Recaps

Jiang Fa and Xing Lieshan defeated a bandit ambush and discovered the attackers belonged to Black Wind Stronghold, whose unusual tactics suggested they wanted more than ordinary cargo. After learning the sealed crates were far heavier than silk and porcelain, Jiang Fa urged the escort to reach Lin County quickly before the stronghold struck again.

• Jiang Fa killed one bandit leader, and Xing Lieshan and Jiang Fa killed the spear-wielding leader, causing the remaining bandits to flee.
• Jiang Fa examined a crude, quenched pig-iron arrowhead and warned Xing Lieshan that the bandits appeared trained and unusually equipped.
• Xing Lieshan found a token identifying the attackers as Black Wind Stronghold and explained that its chief, Black Whirlwind, commanded a powerful force.
• Zhao Chuan reported that the bandits had coated their blades with Bone-Rotting Grass, and Xing Lieshan ordered the wounded to cut away poisoned flesh and wash their wounds.
• Xing Lieshan revealed that the crates were too heavy to contain silk and porcelain and that Young Master Lin had forbidden him to open them.
• Jiang Fa warned that Black Wind Stronghold would likely attack again and said the convoy needed to reach Lin County as quickly as possible.

Jiang Fa and Xing Lieshan’s caravan faced a series of ambushes by Black Wind Stronghold on the road to Lin County. At the Bridge of Helplessness, Xing Lieshan confronted a mysterious saber-wielding stranger as Jiang Fa watched from behind.

• Xing Lieshan led the caravan through the dangerous King of Hell’s Nose and ordered everyone to keep moving through any attack.
• Jiang Fa redirected a falling boulder away from a mule cart, climbed the cliff, and killed the three bandits preparing another rock.
• Xing Lieshan ordered the caravan to charge onward, and Jiang Fa warned him that Black Wind Stronghold would likely strike again.
• At the Bridge of Helplessness, Jiang Fa warned Xing Lieshan that the narrow crossing was an ideal ambush site, but Xing Lieshan stepped onto the bridge to scout ahead.
• A small, gray-robed man in a conical hat appeared at the far end of the bridge, and Jiang Fa recognized the danger in his presence.

Tu Lie overwhelmed Jiang Fa, Xing Lieshan, and Liu Ying on the Bridge of Helplessness, but a Third Tier Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape appeared just as he was about to kill Jiang Fa. Tu Lie turned toward the beast as it faced the people on the bridge.

• Tu Lie revealed himself and attacked Xing Lieshan, driving him back with a single palm strike.
• Jiang Fa exchanged blows with Tu Lie and briefly counterattacked, but Tu Lie’s peak An Jin strength eventually sent him crashing onto the bridge.
• Liu Ying and Xing Lieshan joined the fight, but Tu Lie repelled both of them while Jiang Fa resumed his attack.
• After fifty exchanges, Tu Lie unleashed his full strength, knocked Jiang Fa’s saber away, and left him badly injured.
• Tu Lie prepared to kill Jiang Fa when a roar shook the gorge and an enormous Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape leaped onto the cliff by the bridge.

The Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape attacked the people on the Bridge of Helplessness, forcing Tu Lie to flee while Jiang Fa and the others were left helpless. Just as the beast moved to crush Jiang Fa, a powerful girl in black appeared and knocked it back, revealing she had chased it for three days and three nights.

• The Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape roared and leaped at Tu Lie, who dodged its pounce and fled after his saber failed to harm it.
• Tu Lie ordered the Black Wind Stronghold's hidden troops to loose arrows, then escaped across the bridge while the arrows bounced off the beast.
• The Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape turned on Jiang Fa, and Xing Lieshan attacked it but was struck down by its tail.
• A girl in black flew onto the bridge and knocked the Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape aside with one punch, saving Jiang Fa from its descending claw.
• The girl in black told the Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape that she had chased it for three days and three nights.

A mysterious girl in black defeated the Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape on the Bridge of Helplessness, saving Jiang Fa from the beast. She warned him to stay away from Black Wind Ridge and urged him to continue toward Lin County.

• The girl in black punched the Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape back and told Jiang Fa to move out of the fight.
• She withstood the ape's full-force charge, battered it with repeated strikes, and killed it with a powerful punch that collapsed part of the bridge.
• Jiang Fa thanked the girl, who explained that she had chased the ape for three days after it began attacking hunters and herb gatherers.
• When Jiang Fa asked what had happened deep in Black Wind Ridge, the girl warned him to stay away without explaining further.
• The girl took the beast core and left the ape's carcass to Jiang Fa as payment.
• Before departing, the girl confirmed Jiang Fa's cargo was bound for Lin County and urged him to move on before the man from earlier noticed the commotion.

After surviving Tu Lie’s attack and the Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape’s arrival, Jiang Fa helped the wounded escort convoy reach Lin County. The group delivered its cargo, and Jiang Fa received thanks from Liu Ying and Xing Lieshan before the story left him in the city the next morning.

• Jiang Fa treated Xing Lieshan and other wounded escort hands, then reflected on his weakness against Peak An Jin and the gains he had made in battle.
• Zhao Chuan and the surviving escort hands regrouped, loaded the dead and badly wounded onto carts, and led the convoy across the damaged bridge toward Lin County.
• Xing Lieshan presented the travel permit at Lin County’s gate, paid a guard, and brought the convoy to the Lin Lineage warehouse to deliver the cargo and report casualties.
• Liu Ying thanked Jiang Fa at the inn and apologized for her earlier discourtesy, while Jiang Fa credited her and Xing Lieshan for holding Tu Lie back.
• The next morning, Xing Lieshan thanked Jiang Fa for saving his life and promised to repay the debt, and Jiang Fa saluted before leaving the room.

Jiang Fa strolled through Lin County with Xu Feng and Zhao Chuan, who thanked him for saving their lives during the escort mission. Their conversation turned to the dark iron essence gold hidden in the Lin Lineage’s cargo, and Jiang Fa left the tea shop concerned that the secret might attract bandits.

• Xu Feng and Zhao Chuan brought Jiang Fa sesame candy flatbreads and invited him to explore Lin County.
• At a tea shop, Xu Feng and Zhao Chuan thanked Jiang Fa for standing against Tu Lie and discussed the mysterious black-clad girl who fought the Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape.
• Xu Feng asked about the escort reward, and Jiang Fa said the trading company would pay after they returned to Qingshan County.
• Xu Feng revealed that a damaged cargo crate had contained dark iron essence gold worth several thousand taels, and Zhao Chuan realized why Black Wind Stronghold had targeted the shipment.
• Xu Feng speculated that the Lin Lineage might have found a dark iron essence gold mine, while Jiang Fa confirmed Xu Feng had told no one else.

Xu Feng suggested that Jiang Fa repair his notched demon-head saber at a Lin County blacksmith’s shop, where the old smith restored it and offered to reforge it with ink-patterned refined steel. When a brocade-clad young master demanded the saber, Jiang Fa refused and confronted him and his attendants.

• Xu Feng persuaded Jiang Fa to leave his damaged saber at the blacksmith’s shop for repairs, and Jiang Fa paid three taels for the work.
• Jiang Fa visited Xing Lieshan at the inn, and Xing Lieshan gave him a guest retainer’s waist token from the Weiyuan Escort Agency.
• Jiang Fa returned to the shop four hours later, collected his restored saber, and heard the old blacksmith recommend ink-patterned refined steel for a future reforging.
• A brocade-clad young master demanded to buy Jiang Fa’s saber, while his attendants insulted Jiang Fa and pressured him to sell.
• Jiang Fa refused and told the young master that the choice to sell his saber was none of their business.

Jiang Fa defeated the Sun Clan’s martial artist after the group tried to take his saber, then forced them to pay for the damage they caused at the smithy. He left the old blacksmith with silver for repairs and returned to the inn, where the escort runners greeted him with respect.

• The Sun Clan attendant attacked Jiang Fa, but Jiang Fa knocked him down with one punch and left him severely injured.
• The brocade-clad young master and his companions tried to flee, but Jiang Fa blocked the exit and made them pay for the smithy’s damage.
• The young master collected silver from his attendants, including taking the woman’s bracelet, before Jiang Fa ordered them to leave.
• The injured attendant pretended to be unconscious until Jiang Fa called him out, then limped away.
• The old blacksmith warned Jiang Fa that the Sun Clan was dangerous, and Jiang Fa offered him twenty taels of silver to repair the shop.
• Jiang Fa returned to the inn, where the lightly wounded escort runners stood and saluted him.

After recovering from his injuries, Jiang Fa learned that beast tides were spreading from Black Wind Ridge, then returned safely to Qingshan County and received payment for the escort mission. He ended the chapter heading back to the martial hall with Xu Feng and Zhao Chuan, carrying nearly three hundred taels to support his cultivation.

• Xing Lieshan reassured Jiang Fa that the Sun Clan was unlikely to retaliate, and Jiang Fa cultivated while recovering from his wounds.
• A constable announced that the yamen was recruiting martial artists to hunt beasts as fierce beasts fled Black Wind Ridge and threatened nearby settlements.
• Jiang Fa spent three calm days recovering and practicing before Xing Lieshan arranged escorts to take him and his companions back to Qingshan County.
• Lin Dingyuan thanked Jiang Fa for protecting the caravan and paid him one hundred and fifty taels, including his share from the Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape's carcass.
• Jiang Fa calculated that his savings had grown to nearly three hundred taels and returned to the martial hall with Xu Feng and Zhao Chuan.

Lin Feng visited Jiang Fa to apologize for the dangerous escort mission and revealed that the caravan had secretly carried dark iron essence gold. He warned that a trading house mole had likely informed Black Wind Stronghold and left Jiang Fa with a reward and a warning to watch for Tu Lie.

• Lin Feng apologized to Jiang Fa for nearly drawing him into disaster during the escort mission.
• Lin Feng revealed that the caravan had carried dark iron essence gold from a secret mineral vein discovered by the Lin Lineage.
• Jiang Fa asked how Black Wind Stronghold had learned about the shipment, and Lin Feng suspected a mole in the trading house.
• Lin Feng gave Jiang Fa one hundred taels as a personal reward and money for medicine.
• Lin Feng warned Jiang Fa that Tu Lie remained at large and advised him to be careful when traveling alone.

Jiang Fa reflected on the limits of his cultivation and the vast gap between An Jin and transforming force after witnessing the battle with Tu Lie. At the Li Clan residence, Li Canghai learned that Black Wind Stronghold’s ambush had failed and grew suspicious of Jiang Fa’s rapid rise, leaving his response undecided.

• Jiang Fa considered how to divide his silver between advancing his Seven-Colored Glazed Glass Art and improving his martial cultivation realm.
• Jiang Fa recalled Tu Lie’s powerful saber strike and the black-clad girl’s punch, recognizing how much strength could outweigh technique.
• Li Canghai learned that Tu Lie’s ambush on the Lin Lineage’s caravan had failed, with heavy losses and no dark iron essence gold taken.
• A guard told Li Canghai that Jiang Fa, a newly appointed Lin Lineage Attendant, had reached An Jin in less than a year and defeated two of Tu Lie’s An Jin leaders.
• Li Canghai questioned whether Jiang Fa had concealed his abilities or possessed an extraordinary opportunity, and the chapter ended as he considered whether the youth’s reported performance was credible.

Li Canghai ordered measures to obstruct the Lin Lineage’s mining while secretly searching for its dark iron essence gold vein. Wang Chengde revealed that the Wang Family had leaked the information to manipulate the Li Clan, then discussed a larger scheme and ordered more blood slaves gathered.

• Li Canghai told his guard to hide Tu Lie, contact the Blood Wolf Gang, spread rumors about the Lin Lineage, and arrange routine inspections to delay its caravans.
• Li Canghai ordered trusted experts to locate the mineral vein and warned that making it public would attract powerful rivals and authorities.
• Wang Yanzhi reported that the Wang Family’s informants had tracked the Li Clan’s actions, and Wang Chengde admitted that his family had leaked the vein’s location to provoke Li Canghai.
• Wang Chengde explained that the resulting chaos would help the Wang Family’s larger scheme, which he said could bring Qingshan under its control.
• Wang Yanzhi reported that the Black Tiger Gang had delivered five people to serve as blood slaves, and Wang Chengde ordered him to increase their numbers.

Jiang Fa told Zhao Zhong about his encounter with Tu Lie and revealed that he had cultivated the Cloak Saber to major accomplishment. Zhao Zhong, astonished by Jiang Fa’s progress, handed him an iron saber and asked him to demonstrate.

• Jiang Fa went to the Teaching Hall after a disciple relayed Zhao Zhong’s summons.
• Zhao Zhong praised Jiang Fa’s stabilized An Jin cultivation and asked about his encounter with Tu Lie.
• Jiang Fa recounted the clash with Tu Lie, the Earth-Shaking Demonic Ape’s appearance, and the black-clad girl’s intervention.
• Zhao Zhong explained his history with Tu Lie and praised Jiang Fa for surviving their saber exchanges and killing the stronghold’s second chief.
• Jiang Fa said he had cultivated the Cloak Saber to major accomplishment, startling Zhao Zhong.
• Zhao Zhong gave Jiang Fa an unsharpened iron saber and asked him to demonstrate the Cloak Saber.

Jiang Fa demonstrated his mastery of the Cloak Saber, impressing Zhao Zhong, who explained why poor innate constitution makes the Transforming Force breakthrough exceptionally difficult and dangerous. Jiang Fa left the discussion confident that his talent would help him overcome the bottleneck.

• Jiang Fa performed the Cloak Saber with seamless skill, and Zhao Zhong praised his comprehension despite his inferior innate constitution.
• Jiang Fa asked whether innate constitution mattered, and Zhao Zhong explained that it shaped the difficulty of advancing through the martial realms.
• Zhao Zhong told Jiang Fa that reaching Transforming Force required shattering and remaking An Jin, with seven or eight of ten attempts failing.
• Zhao Zhong said successful breakthroughs depended on a strong foundation, while those with poor innate constitution risked crippled cultivation or death.
• Jiang Fa privately concluded that his talent meant he did not need to fear martial bottlenecks.

Jiang Fa received three Qi and Blood Elixirs from Zhao Zhong, who warned him about the Lin Lineage and advised him not to pursue the mysterious girl in black. After refining all three pills, Jiang Fa greatly strengthened his An Jin and brought himself to the verge of Middle An Jin.

• Zhao Zhong gave Jiang Fa three Qi and Blood Elixirs and cautioned him to take them carefully while steadily building his foundation.
• Jiang Fa asked about the girl in black, and Zhao Zhong guessed she was likely from the prefectural city and warned him not to investigate her.
• Jiang Fa returned to his room and swallowed an elixir, refining its potent medicinal energy with the Mountain-Breaking Stance.
• Over the next two days, Jiang Fa refined the other two elixirs, rapidly increasing his Mountain-Breaking Stance progress and strengthening his An Jin.
• After using all three elixirs, Jiang Fa found that he was only one step away from breaking through to Middle An Jin.

Jiang Fa returned to Yellow Earth Town through heavy snow for the New Year and reunited with his family. The chapter left him warming himself at home with his parents after more than half a year away.

• Jiang Fa packed silver, his saber, lanterns, and sweets before leaving Qingshan County on foot.
• Jiang Fa encountered Liu Dazhuang in Yellow Earth Town, and Liu urged him to hurry home to his waiting parents.
• Jiang Fa reached his family courtyard and reunited with his tearful mother, Lady Chen.
• Jiang Fa entered the warm main room, where Jiang Dashan welcomed him and told him to sit by the brazier.

Jiang Fa returned home in heavy snow and reunited with Jiang Xiaohe, Jiang Dashan, and Lady Chen, sharing his success with the Lin Lineage and giving his family money and a bracelet. After his father urged him to use his martial skills justly, Jiang Fa rested at home, feeling safe for the first time in a long while.

• Jiang Xiaohe welcomed Jiang Fa home, admired his ghost-head saber, and asked about his life at the martial hall.
• Jiang Fa shared a meal with Jiang Xiaohe and told him that hard work might let him enter a martial hall someday.
• Jiang Fa gave Jiang Dashan silver to repair the house and buy clothes and medicine, and gave Lady Chen an emerald bracelet.
• Jiang Dashan learned that Jiang Fa served the Lin Lineage and advised him to use his skills for protection rather than bullying others.
• Jiang Fa talked with Jiang Xiaohe, then lay in his clean childhood room and felt secure as snow covered the village.

Jiang Fa’s family received a stream of neighbors and relatives bringing gifts and praising his success, and Chen Yue'e arrived after dark to visit her nephew. She said she had come not only to offer New Year’s greetings but also to discuss something wonderful with him.

• Jiang Fa woke early and helped Jiang Dashan clear the snow before joining his family for breakfast.
• Neighbors and relatives brought gifts to the Jiang home, praising Jiang Fa and celebrating his achievements.
• Jiang Fa calmly welcomed the visitors while his family handled the gifts and conversation.
• Chen Yue'e arrived with sweets for the family and admired Jiang Fa’s changed appearance.
• Chen Yue'e told Jiang Fa she had come to discuss something wonderful with him.

Jiang Fa’s aunt Chen Yue'e arranged a marriage meeting with Tang Jin'er, the daughter of a wealthy squire, and persuaded him to visit the Tang residence on the fifth day of the first lunar month. Jiang Fa agreed to go only to meet her and left the outcome to fate.

• Chen Yue'e asked Jiang Fa whether he had someone he liked, then revealed that Squire Tang had asked about arranging a match with his daughter Tang Jin'er.
• Chen Yue'e told the family that Jiang Fa was invited to visit the Tang residence on the fifth day of the first lunar month.
• Jiang Fa hesitated because he wanted to focus on martial arts, but agreed out of gratitude for his aunt’s past kindness.
• Jiang Xiaohe asked whether Jiang Fa was getting a wife, and Jiang Fa told him to eat his drumstick.
• Chen Yue'e stayed overnight, then left the next morning with cured duck from Lady Chen.

Jiang Fa traveled to Clear River Town for a matchmaking meeting with the Tang family’s daughter. Old Master Tang and Lady Zhou were initially impressed by his bearing, but their interest waned when they learned he had practiced martial arts for only one year.

• Lady Chen gave Jiang Fa a fine indigo robe to wear to the meeting, and Chen Yue'e brought a tiny sedan chair to take him to Clear River Town.
• Chen Yue'e escorted Jiang Fa to the Tang residence, where the steward welcomed them and led them to the reception hall.
• Jiang Fa greeted Old Master Tang and Lady Zhou and told them he studied at the Zhao Clan Martial Hall.
• Old Master Tang and Lady Zhou lost much of their interest after Jiang Fa said he had trained there for only one year.

Jiang Fa visited the Tang family for a marriage meeting, but Old Master Tang judged him unsuitable while Tang Jin'er remained distant. Outside, Tang Jin'er met her maid and prepared to signal a plan involving Young Master Meng.

• Chen Yue'e praised Jiang Fa to Old Master Tang, who questioned Jiang Fa's aptitude and cultivation before concluding his foundations were too shallow.
• Tang Jin'er entered the reception room, exchanged formal greetings with Jiang Fa, and showed little interest in speaking with him.
• Old Master Tang privately told Lady Zhou to find a polite pretext to reject Jiang Fa and complained that Tang Jin'er still favored Meng.
• Tang Jin'er left the reception room, met Cuizhu beneath an old plum tree, and asked whether the others were in position.
• Cuizhu said three people had climbed into the west courtyard and Young Master Meng was waiting for their signal.

Tang Jin'er drugged Third Master Zhao to help Meng Chang take her away, but the men Meng brought attacked the Tang household and revealed their plan to rob it. The guards were left facing three hardened criminals as Ding Kui ordered them to cripple anyone who resisted.

• Tang Jin'er told Cuizhu to put Skill-Dissolving Powder in Third Master Zhao's wine so Meng Chang could take her away.
• Meng Chang forced his way into the Tang residence, and Tang Jin'er defied Old Master Tang by shielding him from being thrown out.
• Ding Kui, Mo Laoliu, and Han Qing ambushed Third Master Zhao, whose strength had been weakened by the powder, and wounded him severely.
• The three criminals attacked the Tang residence's guards, while Meng Chang and Tang Jin'er realized the violence had exceeded their plan.
• Ding Kui ordered his companions to cripple the guards and loot the household, threatening to kill anyone who resisted.

Ding Kui and his men revealed that they had used Meng Chang to infiltrate the Tang estate and demanded the family’s valuables. When Meng Chang chose to obey rather than die, he began tearing Tang Jin’er’s clothes while Jiang Fa waited and Han Qing turned his attention to Chen Yue'e.

• Ding Kui admitted that the gang had targeted the Tang Family’s wealth and ordered Meng Chang to make Old Master Tang hand over its valuables.
• Ding Kui threatened Tang Jin’er and told Meng Chang to strip her clothes while Old Master Tang and Lady Zhou watched in horror.
• Meng Chang broke down under Ding Kui’s threat and began tearing Tang Jin’er’s clothes as she begged him to stop.
• Jiang Fa assessed the strength of Ding Kui, Mo Laoliu, and Han Qing, but held back to see whether they had more tricks.
• Han Qing spotted Chen Yue'e in the reception room and walked toward her, saying he would have his way with her.

Jiang Fa intervened as Han Qing and Ding Kui’s men threatened Chen Yue'e and Tang Jin'er, killing Han Qing, Mo Laoliu, and Ding Kui in combat. He protected Tang Jin'er afterward and left Meng Chang’s fate to Master Tang.

• As Meng Chang began tearing Tang Jin'er's inner robe, Jiang Fa killed Han Qing with one punch to stop him from attacking Chen Yue'e.
• Jiang Fa killed Mo Laoliu with a punch, then broke Ding Kui’s saber and knocked him down before killing him with a kick.
• Jiang Fa covered the sobbing Tang Jin'er with his robe while Meng Chang cowered nearby.
• Jiang Fa told Master Tang that Meng Chang’s fate was for the Tang family to decide.