Chapter Summaries

Han Xue faced Hong Chen and the Hong Family as they threatened the Han Family caravan, and she silently prayed for someone to save them. Xu Ran, who had already arrived, spoke into her ear and asked whether she meant her promise, leaving Han Xue startled and hopeful.

• Han Xue attacked Hong Chen, but he shattered her sword with a Dou Qi Beam and overpowered her.
• Han Xue offered to go with Hong Chen if he spared the caravan, but he refused and ordered the elders to dispose of them.
• Xia Mang and the venomous snakes surrounded the Han Family caravan while Han Xue prayed for someone to save them.
• Xu Ran spoke beside Han Xue's ear, asking whether she was sure about her promise, and she searched for the unseen speaker.

Xu Ran explained why he had waited for the Hong Family to reveal its intentions before acting, then whispered a plan to Han Yue to help rescue Han Xue. Meanwhile, Xia Mang and Hong Chen watched Han Xue until an unknown presence made Xia Mang sense sudden danger.

• Han Yue and Xinlan accused Xu Ran of delaying his rescue, and he claimed he wanted the Hong Family to expose its wrongdoing first.
• Xu Ran teased Xinlan, then privately explained his plan to Han Yue, who agreed to help.
• Xia Mang leered at Han Xue and imagined abusing her, while Hong Chen warned him not to covet her.
• Xia Mang suddenly felt a crushing pressure and demanded to know who was there.

Xu Ran appeared to save the Han Family convoy by killing Xia Mang’s summoned snakes with precise force, then revealed himself to Han Xue. The Hong Family and Xia Mang faced an unknown opponent as Han Xue recognized the expert who had helped her.

• Xu Ran killed Xia Mang’s venomous snakes in an instant without damaging the surrounding trees or grass.
• Han Chong asked the unseen expert to save the Han Family, and the voice said Han Xue had already paid for his help.
• The Han Family realized that Han Xue had somehow become acquainted with the powerful expert, while she worried about her private promise to serve him.
• Xu Ran appeared beside Han Xue and warned her not to consider denying that promise.
• Han Xue fell in surprise, then examined Xu Ran and realized he was the person who had spoken.

Xu Ran teased Han Xue with declarations of love at first sight while she mistook his words and willingness to face danger for genuine devotion. The Hong Family elders dismissed him as no threat, leaving Xu Ran and Han Xue surrounded by Hong Chen and his companions.

• Han Xue was captivated by Xu Ran's extraordinary appearance, and he accused her of being lovestruck.
• Han Xue angrily denied liking Xu Ran, but she admitted she was worried about the three Dou Huangs and the Dou Wang Peak opponent.
• Xu Ran claimed he had come to die alongside Han Xue, and she was deeply moved by his supposed devotion.
• Xu Ran asked Han Xue whether she believed in love at first sight, and she accepted his feelings as genuine.
• The Hong Family elders laughed at Xu Ran, while Hong Chen watched him and Han Xue jealously.

Xia Mang transformed into a giant serpent and devastated the Han Family’s escort, prompting Han Xue to offer herself as a hostage so Xu Ran could escape. Xu Ran took her broken sword and told her to watch, leaving Han Xue to realize he had concealed his true strength.

• Xia Mang changed into his serpentine Magical Beast form and slammed the ground, gravely injuring the Han Family’s escort.
• Han Xue resolved to buy Xu Ran time by threatening to take her own life if the pursuers tried to capture her.
• Xu Ran questioned how Han Xue could delay enemies far stronger than either of them, while she vowed not to let them take her alive.
• Han Xue admitted her feelings to Xu Ran as she believed they were facing death, and Xu Ran privately reflected on how his actions had won her trust.
• Xu Ran borrowed Han Xue’s damaged sword, held her close, and told her to stay silent and watch.
• Han Xue realized Xu Ran had deceived her about his strength and wondered whether he could save them.

Xu Ran killed Xia Mang with a single sword stroke, leaving Hong Chen and the others stunned. Han Xue learned that Xu Ran had been hiding his strength, scolded him for frightening her, and ended up held in his arms as he warned her to stop squirming.

• Xia Mang attacked Xu Ran and Han Xue, but Xu Ran cut the Magical Beast in two with one sword stroke.
• Hong Chen, the Hong Family Elders, Han Chong, and the others stared in disbelief at Xia Mang's death.
• Xu Ran told Han Xue to open her eyes, and she saw that he had killed Xia Mang.
• Han Xue questioned Xu Ran about his strength and pinched him for making her fear they would die together.
• Xu Ran pulled Han Xue into a tight embrace and warned that he would spank her if she kept squirming, so she went still.

Xu Ran dismissed the Hong Family and the Wind and Thunder Pavilion, then revealed that he came from the Northwest Continent. Hong Chen mocked his origins and urged him to leave, unaware that Xu Ran considered himself the strongest even in the Central Plains.

• Xu Ran reassured Han Xue before confronting the frightened Hong Family elders and dismissing their faction as insignificant.
• Hong Chen invoked the Wind and Thunder Pavilion’s reputation, while Han Xue warned Xu Ran that the powerful faction threatened her family.
• Xu Ran questioned the pavilion’s importance, and the System Lady agreed to watch for Xiao Yan approaching a girl at the Falling Star Pavilion.
• When Hong Chen asked where Xu Ran came from, Xu Ran answered that he was from the Northwest Continent, stunning Han Xue and the others.
• Hong Chen mocked the Northwest Continent and boasted about his future teacher and the pavilion master, then told Xu Ran to leave and keep a low profile.

Xu Ran killed Hong Chen’s two Dou Huang elders and pursued Hong Chen to his death, then gave their Spatial Rings to Han Xue. The chapter left Han Xue collecting the spoils while Xu Ran continued holding her until she asked him to let go.

• Xu Ran’s sword slash killed the two Hong Family elders despite their attempts to flee and defend themselves.
• Xu Ran pointed his sword at Hong Chen, who warned that the Wind and Thunder Pavilion would retaliate against the Han Family.
• Xu Ran gave Hong Chen three seconds to run, then sent sword strikes after him and shredded him into minced flesh.
• Xu Ran gathered four Spatial Rings from the dead and offered them to Han Xue, who initially refused them.
• Xu Ran tossed the rings away and reluctantly let Han Xue go, and she hurried to collect the valuable rings and their contents.

Xu Ran let Han Xue keep the Storage Rings he had won, and the two flirted while the Han Family escort watched. Han Yue and Xinlan arrived, leaving Han Xue and the escort astonished by their apparent connection to Xu Ran.

• Han Xue celebrated the recovered wealth and offered Xu Ran a share, but he told her to keep the Storage Rings and decide how to use them.
• Han Xue teased Xu Ran for looking at her, and he flirted back as the Han Family escort watched their exchange.
• Han Yue arrived with Xinlan and warned Xu Ran not to bully her little sister.
• Han Xue and the escort recognized Han Yue, then wondered about her relationship with Xu Ran and what it meant for Han Xue.

Han Yue reunited with Han Xue after Xu Ran rescued her, and Han Xue learned that Xu Ran was her sister’s lover and that Xinlan shared the same relationship with him. The sisters began discussing Xu Ran while he took Xinlan away to spend time alone.

• Han Xue embraced Han Yue, then realized Xu Ran was her sister’s boyfriend and struggled with her own feelings for him.
• Han Yue introduced Xinlan as a young fourth grade Alchemist and took Han Xue aside to talk privately.
• Xu Ran carried Xinlan to a secluded oasis after she asked him to find somewhere private.
• Han Xue asked Han Yue how she and Xu Ran got together and what Xinlan’s relationship with him was.
• Han Yue told Han Xue that Xinlan’s relationship with Xu Ran was the same as her own.

Han Xue confronted Han Yue about sharing Xu Ran with other women, but Han Yue defended her love for him and explained why she considered him exceptional. Han Xue stayed unaware that Han Yue and her family had already made an agreement concerning her.

• Han Xue asked Han Yue whether she had chosen Xu Ran for his power and the benefits he could bring the family.
• Han Yue laughed off Han Xue’s suspicion and said she genuinely loved Xu Ran, praising his talents and character.
• Han Xue decided Xu Ran had bewitched her sister and resolved to keep her distance from him.
• Han Xue chose not to tell Han Yue that Xu Ran had taken liberties with her after seeing how deeply her sister loved him.
• Han Yue considered telling Han Xue about her agreement with Xu Ran, then held back and expected Han Xue to fall for him too.

Han Yue assured Han Xue that Xu Ran was powerful enough to handle the Wind and Thunder Pavilion, while Han Xue tried to suppress her growing feelings for him. After the group prepared to leave, Han Xue grew jealous of Xu Ran and Xinlan riding together, and Han Yue openly envied them.

• Han Yue told Han Xue that Xu Ran was stronger than the Wind and Thunder Pavilion’s pavilion master and that the Han Family need not fear retaliation for Hong Chen’s death.
• Han Xue admitted to herself that she was conflicted about Xu Ran and avoided learning more about him to protect her relationship with Han Yue.
• Xu Ran and Xinlan returned together on one horse after Han Chong and the others finished sorting the spoils.
• Han Xue confronted Xu Ran coldly, then climbed into the carriage after he reminded her that he had saved her.
• Han Chong announced that the group was ready to leave, and Xu Ran rode off with Xinlan in his arms.
• Han Yue watched Xu Ran and Xinlan ride together with envy, startling Han Xue with her lovesick reaction.

Xu Ran and the Han Family caravan reached Northern Sky City, where he joked about becoming the family’s son-in-law and gave Han Chong a pill that could help him advance to Dou Huang. Han Chong accepted Xu Ran’s offer to reward loyalty, while Han Yue grew more determined to discover what had made her sister fall for him.

• As the caravan neared Northern Sky City, Xinlan scolded Xu Ran for his behavior on the journey and pushed him away when he got affectionate.
• Han Yue watched Xu Ran and Xinlan together with jealousy, while Han Xue worried about Han Yue’s growing obsession with Xu Ran.
• Han Chong thanked Xu Ran for saving the caravan, and Xu Ran told him to call him the Han Family’s young master-in-law.
• Han Chong praised Xu Ran as a match for both young ladies, and Xu Ran agreed with him.
• Xu Ran secretly gave Han Chong a pill that could help him break through to Dou Huang and told him to prove his loyalty to the Han Family.

Xu Ran and Xinlan arrived with Han Yue and Han Xue at the Han Family’s base, where Han Lin reacted jealously to Han Yue introducing Xu Ran as her boyfriend. He challenged Han Yue’s right to choose her own marriage, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Han Chong thanked Xu Ran for helping him cultivate as a rider approached the convoy.
• Han Lin arrived and eagerly greeted Han Xue, then showed respect to Han Yue.
• Han Yue greeted Xu Ran warmly, while Han Xue privately worried that her sister was too quick to forgive his affection with Xinlan.
• Han Xue introduced Xu Ran as Han Yue’s boyfriend and an honored guest of the Han Family.
• Han Lin questioned Xu Ran’s closeness with Xinlan, then argued that Han Yue should marry within the Han Family because she would inherit its leadership.

Han Yue brought Xu Ran into the Han Family residence after he killed Hong Chen, two Hong Family Elders, and Xia Mang. As word of his strength spread through the Han Family, its members were left stunned by the loss of the Hong Family’s prized fighters.

• Han Yue dismissed Han Lin’s objections and led Xu Ran into Northern Sky City, while Han Xue warned Han Lin not to offend him.
• Han Chong and the convoy members told Han Lin that Xu Ran had killed Hong Chen, two Hong Family Elders, and Xia Mang during their journey.
• Han Chong showed Han Lin the loot taken from Xia Mang, convincing him that the convoy’s story was true.
• Han Yue took Xu Ran and Xinlan into the Han Family residence and arranged rooms for them.
• News of the killings spread through the Han Family, whose members struggled to believe Xu Ran had slain four formidable opponents, including the Hong Family’s prized genius, Hong Chen.

The Han Family discussed the consequences of killing Hong Chen and learned from Han Chi that Xu Ran could easily handle the Wind and Thunder Pavilion. Han Yue and Han Xue were astonished by Han Chi’s reverence for Xu Ran, as the family prepared to welcome him carefully.

• After seeing the sixth-rank snake demon’s corpse, the Han Family worried that killing Hong Chen would bring trouble from the Wind and Thunder Pavilion.
• Han Chi reassured the family that the Wind and Thunder Pavilion posed no threat while Xu Ran stood behind them.
• Han Tian and the other elders realized Xu Ran was a powerful figure, and Han Chi told them to treat him as an honored guest.
• When the elders teased Han Chi about being Xu Ran’s father-in-law, Han Chi defended his respectful attitude, while Han Yue and Han Xue were left astonished by Xu Ran’s stature.

Han Chi explained why he revered Xu Ran and urged the Han Family to seize the opportunity his marriage to Han Yue offered. After the family decided to publicize the Hong Family’s defeat, Han Xue confronted her father about his deference to Xu Ran, and Han Chi defended it as necessary for the family’s future.

• Han Chi said Xu Ran was far beyond the Hall of Souls and the Pill Tower, persuading the Han Family elders that he could become their powerful backer.
• The elders celebrated Han Yue’s marriage to Xu Ran and regretted that they had ever considered marrying her to Hong Chen.
• Han Tian asked whether the family should announce the Hong Family’s losses, and Han Chi ordered the Han Family members to be summoned before the news was released.
• Han Chi dismissed the elders and told them not to disturb Xu Ran unless necessary.
• Han Xue accused Han Chi of acting spinelessly, and he replied that Xu Ran deserved reverence and could change the Han Family’s fortunes.

Han Xue struggled to reconcile Xu Ran’s reputation with her suspicions about his behavior, while Xu Ran teased her about the promise she had made when he saved her. After he comforted her and claimed to be the world’s greatest man of talent, Han Xue laughed and refused to believe him.

• Han Xue left the hall puzzled by the elders’ admiration for Xu Ran and reconsidered whether she had misjudged him.
• Xu Ran teased Han Xue about her promise to give anything in return for being rescued, and she angrily reminded him that he was already with her sister.
• Han Xue began to cry, so Xu Ran pulled her close and wiped away her tears while she pounded him with Dou Qi.
• Han Xue escaped his embrace and challenged Xu Ran to prove his many talents, questioning his boast that he was the world’s greatest man of talent.

Han Xue challenged Xu Ran to prove his talents in various fields, starting with a game of Go. Despite giving Han Xue a three-stone handicap, Xu Ran defeated her, leaving her mortified.

• Han Xue demanded that Xu Ran demonstrate his abilities and promised to let him do whatever he wanted if he succeeded.
• Han Xue chose Go for their first contest, and Xu Ran claimed his skill was slightly above ninth dan.
• Xu Ran agreed to give Han Xue a three-stone handicap, and she eagerly placed the opening stones.
• Han Xue initially mocked Xu Ran’s seemingly random moves, but she realized they were surrounding her stones.
• Han Xue admitted defeat and turned green with embarrassment after losing despite her handicap.

Xu Ran silenced Han Xue’s doubts by displaying extraordinary calligraphy and reciting a famous lyric, leaving her overwhelmed by his talent and questioning her feelings for him. Han Xue ended the chapter torn between her anger at Xu Ran’s womanizing and the powerful attraction she felt toward him.

• Han Xue asked Xu Ran to demonstrate his calligraphy and prepared ink for him.
• Xu Ran wrote an elegant passage in running script, astonishing Han Xue with both its artistic mastery and its prose.
• Han Xue admitted she could find no fault with Xu Ran’s calligraphy and asked him to compose a poem.
• Xu Ran recited a lyric about searching through a crowd and finding someone beneath sparse lantern lights.
• Han Xue wondered whether the lyric was meant for her and felt her resolve weaken despite her anger at Xu Ran’s many relationships.
• Han Xue realized she understood why her sister loved Xu Ran, while remaining confused about what she herself wanted.