Chapter Summaries

Chu Xisheng defeated Wu Province’s leading young fighters Bai Guangda and Zhen Nian, using overwhelming speed and an uncanny saber technique to end both bouts without taking a strike. After no one else dared challenge him, he returned to the official ship amid the crowd’s astonishment.

• Zhuang Zhengde had Chu Xisheng and Bai Guangda sign a Life-and-Death Contract and set the rule that they could strike only after his coin landed.
• Chu Xisheng drew his saber faster than Bai Guangda and defeated him with one precise strike to the throat.
• Zhen Nian challenged Chu Xisheng, but Chu’s technique, which he called White Horse Is Not a Horse, forced Zhen off the arena without landing a blow.
• Chu Xisheng invited the martial cultivators of Wu Province to challenge him, but his Yazi Saber Intent and the defeats of Bai Guangda and Zhen Nian kept everyone silent.
• After no one stepped forward, Chu Xisheng saluted the crowd and returned to the official ship.

After Chu Xisheng defeated Zhen Nian, observers debated his strange saber technique while he continued his journey north and won a string of one-strike victories. As Heavenly Secret Pavilion celebrated its ranking, the Martial Discourse Tower faced criticism, and Wang Chaoyang received a lead linking West Mountain’s half-demon experts to the Red Dragon Lineage.

• Zhuang Zhengde explained that Chu Xisheng’s White Horse Is Not a Horse used Heavenly Dao resonance to obscure his saber’s position, though it consumed immense true essence.
• Aboard the official ship, Chu Xisheng told Zuo Qingyun and Du Yunlai that he had not yet shown his fastest saber or strongest strike.
• Eight days later, Hu Kan and Hu Lai received praise at Heavenly Secret Pavilion as reports arrived that Chu Xisheng had defeated opponents across several provinces, including Fei Liren in He Province.
• Wang Chaoyang reviewed reports of Chu Xisheng’s victories and rejected Xie Zhenqing’s proposal to raise his ranking before he faced Si Huangquan, Li Xiuchang, and Wang Ming.
• Xie Zhenqing told Wang Chaoyang that the two half-demon experts from the Battle of West Mountain were likely of the Red Dragon Lineage, and he ordered the Embroidery Guard to investigate them.

As Chu Xisheng’s ship traveled through He Province, thousands of martial artists followed him and betting houses sent detailed intelligence on his opponents. Chu Xisheng defeated Ling Mo, survived Mad Saber Wang Ming’s surprise challenge, and agreed to fight Wang Ming in the Capital City, while a hidden danger remained nearby.

• Chu Xisheng learned that Supreme Communication with the Divine had reached the sixth rank, granting him weak Divine Knowing that helped him predict opponents’ moves.
• Du Yunlai discussed martial cultivation and comprehension with Chu Xisheng as the ship continued through He Province under the watch of thousands of followers.
• Chu Xisheng defeated Ling Mo with his saber and sent him tumbling into the Canglang River.
• Wang Ming surprised Chu Xisheng with a saber attack, but Chu Xisheng dodged and countered him with Trace of Wind.
• The Heluo Fish dragged Wang Ming through the river until Chu Xisheng agreed to fight him after reaching the Capital City.
• Chu Xisheng sensed a powerful danger nearby and suspected that Wang Ming had not gone far.

Chu Xisheng reached Wang'an City after three days of Mad Saber Wang Ming’s ambushes and prepared for their decisive battle. Zuo Qingyun reunited with the White Tiger Marquis, who had protected the ship, while Chu Xisheng planned to strengthen himself before facing Wang Ming.

• Wang Ming repeatedly ambushed Chu Xisheng, sharpening Chu Xisheng’s divine knowing, and challenged him to a decisive battle at the western city docks.
• The official ship arrived at Wang'an City, where Zuo Qingyun and Chu Xisheng shared a farewell toast before Wang Ming attacked again and escaped into the river.
• Chu Xisheng revealed that he had rolled the sixth-tier bloodline talents Pure yang and Body of Light-Speed Shadow, while Zuo Qingyun explained that he expected to leave prison after questioning and had sought the White Tiger Marquis’s help.
• Sikong Xin declined Zuo Qingyun’s suggestion that she join West Mountain Hall, saying she would return to her sect for secluded cultivation until she advanced to fifth grade.
• The White Tiger Marquis arrived in a burst of white light, affectionately greeted Zuo Qingyun, and was introduced to Chu Xisheng, who realized she had kept their enemies from attacking on the journey.

After escorting the Zuo family to the capital, Chu Xisheng gathered with allies and announced plans to challenge Wang Ming and Li Xiuchang before leaving. As he strengthened his talents for the coming fights, Ji Qianqian received orders to remain undercover and draw him into cooperating with the Embroidery Guard.

• Du Yunlai and Sikong Xin parted from Chu Xisheng after the Zuo family was taken to the Dali Temple, and Chu Xisheng and Ji Qianqian went to an inn at West City Wharf.
• Wu Meiniang, the Hu Brothers, and Si Huangquan visited Chu Xisheng, and Wu Meiniang apologized for her past treatment of him and arranged for the Battle Pattern Pavilion to support West Mountain Hall.
• Chu Xisheng agreed to spar with Si Huangquan after his duel with Wang Ming and asked the Hu Brothers to invite Li Xiuchang to fight him during the same hour the next day.
• Chu Xisheng used Martial Dao Points to improve his Pure Yang, Body of Light-Speed Shadow, and Ninefold Refinement Ultimate Origin Purple-Gold Body, then failed to find a higher-rank Divine Sorrow talent while refreshing the Martial Dao Treasury.
• Ji Qianqian met with Du Honglian, learned that the Embroidery Guard wanted her to investigate West Mountain Hall's connections, and decided to gain Chu Xisheng's willing cooperation by helping him advance his body-refining art.

Chu Xisheng faced Mad Saber Wang Ming in the capital and defeated him with a lightning-fast saber strike before outmaneuvering his Void Method. After Wang Ming conceded, Chu Xisheng called for Si Huangquan, but Li Xiuchang stepped forward to take the next fight.

• Chu Xisheng practiced the Origin-Nourishing Art, ate breakfast with Ji Qianqian, and headed to West Wharf while martial-world visitors watched and wagered on his fights.
• Chu Xisheng met Wang Ming at the Eastern Sky Society arena, where Wei Flying Dragon agreed to referee their match.
• When Wei Flying Dragon’s coin hit the ground, Chu Xisheng drew first blood with one strike, then used Trace of Wind to counter Wang Ming’s Void Method and cut off his hair.
• Wang Ming began gathering black mist, but Wei Flying Dragon declared that he had lost, and Wang Ming withdrew his power and conceded.
• Chu Xisheng challenged Si Huangquan to fight next, but Li Xiuchang leaped down from the restaurant to face him instead.

Chu Xisheng defeated Li Xiuchang in five moves and Si Huangquan in four, then left the capital by boat for Eastern Province. As assassins hired by a Court of Judicial Review Vice Minister followed him, Mo Qilin set out to catch up and challenge him.

• Li Xiuchang interrupted Chu Xisheng’s planned match with Si Huangquan, but Chu Xisheng defeated him in five moves and left the spectators stunned.
• Chu Xisheng fought Si Huangquan at full strength and defeated him in four moves, while promising to fight him again once he retrieved his hands.
• Chu Xisheng announced that no one challenged his place among the Ten Divine Talented Young Blades, then left for Eastern Province after buying donkey meat soup and flatbreads.
• Ji Qianqian warned Chu Xisheng that Gold Medal Assassins from the Life-Reaping Tower were following their boat, but he chose to face them on the river and noted that he had not yet used his strongest or fastest saber strike.
• At the North Wind Martial Academy, Mo Qilin learned that Li Xiuchang had lost to Chu Xisheng and rode off to catch up with him for a challenge.

Chu Xisheng was attacked on the Canglang River by Life-Reaping Tower assassins, but a Qin Muge character card and Divine Sorrow’s power let him cut down his attackers with single slashes. Ji Qianqian killed the assassins sent after her and learned that Chu Xisheng had already overwhelmed his attackers, so she hurried back to see his strength for herself.

• Chu Xisheng redeemed Divine Sorrow (Stage Six) and used a Near Ink, Blackening Supernatural Power Card on Ji Qianqian as she warned him that pursuers were closing in.
• Ji Qianqian ran ashore and drew four Life-Reaping Tower assassins away, while Chu Xisheng spotted two disguised boatmen carrying Thousand-Leaf Silver Flowers and killed them before they could attack.
• A Black-Covered Fast Boat tried to block Chu Xisheng’s ship, and a spellcaster used Golden Threads to restrain the Heluo Fish zombie as more assassins charged from both directions.
• Chu Xisheng activated the Qin Muge Twelve-Year-Old Character Card and killed a Sixth Grade Lower assassin and two Seventh-Rank assassins with single slashes.
• Chu Xisheng used Trace of Wind to kill a Sixth Grade gold-medal assassin, breaking his wind-escape spell, while the remaining assassins watched in terror.
• Ji Qianqian killed the four assassins pursuing her, then learned from Du Honglian that Chu Xisheng had slain every attacker with one slash and hurried toward the river.

Chu Xisheng killed the Life-Reaping Tower assassins, defeated Mo Qilin, and continued toward Wang'an City with Ye Zhiqiu and Ji Qianqian. At Formless Divine Mountain, the Blood-Yazi Saber reacted strangely to Chu Xisheng’s blood while Qingxu Zi praised his martial insight and placed his booklet among the sect’s top secret arts.

• Chu Xisheng killed the Sixth Grade Spellcaster and the remaining assassins, then reunited with Ye Zhiqiu, who revealed she had secretly accompanied him to protect him.
• Ji Qianqian returned after her pursuers fled, and Ye Zhiqiu grew suspicious of her connection to people hiding near the river.
• Mo Qilin challenged Chu Xisheng, who defeated him with a single exchange and left the spectators sending reports of the fight across the realm.
• Qingxu Zi read Chu Xisheng’s booklet, recognized the value of his integration of White Horse Is Not a Horse into martial arts, and added a True-Meaning Diagram before ordering Ren Daoxing to place it among the sect’s finest secret arts.
• Zong Lingwei dripped Chu Xisheng’s blood onto the Blood-Yazi Saber, which repeatedly rejected and drew the blood back before leaving it as a red line along the blade.

While sailing north, Chu Xisheng advanced his martial arts and stocked up on items from the Martial Dao Treasury before taking secret medicine to strengthen his cultivation. Ye Zhiqiu received word that the Blood-Yazi Divine Saber had not chosen Chu Xisheng as its successor, but the Zhengyang Martial Academy had named him a reserve candidate and ordered his protection.

• Chu Xisheng saw his Martial Dao Points surge, continued training, and brought Wind-Chasing Blade and Light-Cloud Movement to the Seventh Layer.
• Ye Zhiqiu joined Chu Xisheng's voyage, warned him about Ji Qianqian, and clashed with her during the journey.
• After reaching He'an Commandery, Chu Xisheng prepared secret medicine for himself and Little Flathead, then delayed drinking it when the system warned that Treasury prices would change at Seventh-Rank cultivation.
• Chu Xisheng expanded his Storage Slots, stockpiled pills and Qin Muge Character Cards, bought the Wind-Thunder Mysterious Armor, and redeemed Seventh-Rank Supreme Communication with the Divine.
• Chu Xisheng drank the secret medicine and underwent a powerful transformation as Little Flathead absorbed its own portion.
• Ye Zhiqiu read a confidential message stating that the Blood-Yazi Divine Saber had not identified Chu Xisheng as its chosen successor, but the academy would treat him as a reserve candidate and protect him.

After advancing to seventh-rank lower cultivation, Chu Xisheng tested his greatly increased abilities and received word that the gravely wounded criminal Wang Sheng was nearby. He killed Wang Sheng aboard his ship, while Du Honglian’s role in arranging the encounter remained hidden from him.

• Chu Xisheng awoke after his breakthrough, inspected the revised system and treasury, and found his strength, True Essence, and spiritual awareness had increased dramatically.
• Chu Xisheng tested his Divine Sense and Divine Knowing with Little Flathead, then received Cao Xuan’s message about the fugitive Wang Sheng.
• Chu Xisheng decided to pursue Wang Sheng to earn merit for the Embroidery Guard and headed onto the ship’s deck to search the river.
• Du Honglian released Wang Sheng after ordering that his injuries be worsened, intending for Chu Xisheng to kill him and gain merit.
• Wang Sheng fled across the river and attacked Chu Xisheng’s boat, but the Heluo Fish zombies restrained him and Chu Xisheng beheaded him with one saber strike.

Chu Xisheng killed the wounded Blood Dripper Wang Sheng and gained recognition and rewards from the Embroidery Guard. In Eastern Province, the Martial Discourse Tower accepted that Chu Xisheng’s rise could no longer be suppressed, while Wang Chaoyang prepared to attack him through a written article.

• Ye Zhiqiu recognized Wang Sheng’s remains, and Chu Xisheng explained that the Embroidery Guard had sent word to intercept him.
• Chu Xisheng recovered Wang Sheng’s Blood Dripper sword and Blood Suanni necklace, then agreed to hand over the sword in exchange for twenty-four Five-Revolution Golden-Body Pills.
• Cao Xuan praised Chu Xisheng’s role in Wang Sheng’s death and promised to seek a substantial reward for him.
• The chief master of the Martial Discourse Tower ordered Wang Chaoyang to stop interfering in Eastern Hall affairs and told the Eastern Province branch to prepare for Chu Xisheng’s entry into the Azure Cloud Overall Ranking.
• Xie Zhenqing received word that Chu Xisheng had killed Wang Sheng, prompting the vice minister of rites to order the branch to give him special attention and rank him accurately.
• Wang Chaoyang wrote an article praising Chu Xisheng and ordered it published, intending to use the praise to harm him.

Chu Xisheng reached Xunyang Commandery, learned that the Iron Banner Gang had made a temporary peace with the Long Household, and provoked Long Heng into a battle on the river. With a Heluo Fish helping him wreck Long Heng’s cargo ships, Chu Xisheng and Long Heng exchanged attacks and struck each other at the same time.

• Iron Banner Gang boats welcomed Chu Xisheng, and Li Dehou summoned him to the headquarters’ incense assembly on Tie Kuangren’s behalf.
• Chu Xisheng perfected Returning Lightning Slash with his system and integrated it into Lightning-Pursuing Finger while traveling toward Xiushui City.
• Li Dehou told Chu Xisheng that the commandery governor had mediated a temporary truce, but Chu Xisheng confronted Long Heng and challenged him over their old grudge.
• Chu Xisheng leaped onto Long Heng’s ship, and his allies used arrows and a Heluo Fish to support him as he fought Long Heng and damaged the Long Household’s cargo ships.
• Long Heng unleashed Cold Heaven Slash, and Chu Xisheng answered with Trace of Wind; their attacks struck each other almost simultaneously.

Chu Xisheng fought Long Heng on the river, badly wounded him with help from the Heluo Fish zombie, and stopped when Wei Lai enforced a government ban on fighting near the wharf. At an Iron Banner Gang meeting, Tie Kuangren named Chu Xisheng Young Banner Chief and assigned preparations for war before announcing that his own advancement to fourth rank was the next matter to discuss.

• Chu Xisheng exchanged devastating attacks with Long Heng, then used his strengthened body and armor to withstand Long Heng’s sword and drive him back with the Heluo Fish zombie’s help.
• Wei Lai halted the battle under orders from the commandery governor, and Chu Xisheng returned to the Iron Banner Gang headquarters after sheathing his saber.
• Chu Xisheng socialized with the gang’s leaders and members, then attended a council meeting where Tie Kuangren announced his appointment as Deputy Banner Chief and Young Banner Chief.
• Chu Xisheng reluctantly accepted the gang’s support without making a firm promise, while Tie Kuangren ordered the halls to build their strength and prepare for future conflict.
• Tie Kuangren assigned Chu Xisheng’s West Mountain Hall recruitment and expansion tasks, then announced that he intended to advance to fourth rank.

Chu Xisheng accepted the position of Young Banner Chief and prepared West Mountain Hall to protect Xiushui while Tie Kuangren planned a dangerous breakthrough. After attending the Iron Banner Gang’s grand appointment ceremony, Chu Xisheng learned that the Divine-Intent Diagram he had ordered had arrived in Xiushui.

• Tie Kuangren and Tie Xiaosheng persuaded Chu Xisheng to become Young Banner Chief, and Lin Shi warned him to prepare West Mountain Hall to defend Xiushui during Tie Kuangren’s coming breakthrough.
• Chu Xisheng invited Jia Dali to talk, but Jia Dali remained distant and returned to Ancient Market Town.
• Li Shenshan, Wei Yang, and Zhou Liangchen reported West Mountain Hall’s rapid canal construction, stronger fighters, and growing settlements to Chu Xisheng.
• Chu Xisheng attended the Iron Banner Gang’s incense-hall ceremony, received his appointment as Young Banner Chief, and was kept at headquarters overnight after drinking heavily.
• Chu Yunyun and Lu Luanli visited Chu Xisheng, and Chu Yunyun told him that the Zhou Family’s item had arrived: the Divine-Intent Diagram made for the Divine-Intent Death-Touching Saber.

Chu Xisheng had Wu Meiniang inscribe the dangerous Divine-Intent Diagram, completing his second-stage symbiosis with Little Flathead and moving closer to awakening Yazi Blood. He learned that someone was demanding four arenas at the South Street Temple Fair and headed toward a new confrontation.

• Zi Yun berated Jia Dali for giving up after Chu Xisheng’s promotion and West Mountain Hall’s expansion, and a blue light appeared in her eyes as Jia began considering how to stop Chu Xisheng from inheriting the Iron Banner Gang.
• Chu Xisheng asked Wu Meiniang to inscribe the Divine-Intent Diagram, and she warned him that twenty-three people had died trying to draw out its Heavenly Dao resonance.
• Wu Meiniang successfully inscribed the diagram on Chu Xisheng, whose symbiosis with Little Flathead reached the second stage and whose lifespan increased by a month.
• Wu Meiniang fell asleep after finishing the tattoo, and Chu Xisheng paid her before discussing the final step of awakening his Yazi Blood talent with Chu Yunyun.
• Chu Yunyun told Chu Xisheng that the new Commandery Assistant’s brother-in-law had caused trouble at the South Street Temple Fair and demanded four arenas, so Lu Luanli and Ji Qianqian had gone to investigate.

Chu Xisheng watched Liu Ruoxi defeat a powerful opponent before confronting Yuan Ding and Xiahou Shen over their attempt to seize the South Street Temple Fair business. After killing Xiahou Shen’s bodyguard with his newly revealed Dual Saber Astral Force, he ordered the two young men whipped and demanded their families answer to the Iron Banner Gang.

• Chu Yunyun told Chu Xisheng about organizing Zuo Qingyun’s former martial instructors and urged him to fund secret medicine for Li Shenshan and Wei Yang.
• Liu Ruoxi killed her iron-tower-like opponent with one strike, and Chu Xisheng praised her progress.
• Chu Xisheng rejected Yuan Ding’s offer to buy the South Street Temple Fair business and ordered him and Xiahou Shen out of the Victory and Defeat Building.
• Xiahou Shen ordered his bamboo-hatted bodyguard to cripple Chu Xisheng, but Ji Qianqian and Lu Luanli subdued the guards and restrained the two young men.
• Chu Xisheng killed the bodyguard with a concealed second layer of saber astral force, then struck Xiahou Shen and ordered both young men whipped and their families held accountable.

Chu Xisheng dealt with a suspected scheme involving the Eastern Province Circuit Inspector, expanded West Mountain Hall, and profited from the new canal. After gaining registered disciple status at Zhengyang Martial Academy, he reached the Library Tower, where Ye Jingyuan gave him the Divine Wind Bright Mirror Saber.

• Chu Xisheng ordered Xiahou Shen and Yuan Ding whipped, heard that the gamblers’ attack might have been caused by a mental illusion, and asked Wu Meiniang and Lu Pingyuan to investigate.
• Xiahou Dong and the Circuit Inspector’s steward apologized to Chu Xisheng with gifts and took Yuan Ding and Xiahou Shen away; Xiahou Dong later concluded that a mental illusion had manipulated them and suspected the commandery governor.
• Chu Xisheng arranged to fund Ji Qianqian’s sixth-grade secret medicine and resolved to raise Li Shenshan’s and Wei Yang’s cultivation.
• Chu Xisheng expanded West Mountain Hall to twenty-five branches, promoted Li Shenshan and Wei Yang to deputy hall masters, and oversaw the small canal’s opening and its first revenues.
• Chu Xisheng passed Lei Yuan’s assessment, received a registered disciple waist token, and went to the Library Tower, where Ye Jingyuan handed him the Divine Wind Bright Mirror Saber.

Chu Xisheng learned advanced martial arts, gained a promotion and new resources from the Embroidery Guard, and strengthened West Mountain Hall before leading a large force against Nine-Blade Stronghold. As the stronghold’s Xi Quan fled from the advancing army, Chu Xisheng received word that Tie Kuangren had chosen that day to attempt his breakthrough.

• Chu Xisheng studied Divine Wind Bright Mirror Saber, Formless Art, Divine Thunder Insight-Piercing Finger, and Phantom Cloud Trace, then selected Wind-Driven Thunderbolt and Mighty God Pillar Art from the Embroidery Guard’s martial repository.
• Cao Xuan promoted Chu Xisheng to deputy thousand-household commander and offered him Ninefold Refinement Ultimate Origin Purple-Gold Body and Five-Revolution Golden-Body Pills; Chu Xisheng later learned that Mo Qilin’s duel had increased his Blood Essence Points.
• Chu Xisheng learned that Tie Xiaosheng had advanced to lower fifth grade, inspected Dong Family Village, and secured its hunters’ support for the campaign against Nine-Blade Stronghold.
• Chu Xisheng assembled a force of nineteen thousand and ordered Spellcasters to conceal the stronghold in smoke; Xi Quan ordered his men to retreat north rather than face West Mountain Hall’s experts.
• Chu Xisheng received a flying-sword letter from Iron Banner Gang Main Headquarters informing him that Tie Kuangren would attempt his advancement that day.

Tie Xiaosheng discovered that a 17,000-man army was closing on Mi Family Manor while Tie Kuangren was still advancing underground. Jia Dali exposed Pine-Wind Sword Lin Shi as the traitor and died charging the enemy, while Tie Kuangren emerged from the fortress with gray hair, apparently having stopped his advancement.

• Tie Xiaosheng explained that Mi Family Manor sat above rich black iron and heavenly realm fine gold, then learned that 17,000 troops were approaching the fortress.
• Tie Xiaosheng accused Jia Dali of betraying the Iron Banner Gang, but Jia Dali attacked Pine-Wind Sword Lin Shi and revealed that Lin Shi had concealed his lower-fifth-grade cultivation.
• Jia Dali declared his innocence and charged the opposing army, where cavalry trampled him to death; Lin Shi escaped to Sikong Chan and accepted an appointment as commander of a Tianping Army naval camp.
• Sikong Chan attacked Tie Xiaosheng with sword lights as he pursued Lin Shi, forcing Tie Xiaosheng back while the enemy army overwhelmed the fortress's defenders.
• Tie Kuangren emerged from the fortress with his hair and brows turned gray-white, and Sikong Chan and Han Yuyan took his premature appearance as a sign that his advancement had failed.