Chapter Summaries

Lin Lang provoked Bai Xiaosheng and Northern Shaolin while trying to stop the new Weapons Ranking, then returned to find Bai Xiaosheng poisoned to death. He ordered the Jinyiwei to seal the entrance, leaving the monks facing an investigation that could expose them to suspicion.

• Lin Lang stayed at Northern Shaolin to watch martial artists demonstrate their skills, while Ba Ying took Xiang Song of the Golden Coin Gang down the mountain under guard.
• Lin Lang and Wang Wu provoked Bai Xiaosheng by questioning his ranking of Shangguan Jinhong, prompting Zhuge Gang to challenge Bai Xiaosheng and threaten him before leaving.
• Bai Xiaosheng refused to reveal the top ten, and Lin Lang decided that killing him would prevent the new Weapons Ranking from being published.
• Lin Lang angered Master Xinhu and Master Xinmei by bringing meat and wine into the temple, then left Bai Xiaosheng's courtyard when they objected.
• Bai Xiaosheng ate the temple's vegetarian meal, was poisoned, and died despite Master Xinmei's attempt to save him.
• Lin Lang returned to Bai Xiaosheng's courtyard, discovered the body, and ordered the Jinyiwei to block the entrance and stop everyone from leaving.

Lin Lang exposed the monk Xinjian as the criminal Shan E and accused him of killing Bai Xiaosheng over stolen Shaolin manuals. After staging Shan E’s death and secretly reviving him, Lin Lang forced him to write down the manuals, then left Northern Shaolin with Wang Wu.

• Lin Lang declared Bai Xiaosheng had been poisoned and questioned the martial artists and Northern Shaolin monks at the scene.
• Lin Lang identified Xinjian as Shan E, the Seven-Cunning Scholar, and accused him of conspiring with Bai Xiaosheng to steal manuals from the Sutra Depository.
• Xinhu found stolen martial arts manuals in Bai Xiaosheng’s room, and Shan E tried to flee before Wang Wu’s poisoned Sleeve Arrow brought him down.
• Lin Lang pretended to condemn Shan E’s killing, then revived him at the Jinyiwei camp and threatened him until he agreed to write down the stolen arts and his own inheritance.
• Wang Wu reported that Shan E had confessed and been beheaded, and Lin Lang praised him while deciding to return for Northern Shaolin’s remaining Supreme Arts later.

A'Fei challenged Northern Shaolin and left determined to make his sword the fastest under heaven, while rumors blamed the sect for Bai Xiaosheng's death. Lin Lang learned that the Golden Coin Gang had targeted Jinyiwei officers and began maneuvering against Shangguan Jinhong, leaving Northern Shaolin's closure and the martial world's growing conflict in play.

• A'Fei defeated Master Xinmei's attacks, learned Master Xinhu judged his sword among the Weapons Ranking's top ten, and left to challenge more experts.
• Old Man Tianji told Sun Xiaohong that a Northern Shaolin monk might have killed Bai Xiaosheng but doubted the sect had ordered it, then left to investigate.
• Shangguan Jinhong learned that Lin Lang had captured Xiang Song and ordered the Golden Coin Gang to act against the Jinyiwei.
• Lin Lang welcomed news that five Jinyiwei Thousand-households had been assassinated and learned from Shangguan Haitang that Golden Coin Gang elders and Altar Masters were nearby.
• Lin Lang chose not to confront Shangguan Jinhong yet and planned to use the feud to remove more unqualified Thousand-households.
• Lin Lang learned Northern Shaolin had closed its gates and asked Shangguan Haitang for information on Weapons Ranking experts to send to Ren Woxing.

Lin Lang revised the new Weapons Ranking, sent martial arts and intelligence to Ren Woxing, and completed his Reverse Sunflower Manual cultivation. After seven days in seclusion, he reached Peak Great Grandmaster and began considering how to merge his Sunflower arts; Shangguan Haitang arrived as he stepped outside.

• Lin Lang revised the circulating Weapons Ranking and sent Ren Woxing a chest containing Northern Shaolin's supreme arts and his amended rankings.
• Ren Woxing studied the lists, ordered the Sun Moon Holy Cult to recruit newly ranked experts, and considered recruiting the strongest figures himself before attacking the Golden Coin Gang.
• Yaoyue smashed the ranking after discovering it listed no women, then left the Moving Flower Palace to deal with Hua Wuque, Jiang Xiaoyu, and the Golden Coin Gang.
• Li Xunhuan dismissed the ranking as inaccurate and reflected that the rising conflict between the Sun Moon Holy Cult and the Golden Coin Gang would make Lin Lang's work harder.
• Lin Lang completed the Reverse Sunflower Manual, comprehended the intent of speed, and reached Peak Great Grandmaster after seven days of secluded cultivation.
• Lin Lang stepped outside and saw Shangguan Haitang hurrying toward him.

Lin Lang coached Shangguan Haitang in martial arts and ordered his allies to monitor the Sun Moon Holy Cult and Golden Coin Gang as their recruitment campaign crippled several fighters. Jing Wuming revealed his hidden right-hand sword by killing Zhuge Gang, while Lu Xiaofeng, having lost the Rakshasa Token in Great Liao, decided to seek Lin Lang’s help.

• Shangguan Haitang reported that Ren Woxing and Shangguan Jinhong had crippled Hu Bugui and Lu Fengxian, while A'Fei had injured Jing Wuming and both leaders planned to recruit more martial artists.
• Lin Lang coached Shangguan Haitang’s movement, palm, and hidden-weapon skills, gave her money, and told her to gather intelligence without provoking the Golden Coin Gang.
• Lin Lang told the Five Poisons Child to warn Blackwood Cliff not to target Jing Wuming, whose right-hand sword was stronger than his left.
• Shangguan Jinhong left Jing Wuming behind and Zhuge Gang demanded his number-one Money That Reaches the Gods, but Jing Wuming killed Zhuge Gang with his concealed right-hand sword.
• Lin Lang learned that the Silver Hook Gambling House had stopped supplying women to the brothels and told the madam he would look into it.
• Lu Xiaofeng explained that he had gone to Great Liao to find the Rakshasa Token, but it had been stolen, so he decided to seek Lin Lang’s help.

Lu Xiaofeng enlisted Lin Lang to investigate the Rakshasa Token, leading them to expose Flying Jade Tiger’s scheme to seize control of the Rakshasa Cult. Lin Lang captured Flying Jade Tiger and claimed the Silver Hook Gambling House, while the supposedly dead Jade Rakshasa appeared and demanded the Rakshasa Token.

• Lu Xiaofeng explained his Rakshasa Cult troubles to Lin Lang, who joined him in visiting Zhu Ting and inspecting the newly completed secret chamber.
• Zhu Ting gave Lu Xiaofeng a counterfeit Rakshasa Token bearing his secret mark and admitted he had made it for a masked man.
• At the Silver Hook Gambling House, Lu Xiaofeng exposed Bluebeard as Flying Jade Tiger, chief hall master of Black Tiger Hall, who planned to take over the Rakshasa Cult.
• Flying Jade Tiger attacked Lin Lang, but Lin Lang overcame his Black Tiger Claws, captured him, and confiscated the Silver Hook Gambling House ownership papers and three Rakshasa Tokens.
• Ku Zhu attacked Lu Xiaofeng, then fled until Jade Rakshasa appeared, killed him, and asked Lin Lang to return the Rakshasa Token.

Lin Lang uncovered the Rakshasa Cult Leader’s plans, killed Flying Jade Tiger, and claimed the Silver Hook Gambling House’s hidden wealth and martial legacy. After learning that Bai Tianyu and Guo Songyang had died, Lin Lang heard that Shangguan Jinhong had publicly challenged Li Xunhuan.

• Jade Rakshasa revealed that Yu Tianbao had been his adopted son, offered Lin Lang a place as his heir, and promised the Rakshasa Cult would owe Lin Lang and Lu Xiaofeng a favor.
• After Lu Xiaofeng left, Lin Lang drained Flying Jade Tiger’s true qi, forced him to reveal the Silver Hook Gambling House’s hidden headquarters, and killed him.
• Lin Lang braved the headquarters’ deadly traps, escaped its collapsing chamber with two chests, and ordered his men to excavate the remaining treasure.
• Lin Lang returned to the Capital City with Flying Jade Tiger’s martial legacy and the gambling-house holdings, then learned Bai Tianyu and Guo Songyang had been killed.
• Shangguan Haitang told Lin Lang that Shangguan Jinhong had publicly challenged Li Xunhuan.

Li Xunhuan returned to Great Ming to face Shangguan Jinhong, while Lin Lang helped him devise a way to overcome the Dragon and Phoenix Golden Rings and treated his lung disease. As Li Xunhuan and Old Man Tianji headed toward the Golden Coin Gang, Lin Lang decided to follow and make sure his friend survived.

• Li Xunhuan met Old Man Tianji and Sun Xiaohong, admitted he lacked confidence against Shangguan Jinhong, and said he would still accept the duel.
• Sun Xiaohong persuaded Old Man Tianji to go confront Shangguan Jinhong, while A'Fei challenged the Golden Coin Gang and was defeated and captured by Shangguan Jinhong.
• Shangguan Haitang told Lin Lang that A'Fei had been trapped and Li Xunhuan had returned, and Lin Lang assigned her intelligence reports from two additional channels.
• Li Xunhuan visited Lin Lang, who explained that wooden or metal-free daggers and two differently timed throws could defeat Shangguan Jinhong's rings.
• Lin Lang treated Li Xunhuan's lung disease and decided to follow him, while Old Man Tianji left Sun Xiaohong at an inn and headed for the Golden Coin Gang.

The Emperor and Liu Xi sought to recruit Li Xunhuan as a counterweight to Lin Lang, while Ren Woxing prepared the Sun Moon Holy Cult to attack the Golden Coin Gang. Lin Lang reached a town near the gang’s headquarters and met Old Man Tianji, who appeared intent on confronting Shangguan Jinhong before Li Xunhuan’s duel.

• The Emperor ordered Liu Xi to summon Li Xunhuan and asked him to have Lin Lang report to the palace when he returned to the capital.
• Ren Yingying emerged from seclusion at Grandmaster Peak, but Ren Woxing refused to delay his plans to attack the Golden Coin Gang.
• The Five Poisons Child reported that the Right Envoy had captured the Silver Hook Gambling House and sent a Martial Arts Masterwork for Yin Ku and Yin Yeku.
• Shangguan Jinhong learned that Jing Wuming had killed Zhuge Gang, kept A'Fei under guard, and prepared for his duel with Li Xunhuan, hoping to obtain Shen Lang’s legacy.
• Lin Lang traveled to the Golden Coin Gang’s headquarters and met Old Man Tianji, who said Li Xunhuan would win because Shangguan Jinhong would also be injured.
• Lin Lang told Old Man Tianji to face Shangguan Jinhong without worry and promised to take care of Sun Xiaohong.

Old Man Tianji explained higher martial realms to Lin Lang, then tested him and lost, abandoning his plan to challenge Shangguan Jinhong. As Lin Lang joined Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou near the Golden Coin Gang, Yaoyue and Lianxing also set out to confront Shangguan Jinhong before his duel with Li Xunhuan.

• Old Man Tianji explained that mastering moves and fusing essence, qi, and spirit could lead to the Heavenly-Man Realm, while Lin Lang realized he could not yet unite those powers.
• Lin Lang warned Old Man Tianji that Li Xunhuan had recovered and that Shangguan Jinhong would likely defeat him, then beat Old Man Tianji in a brief exchange with a chopstick.
• Old Man Tianji accepted his defeat and left without going to the Golden Coin Gang, deciding to find an inheritor for the Tianji Staff.
• Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou discussed watching Li Xunhuan's duel, and Lin Lang joined them with wine, promising to help if Shangguan Jinhong threatened his friends.
• Lianxing told Yaoyue that the Golden Coin Gang was boasting of Shangguan Jinhong's supremacy, and Yaoyue ordered their party to go to the Golden Coin Gang.

Shangguan Jinhong prepared to duel Li Xunhuan while plotting to expand the Golden Coin Gang, and martial artists from across the world gathered to watch. The arrival of Yaoyue and Lianxing heightened the tension, and Shangguan Jinhong confronted Lin Lang at the dueling ground before Li Xunhuan appeared.

• Shangguan Jinhong told Jing Wuming that he planned to destroy the Sun Moon Demon Cult and later unify Great Ming's martial world, while A'Fei trained inside the gang.
• Lu Xiaofeng, Hua Manlou, and Lin Lang surveyed the martial artists gathered in town, including Murong Fu, Wang Yuyan, and Duan Yu.
• Yaoyue killed a martial artist who challenged her, revealed her identity, and continued toward the Golden Coin Gang with Lianxing.
• Lin Lang teased Lu Xiaofeng about marrying Yaoyue, while Shangguan Jinhong heard that the Moving Flower Palace leaders had arrived and planned to meet them after killing Li Xunhuan.
• Jing Wuming arrived at the dueling ground and identified Lin Lang as the Sun Moon Demon Cult's Right Envoy, then Shangguan Jinhong spotted Lin Lang and strode toward him, threatening to kill him first.

Lin Lang fought Shangguan Jinhong and killed him after overcoming the pull of his Mother-and-Child Dragon-Phoenix Rings and poisoning him with his true qi. Jing Wuming then challenged Lin Lang and died as well, leaving Lin Lang regarded by many as the true first-ranked expert on the Weapons Ranking.

• Shangguan Jinhong tried to recruit Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou, but both refused, and Lin Lang stepped forward to fight him alone.
• Shangguan Jinhong’s rings slowed Lin Lang’s sword, but Lin Lang increased his true qi, forced Shangguan Jinhong to drop the rings, and continued fighting barehanded.
• Lin Lang’s poisoned true qi disrupted Shangguan Jinhong, and Lin Lang killed him with a hidden turning flying needle when Shangguan Jinhong tried to flee.
• Jing Wuming attacked Lin Lang after Shangguan Jinhong died, but Lin Lang defeated him with his sword and a palm strike to the heart.
• Yaoyue left the battlefield, while the onlookers fled and came to regard Lin Lang and the Sun and Moon Sword as the true number one on the Weapons Ranking.

Lin Lang killed Shangguan Jinhong and Jing Wuming, crippled Ma Jinliang, and set the Sun Moon Holy Cult against the weakened Golden Coin Gang. After disguising himself as a fortune-teller, he unsettled Murong Fu, Duan Yu, and Wang Yuyan with prophecies before returning to town, while A'Fei set out for Blackwood Cliff to challenge him.

• Lin Lang killed Ma Jinliang's martial arts, declared an end to the Weapons Ranking, and sent word for the Sun Moon Holy Cult to eliminate the Golden Coin Gang.
• Li Xunhuan declined Ma Jinliang's offer to return to court and left to raise Ye Kai, while Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou departed separately.
• Murong Fu, Wang Yuyan, and Duan Yu heard Lin Lang, disguised as a fortune-teller, predict their fortunes and marriages; Duan Yu feared Wang Yuyan might be his sister.
• Lin Lang revealed his disguise, kept the two thousand-tael banknotes, and returned to town to await Wang Yuyan's destined match.
• A'Fei learned that Shangguan Jinhong and Jing Wuming were dead and headed to Blackwood Cliff to challenge Lin Lang.

Lin Lang escorted Wang Yuyan from the duel gathering to her home in Gusu while Duan Yu followed, and he manipulated events so Duan Yu believed Lin Lang and Wang Yuyan had become intimate. Lin Lang left Wang Yuyan thinking him a gentleman, while Duan Yu ran off in despair and Lin Lang expected Murong Fu to hear what had happened.

• Murong Fu welcomed Lin Lang's greeting and agreed to let him escort Wang Yuyan home, while Duan Yu followed the carriage on foot.
• Lin Lang spent several days traveling closely with Wang Yuyan and used food, water, and private time in the carriage to make Duan Yu jealous and anxious.
• At Wang Yuyan's home, she asked Lin Lang to stay, then Lin Lang left without staying on the island and let Duan Yu believe his Child Skill had been broken.
• Duan Yu accused Lin Lang of betraying Murong Fu's trust, and Lin Lang told him Wang Yuyan did not want to see him again.
• Lin Lang revealed that Murong Fu's household had been following them and planned to let Murong Fu learn what he believed had happened; he also wondered whether the Golden Coin Gang had been wiped out.

Lin Lang returned to Blackwood Cliff after gathering intelligence in Great Song and reconciled with Ren Yingying, explaining that his journey supported the Sun Moon Holy Cult’s expansion plans. Ren Woxing approved of the strategy and began discussing a new plan, while the Holy Cult continued consolidating its victories over the Golden Coin Gang.

• Ren Woxing destroyed the Golden Coin Gang, seized its headquarters, and ordered its businesses and remaining territories incorporated into the Sun Moon Holy Cult.
• At Northern Shaolin, Master Xinhu and Master Xinmei discussed the Golden Coin Gang’s fall and planned to keep the mountain sealed while watching the Wudang Sect.
• In Great Song, Lin Lang received intelligence from Golden Snake about Dugu Yihe’s defeat of the Shu Region Tang Clan and other changes among the jianghu factions.
• Lin Lang returned to Great Ming, learned that A'Fei had gone to Blackwood Cliff to challenge Ren Woxing, and inspected the Holy Cult’s new Branch Altars.
• Lin Lang appeased Ren Yingying by explaining that he had escorted Wang Yuyan home to help recruit Murong Fu and prepare the Holy Cult’s expansion into Great Song.
• Ren Woxing praised Lin Lang’s preparations for expansion and asked about Shangguan Jinhong before announcing that he had a new plan.

Lin Lang talked Ren Woxing out of immediately claiming leadership of the martial world, then improved his martial arts through study and training. Jiang Xiaoyu fled Yaoyue by joining the Sun Moon Holy Cult, but after breaking through to the Great Grandmaster realm, Lin Lang ordered him to infiltrate Moving Flower Palace.

• Lin Lang warned Ren Woxing that claiming leadership of the martial world would provoke the Great Ming court, and Ren Woxing agreed to reconsider while resolving to grow stronger.
• Lin Lang studied the Golden Coin Gang's martial arts and trained until his swordplay and other techniques improved.
• Jiang Xiaoyu escaped Yaoyue by joining the Sun Moon Holy Cult under the name Jiang Dayu and persuaded Ping Yizhi to treat his scar.
• Jiang Xiaoyu consumed stolen medicines and cultivated the Five Uniques Divine Skill, breaking through to the Great Grandmaster realm and attracting Yin Ku's attention.
• Lin Lang met Jiang Xiaoyu in the Martial Arts Pavilion and offered him access to its advanced manuals if he infiltrated Moving Flower Palace.
• Jiang Xiaoyu protested that he was a man and that infiltrating the all-women Moving Flower Palace would put him in danger, but Lin Lang challenged his confidence in the Holy Cult.

Lin Lang captured Jiang Xiaoyu at Blackwood Cliff and took the Five Uniques Divine Skill as his apprenticeship gift, then arranged protection and training for him in the Sun Moon Holy Cult. As Lin Lang left for the Capital City, he studied the skill and encountered a familiar woman blocking his carriage.

• Lin Lang overpowered Jiang Xiaoyu, exposed how much he knew about his parents and twin brother, and accepted him as a disciple after Jiang Xiaoyu wrote out the Five Uniques Divine Skill.
• Ren Woxing tested Jiang Xiaoyu, appointed him an elder of the Sun Moon Holy Cult, and promised protection from Yaoyue; Lin Lang then offered to teach him the Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill.
• Yaoyue demanded that Hua Wuque find and kill Jiang Xiaoyu within ten days, while Lianxing tried to dissuade her.
• Lin Lang beat Jiang Xiaoyu through three days of training and ordered him to spar with the elders while Lin Lang was away.
• Lin Lang left Blackwood Cliff for the Capital City after telling Ren Yingying to remain and train; during the journey, he studied the Five Uniques Divine Skill and saw a familiar woman standing in the road.

Wanwan tried to recruit Lin Lang and the Sun Moon Holy Cult to support the Great Sui Demonic Sect, but he rejected her proposal and kept her Heavenly Demon Sash. After returning to the capital, Lin Lang strengthened the Jinyiwei and was summoned to the palace by the Emperor.

• Wanwan praised Lin Lang’s rise and proposed that he help the Great Sui Demonic Sect defeat its rivals and seize power, but Lin Lang refused to become emperor or commit the Sun Moon Holy Cult to her cause.
• Wanwan asked Lin Lang to return her Heavenly Demon Sash, but he refused; she left promising to make him the Cult Leader and kill Xu Ziling if they met again.
• Lin Lang overheard Jianghu travelers discussing Northern Shaolin’s seclusion, Wudang’s leadership change, and the Moving Flower Palace’s search for Fish, then checked Jinyiwei offices on his way back to the capital.
• Wang Wu and Jia Liu reported the Jinyiwei’s growing network of informants and tribute, and Lin Lang ordered them to distribute martial arts manuals to its offices.
• A young eunuch delivered the Emperor’s verbal decree summoning Lin Lang to the palace immediately.

Lin Lang reassured the Emperor that the Sun Moon Holy Cult would help keep the Jianghu balanced, then tried to steer Commandery Princess Yunluo toward stealing martial manuals from the Imperial Armory. Meanwhile, Yaoyue went to Blackwood Cliff to kill Jiang Xiaoyu, and Ren Woxing confronted her as the two prepared to fight.

• Liu Xi told the Emperor that Li Xunhuan had refused to serve the court and that Ma Jinliang had lost his martial arts, so the Emperor ordered the Western Depot to stop interfering in Jianghu affairs.
• Lin Lang persuaded the Emperor that the Sun Moon Holy Cult would be balanced by Northern Shaolin and Wudang, and the Emperor ordered him to prevent either side from destroying the other.
• Commandery Princess Yunluo trained with Lin Lang, who confiscated her savings and hinted that she should steal a manual from the Imperial Armory; Yunluo then questioned the Empress Dowager about the palace’s martial arts experts.
• Yaoyue learned that Jiang Xiaoyu was on Blackwood Cliff and ordered Hua Wuque to accompany her there to kill him.
• Yaoyue challenged the Sun Moon Holy Cult at Blackwood Cliff, and Ren Woxing appeared to confront her.

Lin Lang promoted Cheng Shifei, helped Wang Wu and Jia Liu advance to the Grandmaster realm, and uncovered signs that the Ten Garrison Commanders had found a new backer. After learning that Yaoyue had gone to Blackwood Cliff, he hurried there, where Ren Woxing discovered that Yaoyue's Jade-Maiden Divine Skill countered his Star-Sucking Great Skill.

• Lin Lang promised Cheng Shifei he would find a way to remove his Gu insect and promoted him to Pacification Commissioner.
• Lin Lang gave Wang Wu and Jia Liu medicinal wine and helped them break through to the Grandmaster realm.
• At the Fragrant Pavilion, Lin Lang learned that the Ten Garrison Commanders had recently come into money and instructed the madam to coordinate business with the Silver Hook Gambling House.
• Shangguan Haitang told Lin Lang that Yaoyue, Lianxing, and Hua Wuque were heading to Blackwood Cliff, so Lin Lang rode there to intervene.
• At Blackwood Cliff, Ren Woxing fought Yaoyue, but her Jade-Maiden Divine Skill prevented his Star-Sucking Great Skill from draining her true qi.