Chapter Summaries

Fu Shaoping used the Treasure Mirror’s new archery practice space to raise his Heavenstone Archery to minor mastery, then spent merit points and Origin Stones on a Hou Yi Bow and hunting equipment. Old Zhan praised the bow and told him he was exempt from mandatory missions for three months, leaving Fu Shaoping to decide whether he still wanted Old Zhan to check the Mission Hall for him.

• Fu Shaoping entered the Treasure Mirror’s archery practice space and trained until he could hit the target from a hundred and fifty paces.
• Fu Shaoping’s Heavenstone Archery advanced from beginner to minor mastery, and he decided he needed a better bow before hunting in the mountains.
• Fu Shaoping exchanged fifteen Ninth-Rank Merits for the Hou Yi Bow at the Hall of Myriad Treasures.
• Fu Shaoping spent his remaining Origin Stones on a quiver and five Darklight Arrows.
• Old Zhan tested the Hou Yi Bow, praised its power, and told Fu Shaoping he was exempt from mandatory monthly missions for three months.

Fu Shaoping received a Hunting Manual from Uncle Zhan and reunited with Zhou Pan'er, who brought a pill recipe and a set of deadly Blood Flying Needles from Granny Xue. They set out for the Million Mountains to hunt an Ironwood Fox and gather ingredients for the Origin-Consolidating Pill, arriving at Yuyang Gorge.

• Uncle Zhan gave Fu Shaoping a Hunting Manual with maps, beast information, and hunting advice.
• Zhou Pan'er told Fu Shaoping that Granny Xue had advised her to live peacefully and wait until she reached the Origin Core Realm to learn about her origins.
• Fu Shaoping recognized that Seven-Consolidation Grass, the main ingredient in Zhou Pan'er's Origin-Consolidating Pill recipe, grew near an Ironwood Fox in Pale Ridge Mountain.
• Zhou Pan'er showed Fu Shaoping the poisoned Blood Flying Needles Granny Xue had given her, and demonstrated her control over them.
• Fu Shaoping and Zhou Pan'er traveled to the Clear Warehouse Inn and then set out for Yuyang Gorge, the entrance to the Million Mountains.

Fu Shaoping and Zhou Pan'er reached Pale Ridge Mountain to hunt an Ironwood Fox, but they found an old woman and two young people under attack. After Fu Shaoping and Zhou Pan'er killed a pair of Ironwood Foxes, one dissolved from poison, leaving them to face the consequences of their hunt.

• Fu Shaoping and Zhou Pan'er cautiously crossed Pale Ridge Mountain toward the Ironwood Fox den and heard fighting near the cave.
• Fu Shaoping spotted an old woman fighting a two-tailed Ironwood Fox beside two gravely wounded young people.
• The old woman fatally wounded the Ironwood Fox before it tore off her head, and Fu Shaoping killed it with a trick shot from his Darklight Arrows.
• A second Ironwood Fox attacked Fu Shaoping, but he resisted its illusion and knocked it from a tree with Tiger Roar Fist.
• Zhou Pan'er struck the second fox in the eye with a poisoned Blood Flying Needle, and Fu Shaoping beheaded it before its body dissolved into dark green blood.

Fu Shaoping and Zhou Pan'er defeated an Ironwood Fox, collected Seven-Congealing Grass, and returned to the Clear Warehouse Inn to avoid further danger. Fu Shaoping broke through to the fifth layer of the Body Tempering Realm, then gave Zhou Pan'er the remaining Stone Origin Pills so she could attempt the same.

• Zhou Pan'er retrieved her energy-devouring Blood Flying Needle, and she and Fu Shaoping drank the Ironwood Fox's blood essence until Fu Shaoping nearly reached the fifth layer of the Body Tempering Realm.
• Fu Shaoping found that the two young men were dead, then entered the cave and gathered three mature stalks of Seven-Congealing Grass while Zhou Pan'er skinned the fox.
• Fu Shaoping and Zhou Pan'er left Pale Ridge Mountain and returned to the Clear Warehouse Inn, where he explained that they should avoid further risks until he advanced.
• Fu Shaoping took two Stone Origin Pills and, after three days and three nights of cultivation, broke through to the fifth layer of the Body Tempering Realm.
• Fu Shaoping gave Zhou Pan'er the remaining Stone Origin Pills, and she kissed his cheek before preparing to cultivate.

Fu Shaoping and Zhou Pan'er teamed up with Chen Shichao and Lady Zhuo to seek Hawthorn Fruits guarded by a demonic beast. The group reached Qiu Li Mountain and approached the Water-Curtain Cave.

• Fu Shaoping refined the remaining Stone Origin Pills and reached the fifth level of the Body Tempering Realm, but the pills had become less effective.
• Chen Shichao and Lady Zhuo invited Fu Shaoping and Zhou Pan'er to split four ripe Hawthorn Fruits guarded by a Stable-Horse Beast.
• Lady Zhuo explained that she and her husband could not defeat the beast alone and had only three days left to harvest the fruit.
• Fu Shaoping asked Zhou Pan'er, and she agreed to join the expedition with him.
• The four traveled through Yuyang Gorge toward Qiu Li Mountain, where Lady Zhuo identified the Water-Curtain Cave beyond a nearby hill.

Fu Shaoping and the Zhuo couple lured a late-first-tier Stable-Horse Beast from Water-Curtain Cave, but their ambush went disastrously wrong. As the beast chased Fu Shaoping, Chen Shichao reentered the cave to claim the Hawthorn Fruits.

• Lady Zhuo and Chen Shichao entered Water-Curtain Cave and drew out the winged Stable-Horse Beast while Fu Shaoping prepared to shoot from a tree.
• Fu Shaoping's first Darklight Arrow struck a demon-essence shield, but his next volley pierced one of the beast's heads without poisoning it.
• The Stable-Horse Beast attacked Chen Shichao, who pulled Lady Zhuo into its blow and let her die before fleeing.
• The beast spat corrosive venom at Fu Shaoping, who dodged and escaped into the grass as the beast pursued him.
• Chen Shichao revealed that he had planned to use the beast to kill the others, then returned to Water-Curtain Cave to harvest the four Hawthorn Fruits.

Fu Shaoping and Zhou Pan'er killed the Stable-Horse Beast, and Fu Shaoping ambushed and killed Chen Shichao as he left the Water-Curtain Cave. After discovering Chen Shichao had plotted to murder Lady Zhuo, they took the Hawthorn Fruit and decided to bring Lady Zhuo's body back.

• Fu Shaoping wounded the Stable-Horse Beast with a Darklight Arrow, while Zhou Pan'er struck its head with Blood Flying Needles, and Fu Shaoping finished it off.
• Fu Shaoping returned to the Heaven-Supporting Tree and shot Chen Shichao with a Darklight Arrow as he emerged from the Water-Curtain Cave.
• The Treasure Mirror gave Fu Shaoping one Attribute point, and he realized Chen Shichao had deliberately used the Stable-Horse Beast to kill Lady Zhuo.
• Zhou Pan'er took the Hawthorn Fruit from Chen Shichao's corpse, and she and Fu Shaoping dissolved his body with Blood Flying Needles.
• Fu Shaoping decided to bring Lady Zhuo's body back and conceal Chen Shichao's death.

After escaping Yuyang Gorge, Fu Shaoping brought Junior Banner Zhuo his daughter’s body and returned to Green Ox Town, while keeping Chen Shichao’s death secret. He consumed the Huosang Fruits and used the Treasure Mirror to break through to the sixth level of the Body Tempering Realm, leaving him closer to qualifying for promotion through the Spring Hunt.

• Junior Banner Zhuo met Fu Shaoping on the road, learned his daughter had died, and rode toward Yuyang Gorge to pursue Chen Shichao.
• Fu Shaoping and Zhou Pan'er brought Junior Banner Zhuo’s daughter to the Zhuo residence and helped arrange the mourning hall.
• Fu Shaoping told Zhou Pan'er to keep Chen Shichao’s death secret because he had executed an officially enlisted guard without authorization.
• Fu Shaoping bought Blood Qi Powder ingredients for Zhou Pan'er and entered seclusion at the Hundred Households Office’s Training Hall.
• Fu Shaoping refined four Huosang Fruits, then spent an attribute point to temper his final bone and reach the sixth level of the Body Tempering Realm.

After emerging from secluded cultivation, Fu Shaoping reunited with Zhou Pan'er and brought Old Zhan home for the New Year. Old Zhan found Fu Shaoping a murder investigation in Qiuchang Village, and Fu Shaoping set out with the young girl who had reported her mother’s death.

• Fu Shaoping visited Old Zhan and invited him to spend the New Year with his family.
• Fu Shaoping, Zhou Pan'er, and Zhou Xinxiang bought New Year supplies, then saw the wounded and hollow-eyed Junior Banner Zhuo arrive in town.
• Fu Shaoping returned home with Old Zhan and joined the family in decorating their new home.
• Old Zhan accepted a mission for Fu Shaoping to investigate a little girl's claim that her mother had been murdered in Qiuchang Village.
• Fu Shaoping read the case file, gave his coat to the cold, frightened complainant, and learned she had run away after finding her mother's body.

Fu Shaoping investigated Cai Shi’s death at the Qiu Household after Qiu Ya’er reported it. Kuihua confessed that Zhou Shi had planned the killing to sell Qiu Ya’er into a ghost marriage, and both women had disposed of Cai Shi’s body at a mass burial ground.

• Zhou Pan'er learned that Cai Shi was five months pregnant and that Qiu Ya’er had been abused, then accompanied Fu Shaoping to the Qiu Household.
• Fu Shaoping separated and questioned the Qiu family while Zhou Pan'er spoke with the Second Son of the Qiu Household's Wife, Kuihua.
• Kuihua broke down and blamed Zhou Shi for persuading her to frighten Cai Shi, then preventing her from rescuing Cai Shi after she fell into the well.
• Kuihua revealed that Zhou Shi had wanted to sell Qiu Ya’er for fifty taels to be buried with Landowner Li's dead son, and that they had dumped Cai Shi’s body at a mass burial ground.