Chapter Summaries

Bai Yu escaped the massacre of the White-Headed Eagle Clan and sought Xu Taiping’s help, revealing that West Wind Pavilion and the Peacock King had attacked his clan. Xu Taiping hid Bai Yu in the Azure Gourd and deceived the Peacock King, then asked Bai Yu to explain what had happened in Wind, Come Valley.

• Bai Yu told Xu Taiping that West Wind Pavilion and the Peacock King had ambushed his mother and slaughtered the White-Headed Eagle Clan, leaving him as the only known survivor.
• Fairy Lingyue urged Xu Taiping to hide Bai Yu in the Azure Gourd, and Xu Taiping drew him inside as the Peacock King approached.
• Xu Taiping told the Peacock King that the wounded white-headed eagle had flown away, and the Peacock King left after finding no trace of Bai Yu.
• The next day, Bai Yu learned Xu Taiping had saved him with the Azure Gourd and agreed to keep its secret.
• Xu Taiping asked Bai Yu to explain what had happened in Wind, Come Valley.

Xu Taiping learned that West Wind Pavilion and the Peacock King had attacked Wind, Come Valley, seized Bai Yu’s mother, and claimed control of the valley and its trade routes. After hearing that the White-Headed Eagle Queen Night Sparrow would be publicly executed in seven days, Bai Yu begged Xu Taiping to help him see her once and offered to serve him for sixty years.

• Bai Yu told Xu Taiping that West Wind Pavilion and the Peacock King had ambushed the White-Headed Eagle Clan, captured his mother, and left the clan’s forces scattered.
• Liu Songshan used the Wind-Speaking Great Yellow Bell to declare that the White-Headed Eagles had rebelled and offered rewards for killing or reporting escaped clan members.
• Bai Yu asked Xu Taiping to take him to West Wind Pavilion, but Xu Taiping refused to betray his friend for Merit Coins.
• Liu Songshan announced that the Cloud Ridge Peacock Clan would manage Wind, Come Valley and share oversight of Western Mountain’s trade with West Wind Pavilion.
• Liu Songshan revealed that Night Sparrow was alive but would be publicly executed in seven days, and Bai Yu tried to rush to her rescue before Xu Taiping pulled him back into the Azure Gourd.
• Bai Yu pleaded to see his mother once and offered to form a Soul Contract and serve Xu Taiping for sixty years.

Xu Taiping decided to help Bai Yu find a way to see her mother, and Fairy Lingyue urged him to follow his true heart while preparing to break through to the Nether Gazing Realm. As his breakthrough reached its final stage, the Otherworldly Heavenly Demon appeared, and Fairy Lingyue summoned a Golden Armor Warrior to attack it.

• Xu Taiping told Fairy Lingyue that he would think of a way to help Bai Yu, and she advised him not to abandon his true heart.
• Fairy Lingyue agreed to let Xu Taiping attempt a breakthrough to the Nether Gazing Realm but warned him not to take the risk if he failed that night.
• Xu Taiping swallowed a Foundation Establishment Pill and began condensing his true qi into a Qi Sea.
• As Xu Taiping reached the final step, an Otherworldly Heavenly Demon reached into the room through the window.
• Fairy Lingyue summoned a Golden Armor Warrior, which struck the demon's arm with a whip and saber.

After Xu Taiping established his foundation, the Azure Luan Ring protected him from an Otherworldly Heavenly Demon. Five days later, he reached Star-Viewing Cliff with Bai Yu to help him see his imprisoned mother, and began sneaking down toward Cinnabar Dawn Terrace.

• The Azure Luan emerged from Xu Taiping's ring, devoured the Otherworldly Heavenly Demon's skeletal arm, and drove the demon away.
• Xu Taiping experienced the benefits of reaching the Nether Gazing Realm, including a vast Qi Sea that replenished his True Essence.
• Xu Taiping and Bai Yu traveled toward Wind, Come Valley, planning to see Bai Yu's mother and escape through a secret passage beneath Star-Viewing Cliff.
• At Star-Viewing Cliff, Xu Taiping and Bai Yu saw Bai Yu's mother, a White-Headed Eagle, chained on Cinnabar Dawn Terrace.
• Xu Taiping used Concealing Form Grass to hide himself and descended the cliff toward the execution terrace.

Xu Taiping and Bai Yu secretly visited Bai Yu’s imprisoned mother, Night Sparrow, on Cinnabar Dawn Terrace. As Night Sparrow began transferring her Origin Demon Blood and Demon Core to Bai Yu, the Peacock King arrived, and Night Sparrow urged Xu Taiping to escape with her daughter.

• Xu Taiping hid beneath Night Sparrow’s wing and revealed that he had brought Bai Yu to see her.
• Night Sparrow warned Xu Taiping that the Peacock King would soon inspect the terrace, while Xu Taiping said he and Bai Yu had an escape route.
• Night Sparrow asked Xu Taiping to wait while she transferred her Origin Demon Blood and Demon Core to Bai Yu, and Xu Taiping agreed.
• Night Sparrow swallowed Bai Yu and began the painful transfer as Xu Taiping watched over them.
• The Peacock King arrived and threatened Night Sparrow and Bai Yu, so Night Sparrow told Xu Taiping to take Bai Yu and flee while she held him off.

Xu Taiping fought the Peacock Demon guards while Fairy Lingyue prepared to take control of his body and confront the Peacock King. She possessed him just in time to dodge the Peacock King's strike and send it tumbling through the air with a single punch.

• Xu Taiping told Night Sparrow to continue passing demon blood to Bai Yu while he held off the Peacock King.
• Xu Taiping fought the Peacock Demon guards with his saber, talismans, and arrows as the Peacock King descended to attack him.
• Xu Taiping struck the Peacock King with Azure Luan Ring Two-Finger Mountain Shatter, but its metallic wings blocked the attack.
• Fairy Lingyue took control of Xu Taiping's body, dodged the Peacock King's wing strike, and punched it tumbling through the air.

Fairy Lingyue took control of Xu Taiping and battered the Peacock King with saber strikes and Thousandfold Force, teaching Xu Taiping how to use the technique. After Xu Taiping tried a weaker version himself, Lingyue reclaimed control and struck the Peacock King with another devastating punch.

• Fairy Lingyue controlled Xu Taiping and drove the Peacock King to the ground with powerful saber strikes, then cut apart his feather-arrow attack and wounded his wings.
• When the Fine Steel Saber shattered, Fairy Lingyue switched to punches and explained that Thousandfold Force gathered hundreds or thousands of blows into one strike.
• The Peacock King ignited his qi and blood and attacked, so Fairy Lingyue used a golden palm spell to pin him down, consuming more than half of Xu Taiping's true essence.
• Fairy Lingyue yielded control, and Xu Taiping managed to merge three punches into one against the Peacock King's wing.
• After the Peacock King mocked Xu Taiping's weakened strike, Fairy Lingyue took control again and hit him with Thousandfold Force, making him scream in pain.

Fairy Lingyue used the Azure Luan Ring to drive off Elder Black Dragon, while Xu Taiping rescued Bai Yu after Night Sparrow died. Back at Green Bamboo Abode, Bai Yu gave Xu Taiping a half Teleportation Token that Fairy Lingyue identified as a route to the Youyun Continent.

• Fairy Lingyue battered the Peacock King and used the Azure Luan Ring to block Elder Black Dragon’s attack, cutting off one of his talons.
• Xu Taiping found Night Sparrow dead and rescued Bai Yu before Fairy Lingyue took him through the secret passage.
• Xu Taiping returned to Green Bamboo Abode and evaded the cultivators searching for the robber.
• Bai Yu gave Xu Taiping a half Teleportation Token from his mother, and Fairy Lingyue identified it as leading to the Youyun Continent.

Xu Taiping accepted the Teleportation Token from Bai Yu and agreed to become his brother after Bai Yu chose to form a sixty-year soul contract with him. Fairy Lingyue explained that martial artists could rival cultivators and praised Xu Taiping’s progress in body tempering, promising to teach him an ancient Human Sovereign method after he went up the mountain.

• Fairy Lingyue described the dangerous, treasure-filled Youyun Continent and explained that the broken Teleportation Token’s pieces could sense one another.
• Xu Taiping accepted the Teleportation Token from Bai Yu, who remained grief-stricken over his mother’s death.
• Bai Yu offered Xu Taiping his origin demon blood and vowed to become his spirit pet for sixty years; Xu Taiping said they would be brothers instead of master and servant.
• Xu Taiping practiced Thousandfold Force, and Fairy Lingyue explained that accomplished martial artists could match cultivators.
• Xu Taiping told Fairy Lingyue he had practiced her Body-Tempering Method and worn its weights for two years, so she promised to teach him an ancient Human Sovereign method after he went up the mountain.

Xu Taiping chose the Mist-Borrowing Technique for the coming Seven Peaks Selection, and Fairy Lingyue revealed that it could eventually be refined into the powerful Mist Escape Method. Two months later, Zhao Linglong brought Dugu Qingxiao news that Xu Taiping was still alive.

• Xu Taiping asked Fairy Lingyue to help him choose a spell, and he settled on the Mist-Borrowing Technique to support his aggressive fighting style and help him escape danger.
• Fairy Lingyue explained that the Mist-Borrowing Technique came from the Water Element Escape Technique and promised to teach Xu Taiping how to refine it into the true Mist Escape Method.
• Xu Taiping resolved to win the Seven Peaks Selection and continued his daily cultivation despite the pain and exhaustion.
• Two months later, Zhao Linglong rushed to Dugu Qingxiao on the Seventh Peak and excitedly announced that Xu Taiping was still alive.
• Dugu Qingxiao recognized Xu Taiping as the boy from Green Ox Village and was startled by the news.

Zhao Linglong and Dugu Qingxiao learned that Xu Taiping had survived and entered the Seven Peaks Selection, and they planned to help him remain in the sect even if he failed. On the first day of the Four Mountains Assembly, Xu Taiping arrived at West Wind Pavilion to register and was approached by a burly, bald man.

• Zhao Linglong found Xu Taiping's name on the Seven Peaks Selection roster and told Dugu Qingxiao he was still alive.
• Zhao Linglong and Dugu Qingxiao agreed to ask their master to let Xu Taiping stay in the sect if he did not pass the selection.
• Dugu Qingxiao explained the stages of the Seven Peaks Selection and offered to seek a Mountain Patrol Mirror so they could watch the Dragon Gate Assembly.
• On the ninth day of the first month, Xu Taiping registered at West Wind Pavilion for the Four Mountains Assembly and received lot C twenty-seven.
• A burly, bald man slung an arm around Xu Taiping and asked if he had come for the Seven Peaks Selection.

Xu Taiping discovered that his first opponent at the Four Mountains Assembly was Sun Hu, who mocked his appearance and expected an easy victory. After watching Elder Qin defeat Manor Lord Zhao with Transforming Force, Xu Taiping received Fairy Lingyue’s advice about speed and was called into the arena.

• Xu Taiping found that his opponent in the Xuan-Character Arena was Sun Hu, who joined the other contestants in teasing him.
• Xu Taiping ignored Sun Hu’s taunts and waited with him beside the arena for their match.
• Elder Qin used Transforming Force to defeat Manor Lord Zhao and send him flying out of the arena.
• Fairy Lingyue told Xu Taiping that Elder Qin had only scratched the surface of Transforming Force and advised him that speed was unbreakable.
• The examiner called Xu Taiping and Sun Hu into the arena.

Xu Taiping defeated Sun Hu with a single punch in the Four Mountains Assembly and advanced to the top one hundred and twelve. News of the fifteen-year-old’s victory reached Zuo Ju and Zhou Gu, who learned his name was Xu Taiping.

• Sun Hu leaped onto the arena platform while Xu Taiping climbed the stairs, drawing mockery from Sun Hu’s companions.
• Xu Taiping took the Green Ox Fist stance and prepared to fight Sun Hu seriously.
• After the examiner began the match, Xu Taiping rushed forward and broke Sun Hu’s Protective Gang Qi with Ox Horn Crashes the Mountain, sending him flying off the platform.
• The examiner declared Xu Taiping the winner over Sun Hu and advanced him to the top one hundred and twelve.
• A roving examiner told Zuo Ju and Zhou Gu that a fifteen-year-old had badly injured Sun Hu with one punch, then identified the victor as Xu Taiping.

Zhou Gu and Zuo Ju arranged for Xu Taiping to face Qin Yuan in the next Four Mountains Assembly round, hoping to eliminate him. After Fairy Lingyue revealed their scheme, Xu Taiping chose to fight rather than expose them, and the chapter ended as he learned Qin Yuan would be his opponent.

• Zhou Gu and Zuo Ju recognized Xu Taiping and discussed their resentment over their lost posts at Raging Wind Hall.
• Zhou Gu proposed tampering with the match assignments so Xu Taiping would face Qin Yuan, and Zuo Ju agreed.
• Fairy Lingyue overheard their plan and relayed it to Xu Taiping, who decided to face Qin Yuan without reporting them.
• The next round's assignments were announced, and Xu Taiping learned he would fight Qin Yuan.

Xu Taiping faced Qin Yuan in the arena, dodging the elder’s surprise attack and forcing him to reveal his Unfalling Art. Qin Yuan evaded Xu Taiping’s attacks and countered by knocking him backward, taunting him about his slow saber and weak fists.

• Fairy Lingyue warned Xu Taiping that Qin Yuan might have arranged their matchups in advance and urged him to stay alert.
• Xu Taiping entered the arena with Wind Shadow Step, impressing the spectators with his profound true qi.
• After the match began, Qin Yuan launched a sudden palm strike, but Xu Taiping dodged and drove him backward with an Ox Horn Crashes the Mountain punch.
• Xu Taiping pursued Qin Yuan with another punch and several saber strikes, while Qin Yuan used the Unfalling Art to evade them.
• Qin Yuan caught Xu Taiping’s wrist, slammed his shoulder into Xu Taiping’s chest, and taunted him for being too slow and too soft.

Xu Taiping used the Green Ox Fist’s relentless, accelerating attacks to overcome Qin Yuan’s Unfalling Art. He sent Qin Yuan flying, leaving the crowd stunned that he had broken the elder’s defense.

• Xu Taiping identified Qin Yuan’s Unfalling Art as gang qi that redirected incoming attacks, then chose to confront it directly.
• Xu Taiping launched a rapid series of Charging Ox Breaks the Formation punches, while Qin Yuan dodged the first attacks.
• Xu Taiping kept increasing the speed and force of his punches until one grazed Qin Yuan’s shoulder and tore away flesh.
• Xu Taiping’s next punch outpaced Qin Yuan’s protective gang qi and struck him squarely, sending him flying.
• The cultivators watching exclaimed that Xu Taiping had broken Qin Yuan’s Unfalling Art.

Xu Taiping defeated Qin Yuan after unleashing all 108 punches of Charging Ox Breaks the Formation, grasping the Green Ox Fist’s true intent. He left the arena determined to use his remaining matches to hone his martial arts while concealing his Nether Gazing Realm cultivation.

• Qin Yuan revealed his Ruoshui Art, but Xu Taiping continued striking as his fist force grew with each punch.
• Xu Taiping delivered the hundredth punch and stripped away Qin Yuan’s waterlike true qi, then summoned a green ox phantom with his final punch and sent Qin Yuan flying off the arena.
• Xu Taiping understood that the first 107 punches built momentum for the final blow, and Fairy Lingyue congratulated him while warning him to keep his cultivation concealed.
• Xu Taiping decided to treat his remaining matches as opportunities to sharpen his martial arts before the Seven Peaks Assembly.
• Zhou Gu and Zuo Ju struggled to accept Qin Yuan’s defeat, and Zhou Gu urged Zuo Ju to consider how they would deal with Xu Taiping.

Zhou Gu and Zuo Ju feared the consequences of rigging Xu Taiping’s matches, while Zhao Linglong and Dugu Qingxiao learned of Taiping’s victories and suspected deliberate interference. Their suspicions proved warranted when Liu Songshan confronted Zhou Gu and Zuo Ju over switching the Four Mountains Assembly lots.

• Zhou Gu regretted not killing Xu Taiping earlier, but Zuo Ju warned him that attacking Taiping now would draw the attention of powerful people.
• Zhao Linglong visited Dugu Qingxiao, and they read a letter reporting that Xu Taiping defeated Qin Yuan and advanced to Dragon Gate Hall.
• Qingxiao learned that Taiping may have grasped the true intent of the Green Ox Fist and suspected his difficult matchups had been arranged deliberately.
• Qingxiao promised to investigate and protect Taiping from anyone who thought they could take advantage of him.
• Liu Songshan kicked Zhou Gu and slapped Zuo Ju for switching the assigned lots, and Zhou Gu claimed sole responsibility and begged to be expelled alone.

Liu Songshan revealed that Ninth Uncle and White Rainbow were alive and that Ninth Uncle had defeated the Devil Lord, while Xu Taiping prepared to compete in the Dragon Gate Assembly. At Profound Seclusion Abode, Zhao Linglong reunited with Xu Ziyan and Lin Buyu as the matches approached.

• Liu Songshan told Zuo Ju and Zhou Gu that Ninth Uncle had returned from the Northern Border, slain the Devil Lord, and destroyed Greedy Wolf Country's demonic root.
• Xu Taiping secured Green Bamboo Abode, brought Ping'an along, and traveled to Dragon Gate Hall ahead of the Dragon Gate Assembly.
• Zhao Linglong waited for the Mountain Patrol Mirror at Dugu Qingxiao's Profound Seclusion Abode.
• Dugu Qingxiao arrived with Xu Ziyan and Lin Buyu, and Zhao Linglong greeted them warmly.
• Xu Ziyan asked Lin Buyu whether she remembered Xu Taiping, who had entered the mountain with her.

Zhao Linglong and the others used the Mountain Patrol Mirror to search the Dragon Gate Assembly for Xu Taiping, while Ziyan brought Lin Buyu to watch. They found Xu Taiping at last, and Lin Buyu claimed she had only guessed who he was.

• Ziyan brought Lin Buyu to Profound Seclusion Abode to watch the Dragon Gate Assembly with Zhao Linglong and Qingxiao.
• Qingxiao activated the Mountain Patrol Mirror and searched the four arenas for Xu Taiping.
• Ziyan identified a young contestant as Lu Yuan, an outer sect disciple famed for his saber skills.
• Lin Buyu pointed out a contestant who resembled Xu Taiping, and Qingxiao zoomed in until his face and name plaque were clear.
• Zhao Linglong recognized Xu Taiping, and Lin Buyu said she had guessed when Zhao Linglong asked how she knew.