishment of qi gathering.

Xu Yang revealed his breakthrough to the Liu Family, which offered him a martial technique and support in exchange for serving Liu Xiao at the Violet Sun Gate if he achieved Dragon Ascension. After improving his Flying Swallow Skill and learning Wu Yongfeng had left Mighty Far Hall, Xu Yang encountered armed men led by a refined stranger at the entrance to White Stone Ward.

• Kong Yu reached great accomplishment of qi gathering in less than half a year, astonishing the Inner Court, while Wu Yongfeng told Xu Yang he wanted to leave the Martial Arts Hall.
• Xu Yang reported his own breakthrough to Zhang Bo, and Liu Hongchang offered him money and a secret technique if he would serve Liu Xiao at the Violet Sun Gate after Dragon Ascension.
• Xu Yang asked for time to consider Liu Hongchang's proposal and returned home, where Xu Qing told him that Guan Xiaojie had founded a gang on the Four Rivers Gang's former territory.
• Xu Yang ran through the wilderness until his Flying Swallow Skill reached minor accomplishment, greatly improving his speed and leaping ability.
• Wu Yongfeng told Xu Yang he had decided to leave Mighty Far Hall, and Xu Yang accompanied him for drinks before returning to White Stone Ward.
• Xu Yang found Qian Jiaxing among armed men at the ward entrance, and their refined-looking leader stepped forward to ask whether he was Xu Yang.

Xu Yang refused Guan Xiaojie’s offer to join the Great River Gang, then learned that Guan had once served the Cao Family. At the Mighty Far Hall’s sparring exchange with the Raging Wind Hall, Xu Yang revealed he had reached great accomplishment of Qi Gathering and faced Yang Jun’s challenge over an old grievance.

• Guan Xiaojie invited Xu Yang to join the Great River Gang, but Xu Yang declined and left; Guan dismissed Qian Jiaxing’s suggestion to recruit Yang Jun instead.
• Zhang Bo told Xu Yang that Guan had once served the Cao Family, leaving Xu Yang to wonder whether the Cao Family had sent him to White Stone Ward.
• Sun Tao announced that the Raging Wind Hall had challenged the Mighty Far Hall to spar, and Lin Cheng named Xu Yang as a fighter.
• Xu Yang revealed that he had reached great accomplishment of Qi Gathering, silencing Lu Ren’s and Jiang Ping’s doubts and surprising the other disciples.
• The Raging Wind Hall arrived, and Zhang Yong won the opening match against Ji Jincheng as the two halls traded victories.
• Yang Jun challenged Xu Yang over their past conflict, and Xu Yang said he would fight him if Yang wanted to settle their personal grievance.

Xu Yang defeated Yang Jun in their grudge match, then watched Sun Tao lose to Kong Yu as the halls’ rivalry escalated ahead of the Dragon Ascension Martial Examination. Lin Cheng warned Xu Yang of the danger and gave him three Qi-Boosting Pills, while the Huang Family learned of his breakthrough and argued over whether to recruit him.

• Xu Yang revealed his great accomplishment of Qi Gathering and broke Yang Jun’s arm, prompting Ji Yun to challenge the Mighty Far Hall’s disciples to further matches.
• Kong Yu defeated Sun Tao, and the other bouts left the Mighty Far Hall with three losses out of five.
• Zhu Yang and the Raging Wind Hall’s disciples threatened to face Xu Yang and the others again during the Dragon Ascension Martial Examination.
• Lin Cheng warned Xu Yang that the Raging Wind Hall would target him, then gave him three Qi-Boosting Pills and urged him to fight back.
• Huang Jin and Huang Ping learned that Xu Yang had reached great accomplishment of Qi Gathering and argued about offering him a place in the Huang Family.
• Huang Xu returned from failed seclusion, removed Huang Ping from managing the family, and decided not to approach Xu Yang unless he agreed to serve the Huang Family.

Xu Yang’s bone root reached A-grade lower just before the Martial Examination Trials, and he attended a Mighty Far Hall banquet to learn about the leading contestants. The gathering turned into a plan for disciples to yield to favored senior brothers and wear down their opponents, and Zhao Hui challenged Xu Yang after he stayed silent.

• Xu Yang’s bone root rose to 80, triggering a painful transformation that placed it at A-grade lower, while his cultivation remained at great accomplishment of Qi Gathering.
• Zhang Hong reached great accomplishment of Qi Gathering and invited Xu Yang to a banquet for Mighty Far Hall disciples entering the Martial Examination Trials; Xu Yang agreed out of respect for Sun Tao.
• At the Fortune Comes Restaurant, Sun Tao named Han Xing, Cao Rong, and Yun Feng as leading contenders, while Fang Xing mentioned Qin Ze’s hidden force.
• Gu Fang urged the disciples to concede to her brother, Gu Haoming, and Lu Ren proposed yielding to favored Mighty Far Hall contestants while exhausting outsiders.
• Zhao Hui confronted Xu Yang for remaining silent and asked whether he intended to compete against the senior brothers.

Xu Yang arrived at Qingyuan County’s metropolitan Martial Examination determined to achieve dragon ascension, despite Lu Ren and the other Mighty Far Hall disciples pressuring candidates to concede to them. As the examination began, Sun Tao earned a C-grade upper result in the iron-lock test, while Zhu Yang threatened Xu Yang from across the grounds.

• Lu Ren and Zhao Hui pressured the Mighty Far Hall disciples to concede to favored candidates, and Xu Yang calmly refused to commit.
• Lin Wei warned Sun Tao to concede if he faced Xu Yang, hinting that Xu Yang was stronger than Sun Tao realized.
• Xu Lao'er learned that Xu Yang and Yang Jun were both taking the metropolitan Martial Examination, regretted his treatment of Xu Yang, and refused to attend.
• Xu Yang arrived at the crowded examination grounds with Xu Qing, Xu Lan, and Zhou Hui, then entered Group C with Zhang Yong, Zhang Hong, and Sun Tao.
• Sun Tao lifted a two-thousand-jin iron lock forty times and received a C-grade upper result.
• Zhu Yang, a disciple of the Raging Wind Hall, made a throat-slitting gesture at Xu Yang as the iron-lock test continued.

Xu Yang competed in the first stage of the metropolitan examination, where candidates lifted weighted iron locks to demonstrate their martial foundations. After other contestants impressed or faltered, Xu Yang lifted the two-thousand-jin weight thirty-one times, earning C-Grade Middle and revealing that he was Lu Ren’s equal while concealing the full extent of his strength.

• Zhang Yong earned D-Grade Upper, Liu Qian demonstrated strength worthy of a Dragon Ascension place, and Zhang Hong received D-Grade Lower.
• Lu Ren lifted the two-thousand-jin weight thirty-three times for C-Grade Middle, while Yang Jun failed to earn a grade.
• Xu Yang ignored the doubts and chose the two-thousand-jin weight, then continued lifting past twenty as the onlookers realized he had reached Mid Great Accomplishment of Qi Gathering.
• Xu Yang stopped after thirty-one lifts, earning C-Grade Middle and appearing exhausted while keeping his true strength concealed.

Xu Yang’s c-grade middle result in the first round revealed his talent and drew attention from powerful families, while worsening the regret and resentment of those who had underestimated him. He rejected their offers and Gu Fang’s banquet invitation, leaving his rivals to consider how they might deal with him in the second round.

• Xu Yang’s lock-lift result nearly matched Lu Ren’s, impressing Lin Cheng and exposing Huang Ling’er’s false claim that she had rejected Xu Yang; the Huang Family regretted overlooking him.
• Xu Yang observed the other candidates, including Kong Yu, as the first round ended, while Raging Wind Hall disciples threatened him and Zhu Yang signaled that they intended to kill him.
• Gu Fang and Jiang Ping sought Xu Yang after the examination, but he had already left; Cao Gang offered him marriage, resources, secret martial arts, and guaranteed dragon ascension in exchange for serving Cao Gang’s nephew.
• Xu Yang declined Cao Gang’s offer by claiming he had promised himself to the Lin Family, then turned down a renewed Liu Family offer and other recruiters.
• Gu Fang and Jiang Ping invited Xu Yang to a banquet meant to unite candidates behind Gu Haoming, but he refused and left; Gu Fang threatened to cripple him, while Jiang Ping warned Zhang Hong not to repeat what had been said.

Xu Yang learned that the Huang Family had mistreated Zhou Shunchang and resolved to settle the matter after the examination. He then entered the combat stage, drew a relatively weak opponent for his first bout, and faced He Dong on platform C.

• Xu Yang escorted Zhou Xia toward home and learned that the Huang Family had demoted Zhou Shunchang and falsely accused him of faulty accounts.
• Xu Yang told Zhou Xia he would address the Huang Family after the examination, then visited Lin Cheng and explained that he had used Lin Cheng's name to turn down recruitment offers.
• The county magistrate announced the combat rules and revealed that the top sixty candidates would receive dragon ascension places.
• Xu Yang drew C-Five, while Jiang Yi and Lu Ren hoped to face him; Xu Yang's first opponent was He Dong of the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School.
• Xu Yang and He Dong introduced themselves on platform C as their first bout began.

Xu Yang advanced through the Martial Examination Metropolitan Examination and watched Zhang Hong survive his bout and draw a bye, while several other candidates fought on. Xu Yang then faced Zhu Yang, whose Heart-Crushing Palm and threat to kill him drew the crowd’s attention, and their match began with Zhu Yang launching a forceful Startling Wind Palm.

• Xu Yang defeated He Dong by overpowering him with Explosive Bear Force, and He Dong conceded before falling from the platform.
• Xu Yang recovered and watched the candidates fight; Zhang Hong killed his opponent but was injured too badly to continue, then drew a bye in the next round and qualified for the Martial Licentiate title.
• Xu Yang drew a place on Platform A, where Yun Feng warned his opponent to concede, Xiong Kui conceded, and Lu Ren yielded to Gu Fang.
• Xu Yang’s opponent was Zhu Yang of the Raging Wind Hall, whose Heart-Crushing Palm made the candidates and examiners anticipate a dangerous fight.
• After the match began, Zhu Yang charged Xu Yang and struck with the Startling Wind Palm.

Xu Yang killed Zhu Yang in the arena and advanced through the third round as injured opponents conceded, bringing him within one victory of Dragon Ascension. The fourth-round drawing of lots began with seven Mighty Far Hall disciples still competing.

• Xu Yang exploited the Heart-Crushing Palm’s weakness, broke Zhu Yang’s hand and throat, then killed him despite the Raging Wind Hall disciples’ protests.
• The examiner declared Xu Yang the winner, and Ji Yun confronted Lin Cheng while the Mighty Far Hall disciples worried that the Raging Wind Hall would seek revenge.
• After recovering, Xu Yang learned that only six Mighty Far Hall disciples had advanced from the first set of second-round matches, and several more were eliminated in the remaining bouts.
• Xu Yang drew B-six in the third round, but his badly injured opponent conceded as soon as he recognized him.
• Sun Tao and Gu Fang advanced in the second match, while Zhang Hong was eliminated; seven Mighty Far Hall disciples remained as the fourth-round lots were drawn.

Xu Yang defeated Lu Ren in the fourth round, securing a Dragon Ascension place without revealing his strongest techniques. The Huang Family realized its ties to Xu Yang had been damaged after Huang Ping drove out Zhou Shunchang, and Huang Xu struck him in anger.

• Gu Fang fought Qin Ze to help Gu Haoming, but Qin Ze defeated her and injured her badly; Gu Haoming accused Qin Ze while privately taking confidence from the damage she had dealt him.
• Xu Yang and Lu Ren agreed to avoid serious injury before fighting for a Dragon Ascension place.
• Xu Yang used his physical strength and Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist to overpower Lu Ren, then tapped Lu Ren's throat and won the match.
• Lu Ren claimed he would fight Xu Yang again at his peak, while Lin Cheng and the spectators reacted to Xu Yang's victory and Dragon Ascension qualification.
• Huang Xu learned that Huang Ping had falsely accused Zhou Shunchang and driven him from the Huang Family, then slapped Huang Ping for endangering the family.

Xu Yang secured a Dragon Ascension spot, rejected attempts to recruit him for the top-three contest, and watched the other candidates compete while refusing to risk himself further. After returning home, he celebrated with Xu Qing and promised to bring her to him after he settled into the sect, then questioned whether she understood the dangers of martial arts.

• Xu Yang rejected Gu Haoming and other candidates who wanted him to help weaken their opponents, while the remaining Mighty Far Hall disciples fought until Sun Tao, Lu Ren, and Zhang Yong also secured Dragon Ascension spots.
• Xu Yang, Sun Tao, and Zhang Yong conceded their top-three matches, and Lu Ren was badly injured before Cao Rong, Yun Feng, and Qin Ze claimed the top three places.
• Xu Yang returned to White Stone Ward and told Xu Qing he had achieved Dragon Ascension, promising to bring her to him after he settled in the sect.
• Xu Qing asked about the dangers of the examination and insisted she still wanted to practice martial arts after hearing that Yang Jun had been crippled.

Xu Yang used his Martial Dao Longevity Points to improve his comprehension and confronted the Huang Family over their treatment of Zhou Shunchang, securing a public correction and a new livelihood for his uncle. At Mighty Far Hall, Lin Cheng hired Xu Yang and began teaching him the Mountain-Bearing Bear Canon.

• Xu Yang spent points to raise his comprehension to 75 and improve Vajra Skill before practicing Turtle-Snake Great Stance.
• Huang Xu and Huang Jin brought gifts to Zhou Shunchang and made Huang Ping apologize, but Xu Yang demanded that the Huang Family publicly clear his uncle's name.
• Huang Jin and Huang Xu agreed to restore Zhou Shunchang's reputation, and Xu Yang ended his grievances with the Huang Family.
• Xu Yang offered Zhou Shunchang an equal share in the Qiu Family businesses to manage, gave his aunt two taels, and went with his uncle to the Qiu Family.
• At Mighty Far Hall, Lin Cheng hired Xu Yang to teach in the afternoons for five taels a month and advised him to focus on cultivation instead of learning secret voice transmission.
• Lin Cheng told Xu Yang that Dragon Ascension exempted him from the usual requirements and sent for the Mountain-Bearing Bear Canon to teach him.

Xu Yang studied the Mountain-Bearing Bear Canon, refused Xue Hong’s Blood Lotus Cult recruitment, and learned that Yang Jun had been mysteriously killed. The Yamen then announced Xu Yang’s success in the Martial Examination Metropolitan Examination and delivered his Dragon Ascension Token, leaving White Stone Ward stunned by his achievement.

• Lin Cheng explained Astral Qi’s power to Xu Yang, lent him the Mountain-Bearing Bear Canon, and revealed that its continuation was kept at the Violet Sun Gate.
• Xue Hong, a masked disciple of the Blood Lotus Cult, offered Xu Yang cultivation resources in exchange for joining the cult and spying on the Violet Sun Gate, but Xu Yang refused and the two parted without fighting.
• Xu Lan told Xu Yang that Yang Jun had died, and Xu Yang found his body drained of flesh before advising the Village Head to notify Raging Wind Hall.
• The Yamen procession arrived at Xu Yang’s home and announced that he had passed the Martial Examination Metropolitan Examination as a Dragon Ascension Martial Licentiate.
• Xu Qing and the residents of White Stone Ward celebrated as Xu Yang received his documents and Dragon Ascension Token.

Xu Yang celebrated earning the Martial Licentiate title and achieving dragon ascension while the Heaven-Burning Sect’s blood-seed killings stirred Qingyuan County. Later, Lin Cheng introduced a proposed alliance between the Mighty Far Hall’s dragon ascension disciples and the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School, leaving the decision to the disciples.

• Xu Yang received congratulations and gifts from White Stone Ward, the Great River Gang, his relatives, fellow disciples, and other families, while he rejected pressure to marry because he had achieved dragon ascension.
• Kong Yu questioned Xu Yang about Yang Jun’s death, but Xu Yang denied seeing anyone suspicious, and Lin Cheng later told him that the Heaven-Burning Sect had killed Yang Jun and other injured exam candidates to harvest their matured blood seeds.
• Xu Yang learned that Gu Fang’s heart meridians were damaged and the Gu Family planned to arrange her marriage, while Lu Ren withdrew from others after losing to Xu Yang.
• Xu Yang’s comprehension rose to eighty as he continued training and teaching, and the Qiu Family’s tea business grew with help from his reputation.
• Lin Cheng hosted Tian Wei and four dragon ascension disciples from the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School, who proposed an alliance with the Mighty Far Hall’s dragon ascension disciples for their time at the Violet Sun Gate.
• Lin Cheng left Xu Yang, Zhang Yong, and the other disciples to decide whether to join the alliance themselves.

Xu Yang declined to join an alliance, promised Lin Cheng he would look after Lin Wei at the Violet Sun Gate, and learned the Great River Gang was investigating him. At the Dragon Assembly preparations, Lu Ren revealed he had comprehended Wind-Thunder Force, but a question about Xu Yang doing the same left him uneasy.

• Jiang Ping, Lin Wei, Sun Tao, and Xu Yang each declined or deferred Tian Wei's proposed alliance for different reasons, and Xu Yang told Sun Tao he had no allies.
• Lin Cheng asked Xu Yang to protect Lin Wei at the Violet Sun Gate, and Xu Yang agreed when it was within his power; Lin Cheng promised to look after Xu Qing.
• Luo Dehu begged Lu Ren and then Xu Yang to save him from the Great River Gang, but both refused; Luo Dehu told Xu Yang that Guan Xiaojie had been asking about him.
• Sun Tao gave Xu Yang an invitation to the Dragon Assembly, scheduled for three days later at the Long-Arm Boxing Hall.
• Lu Ren told the Inner Court disciples he had comprehended Wind-Thunder Force and claimed he could defeat Xu Yang in three moves, then grew anxious when someone asked whether Xu Yang might comprehend it too.

Xu Yang killed Jiang Yi to prevent him from becoming a threat, then attacked Guan Xiaojie at the Great River Gang headquarters. After Guan Xiaojie recognized the Primordial Unity Force in Xu Yang’s punch, Xu Yang pursued him.

• Jiang Yi asked Kong Yu to avenge Zhu Yang by killing Xu Yang, and Kong Yu agreed.
• Xu Yang ambushed Jiang Yi, killed him, and hid his corpse in a cave outside the city.
• At the Great River Gang headquarters, Guan Xiaojie ordered Qian Jiaxing to execute Luo Dehu for betraying the gang.
• Qian Jiaxing stabbed Luo Dehu to death, and Guan Xiaojie attacked Qian Jiaxing before Xu Yang struck from the shadows and killed him.
• Xu Yang clashed with Guan Xiaojie, whose finger bones shattered when he recognized the Primordial Unity Force in Xu Yang’s punch.
• Guan Xiaojie retreated while trying to purge Xu Yang’s force from his meridians, but Xu Yang pursued him.