Chapter Summaries

Chen Xuan saved himself from Chun Tao’s attempt to scald him, then used a show of magnanimity to persuade Xiao Ling’er to punish her without damaging her reputation. Xiao Ling’er ordered him to accompany her to inspect the western market district, where she suspected rivals were behind the trouble at her shops and the attack on her horse.

• Chun Tao tipped a tray of boiling tea at Chen Xuan, but he caught the cups and redirected the force, leaving her sprawled on the ground.
• Xiao Ling’er confronted Chun Tao, while Chen Xuan pleaded for leniency to protect his mistress’s reputation.
• Xiao Ling’er spared Chun Tao a whipping but sentenced her to ten bamboo strokes, three months without wages, and menial work in the back courtyard.
• Xiao Ling’er ordered Chen Xuan to bring Treading Snow and choose a horse so he could accompany her to inspect her western Qingzhou City properties.
• Xiao Ling’er explained that her shops had faced repeated trouble and that someone had poisoned Treading Snow, and Chen Xuan pledged to protect her at the market.

Xiao Ling'er and Chen Xuan rode to the western market, where Chen Xuan secretly trained while guarding her. They found the Marquis of Zhenbei's Residence's Splendid Cloud Silk shop surrounded by Black Tiger Gang thugs demanding repayment of a debt.

• Xiao Ling'er warned Chen Xuan to stay alert and watch for danger as they rode toward the western market.
• Chen Xuan flattered Xiao Ling'er and reminded her that he had protected her when Treading Snow went wild, softening her anger.
• Chen Xuan secretly circulated the Boulder Art and Eight Desolations Prison-Suppressing Yang Gang while riding, improving his cultivation.
• Xiao Ling'er and Chen Xuan saw a crowd gathered around Splendid Cloud Silk as Black Tiger Gang thugs smashed the shop's goods and demanded three thousand taels in debt.

Xiao Ling'er confronted the Black Tiger Gang after its thugs attacked the Cloud Silk Shop, a property of the Marquis of Zhenbei's Residence. Her first clash with their enforcer, Liu Heng, left her whip hand injured and her weapon nearly knocked away.

• Liu Heng and the Black Tiger Gang thugs claimed the shop had been pledged against gambling debts, beat its old assistant, and ruined tribute satin.
• Chen Xuan warned Xiao Ling'er that the debt was likely a pretext for a trap, but she rode forward to defend the shop.
• Xiao Ling'er arrived at the shop, where Liu Heng and the thugs mocked and sexually harassed her.
• Furious, Xiao Ling'er lashed at Liu Heng with her whip, but he blocked it with his cleaver and overpowered her in the clash.

Chen Xuan jumped in front of Xiao Ling'er and provoked Scarface Liu Heng after the thug insulted her. Liu Heng launched a full-force saber attack at Chen Xuan, leaving him facing a deadly blow.

• Scarface Liu Heng overpowered Xiao Ling'er and leered at her after wounding her hand.
• Chen Xuan leaped off his horse to shield Xiao Ling'er and angrily denounced Liu Heng.
• Xiao Ling'er told Chen Xuan to get behind her horse, but he refused and vowed to protect her.
• Chen Xuan mocked Liu Heng's appearance and abilities until the outlaws and Xiao Ling'er reacted with laughter and relief.
• Enraged by Chen Xuan's insults, Liu Heng charged and swung his saber at Chen Xuan's forehead.

Chen Xuan concealed his true strength as he used force-redirection to defeat Liu Bazi with one punch, saving Xiao Ling'er from the Black Tiger Gang. The gang’s thugs fled, leaving Liu Bazi unconscious in the street.

• Xiao Ling'er warned Chen Xuan that Liu Bazi was a middle-stage Ming Jin fighter and tried to stop his attack with her whip.
• Chen Xuan pretended to risk his life, then redirected Liu Bazi’s saber strike with his bare hands and unbalanced him.
• Chen Xuan punched Liu Bazi in the chest, breaking his ribs and sending him crashing into the other thugs.
• The bystanders and Black Tiger Gang thugs stared in shock as Liu Bazi lay unconscious.
• The remaining thugs fled, abandoning Liu Bazi in the street.

Chen Xuan staged his injuries after driving off Scarface and used Xiao Ling'er’s fall to catch her in an intimate embrace. After she rebuked him but spared him punishment, approaching footsteps from both ends of the street interrupted them.

• Chen Xuan pretended to be badly hurt and knelt before Xiao Ling'er, claiming he had failed to protect her.
• Xiao Ling'er worried over Chen Xuan’s bloodied hand and hurried off Treading Snow, then slipped on the muddy flagstones.
• Chen Xuan caught Xiao Ling'er around the waist and pulled her against his chest before she hit the ground.
• Xiao Ling'er shoved Chen Xuan away and scolded him, but lowered her whip when she remembered he had protected her from Scarface.
• Chen Xuan complimented Xiao Ling'er as she blushed, and disorderly footsteps rumbled from both ends of the street.

Chen Xuan teased Xiao Ling'er while helping her after she slipped, but their exchange was interrupted when the Black Tiger Gang surrounded them on West Street. The gang’s towering Second Boss arrived, carrying a bloodied spiked mace.

• Chen Xuan held Xiao Ling'er around the waist and flirted with her while pretending to apologize for his actions.
• Xiao Ling'er ordered Chen Xuan to let go, and he steadied her again after secretly touching her back.
• Shopkeeper Zhou warned Chen Xuan and Xiao Ling'er that the Black Tiger Gang had sealed off West Street.
• Fifty or sixty Black Tiger Gang swordsmen surrounded the Cloud Silk Fabric Shop and blocked the street.
• The gang’s men made way for their Second Boss, a towering, scarred man carrying a bloodied spiked mace.

Xiao Ling'er confronted Lei Hu and the Black Tiger Gang after they attacked the Cloud Silk Shop, but Lei Hu mocked her and threatened her with sexual violence. Enraged, she prepared to attack him with her whip.

• The shopkeeper warned Xiao Ling'er that Lei Hu was a powerful, dangerous fighter and urged her to escape.
• Lei Hu arrived, saw Liu Heng injured, and recognized Xiao Ling'er and Chen Xuan as the ones who had defeated his men.
• Lei Hu ogled and insulted Xiao Ling'er, while one of his men accused Chen Xuan of crippling Liu Bazi.
• Xiao Ling'er defended her household's property and challenged Lei Hu over the gang's attack, but he dismissed her threat to invoke the Marquis of Zhenbei's Residence.
• Lei Hu revealed that his superiors had ordered him to teach Xiao Ling'er a lesson and continued threatening and humiliating her.
• Xiao Ling'er lost control of her anger, gathered her Qi, and prepared to lash Lei Hu with her whip.

Chen Xuan stood between Xiao Ling'er and the Black Tiger Gang, vowing to protect her despite Lei Hu’s overwhelming strength. After Lei Hu mocked and threatened them, Chen Xuan insulted him and prepared to face him.

• Chen Xuan pulled Xiao Ling'er behind him and refused her order to retreat, promising to keep her safe from the bandits.
• Xiao Ling'er became emotional at Chen Xuan’s willingness to risk his life for her and pleaded with him to come back.
• Lei Hu and the Black Tiger Gang thugs mocked Chen Xuan for only recently reaching early-stage Bright Force and threatened to kill him and assault Xiao Ling'er.
• Chen Xuan stood firm and taunted Lei Hu and the Black Tiger Gang for lusting after Xiao Ling'er.

Chen Xuan provoked Lei Hu into attacking, then revealed his hidden strength and killed the Black Tiger Gang’s second-in-command with one punch. Lei Hu’s death left the gangsters surrounding Chen Xuan and Xiao Ling’er staring in horror.

• Chen Xuan insulted Lei Hu while defending Xiao Ling’er, driving the Black Tiger Gang leader into a rage.
• Lei Hu leapt at Chen Xuan with his hundred-jin spiked club as Xiao Ling’er cried out for Chen Xuan to dodge.
• Chen Xuan met the club with his fist, using Boulder Art and Eight Desolations Prison-Suppressing Yang Gang to shatter the weapon and wound nearby thugs with its fragments.
• Chen Xuan broke Lei Hu’s arms and drove a second blow through his chest, killing him in the street.