Chapter Summaries

Fang Yue reached major mastery in Skin Tempering and planned to seek the next cultivation method from Master Zheng. Fang Cheng learned that Xiu Niang would marry into the family, though Chen Shi set the wedding date for November twelfth.

• Fang Yue's White Tiger Fist practice triggered a breakthrough, and he reached major mastery in Skin Tempering.
• Fang Yue tested his strength at over 2,200 jin and decided to visit the White Tiger Martial Arts School to learn Bone Forging.
• Fang Cheng rushed home and told Fang Yue that Uncle Fuquan had agreed to let Xiu Niang marry into their family.
• Fang Yue asked whether Fang Cheng had told Chen Shi, who returned and said their father had chosen November twelfth for the wedding.
• Fang Cheng protested that he wanted to marry sooner, and Chen Shi teased him by threatening to call off the match.

Fang Yue left home for Xiahe County Town to watch and take part in the Imperial Martial Candidate examination, despite Chen Shi worrying he might be injured. He reached town and chose to stay in the Wine House’s woodshed again, hoping it would bring him luck as it had before.

• Chen Shi packed Fang Yue’s luggage and urged him to postpone the examination until he had trained longer, while Father Fang tried to reassure her.
• Fang Yue told Chen Shi he would be away for only two months and return before Fang Cheng’s wedding, then left home.
• Fang Yue arrived in Xiahe County Town the following afternoon and learned that the Martial Examination usually drew only sixty or seventy participants, with ten passing.
• Fang Yue returned to the same Wine House and asked to rent its woodshed for two months instead of taking an upper room.
• Fang Yue told the waiter that he had stayed in the woodshed before becoming a Martial Scholar, leaving the waiter stunned.

Fang Yue traded his cheap woodshed for a superior room after Bai Xingqiu paid generously, then learned the fat man practiced martial arts before dawn. Fang Yue prepared a box of his own pan-fried tea before visiting Master Zheng at the White Tiger Martial Arts School to obtain the Bone Forging cultivation method.

• Fang Yue exchanged rooms with Bai Xingqiu for silver, and Bai Xingqiu treated him to a lavish meal and swore brotherhood with him.
• Unable to sleep, Fang Yue practiced his stance and later saw Bai Xingqiu training diligently in the Wine House courtyard before dawn.
• Fang Yue went to a woodcraft shop and bought a Huali Wood box for his visit to Master Zheng.
• Fang Yue filled the box with his own pan-fried tea as a gift for Master Zheng.

Fang Yue visited the White Tiger Martial Arts School and was warmly received by Chen Tong and Master Zheng, unlike the rude treatment he had once faced there. Master Zheng asked whether Fang Yue had taught Zhang Boyang to make pan-fried tea.

• Fang Yue returned to the White Tiger Martial Arts School, where Chen the Doorman tried to send him to the back entrance.
• Wang Teng arrived, but Chen Tong bypassed him and personally welcomed Fang Yue into the school.
• Wang Teng learned Fang Yue was a Martial Scholar and left with a dark expression, while Chen the Doorman realized he had misjudged him.
• Fang Yue presented pan-fried tea to Master Zheng, who accepted it and asked whether Fang Yue had taught Boyang to make it.

Fang Yue impressed Master Zheng with his martial progress, and the Martial Arts School decided to let Zhang Boyang manage the pan-fried tea business. While exploring Xiahe County Town, Fang Yue was persuaded by Bai Xingqiu to enter Yihong Tower for an extravagant meal.

• Master Zheng praised Fang Yue's pan-fried tea and Skin Tempering progress, then had Chen Tong teach him the Bone Forging fist techniques.
• Master Zheng told Chen Tong that Fang Yue's strength and rapid progress could make him an Imperial Martial Candidate in the upcoming Martial Examination.
• Master Zheng assigned Zhang Boyang to manage the pan-fried tea business because he was on good terms with Fang Yue.
• Fang Yue explored Xiahe County Town on market day, crossed the Jade Belt River, and turned away from the pleasure quarters after considering his money pouch.
• Bai Xingqiu invited Fang Yue into Yihong Tower, ordered food and wine, and had several young women attend them as they dined.

After spending an evening with Bai Xingqiu, Fang Yue practiced martial arts by the Jade Belt River, where an encounter with two women left him eager to find somewhere else to train.

• Fang Yue and Bai Xingqiu returned to their Wine House after an evening at Yihong Tower, and Fang Yue learned about Bai Xingqiu’s influential family and his gratitude over the exam lodging.
• Fang Yue woke at daybreak to Bai Xingqiu’s training noises and went to a secluded clearing beside the Jade Belt River to practice the White Tiger Fist.
• Fang Yue trained across from the pleasure quarter and watched its everyday bustle before a girl named Zhicao dropped her bucket into the river after looking at him.
• Zhicao’s older sister blamed Fang Yue for the lost bucket and shouted at him, though Zhicao admitted that she had been careless.
• As Fang Yue prepared to leave, the two women called after him and the older sister flirtatiously invited him to stay.

Fang Yue’s connection to the pan-fried tea business helped Zhang Boyang secure the Martial Arts School’s contract, and Fang Yue continued training until he entered Bone Forging. Afterward, he ignored Lian’er’s teasing and left her crying by the river.

• Chen Tong told Zhang Boyang that the Martial Arts School had awarded him the tea business because Fang Yue had helped, then revealed that he had taught Fang Yue the Bone Forging cultivation method.
• Zhang Boyang realized Fang Yue had earned the opportunity he had lost and angrily refused Zhang Shu’s request for money, ordering her to stay home.
• Over ten days, Fang Yue practiced White Tiger Fist and received guidance from Chen Tong while his days at the wine house remained peaceful.
• Fang Yue achieved Bones and Sinews Resonating, entered Bone Forging, and estimated that his strength had risen to roughly two thousand five to two thousand six hundred jin.
• Lian’er teased Fang Yue by the river, but he ignored her and left; when Li Xiangjun asked why she was crying, Lian’er denied that he had upset her.

Zhang Shu recited Fang Yue’s altered version of “Homesickness” at a poetry gathering, embarrassing herself while raising doubts about Liu Chuanzhi’s claim to the poem. Meanwhile, Fang Yue continued Bone Forging, but his dwindling funds made him realize he needed a source of income before the Imperial Martial Candidate examination.

• Zhang Shu and the Baozi-faced Girl heard Fang Yue recite a playful version of “Homesickness,” and Zhang Shu memorized it before attending Great Scholar Wen’s Literary Gathering.
• Liu Chuanzhi presented his revised version of Fang Yue’s poem and received praise from the gathered scholars and young ladies.
• Zhang Shu interrupted Liu Chuanzhi, reciting the poem’s opening lines incorrectly for the gathering and getting mocked and driven out.
• Zhang Shu blamed the person who had recited the poem that morning, while some attendees began suspecting Liu Chuanzhi had plagiarized it.
• Fang Yue continued training after entering Bone Forging and realized that his remaining silver could not cover the cost of Secret Medicine, so he needed a livelihood.

Wang Teng tried to flaunt his tea to escape a brothel bill, while Fang Yue accepted a share in the White Tiger Tea House and prepared for the Martial Imperial Exam under Zhang Boyang’s guidance. The chapter left Fang Yue practicing Martial Strategy essays at Zhang Boyang’s home, with Zhang Shu grinding ink for him.

• Wang Teng accumulated a three-hundred-tael bill at Yihong Tower, challenged the Madam’s claim that its tea was the finest, and promised to show her better tea.
• Zhang Boyang offered Fang Yue a nominal White Tiger Tea House position paying three hundred taels a year because Fang Yue had introduced pan-fried tea, and Fang Yue accepted.
• Zhang Boyang asked Fang Yue about the upcoming Martial Imperial Exam and offered to teach him Martial Strategy and exchange moves with him each afternoon.
• Fang Yue trained each morning and practiced White Tiger Fist and Martial Strategy writing at Zhang Boyang’s home in the afternoons.
• Zhang Boyang ordered Zhang Shu to grind ink while Fang Yue practiced writing essays.

Fang Yue advanced his White Tiger Fist and condensed the Lesser Bronze Skin Iron Bones talent as the Imperial Martial Candidate examination approached. Huang Ji Tea House launched pan-fried tea using a leaked technique, prompting Fang Yue to warn Bai Xingqiu that White Tiger Tea House could surpass it, while Wang Yuangang confronted Wang Teng over the leak.

• Zhang Shu grew angry while grinding ink, broke the ink stick, and was scolded by Zhang Baiyang; Fang Yue left and stopped visiting his home.
• Fang Yue reached basic proficiency in the White Tiger Fist’s Bone Forging Pass and spent fifty aptitude points to gain the Lesser Bronze Skin Iron Bones talent.
• As candidates gathered in Xiahe County Town for the examinations, Huang Ji Tea House’s new pan-fried tea became popular.
• Fang Yue recognized the tea’s crude processing and suspected the technique had been leaked; he told Bai Xingqiu to wait because Huang Ji Tea House might not succeed.
• Wang Yuangang summoned Wang Teng and accused him of leaking the fist school’s pan-fried tea secrets for three hundred taels; Wang Teng begged for help.

Wang Yuangang learned that Wang Teng had sold the Pan-fried Tea recipe and decided to cover up the leak while plotting against Zhang Boyang. Fang Yue reassured Zhang Boyang that White Tiger Tea House’s tea was superior and laid out a plan to establish its place in the market, but Zhang Shu recognized Fang Yue as the source of a poem that had embarrassed her.

• Wang Yuangang scolded Wang Teng for selling the Pan-fried Tea recipe for three hundred taels, ordered him to stay home, and resolved to handle the matter himself.
• Zhang Boyang showed Fang Yue the inferior Pan-fried Tea from Huang Ji Tea House, and Fang Yue demonstrated that his tea was better.
• Fang Yue advised Zhang Boyang to grade Pan-fried Tea, promote it through the County Yamen and examinations, and distribute samples to teahouses.
• Fang Yue left Zhang Boyang’s home and encountered Zhang Shu and the Baozi-faced Girl, who recognized him as the person behind the poem “Two Pairs of Shoes on the Ground.”
• Zhang Shu grew angry at Fang Yue, and Zhang Boyang scolded her for her behavior.

Elder Zheng ordered Chen Tong to investigate a possible leak about pan-fried tea while keeping the matter quiet. Seven days later, Fang Yue and Bai Xingqiu arrived at the City Guard barracks for the Juren Examination, where candidates began identity checks and registration.

• Elder Zheng told Chen Tong to investigate the suspected pan-fried tea leak without making it public, since someone in the martial arts school had betrayed its secrets.
• Bai Xingqiu showed Fang Yue the many costly charms and lucky objects he had bought and declared that his new courtesy name, Turnaround, would bring him success.
• Fang Yue and Bai Xingqiu headed to the City Guard barracks, where Bai Xingqiu pushed through the crowd and Fang Yue mocked Liu Chuanzhi over the stolen poem and the nickname Two Pairs of Shoes.
• Yamen runners and soldiers separated the civil and martial candidates, then officials began checking names, identities, guarantors, and other credentials under chief examiner Liu Zheng.

Fang Yue began the Imperial Martial Candidate examination, impressing with his archery while Liu Zheng considered quietly favoring him for his own purposes. The chapter left Liu Zheng recalling Fang Yue’s connection to the vanished Chen Chengan and missing Qi Sensing Manual, as Fang Yue’s family waited for him to return.

• Fang Yue entered the examination grounds and lifted a 2,200-jin stone lion, showing above-average strength.
• Liu Zheng reviewed Fang Yue’s registry and considered arranging favorable conditions in Horse Riding and Martial Strategy, then recognized that Fang Yue came from Daliushu Village.
• Fang Yue drew the Nine-Stone Bow and earned Grade A in Archery, ranking fifth among the participants.
• Li Xiangjun teased Lian'er about Fang Yue taking the examination and claimed she had arranged for someone to teach him a lesson, making Lian'er worry.
• Chen Shi saved shelled walnuts for Fang Yue while Fang Cheng agreed to wait at the village entrance for his return.

Fang Yue completed the Horse Riding examination despite Huang Ziyou’s attempt to sabotage him, earning an upper Grade B. He returned to prepare for the next day’s Martial Strategy and Demonstration Match examinations, while Fatty Bai followed after him.

• Huang Ziyou revealed that his family had bribed officials to give White Tiger Martial Arts School candidates horses with hidden ailments.
• An official quietly warned Fang Yue that horse No. 7 was fine, so Fang Yue chose it and completed the riding tests steadily.
• Fang Yue earned an upper Grade B, leaving Martial Strategy and the Demonstration Match as the remaining examinations.
• Fatty Bai urged Fang Yue to celebrate at Yihong Tower, but Fang Yue refused and headed back to study and train for the next day.
• Fatty Bai abandoned his own plans and hurried after Fang Yue, while Fang Yue resolved to fight seriously in the Demonstration Match and concede if outmatched.

The White Tiger Tea House’s superior pan-fried tea undercut the Huang Family’s business, and Master Zheng rewarded Fang Yue for his role in the venture. Fang Yue and Bai Xingqiu arrived for the Martial Strategy examination, where Liu Chuanzhi faced the misfortune of sitting beside the stink seat.

• Huang Ziyou learned that the White Tiger Tea House had taken the Huang Ji Tea House’s customers with better tea and rushed to investigate the losses.
• Chen Tong told Master Zheng that the tea house had sold a thousand taels’ worth of tea on its trial opening, and Master Zheng ordered an extra monthly portion of Secret Medicine for Fang Yue until he reached Bone Marrow Cleansing Great Accomplishment.
• At the Wine House, Fang Yue told Bai Xingqiu that the excellent tea came from the White Tiger Tea House, and Bai Xingqiu asked for thirty jin to take to Prefecture City.
• Fang Yue refused Bai Xingqiu’s invitation to drink heavily because the examination was the next day, and they headed to the examination grounds the following morning.
• After two candidates were removed for shouting during the Civil Examination, Fang Yue reached his assigned seat and saw that Liu Chuanzhi sat close to the stink seat.

Liu Chuanzhi was dragged from the Civil Examination after mistaking a dream of passing for reality, while Fang Yue finished the Martial Strategy paper and qualified for the Demonstration Match. Fang Yue won several bouts, but Huang Ziyou challenged him out of hatred over the Huang Family’s losses to White Tiger Tea House.

• Liu Chuanzhi shouted that he had passed the examination and was carried away by soldiers after disturbing the other candidates.
• Fang Yue completed the Martial Strategy paper and handed it in early, then learned he and Fatty Bai ranked ninth and tenth among the Demonstration Match qualifiers.
• Fang Yue defeated Ma Qi and several other challengers with ease in the Demonstration Match.
• Huang Ziyou challenged Fang Yue, and the gathered martial artists connected his hostility to the rivalry between Huang Ji Tea House and White Tiger Tea House.

Fang Yue defeated Huang Ziyou in the Imperial Martial Candidate assessment and ranked sixth, while Liu Chuanzhi collapsed after seeing his name on the list. After the Civil Martial Candidate results came out, Fang Yue agreed to introduce Bai Xingqiu to Zhang Boyang, and Bai Xingqiu frightened a group of scholars who insulted them.

• Examiner Shen delayed the start of Fang Yue and Huang Ziyou's match, but Huang Ziyou attacked as soon as it began.
• Fang Yue struck Huang Ziyou down with a punch, won the match, and later defeated another challenger while Fatty Bai held his ground.
• The rankings were posted the next day, placing Fang Yue sixth, and Liu Chuanzhi spat blood and collapsed when he saw Fang Yue's name.
• Bai Xingqiu told Fang Yue he had passed as a Juren and asked him to connect him with Zhang Boyang about the White Tiger Tea House's new tea.
• When scholars insulted Fang Yue and Bai Xingqiu in the Wine House, Bai Xingqiu threatened them with punishment, and they dropped to their knees.

After the banquet, County Magistrate Liu Zheng asked the Imperial Martial Candidates to help guide Prefecture City’s army against the Mo Shan Tribe, but Fang Yue and two others found ways to decline. Fang Yue left with Fatty Bai, wary of the danger and of Wei He, while agreeing to help Bai with a small favor.

• At Liu Zheng’s banquet, he offered an official post and a share of the spoils to the Imperial Martial Candidate who mapped a route through the mountains to the Mo Shan Tribe.
• Wei He claimed he had to mourn his mother, Fatty Bai said he had urgent business in Prefecture City, and Fang Yue cited injuries from the examination to refuse the mission.
• Liu Zheng rejected Liu Jinyuan’s claim that he was injured, then dismissed Fang Yue, Bai Xingqiu, and Wei He.
• Fatty Bai praised Fang Yue for leaving the banquet unscathed, while Wei He tried to join them and was turned down because he was supposedly observing mourning.
• Fang Yue declined Fatty Bai’s invitation to drink flower wine but promised to help him with a small favor.

Fang Yue collected six months of Imperial Martial Candidate benefits from the County Yamen after a clerk tried to extort him and an Examiner intervened. He then visited the White Tiger Martial Arts School, where Chen Tong congratulated him on passing and discussed using the opportunity to deal with the Huang Family.

• Fang Yue went to the County Yamen Storehouse to collect his silver and Bone Forging Secret Medicine, but Zhang Jiu mistook him for a servant and demanded a bribe.
• Fang Yue challenged Zhang Jiu's obstruction, and Director Wang recognized him and ordered the clerk to handle his request.
• Zhang Jiu apologized to Fang Yue, who forgave him and collected his six-month allotment.
• Fang Yue visited the White Tiger Martial Arts School, where Chen Tong praised his success and said the school would take action against the Huang Family.
• Fang Yue told Chen Tong that luck had helped him pass the Martial Strategy examination.

After passing the Imperial Martial Examination, Fang Yue received improved support from the White Tiger Martial Arts School and began his journey home, while Wang Yuangang and his injured son fled into the mountains. The chapter ended with an unexpected traveler asking to shelter at their broken temple.

• Chen Tong told Fang Yue that the White Tiger Martial Arts School had raised his monthly stipend to one hundred taels and would provide Secret Medicine until he reached Bone Marrow Cleansing Great Accomplishment.
• Lian'er worried when Fang Yue stopped practicing by the river, and Li Xiangjun told her that Fang Yue was now an Imperial Martial Candidate far above her station.
• Zhang Boyang saw Fang Yue off outside town and gave him a hundred taels of silver.
• Fang Yue walked toward his village, reflected on his new income, and resolved to buy a horse on his next trip to town.
• Master Zheng let Wang Yuangang and Wang Teng escape and ordered Chen Tong to reclaim Wang Yuangang's properties for the school.
• Wang Yuangang tended to the unconscious Wang Teng in a broken temple, then heard a traveler ask for a place to stay.