Chapter Summaries

Xu Taiping saw through Liu Qingmei’s attempt to lure him from his courtyard and drove her off with arrows and the courtyard barrier. Her dying spirit returned to beg for mercy, revealed that a Tiger Wraith had forced her to act as his ghost servant, and warned that her soul would soon perish.

• Xu Taiping tricked Liu Qingmei into turning away, then shot her three times when she tried to flee.
• Liu Qingmei attacked Xu Taiping, but the courtyard barrier blasted her back and released the Tiger Wraith from her body.
• The Tiger Wraith threatened Xu Taiping and vanished, leaving him wary of the danger lurking near his courtyard.
• Liu Qingmei’s spirit appeared and begged Xu Taiping to spare her, claiming the Tiger Wraith had coerced her into luring him out.
• Liu Qingmei told Xu Taiping that his arrows had damaged her incomplete soul and that it would soon scatter.

Liu Qingmei told Xu Taiping how Lu Chen abused and murdered her, then asked him to deliver the Dust-Seeking Incense to her sister, Liu Zijin. She also revealed the Tiger Wraith’s weakness and warned him about a powerful Tiger Essence, and Xu Taiping decided to verify her story and report the danger to the sect.

• Liu Qingmei recounted how Lu Chen violated her, threatened her through Liu Zijin, and killed her when she tried to fight back.
• Liu Qingmei explained that the Dust-Seeking Incense could reveal recorded events and asked Xu Taiping to give the remaining sticks to Liu Zijin.
• Xu Taiping promised to deliver the incense if Liu Qingmei’s story was true.
• Liu Qingmei warned Xu Taiping that wine harmed the Tiger Wraith and that a formidable Tiger Essence backed him.
• After Liu Qingmei vanished, Xu Taiping took the three incense sticks and decided to test one and report the Tiger Wraith to the sect.

After learning the full extent of Lu Chen’s crimes against Liu Qingmei, Xu Taiping resolved to expose him, but Raging Wind Hall’s disciples tried to extort him instead of promptly dealing with the Tiger Wraith. He saw through their scheme and concluded he would have to protect himself.

• Xu Taiping used Dust-Seeking Incense to witness Lu Chen tormenting Liu Qingmei and vowed to deliver the evidence to Zi Jin and expose Lu Chen.
• Two Raging Wind Hall disciples questioned Xu Taiping about his report of the Tiger Wraith attack, then said official action could take three months or longer.
• The disciples demanded seventy percent of Xu Taiping’s harvest in exchange for protection and gave him a Message Talisman while taking the Demon Wolf’s corpse.
• After leaving, the disciples whispered that they planned to wait until the Tiger Wraith drove Xu Taiping to accept their Contract Deed.
• Xu Taiping overheard their scheme and decided he would never come crawling to them.

Xu Taiping faced the Tiger Wraith, learned that cutting off the Medicine Garden’s water would also destroy his courtyard barrier, and decided to prepare a surprise attack. As Xu Taiping began planning his last stand, an old man secretly watched the confrontation from the woods.

• The Tiger Wraith arrived at Xu Taiping’s gate and blocked his arrows, revealing that he was too strong to defeat directly.
• The Tiger Wraith threatened to cut off the underground water channel and offered to make Xu Taiping his ghost servant, but Xu Taiping refused and condemned his evil deeds.
• The Tiger Wraith revealed that the garden’s irrigation ditches powered Xu Taiping’s courtyard barrier, then left and vowed to kill him within half a month.
• Xu Taiping reasoned that the Tiger Wraith could be wounded through his possessed body and decided to prepare a trap rather than flee.
• An old man with a bronze longsword and wine gourd watched Xu Taiping’s confrontation from a tree several miles away.

Xu Taiping repeatedly harassed the Tiger Wraith to protect the Green Bamboo Abode’s water source while concealing his true strength, then focused on cultivating the Setting Sun Glow Art. As the Tiger Wraith weakened the abode’s barrier and waited to attack, Xu Taiping broke through to the Ice Formation Stage.

• Sword Nine recalled Xu Taiping’s words about his heart of the Dao and challenged him to prove them by defending it.
• Over nine days, Xu Taiping made repeated attacks on the Tiger Wraith in the Purple Bamboo Forest, but the Demon Wolves forced him to retreat each time.
• Xu Taiping recorded what he had learned about the Tiger Wraith and the Demon Wolves, then began cultivating toward the Ice Formation Stage while hiding his real strength.
• After three days of intense cultivation, the Tiger Wraith plugged the spring and attacked the Green Bamboo Abode’s weakening barrier.
• Xu Taiping opened his eyes and discovered he had advanced the Setting Sun Glow Art to the Ice Formation Stage, gaining the ability to condense his true qi into ice.

Xu Taiping fought the Tiger Wraith and his three Demon Wolves, using his techniques to overpower them and force the Tiger Wraith into a prepared pit. The Tiger Wraith fell into the ten-foot trap, leaving Xu Taiping’s plan at its decisive moment.

• Xu Taiping hung jars of strong liquor above a pit in the courtyard, preparing his final trap for the Tiger Wraith.
• The Tiger Wraith sent three Demon Wolves crashing through the Green Bamboo Abode’s weakened barrier, and Xu Taiping froze one with an Ice Arrow and crippled another with his saber.
• Xu Taiping charged the Tiger Wraith, endured his Sword Qi, and knocked him off his Demon Wolf with a punch.
• Xu Taiping used Ox Horn Crashes the Mountain and then Charging Ox Breaks the Formation to batter and freeze the Tiger Wraith, despite his own true qi running low.
• When Xu Taiping’s punches slowed, the ground gave way beneath the Tiger Wraith, dropping him into the pit Xu Taiping had prepared.

Xu Taiping used the Tiger Wraith’s weakness to liquor to trap and destroy him, then learned the Tiger Demon was wounded and would take three months to recover. The Tiger Demon appeared in the flames and revealed that his injuries would heal in three months at most, realizing too late that Xu Taiping had tricked him into confirming it.

• Xu Taiping dropped jars of strong liquor into the pit, and the fumes weakened the Tiger Wraith’s yin soul.
• Xu Taiping learned that only the Tiger Wraith knew where the spring feeding the Green Bamboo Abode’s water vein was, and that the Tiger Demon had been severely wounded by Seven Peaks disciples.
• Xu Taiping forced the Tiger Wraith to reveal that the Tiger Demon would need at least three months to recover, then scattered liquor into the pit and burned the wraith.
• The Tiger Demon appeared in the flames and angrily confronted Xu Taiping for killing his wraith servant.
• Xu Taiping asked about the Tiger Demon’s wounds, and the Tiger Demon blurted out that they would heal in three months before realizing he had been tricked.

Xu Taiping recovered from the Tiger King’s threat, repaired the spring on Sheep Deer Mountain, and welcomed White Rainbow and his companion Old Nine to dinner. The chapter left Xu Taiping cooking for Old Nine without realizing the old man’s importance.

• Xu Taiping watched the Tiger King’s spectral form vanish, then left the Merit Coins and two mysterious objects in the pitfall for later inspection.
• On Sheep Deer Mountain, Old Nine praised Xu Taiping’s courage and resourcefulness, then flew off on a bronze longsword to deal with the West Wind Pavilion’s negligence.
• After several days, Xu Taiping repaired the blocked spring, restored its concealment formation, and hunted a Yellow Sheep.
• White Rainbow arrived at the Green Bamboo Abode with Old Nine, and Xu Taiping agreed to cook for them after charging Old Nine seven Merit Coins.
• Xu Taiping, White Rainbow, and Old Nine prepared dinner together while Old Nine jokingly tried to bargain down the price.

Xu Taiping hosted White Rainbow and Old Nine for a feast, and White Rainbow brought Liu Songshan, Pavilion Master of West Wind Pavilion, to join them. Old Nine intimidated Liu Songshan into paying for dinner and then asked him to summon Raging Wind Hall’s Hall Master, Xu Youzhi.

• Xu Taiping served a feast of yellow sheep dishes, and Old Nine and White Rainbow praised his cooking.
• White Rainbow brought Liu Songshan to the meal, where Liu Songshan recognized Old Nine and became frightened.
• Liu Songshan rebuked Xu Taiping, but Old Nine reprimanded him and White Rainbow explained that Xu Taiping had cooked the food.
• Old Nine and Xu Taiping demanded seven Merit Coins from Liu Songshan before he could eat.
• Old Nine asked who led Raging Wind Hall, then told Liu Songshan to invite Xu Youzhi to the meal.

Xu Taiping watched Ninth Uncle arrange protection for Green Bamboo Abode while hosting a cramped meal with Liu Songshan and Xu Youzhi. He realized White Rainbow had brought Ninth Uncle to help him, but Ninth Uncle claimed the credit and persuaded Xu Taiping to hand over a Sound Transmission Talisman.

• Ninth Uncle invited another guest to the meal, and Xu Taiping agreed after confirming the guest would pay.
• Xu Youzhi joined the crowded table and refused Xu Taiping’s offer to move the meal outside.
• Ninth Uncle asked Xu Youzhi to have Zuo Ju and Zhou Gu patrol Green Bamboo Abode more closely, and Xu Youzhi agreed.
• Xu Taiping realized White Rainbow had brought Ninth Uncle to help him and thanked White Rainbow, prompting Ninth Uncle to decide to make his own role clear.
• Ninth Uncle asked Liu Songshan and Xu Youzhi to summon Zuo Ju and Zhou Gu, then offered Xu Taiping twice the price for his Message Talisman.
• Xu Taiping handed over the talisman, and Xu Youzhi recognized it as a Raging Wind Hall Sound Transmission Talisman.

Xu Taiping used the Message Talisman from Zuo Ju and Zhou Gu to expose their extortion scheme to Uncle Nine, who made Liu Songshan pay him Merit Coins and summon the two men. The pair arrived expecting to intimidate Xu Taiping, but found themselves forced to sit through a meal under Uncle Nine’s authority.

• Xu Taiping told Uncle Nine that Zuo Ju had given him the Message Talisman, and Uncle Nine ordered Liu Songshan to pay him Merit Coins.
• Uncle Nine directed Liu Songshan to use the talisman to summon Zuo Ju and Zhou Gu for a meal.
• Zuo Ju and Zhou Gu swaggered up to the courtyard, then faltered when Liu Songshan and Xu Youzhi opened the gate.
• Xu Youzhi kicked Zuo Ju and Zhou Gu into addressing their host as Uncle Nine, and Uncle Nine ordered them to squeeze in and eat.
• Xu Taiping wondered who Uncle Nine was but stayed out of the others’ conflict and kept eating until the meal ended in the evening.

Uncle Nine praised Xu Taiping and offered to make him his Personal Disciple if he reached the Gate Opening Realm within two years, then set out with White Rainbow to destroy a demon lotus in Greedy Wolf Country. Meanwhile, Liu Songshan and Xu Youzhi plotted to seize control of the Western Mountain while White Rainbow was away.

• Uncle Nine and White Rainbow thanked Xu Taiping for the meal, and Uncle Nine chased Liu Songshan and his companions away from the courtyard.
• Uncle Nine told White Rainbow that Xu Taiping's temperament impressed him and promised to teach him all his swordsmanship if he reached the Gate Opening Realm within two years.
• Uncle Nine revealed that he was heading to Greedy Wolf Country to destroy a demon lotus, and White Rainbow vowed to accompany him despite the danger.
• Xu Youzhi beat Zuo Ju and Zhou Gu for provoking Xu Taiping, while Liu Songshan concluded that White Rainbow had used Uncle Nine's authority to intimidate them.
• Liu Songshan and Xu Youzhi planned to undermine Night Sparrow and take control of the Western Mountain while White Rainbow was away.

Xu Taiping recounted killing the Tiger Wraith to Fairy Lingyue, who praised him and promised she could handle the Tiger Demon’s future revenge. She examined the Wraith’s belongings and helped Xu Taiping discover that its short sword was a limited-use flying-sword magic artifact.

• Fairy Lingyue told Xu Taiping it was time for him to break through to the Gate Opening Realm.
• Xu Taiping told Fairy Lingyue how he had killed the Tiger Wraith and showed her the items it had left behind.
• Fairy Lingyue praised Xu Taiping, assured him she had ways to deal with the injured Tiger Demon, and asked him to call her Sister Lingyue.
• Fairy Lingyue explained how magic artifacts differed from treasures and identified the short sword as a magic artifact that low-level ghost cultivators could not use.
• Xu Taiping channeled spiritual energy into the sword, made it fly around the room, and discovered it had only two uses left and consumed much of his Crimson Dawn True Qi.

Xu Taiping prepared to refine Qi-Gathering Pills with Fairy Lingyue, his last hope of reaching the Gate Opening Realm before the sect’s deadline. He and Fairy Lingyue completed the careful refining process without error, while she silently considered making him her disciple but decided against it for his safety.

• Fairy Lingyue identified Xu Taiping’s copper furnace as a pill furnace and explained that his mortal bones made Qi-Gathering Pills necessary for his breakthrough.
• Over two months, Xu Taiping trained, saved Merit Coins, gathered the pill ingredients, and failed to break through using Purple Sun True Lord’s method.
• With only half a month before he risked expulsion or punishment, Xu Taiping summoned Fairy Lingyue on the agreed Full Moon Day to refine the pills.
• Xu Taiping enlarged the furnace and carefully controlled its heat and ingredient timing as Fairy Lingyue instructed him.
• Xu Taiping completed the refining process without a mistake, and Fairy Lingyue considered taking him as her disciple before deciding that doing so could endanger him.

Xu Taiping and Fairy Lingyue refined two Qi-Gathering Pills, and she explained how one could help him use the Ice Breath Art against the Tiger Demon. Xu Taiping began breaking through to the Gate Opening Realm, but the pain of cultivating with mortal bone shattered his first attempt before he immediately tried again.

• Xu Taiping and Fairy Lingyue refined two Qi-Gathering Pills from the ingredients he had gathered.
• Fairy Lingyue explained that a Qi-Gathering Pill could let Xu Taiping use the Ice Breath Art to freeze a wide area and potentially stop the Tiger Demon.
• Fairy Lingyue promised to teach Xu Taiping the Ice Breath Art once he reached the Gate Opening Realm.
• Xu Taiping swallowed a Qi-Gathering Pill and used the Setting Sun Glow Art to open his apertures and gather true qi.
• Xu Taiping's first attempt to push open his Dantian caused unbearable pain, and his gathered true qi burst apart.
• Fairy Lingyue urged Xu Taiping not to yield, and he immediately began a second attempt.

After repeated failed attempts, Xu Taiping awakened an instinctive ability to draw in spiritual energy and began breaking through to the Gate Opening Realm. Chu Lingyue realized his illuminated Dao heart might attract an Otherworldly Heavenly Demon, and one appeared as she prepared to protect him.

• Xu Taiping failed to break through after six attempts but continued cultivating despite the pain.
• Voices from Xu Taiping's memories stirred his defiance, and his Crimson Dawn True Qi began drawing spiritual energy from the surrounding area.
• Chu Lingyue realized Xu Taiping might possess an illuminated Dao heart, which could attract an Otherworldly Heavenly Demon during his first breakthrough.
• Xu Taiping's breakthrough signs appeared, and Chu Lingyue prepared to use her Oblivion Karmic Flame Curse to protect him.
• An Otherworldly Heavenly Demon descended, silenced the storm, and reached a pitch-black hand through the window of the Green Bamboo Abode.

Xu Taiping broke through to the Gate Opening Realm while Chu Lingyue drove away an otherworldly heavenly demon and returned to the earth fruit branch to sleep. After reading her letter, Xu Taiping resolved to grow stronger, while the recovering Tiger Demon threatened Mo Jun and Xu Taiping.

• Chu Lingyue repelled the otherworldly heavenly demon until the Azure Profound Sect's dragon roared, then wrote Xu Taiping a letter and returned to the withered earth fruit branch to sleep.
• Xu Taiping broke through to the Gate Opening Realm and discovered his Qi Sea.
• Xu Taiping found Chu Lingyue's letter, learned that an otherworldly heavenly demon had attacked him, and resolved to rely less on her and cultivate harder.
• The Tiger Demon announced that his wounds would heal within a month and threatened Mo Jun with the Cloud-Devouring Pearl.
• The Tiger Demon vowed to turn the person from Green Bamboo Abode into a Tiger Wraith for hurting his Tiger Wraith.

A month after Fairy Lingyue fell asleep, Xu Taiping had strengthened his cultivation and prepared to face the demon tiger. Lu Chen of the Fifth Peak kicked into his courtyard with a young woman searching for someone, and Xu Taiping hinted that he had encountered her missing woman.

• Xu Taiping reviewed his progress in the Gate Opening Realm, including his mastery of Ice Breath Technique, Green Ox Fist, and Seven-Kill Blade.
• A young woman from the Fifth Peak knocked at Green Bamboo Abode, but Lu Chen kicked the gate open and insulted Xu Taiping.
• Xu Taiping warned Lu Chen that trespassing violated Azure Profound Sect rules and threatened to report him with a Message Talisman.
• The young woman apologized for Lu Chen and asked Xu Taiping whether he had seen a woman resembling her.
• Xu Taiping said he had encountered a woman recently, and Lu Chen reached for his sword with murderous intent.

Xu Taiping confirmed that Lu Chen had harmed Liu Qingmei and learned that Liu Zijin was searching for her sister, but he avoided handing over the Dust-Seeking Incense while Lu Chen was present. As Liu Zijin and Lu Chen headed toward Green Peak Gorge, Bai Yu arrived with Xu Taiping’s supplies, and Xu Taiping seized a chance to ask him for help reaching the area.

• Xu Taiping told Liu Zijin that he had met a woman over forty, then learned her name and promised to pass along her message to Liu Qingmei.
• After Liu Zijin left with Lu Chen, Xu Taiping concluded that Lu Chen had harmed Liu Qingmei and considered bringing the Dust-Seeking Incense to Liu Zijin away from Lu Chen.
• Xu Taiping considered going to Green Peak Gorge before Liu Zijin and Lu Chen, despite the risk of encountering the Tiger Demon.
• Bai Yu delivered Xu Taiping’s supplies and asked whether he had roasted Yellow Sheep; Xu Taiping invited him to a feast.
• Bai Yu offered to catch a Yellow Sheep, and Xu Taiping asked him to take him along so he could choose the best one.

Xu Taiping hired Bai Yu to fly him to Green Peak Gorge, where Liu Zijin and Lu Chen joined Mo Jun’s group to ambush a tiger demon. From above, Xu Taiping asked Bai Yu to look for a girl in green among the disciples below, and Bai Yu spotted her.

• Xu Taiping agreed to pay Bai Yu ten Merit Coins for a ride to Green Peak Gorge to hunt yellow sheep.
• At Green Peak Gorge, Mo Jun gathered Lu Chen and Liu Zijin with Senior Sister Ziyan and Buyu to capture a tiger demon alive.
• Mo Jun instructed Lu Chen to lure the tiger demon to an ambush while Liu Zijin stayed behind to watch Buyu.
• Bai Yu flew Xu Taiping above the gorge and spotted a girl in green among the disciples, noting that the girl beside her seemed prettier.