Recaps

Helan Shan overwhelmed Qin Xuan with a relentless barrage of simple punches, forcing him to stop retreating and meet a blow with Mountain-Breaking Fist. Qin Xuan dissolved most of Helan Shan’s force with An Jin, but Helan Shan remained eager to fight and criticized Qin Xuan’s punches as overly elaborate.

• Helan Shan unleashed a dense series of punches that steadily cut off Qin Xuan’s avenues of escape.
• Zhou Tai and Gu Qingyan recognized that Helan Shan was replacing defense with offense and forcing Qin Xuan to dodge or face his attacks.
• Qin Xuan recalled Zhao Zhong’s advice about mastering the extraordinary within the ordinary and recognized the purity of Helan Shan’s basic fist technique.
• Qin Xuan stopped retreating and met Helan Shan’s punch with Mountain-Breaking Fist, using An Jin to dissolve most of its force.
• Helan Shan retreated five steps with a trembling, bloodied right arm, then told Qin Xuan that his punches lacked purity.

Qin Xuan defeated Helan Shan in the martial competition by reading the gaps in his powerful punches and avoiding every strike. After Helan Shan refused to accept defeat and launched one last attack, Qin Xuan sent him off the platform, and the referee declared Qin Xuan the winner.

• Helan Shan revealed his scarred, hardened body and explained that he had trained his fists for years while mining in the tunnels.
• Helan Shan launched a peak An Jin punch at Qin Xuan, who closed his eyes and evaded it with precise timing.
• Helan Shan unleashed a barrage of punches, but Qin Xuan repeatedly slipped through their gaps until Helan Shan exhausted himself.
• Helan Shan admitted he had lost in combat awareness, then made one final attack despite his exhaustion.
• Qin Xuan struck Helan Shan with a yielding blow that sent him crashing to the platform's edge, where he could not get up.
• The referee declared Qin Xuan of the Zhao Clan Martial Hall the winner, and Lie Changkong acknowledged his nephew's earlier defeat had been deserved.

Jiang Fa was matched against Gu Qingyan, the Flying Swallow Martial Hall’s top movement specialist, and Liu Ying warned her that he was also skilled with a saber. Shui Qingqian reminded Gu Qingyan that winning could secure a place in the top seven and help the hall reclaim a long-lost opportunity, leaving Gu Qingyan under intense pressure before the match.

• Jiang Fa drew the first match against Gu Qingyan as the fourteen remaining contestants began competing for places in the top seven.
• Spectators and Flying Swallow Martial Hall disciples doubted Jiang Fa could match Gu Qingyan’s movement skills, while Liu Ying privately worried that he was still hiding his strength.
• Liu Ying warned Gu Qingyan that Jiang Fa had fought Tu Lie in a saber duel the previous year and already possessed considerable saber skill.
• Pei Yan’er dismissed Liu Ying’s warning, but Gu Qingyan took it seriously and studied Jiang Fa from across the stands.
• Shui Qingqian told Gu Qingyan that she must win and recalled how Shen Qingying had left the hall after failing to reach the top ten two years earlier.

Shui Qingqian prepared Gu Qingyan for her match against Jiang Fa, while Zhao Zhong learned Jiang Fa had reached late Dark Force and concealed his cultivation. The chapter left Jiang Fa facing the chance to enter the top ten and become an outer disciple of one of Qingyang Prefecture’s three great sects.

• Shui Qingqian advised Gu Qingyan to use her superior movement techniques and attack before Jiang Fa could bring his saber techniques to bear.
• Zhao Zhong warned Jiang Fa that Gu Qingyan’s Flying Swallow Returning Feather Steps had reached major accomplishment and asked Jiang Fa to reveal his true realm.
• Jiang Fa admitted he was at late Dark Force and had used a Mid Black Grade method to conceal his Qi signature.
• Jiang Fa told Zhao Zhong he had obtained the concealment method after killing an assassin who attacked him on the main road.
• Zhao Zhong reproached Jiang Fa for hiding the assassination attempt, then told him that beating Gu Qingyan would secure a top-ten place and a chance to enter a great sect in Qingyang Prefecture.

Zhao Zhong explained how the three great sects offered Jiang Fa a path beyond Qingshan County and urged him to fight for a place in them. As Jiang Fa faced Gu Qingyan in the fifth arena, the spectators debated his chances and Wang Chengde ordered an investigation into his background.

• Zhao Zhong told Jiang Fa about the Fire Cloud Sect, the Earth Xuan Sect, and Heavenly Saber Valley, and explained that the martial meet could open the way into their ranks.
• Zhao Zhong encouraged Jiang Fa to do his best, and Jiang Fa walked toward the fifth arena to face Gu Qingyan.
• Zhao Zhong warned Wang Shi that Gu Qingyan's movement and kicking techniques made the match difficult for Jiang Fa.
• Wang Chengde and Wang Yanzhi assessed Jiang Fa's hidden strength, and Wang Chengde ordered someone to investigate his background after the meet.
• Shi Chongshan and Li Kunlun predicted that Gu Qingyan would overcome Jiang Fa and discussed dealing with him after the martial meet.

Jiang Fa faced Gu Qingyan in the tournament as she used the Flying Swallow Returning Feather Steps to attack his joints and outpace his evasions. He kept dodging her strikes, but Zhao Zhong saw that Gu Qingyan’s unpredictable footwork would eventually create an opening.

• Liu Bochong and Zhou Tai predicted that Gu Qingyan’s superior footwork would defeat Jiang Fa, while Lu Jiu hoped Jiang Fa would win so he could kill him in the arena.
• Qin Xuan acknowledged that Gu Qingyan’s profound-grade footwork was formidable and said he might not gain the upper hand against her in footwork alone.
• When the match began, Gu Qingyan immediately rushed Jiang Fa and aimed a powerful kick at his knee.
• Gu Qingyan followed with a low sweep at Jiang Fa’s ankle, while he used the Wind-Chasing Steps to evade her attacks by narrow margins.
• Zhao Zhong recognized that Jiang Fa was slower and that Gu Qingyan’s shifting footwork would likely expose an opening if Jiang Fa continued to dodge.

Jiang Fa accidentally touched Gu Qingyan’s thigh while blocking her kick, enraging her and turning their match into a deadly assault. He countered her relentless kicks with precise strikes from the Zhao Clan Martial Hall’s Mountain-Breaking Fist, leaving the spectators astonished as he repeatedly disrupted her attacks.

• Gu Qingyan pressed Jiang Fa with a rapid series of kicks, while he struggled to evade her increasingly exhausting assault.
• Jiang Fa accidentally slid his hand up Gu Qingyan’s lower leg and touched her thigh while deflecting her kick, causing her to erupt in fury.
• Gu Qingyan attacked Jiang Fa with killing intent, but he planted his feet and knocked her away with a precisely timed punch.
• Gu Qingyan unleashed her full range of kicks, and Jiang Fa began interrupting them with precise Mountain-Breaking Fist strikes to the points where she generated force.

Jiang Fa revealed that his Mountain-Breaking Fist had reached Perfection and defeated Gu Qingyan after she unleashed her ultimate move. He left the ring with the spectators and martial arts experts now treating him as a formidable contender.

• Jiang Fa's Perfection-level Mountain-Breaking Fist stunned the spectators, Zhao Zhong, and the disciples of the Zhao Clan Martial Hall.
• Gu Qingyan rose and attacked with Swallow's Nine Returning Turns, her ultimate combination of Flying Swallow Returning Feather Steps and a fierce kicking technique.
• Jiang Fa stepped into Gu Qingyan's final kick and countered with Mountain-Breaking Fist, sending her flying from the ring.
• The referee declared Jiang Fa the winner, and the crowd erupted as Gu Qingyan struggled to sit up with her right leg numb.
• Jiang Fa left the ring as Wang Yanzhi showed interest, Li Kunlun's killing intent grew, Zhou Tai's fighting spirit rose, and Lu Jiu looked forward to facing him.

Li Kunlun defeated He Sanjin with a brutal display of precision and Peak An Jin, while Wang Yanzhi easily overcame Fang Chao with his sword. The fourth match began, and Qin Xuan was called to compete.

• Li Kunlun faced Rogue Cultivator He Sanjin, whose quick pig-butchering knives initially drove him back.
• Li Kunlun caught He Sanjin’s knife, broke his wrist, swept him down, and struck him unconscious with a powerful punch.
• Jiang Fa and Xu Feng discussed Li Kunlun’s strength, and Jiang Fa recognized the precision behind his movements.
• Wang Yanzhi dominated Fang Chao with his sword and won after stopping his blade just short of Fang Chao’s throat.
• The fourth match began, and Qin Xuan’s turn arrived.

Qin Xuan fought the powerful rogue cultivator Shi Kaishan in the fourth match, relying on nimble movement against Shi Kaishan’s immense strength and unusual resilience. After Shi Kaishan adapted to Qin Xuan’s techniques and injured his arm, Qin Xuan surged forward and revealed the Stele-Opening Finger.

• Shi Kaishan faced Qin Xuan, and spectators noted that the former Boulder Martial Hall worker had advanced by defeating opponents with his strength.
• Qin Xuan dodged Shi Kaishan’s heavy punches and struck his arm, but discovered that Shi Kaishan’s dense muscles absorbed most of the blow’s force.
• The fighters exchanged over a hundred moves as Qin Xuan relied on movement and technique while Shi Kaishan pressed him with strength and defense.
• Shi Kaishan began copying Qin Xuan’s moves, then punched Qin Xuan’s right arm and left it numb.
• Qin Xuan rushed through a narrow opening in Shi Kaishan’s defense and formed a pale golden Qi force at his fingertips, prompting experts to recognize the Stele-Opening Finger.

Qin Xuan defeated Shi Kaishan with the Zhao Clan Martial Hall’s secret Stele-Opening Finger, then Lu Jiu stunned the crowd by defeating Lie Jingyun while concealing most of his strength. The chapter left the spectators wondering about Lu Jiu’s unknown past and dangerous background.

• Qin Xuan used the Stele-Opening Finger to break through Shi Kaishan’s defenses and win their match, though the technique left him badly drained.
• Zhao Zhong gave Qin Xuan a pill and told him to recover while Song Wan helped him back to the stands.
• Lu Jiu avoided Lie Jingyun’s attacks, struck his shoulder, and forced him to concede before Lu Jiu’s fist reached his throat.
• Lie Changkong and Zhao Zhong failed to identify Lu Jiu, while Old Qian said his precise, lethal moves resembled those of someone experienced in killing.
• Wang Chengde told Wang Yanzhi that Lu Jiu had held back much of his strength and might be a powerful, seasoned killer.

Zhou Tai defeated Luo Zhen in a brutal spear-and-fist match, and Liu Mang beat Huo Qing to complete the final seven. Jiang Fa and Qin Xuan both advanced for the Zhao Clan Martial Hall, drawing new attention to Zhao Zhong as the tournament continued.

• Zhou Tai and Luo Zhen traded heavy blows for over a hundred exchanges before Zhou Tai used his bent spear shaft to launch a decisive punch that knocked Luo Zhen unconscious.
• The referee declared Zhou Tai the winner, though both fighters were badly injured and exhausted.
• Liu Mang lost the use of his left arm after Huo Qing stabbed his shoulder, but he knocked Huo Qing off the platform with a one-handed staff strike.
• The final seven were announced as Jiang Fa, Qin Xuan, Li Kunlun, Wang Yanzhi, Zhou Tai, Liu Mang, and Lu Jiu.
• The factions took greater interest in Zhao Zhong after learning that Jiang Fa and Qin Xuan had both secured places among the seven.

The repechage settled the last three places in the martial tournament’s top ten, and Gu Qingyan, Fang Chao, and Lie Jingyun began competing for eighth, ninth, and tenth. The chapter left Fang Chao under Lie Jingyun’s relentless attack in their first ranking match.

• He Sanjin forfeited the repechage, while Gu Qingyan, Fang Chao, Shi Kaishan, Luo Zhen, Huo Qing, and Lie Jingyun drew lots for the remaining places.
• Gu Qingyan defeated Huo Qing, and Fang Chao beat Shi Kaishan after Shi’s chest wound reopened.
• Lie Jingyun defeated the badly injured Luo Zhen, securing places in the top ten for Gu Qingyan, Fang Chao, and Lie Jingyun.
• Gu Qingyan drew a bye for the first ranking match, leaving Fang Chao and Lie Jingyun to fight first.
• Lie Jingyun launched a rapid Wind-Rending Fist assault, forcing Fang Chao to retreat and defend with his left-handed saber.

Fang Chao revealed that he was naturally left-handed and fought Lie Jingyun with a powerful left-handed saber, but Lie Jingyun adapted and defeated him. Lie Jingyun then began his next match against Gu Qingyan, who struggled to get past his defensive fists.

• Fang Chao switched to his left hand and revealed that he had hidden his dominant hand throughout the tournament.
• Lie Jingyun changed tactics to target Fang Chao's wrist and footwork, then struck him down and won the match.
• Lie Jingyun offered to fight Fang Chao again after his injuries healed, and Fang Chao left the platform.
• Gu Qingyan faced Lie Jingyun while both carried injuries, and Lie Jingyun conserved his strength by defending against her swift attacks.
• Gu Qingyan's surprise attacks failed to penetrate Lie Jingyun's wall of fist wind.

Gu Qingyan defeated Lie Jingyun and Fang Chao to secure eighth place in the martial gathering, while Lie Jingyun placed ninth and Fang Chao tenth. As Jiang Fa left the grounds, he sensed a hostile gaze from Lu Jiu.

• Gu Qingyan outlasted Lie Jingyun’s final attack, defeated him, and earned his concession.
• Gu Qingyan defeated the injured Fang Chao after his left-handed saber slowed, completing the final match.
• The officials ranked Gu Qingyan eighth, Lie Jingyun ninth, and Fang Chao tenth, then announced that the top-seven matches would take place in three days.
• Jiang Fa sensed Lu Jiu watching him as he left the drill ground and told Tang Jin’er to keep going.

Jiang Fa and the other six contestants drew lots for the Qingshan Martial Meet’s round of seven, with Jiang Fa matched against Liu Mang and Qin Xuan against Li Kunlun. As the bouts approached, Wang Chengde told Wang Yanzhi that the meet’s prizes meant little to the Wang Family.

• Zhao Zhong warned Jiang Fa and Qin Xuan to protect themselves, then gave the recovering Qin Xuan an Origin-Replenishing Pill.
• Meng Qiuran began the drawing, and Jiang Fa drew lot number three while Qin Xuan drew ahead of him.
• The posted matchups paired Wang Yanzhi with Zhou Tai, Jiang Fa with Liu Mang, and Qin Xuan with Li Kunlun; Lu Jiu received the bye.
• Zhao Zhong cautioned Jiang Fa about Liu Mang’s staff technique and told Qin Xuan he could concede if Li Kunlun proved too strong.
• Wang Chengde told Wang Yanzhi that the meet’s sect places and martial arts were insignificant in the Wang Family’s eyes.

Wang Yanzhi and Zhou Tai faced off in the Qingshan Martial Meet’s top-seven round, with Wang initially evading Zhou’s spear without drawing his sword. Zhou’s layered spear force eventually forced Wang to draw Flowing Frost, and Wang’s first slash drove Zhou back, leaving their duel unresolved.

• Wang Chengde told Wang Yanzhi that the martial world extended far beyond Qingyang Prefecture, the Eastern Province, and the Wei Kingdom.
• Wang Yanzhi and Zhou Tai began their match, and Zhou opened with a powerful thrust that Wang dodged effortlessly.
• Zhou chained together rapid spear attacks, gradually building an invisible net of lingering force around Wang.
• Wang leapt above the unfinished net and drew Flowing Frost, striking Zhou’s spear with a swift downward slash.
• Wang’s blow numbed Zhou’s arm and forced him back five steps before Wang drifted down from the air.

Wang Yanzhi defeated Zhou Tai after Zhou broke through to Peak An Jin during their match, revealing a sword technique that had reached the threshold of sword momentum. The next match began as Jiang Fa took up his saber to face Liu Mang.

• Wang Yanzhi overwhelmed Zhou Tai with the Flowing Frost Sword Technique, while Inspector Qiao called him middling talent among his peers in the prefectural city.
• Zhou Tai broke through from Late Dark Force to Peak An Jin while fighting Wang Yanzhi and unleashed his strongest spear thrust.
• Wang Yanzhi used a single slash to disarm Zhou Tai and held his sword at Zhou Tai’s throat, winning the match.
• Zhou Tai accepted defeat and left the arena, while spectators discussed Wang Yanzhi’s Xuan Rank sword technique.
• Meng Qiuran announced Jiang Fa’s match against Liu Mang, and Jiang Fa picked up his ghost-head saber.

Jiang Fa entered the final-seven match against Liu Mang armed with a ghost-head saber, surprising the spectators and drawing the attention of Inspector Qiao. He effortlessly dismantled Liu Mang’s opening staff attack, revealing saber technique approaching major accomplishment.

• Jiang Fa walked into the arena carrying a heavy ghost-head saber, shocking the disciples who had only seen him fight barehanded.
• Shui Qingqian recognized the saber’s weight and concluded that Jiang Fa had held back in earlier matches, while Inspector Qiao noted his concealed An Jin presence.
• Liu Bochong predicted that Liu Mang had an eighty percent chance of winning, and Liu Mang and Jiang Fa took their positions.
• Liu Mang launched a fast, three-pronged staff attack aimed at Jiang Fa’s throat, chest, and abdomen.
• Jiang Fa used a fluid saber sequence to break all three staff strikes and neutralize the attack without giving Liu Mang an opening.
• The spectators recognized that Jiang Fa’s saber technique was approaching major accomplishment, and Liu Mang felt his arms go numb from the clash.

Jiang Fa revealed his refined saber technique against Liu Mang, who then exposed his peak An Jin cultivation and unleashed the Mad Demon Staff Technique. Jiang Fa met Liu Mang’s powerful strike head-on, and Liu Mang was driven back farther than he was.

• Jiang Fa blocked Liu Mang’s staff with a precise saber strike, impressing the spectators and revealing his advanced saber skill.
• Liu Mang admitted he had held back a move and revealed that he was at peak An Jin.
• Liu Mang gathered the force of his near-major-accomplishment Mad Demon Staff Technique and attacked Jiang Fa with a powerful downward strike.
• Jiang Fa met Liu Mang’s staff with an upward saber strike, and the collision sent them both sliding backward.
• Jiang Fa retreated five steps while Liu Mang retreated seven, leaving the arena silent.

Jiang Fa used his perfected Cloak Saber Technique to overcome Liu Mang's Peak An Jin strength and win their match. His performance stunned the spectators and drew the attention of Inspector Qiao, while Qin Xuan watched him with new respect.

• Liu Mang renewed his assault with the Mad Demon Staff Technique, but Jiang Fa's saber strikes repeatedly broke through its momentum.
• The spectators realized Jiang Fa had reached Perfection in the Cloak Saber Technique, shocking Shi Chongshan, Li Kunlun, and the other onlookers.
• Inspector Qiao and Lie Changkong discussed Jiang Fa's exceptional martial arts, while Zhao Zhong admitted he did not know how Jiang Fa had achieved them.
• Jiang Fa overwhelmed Liu Mang with consecutive saber strikes, knocked away his staff, and forced him to concede.
• The referee declared Jiang Fa the winner, and Qin Xuan watched him leave the platform in astonishment.

Qin Xuan fought Li Kunlun in the third arena match, but Li Kunlun’s overwhelming strength and defense left him badly injured. As Li Kunlun moved to strike Qin Xuan again, Zhao Zhong rushed to intervene and was stopped by a gray figure who invoked the arena rules.

• Qin Xuan and Li Kunlun exchanged names before the referee started their match.
• Qin Xuan’s attacks failed to break Li Kunlun’s defense, and Li Kunlun mocked him before landing a punch that injured him.
• Qin Xuan rose and used Stele-Opening Finger, but Li Kunlun shattered the attack and badly wounded him with a powerful counterpunch.
• Li Kunlun pursued the airborne Qin Xuan and prepared another potentially crippling blow.
• Zhao Zhong charged onto the arena to stop Li Kunlun, but a gray figure blocked him and said that intervening violated the rules.

Jiang Fa stopped Li Kunlun from delivering a potentially fatal blow to Qin Xuan, then watched Qin concede and learned how badly he was injured. Li Kunlun challenged Jiang Fa to face him in the ring, leaving the feud between the Boulder Martial Hall and Zhao Clan Martial Hall poised to escalate.

• Shi Chongshan blocked Zhao Zhong and overpowered him, preventing him from intervening in Li Kunlun and Qin Xuan's match.
• Jiang Fa leapt into the ring and stopped Li Kunlun's punch from hitting the helpless Qin Xuan.
• Qin Xuan conceded, and Zhao Zhong said his shattered arm and internal injuries would require at least six months to heal.
• Li Kunlun challenged Jiang Fa to meet him in the ring and told him not to concede.
• Jiang Fa watched Li Kunlun leave with a cold gleam in his eyes.

Jiang Fa recovered from his fight and prepared for the final four of the Qingshan Martial Meet while Lin Feng visited him with money and pills. The chapter ended with Lin Feng offering Jiang Fa the supplies ahead of his bout the next day.

• Physician Zhou treated Qin Xuan, and the inspectors awarded him seventh place because his injuries kept him from continuing.
• Zhou Tai defeated Liu Mang to claim fifth place, leaving Jiang Fa, Li Kunlun, Wang Yanzhi, and Lu Jiu as the final four.
• Jiang Fa rested at the Zhao Clan Martial Hall and considered the formidable opponents he might face the following day.
• Lin Feng visited Jiang Fa, apologized for the Lin Lineage’s absence at the meet, and warned him to be careful if he faced Li Kunlun.
• Lin Feng gave Jiang Fa banknotes worth a thousand taels, Rejuvenation Pills, and Qi and Blood Elixirs.

Lin Feng told Jiang Fa that the Lin Lineage’s secret dark iron essence gold vein had been attacked and its guards killed, revealing a possible conspiracy within and beyond the trading company. After agreeing to investigate quietly together once the martial meet ended, Jiang Fa recovered from his fight and prepared for the semifinals.

• Lin Feng gave Jiang Fa a wooden box and porcelain bottles in appreciation of his service to the Lin Lineage.
• Lin Feng reported that attackers had discovered the secret vein and killed nineteen guards, including a veteran retainer nearing Transforming Force.
• Lin Feng said the missing accountant Sun Dewang had been recommended by his second uncle, Lin Zhengtang, whose household had received eight thousand taels without a matching company transaction.
• Lin Feng suspected a wider group was behind the vein attack and earlier incidents, including the official-road assassination, the Bridge of Helplessness ambush, Black Wind Stronghold, and the Blood Wolf Gang.
• Jiang Fa advised Lin Feng to investigate quietly and wait until after the martial meet before confronting anyone; Lin Feng agreed.
• After Lin Feng left, Jiang Fa swallowed a Rejuvenation Pill, recovered from his fight with Liu Mang, and considered his chances in the next day’s semifinals.