Chapter Summaries

Zhang Xiaohua rescued Qu Zhigao from the Fierce Tiger Gang and left Lu Town with Zhang Xiaohu. On the way, he discovered that the jade rings Qu Zhigao gave him held mysterious energy that repelled his divine sense.

• Hall Master Zhao and Sun Yiding suspected the masked young man was a disciple of a major sect and decided to investigate the disturbance at West Cui Mountain and Lu Town.
• Zhang Xiaohua carried Qu Zhigao to safety, returned the valuables he had taken from the fat man, and accepted Qu Zhigao’s banknotes, ornaments, and inherited medical text.
• Qu Zhigao warned Zhang Xiaohua not to cash the banknotes in Lu Town and urged him to visit Qiu Long Mountain someday.
• Zhang Xiaohua removed his disguise and met Zhang Xiaohu, then the brothers rode out of Lu Town and discussed what had happened.
• Zhang Xiaohu kept several banknotes and suggested pawning the ornaments in Pingyang City, while Zhang Xiaohua sensed vital energy in the jade rings and found that they repelled his divine sense.

Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu headed to Lu Town to visit Li Jinfeng’s family, only to find the Li Family Tailors shop closed and learn that West Cui Mountain bandits were involved in trouble. Shopkeeper Yu began explaining how the Li family’s misfortune started, leaving the brothers to hear the full account.

• Zhang Xiaohua found a booklet titled “Bone Condensing Pill” in the oilcloth bundle and stored it with the jade ring.
• Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu ate at a restaurant, where they heard exaggerated rumors about the masked hero who had broken the Zhao family son’s leg.
• The brothers reached Li Family Tailors and found it shut, so Zhang Xiaohu questioned nearby shopkeepers before entering a jade shop.
• A clerk mistook the brothers for people from West Cui Mountain and begged them to spare his life, revealing the bandits’ connection to the Li family’s troubles.
• Shopkeeper Yu recognized Zhang Xiaohua and invited the brothers into his rear hall after Zhang Xiaohu proved their friendship with Li Jinfeng.
• Shopkeeper Yu explained that his daughter Bihe and Li Yinfeng had encountered West Cui Mountain bandits during an autumn outing more than ten days earlier.

Shopkeeper Yu told Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua that West Cui Mountain bandits had attacked the Li family and likely abducted them. The brothers decided to go to West Cui Mountain together to search for and rescue Li Jinfeng’s family.

• Shopkeeper Yu recounted how bandits from West Cui Mountain had abducted Bihe and Yinfeng, then attacked the Li residence, carried away sacks, and set the house on fire.
• Shopkeeper Yu said the bandits had also searched his home for Bihe, whom he had since sent somewhere safe.
• Zhang Xiaohu asked Shopkeeper Yu for directions to West Cui Mountain, and Shopkeeper Yu gave them the route after warning them about the bandits.
• Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu visited the Li family’s burned ruins, then rode out of Lu Town and agreed they had to help their friend Li Jinfeng’s family.
• Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu argued over who should go to West Cui Mountain before agreeing to travel there together, with Zhang Xiaohua scouting ahead while Zhang Xiaohu kept watch.

Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu traveled to West Cui Mountain to rescue the Li family, then entered the bandit stronghold to scout its defenses. Zhang Xiaohua slipped inside undetected while Zhang Xiaohu waited outside for news.

• Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu discussed their rescue plan as they rode toward West Cui Mountain.
• At night, the brothers reached the mountain, wrapped cloth around their horses’ hooves, and rode quietly along the path.
• They left the horses in the woods and Zhang Xiaohua carried Zhang Xiaohu through the trees, avoiding bandit patrols on their way to the stronghold.
• Seeing the stronghold’s strict defenses, Zhang Xiaohu told Zhang Xiaohua to scout inside and learn where the Li family was being held.
• Zhang Xiaohua threw a stone to draw the guards away, then climbed over the wall and slipped into the stronghold unnoticed.

Zhang Xiaohua infiltrated West Cui Mountain stronghold and learned that Li Yinfeng and her parents were still alive, while Li Yinfeng was being offered to Divine Sect envoy Ying. He reached the chieftain’s hall and overheard the banquet preparations, leaving him poised to act before the wedding night.

• Zhang Xiaohua used his divine sense and lightness skill to cross the stronghold unnoticed and make his way toward its central buildings.
• Zhang Xiaohua overheard Brother Xu and Old Cao discuss the Divine Sect’s influence, the chieftain’s new military-style management, and the beauty taken from the Li family.
• Zhang Xiaohua learned that Li Yinfeng and her parents were alive and that the chieftain planned to let envoy Ying spend the night with her.
• Zhang Xiaohua continued toward the central hall and saw Chieftain Liu welcoming Envoy Ying while a maidservant served dishes.

Zhang Xiaohua rescued Li Yinfeng from the stronghold and reunited her with her parents, but he hesitated over how to get the family out safely. The chapter left them preparing to escape while Shopkeeper Li suggested they simply follow Zhang Xiaohua.

• Chieftain Liu offered Envoy Ying a young woman and discussed the Divine Cult’s promises and its expected important visitor.
• Zhang Xiaohua searched the rear courtyard, overheard maidservants describe Li Yinfeng’s danger, and found her bound in a garden tower.
• Zhang Xiaohua freed Li Yinfeng and told her he was a friend of Li Jinfeng who had come to save her.
• Li Yinfeng guided Zhang Xiaohua to the room where her parents were held, and he reunited the family.
• Zhang Xiaohua paused to consider how to get them out, and Shopkeeper Li asked whether they could simply follow him.

Zhang Xiaohua rescued Li Yinfeng and her parents from the bandit stockade and escaped with them to the forest, where he reunited with Zhang Xiaohu. The group then faced the problem of getting down the mountain, and Zhang Xiaohua prepared to carry everyone himself.

• Zhang Xiaohua carried Li Yinfeng on his back and her parents in his arms, sneaking them across the stockade rooftops and square.
• Zhang Xiaohua distracted the bandits patrolling the wall by throwing a stone, then carried the three escapees over it and into the forest.
• Zhang Xiaohu met Zhang Xiaohua and the rescued family in the forest, and the brothers confirmed that the escape had gone smoothly.
• Li Yinfeng suggested that Zhang Xiaohu carry her father while Zhang Xiaohua carried Zhang Xiaohu, but Zhang Xiaohua rejected making two trips.
• Zhang Xiaohua told Li Yinfeng to climb onto his back as he prepared to carry the whole group down the mountain.

Zhang Xiaohua rescued Li Yinfeng and her family from West Cui Mountain, then sent them toward Lu Town while he stayed behind. After restoring his true qi with primordial stones, he returned to the stronghold intending to kill the bandits threatening his family.

• Zhang Xiaohua carried Li Yinfeng, her parents, and Zhang Xiaohu past the forest sentries, but ran out of true qi before reaching the horses.
• Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu arranged for Li Yinfeng and her parents to ride to Lu Town while Zhang Xiaohua stayed behind.
• Zhang Xiaohu departed with the Li family after warning Zhang Xiaohua to restore his strength and catch up.
• Zhang Xiaohua absorbed qi from his primordial stones and decided to eliminate the bandits who threatened his family and nearby villages.
• Zhang Xiaohua returned to the West Cui Mountain stronghold, slipped over its wall, and realized he had overlooked something.

Zhang Xiaohua infiltrated the West Cui Mountain stronghold and killed six bandits after learning they had targeted the Li and Yu families. He decided to assassinate the stronghold chief as well, but his divine sense detected primal qi beneath the rear hall.

• Zhang Xiaohua overheard the bandits boast about abducting a girl and discuss their plans to target the Yu family.
• Zhang Xiaohua killed Old Cao and another bandit when they came outside, then killed Xiao Shunzi and his companion.
• Zhang Xiaohua entered the drinking room and killed Brother Xu and the last bandit before realizing he had forgotten to ask where they hid their valuables.
• Zhang Xiaohua headed toward the main hall to seek a chance to kill the stronghold chief and detected fluctuations of primal qi beneath the rear hall.

Zhang Xiaohua plundered West Cui Mountain’s secret chamber and killed Chieftain Liu while escaping from Envoy Ying. Envoy Ying pursued him toward the rear mountain, where Zhang Xiaohua jumped from a cliff onto a pine tree.

• Zhang Xiaohua found the secret chamber beneath Chieftain Liu’s bed and took its incense burner, gold, jewels, and other valuables.
• Zhang Xiaohua overheard Chieftain Liu and Envoy Ying discussing the divine cult, the Drunken Monk, and a promised visit from an elder under Lord Garuda.
• As Chieftain Liu opened the secret passage, Zhang Xiaohua burst out and killed him with a dagger.
• Zhang Xiaohua shoved Chieftain Liu’s corpse at Envoy Ying and fled, while Envoy Ying discovered the chamber had been emptied and pursued him.
• Zhang Xiaohua reached the rear mountain’s cliff, took a yuanstone, and leaped onto a pine tree growing down the mountainside.

Zhang Xiaohua escaped Envoy Ying and Lord Qin more than once, but was captured after midnight and later made another break for freedom. Lord Qin caught up with him and demanded to know why he had gone to West Cui Mountain, leaving Zhang Xiaohua denying that he killed the bandits.

• Zhang Xiaohua used a yuanstone to replenish his true qi while fleeing Envoy Ying through the forest, but a firework summoned Lord Qin as reinforcements.
• Zhang Xiaohua ran into denser woods and lost consciousness at midnight; Lord Qin and Ying Fei found him sleeping beneath a tree and carried him away.
• Zhang Xiaohua awoke on Ying Fei's horse and jumped free at a three-way fork, then tried unsuccessfully to outrun Lord Qin.
• Lord Qin stopped Zhang Xiaohua and questioned his claim to be a lay disciple of Great Forest Temple and a disciple of the Misty Sect.
• Lord Qin asked why Zhang Xiaohua had visited West Cui Mountain and killed the bandit chief and six others, and Zhang Xiaohua insisted he had killed only the chief.

Zhang Xiaohua denied knowing where the missing cauldron was, while Lord Qin tried to break his resistance and uncover his origins. After confronting his own feelings about killing, Zhang Xiaohua’s resolve strengthened, but Lord Qin captured him and prepared to continue questioning him.

• Lord Qin accused Zhang Xiaohua of killing the bandits and demanded to know where the cauldron from the Secret Chamber had gone.
• Zhang Xiaohua claimed he was a Misty Sect disciple and said the Secret Chamber had been empty except for strange Weapons, but Lord Qin did not believe him.
• As Lord Qin challenged him about killing seven people, Zhang Xiaohua feared his own ruthlessness before his resolve to protect his family renewed and strengthened his state of mind.
• Lord Qin used the Soul Searching Hand on Zhang Xiaohua, inflicting intense pain, but Zhang Xiaohua continued to insist he had never seen the cauldron.
• Lord Qin immobilized Zhang Xiaohua and told Ying Fei that they had to explain the missing cauldron to the Cult Leader.

Zhang Xiaohua was carried west by Lord Qin and Ying Fei, who discussed the Divine Cult’s plans and its suspicions about the Misty Sect. They met Situ Liang, who handed over a bundle of ancient objects, but Zhang Xiaohua’s attempted escape failed, leaving him paralyzed again.

• Lord Qin and Ying Fei planned to use Zhang Xiaohua as bait to draw out someone they believed was connected to him.
• As they traveled west, Lord Qin and Ying Fei discussed Situ Liang’s intelligence about Ten Thousand Sword Peak and the Misty Sect.
• Lord Qin and Ying Fei reached a ruined temple, where Situ Liang gave them a bundle of antique jade objects he had collected for the Divine Cult.
• Lord Qin praised Situ Liang’s efforts and promised he would speak well of him to the Cult Master.
• Zhang Xiaohua suddenly flipped off the horse and tried to escape, but Lord Qin caught him and struck him with a Finger Technique, leaving him curled on the ground in pain.
• Situ Liang asked about Zhang Xiaohua, then said he still had not discovered why Ten Thousand Sword Peak had come to the area and needed to return before its people became suspicious.

Lord Qin and Ying Fei escorted Zhang Xiaohua, who had given his name as Ren Xiaoyao, toward Xinji Town while questioning him about the missing furnace. At a crowded tea shed, they learned that the Ma family was hosting Old Master Ma’s sixty-eighth birthday celebration, where Kong Rang asked Lord Qin for help.

• Lord Qin told Situ Liang to report any developments about Ten Thousand Sword Peak and explained that the cult wanted the Fierce Tiger Gang investigated because of the missing furnace.
• Lord Qin refused Ying Fei’s suggestion to cripple Zhang Xiaohua, explaining that he intended to let the youth struggle and eventually submit.
• Over two days on the road to Xinji Town, Zhang Xiaohua repeatedly tried to escape, failed, and secretly absorbed energy from his Essence Stones.
• Lord Qin, Ying Fei, and Zhang Xiaohua stopped at a crowded roadside tea shed near Xinji Town, where Lord Qin listened for local news.
• The people at the tea shed discussed Old Master Ma’s birthday and the Ma family’s ties to the Heavenly Dao Alliance.
• Kong Rang introduced himself to Lord Qin and asked him to help with a difficulty on the way to Ma Manor.

Zhang Xiaohua realized the Art of Earth Evasion might offer a way to escape and pondered its verses while Lord Qin and Ying Fei traveled toward Ma Manor. On the road, Lord Qin stopped a haughty youth from striking Zhang Xiaohua, and the youth arrived at Ma Rulong’s birthday celebration with gifts from Qiu Xidao of the Righteous Path Alliance.

• A field mouse startled the horses, prompting Zhang Xiaohua to realize that the Art of Earth Evasion might let him escape underground.
• Kong Rang asked Lord Qin for suitable birthday gifts to offer Ma Rulong, but Lord Qin said they were not going to the celebration to pay their respects.
• Lord Qin, Ying Fei, and Zhang Xiaohua rode into Xinji Town, where a haughty youth tried to whip Zhang Xiaohua and Lord Qin seized and threw away the youth’s whip.
• The elderly man with the youth urged him to postpone seeking revenge so they would not offend Ma Rulong’s guests.
• The youth greeted Ma Rulong as his grandfather-in-law and presented a gift list announcing that Qiu Xidao of the Righteous Path Alliance had sent birthday gifts.

At Old Master Ma’s birthday celebration, Qiu Xidao grew impatient and mocked Qin Shiyue, Ying Fei, and Ren Xiaoyao for arriving without gifts or invitations. Zhang Xiaohua tried to smooth things over, but Qiu Xidao invoked his ties to the Righteous Path Alliance, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• The master of ceremonies announced the Righteous Path Alliance’s rare hundred-year medicinal gifts, making Old Master Ma uneasy about the favor behind them.
• Qiu Xidao noticed Qin Shiyue, Ying Fei, and Zhang Xiaohua watching him, then followed Ma Rulong inside and waited impatiently for their arrival.
• Qin Shiyue and Ying Fei reached Ma Manor with Zhang Xiaohua, and the master of ceremonies recorded their names after they arrived without gifts or invitations.
• Qiu Xidao rushed out and ridiculed the three visitors for coming empty-handed and questioned Qin Shiyue’s standing.
• Zhang Xiaohua defended Qin Shiyue and promised to make up the proper courtesies, while Ying Fei challenged Qiu Xidao’s authority.
• Qiu Xidao identified himself as Ma Rulong’s grandson-in-law and Nan Fengyun’s disciple, expecting the visitors to be intimidated.

Ying Fei challenged Qiu Xidao at the gates of Ma Manor, and Qiu Xidao mistook Qin Shiyue and Ying Fei for government officials. Ma Rulong hurriedly removed Qiu Xidao from the confrontation while trying to conceal his ties to the Righteous Path Alliance and the Heavenly Dragon Divine Cult.

• Ying Fei pointed out that Nan Fengyun was only a Deputy Alliance Leader, embarrassing Qiu Xidao and prompting him to argue that the Righteous Path Alliance had a right to speak at Ma Manor.
• Qiu Xidao criticized Ying Fei for having no birthday gift as Ma Rulong arrived and recognized Qin Shiyue from Ying Fei's descriptions.
• Ma Rulong introduced Qin Shiyue respectfully, but Qiu Xidao assumed Qin Shiyue and his companions were government officials and offered to settle their dispute through his connections.
• Qiu Xidao boasted that the Righteous Path Alliance could call on powerful officials, while Ma Rulong struggled to hide his conflicting ties to the two factions.
• Ma Rulong had servants escort Qiu Xidao into the manor, then apologized to Qin Shiyue and Ying Fei; Ying Fei remarked on Ma Rulong's good fortune in gaining a Righteous Path Alliance grandson-in-law.

At Ma Rulong’s birthday gathering, Qin Shiyue demanded the ancient items the Heavenly Dragon Divine Cult had ordered him to collect, but Ma Rulong offered only a few shabby artifacts and Qiu Xidao arrived to challenge the Cult’s claim. Ying Fei attacked Qiu Xidao, who retreated with Ma Rulong as a sudden change erupted in the inner hall.

• Ma Rulong welcomed Qin Shiyue and Ying Fei, while Zhang Xiaohua followed them into the manor as their prisoner and was summoned to join them for tea.
• After Ma Rulong left to receive guests, Ying Fei accused him of having ties to the Righteous Path Alliance, but Qin Shiyue chose to wait and see what Ma Rulong would do.
• Qin Shiyue demanded the items Ma Rulong had been instructed to find, and Ma Rulong presented only a few shabby jade artifacts, insisting he had done his best.
• Qiu Xidao entered and condemned the Heavenly Dragon Divine Cult for bullying Ma Rulong, then confirmed he represented the Righteous Path Alliance.
• Ying Fei lunged at Qiu Xidao, and their exchanged blows sent Qiu staggering toward the doorway; Qiu called for Ma Rulong and left with him as Ying Fei tried to pursue and a sudden change erupted.

The Auspicious Three Treasures trapped Zhang Xiaohua, Ying Fei, and Qin Shiyue in the Three Talents Flag Gate Formation, which blocked divine sense and showed each captive a different illusion. Zhang Xiaohua recognized the formation’s hand seal and sat down to cultivate, while Qin Shiyue killed the tiger in his illusion and searched for a way out.

• The Auspicious Three Treasures entered Ma Manor’s inner hall and set up the Three Talents Flag Gate Formation with three flags and pieces of jade.
• Zhang Xiaohua recognized the formation’s hand seal from the Art of Earth Evasion and used his divine sense to observe how the flags formed a barrier.
• The formation blocked Zhang Xiaohua’s divine sense and made him see an endless snowy plain, but he reached the barrier and sat down to cultivate.
• Ying Fei saw the assassin who had hunted him years earlier and ran and fought within his illusion.
• Qin Shiyue saw the mountain forest from his childhood, killed the tiger that attacked him, and began looking for a way to break the formation.

Qin Shiyue discovered a flaw in the Three Talents Flag Gate Formation when its source stone ran out of energy, allowing him and Ying Fei to escape. After Qin Shiyue killed the Auspicious Three Treasures, Zhang Xiaohua left the blood-soaked inner hall and entered the main hall, where he encountered an even more brutal scene.

• Qin Shiyue raced through the formation and glimpsed the inner hall, exposing a flaw as one of the formation’s source stones ran out of energy.
• The source stone crumbled, the formation’s illusion failed, and Qin Shiyue killed Second Treasure while the weakened hand seal damaged him.
• Qin Shiyue and Ying Fei fought the remaining two Treasures, and Qin Shiyue killed both of them.
• Ying Fei collected the formation flags and remaining source stones, while Zhang Xiaohua took Ma Rulong’s jade artifacts and left the inner hall.
• Zhang Xiaohua entered the main hall and saw what he considered an even more brutal scene.