Chapter Summaries

Cao Bing secured an agreement with Inspector Wang that could earn him Dragon Blood and a complete martial arts manual, then finished December ranked seventy-first at the Elite Training Camp. As his saber technique reached a bottleneck, Jiang Fang explained that he had to find his own path through the Basic Saber Techniques.

• Cao Bing celebrated securing the agreement and considered spending more money to obtain the next levels of the Phantom Blade Technique.
• Cao Bing finished December ranked seventy-first while Nan Xin remained first, and his intense training inspired other students to train harder.
• In January, graduating students' efforts pushed Cao Bing down to eighty-seventh, but he continued practicing his saber technique with Jiang Fang.
• Cao Bing told Jiang Fang that his saber practice felt awkward and seemed to be regressing.
• Jiang Fang explained the difference between Apparent Perfection and True Perfection, warning Cao Bing to stop practicing the Phantom Blade Technique until he created a technique of his own.
• Jiang Fang advised Cao Bing to practice the Basic Saber Techniques, and Cao Bing thanked her for clearing up his confusion.

After half a year of training across two worlds, Cao Bing advanced rapidly but failed to invent a saber technique of his own. Feng Yuzi developed a limited gravity formation and tried, unsuccessfully, to upgrade Cao Bing’s weapon, while Cao Bing remained concerned that Qin Yu might grow too powerful and alter events he needed for his own plans.

• Cao Bing adjusted his training schedule, spending a day in the Devouring Starry Sky World and a month in the Stellar Transformation World, and reached Intermediate Warrior strength and Xiantian early stage in his Stellar Transformation body.
• Cao Bing compared his progress with Qin Yu’s, worried that Qin Yu’s Meteor Tears-fueled growth could prevent Qin De’s tribulation from leading to the discovery of Leishan Residence and the Stellar Transformation cultivation method.
• Cao Bing practiced Basic Saber Techniques for more than half a year but did not create a move, and his discussions with Qin Yu and Feng Yuzi provided no useful guidance.
• Feng Yuzi created Formation Disks that controlled gravity within a five-meter radius at up to five times normal gravity.
• Feng Yuzi tempered Cao Bing’s weapon but could not make it a Low-grade Spirit Artifact because it conducted and retained True Essence Power poorly.

Qin Yu visited Cao Bing and challenged him to spar, testing Cao Bing's progress after half a year of practicing Basic Saber Techniques. Their fight escalated as Qin Yu unveiled a powerful new technique, leaving Cao Bing struggling to withstand his attacks.

• Qin Yu visited Cao Bing and asked whether he had found a saber technique of his own.
• Qin Yu suggested they spar, and Cao Bing agreed despite worrying that he could not use the Phantom Blade Technique.
• Cao Bing attacked Qin Yu with an ordinary Basic Saber Technique, and they exchanged hundreds of blows across the courtyard.
• Cao Bing demonstrated his command of all sixteen Basic Saber forms and forced Qin Yu to acknowledge that he had underestimated him.
• Qin Yu used a newly learned fist technique, overpowering Cao Bing with increasingly strong blows and leaving a fierce punch closing in on him.

After Qin Yu and Cao Bing injured each other in a spar, Qin Yu gave Cao Bing the Inch Punch manual. Cao Bing then understood how to transform his old saber techniques through Basic Saber Techniques and make them his own.

• Cao Bing used Eight Shadow String Kill to stop Qin Yu's third Inch Punch, leaving both men seriously injured.
• Qin Yu explained Inch Punch and gave Cao Bing its secret manual before leaving to recover.
• Cao Bing meditated until his injuries partly healed, then puzzled over why his instinctive saber strike had worked so well.
• Cao Bing repeatedly practiced Eight Shadow String Kill through the night until his saber technique became chaotic and he spat blood.
• Cao Bing realized that True Perfection meant breaking down his old techniques with Basic Saber Techniques and recombining them into a saber style of his own.

After Qin Yu found Cao Bing exhausted and unconscious from obsessively practicing his saber while injured, Feng Yuzi treated him and he slept for three days. Cao Bing awakened with a clearer understanding of the Perfect Realm and planned to forge his own saber art, while agreeing to spar with Qin Yu again.

• Qin Yu found Cao Bing surrounded by destroyed furniture, gave him an internal-injury pill, and carried him to Feng Yuzi.
• Feng Yuzi treated Cao Bing and told Qin Yu that Cao Bing had fainted from relapsed injuries and mental strain.
• Cao Bing slept for three days, then awoke and thanked Feng Yuzi for saving him.
• Cao Bing realized his dangerous saber practice had helped him understand the Perfect Realm and said he would create his own saber art.
• Qin Yu visited Cao Bing, and Cao Bing agreed that they would spar again once he completed his new saber art.

After spending more than a year stuck at a bottleneck, Cao Bing completed his saber technique and advanced his saber realm. Qin Yu brought him to see a strange ore identified as Fire-Burning Iron in Stone, where Mr. Hei’s attempt to smelt it ended with him coughing up blood.

• Cao Bing completed his saber technique, destroying much of his courtyard with its final attack.
• Cao Bing bathed, then slept for a full day and night after ten days of nonstop training.
• Qin Yu told Cao Bing he had found an unfamiliar ore in the back mountain and invited him to see it.
• Cao Bing recognized the ore as Fire-Burning Iron in Stone and followed Qin Yu to the courtyard where Mr. Hei was smelting it.
• Mr. Hei poured flames into the red stone pillar, failed to melt it, and collapsed after spitting out blood.

Feng Yuzi recognized the red pillar as the rare Fire-Burning Iron in Stone and brought Qin Yu and Cao Bing to his artifact-refining chamber to work on it. While Feng Yuzi explained the cultivation world in exchange for a portion of the crystal, Qin Yu asked about the Tongtian Diagram, and Cao Bing questioned whether it consisted of three sets of movements totaling 108 diagrams.

• Mr. Hei failed to refine the Fire-Burning Iron in Stone, so Qin Yu went to fetch Feng Yuzi.
• Feng Yuzi recognized the crystal and took Qin Yu and Cao Bing to his artifact-refining chamber.
• Feng Yuzi asked Qin Yu for a fist-sized portion of the crystal, and Qin Yu agreed in exchange for hearing about the cultivation world.
• Feng Yuzi told Qin Yu and Cao Bing about the cultivation world and the owner of the Tongtian Diagrams.
• Cao Bing asked Feng Yuzi whether the Tongtian Diagram consisted of three sets of movements totaling 108 diagrams.

Cao Bing revealed that his family possessed a rubbing of the Tongtian Diagram and let Qin Yu and Feng Yuzi study it. Feng Yuzi then examined Cao Bing’s damaged, extraordinarily heavy Combat Suit to see whether he could repair it with Fire-Burning Iron in Stone.

• Cao Bing showed Qin Yu and Feng Yuzi his family’s Tongtian Diagram rubbing, and Qin Yu decided to practice its one hundred and eight movements.
• Cao Bing allowed Qin Yu to use the rubbing, recalling that Qin Yu had shared the Fire-Burning Iron in Stone with him.
• Feng Yuzi offered to forge Qin Yu a Spirit Artifact, and Qin Yu requested a short sword and protective finger-joint gloves while saving the remaining material for his royal father.
• Cao Bing brought out his damaged ancestral Combat Suit and asked Feng Yuzi to repair it.
• Feng Yuzi struggled to lift the nearly ten-thousand-kilogram suit and, after examining it for half an hour, could only shake his head.

Feng Yuzi agreed to try repairing Cao Bing’s mysterious Combat Suit, while Cao Bing reflected on his rapid progress and the powerful blade technique he had created. The chapter left Cao Bing training again and hoping to learn formations so he could recreate the useful Gravity Formation.

• Feng Yuzi examined Cao Bing’s Combat Suit, said he had never seen its materials, and agreed to attempt to repair it.
• Cao Bing and Qin Yu left Feng Yuzi’s secret chamber and went their separate ways.
• Cao Bing compared his cultivation with Qin Yu’s and reviewed his newly created Asura blade technique, which had three layers and included powerful killing moves.
• Cao Bing returned to his courtyard, rested briefly, and resumed his grueling cultivation.
• Cao Bing lamented that he could not reproduce the Gravity Formation without rare materials and resolved to study practical formations.

Feng Yuzi reforged Cao Bing’s Combat Suit into a stronger, lighter spirit artifact, and Cao Bing chose to reserve it for his Devouring Starry Sky body. Qin Yu then showed Cao Bing three original Tongtian Diagrams, leaving Cao Bing startled by how happily Qin Yu presented them.

• Feng Yuzi gave Cao Bing the repaired Combat Suit and explained that it had become a Low-grade Spirit Artifact with defensive power exceeding most Mid-grade Spirit Artifacts.
• Feng Yuzi said Cao Bing could store the armor in his body after acknowledging it with a blood drop, and that a more skilled artifact refiner might improve it further.
• Cao Bing decided to give the single Combat Suit to his Devouring Starry Sky body because major battles were approaching there.
• Qin Yu visited Cao Bing and happily showed him three original Tongtian Diagrams.
• Cao Bing recognized the diagrams and wondered why Qin Yu showed no sorrow, given how he believed Qin Yu had obtained them.

Cao Bing explained the Tongtian Diagram’s hidden rhythms to Qin Yu and taught him its movements. Back in the Devouring Starry Sky world, Cao Bing judged himself strong enough to claim Dragon Blood but decided to wait until his body was better prepared.

• Qin Yu told Cao Bing how he obtained the complete original Tongtian Diagram after killing Zhen Xu and rescuing Lian Yan’s group from Xiang Yang’s men.
• Cao Bing demonstrated how the Tongtian Diagram’s 108 movements formed three-colored armor and explained that their rhythms revealed their full potential.
• Cao Bing taught Qin Yu the movements, and Qin Yu began practicing them, though he would need many more days to master them.
• Cao Bing woke in the Devouring Starry Sky world and noted that more than a year there had passed in only a little over ten days in his other world.
• Cao Bing decided to postpone claiming Dragon Blood until his physical fitness improved, despite believing his combat strength already exceeded the contract’s requirement.

Cao Bing learned that Nan Xin had agreed to fight three top students who had challenged her, and he watched the Training Camp gather to support her. Nan Xin approached Cao Bing and asked to speak with him alone.

• Cao Bing met his friend Zhao Ping at the Nine-Story Tower and heard that John Dost, Bruce Dill, and Champa had challenged Nan Xin to a fight.
• Zhao Ping explained that Nan Xin had agreed to face all three challengers and that the students had gathered to watch instead of training or hunting.
• Nan Xin arrived, and Zhao Ping, Zhao Ruo, and dozens of Huaxia Martial Artists called her “Boss,” irritating her.
• Nan Xin walked over to Cao Bing, asked to speak with him alone, and Cao Bing agreed.

Nan Xin told Cao Bing that she feared Huaxia would lose its standing in the Elite Training Camp after the current leaders graduated, and she hoped his talent could help fill the gap. Cao Bing said he would not stay long but agreed to warn the camp’s troublemakers before leaving.

• Zhao Ruo speculated that Nan Xin had called Cao Bing away because she liked him, while Zhao Ping dismissed the idea.
• Nan Xin brought Cao Bing to a balcony and asked what he thought of the Elite Training Camp and Huaxia’s martial artists.
• Nan Xin explained that Huaxia lacked strong leaders in the younger classes and might soon fall out of the camp’s top five.
• Cao Bing said he would not stay in the Training Camp for long and refused to explain why.
• Cao Bing offered to warn the restless students before he left, as Nan Xin had done.

Cao Bing joked that Nan Xin wanted to develop a relationship with him, then watched as Nan Xin faced a three-person challenge from John, Bruce Dill, and Champa. With the priceless Body Tempering Flower at stake, Nan Xin entered the Challenge Room to fight, while Cao Bing remained confident she would win thanks to her recent rise in Battle Power Amplification.

• Cao Bing told Zhao Ruo and Zhao Ping that Nan Xin thought he was handsome, and Nan Xin overheard his boast.
• John, Bruce Dill, and Champa arrived and challenged Nan Xin, with Dill revealing his long-standing resentment after years of losing to her.
• Nan Xin agreed to face all three in the Challenge Room, where the fighters would connect to the dueling arena.
• Nan Xin and her opponents wagered the Body Tempering Flower, which Hong had allowed her to stake as a test of her ability.
• Students in the Nine-Story Tower argued over the outcome as Cao Bing confidently expected Nan Xin to win, citing her Battle Power Amplification of 16.22.

Nan Xin defeated Bruce, John, and Champa in just 3.27 seconds, then left the Challenge Room to cheers from the students. Bruce, consumed by jealousy and rage, launched a sneak attack on her from behind.

• Bruce urged John and Champa to fight Nan Xin alongside him, and Nan Xin chose an open stadium for their duel.
• Nan Xin disarmed Bruce, killed John and Champa, then defeated Bruce with a spear thrust.
• Nan Xin left the Challenge Room as students in the Nine-Story Tower praised her and Zhao Ping called her "Boss."
• Nan Xin reflexively sent Zhao Ping flying into Zhao Ruo, then continued past their argument.
• Bruce entered the hall and attacked Nan Xin from behind, prompting several powerful Huaxia students to shout a warning.

Cao Bing blocked Bruce’s lethal sneak attack on Nan Xin, then pretended he had been badly hurt despite his Combat Suit protecting him. Inspector Wang took Bruce into solitary confinement and summoned Nan Xin, John, and Champa for questioning, while Cao Bing’s friends teased him about saving Nan Xin.

• Bruce launched a lethal sneak attack on Nan Xin, but Cao Bing intercepted it with Ten Shadow String Kill and was blasted through the tower wall.
• Nan Xin struck Bruce and sent him flying, while Chu Qiang, Shi Jiang, and other Huaxia Martial Artists rushed to confront him.
• Nan Xin found Cao Bing in the rubble; he insisted he was fine and concealed that his Combat Suit had absorbed Bruce’s attack.
• Inspector Wang arrived, heard Nan Xin’s account and a Soviet trainee’s testimony, then ordered Bruce placed in solitary confinement and summoned Nan Xin, John, and Champa.
• Zhao Ruo and Zhao Ping teased Cao Bing about saving Nan Xin, and Cao Bing pretended that Bruce’s attack had left him hurt.

After Bruce’s execution, Cao Bing used the final day of January rankings to clear the Trial Tower’s second floor and all three trials on its third floor. He pushed on to the fourth floor but ran out of time after repeatedly failing to defeat its Flame Crystal Leopards.

• The Training Camp publicly executed Bruce, and his family chose to protect its standing with Hong rather than save him.
• On January 28, Cao Bing entered the Trial Room to use his remaining Trial Tower time and easily cleared the second floor’s C-rank stage.
• Cao Bing cleared the third floor’s A-rank and B-rank stages by swiftly killing the Golden Vultures.
• Cao Bing endured multiple wounds to clear the third floor’s C-rank stage, earning an evaluation of 4 and raising his Battle Power Amplification to 14.
• Cao Bing attempted the fourth floor’s A-rank trial three times but failed to kill all fifty Flame Crystal Leopards before his Trial Tower time ran out.

Cao Bing reached fifth place in the Training Camp rankings before Nan Xin and the senior students graduated, then rose to thirtieth after they left. As his strength increased in the Gravity Chamber, he received Dragon Blood and prepared to advance toward God of War level.

• Cao Bing finished fifth in the rankings, while Nan Xin remained first and William offered him insincere congratulations.
• Nan Xin said farewell to the Huaxia students and left the camp; Cao Bing recalled refusing her offer to recommend him to Hong as a disciple because he did not want to call Hong Master.
• During February, Cao Bing stayed at the camp and used his extra Gravity Chamber time to raise his base strength above 33,000 kilograms.
• Cao Bing arranged to receive Dragon Blood, and five peak-combat-strength Warrior Generals escorted it to the camp.
• Cao Bing verified his identity, received the Dragon Blood in a silvery-white suitcase, and declared that he was coming for God of War level.

Cao Bing used his Dragon Blood and endured its painful effects before discovering that it had dramatically increased his strength and speed. He decided to claim further Dragon Blood and other rewards once he met the requirements, and to help Yan Ying, Guan Yong, and the others when he could.

• Cao Bing applied the Dragon Blood across his body, including the last drop on his manhood, and fainted from the intense pain as it took effect.
• After waking, Cao Bing checked that he was unharmed, washed off the black grime, and tested his new physical abilities.
• Cao Bing's punching strength reached 98,321 kilograms, while his speed reached 704.6 meters per second, far exceeding his expectations.
• Cao Bing considered calling Nan Xin to surprise her, but decided against it to avoid attracting Hong's attention.
• Cao Bing reviewed the Elite Training Camp's rewards and planned to claim more Dragon Blood and a Battle Power Amplification reward when eligible.
• Cao Bing resolved to earn enough by killing Lord-level Monsters or even a King level one so he could help Yan Ying, Guan Yong, and the others.

Cao Bing rose to first place in the Elite Training Camp, though Hong decided against taking him as a disciple. After a month away, Cao Bing returned to the Stellar Transformation World, where Qin De summoned him because he was about to undergo the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation.

• A new group of students arrived, and Chu Qiang defeated a brash challenger from Western Base City in 0.73 seconds; Cao Bing earned three billion by accepting three challenges.
• Cao Bing climbed to first place on the leaderboard, displacing Chu Qiang, who predicted Cao Bing would hold the position for years.
• Cao Bing waited for Hong to arrive, unaware that Hong had considered taking him as a disciple but gave up after learning Cao Bing had refused the offer before.
• Cao Bing received ninety hours of Gravity Chamber training but raised his base strength only to 115,000 kilograms, still short of the Intermediate War God standard.
• After Cao Bing returned to the Stellar Transformation World, Qin De summoned him to a secret chamber to tell him he was about to undergo the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation.