Chapter Summaries

Yin Saide investigated the Longle Gambling House massacre, recognized the Crouching Tiger Staff Technique, and left the matter to the Grain Transport Gang. Lin Hao continued training and successfully unleashed hidden force for the first time before Wu Deshui and Liu Tong returned to Dam Market with other martial arts leaders.

• Yin Saide reconstructed how one powerful staff strike had killed three Beggar Gang members and told the others to leave the case alone.
• Incense Master Liu worried that Yin Saide's order to establish rules for a new gang might threaten him, while Liu Chengcai blamed the Wu Family Martial Arts School for his lost income and vowed to take revenge.
• Lin Hao trained with the Ground-rolling Saber, Twelve Routes Springing Leg, and Eight Gates Staff, and used an equipment point to store a weapon.
• Lin Hao successfully sent hidden force through a block of tofu, impressing Qin Sicheng with how quickly he had advanced.
• Wu Deshui and Liu Tong returned from the county town with the heads of other martial arts schools and several renowned Dam Market fighters.

Wu Deshui returned from suppressing bandits with Liu Tong and accepted Lin Hao as his Personal Disciple. While waiting in the Left Courtyard, Lin Hao discovered valuable equipment, including a purple General's Meteoric Iron Spear.

• Liu Tong described how the Outworld Demons and their Lizardmen fought during the bandit suppression, while Wu Deshui warned that they might have been covering an escape with an important item.
• Wu Deshui praised Lin Hao's completed force integration and offered to make him a Personal Disciple, and Lin Hao accepted.
• Wu Deshui brought Lin Hao to the Left Courtyard and asked Wu Xin to explain the school's rules while he and Liu Tong freshened up.
• Wu Xin explained the rules against oppressing the poor and aiding tyrants, while Lin Hao noticed the weapons and armor in the Martial Arts Hall.
• Lin Hao inspected the Veteran's Infantry Armor and discovered the purple General's Meteoric Iron Spear, which had the Crouching Tiger Spear-Great Achievement skill.

Lin Hao asked Wu Deshui for the Infantry Armor and Meteoric Iron Spear, and Wu Deshui gave him the spear after questioning him about the Yanhuang Trade Association and the Outworld Demons. Wu Deshui then tested Lin Hao’s strength, was startled by his powerful punch, and prepared to give him pointers.

• Wu Xin caught Lin Hao distracted by the Infantry Armor and Meteoric Iron Spear, and he asked her how he could obtain them.
• Wu Deshui questioned Lin Hao about the Yanhuang Trade Association and whether he was connected to the Outworld Demons; Lin Hao denied any ties to them.
• Wu Deshui gave Lin Hao the Meteoric Iron Spear, saying he hoped Lin Hao would carry on its legacy.
• Wu Deshui asked Lin Hao to demonstrate his strength, and Lin Hao struck him with Tiger Bursting from the Cage.
• Wu Deshui absorbed the punch but was forced backward and nearly lost his footing, then announced that he would give Lin Hao a few pointers.

After Wu Deshui’s sparring lesson helped Lin Hao understand hidden force’s conditioning effects, his master gave him Infantry Armor and a Two-Picul Strong Bow. Lin Hao equipped the armor and weapons, discovered how well his gear complemented his staff techniques, and headed to the pharmacy to buy tonics for further training.

• Wu Deshui ended the sparring session, praised Lin Hao’s progress, and explained how hidden force conditioned the body.
• Lin Hao asked about hidden force, and Wu Deshui explained that its effects could keep improving through lifelong practice.
• Wu Deshui gave Lin Hao the Infantry Armor and a Two-Picul Strong Bow, while warning him about their limits against hidden force experts.
• Lin Hao equipped the Infantry Armor and Meteoric Iron Spear, then found that their weight penalties worked well with his staff techniques.
• Lin Hao trained with his staff and spear before heading to the pharmacy for ointment and tonics.

Lin Hao and five fellow disciples left Dam Market for the County Examination, with Lin Hao also intending to investigate supplies for an evacuation. At the docks, they met Hou Lecheng and Yang Xing of the Evergreen Martial Arts School before boarding the merchant ship.

• Wu Deshui sent six disciples to the County Examination and told Qian Tao to lead them and look after the others.
• Lin Hao said goodbye to Zhao Xiaowen and Nie Yi, reminded them to train and use their medicine, and left with the group.
• Qian Tao led the disciples through Dam Market to a merchant ship owned by Senior Brother Qin's family.
• At the dock, Qian Tao met Hou Lecheng, who was accompanying his junior brother Yang Xing to the examination.
• Lin Hao greeted Hou Lecheng and Yang Xing, disciples of the Evergreen Martial Arts School, before the groups prepared to travel together.

Lin Hao and the Evergreen Martial Arts School apprentices sailed toward Wei'an County, discussing martial combat and local rivalries before several expert River Pirates emerged near Sandwater Weir. The pirates accelerated toward their boat, leaving Lin Hao to suspect the attack was no ordinary robbery.

• Lin Hao and the other apprentices discussed recent deaths in a bandit raid, the dangers of fighting Demonkin, and Yang Xing’s progress in hidden force.
• Lin Hao admitted Zhao Xiaowen was his woman, and Qian Tao told the group about an embrace-the-elixir expert who went mad and was killed by a female hidden force hero.
• Hou Lecheng warned the apprentices not to provoke martial artists from Wei'an County, while Yang Xing argued that they should not fear confrontation.
• The sandboat approached Sandwater Weir, where a crewman warned that River Pirates might still be hiding among the reeds.
• Several black-canopied boats emerged and sped toward them, and Lin Hao recognized the men poling them as powerful martial artists.

Liu Chengcai arranged for veteran River Pirates to attack a Qin Family merchant ship, intending to profit from the cargo and eliminate martial arts rivals. As the pirates’ arrows struck the ship, the crew and martial arts apprentices prepared to resist.

• Liu Chengcai ordered the River Pirates to keep their raids limited and targeted the Qin Family ship because Yang Xing and Wu Family disciples were aboard.
• Captain Qin rallied the guards, crew, and martial arts disciples to defend the merchant ship and keep the pirates from boarding.
• The River Pirates fired an unexpected volley that killed and wounded several defenders, frightening the inexperienced apprentices, including Yang Xing.
• Captain Qin distributed weapons and asked Hou Lecheng, Yang Xing, Qian Tao, and Lin Hao to help hold off the veteran attackers.

River Pirates ambushed Captain Qin’s ship, and Lin Hao turned the battle around by killing their fighters with his enchanted staff. After blocking a powerful hidden arrow, he charged toward the masked hidden force Martial Master who had fired it.

• Captain Qin recognized the River-Turning Flood Dragon and One-Eyed Eagle among the attackers, but the River Pirates boarded from three directions and overwhelmed the crew and Martial Arts School disciples.
• One-Eyed Eagle attacked Yang Xing, while other River Pirates occupied Captain Qin and Hou Lecheng and began cutting down the defenders.
• Lin Hao used his staff to kill River Pirates attacking the crew and then defeated five men who rushed him together.
• Lin Hao blocked a powerful arrow fired by a masked bandit at the stern, realized the shooter was a hidden force Martial Master, and charged toward him.

Lin Hao fought Liu Chengcai aboard the boat, using his enchanted strength and staff technique to break through the deck and force the fight into the hold. When Liu Chengcai exploited Lin Hao’s slower speed and closed in, Lin Hao pierced his palm and landed a kick to his vital spot.

• Liu Chengcai fired arrows at Lin Hao, but Lin Hao knocked them aside with his staff and charged him.
• Lin Hao’s thrust drove Liu Chengcai backward, and a follow-up staff strike smashed through the deck and sent him into the hold.
• Lin Hao pursued Liu Chengcai through the hold with rapid spear thrusts, while Liu Chengcai evaded them with his greater speed.
• Liu Chengcai discarded his saber and closed in, prompting Lin Hao to abandon his staff and attack with his hands.
• Lin Hao punched through Liu Chengcai’s palm, knocked aside his other hand, and kicked him in the vital spot.

Lin Hao defeated Incense Master Liu and returned to the deck, where he turned the battle against the River Pirates. He captured their remaining leaders and drove most of the pirates off the ship, while Yang Xing collapsed from his injuries.

• Lin Hao killed Incense Master Liu, recognized him as a member of the Grain Transport Gang, and hid his face before taking his Ghost-Head Saber.
• Lin Hao emerged from below deck and struck down the River-Turning Flood Dragon, ending his fight with Captain Qin.
• Lin Hao charged the One-Eyed Eagle as the River Pirates began to lose morale, while Yang Xing fought to hold him off.
• The One-Eyed Eagle severed Yang Xing's arm with a kick and tried to escape, but Lin Hao swept him back onto the deck with his Long Staff.
• Lin Hao killed the fleeing River Pirates, though a few escaped into the water, and Yang Xing passed out after watching the fight end.