Chapter Summaries

Jiang Man recovered his memories and realized he had been tricked into marrying an imprisoned immortal maiden, but the wedding vows bound him to a dangerous destiny. She vanished after warning that punishment would soon come for his ox, leaving Jiang Man with a three-day deadline to achieve Qi Introduction.

• Jiang Man remembered how the old yellow ox had directed him to take an immortal maiden's robes and bring her home as his wife.
• Jiang Man realized the woman was chained and suspected she would take revenge if he unlocked her, but he could not pull the key from her grasp.
• The immortal maiden rejected Jiang Man's plea for mercy and said their wedding vows carried a price.
• The old yellow ox called from outside, weakening the immortal maiden's grip; she shattered the key and chain, then vanished after warning Jiang Man that the ox's punishment was coming.
• Jiang Man saw the old yellow ox at the broken doorway and discovered a destiny that required him to achieve Qi Introduction within three days or risk sudden death.

Jiang Man discovered that his Heavenly Mirror of a Hundred Books could grant him a wisp of cultivation method purple qi, while the old yellow ox warned that drawing qi into his body within three days was nearly impossible for him. After extracting the purple qi, Jiang Man drew qi into his body instantly, leaving the old yellow ox wondering whether he was truly a peerless heaven's chosen.

• Jiang Man found the Heavenly Mirror of a Hundred Books in his sea of consciousness and learned it could record his Peerless Heaven's Chosen Destiny and offer him cultivation method purple qi.
• The old yellow ox told Jiang Man that he had three days to draw qi into his body, explained how tightly immortal cultivation methods were controlled, and pointed him to the Azure Cloud Pavilion's Simple Qi Refining Method.
• Jiang Man asked whether he might be a peerless heaven's chosen, but the old yellow ox silently dismissed the idea.
• Jiang Man extracted the cultivation method purple qi from the Heavenly Mirror of a Hundred Books, and it merged into his dantian, making him draw qi into his body instantly.
• The old yellow ox stared in astonishment as Jiang Man asked whether he could touch it.

Jiang Man learned that he had to earn his cultivation fee and meet the demanding requirements of his Peerless Heaven's Chosen Destiny, including reaching the sixth level of Qi Refining. With almost no possessions and a hundred daily cultivation sessions ahead, he began another day tending horses and heard someone calling for help.

• Jiang Man learned that Bei Village had stopped paying his cultivation fee and that he could be expelled from the Azure Cloud Pavilion if he did not pay by September.
• The old yellow ox explained that the fairy likely belonged to an immortal sect and could not easily find Jiang Man before the Magpie Bridge opened, roughly once a year.
• A Flawless Spirit-Gathering Pill appeared in Jiang Man's Dantian, and his Peerless Heaven's Chosen Destiny required him to cultivate a hundred times daily and reach the thirteenth level of his Visualization Method within one hundred days.
• The old yellow ox told Jiang Man he needed to reach the sixth level of Qi Refining before practicing the Visualization Method, and Jiang Man realized he would need to join a sect for sufficient resources.
• Jiang Man found that his possessions amounted to three books, a wooden sword, and three jin of coarse rice, then washed himself and his clothes overnight.
• The next morning, Jiang Man went out to feed the horses and heard someone urgently call for help beside the stables.

Jiang Man watched Fang Yong blame him for a Flame-Treading Spirit Steed’s weakness, while Cheng Moyang’s group secretly used the incident to set the two courtyard-mates against each other. After Old Yellow Ox warned Jiang Man about his training and cultivation, Jiang Man met Instructor Zhao Leming and asked about Flame-Treading Spirit Steeds.

• Fang Yong accused Jiang Man of weakening Cheng Moyang’s Flame-Treading Spirit Steed, but Cheng Moyang let the accusation go after recognizing the steed’s seasonal period of weakness.
• Cheng Moyang privately revealed that he had wanted to provoke a feud between Fang Yong and Jiang Man, and his companions planned to make Fang Yong blame Jiang Man for losing their favor.
• Fang Yong warned Jiang Man that he had only escaped being thrown out because Fang Yong knew Cheng Moyang’s group, then took the spirit steed away.
• Old Yellow Ox told Jiang Man that Flame-Treading Spirit Steeds could be kept from entering a period of weakness, but refused to explain how and reminded Jiang Man to finish his hundred repetitions.
• Jiang Man headed to the rear courtyard, where Instructor Zhao Leming warned him he had fifteen days to pay his overdue cultivation fees or leave the Azure Cloud Pavilion; Jiang Man asked Zhao about Flame-Treading Spirit Steeds.

Jiang Man traded knowledge of a Flame-Treading Spirit Steed feeding method for a tuition waiver and learned the Simple Qi Refining Method with startling speed. As he reached its fifth level in one morning, Fang Yong warned him that he had no chance at one of the sixth courtyard’s two Wuyun Sect assessment slots.

• Jiang Man offered Zhao Leming a book-mentioned method to overcome a Flame-Treading Spirit Steed’s period of weakness, and Zhao waived his tuition through the following August if it worked.
• Zhao Leming taught Jiang Man the Simple Qi Refining Method after the lesson, and Jiang Man used the purple qi in his dantian to reach its first level in a single sequence.
• Jiang Man practiced until noon, raising the method to its fifth level, though he made little progress absorbing spiritual qi for cultivation.
• Fang Yong stopped Jiang Man and warned him not to offend him, saying the sixth courtyard had only two assessment slots and they would be decided in December.

Jiang Man traded a Flame-Treading Spirit Steed rearing method for a year of cultivation fees and rapidly raised his Qi Refining Method to level seven. The next day at the Azure Cloud Pavilion, Fang Yong’s ties to Jiang Man cost him the company of Young Master Yang’s group, and Jiang Man suspected Fang Yong would target him.

• Jiang Man asked Fang Yong about qualifying for the Heaven's Chosen Destiny and learned Fang Yong had reached level seven in the Qi Refining Method.
• Jiang Man asked the old yellow ox how to resolve a Flame-Treading Spirit Steed’s periods of weakness, then copied down the first part of its method.
• Jiang Man checked the rearing method with the Heavenly Mirror of a Hundred Books, which dismissed it as rubbish.
• Jiang Man practiced until his Qi Refining Method reached level seven, matching Fang Yong’s level, and the old yellow ox marveled at his progress.
• Jiang Man asked the old yellow ox what would have happened if he had taken all the clothes he saw on the mountain, then went to rest.
• At the Azure Cloud Pavilion, Young Master Yang’s group left Fang Yong because of his supposed closeness to Jiang Man, and Jiang Man worried Fang Yong would target him.

Jiang Man learned that he and Gao Yao were initially ineligible to compete for a chance to take the Wuyun Sect's assessment, but he offered Zhao Leming something that earned them an exception. He began following his cultivation plan, determined to rise despite ranking last in the Sixth Courtyard.

• Gao Yao told Jiang Man that only two Sixth Courtyard students would likely compete for the Wuyun Sect assessment, and that the lowest-ranked students would not qualify.
• Zhao Leming explained that Jiang Man was ineligible under Azure Cloud Pavilion rules, but made an exception after Jiang Man offered him a concealed item.
• Jiang Man agreed to follow the Sixth Courtyard's arrangements and take part in daily cultivation assessments; Gao Yao was also allowed to compete.
• Jiang Man received a plan to practice the Qi Refining Method thirty times daily, while Gao Yao complained that his evaluation called him irredeemably stupid.
• Jiang Man ignored the other students' reactions and practiced the Qi Refining Method a hundred times before heading back.

Jiang Man cultivated through the night, reached the ninth layer of the Qi Refining Method, and entered the Qi Refining First Layer. The next morning, Fang Yong assigned him to clean the old courtyard because he was last in the rankings, but Jiang Man expected to surpass him soon.

• Jiang Man and Little Fatty kept cultivating long after the others finished, prompting the group to follow their example for two days until Luo Xuan left each evening.
• Fang Yong blamed Jiang Man for missing a chance to visit the Moon-Viewing Tower and left the courtyard after everyone else.
• Jiang Man cultivated late into the night, then got up again and practiced until dawn, reaching the ninth layer of the Qi Refining Method in a little over three days.
• Jiang Man absorbed spiritual qi with the pill's help and entered the Qi Refining First Layer, though he estimated he still needed about two hundred circulations to fill it.
• Fang Yong told Jiang Man to clean the old courtyard because he was last in the rankings, and Jiang Man silently resolved that he would not remain last next month.

Jiang Man cleaned the old Azure Cloud Pavilion and used the Heavenly Mirror of a Hundred Books to inspect its artifacts, discovering that its Azure Cloud plaque once concealed a cultivation method that was already gone. After learning about the top disciples’ strength and how rankings were scored, he began training to improve before the next reassessment.

• Jiang Man accepted Fang Yong’s assignment to clean the old courtyard for three days rather than risk losing his chance to compete for a spot.
• While cleaning, Jiang Man touched old objects and received dismissive entries from the Heavenly Mirror of a Hundred Books.
• Jiang Man inspected the Azure Cloud plaque and learned it had once concealed the Azure Cloud Formula, but the compartment was empty.
• Jiang Man asked Little Fatty about the missed lesson, the leaders Luo Xuan and Fang Yong, and how cultivation scores were calculated.
• Jiang Man decided to train hard before the next rankings reassessment, while Little Fatty watched with dismay.

Jiang Man pushed himself through intense cultivation while worrying about food and money, and prepared to break through to the Qi Refining Second Layer. Meanwhile, Zhao Leming finished translating a valuable book and considered how to arrange things for Jiang Man.

• Jiang Man cultivated through the day, and Gao Yao resumed practicing after hearing how many cycles Jiang Man completed.
• Jiang Man ran out of rice and asked Old Yellow Ox about earning money, but Old Yellow Ox said Jiang Man was too weak to help under the immortal sect's rules.
• Old Yellow Ox advised Jiang Man to explain his rapid progress by claiming his extraordinary wife was funding him, and Jiang Man recalled their wedding bows.
• Jiang Man saw that the spiritual qi in his gourd was nearly full and prepared to enter the Qi Refining Second Layer.
• Zhao Leming finished translating the book, recognized its value, and began considering arrangements for Jiang Man.

Jiang Man sought help from Zhao Leming to improve his pay and find work that could provide cultivation resources. After receiving a recommendation letter for the guard station, he returned to the sixth courtyard and told Little Chubby he planned to cultivate elsewhere in secret.

• Jiang Man went to find Zhao Leming and explained that he needed better pay and work to support his cultivation.
• Zhao Leming vouched for Jiang Man’s stable pay for two months and gave him a recommendation letter for the Cloudfront Office guard station.
• Zhao Leming wondered who had given Jiang Man the book and sent a letter to the guard station expecting a referral fee.
• Jiang Man swept the former training ground, noticed someone had been using it, and finished his morning duties.
• Little Chubby shared dried meat with Jiang Man, who then cultivated vigorously and announced he was going elsewhere to work hard in secret.

Jiang Man found work at the Guard Department, where he cultivated inside a formation that drained some of his spiritual qi. The Heavenly Mirror of a Hundred Books revealed the formation’s origins and offered him spell-art innate qi, while Steward Miao presented him as an example to the other workers.

• Jiang Man collected his increased stable-work payment and went to the Guard Department with Zhao Leming’s recommendation letter.
• Steward Miao hired Jiang Man for thirty Spirit Sources a day to cultivate for two hours in the Spirit-Gathering Hall.
• The Heavenly Mirror of a Hundred Books identified the formation as an incomplete Ninefold Origin Spirit Formation and offered Jiang Man one wisp of spell-art innate qi for recording it.
• Jiang Man circulated the Qi Refining Method while directing some spiritual qi into the formation and keeping the rest in his Dantian.
• After two hours, Jiang Man met the three-bead requirement, and Steward Miao praised his resolve to the other workers despite his zero score.

Jiang Man collected sixty Spirit Sources at the Spirit-Gathering Hall and advanced to the second level of Qi Refining. He learned that his income was relatively high despite the harm of the formation, and continued cultivating while avoiding trouble with Fang Yong and refusing Luo Xuan’s offer to train together.

• Steward Miao encouraged the gathered cultivators by presenting Jiang Man as an example, and Jiang Man received sixty Spirit Sources.
• Jiang Man cultivated overnight and advanced to the second level of Qi Refining, impressing the old yellow ox with his rapid progress.
• Jiang Man asked Little Chubby about the Three Talents Force technique and learned that a Spirit-Gathering Pill cost three hundred Spirit Sources and ordinary monthly earnings varied widely.
• Over the next ten days, Fang Yong glared at Jiang Man whenever others brought up Young Master Cheng and Young Master Yang, while Luo Xuan invited Jiang Man to cultivate with her.
• Jiang Man refused Luo Xuan’s offer and continued focusing on cultivation as he filled his second gourd.

Jiang Man reached qi refining third layer and learned that his growing spiritual qi was beginning to strain his body. Old Yellow Ox explained that he needed the Qi and Blood Method to advance safely, but hinted that Jiang Man should think about the Visualization Method instead.

• Jiang Man continued cultivating while the Sixth Courtyard’s students worried about the upcoming rankings, and Gao Yao told him that he had improved substantially.
• Jiang Man learned that a genius from Bei Village had entered the first of the Three Towers, then earned spirit sources at the Spirit-Gathering Hall despite Steward Miao refusing to change his score-based pay.
• Jiang Man returned to the stable hut and broke through to qi refining third layer, but felt that his body could barely bear the weight of three gourds of spiritual qi.
• Old Yellow Ox explained that Jiang Man needed the Qi and Blood Method to strengthen his body before advancing further, and that the Visualization Method would later strengthen his mind.
• Jiang Man pointed out that he could not obtain either method without meeting the required score, but Old Yellow Ox suggested he think about the Visualization Method and smiled without explaining.

Jiang Man accepted Luo Xuan’s offer to cultivate with her for seventy spirit essence a day, improving his cultivation while suspecting she wanted to provoke Fang Yong. On the eve of the assessment, Jiang Man practiced the Spirit Travel Step as Little Fatty confidently taunted him about trying to catch up.

• Luo Xuan offered Jiang Man seventy spirit essence to cultivate with her, and he agreed to begin the next day.
• Luo Xuan told Cheng Yu that she was befriending Jiang Man to distract Fang Yong and that she might stop hiring him if his midmonth score remained zero.
• Jiang Man continued earning spirit essence at the Spirit-Gathering Hall and cultivating with Luo Xuan, while Fang Yong grew more hostile toward him.
• Jiang Man suspected Luo Xuan was using him to provoke Fang Yong, but he kept to his routine and prepared for the assessment.
• On September fourteenth, Jiang Man practiced the Spirit Travel Step, and Little Fatty teased him about trying to catch up.

Jiang Man prepared for the monthly assessment while Little Fatty confidently expected to outrank him. As the assessment began, Zhao Leming watched to see whether Jiang Man’s sudden improvement would confirm his suspicions.

• Jiang Man realized Little Fatty’s cultivation had advanced, while he had reached the third level of Qi Refining and had enough Spirit Sources to buy four Spirit-Gathering Pills.
• Jiang Man practiced Spirit Travel Step and quickly mastered all six levels before the September fifteenth assessment.
• Luo Xuan and Cheng Yu discussed Jiang Man’s effect on Fang Yong and doubted that his poor background and ordinary talent would let him progress far.
• Fang Yong accused Jiang Man of relying on Luo Xuan and warned that he might have to clean the Old Courtyard if he ranked last.
• Little Fatty reassured Jiang Man that he could not catch up, and Zhao Leming arrived to assess the group and see how many points Jiang Man earned.

Jiang Man took written assessments in several cultivation methods while hiding his Qi Refining Method level and struggling with the Qi and Blood Method. After the results were announced for the following day, he returned to the stables and learned that his wife’s methods had reached them.

• Jiang Man copied the Qi Refining Method book carefully to conceal that he had reached the ninth level, then handed in a blank paper for the Qi and Blood Method assessment.
• Jiang Man learned that only Luo Xuan, Fang Yong, Chang Qiwen, and Cheng Yu completed the Visualization Method assessment, and recognized them as competitors for a spot.
• Jiang Man completed the cultivation assessment by drawing magical techniques, and Zhao Leming said the rankings and scores would be released the next day.
• Jiang Man returned to the stables, where Old Yellow Ox warned that his wife’s methods had reached them, though she had not come herself.

Jiang Man drew the destructive power in Old Yellow Ox’s body into his palm and heard his wife threaten to find him when the Magpie Bridge opened. The next day, he went to the Sixth Courtyard to check his score and ranking, where he and Little Fatty agreed to swap papers.

• Old Yellow Ox told Jiang Man that his wife was tracking the methods he had used against her, and asked him to draw her influence out of his body.
• Jiang Man gathered the flickering power into a ball of light, which carried his wife’s message that she would find him soon and asked what kind of funeral he wanted.
• Old Yellow Ox warned Jiang Man that she might be searching for his true name and asked him to take the ox along if he later joined a sect; Jiang Man agreed and called him Brother Ox.
• The next morning, Jiang Man joined the Sixth Courtyard cultivators to receive their updated scores and rankings.
• Zhao Leming distributed the score sheets and announced that courtyard rankings and the rear courtyard’s top fifty would be posted at noon.
• Little Fatty asked to see Jiang Man’s score, and they agreed to swap papers without looking at them first.

After Jiang Man’s ranking surprised Gao Yao, he collected cultivation resources and learned that his destiny required an upper-tier Mortal Grade visualization method with thirteen layers. The rankings then revealed his rapid rise to eighteenth place, prompting his classmates to suspect Luo Xuan was training him as a guard.

• Jiang Man showed Gao Yao his score of twenty-nine, and Gao Yao apologized after seeing Jiang Man ranked eighteenth while he was second from last.
• Jiang Man told Gao Yao he had married a fairy, then went to the method transmission office and collected the Simple Qi and Blood Method.
• Jiang Man learned that the Simple Visualization Method had only nine layers and paid a guide to explain that an upper-tier Mortal Grade visualization method had thirteen.
• Jiang Man collected the Six Harmonies Palm and Three Talents Force, then realized he needed Old Yellow Ox’s help to obtain a suitable visualization method.
• The Sixth Courtyard rankings placed Luo Xuan first, Fang Yong second, and Jiang Man eighteenth, while Qiu Cheng and Gao Yao occupied the last two places.
• Jiang Man’s classmates speculated that Luo Xuan was training him as a guard, and Luo Xuan considered giving him a chance.

Jiang Man sought a Visualization Method and, after Old Yellow Ox warned him against using an unapproved one, rapidly advanced the Qi and Blood method through practice. At the Cloudfront Office, rumors that Eldest Miss Luo had chosen him as her personal guard led Song Qing to challenge him in sparring.

• Old Yellow Ox told Jiang Man that learning his Visualization Method could expose him to the Wuyun Sect, so Jiang Man planned to ask Mr. Zhao about obtaining the Cloudfront Office's method.
• Jiang Man practiced the Qi and Blood method and advanced to its fifth layer in less than half a day, leaving Old Yellow Ox astonished.
• Jiang Man realized the training made him extremely hungry and would force him to spend more spirit currency or work part-time at the Spirit-Gathering Hall.
• Little Fatty told Jiang Man that others believed Eldest Miss Luo was training him to become her personal guard, and warned that they might target him during sparring.
• Song Qing, ranked seventeenth, introduced himself as Jiang Man's Six Harmonies Palm sparring partner and implied that he might hurt him.