Chapter Summaries

Yue Muzhou entrusted Pei Ye’s future to Ming Qitian and chose to spend his remaining time with him rather than pursue further treatment. After Yue Muzhou and Pei Ye parted from Ming Qitian, Pei Ye accepted the old man’s decision and wept in his arms; elsewhere, the Immortal Lord awakened inside a fox.

• Yue Muzhou told Pei Ye to seek support in the Divine Capital with a jade token and keep a second token for a desperate meeting with the Shenxiao Dao Leader.
• Ming Qitian returned after receiving Pei Ye’s Sword Talisman, and Yue Muzhou recommended a sword sect for her journey.
• Yue Muzhou asked Ming Qitian to guide Pei Ye south after she completed her sword inquiry, and she agreed.
• Yue Muzhou explained that he could not be saved and did not want to prolong his final breaths, and Pei Ye agreed not to take him back to the Immortal Platform.
• Pei Ye embraced Yue Muzhou and sobbed as they stayed together in the evening breeze.
• An undetected piece of the Immortal Lord’s consciousness awakened in a fox in the Firewood-Cang Mountains and touched a streak of moonlight.

Pei Ye and Li Qi formed a pact to take revenge on the Prince of Zhenbei, while a mysterious old man captured the dragon spirit in a cage. The chapter ended volume one with Pei Ye and Black Cat looking south toward the Divine Capital, followed by the author's volume recap.

• The old man captured the dragon spirit in a transparent cage after it fled into a frog and destroyed its nearby servants.
• Black Cat brought Pei Ye the box containing two jade carvings, and Pei Ye resolved to avenge the old man and confront the Prince of Zhenbei.
• Pei Ye and Li Qi formed a pact as Quail Head and Great Fire, making the Prince of Zhenbei their shared enemy.
• Pei Ye stood with Black Cat and looked south toward the distant Divine Capital.
• The author announced the end of volume one and discussed reader reactions to character deaths and the story's oppressive plot.

The author reflected on the first volume’s heavy tone, its characters, and the story’s strengths and shortcomings. The author said the second volume would begin the next day with a lighter, ground-level travel-and-growth story.

• The author explained that volume one was written to forge Pei Ye’s enmity and described Yue Muzhou as someone who cast aside status, hatred, and fear of death to act freely.
• The author said Pei Ye and Black Chi had moved from suspicion through setbacks to trust and would gradually learn to entrust their lives to each other.
• The author said Yue Muzhou had left hooks for later volumes, where he would be portrayed through Pei Ye’s eyes again.
• The author discussed a preference for simple, sincere allies and vicious enemies, and admitted that skipped details had sometimes made plot points confusing.
• The author announced that volume two would begin the next day with a more conventional, lighter story of travel and growth, while warning that updates might be slower.

Pei Ye buried the old man who had lived in seclusion, then met the Ziwei Illuminator, who confirmed that no trace of the Immortal Lord remained in him. Pei Ye reunited with the recovering Zhu Gaoyang at the County Office, where they compared their survival and talked about Ming Qitian and Heart-Slaying Glaze.

• Pei Ye buried the old man beneath a willow and returned to the County Office.
• The Ziwei Illuminator examined Pei Ye and Black Cat, confirmed nothing remained of the Immortal Lord, and left to inspect the remnants at Xin Cang Mountain.
• Ming Qitian told Pei Ye she would begin teaching him sword techniques the next day and mentioned that Zhu Gaoyang had woken up.
• Pei Ye visited Zhu Gaoyang, and the two shared their surprise at surviving and discussed Ming Qitian's swordsmanship.
• Pei Ye told Zhu Gaoyang that Heart-Slaying Glaze was nearby, and Zhu Gaoyang learned she was at the County Office.

Pei Ye learned that Zhu Gaoyang’s heart had been altered by the thing inside him, leaving him with only a quarter of his cultivation potential, while Zhu Gaoyang tried to remain cheerful. After resting, Pei Ye discovered his Meridian Tree was rapidly growing by absorbing Profound Qi, then woke to find Zhu Gaoyang back on his feet and the Ziwei Illuminator reporting no remnants; Pei Ye prepared to wash and eat before meeting Ming Qitian for sword instruction.

• Zhu Gaoyang gave Pei Ye a storage pendant as a token of friendship and invited him to study at Dragon Lord Dongting, but Pei Ye said he wanted to go to the Divine Capital.
• Xing Zhi told Pei Ye that Zhu Gaoyang’s heart had been shaped like the thing inside him, which siphoned away much of his power and might remain for life.
• Xing Zhi explained that Zhu Gaoyang knew he might retain only one part in four of his strength and cultivation, and Pei Ye worried about his future.
• Pei Ye rested in his room and discovered that his Meridian Tree continued absorbing Profound Qi and converting it into True Qi, making his cultivation grow quickly.
• Pei Ye woke near noon, and Zhu Gaoyang told him the Ziwei Illuminator had found no remnants and that the Divine Capital’s Immortal Platform would take over the investigation.
• Zhu Gaoyang told Pei Ye to wash and eat before meeting Ming Qitian for sword instruction.

Pei Ye began sword lessons with Ming Qitian, who found his basic swordsmanship poor and gave him a book on sword theory to study. As she explained the first realm of sword cultivation, Pei Ye learned that swordsmanship depended on precise control rather than cultivation level or mastering a particular technique.

• Pei Ye met Ming Qitian and brought her to his quiet courtyard for sword instruction.
• Pei Ye described his sword training and performed the Opening Gate Sword for Ming Qitian.
• Ming Qitian criticized Pei Ye’s basic swordsmanship but praised his talent, then gave him the Compendium of Six Dynasties Swordcraft to study.
• Pei Ye admitted he could not read many characters, and Ming Qitian told him to learn as he studied the book.
• Ming Qitian explained the five realms of sword cultivation and defined plainness as precise, natural control of the sword.

Ming Qitian taught Pei Ye the recognized sword realms and helped him enter the Clumsy realm through instruction and sparring. Before leaving, she asked him to see whether he could consume the dragon blood embedded in Heart-Slaying Glaze.

• Ming Qitian explained the Clumsy, Nimble, Intent, Heart, and Dao realms and clarified that Pei Ye had briefly touched the Heart realm through [Clouded Sky Obscures Eyes, Lost Feathers].
• Ming Qitian showed Pei Ye that he could enter the Clumsy realm by controlling the sword itself rather than being governed by sword moves.
• Pei Ye performed the Gate-Opening Sword with greater ease and power, then sparred with Ming Qitian throughout the afternoon and firmly entered the Clumsy realm.
• Ming Qitian told Pei Ye she would leave that night and asked for his help with Glaze, which she had retrieved from the County Office.
• Pei Ye examined Heart-Slaying Glaze and tried to consume the dragon blood inside it, but its appeal was faint because the blood had been frozen and forged into the sword.

Pei Ye began absorbing the Dragon Blood trapped in Heart-Slaying Glaze while Ming Qitian left for the Sword Inquiry, entrusting the wounded, sentient sword to him. After the sword fled his grasp and avoided him, Pei Ye and Zhu Gaoyang chased it around the County Office; Pei Ye then wondered whether he could treat Zhu Gaoyang as well as the sword.

• Pei Ye absorbed two fragments of Dragon Blood from Heart-Slaying Glaze and learned that the sword needed gentle soothing.
• Ming Qitian left Heart-Slaying Glaze with Pei Ye and departed for the Sword Inquiry, urging him to advance his Sword Realm and study the General Treatise.
• Heart-Slaying Glaze fled from Pei Ye, bathed in the well, and flew to the County Office.
• Pei Ye and Zhu Gaoyang spent nearly half an hour chasing the sword before giving up and joining the others for dinner.
• Pei Ye drew Zhu Gaoyang into a side room and asked whether he could treat him too.

Pei Ye discovered that Zhu Gaoyang’s heart had been replaced by a dark-blue, scaled organ he could not remove without killing him, then studied swordsmanship with Zhu Gaoyang and treated Heart-Slaying Glaze. After two days of lessons, Pei Ye practiced while Zhu Gaoyang asked whether he could meet other famed swords.

• Pei Ye examined Zhu Gaoyang’s heart and realized that removing the dark-blue replacement would kill him.
• Zhu Gaoyang taught Pei Ye the Compendium, explaining its language, sword principles, and his own interpretations.
• Pei Ye returned to his room, where Heart-Slaying Glaze woke him and he used Endowed Fortune to ease the sword’s pain.
• Pei Ye offered Zhu Gaoyang four hours of lessons in exchange for letting him touch Heart-Slaying Glaze, then continued studying and practicing swordsmanship.
• Zhu Gaoyang asked Pei Ye whether he knew any other famed swords and could introduce them.

Pei Ye parted from Zhu Gaoyang, Xing Zhi, and Shang Lang, returned to his old home, and began preparing for Bowang Prefecture's Golden Autumn Martial Contest. Master Huang explained the contest's rules, and the chapter ended with an explanation of how prefectural contests selected candidates for the Divine Capital Martial Exam.

• Zhu Gaoyang left Fenghuai for treatment at Dragon Lord Dongting, while Xing Zhi and Shang Lang also departed after saying goodbye to Pei Ye.
• Xing Zhi gave Pei Ye a primer on sensing spiritual power, Zhu Gaoyang warned him not to neglect martial cultivation, and Shang Lang lent him twenty taels of silver.
• Pei Ye returned to his old courtyard, settled back into his routines, and decided to prepare for the Golden Autumn Martial Contest.
• Pei Ye bought wine from Lu Youcai, who told him the rain had ruined his stock, then went to the martial hall to seek Master Huang's advice.
• Master Huang began explaining the Golden Autumn Martial Contest as Pei Ye absorbed Dragon Blood from Heart-Slaying Glaze.
• The chapter explained that prefectural contests determined who could enter the Divine Capital Martial Exam and that the ministries also reserved two hundred places for a Divine Capital contest.

Pei Ye learned how the Golden Autumn Martial Contest selected its competitors and what level of opponents he could expect. He declared that he was aiming for first place, and Master Huang challenged him to prove himself in a sword spar.

• Master Huang explained Bowang Prefecture’s four entry routes and described the Golden Autumn Martial Contest as a miniature Divine Capital Martial Exam.
• Pei Ye learned that sect disciples, candidates from Zheng Shou and Xu Gu, and merchant-backed fighters were likely to be among his toughest opponents.
• Master Huang suggested Pei Ye win at least one match and strive for three, but Pei Ye said he always aimed for first place.
• Master Huang challenged Pei Ye to defeat him within five moves to show he was ready to contend for the top eight.
• Pei Ye drew his sword and assessed how his current cultivation and physique compared with his former strength before the spar began.

Pei Ye tested his swordsmanship against Master Huang and won after seven moves, though Master Huang warned him not to mistake powerful techniques for a stable martial realm. Pei Ye insisted he would soon reach second life, then stayed to practice swordsmanship and fight Master Huang barehanded.

• Pei Ye used his swordsmanship to trap Master Huang and disarm him, finally placing his blade at Master Huang's throat on the seventh move.
• Master Huang revealed he was at third growth and explained that Pei Ye's skill could defeat stronger opponents without making him their equal in realm or strength.
• Pei Ye said he would reach second life in a couple of days, and Master Huang questioned whether he was using an Evil Cultivation Art.
• Pei Ye sat with Master Huang to discuss the Martial Competition, then practiced his sword in the courtyard for four hours.
• Pei Ye fought Master Huang barehanded and won after fifty-seven moves.

Pei Ye visited the training hall, reunited with the injured Zhang Xiaoyan, and asked Master Huang for the hall’s supposed treasured sword art. Master Huang showed him the Cicada Sparrow Sword, which Pei Ye assessed as a flawed but useful clumsy-realm sword art.

• Pei Ye arrived at the training hall and found Zhang Xiaoyan watching the children practice from a wheelchair.
• Pei Ye urged Zhang Xiaoyan to protect his injured legs, then promised to teach the children after their horse-stance practice.
• Pei Ye asked Master Huang whether he could learn the training hall’s treasured sword art, and Master Huang admitted it was a tale meant to motivate students.
• Master Huang retrieved the old Cicada Sparrow Sword manual from a cupboard and gave it to Pei Ye.
• Pei Ye read the manual and judged that its sword art belonged to the clumsy realm, with flaws but still practical value.

Pei Ye taught the martial school children sword theory and sparring, then showed them Heart-Slaying Glaze. Chang Zhiyuan invited him to leave for the Prefectural City the next day to train for the Golden Autumn Martial Contest, and Pei Ye offered to take the children to watch it.

• Pei Ye taught the children the five realms of swordsmanship, sparred with them, and ranked their skills.
• Pei Ye opened the sword case, and Heart-Slaying Glaze floated among the startled children.
• Chang Zhiyuan gave Pei Ye a letter from Military Officer Bai inviting him to train at a martial school in the Prefectural City.
• Pei Ye accepted Chang Zhiyuan's invitation to leave the next day, upsetting the children who wanted him to keep training with them.
• Pei Ye offered to take the children to the Golden Autumn Martial Contest, and Master Huang pulled him aside to question how he would pay for the trip.

Pei Ye and Master Huang planned the children’s trip to the Prefectural City for the Martial Competition, while Chang Zhiyuan cautioned Pei Ye about the risks of competing. After agreeing on the travel budget, Pei Ye packed for his departure the next morning and prepared to carry his sword, valuables, and Black Cat.

• Pei Ye told Master Huang he had borrowed twenty taels and wanted to use most of it to take the children to the Prefectural City; Master Huang went to calculate the expenses.
• Pei Ye told Chang Zhiyuan he expected to reach the top four, while Chang Zhiyuan advised him to stop at the top sixteen and avoid risking his life.
• Master Huang estimated the group’s travel and city expenses at ten taels, and Pei Ye agreed to provide five while Master Huang would cover the rest.
• Pei Ye returned home, packed clothes and his sword, and stored his silver in the jade flood-dragon pendant Zhu Gaoyang had given him.
• Pei Ye tried to put Heart-Slaying Glaze in the pendant but stopped when the sword resisted, then added Black Cat to his things to carry.

Pei Ye left Fenghuai for the Prefectural City on a spirited chestnut horse, pausing to look back at the town before continuing onward. On the road, Black Cat tested the blood it had injected into Pei Ye, first by biting him and then by heating the blood.

• Master Huang and Chang Zhiyuan equipped Pei Ye for his journey and sent him to choose a horse.
• Pei Ye chose a tall chestnut horse, and the groom returned two taels of silver to Master Chang because the horse ate too much and had a fiery temper.
• Chang Zhiyuan and Master Huang saw Pei Ye off at the town gate, and Pei Ye rode south at the chestnut horse’s startling speed.
• Pei Ye stopped atop a slope, looked back at Fenghuai, and reflected on his attachment to the town before riding onward.
• Black Cat bit Pei Ye and asked whether its injected blood was spreading through his body.
• Black Cat raised the blood’s temperature to test its reach, and Pei Ye felt a brief surge of heat before it faded.

Pei Ye and the black cat investigated how the cat’s blood was gathering around the Chi Shadow in Pei Ye’s dantian, possibly establishing a way for him to use Chi Flame. After their exhausted horse stopped on the mountain road, a ragged, humanlike figure emerged from the woods and approached them.

• Pei Ye learned that the black cat’s blood had gathered around his Chi Shadow, and the cat suspected it was helping establish a stable ability for Pei Ye to use Chi Flame.
• Pei Ye’s horse became exhausted during the journey toward Anxin Town, forcing him to slow down and rest along the way.
• At night, the horse refused to continue, so Pei Ye unloaded it and rested beside the road.
• The black cat injected more blood into Pei Ye, who sensed it gathering and taking shape in his dantian before the cat had to stop.
• While Pei Ye ate, the black cat noticed movement in the woods, and a figure in ragged cloth emerged from the shrubs and came toward them.

Pei Ye encountered a bedraggled boy who admitted to robbing him, then sent the boy toward a nearby town when he asked for a loan. After three armed men pursued the boy and questioned Pei Ye, he continued to Anxin Town and took a place in the inn hall, where he met three other travelers.

• A boy in blue tried to rob Pei Ye for water, food, and silver, but accepted directions to borrow money in a nearby town.
• Pei Ye stayed by his exhausted horse, worked dragon blood out of Liuli, and studied the Cicada Sparrow Sword art.
• Three armed men asked Pei Ye where the boy had gone, then split up to search for him after Pei Ye pointed toward the hill.
• Pei Ye left for Anxin Town once his horse had rested and reached the inn late at night.
• The inn had two superior rooms available, but Pei Ye chose to sleep in the hall among three other travelers.

At an inn, Pei Ye met Cheng Jianghong and Zhang Junxue, fellow participants bound for the Changdao Martial Arts School’s Dragon Gate Class. An old man offered an Ascension Pill as a prize for a three-way sparring match, and the chapter ended as Zhang Junxue and Cheng Jianghong prepared to fight first.

• Pei Ye met Cheng Jianghong and Zhang Junxue and learned they were traveling to the Dragon Gate Class for the Golden Autumn Martial Contest.
• Pei Ye learned Zhang Junxue was an outstanding Fourth Growth cultivator and Cheng Jianghong hoped to reach the top sixteen.
• An old man revealed that Cheng Jianghong sought an Ascension Pill and offered the pill as a prize for a match among the three contestants.
• Pei Ye, Zhang Junxue, and Cheng Jianghong agreed to compete, with the old man requiring them to use their full abilities.
• Zhang Junxue and Cheng Jianghong took their places in a clearing and readied their weapons as Pei Ye watched.

Pei Ye watched Cheng Jianghong defeat Zhang Junxue, then tested his own swordsmanship against him. As Pei Ye unexpectedly grasped a move from the Cicada Sparrow Sword, Cheng Jianghong answered with a sword technique from Heavenly Mountain, leaving their spar unresolved.

• Cheng Jianghong defeated Zhang Junxue in a spar by catching her saber and stopping his sword at her shoulder.
• Pei Ye accepted Cheng Jianghong's invitation to spar and revealed his Clumsy Realm swordsmanship.
• Pei Ye and Cheng Jianghong exchanged dozens of strikes, with Cheng Jianghong matching Pei Ye's strength and gradually reading the Willow-Supporting Sword.
• Pei Ye recognized the opening for the Cicada Sparrow Sword's first sparrow form and unleashed Flying Copper Shadow despite never practicing it.
• Cheng Jianghong countered Flying Copper Shadow with the Heavenly Mountain technique Branch-Marrying Feast.