Chapter Summaries

Xu Yang killed Guan Xiaojie and the Great River Gang members who had captured Luo Dehu, then attended the Dragon Assembly, where the gathered martial artists agreed to travel to the Violet Sun Gate in three days. Cao Rong proposed forming a faction there, but the group had not yet chosen a leader.

• Xu Yang defeated and killed Guan Xiaojie, then killed the Great River Gang members, freed Luo Dehu, and burned down their hideout.
• Cao Gang arrived the next day, found only ruins and skeletons, and issued a bounty for the murderer.
• Xu Yang attended the Dragon Assembly with Mighty Far Hall's disciples, where Han Xing welcomed them and praised Lu Ren for comprehending Wind-Thunder Force.
• Xu Yang said he had not yet comprehended Wind-Thunder Force, while Lu Ren stopped Jiang Ping and Zhao Zhifei from belittling him.
• Cao Rong announced that the martial artists would depart for the Violet Sun Gate in three days and proposed forming a faction there.
• Gu Haoming supported Cao Rong's proposal, while Yun Feng asked who would lead the faction.

Cao Rong and Yun Feng established the Sharp Wind Hall, while Han Xing and Kong Yu formed the Fledgling Eagle Association. Xu Yang declined both and joined Qin Ze, Yue Gui, Liu Qian, and Chen Jiang in an alliance for mutual protection, then learned that many smaller groups were linked through overlapping alliances.

• Cao Rong and Yun Feng agreed to lead the Sharp Wind Hall together, and Cao Rong declared that joining was voluntary but that the group would fight for resources.
• Han Xing and Qin Ze each refused to join the Sharp Wind Hall, and Yue Gui and Kong Yu also declined; Cao Rong then announced the Sharp Wind Hall and drew more than a hundred people to join.
• Han Xing and Kong Yu announced the Fledgling Eagle Association, which promised cooperation and resource exchange without forcing members to obey orders.
• Qin Ze invited Xu Yang, Yue Gui, Liu Qian, and Chen Jiang to form an alliance against possible suppression by the two larger factions, and they agreed to share information and exchange resources voluntarily.
• Xu Yang returned to Sun Tao and explained the alliance, then learned that numerous smaller groups had formed a web of alliances and ties with the larger factions.

Xu Yang left Qingyuan for the Violet Sun Gate with Sun Tao, Lin Wei, and the other successful candidates after receiving parting help from Lin Cheng and saying goodbye to Xu Qing. He arrived at the sect, learned about its four peaks and demanding outer sect service, and followed Steward Zhao Qing into the gate for registration.

• Xu Yang decided to use his points to preserve his youthful lifespan, and Lin Cheng gave him a letter of introduction and two hundred taels of silver for the journey.
• Xu Yang said goodbye to Xu Qing and Zhou Shunchang, then rode out with Sun Tao, Lin Wei, and dozens of other candidates.
• During the journey, Li He explained the Violet Sun Gate's four peaks and its three-year outer sect requirement, while Xu Yang privately resolved to keep a low profile and seek Medicine King Peak.
• The candidates reached the Violet Sun Gate's mountain territory, saw Azure Sun City and the sect's mountain palaces, and left their horses at the gate.
• Zhao Qing introduced himself as an outer sect steward and led the candidates onward while Li He departed.

Xu Yang settled into the Violet Sun Gate, rejected a scheme by senior disciples, and chose Stormy Waves Fist at the Outer Gate Scripture Hall. His strong comprehension let him quickly reach the technique’s second level and begin stacking four layers of force.

• Xu Yang received his identity token and joined Sun Tao and Jiang Ping in a courtyard with Xu Cheng, Wan Hai, and Jiang Fan.
• Wan Hai and Xu Cheng offered to take the newcomers on a mission, but Xu Yang refused and returned to his room to cultivate.
• The next morning, Xu Yang learned that refusing the two senior disciples had earned him points, which he invested in Vajra Skill.
• Kong Yu asked whether Xu Yang knew about Jiang Yi’s disappearance, and Xu Yang denied any concern before Kong Yu and Ji Jincheng vowed to avenge Zhu Yang.
• Xu Yang bribed Steward Liu for advice, chose Stormy Waves Fist, and discovered the borrowed manual contained only its first half.
• After studying and practicing the technique, Xu Yang quickly reached its second level and learned to stack four layers of force.

Xu Yang and his companions visited Steward Xiao Hua, who treated them coldly while encouraging his son Xiao Chen to court Lin Wei. Later, Xu Yang joined his allies to exchange information and strengthen their pact, leaving them better prepared for life as outer disciples at the Violet Sun Gate.

• Xu Yang, Sun Tao, and Lin Wei visited Xiao Hua with a gift from Lin Cheng, but Xiao Hua dismissed Xu Yang and Sun Tao while giving Lin Wei special attention and leaving Xiao Chen to entertain them.
• Xu Yang warned Lin Wei that Xiao Chen seemed to have ulterior motives, but she acknowledged his interest and remained open to his pursuit.
• The new disciples discussed rankings showing Kong Yu third among the ten talents, Lu Ren tenth, and Cao Rong last among the ten strongest, while Jiang Fan mentioned an unlisted A-Grade talent.
• Qin Ze proposed adding a clause to the alliance pact requiring members to help one another pass the inner-sect promotion assessment, and the group agreed.
• Yue Gui, Liu Qian, and Chen Jiang shared information about bribing Task Hall stewards, the black market, and the dangerous Dawn Society.
• Xu Yang told the group that at least one A-Grade talent had been omitted from the rankings, and the meeting ended without revealing that person's identity.

Xu Yang encountered the demanding black iron refining mission at Blazing Fire Peak and discovered that its punishing work could also improve his physique. After persisting for five days, he refined his first piece of pure black iron and received the Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique from Senior Brother Gao.

• Xu Yang saw Lin Wei enjoying Xiao Chen's company and later encountered Jiang Fan pursuing A Ya, who joined Lu Ren, Gu Haoming, and Yang Wanqiu instead.
• Lu Ren invited Xu Yang to join the Sharp Wind Hall, but Xu Yang refused, and Gu Haoming warned that the gap between Xu Yang and Lu Ren would grow.
• Xu Yang accepted the black iron refining mission from Xiao Hua and learned that quitting early would cost him three contribution points.
• At Blazing Fire Peak, Xu Yang struggled with the heavy hammer until he used the Vajra Skill to improve his refining and temper his body through the recoil.
• After five days, Xu Yang produced 103 jin of pure black iron, and Senior Brother Gao gave him the Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique.

Xu Yang mastered the Mountain-Shaking Hammer and advanced the Vajra Skill to minor accomplishment, gaining a stronger body and visible Vajra True Qi. At the Violet Sun Gate, he rebuffed an attempt by the Dawn Society to recruit him and learned that rival disciples were advancing quickly as Yue Gui asked whether he had comprehended Wind-Thunder Force.

• Xu Yang studied the Mountain-Shaking Hammer, quickly reached major accomplishment, and improved his black-iron refining pace.
• Xu Yang broke through to minor accomplishment in the Vajra Skill, transforming his flesh and condensing his true qi, though the breakthrough delayed his progress toward perfect qi gathering.
• Xu Yang collected his monthly Qi-Boosting Pills, then struck back when Li Rui'an tried to take one from him.
• Ma Jun and the Dawn Society staged a confrontation to display their influence and recruit Xu Yang, but Xu Yang rejected their pitch and left.
• At a private meeting, Liu Qian reported that Han Xing and Gu Haoming had achieved qi refining into gang and that Kong Yu was preparing to break through to marrow cleansing.
• Yue Gui asked Xu Yang whether he had comprehended Wind-Thunder Force.

Xu Yang revealed that he had grasped Wind-Thunder Force, and the Alliance debated whether his conflict with Kong Yu was a personal feud or an attack on the group. After Lu Ren confirmed Xu Yang's strength in a palm clash, Kong Yu revealed that he had grasped dark force as well.

• Xu Yang told the Alliance he had grasped Wind-Thunder Force, and he chose to handle Kong Yu's vendetta as a personal feud rather than ask the Alliance to intervene.
• Qin Ze and the others agreed to share relevant warnings with Xu Yang, though the dispute left a small rift in the Alliance.
• Lu Ren heard that Xu Yang had grasped Wind-Thunder Force and went to test him; their palm clash confirmed Xu Yang's claim and left Lu Ren's palm in pain.
• Xu Yang's companions congratulated him, while Jiang Ping feared the consequences of having fallen out with him.
• Ji Jincheng warned Kong Yu that Xu Yang had grasped Wind-Thunder Force, but Kong Yu demonstrated that he had mastered the Startling Wind Palm's dark force.

Xu Yang settled his dispute with Ji Rui'an, declined the Heroes Association's invitation, and earned contribution points through black iron work. At the Task Hall, Deacon Xiao Hua accused him of falsifying his mission assessment, and Xu Yang left after Xiao promised to investigate.

• Ji Rui'an apologized to Xu Yang and explained that Kong Yu had recruited him to target Xu Yang over a personal grudge; Xu Yang agreed to settle their dispute.
• Shi Yong invited Xu Yang to join the Heroes Association, but Xu Yang politely refused, surprising Sun Tao and the other disciples.
• Xu Yang received five points for refusing the Heroes Association and spent the next twenty days refining black iron, earning fourteen contribution points.
• Gao Lin praised Xu Yang's work and promised to accept him into Blazing Fire Peak if he qualified for the inner sect.
• At the Task Hall, Xiao Hua accused Xu Yang of falsifying his contribution points; Chen Chao and the others vouched for him, and Xiao issued the points while threatening to verify the record.

Xu Yang traded for Qi-Boosting Pills at the Black Market, killed a Violet Sun Gate disciple who tried to rob him, and used his gains to pursue perfection of Qi Gathering. The next morning, he learned Qin Ze had achieved qi refining into gang and went to congratulate him.

• Xu Yang declined Chen Chao and the others’ invitation, bought a mask, and went to the Black Market to exchange contribution points for six Qi-Boosting Pills.
• Xu Yang killed the masked disciple who ambushed him after the market, took his valuables, and concealed evidence of his techniques.
• Xu Yang returned to his lodgings and refined four Qi-Boosting Pills, then resumed his morning Turtle-Snake Great Stance practice.
• Xu Yang spoke with Sun Tao, learned that Sun Tao planned to attempt qi refining into gang, and heard that Qin Ze had already broken through.
• Xu Yang visited Qin Ze’s courtyard and congratulated him on achieving qi refining into gang.

Xu Yang learned that Kong Yu and Lu Ren had both achieved qi refining into gang, then used his own cultivation and mastery of Primordial Unity Force to break through into the same realm. He left the courtyard eager to test his newly formed astral qi.

• Liu Qian warned the group that killings and robberies had become frequent at the black market, and Xu Yang worried that the sect might investigate the death he had caused.
• Junior Brother Zhou announced that Kong Yu had achieved qi refining into gang, alarming the disciples and intensifying their concern for Xu Yang.
• Xu Yang refined four Qi-Boosting Pills, ate a meal, and prepared to break through using the Mountain-Bearing Bear Canon.
• Xu Yang united his true qi, blood energy, and spirit to form astral qi, entering qi refining into gang and gaining five years of lifespan.
• Xu Yang discovered that his Vajra Skill had become the Golden Astral Skill and that his astral qi was pink, then left to test its power.

Xu Yang consolidated his new astral qi cultivation, raised his bone root, and traveled to Azure Sun City to send a letter to Xu Qing and buy a weapon. He left the Wang Shi Weapon Forge with a Wolf-Fang Saber, while Li Rui'an spotted him and began plotting against him.

• Xu Yang tested his astral qi by shattering a stone pillar from a distance, then spent the night consolidating his cultivation and raised his bone root to 85.
• Xu Yang decided to rest before taking missions, then traveled to Azure Sun City to send Xu Qing a letter and look for a saber.
• Li Rui'an recognized Xu Yang in a tavern, believed he had not reached qi refining into gang, and resolved to take revenge.
• Xu Yang paid the Four Seas Escort Agency five taels to send a letter to Qingyuan County and asked its manager where he could buy an affordable weapon.
• At the Wang Shi Weapon Forge, Xu Yang's astral qi cracked a Cold Moon Saber, but a Wolf-Fang Saber withstood it, so he bought the saber for two hundred taels.

Xu Yang survived Li Rui'an's ambush and killed him after overpowering him with his newly attained Astral Qi. He returned to the Violet Sun Gate, consolidated his cultivation, and pretended to be concerned when the other disciples discussed Li Rui'an's disappearance.

• Xu Yang sensed an ambush on his way out of Azure Cloud City, blocked Li Rui'an's surprise attack, and recognized him as the assailant.
• Xu Yang counterattacked with Stormy Waves Fist, broke through Li Rui'an's defenses, and killed him.
• Xu Yang searched Li Rui'an's corpse, destroyed his identity token, and crushed the body beneath a rock before returning to the Violet Sun Gate.
• Xu Yang put away his Wolf-Fang Saber and spent two days consolidating his cultivation while Li Rui'an's absence went unnoticed at first.
• After Li Rui'an's disappearance became known among the new disciples, Xu Yang pretended that he and Li Rui'an had reconciled and expressed concern about his fate.

Xiao Hua forced Xu Yang into a dangerous three-month guard assignment at the Hundred Medicine Hall, where Xu concealed that he had already reached qi refining into gang. At an Alliance meeting, the others learned he was being targeted, and Yue Gui, Chen Jiang, and Liu Qian stayed behind to discuss whether remaining allied with him would bring trouble from the sect stewards.

• Xiao Hua ordered Xu Yang to guard the Hundred Medicine Hall in Azure Sun City for three months, and Xu descended with Lu Ren, Gu Haoming, and Hu Fengyi.
• Jin Lei assigned Xu Yang and Lu Ren to patrol around the warehouse while Gu Haoming and Hu Fengyi guarded its entrance; Xu worked nights and cultivated by day.
• At the Alliance meeting, Yue Gui and Liu Qian said they had achieved qi refining into gang, while Xu claimed he might break through within a month and traded his Qi Gathering Pills to Chen Jiang.
• Liu Qian warned Xu that guards at the Hundred Medicine Hall often died, especially when valuable spirit herbs arrived, and shared news about the Myriad Treasures Pavilion and membership dues imposed by the Sharp Wind Hall and Dawn Society.
• After Xu left, Chen Jiang argued that his dangerous assignment could make the stewards target the Alliance, and Qin Ze admitted he had not considered that risk.

Qin Ze, Yue Gui, Liu Qian, and Chen Jiang disbanded their alliance with Xu Yang to avoid being implicated in Xiao Hua’s vendetta against him. Xu Yang learned of their decision after the fact, while Ji Jincheng seized on Xu Yang’s guard duty in Azure Sun City as a chance to arrange his assassination.

• Yue Gui told Qin Ze, Liu Qian, and Chen Jiang that Xiao Hua was targeting Xu Yang, and the four decided to publicly disband their alliance while continuing it privately.
• Zhang Yong, Zhao Zhifei, and Jiang Ping told Xu Yang that Gu Haoming had betrayed them by making them surrender contribution points to the Sharp Wind Hall, and they feared resisting after Li Shun was killed.
• Ji Jincheng learned that Xu Yang had to guard the Hundred Medicine Hall in Azure Sun City each night and went to seek Han Xing’s help in killing him.
• Xu Yang learned from Sun Tao that Qin Ze, Yue Gui, and the others had publicly dissolved the alliance without telling him, and he realized Xiao Hua was the reason.
• Xu Yang warned Sun Tao to avoid provoking Xiao Hua and to find a mission before the steward could target him.

Xu Yang was ambushed by Han Xing and Ji Jincheng, but revealed he had already achieved qi refining into gang and killed them both. After hiding their bodies and collecting their spoils, he continued his guard duty in Azure Sun City and stayed at an inn rather than return to the Violet Sun Gate.

• Xu Yang met Han Xing and Ji Jincheng on the road, where they confronted him over Zhu Yang's death and threatened to kill him for Kong Yu's sake.
• Xu Yang surprised Han Xing by revealing his qi refining into gang cultivation and used an eleven-layer Stormy Waves Fist to injure Ji Jincheng with a ranged attack.
• Xu Yang overwhelmed Han Xing with his strength and body-protection art, then killed him with the Mountain-Shaking Hammer.
• Xu Yang killed the gravely injured Ji Jincheng after warning him that Kong Yu would soon follow.
• Xu Yang gathered a hundred taels of silver and thirty contribution points, hid the bodies in the woods, and continued his patrol at the Medicine Hall.
• Xu Yang stayed at an inn in Azure Sun City after his guard duty instead of returning to the Violet Sun Gate, wary of being discovered.

Xu Yang returned to the Violet Sun Gate after killing Ji Jincheng and Han Xing, while other disciples faced dangerous missions and factional pressures. After a chance encounter revealed Xiao Chen courting Su Man, Xu Yang was warned to keep quiet about what he had seen.

• Sun Tao told Xu Yang that Ji Jincheng and Han Xing had disappeared and were presumed killed, while Jiang Ping, Zhao Zhifei, and Zhang Yong revealed that Cao Rong and Yun Feng had assigned them a dangerous Cloud Ridge Mountains mission.
• Xu Yang ignored Qin Ze’s attempt to explain why he had left their Alliance and gave Chen Jiang a cold glance after Chen Jiang insulted him.
• Kong Yu returned from a resource-gathering trip with the Heroes Association and learned from Li Xu that Ji Jincheng and Han Xing were missing and likely dead.
• Xu Yang and his companions saw Xiao Chen fawning over Su Man, who dismissed the outer disciples as mud-legged peasants.
• Hu Fengyi warned Gu Haoming against confronting Su Man and explained her powerful family background, then cautioned Xu Yang to keep Xiao Chen’s pursuit of Su Man secret.

Xu Yang navigated the growing conflict with Lin Wei and continued guarding the Hundred Medicine Hall, where Lu Ren and the others used a spirit herb to lure attackers for merit. The ambush began, and a masked astral qi cultivator who knew Xu Yang was only at Qi Gathering charged at him.

• Sun Tao celebrated reaching the Marrow Cleansing realm as Wang Weihua reported that Kong Yu was offering contribution points and a favor for information about Han Xing and Ji Jincheng's killers.
• Lin Wei confronted Xu Yang for supposedly accusing Xiao Hua of targeting him, but Xu Yang avoided arguing and let her leave believing he would thank Xiao Hua.
• Xu Yang collected a letter from Xu Qing and his fifth Qi-Boosting Pill, then learned that Lu Ren and the others planned to use a spirit herb as bait to earn merit.
• Attackers struck the Hundred Medicine Hall from multiple directions, engaging Lu Ren, Gu Haoming, and Hu Fengyi.
• A masked astral qi cultivator who knew Xu Yang's cultivation was only at Qi Gathering leaped from the wall and attacked him with astral qi.

Xu Yang revealed his astral qi cultivation to kill Liu San and signal for help when the Iron Eagle Gang attacked the Hundred Medicine Hall. After the spirit herb was recovered and the injured disciples were punished, Xu Yang earned a reward and learned that the Myriad Treasures Pavilion would hold an auction in seven days.

• Xu Yang dodged Liu San's astral qi attack, revealed his cultivation, and killed him with an eleven-layer Stormy Waves Fist before launching a distress firework.
• Jin Lei, Gu Haoming, Hu Fengyi, and Lu Ren regrouped with Xu Yang, then chased the fleeing thieves alongside Sun Jian but failed to find them before dawn.
• Steward Zhao Qing punished Jin Lei and the other disciples, rewarded Xu Yang for killing Liu San, and learned that the Azure Sun City Law Enforcement Office had recovered the spirit herb.
• Li Tieying blamed Wang Lun for the failed plan and left with him to pursue another way to reach the marrow cleansing realm, while warning that Xu Yang's enemies might seek revenge.
• Xu Yang bought three Eight-Treasure Body-Strengthening Pills and accepted an invitation to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion auction in seven days.

Xu Yang attended the Myriad Treasures Pavilion auction and bought a Blood-Coagulating Pill recipe, believing his panel would let him learn alchemy without wasting ingredients. Meanwhile, Kong Yu decided to kill Xu Yang when he returned to the Violet Sun Gate, and the chapter ended with Xu Yang paying for the recipe.

• The Myriad Treasures Pavilion manager told Zhou Yong to keep watching Xu Yang and wait until his astral qi reached great accomplishment before making real contact.
• After hearing Xu Yang had killed an astral qi expert, Kong Yu resolved to kill him and ordered Li Xu to report when he returned to the Violet Sun Gate.
• Xu Yang used an Eight-Treasure Body-Strengthening Pill with the Golden Astral Skill and wondered whether the skill would eventually produce golden astral qi.
• Xu Yang attended the Myriad Treasures Pavilion auction, where Sun Jian won the blood ginseng and a middle-aged man bought the Origin-Returning Pills for nine hundred taels.
• Xu Yang bid four hundred taels on the Blood-Coagulating Pill recipe despite Lu Ren and Gu Haoming doubting he could use it, and Tao Huaijin declared him the winner.