Chapter Summaries

Xu Yang mastered the Blazing Sun Gang Saber and went to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion auction seeking pills. He bid twelve hundred taels for a bottle of Tenfold Great Tonic Pills, and the chapter ended with the other bidders holding back to see whether he could pay.

• Xu Yang used Martial Dao Longevity points to master the Blazing Sun Gang Saber and formed a powerful saber from astral qi.
• Xu Yang went to the auction, where Liu Xiao recognized him and accused him of betraying the Liu Family.
• Bidders drove the price of red copper spirit gold to five thousand taels, while Xu Yang refrained from bidding on the first bottle of Origin-Returning Pills.
• Lu Ren bought a bottle of Origin-Returning Pills for 1,362 taels after Wu Nanshan provoked him with competing bids.
• Xu Yang bid twelve hundred taels for the Tenfold Great Tonic Pills, saying he was bidding alone despite the other disciples’ objections.
• Wu Nanshan urged everyone to stop bidding so they could see whether Xu Yang could pay, and the crowd waited for the auction to continue.

Xu Yang won Tenfold Great Tonic Pills cheaply and bought the Origin-Gathering Pill Recipe, drawing suspicion and hostile attention. After leaving the auction, he evaded pursuers and entered the forest, where Cao Rong recognized traces of the Cao Family's Flying Swallow Skill in his movements.

• Xu Yang paid twelve hundred taels for the Tenfold Great Tonic Pills after Shen Liang and An Ping failed to help him.
• Xu Yang bought the Origin-Gathering Pill Recipe for one thousand taels, while Tao Huaijin suspected he might be the alchemist behind the Blood-Coagulating Pills.
• Xu Yang studied the recipe, saw that it required four hundred proficiency points, and resolved to cultivate more arts to earn points.
• Xu Yang swallowed one Tenfold Great Tonic Pill as hostile bidders watched him leave the auction, while Shen Liang's group decided to return to Guo Huai's house.
• A stranger bumped into Xu Yang, likely marking him for tracking, so Xu Yang weaved through the streets and left the city for the forest.
• Xu Yang avoided a fight on the road by leaping into the forest, and Cao Rong recognized the Flying Swallow Skill in his movements.

Xu Yang was ambushed by Ma Jun, who had been sent by Steward Xiao to kill him, but Xu Yang revealed his hidden strength and defeated the astral qi mastery expert. After destroying the evidence, Xu Yang set out disguised as a bandit to seize resources and eliminate his enemies.

• Two groups pursued Xu Yang through the forest, but an astral qi mastery expert carrying a caged white mouse drove them away.
• Ma Jun revealed that Steward Xiao had hired him to kill Xu Yang, and Xu Yang refused to surrender.
• Xu Yang used the Golden Astral Skill and Blazing Sun Saber Qi to wound Ma Jun, then battled him at close range.
• Xu Yang overpowered Ma Jun in a contest of strength and cut him in half.
• Xu Yang killed the white mouse, destroyed Ma Jun's body and other traces, and took his purse.
• Xu Yang covered his face and headed toward the main road, planning to rob and kill for resources.

Xu Yang survived the deadly road back to the Violet Sun Gate, killed several ambushers, and returned with silver, contribution points, pills, and a pill recipe. As he refined a Tenfold Great Tonic Pill, the sect began circulating rumors about the mysterious Blazing Blade Swordsman, unaware that Xu Yang was the one behind the nickname.

• Xu Yang killed two masked Violet Sun Gate disciples and then wiped out a five-man bandit group, taking their valuables and five Tenfold Great Tonic Pills.
• Xu Yang encountered Gu Haoming and Cao Rong fighting three masked men, but fled when Cao Jin arrived and revealed himself as a marrow cleansing martial artist.
• Xu Yang returned to the Violet Sun Gate, avoided revealing his cultivation, and collected his gains before beginning to refine a Tenfold Great Tonic Pill.
• Shen Liang learned that both Xu Yang and Lu Ren had survived the ambushes, leaving him and his companions stunned that Xu Yang had returned unharmed.
• Sun Tao told Xu Yang that people were calling the unknown killer who had slain seven attackers the Blazing Blade Swordsman, and Xu Yang realized the nickname referred to him.

Xu Yang concealed Ma Jun’s death, advanced his cultivation, and was assigned to a spirit gold refining task at Blazing Fire Peak despite declining to join its selection. He suspected the task might be bait for another Blood Lotus Cult raid and left for the Black Market to seek martial arts.

• Xu Yang warned Sun Tao that Xiao Hua had tried to kill him, and Sun Tao secretly redeemed a Mystic Origin Qi-Transforming Pill for him.
• Xu Yang used pills to improve his cultivation while Xiao Hua wrongly blamed the Blazing Blade Swordsman for Ma Jun’s death and turned his attention to Xiao Chen’s engagement to Su Man.
• Xu Yang warned Sun Tao, Zhang Yong, and Jiang Ping that Blazing Fire Peak’s selection had preceded the previous raid, but Zhang Yong and Sun Tao chose to participate; Zhang Yong was selected and Sun Tao was not.
• A month later, Xu Yang’s cultivation and martial arts had advanced, and he received another Origin-Returning Pill from the Zhu Family.
• A disciple told Xu Yang that Gao Lin had assigned him to the spirit gold refining task at Blazing Fire Peak, suspending his existing task despite Xu Yang not joining the selection.
• Xu Yang settled his contribution points, then left the mountain at night in disguise to visit the Black Market.

Xu Yang bought several genuine secret arts and an astral qi martial art at the Ghost Market, then ambushed and killed Wu Nanshan to take the ore he had bought. The killing renewed the Black Market’s fear of the Blazing Blade Swordsman, while Xu Yang rushed back toward the Violet Sun Gate with the intact ore.

• Xu Yang rejected a suspicious offer of Origin-Returning Pills and bought the genuine Heavenly Demon Disintegration Art, Breath-Concealing Art, and Secret Voice Transmission.
• Xu Yang bought and verified the Pure Origin Gold-Rending Finger, then noticed Wu Nanshan at a medicinal herb stall.
• Wu Nanshan unknowingly bought a piece of spirit iron for twenty taels and left the Ghost Market, believing no one had followed him.
• Xu Yang ambushed Wu Nanshan in the forest and killed him with a saber strike before taking his money pouch, ginseng, and intact ore.
• Several people found Wu Nanshan’s charred, bisected body, identified the Blazing Blade Swordsman as his killer, and fled in fear.

After a year at the Violet Sun Gate, Xu Yang survived another earth-vein spirit-fire assignment, strengthened his techniques, and watched Elder Firecloud depart with the refined spirit iron. The Outer Sect Grand Competition opened for registration, leaving Xu Yang to consider the contest as he remained youthful despite turning twenty.

• Xu Yang confirmed that the uncertain ore was spirit iron, learned several techniques, and continued cultivating while Lu Ren heard that the Blazing Blade Swordsman had killed Wu Nanshan.
• Xu Yang, Zhang Yong, and Lu Ren joined the earth-vein spirit-fire assignment, where Xu Yang stayed cautious and avoided the Forging Platforms while the Blood Lotus Cult failed to appear.
• Lu Ren proposed that he, Xu Yang, and Zhang Yong explore a treasure land together, but Zhang Yong rejected him over his past betrayal and Xu Yang also refused.
• Xu Yang advanced the Phantom Star Astral Fist to greater mastery, and Elder Firecloud arrived after half a month to collect the refined spirit iron and Tower Furnace.
• Xu Yang and Zhang Yong returned to the Violet Sun Gate with fifteen contribution points each, and Sun Tao told them registration for the Outer Sect Grand Competition had opened.
• Xu Yang realized a year had passed and that he had turned twenty without losing his youthful peak condition.

Xu Yang avoided being drawn into Li Qiang’s plans, watched the Outer Sect grand tournament expose the gap between his intake and veteran disciples, and continued cultivating. After the tournament, Xu Yang and Zhang Yong reached astral qi minor accomplishment, while Xu Yang’s breakthrough drew ridicule from less accomplished disciples.

• Jiang Ping explained the tournament’s rewards, and Xu Yang and Zhang Yong decided not to register.
• Li Qiang visited Xu Yang and the others, questioned them about Lu Ren, and invited them to drink; Xu Yang declined and returned to cultivate the Golden Astral Skill.
• Xu Yang watched the tournament, where everyone from his intake was eliminated in the first round; Li Qiang placed eighteenth and Liu Xiao fifteenth.
• Xu Yang returned from refining pills for the Zhu Family, and Zhang Yong announced that he had reached astral qi minor accomplishment; Xu Yang revealed he had reached it the previous day.
• Sun Tao defended Xu Yang against Outer Sect disciples who mocked his late breakthrough.

After reaching astral qi minor accomplishment, Xu Yang rejected former companions seeking to repair their relationships and joined the Qingyuan Association, where he posted a request to buy astral qi martial techniques. Xiao Hua and Xiao Chen continued planning against him, while Li Qiang announced that Elder White Tiger would take him as a disciple and asked Xu Yang and the others to help with his entrance assessment.

• Shen Liang, Guo Huai, Tang Xiao, and An Ping congratulated Xu Yang and invited him to meet, but Xu Yang declined, prompting An Ping to complain and Shen Liang and Guo Huai to rebuke him.
• Qin Ze and Liu Qian encountered Xu Yang and tried to address their past decision to remove him from the alliance, but Xu Yang left without hearing them out.
• He Jingting invited Xu Yang to join the Qingyuan Association, and Xu Yang paid his dues and posted a notice seeking to buy astral qi martial techniques.
• Xiao Chen urged Xiao Hua to deal with Xu Yang, but Xiao Hua said he was waiting for the right opportunity and told Xiao Chen to focus on entering the Inner Sect.
• Li Qiang told Xu Yang, Sun Tao, Zhang Yong, and Jiang Ping that Elder White Tiger of Beast King Peak was willing to accept him, then asked them to help him complete his entrance assessment mission.

Li Qiang recruited Jiang Ping and Zhang Yong to help capture a Phantom Leopard cub, while Xu Yang refused to join them and continued cultivating. After they left, Steward Xiao Hua forced Xu Yang to accept a mission against the Clear Wind Ridge bandits, and Xu Yang prepared to investigate the danger himself.

• Li Qiang asked Zhang Yong, Jiang Ping, Xu Yang, and Sun Tao to help capture a Phantom Leopard cub in the Cloud Ridge Mountains; Zhang Yong and Jiang Ping agreed, while Xu Yang and Sun Tao refused.
• Li Qiang left with Jiang Ping, Zhang Yong, and another disciple ten days later, and Sun Tao told Xu Yang that fewer than three hundred disciples from their intake remained alive.
• Xiao Hua ordered Xu Yang to handle bandits from Clear Wind Ridge who had robbed the goods of Elder Li Yang's disciple's family, and Xu Yang accepted after Xiao Hua invoked the Task Hall and Elder Li Yang.
• Xu Yang read that the mission would take him to Azure Sun City and suspected the bandits or Xiao Hua might be setting a trap.
• Sun Tao offered to accompany Xu Yang, but Xu Yang said he would investigate alone and abandon the mission if it proved too dangerous.

Xu Yang accepted the mission to deal with the bandits of Clear Wind Ridge after learning that steward Xiao Hua had used the Yuan Family’s troubles to target him. He reached the bandits’ stronghold and began assessing its defenses before deciding when to strike.

• Yuan Gang and Yuan Yi feared Elder Li Yang had abandoned their family when Xu Yang arrived, but Xu Yang explained that the Task Hall had assigned him the mission and that someone was trying to harm him.
• Xu Yang agreed to confront Tang Chuan, Lu Lin, and Meng Yuanshu, while Yuan Gang promised to report Xiao Hua’s scheme to Elder Li Yang.
• Yuan Gang sent Xu Yang toward Clear Wind Ridge with Yuan Qiang and a caravan, hoping Xu Yang’s success might let the family rebuild its ties to Elder Li Yang.
• Xu Yang told the Yuan Family men to hide nearby and wait for his signal, then approached Clear Wind Stronghold alone.
• Xu Yang observed the stronghold’s sentries and Astral-Breaking Bows, then withdrew into the forest to cultivate.

Xu Yang stormed Clear Wind Stronghold and overwhelmed its bandits with his golden astral qi, killing all five astral qi martial artists and dozens of underlings. Tang Chuan and Meng Yuanshu remained alive as Xu Yang turned on the three leaders, and Lu Lin’s protective astral qi shattered under Xu Yang’s punch.

• Tang Chuan dismissed Lu Lin’s fears about the Yuan Family and claimed his astral qi mastery would protect Clear Wind Stronghold from any Violet Sun Gate disciple.
• Xu Yang charged into the stronghold, dodged Tang Chuan’s arrow, broke through the gate, and killed the guards with his Pure Origin Gold-Rending Finger.
• Xu Yang killed all five of the stronghold’s astral qi martial artists and then slaughtered the bandits while Tang Chuan and Lu Lin held back.
• Tang Chuan recognized Xu Yang as a likely member of the Top Ten Heroes Ranking, while Xu Yang attacked Meng Yuanshu and Lu Lin intervened with his sword.
• Xu Yang’s golden astral qi withstood Lu Lin’s sword radiance, and Xu Yang shattered Lu Lin’s protective astral qi with a punch.

Xu Yang defeated and killed the three chiefs of the Clear Wind Stronghold, then searched their hideout and gathered their stolen goods and wealth. He signaled the Yuan Family to come collect the spoils after confirming that no one remained alive.

• Xu Yang killed Lu Lin with a single punch, then shattered Meng Yuanshu's arm with the Pure Origin Gold-Rending Finger.
• Tang Chuan accidentally sliced Meng Yuanshu in half while attacking Xu Yang, then fought Xu Yang alone.
• Xu Yang activated the Golden Astral Skill and overpowered Tang Chuan, breaking his saber and killing him with a series of attacks.
• Xu Yang searched the stronghold and found stolen animal hides, silver, weapons, manuals, pills, ginseng, and banknotes.
• Xu Yang launched a Signal Firework, and Yuan Qiang led the Yuan Family toward the Clear Wind Stronghold.

Xu Yang returned to the Yuan Family after helping destroy Clear Wind Stronghold, sold the spoils, and received a Mystic Origin Qi-Transforming Pill. Yuan Gang offered him support and a path to become Elder Li Yang’s disciple in exchange for an alliance and future rights to sell his pills, leaving Xu Yang considering the offer.

• Yuan Qiang led the Yuan Family’s men to Clear Wind Stronghold, where they found its three chiefs and many other bandits dead; Xu Yang claimed Violet Sun Gate disciples had helped him.
• Xu Yang studied the Earthly Baleful Six Harmonies Saber and advanced it to the initiated level before leaving with the recovered goods.
• Yuan Gang and Yuan Yi learned that Xu Yang had enlisted several Violet Sun Gate disciples, then welcomed him back to the Yuan Family.
• Yuan Gang gave Xu Yang a Mystic Origin Qi-Transforming Pill, and the Yuan Family bought the recovered goods for seven thousand taels of silver.
• Yuan Gang offered Xu Yang monthly support and help becoming Elder Li Yang’s disciple in exchange for an alliance and sales rights to the pills Xu Yang might refine.

Xu Yang joined the Yuan Family’s business arrangement, completed its bandit-clearing mission, and earned Xiao Hua’s hostility after thwarting his attempt to frame him. Elder Li Yang punished Xiao Hua with a year of dangerous garrison duty, giving Xu Yang time to grow stronger, while Sun Tao ended the chapter sharing a rumor about Li Yang and the late Yuan Jie.

• Xu Yang returned to the Violet Sun Gate, cultivated with the Yuan Family’s pill, and learned the Drizzling Rain Startling Wind Sword and Breaking Wind Fist.
• Xu Yang checked his points, planned to rent a separate house for refining Origin-Gathering Pills, and claimed his mission reward from Xiao Hua after explaining that an astral qi mastery senior had helped clear the Clear Wind Stronghold.
• Ye Qiuling arrived at the Task Hall and announced that Elder Li Yang had ordered Xiao Hua to serve garrison duty at Green Mountain for a year.
• Xu Yang heard from Sun Tao that Xiao Hua had been sent away, felt safer from his threats, and considered his alliance with the Yuan Family worthwhile.
• Sun Tao whispered that people rumored Elder Li Yang had been Yuan Jie’s lover rather than his disciple.

Xu Yang agreed to increase his Blood-Coagulating Pill production for the Zhu Family while secretly planning to end their partnership, then prepared for a confrontation with Xiao Chen. Xiao Chen confessed that his father had killed Lin Wei and attacked Xu Yang in the woods.

• Xu Yang learned that Xiao Hua had been sent to guard Green Mountain, while Xiao Chen blamed Xu Yang and vowed to kill him.
• Xu Yang refined two hundred Blood-Coagulating Pills, and Zhu Bin asked him to raise production to three hundred a month; Xu Yang agreed while deciding to disappear before the next delivery.
• Xu Yang sent twenty Blood-Coagulating Pills and a letter to the little girl through the Four Seas Escort Agency, then collected the alchemy furnace he had commissioned.
• Xiao Chen spotted Xu Yang with the furnace and considered him a threat, but did not act while Xu Yang might be connected to Elder Li Yang.
• Xiao Chen intercepted Xu Yang on the road, admitted that Xiao Hua had killed Lin Wei, and attacked him in the woods after Xu Yang invited him to share his last words.

Xu Yang killed Xiao Chen after learning where Lin Wei’s remains were, while Xiao Hua was prevented from leaving his post to seek revenge. Jiang Ping and Zhang Yong returned from the Cloud Ridge Mountains with news of Li Qiang’s betrayal and a terrifying exotic beast, and Xu Yang used his accumulated points to enhance the Origin-Gathering Pill.

• Xu Yang revealed his Blazing Blade Swordsman identity, defeated Xiao Chen, learned Lin Wei’s remains were in a valley west of the Mountain Gate, and killed him.
• Sun Tao mourned Lin Wei with Xu Yang and heard his warning to stay wary of the Su Family.
• Xiao Hua learned Xiao Chen had died, suspected Xu Yang, and tried to leave Green Mountain Mine, but the Inner Sect steward ordered him to stay.
• Jiang Ping told Xu Yang and Sun Tao that Li Qiang had abandoned him and Zhang Yong during an expedition where a huge exotic beast appeared; Jiang Ping had lost an arm, while Zhang Yong was recovering.
• Xu Yang gained enough Martial Dao Longevity Points to enhance the Origin-Gathering Pill and immediately spent four hundred points on it.

Xu Yang learned to refine Origin-Gathering Pills, gathered the ingredients, and used them to reach astral qi mastery while concealing his progress at the Violet Sun Gate. Meanwhile, the Su Family hunted the anonymous alchemist supplying the Zhu Family, and the Zhu Family discovered Xu Yang had stopped refining Blood-Coagulating Pills for them.

• Xu Yang mastered Origin-Gathering Pill refinement, bought the ingredients in Azure Sun City, and refined a batch of ten pills.
• Xu Yang read Little Girl's letter and learned she had gathered qi, then used an Origin-Gathering Pill to advance his cultivation.
• Su Jiangong reported that the Su Family had located the anonymous alchemist's courtyard, and Su Jianye ordered his experts to kill the alchemist when he appeared.
• Xu Yang consumed pills, broke through to astral qi mastery, and hid his progress while consolidating his cultivation at the Violet Sun Gate.
• Xu Yang spoke with Zhang Yong, Sun Tao, and the others about their cultivation, while learning that Li Chuyang had also reached astral qi mastery.
• Zhu Bin told Zhu Xiancheng that the alchemist had stopped supplying Blood-Coagulating Pills, and Zhu Xiancheng ordered him to find the man.

Xu Yang searched the Black Market for ingredients to refine another batch of Origin-Gathering Pills, then attended the Qingyuan Association’s exchange gathering with Sun Tao and Zhang Yong. At the gathering, Zhang Yong offered a thirty-year-old ginseng root, and Xu Yang asked to trade for it.

• Sun Tao reached astral qi minor accomplishment, and He Jingting invited him to join the Qingyuan Association and told Xu Yang about its upcoming exchange gathering.
• Xu Yang bought tigerbone vine at the Black Market but found none of the other ingredients he needed.
• Xu Yang heard that the Zhu Family’s pill refiner had disappeared and that families in Azure Sun City were trying to recruit him, while he concealed that he was the missing refiner.
• Xu Yang, Sun Tao, and Zhang Yong went to the exchange gathering, where Lu Ren mocked Zhang Yong and Li Qiang faced accusations of betraying fellow disciples.
• After the Inner Sect guests began the gathering, Xu Yang spotted Zhang Yong’s thirty-year-old ginseng root and agreed to discuss trading for it.

Xu Yang was cheated out of two desired ingredients at the Qingyuan Association, then refused to join Sun Tao, Zhang Yong, and Jiang Ping on an expedition. After buying tigerbone vines at the Black Market, he was ambushed by the Monkey-Faced Mask Vendor and an armed accomplice, but revealed his strength as the Blazing Blade Swordsman and defeated them.

• Liu Qing used his status to take the ginseng and pure yang grass Xu Yang wanted, and Cao Rong and Yun Heng likewise claimed goods from traders seeking manuals.
• Xu Yang bought a thirty-year-old ginseng root, then refused Liu Qing's offer to trade the ingredients for exclusive rights to Breaking Wind Fist.
• Sun Tao invited Xu Yang to explore the Cloud Ridge Mountains with Zhang Yong and Jiang Ping, but Xu Yang declined; three days later, the others secretly left the Violet Sun Gate.
• At the Black Market, Xu Yang bought three tigerbone vines and searched for pure yang grass, but rejected several offers to follow vendors elsewhere to collect it.
• After Xu Yang left the Black Market, the Monkey-Faced Mask Vendor and a spear-wielding accomplice ambushed him for his money and tigerbone vines.
• Xu Yang broke the vendor's arms with Phantom Star Astral Fist and killed the spear wielder with Blazing Sun, revealing himself as the Blazing Blade Swordsman.